Jonah
Eziah and Mara had been practicing spells. That is all she would give me, no reason, nothing, but she seems to like having her brother around, so as long as I know where she is, I am happy with that. On the other hand, Kyan isn’t too happy but accepts it.
Near dinner time, Marabella still hasn’t come down, so I decide to get her before Kyan comes looking for us. I also want to ask her about maybe spending the day with Kyan tomorrow instead of her brother, hoping it will keep his festering anger down.
Walking into my old apartment, I notice they have finally fixed the windows, and I let out a breath of relief. Marabella told me Eziah has spent the last couple of days drunk, and I am seriously worried about him falling out that damn window. Marabella sits cross-legged on the floor, staring at some small box.
“Musculus sphincter ani,” Mara says, and my eyebrows lift almost into my hairline as I stare at her before she gasps when I notice Eziah nudging the coffee table leg with his foot.
“See, try again,” Eziah snickers as I come to stand behind him. Marabella’s excitement bubbles through the bond as she keeps trying to repeat the exact same words as I lean down next to Eziah.
“Eziah, why have you got my mate screaming out anus?” I chuckle, and he puts his finger to his lips, trying not to laugh, and I shake my head.
Marabella, utterly oblivious to her brother making her speak nonsense, continues repeating the so-called spell.
He even nudges the table a couple of times, egging her on while I try not to laugh. She will be pissed when she realizes she isn’t saying a spell and that he is making fun of her.
Marabella, becoming angry, grabs the box. “It’s useless,” she says, trying to pry the box open with her fingers.
“If you told me what it is you are doing, I might be able to help,” I tell her. I have no magic but I have helped Kyan for years going through his grimoires and have seen enough magic. I know a few things, though she would be best off asking Kyan.
“Besides touching hers, I don’t see how,” Eziah mutters too low for her to hear as she examines the small trinket box. I nudge him with my elbow as she tries again.
“Muscular sphincter ani,” she says just as Kyan steps into the apartment. I straighten up, and so does Eziah.
Marabella, completely unaware and focused on her fake spell, hasn’t noticed, and I swallow, feeling his burning anger when he sees the spell books lying on the coffee table. I know they are doing something with magic, but Kyan didn’t, and by the look on his face and his blistering hot anger through the bond, he isn’t happy about it.
Kyan stalks over to Eziah and snatches the book from his hand, and Marabella jumps, looking over at him, finally noticing him.
“Why do you have this?” he growls at Eziah.
“Woah, calm down,” I tell him as Marabella leaps to her feet. Kyan looks between us all.
“Is this what you have been doing this past week? Why the fuck is my father’s grimoires in your brother’s hands, Marabella?” he growls. Eziah remains quiet, probably best since he is drunk.
“I knew something was going on. Why do you have these, fucking answer me?” Kyan roars. Mara looks at me, yet I’m not sure what they are doing, so I can’t exactly defend her when I don’t know.
“She was trying to open the box,” Eziah sighs. Kyan’s eyes flick to him on the couch.
“Doesn’t explain why you have this, and that wasn’t even a fucking spell. Do you think this is funny?” Kyan growls.
“I was messing around with her. No harm done,” Eziah says while Marabella glares at her brother.
“I knew you were up to something!” Marabella snaps at Eziah, and Eziah snickers, which in turn, makes Kyan growl again, returning their attention back to him.
“Where did you get these?” he says, looking at the coffee table covered in old books.
“Those are mine and from the Moon Goddess realm,” Eziah says, snatching one out of Kyan’s hand. Kyan snarls, grabbing it back and glancing at it. Marabella, I can feel is petrified as he opens the other book, the one Eziah was holding when he walked in.
Kyan looks it over before looking at Marabella. “You went into my father’s room?” he asks, and I feel his betrayal hit through the bond.
“I can explain, sort of,” she offers.
“What do you mean, sort of? You will be fucking explaining what the fuck is going on here?” Kyan roars, and Eziah jumps to his feet as Kyan raises his voice at her. “Sit down,” Kyan bellows at him.
The lights flicker with his anger, and the buzz of electricity in the air shows how betrayed he feels. I know it isn’t the issue of her being in possession of them more that she let her brother touch them.
“Kyan, she wasn’t doing anything, just trying to open the box. They have been practicing with magic,” I tell him because that is all I know and I can’t think of anything else to say.
“You knew?” Kyan asks me, and I glance away feeling guilty that I have kept it from him.
“Do you think magic is fucking joke?” Kyan asks, turning on Eziah.
“I was messing around with her,” Eziah retorts. It was funny, but at the same time, I understand where Kyan is coming from. Magic is sacred to his family and not delved into without caution or to be made a joke of. Not his family’s magic anyway.
“We are leaving,” Kyan snaps at Mara, grabbing her arm, and Eziah pushes him while I move to get between them. Kyan’s entire body trembles with rage as he stares at Eziah.
“Don’t,” I warn both of them while Mara looks like a deer in headlights. “Mara, grab your things,” I tell her. She quickly nods, picking up a couple of the books and stuffing them back in her handbag.
“I will come to see you tomorrow,” she whispers to Eziah, which doesn’t go unnoticed by Kyan.
“No, you won’t be,” Kyan says, looking at Marabella before turning his attention to Eziah. “And I want you out of my city,” Kyan snarls at him before turning for the door with his father’s book in his hands. He nudges Marabella toward the door and she takes the book, placing it in her bag.