10. Unearthing the Truth

When we hopped in Ewan’s truck, he got as far as sticking the key in the ignition before he stopped and turned to me. “Wait, run this by me again.”

Ewan has been waiting for what he needs to expose the Brass family’s deceptions. Now that he’s found the link he needs, it’s taking a minute to sink in.

“The Brass’s son Percy is a future icebrand,” I say.

“Right, yeah.” Ewan drums his fingers on the dashboard, still a bit dazed. “Nobody in America seems to know anything about the Brass sons and then you waltz in and crack the case wide open.”

“Uh, I’m sorry?”

“Nah, it’s fine.” He cracks a smile. “My pride will recover, eventually.”

The shock is fading if he’s cracking jokes. I still give him a few moments to process everything.

Fortunately, we’re still parked. I don’t think he sees anything ahead. I planned to get him up to speed while we hopped in his truck and drove closer to the Brass’s secluded lakefront property. Good thing he insisted I fill him in first. We haven’t even progressed to turning the keys in the ignition.

It isn’t surprising they had no idea Percy was back. The Brass family would need to hide him and his connection to ice magic from the wolves they were tormenting. No wonder they found no paper trail or smoking gun either. The Brass family kept their dirty dealings inside the family.

“All we could find out is that the Brass’s have two sons, who spend most of their time in Europe. They’ve been studying at magical boarding schools for years. If their son Percy is doing his family’s dirty work and keeping a low profile, how do you know he’s back from boarding school?” Ewan asks next.

“My family happens to sponsor him. My parents always demand to see him whenever he comes home.” I’ve suspected that’s why he stays away. “Their sponsorship provides him with a stronger token, and his school is supposed to monitor him in lieu of my family. Magic really doesn’t translate well over phone or video chat. But I doubt his school is as thorough as my parents would have been.”

Few people are. My parents aren’t exactly ‘hands off’ people, but they trusted Percy’s parents enough to grant the token.

“Happen to sponsor Percy, huh?” he murmurs, thinking something over.

“What, you think—” Did he think my parents were involved too? “My parents wouldn’t. Their idea of fighting dirty is doing anything legally permissible to win. Bending perhaps but never breaking rules… that doesn’t sound nearly as reassuring as I hoped, does it?”

“No, hey, I’m not blaming you or your family.” Ewan gives me a smile and I relax so he can continue. “But he’s who you were supposed to be meeting, right? That means us both being nearby wasn’t a coincidence. I was in the area for a meeting at their main house with Percy’s father and his army of lawyers. They had us drive up to inform us that their generous offer,” he spits those words. “to buy our land is still on the table. But they did lower their price because of the damage.”

The very damage they caused. I’d be pissed too. No wonder he needed to shift and get away from his troubles.

“Percy wasn’t at the meeting,” Ewan continues. “But I’m guessing he was nearby. Small world, huh?”

Actually, the coincidence wasn’t that shocking.

The magical university saw many potential wizards and the wizarding community in the area was good-sized due to it, but this meant that no one element dominated the area. Only a handful of families represented each of the major brands. So, if something nefarious were happening with ice magic, it stood to reason my family might know or at least have some connection to those involved…

…Sure, it felt like magic, the elements, or some grand force in the universe all conspired to bring Ewan and I together so that I could help, so that we could meet. But I remind myself, forcefully, that it’s logical enough.

“Okay, I’m alright,” Ewan says as he turns the key in the ignition. “Let’s drive over.”

The trees and terrain largely block the home from view when we get close. The Brass vacation home is on one edge of the lake and their property rests at the top of a steep, rocky incline. I have to squint to make out the hidden road leading up to their place. They couldn’t fence themselves in or entirely keep people out in an area like this. They’d still done everything possible to set themselves apart.

“It’s strange,” I say. “Why is Percy doing this for his parents? Why are they letting him? It’s awfully risky.”

Ewan’s face darkens and he doesn’t sound surprised. “Not if they think they’re untouchable and won’t get caught.”

