Birthright (Residue Series #2) (40 page)

A few seconds later, Sartorius’s arms began to quiver.

Encouraged, another cast raced through my mind. “I now repel this cast back to its caster. I return it to him harder and faster.”

Sartorius’s grip began to slip from around my neck but before his fingers left my skin I included one final cast.

“With this energy I bind your power, protecting us from you this day, this hour. I cast it aside and make it flee. Thine will be done, so make it be.”

I felt Jameson’s surge of energy
crash
through me, the same one that sent Mrs. Gaul to the floor and our housekeepers across the cemetery. In reaction, Sartorius’s hands released us and his body flew across the room
, colliding
with the balcony railing
, rattling it loudly against its bolts
.

My eyesight returned
faster
than I expected, which I figured was a result of the adrenaline
releasing inside me. I knew we
weren’t safe yet
,
so I
eagerly
surveyed the room. Sartorius’s Vires
were
still surround
ing
us
,
but they hadn’t moved
. N
ow,
they
were leaning
away, appalled by us,
their expressions masked with
terror
.
Sartorius’s
temporary defeat must have truly impacted them.
He’d landed against the railing, ben
ding
over, his palms raised to the sky, gawking as he watched the steam rise from his skin.

Jameson and I stepped back, holding each other up, waiting for the Vires surrounding us to take us into custody.
But it
never
happened.

Jameson spoke through the weighty silence now filling the room. “If we disappear, if any Weatherford or any Caldwell disappears, Sartorius, word of our assault will reach every province and you will have
it
on your hands…” he drew in a deep breath and paused
, exhibiting
the boldness he felt. “You will have on your hands the rebellion you fear. Tell that to the other six.”

Sartorius’s head rose, his jaw slack, his eyes bewildered
,
as he attempted to comprehend what just
took
place. His expression never changed as Jameson and I slowly backed our way out of the room.

In the elevator, there was only time for Jameson’s arms to wrap around me in a quick embrace before the door opened again, the comfort of his scent surrounding me for the briefest second.

By the time we were at the lobby doors
that led
to the street, Theleo was behind us again, trailing as usual, and Turcott was entering the hotel. Given that we’d just left Turcott in the room upstairs,
it was safe to assume
levitation was his given ability, one that felt wasted on a person like him.

He stopped in front of us,
enraged.

“This isn’t over,” he warned.

“Out of our way,” Jameson said.

“I know who you are,” he hissed directly at me. “There is only one who can cure a seventh century curse. And when I collect my proof,
and
it is undisputable, The Sevens will wield it against you
, uniting
the provinces in our favor.”

“Out of our way,” Jameson stated again
,
not bothering
to wait,
he brushed
by Turcott so that their shoulders
abruptly
collided.

“You’ll see,” Turcott said behind us, his voice confident enough to shake me. “You’ll see.”

Just before Jameson’s hand released mine, he channeled, “Keep walking.”

We did, all the way back to my car. It was dusk by the time we reached it and Jackson Square was slowly becoming deserted. Still, I didn’t speak until we were safely inside.

“Was that a veiled threat? The one about us disappearing and word spreading to other provinces?” I asked, starting the car as Jameson
lay
down in the back seat
. Despite having just worked together
to overcome Sartorius
,
we both knew we had to continue the ruse of appearing separated. Our cover still wasn’t blown.

“No, I meant it,” said Jameson, his voice muffled.

“Think it’ll stop them?”

“The Sevens? No. It’ll deter them long enough to come up with another plan.”

“So we’ve basically just upped the ante.”

Unfortunately, Jameson’s response w
asn’t encouraging at all. “That…
is a good way of putting it.”

I was silent
for the rest of the ride,
as we weaved through traffic. The weather was getting warmer and drawing in more tourists. This not only delayed us from getting to a safer location but also antagonized me to the point I kept my hand readied on the horn.

When we reached Aunt Lizzy’s house, I assured Jameson I’d call his family and let them know about our altercation with Sartorius. While I wasn’t the ideal person to deliver
the
news, Jameson would need to remain hidden in the backseat until the Vires at my front gate could be distracted.

After our encounter with Sartorius
,
I was terrified to leave Jameson alone and in such a precarious position
.
So, a
s I dialed the Caldwell residence,
I continuously peered out the window to ensure the Vires at my gate hadn’t moved to the car
.
Miss Celia answered
;
I gave her the details of our encounter
and quickly
dialed my mother’s number at the ministry. By that time, the Caldwells had come down the street, distracting and antagonizing the Vires until Jameson could slip unnoticed from the car.

“
Hello,
is Isabella Weatherford available? This is her daughter,” I s
poke
into the receiver.

A few minutes later
,
I was in the midst of an argument with her.

“You’re being stubborn,” I barked into the receiver
,
loud enough to cause Estelle’s head to pee
r
around the corner of the kitchen.

