Chapter 13
ISAAC
Breakfast consisted of fresh fruit, pastries, and cereal. All prepared by Alice and Erin.
I was surprised any of us could eat after seeing the news report.
Big screaming headlines about activity at the mansion last night, anonymous recordings sent in by the public of the crystal shades and plenty of witchcops running around.
Right now, there were loads of press vans gathered outside, blocking the road, held back by witchcop barriers.
Great.
There’d also been a commentary on the Brambles and Erin, talking about how their families had been loyal to ours, wondering if they were up to something behind those big, closed doors.
Of course, the biggest question the reporters asked was if House Aurora was on the cusp of a comeback.
Well, that didn’t take long.
I sat beside Riley, directly opposite Dean, with Ollie on the far side of the big dining table on the same side as me, Riley, Drake, and Jake a buffer between us.
Probably best for him to be out of my eyeline.
I’d only just cooled my horniness down after a third session of self-pleasure because of him.
My cock would fall off at this rate.
I hadn’t been this horny in a long while. At least not at this ‘somebody stick a stiffy in me’ level.
If only I could go out on the prowl to find myself a one-night fuck. Just one, to take the edge off.
I ate some grapefruit and sipped on black coffee while watching Dean Tseng elegantly stir sugar cubes into his tea.
If it wasn’t for Jake, I might have made a move on him. The man was yummy, his eyes dark and glossy, his skin a gorgeous tawny beige. He sported designer stubble, and a swept-back black hairdo. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was in my business.
I loved his plum Gucci shirt but didn’t say anything about it. He was too busy trying not to look at Jake, who sat with Ollie, and it might trigger unnecessary drama.
Erin started talking business now that we were all suitably fed and watered.
My phone vibrated in my pocket, another message from my agent. After my steamy shower, she’d upped her game in demanding I call her.
I really should stop neglecting her.
“I found a spell in the grimoire related to mental sharing,” Erin said. “I’m wondering if it will help when the fae woman summons you next.” She took a sip of her apple juice. “We’ll discuss that shortly.”
“Anything’s worth a try,” I responded.
Erin nodded, picking up a croissant. “The best course of action is to stay together as much as you can.” She pointed her pastry at me and Riley, referencing our new Celestial Ward power, which had restored itself, sitting there like a flag billowing in the winds of my mind. Reminding me to remember it.
My phone buzzed again. I plucked it from my pocket and switched it off.
Sorry, Helen.
“I think you should test it after breakfast,” Erin added. “To get used to it.”
“Good idea,” I agreed. “Maybe this should be a day of testing things out. We can cast the net spell too, along with the shared mind thing.”
Preston Retrieval Day, as I liked to think of it since like ten minutes ago, wasn’t far away now.
We needed to master the net-flinging and keep ourselves spry with lots of training.
Staying out of sight for a few days would be good.
No one would see us with the glamouring potion in our system, but it’d be better to lay low for a few days.
“I’ve emailed the Winter Palace again,” Aaron chimed in.
“Fingers crossed today’s the day we can get some answers,” Alice said.
“The High Coven are trying, too,” he added.
Apparently, our overlords weren’t saying much on the problem at our gates right now. Only that they’d keep us safe.
Until they decided to fuck us over again.
April finished chewing on a banana. “I’m seriously considering going over to Faerie myself soon.”
“We might have to at this rate,” Aaron replied.
There were no planes in Faerie, but there were high-speed railways they’d introduced about a year ago, making travel times more palatable. Still, I didn’t fancy going on a trip to visit the Winter Queen right now.
“We’ll stay inside until this press attention blows over,” Erin said. “Stefan suggested we keep a low profile. These things always tend to simmer down after while.”
I sat forward, stunned by the sound of his name. “Excuse me?”
She went to repeat herself.
“I heard what you said,” I interjected. “Why are you talking to Stefan?”
“He communicated through our liaison,” she countered, nodding in Jake’s direction.
“Okay. And? Why is he involved?”
She steepled her fingers. “He’s the High Inquisitor. I have to speak with him, although he will only do it through Jake at the moment.”
I laughed nervously, a wave of confusion crashing down on my head. “Wait. Am I missing something here?”