“Maybe. The elements care less about human morals and more about the strength of your skills and your devotion. But it breaks all kinds of human magical rules.”

The elements cared about their own set of criteria and us humans tried to fill in the gaps with rules designed to emphasize responsible, ethical casting.

“Hmm.” Ewan considers this. “You think there’s something we’re missing?”

“Yes,” I say. “It’s possible.”

Was the situation with the wolves so bad the Brass family had enough? Or did Percy take matters into his own hands and decide to get rid of their pests for himself? There were so many possible angles. Wouldn’t Percy eventually return home with his brand? Perhaps the Brasses are counting on forcing the wolves out soon and it will be too late for the pack to do anything by that point?

I worry we aren’t seeing the whole picture. And we have no idea what surprises wait for us inside. Percy’s probably staying here, since this location is much closer to the wolves he’s sabotaging. Is he alone?

“Tell me you have a better plan than us ringing on the doorbell and seeing who is at home,” Ewan demands.

Not exactly. I could be leading Ewan into grave danger. He trusts me and he could end up hurt because of me.

That does give me one important detail, and I fill in the rest of the plan from there. I draw my eyes away from the property and twist towards him in my seat. This seems like a face-to-face conversation.

“About that. You’re not going in. I am. Alone.”

A muscle in Ewan’s face twitches and suddenly a pissed off wolf is next to me. “Like hell you are.”

“I’ll be perfectly safe. He’s trying to hurt your family. He needs mine.”

“Which means he’ll keep up appearances and not reveal anything.”

“And his defenses will go right up if he sees you.”

Things start changing from a face-to-face conversation to a face-to-face argument.

“You said it yourself that we’re in the dark here,” he grinds out through clenched teeth. “That’s not the time to go it alone.”

“We don’t have a better option.”

He almost brings his fist down hard on the dashboard, then he seems to remember that he loves his truck and pats it awkwardly instead while his face turns more sour. “Two is better than one.”

“You can come in if I’m in trouble.”

“What about me being there to stop the trouble?” he mutters.

Ewan stares darkly at the keys in the ignition like he’s thinking about turning this car around and driving away. I snatch the keys just in case he decides to really do it and he sends me possibly the meanest face I’ve ever seen anyone make, and what do I do? I only give him a sunny smile in return.

Who am I and what have I done with the real Jack Blanchard?

I’m sitting in a small, enclosed space with a pissed off werewolf and I’m not scared at all. Ewan’s feeling protective over me.

Even when his own pack was at each other’s throats and the other wolf goaded him, Ewan and the alpha were the calm in the storm. Yet I have the power to fluster him and rile him up.

“Jack, this is too much.” Ewan’s big, worried eyes watch me with concern.

I feel so small and foolish for being happy when I hear the honest ache in his voice, this is clearly tearing him up.

“My pack were complete assholes to you,” he says. “And you’re sticking your neck out to help us. It’s too much to ask.”

“You aren’t asking. It’s my choice.” And I’ve made it. “I want to help, and I don’t think I’m in any danger.”

“They’re closer than ever to getting what they want and you’re stepping in to ruin their plans. That doesn’t make you safe.”

How can I live with myself if I turn my back on one of the kindest, most genuine people I’ve ever met? I have the power to help him, so I must. I need to.

Maybe it is fate that brought us together after all. I used to be so torn, but I’m getting better at determining what I want when he’s around. Any choice that involves him is easier. I always want more of him. I need to be worthy of him. He makes it easy to envision the future I could have, if I were just a little bit braver and able to go after the man and magic I truly desire.

“I wish we could go in together too,” I say. “But that’s not going to work. I know you’ll come as soon as you can.”

Ewan nods immediately and then registers my words and does a double take. “When I can? What does that mean?”

”Parking here and debating our options seems kind of risky,” I say with a dry smile. The area was secluded but anyone traveling to their own accommodations could pass by and see our truck idling here. “But this is for the best since I’m developing a sense of the place. Active magic is nearby, out here. I can feel it. I’ve met metalbrands at the university, and the element doesn’t feel like it should. I’m fairly certain there are preventative measures in place to keep curious wolves from coming too close.”

