Chosen Fool (Forever Evermore #5)(26)
“Interesting,” he murmured. “But I need to do this, so be quiet for a moment.”
I blinked. “Just the memory from tonight. Don’t take anything else.”
“Afraid of what I’ll see?”
My lips quirked. “Just as you should be. After all, you are touching me willingly.”
His own lips lifted. “A second threat isn’t needed, since I’m fairly positive Mr Damon could end my life before I blinked, judging by the way you reacted a moment ago.”
I snorted. “Just do your thing and quit fishing.”
His lips curved more, but he closed his eyes and glowed a light gold, uttering, “Retrieve.” Not even a second later he completely stopped glowing, his eyes opening and brows puckering. “Well, hell.” A slow blink. “That was easy.” He lowered his hand from my forehead to tap at Leric’s glowing hand, his brows still furrowed. “You can let go now. I’m done.”
“Did he hurt you?” Leric asked, his right hand still tight on Elder Farrar’s throat.
“I didn’t feel a damn thing,” I mumbled, pushing off Leric’s back to sit calmly on the bed. “I didn’t even see the memory he took.” I glared at Elder Farrar. “You didn’t steal anything you weren’t supposed to, did you?”
A golden eyebrow rose. “With my life literally in Mr Damon’s hand?”
I tapped my fingers on my bedspread for a few moments, evaluating him, then I kneed Leric’s leg softly. “Let him go.” I nudged his leg again. “Even if he did take more, I let him willingly touch me. Plus, it’s no different than,” I coughed, “someone stealing a memory from me.”
Leric’s nose scrunched a bit, but he let Elder Farrar go. “I’d like to see what he can do with what he took.”
“Why, thank you.” Elder Farrar rubbed at his neck, though the redness had instantly turned to his normal bronze color. “That’s very kind of you.”
I clapped my hands once. “Now that the preliminaries are done, let’s see what he extracted.” Because what he was ‘supposed’ to take could mean anything to a Mage.
Elder Farrar waved a glowing golden right hand, and suddenly a shimmering golden ‘screen’ appeared across the room. It was four times as large as the television on the dresser.
“That’s well designed,” Leric murmured. He paid no attention to me until he flopped on my bed, lying on his back, and placed his head on my lap. I didn’t think the position would be very comfortable and I wasn’t about to uncross my legs for him. His legs were crooked and spread so he could see the magical screen between them, with his hands under his head and very close to a very private section of my body.
Staring down at him, I growled, “Leric…”
Silver eyes flicked up to mine then back to the screen. “Hush. I think the show’s about to begin.”
“You do understand I don’t forgive people,” I snapped my fingers, “just like that.”
“Yes,” he stated calmly, sounding very reasonable. “I believe I got that when you put my face in the mirror and later blew me across the room.”
My jaw ticked. “You’re starting to piss me off again.”
“Hold that thought.” Silver eyes flicked to mine then to the screen. “It really is starting.”
Someone hit the overhead lights so only the bedside lamps were on as, indeed, a replay started of the night’s events, solely from my perspective and with sound—and a very clear screen. It began with the waitress who brought me the envelope. Everyone got to watch as I blatantly lied to King Collins, then as I caught sight of Jasper before I snuck through the bar and out the side entrance of the building. There were no feelings involved with this memory—only pictures and sound—unlike memories taken by spirits. But during my conversation with Jasper onscreen, a few people cleared their throats, glancing at me when it became obvious I had done something sexual with Jasper, who was a freaking Mage, to top it off.
Watching Jasper silently stare back through the screen for that extended amount of time, Leric muttered gruffly, “Do I want to know?”
“Not really your business, is it?” I cleared my throat, flicking a finger at the screen. “Besides, it was a tactic I used to escape.”
Queen Cooper snorted, looking at me. “It must have been a really virtuous act.” When King Collins glanced at her, she shrugged her shoulder, motioning to the screen. “What? They still aren’t talking, and this Jasper is actually glowing a little from whatever he’s remembering.”
I blinked, then I squinted at the scree…and saw for the first time what she was talking about. Jasper’s skin wasn’t just bronze, it was a bit shiny. I started chuckling nervously, knowing the glow meant he was turned on. “I never said it was a bad tactic.”
“Obviously,” Leric rumbled dryly, even as a few people snickered. “That and the fact you’re not actually killing him.”
I shrugged a shoulder, trying to be nonchalant. “He was always my favorite of the bunch.”
Leric growled a little under his breath but watched silently when Jasper and I started talking. When Jasper said there were people watching me, Elder Farrar’s eyes instantly glowed, and the walls of my room were promptly coated in shimmering gold, a Mage’s privacy protection. The room’s occupants grew even more silent when Jasper’s eyes flashed and he disappeared, a clear indication he was a very powerful Mage. Elder Farrar instantly ran his hands through his hair, a pensive expression on his face. Everyone watched as my onscreen self tripped on Tristan hiding in the snow and shadows—this made Leric grin evilly—and the projected memory continued until I was again sitting at the table. It ended there, and the screen disappeared as someone flicked on the lights overhead.