3013: SPELLBOUND: A 3013 Novella (3013: The Series)

by Kali Argent

  For the time being, that meant not doing anything that might invoke her family’s wrath.

  So, she pulled four glasses down from the cabinet, placed them on a silver serving tray, and filled them with the wine her mother had requested. For a moment, she considered pouring herself a glass as well, but ultimately, decided against it. She’d be lucky if they even invited her to sit with them.

  Returning to the family room, she was surprised but pleased to find that Xi had extracted himself from Anise and moved across the room to stand by the window. Whatever had happened, it couldn’t have been subtle, because Anise was curled into the corner of the sofa with a sullen pout on her mouth. Cynda was kind of sorry she’d missed it.

  With a carefully neutral expression, she strode into the room and placed the tray in the center of the coffee table. After passing goblets to each one of her family members, she carried the last one over to Xi and held it out to him with both hands.

  “I hope you like it.”

  As Xi took the glass, he leaned in to brush a kiss to her cheek. “Thank you.” When she would have backed away, he wound an arm around her waist to hold her against his side. “Where is your drink?”

  “I, uh…” It was on the tip of her tongue to lie to him, to tell him that she didn’t like expensive wine, but somehow, she knew he’d see right through her. “It’s okay,” she said instead. “Maybe I’ll have some later.”

  His sigh wasn’t loud, but it still felt heavy with disapproval. He didn’t say anything, just took a sip of the wine, then pressed the glass into her hand. “Share mine.”

  She didn’t dare look at her mother or sisters as she lifted the rim to her lips and drank. No one reprimanded her. No one condemned her. There wasn’t even the sound of a clearing throat that usually signaled her mother’s disapproval.

  That probably wasn’t a good sign, though. Somehow, it felt like the calm before the storm.

  CHAPTER THREE

  As a general rule, Xi didn’t like people, regardless of race, gender, or creed. Of course, he did make exceptions, but those were rare and far between. In all of his long years, he didn’t think he’d ever met anyone he disliked as much as he did Cynda’s mother and sisters.

  Still, they were her family, and out of regard for his mate, he’d done his damnedest to be polite. Well, he’d at least refrained from any outward hostility. It wasn’t in his nature to hold his tongue or retreat from conflict, but since arriving at their door, he’d done both.

  When the bolder sister—he didn’t remember their names, and he didn’t care—had touched him with blatant interest, he’d moved across the room rather than knock her hand away. When Cynda’s mother had addressed her with such disrespect, he’d said nothing. All because his mate had pleaded with him not to. Not with words, but with those big, expressive eyes, and he’d been helpless to resist her.

  He didn’t understand why she let her family treat her so poorly. It could have been because of her kind heart. Maybe she kept quiet because she was outnumbered. Hell, he had the uneasy feeling that she didn’t even fully grasp the severity of her mistreatment.

  Had she truly been beaten down for so long that she believed their behavior was justified? Did she really think she deserved such spitefulness?

  “So, Xi,” the quieter twin said, her narrowed gaze locked on Cynda, “will you be attending the Freedom Day Gala?”

  His mate tensed, her discomfort becoming obvious. Judging by the look on her sister’s face, she had expected the reaction, and moreover, it pleased her.

  Xi couldn’t keep quiet any longer.

  “That depends,” he answered, still watching his mate. “Will you be at the gala, Cynda?”

  “Oh, she’ll be far too busy for parties,” Marilyn answered for her.

  Cynda bowed her head for a second, but when she looked up, she wore the same practiced smile she’d shown in the kitchen. “She’s right. I’m not much for parties anyway.”

  She was lying. He could hear it in her voice. See it in her eyes. But he had his answer, and it broke his damn heart. Cynda might be used to her family’s contempt. She might not even recognize it as such, but he refused to tolerate it for even another second.

  Sliding a finger under her chin, he urged her head up to deliver a chaste kiss to her mouth. It was an apology of sorts because he knew she wouldn’t like what came next. One day, he hoped she realized he did it for her.

