by Ivy Asher
We pull off the road we’ve been on and head deeper into the forested landscape. We drive through a valley, and there are trees and hills all around us. An occasional house pops up in the distance, but for the most part, everything seems to be spread out. It’s incredibly green and beautiful, and I can see why someone would name this place Solace.
“In about ten minutes, we’ll pass through another barrier," Aydin informs me. “The wards start about ten acres from the house. You might feel a rush or a pull on your magic. It can feel different depending on the type of magic you have, and we won’t know that until you have your reading.”
“My reading?” I repeat, and I can’t help but feel like I’m drowning in a sea of unknown. For every answer I get, a thousand more questions arise, and it feels never-ending.
“It’s a ritual that identifies the kind of magic you possess and determines the level of strength you’ll exhibit when wielding it," Keegan clarifies.
“What kind of magic do each of you have?”
“I have Elemental magic." Aydin holds up a tiny ball of fire as proof. “Lachlan has Offensive magic.”
I snort and try to swallow my laugh. Everything I discovered about my uncle thus far has been offensive, so it’s only right that his magic is too.
“Evrin has Healing magic, Keegan has Spell magic, and Silva has Defensive magic," Aydin finishes ticking off his fingers.
A gate swings opens on its own as we approach it. We drive through the stone pillars, and I admire the intricate details of the black iron gate when a warm sensation envelops me and the runes on my body all start to tingle.
“Something is happening,” I announce and stare at my runes.
“Don’t worry, we’re approaching the barrier, it’ll be over in a minute," Lachlan says dismissing my concern.
Without any additional warning, the runes on my body start to glow…well shit, here we go.
“What the…” someone exclaims, and the SUV suddenly stops.
I stare at the glowing runes and start to feel the now familiar sensation of magic building inside of me. I fling open the door and scramble out of the SUV. My runes feel like they’re heating up. It’s not painful, just odd. The sensation building within me plateaus, and I hold my breath and wait to see what the fuck is going to happen.
“Do you feel that?” Aydin asks.
Everyone nods and mumbles affirmation. I stare at them, waiting for someone to fill me in.
“Vinna, can you --”
Before Lachlan can finish his question, magic surges out of me in a massive pulse. It exits with such force that it blows everyone off their feet. The Range Rovers rock side to side, both of their alarms breaking out into shrill wails. A combination of bright orange and deep pink magic blankets everything it touches as it spreads out and away from me. The magic wave hits an invisible barrier and then shoots up to dome above us.
“Are you okay?” Aydin questions, the first to make it back on his feet.
I nod absently, unable to speak because it’s taking everything in me right now to keep from collapsing and blacking out. I feel like I have been running nonstop for days, every ounce of energy sucked from me. My muscles feel like jelly and quiver like they’ve been overused. Whatever the hell just happened has completely drained me.
The others get up and dust themselves off. I can tell that none of them have any idea what the hell just happened, so I don’t even bother asking. I take deep, slow breaths and focus on not showing any signs that something is wrong with me.
“Can you tell what she did, Silva?” Lachlan asks as he sweeps blades of grass off his pants.
“She strengthened it,” Silva states, looking at me shocked, and they all turn and look at me in the same way.
“What? It’s not like I have a clue what the fuck just happened," I defend. “What did I strengthen?”
“The barrier around the house. It keeps out unwanted entities and anything that means harm.”
“Oh… cool," I say casually and climb back into the car alone.
I put my head back against the seat, exhausted and overwhelmed. Listen magic, can we go a solid twenty-four hours without you doing something no one has ever seen before? Let’s not give Lachlan any more reason to want to burn me at the stake.
The paladin are huddled together in some kind of deep discussion. They throw the occasional look my way, but other than that it’s all serious and brooding faces, with an exasperated arm flail every now and again.
Happy for the reprieve, I rest in hopes it will help get my energy reserves back to normal levels. Aydin, Lachlan, and Keegan eventually pile back into the car. Everyone is silent as we continue on.
