Ascent

by Bethany Adams

  When there was only darkness beyond the shield of his arm, Fen finally dared to look. But he wished immediately that he hadn’t. The clearing where he’d spotted Maddy and Meren was empty, only a hint of trampled grass visible in the faint glow of the nearby streetlight.

  The bastard had taken Maddy.

  Fen braced his hand against the ground and struggled to get himself to his knees. Damn, he hurt. What kind of spell had Anna conjured? Her magic had grabbed at his power like a flooding river snatching up hapless debris, draining him until he could barely move. And the concussive force of the ball she’d thrown? He’d definitely never seen anything like that.

  How was he supposed to help anyone when he couldn’t even stand up? Maddy was in danger, and Anna was unconscious. Fen squinted at the shadows around Anna’s head, but the unmistakable scent of blood hit his senses before he could process the splotch beneath her.

  He wobble-crawled the remaining distance between them, only to lose his balance and tumble face-first into the mud. He wasn’t a strong enough telepath to reach Vek from this far away, and his phone was either broken or ruined in the pocket he was lying on. Fucking fabulous. Unless someone decided to take a walk in the rain, they were screwed.

  Fen managed to roll to his side as Anna moaned. She shifted slightly, and relief flooded him like the rain. She was waking. He lifted his hand to brush the hair out of her eyes but only reached her waist before his strength gave out. So. Screwed.

  A glow emanated from the area near the river, but Fen couldn’t see over Anna well enough to discern the source, not without lifting his head. Yeah, that wasn’t happening, no matter how much he needed to see what was going on. What if it was Meren, returning to kill them? Or maybe Maddy had found a way back. He was too damned weak to see.

  His energy was gone. Just gone. Like Maddy. Like the rain. Like everything that made sense. And unless he took some of Anna’s blood so he could regenerate, the situation wasn’t getting any better.

  Not something he could—or would—do with Anna injured and unable to consent.

  The light grew brighter. Closer? Almost like an approaching lantern. But when the woman finally entered his sight, he couldn’t discern the source of the glow. It seemed to surround her.

  Fen squinted against the glare as the woman knelt at Anna’s side. Thankfully, the luminescence faded until he could make out the swirls and ripples of the stranger’s clothes—almost a diving suit in form but covered in strips of fabric in shades of brown, green, and blue. Underwater camouflage?

  Her aquamarine eyes flashed beneath her short-cropped blond hair, and the delicate structure of her face was set in harsh, cutting lines. “She should not have been here.”

  Fen opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. Not that he could refute her words. Why had they ever thought this was a good plan? None of them should have approached Meren without more knowledge of the situation.

  Anna’s hand twitched, her fingers jumping as though someone was testing her reflexes, but she made no other movement. Only the steady rise and fall of her waist beneath his palm tamped down the panic rising against his weakness. She was alive. If they could get through this, they could go save Maddy.

  He had to believe.

  The strange woman clasped Anna’s head gently in her hands. “Poor little granddaughter, so unprepared.”

  The action should have made Fen uneasy, but the lady examined Anna with such a tender expression that he couldn’t summon the emotion. “You are…”

  “Be quiet and save your energy,” the woman said. “I am Torlahn of the Gwragedd Annwn. Your mate will come to no harm at my hands.”

  Light flared around the woman again, and this time there was no mistaking that it came from within her. Fen blinked against the glare as Torlahn traced her hands above Anna’s body, finally settling once more upon her head. Another flash, and Anna cried out, her abdomen heaving against his palm. What was the woman doing to her?

  Fen tried to slide himself closer, but most of his energy went to breathing. If he could just make the strange woman get her hand near him, he could sink his fangs in and draw out some energy. He didn’t want to without permission, but to save Anna… Had to save Anna.

  “Do not think to steal what you need from me,” the woman snapped. “I am helping her. If you cannot see that, then you are a fool.”

  “But she—”

  “Fen.” Anna’s voice was soft, but there was awareness to it. “I’m okay. Better than okay.”

