Bright Blaze of Magic
Page 61
Claudia stared at me for a long, long time. Then she finally nodded. “So be it then,” she said. “I’ll let Hiroshi and the others know.”
“So be it,” I echoed.
Claudia left my room. According to the clock on the nightstand, there were still a couple of hours to go until dawn, so I went back to sleep. After all the stress, worry, and tension of the past few days, it was nice to know what I had to do now—even if Victor would probably end up killing me, just like he had my mom.
I woke up the second time to find Oscar pacing back and forth on the nightstand, his cowboy boots clack-clack-clacking out a steady, soothing rhythm. Tiny was on top of another table, nestled in a bowl full of lettuce, happily and steadily chewing his way to freedom as though he was in a prison of delicious greenery.
I got out of bed and went over to where the tortoise was. “Looks like someone’s already had his breakfast.”
I scratched the top of Tiny’s head. He huffed his thanks, then went straight back to his lettuce. I liked a tortoise who had his priorities straight.
Oscar fluttered over, landed on the table, and gave me a critical once-over. “How are you feeling?”
I put my arms up over my head and stretched from side to side. “Tired. Sore.”
“No more hallucinations?” he asked.
I shook my head. “Nope, no more crazy dreams or visions or whatever.”
My stomach rumbled, reminding me that it had been a very long time since I’d eaten. “So . . . please tell me that they have some bacon in this joint.”
Oscar laughed. “Now I know you’re all right.” He flew up and hugged my neck before zipping over to the door. “This way.”
I scratched Tiny’s head one more time, then followed him.
Like the Sinclair and Draconi compounds, the Ito mansion was richly furnished, with bits of gold, silver, and copper flashing everywhere, along with precious jewels. Walking through the halls was also a bit like strolling through a beautiful, elegant greenlab; there were trees, plants, and flowers practically everywhere, from bonsai trees perched in large clay pots in the corners to white orchids in crystal vases on the tables to clusters of purple wisteria flowers nestled in alcoves in the walls. The Ito wisteria crest was also stamped, carved, embroidered, painted, and chiseled into many of the pots and vases, along with the rest of the furniture.
Oscar led me down a long hallway that opened up into a dining hall very similar to the one at the Sinclair mansion. Lots of tables, lots of floor-to-ceiling windows, and lots and lots of food set out, with pixies fluttering through the air, hurrying to replace empty trays with fresh, full ones. Among the breakfast staples, I spotted pancakes, eggs, and plenty of bacon, along with pitchers of orange, apple, and other juices.
It was a good thing there was so much food, given how many people were crammed in here. Silver and bronze cuffs flashed on everyone’s wrist, some stamped with the Ito wisteria flowers, some with the Salazar hacienda, and of course, many with the Sinclair hand-and-sword crest. It looked as though the survivors from all three Families had gathered here. It made sense. Nobody wanted to be by themselves with Victor and the Draconis out there. I wondered what the Volkovs were doing. Probably holed up in their own compound, waiting to see who won the war between us and Victor, just like Claudia had said.
Oscar flew off to talk to some of the Sinclair pixies, and I headed straight for the buffet tables and heaped a plate high with food, especially bacon. I grabbed a glass of apple juice, then turned around, looking for my friends in the crowd. Finally, I spotted Poppy Ito waving to me from a table in the corner and I headed in that direction.
Devon, Felix, and Mo were sitting together as usual. Angelo and Reginald were here too, talking to each other in low voices, and there was one other addition to the table that surprised me—Claudia.
She was sitting next to Mo, laughing and smiling at him. It was the friendliest that I’d ever seen her be to him, and Mo, well, he preferred teasing Claudia more often than not. I wondered what all had gone down between them while they’d been locked up in Victor’s office, if maybe they’d finally let the past be the past and had agreed to a fresh start. I didn’t know, but it eased some of the hurt and ache in my own heart.
“Lila!” Poppy said, getting to her feet. “I’m so glad you’re okay!”
I put my food down and hugged her. “And I’m glad you’re all right too. I was worried about you, after everything that happened at the restaurant.”
She gave me a somber look. She shook her head and turned away, but not before I saw the glimmer of tears in her dark eyes, and I realized that Poppy was missing her friends and all the members of her Family who hadn’t made it out of the restaurant alive. I looked around the room, grief, fear, and anger punching me in the chest one after another as I locked eyes with various people.
Victor—Victor had done this.
He had hurt every single person in this room in some way, and he wouldn’t be happy until we were all under his thumb with his gold cuffs shackled around our wrists. Well, that wasn’t going to happen, and he was finally going to pay for all the horrible things he’d done. I just had to figure out how I could actually steal his magic. But there was another question that troubled me almost as much.
Once I had his magic, what would I do with it?
But I didn’t have time to dwell on my worries because the rest of my friends got to their feet, came over, and hugged me as well. Angelo, Reginald, Mo, Felix, and Devon, who pressed a kiss to my forehead.
“I was so worried about you,” he whispered, holding me tight.
“I know,” I whispered back. “But you found me, and you saved me.”
He nodded. “With Seleste’s and Deah’s help.”
He tilted his head to the side and I realized that my aunt and cousin were sitting at the far end of the table. At first, I wondered why they were sitting down there all by themselves, but then I realized that not everyone was happy they were here. More than a few folks gave them suspicious, hostile glares, especially Deah. She stared down at her plate, pretending she didn’t notice people glaring at her, but I could see how tight and tense her shoulders were.
I looked at Devon and Felix, then jerked my head in Deah’s direction. They nodded and grabbed their plates. Together, the three of us, plus Poppy, sat down with Deah and Seleste in a silent show of support. That got some folks to turn away and focus on their food again, especially since I glared at them just as harshly as they had been staring at Deah and Seleste.
