by Patti Larsen
I was going to hell and never, ever getting out.
Yes, it sucked lying to Gram's friend, lying to Gram, too, for that matter. But I had to protect them both if I could and there was no way she'd let me just mosey on out of the Enforcer plane with Witches Most Wanted in my company.
I used to suck at lying. Probably should have bothered me I was clearly getting better at it.
Worries for another time.
Varity's power felt different from Gram's, though it had the same Enforcer weight. I followed her as I had my grandmother, Charlotte again taking up the last position, my head down and tension mounting. This time I wasn't just going for information. Part of me couldn't believe I was actually here, in the stronghold, on my way to betray witches everywhere. The Council. My mother.
My principles.
What good was any of that, if the world ended because I didn't act?
Way to excuse questionable behavior, Hayle. Just keep telling yourself you don't have a choice.
Sigh.
The climb up the tower stairs burned as much this time as it did the last, though my steady workouts with Sage added to my endurance so I wasn't a total loss by the time Varity paused outside the door. I waited for her to lead the way and entered the circular hallway, reaching the same stretch of corridor we had last time. She thralled the watching Enforcers without a moment's hesitation and I wondered if she and Gram had done something like this before.
Wouldn't surprise me at all.
“I'll be right back.” I paused and hugged her quickly, my heart pounding for what I was about to do.
More accurately, for what Charlotte was about to do. As I pulled away, my wereguard lashed out with one fist, taking the old Enforcer in the temple. I almost cried out, not expecting the blow, watching as Varity's eyes rolled up in her head and she tumbled to the ground without a sound. I spun, staring at the Enforcer guards she'd thralled, terrified they'd wake and see us only to catch their slow-motion collapse. Varity's power must have taken them out when she was knocked unconscious.
Lucky. Damned freaking lucky. I turned to snarl at Charlotte who stared grimly back.
“We don't have time,” she said. “Get her and let's go.”
Damn it. How were we going to escape without Varity?
I turned, a long and furious lecture for Charlotte in the works while I stomped to the door, only to have my vampire whisper as I reached for the handle of the cell entry.
You can open the way, she sent. You are maji.
Um. Oh. Yeah.
Duh, Syd.
I jerked the door wide to find Ameline standing, hands folded before her. Smiling. Waiting for me.
“Finally,” she said, striding forward, brushing past me, going right to Varity. “I thought you'd never get here.” I stared at her, body shaking with anxiety as she rudely stripped the old Enforcer of her robe and donned it over her thin, white robe, dark hair swept under the black hood. Ice blue eyes met mine, bow mouth forming a little smile.
So. Much. Hate. I wanted to kill Ameline myself, tear her apart with my bare hands. Not follow her as she turned and strode off, Charlotte growling under her breath. What the hell was I thinking? I should be pinning her ass to the ground and cutting off her power, not trailing after her down the circle of stairs to ground level, staring at the floor as we hurried back the way we came. How Ameline knew where to go I had no idea, but she led and I followed, my chest knocking heavily with the pounding of my heart and breath catching in little hitching gasps as I fought the urge to throttle her.
We made it to the exit passage without incident, Ameline tossing back her hood as she turned to me and gestured at the stone wall.
“If you would.” Like I was her servant. I pushed past her, harsher than necessary, reaching for the veil between the Enforcer plane and mine.
For a moment, I couldn't find it and I actually felt better. Okay then, this wasn't going to work. Back to Ameline's cell it was and I'd somehow explain things to Varity. But just as I was about to quit, happily, relieved even, I felt the connection to home wake and the veil opened before me.
Ameline tried to march past me, but I held her back with one hand. One shaking hand. “If you screw with me, I will kill you.”
She still had that damned smile on her face. “We have a common goal,” she said, the “for now” unspoken, hanging between us. “And we both have a job to do. If you want the Sidhe to survive, I suggest we get to it.”
How the bloody hell did she know about the Sidhe? Didn't matter now. Not while we stepped over the line, into my plane, onto the grass outside the chapel in Harvard Yard.
