“Okay. Thanks,” I replied, smiling.
“I’ll put all the descriptions we have of the Ryders into the system, too. We’re clearly looking for different people, impersonated by the same magicals.”
We left the Devereaux property and got back in the car. As soon as the engine roared to life, Garrett pressed the horn a couple of times, enough for the idle cops inside the mansion to snap out of their hypnotic state and resume their investigative work.
“We’ll send a cleanup crew out here today,” he said, driving off.
My heart felt heavy. I didn’t like how Oberon had been able to take the wheel earlier, but he had definitely helped us back there. I was split between letting him stay and expelling him.
Trust me, Tatyana, Oberon whispered in the back of my head. I won’t cross you again. It was pure reflex back there, completely unintentional. You have full control, I promise.
Given our circumstances, I didn’t have much of a choice. There was still so much we didn’t know, and considering what we’d seen from the Ryders so far, we had to be ready for the worst.
Twenty-Three
Harley
“Have you ever gotten a visit from two people with the last name Ryder? Or any… I don’t know, wonky social workers, maybe?” I asked Jacob, mentally crossing my fingers for a no.
“No. Just the usual social workers I’ve known for years. They come around once a month to check up on me, but they’re good people,” Jacob replied.
I nodded slowly, breathing a sigh of relief at the same time. At least he was safe, for the time being, still undetected. Maybe that’s why the Ryders hadn’t found him. Yet. Besides, since Jacob was a part of my foster family, they would’ve definitely left a clue or something behind, just to mess with me and the coven, based on their behavioral pattern.
“So, you knew what I was from the moment we met,” I said to Jacob as we played another round of cards in the garden. The sun had already set, and we’d been at it for a few hours. Dinner was going to be served soon. I could already smell the lasagna that Mrs. Smith was cooking in the oven.
“Yeah… I just… I don’t want anyone to know I can do this kind of stuff,” he replied. “The Smiths are so nice. I don’t want to lose them.”
“You know what you are, then. You know about Chaos, the coven, all of us.”
We’d kept the conversation away from him for a while, as I told him my life story, from the very beginning that I could remember—foster care, and up to the present, describing my trials and tribulations, as well as my own experiences with the coven, Finch, and Katherine Shipton.
He nodded again. “I learned from the witches and warlocks I came across. Most of them rogues in small California towns. This is my first stable home in San Diego.”
“What happened to your previous foster family?” I asked. “I heard there was a death involved.”
He sighed, lowering his head. “I wasn’t in full control of my abilities. My foster mom came in at the wrong time and… she died.”
His grief and guilt tore me apart. I gave him a gentle shoulder squeeze, in an attempt to comfort him. I wanted more details, but he didn’t seem ready to give them.
“And you’ve got a grip on your magic now?” I asked.
“It’s better than before, I guess.”
“And you never thought of coming to the coven? Dude, they could give you a safe home. They could teach you stuff.”
Jacob shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t heard great things about the San Diego Coven. It’s why there are a lot of rogues in this city.”
Given his ability to sense them, Jacob could spot the ones that the coven had been unable to identify yet. Maybe he was better off with the coven, after all. He could help us reach out to unidentified magicals, so other hostiles wouldn’t reel them in first. The one thing I knew for sure was that having too many rogue magicals on the loose didn’t bode well for us, not even if they were on their best behavior.
We had to keep track of who came, who left, and who stayed, especially with the likes of Katherine Shipton and the Ryder twins in town.
“You should think about it,” I said.
“Don’t tell on me, please!” he replied, slightly alarmed. He was afraid, but I still wasn’t sure of what, exactly. The kind of crippling urgency bursting through him couldn’t possibly all be related to the coven. There had to be something else… something deeper inside him. “I don’t want the coven to know about my ability to sense magicals. I haven’t told anyone about it. I’ve kept it to myself even with other rogues, I promise! I know what my power can do in the wrong hands. It’s why I’m okay with just staying here, in the Smiths’ care.”
