Clash (The Arinthian Line Book 4) (28 page)

After a while, Augum just hoped Malaika would go away. Her staring at him hardly helped his concentration, sometimes leading him to bungle a spell. Leera was just the opposite, performing the spells precisely, often flashing Malaika victorious looks. Her Mind Armor had improved rapidly. She even managed to cast Summon Minor Elemental, calling forth a watery creature that promptly trundled over to Malaika and Charissa. The latter shrieked, overturning the bowl of olives in her haste to crawl away.

“Lee, really, that’s enough,” Bridget finally said, though only after Malaika used Annelise as a human shield.

Leera, panting from all the arcane exertion, idly waved at the little monster. “Elementus, back.” She smirked at Malaika. “Only kidding, you can relax.”

Bridget ran her fingers through her hair, tying it up in a ponytail. “Let’s work on the counterspell to Object Alarm. Jengo, can we snag the book?”

The tall Sierran rubbed his eyes. “Of course. I need to start practicing Telekinesis for real anyway, enough theory. I’ve been watching you all carefully and I think I can do it.” He stood and strode over, handing the blue arcaneology book to Bridget. “Besides, I’ve got Haylee helping me now.”

Gabe lightly cleared his throat. When he caught Augum’s attention, he made a slight nod at Malaika, who extended her hand, palm down.

“Augum, will you please help a fair lady up?”

Augum hesitated, sighed, then paced over. He took her hand and brought her to her feet.

“Annelise, gather everything, will you?” Malaika turned to Augum with a smile and tucked one hand through his elbow, placing the other on his forearm. “Thank you, Augum. Walk with me a moment.”

“Uh … okay.” Augum glanced at Leera, feeling trapped. She was staring at them with crossed arms.

Malaika glanced at Leera and the two shared a hard look beyond Augum’s comprehension. She slowly walked with Augum around the clearing while Bridget and Leera returned to practicing.

“I know you have an …
infatuation
with her,” Malaika began in a silky and quiet voice, tapping his forearm with her free hand, “and I understand why, I really do, but you deserve someone of a more …
noble
bearing.”

Augum stopped midstride. “What are you talking about?” These stupid mind games again.

Malaika looked into his eyes before closing her own, drawing in a deep breath. “You are a great figure in history who deserves an equally great partner. Think of it, together we can rule the kingdom once you return it to its former glory—”

Augum drew away. “What? I don’t want you. I don’t think of you that way—”

Malaika took a step closer, reaching out to him. “You don’t
yet
, but you will.”

Leera stopped what she was doing to look over.

Malaika giggled before speaking in a loud voice everyone could hear. “Thank you, no one ever called me pretty before—”

Augum felt a horrible flush. “What? I didn’t—”

“—and I promise I’ll see you in secret,” Malaika added with a wink. “You’re right, she’s not good enough for you.”

Augum felt lightheaded. His lips were suddenly drier than sand. “What … how …”

Malaika reached for her friend. “Come, Charissa, we must let our noble hero train. Annelise, Gabe—to me.” Before Augum could find the words, they were already gone.

Leera suddenly marched over to him, eyes filled with tears. Just as he began to speak, she slapped him. Hard. “After everything that we’ve been through … how could you!”

Augum couldn’t care less about his stinging cheek. “But I didn’t say those things to her. I didn’t do any—”

“You took her hand like some eager puppy; and I
saw
the way you were looking at her—”

“What! No, I—Lee, come back!” but she too was gone, gone over the valley hill, gone to who knew where.

He glanced to Bridget, hands cold and clammy, heart racing. “What … what just happened?”

Bridget bit her nail in thought. She looked to Jengo, who stood with wide eyes; to Haylee, leaning on her cane, frowning; to Leland, who sat quietly holding the Agonex; to the lonely valley hilltop—and back to Augum.

“Malaika. It was Malaika, wasn’t it?”

Augum felt heat flash through his body. “Of course it was!” How could she even question it?

Bridget sighed. “I’ll talk to Leera,” and strode up the valley.

Augum felt a consoling pat on his shoulder. “Girls and their stupid mind games,” Jengo said. “Maybe you can help Haylee train me. Might get your mind off things.”

Augum was frantically going over what was said. Why hadn’t Leera believed him? How could she have just
slapped
him like that?

“Augum?”

“Hmm? Oh, sure.”

