Chapter 15

It seemed odd sitting in the large dining room with just Mitz, but it also gave me the quiet that had been lacking since I’d been here.

“Now,” she topped off her cup, then gave me a knowing look, “we’ve covered all the small talk—why don’t you tell me why you looked so lost in the hall.”

“Quinton said some puzzling things.”

“Oh,” she looked surprised. “he’s usually the straightforward one. What did he say?”

I took a sip, stalling long enough while I figured out what to say yet not tell her what had led to the conversation. “That he’d caused his brothers heartache for a century.”

Her expression sobered. “Oh. I see.” She looked into her cup, “that.” She nodded. “Yes, that was a hard thing to witness.” She glanced up at me. “He’s a proud a man, so freely giving the details would be hard for him.” She inhaled slowly. “To be honest, love, I don’t know if it’s my place to tell you—or if you’d understand the dynamics involved.” Mitz smirked, “I’m probably making you more lost.”

Titling my head sideways I gave her a playful grin, “just a little.” I straightened up, “my mother educated me in all things Alterealm.” I shrugged, then stared into the dark liquid in my cup. “It made her feel better, helped her hang on longer I think.” When I looked back up, Mitz was giving me a sympathetic look.

“What color were her eyes when she fed?”

I knew what she was asking. “Green.” Her expression was pained. “It was my fault.” I nodded, “when we discovered my ability, she insisted we keep ourselves secluded.” Her attention didn’t waver, she just continued to sit there waiting patiently. “To keep me safe. We didn’t know for years that wearing gloves would stop it.” I shook my head, “that I needed contact with skin. For years we thought any contact would activate my—I turned my gloved hand over on the table and looked at it, “ability.”

She made a soft sighing noise, “It must have been very hard for you.” I looked back up at her, “to watch her fade.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I’d touch her, help her when she fell asleep.” I leaned back from the table and met Mitz’s steady look, “now I wonder if I prolonged her suffering needlessly.”

“I’m sure she knew.” She gave me a tender look, “Mothers just know things about their children.”

I nodded slowly. “You’re probably right.” I took a shaky breath and exhaled it slowly, refusing to let the melancholy creep in again.

“Thank you.” She nodded, “for sharing that with me.” Her smile was genuine. “I’m sure she’s watching over you, and dancing now that you’re where you belong.”

I gave her a wide-eyed look. “I still can’t believe it.” I motioned around the room, “I’m here. In Alterealm.”

“Unless I’m mistaken, your arrival is very important. For more reasons than a prophecy.” She took a deep breath, and nodded once. “Quinton is an essence feeder.” She shrugged, “his eyes go red,” she gave me a careful look, “he has fangs.”

I knew about essence feeders, so none of this was a surprise to me.

Seeing what she’d said didn’t move me, she continued. “Many find human essence to be more appealing, as are emotions I suppose.”

“My mother didn’t mention that.”

She tilted her head, “I suppose it’s different for each type of feeder.” Clasping the cup in her palms, she stared at it. “Quinton was enamoured with a human from the city,” she rolled her eyes, “before it was the filth it is now. I suppose it was just over a century ago.” Her gaze shifted to a spot over my shoulder as she remembered. “It happens, passions override logic.” I could see the pain of the memories on her face. “They got carried away and he took too much.” She closed her eyes, “obviously that is forbidden, but no one knew what could happen as a result.” Opening her eyes, she gave me a stern look, “it was like her soul and spirit wilted,” she shook her head gently, “then her body followed.” With a jerky movement, she put the cup on the tray with a clatter. “I cared for her until her spirit faded completely.”

I didn’t know what to say. I knew my mother was always afraid of going too far, but never knew it was possible with the other feeders.

“There are times I think it’s more merciful for the victim.” Her eyes were glazed with unfallen tears. “Quinton suffered as a result and it was far worse, he had to live through it for a century.” She moved her hand in a circle in front of her face, “he was horribly disfigured,” she paused, “but even worse, he was tarnished beyond recovery.” She nodded slowly, “he was the enforcer when all this took place, and yet he broke one of our most important laws.”

It made sense now, the tension I’d felt when I’d questioned why Leone was the enforcer in Alterealm. I frowned, “but he’s,” I felt my cheeks flush, “gorgeous. What happened? Was a cure found?”

“I suppose you could say that.” She smirked, then sobered just as quickly. “He starved himself for a century, not feeling worthy of feeding.” She inhaled a sharp breath, “I believe the only thing that kept him here with us was his love and loyalty to his brothers.” She nodded slowly, “It was Daxx’s essence that ended his suffering.” She had a proud look on her face, “he was gravely injured,” she paused for a moment, “even the healing blood from the royal family had no value, but the long-prophesized huntress was his cure.” With a deep breath, she nodded abruptly and stood up. “Let’s go into the kitchen, I feel like baking.” She gave me a big smile and carried the tray out of the room.

