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‘You used to tell me I wasn’t normal. And you were right. The whole thing wasn’t normal. But I had to be obsessed with Blaise for him to find me at that point in time. Now I’ve lived in Blaise’s head, I understand how strong that pull of fate is.
‘And I know, I just know, that if Blaise was meant to go back in time he’d have found a way. He’s here for a reason. Do you honestly believe it’s a coincidence that the woman he fell in love with was Romy? I can tell you now, he nearly didn’t go to that psychology conference. He picked up the phone twice to cancel, but each time something made him end the call. Fate. Destiny. Call it what you will. Don’t you think it odd that just months later, Romy received that invitation from Meri Kittow, putting her in touch with our branch of the family? It was inevitable that, at some point, Blaise would return to us.’
‘Are you saying Blaise is meant to be here, and he’s meant to be back with us?’ Hector asked.
She shivered. ‘Without a doubt. And whatever it is that’s led him this far, it hasn’t finished with him yet. There’s more to come. I just know it.’
‘That sounds ominous,’ I said. ‘You think he’s here to cause more trouble?’
‘You do realise you’ve just made me even more wary of him?’ Sirius said heavily.
‘I don’t know what fate has in store for him,’ Celeste admitted. ‘All I know is, Blaise is a better man than I thought, and with the influence of John Ford, I think there’s a very good chance that we can keep him on our side. I want to help him because I know now that he deserves our help. He’s been through so much already, lived so many different lives—first in the 17th century, then here as Blaise, then in Cumbria as John Ford. Now he's been thrown into confusion yet again. Whatever fate’s got planned, we need to be there to make sure he makes the right choices this time.’
She fixed Sirius with a stern look. ‘I need you on my side in this. Star and Sky will never believe me, but they’ll listen to you, and to Hector. Please talk to them. Please tell them he must be made to feel welcome, Sirius. If he feels respected, wanted, and like part of the family, it’s going to be so much easier for him to resist if fate has a nasty card up its sleeve. You see?’
‘I suppose so,’ Sirius said doubtfully. ‘But I’m going to be watching him like a hawk. You know that?’
‘I know.’ She sighed. ‘I think we all should, as long as we don’t let him know we are.’
‘And what about Romy?’ I asked, thinking of my newly found sister, so vulnerable in her hopeless love for this man.
‘He adores Romy,’ Celeste said. ‘He wouldn’t hurt her.’
‘He was in love with you,’ Hector reminded her. ‘Yet he pulled a knife on you at Castle Lodge, remember?’
‘Which he never for an instant meant to use,’ she said earnestly. ‘Trust me on that. I saw that moment so clearly and I know exactly what he was feeling. It was absolute dread because he knew if you called his bluff he had nothing left. There was no way he’d ever have hurt me. I’m sure he would never hurt Romy, no matter what fate has in store for him. He loves her with far more depth and passion than he ever loved me.’
We were, it seemed, nothing more than chess pieces on a board, being moved around and manipulated for reasons none of us could fathom. Did that make Blaise our enemy, or our comrade in arms?
Celeste sighed. ‘Poor Blaise. Poor Lowen. I wouldn’t be in their shoes for anything.’
Chapter 27
Lowen
‘It will be the biggest decision you ever make in your life. Probably.’ Emrick shrugged. ‘I can’t offer you any advice. This must be your choice and yours alone. Lowen’s already made his, but you two need to figure this out for yourselves.’
We were all sitting round the breakfast table in Peloryon House. I say “all”. I mean what seemed to have become the island branch of this weird, extended family set-up I was now a part of. The Castle Clair contingent had returned home after the funeral, except for Trinity and Sirius, naturally. They seemed to see the island as more their home these days anyway, and still harboured hopes of setting up the school here when this mess with the Pendragons was over.
It seemed liked years since I’d been living on my own in that flat next to the pub in Gerrenporth. I hadn’t seen my mum in months. I hadn’t seen my dad for over a year. I should rectify that, I thought, although I couldn’t help wondering if they’d even noticed my absence.
‘Lowen?’
I blinked. ‘Sorry? What?’
Emrick sighed. ‘Pay attention, there’s a good man. It would save me a lot of time if I didn’t have to repeat myself so often. I was wondering if you had an opinion on this subject?’
What subject?I swallowed guiltily, but luckily Trinity covered for me, even though I highly doubt she’d meant to.
‘What the heck’s it got to do with Lowen? Wow, talk about sexist! I think Romy and I can make our own decision, thanks very much.’
Romy nodded. ‘Absolutely. No offence, Lowen,’ she added hastily.
‘None taken,’ I assured her, even though I had no idea what they were on about.
‘I wasn’t saying you needed his permission to reclaim your magic,’ Emrick said with a patient sigh. ‘I was merely asking his opinion on the subject, that’s all. My word, you’re all prickly today. What’s wrong with you all?’
Oh. Magic. That old thing.
