“You’ll learn,” Faelan says, his tone losing its edge a little. “It’s a matter of control.”
“According to Faelan, control is everything, and hunger is a demi’s weakness,” Marius says. “I’ve always felt his strict ways were unfortunate, especially with all that hidden beauty he carries. I was truly disappointed that he wasn’t more liberal when he came into our House. But over the centuries, I’ve come to appreciate my stoic, unaffected friend. And in your case, Daughter of Fire, it will serve us well. Since you’re so . . . full of possibility.”
The words seem to be important, but I don’t know what they mean. The thin necklace tingles against my skin, distracting me. It warms but it doesn’t burn like the heavy collar did. My nerves settle too. It’s a sudden and real shift, as if I’ve taken one of the antianxiety meds the psychiatrist prescribed for me after I got kicked out of my third foster home—like maybe the necklace is working to somehow mask my emotions or something? The idea of an inanimate object muffling my senses would normally terrify me, but I can’t seem to work up the fear with the cloud of stillness settling in, crowding it out. Mostly, I just feel relief. I can breathe steadily again, and I don’t want to punch something. I’d say, on the whole, it’s a huge improvement.
“I believe your potential can be harnessed, though,” Marius continues, bringing me back. “And Faelan’s sure to be adept at that. His strength will have to be above average to guard against that blossom of power that will emerge as he helps you with your transition over the next few days.”
Faelan’s gaze snaps to Marius. “What are you talking about? I brought her to you. My part in this is done. I was to return home after this task. I’m meant to guard the doorways to the hidden realms now.”
“No, I think not. You’re far too young to retire. And the City of Angels needs you. Your House needs you, my friend.”
Faelan’s skin goes sallow. He looks like he’s going to be sick. “Marius,” he says, his voice beginning to shake with emotion, “it’s not right. I thought you called up Cias. Even if I wasn’t meant to leave, I’m a hunter, not a tutor. I collect them, I bring them in. That’s it. And we had a deal.”
“Cias isn’t even close to being strong enough for this,” Marius says, seemingly oblivious to Faelan’s frustration. “Look at her.” He steps closer to me. Before I realize what he’s doing, he reaches out, running a finger gently over my temple. A strange buzzing fills my skin as he whispers, “So much hidden there. Why else would she have been tucked away with the humans for so long? Something has kept her locked out—perhaps the Cast. We must discover why. I don’t trust anyone more than you.”
“No, Marius,” Faelan says through his teeth. “You will not get me mixed up with the Cast. I’ve had enough of this madness you’re always planning.”
Marius releases a tired sigh. “Foolish boy. So faithless.” He turns away from us and walks back over to his desk. He picks up something—a knife, or a very large letter opener—and taps the tip against his chin. “You shall aid in this demi’s Emergence, offering yourself as her chosen protector. As your House master, I call you to this task, Faelan Ua Cleirigh. Until it is fulfilled or until you have perished from this plane.”
Marius rests the blade against his palm, then slides it across, opening the skin. Thick crimson blood begins to seep from the wound as he holds his hand out in offering. “Come now,” he urges Faelan, that lazy grin tilting his lips again.
“Fuck all, Marius,” Faelan growls. But he pulls out his own dagger and cuts his palm the same way. He looks pissed as he reaches out and takes Marius’s bloody offering.
Marius laughs and pulls Faelan into his chest, giving him a hug, slapping his back like he’s congratulating him. “Now this will be a contest. Wait until the Introduction tomorrow, you’ll see I’m right.”
I find myself pitying Faelan, but I’m not sure why. He’s acting like Marius just asked him to donate a kidney. The guy looks seriously annoyed as Marius releases him and steps away.
“Take her to the Cottages in Malibu,” Marius says. “My wife, Barbara, will happily see she’s given every amenity, and you can stay in the east forest bungalow while our guest stays in the west.”
“What about Aelia?” Faelan asks. “She’s going to be trouble.”
“She will obey. I’m her father, after all.”
Faelan seems dubious.
Marius turns his attention back to me. “Be gentle with our hunter, kind Sage.”
I nod, though I’m not really sure what I’m agreeing to. The only thing I know for sure is that the guy who’s supposed to show me everything about myself, about what I am, is completely miserable about it. I should probably be offended, but I’m not. I don’t blame him at all. Apparently, I’m deadly.
“Sorry,” I whisper as Faelan starts pacing in front of the desk. He glares at me. I wave my hand like I’m trying to explain. “I mean . . . that you’re stuck with me.” I don’t understand what’s in my head right now. Why am I apologizing for something I have no control over? Everything in me feels so weird.
“Good morrow, children,” Marius says as he heads for the door in the back of the office. “I’ll check in at the Cottages this evening to hear the progress report. We’ll have supper together.” And then he slips into the room where the white-haired woman and someone who’s famished are waiting for him.
Morbid curiosity fills me. How does all of this hunger/feeding stuff work, anyway? Is it through touching, like I did to Ben? Or drinking blood, like Ben did to Faelan? Or, like, could there also be actual chewing? Does it depend on who’s doing the eating?
A shiver of revulsion runs through me, along with something else. Something that makes it a bit tougher to breathe.
I look over to Faelan and immediately regret it. He’s leaning his hip on the desk, pinching the bridge of his nose, eyes closed. The blue-green tattoos running over his arms seem more obvious now; they shape his muscles like a work of art. He’s still got dried blood on his shirt from earlier. The smell of it fills the air around me for a second as I study him.
Peppermint tingles in my nose.
And an ache fills my skin as weird urges tease the back of my mind, to step closer, to touch him. But it’s not a normal desire to be close to someone. It’s an intense need. A hollow pang. It starts to claw its way out of the darkness inside me just like it did when I touched Ben. Like it does when I look into the flame. Touch. Feed. Control.
I reach up to the charm necklace at my chest like it can calm the feeling. And new terror fills me. Because I know. I know now.
It’s hunger that’s been calling to me in the fire.
SEVEN
SAGE