by Jessica Gunn
I closed my eyes again. “I don’t know why you did that.” Pawn or no, I’d done my job. Alzan was safe for now. The Hunter Circles didn’t need me anymore. This team didn’t. They’d gotten so powerful over the last year. I had pure freedom and knew exactly what it felt like.
It felt empty.
“We’re your team,” Shawn said. “And your friends. I know we’ve had some issues, but I’d like to think we’re past that now. You matter to us.”
“Your plan to save Riley was brilliant,” Rachel said. “You had even us fooled.”
Ben cleared his throat. “You had that blade awfully close to him.”
“I was never going to use it,” I said, suddenly wanting to defend myself, no matter what they believed. “I needed to get close enough to him that Lady Azar wouldn’t be able to attack and so that I could get him to understand my plan.”
“I understood,” Riley said from Rachel’s arms.
I nodded at him. “You did good, kid. Thank you.”
Riley looked up at Rachel, then his father. A million emotions crossed his face in only the way a toddler could feel things. “Are the monsters gone? Where’s Mom?”
My breath hitched. I watched as Ben’s face hardened. Before today, Riley had appeared to be fairly brainwashed. He’d hurt Ben and Rachel, called Lady Azar his mother. He’d seen and heard things no three-year-old should. It was hard to tell who was “Mom” to him now, or if we were the monsters.
Ben swallowed hard. “The demons are gone, Riley. You don’t have to worry anymore. Your mother will be so happy to see you.”
“Other Mom,” he said, pouting. Tears welled in his eyes. “The Lady.”
“I know this is hard to understand,” Ben said as he left my side to pull Riley from Rachel’s arms. He put his son on his hip and looked him in the eyes. “She wasn’t your real mother. She might have raised you for a while, but she was never real. Your mom is at home waiting for you. She’s been waiting for a really long time.”
They both had been, Sandra and Ben. And after everything, I doubted Ben would ever let Riley out of his sight again.
“Go,” I said. “Be with him. I’m okay.”
Ben looked over his shoulder at me. “Are you sure?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“I’ll stay with her,” Shawn said. “We have plenty to talk about anyway.”
“Okay. We’ll leave as soon as Areus clears the two of you.” Then he and Rachel left with Riley.
“Level with me,” I said to Nate, staring him down. “How bad is it?”
“You’re stable.” Nate’s expression turned grim. “For now. Areus isn’t here right now, but he’s agreed with me that it would be best if you never use magik again. I know that will create an automatic flare once you do use it, but…”
“The risk of not using it is smaller than using it in small increments,” I said. “Makes sense.”
“Not for Alzan,” Shawn said. “I don’t agree with this at all. Say war comes here again—you’ll be down the second we land here, maybe before.”
True. But that’s essentially what had happened here today and I’d survived.
Barely.
“What if it’s just a small daily dose of magik?” I asked. “Nothing big. A little ala-ether ball the size of a marble. Enough to keep the magik flowing in my system but not enough to remotely tax it?”
Nate’s mouth thinned. “I suppose that’d be all right. But seriously, Krystin. No more big magik. You’ll kill yourself and possibly Ben.”
“You shouldn’t have listened to him. I said I didn’t want this. I don’t want him to die because of me.”
“And we decided that you’re stubborn and don’t get to give up just because things got hard,” Shawn said. “I know you want to stay alive, Krystin. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have come back to us a week ago and risked it all.”
I came back to save Alzan and Riley. And both of those tasks were now complete. Sort of. “So what’s next?”
“We return to Fire Circle Headquarters and talk to Dacher once you’re both recovered,” Shawn said. “Find out if we’re still Hunters or not, and if he’s settled things with the Ether Head Circle while we were gone. Then… Then it’s up in the air.”
Hunters. Oh, my god. “Avery? His team and Cassie’s?”
“They’re fine,” Shawn said. “Don’t worry about them. They’re downstairs relaxing. You’ve been out for about a day or so. Nate too. Everyone else is assisting with whatever cleanup and recovery we can. When you two are cleared, we’ll all return to our plane and figure out our next steps.”
