Magic of the Wood House (The Elemental Phases Book 6) (24 page)

Freya
shook her head harder, still not believing it.  “Well, of course I’d notify Job
when Vandal was well, but that’s the
law
.  Hospitals can only give
sanctuary until someone is healed.”

“Exactly. 
So, he and Eian had to come up with an exit that would stop people from looking
for him.”

“Eian
is many things, but he’d never…”  She trailed off, finally catching up with
Teja’s earlier complaint.  “Wait.  My brother wants
me
to have
Sullivan?  I mean, he’s always nagging me about introducing myself to the human,
but that’s ridiculous.  I don’t want
him
.”  She waved a hand at Sullivan
and then paused.  “Oh.”  She glanced his way.  “No offense.”

“None
taken.”  He assured her.  “Teja, seriously, your cousin and I are not
interested in each other.”  Ever since he met Teja, all other women ceased to
matter.

“That’s
not the point!”  She shot back in frustration.  “God knows, I have enough
problems convincing you to we’re a Match without Eian throwing pretty blondes
in your path, but I’m rising above that part.”  She didn’t sound like she was
rising above it.  “More importantly, though, he
drugged
you, Sullivan.  He
stole your memories.  He locked you in a cell.  You think I’ll just
ignore
all
that?”

“
You
locked me in a cell, darlin’.”

She
gave a disgruntled frown.  “
Still
not the point.  Eian has to pay.”

Sullivan
had no love for Eian, but he didn’t want Teja starting a war with her cousin
over him.  The woman loved her family, even when they didn’t deserve it. 
Killing Eian would destroy her.  “We can deal with him the legal way, Teja.”

“Yes.” 
Freya nodded enthusiastically.  “If you suspect that Eian is behind this
--which is
impossible
-- you can take him before the Council.  They can
investigate my brother and get to the bottom of it.  You don’t have to do
anything violent and Fire House-y.”

“No
one has the right to steal someone else’s freedom.”  Randa interjected, her
eyes fixed on the neutral-colored wall.  “People who do that --who steal and
drug and lie and kill-- can’t be redeemed.  Teja’s right to want to stop Eian,
now.”

“
Thank
you.”  Teja waved a hand at her.  “At least,
someone
is living in
reality.  You two --What?-- wanna carve a roast beast with that frosty prick?”

“It’s
good that they retain so much innocence.”  Randa murmured.  “Some people can
move out of the darkness and back into the light.  The rest of us never break
free of the shadows.”  She glanced at Teja, her eyes level.  “Don’t be hard on
them because they’re cleaner than we are.”

Teja
sighed.  “You’re right.”  She said simply.

The
two of them must have decided they could deal with each other, because they
were suddenly on the same side.  Which was good, except Sullivan didn’t like
that Teja and Randa would
ever
think they were someone tainted.

“You
are perfect the way you are.”  He told Teja firmly.  He looked over at Randa.  “Both
of you.”

She
gave him a sad smile.

“I’m
awesome.”  Teja agreed, using Sullivan’s earlier words.  “And that jackass Eian
is going to be really fucking sorry he crossed my awesome self.  I wanted to
live in peace, but I’ll be damned if I let him try to steal my Match, frame my
family, and ruin my goddamn Christmas.  We’re going to settle this
today
.”

“Yes,
I’d try and clear it up soon.”  Randa agreed, gracefully settling on a beige
armchair.  “I hesitated to mention, but I checked on the status of Chief
Pryce’s legal entanglements while I was in the kitchen.  The Fire House is going
to be Banished this evening.”

Teja
seemed confused.  “Job would never agree to that.  Not without talking to me.”

“I
don’t think Job’s in charge of the trial.  Twitter is saying that Eian
organized it.  He got a majority of Houses to agree and vetoed Job’s decision.”

“You
guys are on Twitter?”  Sullivan rolled his eyes.  “I knew we needed better
internet regulations.”

The
others ignored him.

“Eian.” 
Teja’s mouth tightened and she shot Freya a pointed glance.  “See?”

