by S. C. Stokes
Lara shook her head. “See what happens when we don’t talk. You’re not going to make that mistake again, are you?”
I hesitated and Lara shoved me.
“I feel like no is the right answer,” I replied, cocking my head like I was thinking about it.
“Good.” She continued walking. “I don’t think you can afford to make any more enemies.”
“What can I say, it’s a talent. Your boss tried to make contact yet?” I asked, falling into step beside her.
“Nope,” Lara replied. “Pretty sure they think the whole team died in Panama. I’m happy to let them believe that’s the case. Gives us some time to sort things out.”
Her words brought a smile to my lips. “Us?”
“Yep, you’re probably going to get me fired. So I’m going to need to crash with you for a bit. Besides, I’ve never stayed in a castle.”
“Manor,” I corrected, raising a finger as I recognized the bait. “You can’t just move in.”
Lara’s eyes glimmered with amusement. “Yes. I can. Your mother invited me. Unless you don’t want me to, of course.”
My mouth opened and closed as I did my best not to stick my foot in it. “What I meant was I don’t even live here.”
“Your mother mentioned that. She’s quite bright. I can see where you get it. On your good days, anyway.”
Mother was cunning. I had to give her that. “I suppose she figured if you were here, I’d want to stay.”
Lara pushed her hair back behind her ear. “Like I said, she’s very bright.”
We walked along the paved path as it wound through the estate. My mood lightened with every step. Lara wanted to stay here, with me. It was more than I’d hoped for. Life was actually starting to turn around for me.
“So,” Lara began, “now we have the ritual knife and photos of an altar covered in runes we don’t understand, and we know that the curse has its origin in blood sacrifice. More importantly, it was your ancestor, Aleida, who drove the curse.”
“Yes,” I replied. I’d left out the part about hearing her voice in the inner sanctum. I didn’t know why. Perhaps I wondered if I had really heard anything at all. Perhaps I’d simply imagined it.
That was the dangerous part about the supernatural world. It was so easy to rationalize the bizarre occurrence away. It made the unusual easier to stomach when we allowed ourselves to believe there was a simpler explanation.
Before I went talking about something that might land me in a padded cell, I figured it was worth having a good chat with my father to compare notes.
“Yes. It’s far more than I knew yesterday. It gives us somewhere to start.”
We arrived at a small lake, with a tiny rowboat tied up at a small fishing pier. As a child, I’d always loved exploring the insects and creatures that lived at the edge of the pond.
I picked up a stone. It was smooth and round and fit neatly in the palm of my hand. I drew back and threw it at the surface of the pond. The stone skipped across the surface of the lake. On the fourth skip, it hit the water and sank into its depths.
“I had to trade a lot of favors just to get to the temple, though. People are going to come looking to collect on those favors. I have obligations, the kind you can't say no to.”
Lara swept her hand around her. “You have all this, wealth, power, and influence.”
“But there is always someone who has more,” I replied. “More power, like the demon creature in the temple. More influence, like the man who prevented the Director from shooting me out of the sky, and more money. Well, there aren’t so many of those out there.”
“The mining business is going well then?” Lara asked.
I looked at her, and she raised her hands.
“What? You’ve told me almost nothing about your family. I’m curious.”
“You could say that,” I replied.
Bending down, I plucked three narrow reeds from the edge of the lake.
Lara took a step closer. “What are you doing?”
“Patience, my young padawan,” I replied, my heart beating a little faster as I worked the reeds between my fingers. I was out of practice, and my work was a little clumsy but after a minute or two I held up a small circlet formed by interlocking woven layers of reeds.
“I didn’t know you were so handy,” she said, admiring my work.
I held the reeds between my thumb and index finger, closed my eyes, and cleared my mind. Focusing wholly on the image of the reeds, I opened my eyes and channeled my will into it and whispered a word of power. The reeds began to glow. Lara stepped back, as if they were going to burst into flames.
Instead, the reeds flared brightly and began to change. In a matter of seconds, the small circlet was solid gold. My heart pounded in my chest but there was no turning back now.
Lara's eyes bulged. “Seth, what the—?”
“I told you no more secrets,” I whispered. “This is who I am. This is the bloodline gift of the Brujas de Sangre. Few people have ever seen it done, and it’s the most closely guarded secret of the Caldwell family. My ancestors came from that temple in Panama. The wealth the Inquisition were after, was simply a byproduct of that gift. It’s my birthright. It’s a blessing and a curse that may well kill me one day.”
