Children of Poseidon: Rann (13 page)

“That’s—”

“A good idea.” Rann sank onto the sofa, too close for her comfort.

“This afternoon.” The thought of Rann as her lover, even imaginary, made it hard to focus her mind. “We’ll go this afternoon.”

Chapter 13

After Annis and Connor had gone, Lila and Lykos went to check themselves into a hotel, saying they would return that evening since they’d had a very early start to their day.

“Good luck, Jewel.” Lila’s steady gaze had Jewel squirming. “You’re better than your mother thinks. You’re better than her. Don’t let her get to you.”

Jewel smiled dutifully. “No Lila.” She followed Maya out into the hallway.

Maya would go with Lila and Lykos. She said she would be straight back, but she wanted to be sure they were settled into a suitable hotel.

“I’m sorry, Lila. We’re a bit crowded here.” She raked her fingers through her tangled curls. “This was your flat. You can have my bed, but—”

“It’s okay.” Lila stopped her mid flow. “It’s your flat now. We’ll be fine in a hotel. It’ll be a treat for us.” She caught Jewel’s eye before picking up her jacket, and shook her head slightly. “Come on, Maya. Hurry up. Lykos doesn’t like waiting.”

Maya rolled her eyes.

Silence filled the sitting room when Jewel returned. Rann slumped in his corner of the sofa, long legs stretched out in front of him.

“Shall we fetch Seawitch back in here?” Jewel asked, for something to say.

“She’s okay in Maya’s room for now. Less disturbing if there are people in and out of here.”

“At least you know you were right.” Jewel perched on the arm of the other sofa. “Don’t you? Connor could tell she was still there, in her body.”

“Yes.” Rann frowned. “That’s encouraging. I’ve got a feeling Damnam might know what to do, though. I hope he calls us back. He knows a lot more about witch magic than I do.”

“You could try again?”

“Tomorrow.” Rann shifted position to face Jewel. “If he hasn’t called.”

Jewel pushed herself to her feet, pacing to the window and back again.

Rann frowned at her. The worried expression didn’t suit his face at all. “Are you all right?” The frown deepened. “Are you sure you want to see your mother again. I knew it was a mistake letting the coven take advantage of you. If you don’t—”

Jewel held both hands up. She wasn’t afraid of her mother. She wasn’t looking forward to the encounter, but only because every time she saw Kara, she regretted what might have been.
Better never to have had a mother
.

Rann didn’t realise his presence made her nervous. She found it hard not to stare at him, now that they were alone in the flat. On the island, he had been part of her world, fitting naturally into his surroundings, and she had been able accept him as such. He had his roles as ruler, judge, and peacekeeper, and she had hers. Here, in London, neither of them fit in, and it was much harder to dismiss his attraction.

“I’m fine.” She glanced at her watch; it was a few minutes past noon. “It’s just I’d like it to be over. And I’m hungry.”

“Why don’t we go and have lunch in the village?” Rann suggested. “Then we can go straight to The Bishop’s Avenue and pass on the coven’s message. And get it over with.”

“Okay.” Jewel would be glad to get out of the flat. She had a horrible feeling that if Rann kissed her again she would not only kiss him back, but she would demand everything he could give her. She half-closed her eyes thinking about it.

“Jewel?” Rann’s voice penetrated her brief fantasy, and she looked up, feeling her face flush. “What on earth are you thinking about?”

Jewel’s face grew hot, and Rann looked at her curiously. “Nothing. Let’s go.”

Rann’s eyes dropped to her feet.

“Oh, right.” She giggled. “Shoes. I forgot.” She headed into her room, glancing briefly at the bed Rann had slept in. He’d tidied it again. The duvet was folded back, and the pillows were piled against the headboard.

Checking her image in the full-length mirror, she tucked the short, feathery strands of hair behind her ears. She should change her clothes; she might tell herself that she didn’t care what her mother thought any longer, but she’d be able to believe it more if she were dressed properly. There wasn’t a lot of choice, so she put on the skirt she’d worn the day before. It looked okay with the t-shirt. She gave herself one last uncertain assessment in the mirror and returned to Rann, who was stretched out on the sofa, as though he expected her to take all afternoon. He sat up.

