Shadow Mage: (Witchling Wars: Luxra Echelon, Book 1) Read online

  But then again, even I had to admit that I disrupted his life. He would have someone else living in the house and helping to run things if I continued to take William up on his kind offer of accommodation. It wasn’t like I had to worry about my dissertation anymore.

  I chewed on fresh beef and savory carrots in the stew as my thoughts ventured back to the memorial service. The way Professor Connelly looked at me even though William placed the shadow charm over my body, hiding me from plain sight. It was as if he knew I was there. The vial around my neck with the potion managed to hide me well enough from the demons in the pub but Professor Connelly seemed to sense my presence anyway.

  I shook my head in an attempt to get the thought out of my brain. I didn’t want to think about the memorial service anymore. All it did was make me think of Caitlyn’s mother. The way she cried and how her husband tried to do all he could to hold it in.

  Something buzzed inside my jeans pocket. It was the phone William gave me.

  I read the text coming through. It was from Fiona.

  “Sorry I didn’t answer,” it read. “I was getting through security. I’m boarding a plane to Heathrow as we speak then grabbing a connection to Edinburgh. I’ll be there around noon tomorrow. I won’t be talked out of it and I’m already getting on the plane. See you soon, sis.”

  I choked on a random onion in the stew and instantly coughed it up. More sauce got caught in my throat and I ran to the kitchen to search for a glass. By the time I had water in my hand and guzzled it down, William had rushed in to see what the hell was going on.

  “Did you swallow wrong or do I need to worry?” he asked.

  I drank the last gulp of water and coughed a few more times before I was able to focus. I pointed to the cell phone still sitting on the kitchen table. William picked it up and saw the text just before the phone locked itself again.

  His face flushed. I watched as he removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. I had just made his life more complicated than it already was by my presence there.

  “Did you give her any indication that you wanted her to come?” he asked, wanting an honest answer as if I had made a mistake.

  “No!” I blurted out. “I told her at the hospital that I wanted her to stay put and that I would come home soon.”

  “Then she didn’t hear from you for two days.” He sighed and set the phone back down. “I guess there are worse things in this world than siblings who want to be near after a catastrophic accident. We’ll handle this the best we can and send her back home as fast as possible.”

  Another text came in. William handed me the phone, respecting my privacy enough to let me read it first and not bothering to look at the screen.

  “I finally reached mom and dad,” Fiona wrote. “They’re mortified and worried sick but can’t get home for at least three more days. We can decide if they need to fly out too after I get there. I love you!”

  “What else did she say?” he asked.

  “She reached my parents,” I said. “They know about the accident and will try to fly out soon. Probably from Anchorage. I can’t…I mean… my mom…”

  “She won’t come,” William said with a calm shake of his head. “The spell I cast will ward her away from Scotland until the day she asks me to remove it. Something will stop her. A bad feeling or perhaps terrifying dreams. You don’t have to worry about her showing up.”

  He said the last sentence as though it saddened him to speak it.

  I brought my hands up to my forehead, feeling the weight of it all pressing on my shoulders once more. I wasn’t made for this kind of stress.

  “Place your hand on the vial around your neck,” William instructed me.

  I did as he said and let both my hands wrap around it. The power within the liquid inside pulsated through the glass and tickled the skin on my fingers. An almost instantaneous ease swept through me, allowing me to think clearly again.

  “Alright,” he said. “Here’s what we’re going to do. You will meet your sister at the airport tomorrow. Tell her you found a nice hotel room for her to stay in. Greet her with welcome arms and reassure her that you’re fine and that you want to finish graduate school before coming home. I’ll be watching from nearby in case anything nefarious happens, which it shouldn’t. But know that I won’t be far away. Our focus right now should be to ease your sister’s distress then get her on a plane home. We can figure out the particulars later. You can tell your family you found employment here and managed to get a work visa. Whatever will work for the foreseeable future.”

  I leaned into the kitchen counter with my hands still wrapped around the vial. I nodded as his words sunk in, praying above all else that my stubborn, feisty, and much braver little sister would see reason and get her butt on a plane back home as soon as possible.

