Galena

Later that evening, Maggie found her brother standing outside of Emma’s. He was leaning against the porch banister with his arms crossed, staring off into the distance where the light of Valo shot into the sky. The light was pulsing, as it always did, but was dimmer than normal.

“Think mom’s still alive?” Maggie asked, staring at the light.

Jace looked over his shoulder, then back at Valo, “We can only hope. I don’t really remember being in Valo or whether I saw her or not. I don’t even remember seeing Garos,” he let out.

“But you remember everything else?”

Jace nodded and saw her cringe. She could only imagine what he did as a Garzil Knight. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” he said, looking down at her. She was sitting on the steps.

Maggie shrugged, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about my magic… I was scared.”

Jace let out a laugh and sat next to her, “Same here. You hate the Garzil. Which is funny seeing how Heath-”

“Yeah well, he’s different.” She hugged her arms across her chest as a cool breeze went by. She wished she grabbed a cloak before she was taken from the house. “Even Emma saw it.”

Jace’s eyebrow rose - he didn’t realize Emma met Heath. He thought about the day he stopped that Knight from hurting Kim’s husband. Heath must’ve been that Captain – it only made sense. “How long have you known Heath?” he asked, looking back at Maggie.

Maggie shrugged, “Almost three years now. He always asked how you were.” She chuckled, “Now I know why.”

“You like him, don’t you?”

She glanced over at Jace then back to the horizon before them. “How long have you known him?” she asked, turning the conversation back on him.

Jace knew she didn’t want to discuss what she had with Heath, so he answered, “Since right after I left. We met and planned to join the Garzil to destroy them from the inside out. Mainly because of our mothers, but it backfired and we became one of them until the spell was broken…”

“What broke yours?”

Jace took in a deep breath and began to tell Maggie what happened the day Evelyn came to him during a raid. He explained that when he heard her say their mother’s name it was like he woke up, but he couldn’t do anything about it. “Vanessa was there with me,” he continued, “She would’ve known something was up if I reacted.”

“So, you played the part,” Maggie plainly said.

“With her you have to. She’s unpredictable.”

Maggie shook her head, “Your ex-girlfriend is crazy.”

Jace shuddered at the thought of all the things him and Vanessa did in his home in Ori.

“What broke Heath’s spell?”

“Not sure,” he shrugged, “You’ll have to ask him.” His eyes dropped to her hands. She was wearing her dragonscale gloves which concealed her magic. “So, about your magic,” he said after a few moments.

Maggie rubbed her hands together, staring at them between her knees. She slowly began to explain how Vivian transferred his magic to her before she was arrested. She told him why Vivian did this then explained that her magic broke free causing their step-father to leave. She didn’t tell him about the Void. It was gone, and she didn’t want to bother him with such details. She told him how Diana gave her, her gloves after that day and how she was not good at using her magic.

“Remember the cakes that poured out of the fridge?” she asked.

“No-” he said, shocked that her magic was the cause of that.

“Yup. I was surprised burning mom’s base stuck with how unstable my magic is…”

“If it wasn’t for Vanessa’s magic, they would’ve never known.”

Maggie shook her head, “I think she still would’ve come for me… Us. Yhden has a way of doing things - this needed to happen.”

“You sound like Emma,” he said, nudging her.

“Where is she?” Maggie asked, looking back at the front door.

“Waiting for me in bed.”

Maggie smirked and nudged him back, “I’m glad you worked things out.”

“I still feel horrible about Evelyn.”

“Emma forgives you, right?” she asked and Jace nodded. “Then don’t be so hard on yourself. Evelyn knew what she was doing and if it wasn’t for her, you’d still be a Knight.” Jace gave her a soft smile, telling her she was right. His gaze on her lasted longer than she expected, and she leaned back, scrunching her eyebrows at him and asked, “What?”

“I don’t think we’ve ever sat down and talked.”

“Yes, we have.”

“When I came home, doesn’t count. Besides, that conversation lasted for five minutes before you got annoyed with me and walked away.”

“You should give me a little more credit than just five minutes, Jace,” she teased.

“Okay, ten.”

Maggie gave him a smile and was taken by surprise when Jace pulled her into his arms. She leaned into him and wrapped her arms around him, accepting his hug for only a few moments before saying, “Okay, your Highness. You can let go.”

“I was wondering when you were going to bring that up.”

“That conversation can be for another time,” Maggie said and stood up. “I’m going to bed.”

Jace gave her a smile and watched her go inside before turning back and looking at Valo again. He let out a heavy sigh and stood up. He knew what was coming. They were going to have to take Valo back. But for now, they were going to have to prepare themselves. Garos had a bodyguard that only the High Advisor was going to be able to fight against, which meant they were going to have to work on Maggie’s magic right away.

He quietly entered Emma’s room and climbed into the bed with her. He gently kissed her cheek then laid on his side behind her, putting his arm around her waist. She stirred and adjusted herself, moving closer to his warmth. He snuggled his face into her hair, taking in her scent.

Slowly he fell into a deep sleep, only to find himself in a dream, watching his mother climb into the black carriage outside of their home.

