Anomaly (Causal Enchantment) (22 page)

“That is not true,” A’ris quickly corrected. “Recall we will be granted one audience with
the player Sofie should the need arise. That was arranged.”

“Yes, it was
.” Incendia nodded his agreement. He had arranged it as a barter for the two requests the player Sofie had made when the Fates had granted her request for an audience with them. “Let us not use it until absolutely necessary.”

Chapter Seventeen
– Sofie

“It’ll be days before the military can step foot in there to look for survivors,” I said, studying the ominous clouds taking over the morning sky. From our perch atop a mountain ridge near the mine, my hollow voice carried on the constant breeze. The hollowness was a fitting counterbalance to the rot that had taken up residence inside, a feeling I knew I wouldn’t shake for years to come, if ever.

Based on Lilly’s quick scouting—I really had to hand it to her,
unlike the rest of us, she was keeping it together despite losing both Kait and Galen—the bomb may have devastated the city but it appeared the entire northeastern seaboard was paralyzed, electrical systems fried, communications systems broken. We wouldn’t know how far that paralysis extended until a more thorough investigation was conducted.

“
They won’t find many,” Mage said, standing directly next to me, her jet-black hair fluttering in the wind. “Perhaps some along the outer ring, if the fledglings who survived haven’t dispatched of them first.”

I dipped my head
with the weight of the situation. How many fledglings could’ve survived? Certainly a small fraction compared to the infestation of hours earlier.

Certainly not one tied to the
nineteenth floor of a Manhattan office building at ground zero.

“I can’t help but t
hink we should’ve waited.”

“
This would have happened anyway. How long did you think the rest of the world would have sat back and simply watched, waiting for the ‘epidemic’ to come to them, before they realized they were at war?” Her voice turned harsh. “Eleven days. That’s how long they waited on Ratheus before this country was bombarded with the world’s nuclear weapons supply. Their peace treaties, their friendships … none of it mattered in the face of true fear. Even now, there are countless conversations taking place behind closed doors, wondering who ordered the attack, who may be next, and what to do about it. Eventually they’ll come to the same strategy—survival of the fittest. Or the most powerful.

“And it doesn’t help that this country’s leaders are likely being counseled by the Sentinel and the witches, pointing fingers at our kind, pushing for harsh offensive tactics to eliminate us before this should happen again.”

“If that’s true, then we’ll never be rid of this threat until every last witch and sentinel is dead,” I said.

“Second
-guessing yourself will not change anything,” Mage reminded me.

“But perhaps
someone may have found Amelie and released her.” Some unsuspecting human going into the office. If anyone would bother with what was happening around them. “Then she’d still be alive.” And I would not be the treacherous witch who looked directly into Evangeline’s eyes and lied. Watching that comprehension take shape in her mind felt like a scythe sweeping through my gut.

“And this world
would have
no
chance,” Mage pushed. “Now, it does. At least a small chance. We will go in there, finish off the last of them, and then the humans can clean up.”

Clean up? How did one begin to clean up the kind of devastation I had just delivered to them? They had done it—twice—many years ago, in Japan. I remembered that. But these bombs were so much more powerful! And we were talking about New York City!

“Evangeline and the others will never forgive me, will they?” I asked softly. Our kind didn’t know how to forgive. Our emotions governed us too deeply.

Mage’s mouth twisted. “
Deep down, they all know that it was the right thing to do. Eventually, they will begin to accept the reality, which is why you mustn’t risk that by throwing your personal doubt at them. Perhaps they will forgive in time. Perhaps not. And if not, then you will learn to survive without it.”

“Maybe
I have no interest in surviving without Evangeline’s forgiveness.” Maybe I was tired. Maybe this was too much. Maybe I should just give in, hand the Fates the winner of their game—whoever that was, if I hadn’t just incinerated them in New York City. And, if I had, then did that mean I had somehow won? Because I certainly didn’t feel victorious.

Seeing that look on Evangeline’s face,
I was quite certain that I’d lost everything important to me.

“I don’t think I’m meant to be a leader in something so monumental, Mage. I think you need to take over making the decisions.”

There was a long pause as Mage stared out at that menacing skyline. I sensed her thoughts had wandered far into the past. When she spoke, it was with a degree of melancholy I’d never heard in her voice before. “There are only so many impossible decisions one being can make before the weight becomes too much. I carry that burden for my world. Now you must carry the burden for yours.” She looped her arm through mine. “But I will stand next to you while you bear your lot, my friend. That I can promise you.”

“I’m not sure how much more I can bear
.” I inhaled deeply, hoping to somehow absorb some of Mage’s strength, hoping that I could at least appear resilient, knowing what I had to do next.

Evangeline and
her friends would be focused on something other than saving this world—the impossible hope that Amelie was still alive. With the military waiting, their weapons adapted specifically for killing our kind, and with Viggo hunting, intent on Caden, Evangeline needed to be focused on her own survival and nothing more.

And that’s why I knew there
was no safety in keeping her and the others here, with me.

I would have to go against what I knew they’d want—again—
in order to keep them out of harm’s way.

“
Now that we must wait for the dust to settle, I think it’s time we discuss something equally important.”

“Something more important than the end of the world?” I
said dryly, though she had my attention. When Mage wanted to talk, it was never frivolous.

“Evangeline. About her transformation. You and I both know that it is not typical.”

