"It's not a silly idea," Azrikam said, "marrying a Morad never is. But it is a haste, precipitated idea. And why did you think it would work?"
"Back then, I was still not a Morad, just an orphan with no name or fortune. I was hoping it would convince Mrs. Novak that she didn't want such a girl close to her son," I said. "And that she would convince Martinus not to go on with it. "
"While being an orphan with no name or fortune makes your life more difficult," Azrikam said, "with magical families like ours, it doesn't make you a less desirable marriage prospect."
"Is it because of bride price?" I asked, remembering how that surprised me.
"No, not because of that. Money doesn't matter for families like ours; blood and magic does. Because a family might demand more than money in exchange for their daughter."
"Like what?" I asked, not sure I was understanding what he was going at.
"Like their firstborn child," grandpa said, gently. "Or their first daughter."
This was even more shocking than bride price.
"You mean, you would take a child away from their mother?" I asked.
"No," Azrikam shook his head. "The child, and its parents, would live in the woman's family for the baby's first two years until their magic is established. They would carry the woman's family's surname, and they would belong to another house."
"So a couple would have children with different surnames," I said, "some carrying the mother's maiden name, some the father's?"
It didn't seem so bad. Strange, but not terrible.
"Yes," Azrikam said. "And, since children are the most valuable thing in magical families, well, such negotiations can turn ugly."
"Is that something you would demand?" I asked him.
"I'm not sure yet," Azrikam said, tilting his head a bit. "Would you be opposed to it?"
I considered it.
"I don't want children yet," I said, musing aloud. "But, if I have children, I wouldn't care too much where we live with them or what surname they would carry."
"Excellent," Azrikam said.
"So," I asked them again. "What now?"
17
"Now we're going to formally introduce you to the family," Azrikam said.
"And what does that involve?" I asked. "And before I agree to it…"
"What do you want now?" Azrikam asked.
"Like… I have a friend, and her family is against her studying. I want you to understand, I will only stop studying after they kick me out. I intend to finish the Academy if they allow me."
"Why would they kick you out?" Azrikam asked.
"Because I'm failing at Practical Magic. And Magical Energy, too," I replied.
"We'll fix that," he said, looking at me with a severe expression. "And you will finish the Academy. The Morads always finish what they start."
"And I would like to have a job. Right now, I agreed to be a nanny with the Kaffales. I signed a contract. I made a promise. I will keep working for them."
"Yes," Azrikam said. "You'll need to keep working for them until baby Erynn is well. Maybe until she's two. But you shouldn't live there anymore."
"I'll need to discuss it with them," I said, "but in principle, I don't mind that. Next, when I get another job, I want to work at whatever I want."
"As long as that job doesn't include handling toxic materials, dangerous magic, fighting, or sex work, that's OK," Azrikam said.
"Sounds reasonable," I agreed. I wasn't interested in anything he mentioned.
"I want to have independent finances," I then said. "I can contribute towards the food and housing expenses, but I want to have money of my own, and make my own decisions on how to spend it."
"You don't need to contribute," Azrikam said. "The family is rich. It wouldn't be right for us to ask you to pay for food. And, before you say anything, I don't pay a cent from my salary towards the family funds, either. It will all go there after we die."
"I want to have guests," I said, "and leave the house whenever I want for my personal business."
"As long as the guests don't stay in your bedroom," Azrikam said, "you can have guests. But, for the foreseeable future, I don't want you to go wherever you want. Not until my brother is captured."
"But after…" I said, and he waved.
"Of course, after my brother is captured, as long as you don't make yourself some new enemies, you can go to safe places. However, you need to be reasonable, and don't walk at dark alleys during the night."
"I'll make my own decisions on whom I marry," I added.
"As long as you don't get pregnant, or otherwise damage your reputation," Azrikam said. "Although I wouldn't advise you to date below your station. It will create problems down the road."
So this was it. The scary uncle who would hide me and marry me off, according to the scary stories I was told, was offering me to join his family on conditions acceptable to me. And I wanted to join. I felt an affinity toward this house, to grandpa.
After being scared and running away from him, I was going to join him.
But there was this last thing, the thing the Colonel mentioned.
"And you will let me aid in the investigation to catch Mahalat," I said. That was my last condition.
"Absolutely not!" yelled Azrikam.
Grandpa didn't yell, but I could see he didn't agree, either.
"It's too dangerous," Azrikam said.
"I won't be able to live in peace until they capture him. And I want to leave the house. Besides, he could come to the Academy in his ethereal form; what guarantee can you have that he won't try to kidnap me or do whatever it is he wants to me in some other moment? It is better if we catch him while we're waiting for him than while we're not. Besides…"
"What?" Azrikam barked.
"I don't want him to do what he did to me, to my brother or sister," I replied. "Or to any other child."
That seemed to calm Azrikam, as he immediately collapsed on his armchair.
"She's got a point, Azzie," grandpa said.