  ‘Unlikely.’

  I rocked back and forth from my heels to my toes at the arrivals gate at Edinburgh airport. The last time I stood there William came to pick me up, knowing my magic wouldn’t let me leave Edinburgh. Now here I was, hoping I could convince my sister to high tail it home as fast as possible.

  I bit my nails, chewing away the anxiety and have to force myself to stop before I ripped them off completely, an annoying habit that my mom hated, and I never really was able to let go. Only now, my anxiety had a legitimate source outside of the perils of being a normal female in her early twenties, trying to navigate the impending necessity of dating, a uni social life, and writing a dissertation that would get high enough marks to land a decent job.

  William assured me several times while we drove to the airport that my sister wouldn’t be like me. Her magic was buried deep inside her. The local Dallas coven cast a spell on her by his orders to prevent her magic from surfacing. William knew it was what my mom would have wanted. If her magic was buried, it couldn’t control her.

  I shoved both my hands inside the brown leather jacket William gave me of my mother’s. I didn’t feel the bite of fresh Spring outside but it was a particularly brisk day. I would look like a fool walking around without appearing the least bit chilled. At first, I thought that hiding my magic would be my biggest challenge. I was quickly discovering that covering up the fact that I didn’t feel the sting of cold anymore was a more mundane with tedious task.

  People walked by me on their cell phones, greeting loved ones with a hug or a kiss. Others rushed by to the cabs waiting outside to take them to their destinations. I desperately wanted to be like them. To greet my sister with love and kindness. Only at the moment when appeared through the hallway and spotted me I knew I would be putting on a bit of a show. I wanted to wring her neck and shove her back into a plane.

  She rushed toward me with her pack slapping against her back as she went. I could see the emotion stirring behind her pixie-like eyes. Any frustration I had evaporated right then and there. It wasn’t until she collided into me with near rib breaking force and I had my arms wrapped around her that I realized how much I missed my family. I learned to bury it but the ache was still there. Especially after the last few days.

  “You want to hear something stupid?” I whispered in her ear as she choked back tears and held me like I was about to evaporate into thin air. “I honestly convinced myself that I didn’t need to have my sister bear hug me anymore.”

  She pulled away from me but kept her arms wrapped around my shoulders.

  I brought up a single finger and dabbed away a tear running down her cheek.

  “We almost lost you.” Her voice broke mid-sentence, making my heart hurt for the pain I had caused her. “When the police called to tell me what happened I… I was sure you were gone forever.”

  I shrugged my shoulders. “I guess you can’t accuse me of not being very tough anymore.”

  She let out a frustrated breath. “Kayla, please don’t joke. It isn’t funny.”

  I took her into my arms once more, feeling heat erupt all over my back. William was watching from nearby. The plan was still in place. I wo
uld take Kayla to a restaurant so she could have a proper meal, then we would go to the hotel William helped me book for her. I’d talk her down, make her feel more at ease, and gradually convince her that leaving wasn’t the best idea for me right now. I needed to stay in Edinburgh and face my demons. Literally.

  Something hard and cold tapped the bare space just above my neck. I pulled away once more to take a look at what it was. My necklace was hanging on the same silver chain I gave her right before leaving.

  I touched the cold silver and felt goosebumps cascade all over my arms and legs, reminding me instantly how uncomfortable the cold felt when it struck my body only days ago. My blood might have run cooler but I wasn’t entirely immune. Especially when I was uneasy.

  Her hand came up to touch the key and fiddle with it in her hand. “I couldn’t leave without it. It’s brought you luck. I figured it would do the same for me.”

  I was back to acting once more as I forced a smile on my face.

  ‘Fiona, what have you done?’

  Would Marek find us? If he was so keen on watching me before he could be watching me right now. Would he confront my sister in the dead of night? Would he attack her and rip the necklace right off her neck? I wasn’t going to take any chances.

  “Did you bring something warm?” I asked her.

  She took off her pack and reached inside for a coat.

