Wicked Omen (The Royals: Warlock Court Book 1), page 4
Nothing, absolutely nothing. I was going to keep my mouth shut and run the first chance I got. Sure, they caught me the first time, but I would never stop fighting, never give up.
Ophelia reached back and yanked her seat belt around her torso. She clicked it into place then smiled up at me. “Can never be too cautious.”
She smiled. She actually freaking smiled at me like nothing happened, like we were friends. Oh, we are so not friends! I pressed my lips into a thin line yet said nothing. The car banked to the right up a dirt path where the foliage grew even thicker. It scraped the sides of the car and smacked into the front grill. I bounced up and down with each bump. I placed one hand on the ceiling and wrapped the other around the front of my seat cushion.
Ophelia ran her finger over the side of her seat belt. “Yeah, sometimes you just gotta strap in.” She reached up and swatted Cross in the arm. “Just hit every bump, why don’t you.”
The car rolled to a stop in front of a dingy looking rod iron gate. Ivy vines wound through it and the rock pillars holding it up were broken down in chunks. The forest encroached on both sides of the gate. There was barely a leaf left on the trees. At this time of night those bare branches looked like skeletal hands reaching out to grab me.
Cross glanced over his shoulder at Beckett. “You mind?”
He pressed his lips together then rolled down the back window. Cold air filled the car and I huddled deeper into my suede jacket. He dropped his hand out the window and with the flick of his wrist, he sent the smallest hint of blue smoke at the gate. It creaked and groaned as it vibrated and slowly swung open.
I crossed my arms and huffed. “Can’t you people use a garage door opener like everyone else?”
They all glanced at each other then broke out into fits of laughter. So glad to be your entertainment. The car rolled forward and the forest receded, and we were in an open field with a single dirt road running through it. Gravel crunched under the tires and my heart raced even faster. In the movies this was always where they took people to off them. Out into the middle of the woods where no one could find them. I curled my hands into fists at my sides. Fight, Astrid, fight!
In the distance just over a small hill lights shined bright in the night. The car tilted up to go over the hill and I sank farther into the seat. I thought there would be a bonfire of some sort waiting for us. Instead, we took a winding road that led down to a huge mansion with a gray stone exterior. It was like something straight out of gothic New England. The dirt road led right up to an enormous driveway made of stone pavers. A small fountain sat in the center of it, with bright red flowers circling the base. The building, if you could call it that, sat in a rectangular U-shape. At the center of it were three steps leading up to thick wooden double doors with frosted windows in them. Two columns sat on either side of the door that held up a half-moon-shaped balcony above the entrance. A black railing surrounded the balcony. Windows were spaced out over the entire mansion. Their white casings were a stark contrast to the dark stone.
At the top of the steps stood two men. One was tall and thin with slicked back dark hair, a sharp hooknose and an oval-shaped face. As he looked at the car, his thin lips turned down in a scowl that pulled the rest of this face down, making him look like he had the jowls of a basset hound. His gray slacks were pressed with sharp lines running down the front of his pants. He topped the look off with a black suit coat and vest. He pulled a pocket watch from his trousers and made a show of looking at it and then at that car.
“Looks like Ridge isn’t happy about us interrupting his beauty sleep.” Cross steered the car to pull to a stop just in front of the stairs.
“No amount of sleep could fix that face.” Beckett reached for the handle and popped the door open. “Come on.”
I hesitated. It wasn’t the man in the suit who caught my interest. No, it was the other who stood off to the side. He towered over the other man and was packed full of muscle. If this was supposed to be a school, then he didn’t look like any teacher I’d ever seen before. His black hair hung in wild waves down to his shoulders. Bright streaks of brown ran thought it that matched his amber eyes perfectly. A thick scar ran through his eyebrow, giving him a more dangerous air than the other man. Though he had full lips, the goatee surrounding his mouth made them look meaner somehow. His black leather jacket matched his loose-fitting leather pants perfectly. A set of noise canceling headphones rested around the base of his neck. Is he wearing a cape?
