Chapter Fourteen #2
Daia nodded. “I don’t know when things got so muddy. I don’t even know when we started doubting the Elder Council’s intentions.” Her expression grew frightened. “I don’t remember why I thought what I did.”
Pip gave her a squeeze. “It is safe here.”
Meryn turned to Kiera. “Come here for a second.”
Kiera stood and walked over to Meryn. “We’re not doing more tornados, right?”
Meryn tapped her chin. “Can you feel magic better now? Like when I work on my empathy, my images get clearer. How do you feel?”
Kiera took a deep breath and was shocked to realize Meryn was right. When she looked around the room she could see balls of colored twine in front of each witch. “I couldn’t see it before, but after the exercise with Kendrick I can see magic now.”
“What about me?” Meryn asked.
Kiera really looked at the woman seated before her. If she only looked quickly, it would almost seem like Meryn had air magic, but when she looked closer, it was golden, not yellow threads in front of her. It was a dense ball coiled around something.
Meryn took her hand and Kiera closed her eyes. Gold light flickered around the edges of her mind’s eye. Suddenly she saw the image of a white rose in bloom. The delicate petals were damaged by bloody chains keeping it locked in place. She opened her eyes and looked down at Meryn.
“The white rose,” they said in unison.
Kendrick stood so fast he knocked his chair over. Daia did the same. They ran over to them.
Kendrick turned Kiera to look at him. “Did you see her empathy?”
Kiera was trying to remember how to breathe. Those images packed a punch. “I think I did.”
Daia looked Meryn over. “You actually saw an image for your empathy?”
Meryn eyed Daia up and down, then reached over to grab Kiera’s sleeve. “Now look for similar magic on Daia.”
Kiera understood what Meryn was trying to do. She held out her hand to Daia.
Slowly the woman reached out and over Meryn’s head they clasped hands. Kiera looked closely at the swirls of twine in front of her. Daia was an earth witch. The green twine made sense, but hidden amongst the green, grey twine swirled. She reached out and plucked the grey twine.
“Shit!” Kendrick exclaimed.
Kiera opened her eyes to see that Daia had pitched forward, only Pip’s quick thinking had kept her from falling on Meryn. “Did I do that?”
Kendrick wrapped a steadying arm around her. “What exactly did you do?”
“I plucked the grey string.”
“Plucked?” he asked.
“It’s how I collapsed the water sphere last time. It disrupted the magic.”
“Kendrick, can I have my mate?” Hunter demanded.
“In a second. She needs a senior mage right now,” Kendrick said.
Kiera smiled at her mate, trying to reassure him.
When she smiled, he relaxed.
“What just happened?” Daia asked, swaying on unsteady feet.
“We’re trying to figure that out,” Kendrick answered. He looked down at Meryn. “What did you attempt to do?”
Meryn looked very satisfied. “I think I showed Kiera what mental magic looks like. Because it’s a higher power, I don’t think it shows up like elemental magic, but since I showed her my empathy, maybe it unlocked the right ‘frequency’ and she could see more.
Just now, I think she just negated whatever was being used on Daia,” she said, smiling smugly up at Kendrick. “I’m getting good at this magic stuff.”
Kendrick stared down at Meryn, looking conflicted.
Kiera thought it over. “Your empathy was golden threads, this stuff was grey.”
Meryn rubbed her chin. “I bet you could see premonition stuff too. Maybe by seeing one type of the magic you can see it all now.”
Daia had Pip help her back to her chair. “What was the rose?”
Meryn pointed at her. “You. That was my image for you, a white rose, but the rose was covered in chains that was damaging the petals.”
Kiera nodded. “That’s exactly what I saw.”
Daia looked to Kendrick. “Binding magic?”
Kendrick scowled down at Meryn. “It could be. Whenever this one gets involved, suddenly I’m out of my depth.”
“How wonderful for you,” Daia said, her smile showing everyone she meant it as a good thing.
Kendrick looked surprised, then turned back to Kiera. “Did the grey threads lead anywhere?”
Meryn snapped her fingers. “Like the necklace contract magic?”
“Shuush,” Kendrick ordered.
Meryn rolled her eyes, but kept quiet.
Kiera shook her head. “It didn’t lead anywhere. It was wrapped around her earth magic.”
Kendrick turned to Daia. “How’s your magic?”
“Fine. I was dizzy for a moment, but that has passed.”
“We may have new possible problems,” Meryn announced.
Kendrick steered Kiera back to her chair, and Hunter followed. Kendrick sat, and Hunter pulled her onto his lap. Kiera would normally get embarrassed, but his warmth gave her something solid to hold on to.
Caiden looked to Ryuu. “Maybe some tea?”
Ryuu gave a half bow and went to the kitchen.
Caiden turned to Meryn. “Okay, what new problems?”
