Souls of Three: Book Two of the Starseed Trilogy

by Ashley McLeo

  The old man watched their approach with such intensity that Lily looked away, discomforted by his stare. Who is this guy? It was only when she stood before him that she felt safe enough to look him in the eye. He was far older than she’d guessed from across the room. At least in his nineties, and while his body appeared frail, his eyes shone with all the vitality of youth. A futuristic looking wheelchair sat beside the old man along with a pile of books. Peeking at the spines Lily saw she recognized none of them. From the titles she assumed they were all books on history and magic.

  “Girls, this is Alistair Levi, an old friend of Terramar commune and one of the Sisters of Salem’s most prestigious members.”

  “Don’t say that too loud, Rena. Elections are coming up and we wouldn’t want Jane to think an incubus is trying to take her spot as high priest, now would we? That would break the all-female winning streak,” Alistair chuckled good-naturedly, his entire body shaking from the effort.

  “Hello, Mr. Levi. I’m Sara McKinney. Are coven leaders always women, then? I’ve never heard of a man leading a coven. Granted, I haven’t met with many covens, but it seems the witching world is the reverse of the rest of the world.”

  Lily stifled a laugh as Mr. Levi’s eyes grew wide.

  “Well. Well. I like you. Not afraid to question the status quo, are you? If you’re Sara, you must be Lily. It’s good to meet both of you. And as for your question, Sara, the answer is no. Coven leaders are not always women, but they are usually witches or wizards, which I am not.”

  Sara nodded. “Is that because there are more women witches, Mr. Levi? We rarely ever meet men. Maybe it’s who our family knows but I don’t think so.”

  “Please call me Alistair.” His gray-blue eyes twinkled as he grinned. “As for the witches and wizards, there are about equal number born. The real catch is that women tend to take to magic more. Perhaps it is a stronger calling in them, or perhaps it is the way our societies value that a man be level headed and go work somewhere traditional like a law firm or factory. Whatever the case, wizards ignore the magic in their blood often. For other types of creatures, such as werewolves, that would be impossible. You’ll find the werewolf population has a more equal gender split. Sometimes a wizard’s ignorance or refusal to be what he was born to be results in anger issues, but more commonly they simply fail to become the great man they dreamt of being. Women find it harder to ignore their magic, and if they do the consequences are dire. They often become depressed, shells of what they could be. It is a sad thing to see either gender ignore their power, for one is witnessing a life half lived.”

  Lily wondered if that would have been her, living her life half-way, had Brigit never asked to meet her.

  “You’re right to think so,” Alistair said, turning to Lily. “From what I can read of you, the both of you would have plunged into a deep depression.”

  Lily reinforced her mind barriers. Travel is making me careless.

  “It’s not that. Your mind barriers are sufficient. Excellent even.” Alistair paused to take a sip of water, “Like I said, I’m an incubus, dear girl. It’s one of my greatest powers to get inside a woman’s mind and give her what she desires. I’m sorry to say it, but as I was just telling Rena I fear you may be here because of me. You see, I taught Roman Simons all I know about being an incubus.”

  Rena nodded and put her hand on the old man’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’re here, Alistair. Lil, Sara, will you help get everyone’s attention so Alistair only has to tell his story once?”

  “As soon as Jane mentioned you were arriving because your daughter—a water witch and ceremens with siren magic—was missing, I had an inkling Roman might be involved. Not many creatures could abduct a ceremens and siren and get away with it, strong incubi being one of the exceptions. I’d say there are only two incubi on this continent strong enough to charm such a woman: Roman and myself. It is why Stephen Simons, Roman’s father and an incubus, approached me to be the boy’s tutor when he started showing the sway he held over the women in their town. I agreed and instructed Roman for many years. Our lessons began well before puberty and may have saved Roman from becoming a complete monster. Puberty is difficult for humans. If you’re an incubus striving for morality, it is torture. And that is what I sought to teach Roman: how to control himself and be moral when he must hunt. Never to take too much of the human’s essence, or to stalk, and never, ever to assault. I can say with all confidences in the man that I am sure he is still this way.”