13
We crest a hill, and Keegan announces, “Home sweet home.”
I raise my head up and peek out the front window. We are driving toward what looks like a hotel. I lean forward and stare slack-jawed.
“That’s not a house, that’s a damn resort!”
Laughter titters around me, and I’m not sure what’s funny. The house is palatial. The outside is grey stone, broken up by huge trimmed windows and dark wood doors and accents. I can see three stories and to the left of the main house is a square courtyard surrounded by six garage doors.
We park at the front door, and everyone piles out.
“Vaughn originally set up the wards. I’ve just been reinforcing them. I didn’t see a point in redoing perfectly good wards," Silva tells Lachlan.
Oh goody, we’re still discussing the cluster fuck that is me and my magic.
“I wonder if her magic recognized his?” Aydin hypothesizes.
“Yeah, but how did she strengthen the original wards? It’s unreal the juice that she pumped into them, I wish you guys could feel it like I can," Silva remarks.
“Oh, we felt it," Keegan tells him, and they all turn to examine me again.
“Can you stop staring at me like I’m a freak puzzle you’re trying to solve?”
They all look away and start unloading my boxes and their luggage. I take in the gorgeous landscape and beautiful façade of the monster mansion. Silva starts humming the tune to “Super Freak,” and I snort, unable to hide my amusement at his newfound sense of humor.
“Where are the boys?” Evrin asks Silva, as we all move toward the front door.
“Last I heard, they were camping.”
“How do you call this a house?” I ask rhetorically. “This is the kind of place that has a name like Chateau be Jealous of All My Money.”
I look around in complete astonishment. Aydin and Evrin guffaw with laughter.
“I’ll get a plaque made," Lachlan deadpans, and I see the faintest hint of a smile before the asshole in him scares it away.
We walk into what Lachlan refers to as the foyer. Dark wood floors with white marble, are interspersed together to create a beautiful geometric pattern. To the right, a set of dark wood stairs lead up to the next floor. The ceilings are incredibly high, and I glance up to find a masculine iron and glass chandelier.
Lachlan points out a pair of arched doors to the right that he announces lead to his office, and I follow him into an open and spacious living room. Natural light pours into the room from two-story high windows, and it makes everything appear bright and inviting.
The space is comfortable and lush, but not so nice that you’re afraid to touch anything. Lachlan leads me into the kitchen, which opens to the living room on one side and the dining room on the other. A gargantuan island easily fits the five tall chairs tucked into one side of it. Aydin opens a cabinet, which turns out to be a fridge and hands me a bottle of water.
Out of nowhere, three elderly women pop out of a door, and I squeak out a surprised noise.
“Vinna, I want to introduce you to Roberta--who everyone calls Birdie, Adelaide, and Lila. They manage the house, and if you’re in need of anything, track one of them down.”
The three women appear related. They all have beautiful white-gray hair, cut in different but complementary shor
t styles and similar facial features. They’re all about a couple inches shorter than I am, and they have lightly lined faces with strong looking arms and hands. They seem like they’ve laughed a lot in life and aren’t afraid of hard work.
Each of them gaze at me with such warm affection, and I’m not sure what to think about it. I offer a small smile and an awkward wave in greeting. Birdie walks over, and before I can do anything to prevent it, she snatches me up in a firm hug. I stiffen automatically, and I know she notices.
“Sorry, I’m just not used to affection," I tell her and give her an awkward man-pat on her back. She pulls back, holding my shoulders, and a sheen of tears glistens in her eyes.
“Don’t worry, love, we’ll get you used to hugs in no time.”
She moves her hands to my cheeks and cradles my face. “Have you ever seen a more beautiful young woman?” Birdie beams, and looks to the guys for confirmation.
They don’t answer her, but she’s not bothered and answers herself.
“No, I think not. Oh, the boys are going to love you," she proclaims, as she looks back towards the other two women who nod their heads in agreement.
