Legacy of the Necromancer [Legacy, BK1 - Completed]

Chapter 1:2

The orange glow of dawn peaked over the trees as I pulled my car up the long drive way. I'd driven through the night, only stopping briefly in the town closest to my family's house, to get gas and a bite to eat, but that was hours ago. I was so ready to crawl into bed.

I forced my eyes wide as I turned the last corner of the drive, and the house finally came into view. It was nestled among the trees, perched almost precariously on the side of the mountain that overlooked the valley and river below. No matter how often I thought that I didn't belong here, it still called to me. This was home.

There were two cars with out-of-state tags parked in front of the house. I didn't recognize them, but I had a sinking feeling that something was wrong. We never had visitors, especially ones from out of town.

I parked and gathered Poe into my arms before climbing out of the car. The kitchen door on the side of the house opened before I'd taken even two steps towards it.

Mom stood in the doorway as I walked up. "I thought I heard you."

"I got Dad's message," I said, as I released Poe, letting him fly up to the trees that he'd roosted in as long as I had been around. I turned to Mom, giving in to the hug I knew she'd want. Her arms wrapped around me, pulling me in tight.

"I'm glad you're home," she whispered, with a sadness to her voice that wasn't normal.

"What's going on?" I asked. "Who's here?"

She released me, and pulled me into the kitchen. My eyes fell on the girl who sat at the table. She was about my age, her dirty blonde hair twisted back away from her face in messy braids, and her hands wrapped tightly around a mug of coffee. She looked up at me as I stepped in and as soon as those tear-filled crystal blue eyes rest on me, I knew exactly who she was.

"Avery," I breathed. I hadn't seen her since we were what, seven years old? We'd stayed in touch, writing to each other, and on the rare occasion, talking to each other on the phone. But that intimacy of knowing her without actually seeing her had not prepared me for this. She stood, rushing over to fling herself at me as she sobbed into my shoulder. "Avery, what's wrong?"

She was petite, smaller than I'd thought she'd be as her head rested below my chin. I held her awkwardly in my arms, looking to my mother in hopes she'd tell me what the hell was going on.

Mom wrung her hands on her apron, tears threatening to spill over her own cheeks. "Mr. Manser has passed on."

I tightened my grip on Avery as she cried harder at my mother's words. Caleb Manser was her father, and the head of the Manser family. And now that he was gone...

Raised voices spilled out from Dad's study down the hall, but I couldn't quite make out what the argument was about. I had a good idea, though. The Manser family was like my own. We were both part of the Quadriad of Necromantic Families. With the Caleb Manser gone, it was time to choose the new head of the Manser family. And that brought on a whole new set of problems.

Avery stepped back, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry, Ezra, I. It's been a week now, but I still feel so ...raw."

I pulled her back to me, hugging her tightly. "It's okay," I whispered, not even trying to imagine what she was going through.

The sound of gravel crunching out on the driveway drew my mother to peer out the window over the sink. "It's Nathan. Finally, we were expecting him hours ago."

My stomach rolled. Nathan Ackland despised me, and I thanked the gods every time the families met that my name wasn't listed in the Ackland's family tree.

Mom turned back to us, undoing the straps on her apron as she spoke. "Erza, why don't you show Avery where the bathroom is, so she can freshen up. We'll be getting started soon." Mom gave me a look that I knew all too well. It was time to make ourselves scarce, and I didn't mind. The less time I spent in his line of sight, the better.