Endless Magic (29 page)

Isn't he mad I'm pissing his dad off?
I tried to covertly get to the bottom of this.

No, he hates his dad.

Since when?
I gasped, even inside my head I could hear my voice turn into a shriek.

Hey, listen, this sounds like a conversation you should have with him, not me.
Avalon moved quickly inside his head to cover all the places I suddenly wanted to dig into. He was keeping something from me and I needed to know what it was.
Don't, Eden, please stop. It's not my place to tell you anything. This is seriously a conversation you need to have with him. Maybe, a little heart to heart would be good for you both.

Um, yeah, that is so not going to happen.
I sighed, giving Avalon his privacy. I knew what it felt like to have no mental space of my own, so I could hardly blame Avalon for not wanting to get into the middle of the disaster that was Kiran and me, by giving up information he tried to protect.

Aw, you're such a good sister.
Avalon teased, following my thought train.

Well, you suck as a brother.
I grumbled, not meaning a single word.

That really hurts, seriously, I don't think I’ll ever recover-

“Eden?” Jedrec called from the door, cutting Avalon off and bringing my attention back to reality.

“Yes?” I asked, turning from the window to face him.

“His Majesty would like to see you in the dining room. He has asked that you dress for dinner and a nice occasion and to let you know there will be guests so you need to be on good behavior tonight,” Jedrec instructed carefully, nervously.

I sighed exasperatedly and stood up. Jedrec looked taken aback by my obedience, staring me over with renewed interest.

“What?” I asked self-consciously.

“It's just that, excuse me for saying so, but I hardly expected you to obey a direct command after the last several weeks.....” Jedrec explained, stepping all the way into the room and closing the door behind him to muffle our conversation from the rest of the protective Guard outside the door.

“I think we both understand what he will do if I don't obey,” I reminded him, pointedly.

A look of comprehension flashed across Jedrec's face, followed by one of sincere respect for me and I wasn't quite sure where it came from.

“Did you know him well? The prisoner that died?” Jedrec asked gently, the soft Romanian accent tingeing his tone. He sounded just like all the rest of the Titans. Since coming to the castle, I learned that they are all born and raised in Romania, their training and schooling all happens here. Romania seems to be more magical to them for some reason, enabling extra strength to their abilities that seem more subdued everywhere else.

“A little,” I conceded, not wanting to go into every detail of our complicated past.

“And yet you treat him as though he were family, the way you mourn for him,” Jedrec pressed, his curiosity getting the best of him. I knew Lucan would be furious if he heard our conversation, and with that thought I pushed forward, through the fresh pain of Ronan's death and toward a higher defiance.

“Ronan,” I said his name slowly, so that Jedrec would start putting a person with the death and not just a criminal. “I am not just mourning for him; I'm mourning the cruel and unjustified way he had to die.”

“But he trespassed; he was a Shape-shifter. Eden, he was a criminal that defied our king,” Jedrec reasoned, sure I would agree.

“No,” I corrected, “he defied
your
king. And what did he do that was so bad? I mean, he escaped prison twice, but the first time was to avoid another death sentence. I'll give you that one, because that time he did actually make an attempt on the prince's life and I'm sure there was no other choice but to give him death. But,” I reasoned, growing more animated the further into my explanation I got, “the second time, Lucan only
thinks
he escaped. In reality, Kiran let him go. He was part of the trade for Sebastian, when Sebastian was in my custody,” I finished flippantly and Jedrec stood floored for a moment.

“Wait, Prince Kiran traded him for Sebastian?” he clarified.

“Yes, but Lucan doesn't know that because Lucan stopped caring what happened to Sebastian the minute I took his magic,” I informed him. Seeing how confused Jedrec was becoming, and not having more time to explain I rushed forward to finish my list of crimes against Lucan. “None of that matters anyway though, because Lucan would have killed Ronan anyway, just because he was a Shape-shifter and in his precious Citadel. But Ronan wasn't even going after Lucan, he was just trying to rescue some of the other condemned that you have locked away until I act out and Lucan decides to kill them too! Jedrec, why are they down there? What have they done that's so terrible that they rot away in prison, tormented by the magic of the land and just waiting on death?”