Lara went to protest but I held up a hand. “But until then, I want to spend whatever life I have with you.”
I dropped to one knee.
Lara’s eyes grew wide.
“If you’ll still have me. Lara Stiel, will you marry me?” I asked, slipping the ring onto her finger.
“Pretty sure you’re not allowed to marry your apprentice?” Lara said, her voice stern.
I looked down. “I’m an arcanologist, not a Jedi. Our rules are far more flexible.”
“Hmmm.” She looked down at me.
I started to panic, a knitted feeling forming in my stomach. Had I read things wrong? Or pushed too quickly?
“I, uh…” I stammered, not sure what to do.
“I’m kidding. Yes!” Lara exclaimed, dragging me back to my feet and throwing her arms around me.
“That’s cruel and unusual punishment,” I replied, taking her hand in mine as I led her back toward the house.
She leaned close. “I can’t believe you can do that, and still opted for the ring in the dessert the first time round.”
“What can I say? I was a chicken.”
“Don't think you’re getting off that easily,” Lara replied. “You still owe me dinner. A nice one.”
“I think I can arrange that,” I said, making my way down the path but for the first time in my life, I wasn’t in a hurry. My car was parked out front, an Aston Martin DB5. Being a Caldwell had its perks.
I took out my phone to make a reservation. There wasn't anywhere in London that would say no to the Caldwell name, but I knew just the place I wanted to take Lara. Italian, like our first date. I went to search for the number but my phone rang.
I looked down at the screen. Unknown number.
There was no one on earth that should have this number that wasn't already in it. I took a deep breath. My hands were getting a little clammy.
Lifting the phone to my ear, I answered it but said nothing.
“Seth, my boy, how are you?”
The accent was hard to place. American, perhaps, but not very strong, almost neutral.
“Who is this?” I asked.
“Why, Seth, it's Andrew Lynch. I thought you'd be expecting my call.”
I came to an abrupt halt, the gravel on the driveway grinding beneath my feet.
The Brotherhood was calling in its debt.
I pulled out my keys and unlocked the car.
“What do you want, Lynch?” I asked.
Lynch laughed. “I see your father wasn't exaggerating. Certainly are a stubborn one, but clearly it works for you. Congratulations on your little outing in Panama. Glad you didn't get yourself killed, which is more than I can say for those Section 9 scoundrels the Director sent i
n. How is Miss Stiel, by the way? Is she well?”
The question was asked with the distinct tone of a man who already knew the answer. Lynch knew Lara had survived the temple. I looked around me, wondering if someone was watching us.
Could Lynch have a man in my father’s estate?
“You leave her out of this,” I said.
Lara moved closer, in the practiced subtlety of a trained agent trying to listen in.
“This?” Lynch replied, his voice maintaining its calm note. “There is no this, Seth. Your father made a deal. We accepted in good faith. Truth be told, there was always the expectation you would take your place in our ranks. I entertained your father's stalling out of respect for our history.”
“Such a gentleman,” I replied. “Boundless generosity. You’re a real man of the people.”
Lynch chuckled. “I'm glad you can see things as they truly are, Seth. I'm your friend, a powerful one, but also the unyielding hand of Justice if you choose to forsake your obligations. We both know the price you pay for your forebear forsaking hers. Do not make the same mistake she did. You're either with us or against us.”
I led Lara toward the car.
“I need time,” I replied, trying to keep the panic out of my voice. “This curse is going to kill me if I don't do something about it. What good am I to the Brotherhood if I'm dead?”
There was a pause at the end of the phone. Lynch seemed to consider that for a moment. “Don't take too long, Seth. I am a man of very finite patience.”
As if to make his point, the phone went dead.
I slipped it back into my pocket as we crossed the driveway. I’d hoped for more time, weeks or months. Anything would have been good. But no, the Brotherhood was already beating down the door.
Lara looked me in the eye. “Who was that?”
I opened my mouth to answer her.
My car, resting barely twenty feet from where we stood, exploded in a billowing blast of fire and glass.
The End
Seth has made a deal with a deadly foe and payment is about to fall due.
Join him in Half-Blood’s Bargain.