  “I think we should go.” He brushed her hair away from her face and over her shoulder. “Together.”

  “Really?” Her face lit up brighter than the cosmos. “You’d really want to go with me to the Freedom Day Gala?”

  “It would be my pleasure and my honor to escort you.”

  “I…” Her expression morphed several times, every turbulent emotion playing visibly across her face. There was excitement there, as well as a desperate desire to belong, but there was also skepticism, caution, and far too much fear. “I don’t know. It’s in three weeks, and I really am very busy.” Her gaze darted to her mother. “Maybe it would be better—”

  He kissed her again, effectively ending her protests. “Please?”

  She blinked up at him, her eyes wide and a little dazed. Then, her lips parted into a timid smile. “Okay,” she whispered. “Yes. I’ll go.”

  “Mother!” The petulant sister was on her feet, her entire body shaking with righteous indignation. “She can’t! Everyone will be there. Mother, you can’t let her go.”

  The Vargas matriarch held her hand up for silence. “Calm yourself, Anise. There’s no reason your sister can’t go to the gala.” The smile she gave Cynda held no love. “Provided she can find something to wear, of course.”

  “No!” Anise shouted. “Mom, it’s not fair!”

  It wasn’t fair, but it wasn’t the spoiled brat flapping her hands around who had been wronged. Tired of her squawking, Xi flicked his fingers at her and muttered a few choice words under his breath. Instantly, she fell silent, though her mouth still worked furiously. After a few seconds of this, she shot him a scathing glare, spun on her heels, and hurried out of the room.

  With a mirroring expression of loathing, the other twin followed after her. Thankfully, she did so just as silently.

  “Oh, Xi,” Cynda breathed. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

  “My only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner.” He hadn’t harmed the female, and the spell would eventually fade, but hopefully, not until he and Cynda had departed.

  For her part, Marilyn seemed untroubled by the magic he’d used against her daughter. It was possible she’d grown tired of all the wretched screeching as well. Or maybe she was just smart enough not to provoke him further. Whatever the reason, her only reaction was an inclination of her head and a rather vacant stare.

  “Where is your room?”

  “My room?” Cynda jerked back from him with such violence that wine sloshed over the brim of her glass and spilled down the front of her oversized blouse. “Why?”

  Grinning indulgently, Xi waved his hand, clearing away the mess and drying the thin material of her shirt. “We need to gather your belongings.”

  That adorable blush worked its way up her cheeks again. “I don’t understand.”

  “We’re leaving, fayah.” And if he had his way, she would never return. “Now, where is your bedchamber?”

  Marilyn cleared her throat and sat forward in her chair. “I’m afraid I can’t allow that. Cynda belongs here. She’s much too young to be on her own.”

  For the first time since he’d met her, a spark of defiance shone in Cynda’s icy blue eyes. “I’m twenty years old, mother.”

  “And she won’t be alone,” Xi added.

  “Be that as it may, my answer is the same.”

  He arched an eyebrow at her. “I don’t remember asking for your permission.”

  “Cynda, even with your gross lack of intelligence, you must realize this is a terrible idea. You have no credits, no marketable skills.” She shook her
head with a little laugh, but there was no actual humor in her tone. “You have nothing to offer, and he’ll see that in time.” Her eyes narrowed, and pure menace dripped from her next words. “Where will you go when he leaves you? What will—”

  “Enough.” With a dismissive flick of his wrist, he silenced Marilyn just as completely as he had her daughter. “The choice is yours, Cynda.” He could throw her over his shoulder and carry her from the house, but that would make him no better than the miserable people she had the misfortune to call family. “Is this really the life you want?”

  For a long time, Cynda didn’t answer. Lip caught between her teeth, she chewed the flesh vigorously as she stared between him and her mother, clearly frozen by indecision. Xi waited, silent and unmoving. As much as he wanted to save her, it wasn’t his choice to make.

