Page 26 of Discovered Magic
“Wise,” Damian replied with a warm smile. “I’m glad I had you and Evie to raise me, sir.”
“Your mother was to thank, son. Her last act was to save you.”
His expression hardened, and the room grew chilly. “I must go.”
“That boy,” Uncle Nate muttered after he was gone.
Jonas barked a laugh. “Boy? He’s what, fifty-six, fifty-seven? He’s no more a boy than I am.”
“You’ll both always be boys to us,” Aunt Evie cut in with an affectionate smile. “We love you like our own.”
He kissed her smooth cheek. “I love you, too.”
“Leave the bucket. Nathanial can conjure ice while you patrol the town and check on your friend.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Oh, and I want to meet your young lady. Soon,” she said with a stern look.
“Young—”
“The one you call Red,” Uncle Nate supplied helpfully.
Jonas groaned and hightailed it from the room. How the hell did they find out about her so quickly? There was no way in hell he’d introduce Red to Evie. Not that he didn’t feel she was good enough, more like she didn’t need to be corrupted any more than she was by his aunt’s and uncle’s inappropriate humor.
6 MONTHS LATER…
Nightmares continued to plague her. Relentless and haunting, with the shadow of knowledge lingering on the edges of her consciousness. And one man was at the center.
Wilder.
Whoever he might be, the phantom without a face.
There were dreams so vivid, creating such a desperate longing for him, she would wake crying. But on other nights, even the merest glimpse of him triggered a level of anxiety, causing her to scream herself awake. Snowstorms, mountains, magical doorways… none of it made sense. Nothing and no one was familiar. Over the months, she’d had to relearn the basics, like dressing herself.
Jonas and Evie had dubbed her “Mary,” but the name didn’t fit. They tended to speak in hushed conversations, sending her sidelong glances and falling silent if she drew near. Whenever she chose to eavesdrop, the primary topic was the Aether and the removal of her powers. What abilities she could possibly have were beyond her scope of imagination, but she couldn’t shake what she’d heard from Nate: she was a woman out of time.
Lately, she’d begun to believe she was on her way to insanity.
Especially those nights she woke, reaching for a lover who wasn’t there. How could she explain the phantom feel of a man curled around her? Or the echo of him calling her name during intimate acts? A more fitting one she could never recall come daylight.
Although the Thornes were kind, the overall feeling of oppression wouldn’t fade. Tonight, after dinner, she’d made her excuses, claiming she was turning in early. Once alone, she crawled out the window and crept toward town. Maybe, by spending more time there, she might recognize something or someone.
One block from the saloon, Mary paused and tugged at the bodice of her borrowed gown, wishing for anything less constrictive than her ridiculously tight clothing. Happily for her, Evie and Jonas had given up trying to force her into a corset and bustle, agreeing that neither was suited for the sweltering Arizona heat anyway.
“Well, what do we have here?” sneered the voice of a man she’d come to despise.
Harlan Green.
A real-life nightmare.
He actively stalked her whenever she left the safety of Jonas’s home, and anytime she glanced up, it was to find him smirking as if he knew a secret she didn’t. He probably did, since she couldn’t recall a damn thing before six months ago. But it annoyed her, instilling unease she couldn’t seem to shake.
“Cat got your tongue?” he taunted, shifting closer. “Or maybe you really are too dumb to talk. That it, Crazy Mary? Ain’t got a thought in that broken head of yours?”
Jaw tight, she averted her chin. Speaking was difficult for her, as most of the townspeople had eventually guessed. Her brain had not only locked away her memories, but it had also half-paralyzed her vocal chords, effectively limiting her speech.
“Folks say you’re touched,” Harlan drawled, circling as he sized her up. “But me? I think you’re fakin’ it. Playin’ the mute so you don’t have to answer no questions about where you came from.” He flipped the lace at her collar. “Is that right? Maybe you’re smarter than what they say.”
