Chapter 14
CHAPTER 14
D ominic’s eyes were drawn to my image in the full-length mirror. The mid-length bodycon dress, one-sleeve style, and modal fabric accentuated the curves of my body and Dominic had taken notice. His gaze trailed from the simple heels, my legs, the fabric stretching over my hips and ass, to my breasts and exposed shoulder, where he placed a kiss before continuing his exploration to my hair, which was pulled back into a loose twist. The dress complemented his gunmetal button-down shirt and black slacks.
“What’s with the frown?” he asked. I hadn’t noticed the deep creased expression. I relaxed it and turned to face him.
“Why are we dressing for dinner? It has a last meal feel to it,” I admitted. When I left Emoni, who’d decided to return to her room, Dominic had asked me to choose between four dresses for dinner. It reminded me that I hadn’t eaten.
“Or it could be a new beginnings dinner.”
I didn’t want to be doom and gloom and tried to let his optimism ease my worry.
The dress and a formal dinner brought to mind memories of Areleus threatening to kill me when I was used as a pawn to force Dominic’s hand. I had no desire to return to the scene of the incident.
“We’re eating in the other dining room.”
I slid my fingers over the front of his shirt. “Was it that obvious?”
He leaned down and kissed me. “I’d prefer a restaurant, but I don’t want to take any risks until tomorrow.”
Seated next to him, I was delighted to see Emoni and Anand already at the table. I bit back my laughter when Emoni stood up to greet me with a hug and whispered, “I’m keeping this dress.”
Dust pink satin skimmed the delicate curves of her tall, slender body. The cinched waist and draping cowl neckline accentuated her body and complemented her height and long lean legs in a way that was difficult to ignore. Anand seemed to be having that problem.
Hungrier than expected, I cut my admiration of the stunning room. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a view outside. The dark backdrop wasn’t as depressing while I devoured beef tenderloin with Périgourdine sauce, potato au gratin, and sautéed mixed vegetables. My hunger wasn’t making the food taste more exceptional than it was, because Emoni was taking slow appreciative bites of the meal, occasionally giving me a worried look that she tamped down with sips of wine.
“This is delicious. One would think it’s a last meal,” she said nervously, a slight tremble in her hand as she brought the wine glass to her lips.
Dominic looked across the table at her and then back to me. “I’m constantly provided with reasons why you all are so close,” he said. “Don’t see it as an end but rather a beginning.”
“What a beautiful sentiment,” said Areleus, entering the dining area from the opposite end of the room. Areleus’s presence was a surprise, but Callum, the tattooed Seer, next to him was shocking. The ease with which these people switched sides was off-putting.
My heart skipped at their intrusion. Annoyance washed over Dominic’s face. Fist clenched, his growl of anger echoed in the intimate space. He cast a furious glance at Callum before standing, stopping his advance.
“Why is he here?” he asked Areleus.
“To settle my worries. With such a dangerous spell, I am concerned about the outcome.” Areleus’s wolfish smile belied his words.
“Nailah wasn’t available?”
Callum smirked, his eyes flickering with amusement. “Nailah is indisposed, unfortunately. But don’t worry, I’m more than capable.”
Dominic’s jaw tensed, the tension in the room thickened, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Nailah had been deemed of no use. I didn’t believe Areleus would hurt her, but I’d grown conditioned to expect the unexpected.
“So, shall you put my mind at ease and allow him to get a peek into what the future holds?” Areleus asked, attempting to sidestep Dominic, who pushed him back and pinned Callum with a warning look.
At Emoni’s confusion and discomfort, Anand leaned into her and whispered something. Hopefully an explanation of what was going on. I’d told her about Seers, but with the influx of so much new information, I couldn’t imagine her being able to keep it all straight.
“Where is Nailah?”
“Safe, of course,” Areleus snapped at the accusation in Dominic’s tone. “Her fondness for you makes her unreliable.”
A dangerous glint flashed in Dominic’s eyes. Displaying his adept control, his hand closed around Callum’s neck, claws extended enough to press into the skin but not break it. Emoni’s shocked gasp poured over the room.
Locking eyes with his father, he said, “What do you see, Callum?”
“Let him go, Dominic,” Areleus demanded. “Or is this overreaction a deception being revealed?”
“Deception?” He released his hold on Callum who pressed his hand to his neck and stumbled back a few steps, panting for breath. Skewering Dominic with a glare, he put more distance between them.