“That
doesn’t prove anything.”  But Freya looked pale.  She fumbled in her pocket for
her phone.  “It’s a mistake.  All of this is just a
mistake
.  Let me
call him and we can figure this out.”

“If
that phone is anything like ours, he might be able to trace it.”  Sullivan
hoped the aspirin kicked in soon, because his head was about to split open. 
“That’s what I’d do, if I was staging a kangaroo court and looking for the one
person who could stop me.”  He jerked a thumb at Teja.  “I’m against hiding,
but it’s a bad idea to tip our hand.”

“Son-of-a-bitch.” 
Teja stalked over to grab the phone from Freya.

“Hey!”

“Just
sit over there and stay out of trouble.”  She gestured towards the sofa.  “You
don’t want to be in the middle of this.”

“If
you and Eian are trying to slaughter each other, I’m
already
in the middle
of it.  You two are the only family I have.”

Teja
sent her a sideways look and Sullivan saw her soften.  How could this woman ever
believe she didn’t have feelings?  “I’m sorry, Freya.”  She said.  “I didn’t
want this.  Really.”

“I
know, just…”  Freya swallowed.  “Just give my brother a chance, Teja.  Promise
me.”

The
lights dimmed before Teja could answer that.  All the lamps in the room
flickered for a beat and then an electric charge filled the air.

“Fucking
hell.”  Teja reached over to grab her sword from beside the couch.  “Everybody
stay behind me.”

Sullivan
snorted at that idea.  He was about to demand that she return that future-gun,
when five men appeared in the center of the living room.

They
were dressed in deep green, their golden hair tied back in intricate braids. 
Most of them had tribal-style tattoos on their forearms and they all sported
black streaks at their temples.  Vandal had the same kind of ebony marker,
which meant these guys must be Light Phases.

Sullivan
had no clue what they were doing in his home.

“Rysimer.” 
Teja eyed the one in the middle, still gripping her sword.  “Is there a reason
that you’ve come visiting this morning or are you boys lost?”

Sullivan
smiled.  Christ, he loved that woman.

“We
need to talk.”  Rysimer said curtly.

The
other Light Phases moved away, checking the house for intruders, explosives, or
God knew what else.  They moved with the practiced synchronization of a SEAL
team, poking through Sullivan’s belonging.  He made a face as they stopped to
microscopically examine a poinsettia like it was some alien species.  All
Elementals were weird, but these guys seemed particularly out-of-touch.

Teja
kept her eyes on Rysimer.  “How did you find us?”

“We’re
the best trackers in the realm.”

Teja
scoffed at that pronouncement.

Sullivan
didn’t even have to ask why.  The Fire House was nothing if not competitive.  “What
do you want to talk about?”  He asked Rysimer before Teja could launch into a
detailed explanation of why the Light House sucked at everything compared to
her family.

“We
know that the Fire House didn’t set off that bomb.”  Rysimer related that
earth-shattering news in a tone usually reserved for cliffhanger reveals on afternoon
soap operas.

Teja
snorted.  “No kidding.  It was the Light House’s prodigal nut job.”

Rysimer
glowered at her, annoyed that she’d ruined his big announcement.  “Vandal’s not
part of my kingdom.  He was cast out centuries ago.”

“Well,
he’s back in town and really pissed.”  Teja lowered her sword.  “He’s working with
Eian, of the Cold House to frame my family.”

“We
don’t know that for sure.”  Freya put in, loyally.  “And, hang on, what bomb? 
Bombs don’t even work in the Elemental realm, do they?”

Rysimer
disregarded that, his attention on Teja.  “Vandal was the one who stole the
Star of Bethlehem from the humans two years ago.  He’s been planning something
like this, trying to trigger another war.”  His jaw ticked.  “That asshole is
not dragging my House down with him.”

“As
if anyone’s ever had to drag your House into war.”  Randa warily watched the
gigantic Light Phases move through the house, her body poised for some kind of
fight-or-flight response.  “And, even if all this is true, how does it help
Teja or Chief Pryce?  They’re still wanted criminals.”

One
of the men stopped behind her chair and silently leaned in over her shoulder.  “There
are worse things to be.”  He growled and Randa jumped in surprise.