  After what felt like an eternity, she pulled herself up to her full height, spine straight, shoulders back, and gave him one, jerky nod. “Let’s go.”

  When Marilyn pushed to her feet, waving her hands around and silently shouting, he sent another wave of magic in her direction, toppling her back into the wide, cushioned chair. He’d thought growing six inches and gaining fifty pounds of muscles in the span of one night had been bad, but by the ancestors, these females were exhausting.

  After a bit of gentle coaxing to get her moving, Cynda led the way up the curved staircase to the second-floor landing. They passed several large, lavishly decorated rooms as they strode down the corridor, but she didn’t slow. At the end of the hallway, she turned right, then ascended another set of creaking, poorly lit stairs to the door at the top.

  “These used to be the staff quarters,” she explained in a demure sort of way as she led him down another narrower hallway to the last door on the left. “Mother sent them all away when my dads died. So, I—”

  Her words ended on a sharp gasp, and Xi hurried forward to see what had startled her. What he found made his blood boil, and it took everything in him not to lash out with every ounce of magic he possessed.

  The thin, threadbare blankets had been stripped from the bed and tossed into a heap on the floor. The sheer curtains hung in tatters around the window. A wardrobe stood open, the contents thrown haphazardly around the room. Shards of glass and metal littered the floor, remnants of baubles and treasures that had been shattered beyond recognition.

  Near a dresser in the corner, a silver dress with a lace bodice hung in tatters, the once beautiful garment reduced to little more than scraps.

  “Why?” Cynda asked with a quiet sniffle. “What did I ever do to them?”

  Pulling her into his arms, Xi held her tight and placed a kiss on the top of her head. “Don’t cry, fayah. I’ll fix it.”

  Well, he could clean up the mess and put the room to rights. Mending the various pieces of glass and metal would be harder since he couldn’t begin to decipher what they’d once been.

  “No.” Wiping the tears away roughly, she stepped out of his embrace and released a long, shuddering breath. “Leave it. This is my old life, right? That’s what these broken things represent?” Her bottom lip trembled, but she nodded resolutely. “I’ll pack my clothes. Leave the rest.”

  When she started forward, he caught her by the wrist to stop her. “Leave the clothes.” From what he could tell, they were all old, faded, and coming apart at the seams. His mate deserved better. She deserved everything her heart desired. “We’ll buy you new ones.”

  “You heard my mother. I don’t have any credits. This is all—”

  “Cynda.” He tugged on her wrist until she turned to face him. “We’ll get you new clothes.”

  He expected another argument, but after a moment of consideration, she nodded again and gave him a wobbly smile. “Okay.”

  “Good. Now, let’s go home.”

  Her smiled bloomed bright and confident. “Yes. Please.” Two steps toward the door, however, she stopped and turned back, hurrying across the room to the ruined dress. “I’m taking this.”

  “Leave it, fayah. We’ll find you another just like it if that’s what you want.”

  Kneeling to collect all the pieces of torn fabric, she shook her head, but her grin never faltered. “You won’t find this in any boutique. I made it. Well, I did the alterations myself. I can fix this, I know it.”

  It was the first sign of confidence she’d shown since they’d met, and he would move planets to keep that fire in her eyes. More likely, he’d just have to purchase more fabric, but the sentiment was the same. Whatever she needed to be happy, he’d make sure she had it.

  “Ready!” Rising to her feet with the dress cradled in her arms, she bounced over to him and nodded. “Okay, we can go.” She made it all the way out into the corridor that time before stopping dead in her tracks. “We have to go back down the stairs. They’ll be waiting.”

  If they were on Xenthian, Xi could transport them straight out to the curb where he had a shuttle waiting to take them back to Luke’s. Away from home, his magic was, much to his annoyance, weaker and unpredictable.

  Small enchantments didn’t cause too much strain, but traveling by magic took a huge toll, and that was when he was only transporting himself. He didn’t want to think about what would happen if he tried magicking them both out of the house.

