“Okay, do your best.” I stood back.
Hans took aim and with one blow, smashed the egg sac into mush. “There’s a host of the critters prevented.” Sounding satisfied, he shouldered his hammer and we took off again.
I was wearing Xan over my left shoulder, and I realized how much the weight was dragging on me. But I felt naked without her, and frankly, bruised or not, I had already decided that I’d rather use her and break a rib than be unarmed.
Montran moved to the front again and we took off, following him. Along the way, we heard a number of muffled noises and grunts, but apparently we appeared threatening enough that nobody else came out to play other than the cockle-roaches we had encountered. Twenty minutes later, we were at a square hole in the wall, which led into the sewer tube that Montran had mentioned. It was obviously well used, because it stank to high heaven in there.
I wrinkled my nose, hoping that the smell would be the worst thing we’d encounter.
Montran stepped through the hole after peeking through, motioning for us to follow. As we came out into the sewer tube, I almost gagged. In the center of the tube, a deep channel cut through the floor, and a current of wastewater, brown and stinking, flowed by. Either side of the channel, the walkway was wet from splash-overs, and I tried to push the thought of germs and sewage to the back of my mind. The cockle-roaches had been bad enough.
Montran pointed toward the back wall, where the channel flowed into an underground passage. At the end of the wall was a grimy ladder laden with years of mold and gunk that led up to the surface.
“I told you it wasn’t far,” he said.
“Let’s just get this over with.” I motioned to the ladder. “I need out of this place soon.”
He led the way and, when we got to the ladder, he cautioned us not to touch the rungs with bare hands. “If you have gloves, wear them. If you don’t, then use a cloth or something to put some sort of barrier between you and that mold. I have no idea whether it’s sentient or not.”
Along with Wandering Ivy and the other sentient plants, a group of molds had evolved a sort of hive-mind intelligence, and they worked to bring down victims. They were toxic, and when their victim succumbed to their poison, they would cover the body and dissolve the flesh and grow from the nourishment.
I found a thick handkerchief in my pocket and tore it in two, using my dagger to start the rip. Then, wrapping a piece around each hand, I volunteered to take the ladder first. I really wanted fresh air and I didn’t care whether it was ten below and snowing like a son of a bitch. I was to the top before Hans was even on the first rung. I eased the grate open, peeking up. We were in a deserted lane. At first I thought it was a burrow-lane but then realized it was a back street. There was nobody in sight. As I eased out of the manhole, trying to keep my footing on the layer of snow and ice that had built up on the road, I could see, about two blocks down, the entrance to the Sandspit. We had made it.
“We’ll have to be very cautious. No screaming, no loud noises. Zombies are highly attuned to noise and follow it like a beacon,” Montran warned us. “Tymbur and I will spread out to the left. We don’t want to go single file because if they come at us, we need a clear vantage to work our magic.”
“Speaking of your magic, will it affect us if we’re engaged in fighting them?” I didn’t know much about death magic. While Hecate used it at times, I wasn’t geared toward its nature and so I had never learned much about it.
Tymbur cleared his throat. “Probably not. Most of Montran’s spells affect the dead only, except for healing. My spells are more volatile, but I’ll be cautious about what spells I’m throwing around.”
I pulled out my phone. “Call Jason.” The dial tone turned to a beep-beep as my phone dialed Jason’s number. A few rings later he came on the line.
“Where are you? Queet said you’d be waiting by the Sandspit for me. Well, I’m outside of it, hiding in a tree on the other side of the street. I’m trapped in the maple. There are zombies at the base and I’m stuck. I tried calling but got no answer.”
“It took us longer than I thought. We’re on the way.” I glanced around, trying to pinpoint how close we were. “I think we’re less than two blocks away, on Malloy Avenue. We took the Tunnels to get here and you know cell service doesn’t always work down there. We’re on the way. How many of them are there?”