“So, you keep your abilities under control, huh?” I asked, my voice low.
He nodded. “I got some tips from several rogues,” he said. “I keep my head down, I don’t hurt anyone, I don’t look for trouble, and I go to school. I swear.”
“Okay, I believe you,” I replied, smiling softly. “The secret about controlling your powers is to focus on what you want from them. Determination, Jake. You tell them what to do, not the other way around. They’re a part of you. You’re not a part of them. If you set your mind on that, you’ll always have a better grip.”
“Thanks,” he murmured, returning a faint smile.
I breathed out, partially relieved for having had this conversation, but something still weighed on me.
I knew I had unfinished business back at the coven. Today’s events were coming back to haunt me. Not just the guilt over what had happened to the Cranstons, but also the heartache stemming from Wade’s anger. He had every reason to be mad at me. After all, I’d been the one to push for Micah to stay with his human foster parents. Those alarms and traps we’d set hadn’t prevented the Ryders from killing them. Neither had Santana’s Orisha. I had my own demons to wrestle now.
I rose to my feet and let out a long sigh. It was time to go back and face the music. “Listen, Jake, I have to go, but I’ll be in touch. Here’s my number,” I said, giving him one of my cards. “Call me if you need anything, if you get into any kind of trouble… whatever. Just call me, okay?”
“Yeah, thanks,” he mumbled.
“I won’t tell the coven about you, but I need you to watch yourself and take care of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, too, okay? They’re human. They don’t know any better. And stay away from the Ryder twins, if, by any rotten chance, they come around.”
“The Ryder twins,” he repeated after me, his voice faded.
My stomach hurt. It wasn’t hunger. It was stress, along with the dread of losing another life today. “They’re bad people, Jake. I think they’re working with Katherine Shipton.”
“Oh, your aunt.”
I groaned, rolling my eyes. “Yeah, crappy family. Not my fault,” I replied. “Either way, if they come around… If anyone magical comes around, claiming to be from the coven or the Mage Council or whatever, you call me immediately. No matter what. Your life depends on it. And so do the Smiths’.”
He nodded again.
“Thank you, Harley,” he said. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“I’m not sure that’s such a good thing, given what’s been happening lately,” I murmured, sighing. “Be good, Jake. Keep your nose clean.”
He smiled, and I gave him a forced one back, as he resumed work on his pet feeder. I then went back inside, a weight still keeping my shoulders down. Mrs. Smith was just about to pull the lasagna out of the oven.
“I have to skip dinner, I’m afraid,” I said to her. “I’m sorry.”
“Oh, sweetie, that’s a shame!” she replied. “It’s going to be delicious. I added fresh parsley from the garden.”
“I have to meet some friends tonight, and I completely forgot. Next time, I promise!”
She moved around the counter island and pulled me in for a hug. “That’s okay, Harley. I’m glad you’re coming by more often, and thank you for spending time with Jacob.”
“It’s my
pleasure,” I breathed, tears stinging my eyes as I reveled in her warmth. “For what it’s worth, Jacob’s a good kid. He keeps his head down. But if there’s ever anything wrong or if you’re worried about him, please call me immediately. Okay?”
She smiled and nodded, then kissed my temple.
“I’ll see you soon, honey,” she said.
Once I left the Smiths’ house, my heart sank further. As soon as I detached myself from their loving and jovial presence, reality came crashing down on me completely. My phone beeped. I checked the message. It was from Astrid, and it made me want to die right then and there. Two other magicals were missing, and another couple of foster parents had been murdered, just like the Cranstons.
Whatever the Ryder twins were up to, it was escalating, and I was afraid we couldn’t keep up.
I headed to the nearest bus stop, a couple of blocks away. It was on a street corner, dimly lit and empty. There were barely any souls outside after dark. This was mostly a residential area. Anything that wasn’t directly connected to the main boulevard looked practically abandoned after nine p.m. I loved this place at night, and I’d often gone on walks throughout the neighborhood before I moved out.
