Throughout my magic studying, the leaves had turned their glorious colors and fallen. A foot of snow fell by the beginning of December. I practiced melting the snow. Joel taught me how to move objects without touching them using snowballs. I wanted to pelt him with them, but I worried about his response. Once he threw one at me, it was all over. Using my newfound magical aim, I attacked. Laughing, he deflected them easily.

I could tell he was happy as we went in for lunch. Part of the link between the two of us he was teaching me to recognize. After a much hot coco and some soup we headed back out. This time we went further from the house than I had been since coming there. “Where are we going?”

“It’s your half birthday surprise. I figured since I missed your actual birthday, this would have to do.” We had reached a hill. An old-fashioned wooden sled rested at the top.

“Really?” I was giddy with happiness. Teddy nodded and I grabbed his hand, heading up the hill. I plopped down on the sled and Teddy sat behind me, wrapping his arms securely around my waist. I inched the sled forward. Then we were flying down the hill. At the bottom Teddy disentangled himself from me and we dragged the sled back up again.

I had no idea how many times we repeated this. But at the end of one particularly exhilarating run, Simon waited at the bottom of the hill. “Theodore, you were not to do this. She is too far from the house. Go back, now.”

Teddy bowed, “Yes, Master.” He left the sled and started heading towards the house.

As I moved to follow, Simon grabbed my arm. My cry of surprise got Teddy’s attention. Simon smiled, but his eyes were slate, “I think the two of you have had my house to yourselves for long enough. I will be moving in shortly, with just a few slaves to keep things running to my satisfaction.”

The last part was directed towards me. As it was, two slaves came in to do the cleaning twice a week and he must have heard how I avoided them. We were both being punished then.

Teddy’s eyes flashed, “Don’t you have people’s lives to be controlling?”

Simon started walking towards the house with me in tow. “Most of the plans Nye and I came up with are already in action. The snow is going to put a hold on a lot of them until spring. The regular running of things I can deal with from here.”

“They’ll come here?” I tried to keep the disgust and fear from my voice, “the other people in the hierarchy?”

“No. Don’t you worry about them. I’ll go see them every so often to make sure they are towing the line.” He turned me to face him. “I think it is about time to shake things up a bit around here. You should have known better than to travel so far from the house.”

The next morning I found a note on the table in my room when I returned from the shower.

We are having breakfast upstairs. I am having French toast and pancakes made for everyone. See you there.

Simon

I sighed and headed upstairs. Teddy and I had not spoken about Simon when we returned to the house. Instead, we had had cake for my half birthday, as though nothing had happened. Even so, the mood was less cheerful than it had been before.

I found three men seated around the kitchen table as a slave put breakfast on everyone’s plates. Even the sight of the woman slave could not draw my attention away from the table, where the three men sat glaring at each other.

The back of the third man was facing me, but I knew who it was. I knew the curve of his back. His sandy hair was a little longer than I remembered it, but it had been a long time since I last saw him. Nine months, since I had found him dead on the floor.

Teddy caught sight of me. “Come sit here.” He motioned to a seat between himself and Simon. Skirting the slave woman, I obeyed. As I sat, I finally got a good view of the man’s face.

It was alight with joy. “Hello, Kiddo.”

“Hey, Joel.” I attacked my breakfast with ferocity. I could not bear to look at him. For it was him. I knew. No double. No trick. I knew, deep inside.

“Ach. Poor Nye, doesn’t know what to do.” Simon sounded like he was laughing. I wanted to wring his neck.

“She wouldn’t have to worry about it if you hadn’t insisted on bringing him here.” Teddy sounded irritable and inched towards me, protectively.

“Do I scare you, Ted? You should know better. I know what you have done to my love. She won’t desert you.” Joel’s words held pain and betrayal, but also a type of . . . joy.

“I’m still here,” I reminded the three men. It was true I didn’t know what to do. They all controlled me in different ways. Unfortunately, three bites into my breakfast I was inexplicably full, too full to even look at my food anymore.

I looked around the table and found all eyes on me. “I was reading Darwin’s thesis, The Origin of Species, last night. I was surprised at the quality of the writing. I mean, I knew he was smart, but really most scientists aren’t that good at writing. Most of it isn’t theory though.” I was lying through my teeth, also. I had barely been able to slog through that self-praising egotist’s work. He was so wrapped up in himself, he barely even got to the science. I sighed, dramatically, “Of course, it did go through six editions.”