Up until this point, I'd broken laws, yes. But this, passing into my world with Ameline beside me, this was so real I almost choked on it.
A firm grip on her arm stopped her before she made it very far.
“We have our orders,” I snarled. “And I'm following them to the letter.”
She jerked herself free, lips curling before she shrugged. “I'm eager to see this maji chamber of yours,” she said with a satisfied smirk. Like she knew I was in the dark, had no idea where her information came from.
Hated her even more for it.
The veil protested her presence, Ahbi's spirit fighting me as I tried to ride to the vampire mansion. Not like I blamed her. Ameline murdered her, left her bleeding on the floor for me to find, tricked my grandmother into thinking she was me. But I'd done what I'd done and I couldn't let her stop me out of some sense of vengeance she ultimately couldn't do anything about.
I finally had to cut my grandmother off, separating my demon from Ahbi's spirit touch before she sulkily gave in and let us go.
Ameline stepped out of the veil like Ahbi hadn't almost eaten her whole and never released her again, icy gaze locked on the mansion. At least it was daylight still. I wouldn't have Celeste to worry about. But if Stewart gave me a hard time, I didn't think I had it in me to hurt him.
One glance at Charlotte told me I wouldn't have to. She'd do my dirty work for me as often as she could. And while I hated the thought of her being a bully, she did come in rather handy, at that.
“Why did you drop us here?” Ameline's condescension was going to grow very old, very fast.
“Because,” I said through clenched teeth as I stormed past her, “this is as far as we can go on the veil. What's the matter, Ameline? Forgot how to walk?”
I didn't bother to turn around and see if she frowned in reply, leaving it up to Charlotte to herd the other witch toward the mansion. My power kept a careful watch on her, though. No way was I letting her dodge off when I really did need her.
Damn it.
And no way was I telling her I tried to take us directly below. Or that despite my vampire's presence, the blood clan's wards rejected me. That her presence upset my demon grandmother's spirit so much I couldn't focus my maji power. Because if I did, I probably would have ended up screaming at her for about an hour and we were running low on time. And daylight.
I didn't bother to knock. Stewart or no Stewart, I had to reach the chamber and being all nice about things when nice had gone out the window wasn't going to cut it. He emerged from a side door at a run while the echoing boom of the door crashing open still reverberated through the giant foyer, skidding to a halt on the polished stone floor as I stomped my way past him. Stewart's face flickered between relief and fear as he followed me, keeping pace.
“You have an hour at the best,” he said in a low voice, as though the vampires could hear him. “When she rises, I'll have no choice.”
“Did she order you to keep me out?” I spun toward the door at the end of the hall, slammed it open on my way to the secret passage below.
“She did,” he said, jaw clenched and face flushed. “But you are always welcome here.”
I turned to Stewart, felt his pain. Not as powerful as the agony I experienced, but pretty weighty for a normal. “I'm sorry,” I said, really meaning it. “I didn't want you to be hurt.”
“
My true master lies locked in his coffin,” he said, voice gruff. “The very least I can endure is a little pain if it means his freedom.” Hope crossed his face. “Please, tell me you will free my lord?”
I so did not have time for this. “I promise,” I said, as Charlotte tapped the stones on the wall, Ameline watching with her judging blue eyes, “when this mess is handled, I'll come for Sebastian.”
Stewart's grimace held thanks. “I knew you would,” he said. “Now hurry and do what you must.”
I left him there, an old worry now fresh on my mind, as stone ground together. One hand firmly gripping Ameline's Enforcer robe, I descended the stairs appearing beneath me, dragging Ameline behind me.
***
Chapter Twenty Seven
The moment we reached the bottom, I propelled Ameline ahead of me. She stumbled, spun to snarl, only to find Charlotte in her face, her wolf emerging just enough her snout pressed a wet mark into Ameline's cheek.
I grinned, all anger, no humor. “Try it,” I said. “I'd love to see what a mess Charlotte's teeth will make of your throat.”