”Preventative measures?” he repeats skeptically.

”Well… traps.” There’s no way around it. ”They’re traps.”

“Fuck. Of course.” He glares daggers at the property beyond the trees, like he can scare the traps into malfunctioning.

“They are your closest neighbors and things are heated between you. They put in extra security to keep you out. It would be easy for you to snoop, just as it’s easy for one of them to wander into your land.” With wolves and their enhanced senses, ‘easy’ is a stretch but possible. Especially since people come and go from the pack borders all the time without realizing they strayed too far.

If we’re lucky, Ewan should be able to get in eventually, if I work my literal magic first.

”This isn’t my forte, but the good news is that I should be able to get you past the harmful metal. It’s just gonna take a bit of time for you to navigate.”

”So, this is really our plan? You go in alone and I come as soon as I can get past the security.”

”I can do this,” I promise.

”I believe you.” He puts a gentle hand on my knee and it’s a struggle not to melt under his concern. “I just hate putting you in danger. I won’t be able to forgive myself if you get hurt.”

“That won’t happen,” I assure him quietly, hoping it’s the truth.

As we brace ourselves for splitting up, we stare at each other, and I see everything I’m feeling reflected in his eyes. He cares for me the same as I do for him. So much is in the air between us, things we wish we could say. There are words on the tip of my tongue, but I hold them back and so does he.

It’s like the hotel room all over again, except I’m the one on the verge of leaving as both of us debate what to say.

Except this time, we’re holding back for a different reason. This isn’t the time or place to say those things. We might not know what we’ll face inside, but what I need to do now is clear. I have to focus.

The effectiveness of my magic will determine how safely Ewan gets through the traps keeping him away. Any distraction now could injure him later if the magic gives out, so I can’t take the risk, not when he’d pay the price. I’m the one who wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if my magic couldn’t protect him.

So, I clear my throat and crane my neck enough to see the toolkit still sits behind us in its regular spot. ”Will you grab me a metal tool from your kit?”

Ewan shifts around and the latch on the box clicks open. I can’t see the pink or the sparkles with the seat in the way but I realize what he selected anyway.

”Not your sister’s hammer. Something you don’t mind losing.”

He sets the hammer down on the seat between us while he roots around for something else. ”Screwdriver okay?”

”It’s perfect.”

Holding it in my hand, I let the metal heat between my fingers.

My metal token is nothing special, a small circle made of a composite of different metals. A meager training token, standard and functional, that’s all. I hold it now like it’s priceless as I bring the screwdriver and token together, letting the magic flow through the token into the tool. I imagine the metal is little more than water, liquid metal flowing out however I want. The token wraps around my finger like a ring and I start shaping the screwdriver.

The long shaft of the tool splits into two branching pieces that form a ‘Y’ shape. When I finish, a divining rod rests in my hand. Next, I give the rod purpose and tell it what to seek out.

Then I hand it over to Ewan. “The metal should be attracted to other metal. The closer you get, the stronger the vibrations.”

“So I need to avoid whatever it picks up on.”

“Yes. Look for a path between all the traps.”

Ewan holds it up to inspect the new shape. ”What happens if I do hit metal?”

”Do we really want to find out?” I’d rather not imagine that.

”Good point,” he says. “Thanks. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

My parents sent me away a few short hours ago to get my power under control. They wished to have Percy and his family over for dinner tonight. Here I was about to gatecrash their vacation home with a rogue wolf.

* * *

When it comes time to put our plan into motion, Ewan and I split up. Ewan still isn’t comfortable with the divide and conquer part of our strategy, but there isn’t another option. Knocking on the door won’t get him inside.

But it should work for me.

This is our opening move. I’ll go in using the friendly approach.

A housekeeper answers the door. She seems hesitant about letting unannounced visitors drop in, and I feel a little foolish when I give her my family’s name like it’s a secret password and she just keeps blinking at me in confusion. Then I take out the charm tucked under my shirt, the frozen snowflake. The token has no power but is a clear symbol of my connection to ice. Since Percy is sponsored by my parents, I have no doubt his token matches mine. The woman recognizes it immediately and does allow me in.