“Damn your mother, En, do you really think we want to talk about Darwin right now?”

“Don’t damn my mother. She’s dead.” Anger to the point of tears welled up inside me. I blinked back the salty drops before they got a chance to fall.

“I know, Love, I’m sorry.” He sounded like he meant it. I felt for him. I wanted to be with him. But even now I could feel Teddy’s calling touch. Reassuring himself that I was still his. And I was.

“Are you done eating?” Teddy asked me suddenly. I nodded. “Then we have lessons.” With that he dragged me up and out of the room.

“Just be down here for lunch.” Simon’s voice was mocking. He was enjoying this far too much for my taste.

In our lesson room, Teddy leaned heavily on the door and took a deep breath, before turning to me, eyes blazing, “You are mine, Little Dove. Don’t forget it.”

I could feel the jealousy pulsing through him, “Please Teddy, I know. You have nothing to fear. I am yours.”

He shot me a suspicious look. “You can’t hide your love for him.”

I shook my head, “This has nothing to do with love. I am yours. You know that.”

“I don’t know. I didn’t even know his nickname for you before. Why didn’t you tell me he called you En?”

“He doesn’t normally do that in public,” I muttered. Then I shot Teddy a look, “You never wanted to talk about him more than necessary. I did not want to bring it up.”

He shook himself. “Forget it. Start meditating.”

It felt like it was my first time again. I could not clear my mind. Images of each of them kept popping up. I wanted to hide. Suddenly a door creaked open, snapping me out of meditation.

Joel entered, looking apologetic, “I’m sorry, I was ordered to watch the lessons while my master went back to the castle to talk to his cousin about the grain crop this year.”

“You’re Simon’s slave?” I could hardly believe it.

Joel’s face grew hard, “I’m his personal assistant. My master felt I would be wasted anywhere else.” Also known as, he wanted to gloat over Joel as much as possible.

“That’s all very well, but we were meditating, so you can either join in or get out. My student is busy right now.” Teddy sounded far too irate for a simple interruption. This was his jealousy again.

I went to him. “Teddy, please. I told you there is nothing to worry about.” I twined my arms around him. “I’m yours.”

Teddy ignored me, glaring at Joel. Finally, Joel said, “this has nothing to do with you, Love. Does it, Ted?” Teddy just glared at him. I turned to face him. “He trusts you; it’s me he doesn’t trust.” Joel put his hands out, palms upwards in a half bow of submission, “You can trust this, brother, I will not do anything that would cause you to harm her. Ever. If that means I lose her, then that’s what it means. She loves me. That is all I need.”

Teddy’s grip had gotten very tight on my arm. “What did you call me?” The words came out like a hiss. I struggled to be free of him.

“You’re hurting her.” Joel’s eyes narrowed. It wasn’t until Teddy realized what he meant and let go of me that he continued. “I never said you weren’t my brother. Although, now I am not sure I want you for one. The Wassins do not all think as one being. If you had ever bothered to listen to me, instead of threatening me, you would have known that.”

Teddy looked at me. “It is as I told you that night.” I choked out. “He would have given you everything.”

He smirked, taking hold of me again, but more gently this time, “I had you, of course he would have.”

I shook my head. “He would have, before. That was why I came when you asked. I thought I could tell you that you didn’t need revenge, you could have what you wanted to begin with.”

“I have control of my own money. My own newspapers. If it was a money issue, you never would have wanted for more.” Teddy was about to interrupt. “Hear me out. I would have welcomed you into my family, my house. They could not stop me. There was no blackmail they had on me, nor would they use it if they could, it would only backfire. It is true, the rest of the family did not want you, because you were my mother’s son. I did. Until you laid a hand on Sinya, that is. Now I am simply stuck with you.”

Teddy’s hand trembled on my arm, “And you still call me brother?”

“I cannot deny the truth.” He stepped forward, but stopped when Teddy drew me in closer. “She loves me, brother.”

“I know.” He held me tighter, triumphant. “But she is mine, brother.”

“I know.”

“I’m still here,” I pointed out, annoyed. The two of them looked at me in surprise, they had forgotten I could speak. I twisted around to look at Teddy, “It is enough. I have lessons. I don’t think I can meditate today.”

Teddy nodded. “Very well.” He looked around. “I think it best we stay inside today, so, we will work with pillows today instead of snowballs.”

