Rising Covenant (Living Covenant Trilogy Book 1) (12 page)

“When did things change?” I asked.

“We dated for about three months, and everything was great,” Paris said. “I didn’t think we were soul mates or anything, but we got along, and he was very intelligent. Then he introduced me to his niece Sierra. She was twenty, and fascinated with pagan arts.”

“Was she Goth?”

“Pretty much,” Paris said, nodding. “We started talking about magic, and I let her look at the books. Before I realized what was happening she was asking me to go to a coven meeting with her. I thought it would be college kids, booze and an Ouija board.”

“What was it?”

“Quinn was the head warlock,” Paris answered. “I was stunned. Even then, though, in the back of my mind I still thought it was a game.”

“Then you realized he had real magic, right?” Aric asked.

“Yes.” Paris’ cheeks reddened. “He could do some conjuring. He didn’t have a lot of power, but he was always looking for ways to find more.”

“Why did you stay with him?” I asked.

Paris helplessly shrugged. “I was lonely.”

My heart went out to her. “It was Quinn’s niece – this Sierra – who brought you The Archimage, wasn’t it?”

“How did you know that?”

“Just a feeling,” I said.

“She brought the book to me, and I ignored it for two days,” Paris explained. “She kept bugging me about it, so finally I took a look at it. It didn’t take me long to realize what I had. It also didn’t take me long to realize that they were playing me to get to you.”

“You think they already knew about your ties to Zoe when they approached you?” Aric asked.

“Can you think of another plausible explanation?”

Aric shook his head. “Once you ran with the book, it must have taken some effort to track you. How close were they when you decided to find us?”

“Close,” Paris replied. “I … I’m so sorry.”

“We can’t focus on the past,” I said, parroting Aric’s earlier words for Paris’ benefit. “We can only focus on the future.”

“Wow, that’s wise, Zoe.” Aric rolled his eyes.

“I’m telling you right now, Quinn’s future is going to end in flames,” I said, pushing myself to my feet. “Eat up. I have some parents to save. They’re going to be royally ticked off when I explain they were kidnapped because of me. I’m betting this is going to really cut down on my Christmas haul this year.”

“
Y
ou can’t really expect
me to sleep in a tent,” I said, eyeing the box Aric held up so he could read the side.

We were in a sporting goods store two towns over – a place I vowed never to set foot in because sporting goods give me the heebie-jeebies – and Aric was picking out camping items in case we needed them. I was hoping the bad guys set up their Fortress of Doom close to a hotel. Even a hole-in-the-wall motel touting free porn would be better than a tent.

“I have a feeling we’re going to a remote place, Zoe,” Aric said, distracted as he compared tents. “We need to prepare for everything. Besides, this won’t be a waste, even if we don’t use the stuff now. I’ve been dying to get a tent so we can camp in the yard.”

That sounded like an engaging psych experiment. “Are you trying to kill me?”

“Not anytime soon, baby,” Aric said. “Which tent do you think is better? I can stand up in this one.”

“Are you going to do a lot of standing in the tent?”

“Okay, in this one we won’t be on top of one another,” Aric said, trying a different tactic.

“Fine,” I grumbled. “I don’t like that puke green color, though. Get the purple one.”

“We’re trying not to draw attention to ourselves,” Aric reminded me.

“Oh, yeah. I guess I should probably let you do the shopping this go-around.”

“I think that would be wise,” Aric agreed, kissing my cheek. “Why don’t you pick out a pot or something? Don’t get anything too heavy. I have a feeling I’m going to be doing most of the heavy lifting. Get a frying pan that can also hold water.”

This was getting worse by the second. “Are you saying we’ll be eating in the woods, too?”

“I’m doing the best I can, but you’re irritating me, Zoe.”

“Fine.” I moved toward the aisle touting “all your campout cooking needs” but stilled before walking too far away. “You’re getting Paris her own tent, right?”

Aric glanced at me. “I’m not sure. I … do you think we should be separated?”

“Do you think our relationship can survive three people in one tent?”

“I’ll get her a smaller tent so she can carry it herself,” Aric replied, not missing a beat. “It’s not like we’re going to be hanging out in them.”

“I would prefer getting sleeping bags and sleeping under the stars,” I muttered.

“What happens when it rains?”

“I’ll use my magic hands and cover us with a dome.”

Aric swiveled and fixed me with a curious look. “Can you do that? I’m only asking because if that’s true it would make things a heck of a lot easier.”

I scratched my neck and considered the question. “We won’t know until we try.”

“Come on,” Aric said, grabbing my hand and dragging me toward the front of the store. “There are some woods out back where we can experiment.”

