Tentyrian Legacy (15 page)

“Yeah, what’s that guy’s deal?”

“He is just being protective,” Ari said
defensively.

“But he was acting like I was some sort of
child molester.”

“No he wasn’t.”

Charles let out an exasperated breath.
“You’re right. Let’s just drop it, Ari. We have a long drive.”

They sat in silence for forty minutes,
listening to the Rift album by Phish. Raad’s advice to use her gift
nagged at her. What were Charles’ intentions? How did he really
feel about her? He had told her he loved her over a month ago—she
remembered that night like it was yesterday. Charles whisked her to
New York City; they saw Hair Spray and had a romantic dinner at the
Harrison. That night she told him about her childhood, but he
didn’t judge her. She obviously didn’t tell him everything—only
that she still struggled with a mental illness that she worked to
control. Ari half expected him to walk out of the restaurant.

But he surprised her. Charles told her he
didn’t mind, that everyone had their issues. He said he never felt
this way about anyone and that her intelligence and beauty
continued to amaze him. He said he wanted them to date exclusively
because he loved her. When she returned back to school that night,
she worried she revealed too much too soon— exactly what Jayne told
her not to do. But then again, Jayne was a proponent of sleeping
with your man on the third date. This was Ari’s seventh. She had
been nervous that Charles might have gotten a hotel room and she’d
have to awkwardly reject him. But he didn’t. Instead, he drove her
back to school like a gentleman and left her with a steamy kiss
good-bye. The next morning, she awoke to two dozen roses and a note
that said he loved her. Still.

So Ari’s relationship with Charles continued
to flourish. They constantly talked on the phone and through
e-mail. At least once a week, they would make plans to see each
other in person. More often than not, Charles would make the two
and a half hour drive to see her. He would even sit through the
Yale Repertory Theater performances she loved to go to. And now
that she was going to be in the City, they would see each other all
the time.

Ari wanted to validate everything she felt
and knew to be true. She rationalized she could take just one peek
. . . Raad wanted her to. But she needed to wait until the car was
parked. Whenever she started to filter someone’s thoughts, the
target of the exercise seemed to momentarily freeze. She preferred
not to end up as collateral damage in the Lincoln Tunnel.

They finally arrived in Tribeca outside of
the glass tower that was to be her new home—32 Desbrosses Street.
The doorman building had twenty-five floors, and her apartment was
the penthouse suite. The three-bedroom was a graduation gift from
her parents. Gloria had given

Ari the exciting news by telephone the week
before. Ari was certainly surprised by the generous gift,
especially as she was already planning on renting a studio that she
was going to pay for on her own. But this gift was beyond amazing.
She figured she would be a fool to refuse. The gesture softened her
a bit to her parents, and as she thought about it, Ari felt a
little ashamed of how she had felt toward them during her
graduation. She’d make sure to send fresh flowers to the house
tomorrow along with a thank-you note, again. However, it didn’t
matter how generous her parents’ gifts were—she’d never forget how
they had treated her.

Charles pulled into the underground parking
lot and moved to get out but not before Ari put her hand on his and
stared into his eyes. He felt nothing more than a quick shock,
similar to static electricity. Ari let Charles’ thoughts filter
through her. She saw images of herself, Charles’ office, football,
a blonde woman in lingerie that obviously wasn’t her . . . No
matter—guys fantasized about women in general, right? Then she
honed in on something strange. Charles was talking to the blonde
woman, who up close looked like a stripper. Only this time, she
didn’t have any clothes on and they were in his bed. Clearly, this
wasn’t just a male fantasy.

“Charles, I hate that I never see you. You
are always at work. Or you are with her.”

“I know, babe, but I’m doing this for us and
for my family.”

“Ugh,” said the blonde woman, who pouted her
glossy pink lips and rolled onto Charles’ chest. He ran his hands
through what looked like cheap extensions.

“My mother thinks she has about $10 million
in her trust fund and that she stands to inherit at least $40
million. We need that money. I may have a good name and decent
enough salary, but it’s not enough, especially since the family
businesses are on the verge of bankruptcy since my father took the
helm.”