But his efforts with Jengo and Haylee were fruitless. He couldn’t concentrate past his numb hands, past his racing thoughts, past the awful betrayal on Leera’s face before the stinging slap. Not a single spell worked. Not a one, not even Shine.

Haylee’s face softened with empathy. “Don’t worry, it’ll work out.”

But Augum’s thoughts raced on. Nothing they said helped in the least.

After a while, Jengo gave up trying to move a stick and picked up the blue book to continue his theoretical studies with Telekinesis. Haylee plopped down beside him, coaching him through some of the concepts, occasionally shooting Augum a worried look. Leland kept listening to the Orb of Orion, or idly traced the Agonex while moaning softly to himself.

Augum remained standing in the same spot, still puzzling things over. Should he have run after Leera? Should he have said something else to Malaika?

Eventually, someone appeared at the top of the valley. Augum felt his hopes surge before realizing it was Malaika, her ebony face streaked with tears. She was in a hurry, glancing over her shoulder.

“Augum, help!” She ran forward, tripped, and rolled down the small valley, gathering mud and grass on her dress.

Augum strode to her with gritted teeth, readying to yell at her for her treachery; but as soon as he got close, she threw her arms around his neck and held on, loudly weeping into his blue robe.

“She threatened to
kill
me, Augum. Please, save me—”

Just as he tried to pry her away, he spotted Leera at the top of the hill, face also streaked with tears. She took one look at him and Malaika embracing and closed her eyes. A shaking hand found its way to her chest, where she squeezed the fabric of her blue robe, as if trying to tear her heart out.

Augum still could not get Malaika off. “Leera, wait—”

But she was already gone.

Scorned

“We belong together, Augum,” Malaika whispered tenderly, sobbing into his chest, hands caressing his neck. “King and queen …”

Augum stood completely numb, not even bothering to fight her off. What the hell was happening? Leera had slapped him before running off, Bridget had chased after her, and all he could do was stand there like a stupid, useless fool, allowing this girl to hang on to him like some needy puppy.

Bridget suddenly appeared at the top of the hill. “Where did Lee—” but stopped mid-sentence when she spotted Malaika embracing Augum.

Seeing Bridget’s face gave him the courage to pry Malaika off and throw her to the ground. “What have you done!” he sputtered, backing away, hands on his head. “What have you done …”

Bridget’s eyes narrowed and she marched down to them. For a moment, Augum thought she was going to give him a tongue thrashing or slap him, only to witness her yank Malaika to her feet by the arm.

“You vile witch,” Bridget hissed. “Why would you do that! Tell Leera the truth!”

“No!” Malaika’s face suddenly hardened. “I mean, no, I won’t let you manipulate me! We love each other. Augum is just too afraid to admit that he loves me—”

Bridget opened her mouth to say something else but stopped herself. She turned to Augum, head tilting. “Is that true?”

Augum had had enough. “No, of course it isn’t! How could you even
think
that—!”

Bridget gave a brief nod and whipped back to Malaika. “I thought so. Get out of my sight, you evil—” She threw Malaika back with the strength of indignation.

Malaika fell to the earth, weeping. “No, my love, don’t let them rip us apart!”

Charissa suddenly appeared at the top of the valley along with Mr. and Mrs. Haroun, the former grimacing in concern, the latter shaking with fury.

Charissa pointed at Bridget. “That one’s trying to hurt her too!”

“Stay away from my precious baby, you nefarious little witch!” Mrs. Haroun shrieked, raising her skirts as she hurried down the slope, a giant hat bouncing on her head. “Stay away from her! Shoo—! Where is she! She’s invisible, isn’t she? She’s using witchery to deceive us! Behold! We know what needs to be done with witches, do we not, Hanad!”

“Selma, you have to be invited—”

Mrs. Haroun’s hands were searching for them blindly. “Where are the vile vermin? Reveal yourselves, witches!”

“You are being ridiculous, Selma. Oh for—” Mr. Haroun gave Augum a pleading look.

Augum grit his teeth. “Mrs. Haroun, I formally invite you to our training ground.”

Mrs. Haroun suddenly yelped, grabbing onto her giant hat. “There! They’re here! Hanad! Grab the misfits, will you! Husband, do your duty!”

“Wait, that’s not what’s happening—” Haylee tried to say. “Please, I saw the whole thing—”

“Stay back, you crippled wench!” Mrs. Haroun shrieked. “Stay back, or I shall have you lynched!”

Haylee’s mouth dropped.

Malaika reached out with heaving sobs. “Mother, these nasty girls were trying to hurt me!”

