Chapter 14

Since the Dark Wind was already closed for the talk, I figured it didn’t hurt to let Jaye and Faith have a break from managing the nightclub for the day. After all, I needed to think, and I needed Faith’s help. Even though I was perfectly capable of coming up with ideas, my mind was still reeling too hard. Faith would know what to do to still that mind of mine. Faith was probably the only one left that I trusted now. Maybe Cole too; but that servant of mine didn’t know when to control that mouth and fists of his during times.

“You called for me?” Faith asked; her voice thin as she poked her head through the door. I beckoned her in, without giving her a glance over. My mind was spinning; my world seemed as if it was tumbling into oblivion. It felt like the ground beneath me had been stripped away, and I was left delirious and raw as utter hell while I struggled to know what up and down were.

Much as the very cells in my body screamed that whatever Kote had said wasn’t true, my mind knew otherwise. Kote had no reasons to lie to me. Furthermore, I trusted my eyes when I saw the truthfulness in his eyes; heard the truth his voice. He had been speaking the truth. But it made no sense. Why would Wind create Vin? Why did Wind make Vin to be an assassin? Why would Wind want to start a war between nightstalkers and sorcerers, when he was one of both sides? Like me, Wind was one of both sides of the war; we were caught in between. Why would he want to start the war? What good did he reap? Why Valentino? Why my parents, when he knew that I would at least feel a shred of filialness towards them? Why target Anneson, when he knew how much I loved my brother?

Why?

“Dru? Are you okay? Did they do anything to you?” Faith placed a hand over mine, and I realized that it was trembling as it held on tight to the stem of the wine glass. I gave a short bark of laughter, but it was a painful sound that was devoid of humor.

“Even if they did, you wouldn’t be able to do anything. They are the Ancients. You are merely my servant; not even the servant of an Ancient like Wind.” It felt raw to say it. Servant of Wind. Even though I’d come to terms with the fact that I was Wind’s creation, I’d always been convinced that I was different. I’d seen the way Wind treated his other servants, how he would force them to whatever they didn’t want to. I’d believed strongly that I was different, that Wind saw me differently, because he loved me. But now; everything was different. Wind had ordered my parents dead. He had ordered for my brother to be hunted after. Wind, my master, the same Ancient who lured me in with his charm.

“True, but I have to know. What is wrong, Dru? Why are you trembling like this?” Faith carefully asked as I shook her hand away, bringing the wine to my lips. I didn’t even feel the liquid rolling down my throat as I swallowed, only that burning feeling deep inside me.

“I…Tell me what to do, Faith. I don’t know what to think. I don’t know if I can survive this.” I let my hopelessness seep into my voice as I broke down before her. Alarm rose in her eyes, as she sidled in closer, taking the wineglass gently from my fingers and setting on the table carefully. I figured it was a good thing to do, since my hand was still trembling, and I was very well near spilling wine all over myself. I needed someone to hold me and tell me it would be okay. That someone once was Wind.

But I couldn’t trust him now. Not after what Kote said. Not after the trust I gave Wind, and not after what he did with it.

“Tell me what happened, Dru! You can do this. Tell me what happened, so that I can help you out, Dru. You know you can trust me.” Faith implored as she took my hands in hers, pulling my gaze to hers.

Trust. The word that I was beginning to fear. Who could I really trust anymore? Could I truly trust Faith? Once, I thought I could trust Wind. Once, I thought I could trust Xavier. Both had been such a let-down to my hopeful heart; both had shattered it to a million tiny pieces. Could I afford to tape the pieces back carefully, only to let it be broken by Faith again? Would Faith turn her back on me, like what Wind and Xavier did?

“Dru, please. You know you mean a lot to me. Not only as my master. You’re my friend, my sister, my benefactor, so many things. Please, trust me.” Faith insisted, gently squeezing my hands, as if it were the most delicate things in the world. I saw the genuine truth in her eyes, but there had been truth in Wind’s eyes when he looked at me too.

But Faith was different. Faith had no reason to have me. Wind wanted me because of my power, and –maybe –because he loved me. Xavier wanted me because he wanted revenge in the name of his sister. But Faith; Faith had nothing to want me for. She could leave Seattle anytime she wanted, for I had long granted her that permission. But she’d kept faithfully by my side, helping me with all the minor problems that were in her power to do.

Well, third time’s the charm, wasn’t it?

