Suzanne Lazear - Charmed Vengeance

“We could remain here for now.” Steven wiped away her tear with his finger. “While we figure things out. If you wish. You might not be allowed to wear my sigil, but you’re still mine. Remember when the queen gave you to me?”

“I’m not a marble, but yes, I remember. It’s protection, right, and different from the sigil?” Noli never would understand that concept any more than she’d get used to V’s name being Stiofán or him not actually having to wear glasses.

“Even the queen can’t take that away from you, which means that we can still be together, if you still wish to be with me.” He looked at her with bashful eyes. “I’ll understand if you—”

Her lips captured his before he even had the chance to finishing, telling him with her kiss what words couldn’t say.

When she broke it off, he grinned. “So, it’s yes?”

“I suppose,” she grinned. “I meant what I said. We’re in this together. I’m not a marble.”

He laughed. “But you’d make such a pretty marble.” She shoved him. Steven laughed again. “Yes, we’re in this together. I promise.”

“I missed you so much, you fussy old bodger.” She squeezed him tight.

He leaned in and kissed her. “I missed you, too, darling. I missed you, too.”

“Where do we go from here?” Still in her nightdress, Noli leaned against V on the settee on the library, their finished supper sitting on the low table. She loved eating in the library instead of at a proper table, so delightfully scandalous.

Steven and James filled Noli in on all their adventures and she’d told them about hers. She was glad to hear that Rahel was at home with her father. It galled her that Vix hadn’t told her about James and V’s arrival. Nevertheless, Vix had been the one to summon V when she’d needed him. The idea of Vix and James knowing about the Otherworld still seemed so strange.

It felt odd to be at big house without Charlotte and she kept expecting to see her cuddling James in the window seat.

“This artifact troubles me. I think we need to ask

Quinn about it.” Steven rubbed his chin. “I can’t believe I’ve never heard about it.”

The artifact. She needed to remember something about the artifact. “My valise! Do you know here it is?”

“It’s in your room. Vix gave it to me when we took you from Boston,” James replied, mouth partially full of food. “She said that everything you had on ship was inside. Why?”

“There are important things in it.” She wasn’t ready to mention that she had a piece of the artifact. However, perhaps checking on it would help her remember. The watch chain was also inside her valise and that was not important but gave her an excuse. “I’ll be right back.”

She dashed out of the library and found the valise sitting on her bed, well, Elise’s bed. But she always used this as her room. Opening the latches, she fumbled inside until she discovered what she sought—the watch chain and the metal piece. Noli also pulled on one of her simpler gowns, since James was present. She tucked the metal piece away, glad it was safe, and ran her fingers through her hair, untangling it. Watch chain in hand, she returned to the library where James and V discussed whether or not Quinn would know anything about the artifact.

“James, I made this for you.” She held the assembled, but unwrapped, watch chain out to James, twitching a little in apprehension. The sprite didn’t interject, perhaps she remained asleep. Noli wouldn’t mind if she never woke up.

“What it is?” James took it from her. “Certainly, it’s quite nice. You made this?”

“It’s a watch chain, made from Charlotte’s hair—so she’ll always be with you.”

James stood and embraced her, eyes glistening. “This is this nicest gift ever.”

“I’m so glad you liked it.” Her heart leapt at the idea that it pleased him, since it had taken longer than she expected to make.

“I still think the idea of weaving a dead person’s hair into something is odd,” V replied, as he took another bite.

“Good thing it’s not for you.” Noli plopped down beside him on the settee, wiggling her still bare toes. “So, you want to visit Quinn?”

“He’d be the best person to speak to. Also, I should let my father know we’re still alive.” V looked less excited about that idea.

“If we’re venturing into the mortal realm, could we send Mama and Jeff an aethergraph telling them I’m well?” Noli took a sip of tea. “I don’t want them to worry.”

V squeezed her hand. “That’s an excellent idea.”

“She’ll want me to return to Boston.” As much as she missed her mother, that’s not what she wanted for herself.

“You don’t have to go to Boston. Do you wish to rejoin Jeff and Vix?” V looked at her through veiled lashes. “I’ll support you in whatever your decision may be.”