So far so good. But that’s the easy part.

I soon stand in front of Percy Brass’s bedroom door. A thin layer of fog leaks out from inside and the air is noticeably colder. Frost clings to the door. Definitely in the right place. Barging into his room without knocking is terribly rude, under normal circumstances, but it means he can’t ignore me.

And luck is on my side. Or rather, ice is. Percy’s door isn’t actually closed but cracked open, which means all I’m really doing is walking through an open door.

Leaving the door ajar is much simpler. That’s one of those tricks you learn growing up in an overgrown icicle. Ice gets into the cracks in the doorjamb and freezes the door in place otherwise. It’s easy enough to pry open with a little magic but gets annoying fast.

Since I’m pretending to be here in the spirit of goodwill, I do give him some warning by knocking on the door while allowing myself inside.

“Hello? The door was open. I hope I’m not intruding.”

“Who the—” Percy meets me at the front of his room. Brows furrowed, he takes me in. His eyes land on the still exposed snowflake token hanging near my chest. The dark hair gives him pause and he checks it twice, though still reaches the right conclusion. “You’re my date. The one who stood me up.”

“Guilty.” My nerves aren’t totally hidden, but they seem warranted when met with his stony expression. “I’m here to apologize.”

Percy rolls his eyes. “Yeah. I got your messages.”

“They aren’t a substitute for a real in person apology.” Especially with him ignoring them.

He scowls and waves his hand. “Drop the act.” Oh no. “You’re here because your parents chewed you out for ditching me.”

Good, no need to worry after all. Ditching him rubbed him the wrong way and he’s written me off, but it turned out to be a wise decision. I now have the perfect cover to be here.

“Okay, you caught me.” I raise my hands in surrender and try to summon a friendly smile. “I’m here because of my family, which is funny, seeing as my parents set up our lunch without even consulting me and I avoided that.”

“Believe me, I know the feeling,” he mutters. Guess his parents sprung our appointment on him too.

Finally, Percy backs up and allows me further into the room. He doesn’t offer me a seat, which is just as well. Everything is covered in ice.

I’d need a chisel to break the metaphorical ice of his defenses as he keeps his guard up. But I have to take the opportunity and try to create some common ground between us.

“My family can be… difficult.” To put it mildly. “I sometimes resent their interference, so I ditched you. I apologize, that wasn’t fair to you. Are your parents the same way?”

Percy’s icy blue eyes roll dramatically. “My parents made it perfectly clear that choosing a path other than metal doesn”t come with special treatment. I’m still expected to brand ASAP and master ice magic. No Brass can be average. Can you imagine the scandal at the country club?”

He doesn’t sound quite as sarcastic as he’s aiming for. What people at the country club think clearly matters to him, even if he wishes otherwise. I can work with this.

“We have a lot in common,” I say.

“There is no we.” Percy glares at me. “What’s your excuse? If the things your parents boast about to my parents are even half true, ice should already be yours.”

Or maybe I can’t work with this after all.

I cross my arms. “Cold in here,” I say, rubbing my arms and trying to pretend that’s why my arms are wrapped across my chest.

Since I grew up in a giant icicle, my act fails.

Percy realizes he struck a nerve and tilts his head as he studies me. The sudden scrutiny makes me wish I had more arms or a parka to cover myself with. He doesn”t seem to see me, more like he’s looking through me. A strange expression crosses his face.

“Ice likes you,” he says as if the element is whispering in his ear. “Ice would accept you in a second if you only bothered giving it your devotion.” He walks closer, almost in a trance as he reads me. “The element sits there in your back pocket, your safety. You take it for granted and you’re tempted to throw it away.”

Alright, things are technically going according to plan. I’ve gotten Percy talking. But now that I have, I very much regret it and don’t like what he’s talking about at all. It’s a struggle not to back away.

“How, how do you know that?”

