Mine to Spell (Mine #2) (10 page)

***

“Cynthia.” Someone shakes me awake.

I blink at Zade’s blurry face until he comes into focus. I must have drifted off. How long was I asleep? I rub my eyes and then sit up in a more dignified manner. Lukas is standing behind Zade. Whether his presence is good or bad, I can’t decide.

“Your trunk is in the bedroom.” Zade’s words pull me out of my wonderings as he hands me a heavy bag. “This should last you a while. I’ve got to go now. I’m sorry I can’t stay longer. There’s a council meeting I must attend tomorrow, and if I don’t leave now I’ll never make it in time. I’ll return when I can, and I’m sure Serena will send a message.”

And I believe she will as well, except his tone says, unlike me, he’s not happy. Not happy at all. It’s too late to do anything about it. He’s out the door before I have time to process any of what he said or thank him. That council meeting must be serious. Lukas looks just as wind-blown by Zade’s departure as I feel, staring after him long after he can’t be seen.

It’s just us now. And I’m certain to look a mess—smeared face paint and my tangled hair. And the smell. Please don’t let me smell foul. Not sure why I care, though. It’s almost as if that girl I pretended to be for years, crazy about boys, is becoming a real part of me. Frightening. The need for sleep must be scrambling me more than I thought.

“
I suppose I should show you to your things,” he finally says.

“
I suppose so.”

I follow him through the house, hoping it doesn’t take long so I can get cleaned up soon. The hall is tight, crowded in. There are no electric lights, only the light from the candle he’s carrying. Though father’s house had electric lights most of my life, many of the girls at school had never even seen it. Perks of father being on the council, perhaps? Yet Edward had it as well, and he’s not on the council, though he did seem ridiculously wealthy.

“Whose house is this?”

He shrugs one shoulder. “It’s for people like us who need a place to stay.”

“Us?” Hot embarrassment rolls through me. He’s not an owner or a brother. He’s, well I don’t even know who he is. “I can’t stay here with you.”

“
Don’t worry. I’m going somewhere else. At least until the tournament starts and all the hotels are filled.”

Relief fills me, but it’s tainted with guilt at kicking him out of his house. As we reach a room where I see my trunk resting at the foot of the bed, I realize what he said. The tournament. It’s six weeks away, and I have the status of a warlock.

I am a warlock.

Chapter Eight

All thoughts of going to sleep flee. A warlock! An inkling of an idea so fantastic yet so wildly out of reach tempts me. How can I make it happen? “Are the cupboards stocked?”

“
They are. You shouldn’t have to worry about going hungry or venturing out for something.”

“
Thank you.” Though I’m not grateful for losing my excuse to leave this place, him being here can still be used to some advantage. “Please let me make dinner as a small repayment for your kindness, especially when I was short with you.”

“
You weren’t short.”

I wave his response away. “Don’t be so amiable. I was. It’s been long enough since lunch that you must be hungry. The least I can do is make you a hot meal.”

He shifts toward the door, shoulders slumping forward. “I don’t know if I should.”

“
Please, let me. It would make me feel better.” Except for the guilt from using him, but it can’t be helped. “If you’re worried over how long it will take, I can be quick.”

After another moment of hesitation, he says, “Time isn’t the issue. Don’t you want to get cleaned up?”

I must smell after all. “If you don’t mind waiting a bit, I can clean up fast and get something made even faster. I’m used to helping my sisters.”

“
I can wait. I have a few things I need to pack up to take with me anyway.”

“
Perfect. We’ll eat shortly then.”

I hurry to the room, which is now mine, to clean myself up and put on fresh clothes before he changes his mind and leaves, stashing the rolls I snuck early on a dresser. It’s doubtful I’ll have an opportunity such as this again. I dress, again grateful Katherine’s clothing designs allow me to do this myself. Once I’m presentable, I scurry to the kitchen where, to my relief, he’s sitting at the table working on some papers.

“Do you need help finding anything?” he asks.

“
I can manage.”

“
Well, if there’s something you can’t find, don’t hesitate to ask.”

After opening the pantry and finding ingredients to make soda biscuits and smoked ham, I ask, “How long have you been in Chardonia?”

“Two weeks.”

I measure my flour into a bowl. “How did you become acquainted with Zade? You aren’t from the same country.”

“No we aren’t, but outside of Chardonia, many countries interact frequently.”

Which isn’t really an answer to my question. “So you two interacted previously?”

“Do you need help with anything?”

“
I’m fine. Thank you.” Why is he still deflecting? I haven’t even started the hard questions yet. Besides, I can make biscuits in my sleep. “You and Zade?”

He twists the pen in his hand. “Let’s just say we have similar interests.”

What does that mean? “You want to be on the Chardonia council?”

“
Are you kidding me? Those guys are crazy.” He coughs. “I mean, that’s not really my thing.”

“
What is your
thing
?” The phrase feels odd on my tongue.

“
I’m not sure I’ve entirely figured that out yet.”

Doubtful. He’s obviously up to something, though the idea is familiar enough. There have been more times than not I’ve thought the same thing. Still, how much more can I get out of him? If I accost him enough on a subject he’s reluctant to speak of, perhaps the questions I truly want answers to will be such a relief, he'd be happy to respond. “How well are you connected with Zade?”

He shrugs, but doesn’t look me in the eye as he replies, “Well enough.”

Must be well enough if Zade is comfortable not only leaving me with him but trusting Lukas to continue to stay in my presence. I clear my throat and roll out my dough with perhaps a little too much enthusiasm. “Are you planning on entering the tournament?”

