The Close Read online

  The Close

  Building the Circle - Book 6

  Maggie M Lily

  Copyright © 2021 by Maggie M Lily

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, events, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Certain long-standing institutions, agencies, and public offices are mentioned, but the characters and situations involved are wholly imaginary.

  for my father-in-law, who brought me soda and loved with his whole heart. I miss you every damn day.

  (And, yes, I sobbed while typing this.)

  On a happier note, I cannot adequately express my gratitude to my beta readers—Anna, Deborah, Julie, and Sarah. Your advice and wisdom has led to better books. Thanks so much for your time!

  Contents

  The Close

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  What’s Next?

  Glossary & Character Reference

  Glossary

  Character Reference

  Also by Maggie M Lily

  The Close

  A glossary and character reference is available at the back of this book.

  Prologue

  Three Hundred Years Ago

  The sensation of soft lips brushing against Micah’s mouth woke him from a sound sleep.

  “I need...” Darius’s voice faded from his mind.

  “Darius?” Micah reached for the binding to his love, trying to decipher the fragments of shared thought as he climbed out of bed.

  “He tires,” Madrid’s thought came to him, louder and clearer than Darius’s.

  “I am coming,” Micah responded, moving quickly.

  Walking into the back courtyard, Micah gasped at the sight of Darius, crumpled on his side at the head of the circle.

  “You should have called for me sooner,” Micah murmured, rushing to help.

  Darius blinked, looking around in confusion. “Few hours have passed. You must rest as well.”

  “You cannot safely hold the pieces of this circle,” Micah chided. “Madrid will hold it in stasis when I must sleep. No more of this.”

  “We did fine,” Darius smiled up at Micah, his eyes unfocused with fatigue and pain. “I would not have her suffer because I am too weak. It is best for her when you are here. But, I can help as well. Alone, she wallows in a slow twist of agony—trapped in a draining circle with nowhere for the energy to escape.”

  Madrid frowned in displeasure from her place in the center of the circle. She made a faint tsk of disapproval.

  “No, Mother Life.” Darius sighed. “If this must happen, I will help as I can.”

  “You do us no good if you’re unwell,” Micah disagreed, helping the other man to his feet. “You have given me a respite. Rest now.”

  “It will soon be over,” Darius whispered, tears filling his eyes.

  Micah nodded in agreement, not looking at Madrid.

  Darius left the courtyard without another word.

  “He is a sweet man,” Madrid spoke into Micah’s mind. “A good balance for you, my stoic warrior.”

  “I would stand as your warrior in truth, Madrid, if you would stay with us. Please reconsider. The world will be darker without you.”

  “A hundred times, you’ve asked me to reconsider. It cannot be, Micah. Josiah is power-hungry, selfish, and dancing on the edge of madness. Things will not move forward as they are. We must tip the balance. You and I must force action.”

  “There are other ways to force action. Your demise will tip him to madness.” Micah sighed, trying to hide the pain that came from standing in her draining circle.

  “Josiah cannot be defeated unless he is mad. He will be sloppy in madness. As it stands, he is cunning and suspicious. The young ones are not capable of trapping him as he is.”

  “They are not so young, Madrid—more than two hundred years they’ve stood.”

  “They’re still young and uncorrupted, Micah. They are well-centered and balanced. I will not allow Josiah to destroy them.”

  “Then we will help the Mistress and Walker strip him of power,” Micah said reasonably.

  “We are,” she replied with a small smile. “I am tired. It is only a matter of time before he takes what power remains within me for himself. I hold what I do now because Josiah dislikes the feel of life. Over a thousand years, I have been alone. It is time to move on.”

  “Can you control it yet? Can you give up the name?” Micah asked.

  Madrid’s eyes went unfocused for a moment as she searched her bindings. “I cannot. His hold is still too powerful. I will attempt it, as I promised. I will sacrifice the energy myself if it allows me to do so. I cannot yet do it, though.”

  “Please.” Micah’s voice broke with the plea. “I don’t want this, Madrid. I will never serve enough penance for this evil.”

  “Evil? No, Micah. This is a kindness. As Josiah’s hold on my energy loosens, my mind reawakens. I will be myself again before I am gone, and I am thankful. It is past time for me to move on. I’m not part of life anymore.”

  “You are no longer a part of life? What does that mean?” His eyes narrowed in confusion.

  “I cannot feel it like I should. It denies me.”

  “You’re holding your own draining circle, trying to die. Of course life will not accommodate this.”

  “No.”

  Micah raised his eyebrows, asking for clarification without words.

