Chapter 37
Loretta ran into the barn as Chatan scooped Jacinda into his arms and healed something. His magic flowed through the barn, twisted around them all, then wrapped around the two of them until white light filled the room and she couldn’t see anything.
“What the fuck?” the mage who called himself Preston shouted. “I can’t see worth a damn now.”
Loretta fell to her knees, her breathing coming in great gasps. She hadn’t ever seen anyone wield so much power. She didn’t think it was possible.
Then her vision cleared, and she shot to her feet and rushed to Chatan, who held Jacinda in his arms. She hadn’t woken up, but she felt her magic even more so than the day she stepped into the inn. She’d been holding some of it back even then.
“She’ll be okay. She just needs rest,” Loretta promised.
“Unfortunately, I need to know what happened.” Robert crouched beside him. “This is Jacinda Lavelle?”
Chatan nodded, tears running down his face. “Yeah. And she’s terrified the Council will hunt her down.”
Robert shook his head. “Oh no. Not for being whatever she was born. She saved you. Stopped Josephine. And took care of the other two.”
Chatan shook his head. “I don’t know if Mason can survive. Josephine gave him magic.”
Preston lifted a shoulder. “We’ll see what can be done. But he must have had a hand in the ritual to gain magic. If so, that’s on him.”
Chatan nodded.
Preston lifted a brow in Mason’s direction. “What does he think is happening?”
“That he’s burning.” Chatan shrugged. “She put a couple nasty burns on him when he tried to kidnap her.”
“And why the hell did you wait to call the Council?” Preston demanded.
“Ask the elders. I don’t care about anything but Jacinda,” Chatan warned.
* * * *
Chatan’s aggravation pulled Jacinda out of the peaceful slumber. The pain that had erupted up her side as she grappled with Josephine was gone. Her magic was back in her body, not leaking out like a damned sieve.
She sat up slowly, testing her body for pain, then she smiled and turned in Chatan’s lap. “You did it!”
He grinned. “Couldn’t have you hurt. I need you, Jace.”
She kissed him, not worried about anyone else in the room, or the fact she’d killed Josephine for good this time.
Chatan held her tight but ended the kiss, pressing his forehead to hers. “Meet Robert McCallister, the magister of the Silver Council, and Preston Emrys, his lieutenant.”
She turned in his lap. Her head cocked as she studied them both. Her brows shot up as she realized they weren’t what everyone believed.
Robert was part mage, but more mystic. Preston was more Fae than mage. And the guy hovering near Robert, the one who wasn’t introduced, but she knew form the book store in Edenton was mage and druid, which was like the biggest no-no according to the Dark Templar. Tremaine had helped her learn some of the symbols in the book.
She swallowed hard. “Hi.”
“Is there someplace you’d be more comfortable telling us everything that happened?” Robert asked.
“Chatan’s place?” she squeaked.
Robert smiled at Chatan. “You good with that?”
He nodded.
Robert touched them both while Preston and Tremaine touched him. Then they were in Chatan’s living room.
She stood up and looked down at her shirt that gaped open. She glanced at the part-mages and transmuted it into a shirt without the blood and a similar color.
“You would trust us with that knowledge?” Robert asked.
Tremaine laughed. “She knows I’m not just a mage. She can sense neither of you are either. She probably figures if you’re not even a true mage, you aren’t going to freak when she has the magic of most casters rolled into one.”
“Wouldn’t go that far, but figured transmuting isn’t so bad,” Jacinda muttered.
Tremaine smiled. “You can trust these two. I do.”
She dipped her head. “Josephine is dead. I don’t think she can come back from turning into dust.”
“She can’t,” Tremaine assured.
“What will happen to Orlando and Mason?”
Preston rubbed at his neck. “Not sure. Orlando had a hand in his wife’s murder. He’s definitely going to pay for that. As for Mason, it depends on how much he was brainwashed, and how much he went along with of his own accord.”
Chatan shook his head. “Stupid fucking bastard.”
Tremaine nodded. “To gain magic, he had to have a hand in the ritual. He made a choice, even if it was partially influenced.”