  “Yes, but you don’t have to worry about them.” He tapped the underside of her chin with two fingers and winked. “Head high, fayah. Walk with purpose, and no one can hurt you.”

  No one would ever hurt her again.

  With their hands clasped, they wound their way through the labyrinth of stairwells and corridors until they reached the landing in the foyer. As predicted, Cynda’s mother and both of her sisters stood between them and the exit.

  “Leaving so soon?” the quieter twin asked.

  “But where are your things?”

  Apparently, his silencing charm had worn off, and the level of false sweetness in the other sister’s—Anna? Nina?—voice set his teeth on edge.

  “Head high,” Cynda recited under her breath. “Walk with purpose. They can’t hurt me.”

  “If you walk out that door,” her mother said with steely finality, “don’t bother coming back.”

  Cynda trembled at his side, but she continued to stand tall, even lifting her chin a little higher. “Goodbye, mother.”

  “And where will you go when he leaves you?”

  Xi made a threatening sound in the back of his throat. “I would never leave her. Cynda is mine!”

  Clenching his hand tighter, Cynda released a quavering breath and stepped forward. “We’re leaving.”

  “You’re going to regret this. When you’re alone and—”

  “No!” Cynda shouted, and even she looked surprised by her own boldness. Instead of immediately cowering, however, she stiffened her spine and took another step. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, and I don’t care. Anything is better than staying here.”

  “Why, you ungrateful—”

  “Enough, mother! I’m not a puppet you can make dance for your amusement. I’m done letting you control me.”

  Xi didn’t know what a “puppet” was, and he didn’t think Cynda meant her mother made her dance in the literal sense, but the imagery she painted did give him an idea. It was petty, yes, and such things were beneath him. Still, he couldn’t deny that giving the females even a small sampling of the malice they’d shown Cynda would be deeply satisfying.

  He waved his hands around and twirled his wrists, adding a bit of flourish to his motions. It was completely unnecessary, of course, but he enjoyed the way the sisters’ eyes widened as they watched him.

  “What are you doing?” they demanded in unison.

  “Stop!” Marilyn demanded. “You can’t do this.”

  He chanted the words, his voice growing louder and stronger with each repetition. Again, not crucial to the enchantment, but it was definitely fun.

  “Xi?” Cynda asked, but she didn’t sound concerned. “What are y
ou doing?”

  “Nothing that will hurt them,” he promised. “See?”

  One sister began to sway from side to side. The other wobbled as she lifted her arms into the air and began turning in a slow circle. Marilyn clapped her hands over her ears, as if not being able to hear the words would somehow stop the spell.

  Xi smirked and snapped his fingers.

  Her hands immediately went to her hips, and she let out a loud gasp as her body twisted and gyrated to a silent beat. The swaying sister stepped left, left again, then right, her arms held aloft as she twirled around the foyer with an invisible partner.

  “Mom!”

  “Make him stop. Mother, do something!”

  “Mother!”

  “I don’t like this. What’s happening? Please!”

  Cynda clapped a hand over her mouth, but her eyes shined with laughter. “It’s a little noisy, isn’t it?” she asked, the words muffled behind her palm. “Can you do something about that?”

  Smiling, Xi nodded and snapped his fingers again. All three females instantly fell silent. “Better?”

  His mate giggled. “Much.”

  “Are you ready, fayah?”

  Some of the amusement faded from her expression, but after a last, considering look at her family, she sighed and dipped her head. “Let’s go.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Standing quietly in the corner of the kitchen in Commander Brighton’s mansion, Cynda lowered her head and tried to make herself appear as small as possible. Not that it mattered. No one was paying any attention to her. They were all too busy yelling at each other.

  “What in the name of the ancestors were you thinking?” Jael demanded, and she sounded completely exasperated. “Of course, I’m thrilled that you found your soulmate, but we talked about this before you left. You can’t just kidnap her!”

  “It would appear he didn’t have a choice.” Arms crossed over her chest, Syrie leaned back against the kitchen counter and shrugged. “If it was my mate, I would have done the same thing.”