Out of the Mountain (23 page)

***

Back in Guard HQ, I told them what I had seen—more than once at their request—and everyone was sitting quietly, thinking it over. The man had been taken to the infirmary, and Seraphina was checking him out so that he could be released to go home. I couldn’t believe that I had had yet another vision of Narissa and Kieran. It really did seem like my powers were growing, and I had to admit that it felt good.

“When’s the next full moon?” Silas asked.

“A little over two weeks away, near the end of the month,” Genevieve said.

“So in less than three weeks, an unknown number of creatures are going to be set loose on the city and our council is under the power of our enemy.” Briony summed it up nicely.

“I suggest you put your heads together to think of a plan,” Farran advised.

Many hours, ideas, and arguments later, no decisions were made, and I needed a break. Since I wasn’t allowed to leave the building as of yet, I wandered down the hall and into one of the empty rooms. Shelves lined the walls, filled with thick tomes and books of every size. Weapons were this room’s main theme of décor, much like the main room. There was a desk in the corner, and I slumped to the floor, resting my back against it.

I needed to think of a way to take Mauve’s suspicion off me. If only I wouldn’t have made such a mess of everything when I barged in and forced everyone to do as I said. I was certain that she would be more wary of me now, but I needed to make her think I was as harmless as she wanted me to be. I needed to secure an audience with her, to show her exactly what she wanted to see. She would believe it, I knew she would, and I was thinking of ways to convince the guard of this when Briony’s head popped into the door. She gave a small smile as she entered the room and slunk down beside me.

“Long day?”

“Long week.” I sighed, and she laughed, taking my hand in hers and giving it a squeeze before releasing it.

“It certainly does seem bleak, doesn’t it?” she admitted in a small voice.

“Don’t say that.” I sat up straighter, and she turned her green eyes on me. Briony was small and fragile looking, but I had a feeling that worked to her advantage just as often as it worked against her. She was my first real and true friend, and I felt emotion swell toward her.

“Thank you, you know . . . for being my friend,” I said sheepishly.

“You have plenty of friends. No need to thank me.” She waved me off, but I grabbed her hand.

“No, you are the only one who truly only offers friendship. Well, that’s not true, there are others that offer only friendship as well . . . but you were the first. So thank you.” I fumbled through my words.

“You’re not my type,” she joked at my expense and I laughed.

“Don’t give up hope just yet, OK?” I told her, and she nodded. The door opened, and Farran appeared in the doorway.

“Found them!” he yelled down the hall and grinned at us.

“Busted,” I said, standing and offering a hand to Briony.

“They never let us have any fun!” she complained, and I agreed.

***

“You want to do what?” Rowan asked when I told them my plan.

“I need to go to her and ask her for guidance. Apologize for making a scene. I can say I am in love with Malachi and overreacted in my angst to be near him again or something as equally as idiotic. I need to take her suspicion off me so that I can get close again,” I said, smiling when Malachi blew a kiss my way. I could appreciate his chiseled features; his blue eyes shone with mischief as I looked him over. It wouldn’t be hard to believe someone would fall for him easily.

“I think it’s a good plan,” Farran agreed from beside me.

“It will be easy! She wants to believe I’m just a silly girl who she can control and use. I can allow her to do that without compromising us, and this time I will accept it all instead of pushing them away. The dark magic can’t touch me. There’s no real threat to me,” I continued, pleading for Rowan to agree.

“You can die just as easily as anyone else in this room. Magic isn’t the only credible threat that the Six have at their disposal,” he countered, and I tried to think of some way to get him to agree to this.

“She can take me back in with her, we can play it up, and I will submit to further questioning along with her. They won’t use the same methods, because this time I will talk,” he said, smiling at me. He must have refused to talk without me before! I hadn’t known that!

“You didn’t have to do that!” I scolded him, and his smile widened.

“As a guard, my first priority is to protect our princess.”

“I have to admit, it’s a good plan,” Adelaide remarked, and Rowan frowned at her. I tried to hide my grin.

“You know it’s a good plan, Rowan, and if we have to put it to a vote, you will be the only one who opposes it.”

“So be it,” he grumbled, sitting back in his seat and pulling Adelaide closer to him as if to apologize for reprimanding her. I stood.

