Hidden Hope (Hidden Saga Book 3) (6 page)

“Well, what did you think of Davis Hart in the flesh?
”

Grandma and I sat at the old farm table in her kitchen that night, both of us up too late. We’d be sorry in the morning, but for now it was a relief to be able to talk through my thoughts honestly. When I’d returned from California, I’d filled her in on what I knew about Davis and the fan pods. As I’d suspected, he had glamoured her when they met, preventing her from realizing his Elven nature.

She’d been disappointed in herself, but I’d assured her she wasn’t the first—and certainly wouldn’t be the last—to fall prey to his powerful Sway.

“He’s charming for sure,” I said. “I don’t know what I expected. A monster maybe? I think he probably
is
one, but he’s got the whole beautiful disguise thing down.”

She nodded. “That’s what they do. Well, what did he say?”

“He asked me a lot of questions.”

Her face pulled tight. “About yourself? About your Elven side?” I could tell she was just as afraid for me as she was for her daughter.

“He thinks I’m like him,” I snarled. “He wanted to know what I can do.”

“And did you tell him?”

“No. I don’t trust him. If he knew I had any abilities at all, he’d probably campaign full-time to draw me over to the Dark Side.” I said the last few words in a distinctive Darth Vader voice, making both of us laugh in spite of the serious subject matter.

She sobered up quickly. “Do you think his Sway is strong enough to do that?”

“I hope not. I did feel him trying to sway me, but I was able to resist. That’s a good sign, right? I’m worried about something else, though.”

“What?”

I drew circles in the condensation on my Coke can, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly before raising my eyes to meet hers. “What if I
am
like him?”

“Ryann—why would you say that? You know who you are.”

“Do I? I thought I did. But now... I don’t know. I believed in a lot of things that turned out to be false.” Like my parents’ marriage. Like Lad’s love.

She studied my face. “He hurt you very deeply.”

It wasn’t a question. Grandma already knew it was true—her empathy glamour doing its thing. And she’d been there for the aftermath of my breakup with Lad, seen me at my lowest.

“Yes. But I’m over it now. Older and wiser, right? Onward and upward and all that stuff.”

I could tell from her expression she didn’t quite buy it.

“I know you weren’t happy with the way it ended between you two, but I’m a firm believer in things happening for a reason, working out exactly as they’re supposed to.”

I harrumphed. “So Lad was
supposed
to break my heart?”

“Not necessarily. But I believe you
were
supposed to meet him. The fates went out of their way to arrange it—twice.”

That much was true. The fates seemed awfully cruel to me if all of that was for nothing. “Maybe. But I’m not sure what the point was. He’s marrying Vancia. I’m with Nox.”

She lifted her shoulders and let them fall. “Maybe you were supposed to meet Lad for another reason. Knowing him allowed you to learn more about yourself. And about the fan pods and the threat of the Dark Elves. You have these gifts and abilities for a reason, too. Without them, you never would have been able to save Emmy. Maybe you’re meant to do even more with them.”

“More? You mean the other fan pod girls, don’t you?”

I’d been thinking about them a lot—constantly—but what could I possibly do to help them? It was one thing to kidnap one little Mississippian and quite another to free all of them. There had to be thousands, perhaps tens of thousands in this country’s fan pods by now, not to mention what was going on abroad.

“The problem’s too big. I’m not enough,” I told Grandma.

“Maybe not. But Nox is certainly in a position to do something. What does he say about it?”

“He won’t tell me
anything
about what’s going on with the Dark Court. He doesn’t want me involved. He thinks it’s too dangerous.”

“Well, perhaps he’s right. One of my babies is already wrapped up in this mess. Maybe I need to keep my nose out of it and not encourage my other one to step into it. You can stay right here with me, darlin’, where it’s safe.”

Sitting back into my chair, I relaxed for the first time all night. Those were the words I’d wanted to hear. If I couldn’t be with Nox in L.A., this was where I wanted to be. At home where I belonged, on the land that I loved, close to all the people I loved—Grandma, Daddy, and Mom. I forced myself to stop the list right there.

This thing with the Dark Elves was way above my pay grade, anyway, and the fact that Nox didn’t think I could handle it was further proof that my abilities weren’t up to the task.

