by Anna, Vivi
Another voice piped in from the background. The image in the mirror grew to include the elven councilman, Amathon. His large ice-blue eyes regarded her coolly. She spied the tips of his pointed ears even through the long length of his black hair. Inside, he wore it freely, but outside, elves hid their differences with cowls and hooded capes. Those garments also prevented their glimmering skin from being exposed in the sun.
“You cannot think to open that door,” he blustered.
“I am, councilman. To find Sebastian.”
The cruel line of his thin lips grew even crueler. “You bring ruin to this world if you do.”
Her father interjected. “That is a myth, Amathon. There is no truth to it.”
Amathon glared at Lord Soren. “You are wrong, Lord Soren. All myth is based in truth, especially this one.”
“Based on your religion, Amathon. Which has no place on this council, as you’ve been told time and time again.”
That silenced the elf, but he still glared at Lord Soren with anger, almost hate. It unnerved Skylar and she had to avert her gaze.
“Proceed carefully, daughter,” Lord Soren warned. “To open this door is to play with ethics and the morality of magic use.”
“I understand that, Father.”
His brow furrowed. “Are the Davenports to be using their magic to open this door?”
“No, my lord.”
“Are you certain? You are not hiding the truth from me because of some misguided attachment to Jovan?”
She had to calm herself lest she shouted at him. She took in a deep breath, then let it out before responding. “I am doing my job. I have always done my job. Nothing I have done should be of concern to the council. And especially not my feelings for Jovan.”
“Are you sure? I believe they may have clouded your judgment.”
“In what way?”
“Allowing Jovan to use his magic in public, allowing him to use spells unauthorized by the council. You know of what I speak, so do not deny it. We have witnesses.”
She thought of the councilmen loyal to Hawthorne. Oh yes, they certainly did have their witnesses. Biased ones at that.
“I don’t allow Jovan to do or not do anything. He is his own man,” she said between clenched teeth. “Besides that, I think your views of certain magic are wrong. Magic is not white or black. It’s the practitioner who wields it that should be in question. And Jovan Davenport is a kind, moral and good man.”
Two of the other councilmen shook their heads.
Lord Soren pinned her with his fierce gaze. Which matched her own. “You should not question this council, daughter…”
Skylar put her hand up to stop the rest of his words. “I will hear it no more, Lord Soren. This report is finished. I have told you what I am required to and no more.”
Ont coune of the Hawthorne councilmen spoke up from beside her father. “Jovan Davenport must report to the council to be judged.”
“If he comes before you, it will be of his own accord. Not mine. Good evening, gentlemen.” She bowed before them, then tapped the mirror in the middle to sever the connection amid many protestations.
She closed her eyes and rubbed at the headache building at her temples. Dealing with the council was more trouble than it was worth. Maybe after this, she would resign her position with them. Their antiquated ideas were grating on her. Maybe Jovan was right and they needed a complete overhaul.
Thoughts of Jovan flooded her. She could still feel his touch on her skin and the heat that had blossomed inside from it. Their union had been inevitable. To be honest to herself, she’d known it was going to happen the moment she saw him again. Her feelings toward him had been too strong to resist. But she still wasn’t sure they could stay together.
He had to forgive himself. He had to face his past and move on. She couldn’t do it for him. But how long would she have to wait this time? She wasn’t sure she had it in her to wait another seven years.
Chapter Twenty-One
Jovan rolled over on to his side just as a knock came at the bedroom door. Rhys poked his head in.
“Skylar,” he said, “it’s almost time to go.”
“We’ll be there in a moment,” Jovan answered.
Rhys paused in the doorway, then backed out of the room, but Jovan swore he saw his brother’s lips twitch into a smile.
Stretching, Skylar cuddled in behind him and ran a hand over his bare chest. “I don’t want to move from this bed.”
He grabbed her hand and kissed it. “Neither do I, my love, but we must.”
“I was afraid you were going to say that.” She rolled to the other side and sat up. She stretched her arms, then stood, padding across the room to retrieve her clothing.
