Huntress Clan Saga Complete Series Boxed Set: Books 1-6

by Jamie Davis

  Quinn ran for the spot where the javelin came out, catching it before it hit the ground.

  She reeled it all in again, tugging the top of the tear closed as the line pulled the edges together. Quinn let out a defiant shout. “Time to stitch this baby up.”

  Ignoring both the fight behind her and the howls of the closing pack on the other side of the rift, Quinn ran back and forth. On each side, she used the javelin and silver thread to close the gap leading to the netherworld. Each time she pulled another section closed, the howls on the other side lessened in volume.

  Quinn was down to the last stitch when a massive clawed paw reached through the remaining gap. It caught her by surprise and knocked her down while cutting deep red-hot gashes in her left arm.

  Despite the pain, she didn’t let go of the line in her right hand. As she lay on the ground beneath the screen, Quinn tugged with all her might to pull the last part of the gap closed.

  The long leg of the hellhound reached for her through the narrowing hole in the screen. Quinn kicked it while she scrambled backward, pulling on the silver line with her uninjured arm.

  She wound the line around her hand to increase her hold and strained against the pressure from the far side. Quinn dug in with her heels and gave one last effort with her whole body.

  With a final yank, the gap in the screen closed. The howling from the other side was cut off, along with the end of the hellhound’s leg. The severed limb fell to the pavement below the screen with a thump.

  Favoring her injured arm, Quinn turned to check on her friends. They’d killed the lone hound that had gotten through. All three now ran over to her and stared at her handiwork.

  Up and down the screen, the silver stitches glowed. The seam between the stitches started to disappear, and the silver threads of wild magic faded along the edges of the tear. As the last stitch faded, the light in the projection house went out, and everything went dark again. The javelin and remaining line disappeared from Quinn’s hand when the light went out. Her Bowie fell from the screen to the ground with a clank.

  “Quinn,” Taylor said, crouching to check on her friend. “That was amazing. How’d you learn to do that?”

  “It wasn’t me. With wild magic, you just have to let the magic do what it wants.”

  “You’re injured,” Naomi said, reaching out to Quinn’s injured left arm.

  “I’ll be all right. I just need to tap into some ley line power back home to heal up. Don’t worry, I’ll be good as new before you know it.”

  Clark checked the screen one more time and nodded. “Let’s collect the egg and get out of here. I can’t believe we haven’t had anyone show up to check on the fire or the rest of the commotion.”

  “Maybe they’ll chalk it up to someone showing a movie on the old screen,” Taylor suggested.

  “Let’s not wait around to have to answer any questions,” Clark replied.

  Quinn got up with some help from her mother, and the four of them headed back to Clark’s car.

  They hadn’t reached the vehicle before dark figures materialized around them. Sword blades and spears pointed in at them from every direction, and magical blue light appeared above them, illuminating the area around the sedan.

  “We knew you wouldn’t be able to resist the urge to rescue the youngling, Huntress,” Filippa said from the darkness. “My cousin told me you’d tend to it immediately, and I see she was correct.”

  Quinn stared past the black-clad Fae trackers around her at the two tall figures standing behind them.

  Aurora waved a dismissive hand. “You never took the time to get to know the girl like I did, Filippa. I told you your desire to remain above the humans had dulled your ability to understand them.”

  Quinn took in the situation and knew what she had to do. If any of them resisted, her friends would die, and she’d be captured anyway. The only way to stop this was to turn herself in without a struggle.

  “Filippa, Aurora, tell your men to back off. I’ll go along peacefully. There’s no need to harm my friends.”

  “Quinn, no!” Naomi cried.

  “Leave it be, Mom. I’ll be okay.”

  “Yes, Mom,” Filippa parroted. “Be a good sport and let us gather your daughter for her trial by combat tomorrow.”

  A snarl started in Naomi’s throat. Quinn grabbed her mother’s arm, spinning her until she was face to face with her daughter.

