He gritted his teeth. Get a grip. You’ve seen her with other men before. Nothing’s changed.
But he didn’t scent Ceara—the one person he was searching for. Where had that Gliss snuck off to now?
Ed sent his senses further, listening, smelling. Ceara, inside her room. The scent of magic—smoke and sweetness blended together.
I knew she would try something. Ed thought of calling Ann, but she was otherwise engaged.
Jax, Ceara is up to something. Can you come back me up? Ed asked.
I’m on my way, brother.
Ed blurred to the cabin. A rush of feathers caught his attention. The feathers swirled and twisted. “Hey, wait for me,” Jax hissed.
Ed put a finger to his lips. Shush. She might hear us.
What’s she doing in there?
I’m not sure, but I smell magic. Ed opened the front door with a creek.
Must be contacting Urien. Jax pulled out his staff.
“Don’t,” Ed hissed. We don’t know what she’s doing yet.
“Let’s find out.”
Jax pushed past him and stormed straight into Ceara’s room. “Gliss, what the fuck are you doing now?”
Ceara jumped. She sat on the floor with two candles burning.
“Ceara, what are you doing?” Ed demanded.
Ceara shut up and glared at them. “Gods, why can’t I ever be alone?” she snapped. “Without you two stalking after me?”
“Good thing we did, too.” Jax grabbed a bowl off the floor, then frowned. “What are you burning in here? Are you—?”
Ed took the bowl from him, taking in the different herbs. “These are used for spirit magic.”
Jax’s dark eyes flashed. “You tried to summon Urien’s spirit?”
Ceara gave him a shove. “You are such an idiot. I was doing a ritual for Mum.”
Jax and Ed fell silent for a moment, both stunned.
“Why?” Jax demanded. “Since when—”
Ceara’s eyes flashed, and she blinked back tears. Ed could see traces of moisture forming around her eyes.
“It’s a druid ritual to remember her by. I never got to do it before. Never got the chance to say goodbye.” She looked away. “Like it or not, she was my mother too.”
“We’re sorry, Ceara.” Ed held at the bowl out to her. She snatched it away, clutching it to her chest.
“Get out, both of you.” She pushed her hair off her face. “I’m not contacting Urien. Why would I? I want that bastard dead more than anyone.”
Jax rubbed the back of his neck. “We’re sorry,” he added. “I didn’t—”
“Why don’t you start again?” Ed suggested to her. “We’ll stay.”
“Why?” Ceara’s eyes narrowed. “To make sure I’m not contacting the enemy?”
“No. Because Flo wouldn’t want us to be like this. She was a mother to all of us. Let’s remember her together.”
Jax nodded. “He’s right. Mum wouldn’t want us to fight. Cast the ritual.”
Ceara glared daggers at them as she set the bowl back on the floor.
Ed and Jax both scrambled to sit on the floor beside her.
Ceara muttered the words in the druid tongue.
Strange, Ed used to think she had never paid attention to that kind of thing.
“We ask the spirits to remember our mother, Flora Valeran.” Ceara said. “May her soul wander free in Summerland.”
Ed and Jax echoed the sentiments. Ed hoped Flora did find in the eternal Summerland.
They fell silent for a moment.
Ceara rummaged under her bed. “Gods, I need a drink.” She pulled out a bottle of wine.
Ed rolled his eyes. “I’m not gonna even ask where you got that.”
She flashed Jax a smile. “I learnt from the best.”
“Hey, I was a kid.” Jax protested. “I had to steal in order to survive.”
“You still stole stuff even as a teenager,” Ed pointed out.
“Can’t help if I’m good at it.” Jax grinned.
Ceara opened the bottle and took a swig. “Argh, wine. I could use some good hard ale.”
“Share and share alike, sister.” Jax took the bottle from her and gulped down some of its contents.
“Mum won’t be happy to know you stole that,” Ed remarked.
“Hey, it won’t be missed. You should check their stock room. They have as much wine here as Darius did back at the palace.”
“Remember when Darius caught Jax stealing?” Ceara said.
