Harris could hear Mud long before he reached the entrance to the parking garage, and as he rounded the corner, the little man’s face was nothing short of amazed.
And a bit disappointed too.
“H-he didn’t kill you?” the lump sputtered. “I mean… thank God! You’re alive!”
Harris ignored him. Expressionless as a wall, Brogan stood to one side of the scrawny man with a cluster of very uncomfortable-looking wizards nearby.
“What happened?” Brogan asked shortly.
Harris let the walk down the slope buy him time as he tried to sort out what to say.
He didn’t fare any better than he had the whole way back to Chaunessy.
On the one hand, Cole hadn’t said much. The boy just looked like he’d found the edge and was staring over it. Something had obviously threatened the little girl, but if it’d actually been anything to do with Ashley, or even anyone here, Cole surely would have gone to his father.
So it was something Jamison had done. Something that scared Cole enough that he’d felt the need to go after the kid the moment he’d heard it. Something that made Cole question whether his father wanted to protect the girl at all.
Harris eyed the wizards as he came closer. If anyone had reason to trust Jamison, it was his son.
There could have been a misunderstanding.
He couldn’t make himself buy that. Not with the look in the kid’s eyes.
“Detective?”
“He surprised us,” Harris answered succinctly. “Grabbed my gun and then forced me to drive a few blocks from here before taking the car himself. He didn’t say why.”
Brogan paused, and then turned to the wizards behind him. “Call Simeon.”
Harris glanced after the men as they hurried away. “He didn’t tell us where he was heading.”
The giant smiled, cold humor in his one good eye.
“We already know.”
Chapter Nine
Her hand gripping Lily’s, Ashe stepped from the portal and instantly the silence of the empty apartment in Banston was replaced by the rush of wind over the airfield. The hot afternoon sun beat down from a brilliant blue sky, glaring off the hangar at her side and glinting from planes parked by the terminal almost half a mile away. Flight crews like stick figures hurried around the planes, and the beeping noises of their vehicles carried thinly over the distance. A barbed-wire fence separated her from the service road and woods ringing the airfield, though for the moment, both the road and the stretches of tarmac were empty.
She glanced back as Elias emerged from the portal. Ignoring the vanishing gray shadows, he looked immediately to Nathaniel.
“Anything?”
She could see the large wizard’s frustration as he shook his head. Wizards they could detect. The Blood were a whole other matter entirely.
Gravel crunched behind them. Her heart hitting her throat, she spun.
Cornelius walked around the rear of the hangar, and then jerked his chin back in the direction he’d come. “This way.”
Drawing a steadying breath, she ordered herself to keep calm as she followed him. Lily didn’t need to see her panicking. The girl was scared enough as it was. And for her part, she needed to stay focused anyway. In a few minutes, when the screaming began, she’d need all the composure she could muster.
Aluminum siding stretched ahead of them, interrupted only by narrow doors and by braces where one hangar ended and the next began. She could hear muffled voices inside, though from the way Cornelius ignored the sounds, she could only assume he’d already confirmed the people weren’t a threat.
She flinched as Lily shifted her grip. She couldn’t bring herself to look at the girl, and the small reminder of Lily’s presence sent her pulse spiking again.
No matter how many times she ran the plan through her head, it never made anything better. She was going to bind her sister. The moment Lily climbed on the plane, just before she realized Ashe wasn’t coming too, she was going to steal the girl’s magic and let Cornelius take her away, hopefully before anyone could hear Lily scream.
And after that, she might never see her sister again.
She wasn’t stupid. In the hours after she’d ordered Cornelius to get Lily away from the war, she’d had to admit the truth to herself. This war could kill her. Probably would kill her, if she wanted to be morbid about it. And if that happened, Lily’s enraged, hurt and screaming face would be the last of the girl she’d ever see.
But there wasn’t any alternative.