Beckett reached inside the car and grabbed my elbow. He gave me a light tug toward the door. “Come on, Astrid. No one is going to hurt you here.”
“Says the dude who kidnapped me from my own birthday party.” I scooted out of the car. The second my feet hit the stone pavers, I yanked my arm free from him. “Don’t touch me.”
He held his hands up and backed away to face the man in the suit waiting on the stairs. “Headmaster Ridge.” He gave the man a small nod by way of greeting. Then he turned to the other man, the leather clad one. “Aidenuli, it’s an honor.” He gave him a bow. There was respect in the way he spoke to this Aidenuli. It was so different than the way he addressed the headmaster.
Aidenuli gave him a small smile. “Beck.” He smiled. “Things went according to plan then?”
He shook his head. “Not exactly, but we got it done.”
“Very well.”
Were they talking about me? Was I their plan? Who the hell were these people and why the hell did they need me? I opened my mouth about to say so when Aidenuli held his hand up, stopping me. “All questions will be answered in due time.”
Can he read my mind? What the fu—
“Language.” He chided.
My jaw dropped. Holy crap, you can read my mind!
He gave me a single nod but said nothing else.
This isn’t right. None of this is right. I tried to silence my thoughts, but it was freaking impossible.
The headmaster looked down his nose at Beckett and his lip pulled up into a sneer. “Beckett Dust, is it? The prodigal son returns and brings his riffraff with him.”
Tension stole through the boys in the group as though they were readying for a fight.
Ophelia’s giggle cut the silence. “Riffraff? You wish. Four out of the five founding bloodlines stand before you and well, let’s not forget me . . . the daughter of the man you all worshiped. So you might want to rethink your word choice.”
Headmaster Ridge arched his eyebrow at her. “Hmm, yes, and correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t you all kill him?”
Beckett rolled his eyes. “Something for you to keep in mind then.”
“Are you threating me, boy?” Headmaster Ridge ground his teeth together and rocked up on his toes as though the three steps he stood on above Beckett weren’t making him high enough.
Beckett put his hands on his hips and shifted from one foot to the other. “I don’t make threats. Now if you’ll excuse us, I’d like to get to my house.”
The headmaster took a step in front of Beckett, blocking the door. “I do believe your house is the headmaster’s house now. There are plenty of rooms in the dorm.”
A bark of laughter burst from Cross’ lips. “The dorms, yeah right. That house is Beckett’s family home. It belongs to him.”
Beckett crossed his arms over his chest. “He’s got a point. It was fine for you to stay there in my absence, but now that I’ve returned home, I think it’s only fitting that I actually be allowed back in my own house. Don’t you?”
Aidenuli sighed. “He’s correct. It is his house, and don’t you think you’ve lived there long enough? I’m certain there are other places you like to call home.”
When Ridge gave Aidenuli a cutting look Aidenuli arched his eyebrow at him. He seemed to grow bigger somehow, and Ridge shrank back from him. Tension hung in the air between them all. This wasn’t a smooth relationship and Beckett seemed to be at the center of the turmoil.
“Very well.” Ridge snapped his fingers and a puff of dark magic left his hand. “My things have been removed.”
Becket inclined his head. “Thank you, now if you’ll excuse us. She’s had a long day and I think it’s about time to get her settled in.”
I shook my head. “I am not going another step with you people.”
Headmaster Ridge narrowed his eyes at me. “And this is the one?”
“Oh yeah, she’s the one. Ashley Astrid Lockwood.” Beckett’s lip pulled up in a half smile. “Definitely the one.”
“First of all, my name is Astrid Vandran not Lockwood. There’s your proof you got the wrong girl.” I stepped up to the headmaster. “Second of all, I have no idea who you are or where I am. But I’m assuming you all know kidnapping is illegal!”
Aidenuli crossed his arms over his chest. “It was necessary. Because no matter how much you protest you are a Lockwood. That’s not an excuse, but it’s just the truth. You are a danger to anyone who’s not in the magical community.”
“The magical say what now?” Was everyone drinking the koolaid with these people?
