THEO LED ME THROUGH THE maze-like hallways, and I struggled to keep up. I felt like we went around and around. Finally, he stopped in front of a door. He knocked harshly, three loud raps.

The door swung open.

“Ah, Mara,” Victor spoke kindly, a sharp contrast to his tone and behavior last night. He motioned for me to enter and I did. I jumped when the door slammed shut behind me and locked, leaving Theo on the other side.

My heart beat like a frightened bird and I looked with wide eyes from the closed door to Victor.

Do not show fear, I reminded myself.

Theo cursed on the other side of the door and began to bang against it. It sounded like he was throwing his whole body against it.

“Sit,” Victor commanded and one of the chairs in front of his desk turned around.

I sat down in it, reluctantly, and once I was seated it turned itself back around to face the desk.

I looked at the closed door and then back at Victor. “What’s all this about?” I asked.

Victor quirked a brow. “It’s not your place to ask questions.”

I swallowed.

Do. Not. Show. Fear.

“If you do not ask questions then you do not receive answers,” I countered.

“Ah,” he sighed. “Fine. To answer your question, I wanted to speak to you privately.” He waved his hand and the noises on the other side of the door became mute. “That’s better. We can’t hear him, and he can’t hear us.”

I hoped that wasn’t a bad thing.

Victor stared at me, his eyes roaming over my face like he was dissecting my features. The air seemed to crackle between us and the pale hairs on my arms stood on end.

“Why am I here?” I finally asked.

Victor shook his head and inhaled a breath. He steepled his fingers and pressed them against his lips. “You must be careful, Mara.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, playing dumb.

“I know that Theodore—” he pointed to the door “—doesn’t trust me. But I’m not the one you should be worried about.”

“I’m confused,” I mumbled, and I truly was.

“You’re a Chosen One. That’s rare. The Iniquitous have successfully eliminated almost all the Chosen Ones. Including you, there are only five left. There used to be so many more. But The Iniquitous aren’t your only problem. There are others who would give you over to them for money and power. You must be careful with who you trust. And stay by your protector. He’ll keep you safe. I’ve never seen a protector quite like Theodore Meyers.” A small smile quirked his lips, lifting his mustache. “I’ve always been at odds with that boy, still am most of the time, and I’d never tell him this but I sort of admire him. He has a headstrong tenacity to him that while irritating is commendable in many ways.”

“Why aren’t you telling him this? It seems to me that he needs to hear this.”

“Theodore doesn’t trust me. He would not believe me,” said Victor, resting his hands on the desk. With his plumpness and mustache, he really reminded me of a walrus.

“So, why should I believe you?”

He spread his arms wide. “You must make your own choice, Mara, as to whether or not you should trust me. Take care.” With those words, I knew I was dismissed. Before I left, out of curiosity, I looked up at the ceiling. It reflected an overcast day with mist.

I heard a click and I knew the door was unlocked. A moment later, Theo’s fussing could be heard. I reached for the doorknob.

“Your mother would be proud of you,” whispered Victor.

I turned around. “You knew my mother,” I gasped.

It was still weird to realize my mother was one of these people. I’d thought of her as a normal human for so long that imagining her as anything else didn’t make sense to my brain—let alone the fact she might, well definitely did, know some of these people.

“I did.” He nodded, a sad look in his eyes.

“How do you know she’d be proud of me? I haven’t done anything.”

“But you will,” he stated.

Feeling very confused, I opened the door. Theo crashed to the floor since he had been leaning against it.

He jumped right up and grabbed me into his arms. “Are you okay? I’ve nearly had a heart attack. And then I couldn’t hear anything. Please say something.” He scanned me from head to toe as if he suspected to see me covered in scrapes and bruises.

“How can I say something when you keep rambling?”

“Glad to see that your sarcastic remarks are still working.” His lips tilted up into a smirk.

“I’m a person. Not a toy. I don’t operate on batteries,” I muttered, fighting a massive eye roll.

Theo clearly brought out the best in me.

“Yep, you’re fine,” he deduced. He pulled me away from the door and dragged me along and up the steps, and more steps, and even more to the very top level. Then he guided me down a side hallway. Theo stopped in front of a narrow black spiral staircase. “Up you go.” He motioned for me to go up first.

“You want to look at my butt, don’t you?” I muttered under my breath as I began to climb the steep steps.

I could see Theo shake his head out of my peripheral vision. “Don’t flatter yourself, doll face.” He chuckled lightly under his breath.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“You’ll see.” He motioned with his hand for me to continue going up.

I couldn’t see exactly where the staircase led yet, but I had to admit my curiosity was definitely piqued.

I continued up the seemingly endless staircase, Theo’s heavy boots thudding on the stairs behind me. Finally, I came to the end and stood in a library.

