“If that’s what you want.” Gessilyn went over to my wife, placed her fingertips on the top of Victoria’s head, and closed her eyes. She whispered and threw her head back before raising her voice. After a minute, she pulled back her hands and turned to me. “There’s a block. I can’t get around it.”
“What kind of a block?”
Gessilyn shrugged. “It’s not something I’m familiar with. Maybe we should focus on the stone. I learned something while I was waiting for Killian back in Iceland.”
My heart skipped a beat. “What?”
Victoria jumped up. “Why didn’t you say something sooner?”
Gessilyn flicked a glance at me. “Because your husband was worried you were dead.”
Victoria’s mouth gaped. “Why?”
“I couldn’t find a pulse or feel your breathing.”
She wrapped her arms around me.
I kissed her cheek. “You’re fine now. Let’s not worry about it.”
“Sounds good to me.”
I caressed her cheek. “What broke your heart?”
Victoria’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”
“Gessilyn said the reason you passed out was because of a broken heart.”
She stared at me blankly. “I don’t remember.”
“At all?”
“No. Maybe I thought something happened to you?”
“Why would you think that?”
“The werewolves who followed me into the woods may have said something to me.”
“But you don’t recall anything?”
She shook her head. “Maybe I’ll remember later.” She turned to Gessilyn. “I want to know about the stone.”
“It turns out that breaking the moon’s curse isn’t all that complicated—”
“Thank God.” I breathed a sigh of relief.
“But I need Azure’s blood.”
I swore. “I thought you said it wasn’t complicated! Do you know what she put us through already?”
“I didn’t say getting her blood would be easy. But once we have it, removing the curse will be so simple, a baby witch could cast the spell.”
“How are we supposed to get Azure’s blood?” I demanded. “And how much do we need? All of it? Just a drop?”
“At least a vial. I’d say two to be safe.”
“You’re going to help us, right?”
“Of course. I can even call home and see who can help. Combining our power will give us a greater edge.”
“Will you run a locator spell?” Victoria asked. “We have no idea where she is. After our last run-in with her…” She shuddered.
“I’m going to have to. Why don’t you two fill in the pack while I give my parents a call?”
“Sounds good.” I took Victoria’s hand in mine and gave Gessilyn an appreciative expression. “I hope this is the last time we have to bother you.”
“Better be,” she teased. “After this, I don’t want to hear from you unless you’re inviting us over for dinner.”
I smiled. “You and me both.”
She pulled out her phone. Victoria and I headed into the kitchen. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until the aromas of roast beef and chicken pot pie made my mouth water.
Laura came over and wrapped Victoria and me into a tight hug. “You kids had me worried.”
“You should know better than to worry about us.” Though I teased, my heart rate still hadn’t returned to normal.
“Can’t help it. You two are my kids. Fill your plates and eat.”
“I have some news. We should call in the others.”
“I’ll get them.” Elsie jumped up from the table and ran out of the room.
Victoria and I sat. I dished up and scarfed down my food before needing to explain everything to the pack.
Chapter 28
Victoria
I squeezed Toby’s hand. An ache ran through my body, but I kept my eyes closed. Gessilyn had warned us this locator spell might require her to pull from our energy. The entire pack stood outside hand-in-hand under the moon as Gessilyn cried out in a foreign language. All of my bones twinged as though a shift was impending, but it couldn’t be. Given the phase of the moon, we had a few more days at least.
A wind whipped around us, nearly making me lose my footing. I pressed the soles of my feet firmly against the ground and clung to the two hands in my grasp. Gessilyn’s yelling grew even louder. The pain in my arms and legs intensified as she drew more of my energy. If this kept up much longer, I wasn’t sure how long I’d be able to remain standing.
At long last, Gessilyn went quiet. The wind disappeared. My ribs and neck grew as weak as the rest of my body and I started to collapse. Toby and Elsie both wrapped their arms around me, stopping me from crashing to the ground.
“Are you okay?” Toby asked.
“What happened?” Elsie exclaimed.
I steadied myself against them. “I’m weak from Gess using my energy for the spell. Aren’t you guys?”
They both shook their heads. Elsie squeezed my arm. “I didn’t feel a thing.”
“Me, neither.” Toby turned to Gessilyn. “Are you…?”
I glanced at her to see what made Toby stop mid-sentence. Gessilyn’s skin had paled, and blood ran from her nose.
“Gess!” I tried to run to her, but my legs wobbled.
She wiped her face with the back of her hand and glanced at the smeared blood. “I… found… her… location.”
“At what price?” Toby pulled me against him.
Gessilyn wiped more blood from her face. “Hopefully this will get all your enemies off your backs.” She drew in a deep breath. “We’re going to need my family to beat Azure. I won’t be strong enough on my own. Just locating her nearly wiped me out. I almost couldn’t do it.”
“Good thing you had Victoria. Is she going to be okay?”
She looked at me. Her eyes widened and she glanced around at the others. “Are you the only one I drew power from?”
“You used my strength, too.” Soleil strode over. “But clearly not as much as from her.”
“Why Victoria?” Toby exclaimed.