“We have to protect Cassie and Avery and their teams, too,” I said. “In case the Ether Head Circle comes for them because of us.”
Nate nodded. “We will. And Avery knows that. He’s mostly concerned for us right now.”
“Well, tell him to cut that out. We’re fine.”
“Now,” Shawn said, his voice suddenly quiet. “We almost lost you back there.”
Silence fell between the three of us.
“I know,” I said. “I felt it.”
“I thought Ben was going to lose his mind,” Nate said. “I’m sorry, Krystin. I know it might not have been what you wanted, but none of us wanted to see you die. And honestly, I was pretty sure you didn’t want to die either.”
“You’re right,” I said. I didn’t. Not really. “I wanted freedom. And death seemed close enough.” Then maybe I’d see my mother again. A reunion, or at least a proper goodbye.
“We’ll be free now,” Shawn said. “Even if the Fire Circle takes us back, we’re free from Lady Azar and Alzan. And I’m inclined to believe we’ll get a ton of vacation time all of a sudden.”
I laughed. “That’d be nice. I can’t remember the last vacation I took.”
“Hopefully, it’ll be soon, then,” Nate said.
“And somewhere exotic,” Shawn added.
I shook my head. “Alzan is exotic enough for me. I do have a great place in mind, though.”
Shawn raised an eyebrow, a smirk overtaking his face. “Maybe you should take Ben with you, when he gives Riley some time with Sandra.”
I leveled him with a look. “What’s that smirk for?”
“Oh, you know,” Nate said, grinning from ear to ear. “Seems like you two have some stuff to work out after he turned into a blubbering baby about you almost dying.”
“Always figured there was something there,” Shawn continued. “I mean, you were always one for breaking the rules. Why not dating the boss, too?”
I grabbed the pillow from behind my head and chucked it at Shawn. “You’re going down when I get out of this bed.”
He caught it midair and held it in front of his chest like a shield. “Promises, promises.”
Ben was the only person with a promise left to keep, and I intended to make him keep it. Because Shawn was right; there was something between Ben and me.
It’s high time we find out what that something is.
Chapter 23
Ben
As soon as Nate and Krystin could walk, we lined up with Avery, his team, and the rest of Cassie’s team in the lobby of the Pyramid Building. It’d definitely seen better days. At least two of the marble columns had fallen and were now supported with stand-in scaffolding that didn’t look at all promising. At least all the bodies had been dealt with, the Alzanian ones awaiting burial.
“Are we ready?” I asked.
Riley had been attached to my hip for hours, which I hadn’t expected. He’d been so brainwashed by Lady Azar that I’d expected him to be aloof and resistant to me. But he’d always called me “Dad” when she was around, so I guessed I had no idea what to think anymore. Maybe she’d had some spell on him that’d gone away when she’d died. It was the only explanation I could think of, and the only one I was willing to accept for now.
“To go home, yes,” Avery said as he ran a hand through his mohawk. “To find out if we’ve been exiled from the Hunter Circles for insubordin
ation and possibly treason? Not really.”
“We won’t be,” I said. “As long as Dacher got through to the Ether Head Circle.”
“You don’t know that he did.”
“Only one way to find out.” I looked to everyone else. “The backup plan is to immediately head to Hunter’s Guild if it turns out we’ve been branded as traitors. We’ll keep everyone safe that way until we figure out our next steps.”
“Let’s get going,” Krystin said.
We all joined hands as Areus stepped forward. “I will assist again with the transfer. Be safe and send word when you can. Now that the walls around Alzan have been torn down, communication is possible with the right tools. Those amongst the Circles have them.”
“Thank you, Areus,” Krystin said. “For everything.”
He bowed his head. “It has been my honor. You two are everything I’ve waited for all these years. Until we see each other again.”
“Teleportante,” I said. I brought us into the lobby of Fire Circle Headquarters.
