by Patti Larsen
Sass didn't even look up when I stormed into the archive and stood facing him, arms crossed over my chest, foot tapping unhappily against the rough stone floor.
“Well?” I kept my fists tightly clenched, overriding the need I felt to jerk the book from his hands and pull him to his feet to face me.
Barely.
“Well what?” That whiny tone did nothing to win him brownie points. He stood abruptly, tossing the book he'd been reading onto the velvet upholstery before shoving past me and leaving.
If he walked away from me one more time I was going to wring his neck. Didn't he care Dad's life was at stake? Could he not shake off his crap for two seconds and think of someone else? He had ages over the last century and a half to come to terms with his feelings for his father. I didn’t have that kind of time.
I was about to go after him when Liam gently caught my arm and held me back. “Syd.”
“What?” I didn't mean to snap at him, it wasn't Liam's fault. His soft smile told me he didn't take it personally, bless him.
“Just give him a little time.”
“I don't have time,” I said. “Dad doesn't. This is it, Liam. I can't help.” It struck me like a blow, the full understanding, what Theridialis had said. I couldn't fix it. I'd promised Mom and I couldn't. Fix. It.
The sobs came out of nowhere, but Liam's arms were open and ready. I cried even as I raged inside, making fists around the fabric of his T-shirt while my demon howled and Shaylee softly wept.
So. Not. Fair.
When I pulled away at last, snuffling, I accepted the wad of tissues Liam shoved into my hands. I blew my nose noisily before dropping into the seat Sassy vacated. I scooted sideways and retrieved the book he'd been reading, not wanting to damage it, especially after how kind Liam was being. Wouldn't do to ruin one of his prized books.
The red cover of the demon raising tome felt odd in my hands. It was only then, staring down at the fine pores in the texture of the material I really knew what I was holding.
Skin. Human skin. Still infused with blood.
I dropped it with a cry of disgust, kicking it away even as Liam bent and retrieved it.
“He asked for this,” Liam said. “Specifically. Any idea why?”
I shook my head, unable to even look at it anymore. “None.”
Liam set it aside. “It's just a book, Syd.” His hazel eyes shone with empathy. “I'll see what I can find in it.”
“You can read demon?” Why didn't that really surprise me?
Liam shrugged, a small smile tugging the corner of his mouth. “Turns out there's a lot of things I can do I didn't know about.”
Good for him. I felt the family magic flutter slightly, even through the Sidhe wards. Mom. Had to be. Damn, now I had to face the music and tell her I'd failed despite my promise.
It was a very, very long walk home.
***
Chapter Sixteen
I tossed and turned for a while, the moonlight pouring in my bedroom window making it almost impossible to sleep. At least, I blamed it on the moonlight. Much better than admitting I couldn't get the crumpled disappointment on my mother's face out of my mind.
I hated letting her down.
One thing I knew, I wasn't waiting any longer for some window of opportunity dictated by Theridialis. One look at my father was enough to tell me I had to cross over with Sassy right away so he could be tested. Meira was fading quickly, her demon power feeding Dad's life force. Her dear little face looked older, lined, her skin sinking into the crevices around her bones.
I wanted to go back right away, but Mom talked me out of it.
“Not after sundown,” she said, face pinched with fatigue and worry. “Never after sundown. Promise me.”
Whatever. I had a feeling her fear was grounded in superstition and not fact, but agreed anyway if just to make her feel better.
So sleep first. Yeah, right. Sleep. Like that was happening. I'd passed out the night before and had a great rest, but for some reason it just wasn't working for me tonight. Maybe I'd adjusted to the shift in planes already. The idea actually worried me a little. I'd always feared my power, even outside Gram's implanted influence. The things I'd been able to do, the magic I'd commanded in times of stress and conflict, always raised worry in my parents, too.
What was it Dad said once? That I had no edges... whatever that meant. I'd never asked him and now I was starting to wonder.