“Maybe it has something to do with the fact that she could shift earlier?”
My hand rubbed the spot where I was sure part of the stone had embedded itself into me. “Because I’m carrying part of the stone.”
Gessilyn held up the stone and studied it in the moonlight. “It must’ve come from this dent.” She pointed to a tiny, almost unnoticeable, divot on the underside of the stone.
“Where’s the witch?” Soleil asked. “Let’s get this taken care of now.”
“She’s hiding out in the vampire’s enchanted woods.”
I turned to Toby. “They’re harboring our enemy?”
His expression tightened. “I doubt the king and queen realize she’s even there.”
Gessilyn nodded in agreement. “Azure’s using a strong cloaking spell. That’s why it was so hard to find her. I very nearly didn’t.”
Toby tightened his grip around me. “Let’s get inside and replenish your strength, both of you. Will food be enough? Or do we need more magic?”
Gessilyn wiped at her nose again. “A blessing ought to do the job. I’ll call my parents.”
“No.” Toby shook his head. “I’ll call them. You two need to rest.”
We all made our way inside. My mom ushered Gessilyn, Soleil, and me into the kitchen and gave us each plates piled high with food. “There isn’t anything like a nutritious meal to restore your energy. Eat up.”
Soleil picked up her fork. “Can’t argue with that logic.”
We ate the food in silence as Toby stood by the window, speaking with Johan on the phone. After the call ended, he came over and sat at his usual spot. “Johan, Nora, Frida, and Roska are gathering some things. They say they won’t be long.”
“Did you tell them we need a strength blessing?” Gessilyn asked.
Toby poured himself some milk and nodded. “I tol
d them exactly what happened and everything you said. Your father said he knew precisely what was needed.”
“Thanks, Toby.” Gessilyn turned back to her food.
“Are you all right?” I asked.
“Just wiped out.” She rubbed the dried blood on her face, appearing lost in thought. “I haven’t come up against a spell like that in a long time—if ever. Azure is the oldest witch I’ve encountered, and she clearly knows what she’s doing.”
My stomach tightened. “Should we stand against her, if that’s the case?”
Gessilyn nodded. “Between me, my parents, my sisters, and Soleil, she won’t stand a chance.”
Soleil choked and then recovered. “You’re relying on me? I’m no witch.”
“But you’re powerful in ways we aren’t. An angel of death could be just the backup we need.”
“Just how much are you going to be leaning on me?” Soleil rested her elbows on the table and stared at Gessilyn with an intensity I hadn’t seen outside of her using her valkyrie strength.
“It depends on what Azure uses and if she has any other witches helping her. If so, I can only imagine what we’re up against. I hate to call Killian away from his family, but it might come down to that.” Gessilyn frowned. “I might need to pull my brothers away from whatever they’re busy doing.”
“Don’t pull Killian away from his dying father.” Soleil’s eyes ran through several color changes. “I have a weapon I can use if I need to. It’ll work against any magic.”
My mouth dropped open. “What is it? Why haven’t you ever mentioned it before?”
Soleil took a deep breath. “It’s my sword. I keep it hidden away because if I use it, my superiors will know exactly where I’m located. They’ll find me and demand a report of how my mission is going—the one I’ve been ignoring.”
“You can’t use your sword.” Toby folded his arms. “I won’t let you put yourself on the line like that.”
“If it’s the only thing that’ll defeat Azure, then I’ll use it. You guys have suffered enough.”
My heart raced. “But what will you tell your superiors?”
She shrugged. “I’ll tell them I’m tracking, but haven’t found the dictator I’m in search of. If I have to bend some truths, I will.”
“But can’t they kill you for getting off course?” I stared at her. Fear tore through me. I couldn’t let Soleil put her life in danger for us.
“They’ve killed valkyries for far less.”
“Don’t do it,” I begged. “It’s not worth it.”
Soleil stared into my eyes. “You guys are my only family. It’s worth it.”
Gessilyn turned to Soleil. “Would you reunite with Brick if you died? Is that why you’re willing to bring this up?”
“No. Your afterlife is worlds away from Valhalla’s.”
“So you won’t do it?” I pleaded.
Soleil stood taller. “I will to protect you guys.”
I turned to Toby. “Don’t let her.”
“Not a chance.” He turned to her. “Draw upon any other resources you have. Leave your sword hidden wherever it is.”
“I’ll save it as a last resort.”
Toby shook his head. “Don’t. I’ll call upon the vampires and let them know what’s going on. They have their own brand of magic, and they can reach the dragons, who also use an entirely different system of magic. If we band together with them, we won’t need your sword.”
“But I’ll retrieve it if any of you are in danger.”
“I won’t allow it.”
“And I won’t stand for any of you dying when I can prevent it.”
They stared each other down.
I put my hand on top of Soleil’s. “Please, don’t. The vampire royalty are all ancient and strong. And the dragons are probably older still.”
“But I have magic that’s not available from this world.”
“Technically, so do the dragons. Their massive cities are under our world—all throughout the earth.”
She tapped her fingers on the table. “Okay, how about this? We see what the witches, vampires, and dragons can do. If it’s not enough, I go for my sword. Deal?”