She couldn’t keep Lily near her, not when together they made a larger target than they’d ever be separately. And she had to take the girl’s magic. Lily would be furious when she realized her sister wasn’t coming, and because of that, she might lose control. In the past few days, Ashe’d been trying to teach her how to use magic, but Lily was scary powerful and had a long way to go. She couldn’t risk the very real possibility of the girl blowing up the plane and killing herself, just because her anger momentarily overrode her control.
And it wouldn’t be forever. It probably wouldn’t even be for a day. Once the plane landed and Cornelius called to say they were safe, she’d let the girl’s power go. She wasn’t going to leave her sister defenseless. She was just trying to make sure Lily stayed alive.
The aluminum siding came to an end. Turning the corner, Cornelius dropped the magic around himself between one step and the next, bringing him instantly into human view.
Her breath caught, the small shift of energy snapping her back to the present. Regrouping swiftly, she followed suit, trying not to let on how much she wished she could hang onto even a shred of defensive magic, as Elias and Nathaniel were doing. But that wasn’t the plan. And the pilot would probably have a problem taking Cornelius and the little girl with him if he had to watch Lily scream at thin air.
Swallowing, she shoved the thoughts aside as they reached the edge of the hangar. Hesitating in the shadow of the building, Cornelius scanned the area, and then continued around the corner into the sunlight. Keeping Lily behind her, Ashe followed.
“Hey there, Mike!”
At the disembodied voice, she froze. Metal jangled on asphalt and then footsteps clunked down the ladder on the other side of the small plane in front of the hangar. Stained work pants hurried along the length of the aircraft and a moment later, a bald head popped into view.
“These them?” the man called cheerfully, a bright grin on his glistening face.
Lily ducked behind Ashe.
“Yep, these are my stepdaughters,” Cornelius replied easily, all traces of formality gone. He nodded to Ashe and then to Lily. “Sarah and Emily.”
Wiping his hands on an oil-smudged rag, the man continued around the nose of the plane. Twisting slightly, he shoved the rag into his back pocket and then extended a grimy hand to Ashe.
“Jerry,” he said, shaking her hand. Still grinning, he bent to catch Lily’s eye. “Shy, isn’t she?”
Ashe tried to give him something approximating a smile, though the expression couldn’t quite get past her discomfort at his proximity. Pulling her hand back, she fought the urge to glance over her shoulder to Elias and Nathaniel.
“So what’s the deal?” Jerry continued, turning to Cornelius. “When you called, you didn’t mention you were bringing two gir–”
“I didn’t think it’d be a problem,” Cornelius interrupted smoothly while Ashe’s heart jumped.
“It’s not. There’s just only so much fuel and if they’re both–”
“It’ll be fine.”
Jerry paused. At her back, Ashe could feel the confusion radiating off Lily.
“Okay…” the man allowed. “Then, uh, I’ve just got a couple things to finish up and we can be on our way.”
Hesitating a moment more, the man glanced between the girls and the plane as if trying to calculate how to fit them and Cornelius together, and then gave up and headed back toward the ladder.
“What’d he mean?”
Ashe
froze at the sound of Lily’s voice. Possible answers raced through her head, though from the mixture of suspicion and uncertainty in Lily’s tone, she wasn’t sure any of them would work.
“Huh?” she tried, turning back with a baffled look.
“Hey, Mike?” Jerry called, clambering back down the ladder. “I wanted to say how much I appreciated that thing you did for me in Baltimore.”
She glanced over as the man jogged around the nose of the plane.
The gun went off before she could do more than register it was there.
Cornelius stumbled back, his hands clutching at the blood soaking his trench coat.
Jerry smiled. “But they paid me a hell of a lot of money to tell them where you were.”
Magic burst from the forest on the opposite side of the field.
Striking Elias and Nathaniel, it hurled them into the hangar and tore through the plane. The metal body disintegrated as the fuel tank exploded, engulfing Jerry and hurling fire into the air. Cornelius staggered away, his magic rising, and then flaming shrapnel drove him to the asphalt, where he didn’t move again.
