Chapter Seven

The next few days passed in a blur of me traipsing around the house after Tristan, begging, wheedling, whining, and finally demanding that he tell me everything. He responded to this impassively as always, basically ignoring me except to glance at me every now and again wearing an expression of mild surprise and irritation, like Are you still here?

Edwin and Gregory were omnipresent; nobody confirmed or denied it but I assumed that given the impending arrival of Kaley that they had either quit or taken leave from their jobs in order to prepare for whatever the plan was to get her back.

‘Have they told you the plan yet?’ I demanded of Tristan one afternoon while Annabelle played in the kitchen with her dads. I had wandered in on him sitting alone in the living room with a book and, as was my wont to do lately, interrupted him regardless.

‘Yes,’ Tristan responded blandly, otherwise ignoring me.

‘And?’ I pressed.

‘And I’m sure you’ll find out by yourself eventually,’ Tristan replied, and I was sure I could see the pull of a smirk at the corners of his lips.

‘I’m so sick of this,’ I grumbled, falling back against the couch cushions sulkily. ‘You guys messed up my whole summer so I could help you, and now you won’t even tell what I’m supposed to do to help. In case you hadn’t noticed I’m sort of new to all of this, I can’t just figure it out as I go along. Plus, I’m pretty sure I’m still in a state of medical shock from what you had Annabelle do to me on Saturday night.’

Tristan snorted. ‘You did seem to handle that better than I’d expected.’

‘See?!’ I exclaimed, sitting back up. ‘I am dealing with this universal upheaval remarkably well, I’d say. You may as well tell me everything since I’ve already proved I can handle it.’

Tristan sighed and put down his book. ‘Gregory has friends in low places,’ he started, turning to face me on the couch. ‘He did a little probing and it worked; we know where they’re taking Kaley once they get her to London.’

I sat up straighter. ‘So you’re gonna bust in there with your superpowers and get her back?’ I asked excitedly.

Tristan smiled indulgently, like I was a toddler asking about Santa Claus. ‘No Cody; we don’t have death wishes. Sneak attack. We’re gonna sneak in, grab Kaley, and sneak back out.’

I frowned. ‘But won’t they just come looking for her? Wouldn’t it be easier to like... I don’t know, what do you do? Do you kill people? Would you kill them? Or is there some sort of Azkaban-like supernatural prison where they would go?’

Tristan laughed outright at this; a genuinely amused laugh. ‘Gregory said it would be funny having one of you around but I didn’t realise how right he was,’ he chuckled.

‘What’s that supposed to mean? You’re changing the subject! What do you mean, one of me?’

‘You know, like you and Edwin. People whose powers haven’t manifested yet.’

I scowled. ‘I didn’t realise we were a separate class of citizen,’ I snapped. ‘Is there some sort of derogatory term for us as well?’

‘There’s a term, but it’s not derogatory,’ Tristan said, still amused.

‘Well what is it then?’

‘I shan’t be telling you any time soon,’ he said offhandedly, and I knew there was no point in arguing with him.

‘Fine,’ I huffed. ‘Tell me the rest of the plan at least. What if they come looking for Kaley after you take her back?’

‘Well firstly, this house is literally the safest place in London. The whole area is under so much protection that it’s unlikely they would even make it to Notting Hill, much less in any sort of proximity to us.’

‘I thought you said they were really powerful?’

‘They are, but our family – bloodline family – has been living here since the Middle Ages. The “spells” protecting us are ancient and practically unbreakable.’

I scowled again, knowing he was only using the word “spells” to simplify it for me and put it in terms the stupid mortal would understand. ‘Do you meant to tell me,’ I asked, my voice dripping in sarcasm, ‘that this house has been here since the Middle Ages?’

‘No Cody,’ Tristan replied in a similar tone, like he thought I was the ultimate model of stupidity. ‘I mean we’ve lived on the grounds.’

Suitably chastened and back in my box, I dropped back against the couch again. ‘They’re hardly going to give up though,’ I suggested, my voice somewhat meeker. ‘And Kaley can’t stay in this house for the rest of her life.’

‘No,’ Tristan mused. ‘We will have to face them at some point. But not immediately. Getting Kaley back in the first place is our main priority right now.’

