I sensed Bastien coming to us through the link and watched as he blurred and became the tall, broad, handsome LeBlanc I knew. "Chérie, we need your help. The knife…" he glanced back at the Circle. "Marilla is fading. I'm afraid we're going to lose them both."
TWENTY SIX
"Shit," Crwys moved with me in his arms toward the Circle as the wolves stepped back, their heads bowed. Crwys put me back on my feet before he and Levi knelt down beside Marilla. The water had washed most of the blood away but it was obvious Circe had struck into the girl's belly.
Grey came up beside me. Even her wet, damp fur felt warm. "Crwys, did she hit the baby?"
"I don't think so, but Marilla’s lost a lot of blood. Bastien, can you hear her?"
"Oui. But she is very faint. We can't hear the child."
I looked from Crwys to Bastien. "Is…is that bad?"
"It can be for a wolf." Crwys and Levi stared at one another, but didn't speak. When I got a good look at Levi's face, his eyes were black and his face…different. His demon was in control and they were communicating a different way.
Crwys looked up at the circle of wolves. "I need all of you to concentrate on her through your link. Keep Marilla here," then he looked at me. "Come here and put your hand on Marilla's side. I need you to find the baby in the link."
"Me?" I knelt down and Grey knelt down beside me. "But I don't—"
"Use the Arcane to find her. We need her to stay. Help her find her way back."
"Arcane? Crwys, I can't use that. It's just destructive power. I'll end up doing something awful—" Images of the house imploding and Fred disappearing came to mind.
Crwys put his hand on my shoulder. "Witches fear Arcane because of its power, because it can and will destroy you if you let it. You control it. It does not control you. You have your Undine—she's there on your shoulder. You have me. You control the power," he moved his hand to my cheek. "I can't do this for you, babe."
I blushed. I was shaking, blushing and feeling all kinds of confused. But his pep talk worked and I could feel the fear and the anxiety in the link when I pulled the door open. "Crwys…do you know what you're doing?"
"Delivering a baby?" He gave me his best smirky grin and his eyes were solid red. "I've delivered more babies than a hundred of your lifetimes. Just keep her with us."
I closed my eyes and put my hand against the side of Marilla's belly. And then I fully opened the link's door.
I gasped at the cold I felt when I stepped through. And the darkness. I was in a wild wood, with blinking red and green eyes peering at me from the trees. Fear moved up my back like the whispering touch of spider legs. I wrapped my arms around myself as I took a few steps in the overgrown grass. Twigs snapped beneath my weight and I cleared my throat. "Hello?"
My voice echoed in the darkness and I felt kind of silly, though I felt the presence of dozens of minds. "Hello? Are you there?"
Something stirred in the brush to my right, beside a tree with roots extending above the ground. I saw something move, something white and small. With my first spark of hope, I moved toward it and had the impression it was hiding behind one of those roots. "Hello? It's okay. I'm not here to hurt you. Your mommy's very sick and you need to come out so you can see her."
I had no idea where these words came from, but they felt right. I looked to my right to see the faint outline of my Undine as she swam through the air and pointed behind the root. Nodding, I moved carefully and sat down on my side of the root. The tree was cold against my back and I was pretty sure my ass was wet from the damp ground.
"It's okay." I held out my hand on the edge of the root. "You can sniff me. I promise I won't chase you or hurt you. But I need you to trust me so you can see your mommy."
I waited. Watched the space above my hand. I heard rustling and thought I saw…
Sweet Lord and Lady of all things precious in this world.
The face of a tiny wolf pup with the whitest fur peered over the side of the root. She wasn't beside my hand, but a hands span away. She looked at me with fearful but curious dark eyes. I smiled at her and leaned my head to my right shoulder. "Hello, beautiful. Go ahead and sniff. You can even bite."
When I said that, I didn't think she would. But as soon as she could, the little pup disappeared and reappeared at my hand. She sank tiny teeth into my finger and I held my tongue. When she let go there wasn't a mark on me. No blood, and abruptly no pain. "Are you satisfied, little one?"
