Page 9

“Does this conversation bore you, Tobias?”

I blinked away the daydream of open fields of wild honeysuckle, flinching from the intensity of Mother’s icy gaze. The others gathered around the meeting table watched me as well, a blend of resentment and pity, to which I’d long grown immune, tainting their expressions.

I bowed my head quickly, offering an apology of forced sincerity. “Not at all, Mother. Please accept my apologies.”

Mother squared her shoulders, expanding herself to fill every bit of the high-backed chair she occupied. “Then I will repeat myself now that I’ve captured your attention. Was your rendezvous with Corinth Creeley a success?”

My mind drifted back to the brunette man, images of his ivory skin drenched in sweat and twisted between silken fabric as he moaned my name.

I cleared my throat. “Yes, he was quite receptive to the ideas you suggested, Mother.”

To her left, Lynette snickered. “I’m sure he was very receptive.”

Murmuring rippled along the table, but I didn’t pay it any heed. My years of service on Mother’s behalf had inoculated me to the judgment of others.

“I’m pleased to hear it,” Mother continued, ignoring Lynette’s jeering. “The Creeleys are the last to hold out on my initiative to quash the Unseen Rebellion once and for all. As soon as Madame Creeley caves, we must move swiftly ? —”

“Apologies, Mother,” Lynette interrupted, the lurid chatter evaporating. Shocked stares followed from around the table. “But perhaps we could reopen the discussion of parlaying with the Rebellion leaders for a ceasefire? I’ve been reviewing the documentation from Rudderkin’s latest demands, and I can’t say they’re unwarranted.”

An oppressive silence settled over the room as if no one dared to breathe while they awaited Mother’s response. When she did not speak, Lynette continued, “The Unseen are merely seeking fair compensation for their dedicated service to the other Magi, and I believe that negotiation may be the best chance we have at avoiding unnecessary bloodshed on both sides ? —”

“Enough.”

Crushing weight squeezed the air from my lungs, the pressure of Mother’s magic pressing into my body like a wave of sand, trapping my limbs in place. From the wide-eyed fear displayed on the other faces at the table, I could only assume that Mother’s power was equally distributed across the room. A man at the end of the table clawed at his throat, a garbled, wet gasp escaping his lips.

My eyes panned to Lynette, who merely sat still in her seat, fixated on Mother. Was she under the same assault?

“You may be my successor,” said Mother in a controlled tone, addressing her daughter. “But my word is still final. This rebellion will meet its end in the manner that all rebellions should. With blood and ash.”

The slightest lip tremble was the only crack in Lynette’s stone expression.

“As you wish, Mother.”

A collective sigh filled the room as the oppressive force lifted, allowing me control of my body once more. The man at the end of the table coughed violently, and Mother tugged casually at the lapels of her blazer.

“Renata,” she addressed the dark-skinned woman to my left. “Your forces must be ready at any moment to mobilize. Has Broussard been able to identify the location of Rudderkin yet?”

“Not yet, Your Grace,” the woman replied. “But I am confident in his abilities. The strike force will be ready when the time comes. You have my word.”

“It would seem as though your word is the only thing you can offer me at the moment,” Mother said through a sigh. “I only hope that you’ve placed your faith in the right man, Renata. I would not have so willingly left my fate in the hands of another. Especially one so weak as a man.”

Renata stiffened in her seat.

“Wise words as always, Your Grace. I thank you for them.”

Just then, Mother’s eyes fluttered closed, a slight twitch under her eye telling me that a message was being delivered to her directly through magical means. When she opened them a moment later, they shimmered with a mirthful glee.

“Madame Creeley has requested an audience with me,” she said, rising from her seat. She addressed the table, towering over us all. “The time has almost arrived, my friends. A new era of peace. May it be the foundation on which you continue to build our legacy, my daughter.”

The rest of the table, minus Lynette, stood to join in Mother’s triumph. I watched my sister, her gaze distant as she stared down at her hands, lips spread into a taut grimace.

Mother’s departure was like a vacuum, sucking all the air out of the room in her absence. The others quickly dispersed, each of Mother’s peons hurrying off to finalize preparations for her newest act of ambition. Lynette lingered in her seat, her eyes still fixed downward.

She was a thousand miles away. I couldn’t blame her. But I also couldn’t deny the frustration building in my gut.

“You knew that she would never change her mind, Lenny. Why even bother?”

My sister looked up, the familiar mask of bravado vacant from her face for the first time in years. She looked…scared. As if she were staring down her worst nightmares brought to life. In many ways, I suppose she was. No matter how powerful Lynette was, I knew her heart. She had always abhorred violence, while Mother wielded it like an extension of herself.

“I can’t be a part of this, Tobi. I can’t let this be my legacy.”

I sank back into my chair, letting out a sigh. “I hate to break it to you, but it already is. For both of us. This is just the latest chapter in the fucked-up history of our family.”

Lynette leveled a blistering glare at me. “How can you be so blasé? Can’t you see what’s going on here? This is exactly how the Reviled Exodus began. Mother won’t be satisfied until the Adored are the only Magi left with power. Until she is the only one.”