“You haven’t said that to me since that first summer we were together in college and you visited me at the golf course.” I love memories – especially if they’re as good as that one.

“We don’t have time for that.”

“Okay. Your loss.”

Aric sighed. “Well, I guess we can spare five minutes.”

“
W
AIT
,
you’re saying we don’t need tents because Zoe can make magic domes now?” Paris was incredulous in the back seat as Aric drove from the sporting goods store and back toward Barker Creek. “Doesn’t that strike anyone else as odd?”

“I gave up trying to put a limit on what Zoe can do a long time ago,” Aric said. “Not only can she make the little dome thing, but she can camouflage us inside of it. She hid herself right in front of my eyes. That means anyone looking for us will have a hard time finding us.”

“How are we going to cook in a dome?” Paris asked. “A fire will smother us.”

Aric stilled. “I hadn’t thought that far ahead.”

“I could open the top as long as it’s not raining,” I offered, enjoying my status as Queen of the Explorer. “I’m pretty badass. I think I could do it.”

“I’m never going to hear the end of this, am I?” Aric asked.

“Probably not.”

“We’ll figure it out as we go,” Aric said.

“Where are we going?” Paris asked.

“Right now we’re going to that ice cream shop at the edge of town so Zoe can get her sugar fix before we go,” Aric said. “I’m expecting a call from my father. Once that’s done, we’re going to let Zoe use her magic to track Quinn.”

“Are you sure she can do that?”

“She used it to track Rafael when we were at school,” Aric replied. “We knew something happened to Rafael and she managed to follow a trail only she could see, and it led us straight to Mark. That’s how we knew he was still working for The Academy.”

“I forgot about that,” Paris mused, rubbing the back of her neck. Her long hair was pulled back in a ponytail, her face devoid of makeup. She still looked like a model. I hate her sometimes. “Whatever happened to Mark? Is he dead?”

“Oh, gross,” I said. “You’re not thinking of going to find him after we kill your current boyfriend, are you?”

Mark was Paris’ college ex. He turned out to be a greater enemy than any of us expected when he befriended us before turning on us. The last time I saw him he was being dragged away by James’ armed goons after the final Covenant College showdown. That did bring up an interesting question, though.

“I never asked about Mark,” I said, turning to Aric. “Is he dead?”

“No.”

“Do you know where he is?”

“He was kept in custody for almost a full year after graduation,” Aric replied, pulling into the parking lot in front of the Dairy Queen. “My father asked me what I wanted done with him, and I went to see Mark.”

This was the first I had heard about any of this. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want you upset unless it was necessary,” Aric answered. “Mark was pretty beaten down, and I could tell the last thing he wanted was more trouble. I told Dad to let him go. I believe they check in on him occasionally, but he hasn’t made a bit of trouble since.”

I was both comforted and annoyed by the admission. “You could have told me that.”

“You were happy. I wanted you to stay happy. I thought bringing up Mark and what he did … .”

“You mean kidnapping Paris and trying to feed her to Rafael after starving him for months?”

“I believe that’s what I was referring to.” Aric was calm. “You’re not going to make this a thing, are you?”

“We have enough things to worry about right now, but I might make this a thing when I have PMS next time,” I warned.

“I look forward to it,” Aric said. “Go get your ice cream. I’ll call my father and see if he has any leads. After that, it’s going to be up to you, Zoe.”

“I love it when the fate of the world rests on my shoulders.”

Aric smirked. “I think you thrive in situations like that. Get me a medium twist dipped in chocolate.”

“Yes, sir.” I mock saluted.

“You think that’s sarcastic, but it really turns me on.” Aric’s grin was predatory.

“Oh, this is going to be the worst camping trip ever,” Paris groused as she hopped out of the Explorer. “I’m going to have to watch you two fawn all over each other while reminding myself that my last boyfriend is a kidnapping, power-hungry loser.”

“That will teach you to date old guys,” I said.

B
ECAUSE
the Dairy Queen
is the most happening place in Barker Creek, we had to wait ten minutes to get our ice cream. By the time we returned to the Explorer, Aric was done with his call.

“What did your father say?” I asked, handing him his cone.

“Quinn Redford is an interesting guy,” Aric said, licking his treat.

“Do I want to know?”

“He’s been on the council’s radar for years.”

Paris’ eyebrows lifted. “Why would he be on the wolf council’s radar?”

“We keep an eye on anyone who might become a threat down the line,” Aric replied, grabbing my wrist and pulling my ice cream over so he could get a bite.

“Hey! That’s mine.”

