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“I am not the enemy here! I get it; you miss Dad. We all do. But do you think I enjoy having an empire on my shoulders? Just a few months ago, I was partying like you were!” I feel the veins bulging on my neck as I really let loose. Reece tries to calm me down, and I shake her off.

I’m too far gone for reasoning with or restraining myself. She needs a reality check. My voice thunders, “Stop being so fucking selfish, Reece. I lost my dad, too. Do you ever think about someone other than yourself? Don’t forget, I used to be your brother, and now I have to be your parent and a businessman. I lost more than one thing that night. So either get your shit together and help me run this empire, or I will kill you myself. Because that’s what the other families will do if you don’t take this seriously.”

Her eyes widen, and she nods her head.

I take a deep breath in, trying to calm the simmering rage now that I finally got through to her. “You have an hour to clean this place. Without magic. Then meet me in my study. Lexie Rhodes was murdered, and we need to talk about what’s next for this family.”

Chapter 8 | The Sorcerers

Dominic

Ican categorize my memories into a time before and after Mom left. While there are distinct moments that separate the memories, there is one thing that remains consistent; everyone needs magic. Whether it's to sway public opinion or campaign votes, influence world events, or know which company to trade in, our family was and is perfectly suited to provide magic for these things.

Our estate was always busy with activity from Supernaturals and select humans alike that sought our services out, and sometimes, they had children. I never understood the implications of what the visitors wanted. All I knew was that I had friends to play with, and I was thrilled by that. Since my sisters were too young to play hide and seek with me, my favorite game, these other kids would. My favorite hiding spots were in the extensive garden hedges or my father’s study. This game could entertain me for hours if I had a willing participant.

But things changed. Mom left, I grew up and stopped playing games, and then Dad died. When I took over, people stopped coming, and I haveno idea why. That worries me for more than one reason. It’s because I know the need for magic hasn’t changed. Where are they getting it from if they’re not getting it from us? Are one of the other Sorcerer families working behind my back? These are all questions I can’t answer on my own, and as I walk to the study with my footsteps echoing loudly through the empty passages, I admit the truth to myself. It’s because we’re not taken seriously anymore. I’m still a kid in the other family’s eyes.

Opening the large mahogany door to Dad’s study, I unbutton my waistcoat and throw it over my chair. Unbuttoning my shirt collar so I can breathe a bit, I try to make sense of the work I need to catch up on. While it’s overwhelming, I knew what I was in for and that taking time off for the wedding would make it worse. It was necessary for the sake of networking though, but is the risk really worth the reward if I’m losing control of our empire? What’s the point of networking if it doesn’t help improve things and only makes things worse?

On top of that, I never counted on the temper tantrum waiting for me at home. Sighing, I move towards the alcohol cabinet and pour myself a drink and knock it back in one go. It burns my throat, and I welcome the feeling as I pour myself a second drink. There is a mountain of paperwork waiting for me at Dad’s desk as I get comfortable in his chair. From my position, it gives me a perfect vantage point of the gardens and the twins cleaning up without their magic. Watching Reece shout at Remi, I can’t hear about what, I try not to snicker. I wonder what they would do if they knew about half the things I got up to at their age. Maybe, one day I will tell them about it. When things have normalized.

While it's easy to see we’re all related, I definitely took more after Dad with my dark blonde hair and chocolate brown eyes. I inherited his senseof style too, and a three-piece suit is my answer to most occasions, just like his was. Maybe that’s why out of all the rooms in our estate that I could have selected for my study, I chose Dad’s.

Here, the good memories outweigh the bad, and there is something comforting about sitting where Dad sat. What I would give for one more moment with him and to hear his laughter, or to get his advice on everything that’s going on. But that will not happen, and instead, I will draw comfort from knowing he walked this path before me, and if he can do it, then so can I.

Logging onto my laptop and checking the messages, I prioritize the urgent ones, first; I have people to pay off. When that’s done, I move on to the coded correspondence about the drug shipment arriving in the port in a few days. It’s our biggest one yet, and a spark of excitement forms. If we pull this off the way we’ve planned, it's going to make the Sorcerers exceptionally wealthy. Maybe even more wealthy than the Rhodes, and we all know that money is power.

Considering that Dad only had a chance to show me a few things before he died, I don’t think I’m doing too badly. But even if I’m doing a good job, is it enough? Or are the other families laughing behind my back? Will I be the Sorcerer responsible for the fall of the Hecate line because I couldn’t retain our family's position?

