My Boyfriend Merlin (22 page)

I pulled back. Quite eloquently, I garbled, “W-What?”

The door fell open behind me. I would have dropped straight to the ground if Vane hadn’t grabbed me at the last second. I clung to him.

“Oh. Holy. Crap.” Gia’s voice penetrated my fogged brain.

A light shone down the stairwell, pinning me with Vane in its spotlight. I jerked away from Vane. Gia and the other candidates stood at the door. They crowded in the small stairwell that led up to the street. Blake had a flabbergasted look on his face. So did the rest of them—except for Matt.

Matt.

It was my turn to be flabbergasted. My heart sank at the stony mask covering Matt’s face.

“You came,” I said to him.

“Yes.” His eyes locked on mine. I couldn’t read them, but I didn’t have to.

He was pissed. Really, really pissed. His vision had come true. I finally understood why he’d been so upset on the plane. He’d seen it coming and he’d known he wouldn’t be able to do anything to stop it.

Vane’s hold on me tightened. “Here to clean up after me as usual, Merlin? How is it that you always show after the dirty work is done?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a shadowy figure watching us from the top of the stairwell. My throat went dry. The shadow fell just as it had under the streetlight when I’d spotted Morgan. The shadow’s profile showed a distinctive hooked nose.

I leaned into Vane’s neck. I whispered in his ear. “It’s him. At the top of the stairs.”

In a flash, Vane’s hand shot out. A single wave of magic shot through the stairwell and hit the figure squarely in the chest. The boy flew backwards. Vane put me down. He rushed up the stairs.

I followed behind slowly. Vane held the figure immobile on the gritty ground of the narrow alley with the same air hold he’d used to choke me in the cathedral.

“When did you start working for the gargoyles?” Vane interrogated him.

The boy made choking sounds.

“He can’t talk, Vane,” Matt observed mildly.

Vane loosened his fist a bit.

“It’s Gordon!” Gia exclaimed.

Gordon stammered, “I d-don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just here for the festival.” He nodded at the other candidates sitting in the alley. “I saw them and wanted to see what they were doing.”

I went to stand beside Vane. I looked at the kid closely. I said to Vane, “It’s him—one of your candidates. The one who saw nothing in the Lake-water. The one you wanted to abandon.”

“I should have abandoned him.” Vane tightened his grip again.

“P-Please,” Gordon pleaded. “I haven’t done anything.”

I glanced around and found Oliver and Paul. “Where’s the gargoyle we caught? He knew I was sneaking out.”

“You caught a gargoyle,” Vane said. “Where is he?”

Paul and Oliver exchanged glances. Paul had an angry bruise on his head and Oliver cradled his arm as if he’d broken it.

Gia made an impatient noise. “The gargoyle got away.”

Blake nodded at Gordon on the street. “I remember him in the dining room tonight. He sat at the table right next to us. He knew we were going out.”

Vane turned a cruel smile on his former pupil. “I’ve heard enough.”

Matt grabbed Vane’s arm. “We need to take him to the Council. We need to question him properly.”

Vane shrugged away from Matt. “If the bureaucracy gets hold of him, who knows how long before we get anything? I want to know if there’s anyone else involved in this—now.”

Vane put a boot on Gordon’s hand. “What have you told the gargoyles? Who is your contact? Tell me now.”

“I d-don’t know anything!”

Vane squeezed his fist tighter. On the ground, Gordon’s body shook. He made small mewling sounds.

“I’m not going to tell you anything!” Gordon let slip.

Vane smiled in satisfaction and loosened his hold. “Which means there is something to know.”

Gordon jumped up and punched Vane. He attacked Vane in a fury of flying fists. In a few quick moves, Vane subdued him and slammed Gordon back onto the ground.

“Who is your contact?” Vane repeated. “Do you want to make it to the Council, Gordon? Then, you’d better talk now.”

“I thought you’d help me,” the boy spat. “But you’re all the same. Just like my grandmother. She wanted to have me locked up. But I took care of her too.”

 Vane sighed. “What did you tell the gargoyles about the candidates?”

Gordon giggled. He looked at me.

“You mean about her?” he said. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Vane’s eyes narrowed. He stood over Gordon without a hint of mercy. “Which way is it going to be—easy or hard? Because either way you’re going to die tonight.”

