Malice (25 page)

“He planned on taking on Levi? That was his master plan?” No wonder he hadn’t wanted to fill me in.

“He told Alex about the men on the beach the night before. He’d taken them all on. He was sure he’d be able to handle Levi.”

“But something went wrong,” Daphne said.

The amount of energy Tristan had expended the night before had been depleting. It was almost incomprehensible that he’d been able to use so much today. He’d blasted his way into the mausoleum, he’d shattered the vial—probably a heavily charmed vial—that held Magnolia’s magic, and he’d been able to get me to safety. Doing all of that had clearly depleted him even more, made it easy for Levi to overcome him. Whatever had happened to Tristan, it was on me. He’d done this for
me
.

“He’s
gone
?” My throat constricted and my tears were instantaneous.

“He’s not dead…” Finola said hesitantly.

He’s gone…but not dead. That could only mean one thing.

“Levi stripped him of his spirit?” My voice didn’t sound like my own.

Finola nodded.

“How do you know?”

She gave me a sad smile. “Because, Sam, Alex was there. He saw Tristan’s spirit leave the mausoleum. After he went inside after you, the wall exploded. I saw you…flying through the air. Alex and I ran to help you. When Alex glanced up…just moments later…Tristan’s spirit was in the air. It happened so fast. We think Levi was ready for Tristan. He knew he’d come. It all happened in seconds.”

I said nothing. I was on information overload, trying to absorb it all.

“I know I wasn’t there,” Daphne said, “but Finola filled me in. It sounds like that boy had some major firepower. It’s no wonder Levi wanted him.”

“Sam, did you know,” Finola hesitantly began, “that Tristan…?”

She let the question hang in the air. She’d been there with Alex when Tristan set his magic free. Of course they’d seen. One glimpse of that crimson glow with its oily black threads running through it and
I’d
known. Of course they would know, too.

I nodded slowly. “I know. I mean…I haven’t always known. That night on the boat…and on the beach…”

“Who would’ve ever guessed that nerd-boy is a badass Striga?” Daphne blurted. She immediately covered her mouth with her hands and spoke between her fingers. “Sorry, sorry. That just slipped out.”

“Does anyone else know?” I asked.

Finola shook her head.

“He’s not like the others,” I said, desperate to defend him. Now. When it was too late.

Daphne patted me on the leg. “We know.”

“He made that pretty clear when he went in after you,” Finola said.

“I don’t understand how Levi—” I cut myself off, unable to say the words.

“We think he had a potion ready. Or a spell. Whatever the case, he was obviously prepared. He was able to incapacitate Tristan the moment he stepped inside.”

I shook my head. “It wasn’t the moment he stepped in. Tristan was able to shatter the vial that held Magnolia’s magic. It’s gone.” I realized that was not a bad thing. “And he was able to get me out.”

“That’s exactly what he wanted,” Finola said. “He knew he was taking a risk.”

“And neither you nor Alex tried to stop him?!” I knew my blame was misplaced. It was myself that I should’ve been mad at. I should’ve forced Tristan to tell me his plan.

“We couldn’t stop Levi. He and Tristan’s vessel, they just vanished,” Finola said.

“Like into thin air,” Daphne tacked on.

I didn’t know what to say to that. What I did know was that pulling off a disappearing act like that took some major capabilities. I wondered just how strong Levi Devane was.

“There’s a bright side to all of this,” Daphne hesitantly said.

I looked at her through eyes that were clouded with tears. “What?” My voice cracked, splitting the word in two.

“Bree is going to be okay,” Finola said. “We had a feeling that Levi would have Bree and Jude with him.”

“He only had Bree…No, not Bree. Hazel, actually. Her name is Hazel,” I clarified.

“Not anymore,” Daphne said with a hint of a smile.

I turned to her but it was Finola who spoke.

“Alex was ready for her. He’d gone to the cemetery earlier in the day. He was able to capture Bree’s spirit. When Bree…
Hazel
, came out of the mausoleum, Tristan restrained her. I mean, he magically restrained her. Alex was able to strip that parasitic spirit out of her body. He was also able to slide Bree’s back in.”