“The Reviled were menaces to society,” I argued. “Everyone knows that. They were trying to upset the natural order between life and death. They forced the Council’s hand.”

Lynette bit back a scathing laugh. “Is that what she told you? My gods, Tobi. You’re denser than stone sometimes.”

“Well, excuse me for not being as learned as you, oh great Successor. I’m fortunate the little bit of magic I have is useful to Mother, or else she would have gotten rid of me ages ago.”

“I’m just as powerless against her as you are, Tobi. You saw it—hell, everyone saw it today. I can’t stand up to her. She’s too strong.”

The idea of standing up to Mother was pointless. Here, within the walls of our house, she ruled with absolute power. Lynette was a fool to think otherwise.

“Would you?” I asked, lowering my voice because I never knew who could be listening around the Chateau. “If you had the power to defy her, would you even do it? It’s not just Mother that you’d have to convince, Lenny. The rest of the Council would still have to change their minds as well.”

Lynette doesn’t answer.

“Exactly. So, forget about it, Lenny. Play it safe until you’re the one holding all the power. Then you can do whatever you want. Just like she does.”

Lynette shook her head, a sad smile curling the edges of her mouth. “I know. That’s what I’m afraid of.”

* * *

“You’re a fucking Truthsayer?”

Bastien waited till we were safely back in the car before the accusations started flying. I was honestly shocked we made it out of the Cradle in one piece without Bastien’s Veil to conceal us. Cirian must have decided that we weren’t worth the fuss after all.

Gods, he was such an arsehole.

“Does it matter?” Lorelei replied, closing her eyes and jamming a finger into her temple.

“Yes, it fucking matters,” Bastien retorted, running a hand over the intricate tattoos that spanned up his forearms. I wanted to inspect them closer, but there were more important matters at hand. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Wait, what’s a Truthsayer?” I questioned.

“A mortal who can use small amounts of magic to detect falsehoods,” Bastien replied.

A mortal using magic? That shouldn’t have been possible….

“It’s not something I like to broadcast,” Lorelei continued. “Kind of defeats the purpose of my abilities if I go around announcing myself. And let’s get one thing clear, corpse peddler. You work for me. I don’t have to tell you anything.”

“Why are you asking about Rudderkin?” I interjected, searching for answers to my own questions. “What does the Rebellion have to do with Lynette’s disappearance?”

Lorelei let out a hearty laugh. “Now you have questions. Okay, Tobias. Your mother asked me to explore all avenues related to Lynette’s disappearance. What, with her bleeding heart for the Unseen’s plight, it only makes sense that she’d open herself up to being a target for those extremists to utilize. She’d make a great bargaining chip for negotiating with the madame.”

Bastien let out a huff beside me, muttering something under his breath that I couldn’t catch.

It made sense. The Unseen Rebellion could easily have been the ones who kidnapped Lynette. If that were the case, Mother would be forced to negotiate with them or risk her Successor. But if Lynette were taken by them, where did I factor in? Was I simply an expendable pawn standing in the way of their prize? Did I try and defend Lynette and get caught up in the crossfire? How would they even manage to capture her in the first place? Lynette was more powerful than any other Adored presently alive besides Mother. Even if they did manage to capture her, they could never hold her.

Something wasn’t adding up.

I needed to recall those moments leading up to my death.

“So, what now?” Bastien questioned, his tone gruff. “You’ve risked exposing me to the Hallowed, and we’ve no more information than before.”

“Not true,” Lorelei argued. “My conversation with the Cardinal-to-be was incredibly illuminating, even if you couldn’t see it. For instance, I know that he and Lynette discussed the location of Rudderkin, which means Lynette would have had that information beforehand. And if she had the information, why did she not share it with Madame Greene, who was waiting to give the orders to eradicate the rebellion? If we’re to believe the rumors flying around Cirian, then his involvement would lead me to think that Lynette was passing along the whereabouts of Rudderkin. And, of course, if Cirian were going to help relocate Rudderkin, then he’d risk the Church being accused of siding with the Rebellion, which has a plethora of nasty implications. He must have a good reason to put so much on the line.

“Then there’s Lynette. If it’s true that she shared information with Cirian, that would make her guilty of high treason. Madame Greene would certainly be stuck between a rock and a hard place by having to execute her own daughter and heir to her legacy.”

Bastien watched the woman, his eyes wide and mouth hanging open. I was stunned myself, though my cluttered mind made it difficult to fully digest the information being presented.

Would Lynette be that foolish? Would she have risked everything—her entire future—for a group of others? It was a dangerous game, if true. One that she knew she couldn’t lose or else there would be grave consequences. There were always consequences when you defied Mother.

An idea wormed its way into my mind, causing me to shiver.

What if this was the reason I died? Had I found out about Lynette’s plan and tried to stop her? Tried to convince her that she was making a mistake in throwing everything away? Would she have gone to such lengths to stay the course, even if it meant ending her own brother’s life?

