Spring Rain (4 page)

“Stop!” she shrieked,
hating the reminder of what Morgan was. Dawn yanked the alarm clock
off the bed stand and flung it across the room. “I don’t care what
you say. I
will
have my revenge and if I can’t find her, I’ll cut her brother
into too many pieces for anyone to identify! Beck is weak,
Bartholomew! When faced with Morgan’s death or being with me, he
will choose to be with me!” Air magick whipped around the room,
flinging anything not nailed down into the air and toppling the
furniture.

Bartholomew was
laughing.
We will see. You lack the
follow-through to make this happen, but I don’t. The best and most
effective plans are simple. Kill her and take the stone. Don’t give
her the chance to act against us.

“There’s nothing she can do to us! Or are
you not telling me something again?”

There is a chance she can. Kill her.

Dawn fumed, aware of Bartholomew’s constant
attempts to manipulate her. Unable to control her actions, he
relied on lies, trickery and sometimes even the truth to convince
her to do what he wanted. The first time she killed, she was
shocked by the savagery of what she had done – and also a little
excited by it as well. Several deaths later, she viewed the murder
of Morgan with exhilaration – but she wanted revenge against Beck
more. She wanted him to choose her or suffer beyond anything anyone
had ever known.

I can give you Beck.

She froze. In all her time with Bartholomew,
he had tried to talk her out of wanting to be with Beck. “Say that
again.”

I will give you what you
want.
Bartholomew didn’t sound completely
happy about it.
You would risk everything
for him to return to you?

“Yes,” she replied without hesitation,
listening intently. It was the first time Bartholomew hadn’t
scoffed at her about this.

Even your child?

Dawn touched her stomach. Her mouth went
dry. Bartholomew was trying to manipulate her again. He wanted her
to surrender her body to him, full time, and his justifications –
combined with her fatigue – were making it harder and harder for
her to find a reason why she shouldn’t.

When you realize your brother will betray
you again, when you see Morgan will elude you, when you admit to
yourself you cannot get Beck on your own, you will have to make a
choice. It’s been three months, and you still don’t have
Morgan.

She listened, not liking
what she heard at all. “You – and
she
– both say I lack conviction.
I’m about to prove you wrong.” Dawn went to the door and whipped it
open. “Troy!”

“Yeah?” The Dark witchling stood from his
seat on the couch watching television.

“I want Morgan handled now. If you have to
torch everything within a mile radius around where she works to
flush her out, do it! Find Morgan and call me when you have her.
And … bring Noah to me. I don’t care what it takes. Go now and
don’t come back until you’re done.”

He gazed at her for a long moment, but knew
better than to protest. He had burnt the body of the last witchling
who objected to his tasking along with those of several others over
the past several weeks. Troy was strong, Dark, and a good soldier.
Even Bartholomew had approved of her choice of keeping him around
to help, which was rare. Bartholomew trusted no one.

“I’ll call when I have them,” he said and
strode towards the door, motioning for two more witchlings to
follow.

You need to kill her, Dawn. She’s a threat
to us.

“If Decker can’t find us, nothing can touch
us.” Dawn waited until the living area of the presidential suite
was empty. “I’ll show you conviction, Bartholomew,” she said,
satisfied with her decisions.

We will see.

Beck’s days all ran together. It was
Saturday, a week and a half before the equinox. He woke up the same
time he did every day and went through his morning routine before
stepping onto the source of Light and beginning his work. Earth
magick soon saturated his senses, and he closed his eyes, relaxing
into the flow.

It was midmorning when he heard the step of
someone approach. Unlike Decker, who moved silently, this person
crunched snow and snapped branches and was preceded by a light
breeze that tickled the back of his neck in greeting.

Not up to dealing with anyone, Beck likewise
wasn’t about to turn anyone away who went through the effort to
find him. The Master of Light never left someone wounded, alone or
vulnerable, even if he was all those things.

“Hey, Biji,” he greeted the approaching
witchling without turning.