"I know," Azrikam said. He started massaging his temples. "I never thought Mahalat would go to this extreme. To experiment with children…"
"I know," grandpa said. "I know. But what do we do about it?"
Azrikam stayed quiet for a minute or so, his eyes closed. I was about to ask if he was alright, when he sat up, back in the game, his eyes sharp, decisive.
"Alright," he said. "Amy, you can take part in catching my brother. But we will do it under my control. No more hiding things from me. Do you have any more conditions?"
"No, this is it," I said. "Unless you have something else to add."
"You'll need to listen to the head of the house on questions pertaining the family's safety," Azrikam said, nodding at grandpa. "You need to do your utmost to protect the children of this house; you will never allow outsiders into our internal affairs unless a crime was committed, and you will do your utmost to preserve our family's reputation."
All those things were stuff I would do anyway. I nodded.
"I guess this is it, then," I said. "So, what do I need to do?"
After all the negotiations, the process by which they introduced me to the family was rather anticlimactic. I simply had to prick my finger for blood and write my name in the book.
'Amy Morad', I wrote with the quill. Blood, I must tell you, makes bad ink.
It then got absorbed into the page, just for me to appear on the family tree, below a blank space where my father's name had been.
"I'll arrange for all the formalities now," my uncle said. Now that my name was written, it felt like it was official; he was my uncle. "Make sure all the paperwork gets filed, change your name in the Academy, and send an ad to the newspapers."
"I guess I should tell Martinus about this," I said, "so he learns it from me."
"Excellent idea," my uncle said. "After you do so, I'll talk to the Novaks. There are so many things to discuss."
"I will also need to speak to the Kaffales," I said. "I will ke
ep working at night, so, even if I move here, I will sleep during the day."
"That's alright," my uncle said. "We'll make arrangements later. I'm sure they won't mind."
"I will go now," I then said. "Talk to Martinus."
"Call him first," grandpa said. "Tell him it's a serious conversation."
I nodded and started dialing the number on the vizor.
"Amy?" I heard almost immediately. "Are you alright? You seemed tired yesterday."
"Yes," I said. "We need to talk. I'm going to your house now."
"I'll be waiting for you," he said, quickly.
"See you," I said, hanging up. Then I went towards grandpa, hugging him.
"I'll be back soon," I promised.
He patted my shoulder.
I remembered to put on my shoes before I stepped on the portal. To my surprise, despite walking around the house, and the garden, my feet remained clean and dry.
The house expressed its satisfaction at having protected me.
I saw Martinus three yards away from the portal stone. He stood there, looking at the stone, waiting. As soon as I appeared, his eyes started intently scanning my face, and I could see how he almost didn't recognize me. I did look quite different.
"Amy! What happened to you?" he asked, walking toward me, examining my face with his palms. "You changed so much in a single day."
"I went to Morad House," I said. "And got accepted into the family. By blood and magic right. Formally, as well."
"I can see that," Martinus said. "Before, there were hints. Now, it's as clear as day. You're a Morad."
"Yes," I said. "I am."
He sat on the bench, the one in front of the flower garden. I sat next to him.
"Does this change anything for you?" I asked Martinus, who seemed to be shocked.
"What?" he said, snapping out of his haze.
I repeated my question. His gaze cleared.
"I don't know," he said. "Does it change things for you?"
"Well," I said, "yesterday, I wanted to tell you something."
"What?" asked Martinus, turning to face me.
He wasn't touching me though. Was he insecure?
"That I'd like to be engaged with you. But that I'd like to take things slow."
"How slow?" he asked.
"I'd like to delay the wedding until I finish the Academy," I replied.
He froze.
"That… is a long time," he said.
"I have seen how exhausting having children is," I said. "And I want to finish my education. Maybe get a job."
"But five years is a really, really long time," he said. "To have you close and be unable to touch you."
Words were meaningless in this situation.
So I kissed him, on my own, with no pressure from him.
Sitting on the bench made it easy since his head was level with mine. I didn't have to tiptoe or maneuver around him. I just leaned, looking into his eyes, and pressed my lips against his, my fingers caressing his hair. Exploring his lips, gently biting them, tasting them, feeling my magic, giving him my magic, feeling him respond, with a sense of urgency that surprised me, his tongue coming into my mouth, his energy flowing into me, our magic mixing, generating tingling sensations on my lips, on my fingers, on my belly and breasts. I moaned. He separated his lips slightly from mine, his hands going over my waist, and the contour of my breasts.
The dress I was wearing included a bodice that made it impossible to caress my skin without completely undressing. I allowed him to caress me over the clothes, but not untie the laces on the bodice.
"Five years of this?" Martinus finally said, his voice a bit strained.
"No children," I said, firmly. "If you think it will be too hard for you, you can break it off. Right now. While we can."
As much as I felt like my mind was going to explode, and the tingling in my belly burned, and Martinus was just so cute and passionate and sexy at this moment…
I didn't want to marry him. We were just going to explore this wherever it went.
"So," he said, holding my hand. "This is your decision."
