Casted (Casted series) (13 page)

Red embers danced in the air as the log caught fire. Edge jumped up from his chair. “I think I found something.” He kept reading as he came to stand beside me. “It says here that there was an inquiry from the High Council regarding the missing spell book. It seems that they knew where it was before it disappeared. It goes on to say how they are saddened by the deaths of the two fellow Council members. They talk about a legacy left behind and that they will do whatever it takes to ensure that the legacy lives on.” He paused to look at me. “Jade, I think they’re talking about you.” Edge handed over the tablet so that I could read it myself.

“I don’t know, Edge, don’t you think if they knew about me, they would have stepped in after my parents were murdered? It seems a little far fetched to me.”

“But what if they, like us, didn’t know where you went? What if they let you hide?” he asked.

“I was twelve!” Did no one understand or even think to imagine the trauma I’d been through? The sleepless nights I lay awake so scared of all the horrors around me. Always moving from place to place to escape a bad situation, only to stumble upon the next one. Sleeping under piles of garbage so that no one could find me, or eating from dumpsters because that was the only food around.

“I know it hasn’t been easy for you. I can’t imagine being that young and on your own.” Edge stepped closer, sliding his fingers along my jaw. “But you’re not alone now.”

“You’re not going to believe this!” Jude exclaimed as he burst in the room.

I jumped, but Edge kept a firm hold on my arm.

Jude started to speak, and then stopped to shake his head.

“Spit it out man!” Edge yelled.

“Oh man, yeah, sorry…I just,” Jude sputtered.

“What happened after you got there?” Edge asked.

“Oh, right. Sorry, it’s just really crazy. Yeah, okay, so I get there right, and all hell is like breaking loose. Two of the Triad’s Enforcers were caught sneaking into the compound and the Nomads had their hands full getting them secured. They were like crazy strong and took out a couple of the guards in the process. With the whole compound up in a roar, I was able to check their makeshift library,” he said.

“Was the book there?” Edge asked.

“Psssssh, yeah right. The only thing there was a handful of papers and a couple of old paperbacks,” Jude said.

Edge let his head fall back with a sigh. “That puts us back at square one.”

Jude grinned. “Not necessarily.”

“What?” I urged him to continue.

“I went exploring and came across a few interesting things,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

My hopes soared. “You saw Rainy and Matheson?”

“I did. They are being kept in the inner part of the compound, and they’re heavily guarded.”

“Edge, do you think they can get them out?” I asked.

“Get them out? Who’s getting who out? I thought they were there to hide,” Jude said.

“Hide? I’m not sure I understand.”

Jude screwed his face up at my question. “Everyone knows that the Nomads will grant sanctuary in their Coven, if sanctuary is needed.” The only thing missing was the ‘duh’ at the end of his sentence.

“When was the last time someone was stupid enough to go to the Nomads for sanctuary?” Edge asked.

“True, but they still hold value in the old ways. Well, some of them anyway,” Jude replied.

“But Jessa said they were taken from the last safe house when it was raided. She said the Triad took Rainy and Matheson.”

“Maybe it wasn’t the Triad that attacked the safe house they were in,” Edge said, biting his lip as if in thought. “It would make sense, if they have the spell book. The next step would be to get you. Before the Triad could.”

“My friend inside the compound is saying that your friend, Rainy, refuses to give her name to them. For some odd reason, it’s leading them to believe that they actually have you,” Jude explained.

“Which would explain the heavy guard,” Edge said as he began to pace.

“There’s more. Someone in the Nomad Coven has the spell book, but they are refusing to allow it near her,” he continued.

“Why?” I asked.

Edge stopped pacing and turned to me. “That makes no sense. If they are guarded like Jude says, then Dagger, Jessa and Julie will have no chance at getting to them.”

“What do we do now?” I asked.

“If I may?” Jude interrupted.

Edge shot him a dirty look, but motioned for Jude to speak.

“My friend also told me that the book is spelled shut,” Jude said.

“Which means?” I asked.

“Only Jade can open it.” Edge groaned

“Yes, but it gets worse,” Jude replied.

“Worse?” Edge questioned.

