Chapter 21

My hands remained tucked in the pockets of my jacket so I could feel the dagger hidden in the lining. Justus didn’t know about it and I sure wasn’t going to tell him. I lifted the knife from his wall when he was showering and found a way to conceal it in the lining. I might not be able to kill my Creator—but I wasn’t going down without a fight.

The engine clicked off with a turn of the key; it was the same spot as before, when I first met the Council. I recognized the broken-down stone wall off to the right.

“Let’s just get this over with.” I was angry and pushed myself out of the car, storming past Simon.

I was pissed off because I felt betrayed by someone I thought cared about me. I was never really sure how he felt, but Justus had to have had some kind of loyalty to me because he offered himself as my Ghuardian. Didn’t that mean something?

The Council stood in a semicircle, but my eyes were glued to the shadow before them. His long black hair fell across his shoulders. Two hands grabbed each of my forearms. Never did I feel more like a reluctant bride being forced down the aisle.

The elder of the Council waved his hand to motion us forward; Justus and Simon complied, pulling me along. My Creator suddenly spun around in a fluid motion as if he were turned on by a switch.

“Progeny,” he said delightfully.

It was as if I were looking into my own eyes, even our hair was nearly the same color. Then he smiled.

“Murderer!” I yelled, lunging forward but restrained by those annoying hands.

He gave me a look of isn’t that a shame , turning his mouth down as Merc spoke up.

“What is this accusation she brings?”

“This, Council,” he said, wagging his finger, “is why I did not immediately claim her. I was not confident that she was… stable.” He tapped his forehead for emphasis. “I have come to find that since her transition, she developed a mental block due to my miscalculation. The Learner has no memory of the consensual act.” He flicked his hand as if he were talking of a child.

“Liar,” I hissed.

Justus squeezed my arm, stopping some of the blood flow. “Council, if you would permit.”

“You may speak,” Hannah said.

“We believe this man has committed a crime, although our laws do not define it, nevertheless it is unjustifiable. She was taken on death and I do not feel the Mageri would advocate this.”

There was a muttering.

“Let us not forget the meaning of why we are present, Council. I, Samil, am hereby claiming my rights to this Learner, to teach her the ways of our heritage, to fortify her with my experience until she is fluent and—”

“Enough, Samil.”

The woman, who looked like she could have been any upper-Manhattan attorney, waved for silence. “Speak out of turn once more and I will personally see that the pillory makes a comeback.”

My shoes crunched on the frost-covered grass, fingers twisting together like ancient roots, and I remembered the dagger. Sliding my right hand discreetly into my coat, the cold feel of the handle motivated me.

My Creator waved his arm in my direction. “Council, she has been altered. I demand compensation.” He turned his gaze to meet mine. “And they have armed her.”

As he spoke the last word I knew they would seize my weapon.

I flashed at him and plunged the dagger into air. Samil flashed and when I turned to strike again, I was thrown to the ground.

Novis, the young man with the spiked hair, removed the dagger from my hand with blinding speed. He kept me pinned with a forearm across my neck as Samil brushed his hands along his coat, looking insulted. God, his pompous attitude angered me even more and I struggled against Novis in vain.

“Look at her eyes,” Novis said.

Silence fell.

What they were looking at was something that happened under extreme conditions, the pinpoint pupils of my eyes turned a metallic color that was more noticeable when it was dark and they were expanded.

“What have you made, Samil? She is not like us.” Novis placed his thumb on my forehead in the same manner he had done once before. He was testing me—summoning the power within me. Was he measuring? Well he could measure my fist up his ass if he didn’t get himself up off of me.

I pulled back.

A sweet rush of perfumed energy whirled within my being—ancient energy—before the contact was broken. Novis gasped and rose to his feet. He stepped back in line with a peculiar expression that he quickly erased. Merc brushed back his blond hair and lifted a meaty arm to point his finger straight at me.

“She has broken the laws in front of the Council, Novis. She has attempted to take the life of her Creator.” It wasn’t just an observation—Merc was placing an accusation against me.

