Page 124 of House of Malice
Blaze’s heart skipped a beat when the handle turned and the door opened. Galliermo’s dark head appeared, and then he opened the door wider, entering the room.
He froze, confusion on his face when he noticed Blaze behind his desk. Then he noticed the missing chest on the side of his study.
The hair at the back of Blaze’s neck rose, and his whole body came alive with the rush of adrenaline when his father’s gaze darkened and rage clouded his features.
“What. Have. You. Done.”
Blaze managed a smirk and waved his hand at the chairs in front of the desk.
“Why don’t you sit down, Father? It’s been a long journey, and we have some catching up to do. Surely your old legs are tired after such a trip.”
A muscle in Galliermo’s jaw ticked, and he fisted his hands by his side.
“And before you use magic on me, think again,” Blaze said.
Galliermo’s eyes narrowed. “You have some guts coming in here like that and speaking to me this way, Blaze,” Galliermo said through gritted teeth. “I won’t use magic on you. After this…you’re going straight to Grimswater.”
“Oh?” Blaze asked innocently. “To attend the college, or to join the club you’re a member of?”
Surprise flickered through Galliermo’s face, and he blinked.
“Yes, Father, I know all about it,” Blaze said and smiled. “It sounds like a fun institution, but I might need to pass. And I think you should be a little bit more discreet about your unconventional hobbies. Especially when it comes to supporting them financially. Money often leaves traces.”
Galliermo’s eyes widened, and he seemed shocked. For a moment, he stood staring at Blaze as if he were a ghost.
“I would love to sit here and chat with you for longer,” Blaze said, getting on his feet. He circled the desk and walked towards the door. He came to stand face-to-face with his father. “Sadly, I have other things to do today. I’m sure you do too.”
Galliermo ground his teeth. Finally, he found his voice. “What is this, Blaze?”
“This is me telling you to mind your own fucking business from now on if you want to keep everything you have,” Blaze said seriously. “You will not manage my future, my school performance, or my relationships. Alecto and I are together. And I will not go on to play in the Premier League. Do you understand?”
Galliermo didn’t answer right away. “And what if I don’t understand?”
Blaze smirked. “Then the whole realm will find out about your membership at Grimswater’s club as well as how exactly you acquired some of the buildings in the city.”
“You shouldn’t do it,” Galliermo said. “It would ruin the whole family. You would not have a single penny left to your name and would have to carry the shame wherever you went.”
“So be it,” Blaze said and walked out. Before he closed the door, he said over his shoulder, “Oh, and if I ever suspect that you touched Mom again, there will be Hel to pay.”
48
October 15, 1950
“This is so fucking boring,” Alatar whined, slamming the book shut.
A cloud of dust rose into the air, and Demitria sneezed.
The sound of it was so cute and adorable, Galliermo and Alatar both burst into laughter. She waved her hand in the air, the very tip of her nose red while she glared at them both. “Haha, so funny.”
“It sure as Hel is cute.” Galliermo pinched the tip of her nose.
“Did Octavia tell you when we’re going to perform that damned spell?” Alatar whispered, leaning over the table to be closer to them. “We can’t just run around with this amount of magic in a crystal, untouched.”
“Are you worried about getting caught?” Galliermo asked. He hadn’t worried about the repercussions of their actions before, but seeing Alatar restless made Galliermo worry for the first time.
Alatar snorted and waved his hand in dismissal. “Be for real, Leveau. That is not an issue. Not for us.”
“Not foryou,” Demitria said. “Not all of us have a security blanket like yours.”
