Emergence, page 17
“She is still busy with interviews. Best to let her be, kiddo.”
I nodded as I pulled out the chair and sat down. “Did you speak to her?”
“I did, and she said we could talk later. I’ll make it clear, alright?” Dad brushed my cheek softly.
Hopefully she would hire a less scary witch than the one I’d walked in on.
Dad asked Viola a couple of questions. Even she wasn’t very talkative this evening.
I scraped my food around with my fork as my mind was exploding with what-ifs. Especially what Gabe had said King Levine remembered about her.
What if she wasn’t going to accept my friends or Gabe? She didn’t give me that vibe when I’d told her about them. She was really interested in what they were.
I had the urge to speak to Denver and just ask him how my mom was with him. What did she want to know?
“May I be excused?”
“You hardly ate a thing, kiddo.”
“All due respect, Dad, I’m not hungry.”
He smiled and confirmed, “I’ll speak to her.”
“Thanks.”
I walked to the feeding station and entered. I asked for Denver, and the guy behind the counter asked me to wait for him.
He ran down the hallway toward me and walked slower when he saw it was me.
“Max? You okay?”
“Not really. You?”
“I’m fine,” he said, carrying a grin.
“They told me this morning. I didn’t know; I’m sorry. How is she with you?”
“You know I don’t feed and tell.”
I giggled, but my eyes must have told him a different story.
“I won’t tell her a thing.”
“So she is asking about me?”
“She is a very curious woman.”
According to Gabe, a bluenose stuck-up leech. I didn’t say it out loud. “Thanks, Denver.”
He winked, and I walked out the door, back to my room.
Nineteen
My mother didn’t bombard me tonight like she had yesterday. My father kept his word and must have made it clear.
Gabe fell asleep next to me after a long talk, and it felt amazing being in his arms again.
I needed him now more than ever. I needed his surety until my mother worked through the side effects.
The next morning, we enjoyed a cup of espresso, or I tried.
“Hey, it’s going to be okay.” He smiled.
I nodded. I wasn’t so sure anymore. Afraid to see what was on the crazy merry-go-round today.
He finished his Danish.
When Alexis came, I felt like crying. I really wasn’t ready for him to leave.
He pulled me up from the couch, and I slammed into his chest. He kissed me a few times.
“See you later, okay?”
I nodded, and he left.
I got dressed and stared at myself in the mirror. My hair had gotten darker the past six, almost seven weeks now and my face more oval. My lower lip was definitely bigger, and my nose had a slight change, but other than that, I was pretty much still Maxima Lane.
I grabbed my phone and noticed it was unlocked. I took my time to go through everyone’s texts. I answered everyone’s messages. They were crazy with worry, but after a while, it quieted. I think that was when Gabe had left and told them what had happened.
My phone buzzed with a video call.
I answered, and Scar and Amy’s faces appeared on the other side.
“You okay?” Scar asked.
“She is insane.”
“Yeah, it’s the side effects,” Scar remarked.
“Will felt something,” Amy pointed out. “He freaked us out when he told us that something was wrong. Freaked Hendrix out more when he voiced it to us. The entire training session, he struggled to get a hold of you. It wasn’t a good look on him.”
“Thank heavens for Will, right?”
“Hey, you are going to be okay. Gabe said she is really struggling with the side effects.”
“Yeah. She is making so many decisions, and what is weird is that my father is letting her.”
“He shouldn’t,” Scar said looking at Amy.
“You think?” The sarcasm rolled off her tone.
“She tried to get into my phone, even locked it yesterday.”
“Okay, that’s a bit coo-coo,” Amy replied.
“Tell me about it. Gabe’s name and number is on my phone.”
“Change his name to ICE,” Scar said.
“ICE?”
“In case of emergency. So if she does find a way to get into your phone, it shows ICE and not Gabriel Hendrix.”
“Good idea. I’ll do it after I’m done with you.”
“Stay strong, okay? I’ll pray to the Eye that it only last a few weeks.”
“Me too.”
“Love you, speak to you later.”
“You better.”
The call got disconnected, and I carried on answering my messages. Gabby’s were next.
Fifi:
My mom wasn’t a big fan.
I know. Your cuz told me that she called her bluenose stuck-up leech.
Fifi:
😂😂😂. Hang in there. Pray to the Eye that it’s over soon.
I huffed and remembered to change Gabe’s number to ICE. My fingers worked fast as I made the change, and I felt better when it was done.
I put my phone in my pocket and took a huge breath. I couldn’t hide in my room forever, and my gums had started to buzz. I needed the release.
When I opened my door, I jumped slightly. The mage from yesterday, Beatrice, stood with her palms facing toward my room. Her eyes were closed, and her lips moved softly.
“Excuse me, what are you doing?” I asked, and she jumped out of it.
“Your mother’s orders.”
“I don’t care whose orders you are following. Answer my question; what are you doing?”
She huffed and walked away. I stared after her and couldn’t believe that my mother had hired her of all the candidates. She had to choose the wackiest one of them all.
