Risk (A Mageri World Novel) (24 page)

S
imon wondered
if his body had been seized by aliens. It wasn’t the suggestion of a relationship that troubled him most—it was Ella’s aloofness about it. Interested, but not interested. After she’d fallen asleep in his arms, his stomach began to twist into knots, and he found it impossible to sleep. Not because of the intimacy, but the fear that she might take interest in another man, and
that
was unacceptable.

Ella giving him space made him want her even more, and Simon wasn’t about to let her win this game.

While she showered and ate the lunch he’d made for her, he left the apartment to purchase clothes for her to wear. As he fumbled through the racks of panties, he realized he was doing exactly the thing he said he wouldn’t do. As much as he wanted to buy her crotchless panties and a tacky skirt—just to prove he wasn’t Mr. Romance—it would be a bad move since she had to face the Council that evening.

Instead, he chose a long black dress with pale blue accents. The material was stretchy with slits on each side that went up to the knees—long enough to keep the tattoos concealed, but short enough that he could enjoy looking at her lovely legs. Then he spent the next three hours at the sandwich shop, cursing himself for picking a dress that matched her eye color. Her eyes! He was already accessorizing for her. What was next? A bouquet of flowers? Chocolates?

When he got back home, Ella had moved the coffee table out of the way and was lying on the shag rug, watching one of his old monster movies. He plopped down beside her, tucking a pillow behind his head and watching along. Only he wasn’t really watching the movie. He was stealing glimpses of her out of the corner of his eye. Her hair was down, and she had a habit of twirling, tugging, and twisting on the ends. Sometimes she’d braid it halfway up and then unravel it.

Evening finally rolled around, and it was time to face the Council.

“You should be a personal shopper,” Ella remarked, clutching his arm as they traversed through the dark woods.

Simon hooked his arm around her narrow waist and lifted her up when she nearly stepped into a hole. The sun had recently gone down, but the smell of sunshine and greenery was still heavy in the air.

Instead of holding hands so she could hear him in the darkness, they hooked pinky fingers.

“Let me do all the talking,” he said.

“Great. I guess that means I can look forward to the death penalty.”

“You’re a cheeky lass, but don’t toy with these men. They’re used to my humor, but don’t attempt to be a smart-ass. You’re still a Learner, and you don’t want to give them the impression that you’re going to bite the hand that feeds you. Regardless of how dim-witted a person is or how ridiculous the situation, always speak with your head and not your emotions. Anger makes you appear less in control.”

“I get it. I’ve noticed when you fight other men that your laughter makes them uneasy. Your confidence makes them afraid. Don’t think I haven’t been paying attention during our lessons.”

Stop talking out loud
, he thought to her.
We’re getting close. When the Council measured you, did they know about your gift?

You mean being a Jumper? Yes.

It seemed like a dumb question, all things considered, but Simon had to ask.
I mean about our connection. Did they find this potential in you or see any foreshadowing that you might have mentalist abilities?

No. They thought I made good use of combining my flashing abilities with fighting, but no one mentioned this. I didn’t know until we touched
.

He stopped, out of breath.
Yes, but sometimes they can sense things you can’t. If you had touched one of them and they felt you poking around in their head without your realizing, they would have added this to your file. Do me a favor and keep this private.

Ella tilted her head to the side.
Why?

Because everyone should have an ace up their sleeve. Let’s go before they call a search party
.

Simon couldn’t help but find it amusing that she was a Toucher and he was a Feeler. When they reached the clearing, everyone present was basking in moonlight.

“Fashionably late?” Silver murmured as he waltzed past her.

Justus smacked him on the back of the head and looked at his watch, which Simon had always found amusing since the bloke just wanted to admire the gold.

He took a position with Hannah on his right and Ella on his left, the Council before them and his friends behind. Simon felt like a gladiator going to battle inside the arena.

Everyone on the Council was present, minus the Ice Queen who now stood on the opposite side of the law.

Novis folded his arms, his hands disappearing beneath the wide sleeves of his white robe. “This is a formal meeting,” he said, directing his gaze at Simon’s leather pants.

