Chapter Twelve
Audrey bunked down on one of the couches in the training room—it was the only place on the grounds besides Corvin’s tower where she felt safe. At least here she could use her powers to protect herself if needed. But being outside of the tower, she felt exposed and on edge. She’d sensed a few of the Hohlwen watching her from the rafters at various times during the night, keeping her from fully relaxing, and she kept replaying her conversation with Corvin over and over, wondering how it could have gone differently. To keep her brain occupied, she was contemplating all the ways she was going to live it up when she got out of here.
She’d won a fortune in just a few dice rolls. She could buy a house! No, not a house. Who wanted to settle in one place? A yacht. She could sail the globe. Stay in hotels whenever she needed a break. But if she had a big enough yacht, she would never need a break.
This hijacking had turned out to be the luckiest thing that had ever happened to her. Not only was she leaving with better control of her magic, but she was rich. Now she just had to get out and go kick some orderly ass and spring the kid out of Parkview.
She dedicated at least an hour to imagining the best treatment for Dr. Banner when she made her epic rescue. Suspending him upside down with his face two inches from a fireball? Or bound and gagged with a magical straightjacket as needles poked at him from all sides?
Thoughts of revenge were entertaining, but after the initial thrill of her winnings had faded, she’d been left with the fact that she still hadn’t figured out how to get her powers back permanently. She would trade all the diamonds back for them if she could. Anything to avoid using what was pretty obviously the only ace left up her sleeve: Corvin wanted her.
I would want more than just your body, Audrey.
Just replaying those words in her head made her tremble with a mixture of excitement and dread. She tossed on the couch, running through scenarios of how tomorrow’s “lesson” would go down, and for some reason she couldn’t get the vision of him bending her over his lap and giving her a solid spanking out of her head. She had acted like a child. She’d run away because she couldn’t face what was—and never could be—between them. But she’d stayed away to punish him. To push his buttons.
He probably knew that, just like he had an irritating way of knowing everything else she was feeling. Yet, he was giving her a chance to begin again. Every time she thought she could just write him off and close her heart to him, he did something…generous. Like he genuinely cared. Like she mattered. But what if she was just fooling herself into thinking that?
What would Jack say?
She laughed to herself. “Take the money and run.”
Her neck prickled in that familiar way that said a Hohlwen was close. With a simple thought, she cloaked herself and summoned an energy ball to one hand.
“That won’t work on me, you know,” said a sly voice from the darkest corner of the room.
She squinted into the shadows and thought she could make out a slightly darker silhouette. “But the guards will come if I use it.”
The shadow stepped forward into a beam of moonlight streaming in through the domed glass ceiling. She recognized the cold, pale face staring at her through the gloom immediately, though she hadn’t seen him since her first day at the Arcanum, when Corvin had kicked his ass.
“You’re quick to put your faith in them.”
“None of the wolves have rubbed me the wrong way. I even like one or two of them.” She dropped the cloak but still held the energy ball. The warmth in her palm was soothing.
He tsked and took a step closer, though the movement was so smooth, it was more like he floated. “We did get off on the wrong foot, didn’t we?”
She sat up straighter. “You could say that. I see you got your teeth back.”
“And you were not permanently harmed.” He glided closer still. Close enough that she could see the tiny stars winking in the black of his eyes. “You did put up an impressive fight for one so small.”
She scoffed and shifted her feet to the floor—it had still hurt like hell. “Plenty more where that came from.”
He slid over the end of the couch and relaxed into the cushions. “False bravado is one of the more amusing human emotions. What purpose does it serve? Is it just a bluff, or does it actually give you courage?”
She reabsorbed the energy ball and sighed. The muscles in her shoulders bunched. She should just give up the ghost—she wasn’t getting any sleep tonight. It wasn’t a big deal. In fact, she shouldn’t let the posh surroundings make her too complacent. “What do you want, leach?”
The smile that had played around his sensual mouth took a hard downward turn. “I would be careful about using that term, Audrey.”
She’d heard the term from some of the other novices. It made sense, since the Hohlwen siphoned their energy from others to survive, but she hadn’t known he would take it as an insult. “What should I call you, then?”
He smiled again. “We do not offer our names freely.”
She rolled her eyes. “Are you just bored, or did you want something?”
“You have only one thing I want.”
She tucked her pouch deeper into the cushions. “I won them fair and square.” He couldn’t hurt her if she wasn’t breaking any rules—but was there anything to stop him from stealing from her? She wished she had gone back to the tower.
His smile flashed a brilliant white in the dark, reminding her of the Cheshire cat. “Do you have any idea of their worth?”
