Concealed (Unbound, Book 4)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Onyx followed me around my suite as I got ready for bed.

I didn't bother with a shower and set my alarm a half hour early before climbing under the blankets. I knew, as tired as I was now, I would even more so in the morning, and a cold dose of water would help. Bunching the pillows under my head, I pulled the comforter to my chin and fell asleep with Onyx warming my side.

Out of the darkness the gazebo from my home in Briarville emerged.

Obviously, when I had cloaked Maible, I had forgotten to erect my shield again.

Looking around, everywhere else was dark, leaving me no choice.

I sighed and looked down as I walked up the steps. As I sat on the bench opposite Zachariah and Opal, I looked up and clasped my hands in my lap as I raised my eyebrow. Crossing my legs, I met his gaze, waiting for him to speak. I'd promised myself that I wouldn't open myself up to meeting Zachariah until I knew exactly what questions it was that I wanted answered, and I wasn't ready.

"So, I see that you've recovered," Zachariah said, tilting his head to the side to appraise me.

"You too," I said, lifting my hand to gesture towards him, and then folded it on my knee.

He looked better, more filled out.

I guess, when you die and somehow return, it could take a while before you appeared healthy. It was still unnerving to see Zachariah in a tailored suit versus the homeless man clothing I'd grown accustomed to while he'd mentored my mother. For the longest time, I couldn't picture myself respecting him. Now, he seemed dignified, which made it impossible to speak to him with the usual snark our relationship had developed with.

"I'm not nearly strong enough yet," he said.

Opal whined and scurried across the mosaic floor, and I reached down to pet her, smiling as she settled at my feet. Out of the corner of my eye, I continued to watch Zach. "So, is there a particular reason we're visiting? I thought that it made you weaker."

He nodded. "It does, though now I am strong enough that it isn't as impactful."

"Does that mean that you will come to see me in person? I'd like to sit down and go over... things. Like the secrets I know you were keeping with my mother about me."

"She didn't want you to know until you'd graduated—"

"Or accepted my abilities. I heard." I nodded. "You must know that has happened."

"Yes." He nodded again. "I was able to see what you did."

"You sound disapproving."

"It was the best course of action to take, given the situation, but I am never happy to see something like that have to occur."

"Well, I didn't enjoy doing it. That girl hurt people using magic and her family did nothing to stop her," I said. "I didn't see another choice."

Zachariah tilted his head to the side once more. "How did you know that you would be able to amend the spell to allow the family members to earn their powers back?"

"I-I didn't." I shrugged. "I just... I didn't want to punish innocent people unfairly. Besides, Duvessa is young. It stood to reason that she might learn her lesson and become a better person. I thought I didn't have anything to lose by trying."

"But you could have done it wrong and they would have paid the price."

Slowly, I nodded, then shook my head. "I don't think so, Zachariah. You and mom kept secrets from me, but now I know that she was trying to explain things. She told me that I could visualize things and cast spells for that which I couldn't visualize. She made me promise to cloak my signature and not tell anyone what I could do.