Magic's Mark

Chapter 22

"You know, even if I am annoying.... I'm just doing this to keep us both alive," he added softly. For a second, I almost believed him, I almost forgot how much it was about control.

"So what does your fiancé think of you constantly running off to east London?" I countered coolly.

"Our engagement is a business arrangement. She has no say in what I do. It's purely to increase my chances of a good outcome at the matches," he shrugged.

"As if that explains anything?" I bit my lip, trying to hold back from saying anything else that would make him angry. If I keep calm, maybe he'll tell me something that'll explain this whole matches business?

We walked in silence towards my flat, as we turned the corner what I saw up ahead made my stomach sink. Tanya and Matthew, chatting and walking towards our flat. They had spotted us, so there was nothing I could do. I waved my hand back at them gentle, seeing Tanya's beaming smile and Matthew's furrowed brow in the distance.

"Your friends?" Lucas breathed in a low voice.

"Yes," I confirmed through a smile.

"Hello," Tanya enveloped me in a big hug, her grin spreading widely across her face.

"Hi," I replied, glancing at Matthew he gave a firm nod to Lucas.

"Well, hello," Lucas's voice sounded painfully articulate and posh as it almost echoed down the empty street.

"So... why haven't we seen you before?" Tanya cooed sweetly. I could tell from her smile that she was excited, I could also tell that she was making some assumptions about Lucas and I that I would love to undo. But to be fair, what other logical reason could there be? How about I'm a Vortex, he's a warlock and we're tethered together. Oh right, that doesn't sound logical at all...

"So he should come," Tanya exclaimed. Her high-pitched voice broke me out of my thoughts.

"Come to what?" I asked, instantly regretting it as I saw Matthew's eyes screaming 'abort the mission'.

"To my birthday party," she added softly. It only took one syllable of her sad voice to break my heart. Her birthday. It's today. I am such a shitty friend. Regret billowed up within me. Why couldn't I just remember?

"I'd love to come," Lucas replied sweetly. "It would be lovely to meet some of Cara's friends and yours of course," he winked at Tanya. He was really bringing on the charm offensive and for once I had be grateful.

"Great it's settled then," Matthew confirmed, his voice seeming to lack some of that party enthusiasm.

~*~

My red hair was expertly curled by Tanya's skilled hands and fell in soft loose waves down my face, I pushed it out of the way and searched my handbag for my lipstick. Staring into the bathroom mirror as I applied it, I felt like such a dickhead. How could I forget my best friends birthday? What kind of friend does that? I shook my head, shutting down my inner monologue before I fell into the usual excuses of how my new magical life had taken all my attention. Whatever's been going on, that's not an excuse.

I threw my bag onto Tanya's bed and closed the door to her bedroom.

"Hey, could you help me?" I heard Tanya shouting from the kitchen.

I walked the few steps over to the small corridor designed as a kitchen in Tanya's little one bed flat and pop my head around the corner.

"Yeah?"

"Could you start making some kind of punch?" she smiled at me as she was shaking the last of the popcorn out of the bag and into a rather large clear plastic bowl with a sparkly rim.