Viola sauntered up the stairs and glared at the witch as they passed.
She rushed over to me. “She gives me the creeps. What was she doing here?”
“I don’t know. I found her with her palms facing my door,” I said through clenched teeth while keeping an eye on her as she glided down the stairs.
“What?” Viola didn’t sound very pleased.
My gaze flickered from the stairs to Viola. “I need to speak to my father. I want this one gone. I don’t care what my mother says.”
I rushed down the hallway and down the steps toward the dining hall.
I entered with huge strides. My dad and mom were sitting around the table with the witch. To my surprise, Ludwig was still here.
I walked with purpose toward the table, pulled the witch’s chair with her in it, and stopped with my face was inches from her. “What were you doing in front of my room?”
“Annedale, enough!” Mom yelled.
“My name is Max,” I yelled back and glared at my father. His eyes were as big as saucers. “You’d better do something as this one is bat-fucking-crazy, and she doesn’t have an excuse like Mom. I refuse to sleep in the same castle as her. So make your choice, or I’m gone.”
“Enough!” my mother shouted again and hit the table with both her hands. “Annedale, go to your room, now.”
I shook my head. I had to stand my ground.
“Now.”
“Monique, enough!” Dad yelled this time.
“I told you, free range. I’m not budging on this, Theo.”
“She is my daughter too.”
“What?” I realized what my mother had meant that night. It wasn’t the witch or Denver. It was me.
“She’s not nearly where she needs to be, and this little outburst of hers…”
“Outburst? You had to choose the scariest one of them all.”
“Sitting right here,” the witch grunted.
“Then feel free to leave any time, sweetheart. I was raised by witches; I refuse to live with another one. So make your choice, Mother. Me or the witch?”
“You do not speak to me like that. Go to your room, or I’ll make you go to your room,” she hissed through clenched teeth.
I got what she was saying.
“Monique!”
She lifted her finger to my father and glared at him. “Don’t.”
“Annedale, do as your mother asks? Please.”
“Dad?” Tears pricked my eyes.
“Now!”
I turned around and stormed off.
My strides grew bigger at the stairs, and I needed to tell Gabriel that she’d meant me. The crazy had just hit the fan.
I smacked my door hard and let out a scream. I couldn’t rememeber the last time I’d been so upset. I put my hand in my pocket for my phone, but it wasn’t there. My other pocket was empty too.
“No, no, no.” I opened the door and rushed back down.
When I neared the dining hall, my parents were fighting again.
“You are scaring her, Monique.”
“She is royalty, Theo. She can’t run away from this, and her attitude toward me, toward Beatrice, needs to change.”
“She is your daughter, and you are choosing a witch over her.”
“I’m not choosing anyone. She needs to learn the boundaries and fast, otherwise her time here is going to be dreadfully long.”
My gaze flickered to the ceiling as my father sounded shocked that she had just said that.
Annedale’s cherub begged me not to enter.
Fingers twirled around me and pulled me into the shadows.
GABRIEL
I’d messaged Max around nine. She’d told me that Ludwig usually gave her a break at that time. She’d read it, which told me that she had her phone and it wasn’t locked, but she didn’t texted me back. When she still hadn’t texted me back around two, I started to get worried. She didn’t have fencing today.
I hated this feeling and was back in the training hall again, practicing to keep my mind busy.
My phone finally vibrated, and it felt as if I could breathe, at least until I read the message.
Maxima:
It’s over. I can’t do this anymore.
She was busy panicking, so I tried to phone her. She didn’t pick up, so I texted her.
Deep breathes. Why aren’t you answering your phone? It won’t last, sweetheart. She will be out of this crazy phase soon.
Maxima:
I’m not speaking about my mother, idiot. She’s good. I had a long conversation with her and realized that it’s my old life that is keeping me back. I need to embrace the future and need a more sophisticated vampire at my side to rule court. This was fun, but I’m done.
A chilly finger trailed up my spine. This wasn’t Max. Not even close. She wouldn’t use words like ‘sophisticated’ to break up with me. There were no abbreviations either. Her mother must have found a way to get into her phone. I needed Ed.
I ran up the stairs and sprinted all the way to Ed’s room. I knocked on his door, and after a minute, he opened it.
“Phone your mother now!”
“What?”
I showed him the message. “I think her mother has her phone. Call your mother now.”
He took out his phone, and his fingers pressed the keys fast.
To my surprise, he got through.
“Mom, is everything okay?”
“Of course, it is, Ed. Why wouldn’t it be?”
Ed’s eyebrows furrowed. “How is the queen doing?”
“She’s perfect, getting there. We have to be patient.”
“And Maxima?”
“Why are you asking me this, Edward?”
I frowned. She hardly ever called him Edward. He chuckled. “Mom, tell me what is going on. Are you okay?”
“I have to go. I’m all good. Speak to you later, okay?” She disconnected the call.