“Besides her eyes?” Like shiny gold coins in their luminosity. Still beautiful, but odd, given they were once a pretty hazel brown. I sighed. “I expected as much from the Fates.” They could never honor their word with grace. That’s what you got, though, for meddling with dark magic. That’s the only way to describe dealings with causal enchantments, because any positive outcomes came twisted in darkness.

“Yes, but
…” Mage’s perfectly shaped black brows pulled together. “I would have expected something disastrous. Undesirable mutations. But so far, I’ve seen nothing but strength in her. She is completely in control of her need for blood.”

“Yes, I
have noticed that.” And I was thankful for it, in truth. Otherwise she would’ve been a sitting duck and Viggo would’ve slaughtered her when he discovered her in the mine.

“And she’s immune to
merth.”

“Yes, I notice
d that too.” I had no explanation for it.

“
Her eyes followed the bubble when you were casting the last transportation spell.”

“Yes
…” For the third time, I admitted, “She can see magic. I probed her before we left for the city. I found nothing strange inside. She felt exactly as she should.” The way Evangeline’s eyes had trailed the long tendrils of my magic startled me at first, enough to break my spell. “What I can’t figure out is why the Fates would give her such extraordinary capabilities?” My blood ran cold uttering their name. Those damn faeries and their trickery and their deception, their cold, callous decisions.

“Why indeed.” If Mage had any guesses, she didn’t
offer them. “And then there’s the compulsion.”

I turned to regard her
profile. Such delicate features for such a deadly creature. “What do you mean? We can all compel.”

Mage’s eyes were still on the horizon. “I’m quite certain that she compelled Mortimer to stay, back at the penthouse.
If that’s the case, I believe she has also compelled Julian to resist human kills.”

My gaze searched the treetops below as
I pondered this.
Compel vampires?
I supposed it would make sense. How else would Julian have had such control over himself after only a few hours? Veronique also seemed quite calm and composed in the video. And Caden’s odd comment earlier, when we reunited in Central Park … Did Caden know about this?

But compelling vampires?
“That would be …”

“Impossible? Yes.”

I frowned. “Well, not impossible. I watched you compel others, remember? Back when we tested your venom, you compelled all of the Ratheus vampires to stand back.” Though Mage was an original, and Evangeline certainly was not.

“They were not fledglings,” Mage argued. “I have tried compelling true fledglings. It did not take.” She turned black eyes on me. “Not at all.”

Evangeline could do something that even Mage could not? “What does this mean?” I thought I was finished burning my energy to figure out the Fates’ motives. But there we were again, the muscles in my body tensed with alarm. “It can’t be anything good. It never is.”

“No, it usually isn’t, is it.”
She turned her attention back to the haze of destruction. “I have a theory, though I cannot substantiate it yet.” I waited silently. Finally, Mage elaborated. “I don’t believe that she can simply see magic. I think they’ve given her the ability to wield magic. Why, I cannot say. Perhaps it is a defense tactic.”

A defense? What on earth would
Evangeline need to fight against, besides Viggo…

My stomach
sank with realization.

Against me.

I was a “player” in their game and I had an opponent.

Was Evangeline my opponent? Would they do something so sick and twisted and
… yes. Yes, they would.

I kept my eyes locked on the horizon for fear of letting Mage see my panic. No one
knew about this “game” and my role in it. I’d kept that knowledge close to my chest, mostly because I didn’t see any use in sharing it, but also because I still didn’t know how it played into this situation. Was there an advantage to being who I was? A detriment? Would killing me benefit someone else somehow?

Would it benefit Evangeline?

In one sense, if the Fates had in fact set us against each other, they were idiots because I would gladly sacrifice myself for her safety and happiness—if I knew that would guarantee it.

So wrapped up in my thoughts, I almost missed Mage’s words.
“Evangeline will likely realize that you are trying to transport her this time around.”

Would she recognize the bubble for what it was? Could I cast it quickly enough?
Regardless, I’d figure it out because I had to. I had to keep them safe. I wouldn’t risk Viggo hurting her anymore. Especially not through me.

*

“Mortimer is long gone,” Lilly announced, perched on top of the old kiln, in the same place I’d found Caden and Evangeline yesterday.

“Not surprised.” I
was
surprised he hadn’t ripped my heart out of my chest as he passed by. I was also disappointed. Of the two ancient vampires and perpetual thorns in my side, Mortimer was always the more levelheaded. Plus, Mortimer understood Viggo better than anyone else.

He truly understood how the psychopath’s mind worked, far better than
I did, obviously.

I
did
know that Veronique was relatively safe. Viggo wouldn’t kill her, not while he could derive such pleasure from keeping her hostage. No. He would hold on to her forever, just to torture Mortimer and me. I wouldn’t put it past him to attempt to sway her heart, to believe that he could. And the only reason he would believe that he could is because Viggo didn’t know how to truly love and therefore he didn’t understand the complexity of it, the finality of it.

“Perhaps having Mortimer after Viggo will put pressure on Viggo to hide his tracks
. If that’s the case, he won’t be able to follow us so easily,” Mage said.

I nodded slowly
. I wish I’d had the time and forethought to put a tracking ring on him before he left, as I’d done to Bishop and Fiona. Of course, I’d waited until Evangeline took off after Julian, not wanting her to see. I even went as far as to hide the glowing purple bracelet beneath their pant legs, hoping she couldn’t somehow still sense it. “And the others?”

“They
are in the mines, preparing to leave for New York City.”

I shared a knowing glance with Mage.

The only place they were going was to the farthest corner of the world—an inhabited island off the coast of New Zealand—far enough that it would take time to make their way back here.