Simon gestured toward himself. “I wore a jacket.”

“Leather?”

Simon shrugged. “I wonder if cows get this much criticism at the farm for wearing leather.”

Accompanying Novis were Sasha and Samuel. Sasha’s long blond hair and youthful appearance made up for her haughty demeanor.

Barely.

Samuel was an easygoing chap—much older in appearance than the others with his grey beard and ghostly eyes. Samuel had always been a fair Councilman, and Simon had no quarrels with him. He also didn’t have any personal relationship with him, which would make his opinion harder to sway.

Novis spoke first. “We have invited those who have come in contact with Ella over these past few weeks to shed light on what they know. All have been questioned privately in order to compare information.” He then addressed Justus. “We’re good friends, are we not?”

Justus inclined his head.

“I’m aware you are withholding something from me. Since you are only a voluntary witness, I cannot hire a Vampire to charm you for information. Just know that if you have committed a crime, our friendship will not work in your favor. I am bound by law in all situations to obey the Mageri.”

Which wasn’t entirely true. Novis had bent a few rules along the way for the sake of good, but these were merely verbal formalities. Justus must have done quite a tap dance at the meeting to avoid questions that would raise suspicions about the Mageri records he had access to and his agreement with Simon.

Justus remained silent.

Novis looked irritated that Sunny was involved. Silver and Logan had come along with Kane, Caroline, Levi, and a couple of Hannah’s servants. According to the call he’d received earlier, Boris’s remaining Learners were under observation until the Council decided if they could be rehabilitated.

Simon shifted nervously when Levi nodded at him. He wondered how much of their interlude had been revealed to the Council.

Samuel sleepily pinched the corners of his eyes. “I do not appreciate someone waking me up in the middle of the night to report a murder. Normally we don’t get such calls, but this involved one of our own. The cleaners reported everything they found on the scene, and we believe Hannah was forthright with the information.”

Simon lifted his chin. “And what makes you certain she didn’t lie?”

Novis flashed him a look of irritation. “Because she implicated herself.”

“Works for me.”

Novis called Ella forward with a crook of his finger. She took a few steps and gripped the sides of her dress.

“Now that we know about Hannah’s involvement with her descendants, we have a clearer understanding as to why she chose to make you an immortal. Unfortunately, that fact will be for public consumption as we intend to make her an example of why cutting ties is so important. Do you understand this?”

“Yes,” she replied.

“Were you aware of your relation?”

Ella’s hand moved up, and Simon knew she was touching her throat to feel the volume of her voice. “I found out last night. Before then I didn’t know.”

Novis clasped his hands in front of him. “I’m going to ask you a question, and I want you to give me an honest answer. You have my word this will not have any negative repercussions on you, but it will help us decide if there will be further action taken against your Creator.”

“I understand.”

“Were you forced into our world? Did Hannah give you free will to choose?”

Ella’s hair was in a circular braid, and it allowed Simon to see some of her profile. Her eyes skated to the right as if wanting to look back at Hannah.

“I don’t know how to answer that,” she finally replied.

“Please elaborate.”

Ella cleared her throat. “I don’t want to say anything that could result in my Creator’s death.”

When Novis looked at Hannah, Ella immediately turned to see if she was speaking.

Simon leaned closer to Hannah and quietly said, “She must have inherited nobility from her father’s side.”

Ella quickly returned her gaze to Novis, steering the conversation. “I have no love toward the woman, but I pity her more than I hate her.”

“We have no plans to execute Hannah. Speak freely.”

“I think she played with my emotions at a vulnerable time, but I wasn’t forced. I didn’t understand what I was accepting, but I don’t regret the choice I made.”

Sasha put her left hand on her hip. “Novis, we need to discuss this.”

“We’re not discussing this,” he bit out. “It’s decided.”

“She’s unstable. We can’t trust someone like that in our world.”