“No one is suggesting we hide indoors. On the contrary. No sacred witch should be confined to this house. We should all be out there on the front lines, investigating any leads, searching for answers.”
I shook my head, my forehead creasing at the sidewards lurch of the conversation. “That’s not what I’m talking about. Why are we having anything to do with Stefan? He shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near us.”
Silence followed, which only served to annoy me further.
“Isn’t there an alternative to that fuckhead?” I added. “He betrayed us. He tried to—”
“We know,” Erin cut me off. “We know all too well, Isaac. But Stefan remains in his position, and there’s nothing we can do about it.”
Cool down, I tried warning myself.
My mouth had other ideas. “I’ll ask it again. Why is Stefan involved? He should be locked up. This house doesn’t need his opinions or his help.” My hands balled into fists.
Erin took about ten seconds to answer, calmly. “I appreciate your concerns, but there’s nothing we can do. While he remains in position, we must cooperate with him, through Agent Jake. No matter what, Stefan is in charge.”
“He shouldn’t be,” I rebutted, voice tight with rage.
“The elders are good with him,” Ollie said. “He told me himself.”
The elders? The fucking elders? A bunch of pricks holding the levers of power, making decisions in their ivory towers? Yippee. Goody gumdrops. Just what I wanted to hear.
Had the elders been smoking crack?
I faced the object of my desires. “You’ve spoken to him?”
Ollie’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Yep.”
My pulse quivered with anger. “I can’t believe this. The world’s gone fucking mad.” I should’ve left the room then, but my fury continued to rise. “So, everything gets swept under the rug? Great. What an amazing message to send out.”
“I understand your frustrations,” Erin tried.
I slammed a fist on the table and jumped to my feet. “No, you don’t. You really don’t. He almost sold us down the river. He’s the enemy. Who’s to say he won’t try again? How can we trust him? How can anyone around this table think he has our best interests at heart?”
Silence, so I rolled on with my rant.
“The next batch of glamouring potions could be spiked.”
No one said anything. Spiked glamour was a possibility. After all, the High Coven developed it, and set up a weekly delivery schedule for us. We didn’t know what went into the cotton candy flavored stuff, but what choice did we have? If we didn’t drink it, we risked exposure.
Ugh.
I barreled on with another ramble. “What if Marcus becomes too much for us to handle and the only way to move forward is to make a deal with him? Will you go along with it?” I fixed my gaze to Erin.
“Sit down,” Ollie warned me.
“No!” I snapped. “This is bullshit. I’m not working for the so-called greater good with that prick in charge.” I folded my arms, in full glowering mode.
Oh, shit. What a way to make myself look super petulant. But what was with this hot mess?
“Please sit down,” Erin said, the epitome of calm, despite the glints of anger in her eyes.
But I’d crossed the road to the angrier sidewalk, and I had to see it through. “No. I’m too angry to sit.”
Riley took my hand. “Easy there.”
It didn’t help. “There’s nothing easy about any of this.”
“What are you going to do?” Ollie responded. “Quit? Storm out in a huff like the last time?” He got to his feet, meeting me with a hard stare.
So much for getting me hot and bothered this morning. Now I wanted to give him the verbal smackdown.
Riley squeezed my hand, every set of eyes in the dining room boring into me. Embarrassment joined my anger, making my face burn.
“Everything we do here is in your best interest,” Ollie said, his arms as tightly folded as mine.
My eyes narrowed. “I’ve heard that before.”
“Let’s take a breath,” Erin interjected.
I ignored her, my attention fixed on her son. “Stefan spouted the same shit and look what happened there.”
Ollie’s nostrils flared. “Stop acting like a brat.”
Oh, no he did not! “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. Who do you think you are?”
I didn’t have a verbal response, only a scowl and a heated face.
“Having a crappy attitude about this isn’t helpful,” he threw out.
“Neither is sleeping with the enemy.”
We stared at each other for long beats, frustration like a field of electricity between us.
What happens now?
“Refusing the High Coven risks a potential shutdown,” Ollie said. “We’re lucky both you and Riley haven’t been locked into a cell. Or worse.”
I kept my glare on Ollie, so many words stinging the tip of my tongue.