I nodded. And started to follow his instructions. When I caught sight of Joel he had found a couch and was watching us – me – intently.

When my lesson was over, Joel helped return the room to good order. He turned to leave the room, but I caught him. “Wait.” I turned to Teddy, making sure I had the attention of both of them, “Does Simon know?”

“No.” Their answer was in unison and resounding.

“Good.” I nodded, “Please, let’s keep it that way. For my sake.” The last thing I needed was for Simon to know that they were brothers.

They nodded, and Joel said, “I have no intention of giving my master any more power over me than he already has.”

Just then, Simon strode in. “What would give me more power over you than having Nye here?”

Without thinking, I was inches from Simon, practically begging him to reach out and touch me. “That he still loves me, even after what Teddy has put me through.”

I could see Teddy stiffen from the corner of my eye, but Simon smiled, his eyes turning to starlight, “Any fool would know that. Who wouldn’t love you?” He reached out and caressed my face, “Even knowing you’re a mage, you’re impossible to resist.”

“What’s for lunch? I’m famished.” I said it happily, knowing that behind me were the faces of two glowering men. It was my intent. If they were not mad, Simon would get suspicious.

Simon smiled even wider, “Chicken.” My face fell and Simon chuckled. “There is squash for you.” He offered me his arm, but I refrained from taking it, hurrying back to Teddy to walk down to lunch with him. Simon shot Teddy a deadly look, and Teddy only smiled in return.

On the way down, I caught a quick look at Joel. His face was still angry, but his eyes were pensive. I shrugged. Even if he figured out what I was doing, it would not change the outcome. I turned to Teddy and whispered in his ear, “I’ll make it up to you later, I promise.” Teddy’s smile got broader.

Of the three, he was the one I had to keep the happiest. He was jealous and a mage and they did not make a good combination. Still, I had to keep all of them in balance, and that meant upsetting him sometimes.

During my magic lesson, I had been able to formulate a plan. The first part was that things had to appear unchanged. Simon had to feel like he held all the cards. He had to enjoy the discord as much as possible between the brothers. In the mean time, if Simon intended to disrupt my lessons with Joel’s presence I would use the time to get the two to work on making amends and uniting them against Simon. If the two worked together against him, they could get us out of here.

Simon called to Joel and started muttering to him. Joel produced a pencil and a pad from nowhere and started taking down notes as we walked. I distracted Teddy by leaning against him as we walked and slowly the tension in his body relaxed. Through our connection, I could feel his jealousy dissipate. It wasn’t gone, but it was far less.

We entered the main dinning room, which was set for lunch. Teddy and I never ate there. If we did not want to eat in the kitchen, we ate in our room. The change of scenery unnerved me almost as much as the ten slaves I saw scurrying around getting everything ready. Almost. Among the slaves, I saw my friend Trish. Immediately, I knew that she was there to keep me even more off balance. I would not let it work. Even if I had to cut ties with her. The three men were my concern.

I practically ran to the table to claim a chair before the men could push me into one, this way, I showed nobody favor. As it happened, Joel somehow managed to claim the seat next to me. I tried to bury my pleasure before Teddy could feel it.

“Ah, well, isn’t this lovely?” Simon lazily took a chair. “Trish?”

The woman stopped, “Yes, master?”

“I’m sure Nye will want to talk to you after lunch.”

She curtsied, but Teddy interjected, “Sinya will be busy.”

“Later then. But if she has time for you, Trish, stop whatever you are doing and give her your attention.”

“Yes, Master.”

She was a bribe? To make me like him more? I hardly understood. I knew the appropriate response, “Thank you, Simon.”

Simon nodded. But Joel shot me a look. Teddy’s face darkened, “What are you looking at?”

Joel shrugged, turning to his food. “She’s just the only one to use my master’s name. Even in the hierarchy they avoid saying it.”

“Excuse me?” I was not sure if I should be insulted.

“Wassin, don’t try my patience.” Simon was standing. “Nye’s relationship with me is entirely not of your concern. You’re just a bloody slave.” The distain was evident in his voice. His eyes were stone and he looked like he was about to reach across the table and slap Joel. Unconcerned, Joel continued eating.

I was shaken. “Is that how you think of us?” I knew Simon was not good, but I thought he saw us as people, not as his possessions.