“I wanted some sprinkles,” Aric said. He shoved his cone in front of me. “Have a bite of mine and shut up.”

“This is going to be a long couple of days,” I grumbled, although I did as instructed. Anyone who can say no to chocolate is stronger than me.

“I already told you the next couple of days were going to be rough,” Paris reminded me.

“You know all and see all – except for the fact that your old boyfriend was a magical-seeking douche,” I said. “What else did James say?”

“Stop saying ‘old’ like I’m dating an eighty-year-old,” Paris snapped. “He was very handsome, no matter his age.”

“Yeah, Zoe,” Aric said, making a face. “The old guy was totally handsome, so that makes everything okay. Can we please get back on topic?”

“I know who has PMS in this truck,” I muttered.

“I heard that,” Aric said. “Anyway, about three years ago Redford was arrested for breaking into a Wicca museum in Montana. He was trying to steal a chalice. What he didn’t realize is that the chalice on display was a replica, not the real thing. He did a year and a half in prison out there.”

“You’re saying I was dating a criminal?” Paris looked horrified.

“An old one at that,” I said.

“Knock it off, Zoe,” Aric warned. “It’s just going to be the three of us for the foreseeable future. Your mouth is going to get old pretty quickly.”

“You love me and you know it.”

“That’s why I’ll be able to put up with you,” Aric shot back. “Paris doesn’t love you nearly as much – or in the same way.”

“I’ just hope you two aren’t going to be loving each other under the dome,” Paris said.

“Don’t worry. I can pretty much guarantee that won’t happen after the ‘mouth’ comment,” I said.

“Quinn moved to Michigan about a month after his release from prison,” Aric said. “He’s technically wanted because he didn’t report for parole. Because he’s not considered a high-risk offender, no one is actively looking for him.”

“I am.”

“And when you get him you can mete out whatever retribution you want,” Aric said. “What I found most interesting about my father’s information is that the chalice Quinn was trying to steal is supposed to be used in magical binding ceremonies.”

I had no idea what that meant. Apparently Paris did.

“Oh, no,” Paris said. “He wants the book and the chalice to bind Zoe’s powers.”

“And I’m guessing once that happens he wants to find a way to steal them,” Aric added.

“Can he steal my powers?”

“I honestly don’t think so,” Aric said. “Your powers are bound to you through blood. Just because this whack job thinks he can do something doesn’t mean he can. We both know you’re terror on two legs when you want to be.”

“I’m going to take that as a compliment.”

“It was meant as one,” Aric said. “Quinn was not on the radar when he was visiting your shop, Paris, but Sierra was. Since you disappeared, Sierra and a handful of the people hanging out in your little coven have disappeared from surveillance.”

“Do we know where?” I asked.

“No.” Aric turned to me expectantly. “It’s time to do your thing, my little magical mage. We need help if we’re going to find your parents. Find our path, baby.”

“Oh, but no pressure,” I muttered, licking my ice cream.

“Finish your sugar first,” Aric said. “I have a feeling we’re going into the great outdoors.”

“And we’re not coming back without my parents,” I vowed. “My mother is the only one I know who can make you give me that ring.”

“Let it go, Zoe.”

“
A
re you sure
?” Aric asked, leaning forward so he could peer into the dense underbrush.

We followed my intuition north out of Barker Creek. The trail was faint, but it grew stronger with every mile we drove. I started getting nervous when we crossed the Mackinac Bridge and found ourselves in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. I knew we were leaving civilization behind once Aric mentioned “camping,” but it was still daunting.

“I’m sure,” I said, resting my head against the window.

“Well, we’re right in the middle of nowhere,” Aric said. “There’s nothing around here that I know of. We’re between Ishpeming and Escanaba, and the Hiawatha National Park is that way.” Aric pointed to the east. “Whatever is out here has to be hidden well.”

“What do you want to do?” I asked.

“We’re going to do what we set out to do,” Aric said, pulling the Explorer to the far side of the road and killing the engine. “Come on. We need to hike into the woods. If someone is watching the road, I don’t want our campsite to be too close to my truck.”

I hopped out of the Explorer and stretched, dread washing over me as I stared into the trees. The woods out here were much thicker than the ones by our house.

“Come on, Zoe,” Aric called. “You need to carry your own sleeping bag and some of the other gear.”

I wordlessly took the pack Aric handed me, hoisting it on my back and groaning at the weight. “Do you think we need to take this much stuff?”

“It would have been a lot worse with tents,” Aric replied, closing the hatch door and hitting the security button on his fob. “That won’t stop anyone from trying to steal it, but at least the alarm might draw a crowd if it happens.”

