eviction.”
“Then, someone else did it. I’m telling you, Mom. Something isn’t right about the man.”
She gave me a quick look before motioning for me to stay put. I hadn’t had more than a few moments for my mind to wander before she returned with a book. Mom was wiry, but she seemed to be having a hard time carrying the thing, so I took the burden from her.
As I turned it over, the first thing I noticed was the fivefold symbol embossed on the cover. “Is it fae?”
She shook her head. “This is the first known copy of the Order bylaws.”
If she was telling the truth, Lambert had been lying when he proudly showed me a similar tome at Order headquarters. “Does Lambert know he has a second edition?”
She nodded. “He let you see the other one?”
“Yeah, right after I caved and slept with a poor girl on her very first day in the compound.” I expected my mom to chastise me, but she looked on with compassion in her brown eyes. She was one of the only women I’d ever known who knew when not to interrupt. “He told me a story of brave men who had fought to free Elementals through the ages. He cited the third law: race before conscience.” My mind took a brief trip to the lavish building. Most Order compounds were designed to be a fortress. Only one I knew of served both form and function. It was where new recruits and their families were taken. The families didn’t know any better because they only got to see their child again if they were one of the chosen Lambert kept away from the fae.
Mom opened the book, revealing a page of Old English script. “We believe the Order didn’t come into play until the middle of the first century A.D. At one time, Elementals survived on their own.” She eyed the page, then turned over a few more. “It is hard to understand. Even our linguistics experts have yet to give us a good translation. We’ve been too busy trying to educate families to keep their daughters home. That being said, do you notice any difference in meaning?” She pointed at a spot near the top of the page.
I leaned nearer, snuffling at the dust stirred by her fingers. Not wanting the distraction, I scratched my nose on my sleeve, then focused on the writing. Even though some of the words had a familiar spelling, who knew what they meant? “What is mann-cynn?”
“The noble among us think this is equivalent to mankind — as in a global term for humanity.”
I knew her tone. There was something she wasn’t telling me. “And what do you think?”
She placed a finger in the book and turned to pace again. “In the dark ages, women meant nothing. They functioned in the background, serving their men.” She pointed at the similar word. “Or mann, as it was previously written. In all honesty, I don’t think men cared much more for women than what could be done for them, or what advantageous arrangement could be made. Women have always been a bartering tool to one degree or another.”
The horrible thing was she was right. I inched closer until I had my arm around her shoulders, pulling her tight. “Not all men want to exploit women. All I want to do is protect those I love.”
She patted my cheek, her chilled skin a reflection of her mood. “You’ve always been a good boy ...” De-spite myself, my brows rose. Her definition of good must not have come from Webster. She smiled, correcting herself. “Man. You’ve become a man without me knowing.”
I grunted, eager to change the topic. “What was your point about the book?” Her eyes grew distant as if her thoughts were far away. I touched her arm and asked, “What is it, Mom?”
“For all the passing years, not much has changed. If Nigel Lambert could find a way to extend his life, he would use it. I hope you’re wrong, Travis. Because if you’re not, the Order is a much greater threat than any of us have ever considered.”
8
Rayla
I DIDN’T BLAME JETT FOR CARRYING such a jaded view. He hadn’t exactly come up with the
“Then, someone else did it. I’m telling you, Mom. Something isn’t right about the man.”
She gave me a quick look before motioning for me to stay put. I hadn’t had more than a few moments for my mind to wander before she returned with a book. Mom was wiry, but she seemed to be having a hard time carrying the thing, so I took the burden from her.
As I turned it over, the first thing I noticed was the fivefold symbol embossed on the cover. “Is it fae?”
She shook her head. “This is the first known copy of the Order bylaws.”
If she was telling the truth, Lambert had been lying when he proudly showed me a similar tome at Order headquarters. “Does Lambert know he has a second edition?”
She nodded. “He let you see the other one?”
“Yeah, right after I caved and slept with a poor girl on her very first day in the compound.” I expected my mom to chastise me, but she looked on with compassion in her brown eyes. She was one of the only women I’d ever known who knew when not to interrupt. “He told me a story of brave men who had fought to free Elementals through the ages. He cited the third law: race before conscience.” My mind took a brief trip to the lavish building. Most Order compounds were designed to be a fortress. Only one I knew of served both form and function. It was where new recruits and their families were taken. The families didn’t know any better because they only got to see their child again if they were one of the chosen Lambert kept away from the fae.
Mom opened the book, revealing a page of Old English script. “We believe the Order didn’t come into play until the middle of the first century A.D. At one time, Elementals survived on their own.” She eyed the page, then turned over a few more. “It is hard to understand. Even our linguistics experts have yet to give us a good translation. We’ve been too busy trying to educate families to keep their daughters home. That being said, do you notice any difference in meaning?” She pointed at a spot near the top of the page.
I leaned nearer, snuffling at the dust stirred by her fingers. Not wanting the distraction, I scratched my nose on my sleeve, then focused on the writing. Even though some of the words had a familiar spelling, who knew what they meant? “What is mann-cynn?”
“The noble among us think this is equivalent to mankind — as in a global term for humanity.”
I knew her tone. There was something she wasn’t telling me. “And what do you think?”
She placed a finger in the book and turned to pace again. “In the dark ages, women meant nothing. They functioned in the background, serving their men.” She pointed at the similar word. “Or mann, as it was previously written. In all honesty, I don’t think men cared much more for women than what could be done for them, or what advantageous arrangement could be made. Women have always been a bartering tool to one degree or another.”
The horrible thing was she was right. I inched closer until I had my arm around her shoulders, pulling her tight. “Not all men want to exploit women. All I want to do is protect those I love.”
She patted my cheek, her chilled skin a reflection of her mood. “You’ve always been a good boy ...” De-spite myself, my brows rose. Her definition of good must not have come from Webster. She smiled, correcting herself. “Man. You’ve become a man without me knowing.”
I grunted, eager to change the topic. “What was your point about the book?” Her eyes grew distant as if her thoughts were far away. I touched her arm and asked, “What is it, Mom?”
“For all the passing years, not much has changed. If Nigel Lambert could find a way to extend his life, he would use it. I hope you’re wrong, Travis. Because if you’re not, the Order is a much greater threat than any of us have ever considered.”
8
Rayla
I DIDN’T BLAME JETT FOR CARRYING such a jaded view. He hadn’t exactly come up with the
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