  “Thank goodness we had such a brutal winter last year,” she said. “Even by Dallas standards. Dad bought me this when we had that frost last February.”

  She wrapped up in a white coat and zipped it up to her chest. I took hold of the zipper and forced it all the way to her neck with a sly grin on my face. “You’ll thank me,” I said to her, pretending that I cared more about her comfort than the fact that I wanted that key hidden under her clothes for as long as possible.

  I wrapped my arm in hers as we went to the carousel with her luggage then we went outside to get a cab. Within an hour we were sitting in an Italian restaurant with two beers, a large order of food on its way, and far more to talk about than I was comfortable sharing. I knew she wouldn’t let me off easily but I could try to keep her content with some pasta, her ultimate guilty pleasure. If anything, it would keep her mouth full at odd intervals so I could think of answers to give her. Not to mention she could drink in Scotland. A couple beers might help her get tired faster so I could coerce her into getting some rest over continuing to demand I come home right away.

  “I still can’t believe the doctor cleared you to leave the hospital so soon,” she said, taking a massive gulp of her beer. “Are you sure they checked everything? Internal bleeding, x-rays for broken bones, all of that stuff?”

  “Well, I’m here and I don’t feel the least bit hurt,” I answered with a shrug. “A few scrapes, some bumps, and bruises but that’s it.”

  “They said the car flipped several times. How in the world did you come out of that with only a few bumps and bruises?”

  I took a sip of the beer in front of me to give myself time to think of my answer. Dr. Stewart must have spoken with her because anyone else would have told her the extent of my injuries and the fact that I died on the operating table.

  “I don’t know what to say. I was the lucky one that night.” I wasn’t even trying to act as my shoulders slumped and my thoughts instantly when back to Annette, Emily, and Caitlyn; the memorial service and all the students grieving. And above all, the guilt that stained the pit of my soul. A stain that I highly doubted would ever leave.

  I glanced out the window to see William coming into the restaurant. He behaved like any normal customer, going to the bar for a pint then and choosing a booth nearby to flip through a newspaper. I diverted my eyes away from him. He was careful not to make eye contact with me. I needed to do the same.

  “I know you and Annette were close,” Fiona said, taking my hand into hers. I forgot just how soft her skin was. Along with the way her eyes pierced through a person’s soul and made them want to spill out every finite detail of their worries to her. I held her back with equal strength and refused to let go. Even after the waitress brought us both our spaghetti, I didn’t let her reach for her silverware just yet.

  “Mom and dad are so worried about you,” she said. “They’re trapped on that damn cruise line for another couple of days. And they won’t be near an airport for even longer. Then they’ll have to fly out to an international airport before they can get here. But they both wanted you to know that if you need it, they can be here as fast as possible.”

  I thought back on what William told me. My mother wouldn’t actually be able to board a plane headed for Scotland. The spell he cast on her wouldn’t allow it.

  “We can call them later and I’ll talk to mom. I will try to help her calm down a bit. I don’t need her to fly out here. I have you now.”

  She smiled and let go of my hand, taking a fork into her fingers and twirling her spaghetti. She was clearly starving after what I imagined was nothing but cardboard tasting airplane food but she controlled herself and didn’t immediately fill up on her meal. She set down her fork and continued talking to me.

  “Just let me know what to pack and I’ll help make sure it all gets home safe. Mom told me to buy an extra suitcase if we need to. I have spare money to pay for the excess baggage on the plane.”

  I stopped with a fork full of spaghetti halfway to my mouth. “Fiona,” I said her name softly. “I need more time. I’m not ready to pack it all up just yet. In fact, I might send you home and follow a week or two later.”

  I flinched at my own lie. I might have been good at keeping my cards close to my chest but I didn’t like lying to my sister.

  “Okay, then I’ll stay with you until you’re ready,” she said. “I have extra money saved to stay at least two weeks. And dad can transfer some money to my bank account if I need it.”

  ‘Good grief, how am I going to get out of this?’

  “I… I don’t know when I’ll be ready.”

