The Dark Side of Eleanor Warwick
PROTECTION

Madeline pushes through the door and enters the loft. She surveys the damage as Jessica slips in behind her. “What happened in here?”

Matthew looks up wearily. He holds an ice pack to his head. Adrian slows his angry marching but does not stop. “What does it look like? We were attacked.”

Madeline walks over and looks her younger brother over. Jessica lingers just inside the door, her head hung. “Are you alright?”

Matthew nods.

“Who did this?”

“Penelope Morneau and some old man,” Adrian answers.

“Who’s Penelope Moreanu?”

“A dominatrix,” Jessica answers absently as she stares at a splattering of blood on her hand. Her siblings look at her with trepidation, but she doesn’t notice.

“What was that, Jessica?” Madeline asks.

Jessica looks her way. “Huh?”

“What did you say?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

Madeline nods and turns back to her brothers.

Adrian scowls. “So much for your fancy mind magic.”

“Dad tempted her to remember. I wish he hadn’t done that. It should hold long enough.” She looks around the loft. “Did you get anything accomplished?”

“Did you not hear we were attacked?”

She sighs. “Let’s just get this cleaned up and get the site ready. Dad is going to want to start as soon as possible.”

“Where is he?”

“He waited for Warwick. There’s no telling when he will be back. Jessica, come help us.”

The Blackwell siblings go to work cleaning up the damage that had been wrought. Jessica pushes a broom, moving dust and dirt into a pile. As she works she replaces her mind drifting back to the man she killed.

Try as she might, she can’t shake his last words. He seemed convinced she knew him. Her dad and Madeline claimed otherwise. Jessica doesn’t trust them. Why would she? She can’t remember how she got to Carmadie. They all just expected her to accept that.

Her grip tightens on the broom handle. She stares at her siblings as they paint an elaborate series of symbols on the floor. The wood creaks as her face slowly twists into a snarl. Suddenly, the handle snaps with a crack.

Gasping in alarm, she looks to the others. They don’t seem to have noticed. She quickly hides the pieces in a corner. When she walks over to the ritual site, the door opens.

Alexander strides in confidently. He glances at the hole in the wall but is not particularly bothered by it. He approaches his children and looks over the ritual site. “Well done. We will proceed immediately.”

Adrian looks at the wall and back to his dad. “No questions about that?”

“You’re all alive so I assume you handled it.”

“They got away,” Adrian growls, glaring at Matthew. Matthew shakes his head and looks away. “We need to go after them.”

“They don’t matter now, son.”

“Yes, they do! You killed those idiots from the airport, right? And they didn’t even attack us!”

Alexander turns to his eldest. “We have everything we need to achieve our goal. I will not be sidetracked by petty annoyances.”

“They tried to kill us! They nearly killed Matthew!”

When his dad looks at him, Matthew holds up his hand, his finger and thumb close together.

“Fine. Madeline and I will handle this. You boys do what you have to. Be quick about it.”

Matthew starts to move toward the exit, but Adrian holds his hand up. “No. You’ll only slow me down. I’ll deal with this on my own.” He storms toward the exit.

“Adrian, don’t be stupid,” Madeline calls. She is ignored.

Alexander shakes his head. He taps the tip of his cane. Taking a steadying breath, he speaks, “Adrian.”

Adrian stops and spins back to them. “For fucks sake, Dad! I don’t need help! They’re weak. They can barely scratch me.”

Handing his cane off to Matthew, Alexander crosses the room. “Oh, yes, son,” he says, his voice hard. “I know. You are an unstoppable juggernaut. An unkillable being that exists beyond reproach or restraint.”

He reaches out and grasps the back of Adrian’s neck. Despite his bluster, Adrian recoils slightly. Alexander stares daggers into him for a moment, but then his expression softens. “But you’re still my boy.”

Adrian blinks in surprise.

“Now if you insist on going out there alone, will you please let your old man offer a little protection?”

“I…yeah. I’m sorry, Dad.”

With a soft smile, Alexander runs his hand across Adrian’s chest, speaking words of a spell. He reaches up and presses his thumb against Adrian’s forehead. Adrian feels power wash over him.

“There,” Alexander straightens Adrian’s collar. “Now go. Remind Carmadie what happens to people who raise a hand to House Blackwell.”

With a confident nod, Adrian turns and leaves the loft.

As he goes, Alexander watches. His expression hardens. He dusts off his hands.

“Are you ready, Dad?” Madeline asks from behind him.

“Yes,” he answers without turning.

Jessica watches as he slips off his blazer and begins to unbutton his shirt. She is surprised to replace his torso completely covered in tattoos. And not just any tattoos. Runes, glyphs, and sigils fill the space.

“Jessica,” he says coldly. When he turns to face her, he is holding a long silver dagger. The sight of the weapon triggers the few memories she can access.

She is flooded with terrible feelings. Isolation. Fear. Pain. Hopelessness. With a shriek, she tries to back away from him, but Madeline took position behind her without Jessica even noticing. Her older sister places gentle hands on her shoulders.

“No!” Jessica cries. “No, no, no, no! Please!”

“It’s alright, Jessica,” he says. “It’s almost over now.”