Chapter 3
Max bounds up the stairs, Donovan heads towards the ballroom, and Feniks strides towards the admin block.
I pause, allowing myself to think about Theodora for a moment.
She’ll be OK.
The divine essence will give her protection until we find her.
It has to.
What I need to do is track down some WMO or Conclave high-ups. Squeeze them for information.
My phone vibrates.
FATHER: Library. Now.
Seems like my presence here has already been reported.
Figures. Father has eyes everywhere.
I push the cell back into my pocket and concentrate on acting like the perfect new Conclave member, completely in the dark energy’s thrall.
“Sir? Mr. Drakeward?” Some lackey nervously touches my elbow. I bat off his hand. I may be in a crumpled tuxedo, but I don’t need any plebian mauling to make things worse.
He gulps. “Your father requested your presence.”
My father sits alone at the head of the table.
I decide to take my place at the table head, opposite my father. It’s an obvious power move—but one my father will approve of.
I’m a Magus now, not just an Elite.
“What are you doing here, Cosmo?” Father asks.
“I have questions, Father,” I say, thinking quickly. “Last night, before all the madness. What was all that with Francois? He can transmogrify objects? Why don’t I have that skill? After all, I’ve been given dark energy too.”
He shifts and frowns. “The boy’s talent came out suddenly after his ascension. He has an innate power. Janine Hart thinks it was because his conduit was unusual. The child was a simpleton, so calm throughout the proceedings. That helped, apparently.”
I narrow my eyes.
Father reads my expression as frustration. “I agree. That the son of Thomas Crankshawe has a fully innate power before myself is almost intolerable. But the Harts have a plan. We must both be patient.”
“What plan?”
“The details don’t matter to you,” he says. “Tell me what abilities you have manifested since your ascension.”
Uh, what the fuck do I say? “I’m sure they pale in comparison compared to yours, Father.”
Tyrus flicks his fingers, a small jet of gray flames emerges from the tips. I immediately recognize it as dragon fire. Makes sense. Can I do that?
“This, and I’m physically much stronger than before,” he says. “But it is not enough. Now you.”
“The same, Father, though my flames are not as impressive.” I focus on my dragon for a moment, then also flick flames from my fingers. They are as golden as my scales.
His mouth hardens into a line. “When the next cycle happens, I will assure that you and I receive the first and most potent dosing.”
“Cycle? I don’t understand.”
“Several years ago, the Conclave discovered a void that vents dark energy every few weeks. For years our scientists have been working to harness it. We have success now, yes, but I want more. So much more.”
The library door opens, and Father and I both turn to look at the newcomers.
Alistair Singleton-Smith and Thomas Crankshawe enter.
"You look a little rough around the edges, Cosmo," Singleton-Smith sneers, eyes running over my face.
He’s not wrong. I haven’t managed a moment of sleep since Friday night and it’s now Sunday lunch time.
I shrug. “Long night.”
Thomas Crankshawe lets out a derisive snort. “And it will be another big night, tonight, young man,” he says. “Think you can hang with the big boys?”
My eyes flit to my parent. He watches me impassively.
Thomas Crankshawe has always been a condescending asswipe, but now I’m Conclave, I’m pretty sure I don’t have to take it. I’m a Drakeward, after all.
Squaring my shoulders, I settle into character.
“It seems to me that the ‘big boys’ are the ones who take responsibility during a crisis.” I flick my eyes to Alistair Singleton-Smith.
“While I was escorting my fiancée and future mother-in-law to safety, I saw you scuttle for the exit while the women were still screaming, Thomas. Not exactly Conclave behavior.”
Thomas Crankshawe turns a stroke-giving shade of purple. “Ridiculous! I was…was searching for your daughter, Tyrus. How is little Aurora today?”
“She will be well enough, though her attitude is not pleasing to me,” Father replies, looking pissed.
Oh, Rory. What did you do now?
“She does seem like an extremely hard filly to break.” Crankshawe strokes his moustache. “Though it does not dissuade me from moving forward with our…merger.
Merger. I feel sick to my stomach.
“Are we really gathered to talk about our children?” Singleton-Smith sighs, annoyed.
