7 | THE SUMMONS
My head’s killing me. I open my eyes to the familiar sight of my bedroom ceiling, morning light streaming in through the parted curtains. The usual scene for a weekend, but I’m reminded after a moment of groggy disorientation that it’s not a weekend. The first day of school was yesterday. And I made a mess. With Darine’s blood. I groan, turning into my pillow to shield my face from the world as a mix of guilt and disappointment tsunami against my skull.
But promptly freeze as I catch sight of something that’s out of place in the small room.
There’s a man sitting on the opposite end of my bed. I blink, convinced the morning sun streaming in is playing tricks with me. But no, then the statuesque man moves, his sandy-brown hair in a crew-cut, dark red eyes glowing like embers of a dying fire and starkly brilliant in contrast with his nearly sheet-white skin. My steady heartbeat skips a beat and cranks to a galloping pace.
“Mornin’, princess.” Mikyle grins at me with his usual Cheshire-cat smile. I’m hit with a sense of dejà vu at the sight of my ex-shadow. Memories of last year, before I Bloomed, when I’d wake up to similar sights are flickering through my mind without permission. Bringing weird butterflies to life in the pit of my stomach.
“So, you’re alive.” I comment icily, grimacing back at the man as the butterflies quickly turn to annoyance. I haven’t seen Mikyle in seven months. Almost eight now. Not since the night of my Blooming. Not once.
“I missed you, too.” Mikyle’s smile grows impossibly wider as he sits up - as if he hasn’t been MIA for the last eight months and we’re back on good terms. “Your human friend is alight, by the way. And so is the pup.” The events of yesterday have solidified in my head, not slamming through me the way they used to when I blacked out, but slithering and cold. Almost like I hadn’t been there while my friend lay in my arms and bled out. Or that I attacked Blue after and fed on him. Mikyle’s response has answered a few of the questions I haven’t dared to ask aloud. I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, my shoulders sagging into the mattress. Alive, both alive.
“You here to kill me?” I get to the point of what I assume is the reason for him suddenly turning up. Mikyle’s my Sponsor, not like an AA sponsor who’s supposed to keep me on the metaphorical wagon, but a most-trusted vamp who has the ok to kill me if I ever loose my shit and/or become a Revenant.
“Not today, princess.” Mikyle replies with false chipper-ness, pulling something from his combat boots. An ivory envelope with an ancient looking crest and several embossed black stars are centered on the front. “I’m here to transport you.” He passes me the envelope. I run my normal looking nail under the seal and pop the thing open. There’s a folded paper inside, thick and almost heavy as I flip it open and begin to read.
“Transport?” I question, quirking an eyebrow at his official wording and the weird letter. Until I read the first line of the letter inside, and my heart sinks into my stomach.
Dear Scarlett Holland,
You are hereby summoned to appear before the Royal Court of North America on the request of Regină Mina and Rege William for a hearing due to your recent activities as an unregistered member of the United States Branch of the Coven. The Court is scheduled to convene at dusk on August 26.
All the best,
Regină Mina Chantal
“Uh-” My voice shoots up an octave as my hammering heart tries to slow. The typhoon of mixed emotions rising in me is growing at a rapid pace as I stare at the letter.
“Relax, princess,” Mikyle pulls the letter from my hands and stuff it back into the side of his boots. “It’s just a formality.” He tells me, but even he doesn’t sound convinced. I nearly killed my best friend and exposed the existence of vampires to a room full of humans. I may not be one-hundred-percent in the loop about the rules of the supernatural world, but even I know that what transpired was a big no-no. I swallow against the dryness in my mouth, wondering what’s in store for me in Colton, the town where the Royal Court is. “Nothing’s going to happen to you, I promise.” Mikyle rests a hand on my ankle, and though my skin’s tucked under the sheets, I can feel the coolness of his touch soaking into my flesh.
“You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep.” I tell him quietly, the double meaning piercing through my words and coloring my tone in the silence. Mikyle, though my Sponsor, was pretty adamant about his feelings towards me last year and made it clear he didn’t want to end my life if it came down to it. Mikyle’s eyes darken, the embers of his red eyes burning to an almost imperceptible dullness as he looks back at me.
“I never make promises I can’t keep.” He replies on a voice so light it makes me shiver. The tense moment passes as quickly as it comes, the slight pressure of his hand on my bones lifts and his smile is back with blinding speed. “We’re taking a road trip.” Though his announcement is what I expect, it still makes my stomach churn uneasily.
“Should I pack a bag?” I ask, letting out a deep sigh as I sit up and run my hands through my loose hair. The thick curls are slightly gnarled, but clean. No doubt Mom saw to that whenever I came home.