Lissandra, one of the admins, sat behind her desk like normal. Her jaw dropped when we appeared. “Dacher has been waiting for you.”
“I bet,” I said. “Please tell us he’s here.”
She pointed up the stairs. “Yes. Go. There’s news.”
I gulped. That was never a good thing.
Our group hurried up the stairs and down the hall to Dacher’s office, where we piled in as many as we could. Several of Avery’s team remained outside the door, content at seeing Dacher’s relieved face and nothing more.
He fell back into his seat, running a hand over his head. “You have no idea how happy it makes me to see you.”
“Don’t get too excited,” Krystin said dryly. “You don’t know what news we bring.”
Dacher’s gaze saddened. “I’m so very sorry to hear of your mother’s passing. What Cassie said happened… truly horrific. We had no idea she was missing, or I assure you I would have done something.”
“There’s nothing you could have done,” she said. “Lady Azar kidnapped her. She’d had this planned for years now. You can’t forget that.”
“Still,” Dacher said as he placed his hands flat on his desk. “Your mother will receive an honorable burial with an honorary Hunter title of the highest degree.”
“I’m sure she’d love that,” Krystin said, her voice thick with sarcasm.
“I know our Circle and the Blackwoods don’t always get along. But I’d like to think she’d be happy to know her death wasn’t in vain,” Dacher said. “I assume your return means Cianza Alzan is safe?”
I nodded. “Lady Azar is dead and the march on Alzan was stopped.”
“And Riley is safe,” Krystin chimed in, smiling back at Riley as he circled his arms around my neck. “And seemingly mentally sound, surprisingly.”
Dacher’s eyes widened. “This is good news.” Then he frowned. “I wish I had more.”
“Should we expect to see the inside of a prison, sir?” Avery asked. He’d taken to Dacher’s leadership well. He’d been one of Jaffrin’s most loyal Hunters until a few bad calls too many almost lead to all our deaths.
Dacher shook his head. “No. I suppose that is the last of the good news. I managed to convince the Leaders of the Ether Head Circle themselves, not their overreaching Chairmen, of the valuable, loyal role you all play in this Circle. And how, despite being Neuian themselves, Ben and Rachel helped to expose and imprison Jaffrin along with everyone else here. And now that you’ve fulfilled what you set out to do, I think it’s safe to say that the Ether Head Circle will never give you problems ever again.”
“But?” Krystin asked, watching him carefully. Rachel nodded, as if she too had heard the unspoken word.
“But,” Dacher said, “they’re calling for my more expedient removal from office.”
“They’re unhappy with you,” I said.
“No, they’re unhappy about not being able to control me like they control the other Leaders, which I can’t blame them for.” He smirked, making him look ten years younger all of a sudden. “However, if they think any of you candidates will be any less stubborn, they’re in for one hell of an awakening.”
I grinned. “Yes, sir.”
“We can change this Circle and the reputation of the Hunter Circles at large. But first we need to fix ourselves,” Dacher said. “You are all reinstated as Fire Circle Hunters. That includes you, Krystin.”
Krystin nodded. “Thank you, sir.”
“The easiest decision, I assure you,” Dacher said. “Unfortunately, your team’s home was destroyed in Lady Azar’s attack. It’s also currently the scene of an investigation being run by the Boston Police Department. At least until Hydron can convince them to hand it off.”
“It’s not going well?” I asked. “Did you get Max involved?”
Dacher nodded. “Indeed. We’re working on it. But we were able to go in at night and collect as many of your personal belongings as possible. They’ve been moved to a new house just outside the city. I, unlike my predecessor, think it would be more prudent to keep your team away from Cianza Boston. But now you’ll have a whole house.” Dacher smiled at Riley. “Which will prove especially nice if you’re going to have him running around.”
“That remains to be dealt with, sir,” I said, although I wanted to keep Riley as close as possible. But I didn’t know what Sandra would want to do… or how we’d deal with Riley’s situation. “Areus had no way to reverse what’s happened to Riley. But Karen was at the Alzan battle and she mentioned helping him. I assume that meant turning him back into a Neuian at least, if not human. There has to be a way.”