“They were plotting against the king,” Jedrec explained the were obvious, although I could feel more than hear the unsaid questions in his voice.

“There is a child down there, I've been down there, I know. You're telling me that small boy plotted against Lucan with the intent to kill him?” I narrowed my eyes at Jedrec waiting for him to answer me. After several moments of silence I continued, “Even still, suppose everyone else down there did want him dead. Don't you think they have good reason? I mean look at our society. We're all dying out. Or, I should say, you're all dying out. I won't die, I have all four types of magic, I'm truly immortal,” I finished casually, hoping to drive home how dire his situation was. I watched Jedrec process all of this since this may have been the first time he had ever thought any of this through. “What I'm trying to say is that he and all his forefathers have restricted the magic, by restricting marriage and banning the Shape-shifters, your is growing shorter and shorter, the King's Curse is almost guaranteed in everyone now and that is just awful, let me tell you.... And especially in your kind; there aren't enough women to go around! Why shouldn't they plot against the king? He's slowly exterminating our people, and now that he has Amory's magic and true immortality he can sit back and watch every single one of his people die while he rules from a golden throne all alone.”

“Eden, you cannot say any of those things,” Jedrec sobered, warning me with gravity. “If Lucan, I mean, King Lucan were to find out you said any of that, surely he would punish you.”

“You're probably right,” I agreed, standing up and walking over to my closet. “Please don't tell him,” I begged, pretending to be worried. “I would never be able to live with myself if someone died because I have a hard time keeping my opinions to myself.” That was the fierce truth.

“Please, just hurry and get ready, by now they have been waiting on you,” Jedrec instructed and then excused himself from the room.

I looked at my closet, trying to decide what to wear for only a few minutes before Kiran knocked softly and entered the room.

I turned on him, speaking before he had a chance to scold me for holding up dinner, “Oh, good, I'm glad you're here. How nice should I dress tonight? What kind of dinner is it? Like, cocktail dress? Business casual? Rags and sackcloth....?” I joked, feeling elated after getting some of my opinions out in the open. Ronan still occupied the backspace of my brain, but I could get through the night. I was already plotting what kind of naive and innocent trouble I could get into at dinner.

“Uh, cocktail definitely,” Kiran explained and I still had no idea what that meant, so I turned to take in his appearance. He wore a smart navy blue suit, tailored to perfection with a crisp, white collared shirt underneath without a tie.

I looked over him slowly, taking in the perfectly cut lines of his suit and the way it hung off his muscular body, my eyes drifted over his open collar and the way it revealed his attractive throat and then finally to his face where he stared at me with a mixture of curiosity and concern. I swallowed, shaking my head of the forbidden thoughts I was having about his appearance, promising myself I was only preparing to play the part of the engaged couple.

“Thanks,” I mumbled, twirling back to my closet and selecting a short, strapless darker than Kiran's color, navy blue dress with clean lines and an a-line skirt. The only embellishment was a fabric flower on the right hip. The dress was simple but elegant and I thought it would complement Kiran's outfit nicely. “We'll match,” I held up the dress and smiled at him.

“What has gotten into you?” he asked, shocked by my turn of behavior.

“Uh, Avalon and I had a heart to heart....” I confessed, turning back around to face him. “You should know, I'm in no way over what happened, but I am ready to move forward.”

“Leave it to Avalon,” Kiran whispered in disbelief. “I'm apparently going to have to take lessons from him....”
“Don't even think about it!” I gasped, afraid that he was serious. “What Avalon does is done from the love of a brother and cannot be replicated under any circumstances. You are going to have to figure out your own methods from the perspective of a.....” I had been instructing him very formally but faltered when I actually had to name what he was to me.

