by Hall, Linsey
“Good.” Aidan kissed my forehead and I smiled. “Let’s get started.”
We searched the house for an hour, but it didn’t take me long to figure out that there was probably nothing here amongst the photos and books that I longed to explore more fully. I’d started to, but tears had blinded me by the third photo I’d looked at. Though they painted a picture of my life here, they didn’t provide information about my root power. And it was just too painful to look at them now. Too painful to be in this house.
I’d come back and do it one day, but not now.
“I’m headed outside,” I said.
Del looked up from where she was sorting through some pretty wooden boxes. “Should we come?”
“Whenever you’re done there.” I wanted some time to myself.
And though I was glad my friends were here, I doubted they’d be the ones to find the clue. I barely understood what we were looking for, so my only hope was that I would recognize it when I saw it.
The sun shone brightly when I walked outside, and I could smell the fresh salt air of the sea. Gray stone slabs dotted the landscape, with grass poking up between the crevices. The land dropped off about fifty yards in front of the house, going straight down into the dark blue sea. There was nothing sticking out of the land—no trees or other houses.
I closed my eyes and sucked in a deep breath, trying to feel or smell any nearby magic. It was as good a place as any to start. At first, all I smelled was the ocean. But after a moment, I got a whiff of power. Something ancient. I couldn’t have described the smell for a million dollars, but it evoked thoughts of battle and life and death.
I opened my eyes and followed it, scrambling over the strange flat rocks as I headed diagonally away from the house, toward the sea to the south. The land undulated, small hills of rock concealing and revealing the landscape ahead.
When a massive, black stone wall appeared in the distance, I gasped. It was huge, built of millions of stones, and curved back toward the sea. The ancient power radiated from the wall.
I hurried toward it, stumbling on the slabs of rock but unable to take my gaze from the wall. The top was broken and jagged, as if the stones had slowly fallen away in the thousands of years since it had been built. It was still over fifty feet tall, however.
Both ends of the wall terminated at the cliff that plunged into the sea. It must have protected a jutting piece of land, using the sea as its back wall.
As I neared it, the prickle of protection charms skittered across my skin. This place was even more locked down than my family’s home. Anyone who intended me harm wouldn’t be getting through here, I’d bet.
There was no door, so I began to climb, sticking my fingers in the crevices between the rocks. The wall was so ancient that there was no mortar, which made it easier to find a hand hold.
When I neared the top, a rock wobbled beneath my toe. My heart jumped into my chest as I scrambled away, seeking solid footing. By the time I crawled onto the top of the wall, which was at least twenty feet across, my heart pounded and sweat dripped down my sides.
I lay on the top, catching my breath. This stone wall made the ones surrounding castles look like a joke.
When I could breathe again, I clambered across the top of the wall to the other side. The stone beneath my feet was loose—filler rock, I thought it was called.
At the other side, I looked out at the land. As I’d expected, there was an expanse of grass about the size of a football field that plunged into the sea on the other side. Whoever had built this wall thousands of years ago had been hiding from something.
My gaze roved over the grass within, which was scattered with wildflowers instead of the slabs of stone that covered the ground outside of the wall. In the middle of the space was a stone circle. Within, three tall white statues stood in an arc. My heart thundered.
They were important. My now-dormant dragon sense roared within my chest, trying to break past the Nullifier’s magic. It responded to anything of great value, and this place was so important that it was making my dragon sense fight the Nullifier’s power.
I needed to get closer. With shaking hands, I climbed down the wall. The sun beat upon my back as I raced across the grass toward the statues.
Magic thrummed in the air as I neared them, and my skin prickled. Strength filled my limbs as I entered the circle. The boundary stones were white, which was strange. Stone circles in Ireland and the nearby UK were often gray granite or some other kind of boring rock. These were a beautiful, gleaming white.
But it was the statues that caught my eye. They stood in an arc, facing a large, round stone disk set in the middle of the circle. Three women, each in elegant robes. Their features were simple, not easily recognizable as any one person.
I walked up to the nearest one, who was surrounded by stone animals. Deer, rabbits, a badger, and birds. Unable to help myself, I reached out and touched her hands, which were folded in front of her body.
The stone was warm beneath my fingertips, and the strangest feeling shot up my arm. Warmth, strength, life—all flowed through me. The world felt clearer and sharper, and I felt more alive than I ever had. Like the air itself gave me power. My hand seemed to glow where it lay over hers.
Reluctantly, I pulled my hand away and looked at it. The glowing had ceased.
Weird.
I moved on to the next statue. Her face was narrow, cheekbones protruding. The hands that peeked out from her robe were almost bony. I reached out to touch one, but yanked my hand back almost immediately after touching the cold stone. One brief touch had sucked the strength from me. My knees felt weak.
Was the first statue life, and this one death?
I glanced at the last statue, then approached it. She looked like a normal woman. No skeletal hands or animals at her side. Despite her simplicity, I was drawn to her in a way that I hadn’t been with the others.
My hand shook as I reached out to touch her. As soon as I made contact with the stone, I gasped. Magic flowed through me, strong and fierce. It made my skin tingle and my heart soar.
