by Patti Larsen
A black tunnel formed, snapping into being. I was used to Piers, to the swell of a sorcery portal. This one devoured the air in a heartbeat, no slow or gradual creation but an instant of origin. And, at the same exact moment, Belaisle leaped through, feet touching down on the moss.
I fumbled with my power, the girls struggling against me, all of us wanting to control my body, to be the one to take him into custody. While I stood there, immobilized by my hatred and surges of vacillating emotion, the drach did my job for me.
Belaisle cried out, falling to his knees, triumphant expression turning from eagerness to agony. I could see the power leaving him, the moss climbing his legs, growing in a surge of frenzied feeding while the drach closed their net around him. He struggled to rise, one hand sweeping over the moss, killing some of it, but it was too late. With a cry he collapsed fully, the moss devouring his whole body while the tunnel behind him snapped close with a boom.
And, just like that, it was over. Mabel landed, shifted form, she and a few others marching forward to pull Belaisle free. I stared, gaping, uncomprehending. Looked up at last at Max who smiled a grim expression, diamond eyes glowing.
“Too easy,” I breathed.
He shook his head. “And yet,” he said, “he’s ours.”
I couldn’t deny that. Stood there, shaking, waiting for the other shoe to drop. For Belaisle to fight back, to laugh and fake out and leave. After all this time, all the pain and terror and death he caused—could it really be so simple to catch him?
Mabel held him against her with power and her giant hands. Belaisle glared at me, pale yellow eyes as hate filled as I’m sure mine were in return now that we were face to face.
“You think you’ve won,” he whispered. “You’ve just delayed the inevitable.”
“Nice to see you, too, Liander,” I said. “Dark Brother’s going to be a wee bit miffed with you.”
“Take him,” Max said, gesturing toward the veil and the slice he opened. “And ensure he remains powerless.”
Mabel nodded, left with Belaisle. While I exhaled and shook my head, heart still pounding from the aftershock of the huge letdown.
No massive battle. No giant confrontation. Just a trap and a captured Brotherhood leader.
Holy crap. If everything else went according to plan from here on in, I think I’d die from the anticlimax.
I looked up, noticed the Gateway was still open. Turned to tell my son he could close it, the job was done. And froze in shock and a burst of horror so powerful even my vampire roared her rage.
Trill looked up at me as my magic threw me forward, her dark eyes flaring with something I refused to accept as regret before she vanished. For a brief moment, my terrified mind worried my son was gone with her, couldn’t comprehend he still stood there, face thoughtful, staring after where she’d disappeared.
I crashed to the ground at his feet, grasping him tight, glaring around for the two drach who were supposed to be freaking watching him, what the hell were they thinking? Only to have Gabriel pat my back.
“It’s okay, Mom,” he said. I felt the power release as he collapsed the Gateway. “I’m fine.”
I should have gone after her, pursued Trill. But my mother’s instincts wouldn’t allow me to go without making sure my son was all right. And now, like always, I was too late. Was this the other shoe I’d feared? Was Trill—despite my belief to the contrary—working with Belaisle after all, setting a trap of her own?
For Gabriel?
Protectiveness surged, waking a monster inside me so powerful I snarled in his face.
Gabriel just smiled, stroked my cheek with his fingertips. “It’s not what you think,” he whispered.
“What did she say to you?” I shook with rage. She’d been right here with her hand on his shoulder. With my son. Touching him. Close enough to hurt him.
Which she hadn’t, I had to remind myself. Still.
Still.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said, calm and sure. In fact, he seemed relaxed, confidence returned, the hurt buried deep in his eyes banished. A new awareness shone in his gaze, vibrated in his power while I trembled and tried to pull myself together. Gabriel hugged me this time. “I love you, Mom,” he said. “You’re doing it right. And it’s going to be okay.” He repeated the phrase. “I know that, now.”
No matter what I said, no matter how I asked and pleaded and begged, Gabriel kept the secret of their conversation to himself. And when Max came for us, to take us away from that odd place, I just had to finally let it go and be grateful not only was my son okay, but we’d won.