A pause. Then, “Five below my tree. But the area is crawling with them. I tried one of my Turn-Back scrolls on them but it only worked on one. Why don’t you wait there. I didn’t know where to go so I decided this was as safe a place as any until you contacted me, but I can shift into my hawk form and meet you at the end of Malloy Avenue and Whip Street. You know, near Beggar’s Barn.”
Beggar’s Barn was a fast-food joint that served questionable meals for a very low price. I never ate there and neither did Jason, but a lot of bogeys and the Broken did, considering that was all they could afford.
“Be careful. We’ll head over there now.” As I hung up and told the others where he was and where we were going to meet, a blinding flash filled the air and nearby apartment buildings and businesses went black. “What the hell? Come on, let’s go get Jason before anything else happens.”
I broke into a quick jog, the others hot on my heels. As we traversed the distance between us and Beggar’s Barn, which was directly across from one set of gates into the Sandspit, I tensed. The cockle-roaches had been bad. The Tunnels nerve-wracking. But now we were headed into the middle of it, into the fray. I had never had to face a zombie, and the only analogous thing I could think of was facing an Abom wearing a human vehicle. But the Abom could only eat your life force and body. It couldn’t turn you into one.
As we rounded the corner, I spied a hawk flying through the snow. Jason was having a rough time trying to keep from getting bounced around by the winds, which were howling now. The perfect backdrop to a zombie fight, I thought. Howling winds, snow and ice, and a messy battle ahead.
Jason reached the Beggar’s Barn the same time we did. He touched down and, in one of his shimmering flashes, turned back into himself. “I’m so glad to see you. You don’t know how glad I am to see you. Those freaking zombies scared the piss out of me. I swear, I about peed my pants when I was up there in the tree because I didn’t know if they could climb.”
“They generally can’t,” Montran said.
I quickly introduced Jason to Montran and Tymbur, and then we headed across the street to the Sandspit. “We can’t lose track of each other. I suggest we chain-link. Anybody got a long-enough rope that we can all hold onto?”
Hans rummaged through his pack and came out with one. It was thin, very strong, and I recognized it as being Fae-made. Fae rope was incredibly light and hard to sever. It also held knots extremely well.
We lined up, this time deciding single file would have to work, given that we were headed into the Sandspit, visibility was almost nil, and we needed to keep close contact.
“At least it’s not as bad as the Tremble,” I said, taking my place behind Hans and Greta.
“You can say that again,” Hans said. “That place gave me the fucking creeps.”
“You were out on the Tremble?” Tymbur gave me a long look. “When we have time, I’d like to ask you about it. But for now, let’s go try to do something about that portal.”
We were in marching order—Hans, Greta, me, Tymbur, Montran, and Jason. Hans glanced back at me and I gave him a nod. In silence, we stepped into the Sandspit and headed for the World Tree.
Chapter 18
I was getting to know my way around the Sandspit far better than I ever hoped to. At some point, I’d have to try crossing through to the World Tree with my eyes closed, but tonight was not that night. I tried to shield my face against the pelting sting of the snowflakes. The wind was whipping them around so hard that they felt like bullets of ice, driving into my skin. My legs were, thankfully, partially covered by my duster, but that didn’t
stop the cold from seeping through every bone in my body.
The Sandspit was big enough that I hoped we’d make it to the World Tree without encountering any zombies. Usually, the only creatures I ever encountered in here were Aboms. Speaking of…I pulled up my Trace screen again to check, but there weren’t any in the area. Relieved for small favors, I caught my breath and let it out in a slow stream, watching as it coalesced into white puffs in front of my face.
A gust whirled past, railing against us. My head began to spin as I realized that the blast was also filled with rogue magic. It spun around us, a vortex of wind and sand and snow and sparkling magic. I tried to hold my breath to avoid inhaling. Some magic worked via air transmission through inhalation, much like a potion needed to be drunk to be effective. But the sudden jolt as the magic glommed onto me sent me gasping as I stumbled away, trying to escape the million little sparks that raced over my body, like bees stinging me.