  “I’ve got this. Save it for another time.”

  She held her mother’s stare until Naomi gave the slightest of nods. Quinn looked back at the Fae princesses. “Let’s go. I assume you have cars nearby?”

  Hands reached in, pulling Quinn away from her clan members. They bound her arms behind her and brought her over to stand in front of the two Fae women. Both considered her for a few seconds, then Aurora flicked a finger in the direction of the lot’s exit. The four trackers around Quinn marched her in that direction.

  Ahead of her, headlights turned on, revealing a line of SUVs parked at the far end of the parking lot. Quinn stood straight and tall as she walked with her escort, refusing to give in to the fear rising within her. She’d gone to all that trouble to save the dragon, and now the Fae had the unhatched youngling back.

  As rough hands shoved her into the back of an SUV, she wondered if she’d see another night after her honor trial the next day. At least her mother, Taylor, and Clark would live to see another day. That was something.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Quinn woke up the next morning and stared at the sun shining in through the narrow barred window of her cell. It was evident she still had a lot to learn about the supernatural world in which she now lived. One of those things was that the Fae had a jail hidden inside an old warehouse in downtown Baltimore. Judging by the bars and stone walls, it dated back over a hundred years. It was a little chilly, and they’d taken her leather jacket from her leaving her in her jeans and t-shirt.

  She sat up and ran her fingers through her tangled hair. A lot of it had pulled out of her ponytail while she slept. She didn’t figure there’d be a spare hairbrush or a shower before her trial. Quinn resigned herself to detangling it as best she could before gathering it and putting it back into a ponytail.

  A creak in the hall outside her stout wooden door told her someone was coming. A few seconds later, the small square panel opened in the door’s upper half, and a female Fae guard peered in at her.

  The woman sneered and said, “Here’s your breakfast. Enjoy it. It’ll be your last.” A slot opened in the bottom of the door, and a plastic tray with a plate of eggs, toast, and some cut melon slid into view.

  “Hey, don’t I get to request my last meal? I’d expect you Fae to honor traditions like that.”

  The woman’s face appeared in the upper panel again. “That’s a human tradition, girl. The fact you don’t know that is another reason you’re too dangerous to be loose with the power you hold.”

  Before Quinn could answer, both openings in the cell door slammed shut, leaving her alone with her thoughts again. Quinn stared at the tray and considered not eating the meal, but she threw out that thought as quickly as it entered her mind. She needed food to fuel her Huntress metabolism. She had a fight coming later, and she needed her strength.

  Favoring her injured left arm, Quinn picked up the tray with the other hand and returned to the cot to eat. She had tried to access nearby ley lines to heal herself the night before, but the room was shielded somehow, and she couldn’t see or access anything via her map overlay. It just showed up blank, with nothing but the interior of her cell in view. If she ate, her Huntress genes would do something to heal her. She wasn’t sure it would be enough before the trial by combat her captors had planned for her.

  The food was gone too soon. Quinn made sure to eat every last morsel, including licking the melon juice off the tray when she finished. It would have to suffice. Her hunger didn’t go away, but the edge had been taken off.

  She set the tray down and thought about
what had happened the night before. She realized now they’d been fools to try to deal with the egg before the trial. There had been a chance that removing the Fae’s protective coating would release another wild magic outbreak. It would have been easy for the Fae to zero in on the location when it happened, especially if they were waiting for it.

  Quinn massaged her injured shoulder and flexed the fingers of her left hand. It hurt to move, but she could make a fist and pick up the plastic utensils. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to use it in a fight, though. It was one thing to pick up a plastic spoon and another to hold her Bowie. She’d have to fight the Fae champion with her off-hand.

  Quinn needed to figure out a way to get some healing or speed up her body’s natural properties. Naomi had tried to get her to meditate a few times. She figured it was worth attempting it now. It wasn’t like she had anything else to do.

