Page 64 of Petals for Vicious Secrets

“I trust Ciaran with my life,” Nina confirmed.

Aurora said, “I wouldn’t put my life in the hands of any panoms, least of all the hands of a future House Ruler. These beings think differently, behave differently, and live differently than the rest of us.”

The disgust in her mother’s voice was almost hurtful. A reminder that she didn’t yet accept the part of Hope that was linked to these panom beings. Hope tried not to take it personally. She tried, but it still hurt.

“Most of them are a bunch of assholes, to be honest,” Brendon said as a matter of fact.

Nina smiled, and then said, “I don’t want to go to the courtrades’ quarters.”

“Neither do I,” Hope said. “That’s not why we came here.” They had lost nothing there. And she had a feeling that the courtrades wouldn’t welcome them anymore. They had worked together for a specific purpose. A purpose now fulfilled.

“Is there somewhere else, somewhere safe that we can go?” Nina asked Brendon, as Ciaran appeared and disappeared again with another pair. “Just until we find out how to find… some family members?”

“If you’re looking for Raoul, one of our friends has recent news about his whereabouts,” Brendon said, and Nina lifted her eyebrows with surprise. “The description of completely white hair, light blue eyes and very pale skin is not that common, you know? Are you twins or something?”

“He’s my brother,” Nina said, swallowing the multiple questions she surely wanted to ask. Hope knew her friend was trying to contain the emotions right now, trying to not get overexcited.

Ciaran reappeared, and only Marcus and a ginger-haired courtrade remained in the room with Brendon, Nina, Aurora, and Hope.

Marcus approached Aurora, extending his hand to shake hers as he said, “May Llunal shade your path.”

“May the Cardinals guide you,” Aurora replied, shaking his hand firmly.

Nina said, “Thank you for looking after us.”

“You three don’t need anyone looking after you,” he chuckled as he kissed Nina’s hand. “It’s been my pleasure to meet you, Nina.”

He finally turned to Hope and bowed his head slightly. She extended her healthier hand to shake his, but he turned her hand and traced a semicircle crossed with two straight lines on her palm. The symbol appeared traced by thin, dark shadows.

“I, Marcus Olanett, thank you, Hope Nevada, for allowing my courtrades and myself to return to Thyria using your blood. We owe you a life debt. When you seek our help, we will be there for you. I swear on Llunal, his shadows and all his stars,” he said, and the symbol on her palm vanished into nothing.

Hope felt in her hand and her heart that these were not mere words. That had been a life-binding promise, involving his god and the source of the courtrades’ powers. She bowed her head as she said, “It’s been my honor.”

With that, Marcus and the courtrade walked to Ciaran, who had not taken his eyes from Hope’s hand since Marcus had touched it, and disappeared after his hand touched their necks.

“Nina and Brendon, you’re next,” Hope said as Ciaran moured into the underground room again. Hope and her mother would be the last two, but she knew perfectly well that the questions were eating her friend alive, and she needed to go to wherever these friends were, and find out more about Raoul as soon as possible.

Nina gave a brief kiss on Hope’s cheek as she said, “See you in a minute.”

Brendon, Ciaran, and Nina were gone. The silence was only interrupted by Hope and Aurora’s breathing.

“Now we’re here, what do you plan to do? Find him?” Aurora asked, and Hope knew exactly who she meant.

Her mother meant the man who she had loved with all her heart. The man who had given her reasons to believe a different life was possible. The man who had given her a child. The man who had discarded this child and herself, not caring if they lived or died. The man who had broken her mother’s heart. The man who she had almost given up on life for.

Hope didn’t have time to reply before Ciaran moured in front of them, extending his arms to touch their skins. Hope swallowed, unsure of what to expect. She wanted to believe this man, but if this was a trap, they would be completely at his mercy, letting him take them wherever he wanted.

His dark blue eyes seemed to read the hesitation in her eyes, because he said, “Mouring is quite safe, and quick.”

Quite wasn’t a very reassuring word, but Hope decided to not mention it as he touched the backs of their necks, and the floor vanished from underneath their feet.

Lights and shadows and blurs and sounds were spinning around them in an unrecognizable chaos. The only focus of her vision were Aurora, who bit her lips in an uncomfortable flinch, and Ciaran, who started looking around with something like nervousness in his eyes.

“This is taking too long,” he said, pushing his hands on their skins harder. The metal hand against Hope’s skin felt smooth, slightly cool. Everything kept spinning, even faster than before, and Hope felt nausea burning its way up her empty stomach.

“Fuck. Something external is trying to redirect us,” he said, closing his eyes as if trying to concentrate more.

Their feet landed in a spacious room, and Hope would have fallen on her knees if Ciaran hadn’t kept her upright with the metallic hand on her waist. Around them, there was no Nina, no Brendon, and definitely no friends. Ciaran inhaled sharply, and Hope followed his stare until she saw the source of his reaction.

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