by T J Kelly
“I had no idea. I don’t know how to feel right now. I swear this has been the hardest two days of my life.” My hands were shaking again, and my heart was pounding. I wondered for a brief moment if teenagers could have a heart attack. Considering how much stress I had been under, I was surprised I hadn’t yet. I felt queasy and wished I hadn’t eaten so much food at tea time.
“I’m sorry, Lia. I didn’t want to drop this on you so soon, but it’s past time that you stopped blaming yourself. If your parents suspected they might be in danger, I’m sure they would have left you at home to keep you safe. They loved you above all.”
I sighed, smiling crookedly. “Thank you for telling me, Uncle Ged. If you don’t mind, I’d like to talk to you about this again when I don’t feel so shell-shocked.”
Armageddon let out a snort. “I see you’ve been talking to your aunt.”
“Yes. And she’s right about that. I do feel shell-shocked. I can’t wait for today to be over. I wish things would go back to normal, but I’m beginning to suspect that this is what normal will feel like from now on.”
“It will get better with time. I know things didn’t turn out quite as you expected, but you’re going to be fine. Eventually.”
I took a cleansing breath and stood. “I think I’ll go for a walk if you don’t mind?”
Armageddon stood to escort me. “Of course not. You take as long as you need. Don’t forget that Cook will be trying to praise and reward you with a fabulous meal tonight. It may be best to be back in time for supper.”
I nodded and then headed outside, needing the solitude.
◆◆◆
My mind was in turmoil. I was feeling at odds with myself. I had no idea what I was going to do. I had been so focused on connecting to my magic and fighting in the trials that I had no clue what to do when those things no longer loomed over me.
Rector Enterprises would practically run itself for the next three years. All contracts were locked into place. I wasn’t allowed to change the business in any way so it wouldn’t take up my time the way training had done. I would have to get to know the employees again, this time as their CEO and not as the daughter of the CEO. It was shocking to think that I was in charge. Seventeen and everyone’s boss. It blew my mind.
I walked through the trees until I reached the clearing where Chas and I spent our last day together. It was hard to believe that it was only two short days in the past. My entire world had changed since then. Nothing would ever be the same.
I spent some time at the edge of the clearing, sitting under an oak tree, mostly crying. When I was done, the sun was setting, and I was chilly.
Instead of heading back inside, I walked in the opposite direction from the castle. I knew the boundaries and made certain I stayed well within them. I was as much a target as ever, but being told my parents had been murdered and that we were all supposed to have been killed made me feel extra cautious.
I was picking up handfuls of rocks and tossing them into the trees lining the pathway when I came across Peter. He was dressed in his leather jacket and boots, so I knew he had been out riding his motorcycle. Sure enough, it was parked off the main pathway under a small lean-to, his helmet tied onto the back of the seat.
“Did you just get back?” I asked.
He nodded as he walked straight over to me and hugged me fiercely. “I’ve wanted to do that all day! You were awesome last night! Congratulations, Lia. I knew you could do it.”
Peter was grinning. He slid his hands down my arms and then squeezed my hands. I felt my spirit lift, borrowing some of his enthusiasm.
“Thanks. I’m still feeling a little freaked out that I own a company and I’m the boss. Imagine. All those poor people have to do what I say.”
Peter laughed. “Think of the funny uniforms you can make them wear. You can change the dress code, so they all have to wear pink with purple polka dots or something.”
I laughed. It felt good to joke about silly things.
“Are you heading in?” he asked. I nodded. “Come on then, I’ll walk with you, and you can tell me your favorite part about last night.” He slid my hand onto his arm as if he were escorting me formally.
“Oh, my favorite part was definitely the reporters,” I joked. “You know how I love the spotlight.”
“Oh, yeah. I’m sure,” he laughed. “What about the shield you made in the first round? I thought Oberon Taine’s head was going to explode every time one of your little animals attacked another. It was hilarious. Of course, you’ll have to watch the video to get the full effect. You looked gorgeous when you made the light crystals sparkle and shine. You were all lit up and smiling. I bet that’s the picture they’ll use when they report your win on television.”
I laughed, too. Irritating Oberon was more satisfying than I could explain. “That was pretty funny. I was a cheeky little brat on purpose. Maybe it’ll make up for the times I embarrassed myself.”
We entered the castle and stopped at the base of the stairs. Peter turned to me and put his hands on my shoulders.