Looking around the kitchen, breathing in its comforting scent and feeling the smooth, warm surface of the antique farm table under my palms, it was easy to tell myself that the situation in L.A. was under control. And even if it wasn’t quite, at least it couldn’t touch us here.

*     *     *

I stopped by Channing’s Funeral Home the next day on my way home from the factory. Mom had spent the night in Oxford with Davis, and I wanted to catch her here before he could spirit her away again to dinner or Paris or something.

Instead of finding her at her desk, I walked into Mom’s office to see Mr. Channing going through her file cabinet. He was a nice man, if an odd one. His overly long tie and overly long hair both seemed to be getting in his way.

I stopped short, just inside the doorway. “Oh, hi. I was looking for my mom.”

He flipped his hair back, put down the file he was holding, and gave me a quizzical look. “Hi Ryann. Well, this is peculiar. I would have thought she’d have told you already.”

“Told me what?”

“Your mama called me this morning and resigned her position. Said she’s moving. I was surprised to say the least.”

“What?” I bellowed. “Moving? We’re not moving.” I started to charge out of the office, then spun back around to see the man’s dumbfounded expression. “Thanks, Mr. Channing. I’ll figure out what’s going on. See you later.”

Pulling into the driveway at home, the first thing I noticed was the absence of Mom’s car. My nerves began bubbling on a slow simmer as I let myself into the house and walked from room to room, calling her name. Silence. Clearly she wasn’t home. Had she decided to stay an extra day in Oxford with Davis?

I hit a button on my phone to call her as I pushed open her bedroom door—and nearly dropped the phone. The place looked like a double-funnel tornado had struck.

Drawers jutted crookedly from her dresser where they’d been left ajar. Her closet door was wide open, the bare hangers strewn there like plastic skeletons in a Halloween specialty store. A few items lay on the closet floor, whether dropped or left behind on purpose I didn’t know. One thing that hadn’t been left behind was the large red suitcase that usually occupied the top shelf.

What had happened? Why had she packed her things so suddenly?

Genuinely alarmed now, I lifted the ringing phone to my ear. The call went to her voice mail.

“Mom. Where are you? What’s going on? Why are all your clothes missing? And you quit your job? Call me as soon as you get this.”

Frustrated, I threw the phone onto her bedspread and searched the room further for a note or some kind of clue as to where she’d gone and why. Thinking maybe she’d left a note on the refrigerator or something, I headed for the kitchen.

My text alert tone sent me running back to her room for the phone. And yes, there was a message from her.

-I’m fine honey. Sorry I didn’t have a chance to tell you first, but I’m moving in with Davis. Don’t worry about me. I’m happy and where I want to be. Will call soon
.

What the hell?
“No,” I said to the empty room. “No.” This wasn’t right. This just didn’t happen. And it wasn’t like my mom at all to take off with no warning, no discussion. She was
happy
? It had to be Sway. That was the only explanation for her bizarre desertion. I texted her back, nearly jamming my finger from typing the words so forcefully.

-Call NOW. I need to talk to you. How could you just leave?

There was no response.

I paced the house, needing to do something, but unsure of what. Grandma Neena didn’t have a cell phone, but she’d be home soon. Had Mom told her about her moving plans? Probably not.

I practically charged her as soon as the squeaking screen door announced her arrival. “Mom is gone. Did you know?”

She gave me a quizzical glance over the bag of groceries she was carrying. “Gone? What do you mean?”

“I mean she left. Her stuff is gone. She told me in a
text
that she’s moving in with Davis.”

“What?” Now Grandma abandoned the groceries on the counter, and as if suspecting I was playing a practical joke on her, rushed to Mom’s room. Her gasp was audible as she surveyed the disarray. Sitting hard on the bed, she turned to me, her eyes wide and dazed-looking.

“I can’t believe this. He’s taken her. He’s glamoured her into leaving her own child.”

“And her mother.”

“Yes. But I’m stunned she’d actually leave
you
behind. Why? And why would this happen
now?
”

“Oh.” I sat beside her, sinking into Mom’s quilted bedspread. “At dinner last night, I did sort of warn Davis I was going to try to talk some sense into her. He must have been worried she’d listen. I shouldn’t have said anything, but I wanted him to know that someone was looking out for her.”

