Magic Underground: The Complete Collection (Magic Underground Anthologies Book 4)

by Melinda Kucsera

  Ed opened his mouth then hesitated. Should he tell Jax the truth? He knew full well the Gliss or Orla’s spies would listen in on them.

  Orla wanted to find Ann almost as much as she wanted to get Urien back. How much should I tell him?

  “Ed? Something wrong?” Jax scurried over to the edge of the bars and gripped hold of them

  “No, I-I don’t think I should say anything. Or risk Orla finding out anything.” Ed leaned back against the wall. “I can’t believe they kept you alive this long.”

  Jax grimaced. “I think our beloved sister had something to do with that.”

  “Ceara? Yeah, she tricked me into getting captured too.” He gritted his teeth. “Damn her. I should have known she’d never change.”

  Jax frowned. “What you mean? Did she say she wanted help?”

  “Ann has a price on her head. Orla is saying she is the one who killed her parents. Ceara offered to come forward and talk to the council.” He ran a hand through his matted hair. “I never should have believed her.”

  Jax snorted. “Ceara’s always been good at fooling people. I always knew she was a lying cow.”

  Ed’s eyes widened. Strange. Jax always loved Ceara. They were close after growing up on the streets together until Flora found them. He guessed Jax must have grown to hate her after years of being locked up.

  “What do they ask when they interrogate you?” Ed couldn’t imagine what else they thought they could get out of Jax after all these years. They must have dragged whatever they could out of him long before now.

  Jax shrugged. “They never ask me anything anymore. Instead, they—”

  The outer door banged open as Ceara herself walked in. The torch on the wall sparked to life. Orange light blinded Ed, making him cover his eyes.

  “Nice for us to all be together again,” Ceara grinned. “As a family.”

  Ed’s a lip curled. “You’re not family. You stopped being that a long time ago.”

  Ceara flinched and light flared between her brows.

  “Ready to tell me what I want to know, Ed?”

  Ed crossed his arms. “I thought you would have learnt by now I’ll never tell you anything.”

  Ceara tutted. “Then I’ll have to make you.” The light extended to her eyes.

  Ed braced himself for the inevitable onslaught of her power.

  Ceara directed her power to Jax, who doubled over and clutched at his head.

  “Ceara, stop,” Ed hissed. “Hurting him won’t make me talk.”

  “Then watch him suffer.”

  Jax curled into a foetal position and screamed. Black feathers covered him as his body shifted into his Crowthorne. Jax flapped his wings, took flight. He crashed back to the ground; wings spread out.

  Ed turned his head away when Jax shifted back. Jax moaned in pain and squawked as he shifted again.

  “Watch,” Ceara ordered. An invisible force yanked its head back around. He growled, unable to turn away.

  “Either tell me where to find Urien or I will make him shift repeatedly. He’s weak. How long do you think you’ll survive?”

  Jax shifted again and again until he slumped onto the ground, unconscious.

  “Here we go again.” Ceara raised her hand.

  Ed rose on wobbly legs and stumbled over to grip the cell bars. “I can’t tell you what I don’t know.” He couldn’t reveal what happened to Urien even if he wanted to. That knowledge would remain shielded and buried.

  “That’s rubbish. Ann would tell you. She trusts you more than anyone.”

  Jax whimpered where he lay.

  “Stop, you’ll kill him.”

  “Tell me what I want to know.”

  Ed’s heart twisted with guilt. He didn’t want Jax to die. Nor could he tell the truth to Ceara—even if he wanted to. He and Ann had placed special shields in their minds to prevent the knowledge of what happened to Urien from ever getting out. They’d done it to prevent him from ever coming back. The shield would hold even under excessive torture.

  No matter what Ceara did the shield wouldn’t break. Ed had tweaked it and put a death spell in place. He’d sooner die than ever let Urien free again. He would protect Ann no matter what they did to him.

  “Why do you want Urien back?” Ed demanded. “I know you’ve been helping—”

  Ceara’s hand shot out she guided her power into Jax. Jax’s body flashed with light as his skin hardened.