  He glanced from the woman back to Anna’s face, and his mouth dropped open. The color had returned to her skin, and she met his eyes easily, no hint of muddled thinking in her regard. Beneath her, the puddles of rainwater were gone, only a dry, rusty dust remaining where her blood had been. What the hell?

  Anna sat up, gently shifting his hand from her waist in the process. “She healed me.”

  And so she had.

  Fen could only stare at Anna in awe. Her eyes shone aquamarine, and she practically glowed with power, much like the woman who had emerged from the water.

  “You look…”

  “Her blood has fully awakened. A dangerous time,” the woman said. “She should return with me.”

  “No.” Fen sucked in a breath. “Maddy.”

  Anna scanned the area, her expression shifting from worry to panic in only a moment. “Where is she?”

  “Meren.”

  Dammit. Things would be a lot easier if he could gasp out more than a couple of words at a time.

  Only then did Anna seem to notice the state he was in. “Fen. Crap, I accidentally drained you. Take from me.”

  She settled her wrist against his lips, but he couldn’t bring himself to open his mouth. He didn’t have enough power to numb her skin. If he accepted her offer, his bite would cause pain, and he couldn’t bear the thought of that.

  “Will hurt,” he mumbled against her skin.

  Fortunately, Torlahn solved that problem with a quick bit of her healing magic. Moments later, he brushed his fangs against Anna’s skin as lightly as he could, only enough to create a small scratch. The salty-sweet tang of her blood hit his tongue, making him shiver as he established a temporary link and took some of her energy. But not too much.

  When he disconnected from her magic and pushed her wrist away, Anna frowned at him. “I can tell that wasn’t enough.”

  A flash of memory hit him—his foster mother tumbling to the floor. Taking blood when this weak was dangerous. “You should save your power. We have to go after Maddy, as soon as we figure out where she might have been taken. I’ll see if Vek has any to spare when we get back to—” Fen glanced at Torlahn, her rapt attention reminding him to watch his words. “When we get back to his place.”

  For the first time, Anna really seemed to see the Gwragedd Annwn woman who had saved her. “My power… You did more than heal me, didn’t you?”

  Torlahn shrugged. “I eased your blood forward in its ascent. You fight against it, granddaughter, and that courts disaster.”

  “You had no right,” Anna said sharply.

  “There was already a crack in the dam,” the woman retorted. “One you almost shattered by trying to use your power. Should I have let you flood your world rather than facilitate the inevitable transition?”

  Fen wasn’t entirely sure what the hell Torlahn was talking about, but Anna’s falling expression suggested she understood. “No,” Anna said. “But I don’t know what to do with this.”

  Torlahn stood. “You will come with me. We will discuss your heritage, past and future, and I will ensure you are trained.”

  “Wait.” Anna nibbled on her lower lip. “Did you mean granddaughter literally?”

  The other woman smiled. “Follow me, and you will find out.”

  Cold seeped into Maddy’s bones, and she shifted against the unyielding stone beneath her belly. A faint thread of alarm coursed through her, though she had no clue why. At least for a brief, blessed moment. One masculine moan later,
her memory flooded back.

  The park. Anna’s spell. The harsh impact when Meren crashed into her, tumbling them both across the grass. Then the awful realization that she’d stabbed him.

  Maddy forced her eyes open as she catalogued her body’s position. She wasn’t pinned anymore, and she couldn’t see anyone between her and the beautifully painted wall in her immediate view. They must have ended up somewhere nice—even the stone floor taking up most of her sight had been placed with immaculate care. She could see a pattern, but the lines where the rock connected didn’t pinch into her cheek.

  Another moan filled the room, and Maddy turned her head to find the source. Sure enough, she spotted Meren’s pale face to her right. He must have rolled off of her after they’d fallen through whatever portal had carried them here.

