Chapter 12 Past and Pretense
PAST AND PRETENSE
“Dammit, Loch,” Daire bites.
Lochlan shakes his head. “I’m not the one digging around.”
Holden clears his throat. “I was checking her reaction.”
“Real, subtle,” Kai says dryly.
Horrified doesn’t even scratch the surface of what I’m feeling.
“Wait. You can all read my thoughts.”
“No,” Daire says at the same time that Lochlan gives a resolute “Yes.”
“You’re projecting—opening your thoughts to Griffin through the imprint,” Daire explains. “They’re mindwalking. They can hear your thoughts because you’re not shielding.”
“And my memories.”
Daire nods. “Yes, but those are different. When someone mindwalks to see your memories, you’ll see them replay, like now. It’s not something that many can hide.”
“And you can all do it?”
“They won’t dig through your memories again because it would be a gross invasion of privacy.” Griffin glares at Holden and then Lochlan.
“Can you change my memories like what you did to Willow?” I ask again, despite them telling me yesterday that Lochlan couldn’t.
“Yes,” Lochlan says.
Griffin shakes his head. “None of us can hurt you, just like you can’t hurt us. Hence your fire.”
Lochlan scoffs before draining what is left in the tumbler he brought with him.
Holden clears his throat. “What other questions do you have?”
I work to recall my growing list of questions and ignore my racing heart. “If I’m from here, how did I get to Earth?”
Daire leans forward. “Bryxtonians have crossed between realms for centuries. Some went for trade, some to hide, some because of wars. But the largest wave was twenty years ago, when the Veilbreakers escalated their campaign. Earth was the easiest place to disappear.”
“Veilbreakers?” I ask.
“They’re an extremist faction,” Daire explains. “They’ve hunted Elementals for generations—especially Keystones and Vestras. Some they take to build their army. Others, they use for experimentation, trying to replicate bonds.”
A shiver lances through me. “Are they still hunting people?”
“Elementals,” Holden corrects quietly. “And yes.”
Griffin’s jaw tightens. “We’ve reinforced the dimensional barriers—now only Bryxtonians can cross, and only with a guardian’s aid. It slowed them, but it hasn’t stopped them. That’s why recoveries are still ongoing, bringing Elementals home when we can.”
“So my parents might have been from here? Lived here?” Might still live here?
“Likely,” Holden says. “At this time, we know very little about your past. While we look into it, we have some questions regarding how your element was so strong last winter.” Holden stares at me. “How many other Elementals were you with?”
I blink, caught off guard. Naively, I’d assumed they’d want to know about my life, family, interests, and things that influenced who I am. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Irritation flickers across his expression. “You created such a strong pulse of magic, it set off every alarm. How many of you were there?”
I shake my head.
“Did you coalesce?” His voice tightens.
“Coalesce?”
“Back the fuck off, Holden.” Griffin sits forward.
Holden doesn’t acknowledge him as his stare burns into mine. “Did they teach you how to magnify your powers? Was it a charm? A rune?” His gaze flicks to Daire. “What runes did you find on her?”
“Stars. You already know the answer,” Daire mutters. “She doesn’t have any runes. Her elements are so strong because she’s our Mate.”
Lochlan is unnervingly calm. “How did you conceal your elements before last February, Witchling?”
Recognition pulses in me. Last February was when I was sent to prison. “I didn’t have any element before—”
“Bullshit.” The word is a gunshot. Lochlan doesn’t move, doesn’t seem to even blink or breathe.
The soft clinks of crystal and dishes from the doorway have Holden leaning back, but Lochlan remains rigid, focused solely on me. It’s impossible to look at him. Impossible to look away.
“Since we don’t know your favorites yet, my dear, Gwen assembled a little of everything.” Lief sets a plate in front of me and smiles widely, a reaction that seems as ill-fitting for the current setting as it does ironic.
I glance at the plate, and shock wraps its arms around me as I take in the copious amounts of food, steaming hot, all of it smelling delicious.
My fingers twitch against the tablecloth, unsure what to reach for first—or if I’m allowed to.