“Okay. But what I say doesn’t leave this nightclub, understand me?” I finally gave in as I sank into the soft cushioning, like how Kote had done. I understood why he shrank in the cushioning; it actually gave me a safe feeling, as if there was someone holding me tight, protecting me from the cold and the dangers of the world.

“Of course. Now, tell me what happened. Everything. Starting from where you left off.” Faith nodded as she demanded, and I struggled to bite back a smile. Faith had taken after my rebellion, though I would like to see her demanding things from Jin.

It took quite some time to finish everything, with my words becoming inarticulate when I revealed the fact that Wind had been the one ordering everything. My voice trembled as I told her my mixed up feelings, and the tears leaked out a little after a short while. Like the loyal mother hen Faith had taken unto herself to be, she held me while I cried softly in her embrace. Really, what was up with me and my tear glands being so exercised so frequently?

I calmed down after that, and we managed to get past everything. Faith kept quiet through my whole explanation, nodding with understanding as she took in my words quietly.

“Put in other words, he betrayed my trust. After all I did for him, after what we used to have between each other; I now realize it was all nothing but an act. Every word uttered from his lips were lies, every emotion nothing but faked. He made Vin kill my parents. He made Vin hunt Anneson. He knew what he was dealing with, and he could come back here, and try to gain me back.” My voice became flat and before I knew it, all sorrow and heartbreak was changed to anger. Wind. He said nothing to me. And he had the guts to come back here, pretending to rekindle what love between us.

I had been such an idiot. Such a super, ultra enormous idiot.

“No, no, Dru, don’t entertain that thought. Not now. You have to keep your mind level and sane now. Nothing else. Listen to me.” Faith cut in quickly, and I looked up, realizing, with a jolt, that I was already halfway across the nightclub, ready to go out into the cold night. Ready to mangle the life out of Wind.

“You’re right. I can’t go charging after him. At least not while I’m unprepared like this.” I agreed quickly as I rushed back to the suite, sinking back into the cushion, and pushing away all traces of anger ager away. It was surprisingly easy to do, as Faith started to plan everything out.

“I propose the first thing you do is to get your hands on Vin. Since Ancient Kote agreed for you to have him, you have to get him first before Wind finds out. Talk to the Hunter and discuss things with him. Negotiate with him; find a way to draw Wind to confess the truth. Maybe Wind can give you more explanation than what your imagination’s coming up for you. Then, if you really want to, you have an excuse to kill Wind, and let Xavier kill Vin. With Xavier satisfied, Wind and Vin gone, you can keep your brother safe, and everything will be okay.” The way Faith put it; it was so painfully easy.

So easy, that it could never be what would wind down. My life was always like this; everything running away from my plans. Faith could make the plans –a backbone which I could rely on –but I had experience in plans that fell quickly away.

“Sounds easy. But surely you know it won’t work?” I was partly surprised to find my voice back to its normal tone as I looked over at Faith, who had a hopeful look.

With my question, she gave a slight smile, and then shrugged. “Well, if you’re an obedient nightstalker, then you would follow that plan closely. What’s the worst that can come out of it?”

We shared a look, and tumbled down laughing. We didn’t even want to start thinking about what could be the worst thing that could happen to me. Maybe I would be taken by Wind, and tortured slowly. Maybe I would be broken, until I was nothing more than a sniveling, groveling servant kissing at Wind’s heels.

Faith seemed ready to say something as we picked ourselves back up from our tumbling laughter, but she was interrupted when the door burst open, sweeping the room with a gale of cold wind. Papers flapped in the hurricane, but it did nothing to cause chaos, so I did nothing as I watched Anneson stalk through the front doors, a placid expression on his face as he scanned the unlit stalls and the half-in-darkness Dark Wind.

I felt Anneson’s power as it flowed past my skin, and knew immediately what he was trying to do. Reacting more on instinct, as shock jolted through my core, I called on to my power and ordered for the air to obey me. The oxygen was just leaving both Faith and me, before I called them back, forcing the air back to us. Anneson may be a Reyzon, but I was also a Reyzon, and I was trained –no doubt –even harder than he ever was. I had a destiny of being the Mistress to live up to. Anneson had nothing to live up to.

I watched as some confused light glittered in Anneson’s eyes, before it was covered up by strong determination. Faith lowered herself into a cautious stance, apparently understanding that the intruder was using Magic Manipulation against us. Yet, Faith didn’t see the resemblance. At least, not yet.

