Chapter 25 #2
My fists clench but I try not to show it on my face. “It is ruthless not caring about those you killed. Especially when Liliall was a good person. Despite her actions in that fight, she had never killed anyone before.”
She clucks her tongue. “Was she pregnant? Or a mother?”
I nod. Not my wife but to a good friend at camp. It was especially hard going back and having to tell him. I promised I would bring her and the baby in her belly back to them.
“I’m not sorry,” she states, though not entirely harshly. “Even if I had know exactly who she was and her entire life story, she wrote a death blow to my fated so there was only one outcome for her.”
“You can still feel sorry for it.”
“And would you feel sorry about killing me when we were in Varian’s classroom?”
I run the tip of my tongue over my teeth. She’s got a point.
Still, I shrug. “I would not. You were a vampire and rumors were starting up that there could be a reason we weren’t leaving bodies to be found, only ashes and personal items to identify some people. We needed to make everyone think we were killing innocents. And a vampire is a vampire.”
“And a witch is a witch.”
I bare my fangs at her because it is entirely different.
“Vampires are nothing.”
The red in her eyes deepens and a circle of black and silver begins appearing around her iris.
But it’s not her who speaks. “So you expect us to believe you haven’t massacred hundreds through your little wars around the country?”
Getting us back on track. I meet the mage’s eyes. “No. We’re recruiting them.”
“Enough!” Their heads snap towards my brother as he comes storming over. “I told you to leave them alone!”
His aura dominates but he should’ve learned by now that doesn’t affect me. At least, his does not.
“Alexandros wants to meet her, Var – “
“AND I SAID NO!” His hands slam onto the table and he rounds it to grab my neck. “We have enough issues as it is, I said I did not want him anywhere near her!”
I let him choke me for only a second before shoving him off and pulling the gun from my waistband to point at him. The black barrel an inch away from his head and blue rings imbued with runic magic preventing him from being able to use magic to take it and preventing him from being able to use it.
The mechanisms within are also enhanced, making it faster than any other weapon.
“She’s allowed to make her own choices in whether or not she wants to join the rebellion, brother.”
His lips pull back to reveal his fangs. “She said she does not want to join.”
“I did not.”
We both turn towards the pink eyed girl still relaxed in her chair with her friend watching us and seeming to enjoy the show.
Varian growls at her. “Callahan said you would not join the rebellion because – “
“I told Callahan,” she interrupts, “that I care about the rebellion as much as I care about the Mage Board. I never said I would or would not pick a side.”
A bit of hope flares in my chest because if we were able to get her aligned with us, with her magic and knowledge, we’d be able to bring the Mage Board down without fail. Even if I dislike her, she would be the tipping point to our cause.
Varian runs his hands through his hair. “Mavyn – “
“Varian.”
He growls again. She smirks. I might join the mage because I’m starting to enjoy this show too. I’ve never seen anyone get under Varian’s skin so easily.
“You should not go messing with the rebellion unless you’re willing to fully commit. Playing both sides will get you hurt.”
“Says you?”
“Yes,” he seethes. “Not even Edmond and Aslan feeling like uncles to me saved me from being cursed to Syngenia lands for a millennium. For the next nine hundred years I am forbidden from leaving and forced to teach at this school.”
Guilt pinches because part of that is my fault. My brother never wanted any part of this and yet he was the one punished instead of me.
I drop the gun and place it back in my waistband. His slacks not ideal for concealing it, but we had to switch clothes so no one would question why the professor was wearing a different outfit before.
I’m glad I also haven’t cut my hair because that would have been a dead giveaway to Callahan, Thorne, and Castiel just as much as Edmond and Jerusil.
They may think I’m dead, but they remember the tricks me and Varian used to play when we were younger.
And Edmond is too observant and smart not to connect it.
It all might not even matter though because that little spat between me and the vampyr before might have been enough to tip them off.
Mavyn’s eyes slide to mine. “So you make everyone believe you kill all those people but in reality you just take them to your secret hideout to recruit them?”
Varian runs a hand down his face as he sighs. I shrug a shoulder and nod. “Pretty much. We have a fire mage who creates and spreads out the ash as someone else either portals or shadow twists the people out.”
“And what if those you took don’t want to join?”
I glance at her friend who quirks a brow at me. “That depends. . .”
Both girls roll their eyes and turn towards each other.
“So this is a join us or you die sort of situation,” Mavyn grumbles.
The mage huffs and nods. “Sounds like the Mage Board if you ask me.” In a deeper voice she mocks, “Take this test not even Castiel D’etre can fully pass and get a hundred percent or you die.”
Both girls giggle and I side eye my brother who watches them with a dry look. They glance at us and their giggles turn into actual laughter. I have no idea why.
Through their laughter Mavyn says, “Imagine.” She starts laughing harder and it spurs the mage on.