I reached the bus stop and checked the schedule. The next ride was coming in fifteen minutes. I had time to kill, so I decided to text Wade, just to see if his mood had improved.
On my way back. Need anything? HM. I always signed my texts like he did, just to mess with him.
But his reply was swift and sharp, and it hurt me deeply.
No. I briefed Alton. We’ll talk in the morning. WC
Even his signature wasn’t enough to lift my spirits.
I sensed a foreign feeling creep into my consciousness, and I lowered my phone, wondering where it was coming from. Concern… mixed with affection. Intriguing and confusing, to say the least. I stepped away from the bus stop shelter and moved toward the street corner, glancing around. There wasn’t anyone out here. Streetlights flickered on along the sides of the street as nightfall finally settled.
Then I caught movement to my right. I turned my head and spotted two figures slowly moving toward me, from the other end of the alley leading to the main bus route. But there weren’t any emotions coming from them.
That set off my alarms instantly.
Male and female.
They were dressed in black, wearing hoodies beneath their leather jackets. Something glistened in their right hands. I noticed the Esprits before I could see their faces. The alley was dimly lit.
My instincts kicked in.
I had a feeling I knew who they were. And it spelled massive trouble for me.
The moment I could see their cold grins, however, I knew for sure. These were the Ryder twins—wearing two of their known faces, with deep blue eyes and pale blond hair. The vicious glow in their eyes was what truly gave them away. They knew who I was. The fact that I couldn’t sense their emotions was further cause for alarm. It was also setting up a strange pattern, but I didn’t have time to think about that anymore.
“Merlin,” the girl said, her voice coarse like sandpaper and her tone clipped as she and the brother kept walking toward me, seemingly calm and relaxed. “I was wondering when we’d get a moment alone.”
“I take it you’re Emily and Emmett Ryder,” I murmured, preparing myself for the worst. My eyes darted about, checking every single escape route and potential weapon I could use against them.
“Our reputation precedes us,” Emmett replied, grinning.
“No, but you keep leaving your cards everywhere. It’s a little desperate, if you ask me. It’s like you’re begging for attention,” I said, my blood boiling. I was finally coming face-to-face with two of the most vicious magicals I’d ever dealt with.
Flashbacks of Susan and Larry’s lifeless bodies rattled my brain, setting my skin on fire. I was itching for a fight. Judging by their sneers, so were they.
“Well, we had to get your attention,” Emily remarked.
“Oh, you have more than that,” I answered, taking an attack stance.
Emily laughed, her Esprit bracelet lighting up orange. “You really think you can take us on, noob?”
“Why don’t you try me, you monster!” I shouted, fury blazing through my every nerve.
She threw a fast fireball at me.
I ducked. It missed me by an inch, tops, and I smelled burnt hair. I patted the top of my head and checked my ponytail, just in case. All good. I think.
Emmett used Telekinesis on me before I could react. The invisible force gripped me by the throat and threw me to one side.
I pushed a Telekinetic pulse out from my hand, just before Emmett’s force could slam me into the bus stop. The counter-punch of my Telekinesis helped break the hold he had on me, and I dropped on the ground, then shot back up and released a flurry of fireballs.
Emmett did his best to dodge them, but one nipped him in the shoulder. The flames burst bright and orange, before he dropped and rolled to put them out. Emily, however, revealed herself to be a Herculean like Dylan, as she darted left and right with lightning speed, then rammed into me.
The tackle knocked the air out of my lungs and I was thrown backward. I landed painfully, with Emily straddling me. She tried to punch me, but the sudden jolt of energy flowing through me kickstarted my adrenaline. I served her an uppercut before she could hit me, then grabbed her by the throat with a Telekinetic grip and threw her to the side.
Emmett muttered a spell.
Knowing I only had a split second till whatever hex he’d cast would hit me, I leapt up and ran toward the other side of the street, trying to put some distance between myself and the twins. Emily got back on her feet, grunting and cursing under her breath. She threw a massive ball of fire.