“I am. That’s what this paperwork is for.”

So I’ll need paperwork. I throw the biscuits in the oven and slice the ham “And that’s why you’re here. Have you been here long enough to know your way around town?”

“I have.”

Perfect. I plate the ham and add some fruit. “Perhaps tomorrow you can show me the town.”

“I don’t know if that's a good idea.” He shifts in his chair. “It’s not a big deal, but Zade told me to keep an eye out for trouble, and this seems like it could lead to trouble. But I think…” He shakes his head. “Why do you want to go?”

After pulling the soda biscuits from the oven and plating several, I set his plate in front of him. “Just thought it’d be nice to have a better idea of where I am. Especially if trouble comes.” Don’t need to mention the fact that I’m going to go searching for it.

“I suppose it probably would be best to make sure you know your way around. Will tomorrow morning work?”

I suppress my real grin for fear it will give away how deeply I feel about this. “It will suffice.”

***

The next morning, I discover a town very different from the one I encountered upon first arriving. At first, I’m still lost, but it doesn’t take long for Lukas to orient me. While showing me how to get to the market, he also points out the quickest ways out of town and the hotel he’s lodging in.

Once safety is covered, we wander around shops figuring out where to find food and clothes, though it’s probably something I shouldn’t do without Lukas. Even though I’m running toward trouble, I’m not entirely stupid.

He doesn’t say anything, yet the way he hesitates with everything around the shopping area, constantly checking our surroundings, he doesn’t appear comfortable either. I’ll just try not to need anything. Right. There was plenty of food in the pantry and any clothing needs that come about I’ll order through Katherine anyway.

“So,” I say casually, trying to bring up what I want. “The tournament. Have you turned in your paperwork?”

“
Not yet. I filled out paperwork to get in the country, so they know, but I haven’t turned in the paperwork to enter the tournament yet.”

“
You turn the paperwork here in town, correct?”

“
Yes, it’s just around the corner.” His gaze shifts to the left but quickly flickers back.

“
We could turn it in now since we happen to be close. Then you wouldn’t have to return later.”

Suddenly his full attention is on me with a strange, intense look. “Is there something you need there?”

“Certainly not.” I laugh the cute way girls do. No more pushing for now. “What would I do there? I just thought it might save you some time.”

His lips pinch together as if he doesn’t believe what I’m saying. Which he shouldn’t. “It’s not much extra time. Besides, they probably wouldn’t look kindly on having a woman brought in. And as much as I think you’re capable of being outside on your own, this town makes life hard enough without worrying if a law officer, or someone worse, will stop by.”

Though I dislike it, he’s correct. Yet it’s a problem I’ll have to handle at some point. I need to do this. And I may not know which building is exactly the one I need, but I know the general area. This excursion has been a success.

As if to prove Lukas’s point from a moment ago, a warlock bumps into him, almost shoving him to the ground.

I expect an apology spell, or at least a head nod or something. Warlocks are usually respectful toward each other, even if they aren’t respectful to women. But not this warlock. He sneers at Lukas, whipping up a mix of anger and fear in me as he says, “Watch where you’re going.”

“
My mistake.” Lukas’s response yanks my attention from the offending warlock. Why is he admitting fault when he clearly wasn’t?

The warlock seems surprised as well. He pulls back a moment before growling and getting in Lukas’s face. “Don’t let it happen again. I don’t like foreign scum touching me.”

That explains the antagonism usually reserved for women. Lukas nods his head, and the man strides away, seemingly satisfied.

“
Why did you let him treat you such?” Even being a foreigner, I’d expect him to demand better. He’s a warlock. They don’t ever get pushed around. Until now.

Lukas’s shoulders slump. “It doesn’t matter.”

Except it does. I didn’t know foreign warlocks, except the Envadi, had a difficult time of things.

“
We should go,” he says.

Together, we head back toward the house, and while I’m grateful we went, it feels as if I lost more than I gained.

Chapter Nine

Warlocks have been coming and going from the medium-sized building all morning. Women never enter. Instead they're forced to wait outside with another male while their owner goes in. I’m the only woman alone, of course. Yet with so many people about no one appears to notice.

The area has an almost jovial air about it. Warlocks bantering and laughing as they go in. Even a few foreigners, tall like Zade, or darker-skinned like Lukas, come in and out of the building. This has to be it.

Except I can’t bring myself to do anything about it. If I enter, there’s no turning back. Conundrum. I can’t bring myself to go in, yet I can’t bring myself to leave either. This is the one chance to show everyone what a woman can do.

The idea has been growing in my mind like an uncast spell clambering to happen. The feeling only grows bigger and fiercer as time passes, restless to have me follow through. This is something I want. The women of Chardonia need to see that we can do magic. Not only just casting spells, but succeeding at them. Those blasted warlocks need to be shown they can’t keep us in the dark any longer.

The problem is, Zade’s words keep coming back to me, about them erasing part of everyone’s memories and sacrificing me. If that’s what they would do when I was owned, what would stop them from doing it now, even though I have the status of a warlock?

My footsteps slowly lead me away from the place I need to be. I want to make a difference, but people’s memories being erased and becoming a sacrifice won’t help anything. I want the impossible.

***

The next day is rather droll as I think on how to fix my fear of entering the tournament, though I do hear some strange noises in the morning. There’s nothing out the window when I check, so I continue my hopeless musings until midday when there’s a knock at the door. I open it to find Lukas carrying a bag sagging with food.