“I know the Taines pulled a lot of tricks on you, but you never embarrassed yourself. Ged told us Chas was trying to keep you safe, but it set you up, anyway. People saw through it. They aren’t mocking you. They think you withstood an unbelievable amount of pressure and pain and still kicked butt. You should be proud of that and ignore the rest.”
I looked into Peter’s eyes. I hadn’t noticed before, but he was the almost the same height as Chas and just as strong. Maybe even stronger from the feel of the muscles under where my hand rested on his arm. I suddenly wanted him to hug me again.
I think Peter realized I needed comfort because he pulled me into his arms, holding me close.
Sliding my arms around his waist, I held on for dear life. It seemed like I wasn’t capable of going through more than an hour or two without some kind of support. I felt weak and needy but knowing I had people who cared about me also made me feel safe.
Peter’s hand rested on my hair, pressing my cheek more firmly against his chest. “You’re going to be fine,” he murmured. “I’ve got your back. Your aunt and uncle are here for you, too. And Mort treats you like you’re his daughter which doesn’t bode well for anyone messing with you. The rest of the world better watch out.”
I could feel the magic humming inside of Peter, all that Light swirling around, radiating through his skin like body heat, soaking into me, warming me, lifting me up. I knew he could tell I needed help, that the darkness inside of me was trying to drag me down under the power of the Dark. But he was my hero, and as always, he didn’t let it take me.
Eventually, I felt good enough to pull back and look up at him again, smiling. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. Without any of you. Sometimes, I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.”
He chuckled. “That’s because you are, silly. Come on. We need to go upstairs and change. It’s almost supper time.”
Peter grabbed my hand and pulled me up the stairs behind him. I stumbled a few times, and we both laughed about how ridiculous it was to fall up the stairs.
◆◆◆
I rolled over in bed to face the windows. A sliver of moonlight peeked through the sheer panels of white that obscured the glass.
The last several days made me value my time with my family more. The Light Peter gave me had kept me from thinking about Chas too much or falling into a depression. Every night for a week after the trials, I went to bed right after we ate supper, feeling exhausted. Magic healing could only do so much. Peony had warned me it would catch up with me.
An owl hooted outside, making me jump. It always startled me how loud birds actually were.
I fiddled with my star necklace, running my fingers over the edges. So much had happened over the last several months, it was hard to take it all in. I was at a crossroads. My life was forever altered. Thankfully, my aunt and uncle, Mort and Peter would be with me on my new path. My whole being filled with gratitude.
&
nbsp; “Mother? Father? Thank you for being there for me. Thank you for getting me this far. And thank you for bringing such wonderful people into my life.”
I could feel that they heard me, that they understood me. I missed them and I always would, but it comforted me to know they were just a thought away.
An image of Chas invaded my mind and along with it came frustration and pain. But there was enough goodness and light inside of me to face it head-on.
I finally let my anger go. Chas did what he did for me, and only me. I hated not having a choice, but in the end, I realized he had a decision to make for himself, too. And that was his right. I could let that part go even if I hated the results. But I couldn’t let him go. My heart cried out every time I told myself it was over. He might be a member of the Taine family, but it wouldn’t stop me from loving him. He had been forced to give Clarissa a chance, but Promises could be broken. Maybe Chas and I weren’t done.
A little bubble of hope swelled in my heart.
The owl hooted again. It was kind of annoying, and I scowled.
There would be new challenges to face, both with my company and with the Irregulars. And I needed to find the killers who took my parents from me and bring them to justice. But I was ready. I finally knew my place in the world, and it was a beautiful place to be.
The owl hooted one more time. It flew closer and landed in the tree nearest to my window.
My thoughts drifted and I pictured the tree that sheltered us while Chas kissed me on our last day together. It was tall and had sturdy branches although I hadn’t cared about that at the time. Sturdy enough for my purposes.
The owl disappeared. I knew how to control my magic better, and the owl landed safely in the tree, far enough away from the castle that its hooting wouldn’t keep me awake.
Thoughts about our picnic under that tree filled my mind. Chas and I together. One perfect day. For the moment, the memories were enough.
I closed my eyes, ready to dream.
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About the Author
T.J. Kelly writes Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, and Sci-fi novels. Destiny called on her thirteenth birthday when her mother asked the local bookstore owner to choose thirteen books a girl her age might like. The resulting pile of sci-fi and fantasy novels was her first love. When she can tear herself away from reading and writing, T.J. watches movies, asks countless questions, and bakes treats. Originally from California, T.J. now lives in Texas where she’s hard at work on the Armageddon’s Ward series.
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