I used my Elemental ability and slapped the fire hydrant next to me to summon its water. Thankfully, laws required that one of these babies be mounted every five hundred feet along the road. It moaned and trembled before a thick water jet broke out and shot upward. Keeping my focus, I spread the water out in a fan just as the blaze was about to swallow me whole. The fire sizzled and died out.
Emmett’s Telekinetic grip took hold of me again. I was nowhere near strong or capable enough to handle both of them at the same time. Once more, I was hurled into the air like a rag doll. I summoned the winds to break my fall, but it didn’t do much as Emily slammed into me. I cried out in pain, every inch of my body aching.
I rolled away, the asphalt scratching my face and hands as I tried to stop and regain control of the situation. I wound up lying on my belly, taking deep breaths and quickly assessing my physical state. Nothing felt exactly broken, but something told me I was going to be hurting even more in the morning, when the adrenaline was gone.
“Man, I was told I’d have to bring my A game with you,” Emmett sneered. “From the looks of you, Merlin, that fancy bloodline of yours isn’t worth much these days.”
I groaned, trying to push myself back up. “I don’t know much about my bloodline, but I do know a pompous jerk when I see one!” I hissed, then focused my Esprit on his head.
The Telekinetic punch was so concentrated and powerful that it knocked him back, blood spraying out of his nose. He hadn’t seen that coming, and neither had Emily, who stared at me in shock.
I didn’t give her a chance to hit back. I channeled all my anger into a second Telekinetic punch—it smacked her hard in the chest. I heard her grunt as she was flipped backward by the force.
They were both down. This was my chance to get out of here.
My knees were weak, and I felt bruised all over, but I had to move. I growled as I staggered to my feet and hurried away.
Ten yards later, Emmett’s Telekinetic grip had me by the ankles. All of a sudden, I was back down, flat on my face, getting dragged back to hell itself.
A massive bubble of blue energy shot out around us. I gasped at the sight of it. It was a time-lapse spell. My heart skipped a beat as I glanced over my shoulder, hopi
ng to see Wade, but there was no one there.
Either way, good call, I guess. Can’t have humans watching us battle it out.
The Ryders were shocked, though, looking up and scowling at the time lapse. It was enough for me to realize that they hadn’t been the ones to cast it.
“What the—” Emmett tried to speak, but he was suddenly lifted and rammed into the blue energy ceiling with enough force to make him yelp in agony. He landed with a painful thud, spitting blood.
A shadow darted to my right. Emily’s eyes moved fast as she tried to spot the assailant. Whoever this was, they were incredibly swift. Another Telekinetic pulse came out—even more powerful than the one that had broken Emmett. It hit Emily hard, throwing her head to the side.
She collapsed, moaning.
Before I could even think of my next step, I was pulled back up on my feet and turned around. My so-called savior was clad in a black hood. I couldn’t see the face, but a feeling of urgency seared through me.
“Hold on, this is going to hurt,” the stranger said with a feminine voice.
A woman.
She put an arm around my waist and pulled me close, holding me firmly as she put her other hand out, the ring on her finger lighting up bright green.
I lost my breath as I watched the air tremble and rip open like a gash, revealing the kind of pitch blackness that sent shivers down my spine.
“No! Stop them!” I heard Emmett cry out.
I didn’t get a chance to do anything, as the stranger pulled me into the strange blackness. I may have screamed. I wasn’t sure at that point, as the very fabric of the universe warped and warbled into a billion colors. It only lasted for a second, before I found myself falling.
We both landed on the grass, from a significant height.
It was painful enough for me to employ some of my ear-burning curse words, in a litany that could make the devil himself gasp with shock. I looked up and saw the gash in the air disappear as the stranger got back on her feet with a soft grunt. Only… I wasn’t in the Smiths’ neighborhood anymore.
Harley Merlin 2: Harley Merlin and the Mystery Twins Page 22