Vivian moved over on the black leather seat for the Captain to join her. She looked to the side as if there was a window to peer out of and when the door shut, the carriage began to move. The Captain reached over and took the cuffs off Vivian’s hands. She rubbed her hands together, not looking at him or thanking him.

“It wasn’t my choice, Viv,” the man said after a few moments.

“But you were certainly up for the task,” she responded.

“I had no choice,” he repeated to Vivian. “Becoming one of his soldiers wasn’t even my choice, but, yet, I was chosen. I was saved while the others fell. You’re lucky to even be alive.”

“Not after today. He will kill me the minute I stand before him.” She put her hand over her mouth and tried to hide the sob that came up from her throat. “Did you not see your children, Jonathan? They’re not ready to be in this world alone.”

“Of course, I saw them. Maggie looks just like you and Jace is the spitting image of me at his age. I have watched them grow when you take them to the market or when they’re walking to school; and it has pained me that I was never there.” He paused and looked away from her. When he spoke again, he looked back at Vivian, “I have tried for over sixteen years to keep their suspicions at bay. But that last attack on the Garzil, Vivian. I could no longer hide you and he knows I have hid you.”

“What will become of you when you hand me over?”

“My fate is the same as yours,” he answered, looking away from her.

As Vivian began to cry into her hands, Jonathan took her in his arms. He hugged her tightly then cupped her face to look at her. He dipped his head and gently kissed her, then raised a dagger. “Jonathan!” she exclaimed, pulling away quickly. Fear pouring into her eyes.

“I need you to kill me.”

“No,” she shook her head ferociously, “I won’t do it!”

“I would rather die by the hands of the woman I love than by that beast.”

Vivian shook her head, tears streamed down her cheeks.

“He doesn’t know how powerful you really are, Vivian. If he sees that you have overthrown a Captain of the Garzil Knights, then took out everything that stood in your way until you reached him, he will spare you.”

“He will drain me. I will not give him my magic.”

“You will,” he told her. Vivian gave him a look as he continued, “I want you to take this,” he held up a vial. The liquid was so blue it was black.

“What is it?”

“It’s poison. It won’t affect you, only your magic. It will poison him slowly without him knowing and with the strength of your magic, he will take his time with you. Maybe long enough for our children to be able to fight for what is theirs.”

Vivian’s eyes dropped from him and went back to the vial, “Where did you get it?”

“A necromancer from the Undercity.”

“You can’t trust necromancers, Jonathan.”

“This one I can. I saved his boy’s life.” Jonathan took Vivian’s hands and put the vial between them as he pleaded, “Darling, if you want to die then do so, but at least be the one to kill Garos in the process and spare me his judgement.”

“But he is my brother…” she said, between tears.

“He is no longer human. You must decide. We are almost there.”

Vivian’s lip trembled as her hand wrapped around the vial and leaned into Jonathan, kissing him. He wrapped her other hand around the dagger and guided the blade under his armor. He breathed in sharply at the pain and slowly dropped away from her.

Tears flood from Vivian’s eyes as she watched him slump over.

As the carriage came to a stop, she quickly pulled the cork off the vial and shot the liquid down her throat. She could feel it burn as she waited for the doors to open.

Jace shot up in bed, breathing heavily and rubbing his face. Emma sat up with him, being startled by his sharp movements.

“What happened?” she asked, holding him as sweat came down his forehead. “You’re not having those dreams still, are you?”

“No. I dreamt of mom,” he let out. “I’m fine. I just need water.” He slipped out of the room and down the hall to the kitchen. Before he entered, he saw Maggie sitting on the couch, crying. “Maggie…?” he let out, walking towards her. She looked up at him and he quickly sat next to her. “What happened?”

“I just saw what happened to mom after her arrest,” she said, crying into his arm as he held her.

“With Jonathan and the poison?” he asked, anxious to know if she saw the same thing.

“How did you know?” she asked, looking up at him.

“We dreamt the same thing.”

“That means she’s still alive.”

“We don’t know that for sure, Maggie.”

“She has to be, Jace,” she said, leaning back into his arms. “That man… he was our father. I knew there was something about him.”

“I know…” Jace said, surprised she hadn’t pulled away from him yet. “We should talk to Marie in the morning,” he suggested when she pulled back. “Maybe she can shed some light on this.”

Maggie nodded and Jace told her to try and get more sleep. He saw her to the hallway and went to drink a glass of water. He put the glass in the sink and let out a sigh.

The fact that their father was a Garzil Knight meant that their mother’s safety must’ve been his number one priority. Jace hoped that whatever plan Jonathan had set up, it worked, and their mother was still alive. He wanted to see her when it was time to take his place as King to Galena.

He swallowed hard. He hadn’t thought much about who he was meant to be, but since Kard had come to him - it was like all his questions had been answered for him. He left the kitchen and went back to Emma. She was still awake and looked up at him, asking if he was okay. He laid down, telling her he’d tell her in the morning. He leaned forward, placing his lips on hers, then cradled her in his arms as they fell back asleep.