Edge of Magic by Jayne Faith

Author:Jayne Faith [Jayne Faith]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jayne Faith
Published: 2019-06-12T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

GRANT SHAW WAS a very smart man. He knew how to rope people into his organization when they were vulnerable and young. He was skilled at making an early impression that echoed through the years and gave him power over us. It was a calculated combination of providing a longed-for acceptance and purpose to kids who felt like outsiders, plus authority and intimidation that left no question about who was in charge and what would happen if we fell out of line. Using Fae magic, it was all wrapped up neatly into the loyalty oaths he made his people swear to him. In my case, he’d taken it one step further and bound us together in a blood oath. I didn’t understand it back then, but since the deepening of my talents, it was all too obvious just how nicely my abilities dovetailed with Shaw’s obsession with powerful magicked objects.

Logically, I understood how he operated and often saw with surprising clarity how he managed to manipulate people. And yet, old patterns always strongly resurfaced when I was in his presence. I couldn’t seem to stop my own ingrained response, even as I knew what he was doing and reminded myself that I was no longer a scared, desperate, insecure kid.

But none of that was the worst part of it. The most loathsome aspect of my relationship with Shaw, one I could barely acknowledge even silently in my own head, was an almost primal urge to seek his approval. It didn’t take a genius to connect the dots of my life and see how I ended up in a dynamic like this. Fatherless teenage girl doesn’t fit into her family. Strong male figure saves girl’s mother and sister and offers girl a place in an organization with others like her. Girl no longer feels like a freak. Strong male figure becomes surrogate for the father girl never knew.

Except it was considerably more twisted than that. Those of us under Shaw competed more than we bonded with each other. And he was no father to any of us. He found ways to use our weaknesses to bind us to him, and then he exploited us for as long as he could.

I understood it. But I couldn’t seem to do much of anything about it.

As I waited for Shaw to speak, sweat began to dampen my underarms, and my hands grew icy.

He was back near the fire, his arms crossed and resting on his belly.

“My, what a mess this sword has caused, hasn’t it?” He tsked. “What is the blade’s name again? Bal-something. Balister?”

“Balisarde,” I said. I suspected he knew exactly what the sword was called as well as what it did.

“Yes, Balisarde,” he said. His gaze swung from the sword to me. “You did not ask permission to take on an additional job. Is this business with the sword an attempt to do extracurricular freelance work?” His tone was only mildly accusing.

“No, it wasn’t a job, I assure you,” I said. “No payment is involved, and I never intended to spend this much time on it.

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