Natural Mage (Magical Mayhem Book 2) Page 29

  I stayed in my seat, knowing that it was best to give Reagan a lot of room when her dander was up.

  “What the fuck are you doing?” I heard Reagan ask, her heavy boots treading over the door she had just kicked in. Her own door. But not the original door, oh no. It had been replaced a time or two before this, if Mikey next door could be believed. He’d proved surprisingly chatty after our not-so-great first meeting.

  Fire exploded between Emery’s hands, wiping out his spell. He back-pedaled, his eyes wide.

  “Don’t bother,” I told Emery, turning back toward the phone. “You won’t win. Best case, you’ll get a kick in the face and a move.”

  “She would know,” Reagan said in a rough voice filled with anger. “Why in the holy fuck didn’t you—”

  “Do you live in a barn?” my mother hollered through the phone.

  Reagan paused with a confused expression, standing in the archway of the kitchen.

  “This has gotten out of hand,” my mother continued into the silence, taking control via the phone despite sitting half a country away. It was her superpower. “Sit down, all of you. How many are there, just the three, now? Or is that accursed vampire hanging around in the background as well?”

  Reagan cocked her head, then lifted her eyebrows at us. Emery and I stared at her silently, waiting for her to answer my mother’s question. We both knew there was no sense trying to play mediator. She’d just tell us to shut it so Reagan could answer.

  “Darius is at his house in the Quarter,” she said, stepping closer and looking down at the phone. “He is dealing with some issues there.”

  “Is one of them answering his phone?” I muttered.

  “Penelope Bristol, if you have something to say, you say it so everyone can hear it,” my mother badgered.

  I picked at my nail as Reagan cocked her head the other way, taking another step closer. It was like she was hearing a dog whistle.

  “It’s just, we were in trouble, and I couldn’t even leave a voicemail for him,” I said, trying not to be sulky, and failing. Old habits, as they said.

  “We’ll get to that,” my mother said. “Reagan, honey, have a seat and let’s talk about this sensibly.”

  Reagan, who usually hated terms of endearment from strangers, moved as though in a trance to an open seat, looking mildly confused and a little delighted.

  “Emery, you might…close the door,” I said, glancing back at the entryway where part of it was in view, splayed on the ground. “Or maybe just prop it up so the whole neighborhood isn’t peeking in.”

  “While he does that,” my mother said, not asking about it, as though propping up kicked-in doors was a normal occurrence, “let’s go over this again, shall we? Let’s start with the change in your training.”

  A half-hour later, after helping walk my mom through setting up the DVR, which really shouldn’t have been so hard, she was mostly caught up on the broad strokes of the situation, plus a few details. Other details she’d already known from randomly using her various Seer abilities to check on me.

  Turned out she’d known all along about the larger milestones of my journey in New Orleans, but in an effort to stay true to her word, she had stayed out of it, letting me get a grip on my own. I was, quite frankly, gobsmacked by her self-restraint.

  Gobsmacked.

  “So you are now in league with vampires and shifters,” my mother said in a disapproving voice.

  “Join the club,” Reagan muttered.

  “Young lady, if you have something to say, say it loud enough for us all to hear.”

  Reagan frowned at the phone and, amazingly, entwined her fingers in front of her and hunched forward a little. “Darius’s phone disappeared earlier this evening, right about the time Penny must have called. He already has a new one. It seemed like a minor issue until he learned of the…coincidence in timing.”

  “Only dimwitted fools believe in coincidences,” my mother said.

  “Right.” Reagan nodded. “I would not have thought it possible, but clearly they have someone on the inside. Vampires. It seems the Mages’ Guild has made alliances of their own, and they are, in essence, taking on Darius. For him not to have seen this before now… It’s surprising. He’s really slipping.”

  Rustling filled the phone, probably the sound of my mother shifting. “Even elders can get complacent as time progresses. Things go moderately smoothly for a few hundred years, and they get into a rhythm. This little shake-up will be good for him. It’ll sharpen his edges. We need that going forward. I hate to say it, but he’s a strong ally. It’d be better to have him with us than against us.”