  “Life has shunned me since Evelyn trapped James. It senses her fierce spirit compared to my weakness. I have fulfilled the time I was intended to fill. Nature moves on around me, waiting for a new Mistress.”

  Micah blinked fast, fighting off sorrow. “No. It is just unbalanced since she claimed that victory. Give it time to—”

  Before he could finish, Madrid’s words cut into his mind. “It’s been more than a hundred years. You lose track of time. Enough of this. It must be done. Now, will you tell my sweet girl? Will you tell her what I shared?”

  “Of course, I will tell Evelyn.”

  “Promise me.”

  “I promise. I will tell her,” Micah vowed with a sigh.

  “Sit,” Madrid commanded. “I will force out what energy I can to lessen what you have to pull from me.”

  “It’s fine, Madrid.” Micah sighed again. “It causes you pain. I would save you that trouble.”

  Madrid grinned at him, a
full smile of sunshine and happiness. “You’re draining all the power from me until I can be killed. Then I will die, probably by your hand. I imagine it will hurt along the way. Sit.”

  “Please don’t ask this of me, Mother Life,” Micah blurted, eyes focused on the ground as panic and dread made his voice tight. “It is counter to everything I hold dear. I gave up my pair, circle, and name to protect the life you foster. Please don’t ask this of me. There has to be another way.”

  “I did not ask it of you. I demanded it of you,” she reminded him. “There is no one else to do it, Micah. There is no one I would trust with my energy once it is done. And it must be done. You will do this because you know I am right. You will do this because you’re selfless and brave and because I have told you it must be so. Now, sit.”

  Without another word, Micah sat on the soft grass at the head of the circle that would drain Madrid’s life away. Drawn by her own hand and closed with her energy, it was sealed against all except those she allowed within it.

  Sharing her affection and love, Madrid smiled at Micah. “No tears, Warrior. You have watched this cycle before. The energy no longer belongs to me. A new Mistress will rise. You may guard her in my stead.”

  “May God forgive me when this long life of penance is finally finished,” Micah muttered to himself.

  “Penance? No. There is nothing left for you to repent. Redemption has long since been yours if you’d just acknowledge it.” She grinned again, trying to share her peace.

  Chapter 1

  Last Sunday

  The sensation of soft lips brushing against Micah’s mouth woke him from a sound sleep.

  “Micah,” Ethan said, shaking him gently.

  Lost in the space between dreams and sleep, Micah’s amber eyes drifted open. “You’re here.”

  “I should hope so. I live here.” Ethan smiled. “Are you okay? You were dreaming. It seemed like it was turning into a nightmare.”

  Micah rubbed his eyes. “I haven’t slept that soundly in a long time. How long have you been awake?”

  “Maybe twenty minutes,” Ethan replied, brow furrowed in concern.

  “What time is it?”

  “Either really early or really late, depending on how you feel about three-thirteen a.m. Do you want to talk about it?”

  “It wasn’t a good dream,” Micah admitted. “Thank you for waking me. I’m sorry I woke you up with it.”

  Ethan shook his head. “I don’t think you woke me up. I woke up on my own and then was laying here reading for a minute when you stirred.”

  “What woke you?”

  “The unfamiliar sensation of a large, sexy dude in my bed. I’m happy to adjust to it. No worries.” Ethan grinned.

  Micah’s lips twitched up into a small smile.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” Ethan asked again.

  “Mmm, not really. I was dreaming about the day Madrid and Darius died.”

  Squeezing Micah’s hand in understanding, Ethan nodded. “Okay. We don’t have to talk about it.” His eyes went back to his e-reader.

  “Madrid was Mother Life before Evelyn,” Micah blurted out.

  Ethan nodded, eyes still on his book. Micah tended to shut down when pressed for information, so Ethan didn’t push.

  “I killed her.”

  “That’s not what Sam told me,” Ethan disagreed, putting down his reader and looking at Micah.

  “Why would Sam tell you this? When would Sam have told you this?” Micah asked, surprised that Ethan would know anything about his past.

  “You should know that Sam tells me everything. And, I do mean everything,” Ethan said, fighting back a smile. “He told me a few days after we got home from Dallas, after he found Adaline.”

  “Well, what did he tell you?” Micah shifted uncomfortably but avoided fidgeting. Sam’s ability to Walk through time meant that Ethan might know more about the past than Micah would willingly share.

  “Why are you nervous?” Ethan asked, grinning.

  “I just didn’t know you discussed me.”

  Still grinning, Ethan watched Micah squirm.