I took a few moments to let her words sink in. Alex had helped Bree. Healed her. They were right. It was good news.

“She’s okay?”

“We think so. She seems to be. She was extremely disoriented at first. She’s with her parents now. She’s resting. But Alex is pretty optimistic that any damage will be minimal. Maybe a slight change in personality, but for the most part, she’s Bree again.”

“Alex was able to do that?” I asked.

Finola nodded. “Yeah, he’s got a lot of talent.”

My eyebrow quirked up. “More talent than usual for his age? Is that why he was listed?”

She nodded again. “He shouldn’t be able to handle a spell that complicated already. But he did it. Bree’s going to be okay because of him.”

“Good,” I said. I was relieved to hear it.

“Don’t you see? This isn’t just about Bree,” Daphne gently prodded. “If Alex was able to help Bree, he should be able to help Tristan, too.”

For the first moment since my eyes fluttered open, I felt a flicker of hope.

Cecily sat across from me wearing a stoic expression.

I glanced around the cottage. It felt wrong being here without Tristan.

Mom and Magnolia were still recovering. Mom was jumpy, fidgety, and had our home heavily warded. Until Levi was caught, The Bella Luna was closed to business.

Magnolia had not been doing well. Probably a combination of having her magic stripped and the ordeal with Levi. He had stormed into Myra’s home. He hadn’t been alone. Mom hadn’t recognized those with him, even after I showed her photos of Jude and Bree. It only confirmed that he truly did have allies. They’d magically restrained Myra and they’d forcefully removed Mom and Magnolia from her home. He’d kept Mom and Magnolia hidden in the mausoleum until he’d had assurance I was on the way. The last they remembered was a girl walking into the room—a girl Mom was able to confirm was Hazel—and the start of a spell being cast.

After that, their next memories were waking up in their beds at The Bella Luna.

At Mom’s request, Finola had concocted a potion to make my sister’s memory of the last few days hazy, at best. Since then, she’d been much calmer.

I knew I had to tell my mom of my father’s involvement. I hadn’t been able to bring myself to do it yet. She’d already been through so much. I could barely grasp the enormity of his betrayal. I wanted to give her just a little more time before I burdened her with it.

As for me, I now had more questions than answers.

The Council was searching the country for Levi. They hoped when they found him, it would lead them to the bodies of Tristan and Jude.

“So how much did Tristan tell you?” Cecily asked.

I repeated everything he’d told me in the cottage.

She listened intently, and then emitted a weary sigh.

“You need to know that he didn’t choose to lie to you. He never had a choice,” she finally said.

“But he did have a choice,” I quietly argued. “If he’d trusted me, he could’ve told me.”

“Don’t you see? It had nothing to do with trusting you. He simply wanted to keep you safe. Telling you his secret, well that puts you in danger.”

“In danger? How?”

She leaned back in her rocking chair. She looked conflicted. I realized then how much she’d aged. Had she aged since Tristan’s disappearance? Or had it been gradual and I just never noticed? She looked exhausted, her expression pinched. Her lips trembled as if she had something to say, but was afraid to say it.

“Cecily?”

“Tristan is a good kid. He is,” she said with vehemence.

I felt myself recoil. Her words weren’t what I was expecting. “I know that. He was my best friend. He was…I would’ve done anything for him.”

“And he’s proven he’d do anything for you. For as long as I can remember he was so determined to prove that he was not like his father. He wanted so badly to be good. I’m not exactly sure what his mother told him, but he was so fearful of becoming evil.”

I cocked my head to the side, a detail only now clicking in my mind.

“If Tristan didn’t come to stay with you until he was four, where was he before then?”

“His mother had him hidden away. But she lived every day in fear. I was friends with her mother. Best friends, it seems like a lifetime ago. She came to me shortly after my husband and I moved to Granite Falls. She begged me to watch over him and keep him safe. My husband and I, we just couldn’t tell her no.”

“Is she still alive?” I asked. The story I’d been told, the one I’d grown up with, was that she’d died when Tristan was young.

