Overshadow (14 page)

“Two problems: one, Tristan still thinks I’m a cat, and two, so does your family,” Nuada said.

“Uh-oh. Why didn’t you think of this sooner?”

“It’s not my job to think of everything.”

“You’re the one who suggested Tristan come over.”

“Oh yeah.”

I smacked the heel of my palm against my forehead and stopped walking. “Okay, we can tell Tristan the truth. He’s Mr. Fantasy Guy, after all. He’ll be cool with it. Everyone else is another matter entirely.”

“Why don’t I just come in as a human and you say I’m your friend?”

“What name would we give them? It’s not like Nuada is a common name.”

“Umm… what about Natalie?”

“Close enough.” Then I thought of another problem. “How am I going to explain Andrei being there?”

She thought about that for a moment. “I can cast a forgetfulness spell on them — a very specific one, where they will remember Andrei, but not any of the bad stuff.”

“You’re sure it will work?”

“My magic always works.”

“Good enough for me. Let’s go.”

I paused again outside my house. “What do you need to cast the spell?”

“Already done,” she said smugly.

“When did you…?”

“As we were walking. Don’t worry about it. They might remember him, but nothing else. It will only be a vague impression.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. “Good.”

As I was reaching up to turn the knob, Andrei’s black BMW came tearing around the corner. He made a U-turn in the cul-de-sac, and parked in front of my house. He jumped out of the car as soon as the ignition was off, slamming the door behind him. He stormed up the driveway. “What happened?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Nuada soon joined in. “What’s so funny?” he demanded to know.

“Nothing. I told you that already. We just wanted to have a hang-out day.”

“With everything that is going on, you want to just
hang out
?”

“Even ancient devils need to relax every once in a while, don’t they?” Nuada asked.

He glared at her, but addressed me. “How am I even going to come in your house anyway? Your family doesn’t exactly like me, remember?”

“Already taken care of.” I pointed at Nuada. “She cast a forgetfulness spell on them.”

“Thanks, Furball,” he told her.

She bristled, suddenly looking even more like the cat she sometimes was. “Don’t call me that.”

“So how are you going to explain her?” He jerked his head toward Nuada.

“You’ll see,” she said cryptically as she reached for the door.

“Genevra?” I called as I stepped into the foyer. “Are you home?”

She appeared in the doorway leading to the kitchen, looking annoyed. “Yes. Where have you been?”

“I took flowers to Mom.”

Her expression softened. “I’m sorry. Today’s the anniversary, isn’t it?”

“Yes. Six months.”

“We should celebrate.”

“What do you mean?” She was out of her mind if she really thought I would want to celebrate my mother’s death, even six months after the fact.

“It was six months ago today that you moved in with us.”

I didn’t see how that was something that should be celebrated, but I didn’t want to say so and sound ungrateful. “Sure.” I offered her a forced smile. “That’s a great idea.”

That was when she noticed Nuada and Andrei. “Oh! Hello. Raena, who are your friends?”

“Sorry. This is… Natalie.” I gestured at Nuada, remembering the fake name at the last second. “And you remember Andrei, right?” Hopefully not as she should remember him.

“Oh yes. The nice boy who works at the coffeehouse.”

Andrei and I heaved a collective sigh of relief. “Yes, that’s him. I… uh… ran into them in the Village.” That wasn’t a complete lie. I had run into Nuada in the Village, technically.

“Out so early?”

“I had to open this morning, Mrs. Deville. I just got off,” Andrei explained.

“And I had to have my morning coffee fix,” Nuada added.

Wow. They were good liars. “We’re just going to hang out in the family room if that’s okay. Maybe watch some movies. Oh, and Tristan’s on his way over too. I called and invited him.”

“Okay,” Genevra agreed cheerfully. “I’ll let him in when he gets here.”

I thanked her. Nuada, Andrei and I trooped toward the family room. “Don’t forget to invite your sister to join!” Genevra called after us.

“Sure,” I called back. It wouldn’t hurt to invite her. I knew Tanis wouldn’t join us. Saturdays were always her time to study.

I closed the French doors that partitioned the family room off from the rest of the house. “Do you even still work at the coffeehouse?” I asked Andrei.

