Rich Boy: Awakening - 19. Chapter 19

“Look, don’t argue with me about this.” Worthington practically snarled at Jeremy. The ride back had been painful in its slowness. Stacy drove barely ten miles over the speed limit the entire way! She’d been as nervous as he was, he knew but she seemed unruffled on the drive, and had ignored his frantic pleading with her to hurry up. She seemed to think he was overreacting!

“I don’t understand.” Jeremy said with a pained expression as the blanket on the bed stirred slightly. Damn, he had to calm down.

“What’s wrong?” Jamie asked with his voice almost in a panic. He tried to drop into rapport with Worthington, but Worthington shrugged it off. No, Jamie was too innocent still, and he didn’t want to ruin what innocence he had left with visions of what he’d seen this morning. The sun was just appearing over the horizon, and Worthington took a deep, calming breath. With sunrise, there would be time. Jeremy and his family could get thousands of miles, continents away.

“Does your family all have passports?” Worthington asked. “France would be best. Yes, it’ll be safe there. Lyon would be best.”

“Safe?” Jeremy asked with wide eyes.

“Damn it Worthington, let me in!” Jamie cried out as he tried to drop into rapport again. This time Worthington was almost cruel in the way he pushed Jamie away mentally.

“That’s enough, boy.” Stacy’s voice was frosty from the doorway, and she stood there, framed in the doorway like a bedrock of calm. Elizabeth was behind her, a worried look on her face, but she appeared calm. Stacy must not have shared anything with her yet.

“Will someone tell me what’s going on?” Jeremy nearly shouted. “Mike pulls me out of bed, shouting that I have to leave, take my family to France of all places, and Jamie’s acting like he’s been kicked out of his house.”

“Everyone will calm down.” Stacy said in a firm voice. “Worthington, you’re a Sinclair, act like one!”

That pulled Worthington out of his panic and he turned to stare at the woman. She glared at him until he relaxed, and finally felt his mind calming down. This time, when Jamie touched his mind, he let him in.

“Oh god.” Jamie groaned before taking off at a sprint into the bathroom. The sound of him vomiting into the toilet was clearly audible. Stacy stepped into the room, and Elizabeth hurried past him with a pale face to see to her son. Jeremy just looked scared.

“What is going on?” He demanded. “Damn it, I wish I could fucking read minds like the lot of you.”

“Be glad you can’t.” Stacy said firmly with a glance to the bathroom. “You don’t want to be puking like Jamie. Frankly, I’m surprised Worthington’s not in there with him.”

“I wish I could be.” Worthington said sadly.

“What’s so fucking bad?” Jeremy snarled. “Will someone just tell me what’s going on? Has there been another murder?”

“Massacre is more like it.” Stacy murmured. “How we’re going to keep this one from blowing up in the media I have no idea. No one’s been foolish enough to summon a demon in living memory, and there are no Adepts in this area, trained Adepts at least.”

“Demons?” Jeremy asked. “They’re real?”

“As real as elves, dwarves and all sorts of other magical creatures.” Stacy said grimly. “Most of them don’t mix with humans, though. Still, demons are a whole other matter. Summoning them is a lot more difficult than you’d get from common folklore. Controlling them is impossible. The best you can do is make a deal with them, and hope they choose to keep it. If you make a big enough sacrifice, usually they will, according to legend.”

“So there’s a demon loose in the city?” Jeremy said. “Is that why you want me to leave?”

“No one is safe if there’s a demon around.” Worthington said as Jamie reappeared from the bathroom, a sheepish look on his face. Elizabeth had her arm around his shoulders in a protective gesture. She was still wearing a bathrobe, and had her hair loose around her shoulders. “Hundreds of years ago, a group of mages thought to overthrow a Dark mage who had consolidated power in Europe. They summoned demons to their side because they weren’t strong enough to take out the Mage Lord. They took him out, and plunged Europe into chaos.”

“Mundane history says it was plague that killed so many people, but it was hordes of demons.” Stacy said in that damn calm voice. Would nothing rattle the woman? She should know to fear demons! “Demons love human flesh, but they love the flesh of mages even more, or those touched by mages. They feed off the flesh, and the magic. If they catch a mage, they’ll eat the mage slowly, over days instead of a single big feast. As they feast on the mage’s flesh, they feed on her magic as well, and grow stronger and stronger.”