“Yes, deception.” The dark ominous cast in Areleus’s expression faded to a falsely gentle one. “I fear that the vulnerable position you are putting yourself in could be exploited. Or worse, you could die. I want Callum to see your future and that of your—” His eyes slid in my direction. I knew “human” was on the tip of his tongue, but one look from Dominic and he decided against it. “Luna.”
“Callum already predicted our demise and it didn’t happen.”
“Helena was taken. We have no confirmation that his sight hasn’t come true.” The hitch in his voice was the first time Areleus had expressed a human emotion.
“What do you want to know?” Callum asked.
“Tomorrow, what do you see of this place, my son, and Luna?”
Callum stopped massaging his neck and closed his eyes before opening them to reveal his peculiar illuminated violet eyes. His body shuddered slightly before he blinked several times. Shaking his head, he furrowed his brows. The glow of his eyes returned and stayed longer than before, and when they returned to their normal color, confusion swept over his face.
“Nothing. I don’t see a future, just the present as things are now. This has never happened before.” Callum’s suspicious narrowed eyes moved between Areleus and Dominic. He frowned. “Whatever you plan to do tomorrow either has too many variables for me to see an outcome, or the magic is powerful enough to obscure my vision. That’s never happened before. If it’s able to do that, should you be using it?”
Ignoring Callum’s question, Areleus’s quick steps ate up the distance between Dominic and him. “What happens if the Diax isn’t destroyed?”
“That’s not an option. If you want Helena back, to protect this realm, and to end the existence of the Dark Casters’ magic, it has to be destroyed,” Dominic rebutted.
“It’s such a waste to destroy magic that could be used.”
“At the cost of Helena and our future safety?” Dominic asked.
After a few minutes of studying Dominic, Areleus seemed to have come to a concession.
“Of course. It seemed as if you’re in such a rush to protect Luna that you may be using extreme measures. I guess not.”
He beckoned for Callum to follow him out. Dominic kept a careful eye on them as they exited.
We returned to our dinner, but I couldn’t enjoy it what with Callum’s concerns that nagged at me, Emoni’s worry returning in full force, and Dominic’s distracted attention that had him staring out the window with a frown. Areleus was curious, and that made him more of a wild card.
“Is everything okay?” I whispered.
Dominic turned to face me. The intensity of his look was an intimate pull that made it feel like we were the only ones in the room. His finger trailed lightly over my cheek.
“Of course it is.”
Even with all the uncertainty I felt, there was one thing I was sure of: Dominic was lying to me.
Once we were alone after dinner, I asked Dominic if he had prevented Callum from using his ability to see the tomorrow’s outcome. He said he hadn’t and Ileana denied doing it as well. Neither one seemed bothered by the incident, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it. He saw things as they were at that moment. I took it as a portentous message.
For hours, rushes of dark thought warded off sleep. When I turned to my left, Dominic’s eyes were open and he was studying me with curiosity. A small inquiring smile curled his lips as his finger traced my cheekbone.
“Nailah or the vision?” Dominic whispered.
“What?”
“Which one is keeping you up, my father not consulting Nailah or Callum’s vision?”
“He didn’t have a vision. He didn’t see anything. Why doesn’t that bother you?”
“A Seer’s divinations aren’t infallible and are susceptible to the actions of others. I explained to you that my plan is nebulous, constantly evolving. I’m sure the same is true with my father. Callum is not as skilled as Nailah, so it’s not surprising that he wasn’t able to see anything.”
“Then shouldn’t we consult with Nailah?” I really wanted to know our fate, or at least something other than the present, because to me, it meant we didn’t have a future.
Dominic rolled out of bed. After a few minutes in the bathroom, he gathered his clothing and dressed in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt that molded to his muscles. He rarely dressed so casually, and it was a look that suited him.
He smirked. “Are you going to get dressed or stare?”
“Both,” I teased, getting out of bed. Quickly, I got ready in jeans with a soft peach-colored V-neck T-shirt.
“We need to be careful. I’m doing this to ease your mind because I don’t want the weight of this to compromise your safety tomorrow.” His eyes flicked to the clock. “Or rather, later today,” he said. It was a few minutes past midnight and we were going to visit Nailah. I’d never consider visiting someone at this time, but I really needed answers.
Moments later, we stood on the porch of a charming white farmhouse. The porch boasted a white railing delicately carved with intricate patterns. A pair of rattan rocking chairs with light green cushions made the house seem welcoming and comfortable. Flowers decorated the area near the door, infusing the air with their sweet fragrance.