“So be it,” I echoed.
Claudia left my room. According to the clock on the nightstand, there were still a couple of hours to go until dawn, so I went back to sleep. After all the stress, worry, and tension of the past few days, it was nice to know what I had to do now—even if Victor would probably end up killing me, just like he had my mom.
I woke up the second time to find Oscar pacing back and forth on the nightstand, his cowboy boots clack-clack-clacking out a steady, soothing rhythm. Tiny was on top of another table, nestled in a bowl full of lettuce, happily and steadily chewing his way to freedom as though he was in a prison of delicious greenery.
I got out of bed and went over to where the tortoise was. “Looks like someone’s already had his breakfast.”
I scratched the top of Tiny’s head. He huffed his thanks, then went straight back to his lettuce. I liked a tortoise who had his priorities straight.
Oscar fluttered over, landed on the table, and gave me a critical once-over. “How are you feeling?”
I put my arms up over my head and stretched from side to side. “Tired. Sore.”
“No more hallucinations?” he asked.
I shook my head. “Nope, no more crazy dreams or visions or whatever.”
My stomach rumbled, reminding me that it had been a very long time since I’d eaten. “So . . . please tell me that they have some bacon in this joint.”
Oscar laughed. “Now I know you’re all right.” He flew up and hugged my neck before zipping over to the door. “This way.”
I scratched Tiny’s head one more time, then followed him.
Like the Sinclair and Draconi compounds, the Ito mansion was richly furnished, with bits of gold, silver, and copper flashing everywhere, along with precious jewels. Walking through the halls was also a bit like strolling through a beautiful, elegant greenlab; there were trees, plants, and flowers practically everywhere, from bonsai trees perched in large clay pots in the corners to white orchids in crystal vases on the tables to clusters of purple wisteria flowers nestled in alcoves in the walls. The Ito wisteria crest was also stamped, carved, embroidered, painted, and chiseled into many of the pots and vases, along with the rest of the furniture.
Oscar led me down a long hallway that opened up into a dining hall very similar to the one at the Sinclair mansion. Lots of tables, lots of floor-to-ceiling windows, and lots and lots of food set out, with pixies fluttering through the air, hurrying to replace empty trays with fresh, full ones. Among the breakfast staples, I spotted pancakes, eggs, and plenty of bacon, along with pitchers of orange, apple, and other juices.
It was a good thing there was so much food, given how many people were crammed in here. Silver and bronze cuffs flashed on everyone’s wrist, some stamped with the Ito wisteria flowers, some with the Salazar hacienda, and of course, many with the Sinclair hand-and-sword crest. It looked as though the survivors from all three Families had gathered here. It made sense. Nobody wanted to be by themselves with Victor and the Draconis out there. I wondered what the Volkovs were doing. Probably holed up in their own compound, waiting to see who won the war between us and Victor, just like Claudia had said.
Oscar flew off to talk to some of the Sinclair pixies, and I headed straight for the buffet tables and heaped a plate high with food, especially bacon. I grabbed a glass of apple juice, then turned around, looking for my friends in the crowd. Finally, I spotted Poppy Ito waving to me from a table in the corner and I headed in that direction.
Devon, Felix, and Mo were sitting together as usual. Angelo and Reginald were here too, talking to each other in low voices, and there was one other addition to the table that surprised me—Claudia.
She was sitting next to Mo, laughing and smiling at him. It was the friendliest that I’d ever seen her be to him, and Mo, well, he preferred teasing Claudia more often than not. I wondered what all had gone down between them while they’d been locked up in Victor’s office, if maybe they’d finally let the past be the past and had agreed to a fresh start. I didn’t know, but it eased some of the hurt and ache in my own heart.
“Lila!” Poppy said, getting to her feet. “I’m so glad you’re okay!”
I put my food down and hugged her. “And I’m glad you’re all right too. I was worried about you, after everything that happened at the restaurant.”
She gave me a somber look. She shook her head and turned away, but not before I saw the glimmer of tears in her dark eyes, and I realized that Poppy was missing her friends and all the members of her Family who hadn’t made it out of the restaurant alive. I looked around the room, grief, fear, and anger punching me in the chest one after another as I locked eyes with various people.
Victor—Victor had done this.
He had hurt every single person in this room in some way, and he wouldn’t be happy until we were all under his thumb with his gold cuffs shackled around our wrists. Well, that wasn’t going to happen, and he was finally going to pay for all the horrible things he’d done. I just had to figure out how I could actually steal his magic. But there was another question that troubled me almost as much.
Once I had his magic, what would I do with it?
But I didn’t have time to dwell on my worries because the rest of my friends got to their feet, came over, and hugged me as well. Angelo, Reginald, Mo, Felix, and Devon, who pressed a kiss to my forehead.
“I was so worried about you,” he whispered, holding me tight.
“I know,” I whispered back. “But you found me, and you saved me.”
He nodded. “With Seleste’s and Deah’s help.”
He tilted his head to the side and I realized that my aunt and cousin were sitting at the far end of the table. At first, I wondered why they were sitting down there all by themselves, but then I realized that not everyone was happy they were here. More than a few folks gave them suspicious, hostile glares, especially Deah. She stared down at her plate, pretending she didn’t notice people glaring at her, but I could see how tight and tense her shoulders were.
I looked at Devon and Felix, then jerked my head in Deah’s direction. They nodded and grabbed their plates. Together, the three of us, plus Poppy, sat down with Deah and Seleste in a silent show of support. That got some folks to turn away and focus on their food again, especially since I glared at them just as harshly as they had been staring at Deah and Seleste.