Vane’s hand fisted. Gordon kicked his legs and tried to claw at the invisible force squeezing his throat. The boy’s face started to turn blue.

I grabbed Vane’s arm. “Vane, stop.”

“
Visrajti
,” Matt barked.

“No,” Vane shouted at Matt.

The magic choking Gordon fluctuated. I could see the faint red of Vane’s magic battling with Matt’s blue. The boy levitated up a few inches off the ground. There was an odd crunching sound. Gordon fell to the ground. His eyes wide open but oddly still.

Matt hurried over to him. He knelt on the ground and put two fingers on the boy’s neck, feeling for a pulse. Matt closed Gordon’s eyes.

He turned back to Vane.

Vane scowled at Matt. “I had everything under control and then you had to interfere. He was starting to talk.”

Matt shook his head. “So this is my fault?”

“No, you could never do your own dirty work, Merlin,” Vane said softly.

“Matt, we’ve got company.” I pointed to the end of the alley. A few curious onlookers were whispering among themselves. I could see a few of them working up the courage to come into the alley. A white van pulled up, scattering them.

It blocked the alley entrance.

“Cleaners,” Matt said. He turned to the candidates. “Return to the school please. Right away. We’ve got a huge mess to clean up.”

“I think I’ve had enough of this festival,” Grey said.

There were murmurs of agreement. Grey led the candidates out of the alley.

Matt brushed by me. I caught his sleeve. “Matt, I’m sorry.”

He stiffened. “I specifically told you
not
to do this. You went ahead anyway and look at what you’ve accomplished. Your friends are barely standing. A boy is dead. Is that what you wanted, Ryan?”

“No.” I watched the Cleaners put a white sheet on Gordon. I hugged myself. “I wanted to help.”

“You did,” Vane said. “We caught the spy.”

 “You put
every
single candidate in danger.” Matt looked at us. “Do you two have any idea how much worse that would be than
not
capturing one collaborator? He may have been a traitor but he was barely a threat.”

I made a sound of protest. Matt cut me off. “Go home, Ryan. Next time, maybe you’ll take a moment to think before acting.”

My jaw clenched. “This may not have turned out as we wanted, but I know one thing, Matt. I’m not going to regret acting rather than sitting around waiting for my family or my friends to get attacked.
I’ve
already had that moment.”

I read the faint flare of surprise in Matt’s eyes, but he didn’t say anything.

“But you’re right. I think I should go home.” I stalked out of the alley.

I stopped just around the corner. The nightmare of the entire night threatened to crush me. I took a heaving breath. Vane came up behind me.

“Ready to go home, Goldilocks?”

I scowled. “I am not Goldilocks.”

“Yes,” he said with utter seriousness. “You would never push around a pack of cuddly bears that way. I’d say you’re more Dorothy.”

I tilted my head to look at him. “If I’m Dorothy, what does that make you?”

Vane cocked his head. “Toto?”

Unable to help myself, I laughed. Vane put a hand under my elbow and guided me across the noisy square. The festival raged on around us. The frolicking had only increased as the night lengthened. I stopped just in front of Vane’s SUV.

“Did you really have everything under control?” I asked.

“You heard the mighty wizard. What do you think?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “You don’t seem very sorry.”

Vane’s jaw tightened. “I found him in Hong Kong. He told the gargoyles burned down his house. They’d killed his grandmother. I’m sure they did. But now I wonder if that was the bargain price.”

“Would you have killed him?” I asked.

Vane opened the door to the SUV. He ushered me inside. Resting one hand on the car, he leaned close. “Absolutely. I would have done what was necessary.”

He moved to close the door.

“Wait,” I said.

I held out my left arm to show him a jagged scratch that extended from wrist to elbow. It had become swollen. “A gargoyle swiped me with his claw.”

Vane traced the scratch with his thumb. The scratch disappeared. “That’s the third time, DuLac. No more free services.”

“Nothing with you is free,” I said lightly.

“You have a cut here too.” Vane traced my lips with his thumb. Every hair on my body stood on end as if he’d stroked me with lightning.

Vane groaned.

I pulled away.

He let me go. “You and Matt can’t be.”

“I know,” I said. Not that it mattered. Matt hated me.