“Very urban.” He inspected her from head to toe, from her smooth hair to the heels of her smart black boots. She flushed again and looked at him uncertainly.

“Do I look okay?”

“For what?” Rann asked. “You look beautiful. You always do.”

Jewel felt her face melt into a smile. “For my mother.”

“She wouldn’t appreciate it,” Rann said. “I get the impression she’s a woman with no taste. Now me . . .”

“You’ve never met her.” Jewel led the way to the hall and plucked her new leather jacket off the coatrack.

“No,” Rann agreed. “I did see her in action at the rogue mage’s trial, though. I could tell then that I didn’t want to get to know her better.”

Jewel laughed. Her spirits rose as Rann took her hand and they walked down to the High Street.

“Do you think about Micael at all?” He didn’t know what had made him ask that question. The two of them were drinking coffee after having eaten at Café Noir in Hampstead Village.

Jewel gazed at him blankly, her soft lips slightly parted.

“I just wondered if being back here had made you think of him.”

“Micael.” Jewel sounded thoughtful. “I haven’t really. Not for years. It all seems so far away.” She sipped her coffee. “I wonder what happened to him after the banishment. He couldn’t have been much older than me. I thought he was so clever and sophisticated then.” She smiled to herself.

“You were only seventeen.”

“Yeah.” Jewel’s eyes were pensive. “I wanted to think he loved me. I was pathetic in those days. He used me. He deserved his punishment.” She frowned at Rann. “All those things he did.”

“You weren’t pathetic. Just young. And everyone wants to be loved.” He thought of some of the deep sea monsters he knew. “Well, almost everyone.”

“That was a long time ago.” Jewel pushed her chair backwards. “We should go. I want to get this over with.” Her moment of introspection had disappeared, and she stood up abruptly. Picking up her bag, she shrugged into her leather jacket before heading for the door.

Nine years had passed since Rann last saw the mansion Jewel had been brought up in and it had been dark on that occasion. He’d accompanied Lila who had the right of access to the coven headquarters, so he hadn’t really noticed the place. It was a city mansion, much bigger than it appeared, but just a house, all the same. All the houses along The Bishop’s Avenue were huge and impressive, although in his view, some of them could have used a little maintenance—not the coven mansion, though. The brick walls surrounding the grounds were high and topped with spikes, the iron gates substantial, and the red-brick house beyond them perfect in its symmetry. Most of the houses on this road had high walls and locked gates; some even had what looked to him like gun towers, but none gave off the same air of threat as Kara’s headquarters.

Jewel marched up to the iron gates and pressed a button. A uniformed guard appeared from a small building and opened the gates. His eyes sharpened with recognition when he saw Jewel.

“Miss Vargas.” He stepped back to let them in. “Are you expected?”

“No.”

“I’ll find someone to—”

“It’s okay.” Jewel nodded at him. “We’ll find our way.”

The guard obviously remembered she’d lived there. His face flushed with embarrassment. “Of course.”

She led the way up the long gravelled drive to the house. “You won’t say anything?” Before they reached the house, she spun round and fixed him with a demanding stare.

“No. Not if you don’t want me to.” It went against his nature, but this was Jewel’s battle to fight. “I’ll play your strong, silent lover.”

“I just want to say what I have to and then leave. Then we should go for a drink. An alcoholic one.”

“Fine with me.” He waited while Jewel pushed the doorbell.

The maid who answered was a minor practitioner. Some magic radiated from her but not enough to give her a place in the outer coven, let alone the inner one. She jerked to attention on seeing Jewel.

“Hello.” Jewel sounded friendly and confident. “I’ve come to see my mother. Would you let her know I’m here?” She reached out and took Rann’s hand. Not as assured as she sounded.

The maid gave him a doubtful glance before returning her attention to Jewel. Rann draped his arm over her shoulder and pulled her into his side. The maid’s eyes widened.

“He’s a friend. You needn’t mention him.”

“Come this way.” The maid led them down a wide, carpeted hallway and into a small drawing room. “I’ll tell Miss Vargas you’re here.” She left the room, glancing uncertainly at Rann. Jewel hovered near one of the sofas but made no move to sit down.

“How big is this place?” Rann asked. He could at least try and distract Jewel with conversation.

