Link here to a general overview of the novel
Prologue, Chpt 1, Chpt 2, Chpt 3, Chpt 4, Chpt 5, Chpt 6, Chpt 7, Chpt 8, Chpt 9, Chpt 10, Chpt 11, Chpt 12, Chpt 13, Chpt 14, Chpt 15, Chpt 16, Chpt 17, Chpt 18, Chpt 19, Chpt 20, Chpt 21, Chpt 22, Chpt 23
Chapter Twenty-four
Daav
Our suite’s living room, designed to host sixteen comfortably, two Cohort’s worth between Mentors and their wards, feels just as much the claustrophobic prison of my final days in Staltz. As much like the room where my father locked me away for days for the sin of exposing my magic. That first sin has led me down a long path to today.
Where sitting in this room, facing this conversation, feels a lot like facing judgment for my many subsequent sins.
The room smells of grease from the abandoned breakfast and my stomach lurches under the assault of the stale food.
Sebastian sits next to me on the loveseat and I don’t care if this forces Ravel and Bethany to the floor. My Angel’s hurt, although we’d cleaned the slices and contusions covering his body from the magic, worse than the ones I’d gotten after the episode at the pier. This time, the only blood on my body was from his injuries, no marks of my own. Sebastian had minimized his pain, because that’s what he does. Frederick offered to heal him, but Sebastian refused and said he liked having matching bandages to mine. I yelled at him about it. He smiled back at me.
Everyone here looks shaken, and admits to some minor injuries, but nothing like on Sebastian. That’s all because of me. My fault, when I had never intended to open my Verse again.
Frederick gets a seat on a couch because no one else enjoys sitting next to Colleen. He looks tired, mostly checked out, with black blue smudges under his eyes. Nuée insists she take an actual seat and pulls Hanna down next to her. Nuée’s frowns and tapping foot make her impatience and disappointment with us clear. Hanna, however, keeps her face masked, her feelings hidden from the room. The remainder of the Mentors wear expressions ranging from curiosity to eagerness to anger to suspicion. They fill up the rest of the spaces on the seats.
My Angel remains silent beside me, although his hand rests on my thigh. He’s kept some part of himself touching some part of me since we left the bed and cleaned up enough to join the rest out here. Knowing him, he believes I’m about to run so he’s keeping a hold. Smart man.
Sebastian, with his usual aplomb, opens his mouth and starts.
“You want explanations, then tell us what you think you know. We’ll go from there.”
Pike rolls his eyes. “An evasion if I’ve ever heard one, Seb. But we’ll begin. If you value your Cohort even a little try not to shut us out. We deserve information, because whatever just happened it’s clearly important.”
I grit my teeth against the demand in his voice, and respond, lean forward in my seat.
“Your authority evaporated the day Ravel turned twenty-five. Among my Cohort, only I remain under the age of majority, and Victor’s death bought me emancipation. We’re allies now, or nothing at all. You have questions, then ask politely. With respect. Or don’t ask.”
Pike stares back hard at my challenge.
Nuée snorts and crosses her arms. “Then I’ll ask since you don’t have to worry about my authority. And respect goes two ways,” she says, then turns to Sebastian. “We’re not stupid. I love you, boy, and you’re my dear friend, but enough is enough.”
Christopher nods, endorsing his ward’s attitude. Although he frowns a moment later at her clear level of unhappiness.
She trusts her Mentor easily, but he’s been generous, gentle and encouraging with her from the beginning, and so she’s demanding of her best friend without realizing how she places him in danger. Her worldview is built on safety, but so little of it exists for Sebastian.
Pike continues, staring straight at me. “Maybe my attitude’s because of Johan’s message asking me to keep an eye on you both right before you came back to the suite. Maybe because I’m out of my comfort zone when I get forced into the gold haze of my Verse, but with a view of something very different than normal, like some collage of disjointed landscapes. Maybe because of the magnificent light filled crystal tangles floating there in song, hypnotizing and almost like being drugged. Or does it count as being drugged?” His jaw ticks while his eyes grow distant, as if he’s seeing the beautiful tangles now.
“And all after you left us to fuck,” Colleen adds with a sickening smile and a nod to us.
Ravel leans forward from where his back rests on the lower support of an occasional chair. “And the music was…. Otherworldly. I started crying after hearing it.” His eyes are lit with wonder and he shakes his head as if to clear it.
Sebastian turns to me. “Your erotic skills make even others hear music from on high.”
“Angel,” I warn.
“Yeah, it’s like the music of angels.” He’s smiling as he’s clearly considered his words hilarious. But then his hand squeezes my thigh, his eyes soften, and his chin tilts up in encouragement. He’s here. It’s all that matters as we sit among the people meant to be our friends. But how do they fit in this? And how can my Angel be calm facing the awful facts of the magic?