He moved to stand beside Headmaster Ridge, who visibly leaned away from him. Aidenuli shook his head at Beckett. “You explained nothing to her?”
“Trust me, I tried. She’s a bit thick-headed when she thinks she’s been drugged and kidnapped.”
My anger flared and heat rushed my face. “Helloooo, you did kidnap me!”
Beckett motioned to me as if saying “case and point right here.”
Aidenuli walked down the three steps to stand before me. I leaned back and looked up at him. A peaceful warmth spread through my body and I almost felt like I should kneel or something. “Astrid, the people who got you here tonight will not hurt you. You are where you belong, you have my word.”
“And why should I believe your word?” Everything in me wanted to believe him. I felt so safe, so comfortable. Why, though? Was this another mind trick? He was a towering giant clad in leather from head to toe with boots that could crush my skull if he felt like it. Yet here I was ready to listen to what he said, ready to believe him.
“Because I’m an angel.” He said it so simply, like it was no big deal.
I did a doubletake. “You mean like figuratively speaking?”
“Nope.” Hulking black wings popped from his back and spread out wide behind him. The feathers were and oily black with dark purple on each tip. He hiked his thumb at them. “See, angel.”
Headmaster Ridge coughed into his hand. “Fallen.”
What did that mean? Fallen? I had no idea, but all I could do was stare at them. Finally, I pointed and squeaked. “Angel.”
Aidenuli nodded. “Yup.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No way.” I shook my head.
“Now you see what I’ve been dealing with all night,” Beckett snapped from just beside me.
Things like this just didn’t happen in real life. Girls just didn’t suddenly get whisked away to some magical school where they got to have powers and learn to use them. I was not eleven years old and my acceptance letter was not delivered by an owl. I was sixteen and this was ridiculous. I shook myself, wanting to believe it was all true, but I’d grown up a New Yorker, so being a cynic came as second nature.
Aidenuli patted Beckett on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”
He stepped in closer to me and all I could look at was his wings. His huge, overwhelming, beautiful wings. He placed his hands on the sides of my face. “Astrid, focus.”
My eyes locked on his. I couldn’t move even if I wanted to. My body warmed and that pulsating heat flooded my hands again. Gold smoke drifted out around us. Yet Aidenuli didn’t let me go. His grip was gentle, yet his hands were rough against my skin. Authority rolled off him in waves. “It’s time for you to relax and start to accept things. Learn and grow into the warlock you were meant to be.”
“But I—” I tried to fight what he was saying, but I felt myself slipping into a calm state.
He arched an eyebrow at Beckett. “She’s stronger than I anticipated.”
“Let’s hope so.” Beckett chuffed. “We’re gonna need it.”
Aidenuli looked back at me. “Calm now, Astrid. Accept things as slowly as you must. But you will have to accept them eventually.”
I felt myself listening to his words, drifting with them. They lulled me to relax and suddenly I wanted to sleep more than I’d ever wanted to sleep before. “I think I’m just going to lie down.”
Aidenuli stepped away from me and motioned to Beckett. “This is all you.”
My legs were swept out from under me and a strong arm wrapped around my back. I curled into the warm chest. I wasn’t sure how long we walked for or where we were. But I knew it was for some time. The cool air surrounded me, and the crunch of gravel sounded under his feet. We weren’t the only ones walking. There were others behind us, yet no one said a word. Footsteps on wooden stairs nearly jostled me awake, but I just couldn’t bring myself to force my eyelids open.
Then I was laid out on a large, soft cushion. I curled into my side, suddenly feeling cold without my warm chest to curl into. A large blanket was tossed on me and I pulled it over my head. My last thought before I went to sleep was, I just want to be home in my bed and in my room, with my things. And then my palm heated to an uncomfortable degree as I sucked in a breath and fell over the edge into the darkness that only came from a death like sleep.
