Chapter Thirteen
Niall’s defeated look spoke volumes, and he didn’t acknowledge Brody or Catherine as they joined him on the patio for breakfast. All signs of the ceremony were gone. He didn’t want Caleb any more pissed at him than what he already was.
Brody finally broke the silence that had engulfed them since they had walked onto the patio. Niall looked at them and he could read the concern in their faces and wanted to reassure them that he was fine.
“Hey man?” Brody questioned.
“You both can stop worrying, I’m fine,” he told them. Brody shifted in his seat across from Niall as he slumped down, trying to show that he wasn’t worried.
“Of course you’re fine,” Brody agreed. “Just like the ladies are fine.” Niall looked away from them. “Niall, can I ask you something?”
“What?”
“Is what happened, what you expected to happen?” Brody pushed him.
“Of course not!” he stated vehemently, stopping when he saw the smile on Brody’s face, shaking his finger at him. “You’re not as stupid as you want everyone to think, my friend.”
“Of course not,” Brody admitted. “But I do have a rep to maintain, especially if we want people to trust me with information. People don’t talk to people who show off their intellect.”
“That’s fine Brody, but do the guys a favor knock off the stupid act, it drives everyone nuts.” He watched the look that passed over Brody’s face and the mischievous gleam that twinkled in his eyes.
“I know,” was all Brody said. Niall started to say something, but stopped to listen to Catherine’s question.
“What were you expecting?” she wanted to know.
“I was expecting the flash, just not on that level. We weren’t doing anything ….” He paused, shaking his head. “I’m telling you, I did everything right. I’ve gone over that spell a dozen times since; nothing I did should have caused what happened, nothing.” He let out a sigh, “I have no idea what went wrong.”
“That is because you’re not a sorcerer,” the voice without a body told them. Jumping to his feet, ready to confront the figure that appeared in front of them, Niall stared at the man that had just materialized from thin air.
“Hello Joseph,” Niall greeted, “Long time, no see.”
“Niall,” Both men voices echoed with contempt and mistrust, looking from Niall to the two standing just behind him. Joseph’s dislike clear and evident, he didn’t bother to hide it. “I see you are still mingling with them,” he spat out. Niall’s gaze shifted from the man, to Catherine and Brody.
“If by them you mean humans, then yes, we are still mingling with them. Unlike you, we live in the real world, and when you live here, you have no choice but to mingle with them and the other races that are part of it. We actually kinda like some of them,” Niall told him, and he could read the disdain in Joseph’s every move. Niall sat down and watched him take in all that was around him.
“You always did have a weakness for the unworthy, didn’t you, brother?” he sneered. Niall didn’t look at Brody and Catherine, both watching with shock. They had known about Niall’s brother, but had never met him.
“Who are you calling unworthy, Dude?” Brody stated, taking a step towards Joseph, who faced him with an almost feral look.
“Silence, human!” he spat.
“Joseph, I would watch what you say to my friends.” Niall’s voice held a warning. “They’re under my protection, and you don’t want to mess with me regarding them, because you’d lose. Now, brother, for what reason have you pulled yourself away from L’Dern and entered the real world?” Niall asked the question even though he already knew the answer. He didn’t want Joseph to see that he was concerned about what had happened. He had learned long ago never to show his brother any sign of weakness.
“Why do you think?” Joseph spat at Niall. “Did you honestly think that we wouldn’t notice?”
“Notice what?” Niall questioned, still trying to play dumb as he tried to get to why Joseph was here.
“Don’t be insulting, Niall, we all felt the spell you evoked last night. I’m surprised the entire world didn’t notice it.”
“Entire world, not likely, but the whole city, yeah they noticed it, and they’re writing it off as some freak overload of the electrical system for the area. They’re looking into it, but we already know they won’t find anything,” Niall told him.
“Maybe not, but then again, they aren’t exactly the most intelligent of the races are they?” Joseph stated, staring at Brody. Niall placed his hand on Brody’s arm in a signal of caution. He didn’t want him to try to go after Joseph, and get hurt.
“Joseph, they may not be high and mighty sorcerers like you, but I wouldn’t act so superior. They are a lot smarter, and certainly more capable, than you give them credit for.” Niall came to his feet and walked around the table, coming to a halt in front of his brother. “So you sensed that we cast a spell, a whopper of a spell, so what? We do know how to cast spells, no big deal.”