But there are three forks, two spoons, three glasses, and a knife. All clean. All mine.
My gaze jumps to Lief’s. My trial and role here are forgotten as my cheeks heat, and a flood of emotions twist in my throat.
For months, food has been weaponized—a means to manipulate and influence me at every turn.
It was withheld, rotten, stale, and always in short supply, making this surprise even greater than the obscenely large room and masterful bathroom.
“Thank you.” My voice is thready as I try to blink away the emotions that threaten to reveal just how broken I am as I attempt to convey my appreciation.
Lief’s warm gaze twinkles. “Please let us know your favorites as well as if there’s anything you don’t care for.”
Across the table, Kai’s eyes narrow like he’s cataloging my reaction, making me feel weak and exposed in a way that has me avoiding him.
Lief passes plates that are just as full to the guys, then disappears back into the kitchen.
I discreetly swipe at the stray tear gathering at the outer corner of my eye, struggling to keep my emotions in check, as the silence balloons again.
Gwen breezes in, carrying another pretty blue teacup that she sets beside my plate. “This is for your energy, dear.” She smiles broadly.
Holden chokes on air before thumping a closed hand against his chest.
Gwen winks at me and walks out.
Griffin quickly moves the teacup to the empty setting on his other side.
“What is it?” I ask.
Griffin’s startling blue gaze dances over me. “Something you’re not ready for.”
Daire clears his throat. “There’s a lot we need to discuss, but first, we need to go over what can be shared.
Outside of Scarlet and those who live here, you can’t mention imprinting, being our Keystone, or even being part of our Vestra.
If anyone asks about your association with us, you’re staying here because Scarlet’s your cousin, and she’s employed here as a healer.
It’s imperative. The fewer details, the better. ”
“If it’s unsafe for everyone and I can’t be trusted, why not just send me back to Earth?”
Griffin stiffens beside me.
“Until we understand what’s going on, that’s not an option,” Lochlan says.
“Why?” I meet his metallic gaze. “Wouldn’t it make everything easier?
I don’t know you guys. I don’t understand what I am or what I’m supposed to do here, and I liked my life a whole lot better before flames came out of my hands, so why don’t you do that mind control thing and make me forget the past forty-eight hours, and put me in the middle of New Zealand? ”
“Even if Lochlan could manipulate your memories, he wouldn’t be able to keep you from using your elements,” Holden says.
Griffin releases a low, threatening growl that abruptly ends the conversation.
“Besides, transports between dimensions are traceable,” Kai adds. “We’d either be playing straight into your hand or guaranteeing you’d get kidnapped. And trust me, Little Red, you don’t want to meet the Veilbreakers.”
“Assuming she’s not one of them,” Lochlan adds.
The familiar fingers of isolation wind around my neck. “So I’m stuck here?”
Lochlan scoffs. “Considering you spent your days washing and folding laundry in prison, to here,” he waves toward the opulence surrounding us. “I’d hardly call it stuck.”
The bruising in my chest flares. Too raw to reply.
“The things you’re going to regret,” Griffin seethes.
Daire’s fists clench.
“As an untrained Elemental with a significant amount of power, you’re a ticking time bomb,” Holden says. “Unless you learn how to harness and control your elements, you pose a risk to everything and everyone around you.”
Self-loathing stitches me to my seat.
“Most importantly, to yourself.” Griffin’s voice is entirely too somber. “You nearly drained yourself yesterday. Under other circumstances, it could have killed you. We’d like to train you.”
“In addition to training, we need to understand your past affiliations—without drawing attention,” Holden continues.
Lochlan looks inside his empty tumbler. “Her meeting with the council will be delayed. They’re backed up right now because of what’s been happening with Sylaria. We have a month, maybe two, before she’ll be expected for her formal evaluation.”
“She’s going to need more time,” Daire says. “Delay it as long as possible. I’ll take a couple months of leave.”
“You can’t.” Lochlan shakes his head. “Karraelas was paying too much attention.” He leans forward, his plate of food untouched.