Jason took a step toward me, then stopped as his eyes went wide and he shifted into hawk form. Hans let out a grunt as snow took the rough form of a very large, burly man and promptly sucker-punched Hans in the gut, doubling him over.
Montran shouted something to Tymbur, who was scrambling, trying to get out of the way. The next moment, a loud thunderclap filled the area and the cloud of snow and sand vanished. The sparks disappeared, Jason shifted in midair, landing in the snow with a thud, and Hans leaned over, trying to catch his breath.
“Come.” A familiar voice echoed through the storm.
“Tam!” I raced forward, heedless of any danger, as he slipped out from behind a pile of twisted metal. He opened his arms as I slammed into his embrace, almost knocking him over.
“Love, relax. It’s all right. Queet told us what’s happening. He’s waiting back in UnderBarrow.” But his voice said that it was anything but all right. “Hurry up. You’re close to the World Tree, but there are—”
“Zombies. We know.”
“Yes, they’ve tried to infiltrate UnderBarrow but we shut down the main entrance. We’ll go in through the secret one near here.”
I hadn’t known there was a secret entrance to UnderBarrow, but then again, there was a lot I didn’t know about the Fae sanctuary.
“How did you stop the magic?” I had never encountered anybody who could circumnavigate the rogue powers of the Sandspit.
“I didn’t. Hecate did. She’s waiting by the World Tree for you.”
“Hecate? She’s here, too? She was supposed to meet us, but I wasn’t sure when she’d make it. I really didn’t look forward to tackling this without her guidance. For one thing, I have no idea what to do.”
As Tam led us toward a rusted heap of scrap metal, I told him what had happened along the way.
“I wasn’t sure what opened the portal, but I knew one had opened,” he said. “Several of my people had run-ins with zombies as they were returning to UnderBarrow. Then, about twenty minutes ago, Hecate showed up. She told me what we are facing.” He stopped abruptly, leaning in to kiss me again. “I missed you. I miss you when we’re apart. You know that, don’t you?”
“I miss you too. I never knew I could get so used to having someone around. To wanting them to be around.” Admitting the last was hard. As much as I cared about my friends, the thought of being vulnerable made me queasy.
“Come,” he said again, hurrying around the scrap heap to the other side. He stopped by the sagging door of a rusted-out car. Leaning inside, he popped open a trap door buried beneath what looked to be a thin layer of sand, but as I leaned closer I saw that it was actually sand solidified into a tile that was glued over the top of the trap door. “Hurry.”
He vanished down the ladder inside the surprisingly well-lit hole and I followed, the others behind me. We landed at the bottom of yet another tunnel, but Tam confidently led us through the passage, which broadened out to become a hallway. I recognized the symbols on the wall as belonging to the Bonny Fae. We were back in UnderBarrow.
As we entered the throne room, Hecate was waiting beside the throne. She was dressed for battle in her long indigo robes, carrying her staff and her snakes. Vipers, viper xanthina to be specific, the three snakes wrapped around her, their brown and gray scaled bodies embracing her arms and neck as their heads bobbed gently, watchful eyes gazing over the crowd that surrounded the goddess.
She was seven feet tall today. The Elder Gods could change their height as they wished. As she shook out her hair, it flowed down her back. Her eyes blazed. She was a terrifying sight, both beautiful and dangerous. The rush of power washing off of her was so strong that instinct took over and I immediately went down on one knee. A wave of love—the purest, most unadulterated kind—ran through me as I knelt by her feet. Sometimes, when she was standing in her power, as she called it, the warmth that echoed toward me made everything else fade. The only thing that existed was the two of us, goddess and most willing servant. Most Theosians experienced this with their gods at one time or another.
“Rise, Fury.” Her voice reverberated through the chamber, and as it echoed from wall to wall, Tam’s people shifted. The Elder Gods still held a place of power among human, shifter, and Fae alike.
Shaking, I stood, grounding myself as much as possible. The fact that she was surrounded by a hundred awestruck Fae played into the energy that roiled around the room. And coming in off the past few days, I was hypersensitive, so I wasn’t surprised that I had automatically dropped into worship-mode.