Joseph got a look on his face as he watched his brother try to act so calm, cool and collected. Obviously, he had changed since the last time they had seen each other.
“So calm Niall, you’re getting better at hiding your emotions; it was always the thing that got you in trouble, your inability to control them,” he told him snidely. “But did you honestly think I wouldn’t know that you cast the spell of the ancestors? If you did, that can mean only one thing.” He stared at Niall watching him closely. “You found them.”
“Found who?” Kevan questioned as she walked onto the patio with Caleb and her sisters. “Morning everyone, I see that we have a visitor.” She was suddenly looking at Caleb’s back as he pushed her behind him. “Hey,” she poked him in the back, but could sense the sudden tension surrounding them.
“Joseph, what are you doing here?” Caleb growled, ready to kill to protect Kevan and her family.
“Caleb,” Joseph’s voice dripped with animosity. He looked from Caleb to the woman that he had pushed behind him and the other two that had joined her. They were watching him with just as much curiosity for him, as he had for them. “So these are the ones?”
Kevan didn’t say a word as she studied the man, trying to get a handle on him. His arrogance was apparent, and Kevan guessed that he was used to getting his own way. With his long flowing brown hair and his chiseled cheekbones, he made candy for the eyes, but his looks didn’t overshadow his tone when he looked them over, trying to decide if they were worthy, or had come up short. “Well, I must say I’m surprised that Niall and his warriors were the ones to find you, but it is very nice to meet you finally after all these years,” Joseph told them.
Kevan stepped around Caleb, knowing that he was trying to protect her but also knowing that she couldn’t let him take over everything.
“Joseph!” She said the name, her face twisted with confusion, as she looked to Niall. Then her face lit up as something sprang to bloom within her mind. “Joseph, as in your brother, the asshole?” she asked Niall.
Niall nodded, as he let out a quick snort of laughter. “Yes,” he told her.
“Well, I can see some of what you told me, but I’d say a lot more anal.” Niall smiled, shrugging his shoulders as Kevan looked at Joseph, waiting for him to say something, but he just continued to stare at her. “So, to what do we owe the honor of your visit?” she asked, looking at Caleb as he staked his claim, wrapping his arm around her waist. “Hey babe,” she snuggled into his side, allowing him to feel like he was in control and protecting her.
Joseph grimaced, not liking the closeness that seemed to be developing between Caleb and the woman.
“It would seem you discovered our long prophesied ones, little brother. Good for you.”
“Yes we did,” Niall told him coolly, “but what does that have to do with you, and why are you here?”
“For them, of course. Why else wou
ld I be here?” Joseph stated, looking at Kevan and her sisters. “Are you ready to go?”
“What? Whoa, slow down big boy! If you think for one moment that we’re going anywhere with you, you’re completely delusional,” Kevan informed him, throwing her hands up, turning to Eve and Kaitlyn, who shook their heads. Kevan put her hands on her hips, and glaring at the man standing in front of them, barked, “Who the hell do you think you are anyway?”
“I will be your teacher,” he stated matter of factly, “so you’ll do as you’re told.”
“You aren’t serious,” Eve smirked while walking over to the server, helping herself to a cup of coffee. “He isn’t serious, is he?” she asked the others gathered on the patio.
“Why do you question my actions?” Joseph inquired of them.
Kaitlyn stared at him, her mouth gaping open, and then told her sisters, “I think he’s serious.”
“Get out of here! How is that possible in this day and age?” Eve expressed her disbelief.
“I am not going anywhere!” Joseph told them, having a bit of a hard time following their conversation.
“It’s a figure of speech,” Kevan told him, suppressing the laughter that wanted to let loose, as the confusion on his face continued. He didn’t understand them. “Obviously you don’t get out much, do you?” she told him.
“I’m sorry, get out much?” Joseph asked, “I am out right now.” He was shocked at the attitude, and especially the lack of respect. “I don’t understand you.”
“No kidding,” Kaitlyn told him.
“Enough,” he ground out. “It’s time for us to leave.”
“I don’t think you’re getting this, bud,” Kevan spat.
“Bud?” Joseph questioned, “What is this bud? I am not a flower.”
“You’re the bud,” Kevan told him.
“My name is Joseph, not bud.”
“Who the hell do you think you are?” Kevan demanded.
“I’ve informed you who I am. I am your teacher. What do you not understand about that?” His frustration mounting, he muttered under his breath, something about humans and their inability to understand simple instructions.
