Charmed Vengeance (36 page)

“Earth court colors,” James whispered, eyes widening in horror.

“Its Brogan, it’s all my fault.” Noli shook, but she didn’t wail or cry.

He put an arm around her. “Let’s go inside. Perhaps my uncle simply paid my father a social call. After all, they are brothers.”

Steven didn’t believe it himself. His uncle had never visited them in the mortal realm. Why now? He opened the door. Blood splattered the kitchen and it looked as if a skirmish had occurred. His knees went weak and Noli’s hand flew to her mouth.

“It’s just blood,” Steven told her—and himself—as he glanced around the kitchen searching for bodies. Drawers had been pulled out and cupboards opened. “You don’t have to go any further. Do you want to go to your own house and wait for us?”

She shook her head and grabbed his hand. “We’ll this together.”

That was his Noli.

James shuffled over to them, frowning, something in his hand. “Earth court guard knife. This doesn’t look good.”

Steven couldn’t form words as he took the knife from James and examined it. When their father had been king Uncle Brogan had commanded the earth court guard. All earth court solders had the same uniforms and weapons. Uncle Brogan had taught them how to use a knife with one just like the one in his hand.

His finger traced the earth court insignia burned into the handle and handed it back to James. “Let’s continue on.”

Not that he wanted to. He had no desire to see who the blood belonged to.

They followed the blood trail to his father’s study, his heart thumping the entire time. Noli clutched his hand so tightly that it went numb. When they entered the room, Noli put a handkerchief to her face and turned away.

“Flying figs,” James swore.

“Father.” Steven’s knees shook. They hadn’t had the best relationship, but he was still his father. The stench of rotting flesh made his eyes water. Blood spattered the furniture, the walls, and the floor. The lingering pulse of magic tingled under his skin.

The room looked ransacked, drawers open, books off the shelves. Were they hunting for something or trying to make it look like a robbery gone awry for the sake of the mortal police?

Even though he should do something—anything—all he could do was pull Noli to him and stare at the grisly scene. Dead. His father was dead, murdered in cold blood. He wasn’t sure if he should scream, cry, run and hide, head off pell-mell to hurt whoever did this …

Everything pointed to it being Uncle Brogan’s work.

James came up beside him, eyes filled with disbelief. “I don’t understand. Why would earth court soldiers do this? Father’s done nothing to anyone, especially Uncle Brogan.”

No, their father had left the Otherworld quietly and moped in the mortal realm like a good exile, bothering no one. Anger welled up inside Steven.

“Father didn’t deserve to die, especially like this.” Judging from the state of the house and lingering magic, he’d at least put up a good fight. “Uncle Brogan probably didn’t even have enough honor to kill him himself and sent guards in his stead knowing father would be outnumbered.” Distain dripped from Steven’s voice. That was the coward’s way.

“It’s my fault. King Brogan promised to get revenge for me not giving him the artifacts.” Noli pressed her face into his shoulder. “I’m so sorry; your father didn’t deserve to die.”

Steven wrapped his arms around her. This was no scene for a lady, even one as uncommon as Noli. However, focusing on her helped to keep his own emotions at bay. Right now he needed to be rational and figure this out.

“It’s not your fault,” he soothed. “I have a feeling Uncle Brogan has been looking for a reason to do this. As long as we’re alive, James and I are threats to his crown.” Noli looked up at him. “Why would he kill your father if you two are the threats?”

“Because Uncle Brogan knows I’ll come after him in order to avenge my father—and he thinks I’ll lose.” He’d known for some time this day might come in some way, shape, or form, but he hadn’t expected it to be quite this soon.

A sharp breath hissed between her teeth. “Are you saying Uncle Brogan killed your father, knowing you’d come after him, and then he’ll kill you?”

Steven nodded, not ready to say the words out loud.

Her head shook slowly. “I will never understand Otherworld politics.”

“I think he meant this look like a robbery,” James poked around the room. “Nothing seems to be missing. But why? Why did he have to kill him?” He hit the wall with his fist.

