Winterfall

by John Conroe

  “Barbiel said that your voice could also provide a weapon and Chris’s angel power thing he does has an impact,” Lydia said.

  “Tell us about that, Chris,” Senka said.

  “I’ve used it one other time—when we were ambushed in the tunnel under Atlantic Avenue in New York City. This time, it was when I was scared for Awasos,” I said.

  A massive bear head lifted from the floor near my grandfather’s chair and looked at me before lying back down.

  “To summarize, heat and caustic compounds will be our main weapons backed by sonics and the particle projection that Chris is able to generate, hence my reason for including particle weapons in my new drones. In the past few minutes, I have brought my father, Stacia, Ashley Moore, and Ian Moore up to date on the situation. I will bring them online in a moment.”

  “What about Mack and Jetta?” I asked.

  “They have fallen victim to political machinations by unknown parties in the Courts of Fairie. Both are alive and healthy but were sent through a temporary portal to a position in the terrain of the Winter Court seven hundred miles from the negotiation site. My father is extremely angry. I will caution you that his temper is volatile at this point.”

  Two of the screens changed and opened to visuals of our witch, werewolf, and the father and daughter Moore team.

  Tanya introduced everyone in our room. Declan’s face looked like a storm cloud.

  “We heard about Mack and Jetta. What’s the situation?” I asked.

  Stacia answered as Declan grimaced and looked away from the camera. “We were attacked leaving the Winter Court. A goblin shoved them through a one-way portal and they ended up held in a small village of humans in the Winter realm,” she said.

  “Human village?” Tanya asked.

  “Over the millennia, humans, in groups and by themselves, have wandered through open portals to Fairie. Also, not all of the children taken by the Hunters have been kept in the courts. So it appears there are pockets of humans in both realms. We think the queens leave them to their own devices but sometimes harvest children born with talents. Mack and Jetta are in the hands of one such group. Omega keeps in contact with them but they have limited battery power in their phones and only a handful of micro drones with them, so it’s very minimal,” Stacia said, her hand resting on Declan’s arm.

  “What can you do to get them back?” I asked, watching Declan.

  “The dragons will not fly to them until the negotiations are complete. The queens claim they do not have the power to open a portal to that location, as this is neutral ground and they can’t tap their full powers here,” Stacia said.

  “What about you, Dec?” I asked, knowing it was a rough question.

  “I’m not completely sure I know how to do it—yet. I think I can generate the power, but I don’t know enough about the other end of the portal location to visualize it,” he said, grinding his teeth.

  “We think it was a deliberate move to destabilize us, which it has. Ashley has refused to translate until our friends are safe. The dragons are stubborn and don’t feel it is appropriate for everything to stop just because two guards have been misplaced,” Ian said.

  “The dragons are mad at me and I’m furious with them,” Ashley said. “Declan almost got into it with Trygon.”

  “It wasn’t that close,” Declan said.

  “You said, and I quote, Feed me your fire, worm and let’s see what happens next,” Ashley said.

  “You were going to take on a dragon, Dec?” I asked.

  “I have a lot more power here. I know I could take one of them, but the problem is there are always like three or four around,” he said.

  “You sure about that?” Lydia asked in disbelief.

  “No. It’s possible I could take two, but I have doubts about three or four,” he said, not getting her meaning.

  “Stacia?” I asked.

  “This place is saturated with magic. If he says he could take one, I don’t doubt him,” the beautiful werewolf said.

  “I’m losing patience with the whole thing. I’ll solve the situation myself if I have to,” Declan said.

  “What will you do?” Tanya asked.

  “I’d rather not say,” he said while his blonde girlfriend rolled her eyes. Apparently she’d heard that before. “Let’s talk about your problem,” Declan said. “Elder Senka, do you still have that witch on your staff? The one that was with you at College Arcane?”

  “Veleslava? Yes, why?” Senka asked.

  “Well, Omega says you have a samples of the alien virus stuff. Veleslava should be able to use sympathetic magic to track any parts or new pieces related to it,” Declan said with a little shrug.

  I looked at Tanya and Lydia and we all turned to Senka. She smirked. “Thank you Declan for… what is the modern phrase? Taking us to school?”

  “You folks don’t think like witches, that’s all. Any of the girls at Arcane could do it. In fact, you should recruit them. Some could help you and the others could use the same spells to look for new incursions. A couple of the Arcane kids are handy with fire spells too. Tami and Zuzanna in particular. Lots easier for them to burn those bug things than using a flamethrower,” the kid said.

