The Creative Strategist

by Sarah Noffke

“Exactly,” Liv stated confidently.

  “But Kayla didn’t kill the Mortal Seven for the Luce family?” Hester asked.

  “She didn’t kill the last one,” Liv corrected. “Just like John, Cassie Luce is the last of her family. It appears that someone has been out there ticking off members of the Mortal Seven to prevent them from joining us.”

  A look of unquestionable grief crossed John’s face. Liv knew that much like Cassie, all of his family had mysteriously died over the years. It must have been heartbreaking for him to learn why and be the last one to survive. However, she also believed it made him more eager to do his job as a Mortal Seven.

  “Who could be messing with the laws of the House?” Raina asked. “Could there be another Sinclair?”

  “Or is it someone among us?” Liv asked, scanning the faces in the chamber.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  “Well, Sherlock,” Stefan said to Liv over the council’s muttering, “is this when you tell us who done it?”

  Liv shot him a cold stare. “I know it was you, Ludwig.”

  He gawked. “I am a lot of things, Warrior Beaufont, but I’m no traitor.”

  She winked at him. “I know. Otherwise, I would have already killed you.”

  “I don’t doubt you for a minute,” he stated, returning the wink.

  “How dare she insinuate that one of us is corrupt?” Bianca said, her voice shrill.

  “Well, actually, it’s the only thing that makes any sense,” John chimed in, a solid voice of reason. “Too many events have been going on that would require someone on the inside manipulating the House. I believe it is necessary for us to ascertain that we are all loyal members.”

  It was strange to see him taking such a role, but it was also completely natural. Liv believed John Carraway to be a true leader. He had only ever needed his moment to shine like he did in the House of Fourteen.

  “Actually,” Akio said, stepping forward with his hands behind his back, “I believe your chimeras prove that you and Ireland and our new Mortal Seven are trustworthy.”

  Liv nodded. “That’s correct. However, there have been no other checks and balances on the rest of us.”

  “So what are you proposing?” Lorenzo asked, his tone clipped.

  Before Liv could answer, Hester stated, “I think it’s obvious. We must all be tested for our trustworthiness.”

  “And how will we do that?” Bianca asked. “Isn’t that the job of Jude and Diabolos?”

  “Yes,” Liv began slowly, thinking, “but if you remember, they were present when Adler stated many things that were later exposed as lies. Decar, too. And Kayla, who was actually an illusion. So it’s possible that the magic that controls them has been tampered with.”

  “How do we fix them?” Bianca asked, looking down at the animals like they were broken pieces of china.

  “I think we have to find out who is breaking the laws, and then we’ll know the loophole,” Stefan offered, thankfully being a calm voice of reason.

  Liv nodded. “I agree. What methods do we have for discerning who is trustworthy?”

  “The chimeras,” Clark spouted, continuing to flip through the Forgotten Archives. “I read something at one point about how the chimeras not only chose the Mortal Sevens who were the most trustworthy, but they could also be used for testing honesty in others.”

  “Can you research that further, Councilor Beaufont?” Haro asked.

  Clark nodded. “Yes, I’ll do that, and come up with a process. Then we can all be tested.”

  “Very good,” Hester said, smiling broadly, obviously not having anything to hide.

  Liv looked at the faces of the other Councilors, wondering who she could trust and who she needed to kill. She hoped to find out soon.

  “Okay, well then, it’s probably time that we welcome our newest member,” Raina said, her eyes darting to the back of the chamber.

  All heads turned to find Cassie standing awkwardly at the back, Freya buzzing around her head.

  Liv wasn’t sure how long she’d been there listening, but she appeared to mostly be studying the strange space.

  Abandoning her spot, Liv strode over to the woman. “Welcome to the House of Fourteen, Cassie. Please come in and join the council.”

  The Australian paused, hesitation on her face. Liv couldn’t blame her after everything she’d been through.

