The Wicked

by Cheyenne McCray

  Rhiannon squeezed Alyssa’s hand under the table. “It’s okay, honey. We know. You don’t have to think about it anymore.”

  Alyssa nodded, but a tear still tracked down her cheek.

  The next person to go was Hannah. The matter-of-fact, pain-in-the-ass witch had her black scrying mirror in front of her. After she used the tongs to move the fingernail to her, she took a vial of sea salt crystals and poured some onto her palm.

  Hannah held her hand high and studied the patterns of the salt crystals in the air as they trickled from her hand. When each crystal had landed on the mirror, she turned her attention to its dark surface.

  Like always, the salt scattered across the surface of the black glass, but not one grain fell off its edges—part of the magic of the mirror and Hannah’s divination talent. An ornate frame of two dragons held the mirror, each dragon biting the tail of the other so that it was a never-ending circle.

  Hannah’s single chunk of blonde hair swung forward as she studied her mirror and the salt crystals. With an annoyed expression she swept the hair behind her ear to join with the dark brown hair.

  Her talent was alomancy, the ability to analyze the grains of salt as they were tossed into the air and the patterns they made as they fell on the mirror.

  That’s Hannah. Always analyzing, Rhiannon thought.

  Hannah’s lips thinned and her brown eyes narrowed. When she raised her head, a scowl shadowed her beautiful features.

  “More Fomorii than we thought escaped Underworld before the door was shut,” she said. “Other wicked creatures I can’t define are in my mirror, too. We’re outnumbered. Way, way, way outnumbered. There aren’t enough D’Danann, PSF officers, or witches to fight them all.”

  A sick feeling weighted Rhiannon’s gut even more. “Our fight in the sewer and the one here in the common room—those battles didn’t eliminate a good portion of the demons?”

  Hannah’s expression didn’t change. “Not even close.”

  Sydney sucked in a deep, audible breath. “Okayyyy. With that happy news, are you ready to go next, Mac?”

  “Sure.” Mackenzie moved the fingernail in front of her, far enough away that she could lay her tarot cards out on the table. She used a Celtic cross spread. As she flipped cards her expression turned from confusion, to thoughtfulness, to what looked like fear.

  Mackenzie looked up at her Coven sisters as she spoke. “In a nutshell, a big storm is brewing and it doesn’t look good for us or humanity at large. The cards aren’t giving me much to go on other than a lot of doom and gloom. I can’t see the outcome—but things are about to get a lot worse.”

  “Great,” Rhiannon muttered. “Just freaking great.”

  Sydney didn’t say anything as she set the fingernail in front of her silver bowl of water. She used a match to light the fat pillar candles. “Lilac for clairvoyance,” Sydney said as she lit it before she continued on to the next. “Orange for mental energy, purple for psychic powers.”

  Without hesitation, Sydney took the lilac candle, tilted it over the bowl of consecrated water, and let the wax drip into the bowl. She repeated the process with the orange and purple candles as well, and Rhiannon caught the scents of oranges and lilacs.

  Sydney used ceromancy, the art of seeing the past, present, and future through the patterns of melted wax in water.

  When her eyes met those of the witches around her, she slowly shook her head. “The goddess is more of a danger than ever. The more souls she devours, the stronger she becomes.”

  She paused and frowned. “She loses some, maybe a great deal, of that power whenever she uses it. It took a lot out of her to help the Fomorii infiltrate our warded common room.” Sydney adjusted her elegant glasses. “She’s got something much bigger planned. I just can’t see what it is.”

  Copper sat next to Sydney. Copper’s talent was dream-visions, but she still moved the fingernail in front of her and stared at it. Her honeybee familiar, Zephyr, buzzed from where he perched on Copper’s ear.

  “My dreams have been weird.” She looked up. “I haven’t been able to get a grasp on what they mean. I see flashes of the creatures that were let out before Silver and I shut that particular door to Underworld. Lots of them. In my dreams I’ve also seen two monstrous demon-like beings. They’re hideous, but they almost seem familiar.”

  She looked apologetic. “That’s all I’ve got for now.”

  Silver grimaced as she used the tongs to move the nail in front of her pewter cauldron. She stood and leaned over to look into her cauldron, then stepped back as tendrils of fog began to rise and take shape.