Anneson bravely stalked over till he was standing across the table in the suite, eyes of hard blue staring down at me. I sensed anger in those eyes; saw my mother’s exploding anger beneath those eyes. For a moment, I swallowed past the lump in my throat, extending a hand to block Faith in an effort to get her to stand down. Anneson was lucky to have barged in when the nightclub was closed. I shuddered to even begin to imagine what would happen to him should he have interrupted while Wind and Jin were fighting.

“Dru.” He greeted, though that word was almost spat. I felt myself give him a cautiously confused look. Anneson had been clear that he cherished our unstable friendship; that he liked hearing stories of his sister from me. This was a complete three-hundred-sixty degrees turn, and it kind of freaked me out.

“Anneson.” I replied blandly, since he wanted to play it the hostile way. Beside me, I felt Faith slowly slide back to her normal standing, though her tension was still curled up inside her, ready to pounce out like a jack-in-a-box.

Anneson’s eyes flashed to Faith for a moment, assessing her, and then his hard eyes flickered back to me.

“You lied. You lied to me. Everything about my sister, everything you told me was a lie.” Anneson accused in a scathing voice, and I felt myself draw back in shock. How could he say that everything was a lie? All those feelings I’d tagged on to my old name –Lorna –all those had been real. It hadn’t been a lie. Well, except the part where I was friends with supposed Lorna. But what Lorna –I –had felt had not been a lie. It was too painful to be a lie.

I kept my voice carefully even, careful not to betray my own internal shock and disbelief, as I spoke. “I did not lie. The things I told you of your sister; they were all true.” Hey, I said ‘the things I told you of your sister’, not ‘the things I told you about me’. I still had a chance to redeem myself.

“You didn’t tell me everything, Dru. You lied to me. You told me that Lorna wasn’t here anymore. You told me that she wasn’t in Seattle. She is here! She is here in Seattle, right now, as we speak!” Anneson’s anger raged on as he slammed his fist onto the table, and his muscles showed as the sturdy wooden table cracked a little.

Faith jerked as he slammed his fist on the table, but I kept her down. This was a delicate matter. How had Anneson found out that Lorna was in Seattle? Who had told him that? Granted, some of my nightstalkers had heard Wind address me in my true name many times, and may have picked it up. But who had told Anneson, a wizard, my true name?

Isn’t it time that you tell him, Dru? That you are Lorna?

Faith asked quietly into my mind, and I jerked back in a glare to her, before turning back to Anneson calmly. I had to find some way to keep the truth from him, while keeping him away from Wind or Vin.

“She is in Seattle. But you cannot meet her. Not now. Not here. Soon.” I said simply, giving him my hardest stare. Slowly, I saw as he became a little unnerve at my stare, succeeding in ebbing his anger away. But, before everything was gone, it sparked back into life as determination gripped him again.

“Why not! You have no rights to ban me from finding my sister! She’s my only kin left! I have to see her!” Anneson shouted impatiently, and, before I could comprehend that this was my brother before me, he wrenched out a short dagger, and was pointing it at me. Faith tensed up even more, like a pissed-off cat, but I pushed her further away from Anneson.

I needed to teach Anneson a few things. I was his sister for a reason; I needed to teach him what manners with a nightstalker were. I needed to teach him manners when dealing with the Keeper of the domain in which he was treading on. I needed to teach him that he shouldn’t be pointing something sharp at someone he couldn’t even begin to win against.

“True, I cannot ban you. But without my help, you will not see your sister. I say that you not see her not here, not now, and that is what I shall keep to. So, go piss yourself if you think I’m going to budge, Anneson Reyzon. After all those that I spoke to you the night before, I expected for you to know me better. You were careless. You did not assess me properly. You underestimated me.” I spoke as evenly as I could; keeping my best Kote-voice even while my fingers went to my wineglass.

Even before he could take in his next breath, I drew in my power with such a force I almost rocked on my heels, and demanded for the element of water to obey my commands. Like the fight I had with Wind two days ago, I ordered for the wine in my glass to form a sharp-tipped dagger, holding it carefully on its frozen hilt while I pointed it just at the base of Anneson’s throat.

I saw as he jerked suddenly, eyes flickering down when he realized that I had done something. The sparks in his eyes were furious as he struggled to follow what I had done, and then he looked up at me, expression caught between rage and awe.

“You make a dagger out of wine?”

I bared my teeth at him. “If you want, I can make a statue of you out of your blood.” I threatened with no less ferocity, and it worked in getting Anneson back on the serious track. Yet, his determination wasn’t wavered by my impressive power play.