Novis took a step forward, his expression enigmatic. “On the contrary, I think she’s quite adept and intelligent. Despite her situation, she showed exemplary behavior by saving Hannah’s life when she could have let the Mage kill her. I don’t see a woman before us filled with spite.”

“I taught her well,” Hannah said.

Simon whirled to face her. “You’re glib without a slice of remorse for what you’ve done.” He looked back at Novis and folded his arms. “This woman isn’t fit to care for a goldfish, let alone look after her own progeny. Given her careless, reprehensible behavior, I motion for Ella to be granted her independence.”

“This isn’t a human court,” Samuel said. “You don’t get to make a motion.”

“See here,” Simon said, so bloody irritated he wanted to storm off. “You have all the information, and I don’t really give a damn what you do with pinhead over here. I’ve trained Ella these past weeks—I can attest to her skills. She has an uncanny ability to learn everything you teach her in a short amount of time. I’ve never seen anyone like her. Not without centuries of refining their craft.”

Novis looked between them. “I can see your attachment, and while I agree that she’s been given sufficient time to learn the ways of our world, there are unusual circumstances involved. One that has—”

Ella cut him off. “Because I’m deaf?”

Murmurs sounded from behind, and Justus shook his head at Simon to say that it wasn’t he who’d given up her secret. It must have been Hannah.

The wench.

Novis inclined his head. “We respect your privacy and did not intend to share that which you did not disclose yourself. But yes, your injury sustained years ago has resulted in neglect and perhaps mental instability—no different than someone placed in solitary confinement.”

Infuriated, Simon glided forward and stood beside Ella. “I know you’re not blind. Does this look like a helpless woman who can’t take care of herself? She has more common sense and fighting skills in her pinky finger than a previous member of your Council who betrayed you all those years ago.”

“Fight me,” Ella challenged Novis.

Simon’s jaw slackened.

Novis gave her a closed-lipped smile. “As you wish.”

When he turned away to remove his robe, Simon gripped Ella by the arms. “Are you deranged?” he hissed. “You’ve finally lost your marbles. You can’t fight a Councilman!”

“Why not?”

He shrugged, his voice returning to normal. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because they can lock you up until the end of time or cut off your head?” He flicked her on the forehead. “Think!”

She flicked him in the balls and he winced. “Don’t do that again.”

“If you lose, he’ll see you as weak. If you win, you’ll bruise his ego, and who knows what he’ll do.” Simon rested his hands on her shoulders, actually struggling not to laugh for something he’d wanted to do for decades—fight Novis. “You can’t do this.”

She gave him an elfin grin. “Watch me.”

Simon took a step back, his voice falling to a soft murmur. “Attagirl.”

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Justus murmured.

Simon laughed. “Worst idea ever conceived. I just regret we don’t have any popcorn.”

Novis had on a pair of dark pants and a slim black V-neck shirt, making him harder to see in the darkness. He bent down and pushed a dagger into the earth. When he stood up, he ran a hand through his dark hair so that it stuck out in every direction.

“Your challenge is to pull the dagger and put it in my chest.”

Justus covered his face with one hand.

Ella and Novis faced each other. At least her skirt had slits in the sides to allow her to move, but Simon kept thinking that he’d made a shopping blunder that could result in her defeat.

“Do you want to take off your shirt?” she asked.

Novis furrowed his brow. “Why?”

“It’s nice, and I’m going to hate putting a hole in it.”

Novis barked out a laugh and widened his stance. “You may begin, young Learner.”

The first thing Ella did was casually walk right up to Novis and bend down to pick up the knife. She gave him a wide-eyed look and smiled innocently, making it hard for any man to consider striking her.

She made a move for the knife, and Novis knocked her right arm away and reached for her plaited hair, but she weaved out of his grasp. Without missing a beat, Novis gripped her arm and then hooked his right leg around her left ankle to throw her off-balance. Then he twisted her around and shoved her away.

Ella stumbled forward, her hands balling up into fists.

Simon lightly nudged Justus with his elbow. “This is the part where it gets good.”

She executed two back handsprings, and just before reaching Novis—vanished.