Pale moonlight streamed through the window and illuminated her body. Jovan watched her as she dressed, marveling at the way she moved. So graceful. So elegant. She was exquisite. He didn’t deserve her. But he desperately wanted to.
Once they were both dressed, they met Corina and Rhys in the parlor.
“It’s about twelve miles to the rocks,” she said. “Mr. Davenport has told me you have transportation.”
Jovan nodded. “We have a motorized cycle.”
“Good. I will meet you at the edge of town.”
As they left the house, Rhys made his reservations known. “I don’t trust her.”
“Why not?” Skylar responded.
“What does she have to gain by helping us? I don’t understand her motives.”
“Perhaps she doesn’t have any.”
“Everyone has motives,” he said.
“Maybe she just loves your smile and charm, brother.”
Skylar laughed at that, especially when it made Rhys frown even deeper.
When they reached the edge of town, Corina was already there on horseback waiting for them. “Follow me,”1">Hie Rhys she said. “And try to keep up.”
Jovan laughed. He liked her, especially since she made Rhys so miserable. Well, more miserable than he usually was. It took a special kind of woman to do that to his stoic brother.
As warned, Jovan had to really push his machine to keep up to Corina’s horse. She rode the beast hard and fast. Thankfully, they had a headlamp to light the way and keep the psychic in view. The road had not been easy or kind. By the time they reached the standing stones, Jovan’s arse was extremely sore.
After Corina tied off her horse, she beckoned them into the center of the circle of stones. Stonehenge had been constructed close to four thousand years ago and was known to be a place of great mysticism and power. Jovan felt that power vibrate around him the second he stepped into the circle. He glanced at Rhys and saw a twin look of awe on his face.
Skylar had her eyes closed and her face tilted to the glowing moon. She’d been here before. It was part of her Druid heritage and where she would’ve received her final blessing after she completed her tracker training. The Druid society often used this sacred place for various ceremonies, including rites of passage and weddings.
Often, Jovan had dreamed of being here in this very spot on a warm summer day to marry the only woman he’d ever loved. He glanced at Skylar again to see if she was glancing back at him. He wondered if she had those dreams too.
“The moon will be full soon,” Corina said. “It’s almost time.”
“So once the door appears, I just put the key in and open it?” Jovan fiddled with the key in his pocket.
“Yes. That is exactly what happened for Sebastian.”
“What do we need to do?” Skylar asked.
Corina waved at her. “You can do nothing. It’s the brothers who must do.” She reached for them both. “Take my hands. It will take the three of us to do this.”
Jovan did as she bid but Rhys hesitated. “Do it,” Jovan commanded.
With reluctance, Rhys finally took Corina’s hand and then Jovan’s. A gust of cold wind blew up the moment the triangle was complete. It whipped around the three of them, tearing at their clothes. S
trands of hair from Corina’s long braid slapped at her face like angry serpents. It took all they had to stay in place as the wind pushed and pulled at them. Soon, a blue glow blossomed in the middle of their trinity, growing bright and bigger with each passing second.
“The door comes!” Corina shouted.
The powers zigzagging between them intensified until Jovan’s hands were as hot as coals. But he kept hanging on, biting his lip against the searing pain.
He turned his head to get a glimpse of Skylar before the door manifested. He wanted to be sure she was there, safely waiting until he could open it.
But he couldn’t spot her.
Without letting go of Rhys and Corina, he twisted his body around to look behind him. She wasn’t there either. She didn’t seem to be anywhere. Not anywhere in a close proximity.
Panic rushed through him. His heart sped even faster than it had been beating.
Rhys eyed him as he pulled and twisted around again. “What’s wrong?” he asked over the hum of the building wind.
“Skylar’s gone.”
ontRhys finalHis eyes widened and he too looked around for her.
Corina must have noticed their growing panic. “Do not let go. If you do, the door will be gone and it won’t come back. One key for one door every five years, that is the rule.”
