Syphon's Song Read Online Free Page B

said.
    It’s not my home.
    She bit back the words along with the urge to offer an apology. This was not her fault. She was just the messenger.
    “The enforcers don’t know?” Vincent glanced over his shoulder at her. His mage power drifted into her and heated her soul, the total opposite of the cold chill of his grandfather’s anger. A strange combination.
    “Of course the enforcers don’t know,” Edmund scoffed. “If word got out that the Casteels lost their medallion, they’d never get their Senate seat back.”
    Vincent leaned over the desk and read aloud. “ Use the power to better our land for all mages and Normals. That’s nothing Casteel would ever do. Double-Wide has to know that. Considering they hid the body on our land, I’d bet Double-Wide anticipated the Casteels handing the letter over to us.” Vincent shrugged, his face intense and thoughtful.
    “We’re the intended recipients of a letter from those damn terrorists?” The senator’s voice filled the room.
    “A political strategy. That’s a new approach for them.” From Vincent’s frown, she wasn’t convinced he believed it, but it wasn’t her business. Her sole focus was on a safe, speedy exit.
    “The medallion is a gift and a threat all rolled into one package. Maybe they’re smarter than you think.” Considering Edmund’s relaxed posture and tone, he might have been chatting about the weather.
    “No.” Vincent was quick to dismiss the suggestion.
    The senator gave a furious growl. “A gift from Double-Wide.” He narrowed his eyes at Bronte. “We do not tolerate terrorists. You’ll get your body back. And the medallion.” The older man’s words rang with the weight of the promise.
    “Thank you,” she replied, though she had no claim to either the body or the medallion. Her shoulders knotted tighter than ever as the meeting came to a close. Her escape inched closer. She swallowed down the regret at leaving Vincent’s energy. It flowed through her, a delicious warmth that would haunt her for the rest of her life.
    Vincent crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Getting him out of the gyre isn’t going to be easy.”
    As Vincent thought aloud, images of tiptoeing out of the meeting undetected flitted through her mind. He raised an eyebrow at her as if he read her thoughts. He stepped closer to her. “The energy’s too high right now. We’ll have to wait for the moon to wane. Three days at least.” He nodded to his grandfather. “I’ll call General Wilen and have him send an analyst to come pick up this letter. Since there’s a body, they’re going to send a bone witch and that means the Council. Edmund, make sure we have all our loose ends tied up before they get here. We don’t want anything they might find to slip through our fingers and into theirs.”
    “Already planning on it.”
    Vincent glared down at her. “You wait here. No disappearing this time.”
    Edmund cleared his throat, loud and deliberate. The two brothers faced off. Edmund’s mouth moved with silent words.
    Bronte had never witnessed a mage throwing his voice. Whatever Edmund was saying, the sound waves jumped straight to Vincent’s ears. No one else could hear them. Directing sound waves was a talent that ran in families, one the Casteels didn’t have.
    Vincent frowned at her. “My brother tells me I’m being rude.”
    “Not my exact words.” Edmund gave her a wink.
    “If you would, Bronte, please wait here. I might really go crazy if you run away again. But I’d find you this time. I’ll be right back. My call will only take a few minutes.”
    A wisp of energy stroked along her cheek, as real as a physical caress. She’d never felt anything like it. She lifted her hand to her face and traced the vibes’ path.
    Vincent pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, turned to his grandfather’s desk and gently picked up a corner of the Casteel letter. He strode through the office and walked out a side door that blended into the wall. His