The pup stumbled over the root and landed on her butt before she righted herself and came to my leg. I carefully moved my hand and offered it to her again. And this time she made a little noise that was kind of like a baby squeak before she tumbled into my lap. I rubbed her soft fur and made cooing noises at her as she gnawed on my fingers. And when I sat back, she climbed into my arms and rested her head at my neck.
"Sam?"
I laughed as she licked me and squeezed her tight.
"Sam? You can let go now."
The shrill cry of a baby snapped me out of the dream, or place or wherever I'd just been. I looked around for the pup but she wasn't there.
You bonded quite nicely. She thinks you're her grandmother, Grey said.
"Say what?"
Grey stuck her snout in my side. Look at Crwys.
I did, and my heart, like the Grinch's, grew about twenty sizes. He knelt on the wet, stone Circle without his jacket, because he'd bundled a tiny little pale baby inside of it. I put my fingers to my lips as he turned a bright face to me and smiled. He really, really smiled. "You did it! She's here!"
Yes, she was. But I turned and looked at Marilla, whose eyes had been closed. The mother had passed. Too much blood loss was my guess. But the child…
Wait…
I touched my face. Straightened my back.
"What is it?" Ivan said from where he stood behind Levi.
"I don't have a fever anymore. On no! Bastien!" I turned to him where he knelt beside Crwys. "The antidote."
"You have it," he said before he looked at me. "Our littlest gave it to you."
Huh?
"When she bit you, she released you. But you will hear us for some time as long as the pack wants you there."
Oh great. I'm going to have pack voices in my head. As if it wasn't already crowded enough in there as it was.
"Look out!"
The warning came through the link and in the open as someone shouted. We all turned in the direction of the voice to see Circe on her feet, the long knife raised above her head.
My ears popped and I swallowed. Everyone else waited for Circe to move, but she didn't. She looked like a tall, weird statue about to strike. A few wolves whined and lowered their heads and flattened their ears.
"I'm afraid that's not going to happen, dear Olivia," Cromwell Dryden's voice rang out above everyone.
I stood and turned to see him and the Clerics walking from the house out to the Circle. Of course, the ear popping. They'd set up a cap. If the mounds of turned earth bothered their progress, it wasn't evident. But what made me very nervous was there were still four Clerics and I knew Fred wasn't among them.
Cromwell paused in front of me and was careful to give Marilla's still body a good berth. He put his hand on my shoulder, smiled and squeezed.
Cromwell…smiled? I didn't know his face could do that!
He moved on to Olivia as the wolves parted. She was frozen in place but her eyes moved, following him. And I saw some serious hatred in those eyes. Cromwell put his hand on her shoulder as well. "Olivia Graham, magical name Circe, it is by the order of the Magical Parliament that I hereby arrest you for crimes against the faith, against the God Mother and against the Order of Ceremonial Magicians. I'm afraid Blackwood wants you incarcerated as much as I do."
One of the hooded and robed Clerics threaded their way around the Circl
e to Ivan. I was about to say something when she threw her robe back to reveal she was Miss Water. She abruptly wrapped her arms around Ivan's neck before the two started a deep and embarrassing kiss. My jaw dropped.
"I guess we know who he's been seeing," came Crwys's voice in my ear. He was still holding the baby and bouncing her up and down. I looked into her face and she opened her eyes.
I knew this was the little pup in the forest. I also knew she was forever a part of my life.
Great. I had a perigee for an adopted niece.
Bastien moved in on Crwys and took the baby. My boyfriend stood to the side as the wolves crowded in and they idly walked away toward the house. I thought I heard Bastien cooing at the baby and shook my head. Several wolves that had shifted back to their human forms lifted Marilla's body and carried it with them.
Ivan, Miss Water, Levi, Grey and myself stood in the Circle and watched as three of the robed Clerics clamped irons on Circe and led her away. I wondered if those irons they used would stop her from using her Arcane Magic.