The door in question was forming right before their eyes. The blue glow had become so intense that Jovan couldn’t look at it. He had to avert his gaze. When he did, he caught something out of the corner of his eye that stole his breath.
He turned hard to the left to see Skylar. But she wasn’t alone. Darin Hawthorne had his arm ar
ound her and she was struggling to get loose. Darin grinned when he knew Jovan had spotted them.
Rhys squeezed and tugged on Jovan’s hand, forcing Jovan to look at him. “Go if you must. We’ll find another way.”
That was all he needed to hear to let go. Charging toward Darin and Skylar, he formed a ball of fire in his palm. He had every intention of killing Darin, if he could just get Skylar out of the way to do it.
Before he even had a chance to raise his arm though, he was hit from the side and sent hurtling through the air.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“No!” Skylar screamed as the golem plowed into Jovan’s side. So intent on her, he hadn’t even seen it coming. Now he was twelve feet away crumpled on the ground. In the dark, she couldn’t tell if he was breathing or not.
Her belly clenched. Air caught in her throat and she had difficulty breathing. She didn’t want to believe that he’d been hurt. She shook her head, not wanting the thought to take root in her mind.
Behind her, Darin chuckled in her ear. “Did you see how far he flew? Doubtful that even the untouchable Jovan Davenport could have survived that.”
Tears pricked her eyes as she struggled under his hold. “You’re a bastard.”
He clucked his tongue. “Is that any way for a lady to speak?”
She struggled even harder but he squeezed his arm tight around her neck, effectively cutting off her air supply. Closing her eyes, she quit moving in order to breathe. Darin’s hold on her loosened, and taking in air no longer hurt.
Calm, she opened her eyes and surveyed the situation. Jovan was still on the ground, the golem inert nearby and Rhys was taking it all in. It was not cowardice that made him pause, but reason. She knew he was trying to figure out how to save them all without any bloodshed.
Skylar was unsure from this distance whether the golem was the same one that had chased them through the streets of London. It was unlikely, but not impossible that Darin had created another one. It was a dark magic that the Hawthornes knew well.
Rhys took a step forward, putting his arm out to keep Corina from moving. “Let Skylar go, Hawthorne.” He moved a little closer. “You have what you want. We didn’t find Sebastian. You have your seat in the League.”
“What makes you think that’s all I want?” Darin squeezed her tight to sniff her hair and neck.
Her skin crawled as his hot breath puffed against her ear. She bit down on her bottom lip to stop a scream of revulsion from bubbling up. She’d always known that Darin wanted her—he’d made it known before—but this was more than want. This was perverse and dangerous and she feare
“Rhys,” she said. “Get Jovan and Corina and go.”
“What?”
“Leave. Gather yourselves and go back to town.”
“We won’t leave you with him.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Yes, listen to the lady, Rhys, if you wish to live.”
She cringed when he spoke. She didn’t want him agreeing with her. It felt like a betrayal, but she had to do what was necessary to save their lives. If Jovan lived, then she could go on knowing she’d one day have an opportunity to get back to him, or that he’d come for her.
Rhys took another step forward, his hands twisting at his sides.
Darin raised his hand to her chest. In his palm was a ball of fire. The heat from it blasted her face. “One more step, and I’ll disfigure this beauty.”
The tears she’d been holding in fell unhindered down her cheeks. “Take Jovan. Get him out of here. Please, Rhys, go.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
Skylar gasped as Jovan appeared from the dark, limping a little but intact.
Darin’s jaw dropped and it afforded her the opportunity she’d been waiting for. She pulled out the bamboo rod from the pocket of her battered old coat, pressed the button, and more bamboo on each side sprang from the center, creating a solid, full staff.
She twirled her wrist, spinning the staff. Then, lunging sideways, she swung the bo to her left and struck Darin in his knees. Stumbling backward, he dropped the fireball and nearly fell to the ground. Skylar propelled herself forward and ran toward where Jovan stood.
