Blood and Gold Trilogy

Chapter 6: Coven Heir

The rest of our dinner was mostly dominated by Georgina talking and the rest of us listening to her talk. She went on and on about Mum, how delighted she'd been when my mother came for her schooling in England, how despite the fact Mum was common they'd hit it off absolutely immediately, the pair of them inseparable from the moment Mum arrived. Georgina waxed teary eyed over the four years they'd spent in witch's college together before Mum returned to America. I found it intensely amusing at first, but by the time my dessert course was set before me, some kind of chocolate concoction smelling divine and tempting me to take just one more bite, I was too tired and my patience with her worn thin.

I'd learned a great deal from the one-sided conversation, regardless of the enjoyment aspect.

"You're so fortunate," Georgina told me through a mouthful of mousse. "Once the transfer of power is complete, you will be heir to one of the most influential and magic-rich covens in the New World. And I'm hardly surprised your coven elected your mother to take power. I always knew, despite her common blood, she was destined for greatness." I ignored the caveat. Clearly titles were of great importance here in England. Georgina waved her fork at Kate. "Sweet darling here will be taking on far less when I pass, poor dear."

Kate made a soft sound of denial, but Georgina just barreled on past her. "Our coven is very old, been around for generations, but I'm afraid our magic has diminished over the years." It happened. As members left, at least those in good standing, they took tiny parts of the family magic with them until there was only so much left behind. It usually took centuries for such a weakening. Georgina went on. "There's always been a strong line of inheritance, unlike Olivia and the Tremere's lack of female issue. But with the expansion of New England and the pull of adventure, all of our young people seem to be leaving us."

"You've done your best, my dear," Bernard said with clear but quiet pride. I had the impression the small man with the round glasses spent most of his time putting his boisterous wife on a pedestal. "Everyone loves you and your leadership."

Georgina waved off his attempt at making her feel better. "It started long before I took over as coven leader."

"We have a fine, strong coven, Mother," Kate said.

Georgina smiled at her. "Of course we do, my darling."

"And you are the finest leader we've had in generations," Bernard jumped in to support her.

A brief flicker of bitterness twisted Hugh's expression. It surprised me, but came and went so fast I doubted myself immediately.

"At least we're well protected," Georgina said. "This house has been in our coven's possession for generations, and the wards on it have been reinforced with each coven leader's ascension. You won't find a more protected spot in all of London."

That sounded like the walls of a prison rising around me, not the reassurance I'm certain Georgina intended. I resisted allowing my magic to reach out and explore the edges of the wards, now fully aware of the muffled feeling around me. In my weariness I'd mistaken it for my own lack of energy. Now I understood, however. I wasn't just sent here to be watched over, but to be cosseted and enveloped in a blanket of so much protective magic I might as well have been cushioned by my own private, impenetrable keep.

The sudden awareness of the confines made me want to scream, fading quickly to a heavy feeling of acceptance weighing on me. Maybe tomorrow, with the new day, I'd be more like myself, but at the time I couldn't manage to muster enough caring to act out.

"To be completely honest," Georgina cut through my dazed disappointment, "I'm not sure I'd want all the responsibility a coven your size would bring." She fanned her face with one hand, rolling her eyes. "It's a good thing Thad was always the brave one of our little pair. Your mother is in for a great deal of bother, my dear."

"How many in your coven?" I might as well pretend to be engaged while my heart shrank with the knowledge it was very likely nothing fun or exciting was going to happen for the duration of my stay.

"Perhaps three dozen?" She glanced at Bernard who smiled and nodded, obviously fine with the fact his wife did all the talking. And talking. And... well. "Mostly our age, I'm afraid. Kate is our youngest member."

Again a twitch from Hugh. I found it slightly odd how his family ignored him and wondered about the dynamics, feeling suddenly and passionately sorry for him. It drove me to speak up.

"What of you, Hugh?" I smiled at him, purposely engaging him in the conversation. The poor bugger flushed as red as the skin of an apple, lips quivering as he smiled in return. Was he really that grateful just to be acknowledged? A surge of anger touched my heart. No one would treat my brothers like extras or hangers-on.