Ed chuckled. “Yeah, never seen him so scared before.”
“I’m sure Darius would have beaten him if Mum hadn’t convinced him not to.” Ceara took another swig of wine.
Jax shuddered. “It was only two bottles. And, as I recall, it was your idea, sister.”
Ceara giggled. “Oh yeah, and you never did tell Mum.” Her smile faded. “I still can’t believe she’s gone.”
Ed grabbed the bottle and took a long drought. “I know. I miss her too.”
Jax snatched the bottle from him. “Damn, that bastard Urien needs to die.”
Ceara’s fists clenched. “He will.”
Ed leant back against the bed. “It’s strange, but I doubt Mum would have wanted that. She always believed in forgiveness and seeing the good in everyone.”
“I doubt Ann forgives him,” Jax scoffed. “Urien’s got to be stopped.”
“I agree. Let’s not think of Mum’s death. Let’s remember her life,” Ed said.
The three of them sat talking and drinking for the next few hours. It reminded Ed family ties never really died.
Chapter 12
After a long day of more training and scouring through Blaise’s extensive library, Ann and Ed walked through the town later that night. Most people had retreated to their houses or the main dining hall at the centre of the village. Lights flickered in the windows as they passed by the different houses. She heard the murmur of voices coming from the dining hall, where they had left Ceara and Jax drinking with the other warriors.
“I dreamt of Xander again,” she admitted. “It’s hard to sleep knowing he’s trapped and being forced to watch Urien do unspeakable things.” She sighed. “Part of me wishes we could just go back to the way we were. Just three of us.” Having her best friend and her brother by her side had got her through the past five years after the revolution.
“I miss it, too, sometimes. But we’re still partners,” he said. “I’ll always be there for you.”
She shook her head. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
His eyes narrowed. “What does that mean? When have I have broken my promise?”
“I feel like you’re going to leave me.” She couldn’t shake off the feeling either.
“Why would I?” Ed’s mouth twisted into a frown. Ann shrugged. “Even if I did, I’d still be there whenever you needed me. Always and forever, remember?”
Ann smiled and hugged him. She spotted Jerome walk out of the hall and stare at them and felt Ed tense. “What’s wrong?”
He glanced over at Jerome. “Be careful around him,” he growled. “I don’t trust him.”
“You always were jealous of each other.” Ann rolled her eyes. “I never understood it. Neither of you would have anything to be jealous of.” She and Jerome had only been a couple for a few months, but it had been her longest relationship. Since becoming a fugitive, she hadn’t had time for anything serious. Not that she wanted anything serious. Ann didn’t believe in the romantic kind of love. That was a thing of fairy tales.
“He broke your heart.”
“No, he didn’t. Our relationship ran its course. I’m not interested in romance right now.” Ann headed toward her cabin to see if Ceara had slept there. “Ceara?” she called.
Ed came up behind her. “I smell sickness.”
Ann hurried over and opened the door to the second bedroom, flinging it open. Ceara lay on the floor, unconscious. “Ceara?” She knelt and felt for a pulse at the Gliss’ throat.
It felt weak and slow.
Ed came in and picked Ceara up, setting her back down on the bed.
“Go get my uncle,” she told him.
“Will he help?” He stared at her, looking unconvinced.
“He’s the strongest healer here. I’ll pull rank on him and force him to do it if I have to. Go.”
Ed blurred away, and Ann pulled out her knife, cutting away the leather of Ceara’s bodysuit. A deep gash in her abdomen looked rank with infection.
“Bloody stubborn Gliss,” she muttered. “Why didn’t you tell me you needed help?” Ann didn’t remember seeing any wounds like this a couple of days earlier when she had first examined Ceara.
Ann had seen Ceara wincing a few times, but the Gliss had insisted she was fine. She retreated to her own room and grabbed her pack, pulling out different healing supplies as she moved back to Ceara’s side.
Ed reappeared and dragged Blaise, who still wore a night robe. “What’s going on?” Blaise demanded.