“I cleared as many memories regarding the incident as I could without him sensing holes in the day, but we both know he’s a suspicious motherfucker.
You never take time off. Requesting a couple of weeks will raise a red flag, much less months. ”
Daire rolls his shoulders, clearly agitated.
“Can you access your fire element without using air?” Griffin asks.
I shake my head. “I didn’t know I had an air element before yesterday.” I didn’t know I had any element before yesterday.
“You thought it was what—divine intervention?” Lochlan’s voice drips with mockery.
“How strong is your soul element?” Holden asks, ignoring Lochlan’s jibe.
“Soul?” I ask, recalling that Willow had told me it was her element.
“Healing and influencing,” Daire prompts.
I shake my head. “I can’t heal or influence. I can’t even make fire most of the time.”
Kai stares at me. “What does that mean?”
Before I can respond, Lochlan’s phone vibrates across the table, causing him to quietly curse. “It’s Council. Looks like Kandi rushed the report.” He slips out of his seat.
My head aches trying to sort the myriad of details. “What’s the Council? And why do you think I have a soul element?”
“Council is an arm of our government,” Daire says. “You’ll be required to meet with Lyra Seacore, Lowick’s council elder.”
“Why?”
“It’s mandatory for all recovered Bryxtonians,” Daire says. “She’ll want to hear about where you’ve been living, what you know, and in your case, she’ll be particularly interested in where you’ve been for the past decade.”
“The past decade?” I parrot.
He nods. “Most Elementals are recovered around their tenth birthday, when their cindrel begins to activate.”
A dozen new questions arise, but Lochlan returns before I can ask them.
“They’ll classify her,” Daire adds.
Griffin’s gaze flicks to mine, and then to Lochlan. “When do they want to see her?”
“In eight weeks. And she’s expected at Thornhurst next Monday.
Kandi pulled some strings to get her in right away.
” He shakes out his napkin and drapes it across his lap as he turns to Holden.
“They’ve been asking you to oversee runes for years.
You need to call and tell them you’ll take an interim position until we have a handle on this. ”
Holden’s brow furrows deeply as he shakes his head. “Arcane has been just as eager to get you in the damn door.”
Lochlan blinks slowly. “My hands will be a little full, ensuring no one catches wind of our houseguest.”
“I’ll do it,” Daire offers. “Jackie’s been looking to take some time off.”
Lochlan snorts. “So I can deal with more Chris situations? Absofuckinglutely not.”
Daire’s shoulders square. “He broke every goddamn bone in her body. He’s lucky to be breathing.”
The memory of those few seconds has an ache slipping over my body— instantaneous and consuming.
“You lost control,” Lochlan says coolly.
“Do you want to see control?” Daire explodes from his chair, looking like he’s about to launch himself across the table. Lochlan matches his stance.
“Enough,” Kai cuts in. “Fighting among each other is the last thing we need right now.”
The air remains tense for several loaded seconds.
“Loch’s right,” Holden says, looking at Daire. “If someone looks at her wrong, you risk the chance of overreacting. Kai and I can handle things.”
“We need to test her abilities first,” Kai says, taking me out of the conversation entirely as they debate if I’m in a state to test my elements.
“She won’t need to do anything but show up,” Holden says.
“There are plenty of Elementals who have such low amounts of power that they can’t use an element even when a source is beside them.
This will fit better with the narrative we need others to believe.
Having limited power will explain why no one discovered her earlier. ”
“We could all sense her powers last night and at the medical facility,” Daire reminds us. “There’s no way she’ll pass for being a null.”
“She doesn’t need to be a null for this to be believable,” Lochlan says.
“She just needs to appear to have such minimal power that she’s functionally useless.
And Holden and Kai will be there for emergencies.
” He steeples his fingers and turns his full attention to me.
“While staying here, you are prohibited from mentioning anything you see or hear at Mysthaven.” He sits back.
“And so we’re clear—know that the shithole that Daire pulled you out of will look like a fucking vacation compared to the place I’ll send you if you betray us. ”