“How do you kill them?” Jeremy asked.

“Not easily.” Elizabeth said in a grave voice. “It takes a lot of power to do that, more power than most mages could handle.”

“It’s how the Dark mages figured out Channels, and how to use them.” Worthington said softly, ruefully. “It was the one weapon they had against demons that could stand up to them. Light magic hurts the demon more, but a powerful Dark mage, with a soul-bonded Channel behind him can take down a demon. That’s why I have to stay, but the rest of you – you’ll be safer somewhere else. As far from here as possible.”

“I’m not leaving you to face a demon alone.” Jamie said firmly, even though he looked like he was going to vomit again.

“No one will expect you to face a demon alone.” Stacy said. “You’re not an Adept yet. There has to be a Dark Adept out there strong enough to face demons.”

“Are you kidding?” Worthington laughed. “What reason would you give good enough for a Dark Adept to risk dying just to face a demon for you? You might as well summon one of your Light Adepts to face the demon. At least they’ll do it because it’s the right thing to do. A Dark won’t even accept all the money in my family’s bank accounts for a risk like that.”

“I don’t know if a Light Adept will take the risk, either.” Stacy said in voice that had lost some of its steadiness.

“Why not?” Worthington asked. “I thought that was what the Light was about, sacrificing for the greater good and all that junk.”

“It’s not junk.” Jamie said angrily, and Worthington felt a stab of guilt. Jamie had sacrificed a lot, and to save Worthington no less.

“I’m sorry.” Worthington said softly and Jamie nodded.

“It’s the balance.” Jamie said quietly. “There are only a handful of Light Adepts right now, and three times that many Dark. They worry that without enough Light Adepts to keep the Dark ones in check, the balance will shift to the Dark. Last I heard, there were only two potential Adepts born to Light families in the last twenty years.”

“And there’s only one of those still sworn to the Light.” Elizabeth said without any recrimination in her voice, but Jamie still winced. “She’s just turned nineteen and her gift has only been active for two years. Last I heard she was living in Australia.”

“Oh.” Worthington said. “Still, there’s no reason Jeremy can’t leave. Today, before sunset. Whoever is summoning the demon has no idea what they’re doing. Or should I say demons? There was more than one in that apartment last night. I’m sure of it. The one that let the last victim escape was so hungry he stopped to feed on the first victim. If he’d fed already, he’d have speared the other victim on a claw and just held him down until he was done with his first meal.”

“You seem to know an awful lot about demons.” Jeremy said softly.

“The Mage Lord who was deposed by the Demon Summoners was Michael Landry Sinclair.” Stacy said with a hint of irony in her voice. “Legend has it, the Sinclairs have been scared of demons ever since.”

“Not scared.” Worthington said softly. “Terrified is a better word to describe it. Father would never tire of telling the stories about Demons, and how they were the downfall of the Sinclairs.”

“Jesus.” Jeremy shook his head. “Just when I thought I finally understood your damn family.”

“It’s a lot to take in, but you’ll be safe in France.” Worthington said. “Aunt, we can send them there, right? Rent a chateau or something for them to stay in? A Spring holiday a little early?”

“We can.” Elizabeth said. “What are you going to tell them?”

“Tell them they won a surprise drawing, whatever it takes to get them out of here.” Worthington nearly shouted. “Hell, I’ll fucking compel them to go if I have to.”

“No, you won’t.” Jeremy said firmly and his eyes flashed with anger. “You won’t be compelling my parents, you here me? You even try that and you’ll find out how fast I’ll leave your ass on the curb!”

“Okay, fine.” Worthington said in shock. Jeremy had never spoken to him that way before. Maybe there was a line that he couldn’t cross with him. Somehow, that was reassuring to him.

“I think we all need to calm down and think about this thing.” Stacy said. “I’ll call in to your school and tell them you’re sick. Get Rob and Brandon up. They’re going to need to know what’s going on as well. Hell, get me the number for Rob’s school and I’ll call in for him too. It’s about time that idiot started doing something useful. You have been teaching him combat magic, right?”

“It’s what he’s best at.” Worthington almost chuckled, and Stacy did let out a single bark of laughter.