Cecily shook her head sadly. “I just don’t know. That poor girl was also in fear of her own life. His father…such an evil man. His father pretended to be human. That’s how he won Elyse over, you know. He lied to her, deceived her, seduced her. It wasn’t until after they were married and Tristan was on the way, that he showed his true self. When she found out, she knew she had to leave him. She escaped shortly before Tristan was born. I’m sure that he’s never stopped searching. He never knew if he had a son or a daughter so I assume that has impeded his progress.”

“He’s probably given up by now, don’t you think?” I asked.

“No,” Cecily said. “He will never give up. Tristan is far too important to him. To his cause.”

“His cause?” I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I’m not following.”

“I don’t suppose Tristan had enough time to explain everything to you. Or maybe he simply didn’t want you to know. He hated the heritage carried down from his father.”

“But he’s his mother’s son as well. And clearly, she was a selfless woman. Tristan was a lot like her. Is a lot like her. We’re going to find him,” I said to Cecily. “We will. And Alex will help him. And it will all be okay.”

She sadly shook her head at me. “No, it won’t,” she said. “Even if your Necromancer friend is able to help him, it won’t be okay. If Levi Devane figures out, or if word gets out…”

I once again felt as if I was left in the dark. I was clearly missing something. “What aren’t you telling me?” When she remained silent, I pressed for more information. “Cecily, please. If Tristan were here, I’d ask him myself. He told me he had more to tell me. He said he didn’t want there to be any more secrets between us. I believe he meant that. I don’t think you’d be breaking his trust. He wanted me to know.”

At least I thought he did. If he was finally speaking the truth…then he would’ve meant it when he said that he didn’t want any more secrets between us.

Cecily leveled her gaze on me. She was silent, as if weighing her thoughts. Finally, she leaned forward in her seat. Her eyes darted to the window, as if afraid someone might overhear. He voice was low when she spoke. “Samara, Tristan isn’t just a Striga. He’s Hans Jaeger’s son. He’s the heir to the House of Negrescu.”

~*~*~

“Drink this.” Finola held a cup of tea out to me.

“I really don’t want it,” I said. Cecily’s proclamation was still swirling around in my mind. I had stared at her blankly, trying to absorb her words. It just didn’t seem possible. But then again, nothing about Tristan was as it had seemed.

My friends thought my melancholy was due to Tristan’s absence. While they were right, it was also so much more. Cecily had requested I not tell anyone what I’d learned. I wanted to share it with my friends. I also knew it wasn’t my place to tell.

It was Tristan’s secret.

Not only that, I finally understood her warning about being in danger. It was likely that his father would retaliate against anyone who knew where his son had been hidden.

“Drink it anyway,” Finola insisted, reminding me of the tea she held in her hands.

I took it from her. It warmed my chilled fingers. The aroma of the tea wasn’t familiar to me. I gave it a suspicious sniff.

“Just drink,” Daphne reprimanded.

I took a sip of the hot, slightly spicy liquid. It was thick, like honey. It tasted like nothing I’d had before. The moment it slid down my throat, my entire body warmed. It relaxed. I barely noticed the chill in the air.

I gave the porch swing Daphne and I were sitting in a little push with my toes. Alex leaned back against the porch railing. He crossed his arms over his chest as he gazed off into the blackness of the back yard. His features were illuminated by the soft, amber glow of the yard light.

I wondered how I’d ever found him threatening. I was ashamed of myself for judging him without knowing him. The moment he’d shown up at my house tonight, I’d surprised him with a heartfelt hug. He’d saved Bree. He had the ability to save Tristan and Jude, too.

As far as I was concerned, Alex was a hero.

Finola’s eyebrows quirked up. “Feel better?”

I thought about it a moment. I did. I nodded.

“Good,” Finola said.

I had no doubt she’d put a few drops of some kind of potion or another into the cup.

“I still can’t believe I missed out on everything,” Daphne said.

“It all happened so fast,” Alex told her. “I don’t think anyone meant to leave you out.”

“So Jude…he’s one of them now?”

“Afraid so,” Finola said.

Daphne looked speculative. “I just can’t picture it. He was so…
nice
.”

Finola and I shared a questioning look.

“I didn’t realize you knew him that well,” Finola said.

