The Outcast

by Patti Larsen

  Again, almost every hand in the room shot up and I had to turn away, pressing my face into Quaid’s waiting chest, his arms around me.

  What had I done? I just got them to a safe place and now I was going to send them out into danger again?

  ***

  Chapter Twenty Five

  I wasn’t surprised when Gram and Demetrius volunteered to go, and Piers and Varity did the same. When Quaid put his name in, I just sighed and nodded. Four more teams of witches I trusted formed groups of five, leaving through the mirror with shards in their possession.

  I kissed my husband with aching worry, but let him go be a hero, knowing how hard it had to be for him I was usually the one in that role. Besides, these were his friends standing by and allowing witches to die. Enforcers he once considered himself a part. It had to hurt.

  I hesitated to ask Lula and Phon to remain, but they had already decided to stay.

  “We’re better utilized here,” she said, hands hovering over a burn on an older Rhodes witch’s arm. “And we know it.” She watched the woman leave, hands beginning to shake once we were alone. “Syd, the Brotherhood are crushing bones. Scattering the remains. Witch magic lost forever.” Her face tightened with horror, the expression of one who had seen far too much.

  But I knew better as I nodded and walked away. That power wasn’t lost. If the Stronghold was to be believed, I knew exactly where the witch magic was going. Right into Liander Belaisle’s possession.

  I’m sure Zoe would have preferred to go with Piers, but her lack of magic made her vulnerable. She shivered next to me as he left, waving at her, a small group of witches surrounding him.

  “He’ll be okay,” I said.

  “You’re an Oracle now, are you?” Her brown eyes twinkled despite her worry.

  “Trust me,” I said, arm around her shoulders, turning her away. “If anyone will come through a mess and not even muss his perfect blond hair, it’s Piers Southway.”

  She giggled and nodded. “He’s so vain about that hair.”

  Nice to smile, to feel a little normal again. If only for a moment. Zoe stopped me, turned me to face her, expression fading to serious. “There is a lot you don’t know about me or my people,” she said. “It’s time I filled you in.”

  We found a quiet corner of the cafeteria and, over a shared plate of stew and fresh bread that smelled like heaven had found us at last, Zoe told me her history.

  “Our people were always Oracles,” she said. “The Helios family is descended from the Delphic order in Greece.” I wracked my brain for that history lesson I knew I’d taken in high school and nodded for her to go on. “Our Goddess—or, who we thought was our Goddess,” her face twisted with pain a moment, “was Gaia. I only recently discovered she wasn’t who I thought at all. She was maji.”

  There was a revelation and a half. “Did she create you?” After all, the maji had tried something like that before. Iepa had made the vampire essence herself.

  “No,” Zoe said. “At least, Iepa told me she hadn’t. But Gaia took it upon herself to nurture our family when she discovered our ability. The only problem was, my grandmother.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, I know this must be confusing. The woman I thought was my grandmother.” Sounded like she’d lived a lot of lies in her short two decades. “Sibyl, it turns out, was one of the last Delphic Oracles. She made a pact with the Brotherhood, gave up Gaia to them.” She did what? My heart skipped a beat, ears ringing with sudden anger and shock. “They’ve been drawing power from her ever since.”

  Using the almost infinite magic of a maji to fuel their foul order. “No wonder he was not only steps ahead of me,” I snarled. “He had tons of magic to counter me, too.”

  Zoe’s face fell. “Not exactly,” she said. “By the time I became aware of this—in fact, just before I came to you to warn you—I discovered Gaia’s magic had run out and that Liander was looking for a new source to power him and his people.”

  Bastard. “You told Iepa this?”

  “She figured it out,” Zoe said.

  “So he’s drawing on all these witches to replace Gaia’s energy.” Typical parasite.

  “I fear his goal is much more diabolical,” she said. “Iepa is worried Liander’s ultimate goal was never to kill you, but to capture you.” I frowned. It took a moment in my tired state to put the pieces together. But when I did, Zoe nodded as I gaped at her. “He wants to replace Gaia with you.”

  It made total sense. Where was he going to get his hands on another maji? They had vanished from the regular planes, keeping themselves aloof and apart. It was very likely if Ameline had won, he’d have just tried the exact same tactics on her—capture and control. He didn’t care about the witches. He just needed the power to tide him over until he managed to pin me down.

  “I need to talk to Iepa.” I swept to my feet, leaving Zoe to stare up at me with doe brown eyes.

  “She told me to save you.” Her hand clenched around her spoon, food forgotten. “Please, don’t throw yourself into danger when I’m not in a position any longer to help.”

  I sank down again, reaching for her hand. She was young, I forgot how young from the way she talked, her self-assurance. But she couldn’t have been more than eighteen or twenty. Scared and vulnerable without her power. I’d been there.

  “You’ll get your magic back,” I said. “I’ll help you. But, for now, you have to trust me. I’ve been through a few scrapes before. I can handle this.”

  She nodded, looked down into the cooling stew. “I just wish I could do something.”

  “You can,” I said. “Help Lula and Phon. Comfort people. Cheer them up if you can. You’re family now, Zoe.”