“Tell me where my sister is.”

I shook my head. “I said no. When the time comes, I will get you to your sister. Your life is now in danger.”

The laughter that followed was cold and humorless, like how mine had been. I felt Anneson reaching out his power, and for a moment, I allowed him to wrench control over the element of water as the wine-dagger turned back into liquid within my hand, splashing on the table messily. A slight, satisfied smile tugged on Anneson’s lips, but I only smiled as sweetly back.

“I life in danger every day, Dru. I turned my back on the NHS; Drake has vowed to make life difficult for me. Many people hunt after me because I’m the only known Reyzon left in the world. How is it not dangerous enough?” He scoffed.

This time, calling on to fire, I drew deep in my body heat, pooling it at my fingers. A deep chill numbed my arm as I snapped my fingers, together, rubbing the heat against each other. Forming a firm image in my mind, I formed a fire-rapier in my hand, feeling the chill set in deep in my arm. I’d drawn too much on my body heat from my arm to start the fire that the cells were starting to die of extreme coldness.

I held the fire-rapier to Anneson, close enough for him to feel the heat, far enough that it didn’t hurt him.

“You have no idea of the danger you face, from the nightstalker side. Go home and stay that, Anneson, if you want to see your sister again. I swear it will be soon, but not now.” I insisted, and for a moment, Anneson seemed ready to accept it, his awe and part-fear of my abilities overcoming his initial rage.

And then things happened so fast I couldn’t even keep track. Wind gusted through the doors that Anneson had left open, and there was a sudden blur before my eyes, covering my vision of Anneson. Instinct and reflex had my eyes jerking up to follow the movement of a blur, and my heart sank when I saw what had happened.

Wind was holding Anneson tight in a cuff-hold, the sharp blade of Anneson’s dagger resting across Anneson’s throat.

“Wind! What are you doing?” I exclaimed before I could help it, jumping over the table, trying me best to approach them. But Wind saw my approach, and tightened his hold over Anneson, who was turned to face me. His face was one of utter shock and confusion; not to mention a flash of fear.

“You lied to him, you naughty girl. How can you claim to love you brother when you lie to him so ruthlessly. All little Anneson here wants is to see his long-lost sister again, Dru. How do you think you love him so much to stop him from seeing his sister? He needs to see her again, and you would deny him of looking on your pretty face? Is it not heartless of you, dear Lorna Reyzon?” Wind’s voice was both of amusement and mockery as it breezed to my ears.

“Let him go, Wind! He has nothing to do with this!” I ignored his words, for Wind was one to manipulate people’s psychology to fit his schemes.

Wind’s laughter was the same humorless laughter, but I heard something else. Madness.

“Wrong, my little flower! Little Anneson Reyzon has everything to do with this! Did you not realize everything I did was nothing but a lie? I never loved you, you little bitch. I only needed you because you were the Mistress of Magic Manipulation, and that heck of your parents taught you too well for me to pass on you. I turned you over, and let you believe that you’re special. Yes, I cannot deny, you are special to me. You are my special tool that I will use to rein the world.”

To hear Wind’s words, so scathing and cutting, I almost broke down. I thanked Faith for advising me to speak everything out; for I was sure I would have collapsed if I hadn’t let my steam out after speaking to Faith.

“Rein the world?”

“Yes, Lorna. I killed the Valentino family trying to start the war. It was only be coincidence that Xavier escaped Vin’s clutches. I killed your parents to heighten tension. I killed your parents for Anneson to search for you. Who do you think was the one who lured Anneson over to Seattle with rumors that Dru, the Keeper of Seattle, knew the location of his sister? It has everything to do with your little brother, Dru Lorna Reyzon. I know you love him more than your life. So this is what I propose. In exchange for your brother’s pathetic human life, you will surrender Vin and yourself over to me unconditionally. After the war between the nightstalkers and sorcerers are done, I will use you to bring everyone to my heel. I will rein the world, and not even Kote can stop me!” Wind declared, and I heard the quality of the madness within his voice. So that was what it was all about.

Wind wanted a war, a war where nightstalkers and sorcerers fought. As part of both, he had excuse not to fight for either side. When the war was over, he would bring me out, the Mistress of Magic Manipulation, and force everyone to his heel. And to get to this goal, he’d gone to the trouble to find Anneson. He knew of my weakness. He knew that I loved Anneson even more than I ever loved him.