Cromwell stepped up and clasped his hands in front of him. "I would at this time, like to thank the detectives for their involvement in catching Circe. Given your knowledge and," he looked at Levi. "Your own secrets, I can be assured you will keep this particular incident quiet?"
"Always," Levi said.
Crwys smiled. "Maybe."
Cromwell looked a little uncomfortable. "Maybe?"
"You going to lift Sam's warlock?"
"Detective—"
"I'm just saying, Mr. Dryden, that you have most of what you want. No you don't have your magic scroll, but you have Circe and you have the Hammer. Release Sam."
"Please," Miss Water said as she stepped into the conversation. "You saw how well she worked with her Undine, even while warlocked—"
"Dharma," Cromwell said with a hand raised. "We'll talk later about your part in all this, and about your new boyfriend. But for now," his gaze came back to Crwys. "The Codex was the bargain."
"Lift it, or I will ask for a Tribunal." I narrowed my eyes at Cromwell.
His smile sort of faded. "We'll be in touch," he motioned for the others to follow.
Dharma came up to me and looked sort of lost. "I couldn't stop her. She missed you so much, and with me getting to know Ivan," she glanced back at him. "She belongs with you."
"It's okay. And thanks. Was that you that told me to bring the water out of my sink."
"Yes."
"How did you know I had water in my sink?"
"Because when I asked her where she was, that's what she told me."
I looked at the retreating backs of the Clerics. "Where's Fred?"
Dharma shrugged. "I don't know and I don't care. Cromwell fired him yesterday, so good riddance. But…I gotta go. And don't worry." She patted my arm, gave Ivan a kiss and ran off to catch up with her Hive.
I immediately rounded on Ivan. "Does she know—"
"No," he put up his hands. "She knows what Arden knows. That I'm a good hacker and my Dianic Gift makes it possible for electronics to work around magic. That's it."
I narrowed my eyes at him.
Crwys grabbed my hand and pulled me to the house. "Come on. Let's go check on Jack and Kyle and then get the hell out of here."
I really liked that idea. "To where?"
He smiled. "Levi's…" And then he laughed as we hurried inside.
"Wait…what?" Levi said as he caught up to us.
Epilogue
February 14th.
The decision to release the warlock didn't come until February the fourteenth of all days. For the removal I was called into the Cleric Office, which to my surprise was a large church on the way north out of the city. I'd recovered from the venom, had my equilibrium back and sort of had my confidence back as well.
No one had asked anything about Fred, which was a relief. Or about Arwen, which was also a relief, though I couldn't stop the guilt I felt for both of them. The Parliament didn't bring up my dad's house or the whereabouts of my dad either, and I had to wonder if that was because they were saving that for later or because whatever magic made the neighborhood forget had finally made them forget as well.
Ina's house was a disaster. Broken doors, smashed windows and a torn up back garden. I just wanted to bulldoze the whole thing down, but Crwys hired people to rebuild it. Suggested I put it on the market since the bodies that had been buried under the garden were no longer there. But I couldn't in good faith ever recommend anyone ever living there.
And besides, as far as the world knew, Inamorata Devonshire was still alive and off on vacation somewhere. As long as the mortgage payments were made and the utilities paid, no one cared.
As for Arden? She'd been elected as High Witch, just like she always wanted. I wondered if it was because of one of those things she stole from Circe's house.
Crwys, Ivan, Kyle and Jack met me on the front steps of the church as I walked out. They cheered and I bowed.
"How does it feel?" Ivan asked me. "To be un-warlocked." He frowned. "Is that a word?"
"It feels like I'm whole again." My Salamander appeared in the air over my right hand and danced. Once he disappeared, we piled into Ivan's Mini-Cooper and headed out for lunch. Crwys bowed out when he got a call from Levi about a body. We dropped him off at the station and he pulled me out of the car for a long kiss and embrace. We had become inseparable since the incident with the wolves and Circe. I spent several nights over at Levi's, where Crwys lived most of the time because his own place was, in Levi's own words, a dump.
And he'd spent a lot of time at my place.