The room was round and had two levels with books lining every surface of the walls. There were heavy wood tables and chairs scattered about and the occasional big comfy leather chair. I looked up and found a domed ceiling much like the one above the grand staircase. It had thick iron filigree around it and I could see the sky through it. Rain splattered the window with a hint of the sun shining through. But what amazed me the most was how the trees cast a green hue through the window, which then reflected into the library.

Theo and I were the only ones in there, which sort of surprised me. The room was so beautiful I’d think most would find it to be an escape.

I turned to Theo. “It’s beautiful.” My voice was soft with awe. “I can’t believe we’re the only ones up here.”

“No one comes up here.”

“Why?” I asked, confused. “I could live in here.”

He shrugged. “It’s restricted.” He grinned. Theo always seemed to get a kick out of breaking the rules. “I don’t know exactly why but no one’s supposed to come in here. They put in a new library on the first level and everyone’s supposed to use that. But we need privacy, so … here we are. Sit.” He pointed to a table. “I want to know what Victor wanted.”

I sat, and he pulled out the chair across from me, flipping it backward before sitting.

“Go on.” He waved his hand impatiently. “I’m waiting.”

I shrugged. “Nothing much.”

Theo sighed like my answer did nothing to satisfy him. “No, he wanted to talk to you about something and he didn’t want me to know. What was it? He didn’t tell you, did he?”

“Tell me what?” I asked narrowing my eyes.

Theo swallowed. “Nothing.” He looked away for a moment and, when his eyes returned to me, he pleaded, “What did he say?”

“He told me I shouldn’t be worried about him, but there are others who would hand me over to The Iniquitous for money and power.”

Theo rolled his eyes. “He’s just trying to throw me off of his trail,” he hissed.

“Or maybe he’s just trying to help,” I said softly. I didn’t like Victor, there was something about him that rubbed me the wrong way, but I wasn’t as convinced as Theo was that he was bad news. I knew Theo knew him better, but I also got the impression they’d always been at odds so of course he didn’t like the man.

“No,” growled Theo. “I don’t think so. But he is right about one thing. People will turn you over to The Iniquitous in a heartbeat. They won’t care about your life, only themselves, and if they think handing you over will get them somewhere they won’t hesitate. I promise you that.”

“Great. Something else to worry about,” I mumbled. “He mentioned something about other Chosen Ones. He said there are five including me.”

“Really? That’s news to me, but the older enchanters don’t really tell us much. They don’t like word to get around. I do know of one other. He lives here but he doesn’t have a protector. Lucky you.” He waggled his eyebrows.

“Will I get to meet him? Does his family live here? And what does all this being a Chosen One entail?”

“Sure, you’ll get to meet him. He’s in London right now visiting his family. They send him to live here most of the year because it’s supposed to be safer.”

“Supposed to be?” I latched onto the word.

“What do you expect? Nothing is fool-proof. Anything can happen. The hope is that it won’t. To answer your other question,” he continued, “being Chosen means you’re more powerful than regular enchanters and you were born with some purpose. Each purpose is different for every Chosen. You’ll figure out yours eventually.”

“You sound like a fortune cookie,” I grumbled. The more he spoke the more confused I became.

Theo shrugged and tipped the chair back. I hoped he didn’t fall. No, on second thought, I hoped he would. It would wipe that arrogant smirk off his face.

“How do you know I’m Chosen, though? What if you’re mistaken?”

He shook his head. “Trust me, you’re Chosen. Only Chosen get protectors born specifically for them and I know you’re mine.”

The way he said you’re mine delighted me way more than it should.

We sat staring at each other for I didn’t know how long until Theo jumped up and said, “Want me to show you around?”

“Yeah, that’d be great.” I’d need to learn my way around this place on my own eventually. Well, maybe I’d need to learn, since it sounded like Theo wasn’t going to let me go anywhere on my own.

“This room used to be an attic,” he explained, “before it became the library, and then, of course, it’s technically restricted.”

“Technically,” I echoed with laughter.

He grinned. “The manor was built in eighteen-seventeen and taken over by enchanters in nineteen-twenty after it fell into disrepair. They fixed it up and returned it to its formal glory that you see today. It’s large enough to house a hundred enchanters in a crisis but most of the time there isn’t more than twenty of us—adults, teens, and children included. Most come and go and are only here on business but then there are the lucky ones who live here all the time.” He started for the stairs and swept his hand. “Shall we?”

I scooted off my chair and scurried after him and down the stairs. I nearly fell, and he stuck his hand out to steady me.

“Thanks.” A blush stained my cheeks, but my hair thankfully fell forward to hide the hideous red color. I’d never been so affected by a guy’s touch before, especially one as infuriating as Theo. It figured when my hormones finally kicked in they’d have to choose to like an asshole like him.