Vane closed the car door and crossed to the driver’s side. He slipped into his seat and started the car.

“One more thing,” I said. “Even you can’t deny that I’ve proven myself tonight.”

Vane startled for a second. “What?”

“I want to advance to swords.”

Vane let out a laugh. “You’re nothing if not surprising, DuLac.”

Snowflakes started falling. One by one they splattered against the windshield. I stared out at the serene scene. The night looked deceptively peaceful. I wondered how long it would last. I tucked my hair behind my ear. Outside the windshield the stars winked like ice crystals.

“I can learn to do what is necessary.”

Vane’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel. He didn’t say anything. I started to feel the car close in on me. I huddled in my coat. Vane turned on the engine. Heat sprayed out through the vents.

“Yes, I think you can.” Vane pulled a knife out of his pocket. It was the one he’d used in the basement, the one that elongated into a sword. He held it out to me. “Bring it to class.”

I took the knife. “I also want the others moved up to swords.”

A smile broke out over his face. “Undoubtedly.”

***

“You’re not even trying,” Vane growled as he straddled me.

Sweat covered every inch of my body. I lay under him on the practice mat. The hard length of his thighs held down my hips. The training room had emptied hours ago. I stretched my hands as far as I could above my head. My fingertips brushed the hilt of my fallen sword. I couldn’t reach it. I made a sound of frustration.

“You have to do better, DuLac,” Vane said. His hand traced a line of my jaw, following it up past my ear. He caressed the thick strands of my hair. “Time is running out.”

I arched my back. Vane sucked in a breath. His legs gave a bit. I had enough room to twist my hips. I did. With an inelegant turn, I toppled him off me.

Vane fell on the mat. “Better,” he said.

With a grin, I sat up.  Moonlight beamed in through the windows. Weeks had passed since the night of the festival. Outside the cathedral, snow buried the courtyard, kissed the naked branches of trees, and generally consumed the school. Not much had happened as we rapidly approached Christmas.

“I’m missing dinner again,” I said.

Vane rose up on one elbow. “It’s your turn to cook.”

I pushed myself up with effort. I went to the end of the room and got my bag. I didn’t bother to change from uniform back into regular clothes; there weren’t many students walking around outside at this hour. I thrust my legs into thick snowboots—the ones with the soft Sherpa-lining inside. Vane pulled on a black wool coat.

I texted Gia to get dinner started. I asked him, “Did you agree to extra training just to get free meals?”

“I made dinner yesterday.”

“You fetched it from the dining hall. There was no iced tea.”

Vane grunted and started down the spiral stairs. I followed him. The banisters of the stairwell twinkled with Christmas lights. The lights had been twined around a fresh pine garland. I inhaled the clean scent letting it wash over me.

As soon as I stepped outside a blast of blizzard hit my face with bone-chilling force. Vane stepped ahead of me. He took the brunt of the cold. The stone buildings seemed to glow in the dark thanks to the blankets of snow covering them. White Christmas lights and garland decorations had been tied around all the trees. Bright red bows adorned even the tallest of the buildings. For the first time, the school looked like a place of magic to me.

We fought our way to the teachers’ residence as quickly as possible. Pine garlands decorated the lobby also, but here they had been unafraid to show-off. Small glowing sleigh bells danced and jingled merrily in the air.

Occasionally they would dance in sequence and play a familiar Christmas tune. I sang along to Jingle Bells. I wasn’t the only one. Vane hummed them under his breath too, although he got all the words wrong. He kept substituting odd words I’d never heard before… maybe from his time. I wondered if he realized what he was doing.

A few teachers in mage’s robes hung around the glowing fireplace in the lobby. A hint of pumpkin spice filled the air as they drank from hot mugs and chatted.

They looked up as we entered.

A couple of them stared at Vane but they didn’t greet him. A few sent him leery glances. One sat in the center of the group. He wore a white Councilmember’s robe and played with an apple in one hand. It took me a moment to place him. He had held the jug at the admissions test. Thornton.

From the worshipful way the others were looking at him, he was obviously holding court.

“Banning the sale of magic is ridiculous,” he said loudly. “What do they want us to do?” He floated the apple casually in the air. “Hold
regular
jobs?” He laughed at his own pun.