  “Don’t worry,” Liv said encouragingly. “We don’t bite. Well, the white tiger does, but it’s apparently just a hallucination. Still, it hurts like a bitch.”

  “And Trudy once bit me when we were on a mission,” Stefan added.

  The warrior next to him sighed. “I thought you were attacking me.”

  “No, I’d already killed the snake that did that,” he retorted.

  The banter of the warriors was new since the Sinclairs had “left” the House. And it felt right. They were soldiers, but they shouldn’t be silenced like in the days when Adler ruled. Also, this seemingly small exchange was enough to relax Cassie slightly, which Liv was grateful for.

  “So you all are…” Cassie asked, looking at the sparkling lights overhead and the many faces staring at her.

  “We are the Warriors for the House of Fourteen,” Akio said proudly.

  “And we are the Councilors,” Haro added.

  “Please join us,” John offered, standing with Pickles in his arms.

  Liv held out a hand, stopping Cassie. “First, would you do the honors of transforming your chimera? That’s how you officially become one of the Councilors.”

  “Where is her chimera?” Bianca asked, looking around as if searching for a mouse underfoot.

  “It’s a dragonfly,” Cassie answered.

  Bianca’s eyes widened and she seemed afraid the creature would fly into her hair. “What? Are you certain? That seems highly unlikely.”

  “I get that understanding magic is difficult,” Liv began, “but it makes all sorts of things possible, although I don’t think it can get rid of your bad attitude.”

  Clark shot Liv a look that without a doubt said, “Stop it.”

  Liv was feeling a bit feistier lately. Nodding to her brother, she turned her attention to Cassie. “Will you please do the honors?”

  “What do I do?” Cassie asked, looking at the dragonfly buzzing around her and then Liv.

  “Just intend it,” Ireland offered.

  Cassie nodded. “Okay. Here we go.”

  A moment later, from seemingly nowhere, a chimera matching the markings of the black and white dragonfly materialized, a soft growl spilling from her mouth.

  “Wow! It doesn’t matter how many times I see that, it’s always beautiful,” Hester said, clapping her hands.

  “Yes, I agree,” Raina said, joining in the enthusiasm.

  On the branch of the tree behind the council labeled Luce, the name Cassie was etched into place. Liv smiled broadly as the lights of the chamber intensified for a moment and then dimmed again.

  “And now it’s done,” Liv said, holding a hand out to Cassie and leading her to the bench. “You can take your place on the council. I’d do introductions, but I don’t know most of these people’s names, so I’m not the right person for that job.”

  Clark rolled his eyes at Liv as she took her position again. “I’ll introduce you to everyone, Cassie. Please have a seat next to me.”

  As Clark pointed and ran through the names of everyone, Bianca appeared very put out about having the dragonfly buzzing around the bench. It was turning into quite the menagerie, with John’s terrier, Ireland’s fat cat, and now the dragonfly. Liv liked everything about it. She couldn’t wait for the other Mortal Seven to join the council, although it might start to look like a zoo at some point.

  “Okay, I think we need to turn our attention to the pressing issue of the elf negotiations now,” Haro stated. “We need their support, but they are unwilling to talk to us. With every passing week, we’re losing the support of the other races because of this situation.”
/>
  “I think I have an idea about that,” Liv began, earning everyone’s attention. “I’ve recently acquired a position on a board of advisors that also includes high-ranking elf officials.”

  She was referring to her reluctant willingness to help Rudolf with his new business ventures. When no one asked any follow-up questions, she continued, “I think I can use this opportunity to earn their favor.”

  “Even though Mr. Ludwig slaughtered many of their enemies to build goodwill and it did no good?” Bianca asked.

  “Well, after he did that, Councilor Rosario offended King Dakota Sky and his people, which undermined Stefan’s efforts,” Liv reasoned.

  Many of the Councilors nodded in agreement.