Sullivan
and Teja both stepped forward as Randa shrank away from the bigger man.  She
panicked whenever people got too close and he was doing his damnedest to
intimidate her.

“Back
off.”  Sullivan demanded, his eyes on the Light Phase.  “
Now.
”

“Leave
her alone.”  Teja ordered at the same time.  “Randa works for Sullivan, which
means she belongs to the Fire House, now.”

Randa
looked baffled by that news, but she still sent them both a grateful look.

“Kahn,”
Rysimer rapped out, scowling over at the other man, “don’t start.”

“She
lived with goddamn Parald, Rye!”  The guy named Kahn backed up, but he was
still glowering at Randa.  “You really expect me to play nice with her?  I got
Mara back, but Randa’s psychotic boyfriend still killed my baby sisters!”

Randa
flinched.

“One
more word and you’re out the door.”  Sullivan warned Kahn.  “This is
my
house and nobody gets to terrorize little girls in
my fucking house
.”

Kahn’s
eyebrows slammed together.  “Who the hell are you?”

Teja
smirked.  “This is my Match.  Parson’s grandson.  But, you can already see the
Fire House in him, can’t you?”

“Arguing
is a waste of time.”  Another Light Phase interjected.  “Let’s focus on
Vandal.  We’ve been trying to find him for years and this is as close as we’ve
come.  We can’t blow it.”  He stopped by Sullivan.  “I am Julius.  I knew your
grandfather well.  Parson was a great man.”

“He
was.”  Sullivan agreed, still keeping an eye on Kahn in case he tried anything.

Julius
leaned closer to him.  “I didn’t realize you were Teja’s Match.”  He looked
troubled by the news.  “Parson was a true comrade, so I feel it’s my
responsibility to counsel you.  Humans can
choose
their mates.”  He
nodded encouragingly.  “And a human who is part Wood Phase could have any woman
he wished.  Someone from the most respectable Houses.”

Sullivan
lowered her voice to mimic Julius’ stage whisper, tired of people trying to
talk him out of being with his possible-wife.  It was hard enough fighting
Teja’s misgivings.  He didn’t have the patience for everybody else’s.  “I can
have anyone I wish, huh?”

“Yes.”

“Good. 
I’ll go with that magical brunette over there.”  He pointed at Teja.  “She’s
the only woman I’d
ever
choose.”

Julius
gave him a slow smile.  “That is all any man could wish, then.”  He gave
Sullivan a companionable slap on the shoulder.  “I support your choice, my
friend.  Best of luck.”

“Thanks.” 
At least this guy was an affable weirdo.

Teja’s
eyes cut between them, a suspicious frown tugging at her brow.  “What are you
telling my Match, Jules?”  She asked in a dangerous voice.

“I
told him the Fire House is disreputable company for a Wood Phase.”  Julius sent
her a grin.  “He tells me he would have it no other way.”

Teja’s
gaze flicked over to Sullivan.

He
shrugged.

“Oh. 
Okay.”  Satisfied, Teja turned back to Rysimer.  “Right, so Randa has point.  Eian
wants us arrested and probably dead.  If you know Vandal’s involved, then you’ll
be on his list, too.”

“Eian
isn’t behind this.”  Freya insisted.  “I
know
he’s not.  All this is
just going to prove that he’s innocent.”

Randa
flashed her a pitying glance, rallying out of her fear.  The woman might be
fragile, but she always kept the shaky pieces together enough to function.  “Denial
is pointless.  Believe me.”

Kahn
grunted, although it was impossible to know if he was scoffing at Randa’s
statement or agreeing with it.  He plucked a candy cane from the tree and gave
it a sniff.  Determining that it wasn’t poison, he bit the end off, straight
through the cellophane wrapper.

Randa’s
nose wrinkled in distaste.

“We
can help you sneak into the Agora…”  Rysimer began.

Sullivan
cut him off, his migraine and general annoyance making him sharper than he
intended.  “
No
.  We’re not sneaking, anywhere.”

Everyone
turned to stare at him.