“Oh, Nye.” Everything softened about him. He walked around the table, all the tension gone from his body. “Not you. Never you. Please. I’m sorry.” His eyes were rainy day puddles, dreary and sad. “Forgive me.”

He had sunk to his knees and held my hands, begging. I looked away, “You sold me off into terror. I was supposed to marry you and you didn’t care enough to stop me from being hurt. You see me the same way you see everyone else. I just never saw it so plainly before.” I had no idea where these words were coming from. Their calm tolling was as if another had taken possession of my body.

I used to talk to Simon that way, I knew. But no longer. I stood, casting my eyes down. “Please, take no offense. I – I don’t feel well. I think I need to lie down for a little. I’m sorry.” I fled.

“Don’t be late this afternoon,” Teddy called after me. I did not care. I took the stairs two at a time. I was barely holding back tears. I wandered into a room and collapsed on the floor, hysterical.

After having a good cry into the carpet, I found a piece of paper had fallen out of my clothes. That was interesting. I looked to see what it was.

En,

You know you have the power here. Don’t forget it. He has nothing on you, because, you know what? It’s you we want. So pull me into whatever plan you have cooking in your little head. I trust you. I love you.

Joel

I kissed the paper, then tore it to shreds, knowing Teddy would find it, otherwise. My love was right, of course. But the woman he knew, the woman who could have really used the power the way he wanted me to, was all but gone. She had left my shell.

I looked at my hands and my now boney fingers. I had lost her somewhere. She would not please Teddy; she would fight him. In order to do what he wanted I had to stop being a coward.

I couldn’t do it, I knew. Another wave of hysterics overcame me. It only ended because I was hiccupping too hard.

“Are you done yet?” I scrambled away from the voice. “I know. You don’t want to see me.” Simon sounded like he was laughing.

“I don’t want you to see me,” I corrected him. I had to pause for a stray hiccup. “I don’t want you to think all your slaves are weak and cowering.”

“You aren’t a slave.”

I turned to face him and laughed. His face seemed so honest though. Those gray eyes showed no emotion for once. “Don’t play with me, Simon. I am not in the mood for your games.”

“My games?” His face darkened. “I can assure you. This is no game. The day I came to see you, that first week when you were at Theodore’s I signed your papers.” He held out a folder I hadn’t even noticed he was holding. “You can have the copies, I signed it twice, once for my family’s records and once for you. The hierarchy can never lay claim to you again.”

It seemed such a small thing. And yet, too good to be true. “But you said you were glad you hadn’t married me because otherwise I would be free.”

Simon sighed leaning on a dresser, “I was mad at you. I was mad at myself. I had you drugged because I had wanted to tell you what role I really had in this and I didn’t want you going all your mageiness on me. I knew how you could be when upset. But you knew already. And I was so mad at you.”

He shook his head, “And then you showed all that loyalty to Theodore who had done nothing but hurt you and none to me who – until that day – had never laid a hand on you. Something just took over. I thought, maybe, that was what you really liked. That you wanted someone like Theodore, and that was why you were loyal. I can only be glad that Theodore stopped me when he did. I could never have forgiven myself.”

“You’ve lied to me before, why should I believe you now?” My voice was surprisingly even and devoid of emotion.

“I’m sorry, Nye.” He held out the folder and walked towards me. “Just read the papers.” I took them.

“‘Sinya L’emet’ my full name, I didn’t know you knew it, ‘is no longer, nor will be from any time forward, considered in the service of the family. None of the hierarchy may lay claim to her as a person.’ Then why am I still here?” I scanned the rest of the paper and it detailed how any of my services would henceforth be paid for and other such things. It was signed by Simon and witnessed by Keith and Ellie.

“Look at the other papers,” he said stubbornly.

As I did, it all became horribly clear to me. “My mother endorsed these laws?”

Simon shrugged, “She thought she was appeasing a fringe group of crazies. I mean, she did not even believe in magic. Besides, you had to be able to prove that a person had magic before the laws took effect and there was no way of doing that without doing something illegal. It was a non issue for her.”

“Except in my case.” The first of the other papers was a law explaining that magic users must be trained by whatever means necessary, excluding none, unless they were discovered by an illegal act. If that was the case then the mage had the option of being trained or not.

The second set of papers described the car accident that had killed my birth parents and my older sister. It explained how I had literally glowed and somehow remained protected even as nearly the whole truck rested above me, with no support. The police report stated, “Only magic can explain the safety of this newborn.” Whether he was serious or not, it was enough to prove in any court of law that I was a mage.