“Uncle, I need your help. Ceara needs a real healer. You have to help her. Please,” Ann begged.
Blaise wiped sleep from his eyes and glanced over at Ceara. “You can’t be serious.”
“Aren’t druids taught to always help others?” she demanded. “She’ll die if you don’t help.” Blaise turned to leave, but Ann rounded on him. “I’ve never asked you for anything. All I am asking you to do is help her,” she snapped. “Haven’t enough people died already?”
Blaise sighed. “You are to tell no one of this,” he hissed. “Go get my healing kit from my house. But I make no promises.”
Ann moved outside, letting Blaise work. Ed disappeared for a few moments and returned with Blaise’s healing kit.
“I’m sure she’ll be alright.” Ed wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “It’ll take more than an infection to bring her down.”
Jax came in. “Hey, what’s going on?”
“Ceara is sick—it’s bad,” Ed answered.
Jax stiffened. “Will she be alright?”
Ann shrugged and shook her head. They’d just got Ceara back into their lives. She didn’t want to see her old friend die now. They had lost too many people already. This was Ceara’s second chance at a better life.
“Rhiannon, can you come in here?” Blaise called to her.
Ann hurried back in. Blaise had rolled Ceara onto her side and cut away the rest of her clothing. “Look at this,” her uncle said and motioned to the back of Ceara’s neck. “She has been spelled. Looks like some tracking spell—not that I’m an expert.”
Ann moved closer and saw the rune that glowed with the outline of a spell. She reached out and pressed her fingers against the back of Ceara’s neck.
“Be careful,” Blaise warned. “You have no idea what kind of magic Urien used on her when he held her prisoner.”
She closed her eyes and sent her senses out. The rune glowed brighter in her mind’s eye. It shimmered with dark, potent magic. A spell cast not only to trace Ceara’s movements but to inflict her with illness.
“Damn you, Urien. Bugger, I should have seen this before now.” She gritted her teeth.
Blaise shook his head. “I doubt you would have been able to detect it. The spell has been woven into her skin. It wouldn’t have shown up until Urien triggered it,” he said. “I’ve seen this type of spell before. They used them in the great wars to track escaping prisoners. The spell not only traces them but punishes them for daring to escape.”
“I should be able to remove it,” Ann said.
Blaise’s eyes widened. “Are you sure you can? That’s dangerous magic. If you interfere, the spell could transfer onto you. It’ll kill you as well as her.”
“I’ll be all right. Thanks to Papa’s spell, I can’t die. I need to break the spell if you have any chance of healing her.”
Blaise moved back to the doorway. “Be careful.”
She nodded and rolled up her sleeves as she took off her leather coat. Ann closed her eyes, drawing her power to her. She’d need to burn the spell out of Ceara’s skin to truly break it.
Ann pressed her fingers against the spell, feeling the dark magic in it simmering against her skin. “Súile olc shábháil.” Power pulsed from her fingers into Ceara’s skin. The rune blazed with fire as Urien’s magic tried to resist her own.
Ann’s eyes flashed with light as she forced her power into Ceara’s body. She traced each separate tendril of the spell, forcing her fire through Ceara’s system to obliterate any trace of it. Fire rushed forth like an oncoming flood, flushing away the dark magic as it went.
Ann drew back, feeling drained. She swayed on her feet a little and Blaise caught hold of her.
“Nicely done. It would have taken me hours to do complicated magic like that. But then, you always were the gifted one, weren’t you?” He gave her a faint smile. “Wait outside. I’ll do what I can from here, but I think you stopped the spell in time.”
The three of them waited until Blaise finally emerged from the room. “She needs to rest, but I think she’ll heal. She’s young and strong.”
“Thank you.” Ann touched Blaise’s shoulder.
Her uncle nodded.
Ann went in to check on Ceara, who opened her eyes.
“I had the strangest dream a druid was touching me, then I had fire running through my veins,” Ceara muttered. “And not in a pleasurable way either.”
“Next time you get hurt, tell someone,” Ann said. “I’ll make it an order if I have to.”