She patted my hand. “Or maybe taking her was part of his plan all along.”

“Maybe. Yesterday Lad told me Vancia wanted to talk to me—about her father. He said they might need my help.”

“You didn’t tell me this last night. Did you speak to her?” Grandma asked.

“No. I told him I wasn’t interested.” My face dropped into my hands. I rubbed the heels of them against my eyes. “And she wasn’t in town yet. But I should have asked Lad more about it.” I lifted my head and looked at her. “I should have found out what he knew. I was in too much of a hurry to get away from him.”

She gave me a sympathetic glance. “Maybe it’s time you got over that—or figure out why you can’t.”

I slid off the bed. “I’ll go to Altum tonight. Vancia should be there by now. Maybe she can give me some idea where they might have gone.”

“I’ll go with you. Just let me change my clothes and shoes.”

“Okay, I need to call Nox first anyway.”

When Grandma left the room, I pulled my phone out again and dialed him. Nox would know what to do. He’d helped me find Emmy, and he had access to all kinds of information about Davis. Besides, I needed him to talk me down from the ledge where I was teetering on the brink of full-blown panic.

The phone rang several times before going to his voice mail. I left a message. “Hi. Um... something’s happened, and I really need to talk to you. Call me when you can.”

I hung up and looked at the screen—6:30 p.m. That was 4:30 Pacific time. Didn’t he say The Hidden had a show tonight? They were probably setting up or in rehearsals or something. No doubt the venue was crowded and loud. I probably wouldn’t be hearing back from him for several hours.

Grandma came back to Mom’s door. “You ready?”

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

It didn’t really matter. Ready or not, I would meet with Lad and Vancia, and if necessary, work with them to figure out what Davis was up to—and bring my mom back home.

Arriving in Altum for the first time in months, I marveled anew at the underground world. The last time I’d been here—the day I interrupted Lad and Vancia’s wedding—the Assemblage had been going on. Now the place was much more sedate, but no less impressive.

No one I knew would ever believe this entire kingdom could exist here underground, spread underneath who knew how many acres of my grandma’s wooded land, completely hidden from human view and knowledge. I could hardly believe it myself. If I tried to describe it to Emmy or Shay, they’d think I’d gone completely against my clean reputation and gotten high.

The cavernous world was so large, the earthen walls so high, you felt more like you were in a suburban shopping mall than underground. The perimeter walls held a vast number of openings, which I’d learned led to more rooms and hallways and tunnels. The open central area, with its magnificent river, was the common area, the floor of which was filled with huts and with people—well, Elves—everywhere, going about their daily lives.

As usual, two large Elven men met us inside the entrance from the surface tunnel. I’d always thought of them as the linebackers because of their intimidating height and wide shoulders, though they’d be more properly described as guards. We followed them to the royal residence, Lad’s home.

Waiting outside the huge, carved wooden doors I couldn’t help but flash back to Lad’s wedding day, when I’d come here with Grandma to give him the good news about our land and the tea company deal that would save it. Of course, at the time, I’d also hoped seeing him again would lead to our getting back together.

It had worked, actually. For a day.

That blissful, awful day seemed so long ago now. We were so far from the love-soaked happiness we’d shared, it seemed like that was all a dream.

As he had on that day, Lad rushed through the doors of his mansion to meet me. “Ryann—what are you doing here? I didn’t expect—”

“I know. I’m sorry if it’s a bad time. I know you’ve just been reunited with Vancia.”

He shook his head and put his hand on my back, guiding me inside. “No. Not at all. I’m happy to see you. Please come in. Miss Neena, welcome back. Will you be visiting your family this evening?”

“Yes,” Grandma said. “But I’m in no hurry.” She gave me a questioning glance.
Want me to stay with you while you talk to Lad and Vancia?

I answered her aloud. “No, you go ahead. I’m okay.” Coward-time was over. Now it was suck-it up-and-be-a-big-girl-time. I could handle seeing him, seeing them together. I had no choice.

Lad made a noise that was somewhere between a laugh and a harsh exhale.

“What?” I asked.