I stood slowly, processing the information. It was like the last pieces of a puzzle finally fitting together. What would the ramifications of starving for a hundred years be, internally? I bit my lip and picked up my cup to follow Mitz, and how did I go about finding out?

~

I watched Mitz flit around the kitchen, gathering ingredients and telling me tidbits of some of the other girls’ arrivals. I laughed at the last one, “Chase calling Kara cupid makes so much more sense now.”

She nodded and took something out of the fridge. “Yes. Has he found a nickname for you?”

I shook my head, “no. Thankfully.”

Mitz grinned, “yes after Emil’s shocking moment, I’m sure it won’t be complimentary for you.”

I turned to watch her move across the room when something drew my attention back to where she’d been standing. There was green haze. I hadn’t seen it since the market and was hoping I wouldn’t again.

“Are you all right?”

I turned to see Mitz standing beside me. I rubbed my hand over my eyes, “yes, just—” I shrugged, “processing.” I avoided looking around the room, keeping my focus on what she was doing.

Bethany, Paisley and Kara came into the kitchen.

“Mitz. We’re taking stock before the big meeting to discuss positions and updating the archaic ones. We were wondering if you needed more help?” Bethany sat at the counter beside me.

“Help with what, dear?” Mitz paused in pulling out measuring spoons and cups.

“Everything you do.” Kara leaned on the counter.

“Which is too much.” Paisley tucked her hands in her pockets and nodded.

Mitz turned and looked at a large door, a pantry I thought. “I have the entire staff to help me, love.”

“You always seem like you’re running.” Bethany said playing with the spoons.

Turning away from the cupboard, she came over and opened a drawer. Pulling out a rolling pin, she went over and set it on the table by the door and stood there. “Not at all. The staff does all the work, I just deliver the end result.”

Quinton came in and looked at her, he studied everything she had sitting out. “Are you making those pastries?”

Mitz looked over her shoulder. “I was thinking about it.”

Quinton grinned. Then turned to look at the rest of us, curiosity in his expression.

“We came to ask if she needed someone to help her with everything she does.” Bethany explained.

He looked at Mitz. “Do you?”

Picking up the rolling pin, she smiled, “not at all, love.” Taking a few steps, she moved past the pantry door, then grasped the handle as she raised the pin above her head. As she yanked the door open, she swung the rolling pin down. A man appeared out of nowhere and slumped to the floor. Pointing at him with the rolling pin, she looked at Quinton. “Find out if Romulus is missing that. If it’s not his, then it’s working with Willis.” She crossed her arms over her chest and glared down at the man.

I jumped up from the chair. There was green haze hovering all around the room now.

Quinton jolted and went over and stood above the man. He pulled out his phone and tapped the screen. “Yeah, we need you in the kitchen,” he nodded, “in the chambers. Bring your port box,” he glanced to Mitz. “Mitz is not happy.” He shook his head, “same as the time we had to paint all the hallways.”

Michael appeared in the middle of the kitchen, his phone still to his ear, holding a little box in his hand. He looked at Mitz, then noticed the man crumpled at Quinton’s feet. “What—” he went over quickly, dropping his phone to the floor as he knelt down and lifted the man’s face off the floor by his hair. Shaking his head, he held the box over him and the man vanished.

I would have expressed my shock and elation, but I was still looking at the green haze in the room. My heart was beating so fast I thought I might expire from it.

“A mage.” Quinton said in a low tone, he looked at Mitz. “How did he get in here?”

Mitz crossed her arms, the rolling pin still in her hand. “I have no idea, but my skin was crawling.” She scowled, “he was cloaked.”

Michael nodded, as he picked up his phone, he tapped the screen. “Yeah. New one for you, he was cloaked and hiding in Mitz’s kitchen.” Michael shrugged and looked at the rolling pin she still held, “might want to check his head, pretty sure Mitz took him out with a rolling pin.” He smirked, “me too, brother.”

My breath was stuck in my throat. The haze was fading.

“Reagan?” Paisley was beside me, “it’s all right, everything…”

I shook my head. “I saw it.” I looked around the room, “inside this time.” I turned back and looked at the pantry the man had been in, “it was there,” I motioned my hand in the air, “I don’t—don’t think it’s in my head.” Someone touched my shoulder. I looked up to see a concerned Quinton watching me carefully. “A mage. They cast spells and such?”

