There was just a hint of hesitance in Celina’s voice as she asked the question. Rodric wasn’t sure why that would be, but he shifted his leg so that it touched hers under the table. She pressed back, reciprocating the contact.
“Seeing as you’ll go either way, I don’t think I have a choice. Not if I want you as safe as possible.”
Relief emanated from Celina, making him think they may have argued about the maps, or the mission, before his arrival. Something to ask when they were alone.
The lines of stress around Sam’s face disappeared, softening his features as he smiled at Celina before shifting to look at Rodric, making complete and steady eye contact for the first time since he’d arrived. His mouth was moving in a question, but all Rodric heard was his own heartbeat pounding in his ears, drowning out all other sound.
He knew those eyes. Not hazel, with blended colors, but dark amber, almost opaque brown. Flecks of dark forest green in them instead of the expected gold.
That’s impossible. Those eyes belonged to Damien. But Damien Zafar was dead, many years now. Rodric had knelt beside him, watched him die. Yet there was no question that this man had the same unusual eyes.
“Rodric, are you okay?” Celina’s hand settled on his leg under the table.
He covered her hand with his, pressing it into his muscle to try to anchor himself. His gaze stayed focused on the mystery across from him. “Who are you?”
Celina went exceptionally still next to him, and tension snapped from Sam’s side of the table. What were they hiding?
“I’m sorry? Who amI?” A hint of defiance lit in Sam’s eyes but was quickly masked. He gave a light, forced laugh. “Maybe you shouldn’t have given him coffee, Cela. I think you both need some sleep.”
Rodric abandoned the conversation at the table to search his memories of a time in his life he’d blocked out, keeping a watchful eye on Sam. Images of Damien from their younger, happier years as boys flowed through him.
After the meal, they parted ways with Sam for the night.
“Are you sure you’re alright? You acted like you’d seen a ghost earlier.” Celina grazed her fingers over his face as they stopped on the second floor outside their rooms.
“I think I did.”
Brushing a kiss on her cheek, he said good night and entered his room, surprisingly glad he’d be alone for the night to delve through his past for answers.
Chapter 10
“Rodric,something’swrong,”Damienwhispered, his brown eyes much darker than normal, the way they got when he was worried or angry.
“What do you mean?” Rodric glanced at their instructor, who was drilling the older boys in hand-to-hand tactics across the room.
“Jena.” Damien stressed his twin’s name and tapped his temple. “It’s something bad. We need to go, now!”
Rodric hated breaking the rules. They would get in so much trouble for leaving the training early. But Avery was at the same place Jena was with their mothers, and Rodric trusted his best friend. Pushing down the gnawing anxiousness eating at his stomach, he nodded.
Walking quickly across the room, they stowed their practice gear as quietly as they could, trying not to draw the ire of their instructor.
An older friend of theirs, James, gestured frantically to them, silently asking where they were going. Rodric shook his head, motioning toward the instructor. James scowled but signaled to them to continue leaving. He hated missing out on mischief and would probably hound them later, but this wasn’t that type of outing. Nerves coiled inside Rodric as he followed Damien across the room.
Just as they neared the door, there was a screech and a thud, James apologizing loudly, drawing the instructor’s attention opposite them.
As soon as they were outside, Damien broke into a run, Rodric at his heels.
“Do you know what’s wrong?”
“No, but Jena is terrified. I’ve never felt her this scared before.”
Rodric fought the nausea that immediately churned at the veiled reference to magic. He loved Damien like a brother, even after he’d found out his long-time friend was secretly a mage. But the Zafar family was comfortable with their magic in a way that completely terrified Rodric, and he hated that his mother and Avery were being drawn into such a dangerous world. His mind wouldn’t let go of the horrific possibilities.
Why hadn’t he voiced his concerns louder when Avery told him that she and their mom were joining a magic rights group led by Lady Zafar? He knew it was too dangerous. What if someone found out? What if they were hurt?
Jena was confident and fearsome, like her mother. If she was scared, there was a big reason.
He ran faster, keeping pace with Damien as they hurried to their family. Finally, they turned down a back alley on the outskirts of town, racing toward the house at the very end of the street. Damien sucked in a gasp as Rodric staggered to a halt. The house was on fire, black smoke beginning to escape from the open windows.