  “He’ll stay with me, and I’ll stay with Penny. That’s a certainty,” Reagan said with a gravity to her words that squished my heart. She wasn’t in league with many people. That she would cast her lot with me, when I was at the heart of a boatload of danger, really spoke volumes about her loyalty.

  I smiled at her and touched her forearm.

  “No.” She shook me off. “Don’t get weepy. It’s gross.”

  We dealt with touching moments in different ways.

  “Fine,” my mother said. “The question we need answered is what to do now.” Movement sounded in the background.

  “Darius thinks—”

  Emery held up his hand to stall Reagan. He shook his head. “She is one of the most gifted Seers I’ve ever come across. Wait to hear what she has to say. She was integral in keeping us alive in Seattle.”

  Reagan’s lips downturned and she pulled her chair closer. “Really? Neat. I’ve only come across a few decent tarot readers. All assholes. So this fits.”

  I stared at the phone wide-eyed, wondering if my mom would retort. When she didn’t, I let out a breath. I really didn’t want to see the two butt heads. That would probably make my life hell.

  “Did you get anything much out of the mages?” I asked quietly, not wanting to disturb whatever my mother was doing.

  Reagan pulled her gaze up from the phone. “Sadly, no. A couple were hired from different areas of the country. They answered an ad, of all things. I also talked to Red. Well…” She put her elbows on the table. “I kicked him around the place, actually, when I found out he knew you were in trouble and didn’t tell me.” Her jaw clenched. “We’re having a rift in our friendship, he and I.”

  “That’s probably better for him,” I said. She gave me a blank stare. “That you stay away, I mean. You scare him, I think.”

  Emery chuckled helplessly, bending over his clasped hands, his body shaking. The guy could find a joke in anything.

  Reagan’s smile gave me nervous shivers. “No. It is not better for him.”

  “What he said about the Guild bringing in people was true, then?” Emery asked with a lopsided smile.

  Reagan blew out a breath and sat back. “They know what they’re up against. And I’m not talking about two powerful naturals. I’m talking about a rogue mage with no friends, a newbie with no clue, an easily infiltrated ragtag crew of New Orleans magical social drinkers, vampires that can’t help in the daytime, and shifters that aren’t totally sure they want to fully engage in a full-out magical battle. We’re all over the place. Our side is a mess. We—and I really mean you two—stirred up the hornets’ nest without any plan. And yes, sure, we thought the New Orleans contingent was a decrepit, disorganized faction, fat and happy. But surprise, they’re not. So now we have to figure out how to bail ourselves out. Do we go guerilla and plan lots of little, stealthy attacks? Do we…” She rubbed her hands over her face. “That’s actually all I have. I don’t even know what we do. And given how much Darius has screwed up lately, I don’t trust anything he said. So forget that I was going to offer advice.”

  I stared at my empty hands and thought about getting a drink, but then thought better of it when I remembered the excessively strong drinks Reagan would likely force on us.

  Through the crappy phone speaker, in a slightly tinny, haunted voice, my mother said:

  “He
r path has been set. Her journey is in motion. He will complete the pyramid of power. The curse breaker will join the oath takers and forge a bond in blood. It is in this union that the way forward shall be writ. That they shall learn their highest level of power, and hold the kingdom from falling.”

  40

  I looked between Reagan and Emery. Emery studied me. Reagan cocked her head, staring at the phone.

  “Right, but what is a curse breaker? I mean, besides it being me,” Reagan said. “No one seems to know.”

  “Do you know what it means?” I asked her.

  “No. That’s the thing with Seer types. They give you all these windy answers that could mean eight different things. Then some traumatic thing happens that you wish you could’ve gotten a heads up on, and the Seer says, ‘See? I told you that would happen.’ It’s annoying. Too bad your mom is no different.”

  “I beg your pardon?” My mother’s voice was weak.