Before he could open his mouth to answer me, struggling clearly for something to say, Georgina spoke for him. "Our Hugh knows his place. Don't you, darling?"

Was I the only one to see his jaw tighten? The coldness that fell over him? It was the most emasculating moment I'd ever witnessed and it left me gaping.

Georgina didn't seem to care or pay attention, and to my dismay, neither did Bernard or Kate. "He's a great support to his sister," she said.

I took a drink of my water to hide how appalled I was at the casual way she dismissed him. His eyes met mine and for a moment I saw his gratitude. But it left him just as quickly, buried under resentment and hurt carefully disguised as a lack of caring.

"That being said," Georgina told me, "remind me I must link you to the magic inside the house. The wards are keyed to ours only. You will be able to summon your power here, but the protections will prevent you from using it."

I took a small bite of the melting chocolate concoction before me as Georgina finally ran down.

"Listen to me," she said, a rim of cocoa around her lips, "carrying on as if you didn't just have the most amazing adventure. Tell us, dear Burdie, all about your trip."

Normally being the center of attention wouldn't have bothered me in the slightest, but for some reason in that moment I hesitated. Leaving the conversation wide open for Sassafras to interject.

"It was perfectly civilized," he said. "The ship was a marvel of steam and steel."

"I understand they've stopped using sails at all," Bernard said as if that were the most amazing thing in the world.

"Indeed," Sass licked delicately at his own dessert. I almost took it from him, knowing how ill chocolate made him, but he was on the other side of Kate and too far for me to reach without causing a scene. "Most modern. Our suite was sumptuous, the dining delightful. In fact, the entire trip was wonderful." He glared at me, a point of fire erupting in each amber eye as he went on. "That is, until one of our party decided to aid and abet a criminal."

Georgina gasped, eyes wide and glued to me. Kate dropped her fork, flushing, one hand covering mine. I glared back at the fur-clad demon, furious at his attempt to get me into early trouble.

"It was nothing," I said. "Really."

"Burdie, whatever happened?" Kate's voice was soft, breathy. Georgina looked about ready to lap up every word I said. Rather than dig me into harm, Sass had merely opened a doorway to a story I could tell was ripe to please these two clearly sheltered ladies.

I spun it out as best I could, under the circumstances. As tired as I was, I found myself actually enjoying the whole thing, the tale growing into an elaborate story involving a score of policemen, me fighting them off single-handed after a passionate kiss for the boy I rescued. His blue eyes lingered in my memory as I completed my tale, wishing suddenly I'd had more time to explore just how soft his lips actually were. I found myself flushing slightly, reaching for my water glass to cool the flush of heat raised by the romantic thought and hide it from the others. After all, I had won a kiss of sorts.

And he really had been quite attractive.

Georgina sat back with a dazed but happy expression while Kate blushed so red I feared for her. Sass snorted and grumbled to himself even while Bernard smiled at me. And winked. I winked back easily. At least one of the Brindles had a sense of humor. Hugh just glared at his plate as if the doing of it would make it shatter or, at the very least, go away.

His eyes lifted to mine, a stern look drawing his thin lips to practical invisibility. "As a man of honor," he said as his voice cracked then returned to a softened tenor, "I would have demanded satisfaction of the rogue for daring to touch you."

I shrugged and tried to soften him with a smile, amazed he found the courage to speak up at all. "I'm sure you would have."

"Well," Georgina set down her napkin and fixed me with an attempt at a motherly expression now that she regained her composure, "we'll be sure to guard you more carefully than that from now on. Imagine if our dear Thad knew what an atrocious thing happened, and you only here a matter of moments!"

I realized then my attempt at humor may have been too much and might come back to haunt me. "I'm completely fine," I assured her.

"Even so," she said, "a lady of your breeding and talents shouldn't be forced to deal with such churlish behavior." She patted my hand while Sass's complaining turned to a snort of humor. "I don't want you to even for a moment think you'll be in one bit of harm's way while you're here with us. I fully intend to send you back to your mother rested, relaxed and with no more stories to tell than what delightful new things you bought and the sights you visited while here in London."

Sass actually laughed out loud when she finished.

To me, it sounded more like the slamming of a prison cell.

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