Steven wandered over to the bookshelf, wondering if the contents behind it were what the perpetrators sought. “I think that was the plan, to make it look like it could have been anyone, even a mortal, leaving just enough evidence for us. The knife was probably an accident. I’m pretty sure he didn’t mean to be that sloppy. He’d want it to be a boy, besought from grief, attacking him with halfcocked revenge and no evidence.”

James snapped his fingers. “Uncle Brogan’s an excellent swordsman. He’ll be betting that he’ll win the challenge. Winning means he’s innocent, no matter what proof you have.”

“What?” Noli made a face, her eyes rimmed in red. “Winning proves his innocence? There’s no due process in the Otherworld?”

“We don’t have judges and juries in the Otherworld. We have monarchs, magic, and the Bright Lady.” Steven pulled the statuette on the bookshelf. It made a popping sound, releasing a hidden internal catch. His hand glowed green as he muttered the words to make the seal dissolve. The secret compartment hadn’t been disturbed. Good.

Steven pushed the bookshelf aside, revealing a safe. Putting his hand on it, he recited the spell that would open it. With a deep breath, he opened the door. Inside sat a suit of armor, a sword, a book, a ring and a wooden box.

Opening the ring box, he removed the gold ring with a stone as green as his sigil. Steven slid it on his right hand.

“Are you really?” James eyed the precious things his father had snuck into exile with him. Remnants of his father’s former rank.

“They’re mine now. Certainly, we can’t leave them here.” His fingertips brushed the elaborate sword which he had so many memories of. “When I kill Uncle Brogan, I think it would be poetic justice to use father’s sword.
Before all else, be armed.
”

James’ eyebrows rose. “Finally, a quote I like. Who says that?”

“Machiavelli.”

Noli’s face contorted. “You’re going to
kill
him?”

V put a hand onto her shoulder and gazed into her eyes. She still didn’t understand their world. But she tried.

His throat swelled. “I know it’s what he wants but I can’t ignore this.”

Dead. His father was dead. He felt simultaneously angry and numb.

“As long as you don’t die,” she whispered. “But I understand. If anyone hurt my family I’d kill them.”

“I don’t plan on dying. I have too much to do.” Too many things to fix. He put a hand on her arm. “We should look for Elise and Quinn.” He prayed to the Bright Lady they were alive and unharmed.

“Should we summon the police?” James asked.

“No. We’ll take father’s body home and bury it ourselves.” Steven swallowed hard. He’d give his father that much, a small token of how much he’d meant to him, even if he hadn’t told him so before he’d died.

“Yes, he’d like that,” James replied, voice hushed. “I still can’t believe Father is dead.”

Noli squeezed his shoulder. “I’ll go with you.”

“I’d like that.” He’d never told her, but she held him together, especially when he disappointed his father. Whatever happened to either of them, they went through it as a team.

He didn’t want that to ever stop.

They made their way through the house. Steven kept holding his breath, praying they didn’t find more bodies. Elise’s room stood empty. Clothes, toys, and books were strewn across the room.

“Someone packed quickly.” Noli surveyed the room.

“I hope Quinn took her away.” James’ face contorted in anger. “I know you, as eldest, have first right to challenge him, but I’ll be more than happy to kill Uncle Brogan if you want me to. Just say the word. He needs to pay.”

V nodded. “That means a lot to me. If Quinn left with Elise, there will be a message.” He turned to Noli. “Quinn and I knew that there could come a time where something might happen, so we worked out a system to magically leave each other a message.”

“That seems … organized.” Noli looked pale.

He opened his bedroom door and recoiled as the stench of the human condition hit them. Noli put her handkerchief back over her mouth and nose.

“That is disgusting.” James made a face at the mess on the bed. “I’m going to get some things from my room.” He left.

Steven’s nose scrunched and the corner of his lips turned down as he went to his bookshelf. “Truly, that is vile. I can’t see Uncle Brogan’s men doing that.”

Pulling out a particularly old and dusty book, he flipped through the pages.

Noli peered over his shoulder. “Quinn left you a note in a book?”

“In a way. Here.” He held open a page with his finger so she could see. “He used his magic to leave me a symbol on a specified page. No one would know what it meant but me. This narrow rectangle means he and one other person have fled, in this case, Elise.” His finger traced the rectangle. “The circle means they’re safe and will contact us soon.”