  He didn’t look like he was in any shape to have kidnapped her. His skin was so colorless he could have been mistaken for Vek, and a hint of blue tinged his lips. Based on his groans, he was obviously alive—but not by much. Could she do anything to help? Should she?

  Meren was their enemy. Hadn’t she drawn her knife to protect herself from him? Maddy had been fully prepared to defend herself and her mates as she’d crept toward him in the park, but now she found herself scanning his body for a wound as she sat up. What madness would it be to heal him? What horror to watch him die?

  It is a grave burden, our job, but one that does far more good than the opposite.

  Lial hadn’t been talking about this situation, but his words echoed in her mind as she focused on the knife sticking up from Meren’s side, blood trickling around the blade to drip steadily against the stone. Yes, she wanted to do more good than harm. Meren might be an asshole who deserved what he got, but she didn’t have to be the one who dealt the final blow.

  Intentionally.

  Maddy winced at that harsh truth. What would she have done if he’d attempted to hurt her? She’d planned to render him unconscious with her magic if the meeting went wrong, but she’d brought the knife as backup. Now, she doubted that she would’ve been able to strike to kill. Not even against a guy who would eliminate them all without a thought.

  Well, if she couldn’t stand to watch someone die, she could make sure he was properly contained. Maddy scrambled to her feet and rushed over to a massive wooden wardrobe taking up part of the wall. After a quick search, she located a leather belt that was thin and supple enough to be tied in a knot. It would have to do.

  Careful of the knife jutting from his side, Maddy settled Meren’s arms in front of him and bound his wrists together tightly. It wouldn’t be very effective if he woke fully, but she wasn’t relying on the fragile bonds to keep him biddable. They were more to keep him secure if the sedation spell started to wear off while she was working.

  She’d sworn never to let herself be abducted again, yet here she was, sitting cross-legged beside his wounded form. Though it was a stretch to call him her captor. How had they come to this place? It seemed likely he’d activated a return spell when only half-aware. Frowning, she glanced around the sumptuous room, each furnishing, painting, and tapestry its own work of art. This looked less like a prison and more like a noble’s home or even the Seelie palace, though that was unlikely with Meren on the run.

  With a shrug, Maddy cupped her hands over the man’s wound, not quite touching the knife that stuck up between her palms. Did it really matter where she was when she killed or saved the guy? No. All she should focus on at this point was controlling the power that Lial had barely started teaching her to contain. Lial had told her that she needed to be as specific with her magic as possible to get the best results, but she hadn’t exactly had time to study anatomy.

  After ensuring Meren was sedated, Maddy let her magic gather between her hands, and for the first time, a few little sparks of yellow danced with her usual green in a miniscule reflection of Lial’s blue light. What in the…? She closed her eyes to avoid the distraction. Reflecting on the changes to her magic wouldn’t get the bastard healed any faster.

  Instead, she forced her awareness outward. Then into the wound that throbbed to her inner sight. Such a mess of torn muscle and sliced intestines. Landing on the knife had sent it deep; the blade had severed veins and lodged into the base of the kidney. If she pulled the knife out, Meren would bleed out in less than an hour.

  Despite her resolve to be better, temptation rushed through her in a sickening wave. One tug, and so many people might be spared. She wouldn’t have to turn him over to the queen and risk the politics of a Seelie court trial. Didn’t the rich and powerful always wiggle their way out of trouble? It happened far too often. Not to mention that if Meren died, she wouldn’t have to worry that he might attack Fen or Anna.

  They were completely alone. Who would ever know?

  Maddy’s stomach heaved.

  She would know.

  Justice wasn’t hers to deliver, and since she didn’t know why the queen wanted Meren brought back alive, she’d better not be hasty. Letting him die might make matters worse. Better to heal him and keep him secured—and unconscious—until she could locate the proper authorities. If nothing else, Fen and Anna would find her and help.

  Silencing that wicked whisper for good, she concentrated on the task at hand. Unlike some of the body’s systems, this was pretty straightforward. She could see the places that needed to be knit back together. No hormones or delicate bacteria to balance. No war to wage with a disease she might accidentally augment. All she had to do was will her magic to repair, keep her power in check, and trust that it would work.

