That’ll warrant disciplinary action.”
“Jenny!” Bevan gasped, and he didn’t seem sure of what to do. His job was protecting me, not another familiar. I looked at him anxiously. I felt for him, but I didn’t want him to get himself killed.
“She disobeyed me,” the man replied coldly and Piers held up a hand at the men who tried to scold him.
“Don’t hurt them,” I said. “Please don’t hurt them.” We needed their help, but I couldn’t stand this anymore.
“Helena,” Piers said, his voice so indifferent that it was like we weren’t even related. “You wiped my memory before so I wouldn’t know what you were up to, as if there was any chance I wouldn’t find out. So you opened up magic to everyone. Good for you. Now demons can charge into Etherium and rampage, the armies of hell storming the gates of heaven. But we can protect ourselves against it. We can fight back. Is that what you thought? I wonder if you anticipated that you would also end the grand tradition of the close bonds of love and friendship between a wizard and a familiar. I wonder if you knew that when the demons come for you, you won’t have any aid you can call upon. You are ending our entire way of life.”
“Piers, why would demons come for me? I’m not afraid of them. I just saw into the past, the last time the worlds were joined, and somehow, Ethereal wizards managed to exist without getting wiped out by demons. I know there are some evil beings in Sinistral, but I’m starting to think there are some pretty evil beings in Etherium too. And you just might be one of them.”
“Evil! Me, evil? The hypocrite speaks!” he said. “You are the one who is destroying everything. I am defending our people. At least, what used to be your people, but will always be mine.”
“My first political debate went so much like this,” Graham murmured.
“Now, what? Are these your people now, Helena? A bunch of doddering, untalented dark wizards?” He gestured wildly behind me and I noticed that none of the neighbors had stayed put in the basement but were grouped in the front courtyard peering out at us.
“And your blood is even stronger than mine!” he continued. “You’re a royal, a Hapsburg—what a waste! The level of shame and shock you and your sick brother have brought to your poor parents and sisters…”
“Shut up! I’m ashamed of you,” I said. “You killed Harris’ familiar and you injured two of my mates. I’ve never done anything to you.”
“Oh, and these are all your ‘mates’?” Piers said sarcastically. “You’re sick too.”
Jake growled and started to lunge for Piers and I gave him the tiniest zap. “Not yet, Jake. Although I appreciate it. But this is a family matter.”
“Do you want to fight me?” Piers narrowed his eyes. “You never even finished university, Helena. And you’re just a woman. I have had a lifetime of training to dispatch my enemies. Right now, I don’t name you as an enemy yet—but take one more step, and all bets are off. I took an oath to defend Etherium, and you know you will lose against me.”
I knew he was right, and it was so maddening. When it came to a one on one, he had the power. But we had the maps. We had control of the magical world, and he and his stupid council had lost. In the grander scheme of things, he must know he had lost.
“I don’t want to fight you,” I said, although I wished I could. “I really don’t care about the council. But they also can’t scare me now. I’m proud of what I’ve done. You can’t banish me from Etherium anymore. And if Bevan wants to be free, he can be free.”
“Good for you,” he said. “But it isn’t going to work like that here.” He reached beneath his cloak, and there was a satchel hanging heavily at his waist. He lifted a tablet out, carved from a slab of stone, etched with archaic letters.
“This freedom you think you gained? Well, it won’t last long. This is one of the original covenants that bound familiars to our side.”
“What?” I cried. “I’ve never heard of that!”
“Neither had I, but these are the reasons for keeping dusty old archives. In times of need, you find whatever you’re looking for. I command you to return to my side, Chester,” he said.
Chester let out a little cry as he