  She sat on the floor and crossed her legs. Closing her eyes, Quinn tried to clear her mind the way her mother had shown her. It wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Anger and second-guessing the previous night’s events took up her mind. Every time she came close to pushing them away, another thought drifted in, and she’d have to start all over again.

  She had no idea how long she sat there working at it. A click of the lock snapped her back to awareness. Quinn opened her eyes, surprised that it looked like dusk outside her window. She’d been sitting there for hours.

  Quinn stood, expecting to be stiff from being in that position for so long. Instead, she stood and stretched her arms wide, refreshed and energized. The ache in her arm barely twinged when she stretched. When she clenched her left hand, her grip was strong.

  The door swung open.

  Four Fae guards in black pants and sports coats stood outside. The three men waited out in the hall, one of them holding iron shackles, while the lone woman in the group entered. She met Quinn’s defiant glare with a dispassionate glance.

  “It is time for you to go to the trial. We noticed you meditating earlier, so we didn’t interrupt you until now.”

  “Do I scare you so much you have to restrain me?”

  The woman nodded to the doorway. “Come with us without resistance, and you will not be shackled.”

  Quinn stepped forward. She had no desire to try to escape. The only way out of this was through the Fae court’s trial. Once that was done, she’d either be dead or vindicated.

  Over the past few days, her friends had tried to hide their concern over the court’s outcome from her. Quinn didn’t share their fears. She had yet to meet the supernatural adversary she couldn’t defeat in a fight. This time would be no different.

  Quinn glared at the woman. “I won’t resist. Let’s get this over with. I have things to do later tonight.”

  One of the male guards snapped, “I wouldn’t be so flippant when you get to the court. The magistrates will not be lenient on you.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks for the tip. Maybe I won’t kill you when the time comes.”

  The guard’s lip curled. He started to say something, but the female guard cut him off.

  “Don’t let the human bait you. Her insolence was what got her into this position to begin with. Bring her along.”

  The woman left the cell, followed by Quinn. The other three formed up to surround her. They marched her down the hall to the door through which they’d entered the warehouse the night before. When Quinn got outside, she climbed into the rear seat of a black SUV. Two of the Fae men jumped in to sit on either side of her, sandwiching her in the middle.

  Quinn sat ramrod straight in the seat after buckling her seatbelt. The SUV pulled away and started toward the center of town, and Quinn followed their progress. She knew where they were headed. The court was to be held in the Crystal Well, which meant she was being taken to Federal Hill, to the home where she’d first met Filippa. She wasn’t sure of the reason for the choice of that particular location. It was likely some way for Filippa to gloat about having the upper hand after Quinn had defeated Gemma there weeks before.

  The SUV soon parked in back of the home, and the guards led Quinn into the basement and along the tunnel connected to the old silica mines in this part of the city. The old passages were deserted, to Quinn’s surprise. She and Clark had left them in the care of the local werebadger clan. None of the small shifters were present, or maybe they were just staying out of sight. Quinn didn’t expect them to rescue her, but it might have been nice to see someone she recognized. She looked forward to seeing Taylor and the others there, at least. The location and time had been on the writ the Fae had served.

  They reached the chamber that housed the Crystal Well a few minutes later. The werebadgers had done an excellent job of clearing the cave-in that had partially blocked the entrance. It was open now, and the stone floor was pristine. Quinn stared at the domed ceiling as she entered. The newly installed electric lamps wired around the circular room reflected in the cut-glass lining the chamber’s roof. The crystal sparkled and sent tiny rainbows back and forth above her.

  Five tall-backed wooden chairs stood in a row at the far end of the room, opposite the entrance. The carefully laid stones of the chamber floor had been swept and either mopped or polished, so they shone nearly as brightly as the glittering ceiling. On another occasion, she might have admired the restored beauty of the place. Not now, though.

  There were several other Fae in clusters of two and three around the room. They all stopped talking and stared at Quinn when the guards escorted her in. She didn’t see either of the princesses.