  She looked up, blinking tears from her thick, black lashes. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I miss family.”

  I left her there, helping some of the witches clean up, sending a quick message to Mom. Take care of Zoe, I sent. She needs someone. Sic Sass on her, maybe?

  Hrumph, he sent. Why wasn’t I surprised he was listening in?

  Will do, Mom sent. Where are you going?

  To see if the maji will talk to me, I sent. I’ve just been handed a whole bunch of questions and its time they stepped up and answered.

  I didn’t give her a chance to argue, reaching for the veil. Paused one last moment. You’ll watch over them?

  The Stronghold’s rumbling answer made me feel so much better. Like they were you, he sent.

  I’d heard that not so long ago from Charlotte. And felt just as confident in his promise as I had in hers.

  I tore open the veil, conscience eased, and headed for Center. And was bounced back, as if I’d hit a soft, rubbery wall.

  Oh hell no, they did not just do that to me.

  I tried again, with the same result, staggered out of the veil in the cafeteria, swearing and stomping my feet as the family who hung out there stared with wide eyes. Maybe at full strength I would have been able to bully my way into the Light maji realm, but not in this state.

  Damn it.

  I stopped swearing and looked up, an idea popping into my head, along with a face I worried about all over again. Sebastian had been at the vampire mansion in Wilding Springs. Where the maji chamber was. Maybe I could reach Iepa from there. It was worth a shot and might mean getting a tracker line on my vampire friend and former bestie.

  This time, when I stepped through the veil, there was no resistance. But the silence and darkness that greeted me made me shudder, much as the quiet of Castle DeWinter had. The mistress of the mansion, Anastasia, was one of Sebastian’s most trusted lieutenants. She would never abandon this place.

  Unless he told her to.

  The mystery of the vampire king would have to wait, though I hated not knowing if he was all right or not. Instead, I headed down the left corridor, more memories trying to take over, good and bad. Of Demetrius, the night he stole my demon from me, when he was still the leader of the Chosen of the Light. To hunting her here, freeing her at last, in time
to save Wilding Springs from the Wild Hunt. Of Mom’s trial when Batsheva tried to put my mother to death, only to be thwarted by Gram and me. Rescuing Sebastian from near death and making him something different than he had been. And, my wedding day. When I married Quaid.

  I drew a breath and pushed on the library door, slipping inside. The staircase leading down to the underground was closed and it took me a frustrating couple of minutes to find the right combination of wall stones to press to make them appear. Charlotte was way better at this than I was. I finally managed, though, the grinding sound as the floor shifted and the stairs came into view ending my irritation and I made my way down into the dark.

  I really needed sleep, but that would have to wait. The long, cold corridor of stone led me to the entry to the surface chamber, walls covered in glyphs. I smiled into the dark at the recollection of Liam, the first time he entered this room. I had a different experience, forced to watch Gram and Pender resurrect the echoes of fallen witches to defend Mom, calling up Alison’s ghost on the same night. But when Liam came here much later, we had no idea there was more to this place, until his investigations proved otherwise.

  I rested one hand on the pedestal in the middle of the room, the familiar tingle of magic rippling around my fingers. Again, stone ground, the floor dropping away, exposing the spiral staircase descending into the ground. I knew this whole place was an archive, held the history of my family and all magic families. But I’d never had time to study it. And Liam…

  Neither did he.

  Witchlight flared as I touched down on the bottom step in the breathless silence under the earth. This place was so full of memories too, but I couldn’t get lost in them. My eyes avoided the spot on the floor where Ameline died when I stopped her heart. To save my son and the Universe.

  I wouldn’t go there, not right now. Instead, I crossed to the bedlike slab of rock in the middle of the round chamber, the walls etched with the names of my bloodline, and laid both hands upon it.

  Iepa. I sent her name out into the ether. I need to talk to you. Not that she was reliable. In fact, notoriously the opposite. But I had come to believe, despite her lack of support, she truly cared and wanted to help, only to be stopped by her people and their non-interference policy.

  Again, I sent her name out. And was met with silence. I leaned against the slab with a sigh, finally hoisting myself up on it, elbows on knees, head in hands.

  “Damn it all to hell,” I whispered into the stillness. “Now what?”

  “Finally,” a familiar voice said. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

  My head whipped up, shot around, eyes huge, mouth hanging open as I caught my breath and held it. And stared into the quiet, watchful gaze of Ameline Benoit.

  ***

  Chapter Twenty Six

  I almost jumped out of my skin. “You’re dead.”

  She laughed, a tinkling sound. I remembered her laugh. Used to hate it more than anything in this world. But now, it felt different. Light hearted, without malice.

  What the hell?

  “I assumed you’d show up long before now.” She drifted toward me, looking solid and as real as ever. It had been seven years since I killed her. How was she standing here, perfect black bangs shining in the low light, ice-blue eyes sparkling, flawless, porcelain skin ghostly? She wore the same robe she was wearing the night I killed her.

  I did kill her. Right?

  “Been a little busy living my life.” This was impossible. And yet, when she pulled herself up beside me, I reached out and touched her hand.