“What I don’t understand is why her own
mother is going to pay you to marry her daughter? I mean, I’ve seen
her picture; she isn’t ugly.”

“I’ve told you before, Amber, Ari is a head
case. Who would want to voluntarily marry that and have children
with her? Ari is the Parkers’ only child, and they need someone to
carry on their bloodline. Gloria knew of my family and thought I’d
make an excellent candidate for a son-in-law, fortunately for me. I
must say her idea to ‘bump into’ Ari at Grand Central was
genius.”

“Yes, but you are going to marry her. And
where does that leave me?” Her pout appeared on the verge of a
tantrum.

“Amber, you know how I feel about you. But
you aren’t marriage material. Ari will be my wife, but she’ll never
be what you are to me. Hot, sexy, gorgeous. I’ll always take care
of you.”

It was too much for Ari. She couldn’t
breathe. Ari pulled herself away from his mind and began
hyperventilating. Her hands fumbled for the door handle.

“Ari, Ari, what’s wrong?” Charles asked,
sounding genuinely panicked. “Should I call your mother? What’s
wrong? You were fine just a second ago!”

Between her gasps for air, Ari managed to get
out of the car and stumble toward the underground elevator. Charles
came around, frantically trying to speak to her and figure out what
was wrong. But Ari couldn’t hear him. The harsh intake and outtake
of oxygen from her lungs pounded in her eardrums, along with her
frantic pulse. This can’t be happening, she said to herself. But it
was. It really was. Ari crouched on the pavement near the elevator,
her Birkin bag clutched tightly to her chest. Breathe in and out,
in and out, she told herself.

It would be years later that Ari would look
back on this moment and wonder how she was able to pull herself
together. Somehow she did, as the elevator button beckoned to her.
Reaching her hand up, Ari pressed it. And with unsteady legs, she
hoisted herself off the ground. She straightened her skirt,
smoothed her hair, and reached in her purse for her keys that had
arrived from the Realtor via FedEx the day before.

Stunned, Charles said, “My God, Ari, what
just happened? One second you were fine, and the next you were
stumbling around like you couldn’t breathe.” He stepped closer to
her. “I think I need to take you to the hospital.”

Ari reached for her composure, which for
twenty years she had seen so carefully exuded by the ultimate
professional—her mother. “No, Charles,” she said. “I’m quite
fine—just part of my mental illness. I don’t wish to inconvenience
you any longer.” Her voice and facial expression were devoid of all
feeling. “I mean really, who would want to marry me voluntarily or
have children with me?”

Charles blanched. How had she known? He had
just been thinking about his conversation with Amber that morning.
Had he been so stupid as to say it out loud, he wondered?

“Ari . . . I don’t know what you . . .” But
before he could finish, Ari put her manicured index finger to his
lips.

“Best not to discuss it, Charles. I never
want to see or hear from you again.”

The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open.
With that, Ari stepped in and hit CLOSE. She promised herself she
would never be manipulated by a man again. It was time to close
this chapter in her life and start a new one.

52 BC, August

The Sanctum (Mara Mountain in modern-day
Greenland)

The Sanctum was incredible. Inside, it
appeared as if there was no ceiling and no end, just upward space
that extended for miles, illuminated by large orbs of light that
burned like small suns. The new inhabitants were greeted by grand
stone buildings with marble colonnades and artfully placed
sculptures of the Egyptian gods their people had come to respect
during their tenure at Tentyris. Etchings in their native Greek
tongue and reliefs depicting the great stories of their kind
decorated the buildings as a constant tribute to their history. The
largest structure of all appeared raised on a hill. It was the
Great Hall of the Zodiac.

At the center of the Sanctum, the Great Hall
was accessible by sixty imposing obsidian steps that surrounded it
on all sides. Pello insisted on the black volcanic rock to offset
the white marble of the main structure. It served as both the main
temple and the Zodiac Council’s meeting place. Inside the Great
Hall, in the middle of the floor, was a mosaic of the same zodiac
symbol that was created for the portico in the Temple of Hathor
back in their homeland.