Looking down at the family tattoo on my hand, a crest and a Greek translation of “we’re stronger together than apart,” my mind wanders to our ancestors. I know the story well of how they came to be here, and if they overcame that, surely I can overcome a bit of teething issues due to our change of leadership? Leaning over and opening the secure drawer with a spell only someone from our family can use, I grab the Sorcerer’s Tomeof Origins. Every Sorcerer family has one like this, and it's easily our most guarded and prized possession. Being hundreds of years old, I don’t want to think too hard about what they used for pages back then.

The first time Dad explained to me what we were, I was in awe. While all the families came from Europe, our family has Greek origins. It lines up with Hecate’s creation, even if the human legends have spun her story way out of control. The illustration of her on the front page of the tome still fills me with the same sense of pride. Her long, dark hair and alabaster skin stands out against her black and gold woven dress, and gold bangles line her arms.

“What would you do if you were in my position?” I murmur as I turn the pages. Starting at the story of how they fled Europe, I page through how they started fresh in what we now know as America, and I end at the last page, which shows our family tree, which dates back to Hecate.

That’s it. Our family needs strength.

A knock at the door interrupts my musings, and I call out for the twins to enter the study. Pressing my lips together, I try not to laugh because they both look like racoons with their smudged make up and sweats combo. Pointing to the chairs opposite me, they take their seat as I explain our predicament.

“I’ve taken on too much. If we don’t start making some changes, I will follow Dad’s path, and there will be no empire left for future generations of Sorcerers.” I pause, observing the twins’ reactions, and satisfied that they’re listening, I continue. “I’ve prayed to Hecate for her guidance, and she’s shown me our family needs a show of strength. So the first thing we’re going to do is find someone to manage this estate. I can’t do this on top ofeverything else too. The other families have someone to do this, so it's time we get someone, too.”

My speech is interrupted by Reece running from the room, and I look at Remi in confusion as I say, “What just happened?” Turning to look behind her before she meets my gaze again, she says, “I don’t know; we both hung out with different crowds at the party, but she’s probably drunk and needs to throw up.” Putting my head in my hands in frustration, I count to five before I look up again. We wait in silence for Reece to return, looking paler than she was before.

Grabbing the ornament on my desk, I throw it against the wall, and the loud crash echoes through the study as the twins flinch. “This stops right now. All of this. You are not normal, so stop with the human teenager bullshit.”

Clearing my throat, I continue explaining, “We need to strengthen the family bloodline and add to it. Since the both of you are far too young for this option, it will have to be me. So I’m going to need you to contact Ryder and see if he’s got any suitable human wives for me.” Remi grabs a page from my desk and makes a note about my instructions as Reece just looks thoughtful.

Remi puts her hand up, and I nod at her, so she asks. “Is there anything specific we should look for in the candidate?” Shaking my head, I respond, “No, as long as the person is competent and has some ties to the Supernatural, I’m happy.”

I carry on, “Next, we need a show of power; something that screams the Hart empire is stronger than ever. I need ideas.” Snapping my fingers, I look between them and try to encourage a brainstorm. The twins look at each other, and they say nothing but weirdly seem to be on the same pageas Remi nods and gives Reece the go ahead. Turning to look at me, she says, “The religious group.” Looking at them quizzically, I ask them to explain.

“A few weeks ago, Brooklyn Rhodes was pulled out of school unexpectedly. Safety concerns were cited. Because there are so many humans at our school, we had to be careful when asking around.” Turning to Remi, she mutters something under her breath, and Remi nods before Reece continues her explanation.

“There is this religious group called Children of the Christ that has been targeting the Rhodes for a few weeks. The daughter of their leader goes to our school too, and Eden has been making Brooklyn’s life miserable. We overheard Eden calling Brooklyn a demon, so we suspect they saw one of the Rhodes mid shift. You know how humans always try to justify the Supernatural, not believing what’s right in front of them.”

Taking a sip of my drink, I mull that information over. I hum, “Okay. I’ll bite. Why would dealing with this religious group be the show of power we need?”

She smirks, clearly thinking she’s onto something juicy. “Because they’re inconveniencing one of our allies at a time where he’s grieving his daughter. But we have to be smart about how we do this. It would be bad for business if we were open in our approach. It doesn’t matter what you think about him, having Eric Rhodes in your corner is a good move.”