  “I’m going to take a shower,” Micah said after a moment, already climbing out of bed.

  “You do that.” Ethan laughed.

  “Are you laughing at me?” Micah asked, unsure.

  “Absolutely.”

  “Don’t laugh at me!”

  “Okay.” Ethan laughed.

  Micah stalked off toward the bathroom.

  Ethan picked up his e-reader again.

  “What exactly did he say?” Micah demanded, stomping back into the bedroom.

  “Why don’t you tell me the story if it bothers you Sam told me the story?” Ethan asked, not looking at Micah and not pressing.

  Micah groaned. “I fucking hate Sam!”

  “Okay.”

  “He’s a pain in the ass!”

  “He really is,” Ethan agreed.

  “He stole my story!” Micah bitched. “It was the absolute worst thing I’ve ever done. Why would he tell you?! Why would he tell you so long before you really knew me?”

  Ethan paused, considering. “He’s terrible at telling stories. Too much fact, no emotion. So, I’m not going to understand it until you explain it.”

  “Hrmph.”

  “I’m sorry,” Ethan said, meeting Micah’s eyes. “I thought you were uncomfortable about me knowing about past lovers. I misunderstood.”

  “Well, that too,” Micah muttered. “But less so.”

  “You’ve been alive longer than I can imagine. I would find it concerning if there were no lovers before me,” Ethan offered.

  Micah nodded, eyes downcast.

  “Did you really kill her?”

  Micah exhaled hard as he threw himself back onto the bed next to Ethan. “No. I drained her of enough energy to break Josiah’s hold on her mind.”

  Ethan’s eyebrows shot up. “You drained Mother Life?”

  “What did Sam tell you?” Micah demanded, climbing to his feet again.

  “He said she needed to give up the name and couldn’t. You helped her find more of herself. James and Evelyn showed up, killed your husband, and then freaked out when they realized Madrid wanted to let go of the energy.”

  “And?”

  Ethan shook his head. “I told you. He’s terrible at stories. I didn’t catch ‘find more of herself’ meant you drained her.”

  Micah pressed his lips together, staring at Ethan.

  “I would tell you if he told me more,” Ethan promised.

  “I know.”

  They stared at each other in silence for a half dozen heartbeats.

  “We weren’t married.”

  Ethan kept staring.

  “Marriage never would have been tolerated at the time. We told people we were brothers.”

  “Sam said you were together for a long time. Long enough anyone would consider you married.”

  “We were. Two hundred thirty-six years.” Micah dropped his eyes.

  “You must keep track of a lot of dates,” Ethan said, trying to distract Micah from his sadness.

  “Not a lot of dates, but some.”

  An awkward silence descended again.

  “I can’t remember the day I took the name of Hatred. I’ve thought it over, but I can only approximate the year. I don’t know my actual birthday. We didn’t track things in the same way. I know the date I broke with my circle and the day my sister died. The day I met Darius and the day he died are still fresh in my mind. And, a thousand years from now, I’m certain I’ll know the date when I met you and your family.”

  Ethan’s lips twitched. “Damn well better remember that anniversary.”

  Micah’s surprised laughter exploded through the room.

  “I’ll spend the next thousand years nagging if you forget that shit,” Ethan warned.

  They shared a smile before Micah’s eyes turned downcast.

  “I didn’t kill her. But I made it possible.”

  Et
han climbed out of bed, giving up on sleep. “Shower time! Then we can decide if we want a super early breakfast or midnight snacks. We can nap before Sunday dinner.”

  Micah nodded, turning back toward the bathroom.

  “Are we telling them? My family?” Ethan asked. “About this? Us?”

  Micah grinned, genuine amusement touching his eyes as he looked over his shoulder at Ethan. “Do you think there’s a way to keep it from them?”

  “No.” Ethan laughed. “No, I do not. I just wasn’t sure if you recognized it.”

  “I’m not that stupid.” Micah’s grin stayed in place as they headed for the bathroom.

  Matthew drifted back to wakefulness, roused by the feel of a hand on his chest.

  “Are you petting the muscles?” he grumbled.

  Miranda’s hand froze. “I thought you were asleep.”

  “I was.”

  “Oh. Umm... I didn’t mean to wake you.”

  “I know.” Matthew’s lips turned up as he scrubbed his hands over his eyes. “Are you blushing right now?”

  “Absolutely.” She laughed.

  Pulling his hands away from his face, he grinned at her. “I mean, now that I’m awake, you could aim the petting a little lower.”

  “Oh, my God!” She whacked him in the face with her pillow.

  “There, now you’re really blushing!”