“Why does that not surprise me?” She said as she shook her head. “Okay, get them up and filled in. Detective Kendrick suggested we call a war council of all mages in the area, and I think she’s right. We’ll have to find a meeting location. Worthington, Light and Dark mages don’t mix, present company excepted of course. Have you heard of any Dark mages relocating here?”

“I’ve not known of any, or I’d have shared the information by now, Aunt.” Worthington said.

“Fine.” She said. “Jeremy, love, you’re going to have to go to school. I’m sorry, but you’re not a mage, and you won’t be admitted to wherever we meet. Worthington or Jamie will call you as soon as they can, and you can catch up on what’s happening through them.”

“He needs to pack.” Worthington insisted.

“I love the fact that you’re so worried about me.” Jeremy said as he came over and wrapped his arms around Worthington. His voice dropped to a hiss just loud enough for Worthington. “If you don’t stop trying to pack me out of town, I’m going to kick your ass.”

“Okay.” Worthington sighed. “But promise me you won’t go out. Not without a mage in your company at least. Don’t let your family out either.”

“Call me, and we’ll talk later.’ Jeremy said before stooping to grab his shorts.

“I’ll get some breakfast started.” Elizabeth said and walked out of the room.

“Are you okay?” Worthington asked Jamie. None of them had realized Jamie and Jeremy were both still nude.

“Yeah, but next time, just let me in.” Jamie said sourly. “I’d have thrown up sooner that way.”

“I’m sorry.” Worthington said softly. “I guess I was in a panic.”

“That’s an understatement.” Jeremy snorted. He was now dressed in shorts, a tank-top and had a set of Worthington’s flip-flops on his feet. Both of them got a kiss from Jeremy before leaving to go home, and then Worthington felt himself relax a bit. Jamie got dressed, still looking slightly ill.

“We might as well invite everyone here.” Stacy said over breakfast after she’d told Richie, Brandon, and Rob the basics. She wasn’t eating anything, and neither were Worthington or Jamie. Rob was chomping away at cereal and probably wouldn’t have been fazed if he’d had the memories direct from Worthington. The way he ate, he’d have to go on a massive diet before wrestling season started or he’d be in another weight class.

“None of the others will want Worthington or the others in their home, and more than likely no one will want an unwarded location.” Elizabeth added. “We can fit everyone here comfortably. There’s what, fifty or sixty families and a handful of other mages in the area? Not all of them will be able to make it either, on such short notice.”

“About that, yes.” Stacy agreed. “Well, let’s get started on making the house ready for guests.”

Worthington wanted to be doing something, and surprisingly he found that cleaning house, running to the store for platters of meats and cheese, and other tasks Elizabeth set for him had a strangely calming effect. They weren’t the preparations he had thought of, but they sufficed. Rob took the holiday from school as good news, until he was handed a duster and told to tidy up the living room. Brandon looked nervous, but set about the tasks he was given with a shrug of his shoulders.

The first of the mages began arriving shortly before noon. It was an elderly woman, well into her eighties in the company of Detective Kendrick. She sniffed at Worthington, muttered to herself over Jamie, and completely ignored Brandon altogether, but that was it. Worthington sat in a corner of the living room, with Jamie next to him, Rob and Brandon standing behind them as more and more mages filled the room.

The assembled mages were from all walks of life. Some wore business suits, others casual attire, and there were even one or two who looked like rejects from a punk rocker convention. Several looked like they had never left the 1960’s, but most looked like normal, everyday people. Worthington had expected nothing different. He knew mages were from all walks of life.

Richie had been gone most of the morning, but came in with a short Asian woman of middle-age who wore hospital scrubs. She was a doctor, and the current Healer he was apprenticed with. There were actually two Healers who trained him, rotating him between them as an assistant. Officially he was a clerk in the hospital, working part time there.

The room was crowded, but there was a visible space between Worthington, his group, and everyone else. It seemed the dislike of Light for Dark, or Near Dark was alive and well in the room. Not even the fact that a demon had been summoned, or more than one, could overcome that barrier.

“I believe that’s everyone who said they’d be able to make it.” Detective Kendrick said when everyone had a spot. She sat on the other side of the room from him, with Stacy next to her. Elizabeth was standing off to the left, next to a man and woman both in business attire. Worthington was glad he’d dressed up, and talked Jamie into wearing a pair of his slacks as well as a dress shirt. Brandon had dressed up, and at least the jeans and t-shirt that Rob was wearing were clean. “All of you have been given the basics of the story. Thanks to assistance from Stacy and Worthington Sinclair, we have been able to confirm that the recent spate of murders are the work of a demon.”