  “But how can you be so sure, Alistair?” Brigit asked, looking skeptical. “By all accounts Roman helped take my daughter, and her siren capabilities are as strong as a full-blooded siren.”

  “Roman has done wrong, I make no qualms with you about that, but I am sure he did not want to. You see, I received news months ago that the Simons family had fallen into a bit of trouble. Stephen, once a moral incubus, had succumbed to the temptations our kind always fights. He became obsessed with the wrong woman, a powerful woman from a Nashville dynasty who sought vengeance as soon as she came to her senses. The woman turned the whole city against the Simons family. She labeled Stephen a criminal, and rightly so. Stephen had put her in his thrall, manipulated her mind, used his powers to gain her consent falsely, and raped her.”

  “That incubus deserved his time in jail,” Shefali said, her lips pursed and arms crossed over her sari. “It’s selfish creatures like Stephen who break the rules and overextend their powers that put us all at risk.”

  “I’m not defending Stephen, only telling Roman’s story. After all, Roman is Stephen’s son and couldn’t bear seeing his father rot away in jail. Even worse, Roman thought Stephen might get the death sentence, a suggestion the woman Stephen seduced threw into the legal ring every chance she got. Roman couldn’t bear to see his father killed or what little money and reputation the family had left drained. So he sought assistance from creatures known for their cunning and power over humans: vampires.”

  “Goddam vamps sticking their noses in others’ business,” Griselda grumbled from her spot near the fireplace.

  Alistair gave Griselda a small smile. “The vampires Roman went to make a practice of it. It was Amon whom Roman chose to approach. Why the boy asked him instead of a less notorious vampire, I’ll never understand. Their arrangement involved the woman becoming enthralled by a vampire, recanting her accusation, and dropping the charges. This, of course, ruined the woman’s reputation but did wonders for the Simonses’ business. In the months after, their family business grew at an exponential rate. Empusa and Amon could not have calculated that beforehand. However, when it became clear the Simonses’ company was now a top-tier organization, they undoubtedly made the connection to Locksley Enterprises and their elite clientele. A business relationship as a ruse to get a powerful incubus before an unsuspecting siren. They’d have to be idiots not to call in the favor.” Alistair paused and turned to Brigit.

  “I've never met your daughter, but I have read several interviews she’s granted, and as an incubus I’m well versed in reading between the lines of what women say. I’d be shocked if Evelyn stooped to using her powers on Roman. Her family’s business ethics are far too strong and that was likely her downfall. That and not knowing the tells of being in an incubus snare.”

  “No doubt you are right Alistair.” Mary twirled her blonde hair nervously. “We didn’t often have other creatures at the cottage when the girls were training. They’ve only been with us four months and we’ve focused on witches’ magic and basic defensive spells. It’s a failing on our part as their teachers, one we will have to remedy quite soon. You say Roman is a good person—do you think he’s remorseful for what he’s done?”

  The old man cocked his head, “I have no doubt about that. I met with the boy for lunch not two weeks ago. He was grinning from ear to ear and couldn’t stop talking about the girl he was seeing. If I had to guess, I’d say Roman has fallen for Evelyn. I’m sure he saw no way out of helping with her abduction. His f
amily was at stake and we all know how vampires, Empusa and Amon in particular, can be when you are in their debt. But I believe, if we make contact, Roman will help get Evelyn out.”

  “Well, it’s something,” Mary replied grimly.

  The same regal woman with the head wrap Brigit had been speaking to earlier stepped forward, her full lips pulled tight.

  “Brigit, because of your family’s reputation, we have allowed you into our coven headquarters without question. Now as high priestess I must ask: Why have we never heard of your daughters before, and why are they popping up now? Why have Empusa and Amon schemed to take one? It is clear these two have raw power, perhaps more than anyone in this room.” The woman gestured to Sara and Lily, eyes roving over their bodies before they locked on Brigit’s once more.