  Copper’s eyes widened as the shapes became three-dimensional. “Those are the two monstrosities I was talking about,” Copper said with a catch in her voice.

  Rhiannon’s stomach fell as she saw the creatures. One was hulking and blue, the other had shaggy black hair and tanned skin. Their features were twisted, mottled, and gruesome, and they both had horns.

  Silver glanced at her blood sister and frowned when she looked back at the images above the cauldron before they faded away. Silver sat in her chair again. “What in the Underworld could they be?”

  “A new threat.” Cassia took the fingernail with the tongs and placed it about a foot from her. She tossed her rune stones onto the table and studied them.

  “Yes,” she said almost right away. “These two beings are created from magic—or will be. I can’t tell if it’s come to pass yet. They will be difficult to defeat.”

  “Great.” Rhiannon’s hand shook as she took the tongs and moved the nail until it was a few inches from her. Pain engulfed her, but she fought to keep it from showing. She had to do this.

  “Here goes.” She looked to each of her Coven sisters. “Everyone hold hands.” Rhiannon gripped Cassia’s hand on one side of her and Alyssa’s on her other.

  Galia fluttered down to sit on Cassia’s and Rhiannon’s clasped hands. The Faerie was silent and looked grim like the rest of them.

  “Close your eyes.” Rhiannon closed her own and tried to relax but the pain in her head made it nearly impossible at first.

  Spirit twined himself around her ankles. She felt her familiar’s power and the energy of all the witches around her. It sizzled through her like an electrical charge.

  For a short moment she felt exhilarated and her mind was free—sailing through San Francisco’s foggy skies and over the blue-green bay.

  She mentally came to an abrupt stop over Alcatraz.

  And then dived down.

  Fast. Faster yet.

  She almost screamed as she went through concrete, brick, and dirt.

  When she regained her mental footing, Rhiannon stood on a precipice overlooking a huge cavern. It was as if the space had been scooped out by a giant spoon—no matter that the walls were solid rock.

  A sea of demons, three-headed dogs, Basilisks, and other creatures were in the cavern.

  A sea of them.

  Rhiannon’s eyes snapped open.

  Her heart pumped in her throat.

  Pain splintered in her head.

  Everyone around her opened their eyes, too.

  Rhiannon squeezed Cassia’s and Alyssa’s hands to keep from grabbing her head in her own hands from the pain. She didn’t want anyone to know how powerfully this was affecting her.

  “Did you see?” Rhiannon asked in a trembling voice.

  Everyone nodded.

  Copper cleared her throat. “We’re in deep shit.”

  18

  In the common room, the witches discussed their divinations with the lead D’Danann warriors and PSF officers.

  Spirit sat in Rhiannon’s lap and the Faerie perched on her shoulder. Rhiannon felt a kinship with Galia after what they’d been through.

  Cassia explained about the Coven’s visions, emphasizing the sheer number of demons and other creatures they had to face.

  “There’s no way we can attack them where they’re hiding out,” Rhiannon said. “There’s too freaking man
y of them.”

  “I do not remember such a large number being freed before the door was closed,” Tiernan said with a puzzled expression, and Keir nodded his agreement.

  Copper sat with her ankle and foot cast up on a chair. “I don’t either, but it looks like more were already here than we thought or a lot more escaped than we noticed. We were a little busy trying to get that door closed.”

  “We need more help from the D’Danann.” Silver pushed her hair from her face. “We can’t do this alone.”

  “There may be others who can join in on this fight, too.” Cassia brought her hands in front of her as she looked at the warrior leaders. “But first the D’Danann.”

  Hawk folded his arms across his chest. “I will go to the Chieftains.”

  “Nay.” Keir stepped forward and glared at his half-brother before looking back to Cassia. “I must speak with them. Tiernan is in exile, Hawk still holds the Chieftains’ displeasure.”

  Hawk growled. “I can deal with them.”

  A rumble rose up in Keir’s chest. “You are incapable of seeing what is best for the whole.”

  Hawk stepped forward, fists clenched.