“Anyway,” Pike continues, “the vision lasted under a minute, and then some sort of explosion happened, and a funnel of energy got pushed into me. My tangles reacted by trying to move toward the light crystals, but instead the energy overtook me and I passed out. Not for long, and when I came to everyone seemed to have gone through the same thing and was trying to recover. It had cut us up.”
Verse curse it. What does this mean? This room is warm. Too warm. I rub my sweaty palm across the leg of my pants.
Pike’s jaw ticks again. “So I’ll respectfully request that you tell us what exactly is going on with you. Whatever it is, it exposed everyone’s Verse to one another’s then forced us unconscious. If you’re dangerous, we need to know. If you’re on the cusp of the power we hope you’ll reach, then tell us so we can celebrate and help to determine what this means for everyone.”
“Daav?” Sebastian squeezes my thigh once more. What do I want to do he’s asking with the question of my name. He leans closer and whispers to me. “We need help figuring this out.”
I gaze Colleen’s way as she sits with her fingers trailing over Frederick’s leg. She looks pointedly at Sebastian’s hand on me and smiles. We are not like each other even if she’s implying as much.
“He doesn’t trust us,” she says. “Or me, to be more exact. But here’s where you’ve misunderstood, Daav. My motivations may seem questionable to you, but you are family, and I defend my family. Plus, I really want to know about the psychedelic visions we all just rode in our Verse.” She shrugs her admission. “And how you shut down the entire power grid of the city.”
“He did that?” Esther asks.
“And the one at the docks early the next morning,” she says.
Christopher whistles in appreciation.
“Or sources say he did,” Colleen answers.
I wait for her to bring up my sister, assuming her eyes at Headquarters have uncovered that truth. She doesn’t. Either she doesn’t know or is saving the card to play later.
Nuée clears her throat with purpose and points at me. “You owe us something now. Tell us what’s happening.” She turns to Sebastian. “You owe me as much if not more.”
Sebastian’s hand squeezes harder on my thigh. He’s angry, but I’m angrier.
“Why?” I ask. “Because everything is about fairness and justice? When has that ever been the case? We owe nothing. If we share, it’s because we decide it’s what we want to do. I’m done giving my life to the Conclave’s mission if it won’t serve our people, and I certainly won’t do it if it threatens those I love.” My eyes shift sideways to my Angel and back again.
Another crease at Bethany’s brow. “You sound like Seb. He returns, challenging the Conclave’s plans and suddenly you’re doing the same.”
“This has nothing to do with Sebastian.”
Sebastian chuckles. “While I always relish the title of troublemaker, I can’t claim responsibility for Daav’s change in thinking. I’m not his keeper. He chooses.”
“My power has grown,” I admit. “But not through any planned attempts. My Verse is forcing the changes, hungry for more, and calls out with its need. I’ve no control over it and it’s dangerous, although I’ve only now understood this. I let this go on and it’s going to hurt everyone. It already hurt all of you. I had to blow up the entire grid to keep it from harming Sebastian.”
I gesture to the abrasions over everyone’s bodies but don’t look at my lover and the long cut down his cheek, one of many. Too deep for my liking.
I catalog the disasters starting with the explosion when Sebastian and Hanna’s Verse touched, the way I’d channeled the energy into the power grid, and the explosion on the docks.
“Were you two having sex the time with the power grid and with the docks?” Deidre asks me.
I force back a clipped refusal to discuss our private life. It should belong to no one but us, but apparently it now does.
“Only at the Tristan Crane celebration, and tonight. Not the docks.” My answer hisses out through my clenched jaw.
Hanna blows out a breath. “It’s not just you, Daav. You weren’t involved when my tangles touched Seb’s and we saw each other’s Verse.” Her words are an offered hand, reaching out to take the burden from me.
More surprise looks around the room, maybe at her speaking in my defense.
“That started when he was re-exposed to me.” I’m shaking my head in denial. It’s my magic posing a risk.
Frederick finally removes Colleen’s fingers from his thigh. Strangely, she lets him with no protest.
“I saw a lot of images when the power went haywire earlier,” he says. “A Verse of pain filled, evil, monster darkness.” He’s already looking at Sebastian.
“Mine,” my Angel admits, nodding.
“Fuck, really? That’s yours?” Christopher asks, as faces around the room turn pale.
Pike snorts and throws up his hands as if that’s invalidated all my points. “Then how do you know it’s your Verse that’s having the effect, Daav? Maybe it’s Seb’s? Maybe something’s twisted in that nightmare and it’s infecting you and your magic?”
“No!” I bark. “This has nothing to do with him. And he’s hurt worse from it than any of us.”
Esther chimes in. “That fact may be unrelated. It doesn’t rule out that Seb is the problem.”
“I agree,” Deidre adds. “The clearest change is his reappearance in your life.