He nodded, his brows drawn together.

“Could I see that?” His expression faltered, “could I see a trace when they do their magic?”

He opened his mouth and then looked at Michael.

Michael opened his in much the same manner.

“Oh for heaven’s sake,” Bethany came over and stood in front of me, “what do you see?” She moved her hands in the air around her, “as I do this.” She motioned down her body and she slowly disappeared from my sight. While that was fabulous, I was more hyper focused on the white haze the hovered around where she had been. She reappeared.

“Did anything happen?”

My open hung open, my eyes bulging. “I saw—” I gaped at Quinton then looked back to her, “a white haze.” Covering my mouth with my hand, I backed up, moving my hand I laughed. “Witch magic is white.” I spun and looked at Paisley, “mage is green.” My heart was racing, “OMG, I’m not seeing things, I’m seeing the haze left by magic…” With a screech, I dashed back to Quinton, reaching up, I grabbed his face and jerked it down to my level. Kissing him hard on the mouth, I released him, “get everyone here. Now.” I covered my face and then laughed out loud. “She’s right! Crissy is right.”

Michael held his phone up to his ear and spoke quietly, looking at me like I was possessed. He nodded and then jammed the phone in his pocket. He looked at Quinton, who shook his head slowly.

“Do you need to sit down?” Quinton started walking toward me.

I waved him off, “no. I feel like I could run to the moon right now.”

“Mitz, what did you guys drink?” Michael picked up my empty cup and sniffed it.

I laughed louder.

“What’s going on?” Daxx came running into the room, a knife in her hand.

Troy appeared beside her, and gently pushed her hand down.

Autumn came charging in and if I didn’t know her, I would have fainted with fear from the expression on her face. She turned in a circle and looked around. Michael shrugged.

“Crissy, where is Crissy?” I blurted out, “and a mage, we need a mage.” I told Troy. “Now.” I added, “right now.”

Mitz moved to sit at the counter, she was the only one not looking at me like I was a stark raving lunatic.

Rafael, Arius and Victor all ported into the room at once.

“Romulus at the cells?” Michael asked.

Arius nodded, then glanced at Paisley. “What have I missed?”

Paisley raised her eyebrows, “I think Reagan has had an epiphany.”

Leone appeared, looking dusty and out of breath. He looked down his dirty clothes, “don’t ask.”

“We’re here.” Chase and Alona came in a different door, both looked half asleep.

Emil was the next to appear, he too looked like he’d been sleeping.

“Get Romulus here.” Quinton told Rafael.

With a curious look, Rafael ported out.

Crissy came racing in, she skidded to a stop and looked around. “We’re meeting in the kitchen now?”

I shrieked and went over and grabbed her and hugged her. “I saw it. It’s real. Not in my head.” I released her.

She giggled, “the fog? You saw the fog?” She jumped on the spot.

I nodded, then shook my head, “it’s not fog.” I enunciated each word slowly.

Her eyes widened, “what is it?”

“It’s,” I waved my hand around, “like a haze.” I nodded, “similar to the traces I see, but not around a person and,” I swung my hand around, “much wider spread.” I closed my eyes, then opened them and smiled down at her, “I’ve seen it in the city, here at the market, all over the place for months and months.” Putting my hands on my hips I took a deep breath and tried to settle down. “White haze is from witch’s magic…”

Quinton was right there in front of me, grasping my shoulders, he looked down at me, his gaze steady, “you can see a where a mage’s magic is at work?”

I nodded, “I think so.”

“Let’s test that.” Troy said.

I turned to see a strange man, looking shocked, standing beside Rafael. I say strange because of the vibes coming off him, not his greasy pimp appearance.

“Romulus, do a simple cloaking—” Quinton lifted his hand and dropped it, “whatever.”

Romulus inclined his head then started to wave his hand around.

I sucked in a breath, as he started a green haze began to swirl around him. I pointed. “That’s it.” I glanced to Bethany, “does anyone see the green haze swirling around him?”

Every head in the room gave me a negative response.

“That will be all, Romulus.” Troy glanced to Mitz, then back to him. “The mage just sent to the cells, is he one of yours?”

Romulus brushed a hand back over his slicked back hair. “I haven’t seen him for a few years.”

Quinton crossed his arms over his chest, “how the hell did he get inside the chambers? I thought it was airtight?”

Romulus shook his head as he took a visible deep breath, “I don’t know. We have the entire underground kingdom warded, just as the palace is.” He looked at Quinton. “I’ll double check all of it.”