Wait. For the first time in her life she could do whatever she desired. Not what her mother wanted. Not what Jeff wanted. Not even what V wanted. Her.

She kissed V so deeply that James cleared his throat in protest in the background.

“So, you’d like to return to the Vixen’s Revenge? I think you’re well suited to being a ship’s engineer.” V’s cheeks pinked in embarrassment.

She liked bashful V and bumped him with her hip. “You are a fussy old bodger. Is staying here truly an option? It feels … indecent.”

It wasn’t as if she could return to her home in Los Angeles—or walk right into a university and start tomorrow.

On the other hand, this would totally and utterly ruin her reputation. Oh, her grandfather would probably spin some tale about her being off, but still, they’d know, they’d disapprove. Even Jeff and Vix would probably disapprove.

The thought of such disapproval from her family hurt. At the same time, where else did her choices lay?

“It’s just until we figure things out … perhaps we should apply to the university together … for next term. I think we’re not too late.” His fingers intertwined with hers, but she didn’t completely relax.

“I like that idea,” she replied. As much as he tried, V didn’t quite fully understand mortal conventions—or why she clung to them. But if she didn’t cling to them, that would be admitting she was no longer mortal and no longer wished to be so. That the queen had won.

Also, going to the university and becoming a botanist was still a goal.

“You two could just go to the university here.” James rolled his eyes, still toying with the watch chain. “That’s what the Academe is, right? A university?”

“There are universities here? I didn’t know that.” Noli looked at V for confirmation.

“A university,” V confirmed. “The Academe is very different from universities in the mortal realm. We can look into it, if you’d like. I’ve wanted to use their libraries for research. I’d also like to travel to the cloisters and to visit their library.”

“Cloisters, too, what sort?” There was so much she didn’t know about this realm.

“Men and women who dedicate themselves to the Bright Lady. They have excellent records and libraries. If any information exists that would help return you to yourself if would be in one of those places.” He touched his forehead to hers, sending little shivers up her spine.

James yawned, not bothering to hide it. “That sounds so boring.”

V looked down his nose at his brother. “What? Dedicating your life to the Bright Lady or researching in the library?”

“Both.” He threw his feet over the chair, food abandoned, as he continued to finger the watch chain.

Researching wasn’t Noli’s favorite thing, but if it would help return her to her old self she was willing to try.

“The plan is to return to the mortal realm, speak with Quinn, let your father know you’re alive, let my mother and Jeff know I’m alive, then come back here and visit to the university here and the cloisters?” It wasn’t as if she had anything else to do. “While we’re there we could research the artifact as well.” For some reason that seemed important, but she couldn’t quite remember why. What was it she needed to recall about the artifact?

“Definitely. I’d like to know who Kyran is—and I still don’t believe that Kevighn actually scattered the pieces in the mortal realm.” V made a face of disgust.

“Will you stop?” Noli shoved him. “He said he would and I believe him.”

V held his hands up in surrender. “Fine. I’ll believe you until proven otherwise.”

“We could go find him, if you’d like,” Noli goaded, feeling the need to make V squirm a little. “I know where to leave word for him.”

“You do?” V cocked his head. “Why?”

“Because he told me.” She met his eyes, daring him to say anything.

V sighed and pulled her closer. “I don’t want to fight. No, we don’t need to find him.”

“Kevighn told me that if anyone could return me to my old self it would be Ciarán. Do you think that’s true?” Noli writhed in her seat. Kevighn said a lot of things and sometimes it was hard to know what was truth, especially when she wanted it to be.

“Oh, I didn’t think of that,” James interjected from his chair.

“But that doesn’t mean he would, or that his price would be something we’d be willing to pay. Ciarán is as dangerous as the high queen. More.” V’s lips pressed into a hard line.

Right. There would be a price, and if he was the dark king …

“I don’t know. That could be less scary than asking the Bright Lady herself—or the magic,” James replied.

“You’re barking mad,” V retorted. He squeezed her shoulder. “We’ll fix it. I promise.”