  Holy spirits! Ceara tapped into Jax’s stone ability. Jax could harden his skin like stone to protect himself.

  “Stop this.” Ed gripped the bars. “He’s still our brother. You won’t kill him.”

  Ceara gave a harsh laugh. “You don’t know me at all.”

  Jax went still. The night and feathers faded.

  Ceara lowered her hand. “He’s dead.”

  “What? No. He can’t be.” Ed gripped the bars tighter and they bent a little between his fingers. He needed to get to Jax, needed to make sure he still lived. He had no idea where this newfound strength came from. It didn’t matter. Only Jax did.

  He pulled at the bars harder, wanted to rip them apart. But they wouldn’t bend any further. His newfound strength had faded. Anger heated his blood. How could she do this to their brother? Had she truly become that soulless?

  “That’s it. Give in to the anger,” Ceara urged.

  Emerald light flashed in the shadows. Ed didn’t see where it came from. His mouth ached and his fingers trembled. He doubled over in pain. It like something was trying to rip him apart from the inside out.

  What’s happening to me?

  Jax’s body faded away as his vision cleared and Ceara stood outside the cell. Sprits, that had felt so real.

  Ceara muttered a curse. “Damn it, what will get you to change?” She then stormed out.

  Change? Change into what?

  Chapter Five

  Ann paced up and down the length of the bunker. After spending several days here, scanning every inch of the place she still hadn’t found a trace of Ed anywhere.

  Time to resort to drastic measures. It would take too long to find Ceara. She’d scoured several temples and killed several Gliss, but so far hadn’t found any trace of Ceara. None of the Gliss had talked either.

  Xander appeared in a flash of light as a glowing transference circle appeared on the stone floor. “Annie, finally, I’ve been worried about you.” He frowned as he took in his surroundings. “You’re here again. What do you hope to find?”

  “A trace, a clue… Something.” She pushed her long hair off her face. “I can’t give up on finding Ed.” She held up her hand when Xander opened his mouth to speak. “I know he’s still alive.” She’d know in her heart if he were dead. They’d always been linked to each other, been able to sense if the other had been in trouble.

  “What reason would Orla have for keeping him alive for so long?”

  Ann shrugged. “Maybe they haven’t managed to break him. It is strong. If anyone can survive their torture, he can.”

  “I think you need to admit it’s time to move on. You barely escaped your last attack on a Gliss compound.”

  “I can’t die,” she pointed out and resumed pacing.

  “One day Papa’s spell will fail, and you won’t come back from death.” Xander crossed his arms. “At least I don’t deliberately put myself at risk like you do.”

  Ann paced, something she always did when thinking. “Maybe Orla didn’t just take Ed to get information out of him.” She stared at the remnants of the transference circle that she cast the night Ed got captured.

  Ceara used that magic to mask her trap. Maybe Ann could use it again. She raised her hand and said words of power. “Droim ar ais an draíocht.”

  The lines of the circle fled back into existence, glowing with bright white light.

  “What are you doing?” Xander asked. “Are you going to—”

  “I’m finding Ceara,” Ann said more words of power to a summoning spell. “Faigh cé a lorgóidh mé.” />
  Her eyes flashed with bright blue light. Ceara would come whether she wanted to or not. No one could resist the power of an archdruid summoning.

  Xander gripped her arm. “You can’t expose yourself like this. If Orla senses your magic you will lead her straight to us.”

  “Let them come. I’ll deal with them.” One way or another she’d find out where Ceara had taken Ed. She wouldn’t give up without a fight even if she had to down Orla’s forces one by one. “You should go.”

  “And leave you to fight all those people by yourself? No.” He shook his head. “If they captured you, Orla might find out what you did to Urien.”

  “Good thing you don’t know what happened then.” Ann waited for the spell to work and bring Ceara to her. “As for me, I know how to keep that knowledge safe.” She had erased all knowledge of Urien from her memory a long time ago in case Orla ever did capture her.