Ed swallowed hard, and his gaze flickered to mine. “I don’t like this, Gabe.”
“Fuck this. I’m going.”
“Gabe, be careful.”
“Always.”
I dialed Alexis’ number, and she teleported into my room. She looked at her watch and smiled. She stepped through her portal into my room. “Before dinner? We are getting brave, Gabe.”
“Something is wrong. I think her mother just broke up with me, and Viola doesn’t sound like herself either.”
Her smile faltered as her eyes widened. She immediately started to form her portal, but nothing happened. The sparkles didn’t come. She stopped mid-air and tried it the other way around. No sparkles again.
She never struggled.
“Alexis?”
She shook her head as panic started to pull her at facial features. “This has never happened before.”
My heart beat faster. I touched her shoulder, and her worried gaze flickered to me.
“Deep breaths, calm down and try again.”
She nodded, took a deep breath, breathed out slowly, and tried again. This time her hands moved vigorously. “Something is blocking me, Gabe.”
“What?”
“Magic. It feels like powerful magic.”
The mage. I didn’t like this. It had only been a day and her mother had already hired someone.
I got a feeling that it wasn’t because of Helga still being out there and the Queen wanting to keep Max safe. It was to keep Max with her.
Alexis had tears in her eyes.
“Relax, okay? Deep breaths again and see how close you can get to the castle.”
She nodded, took another big breath, and blew it out slowly. The sparks came, and Alexis released a giggle filled with relief.
I stepped through with Ed.
We exited her portal right in front of the bridge that led to the island where the Vampire Court was built.
There was security stationed on the middle of the bridge. It hadn’t been there before.
“What the fuck?” Ed questioned.
I concentrated on my second ability, let it take over, and I opened my eyes.
The magic around the castle was all wrong. It was dark shadows and moving. I hadn’t seen magic moving like this before.
Whoever had cast this was not all there, and I remembered what Max had said, how she’d felt as if one of them needed to be in Blackwater Prison.
I let go of my second ability and pushed the headache back.
“Gabe?” Ed prompted.
“Magic surrounds the entire castle. Alexis won’t get through this. We need to find another way in. Take a tour or something. I need to see if she is okay.”
He nodded and stepped back through Alexis’ portal.
I looked one last time at the castle. What the hell was Max going through? And the worst part was, she couldn’t get a hold of me and wouldn’t be able to see me tonight. I needed to get some word to her. I’d find a way.
The rest of the night, Alexis tried to teleport into Max’s closet. She couldn’t. I’d never seen her so frustrated.
I touched her shoulder. “Alexis, enough.”
“I’m sorry, Gabe.”
“It’s okay. We both know that the magic is too strong.”
“Meaning that I have limitations.”
“Hey, you’re good, and maybe over the years, you will get stronger, and better, and there won’t be any limitations, you hear me?”
She nodded.
This was why I’d said no fucking witches.
“I might have another plan.” I took out my phone and dialed my cousin.
“Gabe?”
“Where are you?”
“Everything okay?”
“No, it’s not. Where are you?”
“I’m at university.”
“I’ll be there soon.” I disconnected the call and nodded at Alexis.
Her hands twirled. She had no problems with taking me to Gabby.
We stepped into her room. She wasn’t there, and I phoned her again.
“Gabby, where are you?”
“On my way.” She sounded as if she was running. “Not all of us have an Alexis.”
“Hurry.” I put the phone back into my pocket and informed Alexis that she would be here soon.
Her key sounded in the door, and she entered.
“Sorry, what is going on?” She breathed faster.
“The queen has lost it. We can’t get through to Max.”
“Gabe, I spoke to her yesterday.”
“Today is a different story.” I showed her my phone, and her eyes scrolled through the texts I’d received earlier.
She shook her head. “No. No way.”
“I think her mom has her phone.”
Gabby looked dumbfounded.
“Alexis can’t get in. We went earlier to Monsterriver. The closest she can get is to the bridge leading to the castle.”
“You serious?” Gabby asked, and Alexis nodded.
“The queen has hired a mage.”
“Which one?”
“I don’t know. But their magic is wrong, really strong too.”
“What the fuck?”
“Can you help?”
“How?”
“With a sigil. Maybe a spell.”
“If I knew who the caster was, I might be able to, Gabe.”
“Gabby!”
“I’ll try; there is a sigil in one of the books. It works like an invisible spell, but I don’t know if it’s going to bypass that magic.”
“The Sigil of Lancastria?”
She nodded.
I took a deep breath. “It’s worth a try.”
Gabby spoke a few words as she touched Alexis’ chest. Alexis grunted slightly.
“Gabby, stop—”
“No, Gabe,” Alexis stopped me. “I’m okay.”
I hated that she was so stubborn. Gabby finally stopped and asked Alexis if she could see it.
Alexis pulled her shirt over her shoulder and showed Gabby.
“It’s good to go.” She told her the words to say. Alexis repeated the words and disappeared.
“A—”
“Calm down,” Gabby instructed me.