“Oh Jullia, imagine. . . I can imagine it. First thing we say is no, and – and the big bad wolf says, ‘what do you mean no?’” She can’t even speak clearly as they continue laughing until there’s literal tears in their eyes.
Jullia. That’s the mages name. She cackles. “I mean no,” she wheezes. “You – you wanna hear it in Spah – Spanish.”
Both of them start rolling in their chairs. And then at the same time they say ‘no’ with some sort of accent. They look almost manic right now.
I turn to my brother and point at the vampyr. “That’s your fated by the way.”
He rolls his eyes at me and I think he’s been spending too much time with Mavyn because I have never seen him roll his eyes before.
“That’s not even funny,” he grumbles and that only makes it worse.
Me and my brother watch at the two girls look like they’re about to die from laughter. Maybe they’re both actually really sick and this is a side effect. I’m sure I’ve read somewhere that uncontrollable laughter is a symptom of something.
Eventually, after entirely too long, they start calming down and look back at us. They’re both smiling contently and when Mavyn stands with a soft sigh, Jullia follows.
“Where are you going?” Varian quietly asks. He looks tired and I almost pity my brother.
Mavyn looks at him and her brows twitch together for a second. She softens as she watches my brother and I wonder if Varian can see that.
“It’s late.” She sounds so. . . calm. Comforting. It wars too much with her having no remorse about killing. “I’m walking Jullia back to our dorm.”
“And then?”
“And then you and I are going to talk.”
He nods solemnly and perhaps recklessly, I say, “I can take her back.” All three of them stare at me. “That way you two can just talk now.”
Mavyn raises a brow and looks between me and Jullia before her mouth slowly smirks. “Not a chance, Death Devil.”
“I promise I won’t bite.”
“You’ll make a blood oath?”
An image of me sinking my fangs into her dark skin appears and I keep my mouth shut.
“That’s what I thought.” Except she doesn’t make it sound like me staying silent is because I can’t promise I won’t hurt her. She says it as if she knows what image my mind conjured up. She nudges the mage who looks content and relaxed.
“Actually Mavyn, can we walk over to Stone? I left some textbooks over there anyway.”
“Yeah sure.” She rolls her shoulders out and a weight begins settling on the vampyr’s shoulders. “It’ll be better, tonight isn’t going to be a good night.”
Varian goes on defense and steps towards her as they start walking. “Why isn’t it going to be a good night?”
The vampyr turns her sights to the floor. “We’re going to talk and then I won’t be at class tomorrow.”
Huh.
Varian’s true form surfaces and anxious terror boils his aura.
Jullia links her arm through Mavyn’s and pulls her close. “All day?”
I begin following them. Curious about what’s happening and because I will be seeing the mage to her rooms whether the vampyr likes it or not.
Quieter, Mavyn says, “It’s been a while already.”
“It’s only been a month,” Varian breathes. The vampyr doesn’t turn back towards him.
“How do you know?” Jullia whispers.
“I haven’t had any nightmares since the ball. I think he’s been saving his energy for this and I might try to hold out for as long as possible.”
They huddle closer together and my brother’s pain is palpable. I grab his shoulder to hold him back a bit. Eyes full of so much defeat and agony face me.
“What’s going on?”
He looks back over to her. “Lyalthil Kyros was her guardian for seven years when she was a child. His soul still remains within a realm where he’s able to touch her. He cursed her.”
The reason she can still burn in the sun. The Devil of Madness was connected to Ruu, the God of Sun. He is the example of what happens when someone with a true form tries to become one with it.
No wonder she has the scars that she does. The bitemarks. The claiming mark. The Mage Board should have sentenced him to death instead of exile.
I pull him into a hug. Wrapping my arms around my twin. Offering him a moment to let the world weigh on me instead of him.
“Man I wish technology worked down here so I could take a picture.”
And the moment is over.
I pull back and pat my brother’s back. His fated coos. “Awe, how sweet. They’re having a twin moment.”
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” I chirp. “You can be jealous.”
She faux frowns. “Bless your little heart thinking I could ever be jealous of you.”
I grin wolfishly. “We both know you are.”
Her fake frown flips into a grin as her eyes darken. “And we both know you’re still scared of me.”
It sends an involuntary shiver up my spine and I slap my brother before pulling him in front of me and pointing at the gremlin.
“Bro, get yo scary ass girl right the fuck now. Make her stop looking at me like that, I swear she’s about to kill me the second she moves.”
Both girls begin giggling as they turn back around and start walking. Varian shoves me off and follows after them.
I chuckle at his response, but it turns nervous because I was not really joking.
“Let’s go, Percius,” my brother exasperates. “Getting in was easy but you can’t get out without me.”
Buzzkill.
I roll my eyes at his back, but I start following him. He is right. You don’t want to be stuck here alone without a way out.