Mine to Spell (Mine #2) (11 page)

“
Hey, I brought you some fresh fruit and vegetables in case you were running low.”

“
Oh.” Not really running low. And I’m not sure if I want to spend time with a warlock I don’t really know. Except, maybe, I can discover more from him about the tournament. Like when there’s going to be the most amount of people at the tournament sign ups. That may be my best chance, to be around so many people that it would be too difficult to erase all their memories. Is that even possible? I don’t know. I have to hope, and for a foreigner he seems to understand the process well. Or at least better than me.

“
Thank you.” I gesture for him to come in.

He carries the bag into the kitchen and sets it on the table. “Not a lot, just the produce plus some fresh bread, milk, and eggs. If there’s something else you need, just let me know.”

That is a lot of food. “No, this is more than generous of you. You’ve shown me around. I could have obtained this myself. I hate to be a bother.”

“
It’s no bother.” Meaning it’s easier to get things for me than to have to take me wherever I want to go with the constant threat of death hovering. I probably shouldn’t mention that I checked to see if Serena had sent a letter while I mailed one to her and Katherine.

And I definitely won’t mention all the staring at the tournament building that’s been going on.
Or how I had to hide with the Grand Chancellor came striding down the road with his son Nathaniel and entered the building. They probably were there to sign Nathaniel up for the tournament. Nathaniel may have helped my sister at the ball, but I still don't trust him. Especially not with his father around. Both men are deadly.

“
Well,” he says, breaking my thoughts.

“
Well.”

He scratches his cheek. “I suppose I should be going.”

Not yet! I need more information. Or maybe just enough information to give me a boost in confidence. Besides, it’s been so quiet here all week. I don’t want to be alone, even if it means inviting him to tarry.

I clink my bracelets together. He seemed nice enough from the little interaction we’ve had. He seems to be a warlock more like Zade than father. “Why don’t you stay? You brought more food than I need. I could cook you dinner again.”

“This is too much food?”

I laugh. “I couldn’t possibly eat this all myself before it goes bad.”

“Oh.” He looks sheepish a moment before joining in with my laughter. “I always did eat a lot.”

Not that his trim frame shows it. “Then you’ll stay?”

“Suppose it would only be fair, so I don’t make you waste food.” He grins at me, and something inside me melts like one of Waverly’s chocolates.

My hands shake. I grab a bowl to distract myself from it and get to work. The strange feeling doesn’t leave; instead, it persists in trying to get me to think on his smile. It’s a very nice smile. Warm and personal. And in no way related to the information I need to find out from him. I need to focus on getting answers, not strange, melty, shaky-making feelings.

“Did you turn your paperwork in for the tournament?” I ask.

“
Sure did.”

Good thing he didn’t do it when I was stalking the place. “Are there many others signed up yet?”

“More than last year at this time. Interest is picking up. I think many people from other countries are more curious since a Chardonian woman gained her freedom. Serena is becoming famous.”

I wonder what she’d think of that. “Were you there last year? Did you see Zade win?”

His smile sobers into a line. “I did.”

Was he sickened as I was by the whole turn of affairs? Not that it turned into a horrid event like we thought it would,. It was the best thing that could have happened. Yet, Serena being won first by Thomas and then Zade shouldn’t have had the chance to happen. “What do you think of our ways?”

“What do you think of them?”

That they are wrong. “I don’t know much about our ways. Women are kept in the dark as much as possible. I know little.”

“Does that bother you? I can’t tell how you feel about it. You’re hard to read.”

I slip him a smile. A real smile. That was the best compliment anyone has ever paid me. But then I let it fade. “Of course it bothers me. I can’t believe it doesn’t bother more women.” As much as this is a good topic of conversation, it’s breaking away from what I want to know. “So you signed up for the tournament last year as well?”

“No. Last year I was just spectating. My mentor, Arthur, signed up, and I followed him around a lot.”

“
Did he sign up a ways out from the tournament as you did?”

“
No. It’s too busy right now. The wait is really long, both to get in the country and to sign up. Everyone wants to declare themselves while it’s early. There’s much to be won if you kill, someone, many like to show off the fact they think they’ll excel at it.” He looks at me out of the corner of his eye. “Is there a reason you’re so interested?”

I falter. “Just curious is all.”

“Are you sure that’s all? Because it seems like there’s something more to it.” When I don’t respond, he continues. “Does it have anything to do with the same reason you were outside the tournament headquarters yesterday?”

He did see me. Blast. My hesitance at him discovering my intentions vanishes for distrust. “You’ve been following me?”

He shrugs, completely unashamed. “I thought you would know someone is keeping an eye on you. Zade said there would probably be attempts on your life and to keep someone close.”

“
Oh, he did, did he?” The one male I thought capable of giving women our space and freedom. Naturally, he’d turn out more like them. I hate this. I hate the way things are. That hate simmers in me, pulling at my magic, tugging at my will.

“
Calm down. He’s trying to help.”

“
By dictating my life? By having me followed? I’m sick of this life. And you—” I point the spoon at the door, splattering sauce everywhere. “—can leave now.”

He stands, completely ignoring the fact I’m huffing like a crazy person, and keeps his voice soft. “I know this is hard, and not what you want. I’d be just as angry. If you really want me to go now, I will, but I’m not going to stop protecting you.”

“Clearly, I’m fine on my own. There’s no need for any of this.” Why am I losing my temper with him? Why can’t I hold myself together?

His voice is calm, too calm for how much I’m yelling. “You’re not fine. We’ve already stopped two attempts on your life.”

The words fizzle my anger into coals of fear. “Two? That can’t be. I’d know if there had been attempts.”