He shook his head side-to-side. “I can’t get used to the idea of you communicating in the Elven way with anyone but me. Your skills must have improved so much while you were in California with...” He didn’t finish the thought.

But he was right. I had gotten rather good at it thanks to all the practice with Nox. I’d even discovered the ability to communicate long distance because of my connection to him. A connection I also shared with Lad.

Still couldn’t read his mind, though. The way he studied me with those dazzling green eyes, his appreciative I-can’t-believe-you’re-here gaze made me wonder what he was thinking.

Uncomfortable, I broke the moment. “Where’s Vancia?”

He blinked, as if coming out of deep thought. “This way. Thank you for coming. What changed your mind?”

“My mom is gone. She’s disappeared with Davis.”

His eyes widened. “How do you know she’s not coming back?”

“All her things are gone. And she texted me that she’s moving in with him.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I think he’s trying to keep her away from
me
.”

Lad nodded as if that made perfect sense. “He’s afraid you’ll undo his glamour.”

The thought made me recoil in surprise. “Really? Why would he think that? He’s so strong. And I told him I don’t even have any.”

“He must suspect, anyway. Did he try to use his on you last night?”

I nodded. “He did. He ordered me to use my Sway in front of him. It didn’t work.”

“Really? Wow.” Lad nodded, his mouth working as he considered it. “So now he either
believes
you don’t have it… or he knows you’re immune to all glamour.”

Before I thought about it, the words were out of my mouth. “Not
all
glamour.”

He blinked rapidly, his head jerking back. “What are you talking about?”

“Never mind.”

“No. Tell me. This could be important. Did you fall under someone’s glamour in L.A.? Vallon Foster? Reggie Dillon?”

“Um... not Reggie... or Vallon.”

Lad’s eyes grew dark. “Nox. His musical glamour affects you.”

“Mmm hmm. Among other things.”

His chin lifted, and he studied my face through slitted eyes. “What does
that
mean?”

I looked away and shifted, my clothes suddenly feeling itchy and tight. “Well... I suspect he has multiple glamours. Like me.”

I was
not
going to go into specifics, namely the other
glamour Nox seemed to have—sexual glamour. Lad and I would not be discussing
that
subject.

“I see.” He nodded. After a few moments of strained silence, he spoke again. “Ryann... have you ever considered—”

“I’m not here to talk about Nox. We need to focus on Davis and my mother. Let’s just find Vancia. Can’t you call her or something?”

He hesitated before answering. “I can’t. We have to be in the same room to hear each other.”

“Oh.”

Interesting. Lad had heard me from across a vast city when I’d called out to him from the trunk of a moving vehicle. He and Vancia couldn’t hear each other in the same house? And why did that knowledge cause a tingle of gratification in my chest?

I gave myself a mental slap. That was not something I should feel good about. I should
want
him to have a close connection to the girl he’d be spending eternity with. Still, knowing I retained a connection with him that she
didn’t
produced an involuntary stirring in my heart.

Together we walked through the royal residence where Lad encountered several servants and asked them if they’d seen his fiancée.

We found her in a small room, surrounded by canvases. Her back was to us, and she was painting a scene that was clearly from Los Angeles. In fact, looking at the other canvases, in various stages of completion, they all seemed to be California landscapes and ocean scenes. Well, not all of them.

Though only one part of it was visible, one painting tucked behind the others was clearly a portrait—I couldn’t see the face, but it appeared to be a guy with black hair and wide shoulders. Obviously Vancia had been
inspired
by her time out west.

“Vancia.” Lad spoke to get her attention. 

She spun around to face us, dropping her paintbrush.

“Excuse me for interrupting. Ryann has come with some bad news,” Lad said.

“What is it?” She leaned over and swept up the brush with her fingertips, popping it into a jar in one graceful move.

I stepped forward. “My mother has disappeared... with your Pappa.”

She stood from her painting stool and lifted her chin. “I no longer call him that—except in his presence. He’s
not
my real father.”

“I know exactly what you mean,” I said, experiencing my first real moment of liking for her. Maybe working together wouldn’t be so bad. After all, the enemy of my enemy was my friend. “So, I need to know where he’s taken her. And why he’s doing this. What does he want with her?”

“I can answer that one easily. It’s not her he wants. He wants
you
.”

