explained, standing and offering her a hand. “I’m Baldewin, King Alric’s retainer.”
“Noh Ha Na, pleasure to meet you. Anti-spell, you say? That sounds nasty. Oh Cameron, I see your face.” She turned to face the camera directly. “Lots of faces. Hello, faces. How are you doing this evening, Alric?”
“Very worried about what is happening over there,” Alric answered in that formal, soft-spoken way of his. “Hello, Ha Na.”
A smile took over Halmeoni’s face, and as any one of her children or grandchildren could tell you, nothing good followed that smile. “Likewise, Alric. Very worrisome, what’s going on here. I think it’s better for us to come to you.”
“Please do,” Alric invited. “I’d prefer it, in fact. If you don’t mind, can you face Baldewin for a moment? He wants to test if you’re a mage.”
“Oh! Oh, he does? That sounds exciting.” Halmeoni promptly turned and faced Baldewin. The camera angle was such that they all could see the triangle light up immediately. “Oooh, please tell me that means I am.”
Baldewin cast a glance at the people watching that said, Seriously?! Then he blinked, smoothing out his expression. “Yes, you are. Most definitely.”
Halmeoni cackled. Outright cackled and threw a fist of victory into the air. “I knew it! Look out world, here I come!”
His grandmother. A mage. Cameron couldn’t say he was surprised. He’d kind of expected it on some level. But on the other hand…his grandmother. A mage. Magic, apparently, didn’t care how old you were.
It was kind of a nice thought. Although it seriously made him wonder about his mom.
Dieter cleared his throat. “I realize it’s quite late both here and there. You’re not going to be able to board a plane immediately. But let’s get tickets bought and bring you here as quickly as we can.”
Both women zeroed in on the phone in near tandem, the same excited expressions on their face. In unison, they said, “Yes, please!”
Cameron watched this and just shook his head. Now they were in for it.
After that, Cameron understandably went to bed. It was the wee hours of the morning, after all. He woke up to a single text message from Baldewin.
You owe me for this.
Wincing—as he could well imagine what poor Baldewin was juggling with both women likely beside themselves with excitement—he shot back a query: How bad are they?
The answer came within seconds. Cassie and Sasha are making eyes at each other. I give it five minutes before they’re making out despite the audience. Your grandmother has been peppering me with questions for hours non-stop. You owe me.
Cameron winced again. About as he expected. He typed back, I totally do. Sorry, man.
He apparently needed to know what Baldewin liked to do as a hobby. He had a feeling he was about to add to the man’s collection.
Guilt sat heavily on Alric. Knowing Cameron was being hunted, he really should have taken more precautions safeguarding the rest of his family. He’d assumed that with them in an entirely different country, they were safe enough for the time being.
Well. You know what they say about assumptions.
Cameron had to be worried about them, even with Baldewin and Sasha there. Their flight wasn’t due to leave for another hour, and having them on US soil away from the rest of the clan frankly unnerved even Alric. Cameron probably felt the same, considering all that had happened. Alric strongly felt the need to reassure him that they would be alright. Nothing could get past those two. It’s why he had sent them. But Cameron didn’t know them that well, didn’t know how strong they were. He was still learning much about the clan.
After a late lunch, he stole enough time to go and see Cameron. Lisette had postponed their magic lesson, and he’d been reliably informed Cameron was still in his room. They’d stashed him near Alric, for security reasons, but that was very likely to change when Cameron’s family arrived. There weren’t many open rooms left on this floor, for one. Putting all of his family on the same floor would be a kindness.
And Cameron was far, far too temptingly close, for another. Alric wasn’t sure how much longer he could survive knowing that Cameron was a two-minute walk from his own bedroom. Not monopolizing Cameron’s every moment was proving difficult as it was. Their date (interrupted date, no less) notwithstanding, they didn’t have an understanding between them yet, after all.
Shoving that thought firmly out of his mind, he gave the door a solid rap.