  “While I don’t totally disagree,” Emery said softly, “Ms. Bristol is the genuine article. I imagine we are meant to be together—”

  “Well la-dee-dah,” Reagan said, getting up and heading to the cabinet that held the whiskey. Something was clearly troubling her.

  “—and that foretelling was hinting at future events.”

  “What’d I say?” my mother asked. I could hear distinct clicking and figured she must’ve brought out the tape recorder, something she’d done in the past when she hadn’t had (or hadn’t trusted) her audience.

  “I work alone,” Reagan said.

  “I think we could tell that by the fix my daughter and her male friend got up to this evening, yes. So much for you sticking with Penny through thick and thin.” My mother’s voice sounded on the tape recorder and we heard the message again. “Huh.”

  “See?” Reagan pointed at the phone.

  “No, that doesn’t help you now. That bears some reflection. Important, though. Let me reduce my scope, see if it gets us more information.” My mother sighed. “Back to the grindstone.”

  Reagan unscrewed the cap. “Penny? Drink?”

  “Water. Without the tequila or lime.”

  Reagan frowned at me. “I don’t carry that.”

  “I’ll get it.” Emery rose from the chair.

  “And by the way, we’re not in a kingdom right now.” Reagan pointed at the floor. “We’re in the Brink. There are two other kingdoms, and I won’t be helping you keep either of them from falling.”

  Emery startled and stared pointedly at Reagan.

  Once again, my mother’s haunted and distant voice came through the speaker. “The bonds of sisterhood have formed. Your unique circle has been set. Now you must harness the power of the underworld.”

  “Come on.” Reagan braced against the counter and sagged, dropping her head. “Why did I have to get involved? Why?”

  Emery was still studying her. “‘You need the boss of the boss. He’ll connect you to the highest level of power in the underworld.’” His eyes met mine. “Isn’t that the text your mother sent that one time? In Seattle? Remember, when we were trying to connect with Clyde in the hotel? We needed to get to Darius, instead. Clyde’s boss. Because Darius…is connected to Reagan.”

  “Snitches get stitches,” Reagan said, wild-eyed. “I don’t care how old she is.”

  “I’m old enough to ring your bell,” my mother said.

  “Mother, would you relax?” I rolled my eyes.

  “That boy has a dynamite memory, I’ll say that much,” my mother said. “He is still not moving in with you, Penelope Bristol.”

  If only I could hang up on her.

  “It can’t be,” Emery whispered. He leaned against the counter, bending a little to try and see Reagan’s face. “A few months back, I heard there was a disturbance of some kind in the underworld. There was a rumor of a mage and a vampire down there. Word is Lucifer himself plans to look into it. It wasn’t a mage at all, was it?”

  “You should stop gossiping around the water cooler,” Reagan said, not looking at him.

  “What did she say?” My mother’s voice was muffled.

  “Those weren’t rumors.” Emery crossed his arms over his chest, shaking his head. Awe crossed his expression.

  “What’s happening?” my mother asked.

  “Mother, would you stop?”

  “But what’s happening?”

  “Emery is piecing together a secret that could get him killed in the next three seconds.” Reagan still didn’t straighten, but her body had gone a worrying sort of relaxed. Not resting relaxed, crouching-tiger-hidden-knife relaxed.

  “Why does it matter, though?” I asked, completely dumbfounded. “We know she has a ton of power. What changes?”

  “Yeah, Emery?” Reagan said in a dangerous voice. “What changes?”

  He stared at her for a long moment. Pressure filled the room.

  “I feel cheated,” he murmured, scratching his chin. Reagan’s head snapped up. I could tell she was as confused as I was. “I could’ve figured that out on my own. I had all the clues. They were all right in front of me. Even your magic. Penny stole it when you were practicing in the warehouse, right? Incendium and glaciem magic—fire and ice. I’ve seen each of those used before. With a little downtime, I would’ve figured it out sooner, I know I would’ve. I haven’t seen both of those powers used together before, of course—that’s something only Lucifer and his heirs can do, or so the legends go. I would’ve realized that, too.” He shook his head, narrowing his eyes at Reagan. “I definitely would’ve figured out your secret on my own. I was cheated the opportunity.” He clucked his tongue, as if it were her fault, and turned back to the cabinet.