“When it’s convenient.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means I still hold the job. I just don’t go in often — the perks of being a manager.”

“Why do you still have it anyway?”

He shrugged. “It’s a good way to hide. Being immortal, I don’t need the job. The house exists half in and half out of the Shadow Imperium. Most of the time, people don’t even know it’s there. It’s well hidden. So let’s just say I don’t exactly have to pay rent.”

“That’s horrible!”

“It is what it is. There’s no way to remedy it now. Don’t worry, I’ll make things right. Eventually.”

I began to make a retort, but then I saw Tristan approaching through the glass doors. I motioned for him to come in. “Why’s everyone standing around?” he asked as he opened the door.

“Just close the door,” I told him.

He did as I asked. “So, are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

“We’re just hanging out.”

“Yeah, like I believe that. Tell me what’s
really
going on.”

“Fine, it’s a super-secret planning session.”

He grinned. “That’s what I thought.” He finally noticed Nuada. “Well, hel-
lo
. And who might you be?”

“Calm down. That’s my cat,” I said before she could reply.

“What? Your cat?” He looked confused.

“Sit down. I’ll go get some snacks and then I’ll explain.”

“Genevra’s already bringing some,” Tristan informed me.

“Then I guess I won’t bring some snacks.” Everyone still stood. “Well, what are we all waiting for? Let’s sit down.”

Almost as one, Tristan and I pulled all the throw pillows off the couch and threw them on the floor. We both plopped down on top of them. Andrei gave us a strange look from where he sat in a chair across the room. “Can’t you two sit in chairs like normal people?”

“This is their norm,” Nuada informed him. “Besides, it’s not like you’re normal.” She frowned as she stared at the couch. “You guys took all the good pillows, as usual.”

“We left the cushions,” I said.

Tristan leaned over and whispered to me. “How does she know this is our norm?”

“Because she’s my cat. I already told you that.”

“Why do you keep saying she’s your cat? Am I supposed to understand what that means?”

“Shouldn’t Mr. Fantasy Guy recognize a shape-shifting sorceress?” Nuada asked from where she was now curled up in the corner of the couch.

“Seriously?” Tristan’s eyes widened. “That’s so cool!”

We all fell silent as Genevra brought in a tray piled high with snacks and drinks.

“Why so quiet? Keeping secrets?” She laughed.

We all returned her laugh nervously, and she left without another word.

Tristan immediately opened his mouth to say something else, but Andrei held up a hand, cutting him off before he could bombard us with any questions. “So why are you here, sorceress?”

Nuada’s finger hit the top of my head. “Her father sent me.”

Andrei’s eyes grew wide. “Her
father
? But her father is dead.”

“Oh, don’t go trying to pull that on me again,” I said. “Nuada already told me the truth. My father is very much alive.”

“No, he’s not.”

“Yes, he is,” Nuada said.

I could feel my temper rising. The fact he was continuing his story that my father had died was more than I could bear. “You lied to me!” I shrieked at Andrei.

“Not intentionally.”

“How can you lie unintentionally?”

“I didn’t know your father wasn’t dead.”

“Then why did you tell me that.”

He sighed. “Look, it’s just what I was told.”

“So you just passed along this information to me, his
daughter
, without bothering to check if it was true?”

“The one who told me is not the type that you question.”

“Who? Who told you this?”

“The Queen.”

“Your mother? You’re too afraid to question your mother? I was never afraid to question my mother.”

“You haven’t met my mother. If you had, you’d be afraid of her too, trust me. Everyone is. Sometimes I think my grandfather is even afraid of her.”

“That’s ridiculous. You’re her son. It’s not like she’d hurt you.”

“Yeah, you
definitely
don’t know my mother,” he scoffed. “She’d torture me and then banish me to earth in an instant if I ever questioned her. In fact, she’d kill me if she knew I was working with you now… and it would be a slow death.”

I dropped back down on my pillows on the floor, laying my head back against the couch. “So she’s dangerous.”

“Dangerous is an understatement.” He reached for some pretzels and popped them into his mouth. “More like insane and deadly. The worst things you could think of, the most horrible nightmares you have, she could make come true.”

“Funny you mentioned nightmares…”

He winced. “Sorry about that.”

“Did she teach you that?”