  Cassia moved between them. “Cease this,” she commanded, again in an authoritative voice that was so unlike her usual tone. She looked from Keir to Hawk. “Keir is meant to make this journey.”

  “The Chieftains—they have been more than conservative.” Sheridan’s pretty blue eyes were harsh as she spoke. “They have refused to involve too many of us in this war.”

  Keir pushed his hand through his hair. “I will convince them.”

  Kirra pursed her mouth into a thin line before speaking. “Perhaps you should take the witch who visioned the great number of warriors, to explain it to the council.”

  Keir and Rhiannon looked at one another.

  “Aye,” Keir said. “I will be able to keep you safe, as well.”

  “No.” With a frown, Rhiannon shook her head. “I need to be here, to fight. And I don’t need you to keep me safe. I don’t need anyone to keep me safe.”

  “Rhiannon.” Cassia moved closer and touched Rhiannon’s arm. “I think it will be in our best interest for you to go to Otherworld. We need you to help sway the Chieftains.”

  “The timing is too crucial.” Rhiannon gestured to those in the room. “Everyone here’s in danger.”

  “Excuse us.” Cassia gave a nod to the group as she turned to the hallway. Rhiannon took her cue and stood, Spirit bounding from her lap with a loud meow, then followed Cassia out into the hallway.

  When they were out of hearing distance, Cassia said, “You and Keir need to go today.”

  Rhiannon studied Cassia. She thought of the half-Elvin witch as a friend, but also someone who was still a mystery to her in a lot of ways. “What are you talking about?”

  “Not only do you need to see the Chieftains, you must go to the Great Guardian.” Cassia had a solemn look about her. “You need to seek her counsel.”

  Rhiannon blinked, overwhelmed at the mere thought. “The Great Guardian? Why me and Keir? Why not Hawk and Silver? From what I understand, Hawk has a longtime relationship with the Guardian.”

  Cassia took Rhiannon’s hands and squeezed her fingers. “Close your eyes, Rhiannon Castle.”

  Rhiannon’s eyelids shut as if pressed with gentle fingers. At once her body heated and she felt a spell wrap around her body like a protective lover’s arms. The only connection she had to reality was Cassia’s grip on her fingers.

  Rhiannon felt more than saw this vision. Colors and light swirled around her and a powerful presence touched her that must have been the Great Guardian herself. And answers.

  Somehow there were answers to questions she had buried deep inside. About her past, her present, maybe even her future. The future of all of those she cared about.

  The colors faded, her body cooled, and she no longer felt as if she was wrapped in a cocoon of protection. She raised her eyelids and looked into Cassia’s blue eyes. Eyes full of mystery and answers to questions beyond Rhiannon’s understanding.

  “Do you see now why you must go?” Cassia released Rhiannon’s fingers and she felt a sense of loss that surprised her.

  “I think so.” Rhiannon pushed her hair behind both ears at the same time, before clasping her hands in front of her. “I feel like it’s important even though I’m not sure why.” Cassia smiled. She’d always had beautiful, translucent skin, but every day she seemed to glow a little bit more, as if there was a being of light hidden inside her.

  Rhiannon shook off the thought and focused on what she and Keir needed to do. She frowned and looked at Cassia as a thought occurred to her. “Why Keir? Why does he need to come with me?”

  Cassia said, “Keir has questions that need to be answered as well.”

  “It seems everyone does.” Rhiannon moved her hand to the gold protection knot at her chest. “Lots of questions.”

  After they each had gathered together a few belongings for the trip, Rhiannon reluctantly went with Keir. He had tried to get Galia to return to Otherworld, but she’d fled and hidden where he couldn’t find her.

  Rhiannon and Keir walked with Cassia to Golden Gate Park. The park was beautiful, around a thousand acres, more than a million trees, several lakes and ponds.

  There were parts of the park that no one knew of save the witches and the Elementals. Their magic kept anyone from crossing the borders of their private realms.

  The park smelled so good. Of grass, cypress, and the wind off the Pacific Ocean.

  Cassia escorted them to a hidden bridge, a doorway to Otherworld that only beings with Elvin blood could pass through. They could also escort those who couldn’t go without assistance.