Yeah—enough to start a whole new life. “What good are they to you, anyway? It’s not like you need to buy food or pay rent.”
“Mortal currency is of no consequence. What’s of value to us is the energy stored inside.”
She scowled, trying to hide her confusion.
“Surely you’ve learned how crystals can harness and focus magic?”
She shrugged. She hadn’t shown up for any spelling classes. Corvin and the others needed spells, but her Ward abilities were more than enough to meet her needs, especially now.
“You’re hoarding a veritable trove of magical energy behind those cushions. As we are forbidden from draining witches without the explicit permission of the Synod, diamonds allow us to travel from the source of the Arcanum for more extended periods of time.” He stood and began pacing in front of her, occasionally blending into the shadows to reappear a second later in another place. She realized he wasn’t wearing any diamonds. “You must have lost big, huh?”
No answer.
So, she’d basically tethered him—and however many others that lost all their rocks—to this place. They were stuck, the same as she was. She couldn’t muster an ounce of sympathy. “Serves you right for betting against me.”
“I’ll be more careful next time.”
“Are you asking for a rematch?”
A pool of shadow poured over the back of the sofa, and then he was kicking back next to her again. “Are you offering one?”
A tingle of alarm zinged down her spine, and she swallowed hard. “I don’t have any dice.”
“A different wager, then.” His chiseled features gave nothing away. He was the picture of indifference.
“Okay. One diamond for three answers. Truthful answers—no evasions.”
One side of his mouth curled, and the tiny sparkles in his eyes danced like a million galaxies forming and winking out. “How will you determine if I’m telling the truth?”
“If I’m not satisfied with your answers, no deal.”
“That’s not really a wager.”
“It’s a gamble for both of us.”
He spread his arms out along the back of the couch. “One diamond for one answer.”
“Two.”
He froze for the span of several breaths, and yet his chest didn’t move. “Very well, ask your questions.”
The first one was obvious—he’d already given her a hint. “Is there any way for me to use the magic that’s stored in the diamonds?”
His eyes fixed on her, and all the glints of light spiraled away until she was staring into an abyss so complete, it made her dizzy. “No.”
“Care to elaborate on that?”
“Is that your second question?”
She narrowed her eyes. “No.”
“You did not specify an answer length, but I’ll humor you. Only my kind possess the ability to siphon magical energy into or out of a diamond. Their properties are unique. Satisfied?”
She pulled the pouch into her lap and tapped her fingers on it, staring across the room.
“Next question.”
“I’m thinking.”
He pretended to pick a piece of nonexistent lint from his shoulder. “Dawn draws near.”
She cocked an eyebrow at him. “So?”
“I haven’t fed yet this night. Since you have all my diamonds, I must do so before my next assignment.”
Interesting.
Except the feeding part. She hadn’t known their power was limited or what it had to do with the sun. She’d seen them in the daylight, but they were made of darkness, so maybe it cost them something.
Maybe you should have attended a few classes.
“Second question: do you know how I can get out of here with my powers and memory intact, without the Synod’s permission?”
He leaned forward, close enough that she should have felt his breath, but instead there was only an eerie cold that pebbled the skin on her forearms and neck.
“Yes.”
She let out the breath she’d been holding and reached inside her pouch to remove one diamond. As she held it up in the moonlight, an unnatural sparkle shone from it, as if the noonday sun were refracted in a rainbow of colors. She dropped it into his waiting palm.
He fixed it to his ear and it stayed there, partially absorbed by his skin. As he got up from the couch, she dipped into the pouch again, feeling for the largest stone she could find, then held it up to the moonlight.
He paused, unnaturally still as he studied her with those chilling, empty eyes.
“It’s yours if you tell me how.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Give it to me first, and I will tell you what I can.”
She hesitated long enough that he began to melt into the darkness behind him.
“Wait!” She leapt from her seat and nearly bumped into his chest when he resolidified. She held out the diamond.
He plucked it from her fingers, then stepped back and disappeared into the shadows.
“Motherfu—”
“Your magic works in this room, does it not?”
She bit off the curse and cleared her throat. “Yeah, but nowhere else.” She’d checked the entire perimeter of the fortress.
“Which means there is a force of magic here that cancels the binding spell.”
It felt awkward having a conversation with thin air, but she answered. “Okay. And…?”
“Which do you think is more likely? That the council has cast an individual spell and counter-spell for every novice to null their magic, or one spell for all?”
Realization pulsed through her body, making her heartbeat jump ahead. She didn’t answer—her wheels were already turning. Why hadn’t she seen it before? If the entire grounds were doused in anti-novice magic, but she could use her powers here, that meant the binding wasn’t attached directly to her, it was about location. There was no way they could cast a spell to cover the whole world, so the magic blocking her powers had a boundary, like a Wi-Fi signal.