Simon approached quickly with his head lowered.

“Council, I implore you that I would offer my services, what you would ask, if she be spared her life and continue to be kept under Ghuardianship. Her maker forced her into being without a choice. She has not yet been named within the Mageri. Can a law be broken of a society you have not yet fully entered? Please do not punish ignorance.”

I glared at him and I could tell he saw me out of his peripheral. I flicked my eyes back to the Council and noticed they lightly touched fingers while facial expressions changed, as if they were communicating. Another moment passed and Hannah finally spoke up.

“We have come to a decision. Simon, as you so offered your services, we will collect for our leniency. However, we cannot deny her maker his rights. For her life, we will require one service from you upon our choosing.” Simon bowed his head with respect.

“Learner,” she continued. “Rise to your feet.”

I did so, without grace or speed, but with my dignity intact.

“Show us the mark of your maker.”

Scratch dignity .

Justus nudged at me to do as commanded, but I never told him where my mark was. Brushing the dirt from my hands, I looked at her directly.

“I have a mark; you don’t need to see it.” I licked my lips and gulped.

“It is but required that you present the mark of your Creator so that we may act as a witness; it must be properly documented in our books that you are his progeny.”

“I’m shy,” I bit out through clenched teeth

Her eyes narrowed at my disobedience, but she wasn’t backing down. Justus shoved at my shoulder and his eyes were unwavering.

I began to unbutton my jeans when Novis spoke up.

Hannah .”

She rolled her eyes and waved her hand. “Fine. Learner, come with me.”

She led me to a private area in the woods and what I showed her was sufficient. When we rejoined the group, they were all standing in silence.

“I have seen the mark, she is Samil’s progeny. Samil, you will now present the Learner to us. Speak her name, for once it is heard she will no longer be an outsider among the Mageri.”

Samil stepped forward as a victor in a battle—his long, wild hair obscuring his face.

“But first, Samil, you will know that we have made a decision to your fate as well. These are unusual circumstances, which we have not seen, and not all the facts appear to be disclosed. We will release her to your charge. However, in seven days there will be an open challenge that will entitle any other to stake their claim on this Learner. As she was not given the choice to be Mage, we will allow fate to decide.” Hannah paused and her thick brows nearly met, giving the appearance of a goddess who could strike fear with a mere glance.

“Should there be a challenger, your gifts will be leveraged to give equal footing. The victor shall acquire the rights to this Learner and the power of the other Mage. Samil, should no one challenge you, then she will remain your charge. Upon your death, if she has not been released from your custody, then she will go to her Ghuardian. We will not retract his status.”

“What happens to the loser?” I asked, hesitating, as I was told not to speak out of turn. Of course, I already fucked that up the moment I stepped on the field.

Her eyes flew back to Justus, annoyed by my questioning. “We do not challenge to the death, Learner. The winner will not borrow, but take the power of the other. The defeated will be tasked with rebuilding their life source and that will require a number of years to regain the same level of power. It is a fitting elevation for the victor.”

There it was, a chance that my enemy could be weakened. A chance that I could be free of him. All of it depended on one small detail—someone would have to fight for me.

But who? It was between Justus and Simon. Simon didn’t know me well enough and Justus, he already was so willing to pass me over. Even now he said nothing.

“May I ask another question?” Justus yanked my arm and I pulled out of his grasp, folding my arms.

“You may,” Hannah answered.

“If no one challenges him… may I?”

My embarrassment turned to heated anger when the response was laughter. Hannah rolled her eyes and I saw smiles play across all their faces.

Novis clasped his hands in front of him and gave a nod to Justus before answering my question. “I like your tenacity, Learner. You will make a fine Mage one day. To answer your question: no. You are neither skilled nor strong enough. I’m sure you still value your life. No Creator would want claim over a Learner who challenged them. Someone must fight for you. Fear not—perhaps chivalry is not dead. We shall see.”