I’m not sure if she’s referring to the boys--which is the title that the paladin seem to use for Silva’s nephews--or boys in general. Birdie gets right in my face, her soft blue eyes demanding my undivided attention.
“We couldn’t be any more excited that you’re here. My sisters and I have been all aflutter since Lachlan called and told us about you.”
I stare at this woman before me, seeming so comforting, so loving in a way that feels safe and genuine, and I shock the hell out of myself when I start crying.
“There, there my love, what is this?” Birdie soothes.
Her sisters step towards us, and they wrap me up in a group hug, each of them stroking my hair in turn. It feels so foreign and yet, so soothing, and apparently, the only response I can give is to cry harder.
“Well crap, sisters. You broke her. She’s been tough as graphene until now, but one minute with you three and this happens," Aydin teases.
Since I haven’t made enough of a fool out of myself, I cry a little longer before hiccupping out an apology. I pull back wiping my face.
“I think I’m just tired, and no one’s ever told me that before, it felt so nice to hear. I didn’t know this was going to happen," I try to explain, gesturing to my tear tracked face as I work to wipe away the wetness.
Birdie looks at me confused, her gaze darkening further when her eyes run over the bruises on my neck.
“What do you mean, love? I’m sure all these boys have told you how happy they are you’re here,” Lila asks me.
I laugh humorlessly. “No, no one other than you three--and Aydin--are the slightest bit happy I’m here," I dispute, wiping the rest of my face dry as I take in the rest of the kitchen.
“Well, no wonder," Adelaide mumbles. Her gaze fixes on something behind me, her eyes transforming from soft and loving to hard and punishing in an instant. “You go on and finish your tour with Aydin. We’re just going to have a quick chat with your uncle and the other boys.” Adelaide smiles, but it looks more fierce than friendly.
Aydin drags me away and out of the kitchen. We walk through the dining room, with a massive table centered in the middle, and exit into a hallway before he speaks.
“Oooh, Little Badass, you just sicced the sisters on all of them. It is not going to be pretty, and there will be casualties."
After a quick walk through the rest of the main floor where I’m told Lachlan and Keegan reside, Aydin shows me the second floor where the rest of the paladin coven lives, and then we climb up to the third floor.
“The boys stay over there," Aydin explains pointing to the left of the staircase where we stand.
I figure at some point someone will tell me their names, but for now, I guess referring to them as the boys will have to do. We walk over to a door on the right, and Aydin motions for me to open it.
“This is your room.”
The door swings open, and I freeze, completely shocked. Aydin chuckles and rubs my back in what I’m sure he means as a comforting gesture, but I stiffen all the same.
“Sorry, Vinna, I keep forgetting that you don’t like to be touched.”
I ignore the incorrect observation, not bothering to enlighten him. It’s not that I don’t like to be touched, I’m honestly just not used to it. Beth never touched me unless it was to punish me, and since I’ve been on my own, I focused only on training and fighting. I’m affectionate with Talon now, but it took time for him to earn my trust.
My eyes flit all over the room, not sure where they want to land. To my right, a beautiful cream colored limestone fireplace takes up most of the wall. Across from the fireplace is a humongous, black four-poster bed with a tall arched headboard that sits on top of a colorful rug in gray, purple, pink, and blue hues. The bed is covered in grayish purple bedding, with different textured pillows in the same color, stylishly placed at the head of the bed. The wall that the headboard sits against is the same gray stone that’s on the outside of the house, and it makes the room feel old and warm.
A collection of small canvases hang above the headboard, and they artfully come together to create a picture of a pixelated peony. Tall windows brighten the room, and another set of doors lead out to a private balcony.
My hands come up to my mouth as I turn to the left to see a sitting area with a cream colored couch complete with two matching chairs, centered around another colorful rug. They face a huge TV mounted to the upper part of the wall, with built-in black bookshelves below it. I gawk at everything, rendered speechless.