  “It seems the McKay clan is going to ask the New York community to fight for you, are you not? To fight creatures known to be dangerous. Tell us why we should risk our lives for a cause we have little knowledge of, and for a powerful family that has a reputation for keeping secrets. We are intelligent enough to infer this is not only an abduction. There is something more going on here. As high priestess of the Sisters of Salem, I am formally requesting you reveal some of your secrets. If my coven is to fight with you, we deserve to be told the truth.”

  Everyone in the room held their breath, waiting for Brigit’s reply.

  “While I respect your opinion, Jane, I must ask for a room where my family and I can discuss this in private. I want to make sure my inclinations are amenable to everyone.”

  “I’ll show you across the hall,” Jane said, as if she’d anticipated the move.

  The McKay women, including Lily and Sara, fell into step beside Brigit, who glanced back when they reached the door. “Aren’t you coming, Rena, Annika, and Selma?”

  The room across the hall was as large as the library, a feat that judging by the outside of the house should have been impossible. It was a meeting room, boasting a twenty-person table surrounded by heavy, high-backed chairs and a large fireplace. A wall of photographs depicting groups of people from different eras staring back at her from around the same paper-strewn table confirmed Lily’s suspicions.

  “Well, this is official,” Brigit said claiming the head of the table. Her lips pursed with amusement as she lifted a gavel for inspection before tapping it on the table.

  “I say we tell them, but only the bare bones of it,” Aoife launched into the meeting without preamble.

  “Thought you’d say that,” Brigit nodded, “It’s in our witches’ blood to keep our secrets, this family more than most. And it certainly would be quicker. Every minute that passes is another where Evelyn is in danger. Now, anyone else have an opinion?” She leaned back in her chair, opening the floor.

  The room exploded with voices.

  Lily listened as everyone, excluding Sara, Brigit, and herself, attempted to talk over each other. The consensus seemed split down the middle. Half wanted to tell the Sisters of Salem everything. The other half opted for a limited rendition—enough to get them on their side without revealing the true, dire nature of their situation. Each person had a point, and each was looking out for the triplets’ best interests. After a few minutes of debate, Brigit tapped the gavel onto the table, bringing the group to silence.

  “I get the feeling that we are evenly split.” Brigit twirled the gavel in her hand. “Half of us want to protect our secret, while the other half want to be open. We don’t have much time for debate. We need to get the Sisters of Salem on our side and mobilize a force quickly to save Evelyn, but I noticed two important voices missing from the fray. I would like to withhold my own opinion until they give us theirs. Lily? Sara?”

  The sisters glanced at each other. As their eyes met, Lily was sure they were on the same page. She bowed to Sara, her younger, far more articulate sister, granting her the lead.

  Sara stood and all eyes latched onto her. “I heard a lot of what you all said and can’t argue with most of it. There’s danger in outing ourselves, there’s no doubt about that. And if these last few weeks have shown me anything it’s that trust is a fickle thing,” her eyes flicked to Lily and Lily smiled to assure here there were no hard feelings. Sara stood taller.

  “But the one thing I know for sure, and I think Lily agrees, is that we can trust everyone in this room above all others. Thank you for always making our safety your top priority. It’s an honor.” She paused and bit her lip.

  Lily, sensing her sister’s hesitation, reached for Sara’s hand and squeezed it. I’m with you. I want this, too. She lifted a small corner of her mind barriers and pushed the thought toward Sara.

  Sara squeezed back, straightened her shoulders, and continued. “That being said, we don’t want to keep our secret any longer. We need to learn more, from as many people as possible, and that can’t happen if no one is allowed to know about us and what we’re meant to do. If we don’t succeed in our mission, there will be another altercation. It seems our enemies, the Acolytes of Hecate, have no issue with recruiting people, whether through force or a promise they tell their followers of greater power to come under a new realm. We need help, too, but we should be better than our enemies. We should be honest with those who help us. Give them the choice to fight for the future of our planet. Let them know what we are and what we are meant to do. Ask if they want to help us instead of demand it. We are in New York with a global platform outside the front door. Let’s not waste it.”