“Hi, Beck.”

“You okay?”

“Not really.”

Beck twisted to see her. Biji was carrying a
sleeping bag and wore her backpack. The small Indian girl eyed him
critically.

“Not a fan of the beard,” she told him with
her characteristic bluntness.

A smile slipped free. Beck had always had a
soft spot for the loyal, spirited friend of Summer. Biji was like
the little sister he never had. He rubbed his jaw, where a thick
growth of black hair covered his neck and cheeks.

“You look like a lumberjack,” she
continued.

“Thanks,” he replied dryly. “What’re you
doing out here?”

“I’m moving in,” she proclaimed.

“With me?” His smile widened.

“Yep.” She looked around. “Where’s the
cabin?”

“No cabin. I’m roughing it.”

Biji’s features twisted into an expression
of distaste. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

She sighed. “All right. I’ll stay
anyway.”

Beck laughed for the first time in weeks.
“What’re you doing out here, Biji?”

“My parents are here for the equinox.” She
dropped her possessions on the ground and sat on her sleeping
bag.

“That’s a long way to fly.”

“I didn’t make it home for the holidays, so
they thought they’d fly out.”

“Cool. I’ve never met them.”

“You don’t want to!” she snapped.

Beck shifted to face her. She wasn’t dressed
for life in the wilderness. Her expensive snow boots were
fashionable not practical, and she wore a light jacket that wasn’t
going to stand up to the night cold. If she was serious about
attempting to rough it, she’d change her mind by morning.

“So you don’t want to see them?” he prodded,
sensing there was more.

“I do. I don’t want to
see
him.
”

“Who?”

“The guy they want me to marry.”

Beck had heard rumors about her wealthy
parents arranging a marriage for her in India. He’d also heard
something else. “And you like Noah,” he said.

“I do
not
like Noah! He’s an ass. He left
without saying goodbye and never texted anyone to say where he
went!”

“That’s a yes,” he teased.

She glared at him.

“Bad news, Biji. I have to go back to
civilization tomorrow anyway. I’m not leaving you in the forest,”
he said.

“I’ll find somewhere else to hide tomorrow.
Can I stay today?”

“Sure.”

She appeared satisfied.

“If I tell your parents where you are, will
they give me an elephant?” he asked, unable to help poking the
grumpy air witchling.

“Just try it, Beck,” she warned. “And I
won’t tell you the school gossip.”

“Is it about me?”

“No.”

“Hmmm.” He pretended to consider her offer.
“Deal. I’ll keep my mouth closed. You talk.”

“Decker and Summer got in a huge fight,”
Biji informed him. “Decker doesn’t want her living so far away from
him and she said she can do what she wants. And Decker got mad and
then Summer told him when he can act like the Master of Dark and
not a two year old throwing a hissy fit, she’d talk to him
again.”

Beck was laughing hard by the end of Biji’s
story. The air witchling had a flair for the dramatic.

“It wasn’t funny, Beck,” Biji protested
despite the smile tugging up the corners of her lips. “This
happened during a field trip two days ago.”

If there was one thing Beck knew, it was
that his brother had met his match in the shy, sweet, yet strong
Summer. By now, they’d probably made up and Decker had promised
never to act out again. Summer could handle Decker in a way no one
else could.

I forgot how much I missed
Biji and the others. And laughing.
He
regained his composure and grinned at Biji. Having her there, even
for a day, would brighten his world.

“C’mon. I’ll show you where I’ve been
staying.” He stood and offered her a hand, helping her up.
“Anything else going on?” he asked curiously and began moving
towards the tree house.

Biji recounted school life, from rumors
about their friends to the fact the dorms of the Light witchlings
were over capacity after his recruiting efforts. He listened
absently, enjoying her company despite his desire for privacy.

They reached the tree trunk. He ducked
inside, and she followed.

“ …
in Nevada,” Biji
finished saying. She frowned at the tiny space. “Really,
Beck?”

He chuckled. “Yeah. What’s this about
Nevada?”