“I’m glad you arrived safely.” She glanced around the room, playing to the audience. Then, with a little smile, she cupped my chin and leaned down to kiss my forehead. “Most beloved of my Theosians, may you walk forever by my side.”
To everybody else, it was a ritual, more than an honor. But although I knew Hecate was fond of me, this was one hell of a show. I wasn’t sure what she was up to, but then she leaned closer and whispered at a level so low that only I could hear her, “This should cement your place here.” And then, she stepped back.
As the crowd murmured, I restrained a smile as I ducked my head, curtseying for effect. Might as well play it up, if she was going to.
Tam swung in by my side, taking me by surprise when he said, “Gracious Hecate, please allow me to make my official welcome. I would ask for your blessings on my relationship with your Theosian, Fury.”
I blinked, but Hecate reached out and lightly placed her hands on both his head and mine with her hands. “I approve and claim alliance with the Lord of UnderBarrow. But now, we must retire to conference, if you would, Lord Tam.”
“Of course, Lady Hecate. Please, follow me.” He turned, nodded to the crowd as he took my hand, and led us out of the throne room. The others followed, and the crowd watched as we left. As soon as we were privately ensconced in a conference room, Tam pulled me to him, kissing me so deep that it felt like I was melting into his arms, becoming one as the kiss swept me out of the present and into a glowing light where there was only the two of us. A brilliant rain of colors showered around me, and a stray thought swept past. So this is what it means to be in love with one of the Bonny Fae.
Tam gently disengaged, then stroked back my hair. “I know. This may not be the time for what I have to say, but how can I let you head into danger without telling you how I feel? Without a kiss that speaks my heart?” He glanced at the others who were studiously ignoring us, then moved aside to one corner, pulling me along with him.
I ignored the stitch in my side, realizing how much I just wanted to stay here, with him, safe. I wasn’t sure I liked the feeling. My sharp edges felt like they were eroding away just a little, leaving me more vulnerable and less alert.
“Tam, let’s talk after I come back.”
He shook his head. “No. We talk now. Or at least, I talk now. Fury, I’ve loved before, I’m sure you have figured that out. I’ve been alive a lot longer than you have. But it’s been centuries since my heart has sung like it does in your presence. I want…never m
ind what I want. Leave it at this: I love you. I’ve loved you for a few years now. Yes, I watched you grow from a teenager into an adult. I never thought of you as anything but a willful, brave soul then. Just a young woman struggling to survive in a world that had already left its harsh and indelible mark on you.”
“But that changed,” I said softly.
“Yes, it changed. Around five years ago, something began to change. I began to see you as a woman. And I waited, patiently, for the right time when I thought you might be willing to listen to my feelings. But make no mistake. I love you, and now that we’re together, those feelings have grown in leaps and bounds.” He stopped, breathless. His eyes sparkled with a light that underscored his words. I had no doubt he was telling me the truth. He was laying out his feelings on a silver platter and offering them up to me.
I almost choked. The words had already run through my own head and heart, but when it came to saying them aloud. Well, saying something out loud made it so very real. But one more look in his eyes as he ran his hand gently down my cheek, and I knew I had to see this through, to wherever it led.
“I love you, Tam. I do. I don’t know what that means for us, but know that I love you.” And then, I was in his arms again, kissing him, burying myself deep in the warmth of his arms.
“I appreciate your desire to reassure one another, but we have to get moving.” Hecate’s voice was almost droll, but there was no sarcasm in her words. She cleared her throat as we parted. “Queet, did you tell Tam about the chip?”
No, Hecate. I thought I would leave that up to Fury. Queet suddenly rushed around me, his misty form billowing like smoke. He seemed to be quite chipper, given the circumstances.
You feeling better?
Yes, Fury, thank you for asking. I seem to have regained my strength, thanks to Hecate and the cleansings she did for me.
Fury's Magic (Fury Unbound Book 2) Page 19
