Charmed Vengeance

enough evidence for us. The knife was probably an accident. I’m pretty sure he didn’t mean to be that sloppy. He’d want it to be a boy, besought from grief, attacking him with halfcocked revenge and no evidence.”

James snapped his fingers. “Uncle Brogan’s an excellent swordsman. He’ll be betting that he’ll win the challenge. Winning means he’s innocent, no matter what proof you have.”

“What?” Noli made a face, her eyes rimmed in red. “Winning proves his innocence? There’s no due process in the Otherworld?”

“We don’t have judges and juries in the Otherworld. We have monarchs, magic, and the Bright Lady.” Steven pulled the statuette on the bookshelf. It made a popping sound, releasing a hidden internal catch. His hand glowed green as he muttered the words to make the seal dissolve. The secret compartment hadn’t been disturbed. Good.

Steven pushed the bookshelf aside, revealing a safe. Putting his hand on it, he recited the spell that would open it. With a deep breath, he opened the door. Inside sat a suit of armor, a sword, a book, a ring and a wooden box.

Opening the ring box, he removed the gold ring with a stone as green as his sigil. Steven slid it on his right hand.

“Are you really?” James eyed the precious things his father had snuck into exile with him. Remnants of his father’s former rank.

“They’re mine now. Certainly, we can’t leave them here.” His fingertips brushed the elaborate sword which he had so many memories of. “When I kill Uncle Brogan, I think it would be poetic justice to use father’s sword. Before all else, be armed.”

James’ eyebrows rose. “Finally, a quote I like. Who says that?”

“Machiavelli.”

Noli’s face contorted. “You’re going to kill him?”

V put a hand onto her shoulder and gazed into her eyes. She still didn’t understand their world. But she tried.

His throat swelled. “I know it’s what he wants but I can’t ignore this.”

Dead. His father was dead. He felt simultaneously angry and numb.

“As long as you don’t die,” she whispered. “But I understand. If anyone hurt my family I’d kill them.”

“I don’t plan on dying. I have too much to do.” Too many things to fix. He put a hand on her arm. “We should look for Elise and Quinn.” He prayed to the Bright Lady they were alive and unharmed.

“Should we summon the police?” James asked.

“No. We’ll take father’s body home and bury it ourselves.” Steven swallowed hard. He’d give his father that much, a small token of how much he’d meant to him, even if he hadn’t told him so before he’d died.

“Yes, he’d like that,” James replied, voice hushed. “I still can’t believe Father is dead.”

Noli squeezed his shoulder. “I’ll go with you.”

“I’d like that.” He’d never told her, but she held him together, especially when he disappointed his father. Whatever happened to either of them, they went through it as a team.

He didn’t want that to ever stop.

They made their way through the house. Steven kept holding his breath, praying they didn’t find more bodies. Elise’s room stood empty. Clothes, toys, and books were strewn across the room.

“Someone packed quickly.” Noli surveyed the room.

“I hope Quinn took her away.” James’ face contorted in anger. “I know you, as eldest, have first right to challenge him, but I’ll be more than happy to kill Uncle Brogan if you want me to. Just say the word. He needs to pay.”

V nodded. “That means a lot to me. If Quinn left with Elise, there will be a message.” He turned to Noli. “Quinn and I knew that there could come a time where something might happen, so we worked out a system to magically leave each other a message.”

“That seems … organized.” Noli looked pale.

He opened his bedroom door and recoiled as the stench of the human condition hit them. Noli put her handkerchief back over her mouth and nose.

“That is disgusting.” James made a face at the mess on the bed. “I’m going to get some things from my room.” He left.

Steven’s nose scrunched and the corner of his lips turned down as he went to his bookshelf. “Truly, that is vile. I can’t see Uncle Brogan’s men doing that.”

Pulling out a particularly old and dusty book, he flipped through the pages.

Noli peered over his shoulder. “Quinn left you a note in a book?”

“In a way. Here.” He held open a page with his finger so she could see. “He used his magic to leave me a symbol on a specified page. No one would know what it meant but me. This narrow rectangle means he and one other person have fled, in this case, Elise.” His finger traced the rectangle. “The circle means they’re safe and will contact us soon.”

“Only you would have a code that was so complex yet so useless,” she teased. “How will he know where to find us?”

“I vote for leaving word with Mathias,” James called from his room.

Steven tucked the book under his arm. “That’s a good idea. I have a feeling they wouldn’t leave the mortal realm, but we should check the big house and leave a note when we depart.”

James appeared in the doorway. “What’s the plan?”

“Take father’s body, as well as anything we want to keep, back to the big house.” Steven looked around, trying to decide what to take as the realization hit. This chapter of his life was closed. This would never be home again. Life would never be the same. He sighed as he tangled his fingers in Noli’s hair. “I don’t think we’re coming back here. Ever.”

Epilogue A Plan for Revenge

Noli watched as V and James placed white stones on top of the fresh mound of dirt, making a tumulus. They’d buried Mr. Darrow by the faerie tree in the center of the maze, the same one where she’d buried the tiny wood faery that had died in her hands, the same one they’d put her inside— which she still didn’t quite understand.

Her fingers brushed the bark of the old oak. There was something she needed to remember.

Something fun, I hope, the sprite piped up.

Noli suppressed a groan. She’d known the sprite’s silence wouldn’t last forever.

“You put one on.” V held out a stone to her. His father’s sword bumped against his back. He hadn’t taken it off since he’d removed it from the safe with the other precious things his father had kept there. The ring glimmered on V’s hand.

Taking the stone, she carefully placed it on the tumulus. Noli looked over at the star blooms surrounding the oat. Crouching, she stroked the closed petals. Bloom, she told it. Please? She didn’t know if she had to be polite in her magic, but it wouldn’t hurt. The pink blossom opened, its sweet fragrance filling her nose. Picking it, she went over and placed it on the tumulus. V flashed her a grateful smile. James and V bowed their heads. She took V’s hand. Mr. Darrow hadn’t deserved to die.

After a few moments, they walked in silence to the library, which was filled with piles of books and other things they’d painstakingly brought back from the house in Los Angeles. Quinn and Elise hadn’t been at the big house, nor were there any messages in the places V had checked. Word had also been left for Quinn with someone called Mathias. Noli prayed they were safe.

Someone had left supper for them on the low table in the library. Noli didn’t feel like eating. Instead, she poured everyone tea to give herself something to do.

“What now?” Noli asked, taking a sip of tea, even if she already knew the answer.

“I’m going to go challenge my uncle.” Quiet determination colored V’s voice. His knuckles whitened as he