We had Belaisle.
Now for the fun part. Though, I doubted Liander would be enjoying it nearly as much as I would.
***
Chapter Eleven
I stood outside a familiar wooden door, glaring at it as if it was the offensive crap I had to deal with, not the asshole waiting on the other side. I’d spent some time here myself, locked up in the Stronghold tower. So had Ameline.
Bad memories. Time to make new ones.
I wanted to charge inside, to confront Belaisle and pin him to the ground with my magic. Maybe crush him a little. Just until his bones creaked and fluids oozed out of certain orifices. That wasn’t too much to ask, was it? Instead, knowing we needed him alive and at least partially coherent, I simply added my own layers of wards to the outside of the drach shielding holding the leader of the Brotherhood captive and powerless.
If he managed to siphon off any energy from the void, empty and flat barriers we put between him and his magic, he deserved to escape.
Four drach in human form flanked the door, staring past me, faces grim. I recognized two of them, the ones I’d asked to watch over my son back on the trap planet. The ones who’d abandoned him to be questioned—and who knew what else—by Trill.
Temper, Syd. They were allies. And yet, my anger, unable to take a swing at Belaisle, shifted to them.
“Mom.” Gabriel slid his little hand into mine, distracting me. “It’s okay.”
He kept saying that but I wasn’t so sure it was true. Still, he did seem calmer, more his happy self, less hurt and hiding something broken inside. That eased my guilt and anger somewhat, enough I didn’t yell and scream and hurl magic at the drach. Instead, I kissed Gabriel on the forehead before handing him off to Mabel—whom I trusted with my life—and turned back to the door.
“I’m going in alone.” I didn’t wait for Max to argue with me, my magic pushing against the barrier of power we’d created even as I used one hand to shove at the wooden door. I was actually surprised to find, when I turned to close it behind me, the lord of the drach remained without complaint, diamond eyes sparkling as he watched me shut him out.
Didn’t think I’d win that battle so easily. For whatever reason, Max chose to let me have this. And I planned to take full advantage.
I turned and crossed my arms over my chest, outside the barrier of shielding cushioning the room with the emptiness of a void, leaving Belaisle, already weak, unable to pull power to him. I felt his sorcery testing the edges, circling like a shark, prodding and poking on occasion, an endless round and round as it tried to find its way past. But, even without my magic, the drach knew what they were doing. There was no way he would escape. Not without rescue or our consent.
He’d get neither if I could help it.
Belaisle, unlike his power, sat still, one leg crossed over the other, at the small wooden table I remembered. The one Ameline spelled with a message for me, a lure to join her on the dark side long before I was forced to kill her. The past crashed into the present as I stood there and waited for the Brotherhood leader to make the first move.
He glared at me with his pale yellow eyes, goatee quivering slightly as his jaw ground together. A show of temper. So this wasn’t in his plan. That had been a fear, I had to admit to myself, and made me feel worlds better suddenly. After all, he’d always managed to remain ten steps ahead of me, it seemed, no matter what I did. Yes,
he had access to the Helios oracles, but even when Zoe Helios and her family lost their ability to see the future—at the same time Creator’s two Fates lost theirs—Belaisle always had the advantage. His capture was so simple, so easy, I worried he’d set me up for something I still hadn’t figured out and wouldn’t until it was too late.
But no. Not from that look on his face, the tightness around his eyes despite his attempt to seem casual, calm, relaxed and at ease. There was too much anger in him for this to have been part of his plans or expectations.
Had we really, finally, done the impossible and caught him off guard without a backup?
“I suppose you think you and your drach friends are clever.” Another victory as he spoke first, agitation rising, tsking as he looked away, jaw set, foot bobbing on his crossed knee in a telltale sign of irritation.
“I suppose we do,” I said, staying light, teasing. Knowing my tone would drive him crazy. “Shouldn’t we?”