My speculation shattered to the tune of the soft song of my computer. I lurched out of bed immediately and rushed to check. The screen glowed, Skype up and waiting. The little pen bobbed up and down, from Quaid's profile.
Quaid. Everything else faded away while I sat there in anxious silence, face nearly pressed to the screen, waiting for the pen to stop moving and the message to appear.
It never did. The little eraser raced across the line and the pen fell silent. Whatever he'd been trying to communicate, the precious words he'd tried to send me were gone.
And so was he. I felt a thrum against the power connecting us, as if someone tested it, pushing against it to see how strong it was. I fed the link without thinking, keeping it safe and alive, only then realizing I'd probably given away something very important.
But no, maybe not. The power thread settled, returned to normal. I still felt Quaid on the other end, same as usual. Maybe it had been Quaid trying to get through to me? Still, the fact he'd failed both by mundane and magic means sent thrills of fear for him racing through my body, raising goosebumps on my skin.
I sat there for a long time, waiting for him to try again, resisting the urge to reach back down the connection to see if I could speak with him. If he was unable, I'd only be wasting my time. And if he'd been found out, if the connection between us was left on purpose, seeking him out could very possibly lead me into a trap.
I had to put my family first. I had to. Dad. Mom. Meira. Sassy, even. For the gazillionth time I told myself Quaid had chosen his path. This was his decision, to play the complacent Dumont son. I'd asked him over and over to stop the charade and he'd refused.
So why couldn't I make myself turn away from the silent computer screen?
When the monitor flickered and went dark, the computer returning to sleep, I sighed and returned to bed.
Morning found me impatiently pacing the kitchen floor, waiting for Mom to get up. The moment I felt her rise I ran upstairs, meeting her in the hallway.
“I have an idea,” I said.
Grim, she nodded. “We have to do something.” No desperation, only a quiet resolve.
“Bring Dad downstairs.” I turned and headed back down as I finished speaking. “I'm going to take him to Demonicon with me.”
The air in the basement felt confining, dank, pressing in on me as I forced myself to stand still in the center of the pentagram, gathering my power. Sassafras had followed me silently, emerging from the living room to pad down the stairs behind me. He now stood off to one side, arms crossed over his chest, his favorite scowl plastered on his face. I ignored him, choosing instead to put all of my attention into what I was about to attempt.
It could work. It could. If I could bring Dad across the veil... Theridialis could do his tests there, on Sassafras with Dad present. It was our best hope, really our last option. As much as I knew the portly demon on the other side was determined to save Dad, I was fairly sure no matter what he found out over there would do little good unless I could bring Dad with me.
It was so hard not to rush to help Mom as she used her magic to carry Dad down the wooden stairs. I forced myself to look at Dad, to study the thin and waxy look of his skin, the sunken appearance of his eyes and cheeks. How Meira stumbled behind them, one hand pressed to his forehead, her amber demon magic flowing into him. I could see it did little good now, that the renewing energy was doing nothing to bring him back, only suspending the inevitable.
Mom floated Dad into the pentagram, laying him down at my feet before stepping back. I gestured at Sassafra
s who sighed and rolled his eyes before moving forward to take my hand.
“This won't work,” he snapped.
“Says you,” I snapped back. “We're trying it. So shut up and help me.”
Mom looked incredibly helpless, so strange for her. Meira slid into her embrace as the two of them simply stood, forced outside action, relegated to watching. I could only imagine how hard that was for Mom.
I gathered my demon power, feeling Sassy's reach for me, my free hand wrapped around the sorcerous crystal in my pocket. As I reached for the edge of the veil, I bent quickly and pressed the stone against Dad's bare skin and willed him to come with me.
The veil ripped apart, almost gladly this time, as though it finally recognized and welcomed me. I looked up, now in Demonicon, Sassy still firmly gripping my hand with my outstretched arm hovering over empty air.
Turned out Sassy was right. I hated it when he was right.
No Dad.
