The Council Read online

  Howard reaches out to set a hand on her arm, stopping her desperate attempt to speak. He looks between his wife and me, lips pressed into a pencil straight line. The blank expression doesn’t hide the rage in his eyes, and I have the feeling that if he had been Equipped during this moment, he would’ve set the kitchen on fire in his rage.

  “How do I know it’s the truth this time?” I demand, my voice dropping to a whisper as I glare at them.

  “Take it or leave it. For fifteen years, you’ve been fine without knowing the truth.”

  I feel the air leave my lungs as if someone’s punched me in the chest. “God, I can’t trust my parents,” I utter, taking a small step backwards with the sudden fear that I’m about to collapse.

  “Yes, you can,” my father says, a frown embedded in his face.

  “Then tell me who I am,” I demand, clenching my hands into fists. “I have every right to know.”

  “You’re our daughter!” Regina tries desperately, staring at me through eyes so wide they look strained.

  I run my tongue along my teeth and glance between them before dragging my gaze to the floor. Whatever the truth is, they’re determined to hold onto it. No amount of prying in the world will be enough to pull it out of them if they’re determined to take it to the grave. My shoulders slump in defeat at that realization.

  “Something tells me that’s not the truth either,” I inform them.

  “Of all the things going on in your life right now, why focus on this? Your life could be in danger…have you even thought about that once?” Howard states, trying once again to change the subject.

  “No, Father. Forget that. What decision is there to make? Nothing has to change. Tarj even said so himself.”

  “You can’t stay. Not with a threat like this,” Regina says, eyes wide as she holds a helpless hand to me.

  I watch her reaction, curling my lip at the thought of her attempt at comfort. “I’m sorry, Mother, but it’s not your choice to make.”

  I move to walk past her when she sets a hand in my path. “Anything that endangers my daughter is a concern of mine.”

  I can understand it but at the same time it annoys me. It hasn’t left my mind that she’s a liar. “Mother, I did my best, and I’m sorry to say that I’m an adult now. You don’t have the authority to make my decisions for me anymore.”

  “Does that mean you’re willing to put me and your father in danger? Your entire Coven?”

  I stare at her for a long moment. It’s odd for me to remember that my parents are UnEquipped…that they are essentially defenseless. I never considered the possibility that staying home would bring harm to them if the witches Iris worked with have a vendetta against me.

  “That’s a good point, Mother.”

  “So you’ll go…like Tarj recommends?”

  I shake my head. “No. I feel like I’m on the verge of something here, and I’m not going to back down until I know what it is.”

  “You’re not going to stay under our roof,” my father spits. “We can’t afford to have the place raided because of you.”

  “Howard!” Regina gasps, staring at her husband with an icy look in her eyes.

  I stare at my father the same way, but in the back of my mind, I’m not surprised. Somehow, I knew it would come down to this…I just didn’t expect him to be so blunt.

  “Fine…fine! I don’t want to be here anyway,” I mutter, whipping on my heels to storm through the house.

  I want to go right out the door, but I have the feeling I won’t be back for a while. Instead, I trudge to my room, my parents on my heels as I riffle through my belongings.

  “Where are you going to go?” Regina asks, peering at me from around my father’s figure in the doorway.

  “I’ll see if I can stay with Clio,” I toss over my shoulder as I pull the amulet Ambrossi had given me out from under my mattress.

  “I still think it’s ridiculous what you’re doing,” my father adds, folding his arms across his chest.

  “Dully noted,” I reply, running a finger along the spines of the books on my shelf as I search for my Book of Spells. With a flick of my wrist, I pull it off the shelf and cuddle it to my chest as I move to stomp past them.

  “You think you can fight them yourself?” Howard laughs. “You’re kidding, right? According to Tarj, there are a lot of them.”

  “I beat one of them already, so why not try?” I retort.

  My parents stare at me wide-eyed and open-mouthed as if I’ve grown another head.