That set the room off into hushed discussions as people talked to their neighbors. Kendrick let it continue a moment before continuing. When she spoke again, the room silenced immediately.

“Last night, we believe more than one demon was summoned and six people died.” Kendrick continued.

“I say we’re looking at who probably did it.” A man in a tie-dyed t-shirt and faded jeans growled with a glare at Worthington.

“He’s a Sinclair.” The elderly woman who arrived with Kendrick said with a snort. “The day a Sinclair consorts with demons is the day the world ends. The Sinclairs hate demons. Everyone knows that, or should.”

“Forgive me, grandma, but not everyone knows all of our oral histories.” Kendrick said with a fond grin for the old woman, who snorted again.

“If anyone bothered to take the time, there’s plenty who could teach them.” Kendrick’s grandmother said, and Worthington found himself warming to the crotchety woman.

“I still don’t understand the prohibition on writing these things down.” A man in a business suit sitting to Worthington’s left said. “Obviously it used to happen or there wouldn’t be so many stories about old books of magic.”

“It was after the Demon Wars that putting magic, or even the history of magic into writing was forbidden.” Worthington said.

“I did not come here to listen to Dark mages.” The hippy in the tie-dyed shirt snapped. “I don’t know how you stand them, Stacy. Just knowing one is in the same city as me makes my skin crawl and there’s four of them! Four of them!”

“Jamie is no Dark Mage.” Richie snarled. “You take that back, Roger.”

“Demons are the concern of all mages, Light or Dark.” The old woman said in a voice that cut through the hubbub of arguments that had started to break out. “I’m the Eldest here. Does any dispute that? I thought not. Now, Mr. Sinclair, share with us your knowledge of demons.”

“Whom do I have the honor of addressing, Madame?” Worthington said with as much respect as he could put into his voice while he stood and bowed to the woman.

“I am Emma Calhoun, young man.” She said with a very, very slight smile. “I managed to put two Dark mages into their graves when I was younger and they thought they could have their way with those under my protection.”

“Then I am glad I have never crossed you, Madame Calhoun.” Worthington said with a smile and another bow. She grunted and nodded at him to continue, but there was a smile on her face.

“Ever since the Demon Wars dethroned a Sinclair from his position of leadership of European mages…” Worthington began but was interrupted.

“You mean the tyrant…” Roger the Hippie snorted.

“…the Sinclairs have made it one of their ongoing purposes to understand Demons, and how to destroy them.” Worthington said forcefully, while ignoring the outburst from the man. “Demons are not easy to summon, and are even harder to slay. They can only exist in our reality for short periods of time. That is the one reason why the world was not overrun with them during the Demon Wars. A demon cannot summon another demon, they require a human conduit to make the passage, but they cannot be controlled once here.”

“How long can they last in our world?” The man in the business suit asked.

“It depends on two main factors.” Worthington answered. “First is the strength of the caster, and the second is the power of the demon. A caster must keep the conduit open or the demon gets sucked back into its realm, or a pocket of their realm established here, on our world. The stronger the demon, the longer it can last, using its own powers to support the summoner’s. Demon Lords, the most powerful, could exist for days, even up to a week in our realm if the summoner was of even moderate strength. Most demons survive for a few hours, no more, in our realm.”

“So if you kill the one summoning them, the demon gets sucked back to where they came from.” The man in the business suit stated. “Sounds easy enough. Find him, or her, and kill them.”

“Only if you find them before they have time to summon a demon.” Worthington replied without succumbing to the temptation to be sarcastic. “Once they have summoned a demon, they are protected by the demon. You cannot kill them until you kill the demon, or drive it back to the other realm. If you can force the demon to use so much of its magic that it can no longer sustain the link, it will have to depart, and you can kill the summoner, or drain the demon by forcing it protect its summoner. Either way, it takes a great deal of power.”

“It is said that Adepts have enough power.” Madame Calhoun stated. “Will a Dark Adept answer our call for help?”