“Yep.” Jude started to fidget. “It’s um…double spelled. Only Jade can touch it. Only Jade can open it,” Jude explained.

“We’re screwed,” Edge grumbled.

“Wait, that has to be wrong. How can it be only me that can touch it if the Nomads have it? Someone had to have carried the damn thing around.”

“Sweetheart, the Nomads probably put that spell on it once they set up housekeeping at the old Council site,” Edge said to me.

“Don’t call me sweetheart and let’s focus on the fact that Dagger, Jessa and Julie are probably now walking into a trap. What’s our plan?”

“Plan? There is no plan. Not unless you want to go into the Nomad compound, steal the book, and rescue your friends before they get themselves killed,” Edge snapped at me.

“Why not? I say we do just that. The book and my friends could be back here by tomorrow, safe and sound!” I shouted back at him.

Edge laughed at me. “You’re crazy. You know that right?”

“We can’t sit around here all day doing nothing. Besides, if it were me in that compound, they would do the same thing,” I fired back.

“If it were you in there, the spell book would be open and who knows what would happen next,” Edge argued.

He was being such a hard headed Neanderthal! I curled my hands into tight fist to keep from smacking him.

I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing. If I had to, I’d corner Jude alone and coerce him to take me to the Nomads. Maybe they were just keeping my friends and the book safe. Why else would they spell it so heavily, especially if they thought that Rainy was me? Or could it be that they were waiting to use the book and Rainy? No matter what I had to get my hands on that book and my friends away from the Nomads.

Jude walked over and put his hand on Edge’s shoulder. “I can get you in, if you want me to,” he said.

“Jude, I can’t ask you to put your life, or hers, on the line for this.”

He sighed deeply and I caught a true glimpse of the real Edge. Not the fake exterior he fronted to the world. No, this was so much deeper.

“Whatever game Matheson is playing with the Nomads has to be one that will work to our benefit,” Jude told him. “Think about it. If they think they already have Jade, then they aren’t going to be expecting the real one to show up. I can talk to my friend and see if I can get some help with the guards to get Matheson and Rainy out. You focus on getting Jade to the book. We meet back up here when we’re done.”

“It’s too risky.” Edge flung his hand out and pointed to me. “Even if they think they have her, the minute someone sees us, she’s as good as dead.”

“So we go in when they hold the council meeting tomorrow afternoon. You know how long those can last. The hardest part will be getting to Matheson and Rainy. If I have to, I’ll create a diversion to get them out.” Jude was almost pleading with Edge to go along with his plan.

Edge paced the room. Maybe he would see that this was the only way to get to the book and Matheson. At least I could only hope he would.

“Tomorrow afternoon, huh?” Edge said, shoving his hand through his hair.

“They won’t be expecting it and we can probably get in and out without too much attention. And if someone does notice you, you can show off your badass skills,” Jude said with a cocky grin as he stuffed his hands into his back pockets.

“Agreeing to this plan makes me just as crazy as the both of you.” Edge shook his head as he spoke.

I couldn’t help the spark of excitement knowing that we were a step closer in getting Rainy and Matheson out of the Nomads clutches. There was only one thing that was bothering me. Dagger, Julie and Jessa were still planning on breaking them out. How would they know that we were doing the same?

“What about the others?” I asked.

“I’ll activate the pieces I gave them and it will bring them here, once we get back,” Edge explained.

“But-”

“That’s the way it’s going to be. I don’t need any extra bodies in my way when we do this. It’s bad enough involving Jude. Once we’re back here safe and sound, I will bring them to us.” Edge started to walk away.

“Dagger is going to be pissed. You know that right?”

“Oh well,” Edge tossed over his shoulder.

Jude waited for Edge to leave before he hooked his arm around my neck and began his excited chatter. “We’re gonna be like Batman and Robin…and you can be Cat Woman!” he exclaimed.

I pushed his arm away. “No thanks.”

He chuckled. “No? Not into the leather, huh?”

“Are you demented or something?” I mean seriously, his life was on the line here and he’d got us all fitted up to be a bunch of cape-wearing superheroes.