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Exclusive Preview – A Date With Death
The force of the explosion flipped the Bentley onto its side as it careened off the driveway. The blast slammed into Kasey, knocking her off her feet.
She lay on the asphalt, her heart racing. Her eyes searched the ruined vehicle. Flames billowed from the vehicle as it ground to a halt, a plume of oily black smoke rising into the air.
No one could have survived that blast. Even a wizard would have needed time to raise a ward. They would have needed to know it was coming, and even Kasey with her gifts had not considered it a possibility.
She was rooted to the spot as a gurgling scream carried across the yard. She willed her body to get up, but her system was still in shock as Vincent raced past her prone form toward the car. He crossed the driveway in seconds, sweeping his hands before him, extinguishing the blaze with magic, but the scream had already died down.
Kasey knew why. It was too late. Tanner Harrington was dead. The only person who hadn't been staying in the Villa the night Lester had died. The only child whose innocence was unquestionable was gone. It was so sudden.
The violence of the explosion had clearly shocked James also. He pulled himself to his feet but stood staring at the smoldering wreck still billowing smoke. Still lying on the ground, she tore her eyes from the burning Bentley and looked beneath the town car. Her town car.
Strapped beneath the vehicle was a small package with a blinking red light on it.
A bomb. It had to be a bomb. She couldn’t see a timer, which meant only one thing: someone had the detonator.
She scrabbled to her feet, shouting, “James, get away from the car.”
James looked at Kasey, registering her warning but not moving a muscle. His eyes bulged as he realized the threat.
Kasey raced towards James, grabbed him by his suit, and yanked him past the car. After all, he was just a normal, another pawn in the Harrington machine. A willing one perhaps, but one these psychotic brats wouldn't lose a minute over killing.
“What's going on?” James shouted as they continued to run.
“World War Three!” Kasey yelled.
They hadn’t even made it to the edge of the parking area when the town car exploded. The blast catapulted them both forward onto the ground.
A sharp pain shot through her arm as she broke her fall, rolling across the driveway. She felt the tender kiss of the asphalt as it tore at her jacket and slacks. Coming to a halt, she tried to stand but her world was still spinning. Resting her head against the ground for a moment, she sucked in a deep breath. Sweat ran down her brow, as she gasped for air. Pain shot down her right side, and a dozen other minor cuts and bruises clamored for her attention.
“James?” she moaned, fearing the worst.
“I'm not dead, but I’ve been better,” he replied. “Been worse too though so I guess I can’t complain. I haven’t had someone try to blow me up in years.”
“Lester's will,” Kasey panted. “The old man’s death wasn't an accident. The wily old bastard expected it. He left his estate to his last surviving heir, which means—”
“They’ll have to kill each other to get it,” James finished the thought.
“It seems that way.” Kasey muttered, “How do you work for these people? They’re crazy.”
“The kids might be. Lester wasn't. He was a wily old devil though. With him gone, I don't think much of my job security,” James replied, climbing to his feet. His suit coat was shredded and half its lining was hanging out through a gaping tear in the back.
Kasey clambered to her feet. “Job security? Right now, I'd be more worried about the health insurance. We'll be lucky to make it out of here alive.”
James shook his head. “But why us? It's each other they need to kill, not us.”
Kasey pushed her sweaty
hair back out of her face. “Yeah, but do you think that whoever drags them self to the top of that dog pile is going to want any witnesses left breathing?”
“You have a good point, but what now?” James asked. “That car isn’t going anywhere.”
Kasey glanced at the burnt-out shell. Behind it, the front windows of the Villa Maria had been blown out by the force of the blast. As she gathered her thoughts, a tiny figure shot out the front door.
“Thea,” Kasey whispered.
In the chaos, she had forgotten Lester's children were not far behind her, including Thea, Lester’s timid younger daughter. The poor thing had fared poorly during the meeting; she certainly wasn't cut out for the Harringtons’ insane Hunger Games re-enactment.
Thea raced down the stairs. Part of Kasey wanted to run straight for the fence line, put as much distance between herself and the unfolding insanity as she could. That would make sense.
“This isn’t my mess,” Kasey told herself. “I just need to get home. Leave Lester, his will, and his insane children behind.”
She looked at the fence and then at Thea and knew she just couldn't do it.
With a growl, she ran back toward the Villa, Thea, and certain death.
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