“What is that blade?” Jacinda asked.
“The Galican. It’s was hidden until a few years ago when Josephine, and her husband stole it from the previous Silver Council Magister. That’s when she died originally. Her husband brought her back before his own death. Don’t worry, the dagger is going back into hiding, away from anyone who would use it.”
“Good. That magic is dangerous,” Chatan answered.
She nodded. “I didn’t do anything to Mason but made him think I burned him again. I needed him out of the way to deal with Josephine. But the magic didn’t bond with him. He’s going to wither away.”
Robert nodded. “Most likely. We have healers who will try to fix what’s broken, but it’s doubtful they can do anything.”
Josephine blew out a breath. “If I wasn’t trying to cover my ass to make sure I didn’t go down for being a scary caster, I would have done more than really burn him the first time. But I didn’t know what was going on when I got here.”
“Admirable,” Robert said. “What about Orlando?”
“Orlando, I put him under because he wanted to play mind games, but he’s not good at it. He should wake up tomorrow.”
“Can I slip into your head to quickly see what happened?”
She gulped, then nodded. “Just don’t hold anything against me.”
He shook his head. “You have my word. But this is faster, easier, and we can leave you two alone. Though later, after things settle down, you should call. I can take you to someone who would very much like to meet you.”
Chatan shook his head.
She looked at him, then turned back to Robert. “Who?”
“Your grandfather. Brent Shadows. Tyrrell Lavelle’s father,” he answered.
She blinked, trying to figure out how they knew about her family. Then she said, “I never knew anything about my father’s family. I’m not sure how much my mother knows. He left them to keep them safe from something that hunts my mother’s line.”
“Doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to help you any way he can. And he’s like you in some ways. His magic is varied. You should talk to him.”
She nodded slowly. “Take the memories.”
“I’ll look at them, not take them.” He touched her head, then the night replayed itself. And he was out. He didn’t look further, didn’t pry into anything but what happened from meeting with the elders, until they showed up.
“That was quick.” Jacinda relaxed slightly.
“I would prefer you trust me,” Robert explained. “Please keep my secret. The Council would have a fit if they learned what I am, what Preston is.”
“I’ll never spill a word, I promise,” she answered.
He nodded to Chatan. “I hope that goes for you too.”
“Definitely.”
“Get some rest. That blade should have killed you, but between your quick thinking and Chatan’s impressive skill, you’re whole, completely.”
“Thanks.” He slipped a card into her hand. “I can take you to your grandfather if you decide you want a quick trip.” With that, he stood, touched the other two men, and they disappeared.
“Let’s get you cleaned up,” Chatan said. “Then we’ll rest.” Though she had a feeling they would do anything but sleep.
She smiled as he scooped her into his arms and carried her back to the bathroom.
“You aren’t mad?” she asked.
“Why weren’t the elders with you?”
“The van couldn’t go through the wards. I couldn’t take everyone. I went before they could argue. If I hadn’t, I’m not sure the first protection spell I wove would have held. I needed to make sure they couldn’t cut you.”
He ran his hand up her side and shook his head. “I’m glad I managed to fix what she did.”
Jacinda blinked. “What did you do?”
He lifted a shoulder. “Pushed your magic back into you and healed the wound.”
She kissed him and he lifted her up to sit her on the counter.
Pulling back, he captured her gaze. “What did you do to me? I couldn’t move.”
She winced. “I wove a protection spell around you so they couldn’t cut you before you left the reservation. Then I infused more magic into it so they couldn’t hit you again.” She touched his forehead. “How’s your head?”
“Didn’t even notice that until you touched it.” He glanced at the mirror and his lip curled. “I’d love to smash a bat into his head.”
“I might have broken his mind. The illusion I cast shouldn’t have lasted long. But if he has reality warping magic and doesn’t know how to use it, he might have looped the spell.”
Chatan couldn’t help laughing. “Serves the prick right. Now, let’s forget about that because we’re both safe.”
She pulled him down for another kiss.