My mother shunned any maternal
instinct
s
in reminding me that she was the adult in this scenario.
She
asserted, with a good measure of finality in her voice, “I’m staying, Jocelyn. I will be more beneficial to you here.”

I spoke furiously
and
with such a rush of words they seemed to flow directly from the anger inside
me
. “You are the mother of The Relicuum. When they learn this they will use you to get to me.” I recognized my voice sound
ed
desperate
,
but that was just fine
,
because it was exactly how I felt. Unfortunately, neither my manner nor my words persuaded her
enough to leave.

Her reply was calm and sympathetic. “I’m staying. And please relay to Lizzy that Lester is staying, as well.”

Terrific, I thought, my mother and estranged uncle are both insane.

“Jocelyn?” she pressed
,
when I didn’t respond.

“Yes,” I replied
,
begrudgingly. “Yes, I’ll tell Lizzy. You can expect a call from her, too.”

“I’m sure of it.”

“Why are you so intent on staying? It makes no sense.”

She proceeded to
explain
something that
incited the chill to rush down my spine again.

“Because they’re close to realizing the tools they
found in the bayou
belong to
the Caldwells.”

She paused and said in a deep, reticent tone, “Jocelyn, whatever comes your way…you are ready.”

“Don’t say that,” I
implored.
“That’s the kind of sentiment someone says when they’re talking
to you
for the last time.”

When she fell silent, I froze
,
because we both knew I’d just identified her very expectation.

“I love you,” she stated
,
hastily
,
and then the phone went dead.

I stared at the push buttons on the dated, rotary phone pad for a few seconds, none of them making any sense to me. Nothing at all made sense to me. I slowly set the receiver back in its cradle and turned
away
from it, my heart
felt like it was
in the pit of my stomach.

By then, my cousins, Aunt Lizzy, and Miss Mabelle were in the room having listened to the gist of my conversation. They hadn’t heard the best part yet
.
So I went ahead and delivered it.

“Sartorius just tried to kill Jameson and me.”

Everyone in the room reacted in their own way, except for Miss Mabelle. The only response she
gave
was when her eyes became steely.

Aunt Lizzy quieted everyone and
clarified,
“Your mother and Lester are staying at the ministry?”

After a brief nod from me, she
left the room, going
upstairs to call them from the privacy of her room. I imagined their conversation would be just as terse.

“She’s not known for being deterred, ever,” I said
,
circumspectly
,
to my cousins
,
as Aunt Lizzy left the room. It was the only reason I didn’t call right back.

“Like mother like daughter,” Vinnia said
,
plainly. It wasn’t meant to be funny so there was no grin or laughter associated with the statement. She was being insightful and, as much as I didn’t like it, accurate.

With the conversation over, Miss Mabelle headed back to the kitchen, chortling over her meaty shoulder, “Be ready at midnight.” It sounded more like she was announcing the time of a picnic rather than a risky midnight excursion.
As the two-way door was about to swing closed
, s
he snorted in irony. “
Because y
er
gonna need this lesson mo’ than eva’ now.”

Dinner was somber. As news of our encounter with Sartorius hung over our head
s
most of Miss Mabelle’s fried chicken, sautéed greens, and corn casserole went untouched. There were no debates over what would be the best cast to use when moving to a new city or when starting a new relationship. There were no teasing remarks, no mockery, no joking whatsoever. We sat, heads down, scraping our forks around the plate
,
until Nolan couldn’t handle it any longer.

“Feels like a morgue in here,” he muttered, pushing back his chair to take his plate to the kitchen.

The rest of us silently agreed and followed his example. I was in my bedroom by nine o’clock.

Nearly three hours later, the familiar pound against my door told me it was time
,
and I met Miss Mabelle at the stairs. As usual, we didn’t speak to each other as she opened the door and waddled down the pathway to Miss Celia’s vehicle
parked
at the curb.

This was my
first time outside the house since the encounter with Sartorius
, and it
made me uneasy
,
so my eyes darted toward the Vires at the
gate
the moment the door opened. I instantly noticed three heads instead of the usual two and braced myself for what might be coming. But they remained in place as we passed and my worries were alleviated
even further once
I recognized who had joined the crew outside our house.

“Nice night, huh, Turcott?” I said
,
cordially
,
while strolling by.

He gave no response other than an incensed glare, which nearly made me chuckle. He seemed far less antagonizing to me after our incident in the hotel. Miss Mabelle ignored him entirely
,
which told me that she didn’t see him as much of a threat, either.

With Turcott following, Miss Celia had to make a few extra maneuvers
,
but eventually she lost all three of them
,
and Jameson was given an all clear to move up
to the seat.
Once settled
,
he
turned to me
and
quietly
asked
,
“How are you doing?”