“Welcome home, Little Badass.”
A knock sounds at the door, and Evrin sticks his head in with a shy smile.
“We brought your things up," he tells me and pushes open the door. He whistles as he enters the room and Silva follows in behind him.
“Wow, the sisters really put in work," Silva exclaims, looking around as impressed as I am.
They drop off the boxes, and we all stand around awkwardly, staring at each other.
“Anyway, we’ll leave you to get settled,” Aydin finally declares.
Evrin and Silva move to leave, but Evrin stops so abruptly that Silva slams into his back.
“I’m glad you’re here, Vinna," Evrin tells me, and I regard him for a couple beats.
“Thank you, Evrin," I whisper.
He continues his exit from the room, but Silva hesitates.
“I am sorry about what happened after the beacon spell," Silva tells me. “I know things have gotten off to a horrible start, but they’ll get better.”
I offer him a small smile that ends up feeling more like a grimace. The term horrible start feels a little tame for how things have gone. It’s tempting to believe him, it would be nice to be wanted here, but I can’t help feeling like Birdie, Adelaide, and Lila forced this apology out of him.
Maybe I’m wrong, and I should give them the benefit of the doubt. Or perhaps I’m so desperate for a connection and guidance, that as bad as things started, it really doesn’t matter. I give an awkward wave goodbye as the three paladin leave.
As soon as the door clicks shut, I twirl around and squeal. At least there’s this. I run my hands over all the different textures in the room, inspecting the details. I walk through the frosted glass double doors just past the sitting area, and I stumble to a stop. Is this a spa or the bathroom? Vases of fresh flowers sit atop a long black vanity with two sinks, and a distinct area to lounge while putting on makeup and getting ready.
Across from the vanity is a crazy huge shower, and I spot several showerheads positioned throughout the ceiling. At the end of the long room is a behemoth-sized soaking tub with an insanely tall window above it.
“Hello, beautiful. You and I will be getting acquainted, very soon," I promise the tub.
I walk back into the bedroom and run my hands over the soft sofa and pillows. I slip out of my shoes and run
my toes through the velvety fibers of the rug. I climb into the mountain of pillows on the bed and lie there, trying to process what in the hell I’m doing here.
14
Delicious smells beckon me forward as I reach the bottom of the stairs. I’m not sure what time it is since I don’t currently have a phone or own a watch. Apparently they don’t believe in clocks in this house either, because I have yet to find one. I follow my nose towards the kitchen, which I find filled with the rumbling sounds of deep laughter and animated conversation.
I passed out yesterday afternoon, and I just woke up maybe ten minutes ago in full starvation mode. I take the back way into the kitchen and find the paladin sitting at the island, enjoying a delicious looking spread laid out before them. My mouth waters, but I hesitate to interject myself on their happy breakfast. I’m about to turn around and sneak away when Birdie stops me mid-pivot.
“There you are, love, I wondered when I’d get to see that gorgeous face of yours again. Where are you going?”
I pivot back towards her which means I just full-on twirled and now look like an idiot. I don’t answer her, and I can’t seem to make my feet move forward either. Birdie gives me a sympathetic look and walks towards me.
“Here we are, love, you just sit right here, and let’s get some food in your belly. Do you like eggs benedict?”
I sit in the chair Birdie points to.
“I’m not sure. I’ve never had it," I manage to say as I run my hands over the rich wood of the dining room table.
“Well, let me fix you up a plate. You just eat what you like and leave what you don’t, okay?”
Birdie flits away, and I sit silently, staring at my hands. It’s not lost on me that the happy conversation I heard before I walked in was apparently killed off by my arrival. Each of the paladin now sits silently at the kitchen island.
Birdie sets a heaping plate of food in front of me, and my taste buds are frenzied with excitement. I look up at her with a small smile and mumble thank you. I take my first bite, close my eyes, and moan in pure ecstasy. I open my eyes and notice Birdie still standing there, watching me.