A light appeared at the statue’s side. The glow coalesced into the shape of a woman. I squinted at her. After a moment, the features became clearer, the body more solid. Magic flowed from her, a bright light that glittered gold.
She looked a bit like me. But older. Just like the woman from the photos in my house.
My heart leapt. “Mom?”
She smiled. “Cass.”
I reached out to hug her, but my arms passed through her ghostly body. “You aren’t real.”
I knew it, but it was hard not to tear up at the knowledge.
“Not the way that you are, no.”
“What happened to you and Dad?” My throat tightened on the words.
“I am here because we are no longer with you. I had wanted to explain to you in person when you grew up. But that was not possible.”
“Why?”
“I am not here for that. I am here to explain what you are.”
“What I am?”
“Part of the Triumvirate.” She motioned to the three statues. “Triumvirate is from Latin. Three of power. You are one of the three.”
I glanced up at the statue I stood near. “That’s me? And Del and Nix are the others?”
“Yes. You were prophesied. Along with Del and Nix. A balance of life, death, and magic embodied by the three supernaturals who are worthy. Del is in the middle, Nix at the end.”
“Whoa.”
My mother smiled. “Take the portal to the League of FireSouls. They will help you.”
“League of FireSouls?”
She pointed to something behind me and said, “That portal.”
I turned to see that she indicated the circular stone slab set into the ground in front of the statues.
When I spun back to face her, she had faded slightly. The magical aura that had surrounded her was also dissipating. “I love you, Cass. I will always love you.”
“I love yo
u, too.”
By the time I’d finished speaking, she had disappeared. Whatever spell had powered the apparition of my mother, it had run out of juice.
I swallowed hard against the tears that threatened to rise, forcing them down. I didn’t have time for a good cry right now.
“Cass!” Nix’s voice sounded from the distance.
I turned. She stood on top of the wall, waving. Claire joined her a moment later. They must be using the penatrist charms to get through the protections, coming over the wall one at a time.
Nix and Claire tossed their charms to the others, then climbed down from the wall and hurried across the grass toward me. The other’s followed.
“What is this place?” Nix asked when she stopped. Her gaze was drawn to the statue of the bony woman.
“The magic here is strong,” Claire said.
Del joined us. “That’s an understatement.”
“This is us.” I indicated the statues. “The middle one is Del.”
“Death?” Nix asked.
“Yeah, how’d you know?”
“She looks like the freaking crypt keeper.”
Del punched her in the shoulder.
I laughed. “Well, it helps explain your phantom side, Del.”
“You’re standing near that one,” Nix said. “So I assume I’m the Disney princess with all the animal friends?”
“Yep,” I said.
She shrugged. “Won’t say no to that. Especially if they wanted to clean my apartment. But if Del is death, what am I? Animal whisperer?”
“Life.” I looked at my statue. “And I’m magic, whatever the heck that means.” I explained to them what the apparition of my mother had said about the League of FireSouls and the portal.
“We should go now,” Del said.
I nodded. “But only the FireSouls.”
“Not a chance,” Aidan said.
“If this is the organization that Ophelia was talking about, they won’t take kindly to outsiders knowing what they are. At least Del, Nix, and I are the same as they are. We can’t rat them out to the Order of the Magica without getting ourselves in trouble, too.”
“Still, not going to happen. I’m not leaving your side.” Aidan’s face was set.
I went to him, putting my hand on his arm. The muscles were corded with tension. “They might not see us if we come with an outsider. I promise I’ll call you on my comms charm if we need help. But I really, really need these answers.”
“I just want you to be safe.”
“I’ve been protecting myself for most of my life. And I’m damned good at it.” I squeezed his arm.
“You don’t have your magic.”
“I didn’t use my magic for most of my life, either. And I have Del and Nix.”
“Grim Reaper, at your service.” Del saluted.
Nix punched her and hissed, “Be serious.”
“And don’t get cocky,” I said. “You’re not the Grim Reaper.”
“I could be.” She waggled her brows.
“And maybe that’s what we’ll find out. But we need to go alone.” I turned back to Aidan. “I promise I’ll call you if I need you.”
Indecision warred on his face.
“I need these answers, Aidan. I can’t risk them clamming up because we brought an outsider.”
He nodded jerkily, his face tight. But it was hard to fight my logic. I leaned up and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, then turned to Connor and Claire.
“Thank you for coming, guys. I think you can go home now, though.”
“We’ll sort it out,” Claire said. “Now get going. There are answers waiting for you.”
I wasn’t sure what she meant by sort it out, but she was right. There were answers waiting, and I was dying to get to them.
CHAPTER SEVEN
I stepped back from Aidan and turned to Del and Nix. “Ready?”
“Like a cat’s ready for tuna,” Del said.
We walked to the round stone disk and stood around it in a circle, linking hands.
“Step on it on the count of three,” I said.
They nodded.
I took one last glance at Aidan, whose face was worried, then raised my foot and counted down.
When I stepped on the stone, an invisible force grabbed me around the waist and sucked me into the ether. The world went black for a fraction of a second.