Daphne shrugged. “I didn’t, I guess. I mean, one night I was walking on the beach. Jude was there, playing his guitar. He sang for me and it was…absolutely beautiful. We stayed out there all night, talking until the sun came up.”

“Why haven’t we heard about that?” Finola asked.

“I was dating Derek at the time. The next day Jude acted like nothing had ever happened.” Her brow wrinkled. “Or maybe it was me. Maybe I was the one who acted like it never happened. I was stupid, really. I know it was just one night but I felt like we just…clicked.”

Finola and I shared another look. Daphne tended to click with a lot of guys. It was hard to tell how serious she was about feeling a connection to Jude.

Before Finola or I could question her further, Daphne let out a little growl of frustration.

“I didn’t even make the list,” she said with a scowl.

“Daphne,” Finola said with a sigh, “that list is not something to aspire to.”

“Yes,” Daphne argued, “it is. Those people, they have talent. It makes them special. It makes
you
special.”

“It made us targets,” Finola argued.

“No,” Daphne said with a shake of her head. “It makes you
strong
. Strong is good. Strong can fight back. If Riley can master kickass spells, I’m going to figure it out, too.”

“What are you getting at?” Alex gently asked.

She glanced at me. “I don’t think either Sam or I have been using our magic to our full potential. We mostly just dabble. There’s so much more we could do. So much we could learn. And I’m going to. Starting now.”

Daphne was right. I used my magic frequently but really, I’d never done much besides play around with it.

“I think it’s time we both get serious.” I turned to Alex. I needed reassurance. I needed him to give me hope. Right now, it was all I had to cling to. “You
can
help Tristan, can’t you?”

“I think I could,” Alex said. “Unfortunately, I need both the body and the spirit. Together. And that’s if my spell works the same on Striga as it does on Lamia.”

That was what I was afraid of. That the spell wouldn’t work on Tristan.

But first things first…

“And right now, we have neither,” I said. The feeling of defeat washed over me in a nearly-drowning wave.

“So we find him,” Daphne said decisively. “Both sides of him. There has to be a way.” She pulled me into a tight sideways hug as I rested my face in my hands.

“I don’t know how. I don’t know where to even start,” I lamented through my fingers. I pushed my fingertips against my closed eyelids. I was about to cry. Not just cry. I was about to lose it, to completely fly to pieces. I tried to push the feeling away. I didn’t have time for that. Not to mention it would do none of us any good. Least of all Tristan.

“We’ll figure it out,” Daphne said quietly. “We’ll figure it out together. Won’t we?”

“Sure,” Alex said the same moment Finola replied with, “Absolutely.”

There was a moment of silence and I let my hands fall into my lap. Daphne wore a resolute look.

“There has to be a way to track Tristan down. A locator spell, maybe? A potion of some sort?” Daphne suggested.

“I don’t know if that will work since it’s not really Tristan in the body,” Finola admitted with a grimace. “I might have to improvise. Even then, I’m not sure it’ll work.”

“Okay, then, we can track Levi down. We’ll make him lead us to Tristan,” Daphne said.

“We’re leaving Levi to The Council,” Finola reminded her.

Alex cleared his throat and the three of us turned his way.

“Actually,” he started, “I think it would be best if we started with Tristan’s spirit. A disembodied spirit…”

“Doesn’t have long before it goes insane,” I quietly finished for him.

He gave me an apologetic look but nodded nonetheless.

A torrent of silent tears streamed down my face. I couldn’t let that happen to Tristan. I wouldn’t.

“I think I have a plan.” He turned to me. “Finola told me that you capture wraiths.”

I nodded.

“I was thinking maybe I could do something similar. I think if I could capture their spirits, if I could contain them, I could keep them safe until we get their vessels back.”

I thought of the wraith I had buried near the cemetery not that long ago. The thought of Tristan’s spirit swirling around in a charmed jar was overwhelming. But I thought that Alex might be on to something.

It sounded reasonable in theory. But in actuality? “How are we ever going to pull this off?”

“I think,” Finola said slowly, “that maybe Alex and I could work on finding their spirits. I think you and Daphne should work on finding their physical bodies.”