  But trust, of course, was the problem—one she didn’t know if she could overcome.

  Chapter 30

  Frustration and despair crashed through Anna as she stared at the fae lady standing so regally in front of her. This might be her best chance to learn more about her heritage, but she couldn’t take it. Not with Maddy in danger.

  “You know perfectly well I won’t be going with you,” Anna said tightly.

  Torlahn lifted a haughty brow. “You think not?”

  “My mate just disappeared with the madman who tried to kill Fen.” Anna stiffened her spine. “As much as I would like to learn about my people, I will not do so at the expense of my family. It is wrong of you to suggest otherwise.”

  The Gwragedd Annwn woman studied her silently for a moment and then nodded. “That is true, but I worry about your awakened power. I guided you in dispelling the energy you unwittingly gathered from the water. I will not be with you if the same happens again.”

  They all knew it was a risk—not even Fen could hide the worry shadowing his gaze. Anna had pulled in far more water than she should have, and the result had cost them. Wasn’t it her fault that Maddy had gotten tangled up with Meren in the blast? Maybe Maddy would still be here if that hadn’t happened.

  But there was no way Anna was going to stay behind and wait for Fen to track down their mate. It simply wasn’t a possibility.

  “You could come with us,” Anna ventured.

  The other woman started shaking her head before Anna had finished speaking. “I’m afraid I cannot. I have almost traveled too far already, and I dare not go farther without dispensation from the king.”

  Anna liked to think of herself as a patient person, but she was nearly at the end of that finite state. “Then can you teach me a little about my power? I could use a crash course on grounding that kind of magic.”

  Torlahn’s lips thinned, but she nodded again. “There are a few tricks, but I warn you that they might not be enough.”

  “They’ll have to do.”

  Although she wanted to rush, Anna forced herself to pay close attention as the woman led her through a series of exercises. First, connecting to the earth beneath her feet. Then, letting her power trickle downward in a steady flow until it disappeared into the ground like a hidden stream. It was a wonderful feeling—until her body grew heavy with exhaustion.

  “Pull some back,” Torlahn said. “The wa
ter within you needn’t flow one way like a river toward the ocean. You can draw in energy, too.”

  Anna took a deep breath and tugged at the power she’d released until it poured back into her. Fascinating. Could she do this in any area with water? With anyone? She let her magic settle, neither pushing nor pulling, and opened her eyes.

  “I accidentally sucked out Fen’s magic earlier,” Anna began. “Could I return it to him the same way I just did with the Earth?”

  Fen shook his head. “I’m Felshreh. Without a blood link…”

  “It might be possible.” Torlahn’s forehead furrowed as she stared at him. “Blood is mostly water. An experiment you’ll have to conduct between you.”

  “Later.” Anna’s heart pinched at leaving the woman who might be her grandmother, a link she’d never thought to find, but they had to save Maddy. “I hope you will not refuse to talk to me again in the future. I know the fae have rules, and you sounded certain that I would have to go with you.”

  With a soft smile, Torlahn touched Anna’s arm. Just the barest brush of her fingers, but peace eased through Anna all the same. “Return here when you are ready and speak my name into the water. I will come.”

  Before Anna could think of the proper response, the woman rushed back toward the water and dove in without a splash. Then she was gone as though she’d never been there. If not for the steady rush of power Anna still felt, she might have thought that Torlahn’s presence had been a hallucination. But there was no denying that she’d been healed.

  “What now?” Anna asked.

  “Let’s return to the outpost.” Fen twined his fingers with hers, and his worry slammed into her until she caught her breath. “Maybe Vek can track Meren now. I fucking can’t.”

  Anna caressed the back of his hand with her thumb in a slow, calming gesture. “That’s a long drive. Maddy’s father would be closer, and he’s one of the Seelie Sidhe.”