Belaisle’s head snapped around, foot going still. “You know nothing,” he snapped.
“Then why don’t you tell me?” I circled to the left, finally leaning against the wall out of the line of the doorway, smiling with as much sympathy as I could muster. Just to piss him off.
Again he looked away. And fell silent.
“At least tell me how you’re tracking me.” It sounded so reasonable when I asked, I surprised myself. I was getting better at this false diplomacy, maybe because it was actually kind of fun to see Belaisle on the other end of crappy for once.
He shrugged, eyes swiveling to watch me from the periphery, a sly smile lifting the corner of his mouth. “I wouldn’t know,” he said, mimicking my tone. “You’d have to ask Eva that question.”
Oh, I would. Just as soon as I tracked down Piers’s mother and beat some sense into her. She’d been the leader of the Steam Union, for the element’s sake. Went nutso and joined Belaisle after imprisoning her own son and having him turn against her. The woman had issues.
“I can tell you,” Belaisle said, sounding lazy now, uncaring. “It has to do with Piers.”
He was baiting me, looking for a way to gain power, even if it was just by upsetting me. I showed him my teeth in a big grin.
“Nice to know she still cares,” I said.
Belaisle turned his head at last, hands falling to his lap, fingers twitching on his thighs. His suit was flawless, expensive, though the occasional thread of moss clung to him here and there. “You’ll find out how much soon enough,” he said.
Just hit him or something. My demon was clearly tired of the verbal repartee.
Really, Shaylee sent in a huff. Must you? This is his game and we need to focus to play it.
I hate to agree with the fiery nature of our demon friend, my vampire sent, but I’m afraid this is one battle we will always lose.
Because we just didn’t care enough to talk that much.
I straightened up, shrugged, winked. “All good,” I said. “I’ll have a chat with my inside man. See what he can find out. Now that you’re out of the picture, I’m sure all hell’s broken loose.”
Belaisle’s laugh chilled me. “You’re referring to Apollo Zornov.”
So he did know. I knew he’d recognized my friend, but he’d let him stay, presumably because of the power he carried, formed by the Brotherhood.
“You knew about him all along,” I said, calm and confident though my heart trembled suddenly for Apollo. “I’m not an idiot.”
Belaisle’s grin took an evil cast. “Debatable.”
No mention of the tech, the microphone and button cam I used to stay in contact. “I’m surprised you didn’t try to feed me any false information.”
He brushed a piece of moss from his sleeve. “Such subtle maneuvers would have been lost on you.”
Wow, that hurt, boo hoo, he’s mean. My demon rolled her inner eyes. Just punch him already.
Shaylee sighed.
I almost laughed at the pair of them. Until Belaisle started talking again. And then every word sent chills through me.
“Your precious Apollo might have been useless to me as a means of leading you astray,” he said, “by choice. But I still have him, Sydlynn. And since there are certain instructions attached to his continued existence and my disappearance… well.” His smile cut through me like a blade into my soul. “I’m certain Kayden has been thorough and as faithful as always in following orders.”
I was out the door, in the hallway, the sucking back end of the wards pulling on me as I left, but my heart was already back on my own plane. Gabriel took my hand as I tore open the veil to Max’s distressed expression. He’d heard?
“Syd,” he said. “We need you here.”
Like hell. “I’ll be back.”
Huge drach power caught me, gently but with enough pressure I almost rebelled, hating the fact he could keep me against my will. “What we do is for the good of all,” he said. “Not the one.”
“I know,” I snarled at him, cutting at the edges of his grip until he let go. “But maybe you’re forgetting what’s really important. Because without the one, what’s the good of any of it?”
Max fell silent, bowing his head as I dragged my son into the veil and ran for home, praying I wasn’t too late to fulfill the promise I’d made my friend.
***
Chapter Twelve
Gabriel clung to my hand as we stepped out of the veil and into the basement at the Zornov’s. Simon and Owen both looked up, panic on their faces, as I appeared.
“We were just about to call you,” Simon said, all trace of his grudge against me gone.