“A loving fiancé?” he finished and I nodded in agreement.

“Yes, a loving fiancé. But since the love between us is only pretend, I'm just going to go ahead and wish you good luck,” I laughed sarcastically.

“Thank you,” he murmured, growing more entertained by the second. “Now go get dressed, we're having dinner with two regents and my parents. I'll wait for you.”

When I emerged from the bathroom twenty minutes later, I couldn't decide why I put so much effort into my look for these things. Maybe if I started looking bad at royal functions I would somehow attract better negative attention. And then I remembered Lucan's cruelty and decided the dress that fit me like a glove, the nude six-inch pumps and the extravagant bun on the side of my neck, perfectly placed over my tattoo was necessary.

I felt over-exposed though, standing in front of Kiran with my shoulders and legs bare. I looked around for a sweater, but I knew adding one to this dress would make it look dowdy and old and I grimaced in the name of fashion.

“Are you looking for this?” Kiran asked, holding up the black onyx necklace.

“Ugh! No!” I grunted, stomping over to him and turning around so that he could slip it over my head without messing up my hair.

He paused behind me, his magic flaring in just the smallest way before he unclasped it, slipped it around my neck and then reclasped it in the back. His fingers brushed against the nape of my neck and I tilted my head and squirmed against the tickling effect his unconscious fingers had against my skin.

“Thank you,” I grumbled, trying to hide my reaction with sarcasm. “And my handcuffs? I suppose I need those too?”

“Not tonight....” He held up the black diamond bracelet, with rows of small stones infused with magic and I held out my hand.

“It doesn't match,” I groaned, but he just rolled his eye. After the bracelet was fastened he lifted my hand to inspect it and his expression came away satisfied noticing my engagement ring was already on my finger. “I, uh, um.... it's the only thing you've given me that isn't some magical tracking device or magic debilitater. I mean, I feel like it's safer to wear than anything else. And in normal circumstances I don't think girl's take them off usually....” I fumbled through an explanation. I hadn't thought anything weird about it before, but now that Kiran noticed I suddenly felt like maybe I should have been thinking about it more.

“Mmmm....” Kiran breathed. He slipped my hand through his arm to escort me down to the dining room. “Now to play the part of two people in love.”

“Piece of cake,” I groaned and then leaned in to him a little, preparing my magic and less than enthusiastic attitude.

He paused at my motion and turned me to face him. A roguish smirk lit up his face and his turquoise eyes sparkled with mischief, “Did you need to practice before we head down?” He lifted his hand, to brush back a curl that fell rebelliously across my forehead. I caught my breath, surprised by the tenderness in his touch and then fought to remind myself that he was the one practicing. Although, it wouldn't have mattered if he wasn't.

“That should be good enough,” I conceded, exhaling slowly. His hand came down to my cheek and he held the back of his knuckles against my face debating whether to stay staring into my eyes or pull me into an endless kiss.

“That reminds me,” he leaned forward and my magic jumped back, startled by his movement and for once I was glad it was on my side and not tangling up in his with an agenda of its own.

“Yes?” I croaked, willing my body unsuccessfully to move away from his.

“What did you do to poor Jedrec? When I arrived, he looked as white as a ghost and I think he was mumbling to himself,” Kiran stood up straight and let some unnamed hope crash inside of me, disappointed and dejected.

I smiled sheepishly and then flung the door open, not wanting to linger any longer answering his question or the questions protesting inside of me, demanding to know why I wanted him to kiss me.

I sat inclined toward Kiran, with my head tilted in well-rehearsed rapture as he entertained the Regent of Southeast Asia with the story of a recent kill he conquered in the mountains. A large brown bear that was bothering a gypsy village nearby proved to be much quicker than Kiran anticipated. Deven Joel sat captive to Kiran's expressive story telling ability as well. A small, thin man with wire-rimmed glasses and tanned, coffee-colored skin he gave off a Gandhi-like vibe, but seemed very good humored all the same.