“Last night this person managed to summon two demons, not just one.” Worthington said and was surprised at the total silence. “That means a mage of near, if not Adept level. I’ve been thinking about this all morning. I seriously doubt anyone too far below Adept level can summon and maintain a link for two demons. During the Demon Wars, a single Adept-level summoner could bring forth three, maybe four demons at most, but no one of even moderate strength brought forth more than one at a time. It took fifteen mages, including three Adepts to unleash enough demons to kill the Sinclair of that era.”

“Are Sinclairs so strong, then?” Roger snorted with contempt. “You don’t feel that strong to me.”

“The Sinclair of that era was said to be the strongest who ever lived and he had five Adepts living in his House at the time.” Worthington replied calmly. “All but three of the demons were slain before they eviscerated him, but in consuming him, their own power grew, and then turned on their summoners, enslaving their minds. Before they went back across, they used the enslaved minds of the Adepts among the rebels to bring forth a Demon Lord, who gained control of all the mages among the rebels. Even from the other realm, the Demon Lord twisted their strings, and controlled them in their summoning. That is the risk a mage takes when they summon demons. A demon very much stronger than the mage will enslave the mage’s mind, and a Demon Lord can control that mind from their realm, even if they cannot enter ours without being summoned.”

“Are we facing a Demon Lord here?” A matronly-looking woman in a sunflower dress asked with a frown. “I think it’d be best if we just left. I mean, moved to somewhere safer.”

“And leave the mundanes to be demon chow?” One of the punk rockers snorted. He was in his early twenties, and had a jacket held together by safety pins, or at least that was how it looked.

“Why haven’t you left yet, Dark Mage.” Roger scowled at Worthington. “I’d have thought a Dark mage would have been on the first plane out of town.”

“Unless one of you has more power than I’m sensing, I’m probably your best bet of defeating the demon.” Worthington said with a shrug. “I guess I’ve been living with Light witches too long and some of their stupid morals are rubbing off on me, or maybe it’s that I’m a Sinclair and I won’t see demons brought into our world again. Whatever my reasons, I am here, and I will fight the demon and its summoner.”

“You’re strong, young man, but not that strong.” Madame Calhoun said with a sharp gaze at him. Worthington smiled at her, and linked with Brandon. With his Channel fully open, power poured into him, and he saw the woman’s eyes open while most of the people flinched backwards. He knew how much power they were feeling now.

“The Dark has its own secrets.” He said firmly. “What you see now is one that was developed to fight the demons.”

“How do you do that?” Roger demanded in a weak voice as Worthington let his power fade down into its normal state, and released the link with Brandon. “It’s something to do with that boy behind you, but I’ll be damned if I caught exactly what it was.”

“It’s nothing a Light mage would ever be able to duplicate.” Worthington said simply. “It requires things that the Light would burn you for even contemplating. If you really wish to learn, renounce the Light and embrace the Dark.”

“That’ll be the day.” Roger growled, but he sat back and didn’t continue his fight.

“So what are we all doing here?” Another one of the punk rockers asked.

“First is to make sure all mages in the area know there is a demon summoner at work.” Kendrick stated and then looked over at Stacy.

“We believe that the first few murders were tests.” Stacy said softly. “This last one seems like it was the ‘final’ test before the demon summoner gets down to serious business.”

“What do you mean, serious business?” Sun-flower dress woman asked.

“Mages.” Worthington said firmly. “When a demon kills a mage, it takes its time, eating the mage a piece at a time. As it eats the flesh, it also eats the mage’s power. A portion, a small portion of that flows back into the mage summoner. A crafty summoner will allow the demon to eat the power of a mage, increasing his own power in the process. If he is careful, he can do this over and over again, increasing his power until he’s Adept status. It’s why demon summoning was studied in the first place, as a way to increase power.”

He didn’t tell them that this was how that Sinclair had become so powerful, nor that the main rebel had been a chief lieutenant of that Sinclair.

“They’ll be coming after mages now.” Kendrick said. “Whoever this is, we’re their most likely target. But, we’re on to them.”

“My family and I are leaving town.” The woman in the sunflower dress said.

“I’m not being driven out of my home by whoever this is!” Roger said and he glared at Worthington. “You need to find whoever is doing this and take care of him.”

“I will.” Worthington said. “I’m not doing it to save your skin, though. I will do it because demons are not to be tolerated.”

“Whatever your reason, we will be grateful if you do manage to end this.” Madam Calhoun said in a stern voice. “But what can the rest of us do while you hunt them down? What if they come after one of us?”