  “Edward wouldn’t want you to risk yourself like this.”

  “Ed wouldn’t give up looking for me though. I have to find him.”

  “Annie—”

  Bright blue light flashed as a leather-clad woman landed in a heap on the floor. Ceara’s ebony hair fell over her face like a heavy curtain.

  Ann raised her hand, the earth lines flared to life. Each line crisscrossed around the Gliss, trapping her in place.

  Xander backed away, not wanting to see his former lover again. He ducked around the corner.

  Coward, Ann thought. Ceara isn’t someone to be afraid of.

  Ceara looked up, pushed her hair off her face. “What are you doing?” She sneered. “I never thought you’d be stupid enough to do this.”

  “Where is Ed? I want him back.” She crossed her arms.

  Lights flared between Ceara’s brows as she summoned her empathic power. Gliss could channel emotions as well as powers. Her light then fizzled out.

  “Your power won’t help you now. You can only channel a person’s power. Not the power that comes from Erthea itself.” She grinned. “Not like I can.”

  “I can’t tell you anything. Ed is gone. You should forget about him and move on if you know what’s good for you.”

  Ann gave a harsh laugh. “I’d know if Ed were dead. You never were a good liar.”

  Ceara scrambled up, wincing as the power of the lines crackled over her. “You always were linked to each other,” she scoffed. “You can’t find him. Or you wouldn’t have forced me here.”

  “Last chance. Either tell me where he is or—”

  “Or what?” Ceara put her hands on her hips. “You won’t hurt me. You’re not like that. We were friends once. Good friends—you were like a sister to me.”

  Ann clenched her hand into a fist and said the words to an ancient binding spell. Ceara sank to her knees and clutched her head. She let out a scream of agony.

  “Annie, what are you doing?” Xander came over but avoided looking at Ceara. “You can’t use the ancient magics. They’re barbaric. You said you’d never force anyone to do something against their will.”

  “I will use it if it means getting Ed back.” Ann had always vowed to never use the ancient magics used by the archdruids of the past. They were dark, dangerous magics used to enslave, bind and torture other beings. Darius taught them to her – as it was part of the Valeran family tradition. He said he rarely used them himself, but she doubted that. Learning the spells had sickened her, as had reading about the effects the magic had on people. Ceara deserved this. Ann wanted her to feel every bit of pain she felt losing the person she cared about the most.

  Xander grabbed her arm and pulled her around the corner. “You said you’d never be like our father. The Valeran legacy has enough blood on its hands without you adding more to it.”

  “I’m not going to turn into my grandfather either,” she snapped. Fergus Valeran had been a ruthless tyrant and one of the worst archdruids in history. He’d gone mad in his quest for power until it cost him his life.

  But she needed to get Ed back. During this time apart, she’d felt like she’d lost part of herself. She and Ed had known each other so long. A future without him was unthinkable.

  She muttered another spell, making Ceara cry out.

  The Gliss gave a harsh laugh. “You think you can force me to talk? I am a Gliss. I inflict unimaginable pain on people.”

  “Yeah, but the old magics were made to force people into submission. They’re stronger than even your magic.”

  Annie, please don’t do this. If you walk down this path, you might never come back from it.

  Ann ignored him. She didn’t care what it took to bring Ed back. She’d do whatever it took.

  “Tell me where it is, and I’ll let you go.”

  Annie—

  She raised her hand. A glowing wall of energy shimmered in front of Xander and tuned him out. She couldn’t afford to be distracted.

  Ann said another spell and stood there watching. The hours flashed by before Ceara finally weakened.

  Ann reached out and sent her senses to scan Ceara’s mind.

  “Ed’s gone,” Ceara said. “If you don’t believe me, see for yourself.” She held up her hand for Ann to take. “I’ll show you.”

  Ann hesitated. A Gliss could show people memories but they could manipulate them too.

  “I can show you the truth,” Ceara added.

  “How do I know it’s the truth or one you’ve made up?” Ann’s eyes narrowed.

  “You’re linked to Ed. You would know if it’s true or not.”