“Well, I don’t know if what we did with Daia is traceable or visible.”
Kendrick strummed his fingers on the table. “Which means we don’t know if we’re tipping our hand if she returns and those working against us sees her changed.”
“Yup!” Meryn chirped.
“What else?” Caiden asked.
“I was kinda hoping to use Kiera’s missed magic as an excuse to audit the Academy or at least throw some mud their way,” Meryn said.
“But, if what we did to Daia is noticed, we can’t exactly announce Kiera has this nifty new magic, can we?
Not when we don’t exactly know what we did.
If it allows Daia to see more clearly, we could slowly free the others if they have the grey stuff too. ”
Kendrick leveled a flat expression at Meryn. “Is that all?”
Meryn bit her lip, and shook her head.
“Go on Meryn, you know no one will get mad at you,” Kendrick said, softening his expression.
“Zoe was saved because she left Storm Keep and made it to éire Danu where she basically couldn’t be extradited.
If Auntie hadn’t requested the Temple Head to help out with the lights, she would have been trapped here.
Now Kiera’s magic was discovered because she mated a unit warrior that happens to know the one witch who treats magic like a toy. ”
Kendrick snorted.
Meryn continued. “Do you really think those two are the only oddball magic users Storm Keep has produced, like, ever?”
Kiera felt like the air had been sucked from the room. Statistically speaking, Meryn was right. There had to be more.
“Ahh. I see tea was the right call,” Ryuu said, before passing out steaming cups. “Denka, what would you like for your before dinner snack?”
“I don’t suppose you’d actually make me microwaveable pizza rolls?” she asked with a hopeful expression.
Ryuu just continued to smile at her as if she hadn’t asked anything. She sighed then asked. “What’s for dinner?”
“Caiden and Genevieve have planned a small pasta buffet,” Ryuu replied, handing the last cup of tea to Pip. He walked over to place a hand on the top of her head. “No more chocolate for you for the day.”
“Aww man! We’re strategizing, Ryuu,” she wheedled.
“You will have to strategize with fruit instead.”
Meryn thought it over. “If we’re having pasta for dinner, could I get a bowl of that hot and sour soup Genevieve made last night?”
Ryuu nodded. “Of course. I’ll get that reheating,” he said, then returned to the kitchen.
Kiera sipped her tea. “If we can’t investigate the Academy using my magic as an excuse, and you say Zoe is safe, could we use her as an example?”
Meryn looked surprised. “Good idea! I’ve been chasing down the Fire Temple’s funds…” She gasped. “The thing I forgot!” She reached for her phone and tapped furiously. Seconds later a voice answered. “Your Highness, to what do I owe this honor?” Lena asked.
“Lena, I need your help on something, like now,” Meryn said, looking around for her laptop.
“Of course,” Lena replied.
Nigel walked over, reached down and handed Meryn her laptop. She opened it up and began rattling off numbers. “I tracked those accounts down to a bank, but hit a wall. Is this one of your type of banks?”
“One moment,” Lena said.
“Meryn, is this Mikel’s account?” Aiden whispered.
“Yeah.
“Your Highness, I am showing this account as one of ours, but it is registered to someone else. Are they with you now?” Lena asked.
“Nope, but you can call him. He’s the one who gave me the account numbers.”
“Can you verify the name?”
“Mikel Appleblossom,” Meryn replied.
“Are you sure that is the name of the account holder?”
“One-hundred percent sure,” Meryn said.
“Could you have Mr. Appleblossom contact me directly?”
“Yup.” Meryn picked up her phone, then started tapping. “I just sent him a text.”
“Given the nature of this account, would it be permissible to call you back if the account holder agrees?”
“Sure, anytime.”
“Thank you, Your Highness,” Lena said, then disconnected the call.
“That’s what you had forgotten?” Aiden asked.
Meryn stretched. “I feel like there was more.” She closed her laptop. “Who do you think will call us back first, Lena or Mikel?”
Caiden laughed. “Mikel may drive that bike of his over here before calling.”
Daia put her cup down. “Mikel Appleblossom had you look into the Fire Temple accounts?”
“Yeah, they got jacked by Karl,” Meryn said.
“That’s impossible,” Daia said.
Meryn just stared.
Daia shook her head as if to clear it. “What I mean to say is, that isn’t allowed.”
“You think?” Meryn asked sarcastically.
“You don’t understand. We don’t get involved in the citizens’ personal wealth.
One of our oldest laws, one that I believe is in place in every pillar city, is that personal wealth cannot be used for public endeavors.
We maintain strict guidelines to keep the two separate.
That’s why all contracts are authorized through the Witches’ Council.
Once a contract has been completed, we transfer the money and that is it.
Under no circumstances should Karl have gotten involved with the Fire Temple. ”
“Under normal circumstances you say,” Meryn teased.