Chapter 24
LORDE
Ididn’t sleep worth shit last night. We finally woke up at about noon, and Max stretched, a beaming smile on his face as he told me, “I don’t think I’ve ever slept as well.
You can be my pillow every night from now on.
” I got the impression he was trying to inject an air of lightness into the heaviness surrounding me.
Forcing a grin, I kissed him. “I happily volunteer, my prince.”
Max rolled his eyes and moved into the ensuite bathroom. “Coming? Or are you taking a shower alone.”
I wanted to be alone, but I could see the hopefulness on his face and said, “I’m coming.”
Like the rest of the house, the walls were the massive logs, but it seemed natural instead of too much brown. He had a large bathroom that housed double sinks, a shower, and a soaking tub. “Wow.”
“Huh?”
“I figured the cabin was small, but it isn’t.”
Max shrugged. “In a way, it is. It’s longer than wider and only has two bedrooms, both with their own bathroom. The one across the hall has a bathroom door in the bedroom and in the hallway. Finally, there is a laundry room, which is nothing more than a closet for the washer and dryer.”
“I thought Fizz said it was off the grid or something like that.”
“It is. There are solar panels to collect the energy, a water catchment system, and a filtration system.
The toilets are composting toilets. If, for some reason, I need to, I can also get water from the pond.
Food comes from town, trash is burned or used for compost. I spread it around the trees and the pond.
My mouth dropped open, and I gaped at him. He’d thought about it all. “Why doesn’t anyone know about this place?”
“You and Fizz know.” He smirked.
“I mean?—”
“I know what you meant. I bought this place when I was twenty-three and had the cabin built. It was my escape. I had a hard time with the shifting, terrified someone would find out. I blamed my parents, my ancestors, your ancestors, the universe, everyone. I hated that I had been saddled with this curse because it brought nothing except bad news and heartache.” He chuckled softly and met my gaze.
“My attitude might be changing. But this was my refuge. A place to unplug. I run a large corporation, sit on the board for the charity my grandfather initiated, and live in a busy city. Not to mention, I’m a shifter.
This place has zero internet, phone service is out of range, and it has a small pond for when I want to shift and swim.
It has everything I could ever need.” He turned on the water, and told me, “We do have hot water. Are you coming?”
He stepped into the large glass shower, staring at me, daring me to join him. So, I did. Someone had to wash his back.
“No food besides the protein bars Fizz dropped off with my clothes and keys,” Max grumbled as he slammed the refrigerator door shut.
I furrowed my brow in confusion. “He brought you clothes and keys but no groceries? He couldn’t go to the market?”
“First, he’s my bodyguard and not my assistant. Second, he probably wanted to come and go without me seeing him.”
Unable to fight it, I guffawed at his choice of words. “Come and go, really?” He joined in my laughter.
When we settled, I suggested, “Let’s go out. We can get something to eat and pick up some essentials.”
“I didn’t exactly drive here.”
“No, but I did.” I kissed him and pulled him out of the cabin.
If only I could have predicted what happened next.
“Bravo on locating and getting close to him,” my mother sneered.
I’d been watching Max lock up the cabin, but as soon as I heard her voice, I whipped around. “Mother!” I exclaimed.
“Surprised to see me?” Her straight, golden blonde hair had been piled high on her head in a tight bun, and next to her stood Virginia.
Unlike my mother’s neat appearance, she was a mess.
Her unkempt hair was ratted, and her clothes were stained.
Two opposites in everything, but they were both evil to the core.
“How…ahem…How did you find me?”
“Who do you think taught you how to use your magic, boy?” she snapped.
Virginia snickered. “You are nothing without her.”
I recalled my conversation with Aunt Pat and hoped against hope she was correct. “I think not. She may have trained me, but I’m more powerful than she will ever be. The only one who isn’t is you, dear Aunt Virginia,” I informed her and gagged as if I had something distasteful in my mouth.
“Watch it, Lorde!” She flicked her hand, and pure energy was sent hurtling toward me. I simply waved it away, and she screamed. I’d always known she was on the weak side, and this simply proved that. The true test would be my mother.
Mother narrowed her eyes. “Someone is getting a little too big for his britches.”
“You can’t have him,” I declared and stepped in front of him.
She grinned. “Of course, you will kill him. We only came to bear witness, not to interfere.”
“No, I’m not going to kill him. He’s mine.”
“Way too big,” she spat.