“Seems my abilities are superior to yours.” His lip curls up as he smirks. “You’re shaking, Jack.”

“It’s cold.”

“Surprised you even noticed. Then again, it isn’t frost’s chill that clings to you now, is it?”

Percy’s eyes swing down to a point at my chest and he scowls. Before I figure out what he means, he moves fast, grabbing the collar of my shirt and tugging it down. He exposes the bite mark there, the purple color especially vivid against my pale, cold skin.

“You’re disgraceful, Jack. A wolf mounts you and you’re ready to throw your legacy out the window.”

Percy’s hateful glare is so disturbing I raise my hand to cover the mark. A bite mark left by Ewan. Oh gosh, this is it. This is what interfered with my powers.

Ewan and I performed earth magic together. I’ve seen the forest he loves and cares for with his pack. He reminds me of the earth element and all its temptations. That makes his mark a connection to the earth element and the magic the two of us created together the night he gave me this mark. This is what has been screwing up my magic. His mark on me is clouding out the rest.

This little revelation and everything it might mean will have to wait for later. Because Percy Brass is much too close and watching me with too keen eyes.

Time for some space. I put enough distance between us that my back hits the frosty wall behind me. I let the biting cold in, keeping my back there and letting the shock of it keep me sharp and on my toes.

Just hang on a little longer. I can’t back down yet. At least he’s reacting to me instead of freezing me out. This is good. Terrifying, but good. All I have to do is keep pressing.

“My abilities are limited now, but it isn’t permanent. I’m trying to break my connection to earth.”

“Spare me.” Percy rolls his eyes.

”No, I am. I didn’t mean for it to happen and I’m going to reverse it.”

“Stop trying to fool me.”

“Fool you? I’m thanking you. Now that I know this mark has been blocking the rest of my powers, I can fix the mistake.” Except it isn’t a mistake. It’s just one more sign pointing me in the right direction. But at least I sound convincing.

Percy isn’t fooled. “I’ve known you were up to something since the minute you walked in,” he drawls. “You aren’t very good at playing games. Now I see why you’re really here.” His eyes nearly burn where they fall on the mark covered up by my shirt once more. “It isn’t just any wolf nibbling at your neck, is it? You’re close with the wolves that are bothering my poor parents. Do your parents know about that?”

Okay, maybe Ewan had a point about sending me in here all alone. It was a bad idea. Percy is so calculating, so cold, which can be expected given his connection to ice magic, but I didn’t really understand who I was dealing with. Not until now.

For a single moment, we’re on even ground. I see him just as clearly as he sees me. He isn’t just the entitled, self-important bastard I thought he was: he’s ruthless. And if I’m an obstacle standing in his way, will anything prevent him from obliterating me?

I’m not safe. I’m scared, scared and alone with—we aren’t alone.

“You son of a bitch.” Ewan’s there and he throws Percy against the wall by his bed in an instant.

“This is trespassing and breaking and entering.” Percy gives no sign he’s at a disadvantage. He’s gleeful. “You’ve crossed the line now.”

“Me?” Ewan shakes him by the collar. “I crossed the line?”

Percy lifts his chin and sniffs dismissively. “This vendetta with my parents is making your band of mutts positively feral. You must be removed. This is a matter of public safety.”

Ewan growls and barely manages to hold himself together. “Give it up, you’re caught. Look where we’re freaking standing.”

We all glance around the mini-ice fortress. Percy’s smug grin grows.

“Surely you’ve noticed a thing or two about ice by now? It melts so quickly. The thorn in your side, as it were, is much more incriminating.”

He reaches down and jabs a finger near Ewan’s thigh. Ewan hisses and releases him. He moved so fast and had Percy against the wall that I didn’t notice the damage on his upper leg before. It’s hard to see between the blood on his jeans and how they’re embedded into his flesh, but they look like metal burrs, about the size of child’s jacks.

One of the traps got him. Oh no. The tool I transformed failed him. He was hurt because of me.