“First off you need to make sure the wards on your homes are as strong as they can be.” Stacy said in a firm voice. “If you need reinforcement, call on one of us, and we will help.”

“Don’t go out at night if you don’t have to, either.” Kendrick added. “From what I understand, demons are strongest at night, and weaker in daylight.”

“That is correct.” Worthington confirmed. “If you are out at night, go in groups of two or three at the least. If you find yourself confronted by a demon, shield and run. You will need to shield against magic and physical attacks, not just one or the other, and don’t neglect the mental defenses either. Call for help anyway possible, by magic, mind, or cell phone.”

“So we huddle in our homes at night and pray the boogeymen don’t get us in our sleep?” Roger scoffed at that. “How do we even know you’ll do what you say and actually take it down? What happens if I call you for help and you show up, try to kill me and make it look like the demon did it?”

“Then leave town.” Madam Calhoun said sharply. “None of us are powerful enough to hope to stand against a demon. The oral histories are quite clear on a few things, Roger, and if you ever accepted my invitations for tea you’d know more. Dark mages hate demons as much as we do, if not more. During the demon wars, the Dark mages worked with Light mages to drive the demons out of our world, and they actually kept their bargains. Not one Dark mage violated the bargains and harmed, or allowed a Light mage to be harmed without doing everything in their power to stop the demon. They know a demon grows in power with each one it takes, and they know that the demons don’t care between Light or Dark. All mages are food for them, or pawns to be controlled. The boy can be trusted in this, at least. As long as we reach a suitable bargain.”

“You wish to make a formal bargain?” Worthington asked with a little bit of surprise. Not much surprise, considering the reputation of Dark mages with Light mages, but he was still surprised she’d insist on that.

“Child, you don’t get to be my age without knowing a thing or two about dealing with your kind.” Madame Calhoun said with a tinge of sarcasm. “You might not be that bad of a person when it comes to Dark mages, but you’re still not Light. The best way to deal with your kind is to make sure everything is clearly laid out and agreed to beforehand. Why don’t you take your gaggle of boys and go play somewhere while we discuss what we will, and will not, agree to as part of the bargain.”

“As you wish, Lady of Light.” Worthington said with a little bit of a mocking tone in his voice, and a bow. He had gauged her correctly, it seemed, when she smiled instead of taking offense as a few of the other people in the room did. With a nod to the others, he led his ‘gaggle of boys’ as she’d called it out of the room, and downstairs to his own room.

“Jesus!” Jamie groaned as they entered Worthington’s room. “Those fucking stuck up pigs! They sat there and acted like they were better than us just because they’re fucking dedicated to the Light!”

“They’ll be begging for our help when there’s a demon knocking at their door.” Rob said with a grunt as he stood next to the door. He had a slightly malicious grin on his face as if he was looking forward to that moment.

“You’ll just love that, won’t you?” Brandon snarled. “I bet you’ll wait ‘til they’re half-eaten before even thinking of doing anything. Maybe you’ll ask the demon for scraps after it’s eaten its fill?”

“Brandon, there’s no call for that.” Jamie said softly while Worthington sat back and watched the fireworks.

“What are you going to do?” Rob said while playing again with the silver bracelet on his wrist. He’d been so happy to get it as a Christmas present from Worthington, and would probably throw a fit if he knew it had been Brandon’s idea in the first place. “Go crying for Master Worthington to save you?”

“You’ll probably be doing no different, Rob.” Jamie retorted, playing his usual role of arbiter between the two. Worthington could have stopped it with a single word, but he didn’t. He’d already learned it was best to let them work out their problems on their own. More than likely they were just lashing out because they were nervous, not really because they hated each other. They did have something in common, their dedication to Worthington, and no matter their personal dislikes, that was usually enough to keep them working together when it was necessary.

The core of their dislike for each other lay in a couple of facts that were unlikely to change anytime soon. Rob was a natural bully, who thought the weak should serve the strong. Worthington was stronger than him, so Rob served without complaint. In the last month, more of that service was from his own natural choices as Worthington relaxed some of the compulsions he’d placed on Rob at the wrestling meet where they’d met. He hadn’t removed all of them, and seriously doubted he ever would remove them all, but Rob was progressing fairly well in the most important area.

