Mine to Spell (Mine #2) (9 page)

When the waitress returns a few minutes later, Lukas orders another bowl of soup, which doesn’t take long to arrive. Soon I’ve finished two bowls of soup and an absurd amount of rolls. My stomach feels much better but knows hunger won’t be far off.

Remembering this, I sneak a roll into the pocket of my dress while he’s staring at the door. Yet another reason to thank Katherine and her clever clothing designs. If I ever see her again. I might not. It’s a sobering thought. There’s room for three more rolls, which I quickly stuff in.

The wait without eating is more awkward than before. The noise of warlocks speaking is a pointed reminder that we aren’t talking. And that all their deep voices are nothing like my high one. There’s only one other woman here who isn’t serving, and she is doing well at keeping her head down and mouth shut. I can’t follow suit.

“
How much longer are we going to have to remain here?”

He shrugs like it’s no big deal, but the line of his jaw is taut.
“
It shouldn’t be much longer before he gets here.”

Or Zade isn’t coming at all. I twist the ring on my index finger, no longer hungry. Food is stashed away for later, and I’m dry. Perhaps I should go now instead of waiting. The likelihood that Zade is really going to be the one to walk through those doors is slim.

It’s still raining out. Guess the staying dry part won’t last for long. Yet it can’t be helped. I pull the coat off the back of the chair and stand.

“
Please wait,” he says. “He’ll be here soon.”

“
You said that. It’s time for me to go.”

“
Sit for just another five minutes. If he doesn’t come, you can go. No questions asked.” I don’t trust him, but it is still raining outside, and I do have a plan. “Please. People are starting to notice.”

And he’s right; the warlocks are paying more attention to us again. If Lukas really wants to stop me, he’ll have all the help he wants. I sit, letting the attention drift away so I can have a clear run to the door. And if it’s not clear enough, well, I pull my magic close by for quick use. At least the coat is in my lap now and easy to access without alerting him I’m about to escape when the time comes.

“You don’t trust me,” he says, yanking me from my escape plot. “I’m sure you have good reason not to. But I really am only trying to help.”

Foolish words that tug at me, making me want to believe him, even though I know I shouldn’t.

“Why do you wear those strange windows on your face?”

His eyebrows
lift. “You don’t know what glasses are?”

“
Glasses?” Sounds like something you drink from, except they are on his face.

“
They help me see. When I don't wear them, everything looks blurry.” He takes them off and holds them out to me. His eyes are even a deeper brown without them on. “Try them. They’ll make things look different, not clear like they do for me, but you can still see what they’re like.”

Without them, he looks as if he’s missing something. As if the glasses are a part of him. I’m staring again and he’s waiting for me to take the glasses. I snatch them out of his hand and shove them onto my face.

The world looks… strange. Tilted almost, and a little nauseating. And the person who just walked in the restaurant looks familiar. Like I know whoever it is, but stretched funny. Zade. I pluck the glasses off my face as he comes striding toward us.

If it wasn’t for all the warlocks around, I’d jump up and give him a hug before he could make it two steps in the room. It’s actually him! Though the fact that I was wearing Lukas’s glasses makes me feel as if I’ve been playing some bizarre sort of game instead of desperately needing help. I hand back the glasses as if it’s the most natural thing in the world but as quickly as I can.

The business Zade was checking into, was that me? If so, at least I’m making things easier for him and not harder, not one more thing to add to his list. Except, it’s as if I am the entire list. One created of my own ineptitude, trying to help and instead making things worse. As anxious as I was for his help, I’m not sure I’m ready to see his response.

The tension in his jaw lessens enough that it’s still evident even from the corner of the room, though the way he stomps over brings a pit of chaos to my stomach. His long legs make quick work of getting to us, all eyes on him, except for Lukas, who’s leaving some coins on the table.

Zade doesn’t bother sitting. “Let’s go.”

If we were at home, I’d tease him about being grumpy, that it’s been too long since he saw Serena even though he saw her yesterday. Instead, the pit of chaos grows into my chest as well, while I hurry to follow him out of the restaurant. Lukas hurries to his side and they lead me through the streets, Zade staying properly forward facing as a warlock should. Not Lukas though, he gives me many backward glances. I’d like to think it means something, that his concern has been proven as true as his connection to Zade. Yet, it’s the type of unwarlock-like behavior that will bring the wrong sort of attention.

When Zade finally stops at a house, the mass of chaos is skittering frantically searching for something calm. Lukas pulls out a key, but as he unlocks the door, he mixes a spell with it. With his back blocking most of the view, I only catch a flash of bronze and no clear view of what he did.

He holds the door open and ushers us in. Zade casually looks around, though knowing him it’s anything but casual. He then continues his storming on into the house. I hesitate a moment, remembering his temper, before crossing in. I only hope his temper isn’t in too foul of a mood today.

Zade is already moving on to another room, which turns out to be a study, and flips on an electric light. When I follow, he grabs me by the shoulders before pulling me into a hug. A tight one that squishes the air from me.

“
You're safe.” His words are strangely shaky.

“
Safe from everything but being squeezed to death,” I gasp out.

He releases me. “Sorry. We've just been so worried. I've been so worried.”

“But I'm fine.”

“
Yes, you are.” His eyes narrow and he begins pacing the room.  “Sit.”

Yes, the temper is definitely struggling not to manifest now that he knows I'm not dead or worse. Oh, fabulous. As much as I want to argue with him, there's no sense making Zade’s temper any worse. I really do need his help. I’ve bungled things badly this time. Not just badly, but horrifically. They thought they were sending me off to keep everyone safe, and instead, I’ve brought more danger to us all.

Lukas hovers in the doorway, watching Zade pace the room. He glances my way, gaze sympathetic, I try to hide all the turmoil roiling inside me.

