Chapter 9
“Mama told me there’s a ritual you’re planning with Father.” Anne studied Titus, who looked straight back, his eyes staring deep into her. “Are you playing with dark magics?”
“Does it matter if we are?”
“Yes, Titus, it does, especially in this house. One mistake…”
“Do you really believe for a moment I haven’t thought of that?”
“What I worry about more is whether or not you care.”
“I care about you.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“No one else matters, Anne.”
“Yes, they do. Mama matters. Zachary matters. Even Papa.”
“Maybe to you.”
Even with his honesty there was no sign of Anne’s memories. Titus knew it was going to take time, but it was running out.
“Titus…”
“What I’m doing is for us, Anne.” She would have understood before. “It’s the way things are meant to be.”
“Meant to be? You See now?”
Titus always had, and Anne once knew. Dante came from nowhere, a sign he could also See, because that was how it worked. A Seer couldn’t See another Seer. Not that it was the same for all of them.
Dante saw the darkness. He was a danger to their plans, both times he appeared.
“Yes, I See. I always have, Anne, and I need you to trust me.”
“Trust you when you’re walking this path?”
With a sigh Titus rested his head on his hand. “I don’t need you to lecture me. I know what I’m doing.”
“I don’t want you to do this, Titus, especially not for me.”
“Father won’t stop now.”
“He will if you talk to him. Titus, you’re the best chance we have of stopping this. Immortality requires a sacrifice.”
Multiple, if it was more than one person seeking immortality, hence the decisions of the past. Unless Dante was there.
Titus wasn’t listening. He’d made his mind up. Anne couldn’t change it, because he wanted immortality more than he cared about the scars on his soul.
Only she still had to try, for everyone else. If they went through with the ritual it wouldn’t only affect those there.
“You have to talk to Papa.”
“No, Anne, I don’t. I’m doing this for us. When the time comes you’ll understand.”
Or she wouldn’t, because she’d be furious with him for making her decisions for her. She’d chosen Dante. Her love was the reason she was walking away, finally.
“Selfishness doesn’t suit you.”
Titus laughed. “It’s part of who I am.”
“Why drag the Fitzgeralds into this?”
“By coming here they walked into this. It’s what happens when new magic tries to integrate with old.”
“Parroting Grandfather Tyrell? It doesn’t suit you.”
“Gregor was right, Anne. The Fitzgeralds want to be something they aren’t, and they think we’re going to help, when the reality is they’re only useful for one thing.”
They’d had the same argument before.
“Sacrificing in order to get what you want.” She sighed. “Of course.”
“You will understand.”
“No, Titus, I won’t. They are people, like us, and, yes, they have new magic, but that doesn’t mean we can use them like this.”
“Does this have something to do with Matthew?”
A crush being the only reason to argue against his plans. She raised an eyebrow.
“Matthew is one reason.”
“You have to listen to me, Anne. Keep away from the Fitzgeralds. All of them.”
Alexander and Matthew were new complications, while Dante was an old one. At least Anne hadn’t connected with him again.
“No.”
“It’s for the best.”
“They’re part of my life.”
“You do not go against your family for them.”
“I will do whatever I please, Titus. You can’t stop me.”
“Father can. A locked door makes it a much simpler process.”
“Like that’s going to be enough to stop me. I have magic, brother, and we can both get out a locked door.”
Magic could stop her, if Titus chose to use it, but he knew he was pushing too hard.
“Anne, please.”
“Please, what? Go along with this prejudice? You know me better than that.”
“It’s not as simple as you think it is.”
“Yes, it is. Close minded choices are mistakes.”
“Anne, I’m trying to protect you. You’re the only one of us they might be able to get to. The FItzgeralds are dangerous, whether you want to believe it or not.”
“Which is why they’ve been invited to the ritual.”
“It’s to protect everyone. Father and I have a plan.”
“More lies, Titus. I know Matthew, and he isn’t dangerous, whatever you might want me to believe.”
“They want power. You believe I do, but the reality is they will do whatever they have to in order to get it. Where do you think their magic came from in the first place?”
“Matthew said he was born with it, and came into his power when he first become a teenager, like Dante and Alexander.”
“It’s an easy story to tell. He wouldn’t want to admit the truth, how Victor stole the magic they now have, from another family with old magic.”
“When did you become this person, Titus?”
“I’m doing what’s right for us, Anne, and I need you to keep away from the Fitzgeralds. You aren’t leaving this room without making me that promise.”
Lying to anyone else would be easy enough. Titus would see straight through it.
“It’s not a promise I’m going to make, Titus.”
Magic filled the arch. “Then you aren’t leaving.”
No one could break through it either. Anne was strong, but Titus was stronger.
“Would you prefer I lie to you?”
“You can’t lie to me.”
“Then we’re both stuck here until the ritual.”
“Unless you see sense. Do you really think I’d be doing this for no reason?”
“I think you’ve come up with this reason, Titus, because you don’t like the Fitzgeralds. Give me one good, true, reason, and maybe I’ll ‘see sense’.”
“We don’t trust them.”
“You don’t know them.”
“Neither do you.”
“Titus…”
“I mean it, Anne. You’ve spent time with Matthew, and maybe met the rest of the family. That’s not enough to say you know them. Be sensible.”
“Sensible is getting to know them, not treating them like lepers.”
“Which we’ll do at the ritual.”
“Will you, or are you going to use them?”
“I’m asking for one thing. A few days. That’s it. Nothing more.”
“Until you come up with another reason for your hatred.”
By then it would be solved, and there wouldn’t be any more arguments.
“You have my promise that won’t happen.”
Did she trust him? Could she? Titus’ magic was a sign there was no talking him round. He believed he couldn’t trust the Fitzgeralds. Maybe he was right, but he was probably wrong, and the ritual wasn’t what he wanted her to believe. It was words to convince her of his lies.
“You don’t believe me.”
“I have no reason to.”
“Everything I do is for you.” There was a truth in his eyes Anne hated. “All I want to do is protect you, and this is the best way I can do that. You’re my baby sister. Looking after you is something our parents asked me to do.”
Different parents, same reason. They were Lockwoods, and Anne, being both younger and female, was a target.
“I’m not going to pretend I like it, Titus.”
“Never expected you to. All I want is for you to stay away until the ritual is over.”
“Fine, you have my promise.”
“Good.”
“This conversation is over, Titus. Remove the magic from the arch.”
“Anne, please don’t be angry with me. I know it’s hard, but this is for the best, because I need to keep you safe.”
“I am angry. There’s no way I can pretend otherwise. You’ve forced me into this.”
“I love you. That’s the only reason.”
Titus very rarely used those words, and it wasn’t enough.
“Yes, and I love you, but I don’t like you very much right now.”
“Liking me isn’t important.” The magic faded. “Keep the promise you made. When the ritual is over you’ll understand.”