“That’s where Dawn is.”

“Wait, what?” he faced her, startled by the
casual pronouncement.

“Decker found her last week. Didn’t he tell
you?” Biji put her things down and surveyed her temporary home,
unimpressed.

Last week?
“No, he didn’t.” Beck frowned. His brother had
clearly lied when he visited the day before. He didn’t put it past
the Master of Dark to hide his official activities, but he didn’t
expect his
brother
to lie to him about something as important as the fact that
Dawn had been found after three months.

“Uh, oh.” Biji was gazing up at him. “Was I
not supposed to tell you?”

“I’d be the last to know if so,” he replied.
“You’re sure?”

“Yeah. I overheard a meeting of the
administrators talking about whether or not you or Decker was
stable enough to handle her and if so, what should be done.”

Stable enough. Beck’s jaw ticked. They
really did think something was wrong with him despite all his work
on buffering and building the Light source. He was beginning to
understand how Decker felt since it became clear he was destined to
become the much feared and distrusted Master of Dark.

Was it so hard to think he was just doing
his job?

“Not that I was spying,” Biji added. “I was
practicing listening from afar with my air magick.”

Feeling her concerned gaze, Beck forced a
smile. “No worries. I won’t tell.”

“Did I upset you?”

“Nah.” Beck motioned to their surroundings.
“So, this is home!”

“Yeah. Interesting.”

“Get comfortable. I’ve got some work to do
before I can entertain.”

“Okay. I’ll be here.” Biji pulled out an
iPad and sat between a stool and her sleeping bag.

Beck left his small home. He plucked his
phone from his pocket and pulled up Decker’s contact, hesitating
before he texted.

I hear someone found Dawn
in Nevada.
Decker would confront him while
Beck usually tried to ask nicely. It was how they usually operated.
Decker would understand Beck wasn’t happy about being lied
to.

He tucked the phone in his pocket and went
back to the edge of the Light source to work, sensing he was never
quite going to be ready for the truth.

Hours later, before twilight, Beck stood,
drained and body humming with warmth. He stretched before starting
back towards the tree house. He normally worked until he fell
asleep and awoke in the wee hours of the night, but with Biji
there, he didn’t want her getting worried. He checked his phone as
he went.

Biji or Summer?
Decker had responded.

Beck smiled to
himself.
Biji,
he
typed back.
Why didn’t you tell
me????

Before he reached the
tree, Decker had answered.
Because I
wanted to handle it.

“Not on your life, Decker.” Beck told him as
much in response, not about to let his hot-headed, Darkness
wielding brother swallow Dawn and the child she carried. They had
agreed in December to deal with the situation together. If even
Decker was avoiding him, the perception that he was broken must be
greater than he imagined. Too great to be brushed off the way Beck
had been doing. He didn’t feel remotely ready to leave the forest,
but he couldn’t put off dealing with the rest of the world any
longer.

Biji had managed to start the fire and
rearranged the furniture, folded the blankets on the bed and
cleaned up. Beck blinked as he entered, not realizing how messy it
was until he saw everything uncluttered and clean.

She was reading a book. “How can you stay
out here?” she complained and lowered the paperback. “My iPad ran
out and there’s no running water.”

“That’s why it’s called roughing it,” he
said with a smile and sat down on a stool. “Want me to walk you
back?”

“No. I can make it one night.”

Amused by his companion, Beck pulled out a
protein bar. “I keep some food in the fridge, too.”

She looked around.

He laughed. “In the snow bank behind the
tree.”

“This is not cool.” Biji returned to her
book.

Beck’s phone
vibrated.
You still coming home?
Decker had asked.

Hell yes. Tomorrow. So we
can talk about Dawn,
Beck replied. He
tucked his phone away.

Biji ended up being a good housemate. By the
time they were ready for bed, she’d made him laugh several more
times. Upbeat for the first time in too long, Beck settled into the
sleeping bag she brought while she took his bed with all the
blankets. The fire died down to glowing embers.