I nodded, firmly.
"And are you sure of yourself," he said, gently caressing my breasts over the clothes, his magic inside me reacting to the touch.
It felt… nice. But not nice enough to agree to everything.
I gently took his hands off me. He didn't resist it, his eyes calm and dreamy.
"I want to finish the Academy," I reminded him. "And I don't want this to go too fast. I'm just starting to like you."
"Alright," he said, his arm sliding behind me and drawing me towards him. I put my head on his shoulder, sliding my hand behind his waist.
He then started to gently caress my hair, as we sat there, quietly, looking into the distance.
It was comforting. And joyful, in a quiet sort of way.
"Can you tell me what happened today?" Martinus then asked.
I started telling him, my head still on his shoulder. He listened intently as I described the emotions I felt when I came to Morad House, how the house greeted me, how I just felt a connection to the place, to grandpa, and even to my uncle.
"That's your blood memory speaking," Martinus said. "You felt an instant connection to them, because you are connected. And, while being able to communicate with the bloodline's magic impersonation, or the house, is rare, I've heard it happens. And it will make things more difficult for us."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because your uncle will probably start scheming. Those negotiations he told you about? He will demand our firstborn. And my family won't like it."
Any children I might have were but a distant prospect for me, so I didn't dwell on it. Besides, it didn't seem so bad to me if half my future children carried my new surname.
"And you?" I asked.
"I wouldn't mind," Martinus shrugged. "As long as my family gets some offspring. My brothers are still unmarried, and that worries mother."
"But don't you have an uncle, and cousins, who could continue the family line?" I asked.
"No," Martinus said. "My father is the only son. He has a sister, but she married out, so nobody can continue the Novak family but us. And I'm the only one who has found a partner so far. The negotiations between the families will be brutal."
"And what is your preference?" I asked.
"There is a good reason such negotiations are handled by the families, Amy," Martinus said. "Because they are brutal. And emotions can run high. But it's always, always kept from the couple involved, because otherwise, it could lead to personal rifts. We'll let them sort it out as they like. And live with it. Because deciding things for ourselves, negotiating with them, and with our emotions, would destroy us."
"Is that how it always works?" I asked.
"Pretty much," Martinus said. "And whenever the couple tries to get into the negotiations, it leads to lots of acrimony and fights. We'll just have to make peace with whatever they come up with."
"You seem to be remarkably calm," I noted. "And resigned. Don't you want to decide on your future? Make your own decisions?"
"I already decided," Martinus said. "On the most important bits. Whom I'm dating. What job I will work at."
"Which is?" I asked, curious.
"I'm studying in the Academy to become a Builder. You know, build portals, buildings, infrastructure."
"Like the magical library?" I asked.
"Nobody knows how to build something like that anymore," Martinus said, "the builder who built it went crazy and destroyed all his notes after he built it. But things like that, yes."
I think my idea of him changed a bit. I thought he would want to be involved in politics, or law enforcement, something like that. Instead, he just wanted to be a magical architect.
"I want to be a Healer," I said. "Although I'm wondering whether I'll be able to finish the Academy at all."
"You have to," Martinus said, turning a bit and looking into my face, his expression serious, "our marriag
e hangs on it."
"I do my best," I said. "And I still fail in the classes."
"Maybe because you aren't doing it the right way," Martinus said, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the portal.
"Hey! Where are you taking me?" I asked, pulled out of the calm, comfy state I was in.
"Back to your house," Martinus said. "You need to give me permission to go to Morad House."
And he started tapping the settings on the portal, while I stared at his back as he was crouching on the floor.
"I don't know how," I said.
"The house has accepted you," Martinus said. "So you need to just say the words. I give Martinus Novak permission to come to Morad House."
"It's that simple?" I asked, thinking of all the ways this could be abused.
"It needs to be a voluntary permission, or it won't work," Martinus said. "Not forced."
I considered it and said the phrase. He then smiled, stepped on the stone, and disappeared, showing it worked (a blocked portal just doesn't allow you to go). I hesitantly stepped on it, following him back to my new home.
18
The house was curious. Was this going to be a new member of the household? Or (I detected a hint of jealousy) was he going to take me away from it? To another house? The house wasn't sure it like the idea of me going away after we'd just been reunited.
"Don't worry," I said. "I won't leave you for at least five years."
"That's good to know," Martinus said, looking around with curiosity, "but I'd like you to stay with me for longer than five years. I'm a monogamous man, you know. All Novaks are."
"I wasn't talking to you," I said. "I was talking to the house."
"Ah," Martinus said, after a pause. "The house. You just talk to it like that?"
"You think it's crazy?" I asked.
"I don't know if it's crazy," Martinus said, shrugging, "but it sure is confusing."
I considered it.
"You're a smart guy," I then said. "I'm sure you'll be able to figure out who I'm talking to."
"Thanks for the compliment," Martinus said, "although I would prefer if you didn't use it as an excuse to be lazy."
The Ghost Bride Page 13
