The Magic's in the Music (Magic Series Book 5) Read Online Free PDF Page B

he was here. Just barely. Technical compliance only while he decided how to cut the cord entirely.
    His mother was wearing the scarf Drew had given her. Tammy had apparently helped Senior pick out an emerald ring. Little Jesse had made her some pictures of a robot eating the world. Those were the only presents he could remember. Little gifts. Back when Senior had thrown huge parties for her, all the guests had brought symbolic gifts that represented the charitable donations they’d made for the occasion. Those days were gone.
    Lan watched through a fog of alcohol as the family chatted quietly. There was subdued laughter—not like in the old days. Maybe his presence was depressing their fun. Or maybe it was the prospect of their mother cutting Senior’s chicken for him.
    Lan drained his glass and reached for one of the wine bottles at his end of the table. Drew stared at Michael with eyes that said, ‘conjugal relations are in store.’ Jesus. All this lovey-dovey shit was driving him crazy. “Any visions about me lately, Sister?” he called down to her.
    Drew pulled her attention from her husband and cocked her head, eyeing him. “Yes,” she drawled. “A few.”
    Greeeaaat. “You’ll singe your eyeballs.” He tried to put as much sneer in his voice as the alcohol would allow. “I’m X-rated these days.” Not true. But they probably thought it was.
    “I’m not getting any of that.”
    He wouldn’t ask her what she saw for him. He knew his future. Morgan was going to kill him. And that was just fine. She was going to get all of them sooner or later. He was just making sure in his case it was sooner. At least he could have that much control of his destiny.
    But the family had gone on alert. When your sister had visions of the future as her power, people paid attention. Once Drew had been almost crazy with visions cascading over her. But she’d been getting a handle on them lately, and that made her even scarier.
    “What are you seeing for Lanyon, Drew?” their mother asked in a hushed voice. It cost her to ask that. She used to be very involved with the future. She’d read tarot cards, and she was good at it. Probably because Drew had proven they were descended from Merlin. The Merlin gene the Tremaines shared just might have given his mother a special gift for tarot. Since the attack, she’d quit throwing the cards at all.
    Drew looked at her mother, a worried crease between her brows. “I see neon lights in green and gold. I see Lan silhouetted against the colors, surrounded by….flames. Palm trees. A pyramid. A starry night. I see something—I’m not sure what it is—maybe a garden. But it seems to be collapsing.”
    “If I’m just a silhouette, how do you know it’s even me? You don’t. You don’t know when they happen or really anything about them, as per usual,” Lan scoffed. “Great power there, Drew. Oh, wait! A pyramid. Looks like I’m going to Egypt.” If the flames were from an explosion, maybe he was going to die in a big kablooey. That was how she got you. You couldn’t help speculating about what she said.
    He saw Drew’s face fall. He knew she felt awful about her visions being hard to identify. Had he been cruel enough to stop her from making further revelations? But then she screwed up her courage. “I do know they’re about you. These days I get a sense of…of connection if the visions are about anyone I care about.”
    “Big improvement.” He tossed back a glug of wine. He was way not drunk enough to endure a real discussion of his future.
    “She’s seeing you in danger, dipshit,” Michael gritted out. “She’s trying to warn you.”
    “I’ll be sure and stay away from neon lights and stars,” he sneered. “Oh, and pyramids.”
    “Lanyon, dear, won’t you play something for us?” His mother effectively cut off their squabble. Wouldn’t do her any good. There was no way he was playing music. “Please. It’s been so long since I heard you play.”
    Damn.