I bit my lip, knowing that he was probably right. As Edwin had pointed out, Tristan was a natural leader and his instincts were better than mine.

‘So what exactly is going to happen then? Who’s going to get her? Gregory or Edwin?’

Tristan tilted his head. ‘Well, we’re all going... Just in case. But as for the actual rescue effort itself... That will be me.’

I couldn’t help it, I sat bolt upright. I knew it was a mistake and that I shouldn’t let him know I gave a shit about him because he was clearly at least a little repulsed by me, but I had done it without even thinking. ‘No way,’ I said in disbelief. ‘That’s way too dangerous! Edwin is more powerful than you, you said that yourself, he should go!’

We need Edwin on the outside, on lookout with everyone else, in case anything happens,’ Tristan explained patiently, thankfully ignoring the strength of emotion behind my outburst. ‘My part is the easy part.’

I made some choked noises like I wanted to argue with him but couldn’t think of anything to say. ‘Well I hope you’re at least going to do this stupid ritual with me before we go,’ I snapped eventually. ‘I’m not just going to stand around being useless.’

Tristan laughed again. ‘Cody,’ he said, putting a hand on my shoulder like I really was the funniest thing he’d ever met. ‘You’re not coming with us!’

---------------------------------------

Incensed, I of course took the mature route and went straight over Tristan’s head.

‘Gregory!’ I shouted in appropriately, seeing as I was still essentially a guest in their house despite how much they supposedly “needed” me. Tristan was storming after me as I stormed into the kitchen where the rest of the family were gathered. ‘Gregory!’

‘Gregory!’ Tristan spoke this time, his voice full of warning.

‘What’s going on?’ Annabelle asked, looking up from her colouring book perplexedly.

‘Yes, what is going on?’ Gregory demanded, laying down his newspaper.

‘Cody is-’ Tristan started, but I interrupted him.

‘Tristan just told me I’m not allowed to go along when you guys go to rescue Kaley, or whatever,’ I said angrily. My hands were shaking and my vision was going blurry, I was furious.

Gregory was looking at me interestedly, like I’d said something intellectually interesting rather than complain about his pig-headed son. ‘Fascinating,’ he said quietly, leaning towards Edwin without taking his eyes off me.

‘Simmering just under the surface,’ Edwin agreed, sounding equally amazed.

‘What?’ I demanded, bringing a hand to my face self-consciously. ‘What are you talking about? Why aren’t I going to with you?!’

‘Well of course you’re coming with us,’ Gregory said, his voice no-nonsense. ‘Why else would you be here?’

‘Gregory!’ Tristan shouted angrily.

‘Tristan,’ his dad said quietly, then nodded his head at me. ‘Look.’

Tristan turned his head to look at me and went immediately pale.

‘What?’ I asked again, more self-conscious than angry now that I knew Gregory had vetoed Tristan’s objection.

When they just continued to look at me, I shoved past Tristan towards the mirror on the wall – and promptly almost fainted.

Staring back at me was me – definitely me – but a different me. My eyes were liquid obsidian black, my previous blue irises and even the whites of my eyes having disappeared. My skin was several shades paler than my usual tan complexion, and I just had a different aura that was almost visible. I looked more capable, more intimidating, more commanding.

I stumbled backwards from my reflexion in shock and felt Tristan strong hands close around the tops of my arms to keep me steady, before lowering me into a chair at the table carefully.

‘It’s okay,’ he said quietly in my ear. ‘It’s passed.’

‘What the hell was that?!’ I demanded weakly after I’d gotten my breath back and my head had stopped swimming.

‘That was your powers battling to be recognised,’ Edwin said, his voice slightly amused. ‘I’ve never seen anything like it.’

‘You were incredibly angry,’ Gregory mused. ‘That must have triggered it.’ His gaze switched to Tristan. ‘He’s more than ready for...’ his eyes flickered back to me for a second before finishing, ‘ “the ritual”. He’s practically begging for it.’

‘No,’ Tristan growled. ‘It’s not happening.’

I was still too shocked to argue with him, and Gregory shrugged like he’d only been making a suggestion. ‘Either way we can’t leave him at home now,’ he said, his voice balanced. ‘He has to come with us.’