Impulse (27 page)
“He turned it down? Why?”
“He felt it was a consolation. Adam resented the offer because he felt they were implying that it’s all he’s good for, and his mind was already set on being a new kind of Healer to all Breed. We had talked about it at length and I’d prefer he not share the knowledge of his gift with others, but I think it’s what he was leaning toward doing. Maybe this was a blessing; some gifts should not be made public. It would have only brought him more danger. No, Adam is not ready. He’s…” Novis licked his lips and looked up, searching for the right words. “…lost. You were second choice. The Mageri would have left the position open until another candidate caught their attention, but you were also on the list. I presume they see it as a—”
“Adam helped during the raid at Nero’s compound,” I interjected. “I don’t want to steal his glory—what’s rightfully his.”
Novis lifted a wisp of hair from his temple and crunched it between his rolling fingers. “Nothing in life is rightfully yours until you take it.”
“He outshines me, Novis. We both know that.”
“Your humility intrigues me. Most would have no trouble claiming their good deeds. You spend far too much time thinking about your shortcomings rather than what you have to offer. Adam is fighting a darkness in his life; something all men face at some point.”
“Adam is not a bad man, Novis.”
“You would have made a great father,” I blurted out. My teeth clamped down on the inside of my cheek as my mouth operated faster than my brain.
Novis lifted his eyes to the window and shared a private moment with the sunlight. “I was a father once. In my human life, we married young and had many children. That was so long ago,” he said in a soft voice with melancholy eyes.
Time moved through the room at a quiet pace, stretching along the walls and blanketing the floor. A cheery sparrow infiltrated the silence with his incessant chirping as he bounced along the window and flitted off.
“I get myself in trouble a lot.”
He smiled. “I can see that you’re really selling yourself short. Sometimes those who take risks and think outside the box stand out more than those who play by the rules.”
“I thought the Mageri liked rules?”
He tipped his head left and right, mulling it over. “The Mageri likes loyalty, but these are valid points you bring up.”
I shifted excitedly in my chair. I wanted purpose in my life and although Justus assured me good deeds were purpose enough, my spirit was listless.
“This position will be working as
my
apprentice, Silver. As tasks are required, I will summon you for assistance. It’s a position you have the choice to accept, and you can leave at any time such as you could with any job, although I hope that you choose to stay. An apprenticeship with the Council can lead to greater things. This is about earning trust and gaining experience, regardless of what you may be asked to do. It’s a foot in the door and a great honor to be approached without submitting an application.” He crossed his legs and wove his fingers together. “When there is a need for confidentiality between us, it will be shared with no one. There are no exceptions to this rule. Do you understand this?”
“I understand.”
“You need to. Don’t accept this if you’re going to share information on a whim and breach our trust; it’s a very serious matter. This includes your Ghuardian and especially Logan. A personal relationship brings expectations of honesty, but this does not fall within those lines. There are repercussions for deception that go beyond termination of employment. You are young and impulsive and I will help you with this. I do not want to see someone with such potential throw it away.”
“How much of this was your decision?”
I tugged at my hair, braiding the tips. “What would I be doing?”
“Whatever is required.”
“Which is what? Cooking? Gardening? Clipping your toenails?”
Novis was amused. “An apprentice has a number of duties, but you are not a maid. You would be part of investigative matters, deliver messages, and I would consult your opinion. There are a number of situations where I require a representative to speak in my place. What I ask may not always be easy—it could even be dangerous. That is why a personal apprentice is assigned a private guard so there will be no further need for Justus to escort you in public. I take the safety of all my people seriously. A position working for a Council member gives you inside knowledge that some would want to acquire. Justus is forbidden to interfere in any decisions involving official business. He may not like it, but he is loyal to the Mageri and will abide by it.”
After some consideration, Logan would just have to accept it. We agreed to be honest, but if loyalty was part of the job requirements, then my obligations would be to Novis.
“Are you sure about this?”
Novis offered a broad smile and the natural light within his eyes glimmered like ripples of sunlight. “It’s not a choice for me; the choice is yours.”
“I’m not saying I’ll be insubordinate, but Justus will even tell you that he struggles with my stubbornness. I don’t like being controlled and when I start feeling that way, I react.”
It was only fair to warn him that I wasn’t the best team player, even if I really wanted this.
“I have no desire to control you, so put your mind at ease. My job is to mentor you. Your honesty is commendable; many would lie and say they’d do everything that was asked of them. I’m guessing you are not defiant without reason, but your heart is in the right place most of the time, even if your head is not.”
He really did know how to say the right thing.
My insides were roaring like the cheering section of a football stadium.
Novis cleared his throat. “We select the most loyal and trusted humans to bring in as a Mage, and that’s a control we’ve had for only the past two hundred years or so. This is how the Mageri contains the population, not all of it is up to the Creators. It’s not uncommon for a Creator to have never met his progeny, and they are selected by the Mageri. If you’ve read our history books, then you’re aware of the necessity that was behind a Creator building up his progeny in ancient times. We were without laws, territories, and Creators had the ability like few others to build an army of guards.”