I almost quit right then and there. Despair rose in my body, my demon softly howling inside me, hot tears rising in my eyes. But the steady grip on my hand kept me anchored, the continual flow of magic wrapping me up and supporting me. I looked up at Sass, knowing then his sullen anger had nothing to do with me, with my family, but only his own circumstance and the fact he felt so very guilty.
I didn't think as I stood, but wrapped my arms around him and hugged him so hard I felt his ribs under my hands. Sassy hugged me back without comment, just as hard, as if to tell me he was grateful I understood at last.
When we pulled apart, I turned slowly to face Theridialis. The portly demon watched with a gentle smile full of so much sorrow I knew he got it, too.
“I tried to bring Dad.” I shook my head. “Sass said it wouldn't work. I should have believed him.”
Sassy's hand squeezed mine in a little thank you. “Was worth a try,” he whispered.
Theridialis gestured to us. “Come in, come in. We have much work to do. Sassafras, if you would?”
I felt my friend hesitate and turned him around to face me. “For me,” I said softly, “as much as I don't have the right to ask. And for Mom. For Meira and every Hayle witch you've ever cared about. And for Dad.”
Sassy swallowed hard, looking away from me before nodding once, sharply. He glared at his father. “Tell me what to do.”
It was the hardest thing, sitting there, hands clenched together between my knees, watching as Theridialis ran his tests, the same one's he'd run on me, over and over again while Sassafras grew more distressed and my need to pace took over.
“Enough!” Sassy finally pulled free of his father, staggering back, clutching at his stomach as if the most recent attempt had injured him. “Enough. It won't work this way and you know it.”
Theridialis didn't acknowledge what Sassy said, but I guessed he didn't have to.
Strike three.
Sassy ran from the room, brushing past me. I grabbed for his hand, trying to stop him, to tell him it was okay, but he refused to let my energy in even as he jerked free of my grasp and stormed out through the heavy metal door.
“Let him go.” Theridialis sagged to his stool, rubbing his red face with both hands, sighing deeply as if the act would expel the sadness I saw in him. “He's correct, of course. My son is many things, and brilliant is one of them.”
I approached the older demon, but couldn't bring myself to sit down. “What else can we do then?”
He shook his head slowly, whole body seeming to deflate in defeat. “I'm sorry, Sydlynn,” he said, “but I've done everything I can. There is nothing more to try from here.”
I wanted to latch onto his wording, to treat it like hope, but as he met my eyes, I felt that kernel of the possible die.
“If you would,” he said with great dignity and calm, “I would like to cross over with you to say goodbye to my very dear friend.”
A sob escaped me, just one. Just one. I couldn't afford another.
“What about Dad's family?” They deserved to know, didn't they? My grandmother... Mom said to stay away from my paternal relatives, but I couldn't imagine they would want to miss this.
Theridialis shook his head. “I've told them nothing,” he said. “Best to let them think he's already gone, as has been supposed for months now.” He managed a small smile. “Your grandmother never did approve of his mortal wife, Sydlynn. Inviting her across would only set a fire best left unlit.”
Okay then. As sad as it was for Dad, I was suddenly grateful it would be just us in the end.
I turned and headed for the door. The metal handle was cool under my hand, the intricate scrollwork of a twisting vine coming alive as my skin warmed it.
“Take your first left,” Theridialis called after me. “Then to the balcony. It was always his favorite place.”
***
Chapter Seventeen
I was hesitant leaving the lab. I could almost pretend I was still home, in a way, while in the confines of Theridialis's workshop. That this was some kind of dream, not real at all. Walking through the heavy metal door meant accepting I was part of this world I knew very little about.
The hallway on the other side was a slight disappointment. It looked like any hall, really, at least how I imagined a castle hall would look. The center of the polished stone floor ran with a long, red runner, extending to the right down a flight of stairs and to the left toward a sharp bend. I took Theridialis's directions and went left.
