The door cracked open, and I stepped inside, shutting the door behind me. Ezra stood beside the door shirtless, and I noticed his tunic remained folded on the bed. I took in the sight of his bare chest and warm skin. I felt like a naive little girl looking at a man for the first time. It brought back memories of the nights Ren had slept with me while Mother was away on another trip. I wished I still had the innocence girls did, but a lustful man had taken it away from me. And I let him.
Ezra blushed and rushed to grab his tunic, throwing it over his head. With his shirt completely on, I refocused and handed him the envelope. Getting distracted by Ezra’s charm would only come back to haunt me. A pretty face in Ninomay meant nothing; I already learned that from Gemma. Meanwhile Ezra withdrew the letter and read it several times, presumably seeking clues. The writer had not signed their name or hinted to their identity.
“A woman brought me this letter several minutes ago. She seemed familiar with Claire. Orange hair, brown eyes... revealing clothes. Do you know her?”
“That must be Vanessa. She’s the only one who would visit Claire this early in the morning. She and Claire were once lovers. It ended... badly,” Ezra explained.
Pacing in front of his bed, I said, “No one ever mentioned her to me. I need to know about these relationships if I am to help. A former lover who still pays visits to Claire? Doesn’t that sound odd to you? She commented on my behavior. She might have noticed the difference...”
Ezra readjusted his glasses. “I’m as surprised as you. Claire expressed having no further interest in Vanessa. She’s definitely not someone I would confine in.”
Same-sex relationships were not unheard of on the islands, though they were less publicized. Vanessa had lost more than Claire after the breakup; she lost an opportunity to change our world. If she were Declan now she might hold more power and respect, but instead she seemingly lost everything. Claire’s “perfect” life had started breaking apart long before I arrived here.
I stopped in front of Ezra. “This letter was delivered to Vanessa. Perhaps the writer knew she would give it to Claire? Or she wants to trick me?”
Ezra shrugged and continued to stare at the letters. Guessing would lead us nowhere, and I accepted we might never know who wrote the letter. Unless we found another piece of writing that matched with the cursive, we had to set aside our theories. In the back of my head I noted Vanessa as a person of interest.
Though Ezra offered me the letter, I rejected it. “Keep it. I can’t hold onto it once I leave. Perhaps you can share it with Gemma and Declan later, but for now... Let’s get started.”
Ezra said nothing and placed the letter in the pocket of his cloak. I hoped by the end of the night he would not betray me. If I had a golden key of my own I would do it alone, but alas I did not. Throughout all of this, I had to trust him to keep his word. Trick or not, the letter reminded me of what I could accomplish during my limited stay. Instead of dreading every passing minute, I yearned for answers, ones I was certain Ezra would lead me to. Perhaps I could leave Ninomay better than I found it.
Ezra and I departed the room and walked down the hallway. We stayed near the wall, and occasionally my cloak rubbed against it. With it being early, I assumed our sneaking to be intentional. There was no telling whom we might encounter, and explaining ourselves could cause problems later on.
Ezra moved swiftly with each step he took. His confidence concerned me more than anything. Why did he think this would be easy? I lacked the knowledge to act as Claire for an extended period of time. Another run-in with Jhase could lead to suspicions. Before afternoon none of it would matter; I warned Ezra about the emergency meeting awaiting us in a few hours.
We walked past the staircase while a Watcher passed us. He did not give another thought to our presence, and we continued forward silently. The Watchers answered directly to the Council and overlooked magic usage in the area. Though similar to us, they were born with another gift to see where magic emanated from. I suspected I would see numerous Watchers while in Ninomay. The size of this island suggested they would need more to cover the island.
Approaching the first door on the left side of the hallway, I waited as Ezra opened it. He gestured for me to walk in first, and he followed directly behind me. He closed the door quietly, and we stepped into a room with a large round table. Eight chairs circled the table with the largest one being at the front. Portraits of past council members covered the walls. Jhase appeared in several of them, though the number of councilors had grown over the years. One painting with dust covering the frame showed a single man.
“Ivan Pavlou,” Ezra commented, stepping closer to examine the portrait. “Our only true ‘king,’ but few speak of his reign anymore.”
“The Outlander’s War…” I whispered. Locals in Rajoor sometimes shared their stories of the war, but Mother had only ever commented on her choice to remain neutral. No one spoke kindly about Ivan’s reign, though he had been the first to govern the islands.
Ezra sighed and backed away from the portrait. “We’re better off leaving it behind in the past.”
He advanced to the table and stood in front of the front chair. Neither he nor I had been alive during the war, but no one in Rajoor had ever been fond of discussing it either. It nearly broke our world and the magic within it. A king’s poor judgment that now, with the Council in place was never meant to happen again. Something so destructive had not affected our world for over a century.
Ezra cleared his throat, bringing me back to the present. “Jhase leads the Council and our discussions. I sit here,” he said, moving to the right. “Then follows Gemma, Alesia, Bellona, Elias, Alec, and Dorian.”