The blast wave punched her shields, throwing her down and sending Lily tumbling to the concrete. Without hesitation, Ashe scrambled toward her.
“Watch out!” Lily cried.
She looked from the girl to the forest, and then flattened herself to the ground. Magic streaked over her head. Beneath the protective cover of her arms, she twisted and then gasped.
Elias was rising to his feet. Energy burned the air around him as debris rained from his shoulders and Nathaniel struggled up at his side.
Magic slammed into them, hit the hangar wall, and then exploded, shredding the siding and sending the roof down on the wizards like molten tinfoil.
A choked noise escaped her, and then she was moving. Shoving off the asphalt, she sent a rapid-fire blast of magic racing toward the trees and then snagged Lily’s arm, hauling her up. Behind them, people screamed as they fled the collapsing hangars and, across the field, airport security vehicles were rushing toward the scene. Dragging Lily with her, she ignored them all as she flung more magic at the forest and ran for the terminal a million miles away.
Either side of the field erupted. Electricity and fire pounded her defenses, hammering at her till she stumbled and crashed to the ground. From every direction, wizards emerged from the forest, tearing down the fences ahead of them as they came. Fighting to reach her feet, she ripped the magic from the nearest and sent it roaring back. A dozen fell, but more were behind, and pain buckled her legs as their magic slammed into her weakened shields.
“Run!” she yelled at Lily as she stripped the magic from another wizard and then hurled it back.
Whimpering, the little girl shook her head and pulled on Ashe’s arm, her eyes on the people closing in on all sides. Blue-white light rose around Lily, tremulous and unsteady, and then it burst across the field, mowing down the wizards as it passed.
Ashe stared for a heartbeat, and then tore her gaze from the airfield. Digging her hands into the ground, she propelled herself back up, sucking air between her teeth as pain seared through her at the motion. Ignoring the blood running down her arm, she grabbed the girl’s hand and took off for the terminal again.
Lily choked. Ashe’s gaze darted over.
From the grass and tarmac, the survivors were rising.
A green sedan careened down the service road behind the wizards, a cloud of dust swirling in its wake. Swerving madly, it bounded off the path and tore over the fence, racing into the airfield.
The wizards turned. The car barreled through them.
Magic slammed into her from behind, tossing her through the air and ripping Lily from her grasp. Pain exploded through the side of her head as the asphalt met her and lights splintered her vision. Gasping, she rolled, trying to find Lily in the haze. Running toward her, the little girl shrieked and then tumbled sideways as magic roared past her to shatter the tarmac inches from where Ashe lay.
“Get up!” Lily screamed.
Dirt scattered as the sedan whipped around, screeching to a stop a few yards away.
“Lily!” Cole shouted through the open window.
With a relieved cry, Lily spun, grabbing Ashe. “Come on!”
Blood dripping down her face, Ashe struggled up from the ground. Clutching Lily, she didn’t move as her eyes met his over the little girl’s head.
Cole’s face darkened.
“Ashley, please!” Lily cried, hauling on her arm.
Lightning crackled past, frying the trees on the far side of the field. The terminal was surrounded by flashing lights and gawkers watching the hangar blaze, all of them hundreds of yards away.
Snarling a curse, she ran for the car. Lily yanked open the passenger door and tumbled inside, colliding with Cole. Ashe swung into the back seat, but he hit the gas a mere second after she made it in. Grabbing the headrest, she hung on as momentum shoved her toward the open door and then sent her crashing back in the other direction.
The door slammed closed. Wizards leapt from their path as the sedan raced for the service road.
“I knew you’d come back,” Lily told Cole. “I knew you would.”
Ashe glanced over. His lip twitched into something that might have masqueraded as a smile, and his eyes didn’t leave the airfield.
Drawing a breath, she twisted toward the rear window. The wizards were running for the security vehicles, and as she watched, magic struck the driver of the nearest pickup.
Metal screeched as the sedan tore across the fence and onto the road. Hitting the brakes, Cole hauled the wheel around, snapping the car through the tight turn.
