Chapter 26

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Lusio scoffed but Tegan leaned forward to block the ugly look. "Do you remember who did this to you?"

Miles clutched his head in one hand. "I-I don't know. I awoke an hour before dawn as usual and proceeded to open the windows to allow the fresh sea breeze into the house. It was on opening the terrace doors that I felt something amiss."

Lusio's face paled a little. "Amiss? What was amiss?"

Miles shook his head. "I can barely describe it, sir. It was as though something brushed my mind. The moment was brief and I thought nothing of it until you commanded me to fetch Miss Clara. It was then that I felt that intrusion once more but far stronger. The entity took control and forced me to hide out in the dunes long enough to present to have walked to Miss Clara's home and return to the house to inform you of that lie."

"And when you walked us to the hut?" Tegan wondered.

Miles winced as though slapped. "I. . .I am ashamed to say my mind was not my own, sir. Those words were not mine and I struggled against the impulse. I only succeeded in taking some control on the return to the house where I felt the entity in my mind intended me grave harm."

Lusio crossed his arms over his chest and frowned at his servant. "And we're to believe this outlandish tale?"

Miles' face drooped and his eyes swam with tears. He dropped onto his knees and crawled across the sand to his employer with his hands grasped together in plea. "Please, sir, what I told you was the truth! I swear it on my mother's grave!"

Lusio scowled at him a moment longer before he turned his attention to Clara. "Is there any way to prove him right?"

Clara leaned toward Miles and her nostrils flared. "He does reek of magic."

"His own or someone else's?" Lusio questioned her.

It was her turn to scoff. "This man doesn't have a magical bone in his body."

"Why is it that so hard to believe?" I challenged our host as I stepped up to him and gestured down at Miles. "He's been working for you for years. Why would he start doing something now?"

A strange flicker in Lusio's eyes told me more than he had wanted to let on. Our host turned his face away and his frown deepened. "Then answer me this: who did this?"

A thought struck me and I turned to Miles. "How many people know about your morning routine?"

He shook his head. "I have never kept my habits a secret from anyone."

Tegan furrowed his brow. "So anyone could have known you were walking about at around that hour."

Miles hung his head. "I'm afraid so, sir."

"Sir!" someone shouted and everyone's attention fell on a spry servant who scurried across the sand. He came up to the master of the house nearly winded and pointed at the villa. "Your guests, sir! They are arriving!"

Lusio's face twisted with fear and rage. "Why didn't someone tell me that before they came!" He spun around to face the other servants and stabbed a finger at his home. "Get the preparations finished immediately and see that the guests are made comfortable!" The group bowed and hurried off to fulfill his demands. Lusio turned back to us and specifically his servant who still sat slumped at his feet. "You will be confined to your room for the present time."

Miles nodded. "O-of course, sir."

Lusio marched off after his servants leaving us alone. Miles tried to stand but his legs were so shaky that he slumped back onto the sand. I hurried up to his side and grabbed one of his arms. "Let me help you," I offered.

"Thank you, miss," he replied as I eased him onto his feet. He took a shaky step forward and didn't falter. "I-I think I can manage the short distance myself."

"You sure? I don't mind helping," I offered.

He smiled at me and shook his head. "You're too kind, miss, but I will be fine." He ambled up the beach and onto the terrace where he disappeared into the house and his imprisonment.

My eyebrows crashed down and I spun around to face Tegan. "Let's go."

He lifted an eyebrow. "Go where?"

I stabbed a finger in the direction of the road. "Out of here. Completely."

"You're forgetting we have a job to do," he reminded me.

I kept my arm up as I shook my head. "I'm not forgetting anything. I just don't care to protect an asshole like that so let's get-" I felt a strange tug inside my brain. My heart skipped a beat as I recalled Miles' description of his being mind-controlled by our unknown foe. The tug became painful pressure and I cupped one side of my head in my hand.

"Kate?" Tegan spoke up as he rushed to my side. "What is it?"

I grimaced and shook my head. "I-I don't know."

Clara wrinkled her nose. "Blood contract."

Tegan looked over his shoulder at her. "What do you mean?"

"She's serious about leaving but you have a job to do, don't you," she commented as she studied me with more pity than I expected. "You can't leave until your mission is finished."

"What would happen if we tried to fight against such a strong contract?" Tegan questioned her.

She shook her head. "Only the fine print tells that story, and I'm guessing you didn't read too much into that before you signed."

Tegan looked down at me and pursed his lips. "We didn't have much time."

"Then I wouldn't risk it," she advised us as she set a hand on Tegan's shoulder. "You'll just have to find who's doing this and take care of them."

The pressure on my brain lessened with my resolve and I lowered my shaking hand. "Damn. There goes my plans for elopement."

Tegan grinned at me. "It's a little late for that."

"I thought I'd give it a try, anyway," I quipped as he helped me to my feet. "But speaking of taking care of things here, don't we have something to show Clara?"

She lifted an eyebrow. "What's this?"

Tegan grasped Clara's arm and nodded in the direction of the road. "We have something you should take a look at."

She scowled at him as he led her unwilling self toward the villa. "Let me go! I've had enough looking for one day and already have that detestable job to do!"

"This is in connection with your job," he assured her as I followed beside him.

We three stumbled across the sand and onto the verdant gardens. Tegan had us bypass the house itself and I could hear why. Many voices chattered away in idle chit-chat and elegant ladies and handsome men strolled about waiting for the main event. We slipped around to the front yard where row after row of handsome carriages rolled up to deposit their load. At the door.

"It's a little far for her to walk," I reminded him. Tegan's gaze settled on the many carriages that road up the drive and a crooked grin slipped onto his lips. I knitted my eyebrows together and shook my head. "I don't like that look."

"Stay here," he instructed me as he hurried up to one of the incoming carriages, beating the servants to the reins. He bowed his head to the pair seated in the small handsome cab. "Good morning. Allow me to lead you to the house and take your horse and cart."

The man, an older gentleman with his well-dressed wife at his side, acquiesced and Tegan steered them onto the lawn short of the front door where a few of the servants gave him suspicious glances. Tegan hurried around to the side and helped the pair out before he hopped into the carriage and nodded at them as he took up the reins. "Thank you and have a pleasant time."

Tegan cracked the reins and the horse whinnied before it darted forward. He weaved the vehicle through the mess of others and over to us.

"Get in!" he shouted.

I didn't need to be told twice but it took some convincing to stuff Clara into the carriage. "Stop roughhanding me, you beasts!" she snapped as I pushed against her butt to get her up into the seat. "I can help myself!" Tegan didn't think so as he grabbed the front of her dress and yanked her onto the seat.

Shouts came from the owner and I grabbed the sides of the dip in the walls just as the servants rushed us. "Go!" I shouted as I hopped into the opening.

Tegan cracked the reins and we took off down the driveway. I squeaked as we bumped over the ground and I nearly lost my footing. We flitted past the long lines and were soon out in the countryside.

And in a world of trouble with our companion.