Dacher’s eyes fell to his hands and he pulled in a steeling breath. “I wasn’t able to find a cure, Ben. Neither was the Ether Head Circle. It simply has never happened before. You can’t have your soul be totally eclipsed in dark, demonic magik and recover from it. Not even an individual with the Power, apparently.”
My teeth ground together. “Bullshit. Krystin survived and she had dark magik all over her.”
Krystin frowned. “I was never turned into a demon. There’s a difference, Ben. I’m sorry.”
Riley pushed off of my shoulder and looked at me but didn’t say anything. His wide, curious eyes seemed to be pleading with me for understanding. Despite them being the burgundy color of a demon, they looked almost exactly the same as they had when he’d been born. Even the expression he was giving me now. And just like the day he’d come into this world, I didn’t understand a single damn thing about how to give him what he needed.
I closed my eyes and pulled him closer to me.
He might not understand what we were talking about, but I was pretty sure he was reading and understanding the emotions flying through my head—and across my expression. Riley just wanted me to love him like any kid would want from their parents.
That I could do. “What do we do about the whole life energy thing?”
“Demons don’t need to kill in order to get their fill,” Krystin said. “And given how many people admire you here, Ben, I’m sure we can find some volunteers.”
“That’s sick,” Avery said. He wasn’t wrong. But it might be the only way for Riley to survive.
Dacher waved his hand. “That is something we can discuss tomorrow. I think everyone needs rest right now.” He opened his desk drawer and pulled out a manila envelope. He held it out to me. “Here are the keys to your new home and the address. I think you’ll find it suits all of your needs. Cassie was on the team assigned to moving your things once she returned with Krystin’s mother’s body. She can take you to the house.”
Krystin stiffened beside me. “Is my mother here?”
Dacher nodded. “Yes. We took care of everything, Krystin.”
Tears built up in her eyes, but she swallowed them down. “Thank you.”
“I need to speak to Sandra immediately,” I said. “And I think she needs to see Riley just as much. Why don’t you guys go on ahead to
the house. Krystin, take whatever time you need. We can meet up later.”
“That sounds good,” Dacher said. “Keep me posted. We’ll convene tomorrow afternoon for a full debrief of what happened.”
Avery nodded. “We’ll be there. I’ll tell Cassie.”
“Thank you,” Dacher said.
I looked down at Riley and started walking out of the room. “Are you ready to see your mother again?”
His upper lip quivered, as if he still thought of Lady Azar under that title, but he nodded into my shoulder. How someone so small could be so powerful and strong enough to withstand what he had been through, I had no idea.
Maybe he was simply as stubborn as his father.
It seemed like I’d done this a dozen times. I’d show up at Sandra’s after a big fight with news, usually bad news. But this time was different.
Sandra jumped off the couch the very second Riley and I appeared in the living room of her new apartment downtown. “Ben!” Her eyes widened. “Riley? Riley!” She squealed, then made some sort of other noise that only served to make Riley hang on tighter to me.
“Sorry, kid. Your mother’s pretty loud,” I said, detaching his arms from around my neck.
“Riley!” Sandra reached out with open hands. Riley huddled closer to me. Instead of grabbing him, she held back a frown and grabbed my shoulders. “Is this for real?”
I nodded. “Yes, but it’s not—”
Riley turned toward her and for the first time since he was taken by Giyano in Canada, Sandra got a look at his now-burgundy eyes. “Mommy?”
Sandra’s eyes widened in fear, her face paling. But she recovered fast and put a smile on her face. “Yes, Riley. It’s me.”
“I told you she’d be happy to see you, buddy,” I said. “Can we stay a while?”
Sandra’s eyes met mine, all big and full of emotion. Tears welled up and spilled over, pouring down her cheeks. “Yes, of course. Stay however long you like.” She gestured toward the couch and as I walked by, she said, “Thank you, Ben. Tell me everything. What’s—”
