Rise or Burn

Chapter Twenty-Three

"You want me to what?" Theana asked.

"Remove a spell," Eon repeated. "It's not that complicated."

"Not that complicated," she scoffed. Removing someone else's spell was always complicated. "If it's so simple why can't you do it?"

He crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm not powerful enough."

"What about the person who placed the spell?"

"If they were an option do you think I'd be asking you?"

She shrugged. "I suppose not." She folded her arms over her desk as she leaned forward. "I guess the real question here is: why would I help you?"

Eon's eyes widened in panic as he swallowed. "Because I'm your cousin. I'm family. The only family you have left."

Theana laughed. "You've already made it abundantly clear that it doesn't matter."

He frowned. "I'll leave," he said desperately. "I'll leave Oak Point. You'll never see me again. More importantly, Nicco will never see me again. Help me with this and I'll be out of your hair. It'll be like I was never here in the first place."

Theana thought about it for a moment. Whatever spell Eon wanted removed was important enough to him that he'd be willing to leave Oak Point. That meant something. She still had no idea why he'd come back in the first place. He was a shrouded mystery, a ghost with too many questions. If she was going to help him she needed answers first. "Okay," she said. "I'll help you. But under one condition."

"Anything," he said. Oh, gods, he really was desperate.

Theana smiled. "You tell me who placed the spell and why."

He gave a look that said he'd expected this question and he was ready for it. "Jemma Crone," he said.

Theana had not expected this. "Jemma Crone?" Her brows shot up into her bangs. "As in Jemma Crone, head of the Crone coven? Jemma Crone the rogue witch?"

He nodded. "The one and only."

"Why would she spell you?"

"To blackmail me," he explained. "She needed someone who could get close to the royal family. And since hearing about your engagement she thought I'd be a perfect candidate. She has proof of something my boyfriend and I did in Sovorin, something that could land us both in Greegveryn. We would have run if we could but her spell makes sure she can find us anywhere we might try to hide."

She had a dozen more questions. Eon had a boyfriend? What had they done that could get them sent to Greegveryn? Where would they run if they could? But instead she asked, "Why does Jemma Crone need to spy on the royal family?"

"Think about it," he said as if the answer was painfully obvious. "What has she been saying since she and her followers broke away from the seven covens?"

Theana thought about it. Really thought about it. Besides advocating for the free use of magic and the abolishment of the Gavin ruling what had she been saying? Her eyes widened when she finally realized. Eon was right, it was painfully obvious. So obvious it seemed ridiculous. "She's trying to overthrow the government." She laughed. "That's impossible."

"Is that so?" He crooked a brow. "The government is currently a mess thanks to M.A.G.E. One council member was arrested for suspicion of working with M.A.G.E and later killed by someone the Kuth has yet to find. And another member has been jailed for the attempted assassination of the empress. The rest of the members are scrambling trying to figure out why members of their covens keep leaving. The empress herself is distracted trying to find the Echowood twins. Do you honestly think if Jemma Crone tried to attack now she'd find much resistance?" Slowly, Theana shook her head. "And I haven't even mentioned the impending treat of the Wythynians."