Chapter 6
Astrid
The early morning sun shined in through my bedroom windows. It blinded me as I blinked my eyes open. My head pounded right behind my eyes and my body felt as though I’d been put through the wringer. Every one of my muscles ached and my throat burned. I sat up slowly and pressed my hand to my head. When I looked around, I was in the comfort of my own home. Complete with king-sized bed covered in black and white print duvet. The wall behind my bed was black with teal birds painted over it. Directly across from the bed was another black accent wall. At the center of it was the door to my closet, which was overflowing with clothes I’d thrown on the floor from changing the night before. I felt so groggy, like the one and only time I had champagne and it gave me the worst hangover after I spent the night puking. Hashtag reasons why I don’t drink.
But I didn’t remember having any drinks last night. Was it all a bad dream? I wanted to believe it was. How did I end up at home back in my room? So many questions ran through my mind, yet here I was still in my clothes from the night before, lying across the bottom of my bed on top of the comforter. I pulled my phone from my pocket and opened it up. My battery was nearly dead, but there were exactly one hundred and twenty-nine text messages from Tilly. I immediately opened it up to answer.
Hey! I’m okay. I swear. Sorry about last night.
The three little bubbles appeared and I sat waiting for her to go off on me. Seriously, dude! I’ve been freaking out. WTH happened to you last night!?!
I didn’t know what to tell her. I’d never kept a secret from Tilly, not since we were eight years old. But what was I going to tell her? “Last night I was kidnapped by this hot dude who seems to be magical and brought me to this school, but now I’m home and okay and I have no idea how I got here.” I shook myself. There was no way I was saying that. I had stomach issues. I had to leave before shit got embarrassing.
Say no more. You want me to come over with a care package?
Crap! I couldn’t face her, not just yet. I’m still praying to the porcelain gods. Don’t want you to catch it. Text you when I’m done evacuating.
Ew, okay. Feel better xoxo
I closed the text thread and tossed it on the bed. “Ugh, one thing down.” I stumbled into my bathroom and leaned over the sink to look in the mirror. My hair was a tangled nest on the back of my neck, my makeup was streaked down my cheeks, and dark circles hung under my eyes. “Holy hell.” I turned the sink on and bent over to wash my face. Fifteen minutes later, my face was clean, my hair was detangled into a silky straight curtain of red, and my teeth were brushed.
I stumbled over to my closet and quickly changed into a comfy pair of leggings and an oversized sweatshirt that hung off one of my shoulders. I pulled a pair of my flat, over the knee boots on. I finally felt human again. Sure, my muscles still felt like I’d worked out for hours. But I was okay. I think. I sucked in a deep breath and squared my shoulders. Last night didn’t happen. Plain and simple. Nothing happened. It was a weird hallucination. I’m home in my room and everything is fine. Absolutely fine. I walked over to the door, ready to go to the kitchen and find myself something to eat. Maybe I’d go for a walk in Central Park, read a book, and get my head straight.
I yanked the door open and looked out into an unfamiliar hallway. Beckett leaned up against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. Locks of his hair fell into those hypnotic ocean blue eyes. His full lips pulled up into a half smirk. “Good, I was worried we were going to have to go to your penthouse to get you clothes. I see you transformed your room.”
I took a step back and slammed the door right in his face. I pressed my back to it. Nope, no way, not happening.
He rapped his knuckles on the door. “Astrid, you have to come down. It’s morning. It’s time to face this.”
He was right. I knew he was right. I looked down at my palms. Even now little puffs of gold smoke were drifting up from my palms. “Why did you do this to me?” I whispered so low I didn’t think he would hear.
“We didn’t . . . I didn’t. Please, Astrid, come down.”
“If I agree to come down and hear what you have to say, will you let me go? Even if you don’t want me to.”
He sucked in a hiss then blew it out with an annoyed puff. “I give you my word.”
“Fine.” I twisted the doorknob and opened the door to face him. “Let’s get this over with.”
He pushed away from the wall, looking more delicious than ever, with his black sweatshirt and dark blue jeans. I looked like I’d spent the previous day partying and he looked like he gotten a good night’s sleep and didn’t have a worry in the world. He probably ruined people’s lives just for fun. He motioned for me to walk with him. “This way.”