  “I really believe,” Liv stated slowly, realizing that what she was going to say next might be the most outrageous declaration she’d made to date, “that we must include positions on the council for the other races.”

  On cue, the council began muttering among themselves, many protesting this idea.

  “I’m usually a supporter of your radical ideas,” Hester stated. “However, even I have to admit that this is a bit extreme.”

  “I understand, but—”

  “We’ve only recently brought mortals into the House,” Haro argued, cutting her off.

  “Actually, mortals were once a part of the House,” Liv corrected. “We’ve only brought them back, as they were intended. But if we’re going to be a governing body, I think it’s only fair that we create positions for the other races. You see, the problem with the elves isn’t their fault. It’s ours. We want to police magic, but why are we the ones to tell everyone what they can and can’t do?”

  “We are the House of Fourteen!” Lorenzo exclaimed. “We were set up for that very thing.”

  “And that was fine back in the day, when the races were spread out and we mostly presided over our own,” Liv countered. “However, we have intermingled, and usually we intervene on affairs related to gnomes, giants, elves, and many other magical creatures.”

  “I for one agree with Warrior Beaufont,” Trudy stated boldly. “I have found it very difficult to earn the respect and adherence to the laws. The gnomes don’t trust our system because they weren’t part of its construction. The elves think we give special treatment to our own. There are a myriad of problems.”

  “But we are bound by law,” Lorenzo said adamantly, banging his fist on the bench. “We can’t just go and change that. The founders stated that we’d be represented by seven magician and seven mortal Councilors and seven Warriors would enforce our rule.”

  “But what’s the point in ruling if no one follows us?” Akio asked, his tone quiet but full of authority.

  “As you can see, we’re already full and still growing,” Raina stated, looking down the long bench. “I’m not one to be opposed to these kind of things, but where are we supposed to put more people? How? I just don’t get it.”

  “It will take some creative problem-solving,” Liv stated. “But I suggest we start thinking about how to incorporate the others. If nothing else, we should allow them to have advisory positions on the council. Otherwise, what incentives do they have to follow our rules and laws?”

  The council muttered at the conclusion of her words.

  “So we change the law,” Clark said, continuing to flip through the Forgotten Archives. “I’ve been looking into it, and I think it can be done. I think there are a few ways we can do this succinctly.”

  “Aren’t you already tasked with finding out how to determine if we are all trustworthy?” Lorenzo questioned.

  Liv had an idea. “When we are all determined to be trustworthy, or rather I should say, if we are, why don’t you, Councilor Rosario, take the lead on figuring out how to incorporate the other races into our proceedings?”

  The silence that followed her suggestion filled her with dread. She’d hoped to warm Lorenzo up to this idea by making him part of it. He was the biggest opposition to this all.

  Finally, it was Bianca who spoke. “When did the Warriors start making suggestions to the council? That’s not the way things are designed. You are to take our orders.”

  “But things are changing.” It was Emilio Mantovani who spoke, saying something for the first time that meeting. “I for one think it’s overdue. The laws are outdated, not just on who should represent the magical community, but on many other things.”

  Liv could feel the conviction in Emilio’s words. He knew what changing this huge law could do. It would pave the way for changing other laws. For melting away the restrictions that barred him from being with a fae. The rules that kept Warriors from dating. The archaic laws that told everyone how to live their lives. Laws were good if they made sense, but if they were simply meant to control without providing justice, they were doing more harm than good in the long run.

  “Emilio, this is not the time—”

  “No, I suppose it’s not,” Emilio cut his sister off. “But soon we will have to review matters that you don’t want to, and it starts with this. I think the Warriors should be making suggestions to the council. We are in the field, risking our lives every day. We are the ones who have to fight the resistance of other races because they think we are an overbearing ruling body that doesn’t have their best interests at heart.”