And now you have the means to get far, far away from here.
She held the pouch of diamonds to her chest. “How far do I have to get to be free of it?”
A soft chuckle stirred the hair at her nape, sending a shiver down her spine.
“A courageous and clever little witch. We will speak again, Audrey.”
She didn’t hear or see him leave, but when she sensed she was alone, she collapsed onto the couch. The first light of dawn was creeping in through the stained-glass windows of the practice chamber, painting the far wall in a swath of diluted color. The smell of fresh bread drifted in from the front hall.
Her stomach rumbled. When was the last time she’d eaten? Oh, right—breakfast yesterday. Before she caught her mentor naked in the shower calling her name as he…
No, don’t think about that.
Before she’d gotten a hall pass, finally. Done recon. Found herself surrounded by immortal shadow guards and baited them into a dice battle. And before she’d won a few million dollars in precious gems.
She was absolutely starving.
She set off for the kitchen. Maybe room service would be enough of a peace offering to ensure Corvin didn’t go Mr. Miyagi on her again. She was so tired of chopping wood and scrubbing floors. Yesterday had been the strangest, longest, luckiest day of her life, but the revelations had left her achy and exhausted. She could leave the fortress without being drained, and she had the means to disappear into a new life once she was on the outside. The only unknown was how far the binding spell extended, and whether she could get that far without getting caught.
Only one way to find out.
Tilly was an Oracle of limited power, but what she did have, she put to good use. Breakfast for two, including bacon and Corvin’s favorite cheesy dill scones, was waiting on the counter when she reached the kitchen, tucked neatly away in a picnic basket complete with gingham linen.
A swell of emotion made Audrey grip the counter. Tears filled her eyes as she read the note beside the basket. A pit opened up in her stomach as memories of a time when all she had longed for was the family life she’d seen on TV, a packed lunch on the counter and a mom to kiss her on the top of the head and send her off to school. She would miss Tilly. And the food. Oh, gods, the food! But it wasn’t worth joining a cult and being tethered to the Synod for the rest of her life. They kept everyone on a short leash, and she was meant to run free.
And you have a promise to keep.
At least she had learned how to use her powers better. But it only counted if Lilly was okay in the end. Every day strapped to that table had to feel like an eternity. Almost a month…Audrey shook her head.
Don’t think about that either.
She needed to focus on her plan. Go over what she knew, make sure she wasn’t missing anything obvious. Timing. Packing. She needed a day, two at most.
I’m coming for you, kid.
Which meant she had one more day—and one night—left with Corvin. She didn’t want to spend them fighting. She grabbed the basket and headed for the tower.
“I’m coming up! I hope you’re decent!” she shouted as she rounded the stairwell into Corvin’s living room. He stood in the kitchen with his back to her, slicing something on the counter. The chair by the fire was dented and covered with the same rumpled pillow and blanket he’d been sleeping with since she stole his bed.
Smoke cawed and launched from Corvin’s shoulder to land on the handle of her breakfast basket as she set it down. He ducked his head under the linen napkin covering the food and flipped it back to survey the bounty with his beady little eyes. Audrey snatched a blueberry muffin before he could peck at it. She still hadn’t gotten used to sharing her food.
Corvin took a deep breath and hummed it out. “Cheese scones?”
The vibration of his voice gave her a little tingle, but she shrugged and answered through a mouthful of muffin. “Somebody loves you.”
He rinsed his hands in the sink and finally turned around. Whatever she’d been expecting, it wasn’t the dazzling smile he flashed at her. She’d never realized how perfect his teeth were. Her heart skipped a beat, and she almost choked on the crumbs she inhaled.
His eyes danced with laughter. Gone was the brooding intensity, the guarded indifference. He seemed…happy to see her. Which caught her completely off guard.
She poured a cup of coffee and retreated to the sitting area as Corvin poked through the basket. Smoke had apparently decided he wanted the muffin and followed her. She rolled her eyes and fed him a bit from her hand. “So, what’s on the agenda today? Paint the fence? Wax-on, wax-off?”
Corvin settled across from her with a quizzical furrow to his brows, but he made no comment as he took a bite of scone. A low rumble of pleasure echoed from his chest, and she felt her cheeks heat up.
Smoke hopped from her chair to Corvin’s shoulder and pecked at his ear until he shared some of the heavenly pastry. She laughed as Corvin obliged. He cleared his throat. “How was your stay in the dormitory?”