“Huge.” She released his hand. “I think it has fifteen bedrooms, then there are the coven offices and the meeting rooms below ground. And there are a few cells. That’s where they held Micael before the trial.” She glanced at him. “You remember those?”

Rann did. He remembered attending Micael’s trial down in one of the underground rooms, the inner coven in their ceremonial robes, the hard gaze from Kara’s marble blue eyes, and Jewel’s desperate weeping. He remembered far more than he wanted to.

“How many people actually live here?” He couldn’t imagine a single woman living by herself in a place this large.

“My mother.” Jewel’s face screwed up in thought. “There are usually a couple of other coven members in residence. Didn’t Maria mention Tom and Gwen were staying at the moment? And I suppose Alberic lives here now as well. Then there are the servants. I’m not sure how many of those there are.”

Silence filled the house; no sound of life or activity disturbed the air. The thick carpets underfoot should have created an atmosphere of luxury; instead the house felt subdued and claustrophobic. Rann worried he might be paranoid, but he thought the place felt predatory. He shook himself mentally. Jewel’s bad memories of the place must have rubbed off on him.

In his memory, Kara loomed as an imposing figure. The last time he’d seen her she wore the long black robes of her office, dominating the council, towering over her coven, so when she finally entered the room, he was a little taken aback. A small woman, she looked much less substantial than he remembered, similar to Jewel in build. Her whole being suggested control. Pale red hair coiled neatly at the back of her head, her earrings were simple pearls, and her gray Chanel-type suit well cut but conservative. She would have appeared nondescript had it not been for her icy blue eyes. They rested on Rann for a mere second before moving to Jewel. His skin prickled. He felt he had been assessed and dismissed in that instant. It surprised him that she hadn’t recognised his power. He thought perhaps it differed too much from hers, or maybe she had just become careless. Either way, she was a fool not to sense the danger in him.

Jewel visibly stiffened under her mother’s cold stare. Rann moved his hand to the small of her back. She flinched.

“Jewel. Why have you come back?” Her mother raised her finely plucked eyebrows. “I thought I made it plain. You have no place here.”

Jewel held her mother’s gaze, wondering what she would say if she knew her coven had suggested Jewel should step into Kara’s place. The warmth of Rann’s hand on her back helped her gather her courage. She allowed a small smile to curve her lips, and her mother’s eyes narrowed.

“I’m only a messenger. I’m bringing a request from your coven.”

“A request?” Kara’s eyebrows snapped back into place, and a frown formed between them. “Why you?”

“They are a little concerned about you.”

The frown deepened. “I don’t answer to them,” Kara said. “And certainly not to you, so don’t waste your breath.”

Shock washed over Jewel, more at Kara disowning her responsibility to the coven than at her words. The coven leader did answer to the coven. She made the final decisions that affected the circle of witches, but only after consultation with her inner circle. She was the voice and representative of the circle, not its ruler. “They want you to meet with them. In the next week.”

“Why?”

“Because there hasn’t been a meeting of the coven for months.” Jewel spoke slowly. “That’s not normal, and your circle is disturbed.”

“Tell them there’s nothing they need concern themselves about.” Kara sat down, and Jewel followed her. Kara frowned again. She glanced up at Rann who towered in a menacing manner. “I think you should leave. And take your friend with you. I don’t need to explain my actions to you or to the coven.” She referred to her fellow witches with a tone of disdain.

“Soon. I have no desire to stay here.” Jewel straightened her back. “I haven’t finished delivering my message.”

Kara sighed impatiently. “What on earth did they send you for?”

“Because you refused to grant an audience to anyone.” Jewel squashed her rising temper. “And they thought you might listen to me. Or at least let me into the house.”

Kara’s mouth twisted in a sneer, surprising Jewel. She would never have betrayed her feelings like that nine years ago. The scariest thing about her had been the lack of expression on her face as she delivered her opinions and judgements.

“They value bloodline,” Jewel continued, “and they assumed that you would, too.”

“Bloodline!” Kara spat the words out. “You aren’t my bloodline. I disown you.”

Jewel’s backbone stiffened. The magic bloodlines were protected—preserved and recorded by the coven archivists. As far as she remembered, there were very few reasons for the legal disowning of a family member, and all of them involved a judgement by the coven, usually based on treason or some such crime. Jewel was sure Kara knew that.