Chapter 19
Quinn
“Don’t… oh God. Honey, what have you done?”
The rush of the world, whispering its secrets, faded into painful moans. I’d been walking with someone, a man who fancied me. With floppy hair and kind eyes, or maybe I hadn’t.
“Quinn, focus.” My dad’s voice came from my left. “You had to have tools and medical supplies to do this. Where would Miss Q have hidden them?”
Taking one last breath of crazy, the world came into focus. I was in my usual pine forest. I’d skinned my knees, and streaks of red ran down my dirty skin. But my injuries were nothing compared to the naked man lying on the trail in front of me.
Blood looked to have exploded out of both his caved-in knees.
No, not caved in. Missing. Muscles and tendons sagged where the caps should have rounded his skin.
What had been his clothing now lay in pools, tinged with brown and green of a park ranger uniform.
My breaths came out in short, quick bursts.
I couldn’t move. A dull ringing filled my ears.
Lines of ink, which must have been tattoos, ran down his left side and one of his shoulders.
The man moaned and talked. My dad talked back.
I couldn’t take my eyes off the man’s knees.
I’d done that.
The sound of crinkling foil sizzled in the air before a silver blanket covered the man, cutting off my view of his knees.
“I was trying to help her,” the man panted. “And my knee replacements gave out.”
I dragged my gaze to his face. The man with floppy hair looked back at me out of pain-filled, but kind, old eyes. “Did you do this? How is that possible?”
I said the only truth I knew. “Magic.”
I hesitated at the entrance to the Great Hall.
The wide wooden doors gaped open, spilling light, music, and a wall of laughter into the corridor.
Booths hugged the walls, each advertising a different path within the family: fight, physical, spiritual, technology, science.
In the center, a raised stage demanded attention.
Two men stood opposite each other, glowing with magic, until a sudden explosion cracked between them.
Cheers erupted as yellow sparks fanned out above their heads.
Along the back wall, a minibar run by the Happy Rooster was churning out drinks faster than the night I bought a round for the whole pub.
Although a few enforcers in their black uniforms patrolled, most of the partygoers were dressed to impress. Everly accented her lush black baby doll dress with so much jewelry that she sparkled from a mile away.
Cayden’s gaze slid over me in a slow, deliberate sweep that sent warmth blooming across my cheeks.
I let my eyes wander in return, tracing the lines of his body.
The dark-green shirt clung just enough to hint at the strength beneath, tucked into loose khaki cargo pants that somehow still fit like they were made for him.
A thick gold necklace rested against his chest, drawing my attention to the way the fabric framed his refined strength.
I forced myself to calm the storm of feelings swirling inside.
Cayden had his chance to kiss me, and he’d backed away.
It stung. If I were being honest with myself, it hurt like hell.
But he still wanted to be my friend; he hadn’t pushed me away completely.
I’d take whatever I could get, even if it wasn’t what I really wanted.
Cayden’s expression told me nothing. If he felt a hint of the storm I did, he was keeping it locked down. Maybe the almost-kiss had been in my head. It wasn’t like I had men lining up before either.
Cayden ended his once-over with an approving nod, making Hero groan as if completely disagreeing.
“Really, sister?” Hero plucked at my sleeve. “You’ve dressed your suitor in one of my old tunics?”
I bit my lips together and looked away from Cayden. Tonight wasn’t about boys; it was about me. Focus, I would.
Everly batted her twin's hand away from the exceptionally frilly cuffs of my flamboyant white tunic. “Yes. Brother. You wouldn’t want me showing up with him in his uniform, would you?”
“I don’t want him anywhere near you,” Hero responded, giving me a dark look.
Everly kissed me on the cheek and wrapped an arm around my waist. “Ignore him, my little birdy. Let’s get a drink.”
I had to bite my lips together to keep from giggling and very carefully walked into the Great Hall.
“Relax, Quinn,” Everly leaned down and whispered. “You have to spin three times to trigger the spell. You’re not going to do that by accident.”
I tried to relax, well aware of the number of circles I’d turned while tripping on magic and anti-crazy meds in the forest in my time. My time. I tripped on nothing. Only Everly’s strong arm kept me from face-planting.
Was I so convinced this was real that I viewed my old life as if it were from the past?
Cayden came up on my other side. “We’ll grab drinks for the ladies.” He tugged on my bicep, and I released Everly.
“You have us. All of us.” He pointed at Everly. “Everly’s a Grierson; they are powerful. The Lawson name is feared, for good reason.” Cayden cracked his neck uncomfortably. “And Brit is a hell of a fighter. You’re not alone.”
“I’m more than hell-a, Cayden.” Brit thumped him on the back, and I jumped, not realizing she’d joined us.
Tight leather pants hugged her shapely legs. A pink tube top accentuated her broad shoulders and interwoven muscles. It wasn’t fancy, but she looked badass and ready to party.
She leaned down close to my ear and whispered. “Hell, Hero might like you if he realizes you don’t have a dick you want to stick in his twin.”