Father narrows his eyes. “Of course not. And I believe our guests have arrived.”
He presses a button on the desk and within a couple of minutes, a minion leads two strangers into the room.”
“Good afternoon, gentlemen.” Tyrus Drakeward does not get to his feet so I follow suit. He tilts his head at two silent men. “Son, meet Ambassador Raskolov, of the Eur-Asia Conclave, and his second, Ivan Soltin. Gentlemen, this is my son, Cosmo Drakeward.”
“Zdravstvuyte,” Ivan Soltin replies, giving me a brief nod.
The Ambassador says nothing.
“Zdravstvuyte,” I reply.
“Cosmo, you may leave us now, but you will see Ambassador Raskolov tonight. He is here to witness and then partake in our ascension process. A car will pick you up from Validus Vale at six,” he tells me. Then his gaze travels over my worn attire. “And for Gods’ sake, clean yourself up.”
I get to my feet. “Until tonight, then. Gentlemen.”
As I walk out, I hear a heavy Russian accent say, “You have plenty child for me?”
I slow my pace.
“Naturally. You won’t be disappointed. And we’ll be holding your ascension at the source, Ambassador, so you can see the facilities. I think you’ll be very interested in the new fail-safe we’re developing as well. An ascended kill-switch, as it were.”
An ascended kill-switch? Fuck.
I can’t delay leaving the room any longer. As I walk through the door I feel five pairs of eyes on my retreating back.
As soon as I’m out of the library, a shiver runs down my spine.
Fuck.
Aurora.
Theodora.
A buzz of adrenaline fires up my muscles. My dragon stirs.
Fire and destruction.
Theodora Wilson.
Still the bane of my existence; but now it’s because I’m obsessed with the idea of protecting her.
Should I have brought her whereabouts up with Father?
No.
Obviously, it’s best to act disinterested.
And anyway, we don’t know if the Conclave has her. I’m not putting her on their radar if she’s not already there.
I take out my phone and notice that twat Maximus has named the text group ‘Team Sparkles’.
ME: Just met with Tyrus. No mention of Theo…
FENIKS: I’ve nothing
DONOVAN: yeah zip
MAX: …
MAX: found faint scent, but it’s old
ME: regroup outside
???
They’re leaning against the Range Rover, universal dark shadows and worry on each face.
Maximus’s nostrils flare as I approach. “The stink of dark energy is on you,” he hisses.
“Not surprising, given the company I’ve just been in,” I reply. “Father, Singleton-Smith, and Crankshawe.”
“The dean?” Feniks’s head jerks up.
“No, her brother Thomas. Apparently I will be attending a ceremony tonight where the Russian Conclave is going to be given dark energy via a child.” The words almost cause bile to rise in my throat.
Feniks' hands ball into fists.
“Whatever,” Donovan sighs. “I’m sorry, but I don’t give a fuck about anything other than Tee-Tee.” He closes his eyes for a moment.
Max places a hand on his shoulder. “It’s going to be OK, bro.”
Donovan groans. “No one can say that.”
He’s right. All we can do is move forward. But what next?
For me, it’s following my Father’s agenda. “I have to get back to the academy. A car is coming to pick me up at six. I can’t believe I won’t uncover something useful. At the least I’ll learn the location of the Conclave’s base of operations.”
I look at the exhausted men around me.
Feniks is lighting a new cigarette from the end of another, Max is pacing back and forth and Donovan looks seconds away from collapse. “We should all go back. We’re no good to Theodora in this state. Everyone should at least shower and have something to eat.”
“Waste of time,” Dono mutters.
Feniks sighs. “No, he’s right. I’ve been summoned back by the dean anyway. I’ve been ignoring her texts but I can’t do that forever.” He takes out his cell phone then curses. “That’s decided then. There’s going to be an all-school headcount in thirty minutes. We have to go.”
Donovan gives a beaten down nod and opens the car door. “Fine, but I'm not sleeping until I have her back in my arms.”
Falling into the vehicle, I close my eyes, begging for the noise in my head to halt for just one minute.
But there is no peace.