“Exactly. Now a Learner is seen as a burden and they must be cared for like children. However, there are still battles raging and lives lost. We must replenish our losses with new blood. That is the way of politics these days, and it gives the Mageri a direct hand in who is selected, whereas before they had none. They groom the new ones to abide by our laws. You… you’re so different because you were
not
chosen. You have a streak of rebellion and the spirit of humanity. Perhaps the Mageri feels they can smooth that out, or maybe they’re willing to change with the times. Who knows?”
“I respect the fact we have laws, Novis, but I don’t always agree with them. They exist only to serve the Mageri, not to protect the lives involved. When the Council forced me to return with Samil, I was terrified about what kind of world I was giving myself up to if my own people wouldn’t protect me. What kind of leaders would send me home with the man who hurt me simply because he had a right to claim me? How was that protecting my rights? Justus is an obedient Mage and had to follow your orders, but he wasn’t right with it. The Mageri is forward in so many ways, but backward in others.”
“In our defense, we didn’t know all the facts.”
“You didn’t ask, even after accusations were made and the resistance was obvious. I’m not saying laws are bad, Novis, only that they should be there to protect the people.”
“Laws provide structure among the Breed, but yes, some are outdated. What is that old saying… Paris wasn’t changed in a day?”
“Rome wasn’t built,” I corrected.
He chuckled. “I was never very good remembering idioms. Many things to discuss. Many things to learn. Would you like time to consider the offer?”
“Not really,” I said with a soft smile. “Novis, I accept.”
“Splendid!” He clapped his hands together. “I’ll contact the Mageri with your answer and send out the invitations.”
“Is this a party?”
He stood up and straightened his shirt. “Formalities. We’ll have a small gathering and I’ll make the announcement to your Ghuardian once the Mageri is notified.”
“Should I dress up?” Mischief hooked the corner of my mouth into a dangerous grin.
“You’ll find that I have a sense of humor and my judgment is not as impaired as Justus’s to such things. You are very young and run high on your emotions, but I do trust you will make a sound decision on this.”
“Understood.”
“Until then, let’s keep this between us. Your first test of secrecy—this is your mission, should you choose to accept it.”
I tucked my hands in the pockets of my jeans as we walked to the door. “Do you think I could leave the property for a little while? Logan wants to see me. I know we’re under protection, but I’m safe with him. I’d ask Justus, but that’s going to be a waste of breath. Since you have seniority…”
“Thanks for understanding. What do I call you now?”
Titles were common, as by custom I was still to address Justus as Ghuardian.
“Call me Novis.”
Chapter 21
Justus had a few loose ends to tie up with the new house, so he dropped me off at Logan’s for a few hours
. The Ducati was still parked out front and Justus decided to pick it up later. What I really wanted was a quiet evening, but Logan had other plans.
The bike made familiar turns up the stretch of highway and I gripped his waist.
“Where are we going?”
Wherever it was, we were poorly dressed for the unexpected cool front; meteorologists were predicting an early winter. Cognito had unusual weather and I often wondered if the tremendous energy from the Breed worked as a weather magnet. Nevertheless, my blue cotton shirt was not cutting it. When the bike rolled up a private road, I slapped his shoulders as we cut through a crowd of tall Chitahs.
“Logan, why are we at the Gathering? I don’t want you doing anything stupid like confronting Tarek.”
The bike swerved around a branch and eased to a stop by the curb. Logan kicked off the engine and shifted around—his hair pulled tight at the nape of his neck. The color in his eyes melted like honey and sunlight, and my fingers wanted to graze along the contours of his face just as much as they wanted to slap it.
“I make good on my promises, Little Raven. You asked me to claim you in every way and that’s what I intend to do. This is the last night of the Gathering and we’re about to shake things up.”
“When did I—”
“In the shower,” he finished.
My mind went blank. “Logan! I was sexed up and barely conscious.” Ignoring me, he took my hand and all but dragged me toward the main entrance.
“Wait, stop for a minute!”
He tilted around with a twinkle in his eye.
“If you do this, what does it mean?” I tugged at my hand to reclaim it but Logan kept a firm grip. “Are you going to fight him?”
“No,” he quickly answered. “Little Wolf told me what you said. I won’t challenge Tarek if it means losing my position with you.”
“Finn shouldn’t have said anything; that’s something you were supposed to figure out for yourself.”
“I’ll tell the elders the truth. They’ll either believe me or not, but I will not keep this a secret any longer.” I swam in relief knowing that Logan would expose Tarek’s lies.
Logan’s nostrils flared as he took in a breath of air, then his jaw slackened and eyes hooded. Something changed in his expression that made my heart beat faster. He moved closer and the heat of his body insisted that I bridge the gap between us. The heel of my shoe scraped on the concrete and I looked up at him.