  “Why’d we let you off world again?” Lydia asked.

  “Trust me, as soon as we get Mack and Jetta back, we’re coming home even if I have to rip open a new portal,” he said.

  “But Mack and Jetta are both healthy, right Omega?” Lydia asked.

  “Essentially, although it is possible that Mack may have a concussion,” Omega said.

  “What? You never told me that!” Declan said.

  “It is only a possibility and I do not have the resources to ascertain his condition with complete confidence. Until I was certain, it did not seem advisable to guess. They are both being held captive but the leader of the village is intrigued by Mack’s blacksmithing skills,” Omega said.

  “You need to tell me everything, Omega, not just what you think I should hear!” Declan said.

  I shared a quick glance with Lydia, Nika, and Tanya. Things were bad if Declan was yelling at Omega.

  “What do you need to form a portal to them?” Tanya asked.

  “A picture of the place they are in would help, which I know Omega can show me, but he won’t,” Declan said.

  “Until you know the correct technique for opening portals, and particularly new portals, it is foolish to experiment. The destructive potential of an errant tunnel through the fabric of reality is rather large, Father,” Omega said.

  “I agree,” Stacia said before Declan could make any nasty answers. “You need to wait for Stocan to provide you access to one of the Watchers of the Veil, as he said he would.”

  “Who is Stocan?” I asked.

  “Native of this city, Idiria. They’re supposed to be neutral but Declan saved a bunch of bigwigs from getting crushed by falling rock. Stocan is our representative and he’s offered to help find a resource that can teach Declan,” Ian Moore said. “Until then, we’re just trying to gather information and be prepared to go collect the Suttons.”

  “Good plan, well thought out. Better than exploding into unguided action,” my vampire said, her eyes on Declan.

  He was looking down but he gave a single nod of acknowledgement without looking up. Stacia was watching him, her expression worried. “Omega, do you think there is enough power for us to hold a quick conversation with Mack and Jetta?” she asked.

  “Jetta has been successful in charging her phone to twenty-nine percent. Nightfall will come to their part of Fairie soon but we should have enough for a conversation, possibly video.”

  Declan’s head came up to look at his girlfriend.

  “If you have nothing else for us, I think we’ll sign off and see if we can talk to Mack and Jetta,” Stacia said, breaking eye contact with Declan to glance our way.

  “Good idea, Stacia. We’ll contact the witches at Arcane and see who is up for a trip to Rome, all expenses paid,” L
ydia said.

  “Great. Hopefully we’ll be seeing you soon,” Ian said, then Omega broke the connection.

  There was a pause as we all thought about what we’d just heard and seen.

  “What a fascinating young man. How old is he?” Senka asked.

  “Just recently turned twenty, I believe,” I said. “I think he’s under a lot of stress.”

  “That’s what I mean. He is, according to you and backed up by Veleslava’s impressions, potentially one of the most powerful witches to ever live and has only lived two mere decades. Yet despite the stress, he’s maintaining his temper. I know vampires five times his age with a small percentage of his power who would have blown up like a bomb,” Senka said.

  “If that kid blows up, it’ll be like a nuclear bomb,” Lydia said. “I mean that in the most literal sense possible.”

  “You are exactly correct, Miss Chapman. Father’s potential, particularly in Fairie, would be in the multi-kiloton range. I omitted his friend’s condition, as I did not want to worry him without necessity. That appears to have been a mistake.”

  “Even quantum computers need to learn relationship lessons, Omega,” I said.

  “I hold all human knowledge and a great deal that humans have not yet discovered. I can apply behavioral forecasting techniques and accurately predict the behavior of ninety-five percent of Earth’s leadership and yet I have much less success with my own father.”

  “Welcome to humans, Omega, although I’m somewhat glad that we can still surprise you,” I said.

  “It does happen, Chris, although very rarely and usually only the most exceptional of you. I have contacted the witches of Arcane with a message from my father. All forty-two have agreed, although less than half have passports available.”

  I looked at Senka. “We should be able to work around that,” she said.

  “I already have. Arrangements are almost complete for their transport, although Arcane Director Velasquez would like to speak with you, Chris and Tanya, as would Director Nathan Stewart.”

  “Okay, let’s do it,” I said. “Let’s get those witches here and let’s track these things down. Maybe if we get this cleared up we can go help Declan and Stacia get the Suttons back.”

  “One thing at a time, zayka. We have to make sure this world is still waiting for them before we worry about bringing them home,” my vampire said, handing me Wulf. “Now go change your son’s diaper.”