“I’m not sure how far back we have to go,” I admitted.

“Well, you know more than Paris and I do right now,” Aric replied, his pragmatic streak taking over. “You’re the leader, and we have to follow you.”

“Does this mean I get to boss you around?”

Aric rubbed his thumb against my cheek. “If you think that will make you happy, go for it.”

“I think nothing is going to make me happy until we find my parents,” I said. “When that happens … .”

“Then we’re going to have some decisions to make,” Aric finished. “There’s no reason to get ahead of ourselves. We can’t make a plan of attack until we know what we’re attacking.”

Doubt gnawed at me. “I’m afraid.” I said the words so only he could hear me. Paris stood at the tree line, testing her pack. I think she was purposely giving us a few minutes alone.

“I know you are,” Aric said. “I am, too.”

“They’re my parents. You shouldn’t have to make this your problem.”

“You’re my family, Zoe Lake,” Aric said. “You’re going to be my family forever.”

“Even though you won’t give me my ring,” I grumbled.

“We’re in this together,” Aric said, ignoring my gripe. “We’re in this life together. Where you go, I go.”

“I don’t want you to see me do something horrible.” My voice was barely a whisper. “What if I do something terrible and you can never look at me the same way again”

“Whatever happens out here, these people have earned all of it,” Aric argued. “There is nothing you could ever do that will change the way I feel about you. Stop worrying about that.”

“What if I squash them like I wanted to squash the bees?”

“I’ll be happier than if you killed the bees,” Aric replied. “Bees are dying. There’s a surplus of assholes in this world. It’s going to be okay, Zoe. You need to have faith.

“You need to have faith in me that I’ll always be with you,” he continued. “You need to have faith that your parents are waiting for you and will be thrilled when they find out I’m going to propose. Most importantly, though, you need to have faith in yourself.

“I have never believed in anyone as much as I believe in you,” Aric said. “We’re doomed to fail on this mission if you don’t believe we can complete it.”

“I believe I’m going to win,” I said, lifting my eyes to his. “I don’t want to become a monster in the process.”

“We’ve spent years trying to hide your gifts, and that was probably an error on my part,” Aric said. “I was so desperate to keep you safe I forgot how strong you are when I let you do your own thing. We’ll never know how things could have been different. What’s done is done.

“I’ll tell you the one thing I know with absolute certainty, though,” he said. “You’re the best person I know, mouth and all. I don’t believe for a second that you will ever turn into one of the monsters. It’s not in you.”

“You always know how to make me feel better.”

“It’s a full-time job, but someone has to do it.” Aric grinned and kissed my forehead. “Now, if you’re done delaying the inevitable hike, we need to get moving. I don’t want to hear one complaint from you about walking either.”

“And I thought you knew me so well.”

Aric arched a questioning eyebrow as he moved toward Paris.

“We both know I’m going to complain nonstop for this entire trip,” I said. “Don’t pretend I have abilities outside of my wheelhouse.”

“It’s a good thing I’m already in love with you because I have a feeling if we’d gone camping on our first date I would have left you buried in the woods,” Aric muttered.

“What’s done is done.”

“
T
HIS
looks like a good spot
,” Aric said two hours later, studying the small clearing despite the descending darkness. “Even if it’s not the perfect spot, though, we can’t traipse around in the woods when it’s dark.”

My face burned from the physical exertion of the walk. My inner tracker refused to pick a straight line – or the easiest path – so we were forced to climb hills that I would have opted to avoid if left to my own devices.

“Paris, can you build a fire?” Aric asked.

Paris nodded. “Shouldn’t Zoe put the dome thing up first?”

“That’s a good point,” Aric said. He tossed me a bottle of water. “Drink up, sport. You’re on deck.”

“I hate you sometimes.”

“I love you, too,” Aric replied, not missing a beat. “Hurry up. It’s going to be dark soon, and it will be a lot easier to build a fire if we have a little light.”

I downed half of the bottle of water and turned to my task, closing my eyes as I centered myself. I pictured a dome encapsulating the small area, letting it form before ripping the top off and making the walls so nothing on the other side could see in. When I was done, I glanced around at my handiwork. It was pretty impressive.

“I can kind of see some shimmering,” Paris said, pointing at one of the walls. “Can they see that from the other side?”

“Nope,” Aric responded. “It will look like a blank space. They can’t hear either. We tested that, too.”

“We tested it when I had a cover on.” I pointed toward the sky, stars popping into view. “This might change things.”

“Well, we can’t do anything about it,” Aric said. “I’d rather not choke to death on the smoke. You can only do what you can do, Zoe. This is pretty amazing in my book. I was not looking forward to hauling a tent on top of everything else.”