Pikes sighs. “Seb, maybe you should tell us more about your Verse. If it’s sabotaging…”
Before I can argue, Colleen speaks.
“We don’t turn on our family.” She eyes everyone in the group. “We don’t lay blame. They are ours for better or worse.”
“We can’t afford to turn our backs on reality,” Esther says. “This isn’t about blame. We must be practical. If something is harming the normal function of the Verse…”
“How easily you jump to that conclusion, and with so little,” Colleen argues.
My hand slams the table. “Stop! You want to understand the situation and gain my participation and good will, you’ll stop this now.”
“I get that you love him, Daav,” Christopher says. “But don’t turn a blind eye because–”
I’m on my feet now, the hot burn of my anger coating my throat. I lunge at him, but Sebastian’s up and wrapping an arm around me to keep me in place. “Easy, Prince,” he soothes.
My response is a growl shooting up from my gut.
“You accuse me of refusing to see what’s in front of my eyes? My stomach turns with your hypocrisy. Wasn’t it convenient all those years you and the entire Conclave chose to be blind to two predators from this group. The ones abusing the very children who were their responsibility? Johan tells me he allowed it because it’s his job. His job to place the welfare of the country above the welfare of any one mage. He’s so entrenched in the rhetoric of the Conclave I don’t doubt he believes this. But all of you? A Cohort and their Mentors are meant to be a family. So what does it mean you remained quiet?” I stab my finger toward Colleen. “And let her and let Victor abuse your family. On purpose. Repeatedly. With no intention of stopping and no regret in sight.”
I turn to face this monster in our midst. Sebastian’s hold tightens as if he knows how close I am to losing it.
“Colleen, your loyalty now is not worth the cost we paid. Me, Sebastian and Frederick. I will tell you all one more time, Sebastian’s Verse has nothing to do with what’s happening. It’s my magic that’s changing and becoming a threat. You’ve told me, the entire Conclave’s told me all along I’m tied to the prophecy, and now you refuse to believe I’m affecting the changes?” I laugh, and I know it sounds unhinged. I feel unhinged.
“I will not use my Verse any longer in this fight. We find another way to get Harkness off our backs and our country free of his subjugation. If we get rid of him, we can invest in technology and science without the economic squeeze hindering us. Without him we have a chance, and that’s the help you’ll get from me. Help to make that path happen.You can go fuck yourselves if you expect anything else.”
Sebastian presses his forehead hard against the side of my skull while I’m glaring at everyone. “Shhhhh, love, hey, let’s go back to our room. Let them think about what you’ve said.”
I wrench away from him. “No, they tell us now. Will you or won’t you help? You want a plan? Harkness’s heir, my sister, is locked away in Johan’s custody to buy my good will.” I spin to Colleen. “Have you uncovered that secret with your connections yet?”
She doesn’t answer. Her lips are pressed tight, her brow pinched.
“My sister is our best bet of changing the relationship with Staltz. She wants my help, she opposes her father’s policies, and with her we have a way forward. That’s what’s going on. That’s my plan. I’ve brought you into the know, happy? Now it’s your turn. Decide. Help me get her out, get us out, to make this happen, because I won’t be doing anything else with my Verse.”
The room sits in stunned silence.
Quiet tears stream Nuée’s face. Hanna wraps her in her arms. Bethany and Ravel have their eyes trained on their laps, struggling with all sorts of emotions flicking over their expressions. Christopher, Esther, Deidre and Pike gaze at us finally with their versions of guilt and regret. At least they’re capable of it.
Colleen only smiles her scheming smile. “Yes, I see why you were Victor’s favorite. Harkness is a fool. You would have made a magnificent leader for Staltz, Daav. You can hate me forever, mistrust me forever, but I will help you if you decide you want it.”
“I’ll help,” Hanna says from where she holds Nuée.
“Of course I will,” Nuée adds wiping tears. “Whatever you need. I’m so sorry.”
“Count me in,” Ravel says, looking up, and turning a worried look toward Nuée’s tears.
“Me as well,” Bethany adds.
The rest of the Mentors nod and murmur their agreement with the effort. Stiff movements, but at last stopping their witch hunt of Sebastian. I don’t know what to believe about them.
Frederick pulls away fully from Colleen and stands. He crosses to stop in front of me and Sebastian and turns to look at Colleen over his shoulder before facing us again. “You two have always had courage. You’re survivors. I’ll help, if you’ll show me how to be like you.” His voice shakes, but it’s clear, full of determination.
Next to me, I hear Sebastian’s in drawn breath, then his sigh of relief.
Warmth flushes through me.
I hope Frederick means it.
Because if nothing else good comes from this disaster, from everything around me breaking, I’ll savor this one moment.
Frederick’s first victory prying open the jaws of the trap that’s held him, his first step away.
Toward freedom.