Page 98 of In the Dark

“You think those mind games are going to work? I’ve known you since before you were a thought in your mother’s mind. There’s no tricking me, Leonidas.” Orestes shook his finger. “You will stay down here with the rest of these weaklings until you can be made to see reason.”

“And if I can’t?”

Orestes shook his head and sighed, the perfect picture of the disappointed father. “Then we will cross that bridge when we come to it. It really is a shame. We could have been a great team, you and I.”

“You can’t keep us here like prisoners. Zee is hurt. He needs medical attention. A healer.”

“The aberration needs nothing. And yes, I absolutely can keep you here. No one is going to come looking for you, I’m sorry to say.” Orestes laughed again, finding the thought amusing.

“Dad, no, please.”

His face sobered instantly, an invisible hand wiping the enjoyment away. “One day you’ll understand why I’m doing this. When the world is a better place, you’ll understand.”

With his final words echoing in their ears, Orestes took his leave. On his way out, he made sure to dim the lights to obscure their view of each other.

Leo hung his head and listened to the echo of footsteps until they disappeared, thoughts of Astix consuming him. She would be frantic.

“Dude, your dad has serious problems.” Zee’s voice was weak but it helped Leo remember he was not alone.

“Yeah. And I was too stupid to see it sooner.” He sighed, tested the restraints once more though he knew it was futile. If his father were really behind this, then everything would be checked and double checked before the plan was executed. If there was the slightest chance of breaking through the bonds, the enchantments would take care of the rest. And Orestes would have thought of every possibility beforehand.

“Any idea how we can get out of this?” Zee asked.

“Not the slightest.”

They were trapped, tied down, and waiting in the dark.

**

Orestes linked his hands behind his back and whistled tunelessly on the way to the elevator. Everything was coming together. A measure of peace stole over him. His own son may be in the Vault, but with time Leo would come to see this decision as being for the best. How else did he expect to stay safe with rogue magic leaking through the veil?

“Orestes.”

The bulldog-ish voice came out of the dark. He turned his head in time to see Zelda Vuur stepping out of the shadows.

“Zelda.” Orestes inclined his head toward the petite woman with hair the color of burning coals. “You followed me?”

She stopped short, settling a stare on him. She could have been beautiful, he thought, with the right light. Might have been beautiful to others. The men who found purpose and joy in the flesh. He was above it.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I’m doing what I have to do. I’m not sure why you feel the need to ask.”

“You asked me to set the cabin on fire, and I did. You asked me to have the oldest child watched, and I did.” She tilted her head, studying him. “So now it’s my turn to ask you. What are you thinking? I didn’t sign up to push an entire family into extinction.”

“I’d think you, of all people, would understand.” He cocked his head to the side and studied her, practically mirroring each other’s stance. “We’re dealing with a war, here. We’re dealing with a fraying veil and rogue magic leaking into our reality. By securing the Cavaldis, I’m helping to assure an outcome favorable to the Claddium’s interest.”

“The Claddium’s, Orestes? Or yours?”

He ground his teeth. “The former.”

“I thought, when you first took the boy, you were exploring his potential as the natural-born Harbinger witch. When he turned out not to be the one we wanted, I assumed you chose to focus your attention on the sisters as probable matches.”

“So I did.”

Zelda met his eyes, then shook her head as though to clear it. “You’ve stepped outside the lines,” she said grimly. “I can no longer be a party to your war.”

“Then get out of my way,” he said pleasantly.

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