Mrs. Haroun scooped Malaika into her arms. “Mother’s here, sweet darling, Mother’s here—” She whirled on Bridget. “WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!”

“I am sure there is a perfectly good explanation, Selma,” Mr. Haroun said in weary tones as he made his way down the slope.

“I saw her trying to hurt Malaika, Mr. Haroun!” Charissa said.

Bridget raised her palms defensively. “Mrs. Haroun, your daughter—”

Mrs. Haroun recoiled with Malaika. “She’s going to cast a spell on us! Hanad, help! Hanaaaaad!”

Mr. Haroun saw Bridget’s hands. “Young lady, what are you doing!”

Bridget hurriedly dropped them. “I’m trying to explain—!”

“Then by all means, do so!”

“Your daughter, uh … your daughter, Malaika, she … she threw herself onto Augum and—”

Mrs. Haroun clutched at her chest. “Hanad, I think I am going to faint. I am going to faint, Hanad! She just called our daughter a wench, a common harlot—”

Mr. Haroun stiffened to his full height. “Young lady, are you really suggesting my daughter ‘threw’ herself at this young man?”

Bridget was shaking her head, eyes darting between the three family members. “No, I don’t know, I mean … yes, she was trying to—”

Mrs. Haroun, still clutching her chest, wavered like a tree about to fall. “You heard it from the girl’s own lips, Hanad. This supposed hero witch just called your daughter a harlot to your face. The family name has been defiled, our honor besmirched. What are you going to do about it?”

“Mr. Haroun,” Augum began in the calmest tone he could, “Malaika tried to …” but he couldn’t form the words. What words were there to describe what she had done? He had never heard of such a thing, let alone experienced it before.

The Harouns turned to him, waiting for what he was going to say next.

“She tried to deceive me,” he blurted finally, unable to think past the fog of confusion surrounding every thought.

“But you said you loved me!” Malaika cried. “You said we were going to get married! You promised! Mother, Father … he promised me! I am ruined now!”

“What! I never said that! I never promised you a thing! You aren’t ruined at all!”

Haylee hobbled forward, pointing an accusing finger in Malaika’s face. “She lied,” Haylee spat in a clear and firm voice. “She’s a liar. I saw it with my own eyes. The whole thing. Theatre. Nothing but theatre.”

Augum gaped a moment before taking hold of his wrangled nerves. “Yes! Yes, she
is
lying! I don’t …
like
her like that at all, and I never promised anything to her, nor did I, I …
ruin
her, whatever that means!”

Mr. Haroun studied Haylee and Augum a moment before turning to his daughter with a granite look. “Malaika, did you make all of this up? Is that what is happening?
Again?
Did you lie to your father?”

Malaika’s eyes darted about before settling on her father’s cold gaze. “No, Father, we love each other and he promised to marry me—”

“Malaika Haroun, do you recall when we had that long conversation about telling the truth? Hmm?”

Malaika shrank, swallowing hard. “But … but … but I
love
him, Father, we’re meant to be together …” Her lips began trembling.

Mr. Haroun’s voice was steel. “You are coming home. This. Instant,” and he began marching away. “THIS INSTANT!” he roared, ascending the bank.

Mrs. Haroun placed the back of her hand to her forehead as she threatened to wilt. “But, Hanad—”

“Oh, open your eyes, Selma! Enough is enough!” Mr. Haroun made a firm gesture to the town. “Home. Now!” He turned to Augum with an apologetic look, opened his mouth to say something, but only ended up shaking his head at his daughter in revulsion. “What a
disgrace
. A disgrace! You have shamed this house in a most unwholesome way, Daughter. I am … beyond disappointed. The house. NOW!”

Malaika gave Augum a bitter look before stomping past her father, hands in front, head hanging. Mrs. Haroun, suddenly not feeling faint anymore, raised her chin and rigidly followed without a word, holding her skirts above the grass.

Charissa shook her head at Augum. “You threw perfect happiness away as if it was worthless. Hope you’re proud of yourself.” She turned her back on him and marched after the others.

Augum was in such a state he plopped to the ground. “What … what was … what was that …?”

“That,” Bridget said, watching them disappear over the valley edge, “is high society. At least, one version of it.”

“The crazy version,” Haylee added.

Jengo, who had been watching from beside Leland the entire time, fell back to lie on the grass. “How does Father survive such a thing?” he mumbled. “Oh, please, Unnameables, let me avoid
that
. Please …”