“Only you would have a code that was so complex yet so useless,” she teased. “How will he know where to find us?”

“I vote for leaving word with Mathias,” James called from his room.

Steven tucked the book under his arm. “That’s a good idea. I have a feeling they wouldn’t leave the mortal realm, but we should check the big house and leave a note when we depart.”

James appeared in the doorway. “What’s the plan?”

“Take father’s body, as well as anything we want to keep, back to the big house.” Steven looked around, trying to decide what to take as the realization hit. This chapter of his life was closed. This would never be home again. Life would never be the same. He sighed as he tangled his fingers in Noli’s hair. “I don’t think we’re coming back here. Ever.”

Noli watched as V and James placed white stones on top of the fresh mound of dirt, making a tumulus. They’d buried Mr. Darrow by the faerie tree in the center of the maze, the same one where she’d buried the tiny wood faery that had died in her hands, the same one they’d put her inside— which she still didn’t quite understand.

Her fingers brushed the bark of the old oak. There was something she needed to remember.

Something fun, I hope,
the sprite piped up.

Noli suppressed a groan. She’d known the sprite’s silence wouldn’t last forever.

“You put one on.” V held out a stone to her. His father’s sword bumped against his back. He hadn’t taken it off since he’d removed it from the safe with the other precious things his father had kept there. The ring glimmered on V’s hand.

Taking the stone, she carefully placed it on the tumulus. Noli looked over at the star blooms surrounding the oat. Crouching, she stroked the closed petals.
Bloom
, she told it.
Please?
She didn’t know if she had to be polite in her magic, but it wouldn’t hurt. The pink blossom opened, its sweet fragrance filling her nose. Picking it, she went over and placed it on the tumulus. V flashed her a grateful smile. James and V bowed their heads. She took V’s hand. Mr. Darrow hadn’t deserved to die.

After a few moments, they walked in silence to the library, which was filled with piles of books and other things they’d painstakingly brought back from the house in Los Angeles. Quinn and Elise hadn’t been at the big house, nor were there any messages in the places V had checked. Word had also been left for Quinn with someone called Mathias. Noli prayed they were safe.

Someone had left supper for them on the low table in the library. Noli didn’t feel like eating. Instead, she poured everyone tea to give herself something to do.

“What now?” Noli asked, taking a sip of tea, even if she already knew the answer.

“I’m going to go challenge my uncle.” Quiet determination colored V’s voice. His knuckles whitened as he gripped his teacup.

Noli took another sip and looked up at him. “Tomorrow you’re going to wake up, grab your sword, storm over to the earth court palace, and challenge him?”

It seemed so … simplistic given the complexity of Otherworldly conventions.

V and James exchanged glances.

“Pretty much.” Steven pulled her to him. “You don’t have come.”

“You can’t keep me away. If you’re going to finally achieve your childhood dream of taking back your court, I am most certainly coming with you.” She pressed her forehead to his. She’d stand by V’s side no matter what.

“I … I’m not going to challenge him for the earth court. I’m not an adult yet—and I’m not ready. I’m just challenging him for the death of my father.” He went pale as he said that.

“So the duel isn’t to the death?” The idea didn’t make her feel any better.

“No, the particular challenge I’m going to invoke isn’t to the death.” He pressed his face into her shoulder and her arms wrapped around him.

Then what was the point?

“I don’t understand Otherworld politics,” she muttered into her teacup.

James shot out of his chair, anger burning in his eyes. “We’re not going kill him? He killed our father and
we’re not going to kill him?
”

A look she’d never seen before crossed V’s face. “Oh, we’ll kill him,” V told him. “By the Bright Lady I promise you that. Just not tomorrow. I’m not an adult yet—and neither are you, which means we can’t legally challenge him to the death. There’s still a chance someone could die in any such a duel, regardless of what kind.”

As long as it wasn’t V. That’s what she feared most.

“Are … are you still in?” V’s voice wavered slightly.

“Of course I am.” James put in his hand. “That’s what brothers are for.”

Noli put her hand on top of James’. “Count me in as well.”

V added his hand to the pile. “Let’s do this. Tomorrow we’ll go to the earth court and avenge my father’s death.”

Noli picked up her teacup and raised it. “To revenge.”