A sick feeling curled through my belly as she went on.

“I could tell you almost to the day when he discovered you were his child. He didn’t say anything to me about it, but he changed instantly. He was never especially fatherly toward me, but from that day he showed no interest in me. My value to him was solely as bait to lure Lad—and thus the Light Elves—under his control. I’m sure if he’d known who you were earlier and that
you
were already involved with Lad, I would have been discarded entirely.”

The look on her face reminded me of a small girl I’d seen recently at an Oxford shopping center. She’d been separated from her mother and stood frozen in the center of a store aisle, her eyes wide and forlorn. I’d been about to offer to take the child to the mall security officer when her panicked mom appeared and swept her up in her arms, both of them bursting into tears simultaneously.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered to Vancia.

I was. I knew from what Nox had told me that she’d lost her own parents five years ago. It wasn’t fair for that tragedy to be followed with rejection by her adoptive parent.

She dismissed my comment with a wave and a weak smile. “Don’t worry about it. It isn’t that great a loss. He never actually loved me. I was always a big disappointment to him. When I told him the wedding to Lad was cancelled, he was ready to cut me off without another word for the rest of my life.”

Again, my heart tugged in her direction. “That’s terrible. But... Lad said you’re back in contact with him now?”

“Yes. Davis told me on the day of the wedding I’d someday come crawling back to him. He never believed I could make it on my own. When I needed to get close to him again—so I could figure out what his plan was—I gave him exactly what he was expecting, what he wanted. I went and begged him to take me back. What he
wasn’t
expecting—and probably the real reason he agreed to have anything to do with me again—was that I told him Lad and I had reconciled and the wedding was back on.”

“I see. What about what happened in Los Angeles? With Nox? Wasn’t Davis angry at you for siding with Nox? For supporting him as the Dark Elven king?”

“Oh, I’m sure he was furious. But I explained it this way—that Nox was about to be killed, and as I had discovered he was the missing heir to the Dark Throne, I
knew
Pappa would never want him to come to harm. In front of the Council and the Court, I told him I’d done what I was sure
he
would have
wanted
me to do.”

“Smart,” I said.

She went on. “Of course he pretended that was true. What could he say? That he wasn’t happy Nox was alive? That he didn’t want the rightful ruler to lead us? That wouldn’t have made him look very good, would it? It would make him seem selfish and power-hungry, which is of course, the truth. But he would never let our people see that. He’s the ultimate poser.”

“So, he stepped down without any protest then?” I had a hard time imagining it.

Her smile was completely without joy or humor. “He’s been very
talkative
since then about his
delight
over this new development and has graciously stepped back into his old position as leader of the High Council. He’s made a big show of welcoming Nox and serving him in the Dark Court.”

“You don’t believe any of it.”

The shake of her head was emphatic. “No. All I’ve seen in my years with him are his unending efforts to increase his own power and influence. It must be killing him inside to take a step down. I’ve warned Nox never to be alone with Davis. I’m afraid for him.” She hesitated before adding, “That’s why I stayed out there so long with him.” Her cheeks flushed a deep red.

Okay… who was she concerned about getting the wrong idea? Me? Or Lad?

He seemed completely unconcerned. So either he trusted her implicitly—I
knew
he didn’t trust Nox—or he didn’t care that much about her motivations for spending time with his brother.

Either way, it didn’t matter at the moment. What mattered now was finding Mom and getting her away from Davis.

“So, where can I find my mom? I need the address of your house.”

“There are several. We have homes in Atlanta, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles. But you can’t go to any of them. I’ll go.”

“So will I,” Lad said immediately, obviously uneasy about his fiancée’s safety.

“This is
my
mother we’re talking about. I have to go.” Seeing Lad’s obstinate expression, I added, “Imagine if your mother was in danger. Could you stay here and do nothing?”

“No. Of course not. But if Vancia’s right, and Davis really wants
you.
.. I can’t let you walk into his trap.”

“The first thing we have to do is locate them.” Vancia stood and walked to the door. “I’m going to the surface to call ‘Pappa.’ I’ll arrange to meet him wherever he is as soon as possible. It’ll be interesting to see if he mentions to me that she’s with him. I’ll let you know what he says.”