Legacy of the Necromancer [Legacy, BK1 - Completed]

Chapter 5:2

We pulled onto the Manser ranch about noon. It was set in the outskirts of Austin, forty sprawling acres of mostly pasture for the horses they boarded. While the Stanwoods lived off the herbs and exotic plants we grew in the greenhouses and sold through mail-order, the Mansers made their living through horses.

I parked next to all the other vehicles littering the grassy area in front of the large house. The front door opened as soon as we pulled into the driveway and Thea raced out to greet us, Mom and Avery not far behind.

"There you two are!" Mom said. "What took so long? I was out of my mind when Liam and I got here before you!"

Dad swept her into a hug. "We just took a little detour. We're fine."

She eyed him in a way that made me think he was going to get an earful about it later.

"Where have you been?" Avery rushed up to me, wrapping her arms around in me in a tight hug. "Everyone's here already! Even Nathan."

I frowned. "I didn't think he'd be here."

"It is a matter of the Families," Dad said. "All the Heads will be here." He opened the trunk and grabbed his bag.

"Where'd you get all those books?" Mom asked.

"I'll tell you about it later," I said and pulled my own bag free, following Avery into the house.

The estate was quiet. The Manser family had been busy since their return, decorating the house from top to bottom. There were fresh-cut flowers; light pink roses and violet blue wildflowers lined the railing to the second story, sat in vases in the living room, and a large centerpiece sat on the dining room table. Large sweeps of white fabric and satin bows were everywhere.

A pit settled in the bottom of my stomach. I was getting betrothed.

"Do you like it?" Avery asked, bouncing at my side in excitement as she showed me into the room I'd be sharing with Liam.

I set my bag down and forced a smile to my face. "It's perfect."

"You don't like it." She sat on the couch.

"No, I do!" I said quickly, stepping over to her. "I just can't believe this is happening, you know?" I pulled her back to her feet, wrapping my arms around her. "I love it, promise."

She smiled, and stretched up on her toes to kiss me. Her lips were soft, and made me feel so light headed, I thought I might float away.

A polite cough separated us faster than oil in water. I turned to see Nathan standing in the doorway.

"Ezra, if I may have a word."

I glanced at Avery, who shrugged, a blush lingering on her cheeks.

"I've got to go check on some preparations anyway. Dinner will be at five, just so you know." Avery slid past Nathan as he stepped into the room.

I turned back to my bag, picking it up to place on the couch. I unzipped it, waiting for Nathan to say something. Knowing him, it would probably be something nasty, or demeaning-

"I want to apologize."

My hands stilled as I stared at him. "What?"

"I said, 'I want to apologize'. I know that my treatment of you since we first met has been," he paused searching for the right word. "...less than friendly."

Well, look at that. I didn't think it was possible. But still, it didn't feel right. "What's this about?"

Nathan looked away from me, walking over to the window to glance out at the preparations. "Did you know that my uncle was Talentless?"

I took a seat on the couch next to my bag. "No."

"He was the youngest of four. You know how Talent tends to run out with a family so large, there just simply wasn't any left for him." Nathan turned back to me. "It drove him mad. The constant studying, straining to reach something that would never be his. He eventually took his own life."

Nathan was opening up to me and I couldn't believe what my ears were hearing. "I'm sorry," I said, trying to think of something more.

He shook his head. "I just didn't want the same to happen to you. I wanted to push you to go and find a passion that would take you away from the Families, that would give you a purpose your missing Talent couldn't give you." He glanced at me. "I didn't want to see such a young life wasted in an endless pursuit."

"So you were mean to me?"

He shrugged. "Tough love. You didn't need another father in your life."

Nathan had no idea how true that statement was.

"I reacted badly the last time the Families met. To imagine, that the Reinhardt powers had been reborn in you, that we haven't lost so powerful a Talent..." he shook his head again. "I just couldn't fathom it.

"To show my sincerest regrets, I would like to offer you a gift." He snapped his fingers, and Collen appeared in the doorway so quickly that he must have been waiting in the hallway. He hurried over to his father, a large velvet box in his hands. I stood as Collen opened it, displaying a selection of rings. Engagement rings.

"To show that I, nor any of the Acklands, have a grudge against you or your betrothed. I confess, I didn't know which kind you would like, so I brought a selection for you to choose from. They're all Avery's size of course, so don't worry about that."

I stared at the box. There were easily over twenty rings to choose from. Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of diamonds. "I can't accept this. Even just one of them, it's way too expensive!"

"Please, I insist. Think of it also as a wedding gift, if you will." He took the ring box into his own hands, holding it closer to me for inspection.

I hesitated, glancing over the selection in an effort to stall while I thought of another excuse not to chose one. But then my eyes fell on one. It was perfect. The ring was easily the most modest and simple of the bunch, but the style just screamed Avery at me. I reached for it before I could stop myself.

"Ah, the Willowlark, an excellent choice. It will definitely suit her style, I think." Nathan plucked it from the velvet and held it out to me.

"I really couldn't..." I started to protest again, but even I could tell my will was crumbling. I would never be able to afford something this nice on my own.

Nathan smiled in victory, pressing the ring into my hand. "Avery deserves the very best."

Looking over the ring in my hand, I glanced up at him. Years of hatred and grief he'd given me couldn't just be washed away over one conversation. But this was a new start both of us. As it was, we would eventually be equals in rank.

"Thank you," I said slowly as Nathan turned for the door.

"Congratulations," Collen said and followed his father out of the room, just as Liam came in.

"Hey, Ez, they need you in the living room. Something about fittings."

I stuffed the ring in my pocket, not wanting to show anyone else just yet. "Alright, I'll be there in a minute." I hadn't had a moment to myself yet, and was starting to feel a little too warm. Sneaking away to find some time to myself was starting to look very appealing.

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