“Well, come on then, lover. Let’s get this show on the road,” I said brightly as I pulled Malachi to his feet.

“So I’m to be the lover of a princess?” He feigned shock before turning a grin on Tamora.

“Doesn’t count,” she said firmly, and he narrowed his eyes.

“Well, why not?”

“Special circumstances. We can resume after this is over,” she complained and I bristled.

“I don’t even want to know,” I decided, turning my eyes on my friends. “You guys stay out of trouble,” I suggested, and they all laughed as if I was absurd.

“How about you focus on staying out of trouble?” Briony said, hugging me quickly.

“I’d like my girl back in one piece,” Luca growled at Malachi, and I blushed at being called his girl. I wasn’t going to correct him . . . maybe I could be his girl eventually.

“No promises,” Malachi said running a finger down my neck. I smacked him away, and he chuckled.

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep him in check,” I said, pulling Luca into a warm hug. He returned it eagerly.

“It’s not him I’m worried about,” he said, and my heart softened even further toward him with his words. I pulled back to look him in the eyes, and his were filled with so much concern. I gave him a little smile and leaned in to place a kiss on his cheek, and I stiffened in surprise as he turned his lips into mine. It was a soft kiss; it only lasted a second, but my heart flipped in my chest. Everyone in the room whistled and heckled us, but I tuned them out. Luca’s grin was wide and bright, unapologetic at his boldness. I returned his smile and tried not to blush.

“I’ll see you soon,” I said, and gave him another quick kiss that sent everyone catcalling once more as I dragged Malachi by the arm and out of the building.

Malachi wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side as we walked the streets leading to the palace. I allowed him, because I was going to have to get pretty cozy with him to sell this ruse anyway. I smiled, thinking of Luca’s sweet kiss. It was so unlike Rowan’s kiss that had set my skin ablaze and left me fighting for air. I stiffened at the line of my thoughts, and Malachi felt the change, misunderstanding its origin.

“Don’t worry, Vivi. Nothing bad is going to happen,” he whispered low, rubbing my arm. I trusted Malachi. I was beginning to realize that his womanizing ways were all part of a carefully placed façade. He used it to his advantage. I could tell that his original ideas of me had shifted, and a friendship was evolving between us. Then I remembered the challenge that had passed between him and Tamora and thought I was getting ahead of myself.

“What was that back there with Tamora?”

“I suppose you would figure it out now anyway, and this arrangement kind of made it null by default. There’s no harm in telling you, but don’t get mad. It was just an inane wager between two friends.” I immediately stiffened at his attempt to soften the blow.

“Just tell me,” I grumbled as we approached the palace’s outer gates.

“We had a sort of running bet on which of us could get a kiss first . . .” He chuckled.

“You’re joking, right?” I said, appalled. Then I remembered overhearing a part of their conversation once.

“Kissing a princess is no easy feat!” he joked, and I grinned despite myself.

“You guys are horrible. What if my first kiss would have been a part of some stupid bet?”

“As opposed to being stolen by a pup, from right under my nose?” he grumbled, and I decided to let him believe that.

“You are incorrigible.” I huffed.

“You wouldn’t have me any other way, so put on a happy face, honey, because the show’s about to begin,” he quipped, pulling me tighter to him as we ascended the palace steps.

***

I had requested an audience with the Six, and we were ushered into what I referred to as the Council HQ to await their arrival. Dahlia was the first to arrive, and she smiled at me kindly before the others began filing in, and then her smile dropped. They were dressed in their council white, making it feel like an official meeting, and I was worried. I clung to Malachi nervously as I felt the dark magic filtering through the air. Mauve eyed me warily when she entered the room.

“You have decided to return our prisoner?” she asked skeptically.

“No, I returned to apologize and explain myself.” I tried to make my voice sound small and afraid.

“Then let us hear it, child.”

“I am sorry. I overreacted to Malachi’s . . . quarantine because I have developed feelings for him,” I muttered, looking down, and Malachi kissed my head in a nice gesture.