  She still hesitated. Ceara was right about that. But she hadn’t felt his presence since Ceara took him away. She missed that link most of all. Whenever she and Ed were apart they’d always been able to sense each other. Talk to each other.

  Now nothing seemed to exist between them.

  Ann reluctantly took hold of Ceara’s hand. “If you trick me, I swear I’ll kill you.” She closed her eyes and let the blackness swallow her. Pain racked through her body, bone and muscle broke. Then nothing.

  She gasped and coughed. “Ed…”

  “I told you, he’s gone.” Ceara wiped blood off her face as it dripped from her lies.

  She choked back a sob. “Where did you take him? He can’t give you Urien back.”

  Ceara’s dark eyes flashed. “I didn’t have a choice.”

  “Everyone has a choice,” she hissed. “You chose Orla and Urien over your own family. You were family to me too.”

  Ceara looked away. “I know I made mistakes, but I had my reasons for taking Ed.”

  “Yes, to get your precious Urien back.” Ann wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve.

  “It’s not only about him.”

  “Everything you do is about him.”

  “Maybe one day you’ll understand,” Ceara muttered.

  Ann raised her hand, all the anger and pain of the last few weeks bubbled to the surface. Ceara caused all of it. She might not have killed Ann’s parents, but she hadn’t done anything to stop it either. The words were on her lips. Words to a death spell. Ceara deserved to die for everything she’d done.

  Ann dropped her hand and the lines around Ceara fell away. “Get out of here,” Ann snapped.

  Ceara blinked. “You’re letting me go.” More of a statement than a question.

  “Ed wouldn’t want me to kill you. I swear if you hurt anyone else I love, I will kill you next time.” Ann turned away, dropped the ward and buried her face against her shoulder.

  “You’re the link,” Ceara murmured and vanished in a flash of light she activated the transfer and circle.

  Xander held onto her. For the first time in five years, she wept.

  Chapter Six

  Ed woke from another round of questioning. Ceara had disappeared for a while and another Gliss named Constance had taken over. Odd, since Ceara had been the one to do most of the interrogating. Constance pestered him with questions about what happened to Urien.

  His head pounded from the constant beating against his skul
l from her power. Worse than that was when he blacked out, he woke up feeling like every bone in his body was broken. He still had no idea what kept causing it. Every time he attempted to remember, the hazier the memories became.

  The Gliss could inflict physical pain on their victims. Even his mental shield didn’t seem to protect him from that.

  Had the pain come from them or something else? He slumped to the floor, face first, unable to move. The coppery smell of blood filled his lungs and dripped down his face.

  Spirits, what did they do to me? Is this just to find out what happened to Urien?

  “You wouldn’t have to suffer if you tell me where Urien is.” Another voice. One he hadn’t heard in five years.

  Orla, the demon queen herself, had decided to grace him with her presence again.

  “I can’t…tell you anything.” He hissed the words out, breath ragged. It hurt too much to even breathe.

  “I don’t believe you. My son told me how close you and Rhiannon are. She would have told you what she did.”

  “Urien is dead.” That was what he and Ann always agreed to tell people. In a way, that was true too.

  “Lies. If Urien were dead, I would have found his soul long before now.” Orla moved closer to the bars. “What happened to him?”

  Ed turned his head to stare at her. “You’ve ruled most of Caselhelm for five years. Why would you want to hand it over to someone else?”

  Orla gave a harsh laugh. “I only have a small part of it. I rule in name only.”

  So there was someone else holding the reins of power. Ed had always known someone powerful must have helped Orla and Urien to overthrow Darius’ rule. Orla might be a queen, but she only had a small army and no real territory of her own. Demons were outcasts in the five lands. Most had been banished to another realm centuries ago. Those who had been left behind had been ostracised by the other races. Some were slaves. Others, like Orla, fought for the right to own territory. They all served more powerful people in hopes of retaining obtaining more power for themselves. Ann always wanted to find those who were truly responsible for murdering her parents. If he could find out who’d done it…