“Fine.” No reason to tell him she hadn’t slept there, or at all. “But do you have somewhere safe to stash my winnings? I don’t want them to get stolen.”
“I’m glad you asked. I have something I want to show you.” He set his food aside, and she followed him to the stairwell. Instead of going down to the right, he opened the door on the left, which he’d told her was a storage closet. It led to more stairs, which were freshly swept. Curious, she followed him up. They arrived at another door. Corvin glanced down at her on the step below him and smiled again as he pushed it open and let her enter ahead of him.
Inside was a small round room with a pitched ceiling and a single window open to let in a crisp breeze. A stack of boxes, books, and antiques was shoved against the far wall. Beneath the window was a cot covered with thick blankets and the pillow from Corvin’s bed that she’d claimed for her own. The few clothes she’d accumulated in her stay here were clean and neatly folded on top of a chest at the foot of the bed. Another small chest—more ornate and inlaid with gold and turquoise—served as a nightstand. A glass jar sat on top, filled with fresh wildflowers.
Her heart wrenched, and she had to hold back the tears in her eyes for the second time that morning.
Corvin misread her silence. “You hate it.”
“No! No… it’s… this is for me?” She turned to smile at him over her shoulder. “You did this for me?”
He smiled back, and she noticed the dark half-moons under his eyes. She probably had a set to match. “I want you to be comfortable here. I’m sorry I didn’t do it sooner. I understand wanting your own space. I haven’t cleaned the flue yet, but the fireplace should work. You have a door and a window. I can get you a basin for washing. There’s no electricity, but there are candles and oil lamps—”
She pressed her fingers over his lips, and that fire jumped to life in his eyes, lighting one to match in the pit of her belly. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”
He blinked and took her hand, pressing it to his chest. He was warm against her cool skin, and the steady thump of his heart seemed to match the whoosh of blood pumping in her ears. “I’m sorry about yesterday.”
“It’s okay.” She tried to pull her hand back, but he held on to it. She didn’t need any more kindness from him. She already liked him too much for her own good.
“Let me finish.” He stared at her face, and the words caught in his throat. “Yesterday, I was… an ass.”
A surprised laugh burst from her, and his mouth curled in that half-smile she’d come to know so well. She’d thought it meant disinterest but suddenly realized it was self-consciousness, which made it much more endearing.
“And before that, I have no excuse. You were right—I’m not very good with people.”
She looked down at her feet.
“The truth is, I…” he licked his lips. “I find it hard to think about anything else when you’re around. I want you so much it’s excruciating. But that’s no excuse for the way I behaved. I’m really not such a brute.”
Her pulse kicked up and she turned away so he wouldn’t see the heat crawling up her cheeks. Her eyes scanned the room, and she pulled her hand away from him before she did something stupid. Like kiss him. “Apology accepted.”
Giving in to those urges would make leaving that much harder to leave.
She didn’t want to hurt Corvin. He wasn’t helping with this new, vulnerable version either. Normally, she would suspect someone’s motives, but for some reason, he seemed more genuine than he ever had before. On top of her pile of freshly laundered clothes was a giant piece of suede. She unfolded it to find a large glove that would fit up over her elbow. “What’s this?”
Corvin leaned in the doorway, studying her. “That’s for your lesson. We can start whenever you’re ready. Take your time to get situated.” He backed out of the room and swung the heavy oak door shut.
She sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, then fell to her back and stared up at the cobwebs swaying gently in the rafters and the dust motes dancing in the early morning light.
A goofy grin spread over her face. She touched her fingers to her lips. They were still warm from Corvin’s breath. She closed her eyes and, for a moment, let herself imagine what would have happened if she had answered that tingling question and thrown herself into his arms. Would he have caught her? Kissed her?
Would he be making love to her right now in this very spot?
Because the way he was looking at her when he made his confession, it would definitely have been something more than sex. She’d never had a man look at her like that. Lust, she was familiar with, but this had been more like deep, passionate longing. That look had felt like someone hit a gong in the room and it was still thrumming up her spine and making her fingers tingle. How could one look communicate so much?
What if he really does have feelings for you?
It was obvious at this point that Corvin didn’t do things by halves. He poured his heart and soul into everything he did—whether it was tending to injured birds or training novices or apologizing.
She laughed and scrubbed her hands over her face. She was definitely overreacting, and it was probably because no one had ever done anything so nice for her in the history of ever. She’d never had her own room. Her cell at Parkview didn’t count. This place, even some of these people… it was the first time she could see herself maybe belonging somewhere. How fucked up was it that she was still running away?
No, how fucked up are you?
She didn’t want to answer that.