  “Where are Filippa and Aurora? I thought they would want to be here for this.”

  “Their royal highnesses will be here soon,” the female guard said. “They’ll enter with the magistrates once all who wish to attend are present.”

  “What about my friends?”

  “After their participation in your defiance of the sanctuary granted you, it was decided they couldn’t be trusted to be here and abide by the court’s decision. They’ve been detained until the matter is settled. Don’t worry. They will be freed unharmed, whatever the outcome.”

  Quinn kept her facial muscles rigid, fearing she’d display her disappointment at not having any friendly faces in the assembled witnesses. Quinn shook off the momentary feeling of despair. She was alone, just like always—just like when she was a kid. Her guess was the Fae expected it to sap her will to live. They didn’t understand how Quinn’s early years had refined her streak of bold individualism. She was used to relying solely on her wits and abilities.

  A gong was struck behind her, and a small formal procession entered the chamber. A quartet of guards dressed in black like her guards led the way. The two princesses came in next. Aurora wore Fae robes of nearly transparent flowing silk. Filippa was dressed in a very modern business suit, complete with pants and a tie. A single Fae tracker carried the dragon egg, still shimmering. Quinn was glad they hadn’t had time to recast their spell.

  A few paces behind them walked five elderly Fae in red robes trimmed with gold at the cuffs and collars. They were the first Fae she’d ever seen who looked older than thirty by human standards. She assumed it was how they’d gotten the job as magistrates over a race as long-lived as these.

  The five judges took their places in the chairs. There were three women and two men, and one of the women took the taller center seat. Aurora gestured to the man carrying the egg. He walked over and placed it on the floor in front of the woman in the taller chair. He returned to his place on the wall with the others.

  Once the princesses and the guards reached their final positions around the room, the chief judge raised her hand. Everyone turned toward her.

  “This hearing of the Fae High Court is in session. Who brings the charges today?”

  Filippa walked to stand in the center near Quinn, facing the judges. “I do, honored magistrates. A human woman has been found to be dealing with wild magic. She is a danger to herself, the city of humans in which she lives, and
the balance of natural magic in the world.”

  “That’s a bit pretentious, Filippa. Why don’t you tell them the truth?” Quinn growled.

  The chief judge said, “That is enough, girl. This court will ask you to speak if it desires your opinion.”

  “I have a right to defend myself,” Quinn said, taking a step in the judge’s direction.

  A kick at the back of her knees sent her to the floor. The four guards were on her in an instant, pulling her hands behind her back and placing the shackles on them.

  “Gag her so she doesn’t interrupt the proceedings again,” the chief judge said.

  A hand yanked her ponytail as she lay prone on the floor, pulling her head back at an extreme angle. When a hand came into view with a wad of cloth, Quinn snapped at it with her teeth. She grinned when she managed to bite into the guard’s fingers. She didn’t draw any blood, but the gasp from the guard told her it had hurt.

  Someone kicked the back of her head, driving her forehead into the stone floor hard enough she saw stars. Quinn wasn’t sure she hadn’t blacked out for a few seconds. By the time she finally gathered her wits, her mouth was filled with a wadded cloth. Another strip had been tied around her head to secure it in place.

  Hands hauled her back to her feet. She was unable to shake off the grogginess from the blow to her head. Her eyes had trouble focusing, and the electric lights had taken on a prismatic effect. A multi-colored halo surrounded the bulbs.

  Quinn tilted her head back and stared at the ceiling. Everything around her grew hazy, and the glow of the reflected lights in the crystals intensified. Before she knew it, Quinn felt like gravity reversed and she fell up into the pool of light above her. She squeezed her eyes shut at the glare and awaited the pain from impact as she crashed into the intricate glass lining the ceiling.

  The murmur of the Fae voices came to an abrupt stop, and everything around her grew quiet. All sound was muffled. Quinn opened her eyes, curious about what had happened.