I hadn't heard from Bastien or the pack in a week and I figured they were busy taking care of Regine, as Bastien so happily named her. I couldn't wait till she grew up and changed it.
Things had been quiet. Just the way I liked them.
"See you tonight," Crwys said as he pulled his lips from mine. "I'll probably be coming in hot." Which for him meant he'd be coming in from work.
"That's fine. I'll be there." I combed his hair back with my fingers. "And my Valentine's Day present?"
"I already told you yes," he winked. "I'll tell you who and what I am. I promise. You've been patient with me and it means a lot for you to know all of me."
"Interesting you picked one of the most expensive restaurants in the city to reveal this to me. You think I won't make a scene?"
"I don't think you'll make a scene anywhere," he kissed me again and then ran inside.
"You two are so cute together," Kyle said from the front as I slipped into the back.
I stuck my tongue out at him and patted my tummy. "Me and my Elementals are starving. Let us eat!"
* * *
The dinner reservation was at eight. By nine I was worried. And by eleven when the restaurant needed to close, I was livid. I paid for the food I did eat and heard my credit card scream at the price of crab claws. I'd dressed up in the clothing I'd gotten from Arden back in January and my hair was so shiny it was nearly blue under the restaurant lights.
Outside, I dialed Crwys's number for the fiftieth time. This time it went straight to voicemail and I was too pissed off to leave a message.
I turned toward the lot where I'd parked my Jeep and dialed Levi's number. I made sure I had it these days.
"Hey Sam," Levi sounded cautious. "Did he tell you?"
"He never showed."
Levi paused. "Oh. Really?"
"Yeah. And you already ruined the excuse he forgot." I sighed as I neared my Jeep. "He ditched me, didn't he? He never intended on telling what he is. Who he is.”
"Man, Sam, I don't know. He was nervous about telling you. And I wasn't exactly that happy about him doing it."
"Because you think it makes him vulnerable."
"Yeah." I could hear him talking to someone. "Look, I need to go. Got a date myself. I'm sure he'll turn up."
I looked around at the parking lot. Watched a couple laughing and kissing in the corner under a magnolia tre
e. In fact, there were couples everywhere, walking, laughing, talking and kissing.
I seemed to be the only one alone.
"Sam?"
"Levi, if he calls you, tell him not to bother coming by the shop. We're done."
"Sam—"
"And I'll pay him back for what he's put into the place." My eyes burned as I blinked back raw emotion. It was hard to keep it out of my voice. "Just…tell him to fuck off." I disconnected, fumbled with the keys to my Jeep, got inside, and let the dam burst.
With all the terrible, crazy, horrible things in my life, Crwys had been the one bright, burning light leading me to peace. I somehow felt he was gone. Knew it somehow when he no longer tickled the edge of my mind. My Sylph appeared in the air in front of me. They no longer needed me to Call them. They were a part of my life again.
The Sylph looked sad as he hung his head and zoomed toward me to hug my face. I felt his love, his warmth and his attempt to make me feel better. All of my Elementals appeared in the car and comforted me. My Undine rested on my shoulder, my Gnome in my lap, her weapon tucked away, and my Salamander moved to sit on my head and look down over my eyebrows as his small hand patted my forehead.
I could feel their empathy, their need to help. They were trying to cheer me up. I had them back and I felt touched again by the God Mother. The Arcane was silent. And I was alone.
Again.
Prologue
Elemental Flame
February 14th, Two Days Ago
"Holliard."
"Detective, it's Arden Vervain."
Crwys held his breath for a full half minute as he toned down everything he wanted to say to the newly-elected High Witch of New Orleans. Counting down from ten never worked for him. Mostly because he just came up with ten insulting things he wanted to say. Especially to Miss Vervain. He made a mental note to get a new cell number. He planted a smile on his face as he looked at Levi, whose desk faced his own. His partner glanced up, frowned and tilted his head, then went back to his computer to finish paperwork.
Elemental Moon: The Eldritch Files, Book Three Page 18