  Lily stared around the table, her heart beating hard and fast in her chest. It wasn’t until she turned to Brigit, the gavel spinning between her fingers and a smile split her face, that she relaxed.

  “I was hoping you would say that. As I always say, magic is about choice and intention. So is life. I always wanted to leave the decision up to you, and you’re more than ready to make it. I think you’ve made a fine choice. You won’t be safe, and you will attract a degree of celebrity, but I agree we will need help in the battles to come, and many more creatures than just witches to win this war. That being said, there’s a lot to do and we should get to it. Is everyone ready to spread the word?”

  The Traveler

  Noro entered the dungeon with Amon.

  Evelyn whimpered and Empusa glared at her.

  Not again. Evelyn’s eyes latched onto the cup and blade in Amon’s hands as the pair approached her. Noro looked jubilant and a shade lighter than his typical dark navy hue. In contrast, Amon was a walking storm.

  “Eve, my love. I hope I find you restored after our morning session? I believe I’ve allotted enough time for your transformation? For your basest human parts, Empusa’s blood would have trouble penetrating to become stronger? Shall we test my theory and see if you are capable of opening a portal?” Evelyn flinched as Noro caressed her cheek.

  Gasps of arousal arose from the crowd. It was all Evelyn could do not to vomit.

  “Dimia will be waiting for a portal to open at The Crystal Palace. I know you have not seen it, but the Ancients assure me that knowing the name of the place is enough. The part of your soul that clings to your fata ancestry should hone in on your ancestral planet once you’ve begun the process. As discussed, first, you must open the portal here by bending the surrounding space-time. Then, you will project your soul and the name of the place you wish to visit into the portal. Trust in the ancient fata wisdom persisting within you and you will find it. Hold the portal open for as long as you can but certainly until Dimia comes through,” Noro gazed at her with his round, bottomless fata eyes.

  Right. Evelyn inhaled and closed her eyes briefly. “And how, if this even works, will I know which one Dimia is?”

  “His color is a golden opalescence. I remember it well despite all my years on Earth. It is a glorious color.”

  “And what if I still can’t do it?” Evelyn asked, raising her chin in the most overt gesture of defiance she dared.

  A hiss arose from the crowd.

  Noro floated closer until his dark fa
ce was only inches from Evelyn.

  It took all she could not to jump back and scream.

  Instead, she straightened up and stared into his eyes, unwilling to show him how much he terrified her. As she searched Noro’s eyes, familiar white dots popped into the dark, black recesses in his face. Evelyn watched as the beams of light twisted and rotated through the space in Noro’s head, like constellations in the night sky. I never noticed the stars moved before. How did I miss that?

  Noro’s mouth opened wide and completely round into a fata smile. He moved to whisper in Evelyn’s ear. “My eyes contain a map of all the planets my pneuma visited to find this one. The only planet habitable for fata life we know of. I do not always reveal them, but they have traveled with me for thousands of years. All that work. All the ridicule I endured from fata who did not understand my gift. The ones who thought being born with only one talent made me less of a fata. I’ve waited years to show them how strong I’ve become thanks to Earth’s magic. I endured millennia of ridicule on my home planet just to please my king. You understood this once as you sought to please him, too.” Noro darkened as he relived his past.

  Evelyn leaned back as far as she could.

  “I will not travel again to find a new planet. You will open this portal, Eve. Perhaps not today, it is all too likely that you will need a few more lessons. However, I urge you to learn, for no matter how much I love you, neither Dimia nor I will remain patient for forever. Your actions have the power to influence many you love. Keep that in mind.”

  Evelyn hated herself for believing him. The only negotiations she could think of sounded weak, so unlike her typical strong-armed deals. The scales of power were tipped significantly out of her favor for the first time in her life.

  Maybe if I let a few fata through I can negotiate my way out of this dungeon and then find a way to escape? Once I reunite with my family I’m sure we could deal with a few fata.