Ameline shoved my bodywere aside. “You need me.” She pointed one long, slender finger at me. “Don't forget it.” Spun and marched off, the queen of absolutely nothing.
I squeezed Charlotte's shoulder as we went after her. “Nice,” I said. “But I really do, I guess.”
Charlotte bared her teeth at me, her wolf in her eyes. “I can hurt her so much she'll never recover and still leave her breathing.”
Good to know.
Ameline entered the second chamber, going right to the staircase. I'd never figured out how to close it and so it remained, waiting for us. Rough stone carved with names and history passed under my fingertips as we descended, the past meeting the present as we finally reached the bottom and passed over the threshold into the main chamber.
Ameline went immediately to the stone platform in the center of the room and hopped up on it, crossing her legs and her arms over her chest, looking down on me from her self-made throne. She really was full of herself.
This had to be over, now. I slapped one hand down on the stone and reached for Iepa.
Felt her answer immediately.
Knew just as quickly she wasn't alone.
I hated how I gaped for a second as Iepa appeared, a handsome man standing next to her. Where my maji guide was dressed in a white robe, golden hair worn over her shoulders like a cloak, his skin was dark, the color of burned toast, eyes a pale amber two shades lighter than my demon's. He smiled at me before turning to Ameline, deep crimson robe almost black as it swung with his movement.
“At last,” he said.
Ameline stayed where she was, meeting his eyes like an equal.
“Your information was most helpful,” she said in her clear, emotionless voice.
The source of her intel.
Her own maji guide.
Iepa met my gaze, shook her head a little, her power touching mine as my temper rose and crested, at the breaking point. Would have been nice to know we both had guides.
Sydlynn, my vampire sent. You honestly didn't think of it?
Grumble, mumble.
“The time is nigh.” The dark maji turned to Iepa.
“We have fulfilled the conditions of the prophecy.” She held out her hand to him and he took it, magic passing between them. I expected his to be black or blood red, but it was the same shining iridescence I'd come to expect from Iepa. No fair the bad guys got to have our sparkly power.
No fair.
“How nice,” I said, words edged and furious. “So happy to be of service. But the Sidhe are in a bit of trouble, in case you two weren't aware, and we are almost out of time.”
“Agreed.” The dark maji bowed his head to me. “I am Trinol, Sydlynn.”
Whatever.
“Good for you,” I said. Focused on Iepa who sighed at me. “Well? I broke her ass out of prison because everyone's been telling me we need balance or some other such magic mumbo jumbo. I've put my whole family in danger and my own neck on the chopping block. Can we please actually do some freaking good already?”
“How delightful.” Trinol's lips twitched before he bowed his head to me again. “Perhaps I've been assigned to the wrong maji.”
Ameline's eyes tightened as she tapped one foot on the floor, bare toes pattering against the stone. “How do we save the Sidhe?”
“You must work in tandem,” Iepa said. “Go to the Sidhe realm and use your bonded magic to sever the control the Brotherhood has over their kingdoms, releasing the combined Fey magic from its prison.”
She said what?
Even Ameline looked a little ill. “Bonded?”
“That is why it was necessary to bring you here.” Iepa crossed to one of the sections on the wall. There I saw names I knew, from my ancestor Auburdeen, through her children, grandchildren and finally to Gram, Mom, Uncle Frank, Meira and me. Iepa pointed to us before Trinol turned and crossed to the other side of the room. Both Ameline and I spun together to watch him, me with a terrible knot of worry in my chest, Ameline with pursed lips.
When he pointed out her name, a list of others behind her, Ameline hissed before spinning on me.
“Well now, cousin dear,” she said. “It would appear Grandfather Ivan gave you more than Dumont good looks.”
My cousin?
If I could have bathed my brain in acid to erase what I'd just learned, I would have happily done so. Couldn't. Was forced to stand there and absorb the truth.
We were related.