As soon as I turned the corner, I immediately caught sight of the balcony. It wasn't some flimsy, narrow thing I'd been expecting. Two huge doors stood open, leading out into the air and a deep, massive space full of carved stone furniture and a tumbling central waterfall.
It was almost impossible not to stare, despite the circumstances of my arrival. The view was breathtaking, the sweep of the city beneath me spreading out in all directions. I found myself practically hanging over the edge of the thick marble-like railing, trying to see as much as I could. People, well demons, moved around down below, far in the distance, and what looked like vehicles though nothing like the cars I was used to. Something whipped past on a thin rail not too far from me and I gasped, pulling back, hand pressed to my chest in fright.
“It's just the mag,” Sassy said. I turned to find him standing next to me. “Public transport.”
I looked back out over the view, how the city drifted out in the distance, ending in some kind of flatland with thick roadways disappearing over the horizon. Off to my right stood towering, jagged mountains like nothing I’d ever seen, the rock run through with glittering paths of pink, gold and the deepest purple veins. The edges looked sheared away, as though a giant knife cut them cleanly to the base. Their shadow fell over the city, standing guard over the buildings below. To the left shone the mirrored surface of a huge lake, or even possibly a sea, the water still and calm, tinted an odd shade of reddish gold, lit by the deep amber sun. Um. Suns. Two of them, one largish and orange, the other smaller, though still larger than the one I was used to, a lighter shade of yellowy crimson, butting up against the first like an annoying little brother.
I drew a deep breath, taking in the sweetly scented air, a little surprised it was so clean even as my brain shrugged and accepted everything at face value. “No pollution.”
Sassy made a face like it didn't matter. “Not when everything is powered with magic.”
Right. All demons had abilities, unlike our plane where only a select few could wrangle the elements. The realization Earth could be this clean made me sad. If only.
“We have to go back.” I reached out and brushed a lock of hair from Sassy's eyes so I could see him more clearly. He didn't flinch away, but didn't respond either. “Sass, it's not your fault.”
He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the railing, eyes lost in the distance. “You know if I could save Harry, I'd do anything.”
“I know.” I did. There was no question. Why were we back here again? I'd already had this conversation with him.
“What price is too high?” He glanced at me, amber eyes empty of emotion. “What price would you pay, Syd?”
“What do you mean?” A thread of anger rose inside me. “We've tried everything. And Dad's already paid, with his power. With his life.”
I froze, heart thumping uncomfortably in my chest. That was it, wasn't it? Life. Death.
Blood magic.
“Okay,” I said softly. “I get it. He was on the right track, wasn't he? With the blood. But he didn't go far enough.” I drew a breath. “I know what to do. Thank you.”
Someone had to die to bring my father back. With demon power. And I was the perfect candidate.
Sassy barked a laugh so bitter I stepped back a pace. “Don't be an idiot,” he said. “That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard.”
Rage surged. “Thanks a lot,” I snarled. “I'm willing to do it, if it will save Dad.”
“He'd never forgive you.” Sassy settled into his sullenness again. “Neither would I.”
Fine. Whatever. Jerk.
Sassy lurched upright, hands returning to his pockets.
“All right then,” he said. “Let's go.”
I grabbed his arm, pulled him back to me and made him meet my eyes.
“Why, Sass?” I looked out over the city and back to him. “What happened to you?”
He shook his head, shaggy hair swinging. “Not now,” he whispered. “I can't. But ask me again sometime, Syd. Okay?”
I let him go, nodding. He hugged me quickly, as if the act was unnatural for him, before turning away and going back inside.
Theridialis waited for us in his lab. I lingered a moment, not wanting to cross back, if only because it meant giving up, failing at last. I wanted to ask the older demon what he thought of my idea, a life for a life, but surely he would have mentioned it if there was a chance such a plan would work.
The veil tugged against me, trying to keep me in Demonicon, but I forced it aside, sliding between planes until I stood once again in my mortal body, Sassy beside me. Theridialis held my other hand, his demon form wavering inside the pentagram.