When the light came back, I found myself standing in a beautiful glen. A burbling river tumbled along beside us, and massive trees soared overhead, shielding us. I let go of Del’s and Nix’s hands and spun in a circle, but all I saw was forest. No roads or signs or anything.
“Guess we have to find it,” Nix said.
“Makes sense,” I said. What better way to prove you were a FireSoul than to use your dragon sense to find what you sought? “But you’ll have to do the honors, seeing as I’m currently a dud.”
Nix nodded and closed her eyes. Her magic swelled in the air, the scent of flowers rising.
She opened her eyes. “Follow the river upstream.”
We set off along the riverbank, hopping over massive boulders covered in moss. Clusters of violets grew at the base of the big, old trees.
“Very fairytale-esque, isn’t it?” Del said.
A flash of red caught my eye, and I turned my head. Something fluttered in the trees in the distance. Just a bird. But I squinted at it anyway, an odd familiarity tugging at me.
It flew closer, flapping brilliant red wings and sporting an oddly long neck. A little puff of flame escaped its mouth.
That was no bird.
My heart leapt. “Dragonets!”
The fire dragonet flew toward me, followed by the sparkling blue water dragonet. They hovered around my head and I laughed. A moment later, the smoky gray form of the air dragonet appeared, followed by the stone dragonet. They were the size of cats, but were far more deadly.
“Who are these guys?” Del asked.
“My dragonet friends. I met them in the forest in Switzerland. They lived near the Nullifier, who told me that they are made of magic rather than flesh and blood.”
“Maybe that’s why they’re here.” Nix held out a hand so that the fire dragonet could sniff her. “This place is all magic.”
“Maybe.” I looked at the water dragonet who glittered blue as the Caribbean sea. “Will you accompany us?”
The dragonet nodded its head and turned to zoom off down the river. We continued on our way, the dragonets zipping around us. As we walked, the residual magic in the air grew stronger. It prickled against my skin, the magic of dozens of supernaturals or one really powerful magical hotspot. Whatever it was, we’d be outnumbered, power-wise.
“I think we’re getting close,” Nix said. “Feel that?”
“Yeah.”
Just ahead, a small round stone tower with a slate roof crouched near the river. Vines crawled up the side, sprouting red roses all the way up to the top. Nothing impressive, but it was the first structure we’d seen.
“I hope your dragonet buddies give us some cred,” Del muttered.
“That depends.” A deep voice sounded from in front of us. A figure stepped out from behind the small tower. He was as tall as Aidan, with dark skin and a warrior’s face. Hard eyes, strong jaw, and a scar across his cheek that was dashing rather than disfiguring. He wore burnished red leather armor and had a long sword slung at his side.
“Meow,” Del whispered at my side.
I elbowed her. He was good-looking, but not worth pissing off with cat calls.
“The dragonets are selective,” he said. “But they’ve been known to be mistaken. Who are you?”
“Cassiopeia Clereaux,” I said. It hurt too much to try to use my family’s given name.
“Phoenix Knight,” Nix said.
“Delphine Hally, at your service.”
I couldn’t tell, but I thought her eyebrows waggled.
Moron. Just because he was handsome didn’t mean he wouldn’t stab us with his s
word. I tried to pick up his magical signature, sniffing subtly and focusing on my other senses.
When I got a whiff of smoke and something burning, I relaxed a bit. We’d found the FireSouls, at least. Other magical signatures smelled like smoke, but since we were on the FireSouls’ land, I felt safe assuming he was one of us. Hopefully they wouldn’t hurt their own kind. And my mother had sent me here. I trusted her.
“We’re looking for the League of FireSouls,” I said.
“I know. I am Alton, one of their number. We have been expecting you.”
“Really?”
He inclined his head. “Eventually. It was prophesied that the Triumvirate would come to us.”
Del made a doubtful face and pointed to herself, then me and Nix. “Us?”
“Indeed. But you are not… what I expected.”
“Sorry to disappoint,” I said.
“Hardly. Come, we will go to the sanctuary.” He turned and started down the river.
I glanced at Del and Nix, who shrugged, and we followed. The dragonets kept pace beside me, zipping between the trees and diving over the river.
Alton’s strides were long as he cut through the forest. I hurried to catch up, glancing at his hard eyes to find them glued on the path ahead.
“Why are the dragonets here when they were just in Switzerland last week?” I asked.
He looked down at me quickly, then back at the forest. “Switzerland is the home of dragons. One of them, at least.”
“Dragons are dead.”
“Maybe. But the dragonets like it there anyway. But they also like FireSouls. We’re their next closest kin. So they come here.”
I looked around at the enchanted forest. “Where is here, exactly?”
“A protected part of the Arcadian forest, part of an abandoned waypoint.”
Great. Another waypoint.
A gray stone wall appeared through the trees, distracting me.
“Is this it?” Del asked from behind.
“It is,” Alton said.
We neared it, and I had to crane my neck to see to the top. “It’s huge.”
“A relic of the past, when our numbers were greater,” Alton said. “Though we still needed sanctuary then, too.”
