Page 69 of Beneath the Watching

“You just have to buy the building,” Benjamin remarked while slathering butter on a slice of what he’d come to refer to as “classic bean bread.” He was my green bread’s biggest fan. Watching him lick his lips sent me into a flashback of Al acting as if my creation was going to murder his firstborn.Al. The thought sent a trickle of guilt through my head. Technically, I guess I was cheating on him. Was it cheating when we’d never had a normal relationship? The two of us never mentioned being okay with seeing other people and I decided I’d apologize to him if I ever saw him again. Stefan told me I wouldn’t, as some efforts were underway to have me declared legally dead.

This new version of me, here in the Fourth Realm, would never dream of being unfaithful. It was my insecurities that’d had me keeping quiet and cheating on Al. I couldn’t bring myself to regret Stefan, though.

The new and improved Mabel was much better at speaking her mind and dealing with problems as they came up. I still had to fight my urge to dissociate every now and then, but life was much easier, not running away from things or scaring others with odd statements.

“Buy? How am I supposed to buy a store with no money?” It looked like I’d have to get a job, if things with Kiara ever calmed down to the point where I could wander freely.

Benjamin dropped his plate in the sink. “You buy a lease,” he said.

I scoffed. “No money, Ben,” I reminded him.

“Just ask Stefan,” Jack interjected. “He’d give you the money no problem.”

“Dipshit, she doesn’t need money to buy a lease.”

Benjamin rolled his eyes at his friend, and I faced him. “How do you buy a lease with no money?”

He smiled. “When money comes in, you pay.”

Turning back to the stack of ingredients I’d spread out, I muttered, “I’m so confused.”

“Confused about what?” Stefan walked into the room, shoving an arm through his suit jacket, and eyeing the two men with suspicion.

Jack spoke up. “Our lovely lady’s gonna open a bakery.”

Stefan’s glance darted to me. “What?”

“It's something I want to do when things settle down. I just don’t know how and we were brainstorming.” I smiled at him. “I think I mentioned it before, in passing.”

He nodded. “Uh huh. First of all, she’s my lady—not yours. Or Benjamin’s. Keep that straight.” He glared first at Jack and then turned to the other man. “We can do that when the threat is gone,” he said to me.

A thrill ran through me, the excitement of knowing I’d have my own place to bake whatever I wanted. To have people enjoy it was a dream I couldn’t have imagined. “Thank you,” I said, giving him a quick hug. He grunted.

Stefan buttoned his coat, leveling a stern gaze at my two friends, warning them of what should happen if anything wentwrong with my care. “I’m meeting with Ilya,” he told me. “I’ll be back in a little bit.”

24

STEFAN

When I letmyself into Lucian’s office, after knocking twice, I found Ilya already waiting inside. He was in one of the upholstered chairs, legs spread wide and arms on the rests, a cigarette dangling from his fingers. Lucian was planted in his leather chair behind the desk, rolling up a scroll while staring at his laptop.

Ilya nodded to me, and I acknowledged him, taking the matching chair next to him. These meetings were a normal occurrence, Lucian summoning his councilmen to the office to go over a wide variety of topics concerning Fourth Realm business. This time was different, the gathering being narrowed down to solely the three of us.

“We’ve come to a solution for Kiara,” Lucian announced, steepling his fingers. Ilya shifted in his seat. “Stefan, you are going to accompany Ilya during the transaction, just keep an eye out.”

My eyes darted to Ilya before returning to the man opposite us. “Solution?” I asked.

Lucian nodded. “Yes, a solution. Kiara has become quite impossible, she’s completely enthralled, and I fear all hope islost. Ilya will retrieve her and eliminate any barriers and when he returns, you’ll be waiting to observe.”

I was aware of Kiara’s enthrallment, having returned to the Third Realm when we’d heard she’d gone back and made a spectacle of herself with Ramone and Alexander.

Kiara had attempted to injure Ilya with her magic, squeezing his heart and nearly bringing it to a stop. She’d then had the nerve to yell at him about leaving her. The whole situation exhausted me and annoyed me to no end.

Ilya cleared his throat and ducked a hand in his jacket pocket to pull out another cigarette. As he lit the stick I stated, “I believe I warned you several times she was one hundred percent under Ramone’s spell.”

My best friend snarled at me. “She’s not, and she’s mine. She was promised to me.” Ash flicked to the floor. “I’m going to take his girl and the company.” The arrogance in the air was palpable, a cloud wafting around his head and chest.

Lucian continued speaking. “Ilya has arranged a proposal with Matthew, who has kindly agreed to exchange one of his artifacts for a temporary gift of historical rewriting.” My head snapped up. “It will be as if Kiara never cursed herself and her adopted parents never died,” he stated.

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