Now You See Me

Thirty: Conspiracy

Between the front door and Vashde, my mother and Leia, there seemed to stretch an impossible distance. It was at most a few feet between each, but it felt like miles. We'd been here seconds, and it felt like years.

Movement from the woman directly behind Marilyn shattered the illusion of stretching. She took one step forwards; I took one back. Leia was between us faster than I could blink.

"Call her off, Vashde," she said in a low voice, "We don't need to make this violent."

Vashde leaned against the desk behind her as if there was nothing about this situation that bothered her. "Don't we? Haven't I already attempted to get hold of him several times, and was there bloodshed from anyone close at any point? I don't want to butt heads with you, Sativa, all you need to do is hand him over. It could all be finished now if you let it." She raised a perfect eyebrow and began to pick at her nails even though both eyes were still fixed, narrowed slightly, on Leia, as if she felt threatened. No one stood that stiffly when they were at ease.

"I thought I made it clear that I wasn't going to do that." Leia's voice was ice. I couldn't see her face, but I could imagine the look on it, and envied Vashde nothing.

The woman with the amber eyes lowered into a crouch between them, growling in her throat. Marilyn, who was closest, squeezed her eyes tight shut and trembled. If I hadn't been so scared for myself, I might have wondered at the first display of true vulnerability I'd ever seen from her.

"Nell," Vashde said coldly, "I'm talking."

Nell – so she had a name – looked back as if in question, before slinking away to sit at Vashde's feet like some kind of guard dog.

As Nell moved away, Marilyn slid downwards and pressed her cheek against the tiled floor, chest heaving and eyes closed.

"What do you want him for?" Leia demanded, slipping infinitesimally back towards me. I was uncertain as to whether Vashde noticed. "Why the long game? Why risk exactly this when you had him and his boyfriend in the same place when the boat sank? It would've saved a lot of effort."

Vashde's painted red lips puckered with displeasure. "There were complications. But it makes no difference. If Damien wants to see Chris alive again, he'd better hurry up." This last line was reserved for me, accompanying a wicked, chilling smile.

Leia spat. "Complications? Don't tell me. You let your sister bully you again, didn't you?"

Vashde's nostrils flared, and my sense of personal danger became so acute I swore I could taste it. But I was angry, too. I couldn't determine whether the threat was bait or genuine, and after so long with this hanging over my head, the frustration was almost too much for me. The only thing that held me back was Nell. I was still too scared of her after the last attack to risk going through it again.

"What my coven does and doesn't do is none of your concern, Sativa, and it never has been," the woman said icily, voice lowered to a hiss. "Hand the boy over, and I give you my word you won't hear from us again."

"How many times have I heard you say that, Vashde?" Leia's tone took me by surprise. It was a stark contrast to just seconds ago – quiet, controlled, and immeasurably sad. "And how many times have we been here?"

Movement in the corridor pulled my attention away from reception, and I turned to find Feila half-concealed in the hallway shadows, a finger pressed firmly to her lips. Startled, I glanced back inside the room to see if anyone else had noticed. Something about the set of Leia's shoulders made me think that she was aware – perhaps she'd planned it – but the intruders didn't show any suspicious signs. A light touch on the arm drew my gaze back.