  “The Equipped…we fight back. I think that’s a concept that falls out of your grasp. Apparently hiding is what you do best, so stick to it.”

  “We love you, Lilith. We just want what’s best for you,” Regina chimes in.

  “Right. Based on this conversation, I wouldn’t have guessed that,” I say, clenching my free hand into a fist as I run my thumb along my knuckles. “If someone is targeting me, they have no reason to attack innocents, you know this, yet you still insist on throwing me out of the house.”

  “We’re not throwing you out,” Regina tries to argue.

  “I can’t listen to this again!” I groan, waving a dismissive hand at them and walk away.

  “Don’t do this,” my mother calls from behind me.

  I roll my bottom lip between my teeth. “This is the right thing.” Before they have a chance to say another word, I hobble through the door.

  “Lilith, wait!” I hear my mother call, but I ignore her as I disappear into the night.

  Chapter Ten

  Nowhere to Go

  WHEN I KNOCK on Clio’s door, his eyes stretch wide in surprise. He wears only his boxers, and it’s obvious by his disheveled hair that he wasn’t expecting company.

  “Li, this is a surprise,” he says, clearing his throat with his hand frozen on his doorknob.

  “Is this a bad time?” I inquire.

  “No, no, I just thought you were miffed at me from earlier,” he admits, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck.

  “I know it’s getting late, but I don’t have anywhere else to go. Can I come in?” I ask, reaching across my chest to clutch my elbow. I hate admitting that I need help, but I also don’t have a choice at this point.

  “Yeah, yeah.” He steps aside to open the door wider. “Let me get a little more decent,” he says, disappearing into his house to pull on a nearby robe that had been slung over his chair.

  I nod absently, not paying much attention as I stumble over to his couch and sit down, placing my Book beside me. My fingers run over the cover as I glance around, admiring his house as he closes his door. It’s minimalistic with only the couch, a chair, a bookshelf, and a fireplace, but it’s homey. I’ve only been here a handful of times before, but I’ve always admired how comfortable it makes me feel. There’s a small fire crackling in the fireplace, but it doesn’t overheat the house; it warms it just enough to push away the chill of the beginning of the night.

  “So what happened? Why can’t you stay home?” he inquires, glancing up at me through curious eyes as he ties his robes closed.

  “My parents kicked me out,” I reply, sinking into his couch.

  “Does that mean you’ve made up your mind about what you’re going to do?”

  “I’m gonna stay,” I reply, tensing my shoulders as my eyes dart to him, prepared for his reaction.

  “You what?” he asks, dipping his head a bit as he stares at me through hooded eyes.

  “I want them to find me,” I state, folding my arms across my chest. “I want to get to the bottom of this…once and for all.”

  He shakes his head in exasperation and plops down into the chair his robe had been on. “You really are crazy, you know that?”

  “Don’t judge me…you said it yourself that I need answers,” I remind him. “I won’t get them by running away like a dog with its tail between its legs. What would you do in my situation? I can’t picture you running away from something like this.”

  Clio purs
es his lips. “I still think some time in Mentis would do you good, but I see your point.”

  I bob my head once, feeling out of it as I watch the fire work on destroying a log.

  “That’s all fine and good, but what about your parents?” Clio’s voice ventures.

  “That’s why I’m here. My parents don’t want anything to do with me with the possibility I could bring danger in their direction.” I want to hang my head after those words echo through the room, but I force myself to keep my eyes on him. “I’m so glad cowardice isn’t a genetic trait.”

  “And Helena? She all but begged you to stay in Ignis, I’m sure she’d let you crash at her place,” Clio says, drumming his fingers on the arm of his chair.

  His questions almost sound like an interview. I frown for a minute, wondering if Clio will kick me out of his house as well. There’s a tiny moment of indecision where I wonder if maybe I am making the wrong choice by staying in Ignis.

  “Helena just doesn’t understand why I’m ruffling The Council’s feathers,” I point out.

  “So you came here?”