I giggled.
Cayden cleared his throat. “We were getting drinks for the ladies.”
Brit beamed. “Hero’s pretty enough. I’ll hand him his, personally.”
Brit and I exchanged a glance, making Hero look at us skeptically before he rolled his eyes. As expected, he refused to leave his sister’s side. Soon enough, we each had a drink in hand.
My girlfriends slid me between them, safe from Hero, as we circulated.
It was an odd collection of people that braved Cayden and Brit to say hi to Everly.
Hero clasped a lot of hands. I don’t know why it surprised me that he made friends while also guarding his sister.
Everly introduced me to two more women who seemed nice enough, but stuck with their little packs of fawning admirers.
I spotted Brody through the crowd. He didn’t acknowledge me, but I could feel him watching. Or maybe I was being paranoid. He’d left me alone for the last few days. Maybe he finally got the message.
The atmosphere was something between a festival and a party.
I thoroughly enjoyed the booths and endless displays of power rocketing around the room.
The technology booth stood at the halfway mark, and I found my cheeks flushed from the drink and my energy high.
Another burst of color filled the ceiling of the Great Hall.
Okay, I was having a blast. Magic was everywhere. I loved it.
I sipped my pear cider while examining the table of gears, computer bits, and what looked like a Nokia phone.
“Is this like the train?” I asked, recognizing Adam, my train mentor, behind the booth.
Adam grinned at me. “It’s the same engine-unity.”
I groaned. Everly joined me, though Brit snorted out a laugh.
Adam beamed at her before continuing his explanation. “The Architect has an entire branch of magic, focused on making raw power and technology from BT play nice. It might not be as exciting as fight or physical, but if you like puzzles or patterns, we have a spot for you.”
“How is it different from science?” Everly asked. “My family doesn’t make a distinction.”
Adam smiled again. “Excellent question. Science is the study of how the natural world fits together. It focuses on magical inventions, not non-magical, like technology.”
“Interesting so…” Everly continued.
I rubbed my frilly tunic again and glanced at the ring in the middle of the room. Every minute that passed brought me closer to Everly’s plan and taking control of my future. Despite being glued to my friend’s side, I reached back and laced my fingers with Cayden’s.
After technology and science, I learned the difference between fight and physical. Fight collected people interested in being enforcers, bodyguards, or spies.
Brit grinned, sticking her hip out at a very robust man with a sizeable beer belly. “Lay it on us, Joe.”
The man stuttered. “Ah, fight.” He put his hands up, balled into fists as if ready to take a punch. “It’s good.”
Brit’s eyes sparkled, and I almost choked on my pear cider.
Physical came next and was exactly what it sounded like: people who wanted to build or craft, like Brody’s metalwork.
Speaking of Brody; for the third time, his olive-green hair appeared in my peripheral vision.
Was he following me? Or circulating like everyone else?
He wasn’t a trainee, but he could be with friends.
My nerves were making me paranoid.
By the time we arrived at the spiritual booth, the countdown to my part in tonight's activities was on. I danced with excitement. I was still nervous as hell, but the new me wasn’t sitting back and following rules. Right or wrong, real or not, I was doing this.
“My runes do everything,” Cayden said, speaking up for the first time tonight. “Why would I only heal when I can also create? One of our placements was on creativity, yet this system pushes compartmentalization.”
The man behind the booth’s jaw dropped. “I mean, it’s how we organize information. Not everyone can do everything. Doing a few things well is better than doing everything poorly?”
Cayden stepped forward. “Are you saying I do things poorly?”
The man put his hands up. “I didn’t say that… ah, but you did?”
Cayden’s eyes bugged, and he took another step forward. I lurched to his side and grabbed his arm, pulling him away from the booth.
“Ok, I know why I’m on edge… but what was that all about?” I asked.
Cayden scowled at me. He looked back at the booth once before shaking his head.
“My family assigns everyone a role, and that’s their job with little variation.
As the most powerful of our line, I was encouraged to explore my magic and capabilities.
However, most of my brothers were taught what they needed and only what they needed to complete their jobs.
Until I came here, I never thought about their lack of knowledge.
” Cayden swallowed. “And now that I see the limitations, this”—he gestured to the booths—“rubs me wrong.”
I reached out and squeezed him to my side.
“I get it. But specializing is not limiting. Anyone can still walk into the library and learn more.” I held up my empty cider glass.
“It’s like saying I’m going to be an expert on pear cider.
” I licked my lips. “But still drink wine.” I grabbed his glass and took a sip.
“Oh, and now that I’ve touched this, you can’t drink it anymore. ”
Cayden humphed and took the glass out of my hand, placing his lips exactly where mine had been to drain it. My heart raced.
“What are you two doing?!” Everly burst between us. “It’s time!”
Butterflies, bats, and bumblebees filled my stomach all at once. I handed Cayden my empty cider glass and looked toward the center of the room. Four men, also dressed in simple but formal attire, stood in a line with a spot at the end just for me.