He had a point. “I’m hungry.”

“I figured you would be,” Aric said. “Paris is going to start a fire, and you, my dear, are going to put the sleeping bags out.”

“Who is going to cook dinner?”

“I am,” Aric said.

“I can cook dinner.”

Aric ran his tongue over his teeth as he regarded me. “What food did we pack?”

Ah, a “gotcha” question. “The kind we eat.”

“Yeah, you’re not cooking anything,” Aric said. “Put the sleeping bags over there. I want them close enough that we can get warmth from the fire but won’t choke on the smoke.”

“You’re really bossy when you’re camping,” I muttered.

“I have to get a chance to shine every now and then,” Aric replied, unruffled. “You can cede your bossy crown for a few hours.”

I already hated camping.

“
T
HAT
wasn’t so bad
,” I admitted an hour later, scraping my plate to make sure I’d gotten every last morsel. How did you learn how to cook in the woods?”

“I’m a wolf,” Aric reminded me, leaning against the fallen log I rested on and touching his shoulder to mine. “I was sent to summer camp every year and surviving in the outdoors was part of it.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

Aric chuckled. “No. I take it your parents didn’t send you to summer camp, huh?”

“The other kids took a vote and we all agreed I was better off staying home,” I said. “I’ve never liked the woods.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that before we built our house in the middle of the woods?”

“Because you need the woods,” I replied. “I guess saying I hate the woods isn’t fair. I could take or leave the woods. Don’t get me wrong, I would never want to live in a big city, but I hate having to drive a half hour to find a grocery store.”

“We can move if you want.” Aric said the words, but I knew he didn’t mean them.

“I wouldn’t trade our house for anything,” I said. “While I have no affinity for trees, I like being close to the river. I like being able to have bonfires without neighbors complaining. I like being able to hop into our hot tub naked and not worry that anyone is spying.”

“Are you sure? We can sell the house if you want to move closer to a town.”

“Oh, don’t even,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I love our house. I love that you built it and we’re the only ones who have ever lived there. You couldn’t make me move even if you wanted to, which I know you don’t. Let’s not overdose on the chivalry here.”

Aric smirked. “Thank you.”

“You can thank me when we get back to the house by giving me my ring,” I suggested.

“I’ll take it under advisement.” Aric turned his attention to the stars.

“Did you design the house the way you did for any specific reason?” Paris asked. She was trying to contribute to the conversation, but I could tell she felt left out.

“I had a picture in my head of where I saw us spending our lives together,” Aric said. “My father was on the lookout for a piece of property that would work and when he sent me the link to that one … I just knew.”

“Are you saying you daydreamed about our future?” I teased.

“I’m saying I saw our future clearly and it’s all turned out exactly how I thought it would,” Aric countered. “I saw forever the moment I looked in your eyes. That has never changed.”

“Ugh, he’s so romantic I want to choke him,” Paris said. “Why can’t I find a man like him?”

“I think they broke the mold with this one,” I said, nudging Aric with my shoulder. “I guess that makes me the luckiest woman in the world.”

“Oh, so cute,” Aric cooed, pinching my cheek. “I didn’t bring the ring with me, so there’s no chance of you getting it before we get back home. If that’s why you’re trying to butter me up, you’re fresh out, honey.”

“I don’t always have ulterior motives.”

“That was unfair,” Aric conceded. “You only have ulterior motives when you’re awake. I’m sure your dreams are all rainbows and unicorns.”

“Speaking of dreams, I’m tired,” I said. “I never thought I would look forward to sleeping on the ground, but I’m not sure how much longer I can keep my eyes open.”

“We should all go to sleep,” Aric said. “Dawn will come early. I want to start moving as soon as we can. I don’t suppose you have a feeling for how close we are, do you?”

I shook my head. “The pull gets stronger all the time. I don’t think we’re close yet, though.”

“Well, that means a full day of walking,” Aric said. “I think we should all turn in.”

After climbing into my sleeping bag and rolling close enough to Aric that he could hold my hand, I pressed my eyes shut. I figured it would take me at least an hour to doze off despite my exhaustion.

I was wrong. It took me a grand total of five minutes. I welcomed sleep when it came. It allowed me to escape from our gloomy reality – if only for a few hours.

I woke to the sound of alarms dinging, and it took me a moment to realize they were inside my head. I rolled to my stomach, scanning the dark. Nothing looked out of place.

“What is it?” Aric murmured, still half asleep. “Did you have a bad dream?”

“Something brushed up against the perimeter,” I whispered. “Something is out there.”