It was only then I realized I could feel Max shaking behind me.
“It’s the same,” he muttered.
“Same?” Now was not the time for him to lose it.
His head moved up and down against my back.
“In my apartment yesterday. There was an incident. The new maid. I had a bad feeling, and my swan freaked out. She wasn’t who she said she was, and Fizz got me out of there.
We met up with you to give people time to clear the place.
” His voice was low, but I heard every word.
“Someone was in your apartment?”
Virginia cackled. “That would have been my familiar. She left a present for you, one the cleaners haven’t found yet. Now, we don’t have to worry about that. It wouldn’t have killed you, but it would have been a torturous existence.”
“Ha!” I barked. “I heard you can’t touch him at all. That you need me to kill him because you can’t.”
“Oh, we can touch him. You just needed to prove your worth. I should have killed you both,” my mother snarled and lifted her hand to her mouth. Her lips moved, but I didn’t hear anything before she blew on her palm. I’d seen her do this one other time when I was a child to torture Virginia.
I tried to recall what I needed to say to counter the spell. “Valeo!” I shouted, but a split second too late. A wave of heat hit my chest, dropping me to my knees.
“Lorde!” Max screamed and grabbed my shoulders. “What happened? What can I do?” A moment ago, he had been quaking behind me, and now, I saw a fire in his eyes.
Lifting my hand to his face, I told him, “I’ll be all right.”
“Maybe, maybe not,” my mother cackled, reminding me of the witch in the Wizard of Oz, minus the green paint.
I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, trying to find that power Aunt Pat was convinced I possessed. Nothing. I felt no different than I did yesterday or the day before.
Max whispered, “I love you,” right before I felt him move away from me. My eyes were on the ground, and I saw him step forward toward them. “I don’t know what your problem is, but you need to leave. This is private property.”
My mother’s screeching voice was loud and deep.
She was enjoying this, which meant we were in danger.
“You are my problem. Your family hunted us, treated us like monsters or animals, and killed us. Innocents were slaughtered, both adults and children alike. The fact you’re breathing is offensive to me. ”
“I could say the same thing. People in my family were attacked and murdered too. Are you saying two wrongs make a right? Are you saying we need to try, convict, and pass judgment? Do we have to pay for the sins of our forefathers? Who are you to sentence anyone to death? Are you God? Gaia? Another god or goddess? Do you rule the world, or simply try to instill fear into your own son, your own family because you are brainwashed.” He paused, and he locked his stance, spreading his legs apart, his hands on his hips.
“Or do you already know the truth and are trying to impress those who came before you? Guess what? They’re gone. Why try to impress them?”
“Because she thinks by killing you, she will gain favor and power,” Aunt Pat announced her presence. “It won’t help. Nothing will.”
“Patricia,” Mother growled.
Rolling her eyes, Pat shook her head and snorted.
“Oh, please. I always hated that pretentious name.” She glanced away from her sisters and focused on me.
I was finally getting up and able to stand on my feet, but the pain had barely subsided.
“My dear boy,” she tsked, and began chanting words I didn’t understand, but the burning ache that had doubled me over disappeared.
“Thank you.”
“I told you to watch your back with her. You have it in you.” She winked at me.
“How dare you! You’re supposed to be on our side,” Virginia shrieked.
“Do shut up, Virginia. Cau i fyny.” I recognized the Welsh word for shut up. Virginia was instantly silent. Her mouth was open, but no sound escaped. If we weren’t in the situation we were in, I might have found it funny.
“Patricia!” Mother tried to reverse the spell put on Virginia, but she couldn’t. She was starting to panic. Her breathing came out in heaving breaths, her eyes were wide and wild, and spittle flew from her mouth. “Why? How?”
“You always assume too much,” Pat responded in a bored tone.
Max was back at my side and grabbed my face. “Are you all right?”
“Never felt better,” I said and kissed him briefly, which made my mother scream again.
“Him? He’s bewitched you! Come here, Lorde,” Mother ordered.
“They are mated to each other, Kelly. Go crawl back in your hole and disappear,” Pat snapped.
My mother shook her head back and forth with so much vigor, I almost expected it to fly off. “It’s not possible. Lorde is loyal to this family.”
“He’s mine, Mother,” I announced, throwing Max behind me, and much to my annoyance, he stepped to the side of me, refusing to stay put. I tried twice, and the second time he informed me not to try a third time. “Aunt Pat, what did you mean by power and favor?”