“
You didn’t know because they were stopped before they got to you. Because we’ve been doing exactly what you want us not to do. We’re giving you as much freedom and privacy as we can, but we’re not going to let it go just so you can feel better about yourself. You need us.”

“
There were strange noises outside this morning. Was that one of them?”

“
Yes.”

No. “You really stopped two attempts?”

“Well, I personally only stopped one, but Xyer stopped the other.”

The unfamiliar name is something easier to grasp on than my life being threatened. “Who’s Xyer?”

“A friend of Zade’s.” He waves his hand. “But that’s not important right now. What’s important is you know we are protecting you.” He inches closer, his voice going soft. “I’m sorry for the intrusion this causes.”

All day I’ve been so lonely, yet I’ve had people watching over me and I didn’t even know it. Not only that, but they’ve risked their lives for me. Xyer, a man I don’t even know, and Lukas, who I barely know. He turns and heads for the hall leading to the entry.

“Wait. Don’t go.” He stops, but doesn’t turn around. “I—I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

He finally looks at me, but doesn’t say a word. His gaze is unnerving; his cocoa-colored eyes feel as if they can see through me, into me like no one’s ever been able to before. I feel exposed. And stupid. Very stupid.

“It was wrong of me to get upset with you. I didn’t understand the situation. I’m not usually so volatile, it’s just…” Just something about you makes it hard to keep my feelings inside. “Please ignore what I said. You can stay. I won’t fling anymore food about.”

Finally, he chuckles. “It does add some nice color to the place.”

I hurry to clean up the sauce. “I’m so embarrassed.”

Once it’s cleaned, I take the fruit, biscuits, and chicken to the table. Without any sauce. There’s been enough of that. Suddenly, he’s beside me. His hand reaches for a biscuit and puts it on the plate. I’m frozen, watching him serve himself. I’ve never seen anything like it. Not ever. The only males who serve are tarnished and lower class. Even Zade doesn’t serve himself. Or maybe he does when I’m not around, or perhaps he wants to let his servants do it so they have work or something, I don’t know. Whatever the case may be, I’m entranced by the idea of a man helping with women’s work.

He finishes loading his plate before looking at me. “Are you all right?”

“
Um…” My throat catches. I clear it, and then continue. “I’m well. Thank you for your help.”

“
It's my pleasure.”

We stare at each other a moment. Awkwardly. I twirl away from him and hurry to finish eating my own plate of food, though my thoughts are too busy for me to be hungry.

“So,” Lukas says, “you never answered my question. Is there more to your interest with the tournament or is it really just curiosity?”

“
Just curiosity.”

“
Hmmm.”

Hmmm? That’s all? His tone implies he suspects more. And there is more. He’s saved my life. With him being from a different country, he has to think differently than all the Chardonian warlocks. And Zade trusts him. More than that, I think I’m beginning to trust him. He doesn’t act like any other warlock, not even Zade. As good as Zade is, Lukas may just be better.

“Fine. You win. There is more to it. I want to enter the tournament.”

His eyes widen. “You know how to do magic?”

If I’m going to do this, I might as well take it all the way. My magic is eager to answer, heating within me, hungry to show itself. I let it out in a spell that explodes with pink and purple dancing overhead. Harmless, nothing more than colored lights, a display of my pure magic, yet by his widening eyes, effective.

“
Yes, then,” he finally says. His eyes relax, his smile, so small, but bringing so much warmth to the room.

It takes a moment to process the fact that he’s happy about this. I thought he’d be upset like Zade. Perhaps uncaring or irritated that I did it, but joy? Never that.

“Why just staring at the headquarters then?” he asks. “Why haven’t you entered?”

I stop the spell, using it as an excuse to turn away so he won’t see the flush of embarrassment racing through me. The words are painfully accurate. I should have entered by now. He said it was the busiest time. There was a plethora of warlocks coming in and out of the building. I should have risked that it would be enough.

“It’s not that easy. I don’t even know if my freedom has been made known yet. They’ll be more likely to punish me than to let me enter.” Excuses, but at least they’re something. “Even if word has spread, what is there to make them believe I am the girl that was freed?”

He cocks an eyebrow at me. “Is this all that’s bothering you?”

“No.” How does he read me so well? Probably because I give too much away in his presence. Why do I continue doing that?

“
What is it? Please let me try to help.”

Here we go. I take a deep breath. “Do you know what they do to women in Chardonia who do magic?”

His face loses even the hint of joy. “It’s part of why I’m here.”

This conversation is bringing more and more surprises. I thought he was just here for the tournament. “What do you mean?”

“You don’t know about Zade?”

“
Zade? What does he have to do with any of this?”

“
Everything. Well, not him specifically, I suppose, but well…I should let him tell his own secrets. Suffice it to say that some in Chryos don’t like what’s going on here. The new changes with the tarnished have made it more difficult for them to get out. We’re still getting a few tarnished men who make it, but no women have made it for a long time. And the stories we’re hearing…” He shakes his head as a disgusted scowl crosses his face. “We wanted to help before, when so many were coming to our country in need of aid. I must admit that when the flow lessened, many thought we shouldn’t help anymore, but my own desire only grew.”

“
Which is why you’re here helping me, because of these refugees you’ve seen in your country?”

“
If it doesn’t stop, I’m afraid of what could happen. We’re trying to help fix things before they get worse.”

“
By having you come here and enter the tournament?”

He scoots his chair closer. My chest constricts, and I grip the handle of my fork tighter as he says, “It’s getting harder and harder for foreigners to enter Chardonia other times of the year, except for trade, which is strictly regulated. The tournament is the one excuse we can use to get closer to our goal.”