Suzanne Lazear - Charmed Vengeance

James waited for him in the library, which had become the hub of the big house during James and Charlotte’s occupancy. The comfortable room had always been Steven’s favorite, filled with books, well-loved furnishings, a window seat with view of one of the gardens, and memories. The still-wrapped automaton occupied one of the comfortable chairs. Supper sat on the low table.

“Is she going to be all right?” James handed Steven a plate from his place on the settee.

“I hope so.” He didn’t feel like eating.

“I put Noli’s things in her room,” James added, heaping his own plate with food.

Noli’s room had been Elise’s room. His family had lived here once when not busy at the earth court palace. That was back when they’d been a family. When his parents had loved each other, and them, and his mother had been content to be queen of the earth court.

Steven sat next to James and helped himself to some tea. Charlotte had wanted to live here, not at the high palace. Not that he blamed her. James and Charlotte had been content to occupy this wing, the nursery wing where they’d lived as children. A small staff helped make this corner feel like home again.

It felt strange to be here without Charlotte. Without Noli. He kept expecting to hear Charlotte giggling or spy Noli reading a book in the tree outside the window.

“She’ll be fine.” James shot him a hopeful smile.

“I hope so.” Holding his cup of tea in his hands, he gazed out the window, not that he could see that particular tree from here. “I suppose we should take Hilde to the queen and be done with this?”

“I think so.” James looked at him, fork paused halfway to his mouth. “Then what?”

“We help Noli get better. We work on a way to make her whole again and for us to be together.” Absently, he grabbed a firm, fuzzy fruit from the bowl on the table. “Noli also seems to think her father may be in the Otherworld. If he is, he’s long gone, but I’ve been promising to make some inquiries.”

“I’m glad you said we .” James shoveled supper into his mouth.

“We make a good team.” Even if his brother infuriated him sometimes. He took a bite of succulent fruit, its flesh dissolving in his mouth like spun sugar. James made a noisy yawn, stretching his arms for emphasis. “I have a feeling we should wait until morning to deliver this.”

The long and tiresome day pressed on him. “True.” He gazed at the automaton perched in the chair. “I hope this is good enough.”

If it wasn’t, he didn’t know what they’d do. But with Noli ill, there wasn’t time to even consider the thought.

Steven plodded into the library, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, fully dressed. Morning light streamed in through the window. Nightmares about Noli had kept him awake. If she never recovered, his uncle would pay.

His eyes fell on the chair where Hilde the automaton sat. It lay empty. His heart skipped a beat, then two. James had moved her. Yes, that was it. No reason to panic.

He searched the library with his eyes. No Hilde. Still, no need to panic.

Running out of the library, he threw open the door to James’ childhood bedroom, which had been redecorated. The toys were gone, but his weapon collection remained. Touches of Charlotte lurked everywhere, from the flowered dressing screen in the corner to the cosmetics scattered across the dresser. “James, wake up.” Steven shoved his brother.

“Go away,” James muttered, rolling over so his back was to him.

“Did you move the automaton?” Steven prayed to the Bright Lady he answered yes . Hilde didn’t look to be in here, either.

“She’s in the library, now let me sleep.” He pulled the blankets over his head.

Horror swirled around Steven’s limbs, rooting him to the floor. “Wait. You didn’t move the automaton?”

“Why would I do that? Now, go away.” The blanket muffled James’ voice.

Steven threw back the covers. “The automaton is missing.”

James sat straight up. “What?”

“She’s not in the library. Are you certain you didn’t move her?” Steven’s heart thumped a tattoo of terror.

“Flying figs, no.” James leapt out of bed and left without even throwing on a robe or slippers. Heathen.

Steven followed him into the library.

James stared at the empty chair, mouth gaping. “I didn’t move it, honest.”

“We have to get it back.” There was no time to go look for something else, not that he even knew where to start. Defeat pressed on him. They’d been so close.

“Where do we start? It’s not as if we can ask the chair?” James plopped down in the chair and put his head in his hands.

Who had a grudge against him? Who’d broken into the big house before? Who had no morals or scruples? Who loved Noli and probably knew all about his quest?

Steven rubbed his chin. “Do you have any idea where we can find Kevighn Silver?”

“Kevighn?” James looked up, face contorted in confusion.

“Can you think of anyone else?” Steven certainly couldn’t. “Get dressed, we need to get that automaton back.”

Noli floated in a strange dreamlike state. She wasn’t exactly sure what was happening. Wherever she was, Miss Gregory and Queen Tiana weren’t there—neither were any pink croquet mallets or purple cannonballs. All around her was … nothing. Yet at the same time it was everything. Where was she?

You’re here, a voice replied, familiar, yet, at the same time, unidentifiable.

Where was that? Was she in a dream?

You’re just here. It’s everywhere and nowhere. But it’s safe, and soon you’ll be well.

Oh wait, she was ill, she remembered that much. There had been a voice … a voice she remembered … telling her he loved her, telling her she’d be well soon. For the life of her, she couldn’t remember who that was. But that didn’t matter. The fact he loved her did. Just recalling it made her feel warm and tingly all over.

Not that she could actually feel her body.

Will you tell me a story? I’m lonely, the voice added. A story? What else did she have to do? It wasn’t as if she could go anywhere or do anything in this vast nothingness.

“Of course.” Noli tried to think of a story. V had been the one who loved faery stories, not her. But there was one her father used to tell her. “Once upon a time there was a little girl … ”

“Steven, this is idiocy. We don’t know where Kevighn is and we don’t know he has it,” James insisted as they ended up in yet another unfamiliar place, in their vain attempt to locate Kevighn Silver. “You’re letting your hatred for him blind you. I think we need to look at this rationally, and logic says Kevighn didn’t take it.”

“He has to, who else could have it? And I don’t hate him. Wait. When have you ever relied on logic?” Desperation rode Steven like a horse. If they didn’t find the automaton …

James grabbed Steven and shook him. “V, snap out of it. I know you hate him, but we have no proof he took it. Also, he’s exiled.”

“Just from the courts, not the Otherworld. And get off.” Steven pushed his brother away. “I wish a finding spell worked on things.” Not that they were any good at them.

“Why don’t we look one up in father’s library,” James replied.

Steven stopped and looked at his brother. “What?

Let’s go back to the big house, look up a finding spell for things, and find Hilde that way instead of running around blindly.” James shoved his hands deep in his pockets. “Well, I suppose that’s one way to do it.” Actually, it was a very good idea.

James put his arm around Steven’s shoulders. “We’re going to find the automaton. Noli will be fine . Now, let’s finish this.”