“Tell me.” I held Gabriel close to me while I joined the boys at the monitors.
“We lost contact with Apollo about fifteen minutes ago,” Owen said. “We thought it was a tech glitch at first.” They’d been happening all along, five or ten minute stretches of time when the camera would go dark or the mic would lose power. But Apollo always managed to figure out what was wrong and reconnect. Not this time, apparently. The screen that usually showed his continued existence was dark, the speakers quiet.
Panic surged further into the forefront and seized control. “We captured Belaisle,” I said, short and fast. “He gave orders to Kayden if he disappeared.” Simon and Owen both stared at me in shock. “I just found out.” My mind was already reaching out to Tippy and the girls as I crouched in front of Gabriel. “I have to go for a bit,” I said.
“Kick their asses, Mom.” My demon snorted a laugh, Gabriel’s serious order enough to shatter the painful hold anxiety had over me.
We’d be in time. Owen looked concerned but not broken up. He’d assured me he’d know if his brother was hurt or dead. I could only trust the younger Zornov’s instincts and believe I wasn’t too late.
I stood as someone came through the kitchen door upstairs, Tippy’s voice calling out for me. She and tall, skinny Donalda pounded down the stairs, contrast in height and build never more apparent. Gabriel went right to the pair, Donalda taking his hand while he faced me with far more confidence than I’d ever felt in myself.
“Take care of the family,” I said. “I’m going after the Brotherhood.”
Tippy’s eyes widened while my mind was occupied. “Now?”
Piers felt my touch, Gram and Demetrius right there with him. All three sent affirmative, on their way before I could even break contact.
“Hell yeah,” I said as a black tunnel appeared next to me, discharging the three sorcerers. “Now.” I turned to Piers and my grandmother, Demetrius circling to consult with Simon and Owen. “Tired of waiting?”
The Steam Union leader’s gray eyes sparked with anger and anticipation. “You have no idea.” His gaze went distant a moment before refocusing on me. “You caught Belaisle?”
Gram hissed her pleasure, Demetrius’s grin tight and wicked as I nodded.
“He’s safe in drach custody,” I said. “But we have to get in and grab Apollo before it’s too late.” And, hopefully, the pieces of
Creator Belaisle stole out from under me. What a coup that would be.
Then we’d see if Max’s “little things” mattered so very little after all.
Maybe I should have included Mom, or the Enforcers with newly woken sorcery. But Piers and his people had been at war with the Brotherhood for a long time, had taken knocks and been beaten down, the final injustice of their altered magic burning in their leader’s eyes. They deserved a victory all their own.
I took the location from Owen’s mind even as he stepped in to join us. My last vision as I jerked open the veil and led the way was Simon’s silent, steady gaze on me. Ordering me to save his friend. Our friend.
No way was I going to let Apollo down.
They had to have known we were coming because the instant I emerged on the other side of the veil in the dark, stone room, I was hit with sorcery. Not that it mattered. My own was already blossomed open to full capacity, sucking the power from the room, siphoning it like a giant vacuum while Piers, Gram and Demetrius separated, running into the space with their own magic surging. Owen remained with me, tunnels opening all around me. Not as escape routes. Steam Union sorcerers, apparently alerted by their leader, poured into the large space. It felt like some kind of underground chamber, even as the core group of Brotherhood who stood waiting for us staggered under the pressure of my charge.
I spotted Kayden immediately, recognizing him from Apollo’s button cam. Belaisle’s second looked grim but confident, far too confident for my liking. He has a plan, I sent to Piers, to Gram and Demetrius.
On it, my grandmother sent.
When the tall, dark haired man beside him looked up, my heart thudded once in my chest. I had seen Jean Marc only a few days ago, when his father died. He’d always been creepy, quiet and foreboding, cruel to the core. But this man who stood before me was different, changed. Perhaps his full embrace of sorcery had done the deed. I’d never encountered anyone who radiated such evil as Jean Marc Dumont did at that moment.