“Someone managed it.” Chase kissed Alona, then turned to Troy. “Brother, let’s go visit this mage.”

Kara looked at them, “I’m coming.” A worried look on her face, “it’s a mess inside a mage’s thoughts, but if I can hear something…”

Rafael nodded and held his hand out to her. “Let’s go, get you set up before they walk in.”

“Romulus, you need check the wards on the castle. Now.” Autumn gave him a harsh look. “Rena is coming over soon and if she’s not safe, I’m taking it out on you.”

Romulus jolted like someone had smacked him. “I will begin testing it now.” He inclined his head and then hurried from the room.

Crissy rushed over and jumped toward Victor. He caught her without hesitation. “It wasn’t fog.” She laughed and hugged him. Releasing him just as quickly, she jumped to the floor and dashed for the door. “I need to go to my tower, there are pieces.”

I felt like a huge weight I’d been carrying for too long was lifted off my shoulders. I glanced around at the others, then paused to see Quinton looking at me oddly. I wasn’t sure, but it looked like pride.

“I’m not one to jump up and down with excitement, but I might try it today.” Daxx tucked her knife back in behind her. “You saw this green,” she flicked her hand, “whatever in the city on our side?”

I nodded. “All over the place.” I gave Autumn a quick look. “That’s what led me to that shed at the market.”

Autumn was grinning. “So, you find the green stuff, we find them.” She turned to Michael, “she needs freedom.” With a look to Daxx, she turned back to him, “we all do, so she can find this.”

Michael gave Troy a hesitant look, “There are too…”

“Don’t say it.” Daxx warned. She pointed to me, “if she can lead us to traitors and any of Hubert’s jerks, she needs to be out there looking.” She put her hand on her hips and glared at Troy. “We all need to be.”

Quinton shook his head. “It would be too risky…”

“We’ll take our guards.” Paisley looked up at Arius, “wander around the villages.” She gave him a hopeful look, “say yes.”

Bethany moved over and hugged her mate, despite his soiled condition. “We find the locations, you guys rush in and put a hurt on them.”

Leone gave her a steady look, then glanced to Michael.

Michael closed his eyes and blew out a breath.

“Cristy saw it for this purpose.” Victor’s voice held great authority, “to end it.” He nodded to me, “Reagan is here now, in this time to end it.”

“So basically, we’re to risk our mates well-being to bring this to a close?” Chase gave Troy a hard look. “I don’t like it.”

Alona leaned against him for a moment, “I don’t like the idea of thousands being harmed in the realms if Hubert succeeds.”

“The gods empower the royal blood to watch over the realms to vanquish evil from harming the innocent…” Mitz said quietly.

All of the men turned to look at her.

“Well.” Chase sighed, “when you put it that way.”

“Damn, Mitz, that’s low.” Leone mumbled.

“Perhaps,” she smiled at him, “but still very true.” She looked around, “your mates are of your blood now and the gods have brought them each here,” she nodded, “at this time, each with a skill needed to help and to protect.”

“Reagan’s not a mate…”

“Don’t try to think, Leone, you’ll hurt your brain.” Quinton blurted out. He turned to me, his brown eyes reflecting both pride and regret. “She is a mate.” He turned to his twin brothers, “and to be respected as one.” He nodded once, then looked at Arius. “Are we going to find out what the mage knows or just standing here with our gobs open?” He huffed out a loud breath, “I’ll be at the cells.” He vanished.

Rafael appeared and waved his phone in the air. “Why is no one answering…” he looked around with a jerky movement. “What have I missed?”

Troy grinned, then shook his head. “I’ll fill you in later.” His ported out of the room.

“Well then,” Chase gave me a big grin, “today is proving to be very entertaining.” He winked at me, then hugged Alona and they disappeared.

“Still processing that.” Daxx tipped her head to where Quinton had been standing, “but later when we’re not grilling a mage and hunting for green haze,” she motioned between us, “we have to talk.”

Paisley laughed, then bounded over to me and hugged. “Welcome, sister.” She turned to Arius and tapped her finger on her chest, “this girl is done being a complacent princess.” She grinned at him, “better arrange the guard patrols or whatever because after we’re done at the cells, I’m exploring Alterealm.” Her eyes sparkled when she turned back to me and then ported out of the room.

One by one, they left until Emil was the only one left in the room with Mitz and I. He motioned to the door, “Come, sister, we’ll walk to the cells and see what’s happening.”

I was still in a daze, I knew about mates and everything pertaining to it, I thought, but I hadn’t realized I was so intrigued with Quinton because of it. I glanced at Mitz, she was smiling at me like she’d known it all along. I nodded. “Okay.”