My face falls and Ewan shakes his head and reassures me. “It’s not your fault and I’ll be fine. I heard you two when I got close and rushed in.” All the kindness on his face evaporates as his gaze swings back towards Percy. “The real question is, why are magically spring-loaded barbs littered throughout your land? You could hurt someone with this shit on your property.”

”The defenses are no more dangerous than your claws. And the traps are perfectly harmless to most. They’re only intended to target the riffraff.”

”Did you seriously say riffraff?” Ewan demands with such disgust I’d laugh in other circumstances.

Ewan grunts when I try to inspect his leg. Wolves don’t heal instantaneously but shifters do have faster healing times than humans, once the thing causing the injury is removed. Can I remove the metal pieces somehow?

”Oh, are you in pain? Let me help.” Percy pulls his ice token from under his shirt, and it glows as he touches the snowflake. Ewan grunts and has to lock his good leg in place to remain standing as, oh my god. Ice covers over the wound on his thigh and moves with wicked efficiency, trapping the metal burrs under a thick coating of ice and sending the pieces deeper into Ewan”s upper leg.

Even I want to punch Percy now. I won’t let this stand, so I focus on the wound. Maybe earth magic can thaw the ice?

But Percy acts first.

He sucker punches Ewan across the jaw. Ewan grunts, the hit not especially strong as far as he’s concerned, but I wince in sympathy, and then there are two men clashing violently in the room.

Ewan tackles Percy and they slam into the frozen bedframe, fine cracks in the ice spreading across the surface from the impact. Percy uses a gust of frosty air to push Ewan back and he lands on a table of pure ice that shatters under his weight. Percy readies a spell and Ewan flips onto his feet and launches himself, and I just barely manage to throw myself between them.

”Stop, stop!” I nearly get hit several times while trying to pull them apart. ”Quit fighting!”

”Call off your dog,” Percy hollers back.

”Dog? I’ll show you a—”

”That’s enough!” I push my arms out wide to put more space between them but they both press against me, eager to come to blows again.

It’s much more challenging holding Ewan back, so I shoot him a look to say please, stop and then focus on Percy.

We need to wrap this up fast. I have what we need anyway.

”Why don’t we just leave all this alone and forget we were ever here? We”ve caused enough trouble for one day.”

Ewan looks wounded at that. ”But he—”

”You are both acting foolish.”

”You’re taking his side?” He sends a dark glare at Percy. “This isn’t over.”

”Fine with me.” Percy waves goodbye, looking smug.

My heart races and I start shoving Ewan with both hands, herding him towards the door. We just need to get out now, but Ewan doesn”t seem to get the hint. He goes, though.

Even with his injury, I doubt I could really drag him away, so he lets me usher us out the door. He just isn”t very happy about it as he grumbles and moves far too slow for my liking. I can”t tell if this is part of the act or not. I don”t think he knows our plan succeeded yet.

Once we”re in the hallway heading out of the house, some sanity returns and he moves faster. Are we going too quickly now? What if Percy realizes—oh whatever. Let”s just get the hell out of here.

Once we exit the front door of the house, we both let out a breath in relief.

”He didn”t reveal anything,” Ewan mutters.

“Didn’t have to.” I walk quicker, hoping he’ll keep up. ”Good job, picking a fight with him.”

”Hey, I had every right to--”

”I wasn”t criticizing you,” I mutter under my breath.

”The guy iced us,” he says when he reaches the truck. “There’s no doubt.”

No kidding. ”He wasn’t even trying to hide it.”

”But he held himself back just enough. He didn’t slip up.” Ewan slams his door shut. “Nothing he said is incriminating enough.”

“That doesn’t matter.” A smile sneaks on my face.

”What did you do?”

”I was able to take this.” I show him the snowflake hiding under my shirt. Getting between them during the fight, holding my hands against both their chests, it was almost easy to make the switch. Almost.

”A token? Your token?”

”No, it’s his token.” The ice token is cool against my chest and the magic chills my fingers as I hold it up. “I swapped them.” My smile keeps growing and growing. “I have a feeling your land is about to thaw out.”