“No, well maybe, but imagine how you would feel not being wanted by your Coven. Parents kicked you out cause you had like, little-to-no magic in you. Then offered you up to the highest bidder so that they could invest in an abundance of whiskey to drown their sorrows in.”

“My parents are dead. I was left on my own at the age of twelve. I’ve been kidnapped and tortured to the point of death, only to be brought back. I’ve spent my entire life running and hiding. So yeah, I get it.”

Jude bumped his shoulder to mine. “Sucks to be us.”

“How did you meet Edge?” I asked, changing the subject from our crappy childhood.

“He saved me, brought me here and hooked me up with all the coolest electronics. The man who ‘owned’ me came to a sudden point of non-existence and the Nomad Coven let me pop in whenever I want. I guess they feel bad for what my parents did to me.”

“And your parents?”

“Liver failure,” he stated. “So, now that I know you have an aversion to leather and you don’t want to be Cat Woman, I think I’ll go find Edge and we can get this search and rescue party started.”

“Thanks, Jude. For everything, I mean.”

“No problem,
sweetheart
,” he said, backing out of the room with a wink.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Trees blurred past the window as I watched the slide show of green. It was early morning and we’d been driving for hours. Edge said we couldn’t use magic to get to the Nomad compound, so we were left driving partway across the country to get there.

“Explain to me again why Jude didn’t come with us?” I twisted in the seat to get more comfortable.

“When we get to the compound, I’ll get in touch with him and he’ll get us inside,” Edge said, darting glances between me and the road.

“Do you think this is going to work?” I let the question slip.

Edge quirked his eyebrow at me. “Second thoughts, sweetheart?”

“No. I was just wondering…never mind,” I told him. “And don’t call me sweetheart.”

Edge let a deep burst of laughter out as he reached over to squeeze my knee. “You’re not much for endearments, are you?”

I pushed his hand away. There was something about Edge that made me fidgety. His presence alone made me nervous, but not a bad nervous. No, he made me want things I was better off ignoring.

“Relax, Jade, we’ll get your friends and get the book. I’ve never lost a fight that I set out to win.” He winked. “Besides, between your magic and my magic, they don’t stand a chance.”

“My magic?” I squeaked.

“What are you not telling me?”

“Edge, I don’t know how to use my magic. It’s locked up tight by a binding spell.”

“What?” My seat belt cut into my shoulder as Edge slammed on the brakes. The tires screeched in protest as the car fishtailed to a stop. It was dead quiet when Edge put the car in park and got out. He slammed the door so hard, the car rocked on its frame. My whole body was shaking as I unlatched the seatbelt. I used the door to pull myself upright, my legs shaking uncontrollably.

The more I thought about it, the madder it made me. What right did he have to be angry? I was the one who was blocked from magic, not him. And what difference would it make if I had magic or not? I was grabbing a book and leaving, not confronting the Nomads.

I let go of the door and stormed over to him. “What the hell is your problem?” I demanded.

“My problem? Oh, sweetheart, you just don’t get it, do you?”

“No, I guess I don’t. But you do, so why don’t you fill me in.”

Edge snorted and turned away from me.

“What?” I followed him, but he wouldn’t stop to face me. I finally gave up and grabbed his arm, forcing him to turn.

“If we run into trouble, what are you going to do?” he asked.

“I…”

“You what? How do you plan on defending yourself from an attack when you can’t use the one thing that will save you?” He shook his arm free of my grasp and I stumbled backwards. I tripped on a rock and felt myself falling. His strong arms caught me, pulling me forward until I was snugly against his chest. His hands ran the length of my back and sifted through my hair.

I couldn’t think straight with him so close. My thoughts jumbled and then scattered, creating a dull hum as he continued to assault my senses. My limbs trembled with each movement he made. My heartbeat fluttered as he softly pressed his lips to my forehead. Energy grew between us and surged like static electricity. The current broke, leaving pinpoints of energy snapping between us.

Edge sucked in a gasp and pulled away.

“What was that?” I asked.

“Something neither one of us can control,” he whispered. Slowly, he untangled his hands from my hair and slid his fingertips along my cheeks before stepping away from me.