  She plopped her fork on the plate. The rattling sound echoed through the restaurant causing a few people to stare.

  William kept his eyes focused on his newspaper as if he didn’t notice.

  “Kayla, you told me you were coming home. You told me to book you a flight then I couldn’t even reach you again. There’s no way the university will force you to stay after something like this. You can continue your studies from home or maybe pick them up again next year when the new classes start.”

  “I only have a few more months to go, Fiona.”

  Her face hardened. “Kayla, you’ve been through some serious trauma. You spent years helping look after me. Babysitting, feeding me when I was a toddler, and always letting your chatty kid sister go with you and your friends when you went to the movies. Hell, you would take me to the bathroom during the best part when the bad guy always got killed. Let me be here for you. Come home and give yourself time to process things. Being here will do nothing but stir up bad memories.”

  I could see the desperation in her eyes. Her hand came back to mine and held it tight. I could feel the fear running through her veins and making her heartbeat quicken. The fear of me refusing to come back with her. Fear of nearly losing me only to have to say goodbye once more. She didn’t trust that I could care for myself after what happened. She didn’t even trust that I wouldn’t resent her forever after she teased me about not having the courage to study abroad let alone be away from the only home I’ve ever known for so long.

  ‘Wait, what?’

  I glanced down at her hand. I wasn’t sure if it was my magic or if I was just really in tune with my sister’s emotions but I was getting a sense of what was actually bothering her. And to my surprise, it had little to do with me.

  “Fiona, you don’t feel like this is your fault do you?”

  Her gaze fell away from mine. I saw her opposite hand fiddle with the bottom edge of her coat.

  “Fiona, look at me.”

  She rolled her eyes th
en settled her gaze on mine once more. The inner corners were dotted with water.

  I cocked my head in surprise. “You can’t be serious. This wasn’t your fault! It could never be your fault.” I was torn between the temptation to yell at her or wrap her up in my arms again.

  She let go of my hand and ran her fingers through her long hair, stopping just behind her neck and staring down at her bowl of spaghetti noodles.

  “I was relentless,” she said. There was an edge to her voice that wasn’t there only moments ago. A harshness that she didn’t use with me unless she was near the precipice of fury. “I made fun of you for being such a book nerd. Which you are. You never do any of the things normal people do. You just sit at home with your books and make excuses as to why you don’t want to go out. And you’ve done it for years. And I called you a coward.”

  She finally took her eyes away from the twisted strands of noodles drenched in thick red sauce.

  “If I hadn’t pushed you and hounded you for so long, maybe you never would have…” She trailed off, refusing to finish her sentence.

  “I was the one who found the masters program here in Edinburgh. It was my decision to apply.”

  “Yeah,” she scoffed at me, dabbing her nose when it started to run. “After I said you didn’t have the guts. It wasn’t until you got that tattoo that I realized you were serious. You always made fun of people with tattoos. Then one day you just came home with one and I knew I had pushed you too far. You thought you had to go halfway across the planet just to prove me wrong. Well, you made your point. I was a jackass. And look what happened.”

  I took a few deep breaths before speaking, knowing that I had to play this carefully. One wrong word and my sister might guilt trip herself for life.

  “I needed this,” I told her gently. “Like you said, I’ve never challenged myself and the only thing I’ve ever pushed myself to do was to maintain a good enough grade point average to stay on the Dean’s List. But that was never because of anything you said. I’m not like you, Fiona. I’m not adventurous and outgoing. I knew I needed to get out of my element to make that happen. Coming here did that for me. I met Annette. She and I are…were… complete opposites. She helped me to come out of my shell in ways that I know would make you proud. She took me to clubs, she made me go dancing, she forced me to go on weekend tour trips to places in St. Andrews, Inverness, and Glasgow. I needed to have someone outside the family help me get out of my own way. I needed to hear it from someone else’s lips in order for me to understand that I was stagnating. I plateaued. And if I didn’t force myself off that ledge I would settle for less for the rest of my life. If anything, Fiona, I need to thank you.”