“Teddy had a legal right to do that to me?” I stared at the law with my own mother’s signature.

“He obtained the court order to do so before he trapped you. Everything he did was perfectly legal.”

I saw that. The court order was the next piece of paper. The judge had clearly been upset by the ruling, coming very close to using obscenities when talking about Teddy.

I turned the page and looked at the final sheet. It was in the same flowery handwriting as the first paper, only, like the court documents, it was a copy. “‘It has been determined that the free person Sinya L’emet will be able to seek refuge anywhere on these grounds once her training is done. Until that time, the Master, Simon, has offered his house for her training purposes. She may not stray more than an acre from that point. An underground room is provided for her to learn any spells deemed dangerous by the Master, Simon. If Theodore Vael allows her to make use of these grounds and refrains from physically hurting her, none of the hierarchy or their property will interfere with his dealings with her. If they do so he will regain the right to treat her in any manner he sees fit. The Master, Simon, will retain full rights to his house and grounds, including the right to bring his property there. The only exception is the underground room, which will be entirely under the control of her teacher, Theodore Vael. Her teacher will be subject to the laws of the property of the hierarchy in all regards except those rights mentioned above for the next five years.’” Below the words, were signatures, Teddy’s, Simon’s and five others.

I looked up at Simon. He shrugged, “The conversation as you were waking up was part of the deal so that you would like Theodore more.”

“Poisoning her against me?” Teddy asked from the doorway. “I believe that is a violation of our contract.”

My eyes went wide, “No.”

“He is interfering with my dealings with you.” He said it simply, not really looking at me.

“You want to go back to hurting me?” I practically pleaded with him.

He looked at me and hesitated, “Of course not, Little Dove. I just need to be sure he knows you are mine.”

“He knows.” I sounded dry. That would not do for Teddy. Leaving the papers, I got up and nearly ran across the room flinging my arms around him, “Teddy, I’m yours. I’m yours. I’m yours.” He pulled me into a kiss on the last one and I relaxed into it, giving myself to him completely.

“Oh, Little Dove,” he crooned as he finally pulled away from me. “I will talk to you later,” he spoke to Simon over my head. “Right now, Sinya has laps to run, around the house.” Without a backwards glance, I followed Teddy to run laps.

The exercise was so rigorous; I had trouble thinking of anything else. I had a feeling that was the point.

Afterwards I took a shower, finally getting a chance to think. Despite everything, my first thought was not about Simon or Teddy.

Joel is alive, and here.

It was an incredibly happy thought. He was trapped I knew, but that didn’t make him non-existent. I had no care that he complicated things for me. My love was here.

I cut that off quickly, the last thing I needed was for Teddy to feel my love for Joel right now. I focused on the new information. Did that mean Simon was not bad? He was certainly not good, but neither of them were. It confused me that someone could be both neither bad nor good. I wanted clarity, but got none.

Finally, I left the shower and dressed. I found Teddy setting out a dinner. I would not be seeing either of the others tonight. “Little Dove, don’t you look all shiny and clean. Come, let’s eat.”

I nodded and sat down. “Teddy, I am sorry for today. You should not have to worry that I will wander, I will do better to show my loyalty to you.”

Teddy raised an eyebrow, “You are afraid of me again, because the master broke his contract?” I was very still, afraid to say anything. “Sinya, I could have made a case that he broke his contract while you were drugged. Have I hurt you since then?”

I shook my head, still fighting back waves of fear. Teddy shook his head, “I signed the contract so that you could study some place in the open, without being underground anymore. This was the only place we could do that.”

“But he made you a slave.” Yet again, I was confused.

Teddy shook his head, “I was already his slave. They had bound my powers. With this contract, I got them back, something necessary for teaching you. Having me sign that I was their slave stopped me from hurting them.”

“But when Simon was there –”

“He was interfering with you, I had every right.”

What he said only confused me more, but I pushed it aside. Teddy had eaten vigorously while he had spoken to me and had cleaned his plate. My own food was untouched, but my stomach protested the idea of food. I reached across the table and caught his hand, “I am still sorry for today. I promised to make it up to you.”

Teddy grinned wolfishly and put down his fork. He was around the table and lifting me from my seat instantly. I twined my hands through his hair pulling him into a kiss.