Chapter 12: Caster
Robin
They ascended staircase after staircase, Magnus dragging her by the wrists like some horse.
She couldn’t help but look around in wonder, despite the perilous situation and terrifying announcement that the vampire had made.
Cain’s mansion looked like a shack compared to this place.
She wondered how they could possibly conceal something like this, but then, as they’d entered the property, they’d passed a normal fence and a normal house that now Robin understood was a decoy guard post. Then, they’d driven miles until reaching the actual building. It was well hidden, and just as isolated as Reykon had said it would be.
The thought of Reykon sent an ache of sorrow running through her. The only hope she could cling to was that Magnus had dragged his body up, and no doubt put him in the prison. The vampire hadn’t left her side so far, and knowing how territorial he was, he likely wouldn’t order someone else to kill Reykon. He would save that for himself.
She found herself marveling at the wrapping staircases, made out of creamy stone and carved to perfection. They stopped at the very top, which was about five floors. Robin was winded but wouldn’t let it show. She felt her wrists jerked painfully as Magnus pulled her into the room.
Whereas the staircase had been dimly lit with candles, this room was blazing in light.
And boy, was there a lot to look at.
She guessed that it was Magnus’s personal quarters because she couldn’t possibly imagine a more luxurious room hidden away in some other section of the castle.
Vaulted, arched ceilings, which had mural scenes of great battles on them extended for the entire space. The walls were a deep red, and golden lighting fixtures hung from the ceiling and blazed in sconces. Everything was red and black velvet, with silk and rich furs thrown in the mix. Eight French doors led to a balcony on the right side of the suite, and to the left, three ornate glass doors led to a massive spa-like bathroom.
There was a sunken sitting area immediately next to the main door on her left, and on her right, a piano area with more couches.
Doors lined the other wall. She wasn’t sure where they went, only that this space and those hidden rooms were enough to take up the entire top floor of the compound.
Robin was awestruck at the room and didn’t notice that Magnus was staring at her now, hunger in his burning red eyes.
The witch Calliope stepped between them and gave an icy smile to Magnus.
“I must prepare her.”
He let out a long breath and nodded. “Very well. I have some business to attend to with my strongblood.”
Robin’s stiffened at this.
Magnus laughed, dropping the rope he’d tied to her wrists. “I shall tell Reykon that you miss him dearly.”
He left, leaving her alone with the witch. As soon as the door closed behind him, Calliope dropped the false satisfaction, her face settling into cold apathy. She poured a glass of water from a decanter on the tray and brought it over to Robin.
Robin set her jaw and held her hands out. “Take them off.”
Calliope laughed. “Of course. My dear, you have nothing to fear from me.”
The witch brought her finger down through the air, and Robin felt the rope fibers split. They fell to the floor.
Robin rubbed her wrists and glared at the caster in front of her.
Calliope took two steps forward and murmured something. Robin saw the amulet around her neck glow turquoise for a moment before she felt Calliope’s sharp nail against her forehead. Just a tap, and then she brought her hand back down and gave another smile.
Robin couldn’t move.
Not ‘frozen in fear’, or ‘not sure where to go’, but literally unable to move.
She was screaming at her legs to walk, to run, to do anything, but the signals just weren’t getting through.
Calliope held out the glass of water with a smile. “For you.”
Robin’s hand moved up, and she took it, drinking the entire thing. She tried to speak, but she couldn’t make her mouth move.
Calliope cast a glance back and waved her hand. “Go ahead.”
Robin felt a release in her throat and found that she could speak. Her voice was distraught and strained. “What is this?”
“Just a little spell to help things go smoothly,” the witch said, setting the empty glass on a nearby table and taking Robin by the hand. “Come.”
She walked with smooth, robotic steps.
Calliope opened the doors to the bathroom and pulled Robin inside. She was looking straight ahead, but out of the corner of her eye, she could see the main bathroom to her right, across the entire length of the suite. They were in an area with wall length mirrors, and a plush chair. The closet was to their left and was larger than her entire apartment. A white dress hung on one of the golden wardrobe hooks.
Robin was faced with her reflection, in the massive mirror that spanned the whole wall, separated only by a counter that held a manner of antique vanity arrangements. A black bag sat on it.
She looked at her own face and found a stranger looking back at her.
Pale, and tired. But most of all, hateful. She was beginning to see Lucidia’s features on her own; the hardened eyes, the angry scowl.
Her blond hair was matted, frizzy and coiled from the salty air and from not being brushed in days. She had dirt all over, and her sweater was torn. Blood had gotten on it, probably from Willow or Dag. The sight of it made her nauseous.
Calliope sat her down in the chair and studied Robin’s face, running the back of her hand down it.
The feeling of her cold, unnatural fingers made Robin’s teeth itch.
“You are so much more beautiful than I imagined,” the witch murmured.
“What are you talking about?”
Calliope leaned back against the counter edge and folded her hands in front of her. “You truly have no idea who you are.”
Robin was still frozen