“Far more closely related than even Ameline knew,” Iepa whispered in my ear. I shivered, hadn't noticed she crossed to my side as Trinol watched me with his pale yellow eyes. “Your grandfather and Odette Dumont had a child. One Ivan forced her to give up for fear Ethpeal would discover his betrayal. And because such a child would be forbidden.”
Gram. What would knowing Ivan betrayed her do to Gram?
“My mother.” Ameline's shoulders twitched. “Heir to the Dumont family by blood, not just by training.”
The satisfaction in her voice made me want to slap her. But so many things slid into place at that point. How Odette nurtured and protected Ameline, grooming her to take over the family coven despite the fact she wasn't a Dumont. Because she knew all along she'd be handing over power to her own granddaughter.
“How screwed up is that?” I turned to Ameline, smiled sweetly even as my heart crumbled for Gram who had already lost so much. “Your dear, darling grandmother tossed you over for your weak cousin Mia so she wouldn't have to give up the secret of your birth.”
There had been a handful of times Ameline really showed emotion. But this was the first instance I saw her stripped to her core, pure hate and rage burning deep inside her, devouring her soul even as she slammed up her defenses again and spun away from me.
Oh snap.
My vampire stirred, perking up. Darkness comes, she sent.
“We're out of time.” I shuddered as I turned to Iepa. “What do we have to do?”
It was Trinol who came to me, to Ameline, and took our hands in his. Forced us to touch. “The Dark and the Light must come together as one,” he said, voice droning as though repeating something he'd memorized. “One spirit, one power, two minds, two bodies. And when the empty ones rise, only the bonded will have the unity to create what is being destroyed.”
Yada yada, dude. “Just hurry up,” I snarled. “The sun's coming up.”
Anger glinted in his gaze, dark face tightening. “The task is yours,” he said. “We have only brought you together.”
That was so freaking not helpful I wanted to scream.
I turned to Ameline, felt her resisting even as I did. My free hand slid into my pocket, brushing over the tainted gem before locking around my crystal, the touch of it waking the dark flower beneath me. My maji energy came forward easily, the power of the cavern making it simple to call. But even it rejected her, a thin, angry line of sizzling sparks forming betw
een our palms, cascading to the floor and making me hiss from the heat.
“Together,” Iepa said, leaning over my shoulder. “As one.”
“Unless you're going to actually show me what that looks like,” I said between clenched teeth as blisters burst open on my palm, still pressed firmly to Ameline's, “shut up.”
I could hear Charlotte chuffing, turned to snarling, then a deep, warning growl, but didn't have the focus to pay attention to her. Not while Ameline's pale blue eyes burned through me, her own magic fighting as much as mine did.
Sydlynn, my vampire sent, they know we're here.
Out of time.
Teeth gritted, soul begging me to stop, I did the right thing, acted when she would not and opened my power to Ameline.
Let her in.
***
Chapter Twenty Eight
Had anything ever felt so wrong and yet as though it was meant to be? My entire body burned with the joining of my power to Ameline's as her darkness raced around my edges, my light setting her on fire.
I felt the vampires appear, but only peripherally. Knew Iepa and Trinol had gone. Didn't matter we were alone because we weren't alone, Ameline and I.
We had each other and the multiple souls we carried. My vampire hissed at her budding undead spirit, my demon snarling at her young fire. Even Shaylee hummed unhappily at the small child who was the Sidhe within my nemesis. But our reactions to each other didn't matter. Not while the maji power, dark and light, combined and bonded us together.
It wasn't until I felt Charlotte's distress I pulled free of my hold on Ameline and turned to find Celeste and her vampires had us cornered. Thought they did, at least. And Charlotte stood with her back to me, bent in half, her wolf emerging, clothing torn in places from her shift as she snapped and swiped at the wary vampires.
I met Celeste's eyes, felt her fury turn to fear, set my hand on Charlotte's shoulder. “I'll be back for Sebastian,” I said before tearing open the veil and pulling my bodywere after me.