With the resolution of the lawsuit against the Estate, Worthington had a great deal more access to financial resources. Elizabeth still reviewed all accounts, and had to approve major transactions, but she had given him much more access to his family’s holdings than he had expected. Most of those details Brandon handled for him, asking for direction every now and then, or making suggestions for his approval. He knew Brandon spent at least an hour each day on the phone with Randall Smythe, and the accountants who did most of the actual work. Everything was funneled through Brandon though, who prioritized things for Worthington.

Once again, Worthington was receiving his monthly allowance of $15,000. His Aunt had been repaid for everything she’d covered while the accounts were frozen, and everything was running smoothly again. The estates were all being maintained out of Sinclair family holdings, with appropriate caretaker staff to keep them clean and in repair.

Brandon of course received a sizeable salary for his hard work. Not many sixteen-year-olds could boast a $5,000 a month salary, plus benefits. Rob also received a salary, which came from the Sinclair Family Holdings account just like the salaries of the caretaker staff at the different Sinclair estates. His salary was of course much less at $1,500 a month, but it was a steady income that he did very little for usually. He also got a very nice, and expensive, ‘company’ cell phone that he wore prominently on his waist, and he now drove a car leased by Worthington that officially he was to use if Worthington wanted to be driven somewhere, but in reality he used for his own transportation.

There was an old saying that ‘Money cannot buy loyalty’, but it was a fallacy. For Rob, money DID buy loyalty, and Worthington was able to release compulsions on him. Jamie had won back the larger television from Worthington with a side bet, though. Worthington had said it would be the money that kept Rob loyal, and they had to be careful to make sure no one offered Rob more money, but Jamie had said that Rob would be more loyal with the compulsions gone than he had been with them in place. Jamie had been right, as over the last month, Worthington scanned Rob’s mind during their weekly practice sessions.

Rob was more loyal to him than ever before, and it wasn’t just because of the money, or the expensive gifts. Certainly Rob loved them, and loved showing them off, but in his mind they were just symbols of something more. To Rob, they were signs that Worthington valued him, and the idea that Worthington thought him important enough to give gifts, and to pay a good salary, and provide a car, and to personally train in magic all combined to convince Rob that Worthington was worth following, worth fighting for, and worth obeying.

For Rob, the money had bought loyalty, but what kept the loyalty, and what tied Rob closer and closer to Worthington was the symbolism he believed was behind the money and gifts. To Rob, they were symbols that Worthington found Rob worthy, important enough, strong enough to give these things to, and that made Rob feel important.

Worthington had decided that Jamie had earned getting the television back in his room. It was an important lesson for him to learn. Worthington’s father had never trusted anyone who was not so layered in spells of compulsion and binding that they could barely think on their own. In Worthington, it had created a geas, a split of his personality that had unintended consequences his father could never have foreseen. Worthington understood that if he tried to use similar methods in controlling those who served him, he’d run similar risks.

Damn, Jamie had been trying to teach him an important lesson and he’d almost missed it.

“Are you guys done working out your nervousness yet?” Worthington interrupted the argument when Rob and Brandon had managed to turn it back on Jamie, and were actually working together against Jamie. His brother’s mind was humming though, and seemed happy. Oh yes, he’d been manipulating both of them, getting them to side with each other against him, getting them to work together.

Jamie was sure coming along when it came to manipulating people.

Maybe you’re just getting better at spotting what I’ve always done. Jamie’s mind voice was smug in his mind, and Worthington barely stopped himself from laughing.

“We have a lot of work to do, preparing for a fight.” Worthington said, and everyone seemed to settle down. Rob and Brandon actually moved to sit on the floor next to each other while he and Jamie sat on the bed. Damn, would they ever realize Jamie had been manipulating them?

It probably didn’t matter. The point was to get them over their mutual animosity and working closer together as a team. Rob was still playing with that bracelet, which tickled a memory from one of his ‘discussions’ with his father on the Family History. Yes, that was something important, and while he was no mage artificer, he could do the necessary spells. They weren’t too complicated. The biggest problem was the amount of power they took to cast.

Well, looking at Brandon, that wouldn’t be a problem either.

“Well?” Brandon asked after he’d remained silent for several minutes.

“First, it appears Jamie’s going to get to tell me ‘I told you so’ again.” Worthington said with a sigh. He hated it when Jamie was right and got to use that smug expression.

Yes, a lot of work to do.