“Who says that we want you to be our teacher? I don’t think that we need lessons on how to be an asshole. What do you think?” Kevan asked, looking to her sisters, then back at him. “Oh my gods, you’re serious!” She looked at Niall, “You weren’t kidding when you said that he was arrogant.”
Niall sat back enjoying the show. Watching his big brother make a fool out of himself was certainly one way to get out of the depression he had been feeling over what had happened the night before.
“No, I wasn’t kidding,” Niall agreed with her. “They all tend to be that way.”
“They …?” Eve questioned.
“Sorcerers,” Marcus spat out, “Arrogant lot.”
“At least we’re good for more than just swinging a sword,” Joseph snapped back at him. “Warriors are brainless brawn, only good for one thing,” his face reddened with anger, glaring at the men in front of him.
“Oh, stop acting like children!” Eve shouted, interrupting them. “Gods, sometimes it seems men only think with the head between their legs, and not the one on their shoulders.” Kevan looked away so they couldn’t see her laughter. Staring at the women, Joseph didn’t understand the animosity coming from them.
“I don’t understand. I’m here offering you the chance to learn from the most talented sorcerers, and you’re arguing with me?”
“But you see, that’s the thing, you’re not offering, you’re telling,” Kevan informed him. “We can make our own decisions, and we don’t need a man to do it for us.”
“Of course you do,” Joseph informed them. “We know what’s best.” The silence that dropped over the patio was deafening. The men almost felt sorry for Joseph as he stood watching them, not understanding the phrase, open mouth, insert foot.
“I didn’t just hear that or did I?” Kevan questioned her sisters.
“I don’t know what you heard, but I just heard some man say that we women need to have a man tell us what to do because we aren’t capable of making decisions for ourselves,” Eve stated.
“Okay, so I’m not having a 50’s flashback then,” Kevan was calm, too calm. She turned to face the confused Joseph, and then looked to Niall who had come to his feet, waiting for the shit to hit the fan. “If you like your brother, I’d get him out of here before he loses something he really doesn’t want to lose.”
“Don’t talk to Niall, I’m standing right here, and I’m not going anywhere without you all,” Joseph informed them. “I don’t understand, what have I said that has upset you so much?” Kevan confronted him, the anger shaking her entire body.
“Obviously you don’t understand, so let me make this crystal clear so there’s no misunderstanding. We’re not going anywhere with you ever, that I can guarantee. And just because the great man,” she said, using her finger quotes to get her point across, “says it’s going to happen, does not make it so. I don’t know what kind of women you are used to dealing with, but I’m telling you right now, these women don’t like the attitude.”
“You’re being ridiculous. You need to learn to control your powers, and we are the ones who are the best equipped to teach you how to do that,” he explained with a hint of frustrated whining.
“We may need some help with these so called powers, but I think that we’d rather figure it out on our own, than learn from someone who doesn’t consider us equals,” Kevan spat. “Who the hell do you think you are?” Joseph demanded his anger showing. “You’re superior!” he told them arrogantly.
He heard the groans, but didn’t understand why. Niall finally spoke up, even though he was thoroughly enjoying himself watching his brother squirm under the glaring looks from the women standing on the patio.
“Enough,” he said to Kevan, “you’re right, he’s wrong. You don’t have to go anywhere with him unless you want to. We may not be as good as the sorcerers when it comes to teaching you about your powers, but we can certainly help. So the question is, do you want to go with him?”
“No flipping way!” All the women standing on the patio echoed. Niall schooled his face, trying not to show how much he was enjoying himself at Joseph’s expense.
“Well, my dear brother, you heard them, they don’t want to go anywhere with you, so I think it would be best if you left.”
“I don’t understand?” Joseph muttered in complete confusion.
“I suggest you do some research, start in the 60’s and don’t stop until you reach the 2000’s. It should be very enlightening, and maybe it will shed some light on modern women that you don’t seem to be grasping. But until you have an attitude adjustment, as we say here, later ’gator.” Joseph gave them a look that showed confusion and anger, and then he vanished. Kevan whipped around looking for him
“Later ’gator? We aren’t in Florida, you know,” Niall laughed.
“Whatever! What the hell just happened? Where did he go?” Kevan wanted to know.
“L’Dern,” Niall stated.
“Where?” she demanded
“Our home,” he explained to her.
“So, what, you can make yourself appear and disappear?” she demanded.