“What about your superiors?”
“I’ve been avoiding missions since before Egypt had pharaohs. I remember the days when the dragon shifters roamed the earth freely. This won’t be the first time I have to stretch the truth.”
I squeezed her hand. “I still don’t like it.”
“And I don’t like the fact that every time my pack defeats an enemy, a new one pops up. You guys are my family. Do you know what that means to a lone valkyrie?”
I ignored the question. “I just don’t want to see you—or anyone I care about—lose their lives over this.”
“Then let’s kill this witch. Gessilyn will gather her blood and break the curse of the moon. Werewolves will leave you alone. You’ll be better able to defend yourselves against other opponents if you can shift at will. I’ll do everything I can without my sword.”
“Deal.” Toby held out his hand. He and Soleil shook on it. Then he pulled out his phone. “Time for me to give the queen a call. Hopefully, they aren’t in the middle of one of their own battles and can help us.”
After he left the room, I turned to Soleil. “Promise me you won’t use your sword. I could never live with myself if something happened to you because of us.”
“Then let’s hope that between the witches, vampires, and dragons, we can get what we need from Azure.”
I turned to Gessilyn. “Do you think that’ll be enough?”
“Let’s hope. I may be the high witch, but Azure has many more centuries of experience than I do. In fact, she’s the oldest witch I’ve come across. I’d heard rumors about her but, like so many others, I assumed them to be just myths.”
We all ate in silence. My appetite was gone, but the food restored my energy so I forced myself.
Toby came back into the room. “The vampires are furious that Azure is hiding in their forest—they’re preparing to attack as we speak.”
“What about the dragons?” I asked.
“They’ve notified their son-in-law, who is a dragon prince with connections to the nearest dragon city.”
My heart raced. “This is turning into an all-out war.”
Toby nodded. “Azure doesn’t stand a chance.”
“Unless she’s gathering other witches,” Gessilyn pointed out. “Plus, she’s drawing power from the enchanted woods, so she’ll be even stronger than before.”
Johan entered the kitchen. “Are we ready?”
Gessilyn craned her neck to look around him. “Where’s Mother? And the others?”
“Almost here. They’re just behind me.”
Toby rose. “We’d better get the vehicles ready.”
Johan arched a brow. “That’s going to take forever.”
“You have any better ideas?”
“Runes,” Gessilyn said. “I have at least a dozen placed in various mirrors around the Fyrsturae castle.”
Toby glanced around the room. “You think all of us can travel through the runes?”
“It won’t drain us like teleporting does for Soleil.”
Johan nodded. “But I would suggest we take a few different portals with this many people. How many runes are here?”
“Three,” Gessilyn said. “The main one in the living room, the one in the bathroom we don’t use anymore, and one in the entryway.”
“The entry?” Toby exclaimed. “I didn’t know about that one.”
“I placed it there in case anything happened with the other two.”
Johan counted everyone in the kitchen. “Is this everyone? Other than those in the living room?”
“Should be.”
“Good.” Johan turned to Gessilyn. “You’ll have to tell us where you planted the runes in the castle.”
“As soon as the others arrive. I hope everyone’s ready.”
My heart thundered in my ch
est. I hoped so, too.
Chapter 29
Toby
I stepped through the portal from Moonhaven to the castle and stumbled out of the mirror, somehow managing to hold onto Victoria’s hand. She crashed into me and rubbed her eyes. “Where are we?”
“Looks like the queen’s old wing. We aren’t far from Alrekur’s wing—that’s where we’re supposed to meet with them.”
We ran through the long, intertwining hallways, avoiding vampires as much as possible. Luckily, their scent was strong, and we were able to turn away from them long before seeing them. It took a little longer to reach the Fyrsturae meeting room because of it, but we did make it. The room was packed full of royal vampires.
Marguerite jumped up from the table and gave Victoria and me a hug, then wrapped her arms around Gessilyn.
Alrekur rose and nodded. “Welcome. We’ve located Azure in a far corner of the forest where almost no one ever goes.”
The rest of our pack and Gessilyn’s family made their way to the room, arriving in groups of five and six.
“Do we wait for the others?” I asked, not seeing Marguerite and Alrekur’s daughter or son-in-law.
Soren, Alrekur’s brother, rose and helped his wife Svana up. “Maybe. The dragons will come from their city. Eylin and Darius should be almost there. They’re traveling through the tunnels.”
Gessilyn and I told them everything we knew about Azure, and they explained that some of the dragon witches had dealt with her in the past and were familiar with some of the tricks she liked to pull.
Alrekur raised his fist high into the air. “To the unicorns!”
“To the unicorns!” cried the other vampires.
We followed them down through corridors, twisting and turning until we reached a side door. Outside, vampire servants stood near rows and rows of unicorns. Victoria and I made our way to a couple. The servants handed us unicorn horn flakes so we could ride the beasts.
After we both swallowed the flakes, I helped Victoria onto her unicorn and then climbed onto mine. Alrekur released a war cry that echoed all around us.
Victoria gave me a worried glance. “Won’t that alert her that we’re coming?”
“Might be what he wants.”
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