Page 2 of Gifted Destiny

Has he seen his imprisonment? Bren’s farseeing abilities are as unpredictable as his weather magic. His visions are often confusing and he’s rarely given a single, concise future. Yesterday, he’d been convinced that the future didn’t matter.

Garrett, Bren’s half-brother and Addington’s former heir, speaks up for the first time since the detectives entered the building. The visit has shaken his typical arrogance. “Addington must have sent them. They wouldn’t have named Bren otherwise. Thank the gods that we changed our last name.”

The shifter’s words echo a mantra I’d been repeating. After I’d recovered my memories and identified their father as the mastermind behind my torture and imprisonment, they’d renounced their patrimony. Altering their surname in the library’s contract book had proven as legally valid as a court decree. They’d had personal reasons for the action, too, but seeing my injuries convinced them.

“Ah,” the old mage interjects smoothly. “I had wondered how that truth was circumvented. Very wise,” Tremayne praises with apparent approval.

The professor must be ancient because supernaturals don’t actually show their age until they pass a certain threshold. His impressive beard is snow white, though, and his skin resembles aged leather. For some unknown reason, he wears voluminous robes that increase his resemblance to fantasy novel wizards. On his finger is the required ring with the symbol that represents the House of Magic. Many alumni of Apocrypha Academy wear these rings. Addington and Ansel, both shifters, wear the same ring from the House of Beasts. When I saw the ring on Ansel’s finger, it sparked a memory that encouraged my horrifying trip down memory lane.

Tremayne’s interruption is a reminder that we are not alone and we still have work to do. I square my shoulders with determination and release the brakes on my chair after making certain I won’t run over Avery’s toes. When I round the tall circulation desk, I see that Sage has provided food and drinks. I’m grateful for her consideration. My throat is sore from talking to patrons, and I’m exhausted.

“Thanks for coming when you did,” I tell Tremayne and add a nod to Ansel as I pull up to the table. I’ve tried to convince myself that the truth behind my parentage isn’t important, but I’m still nervous. Determining whether the shifter is my biological father won’t change the past or solve any immediate problems, but it might ease my mind. I’ll take what I can get.

“I was glad to be of assistance, Librarian. You appear to have settled into your position here, and this delights me more than I can say. I regret your first day was so turbulent, though. I apologize on the Academy’s behalf for the young mage who wielded the pheromone trap. I’m disgusted that she was able to smuggle the enchantment onto the campus grounds.”

Is his irritation amplified by the overall state of the Academy? Does he blame his fellow faculty members for their corruption or hate Addington and Walthers for theirmanipulation? Either could apply. Neither could also be true; I might be projecting my wishes for an ally into my evaluation. I decide not to address his comment right now.

“Please call me Zosia. Also, I realize Master Tremayne is your title among colleagues, but I won’t call anyone Master or Mistress.” I want to saysorry, not sorry,but it might bring too much attention to the generational gap between us.

Living among the magicless has influenced my opinion on the title, but there’s more to it. Avery was essentially a slave and forced to call his employer Master. Thankfully, that particular individual has been banned from entering the library. After I stole Avery from him, he stormed onto the premises and screamed insults at me. I’d taken pleasure in his fear when the gargoyles threatened him.

“I agree wholeheartedly, my dear. I’ve advocated for the title’s dissolution, but too many individuals take delight in subjugating others. If I am allowed to call you Zosia, I should give you my first name. You may call me Stanley or just Tremayne, as Ansel does.”

The name provokes a smile; it’s very mundane for a powerful mage. I’d expected Tremayne to be his only name. Calling him Stanley feels disrespectful, so I decide to follow Ansel’s lead. As I reach for a glass of water, I realize the two men are still standing.

“Please sit. The library has provided refreshments and I have a million questions. I don’t know how many you have time for ….”

“I am at your disposal,” Tremayne answers as he sits across from me.

Ansel immediately sinks into the chair next to his mentor. I recognize his pain because it mirrors my own. His respect for the old man is apparent despite his weakness and exhaustion. I imagine his last minutes ticking away with every minute. The shifter was one of the first adults to show me compassionand respect. His actions might have been influenced by ulterior motives and tremendous guilt, but his death will still sadden me. We might have to attend to him before we discuss Bren.