  And just like that, the bubble of expectation popped. A breath I didn’t know I’d been holding released.

  “Both of you are crazy,” Reagan said, now watching him.

  “In answer to your question”—Emery took down two glasses—“aside from a question/answer segment, nothing changes. Who would I tell? I’m in exile. I have no friends, other than Penny and a couple of shifters that want no business with politics, and apparently we have a foretelling pinned to our collective heads. Penny and I could use the help, quite frankly.”

  “I still don’t understand what’s happening,” I admitted, feeling even more dunce-like and out of touch than usual. Could Emery really be saying Reagan was an heir to Lucifer?

  Emery filled the glasses with water and headed back to the table, glancing at Reagan as he passed her. He sat down next to me. “We have an ace in the hole, that’s what’s happening. And if I’m reading the situation right, and if the rumors are true—which I had scarcely believed, because they were so far-fetched and told to me by gamblers and thieves in the Realm—if she helps us, we can’t let anyone get away to share the tale.” He placed a glass of water in front of me, looking at Reagan. “You really went down there?”

  She poured herself a generous helping of whiskey. “Yes. And while this was probably inevitable, it’s not sitting well that another person is in on this secret.”

  “Tell me.” Emery leaned forward. “Were there dragons?”

  Her lips didn’t move, but her eyes glimmered. “I’m not telling. You’ll have to go down and see for yourself.”

  “I can’t. I don’t have any demon in me.” He sipped his water, his eyes hungry.

  Now a smile did break through. “Darius knows you well, I’ll give him that. What mischief-maker wouldn’t want to tour a place he isn’t supposed to go?” She shook her head with a sly smile. “You’d better be careful. He thinks you’re integral to getting his people in.”

  “Me?” Surprise flitted through his eyes.

  “You and your brother played that trick in the Realm, right? Pissed off the elves with your illusion?” He nodded slowly, pain sparking in his eyes at the mention of his brother. Reagan nodded. “Then yes, you. There’s a wall set up down there. That’s what keeps people out. Take down the wall, and in ye git.”

  Emery blew o
ut a breath and his gaze fell on me. His eyes softened. “Probably a challenge for a different life.”

  “Yeah, right.” Reagan took another sip of her whiskey. “Point Penny in the right direction, tell her it’ll be fine, and let her bumble around until the whole place is in an uproar. She’ll do great.”

  “I’ve gotten better,” I mumbled, shaking my head. “So…you have power from the underworld?”

  “Yes,” she said. “A lot of it. And I can do things neither of you can even imagine.”

  “And that is what you need to take to this fight,” my mother chimed in, amazingly silent up until this point. “The three of you will need to solve this problem. I see no other way. And I agree with Emery. Leave no witnesses. The cards are very clear on that. Also, when you talk about important secrets that mean your life and death, you should probably make sure the phone isn’t on speaker. Just for future reference. You don’t have to worry about me, but just for the sake of pointing out what should’ve been obvious, you’d do best to remember that.”

  Reagan stared at the phone with a gaping mouth. My mother did have a point…

  “So what is it we’re going to do?” I asked.

  “We’re going to let them think they’re surrounding us, and then we’re going to show them who they are really messing with.”

  An hour later, after coming up with a horribly loose plan that involved very little planning at all, something that Emery seemed to have no problem with, I said goodbye to my mother and decided to turn in for the night.

  “Three is a crowd for a house this size,” Reagan said as we left the kitchen. “Extort Darius to get you a place of your own. Better yet, I just found a secret bank account of his. Let’s go on a spending spree and see how long it takes him to realize the money is gone.”

  “I cannot believe…” Emery shook his head as he followed me into my room. I closed and locked the door for the first time since moving there. Nervousness hatched butterflies in my stomach. “She is truly one of a kind. Naturals are rare, but there are a few of us. She’s in a league of her own.”