“Kill him!” Darin yelled. “Kill Jovan Davenport!”
The golem jolted back to life and charged Jovan. Heart pounding, Skylar sprinted in the same direction, hoping she’d get there first. Despite its heavy stone body, the golem was quick. It approached Jovan first, and he had yet to move or even react. He just stood there, a crooked smile on his face. Why wasn’t he moving?
“Jovan!” she shouted. “Run!”
But he didn’t. He didn’t even respond to her shouts. Then the golem was on him.
Her heart leaped into her throat just as rocky arms whipped around Jovan and…through him? His image flickered then vanished, and the momentum took the golem down to the ground.
An illusion.
Skylar turned to see Rhys down on his knees, breathing hard. Corina was beside him, her hand on his shoulder. Then Skylar whipped all the way around when she heard a voice behind her. Jovan stood behind Darin, strong and vibrant. And real.
“But how?” Darin sputtered.
“My brother is a master illusionist. He’s better at magic than you’ll ever be.”
Skylar heard the pride in Jovan’s voice, and it made her heart swell with love. She glanced over at Rhys and saw an equal amount of love in his eyes.
Darin was about to speak, but Jovan punched him in the face before he could. Blood flew from his split lip, but it didn’t put him down. He looked back at Jovan and grinJov>Daned. Then he wiped at his mouth.
Skylar remembered what Rhys had said about Darin’s martial arts skills and, holding her bo staff tight, she ran back toward them.
Jovan had gotten in the first blow, a surprise hit, but now Darin was prepared and ready, and he was lightning quick. His fist flew at Jovan, striking him in the face and then the ear. Jovan stumbled to the right, shaking his head.
Skylar was just about there when she yelled, “Jovan! Catch!”
She tossed her bo to him. He caught it on the fly and, spinning it, he struck Hawthorne in the shoulder hard. The hit propelled him sideways. Jovan raised his staff for another blow but didn’t get a chance to deliver it.
From the darkness above, a rope ladder
unfurled beside Darin. He grabbed the rungs and was yanked into the air. Skylar and Jovan looked up to see the airship hovering above them. Captain Genevieve Le Blanc hung over the side and waved to them.
“You bitch!” Skylar shouted, her hands clenched tight at her sides. What she wanted to do was punch the French woman in the face for her betrayal.
As Darin was carried away, he shouted down to them. “Kill them, Golem! Kill them all!”
The rock-and-metal beast turned around, its featureless gaze aimed at Skylar. She noticed the grooves and cuts in its rock face and body. Wounds made by the termites. They had done some damage but obviously not enough to make a difference. It charged straight at her. Frantic, she looked around but had nowhere to go. It was open ground here and she couldn’t outrun it. The ticking of its makeshift heart grew louder and louder as it neared.
Then Jovan was there in front of her, the bo raised in defense.
“Stab it in the open cavity. Rip out its clockworks, that’s the only way to kill it.”
When the creature was almost upon them, Skylar reached out and touched Jovan. She placed her hand on his arm, willing him to know she loved him to the core of her soul.
Quicker than the beast, Jovan ducked under its swinging arm, and came up with his bo, whacking it in the side of the head. It didn’t do any damage but it seemed to anger the golem. It turned wildly, swinging its other arm. He ducked again and smacked it in the leg. Back and forth they went, swinging and ducking, swinging and ducking, until the creature grabbed Jovan’s jacket.
Skylar sucked in a breath as the golem’s other hand reached for Jovan’s head. But Jovan had anticipated the move. He stabbed the golem in the gut and yanked the staff to the side. At the same time, he pushed her out of the way. She tumbled to the ground just as the pendulum broke off and flew into the air. The golem split apart in a violent explosion. Rock and metal shattered everywhere. Bits of it rained down on Skylar, and she had to bring her arms up to protect her head and face.
Gasping, she rolled onto her back just as Jovan gathered her in his arms. He brushed at her face. It stung a little.