  “You’re not weak and you’re not afraid. I can’t think of anyone better to stand by me at this moment,” I blurt out, pushing my lips into a straight line. “Was I wrong for coming here?”

  Clio smiles. “You’re brave. Much braver than I would’ve guessed.”

  The sight of the kind expression on his face relaxes me. “Is that a compliment?”

  “It just might be,” he replies, picking up a glass from the table beside him.

  “Is that your way of saying I can stay?”

  “Of course you can,” he replies before the corners of his lips turn down. “If you don’t mind the house being a bit messy of course. With everything happening the past few days, I haven’t exactly had time to play housekeeper.”

  “I understand, trust me,” I say with a laugh. “You should’ve seen my room before I left.”

  “I still can’t believe your parents would do that to you,” Clio mutters.

  “Me and you both.”

  Clio’s gaze shifts to the fire, and I take the opportunity to unclasp my cloak. I let it drop, revealing my bare shoulders and the low neckline of my corset dress. Clio takes in a deep breath through his teeth and runs a hand through his hair.

  “I was making dinner. Did you want some? I’m guessing you haven’t given yourself the chance to stop and rest today,” he says, sitting up in his chair.

  Just as those words leave his lips, a growl erupts in my stomach, and I clamp my hands over my abdomen in a pointless attempt to stifle it.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” He chuckles, standing to head into a room that I assume is the kitchen.

  With a sigh, I stand up as well and follow him. My emotions have been through so much distress that the thought of hunger hasn’t crossed my mind even though the day is already almost over. In the kitchen, he pulls out a chair as he passes the table, giving me a look before heading to his stove to stir the food inside a giant pot. I take the chair he offered, inhaling the scent of herbs.

  “What is that? It smells amazing,” I murmur, feeling my mouth fill with saliva.

  “Just a stew my mother taught me how to make when I was a kid,” he replies, moving around to gather dishes.

  I prop my chin on my fist as I lean against the table, watching him work. He uses a ladle to fill a bowl with food before placing it on the table in front of me. I glance down as the steam flows into my face. The scent is tantalizing, and I can’t wait to dig in.

  “That should help you feel a bit better,” he says, pouring a bowl for himself.

  “That’s hard to do,” I reply.

  “Well, you should—for a few minutes at least.” He places his bowl on the table and sits beside me.

  I don’t answer him as I focus on the food before me, enjoying every bite.

  “So, why’d you bring your Book? Planning to study enough to beat me again? I won’t make it so easy this time.” He chuckles.

  I shake my head. “I don’t know, it was a spur of the moment decision. I guess I hoped that if I read it over again it would help me better control my powers.”

  “That comes with practice for us, not studying,” he replies.

  “Call me sentimental then.”

  “Still thinking you can change them to pyro powers?”

  I shrug. “It’s in me, at least the Arcane Ceremony said it was.”

  “You need to learn to accept your powers as they are. If you do that, maybe others will form.”

  “Or maybe I’m just insane.” I sigh.

  “You are, but that’s beside the point.” He smirks.

  I bite my lip and stare down at the table.

  Clio takes a sip of his drink before he frowns at me. “What is it?”

  “Do you think I’m endangering Ignis by choosing to stay here?”

  Clio reaches up to scratch behind his ear. “Well, that depends on a lot of factors.”

  I don’t reply to that as I observe the remaining food in my bowl. Suddenly, it doesn’t seem too appetizing with my stomach closing in on itself.

  “That wasn’t a yes,” Clio adds after a minute, furrowing his brow as he watches my reaction. “I’m just saying we don’t know all that we’re up against. For all we know, The Council is wrong. Maybe Iris was a loner.”

  That thought somehow makes me feel worse.

  “Right,” I mumble, setting down my spoon.

  Clio takes another bite of his food before he pushes his bowl to the center of the table and tilts his head. “We should get some sleep. We have to get an early start tomorrow after all.”