Bile rose in the back of my throat as my head spun.

Bastien leaned forward in his seat, bracing his elbows on his knees. “Those are some serious accusations, Orion.”

“And yet, the pieces fit. You can’t argue that fact.” She took out her leather-bound notebook, jotting something down with a quick flourish. “Cirian all but confirmed it. Now, all that’s left is locating Lynette, and my task will be complete.”

The realization struck me like a lightning bolt. “You’re looking for the rebellion.”

Lorelei ignored my proclamation, continuing to write in her notebook.

“This was never about Lynette, was it?” I continued, stringing together the inconsistencies that stood glaring in the daylight. “Mother just wants to know where they’re hiding, and she knows Lynette will be there.”

“Is that true?” Bastien asked, voice tight.

“And what if it is?” Lorelei proposed. “You’ll still get paid, regardless, corpse peddler. And you’ll get to go back to your blissful sleep, Tobias. So, really, it’s a win-win-win.”

A flash of green from beside me drew my attention, but when I looked over at Bastien, he was merely checking his watch.

“What did Mother tell you to do when you find Lynette?” I asked, needing to hear it plainly.

“My job is simply to inform her when I have a visual. Once that happens, my obligations have been filled, and whatever happens next isn’t my problem.”

“Would she really hurt Lynette?” Bastien asked, looking over to me.

Bastien had never met Mother. Never felt the pull of a power so great it threatened to smother you at any moment. To snuff the light from your eyes, if only to watch it go. I’d felt it. I’d been a victim of the overwhelming strength of Adoranda Greene’s magic. So, without hesitation, I replied, “Yes. Yes, she would.”

Bastien checked his watch again.

“Well, I’ve just about got this wrapped up,” announced Lorelei, turning around in her seat to peer back through the divider. “Tobias, I just need one more thing from you. We’re headed to the gravesite that you were found in, and I’m hoping that it’ll spark some more of your memory of that night. Your sister told you where she was going, of that I’m almost sure. All I need is for you to tell me what she said, and then we can get you back where you belong.”

“Forget it,” I said, folding my arms across my chest in a gesture of defiance. “I won’t help you if it means putting Lenny in danger.”

Lorelei made a pouty face, turning her attention instead to Bastien. “I guess it’s time for you to earn your keep, then. Come on, corpse whisperer. Work your little magic and make the puppet do what I want.”

Bastien’s fist clenched at his side, and he checked his watch once more.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Am I keeping you? Do you have a date?”

I watched Bastien, too, waiting for his answer to her demand. Could he really force me to do something against my will? How strange to face the very weapon I used to wield so thoughtlessly. Perhaps it was the universe balancing the scales before my (second) final breath.

But Bastien’s response never came. He merely held still, staring down at his watch, his lips moving silently as if he were counting down the seconds till—he moved in a blur of motion, sliding to close the distance between us on the bench seat and pulling one of the safety belts around him and myself. In a flash, the restraint clicked into place, and Bastien’s arm wrapped around my trunk just as the impact hit.

The car spun, and Lorelei was thrown from her seat into the driver’s side window, the glass splintering on contact. I clung to the bar above me as the vehicle lurched, the tires skidding across the pavement with a deafening squeal. With a second impact, the car tipped, rolling side over side and spraying the interior with shards of glass as we toppled. I shut my eyes, Bastien’s grip on me slipping at some point, but the restraints held me in place well enough.

As the deafening noise subsided and the momentum of the crash halted, it took me a split second to realize I was hanging upside down as shadows moved outside the splintered windows. Pain radiated from side, and I drew a hand away from my ribs, fresh blood covering my skin in a layer of crimson. A shard of glass protruded from my side, and I tried not to shift too much. My mouth tasted of blood, and my vision blurred. Voices filtered through the ringing in my ears, shouting coming from the exterior. Bastien wasn’t beside me any longer, and I frantically panned back and forth till I spotted him stirring beneath me, his body a heap of tangled limbs. Carefully, I tried to free myself from the belt holding me in place, but the release wouldn’t work. I nearly yelped when a hand wrapped around my wrist.

Bastien clung to me, pulling himself upright. A long cut ran across his forehead and leaked blood down the side of his face, but his eyes were wide and alert.

“Are you okay?” I asked, breathless.

Bastien didn’t answer, his free hand extending toward me as well. For the briefest moment, I thought he was going to embrace me, but then I felt the heat of his fingertips sink into the flesh of my chest. A string of words poured from his mouth as a green light filled the car.

Searing pain dulled my senses as an immense pressure squeezed my sternum. I couldn’t form words through the agony, but my eyes locked with Bastien’s, hoping he’d understand what I was asking. But then the pressure abated, a pleasant numbness seizing my limbs as Bastien pulled his hand away, clutching a blood-stained green gem.

“B-Bast?” I croaked as the edges of my vision darkened.

But Bastien was swallowed by the darkness, the sound of my straining heartbeat the last thing to ring in my ears before crushing silence overcame me.