“Thanks, Ann,” Ceara said. “No one else would have done that for a Gliss.”
“You’re not just a Gliss.” Ann smiled. “Rest. I’ll come and check on you later.”
“I’ll stay and watch over her if you want,” Jax offered. Ann arched a brow. “What?” Jax moved past her, sitting down in the chair.
Ann went to see Blaise. “Do you remember my father’s vault?” she asked. “A secret place where he kept things he never wanted others to see.”
Blaise frowned. “Darius had many secrets. I can’t imagine him keeping them in a physical place. He would never risk anyone else finding them.”
“I believe he had somewhere that existed outside time and place. I thought it might help—I’m working on a spell to free Xander,” she said. “I ripped Urien’s soul from his body the night he killed my parents. I’ll find a way to do it again.”
“How?” Blaise asked. “We’re druids, our power comes from nature. We have little power over the spirit.” He snorted. “That would never have been good enough for your father. He tapped into powers that went far beyond nature. Dark and unnatural things.”
“On the way here, we were attacked by a group of sorcerers. I…I think I bound one of them. Like—”
“Like Darius could. Yes, I’m well aware of your father’s abilities. He did so often like to prove how much better he was with magic than I.” Blaise sighed. “I can’t help you understand your powers more, but I will help you with the spell if I can.”
Ann spent the day working with Blaise and the others as they tried to figure out what Urien’s next move might be. Upon hearing the news of a potential Gliss attack, Ann, Ed, Jerome, and a group of druids went out to investigate. They all helped a group of druids escape and get back to Trewa. It felt good fighting side-by-side with her father’s people again—now her people.
Jerome had asked her for a picnic that night.
Ceara had already got out of bed, annoyed they had gone off and fought without her. The warriors were all celebrating, so Ann decided to slip out meet Jerome. They were old friends after all.
She found him at the standing stones. He had a picnic basket and a blanket laid out. “I thought you said we were having a drink?” she remarked.
“We are.” He held up a bottle of wine. “I thought it be good for us to celebrate today’s victory.”
“We saved a few people, but Urien is still out there. I’d hardly call it a victory.”
“Any victory —big or small—
should be celebrated.” He patted the blanket.
She sat beside him and he poured them some wine. “So, what’s the plan?” she asked. “Get me drunk then seduce me?”
Jerome laughed. “Am I that obvious?”
Her smile faded. “Jerome, I am—”
“You’re with Edward, I should have guessed.” He looked away. “I saw the way you embraced this morning.”
“Ed and I are just friends.”
Jerome’s jealousy of her friendship with Ed had been one of the things that had ended their relationship in the first place.
“I hope you and I can still be friends,” she added.
“Of course. I always knew we’d see each other again.” Jerome paused. “I missed you, Rhiannon.”
Ann winced. No one ever called her Rhiannon anymore. She hadn’t wanted them to. Rhiannon had died along with her parents the night of the revolution.
“Ann,” she corrected. “I’ve changed since we last knew each other. I’m different now.”
“You still look as beautiful as ever.” He bent to kiss her.
A shrill cry filled the air.
Ann bolted up. “Banelings.” More screams rang out.
She raced back and saw a swarm of creatures racing through the town, knocking down anyone in their path. Ann threw a fireball at the first baneling, knocking it to the ground.
Jerome came up behind her. “How did they get through the stones?” She spotted a misty silhouette, and a skeletal face smiled back at her—Xander’s face. “Urien!” Ann hissed and bolted after him, her long coat billowing behind her.
Urien laughed and blurred away.
She hurled several fireballs at the banelings and hurried after Urien’s disappearing form.
Ann sprinted past the houses and several fleeing people. No doubt the banelings were just a distraction. He’d come to torment her, to prove he could find her no matter where she went.
Ann stopped, breathing hard when she spotted Urien leaning against one of the stones. “Unlike you to hide, sister.” Urien smirked. It sickened her to see Xander’s face staring back at her. “Oh, wait, you did that for the last five years.”
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