Her gaze caught on the hangars. Flames engulfed the buildings and black smoke poured into the sky. On the ground near the wreckage, motionless bodies lay.
The air was thick and hurt to breathe. Pulling her gaze from the destruction, she stared at the seat fabric, fighting back a scream. Of its own volition, her hand reached up, gripping her wounded shoulder. The pain helped her focus and swiftly, she sent a rush of magic through the bleeding gash and up to the wound on her head, healing them as best she could.
Cole swore. Her eyes snapped back to the field.
The wizards had gained control of the security vehicles. And they were coming.
“Hang on!” he called.
With a jolt, the car flew past the broken gate of the service road and bounced onto the main airport thoroughfare. Horns blared in Doppler shift around them as the sedan darted between cars screeching to a halt and pedestrians scrambling to get out of the way.
The security vehicles skidded onto the road behind them.
“Faster!” she yelled.
“Trying!” he snapped back.
A minivan pulled from the parking garage ahead, its driver jerking to a stop in the middle of the road at the sound of all the honking. Swearing, Cole accelerated hard, jumping the sedan over the curb and onto the grassy hill by the roadside. The car tilted as it rushed up the slope, while in the lane below, the other driver never glanced their way.
She looked ahead. Over the rise, the elevated interstate arced above the airport road and, as the car surged forward, she could tell Cole had seen it too. Gripping the wheel harder, he raced the sedan down the incline and onto the street, veering around the cars paused by the exit road stoplight.
Fire erupted beyond the hill where the minivan had been.
Lily gasped. Ashe turned to see the girl clambering up on her knees to stare out the rear window.
“Get down!” she ordered.
She spun back to the road while Lily dropped low in the seat.
Half a dozen white security trucks flew out from behind the rise. The sedan took to the on-ramp, racing for the highway.
Lightning sped toward them. She gasped, her defenses rushing through the metal and the glass to surround the car.
Energy glanced from her shields and propelled the sedan sideways. Metal squealed as the rear panel slammed into a
guardrail, and then they were on the interstate, leaving shards of the taillight scattered behind them. Snarling, Cole yanked the wheel around as the car careened across three lanes of traffic and then straightened out, snapping back onto the road just shy of the metal pylons at the center of the highway.
“Was that you?” he called, swerving to avoid another car.
“Just the shield.”
Gripping the back of the seat to keep her balance, she looked over as he cursed, pain twisting his face. “Can you handle it if I attack them?” she asked.
A chuckle escaped him, the sound not remotely friendly, and she couldn’t tell if it was intended for her or them. “Just make it quick.”
She eyed him for a heartbeat and then turned to the rear window, dismissing her confusion as deeply irrelevant. Her gaze locked on the on-ramp and her fingers flexed unconsciously with the pressure of the magic beneath her skin.
Three white trucks charged up the ramp.
The rear window of the sedan exploded outward. Rushing over the distance, her magic punched past the wizard’s defenses and into the grill of the foremost truck, carrying the engine back through the cab and out the rear wall. Swerving wildly, the truck collided with the pickup behind it, sending them both through the guardrails and onto the roadway far below.
“Son of a–” Cole shouted. “What the hell was that?”
Ashe drew a breath and struck out at the third truck. The pickup veered sharply as the wizard’s shields crumpled under the blow, but a blast of magic followed the moment the driver gained control.
She ripped the energy from the air and threw it back. Rubber burst across the concrete as the truck’s tires disintegrated and the pickup fishtailed madly through the lanes.
A gasp escaped her. Frantically, she flung her magic across the distance, but it was too late. Careening out of control, the truck caught the rear of the small car in front of it, shoving the vehicle into a spin even as the pickup kicked over itself and rolled.
Her magic hit the truck, propelling it backwards while the little car smashed into the metal pylons in the center of the interstate. As the truck tumbled to a stop, Ashe stared at the car.
Merlin's Children (The Children and the Blood) Page 14