“I was distraught when I awoke, and he wasn’t by my side. I used my position over the guard to make them do things they didn’t want to do and defy you in my haste to see him. I just wanted to make sure he was safe and to have him with me again. I should not have acted so impulsively.” I pleaded with my eyes for them to understand . . . and to buy it. “If you will please allow me back into your favor, we will sit and tell you everything you want to know. Please forgive me for my transgressions.” I tried to bring tears to my eyes and was surprised when they prickled easily. I wasn’t bad at this.

Mauve looked at me for what seemed like a full minute before nodding for us to sit across from them. I heaved a sigh of relief as I sat next to Malachi, still clinging to his hand. So far so good. I looked at him and could see the humor in his eyes. He was impressed.

“Let’s start at the beginning then. Why did you try and release our prisoners?” Mauve asked, looking at Malachi.
Don’t tell her anything about Narissa, keep it bare bones, and just state what happened plainly.
I willed him to be careful with his words, and he flinched, eyes widening down at the table as he squeezed my hand. What was wrong? He cleared his expression and looked up at Mauve, expression serious.

“I was checking in on the prisoners and something was wrong with one of them. A man, his eyes were glowing red. I stepped closer to examine them and the next thing I know I was in a cell, and Vivi was hugging me through the bars. She passed out, and I was brought here,” he said calmly.
Very good
, I thought at him, and he squeezed my hand. Wait
. Can you hear me?
I sent his way, and he squeezed my hand again. I almost missed the fact that Mauve was now speaking to me.

“ . . .try to fill in the gaps, Vivienne.” I caught the end of her speaking and nodded.

“Farran brought me down to the cells because I was looking for Malachi and couldn’t find him. The others wouldn’t tell me anything, but Farran thought I should know that something was wrong with him. When I saw him I was furious with the others for locking him up, he was injuring himself trying to get free. They wouldn’t let him go and I ran to the bars and hugged him, trying to keep him from harming himself further. Something wasn’t right with him, he wasn’t thinking clearly . . . but when I hugged him, he relaxed into my hold and I . . . kissed him.” I blushed, looking down before continuing.

“The next thing I knew I was waking up in the infirmary,” I said, leaning into Malachi and sighing.

“So you believe, what? That your kiss freed him from some spell?” Mauve asked with barely veiled humor behind her eyes. She was believing my act in full. I nodded bashfully and turned a smile on Malachi, trying to appear a love-struck fool.

“I will have Seraphina check over Malachi thoroughly, and if she agrees that he is in full health, I will forgive this . . . misunderstanding,” she said, and the others nodded agreement. We had done it!

“I’ll escort them to the infirmary and call on Seraphina.” Dahlia stood, and Mauve looked at her a moment before agreeing.

“I expect to see you tomorrow, Vivienne. I have much I would like to discuss with you,” she said as we were leaving the room. Her intent was clear. She wasn’t through with me yet. I forced a smile and a nod before following Dahlia into the hall.

I held onto Malachi’s hand as we walked through the halls of the palace, certain we were finally in the clear. When we entered the infirmary, Dahlia checked to see if it was empty before closing us inside. I looked at Malachi, worried, and he shrugged, unsure of what her intentions were. She walked toward me hesitantly, and I could see a battle waging behind her bright eyes. She reach a hand out to me and stopped walking. I took her hand and she sighed in relief, relaxing. I felt the dark magic recoiling.

“Please . . . help me the way you helped him,” she pleaded, and I pulled the dagger from my boot.

“It’s more complicated than that,” I said, looking to Malachi for advice. I couldn’t just pass out for another three days.

“Please.” She choked the words out, and I laid the blade to her hand. I made a small cut and felt the bonds tying her to Narissa fade. I pulled back, dizzy, and she smiled fully at me.

“I knew something was going on, but I couldn’t pinpoint the source.”

“Will she notice?” Malachi asked, quickly surveying the room.

“I can’t be sure, but the magic that surrounds the Six feels a little different.” I touched a finger to the blood on the blade and focused. I didn’t have a vision, but I could feel the magic and its intent. A bitter taste filled my mouth.

“This magic was subtle, woven over time. You wouldn’t have even noticed it was happening. It is meant to steal your will in a way. It makes you more susceptible to suggestion and control.” I looked at Dahlia, returning the frown she was wearing.