“Ah, yes, but relax, we don’t unless we know exactly where we are going. In this day and age we can never predict a quiet corner or room to shimmer to so we tend to use modern vehicles, just to be on the safe side,” Roderic explained. “Shimmering’s kind of a last resort.” Kevan looked to Niall and then to Caleb.
“I think you have some explaining to do. Why the hell would he think that he can come in here, and order us to go with him, and insist that he is going to be our teacher? Why the hell did you not tell us, Niall?”
“I promise, I told you everything. But my brother and his sorcerers believe they’re superior to everyone, as you saw. And also, it would seem that we did
something I wasn’t expecting during our ceremony last night.”
“You think?” Kevan retorted sharply, “What?”
“I’m not sure exactly,” he admitted quietly.
“What do you mean, you’re not sure?” Kaitlyn demanded of him. “What did you do to us?”
“I have a feeling the spell we invoked last night didn’t just call the powers of the ancestors. I believe it released powers that you already possessed.” He felt a strong sense of awe over the potential that had brought Joseph into the fray.
“What are you talking about?” they demanded, as fear rippled through the air.
“It’s the only thing that makes sense. It would explain everything,” he told them.
“Explain what? We don’t or didn’t have any powers,” Eve snapped at him. “What the hell have you done to us?”
“Obviously you did, or what happened wouldn’t have happened,” Niall tried to justify his thinking.
“It would have been nice if you’d maybe told us some of this,” Kevan accused.
“I would have, if I had known, but it’s hard to tell you something when we didn’t know. I mean, it’s not as if you told me that you had powers. I know that some of your ancestors over the years have possessed limited powers, but not everyone, so when we met, and you didn’t seem to know anything about it, I just figured that you didn’t have any powers. I certainly wasn’t expecting that you had powers and didn’t know about them because they were bound! How would we know that? Come on, we just met you.”
“That is fair enough,” Kevan admitted reluctantly, struggling to process what he was telling them, “Did Daphne have powers?”
“Nothing that we know of, other than she was an amazing healer, one of the best we had ever had or seen. But when I think about it, your family hasn’t shown any powers in a long time.”
“And you think these powers we supposedly have, were bound by someone?” Kevan questioned. “How we would we not know about them?”
“I don’t know, unless they were bound before you were born, and that’s why you have never shown any signs of them?”
“Is that possible?” Kevan wanted to know.
“That’s something you would have to ask Joseph about, but they were definitely bound.” Niall shrugged.
“Why?” Kevan threw out, not really expecting an answer.
“Kevan, I wish I could answer that, but I have no idea why someone would bind them. Maybe to protect you? I just don’t know.” Niall rubbed his face in frustration, “Gods only know what each of you has.”
“Niall, I don’t like the way you said that. You unbound only ours correct?” Kevan questioned him. Niall didn’t answer her, refusing to look her in the eye. “Niall?”
“Kevan, I would really like to tell you what you want to hear, but I can’t. I would love to say that it was only yours that we unbound last night, but I don’t think it works that way.” Kevan’s look was the one that the saying if looks could kill was coined about for.
“So you’re telling me that last night, instead of doing something that could protect our family, we may have done something that could potentially put them at more risk? We released or unbound powers that we didn’t know that we had, and now we are vulnerable?”
“Kevan, I’m really sorry. I had no idea.” He tried to tell her, “If I had known …,” only she wasn’t listening anymore, as she ran all the things that could happen through her mind.
“Oh shit!” She grabbed Caleb’s arm. “Joseph could grab anyone of our sisters and cousins.” Caleb shook his head, taking her hands in his, trying to rid her of the terror he saw in her eyes.
“No, he can’t, they’re completely safe,” he told her. “The minute I knew Joseph was here, I signaled Kayne to ensure they were protected. He will not touch your family, I promise.” Kevan sagged, as relief washed over her.
“You’re sure?” she pleaded.
“Yes, they’re safe,” he assured her, pulling her close to comfort her.
“But he could just pop in and grab one of them. It’s not safe.”
“You know what you have to do.” He saw the grimace on Kevan’s face. “You have to talk to them, get them over here.” Caleb shrugged. “You have to explain what has happened; you might as well do it now.”
“Damn it! I was hoping to give Brennan a chance to calm down before we talked, but it doesn’t look like that is going to happen,” Kevan stated.
“It’ll be fine Kevan, we did this together, and we’ll tell them together,” Eve pleaded. Kaitlyn stood beside both her sisters, nodding in agreement.