“Yes. And I’m sorry I used that on you. I was told to get you on our side by any means necessary.”

“What happens now?” Tristan interrupted. I had almost forgotten he and Nuada were there.

“Now we get my brother back on our side, and then take down the Queen,” Andrei said.

“Your brother?”

“I’ll explain later.” I stood. “As to now, let’s go down to Ismene’s shop and see if she’s made any progress.” I headed for the door. “You guys coming?”

They followed me out of the house.

“So, Crazy… you have an entourage now? Did you cast a spell on them too?”

I froze as I heard Logan’s voice behind me. Andrei and Nuada stopped as well. Tristan kept walking, but stopped when he realized we weren’t following. We didn’t turn, but he came around to stand in front of us. Unfortunately, Sera was with him as well. Fantastic.

“Not an entourage. Friends,” Andrei informed him with a clenched jaw.

Logan slowly backed away, eyes wide, hands held in front of him. “Whoa. No need to get upset.” He dropped his hands and laughed. “Yeah, right, like I’d be afraid of you.”

“You were once.”

I looked at Andrei sharply. “Don’t start.”

Logan cocked his head to one side. “Does Crazy actually have a boyfriend?”

“Yes, but not him.” I took a step toward him. “Don’t you remember?”

“Oh, that’s right. You think
I’m
your boyfriend. Hey, how did that psychiatrist work out for you? You’re obviously still crazy. Maybe you should ask for a refund.”

“I don’t need a psychiatrist!” I screamed. People stopped all around us, staring at me. Oops. I guess I was a little too loud. This side of Logan was bringing out the worst in me.

“Maybe you do. You keep trying to steal my boyfriend,” Sera spoke up.

Nuada hissed at her.

“Well, well, does kitty have teeth?” Sera taunted.

“I have claws too, witch.” Nuada held a hand aloft, fingers curled in.

Sera stepped closer to Logan. “Logie, Crazy’s little pet is threatening me,” she whined.

He slung an arm around her and pulled her against him. “Don’t worry, Sera. I’ll protect you. Besides, they’re not all that scary.”

Sera glared at all of us, her gaze lingering on Andrei the longest. “You’re right. They’re not.”

They started to walk away. “See you later, Crazy,” Logan called over his shoulder. “Be sure to leave your little pets at home next time.”

The three of us stood in the middle of the sidewalk, watching their retreating forms. I was beginning to lose hope. How would we ever break the spell? Sera obviously had her claws deep into him.

“Come on, let’s go to Ismene’s,” I said.

“Are you still sure she’s our best course of action?” Andrei asked. “I mean, the priest
has
helped Logan in the past, and you… not to mention me.”

“Ismene is already coming up with a plan. Now are you joining me or not?”

“Do we have a choice?” Nuada asked.

“Look, I’m going to Ismene’s. You can come with me or you can go back to your fake house, Andrei. Nuada, you’re more than welcome to go back to my house and change into your cat-form. Just scratch at the door and I’m sure someone will let you in.”

They both stared at me, completely silent. “Well? What’s your decision?”

Andrei sighed. “Fine, I guess I’ll go with you.”

I faced Nuada. “Your turn to decide.”

“Yeah, okay. I’ll come too.”

“Good. Hopefully Ismene has come up with an answer. I know you guys want me to go to the priest, but you’re forgetting that Ismene has helped me too. Weren’t you the one who brought her into this in the first place, Nuada?”

“Yeah… I suppose I did,” she admitted. “But now I’m not so sure whether we should be trusting her.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know… Why don’t I try talking to her when we get there? Maybe I can figure out what’s got me so uneasy.”

“Sounds like a plan.” I felt relieved that they were no longer fighting me. “Well, what are we standing around for? Let’s go.”

“Are you serious? Why do you want to go there?” Tristan burst out.

It was the next morning. We had a frustrating visit with Ismene the previous day. She still didn't have an answer for me, but she had promised to call me as soon as she had come up with something. Tristan had come over to get coffee with me. I wanted to go to the coffeehouse in the Village, and he wasn’t happy with my decision. “Tristan, Andrei is good now,” I reminded him. “You seemed okay with him yesterday. Even if he’s working, it’s fine if I see him. He won’t cause any problems. He may even help us.”