“You lied to me!” I couldn’t help myself but seethe. Of all the things I could get angry, like for capturing Anneson, I was more miffed about his loving acts being nothing but a lie. I hated that I was cheated. I hated that I thought he loved me, only to realize it was only a ploy to use me from the very beginning.

“You’re Lorna Reyzon? You’re my sister?” Anneson managed to find his voice as he stared at me, as if through new eyes. The shock that colored his face wiped away the fear while he looked me up and down, as if taking in the features for the first time. Then I saw the spark of recognition, and stifled a wince.

“Yes, little Anneson. She is your sister, Dru Lorna Reyzon. I turned her decades ago, and though you were nothing but a baby when I saw you, she loved you more than she loved me. It sucks to know that, you know? To know that someone you’re trying to seduce loves a baby more than you; it’s demoralizing. But look what use you are to me now. I’d say I would put that demoralizing thought aside and thank you for your help in pulling your sister into my use.” Wind was the one who answered my brother, and Anneson suddenly seemed very aware of his situation as he cringed, brushing the skin of his throat against the sharp blade of the dagger.

“We can talk through this, Wind. Just let Anneson go, and we’ll discuss anything. Anything you want. You can use my powers; anything. Just let him go.” I did my best to speak evenly. Faith was keeping very still behind me, for she knew there was nothing she could do, without endangering our and Anneson’s life.

“Yes, I’ll let him go once you have Vin in your hands. I’m not an idiot, Lorna. You will call Jin the moment I turn my back on you, and you’ll be trying to stab me in the back while I am fighting of Jin.”

“Vin is in Kote’s hands now.”

“Then get him from Kote.” Wind looked as if he was speaking to a kindergarten kid, but I was trying my best to keep my rage in.

“Kote is speaking with Jin now. I need time to get Vin in my hands. And I need to call in Jin to do that.”

“Then you will call Jin after I’m gone, demand for Vin and meet me at the riverside an hour before dawn.”

“And Anneson?” I asked carefully.

Wind laughed, and disappeared with Anneson in a blur of speed. There was nothing left behind them, only Wind’s haunting laugh and the wind that blew in through the open doors.

I felt my reserve strength leave me as I crumbled to the floor like a broken china doll. Faith held me close as I wept and cried, and though her embrace was warm, though my fire-rapier hadn’t yet been diffused, I felt cold; so cold.

Wind…

All of it had been a lie. All those years I spent with him, all of it a lie. All those mistakes I made; all because of the lies he whispered into my ears.

“He’s going to pay. I swear, he will pay.” I promised as I wiped the last of the tears away. Faith tried to stop me, but I needed to get Anneson back. Wind was right in something; I loved Anneson more than my life. I would rather die than let Anneson suffer at Wind’s hand. I would rather be a lowly servant to Wind than let Anneson die.

Outside the Dark Wind, I sliced my right palm open, not even reacting when Jin appeared out of nowhere, bowing low before me. I didn’t even care that my voice was hoarse and scratchy, that I was ordering an Ancient to do something as I spoke. “Give me Vin now.”

He began to growl at my lack of respect, but it drifted off after a short while when he realized that something was wrong with me. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Give me Vin.”

“Tell me, Dru! Something happened here? What’s wrong?” He grabbed my shoulders as his green eyes tried to pierce through me. I only shook him away, smacking away his gloved hand.

“I said nothing! Give me Vin!” I screamed, and, to my utter surprise, Jin obeyed as he disappeared.

A short while later, he reappeared, with a bloody, broken-looking man kneeling at his side, a collar around his neck like a dog on a leash. Vin’s eyes did not register anything, only staring intently on the floor. Wounds decorated Vin’s half-naked body, and his pants were torn and dirtied with dried blood. Kote must have done something horrible on him.

I took Vin’s leash, nodded and thanked Jin before sending him off with a poker-face. He tried to ask more, but I just stared through him, until he finally gave up. Jin promised to come back for explanation, but I didn’t tell him that I would be the Dru I am when he finally returned. I would be back as Wind’s dog, like Vin.

With Vin at my heel, holding on to his leash, I dialed a number on my phone.

“What do you want?” Xavier’s voice was gruff when he picked up the phone. I didn’t care.

“Meet me at the Dark Wind now. I have Vin.”

“Dru? You sound weird. Did something happen? Did Kote do anything to you?”

“Nothing. Come now.”

“Dru? Dru?”

I shut the phone on him.