Free Endless Magic (Stella Mayweather Series Book 6) by Camilla Chafer

sick," he carried on. "No one will tell me anything. You disappeared, everyone went crazy for a while, then suddenly, you're back and you're okay – at least, I think you're okay? – and apparently, we're at war... What's going on? What happened?"
    I wriggled from the tight grip he had on my upper arms and fixed him with a bemused look. "I wish I could tell you, but I know little more than you do."
    "I'm sure that's not true. Did Auberon, did my father..."
    "I'm fine," I assured him. "I'm home. I'm safe. Auberon didn't hurt me."
    "Are you sure? You were gone for so long. I even tried reaching out to him..."
    "You did what?" I gasped, my heart racing at the thought of how much danger he placed himself in simply by searching for his father.
    "Don’t worry. I didn't find him and he didn't reach out to me. I didn't know what to think."
    "You can't ever do that again," I told him, panic filling me at the thought of losing him. "Promise me, Daniel. Please. No matter what, you can't go looking for your father!"
    "I can't promise anything. I think I can lure Auberon into the open. I know I can. He wants me."
    "He'll hurt you, just like he did before. We can't risk that happening. You know that."
    "We can. He went after you because he couldn't get to me."
    "You don't know that. You are not being used as bait."
    "Isn't that the fastest way to end this war? To get Auberon out into the open where he can be captured?"
    "We need to find the captives first," I told him. "You being captured won’t help that."
    Daniel puffed his chest out and raised his chin. "My magic is much stronger now. I can take care of myself."
    "Don't be so proud that you can't see a bad idea!"
    "It's not pride!"
    "I couldn't take care of myself! That's a knock to my pride!" I admitted, ashamed of my weakness. Guilt washed over me again at the thought of the captors I left behind. Were they paying for my freedom? I had to push those thoughts away and concentrate, if only to ensure Daniel didn't end up with the same fate. "I thought I was home safe and he still managed to kidnap me and hold me captive for two whole months. We don't know what we're up against with The Brotherhood. We don't know what they're capable of."
    "But..."
    "No, Daniel," came Étoile's voice behind me, causing us both to spin around. I didn't know how much she heard, but it seemed like it must have been enough.
    "But..." he started.
    "I said no."
    "I can..."
    "No!" she raised her voice within an octave of shouting, and more heads turned in our direction. "No," she continued more gently. "Your suggestion is a brave one, Daniel, but until I give the order, you are needed elsewhere. Stella needs your help finding the talismans."
    "What talismans?" asked Daniel.
    "I'll fill you in," I told him, taking him by the arm to propel him away from antagonising Étoile any further. "Thank you," I mouthed to her, grateful that she forbade Daniel from placing himself in Auberon's path. I also felt proud she was ensuring his safety with me.
    "Watch him," she mouthed back.

 
     
     
     
    Chapter Six
     
    I wanted to find Gage right away to ask for the talisman, but Daniel had too many questions about the war: what it meant, who would be fighting, and how. I didn't know the answers, but that didn't stop his incessant barrage of questions, interspersed with checking far too many times to ask if I were really okay.
    It was a relief to get to the research room where Seren and Astra awaited us.
    "Where's Ariadne?" I asked, during a pause in Daniel's litany of questions.
    "Finding something to eat," replied Seren, casting a glance over the notepads. The table had been cleared, leaving what remained of Athene's writings. Piles of books littered the floor. "Isn't it interesting to be the daughter of someone who foretold the future?"
    "Instead of our mother, who cast spells to break things!" laughed Astra.
    Instead of confessing I would have liked to know my mother in any way at all, I stayed quiet. Now was not the