  Solid. Real.

  Oh. My. Swearword.

  “Don’t worry,” she said with a wink. “I’m not going to attack you or anything.” She laughed again, swinging her feet. Shock ripped through me. I’d never seen Ameline wink, let alone do something as carefree as swing her feet. “In fact, I’m really happy to see you. I’ve been down here alone so long, it’s nice to have company.”

  “This is… what the… you’re not…” I simply couldn’t complete a sentence. My poor, weary brain was about to explode.

  Ameline, once my nemesis who only ever wanted, in her sad and twisted way, for me to love her, set one hand on mine and fell serious, nose bare inches from my own, clear blue eyes locking me in place.

  “I’m dead, Syd,” she said, softly, with sorrow. “You did your job. It’s over.”

  I nodded, unable to do anything else.

  “But,” she said, looking away, around at the walls of the chamber, “while my body died and my ego was devoured by your ghost friend, Alison, my soul became trapped down here.” She waved around us. “That, I’ve discovered, was part of the point. The maji chamber needed a soul and mine was up for grabs.”

  I shuddered as I realized it could have been me, had she won. “Are you… okay?” Such a silly question to ask, all things considered. And did I really care? But I found I did. Time and distance and the new, fresh look on her face made me pause. Was this the same person who killed Liam? Who kidnapped my son and made me believe he was dead like his father?

  “The part of me that was broken is long gone,” Ameline said. “Alison saw to that. And I thank her for it.” She paused, smiled as I recalled the ghostly girl devouring Ameline’s furious echo. “And you, Syd. You might not want to know it, but you saved me from myself.” Ameline squeezed my fingers. “I wasn’t a very nice person, was I?”

  I shook my head. “Not even close.”

  Ameline laughed.

  “I rather like this place,” she said, looking around again. “So much information. And I’m tied directly to the maji, so I’m not really bored or anything. Just a little lonely.” A hint of girlish loss colored her voice. She turned to me with a faint smile and a hopeful expression that left me shaking as I tried to reconcile this Ameline with the one who murdered my grandmother, Ahbi, and caused so much destruction. “I’d like to think,” she said, “I had the potential to turn out like you, had I the benefit of a Hayle family upbringing.” Her brow creased slightly. “Instead, my lot was far different.” The Dumonts. Even I didn’t wish that evil family on anyone.

  Was Ameline right? I sighed out my old animosity and let it go.

  “I’m sorry,” she said at last. “For your demon grandmother. For hurting you with Gabriel.” She stopped and lowered her head. “And for Liam, Syd. For him, most of all. His soul was so kind. He tried to befriend me, to understand me, just before you arrived, just before I killed him. And, were I as I am now, things would have turned out so differently.”

  My heart constricted, his loss though long past still aching inside me.

  Could I forgive her? It didn’t matter, now.

  “I need to ask you something,” I said, if only to change the subject. Her head lifted and her little smile returned. I rather liked her openness. It made her delicate beauty all the more stunning. “I found out my heritage, how I was able to become maji.”

  Her smile widened. “The drach,” she said.

  “But you don’t have drach blood.” Or did she?

  Ameline shook her head. “No,” she said. “Mine is pure maji. From long ago, one of the dark maji fathered a daughter with a witch. And so, you see, even from the very beginning, at the core of us, you were always meant to be stronger. You have the blood of the first race. But I only had that of the second. Which, if you think about it, is really unfair.” She grinned, though, as though she found it funny.

  Like she was teasing an old friend.

  I laid back on the slab, closing my eyes, not sure I could handle much more. “Do you know what’s happening in the world?”

  A breath of air movement alerted me just before Ameline’s voice sounded in my ear. “I do,” she said. “Through the maji.”

  I turned my head to stare into her eyes. “They know everything?”

  She nodded, sadly and with regret. “I’m afraid so.”

  I looked away, up at the ceiling, anger bubbling. “Typical,” I said. “They’ll just leave us to die and n
ot lift a finger. When it was the power of one of theirs that gave the Brotherhood the damned advantage in the first damned place.”

  Ameline’s hand crept over mine again. “I’m sorry, Syd. But you don’t need them, you know. You never did.” I met her eyes again and wondered what the hell I was thinking taking comfort from Ameline Benoit while realizing I could really come to like this version of her a lot.

  “You know what?” I sat up, her beside me. “You’re absolutely right.” Screw the maji. I’d deal with them eventually. And right now I was prepared to start pissing off everyone in any kind of authority I could get within hearing range. Maybe I was tired, and maybe my power wasn’t at full strength. But I was a Hayle and a maji and the damned Light One and all that crap.

  They’d better just look the hell out.

  I hopped down, Ameline at my side, and turned to face her. “Sebastian and Alison were here a few days ago,” I said.

  Ameline nodded, suddenly shy. Shy? Seriously? “I felt them arrive, but they left and I didn’t make myself known.”

  “Do you have any idea where they went?” Maybe I could solve one mystery at least.

  But Ameline shattered that hope with a shake of her head. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I have no idea.”

  Okay, maybe not. I drew a breath. “Do you know Belaisle’s true aim?”