The door opened and Nailah greeted us with an expectant look. She was dressed in a soft-looking lilac waffle knit lounge set. Her braids were secured by a patterned scarf. She might have expected our visit, but she was definitely dressed for a relaxing night at home. I felt remorseful for keeping her from it.
Stepping inside, the interior of the house was as equally warm and welcoming as the exterior. I’m sure it was intentional. When your gift is seeing the future, the good along with the bad, and tasked with revealing it to others, I’d want my home to be a place of serenity.
Following her into the living room, my senses were lulled by the tranquil white walls and hints of eucalyptus wafting in the air. Large plants were placed in the corners of the room, various potted plants around the griege-colored cloud-like sofa, and a rounded airy lounger surrounded a ragged-shaped teak table. Large statement art placed throughout her home managed to be both stunning and unobtrusive.
Nailah sank into the airy round lounger and invited us to sit on the sofa. Dominic laced his hand with mine. Nailah’s eyes shifted to our hands then lifted to meet Dominic’s, offering him a wide smile.
“What brings you here?” she asked.
“Callum visited us in the Underworld.”
Her brows inched together and her mouth parted. Confusion flitted over her expression.
“Areleus extended an invitation to him,” Dominic provided.
His answer didn’t quell her curiosity. “Why Callum?”
Dominic exhaled a long breath. “I plan to use the Book of Umbra and the Diax to remove the magic from the remaining Dark Casters,” he told her. “Sacrificing my magic to complete the spell. The Book of Umbra will be destroyed in the process.”
Nailah whooshed like the breath had been knocked out of her. She sat with the information for a while before asking, “I still don’t understand why Callum was there in my place?” Hurt broke through her curiosity.
“You coddle me too much.” Dominic smirked at Areleus’s implication. “He didn’t trust that you’d give him impartial information.”
“Was he worried about your survival from the spell?” she asked.
A sheepish half smile curled her lips at Dominic’s incredulous scowl in response. “I suppose he wanted to confirm that my magic would be diminished and that no alternative motives were in play.”
“But there are, aren’t they?”
He nodded, then gave her an abridged version of the plan. Me being used to find the Dark Casters, his mother performing the spell with the Diax, and his magic being the sacrifice for the spell to work. “I ask that you trust me and don’t ask for further information.”
“What did Callum see?”
“Nothing. He said he couldn’t see anything but the present.”
After a few minutes of consideration, she offered him a small nod. “Don’t die.”
“I don’t plan to.”
She didn’t seem as confident as Dominic. Standing, she came to us, then knelt, her touch comforting as it covered our clasped hands. Warm brown eyes flowed into luminous violet as she stared past us. Minutes ticked by. She made several attempts. Confusion and fear lingered in her face and eyes when they returned to their natural color. Returning to her chair, she remained quiet while she processed whatever she saw.
“Is the Book of Umbra still warded?”
“No. I removed it and my mother has it.”
Nailah’s face became a blank landscape and her eyes flattened to an expressionless pool of warm brown. “Ileana has it. You have no concerns about that?” If he didn’t, she definitely did, and now I did as well. She knew Ileana better than I did. But Dominic seemed to be an expert when it came to understanding his parents. They were his parents and his decisions could be biased.
“No,” he said with a confidence I no longer possessed. My mind descended into a number of possible outcomes and fear raced through me. Dominic’s hand covered mine and when I turned to him, his eyes latched on to mine. “Please keep your trust in me.”
I nodded and ushered away the doubt and the negative thoughts that drowned out the hint of optimism I had allowed and the promise that it would all be over soon.
“You do the same,” he urged Nailah.
“The Book of Umbra should have been destroyed when you got possession of it. It’s a powerful book. I believe because it is no longer warded by your magic, it has formed its own barrier of protection preventing it from being found by anyone else. It is doubtful anyone would be able to see the outcome of its use. I just hope it will be a success.”
When she stood, we did as well at her tacit invitation to end the visit.
I doubted she’d return to her leisurely evening. Flashes of concern fell and reasserted themselves over the small tight smile she offered as she moved to the door. Before Dominic could leave, she placed a hand on his arm.
“Don’t kill your father,” she entreated.
He studied her for a long time, but I don’t think he understood her intent. I gathered it wasn’t a plea to save Areleus, but rather Dominic.
His hand covered hers, a calming veneration in his tone as he addressed her. “Whether he lives or dies is solely up to him. I hope he chooses well.”
He searched her face as if looking for an answer that never came. Offering her a humorless smile, he gave his departing goodbye. Pulling me to him, we returned to his home.