I sat down in the chair closest to me, which belonged to Bellona. The large and white table appeared sturdy and perhaps made from an oak tree. Despite the importance of this room, nothing covered the table. The walls contained memories of the past, but I remained more interested in the present and future. As if reading my mind, Ezra placed his hand on the table and held it down firmly. He murmured a word and shortly after the table lit up, revealing papers. The lack of paperwork had been nothing more than an illusion. With the illusion in place, no one could steal anything from this room. Ezra controlled the illusion whereas someone like me could not.
I stared at the scattered stacks of paper in front of me. Ezra explained that these papers were the most recent, and older ones remained stored in an archive room. Only Kanelos family had access to the archive. Ezra assured me this room as our best bet, since Gemma had been sent on her mission to find me from this room.
Ezra finally sat down and scanned the papers in front of him. I glanced at mine, catching glimpses into strangers’ lives. My companion explained that the papers remained heavily enchanted. He focused again on the table to remove the spell.
With the information at our disposal a wave of nausea overwhelmed me. What would we find and how would it affect us? I reassured myself that nothing would alter my decision to leave by the end of the night. Staying another day in Ninomay was a maddening idea. Nothing was here for me; everything I knew waited for me in Rajoor.
Only a day ago I had desired to leave my hometown and never return. Perhaps my wish had come too soon? Was I not ready to travel the world and explore outside of my comfort zone? The largest concern plaguing my mind was if I would return home as the same person.
“What are we looking for?” I asked, directing my attention to Ezra. He lowered his hands, and the papers in front of him levitated. With his hand he swiped in the direction to turn to the next page. My stare did not stop his search. He might be more familiar with the organization, if any, of the paperwork. While he used magic on the papers I held several in my hands, clueless as to how to process any of this.
“Your paperwork, of course. If you are Claire’s twin something with your paperwork must be wrong.” He continued scanning the papers, swiping faster. The ones he showed no interest in slowly descended onto the table again.
A pit formed in my stomach with the realization of what the past might reveal. The Watchers supplied detailed reports on residents in their area. It was a requirement of citizens to obey and submit important details about their lifestyle. Mother already proved to me once before a Watcher could lie.
“Ezra...”
He grunted in response, but nothing seemed to stop him. He meant well with his determination, but the risks became clear to me. Again I raised my voice. “Ezra, please stop and listen.”
Returning a paper to the desk, he looked across the table at me. I gritted my teeth and debated on how to warn him. Truth or not, I knew my past better than anyone. It was dark and toxic, and might be overwhelming to a stranger. I could not continue with the chance my paperwork be vague. In all likelihood I expected it to be very detailed with memories not even I wanted to remember.
Gathering my thoughts, I said, “I’m not the woman you’re hoping for. Claire and I come from very different worlds. My past was destructive, and the paperwork... might be too difficult to read.”
Ezra offered a weak smile. “Money can buy many things, but it can never buy a perfect life. I know about the imperfections in Claire’s life. Do not be ashamed of your own, Clara. You are here with me now, and that tells me everything I need to know.”
While he returned to the hunt, I stared at the piles in front of me. This would require hours of reading. The chances of making progress seemed unlikely when this room would be used in a few hours. Our time remained limited, but I picked up a piece of paper.
The paperwork seemed tedious and sometimes repetitive. Some pages I read included only the basics on a mage whereas others went into greater detail. I imagined some people lived more interesting lives than others. The Watchers also noted accounts of criminal activity or suspicions. A sea of names filled my head, but none of them held significance to Claire or me. Her enemy knew about her closeness to Vanessa. Perhaps we had allowed for too broad of a search.
“How will we ever find something in this mess?” I asked, stretching out my hands. It was impossible to determine how much time had passed, as this room contained no windows.
“Gemma was always the one who searched for specific folders. She and Jhase have passwords they used to access them. I’ve never done it, but...” He allowed the papers in front of him to drop and traced the edge of the table with his fingertips. He seemed lost in thought while I could not help but feel defeated. We wasted precious time and knew no more than we had this morning.
Ezra shifted in his seat. “I might be able to guess Gemma’s password. She maintains a private personal life, but she’s always said her son was her greatest accomplishment.”
He stopped tracing the table’s edge and moved his finger to where it had been earlier. Slowly he scribbled letters into the table, which lit up momentarily. “C-E-D-R-I-C” spelled out on the table, and with the last letter the name dissolved. A single piece of paper shot up out of a pile in the middle of the table and glided to where Ezra stood. He reached for it and grabbed it before I could process his actions. He scanned over the page as he had done previously. It took him no more than a minute, but my heart sunk to its lowest point. Ezra gained an advantage over me, one that seemed stronger than mine.
Remaining silent, he advanced to where I sat. He gave me the paper, and I read it carefully. I first noticed the elegant cursive, which was entirely different from the letter I had received. Whoever wrote these papers was not the person we sought.
