Dark Heart of Magic (Black Blade #2)(16)
I felt the same way about Devon that he did about me, but I didn’t plan on sticking around here forever. As soon as I figured out what Victor Draconi was plotting against the other Families and found a way to finally make him pay for my mom’s murder, I was on the next bus out of Cloudburst Falls. I didn’t know where I would go or what I would do, but I’d figure it out . . . eventually.
Besides, I already cared about Devon way too much. I didn’t want to get my heart broken when whatever was between us finally ended.
And it would end.
Every good thing in my life had so far, and there was no reason to think that Devon would be any different. Yeah, yeah. I know that folks always say that it’s better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all. Bullshit. Those people hadn’t loved and lost all the things that I had—my mom, my innocence, my childhood. At seventeen, I’d already had enough hurt to last a lifetime.
So I ignored Devon and focused on my food. I’d just popped the last of the bacon-wrapped dates into my mouth when Claudia Sinclair strode into the dining hall.
Claudia was Devon’s mom and the leader of the Family—the big cheese, the top dog, the head honcho. And she looked the part, with her fitted black pantsuit, stiletto heels, and expensive but understated jewelry. A silver cuff flashed on her right wrist, a bit wider, thicker, and brighter than everyone else’s, further marking her as the boss.
Claudia was quite beautiful, with auburn hair and expressive features. It was only when you looked into her green eyes that you saw the strength, determination, and coldness lurking beneath her smooth, polished surface.
Claudia ate most of her meals in the library, which doubled as her office, since she always had some sort of work to do. But even more surprising than her presence in the dining room was the wide smile stretching across her face. It made me more nervous than if she’d stormed in here snarling at everyone.
Reginald followed Claudia into the dining hall, along with Angelo Morales, Felix’s dad. Claudia took up a position at the front of the room, with Reginald and Angelo flanking her.
A pixie zipped over and handed Claudia a glass of sparkling apple cider, along with a fork. More pixies fluttered through the room, depositing a glass next to everyone’s elbow. Oscar flew over with my apple cider, grinning and leaning up against the glass, which was taller than he was.
When everyone had been served, Claudia tink-tink-tinked the fork against her glass, and the room hushed.
“What’s going on? What are we celebrating?” I asked Mo.
He winked. “Just wait and see, kid. It’s a Sinclair tradition.”
Everyone faced Claudia, and she looked out over her Family members, the pixies who kept the mansion spotless, the guards who patrolled down in the Midway, the folks who worked at the banks, museums, and other businesses. Her eyes met mine and my soulsight kicked in, letting me feel her rock-hard strength and determination—and sly satisfaction.
Oh, yeah. Claudia was definitely up to something.
She stared at me another moment, then looked out over the dining hall again. “As you all know,” she began, “the Tournament of Blades, the annual contest that all the Families sponsor and participate in, will begin in the morning. It’s one of the summer’s most popular events with the tourists, and this year’s crowd looks to be larger than ever before.”
Several woot-woots of excitement rang out, including some from Mo. I rolled my eyes. He didn’t care about the tournament so much as he did about all the people it would bring into the Razzle Dazzle to buy the junk he had for sale.
“Every year, Reginald, Angelo, and I select those who will represent the Sinclair Family in the tournament and announce them here, at dinner, the night before the competition starts,” Claudia continued. “The tournament requires a unique combination of speed, strength, smarts, and fighting skills, all of which we take into account when making our selections. Tonight, I am happy to share those names with the entire Family.”
More woot-woots rang out, along with a round of applause. But eventually the cheers and claps died down, and a charged silence filled the room. Everyone leaned forward, perched on the edge of their seats in anticipation, especially the guards, waiting to hear the names Claudia would call.
She smiled. “I think the first name will please you all: your bruiser, Devon Sinclair.”
Another, louder round of applause rang out, while Felix let loose with some ear-splitting whistles. A faint blush colored Devon’s cheeks, but his green eyes were warm and happy as he got up, walked across the room, and stood beside his mom. He looked at me, and I grinned and flashed him a thumbs-up, which made him blush even more.
His selection was hardly surprising, though. Bruiser was one of the most important positions in the Family, so Devon’s not being in the tournament would have been the real shock. But everyone knew how hard he worked, how tough and strong he was, and how he genuinely cared about and looked out for everyone in the Family. That’s why the guards, workers, and even the pixies were cheering so long and loud for him. Devon deserved to be in the tournament, and he’d do his best to make everyone proud.
Claudia called out several more names, all guards whom I’d sparred against a time or two. I clapped and cheered with everyone else, approving of the selections. Claudia, Reginald, and Angelo had picked a good mix of people with a variety of Talents, including speed, strength, and enhanced senses, all of which would come in handy during the tournament.