“
How did Edward come to free you?” Zade finally demands.

I ignore the stark feelings pounding through me and struggle with what to say. How do I answer? This is Zade. He freed Serena. He has given us all a reason to hope. He’s put his life on the line for us. If I can’t trust him, I might as well hex myself mute for the rest of my life.

Zade’s jaw flexes, his temper probably struggling with me not responding. I glance at Lukas.

Zade looks pointedly at him. “Why don’t you take a walk while I talk to Cynthia?”

Lukas glances at me, as if looking for my permission. Why he would want it is unfathomable. At least with Zade, I know where I stand. I know nothing about Lukas. I nod at him, letting him know I’m fine with Zade’s request.

“
I’ll be back in a while if you need anything,” he says to me and quickly leaves the room.

Once he’s departed, I open my mouth, but Zade already knows what I want. He casts his salmon-colored, eavesdropping-preventative spell. It’s pretty to look at, but now isn’t the time to be staring at spells.

As soon as it surrounds us, I forge ahead. “I hexed Edward.”

To Zade’s credit, he doesn’t look surprised. If anything he looks even more tired. And older. He slumps onto a nearby chair and rubs his forehead.

“Do you know what will happen if he tells the council?”

I swallow. “No.”

“Every single person around you with the exception of me, though they hate me enough to add me to the list, will be spelled to forget you ever existed.”

Never existed? His words bite, stinging into me as if they’re a hex. No one will remember they care for me? Or that they hate me? I don’t know what I was expecting, but this certainly wasn’t it.

“After you’re completely forgotten by everyone outside the council, in a secret meeting you’ll be sacrificed to the Grand Chancellor.”

Horror rips through me. The girl from the tournament, the only sacrifice I’ve ever seen, flashes in my mind. The blank expression on her face as she climbed onto the sacrificial stone. Her silent acceptance as the Grand Chancellor sliced her neck and spelled her blood into him. I realize I’m shaking. I clasp my hands together. “I didn’t know.”

“This is my fault. If I'd known you’d figured out how to tap into your powers, I would have said something.”

He bolts to his feet and slams his fist into the wall. I clasp my hands tighter as he studies the dent he made. “I should have said something anyway. Serena’s just so afraid of magic, and none of you seemed interested. Except when you were deciding who to marry, you asked about other countries. I should have known. I shouldn’t have been so caught up in my own problems. And I shouldn’t have hit the wall.” He faces me, his shoulders slumped with defeat. “I’m sorry.”

It’s difficult to focus on his words; I’m too worried over what will happen to me if they find out. “It will be fine. Edward won’t tell.”

“
You can’t know that.” His gaze cuts into me, exposing my uncertainty.

“
He won’t. He was frightened when I hexed him, even afterward when he was telling the servants he was freeing me, he seemed distressed. None of this will be heard of.”

Zade collapses into a chair and places his head in both hands.

“Please don’t worry,” I say, putting more emphasis into it than I feel. “I’ll be fine.”

Still, he says nothing.

“He released me. Gave me my ownership like you did to Serena. He doesn’t have any power over me.”

“
That’s something at least.” He leans back in his chair. “Yes, it’s something. As long as he doesn’t tell anyone why he released you, there may be a chance this doesn’t end badly.”

I hope Edward doesn’t. I hope that my threat was enough to keep him from saying or doing anything. But how can I know for a surety? There’s no guarantee those I love will remember me and that I will not be sacrificed.

Chapter Seven

In the silence that follows I’m uncertain what to say or do. I’ve never been in a position like this before. How did Serena feel after she was freed? I wish I would have been there to see her, to see what freedom was like without the worry of the high cost that may accompany it. If I would have escaped to the ballroom just a little earlier, I could have. Yet missing something important, especially something for my sisters, won’t happen again unless I choose it to. I can go where I want. I just don’t have anywhere to go.

Or perhaps not entirely. The one place I want to be is the last place I should probably go right now. If I go home, I’ll take the extra strain of my freedom with me. If I stay away, maybe I can at least minimize the impact.

“
I don’t think I should return with you. Serena has enough problems. My presence, especially now that I’m freed, is only going to complicate them. If I stay away, perhaps it won’t be as bad.”

“
You’re right.” Some of the strain eases from his face. “But as soon as she finds out you’re free, and not coming home, she’s going to be upset.”

I’m already upset enough for the both of us. “Will you at least send my love? And to Waverly and the girls? I miss them.”

“I will.”

“
There’s one other thing. I hate to ask, but do you know where I can stay until I determine what to do? I don’t want to be a burden, but I’d prefer to not be outside in the rain again, one night was enough.”

“
I’ll figure something out.” He looks at me, really looks at me for the first time since he came to the restaurant. “No one should have to sleep in the rain. I have your clothes. Serena didn’t know if Edward would buy you anything or not, or even if he’d accept them, but she sent them just in case. At least now we won’t have to worry whether or not he’ll allow them.”

“
One good thing at least.”

“
I should have grabbed your trunk first thing when I realized it was you in the restaurant and not some other girl, but the circumstance was distracting. Let me fetch it, and I’ll think about what to do with you. Wait here.”

He’s out of the room before I can say anything. He’ll think about what to do with me? I clench my teeth.

Yet my frustration seeps out of me as my limbs realize their heaviness. Exhaustion soaks through me. I just put all my problems on him. What else did I expect, if not help? If I’m truly free, I don’t want to let others manage my problems. I must learn to take control of them. Except, it’s not like I have any money, or any knowledge of what to do next. Perhaps I’ll be stuck the rest of my life depending on Zade for support. That sobering thought swirls in my head as I lean back and close my eyes.