  “That’s right, it’s the Dedication Ceremony, huh?” I puff my cheeks before hiding my reaction with another small bite. With everything going, I’ve all but forgotten about the Ceremony that accompanies the Arcane.

  “I guess I should sleep in there then.” I gesture to the couch in the other room.

  Clio shakes his head.

  I raise an eyebrow. “Where then?”

  “In my bed.”

  I stretch my eyes wide, wondering if I heard him right.

  “Don’t look at me like that. I’ll sleep out here. I just think it’s only right you be comfortable.”

  “Because I’m crippled?” I spit, frowning at him.

  “Because you’re a woman,” he shoots back, standing to his feet.

  “Huh, I never would’ve taken you for a gentleman,” I tease.

  He smirks again as he turns away, leading me down a hallway to a large bedroom. He opens the door and gestures for me to go inside. There’s a desk beneath a small window covered in papers, and beside the bed, it seems to be the only piece of furniture in the room. I take a few steps into the room, admiring the parchment smell as I move over to his bed.

  “I’m allowed to move this, right?” I ask, pointing to a racy magazine sitting spine-up by his pillows.

  He rushes over to it in a flash, whipping it across the room into his open closet. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for you to see that,” he mumbles in embarrassment and rubs at the back of his neck.

  “It’s fine really,” I say, stifling a giggle as I sit on the edge of his bed.

  “Do you want a shirt of mine or something? That dress looks like it’d be uncomfortable to sleep in.”

  “That’d be great,” I admit, feeling as if I had worn the dress so long it had become part of my skin.

  I stand up to strip off my dress as Clio turns away to his dresser. When he turns back to hand me the clothing, I kick my dress away, wearing only my bra and panties. His lips part as he gives me a once-over and hands me the shirt.

  “Is something wrong?” I wonder, glancing down at myself.

  “Y-you’re—” He pauses to swallow heavily. “You’re a lot more…open…than I thought you’d be,” he answers finally, watching me pull the shirt over my head.

  “Does it bother you?” I ask, turning away to fluff the pillows.

  “No, it defin
itely doesn’t bother me. It’s just unexpected really,” he babbles, and I feel his eyes on me as I work. “You’re always so well-managed in public.”

  “I’m sorry,” I say with an apologetic glance over my shoulder. “Helena and I change in front of each other all the time. I guess I wasn’t thinking. All the things I’ve been through in my lifetime have conditioned me to forget that not everyone thinks of me as some pathetic wounded dog.”

  “Of all the words I’d associate with you, ‘pathetic’ isn’t one of them.”

  I smile at him as I lie against his bed. “Why are you so nice to me? I mean, I know why everyone else is, but you’ve always seen me for me rather than what happened to me.”

  “I know better than anyone that your past is not who you are.”

  I nod, remembering the reason for his empty house. I can’t imagine what it’s like to live with the picture of your parents being killed like Clio does. My parents are far from perfect, but the pain of their death would be enough to kill me.

  “In times like this, it’s hard to believe we’re rivals.”

  “We’re rivals in ability, maybe, but I like to think we connect on levels deeper than that.”

  I smile at him, feeling a blush creep into my cheeks as I realize how much of my skin still shows. I pull his crimson blanket up to my hips, covering my underwear from his sight. “I can never thank you enough for this.”

  He smirks. “You can try. I want a detailed thank you letter before the Ceremony tomorrow.”

  “Yeah, good luck with that.” I let out a short laugh and tuck my arm under the pillows.

  “Just so you know, I plan to help you with this, through thick and thin.”

  “Why the sudden dedication?”

  “It’d be wrong of me to abandon you at a time when you need someone more than ever.”

  I raise an eyebrow. “If anyone needs someone, I’d say it’s you,” I gesture in the direction of his closet.

  Clio laughs. “Fine, you got me there. Let me know if you need anything during the night, all right? I’m a light-sleeper.”

  I sink deeper into the bed. “Thank you, Clio.”

  “Anytime.”