The old mage speaks again after he’s seated. “I was pleased when Ansel provided the invitation to speak to you. I’d been hoping I might further our acquaintance since our first meeting. Before you begin your questioning, may I be introduced to your guardians?”

My social ineptitude makes my cheeks heat with embarrassment. “Of course! I’m not used to proper manners, and I haven’t had many opportunities for polite conversation.” The understatement is laughable. I lived in the supply closet of a magicless orphanage, and I only ever spoke to my ghostly best friend.

“You might know Avery from when he was indentured to one of your colleagues, but allow me to introduce him as a free man. Avery DuClair was the first of my guardians. Professor Dighit stormed the library when he found out, and he’s been blocked for his rudeness.”

The vampire executes a shallow bow before he chooses a chair. The distance between us confuses me until I realize that he has intentionally left the seats on either side of me for the brothers. Both accept the chairs immediately, and I realize they want to be close to me after the frightening visit from the BSP. The feeling is mutual, but I didn’t identify it until Avery’s considerate gesture. His insight into our emotions might be disconcerting if he didn’t use it to strengthen our relationships.

“Next are Garrett and Brendan Kennard.” I formally introduce the brothers with their new surname. The shifter extends his thick arm across the table for the mage to shake. He’s a mountain of muscle. His size should make the old man appear frail, but nothing about the mage suggests delicacy.

The younger brother waves in our general direction, but his gaze is focused on the far wall. I’m about to crane my neck to see what he’s looking at until I recognize the glazed look in his eyes. He’s peering inward – not outward. His body leans against my chair, and I can feel his energy vibrating around him. The woman who’d attempted to snare him with a pheromone trap had hurled malicious insults at me and my other guardians. Her ignorant cruelty provoked Bren’s volatile magic and caused a tremendous storm. The sudden atmospheric event was the excuse behind the BSP’s arrival, but my intuition suggests Addington was behind their interest. He will take advantage of any opportunity to retrieve his sons.

The mage greets each brother equally, even though Bren’s attention is elsewhere.

“And the ghost with the permanent scowl is Kodi,” I continue. “A recent discovery revealed that he’s been with me since before I entered the orphanage. He saved my life.” My fond tone softens his scowl. If he weren’t a ghost, the praise might have elicited a blush. The monochrome colors of his spectral afterlife don’t change color, though.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kodi. Truthfully, I have lived longer than you youngsters can comprehend, but I’ve never met a spirit who has managed to remain on this plane for as long as you have. Your nature fascinates my academically-minded brain, and I have many questions.” Tremayne studies Kodi, but his examination is respectful. “You were able to forge a contract with the Library?” His surprise is apparent, and it’s clear that Ansel hadn’t told him about this yet.

“He’s actually solidified a couple of times now,” I say quickly. I don’t know if I’m bragging or offering excuses, but Kodi has been my friend for longer than I can remember. I wouldn’t bemewithout him, and his presence is vital to my well-being. The other three men, while important, don’t have our shared history.

Tremayne’s eyes widen. He’s lived so long that I doubt much impresses him anymore. “Marvelous,” he breathes as he strokes his long beard. “I would love to meet you in the flesh, so to speak, at some point. Should I call you Kodi? Would you prefer I use a surname?” Tremayne’s mannerisms are as impeccable as Avery’s are, but it isn’t surprising. He grew up in a time when courtesy was customary.

Kodi’s scowl intensifies. “Like the brothers, I have disowned my last name and everything related to it.”

The bitterness in his tone is one I share. My best friend’s father worked for Addington. The brothers’ sire might have bought me and imprisoned me, but Shawnessy smashed my legs and made me unable to walk without assistance. They might have succeeded at stealing my magic if Kodi hadn’t intervened.

My friend sacrificed himself for me, but he still struggles with overwhelming guilt for the years he helped his father. He’d been too young to understand and coerced into cooperation, but this is small consolation. Similar to him, I can’t release my guilt over his death. We’ve recently theorized that our combined shame might prevent him from maintaining his corporeal form.

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