  Liv had never heard Emilio talk this much or so passionately. The chamber remained quiet as he looked at each of the council members in turn before continuing, “And I think someone should take the lead on researching and proposing how we will incorporate other races into the House. Yes, it could be complicated. Yes, it will be messy. But in the end, it will make all our jobs easier if we gain the respect and loyalty of all the other races. And isn’t that what we really want?”

  No one said a word.

  Liv had expected someone to cheer, or unanimous applause. Hester scratched her chin. Raina’s brow scrunched. Haro shook his head before saying, “What you say makes sense, but I’m just not sure…”

  “Then we vote,” Clark stated.

  There was no way to argue with that.

  “All in favor of looking into ways of changing the laws and incorporating other magical races into the House of Fourteen, raise their hands,” Clark ordered, his hand already in the air.

  John, Ireland, and finally Cassie joined him.

  “All those who oppose?” Clark stated, dropping his hand.

  All the rest of the council raised their hands: Hester, Raina, Bianca, Haro and Lorenzo.

  What should have been a victory for the opposition was actually an overwhelming win for those wanting radical change within the House.

  “And since the Mortal Seven’s votes count twice,” Clark stated definitively, “we have more in favor of changing the laws.”

  “This is ridiculous!” Lorenzo stated.

  “No, it’s progress,” Liv argued. “And no one said the other races had to join the council. It is called the House of Fourteen for a reason. But I think allowing them to participate or rule with you over important matters or means of punishments would go a long way toward goodwill. And when we’re ready to take that next step, I’m happy to use the relations I’m building with the elves on this advisory board to help. They trust me. They trust Stefan. What we need is for them to trust everyone else in this chamber.”

  “Since we suggest you take the reins on proposing this law change and plans,” Stefan began, “you can design it how you think will work best.”

  Liv smiled slightly at the guy beside her.

  “Yeah, I guess I would prefer to be in charge of something like this. That way it will be done right,” Lorenzo stated as the council all began discussing how things could change.

  Stefan leaned over to Liv, whispering in her ear, “And if we can get them to change a law as huge as this one…”

  She smiled at him, feeling a flutter in her chest. “Then it will be easy to get them to change other laws too that dictate who can be with whom.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine


  Talon Sinclair was ready to destroy the world.

  He thundered across the place he’d thought of as his sanctuary for many long decades. Now it felt like a prison.

  He needed to get out. It was time. He couldn’t stay inside the confines of the Black Void much longer, not while the council was bowing to warriors and ruining the balance of the House.

  Ironically, the God Magician wanted to preserve the world and the way it should be, not destroy it. But what would be the difference when the new blood in the House of Seven ruined all that he’d worked for?

  Kicking aside bones, he swept to the far end of the Black Void and back, thinking of all he’d just heard. The Royals knew there was a traitor. Kayla was dead. Despicable mortals were filing into the House, ruining it with their ineptitude. Soon those repugnant magicians would change the laws Talon had carefully constructed to protect magic.

  Something had to be done.

  Talon was tired of waiting. He actually didn’t have anyone else to rely upon. It was up to him now.

  He was the very last Sinclair.

  And he’d been the first.

  He should have known that in the end, it would all come down to him again.

  His sunbeam-like eyes swept his chamber as he carefully weighed his options.

  Father Time hadn’t been drawn out. Each of the God Magician’s efforts to end the ruler of time had failed, but that had only been because Talon had to rely upon lesser, incompetent magicians.

  It was time that he did things himself. Talon was finally strong enough. Yes, Father Time could come after him. He could stop him. He was the only one. However, if Talon stayed inside the Black Void, it wouldn’t matter. The God Magician would lose everything anyway. What was the point of living forever and losing all that he’d worked for? All that he’d always wanted?

  He could taste the power he craved. He deserved it. More than anyone.

  If the God Magician left the Void, he could take back all the power, ruling the way he was meant to from the beginning.

  There was still one enemy he could wake who would buy him some time. She couldn’t kill Father Time. However, she could keep him still until Talon could figure out how to do it himself.