Name: Clara Nasso
Location: Rajoor
Biological parents: Nina and Isaak Nasso
Siblings: None
Marital status: Single
Hair color: Blonde
Age: 24
Eye Color: Gray
Any criminal activity: No
Notes: Father arrested and found guilty for illegal magic use and domestic violence against his family. Watchers ordered to watch daughter and wife closely —might have been affected by Isaak’s actions.
I felt lightheaded and lowered my head towards the table. Though the paperwork proved nothing about Claire, it seemed strangely executed. My hair, age, and eye color were nowhere near correct. Why would anyone lie about that? Though I did not know the protocol, false information from a Watcher sounded like grounds for termination. A piece of paper claimed I needed to be watched carefully. Had Kiersten purposely been planted to live next to us? My glance returned to Ezra, but he stared down at the paperwork in front of us.
“You think I am like Isaak? A monster...”
The name drew in his attention again. I had stopped calling Isaak “father” after the first time he hit me. Mother never corrected me, and he never tried to regain the title. Perhaps in his twisted mind, he knew he did not deserve it. I did not expect for anyone to understand nor did I desire their pity. Despite the mistakes on the paper, I accepted this as the truth. Claire and I were nothing more than a coincidence.
“I dreamed and prayed that Isaak was not my real father for years. A monster like him… Surely it was a terrible mistake, right? But this paper...” I glanced back at it, noticing his name printed clearly. “This would be a sick lie to have me believe I am related to him.”
None of this makes sense. She is identical to you. I thought, licking my lips.
Claire could not be a random occurrence. She was the part of my life that had been missing. But believing we shared something together would require accepting Mother as a compulsive liar. Twenty years seemed like a long time to lie, especially to her daughter. Nothing else seemed to explain our appearances. Instead, I kept repeating the facts, the ones Mother had told me, in my head.
“Clara,” Ezra said gently, placing his hand on my shoulder. “I remember your father’s case. It happened while my uncle worked on the Council. I remember him explaining Isaak vividly to me... Glacial eyes and swore like a madman. But no, I know you are not like him.”
I turned my head to the door, and in the silence I heard footsteps approaching. The doorknob turned slowly, and I grabbed Ezra’s hand and ducked down under the table. Ezra was quick to catch on, and we sat beside each other. The table seemed large enough that no one would see us unless they looked directly underneath of it.
Footsteps entered the room, but only pants and a pair of boots were visible. The man paced around the table, and all the while I kept my breath steady. Meanwhile, Ezra’s eyes wandered to my lips. He leaned in, but I shook my head and remained still. No matter the attraction I felt for him, one that seemed to be returned, I did not need to enter another relationship. Thankfully Ezra seemed to respect my boundaries, and I accepted I might need to build up my walls again. We had gotten too close, and for him and I this only ended with more heartbreak.
The man did one more sweep of the room. Seemingly satisfied, he left the room and shut the door. I exhaled and feared I had become my own worse enemy.
Chapter Nine
Good Intentions
Despite Ezra’s good intentions, I did not want any commitment to Ninomay. My last relationship had ended, reminding me of Isaak and Mother’s marriage. At a loss of words, I watched as he crawled out from under the table without hesitation. I followed shortly after and stood silently, listening. Rain poured outside, and despite everything I had learned, perhaps the best answers awaited in Rajoor. I would confront Mother about Claire as I had done with Isaak. Would she return to denying the facts like she did in the past? I stared at the door, wanting nothing more but to leave this room. Time away from Ezra would give me a chance to think and evaluate my situation.
“I’m sorry. I hope you stay true to your word,” I said, walking toward the door. I reached for the doorknob and glanced back at him. Today I did not have the strength to admit why I could not be any further involved with him.
Ezra grunted, and I turned the doorknob and exited into the hallway. He remained in the meeting room, and I did not challenge his desire to be alone. He never mentioned having other duties, but I had enough to keep me busy.
Though my stomach growled, I ran short on time. An illusion of the day and night cycle floated above my head in the hallway, showing the sun’s location in the sky. I assumed this was another one of Ezra’s creations, as I had yet to meet another illusionist as talented as him. Gemma worked an illusion on me, but I already shared a lot in common with Claire.
As I passed a window I looked outside at the downpour. Dark clouds covered the sky, and thunder roared in the far distance. It might be even harder to return home in the middle of a thunderstorm.
I continued down the hall until I reached my room. Opening the door, I was pleased to find everything exactly as I left it. While I had nothing to pack, I lay on the bed and stared up at the white ceiling.
Leaving Ninomay now meant saying goodbye to this place forever. Once Mother heard about my experience here she would never let me return. Despite the lies and mysteries consuming the island, I wished I had the leisure to explore more. Nothing excused how I arrived here, but the experience was unlike anything at home. At home I lived a life full of routines. Wake up, work, and come home to an empty house.
“I will hunt you down.”
Ren’s words stood out against the other voices plaguing my mind. Claire’s disappearance had almost caused me to forget what originally brought me here. I was expected as a key witness in Ren’s trial. The white rose he threatened me with on our last night together remained vivid in my memories. What did that mean for Ninomay and the other islands if someone like him had possession of one?
Clara and Claire Page 7