The seconds were excruciating as no one said a word. Justus stood motionless and guilt played across his face as his eyes memorized the tips of his shoes. I had been expecting for someone right at that moment to give their intentions, perhaps in a moment of nobility to yell out something along the lines of, “I will fight for her!” But this was not an epic movie, and Justus said nothing.

No one did.

Except…

“Come.” Samil’s fingers curled around my elbow painfully as he pulled me forward.

“I am Samil, Creator of forty-three Learners. I stand before you on this night to present to the Council my progeny, a new member to our sacred lineage. I claim this Learner as her maker, and hereby name her…” He flicked a glance at my eyes. “Silver.”

I hated him immediately.

Novis raised his chin as he replied. “That is an acceptable, and may I say, appropriate choice. Embrace your name, Silver; it is now your identity. Samil, we accept your claim to Silver as a fledgling Mage, you will take her into your home and respectfully teach her the ways of our kind.”

Hannah adjusted a pin in her hair as she studied Samil. “These are strange circumstances.” She sighed. “Samil, it is custom for the progeny to leave from this spot with their maker; however as she also has Ghuardianship, you will allow her one half hour to retrieve her things and pay respect to her Ghuardian. Seven days from now, we will assemble here. If you do not show, she will be removed from your care. That is all.”

The Council turned and we stood in silence, listening to the sound of the grass rustle below their feet as they disappeared from sight.

“One half hour. Not a fraction more.” Samil pointed a finger at Justus and stalked into the shadows as if he were nothing more than an apparition.

“Silver. It’s not such a bad name, love. Silver metal has the highest electrical conductivity, you know, from any other element… and thermal conductivity.”

Justus glared at Simon, who shrugged. “Just sayin’.”

I felt empty. Abandoned. If I had stayed with Adam, none of this would be happening.

“So, I’m Silver Merrick.”

“No.”

“I’m not taking his last name, am I?”

Justus folded his arms, prepared to give me perhaps my last lesson.

“In the beginning it was custom for the Creator to give his progeny a new name as a Mage. Maybe they thought it would help them let go of their old life, or maybe it was an ego thing. But it’s a tradition we still carry. Some kept their former human name while others did not. If the ancient had a surname or a second name—which almost all did—the progeny would take on that name like a female does when she marries. The name De Gradi is of my maker and he was of Italian descent. The only exception to this rule is if a Mage discovers their rare gift makes them a Creator, also. Then they are allowed to retain their own surname and pass it on to their progeny—it creates a lineage. There are not many ancients left and most of them no longer create fledglings.”

Justus ran his hand across his head, rubbing it back and forth.

“So what is my last name? And so help me, if you tell me it’s Ware, I’ll dropkick you where you stand.”

“You have none. You are only Silver. His people did not have surnames. Their first name was followed by the name of their father, so it would have been something like ‘Samil, son of…”

“A bitch,” I finished.

The wind gently rustled through the trees and I shivered from the icy air.

Simon approached and brushed his fingers through my hair, tucking away the one strand that was unwilling to join the rest. He studied my face and cradled my neck with his hands.

“You are stronger than you give yourself credit for.” He kissed me lightly on the mouth and walked away.

“What the hell were you thinking, pulling a stunt like that with the dagger? I specifically told you how to conduct yourself. You must play by their rules, have you learned nothing I have taught you?”

My eyes were moist and Justus pulled me to his chest and held me tight.

He held me as he had never done before—with warmth and feeling. Large hands ran down my back and his baritone voice soothed, “Shhhh. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

“I’m not crying, I’m scared.”

“Remember, the Grey Veil.”

I nodded into his chest.

“Silver… Silver ,” he whispered, adjusting to the sound of my name. “He may have named you, but I want you to own that name, do you understand?”

“I have seven days, I’ll figure out something.”

He pulled me at arm’s length and I watched that thick jaw harden to marble.

“I’ll work on the Council—don’t get any ideas.” He slipped a silver and jade dragon pendant over my neck. “Don’t take it off. It is forged with hidden energy, should you need it. You’ll have one chance to use it.”

One chance was all I needed.

Magic After Dark Boxed Set
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