This mosaic was much more than simple tile,
however. Rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and mother-of-pearl sparkled
within the detailed art-work that had been carefully crafted over
several years. Hathor insisted the Tentyrian artisans take as much
time as they needed to perfect it.

Sadly, it was not to be for Hathor to see it
complete. Her image within the mosaic could only silently watch as
the Sanctum prepared for its first Council meeting without her.

The Sanctum’s inhabitants had successfully
made the pilgrimage one month earlier, and the Luminaries and their
fellow kinsmen were settling in as quickly as possible. With the
Luminaries’ shifting ability, they were able to bring the Sanctum’s
inhabitants to their new home in a matter of days. Crops were
already in full harvest with the help of Phoebe’s careful
preparations and Narcissa’s powerful ability to coax the plants to
accelerate in growth.

It was the day of the Rising of Sirius, and
the Council of the Zodiac would commence their meeting at midnight.
Daria and Aristos decided to take advantage of the hour respite
they had. They lay entwined in the canopy bed, fangs exposed, their
breathing matching each other’s. Sated, Daria lay on Aristos’ chest
as he stroked her back, where beads of sweat were now drying.
Aristos stared up at the swags of white linen that draped above
them and remarked on how blissfully quiet their bedchamber was.

Outside their stone apartment nestled in the
new Royal Villa, the Sanctum was alive with activity. Everyone was
preparing for the imminent arrival of the Zodiac Council, their
families, and their closest friends. Being invited to celebrate the
heliacal rising of the Tentyrians’ honored star Sirius with the
Council was a great honor. They expected nearly one hundred in
attendance that night, including the entire Sanctum. Meanwhile, all
of the Covens in their own homelands were also preparing to
celebrate.

The moon was full, making the snow and ice
outside the mountain a magical place. Ammon had taken Darrius on a
late-night dog-sled ride, his new favorite pastime. Daria hoped
Darrius had expended his energy, at least for a little bit. The
late-night Zodiac feast where they would celebrate until dawn would
follow the Council’s annual meeting. Normally, Daria looked forward
to the meetings, where she’d talk politics with the Council and
afterward take part in the festivities. But so much had happened in
the last year. She wasn’t sure what would happen tonight.

“Agapi mou, do you think tonight’s meeting
will go smoothly?” Daria whispered to Aristos. She was almost
afraid if she asked louder her insecurities would become a
reality.

“Truthfully, I don’t know. There is a lot at
stake. But I know that whatever happens, you will have done your
best,” said Aristos as his baritone warmed the chill in her
heart—even if his words didn’t. They both knew what Daria planned
to confront tonight could have a serious impact.

The Covens were adjusting well to the
relocation. She and her sisters had seen for themselves during
their routine visits just two weeks before. They kept a steady
pulse on the status of their people to understand their concerns
and wants and to ensure the governing Coven leaders continued to
uphold the Code.

With the help of their most trusted Tentyrian
Guards and Maximos, who reported daily to her and her sisters,
Daria kept her eyes and ears open. And as far as she knew, the
Covens were prospering. Daria and her sisters worked tirelessly to
ensure that was the case. From reviewing building plans for bridges
to analyzing the current diplomacy skills of the Covens with the
humans they interacted with, the Luminaries governing approach put
the well-being of their people first—just as Hathor taught
them.

There was enough money, food, and shelter for
all. Not once were the Luminaries needed to preside over
disciplinary proceedings to try a Code breaker. The most difficult
incident since leaving Tentyris was handling Karis’ suicide. Losing
her daughter was too much for her, and shortly after arriving in
her new home, a land far east of Tentyris, Karis went for a walk
and never returned.

Karis was found hunched over a log with a
dagger plunged through her heart, her fingers still clutched around
the handle. She had been there for a whole day, and by then, even
the most skilled healers couldn’t bring her back. The Virgo and
Scorpio Covens were devastated. Rather than having an election to
appoint a new Coven leader, it was agreed that Damian would
maintain dual leadership of both Virgo and Scorpio. Virgo and
Scorpio had blended since Karis and Damian’s marriage anyway, and
no one was more experienced than Damian in dealing with Karis’
people.