“Plan to be gone at least a week.” Mikyle nods soberly, glancing around the room. “Though maybe you should just leave it and let Mina dress you.” He mutters, looking distastefully at the pile of unwashed clothes I have in the corner of the room. I growl at him in annoyance, feeling the familiar flush of anger and embarrassment coloring my cheeks as I get up from the bed.
“You didn’t seem to have issues with my wardrobe before, if I recall correctly…” I grumble as I pass him. His hand darts out and he pulls me to a stop.
“I never cared about your clothing, princess. You know that.” Mikyle mutters, his light touch skating up my wrist slowly. I rip my arm from his light grasp and continue past him, ignoring the burning heat and shivering thrills zinging through me. “Do plan for a few ‘nice’ outfits! You’ll be meeting the entire Royal Court at the palace!” Mikyle yells after me as I disappear into the bathroom. I roll my eyes at my ex-shadow’s words. When I first met the Queen, Mina, last year it was a complete surprise.
The ruler was young and, of all things, working as a barista in the center of the sleepy town of Colton. Not dressed in a regal and elegant ball gown or done up in a particularly fancy way. She made sure to keep our conversation towards the casual, insisting I call her Mina and not Your Majesty. Though I haven’t met her again since, I’m pretty sure she’ll be fine if I show up in a t-shirt and jeans like last time.
I decide to just wear a particularly nice and not ripped pair of jeans and a semi-formal top. Since all the crazy of last year, my wardrobe’s changed a little. I’m now the proud owner of a few blazers, mostly for interviews, and some matching slacks - also set aside for interviews. Aside from that, my usual t-shirt and jeans or sweatshirt and sweats have been pretty consistent.
So, I pack for seven days, rolling up my clothes to fit them into the small black duffle that’s seen one-too-many uses. Mikyle stays silent, making sure to raid the fridge before ushering me out of the house.
“Your mother’s aware that we need to leave now in order to make it before dusk tomorrow.” Mikyle informs me as he leads me into a sleek dark red car siting in the driveway. I open my mouth to ask him when he had the time to talk to Mom, but he seems to anticipate my questions. “I’ve been sending her updates on your condition and told her and Hale about the summons as soon as it arrived.”
“How long was I out?” I ask him as I buckle my seatbelt and settle in for the long drive.
“A day and a half.” Mikyle shrugs, putting the car in gear and pulling out of the driveway before continuing. “Hale recalled me from an assignment to keep tabs on you while they…handle the situation.” Guilt knocks the air from my lungs like a sucker punch to the gut.
“What’s going to happen to them?” I croak, meaning more than just Darine and Blue. Mikyle hesitates, his face stony as he seems to debate telling me.
“The humans will have their memories wiped of the event and be monitored while you’re out.”
“Monitored?” I ask slowly, not liking that term.
“To make sure the wipe sticks. Your human toy- sorry, friend seems to have a hard time with memory wipes.” Mikyle tells me, rephrasing when I shoot him an annoyed glare for calling Darine a toy.
“When else has she been wiped?” I frown at the phrasing. Mikyle doesn’t answer, his dark red eyes glued to the road as we drive out of Kiwina. “Mica,” I prompt him, not willing to let this go. Darine’s not only been in danger from me, but apparently been around Yuri for a solid year. If she’ been memory-wiped one-too-many times it could explain why she’s so calculating and cautious. Like she’s been inoculated to Hale’s magic or power. It would explain why she hasn’t let go of the changes she sees in my eyes when I start to loose it.
“Enough.” Mikyle replies after a moment. “Hale knew the risks of allowing you to befriend a human. To answer your question, princess, I’ve honestly lost count.” His words stun me, a fresh wave of guilt stabbing me in the back. “Her natural curiosity and propensity for snooping led to some unforeseen issues last year when you were away. Hale had to deal with that the best way he could without harming her. So, he attempted to erase you from her memory, but it would never stick. And then she started hanging around the big pup,” Mikyle adds the last part with a sigh. “The Azures are very strict about those they allow to know about the Pack. For good reason. She hasn’t gotten the green-light to be in the know.”
“Neither have I.” I mutter, sympathizing with Darine. Mikyle laughs.
“Princess, they couldn’t keep you out-of-the-loop even if they tried. You could ask for the moon from that pup and he’d give it to you.” Mikyle tells me, and I note how he doesn’t say Blue’s name.
“Not true.” I sigh, looking out my passenger’s window at the passing city. Light bounces off each of the many-glass-windowed structures and throwing the sun’s reflection into my retinas with equal ferocity. But I know that’s not why my eyes are burning with the urge to shed salt water as my throat swells and a dull ache settles into my chest.