I wanted to rant harder, to throw the biggest of all strops.
But what would that achieve? Deep down, I knew we had no choice.
The High Coven were the world’s superpower, our magical masters.
And they could cut us down, snuff us out like a candle.
We were lucky to have this protection, this freedom to be who we were born to be. Especially after my mother, aunt, and uncle failed so miserably.
“Sit down,” Riley requested softly. “Please.”
I wanted to, I really did. The mature thing would be to swallow my pride, apologize, and stop being a hotheaded prick.
But my flaws were there for a reason. Instead, I gently prised my hand from his, and excused myself.
“Don’t go,” my little brother called after me.
“I just need five minutes,” I returned, hurrying from the room, jogging toward the back of the house.
Fresh air and a few minutes of self-reflection would be a great idea.
I stepped out into the immaculate gardens, walking toward the fence along the southern edge of the grounds. I grabbed the cold metal bars and looked out to sea, taking in deep lungfuls of briny air.
What a lovely, fresh winter’s day. The sun shining, the sky blue with a few puffs of clouds, the sea below rolling gently to shore. Calm for the moment.
Movement sounded behind me.
As I turned, I expected to see Riley.
Ollie stood there instead, hands in his pockets.
I licked my lips nervously, annoyed that he’d followed me. “What is it?”
“You were out of order,” he answered, his expression cloudy.
“Hence me taking some alone time to cool off.” Ooo, my tone came off super snarky.
Good!
“My mum’s not in the wrong here,” he said, as cold as frozen peas.
“Did I say she was?” I snapped back.
He shrugged. “Sounded like it to me.”
I rolled my eyes. “Go away.”
“Brat.”
Why did he insist on poking the monster? Correction: the glamorous monster. “Leave me alone. I’ll say sorry when I’m ready.”
No answer, just more hard staring.
My temples throbbed. “Can you blame me for being angry? Stefan’s—”
“He made me watch witches fake-burn to death,” he cut me off.
My stomach dropped. “You…what did you say?”’
He removed his hand from his left pocket, running it over his face. “He burned those shimmer witches from the funfair because they put two and two together about you. They’re trapped in a loop of torture until they start talking.”
My stomach roiled, nausea creeping through me. “I don’t—”
“Your sunlight,” he added, then explained what’d happened.
Now I felt like the biggest fuckhead on the planet. “Ollie…I…I’m so sorry you had to see that.”
The nausea kept coming. I rubbed at the base of my throat, having no right to be so disgusted and guilty in front of the man who’d seen this firsthand. The fake part of the burning didn’t matter. He’d still witnessed an absolutely fucked-up event and I wanted to hug him.
“Ollie, I’m…” I swallowed, mouth turning into a sandpit.
“Don’t say you’re sorry. It means nothing.” Whoa, the coldness in his tone hurt like a gut punch.
“Why? I am sorry. I went off without the facts. I’m an insensitive prick.”
“You didn’t know,” he countered, still with zero warmth.
I shrugged, my pride fractured along with the rest of me. I really should learn to wrangle my mouth into order before it unleashed a stupid tirade of words.
Ollie stared at me for long, agonizing seconds.
“I do get where you’re coming from,” he said. “But this is the world we live in. We have to play by the High Coven’s rules. Until it changes.”
Interesting ending. “Do you think things will?”
“Don’t know.”
I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. “I’ve really shown myself up this morning.”
“Yep.”
I opened my eyes to see his lips quirk into a small smile.
Mine did the same.
His dropped. “Whatever your reasons, take better care in how you say things.”
I guess the tepid moment we’d just shared was over. Rather than answer him, I saluted him.
The hint of a smile resurfaced. “Don’t spend too long out here without a jacket.”
“Do you care if I freeze?” I blurted.
He sighed and returned to the house.
There went my mouth again, winning me friends all over the place.
“Darn it,” I muttered, staying outside until Riley joined me, bringing my jacket with him.
“Thought you might be chilly,” he said.
“You thought right, honey,” I replied, taking my jacket. “Thanks.”
“Are you okay?”
“I will be.” I offered him a bright grin. “Come on. Let’s chase this shitty morning away with some training.”
“Good idea.”
Arm in arm, we went to work.