  Chapter 15

  Forests of the Winter Realm, Fairie

  They were led to a room in another part of the keep. It appeared to be a hastily cleared out storage room, as a couple of root vegetables lay haphazardly on the dirt floor. The guards pointed inside, then took up positions outside the door.

  Left alone, they’d checked over their quarters/prison cell, finding just a small table, two chairs, a pair of blankets, and a clay vessel that looked and smelled like it filled the role of chamber pot.

  Omega had arranged a quick video chat with Declan and the others in Idiria, thanks to Jetta’s partially charged phone, but it was very quick, just long enough to assure the others that they were okay and assure the Suttons that the four in Idiria were working to find a way to them. Then they were on their own again.

  “So what’s our plan?” Jetta asked, checking pockets and clothes for whatever had been missed by the guards.

  “My guess is Lord Clacher, if he’s even a lord at all, will want me to make him something with steel or iron. I think we should go along with it and make ourselves useful until either the others come for us or until we can get our gear and bust out,” Mack said, watching her inventory her hidden kit.

  “And what? Walk seven hundred miles through hostile forests?” Jetta said. “I like the first part of what you said. Wait here, make ourselves look valuable, and let Declan find a way to us.”

  The door to their cell, for lack of a better word, opened and a tall woman and a young girl entered, carrying trays.

  The woman was very pale, with dark hair, dark eyes, and thin, sharp, almost fierce features. The little girl looked like the woman, and both watched them with wary expressions.

  The woman set her tray down on the table. Mack saw a loaf of unsliced bread along with a plate of what looked like cheese and slabs of some kind of meat. The little girl followed suit, her tray holding cups and a handleless pitcher. But the girl was nervous, and she shook as she got close to them.

  Mack smiled at her and she twitched in surprise. One of the cups fell off the tray, tumbling for the ground but meeting Mack’s hand instead. He froze, shooting pains splitting his skull at the sudden movement, the cup clutched tightly in his fingers. Opening his eyes, he tried to smile reassuringly at the little girl, who now looked openly terrified. His smile was more grimace and he re-closed his eyes as Jetta took the cup from his hand and put it back on the tray.

  “Sorry. My brother’s head hasn’t recovered from the butt of Lady Iona’s spear,” Jetta said, her tone a little bitter.

  Mack opened his eyes again, finding the girl now looking surprised, whether from the phone on the table translating Jetta’s words or the apology itself. Mack glanced at the girl’s mother and froze. Where Daughter was afraid, Mother looked deadly fierce. Her pale skin was now spotted with black rosettes and her eyes were narrowed slits that reminded him more of a mountain lion than a woman. She held her body tight and coiled, hands curled into claws, fingertips hidden, forearms tensed and very well muscled.

  The girl took in his expression and looked back at her mother, immediately patting the woman’s hand and speaking softly. Omega didn’t translate and Mack wondered if it was even the same language the others had spoken. As he watched, the black spots faded, and that reminded him of Declan’s tattooed glyphs.

  Jetta broke the tension by pouring her brother a cup of water and handing it to him.

  “Here. Probably give you diarrhea for a month,” she half joked.

  “Ashley said that part of the treatments the elves gave us would let us drink any water on Fairie without getting the shits,” Mack said, nodding his thanks at the girl and her fierce mother as he took a sip, wincing at his own movement.

  “Well, I don’t trust those Keebler bastards for a second,” his sister said, watching him and frowning.

  The young girl was frowning now too, studying him and visibly wrestling with a thought. Coming to a decision, the girl reached into her belt pouch and took out a little bundle of cloth. The mother hissed something and the girl spoke back in a firm yet respectful tone.

  The bundle opened to reveal a surprising number of dried, twisted plants and herbs. Little fingers danced over the contents, plucking a brown leaf here and a green stem there, a pinch of this and a twist of that. Each item went into the palm of her right hand and she muttered to herself as she did it. Within seconds, she was done and she then rolled the mixture back and forth between the palms of both hands, whispering the whole time.

  Finally satisfied, she confidently plucked the cup from Mack’s hand, dumped her twigs and leaves into the remaining water, and swirled the concoction around.

  Then she handed the cup back and looked at him expectantly. When he didn’t immediately move, she mimed drinking.

  “Think she’s poisoning me?” Mack asked.

  “I think she normally catches hell for dropping pottery and I think she’s trying to help you with your headache. Not sure if you should drink that though,” Jetta said.