  When they reached the bridge, Cassia touched Rhiannon’s arm, “You know Elvin blood runs deep in your veins. You’ll be able to cross and take Keir with you.”

  “You’ve said that before, that I’ve got Elvin in me.” Rhiannon bit her lower lip before continuing. “But I have a hard time believing it.”

  When she looked at Keir he was frowning. “You are part Elvin?”

  “A little, I guess.” Rhiannon narrowed her gaze. “Don’t tell me you’re prejudiced, too.”

  “No.” He hitched his pack over his shoulder. “But the Chieftains are.”

  Rhiannon rolled her eyes to the treetops that waved in a soft breeze. “Well, that’s just freaking great.”

  “It’ll be fine.” Cassia’s words brought Rhiannon’s attention back to her. “Travel well.”

  “That and bring back a blessed lot of warriors,” Rhiannon muttered.

  “Take Keir’s hand and walk across.” Cassia gestured toward the bridge. “Don’t stop, just continue until you are in Otherworld.”

  Otherworld.

  To be honest, Rhiannon had been curious about it after Copper and Silver got to visit.

  Keir grabbed her hand and she shivered as tingles radiated through her. She glanced up at him and saw the possessiveness in his gaze and she wanted to draw away. He was carrying this whole thing too far. Great sex, but too high on the maintenance side.

  Rhiannon looked straight ahead as she and Keir walked onto the bridge. She’d changed and had chosen to wear blue jeans and a neon pink T-shirt, along with neon pink running shoes. Her duffle bag was the same color.

  She’d thought about wearing all black—briefly—just to blend in, but it wasn’t her style and damned if she was going to let anyone dictate what she wore.

  Keir had decked out in his leathers again. He looked so hot—in leathers or jeans, or especially nothing at all.

  The wooden bridge creaked beneath their shoes and the peeling paint was rough beneath her palm as she let it slide over the railing.

  When they reached the center of the bridge, Rhiannon felt as if she was being sucked into some kind of vortex.

  Everything went black and she stifled a gasp.

  It was like walking through cotton and it was going up her nose, in her ears, do
wn her throat.

  She couldn’t breathe.

  And then she stumbled out into grass and trees. Rhiannon sucked in a deep breath of pure, clean air. She drew her hand from Keir’s and looked behind her. The bridge was gone and all she saw was solid rock.

  Way weird.

  Then it hit her. She was free of the headaches.

  She took another deep mind-clearing breath. The connection between her and Ceithlenn must have been severed when Rhiannon had crossed over.

  At least for now.

  Dear Anu, she could just melt into a puddle of pain-free relief right here and now.

  She still felt the Shadows trying to wriggle free, but the ache was less and their pull not so intense.

  Rhiannon let Keir take her hand again and they walked into a large wooded area. It was beautiful. Beyond beautiful, with trees familiar t0 her, others not. When she glanced up she saw a sky so blue it was like looking into a perfect sapphire.

  Flowers as bright as most of her clothing and possessions at home grew in patches and birds sang and chirruped. As she listened she realized birds weren’t all she heard. Faerie song was on the breeze, too.

  She couldn’t stop looking around. Huge trees, enormous trees, trees bigger than homes. Some looked like they had faces in them, and she swore she saw one blink—probably a Dryad, a ruler of the trees.

  Dead leaves and pine needles crunched beneath her shoes, but Keir didn’t make a sound. Something about being Fae, she guessed. She’d noticed before how remarkably quiet the D’Danann were on a mission.

  Rhiannon came up short when she caught sight of a bunch of Faeries playing in a hollow. Children laughing and giggling—even smaller versions of Galia—and adult Faeries who were playing with them. Every Faerie had a different color dust that glittered from his or her wings and Rhiannon caught the scents of lilies, jasmine, and roses.

  Keir was a fairly good guide and pointed out various sights along the way to the village. Rhiannon saw Pixies, Brownies, even an Undine, a water nymph, when they passed a pond. Rhiannon was breathless with excitement by the time they reached the village.

  Towering trees held homes while other houses surrounded the little town. At the far end of the village stood tall black gates just past what Keir called the Council Chambers, where the Chieftains held meetings. It looked more like a small castle from medieval times with its thick gray stone blocks and turrets.