“There’s really not that much to show you,” he admitted. “Most is empty rooms or spaces meant for large gatherings. The main spaces used are the bottom two levels.”

“Really? It feels like a maze.”

“You’re smarter than I gave you credit for. The manor is much like a maze.” He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his black jeans. His black t-shirt strained over his chest muscles. For someone so lean, he was very muscular.

“But why?” I asked as he started down the hallway. I struggled to keep up with his long-legged stride. “What’s the purpose?”

“Confusion,” he explained, leading me down the main set of stairs to the third level. “In case the wrong people get in here. Like I said, this is a safe house. It’s meant for protection. Enchanters usually only come here if they’re traveling or have been attacked and need to hide.”

“Is that likely?” I gulped. “The wrong people getting in here, I mean.”

“I’ve never known of it happening,” he admitted.

We finally reached the bottom level and stood in the massive foyer. In front of us was a massive, arched wooden door. It looked so thick and heavy I wasn’t sure I could open it.

“This is the heart of the manor. You already know where the dining hall is,” he said and pointed to the double doors. “Now,” he said and pointed to the two large hallways on each side of the staircase, “that hallway—” he pointed to the one on the left of the stairs “—leads to the Committee’s rooms and offices. It is strictly off limits. You don’t seek out a Committee member. They find you. And that hallway—” he motioned to the hallway on the right of the stairs “—is where the classrooms are located. I’m not going to bother pointing them all out to you. I’ll be with you at all times. You won’t have to worry about getting lost.”

“You mean you’ll be coming with me while I learn to go all magicky? Won’t that be boring for you?”

He winced. “First off, please never use the word magicky ever again in my presence. Secondly, I’ll be watching you, not learning or participating.”

I had a hard time imagining him not participating. He didn’t seem to be able to keep his mouth shut.

Also, the idea of trying to learn how to do magic with Theo right there all the time didn’t sound appealing at all. I could only imagine him sitting there staring a hole into my skull.

“Great,” I muttered, letting my distaste leach into my words.

He smirked like he knew exactly what I was thinking.

“Come on, this way.” He started down the hallway across from the dining hall. Portraits lined each side of the hallway. I recognized this hallway from when we arrived. As if I couldn’t help myself, I stopped in front of the portrait of the blonde-haired girl.

Theo came to a stop beside me. “This is the hall of The Chosen Ones,” he whispered as if their ghosts still lingered. “And that is your mother,” he pointed to the portrait I was mesmerized by.

My head snapped to the side to stare at him. “What?” I gasped. The girl in the picture hardly resembled the only photo I had of my mother. She looked so prim and proper here and not at all happy.

“Cosette White,” he said and nodded at the picture, “your mother.”

“She was a Chosen One?”

“Yes, and murdered by The Iniquitous.” His words were harsh but he said them softly and I could see pain in his eyes. He looked over at me with a look in his eyes I had never seen. There was a fierce protectiveness in his gaze and even loyalty. “I’ll never let them get you,” he vowed.

He moved to another picture before I could say anything. He pointed to the picture.

The man couldn’t have been older than twenty with a strong chin, fierce green eyes, and glowing golden hair that curled around his ears. The smile curving his lips was sardonic and his arms were crossed over his chest.

“Thaddeus Lucero,” he said. “Your father and leader of The Iniquitous.”

“No.” I shook my head, my fists clenching. “It can’t be. You said he’s part of The Iniquitous. This isn’t him. Steven Pryce is my dad,” I cried. Theo looked at me with pity. Even though Theo had already told me this I still didn’t want to believe him and it was even harder when presented with a picture of the man. A man I supposedly shared DNA with but I’d never ever met in my life.

“The Iniquitous were once part of The Enchanted they just … chose a different life. Thaddeus was one of the Chosen Ones.”

“No,” I said again but I knew the man in the picture was my father. I could see parts of myself in his green-gold gaze, in the shape of his cheek bones. I looked more like my mother but there were parts of this man in me … and I hated it. I wanted to scrub myself free of anything that resembled this man. He was nothing to me. Nothing.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why did you show me this?” I asked. I meant to sound angry and menacing but my voice came out soft and crackly with the threat of tears instead.

“I thought you deserved to know.” His voice was soft, and I could tell he was actually sincere. “It’s not like I didn’t tell you what he was.”

“What,” I repeated. “You told me what he was, but you didn’t need to show me who he was. I did not need to put a face to the monster, Theodore. This man, my father, he killed my mother, didn’t he?” I don’t know why but my gut screamed at me that the words I spoke were true.

Theo stood shell-shocked.

“Didn’t he?” I screamed in the hallway.

He nodded his head.

I took off running before he could stop me and let the tears fall freely.