Reckless Magic

“Excuse us, gentlemen,” Kiranaddressed the room politely; his crisp, English accent perfectly enunciatingevery consonant.

Chapter Forty-Six

Kiran walked backwards into one ofthe bedrooms of the massive suite, pulling me with him. If I thought I felthumiliation before, that was nothing compared to the sweeping embarrassment ofbeing taken into Kiran’s bedroom with three sets of suspicious eyes followingmy every step. Luckily, Kiran closed the door quickly behind us.

The bedroom looked like some placea prince would stay. A huge four poster bed with royal blue and gold stripedsilk comforter sat in the middle of the room facing an enormous flat screenedTV. Kiran’s suitcase and clothes were laid haphazardly on a royal blue divan. Inoticed a golden crown half buried underneath a pair of designer jeans.

Kiran walked across the room,pulling me behind him, and out onto a balcony overlooking Lake Geneva. Themoonlight glistened off the black water and I saw the outline of the Swiss Alpsin the distance; their tall peaks turning white at the top, billowy cloudsresting on them, melting into mere extensions of a vast midnight sky.

The mid-autumn night air was frigidand I sent a burst of magic through my blood to warm up.

“Did you know that you can use yourmagic for more than an occasional space heater?” Kiran asked softly butsarcastically, while leaning back against the outer wall of the hotel.

“I’m cold,” I responded, a littledefensively.

“Here….” he replied, pulling meagainst his body. I laid my head against his chest and listened to the softbeating of this heart.

“Thank you for saving Lilly,” Imumbled into his warm embrace.

“My pleasure,” he replied, amused.“And thank you for nearly getting yourself killed. Thank goodness yourgrandfather was there to help you escape. I don’t know how I would havesurvived losing you,” he held me tighter, kissing the top of my head.

“I’m sorry, did you saygrandfather?” I asked, wishing I could just dwell on Kiran’s sweet sentiments,but instead I found myself unable to move past the next big mystery of my liferevealed. Would it never end?

“Yes, you’re grandfather…. Amory.”Kiran paused to look me in the eyes. “Are you telling me you didn’t know thathe is your grandfather?” he asked incredulously.

“I had no idea….” I laughed outloud a little. “But I guess it makes sense,” I could now explain away all ofthe times Amory seemed so paternal, apparently he was just being grandfatherly.

“I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to spoilanything,” Kiran gave me his signature smirk and I swore I fell even more inlove with him.

“It’s alright; something tells mehe was waiting for me to figure it out on my own,” I returned my head toKiran’s chest, butterflies flooding my stomach.

“He should know better than to waitfor that,” Kiran joked lightly.

I couldn’t help but agree with him.I hadn’t figured anything out on my own yet, what made Amory think I wouldstart with that?

“God only knows what I have left tofigure out,” I mumbled.

“Yes He does, but He’s gotten youthis far….” Kiran surprised me with his answer.

“Do you believe in God?” I asked,confused.

“Of course. Don’t you?” I pulled myhead away from his chest to look him in the eye; for some reason I found ithard to believe he was serious.

“I mean I guess I did when I washuman, but now I don’t know what to believe,” I left the closeness of hisembrace, feeling slightly embarrassed and walked over to the balcony’s edge.

“That seems backwards to me,” Kiranresponded and joined me. We stood silently for a moment enjoying the beauty ofLake Geneva before he continued, “You believed in God when you thought you werehuman; when you suffered pain and hunger, tyra

Kiran put an arm around me andkissed the top of my head again. Despite his point, I knew his feelings for mewere as strong as ever.

“Am I not still surrounded by deathand destruction?” I asked, feeling characteristically defensive.

“No, you’re not. Believe me. I’vedone my homework; you could not have a stronger genealogy. But the rest of us,yeah…. maybe…. But isn’t that where we find our substance? I think there is acertain beauty to death; a macabre exquisiteness that brings meaning to life.”

I stood there gazing at Kiran withso much emotion I felt like I would explode. Avalon was right, I had no ideawho Kiran was, but the more I learned, the more I fell madly in love with him.

I threw my arms around his neck andpulled him into another passionate kiss. He gladly reciprocated.

“Excuse me, sir,” Talbottinterrupted, like usual. “It’s time for Eden to go.”

Kiran paused for only a second towave Talbott away before returning to me. He pressed his lips against minefervently; lifting me off of the ground and making me forget the world aroundme. Our magic became an intense force; rising around us with an almost visiblepresence.

Eventually he returned my feet tothe ground and my mind slowly returned to reality. He smiled at me as ifholding onto a secret and my heart fluttered with the sweet memories of hismouth against mine.

“You just got here and now you haveto go,” Kiran gazed at me with all of the intensity of a boy madly inlove. “I just had to know that you were all right. I had to see you,”he kissed the top of my head sweetly and continued, “Before we join theothers, I have something for you,” Kiran led me back into his bedroom andpulled out a black, square, velvet box from his suitcase.

He opened the box to reveal anecklace and pulled out the long silver chain to expose a pendant intricatelywoven with several black stones placed throughout. He clasped the beautiful,complex accessory around my neck and the stones turned from black to abrilliant shade of blue. I fingered the pendant in my hands, amazed by thecolor and loveliness of the stones.

“I thought so,” Kiran saidcryptically and kissed me on the cheek. “Eden, when we return to Kingsleythings are going to be difficult. We won’t be able to see each other or betogether, at least not easily. I am going to continue my engagement withSeraphina and go on like nothing has changed. You will have to stay far awayfrom me,” he cupped my face in his hands and I saw the pain in his eyes.

“But why?” I asked, scared andupset.

“I’m so sorry, Love. But you haveto go on playing the part Amory created for you. As of now, my father isconvinced that you are not your mother. After several interrogations, the mostconvincing of which was Seraphina’s, he agreed to let it go. She was prettyadamant that you are no one special, especially not Delia Saint. But thatdoesn’t mean he will stay pacified. We ca

“So I can’t see you at all?” Iasked, afraid of the answer.

“No, I will find a way for us to betogether, I will. But we will have to be extremely careful. You can’t show thatnecklace to anyone; but I wanted you to have it as a token of my love.”

“Your love?” I said the wordsreligiously.

“Yes, my love. Because Eden, I haveloved you avidly from the first moment I saw you and I will love you completelywith all that I am until the day I die,” his eyes had hypnotized mine and I wastransfixed by their passion. He gri