by Ally Shields
“He claims tonight’s gathering will go fine, that the princes will unite under Daron. What worries him is Ursula’s reaction if that happens.”
“She doesn’t know about the meeting, does she?”
Lilith lifted her shoulders. “Nothing’s for sure. They don’t think so, but they’ll have to tell her eventually. An agreement wouldn’t be worth much if she didn’t know about it. That’ll happen later tonight or tomorrow.”
“That gives us a little time.” Ari stood and walked over to gaze out the window. The mansion’s wide lawn and gardens spread out before her, quiet and deceptively serene in the gathering dark. “Maybe I can chase off the coven before we have to deal with Ursula. Once I confront the witches, I hope they’ll leave town without a fight. That wouldn’t atone for Barron’s death, but the Magic Council could handle it at the council level, demanding retribution from the authorities wherever they live.” But picturing the threatening face of the black coven’s High Priestess, Ari doubted the meeting would be so peaceful. A reasonable witch would go when ordered from another witch’s territory, but then a reasonable witch wouldn’t be there in the first place.
“What do you think Ursula will do?” Lilith’s question returned Ari’s thoughts to the vampire problem.
“I don’t think she’ll attack Daron’s compound directly, but I’m positive she’ll tattle to the O-Seven. I’m more worried about what they’ll do. According to Andreas, that could be anything, including some kind of psychic attack.” Ari sighed and turned away from the window to resume her cross-legged seat on the floor. One enemy at a time. She glanced at the clock again. 7:59. Thirty minutes to go.
She and Lilith chatted until the clock finally read 8:15, then Ari began her preparations. Lilith watched in silence from a lounge chair.
As she’d done the night before, Ari completed the connection to her coven first. Only when she felt the welcome glow of their presence did she proceed with the scrying ceremony. She moved the crystal pendant over the bowl of water as she spoke the last words of the spell, “So mote it be.” An aerial map of Olde Town settled across the water’s surface, and lights suddenly twinkled from several locations. The black coven was active.
Ari concentrated on maintaining the lights and her connection with her sisters. They would be working hard to trace each thread of energy. Seconds, then minutes passed. Her anxiety grew that the black coven would finish their ceremony, and she’d lose them.
Finally, one light blazed forth from a location she knew well. A grin spread across Ari’s face. Gotcha! She broke her connection with Perry, hurried through the rest of her ritual, thanked the Goddess and closed the circle.
Ari bounded to her feet, leaving her magical items scattered on the floor, and looked at Lilith. “Coming? They’re in Goshen Park.”
They grabbed weapons and dashed down the stairs, exiting through the garage.
Ari and Lilith sped through the dark streets, their feet pounding on the pavement, determined to reach the park before the coven got away. Entering the gates, Ari motioned for Lilith to stay there.
“I can mask my presence until they actually see me, but I can’t cover you. If I’m not back here in thirty minutes…um, well, tell someone.”
“Like who?” Lilith’s voice was gruff. “I don’t know anyone who can take on a coven of black witches.”
Ari shrugged. “No, and they shouldn’t try. I’ll be fine. Wait here.”
Ari left at a run and went deep into the woods. She felt the witch coven’s magic now. When she knew she was close, she paused to center herself and filled her aura with a protective white light. She strode into the clearing like an avenging angel and breached their circle.
The High Priestess reacted immediately, moving toward Ari but stopping just out of reach. “Surround her.”
Ari stood her ground, ignoring the others, and glared at the priestess. “We need to talk.”
“Guardian. As brazen as your reputation.” The priestess’s voice was heavily accented. Definitely not American. Her large-boned frame towered over Ari, and she circled her, looking her up and down. “You were foolish to come alone.”
“But I didn’t.” Ari swirled one hand over her head, murmuring the summons, and a ring of fire sprang up outside the coven’s circle, surrounding and entrapping the rogue witches. A hundred black-rimmed eyes glowered from the flames, tails flickering in the light.
The priestess froze in place. “The ancient salamanders.” Contrary to the words, her voice held disbelief. “How did you capture the fire spirits?”
Ari’s smile was smug. “I didn’t. They chose me.”
“Such power.” The priestess’s face hardened. “If you intend to destroy us, I warn you we will not die without a terrible fight.”
“Likewise. But before we start exchanging blows, I want to know why you’ve entered my territory uninvited. And why you invaded the cave holdings of the vampires.”
“Ah, worried about your vampire lover? Surprised we know about him? We know many things about you, Arianna Calin.”
“You didn’t know about the fire spirits.”
The priestess scowled. “That is true. You have kept your secret well, and it changes things. Perhaps it saves your life, if you will help us.”
“Are you kidding?” Ari’s voice dripped with scorn. “Nothing would make me help you. You’ve used black magic to kill an innocent human, and you attacked the vampires. What happened to the guards? Are they dead too?”
“Be nice, and I will tell you.” If the priestess had been temporarily disconcerted by Ari’s ring of fire, she had regained her confidence. But she was different now, her voice smoother, more conciliatory. “We are not the enemy. The human was an annoyance, and he knew far too much. We tried to scare him away, but when he came back…” She shrugged. “It was unfortunate, but what else could we do?”
“Why throw him off the cliff where everyone would see him?”
“To warn others what could happen. Don’t you understand? We needed time to find the stone. But don’t worry about your vampire guards. Thanks to my First Initiate, they will return, if they are smart enough. Sophistrina has such a tender heart. She believes vampires can change their evil nature.” The priestess gave her second-in-command an indulgent smile. “She pleaded to send them away, so they are on a little vacation in Zimbabwe.”
“You teleported them to Africa?” The astonished question slipped out before Ari could smother it. The coven’s power truly was awesome.
“We can do better than that. Once we find the power stone we will be unstoppable. Join us. Add your power to ours in a common cause. Together we can defeat the O-Seven.”
“What?” Ari stared in disbelief. “You’re fighting the O-Seven? Who are you?”
“A warrior coven from Germany. Where the mongrel vampires hide in their stronghold.” The priestess curled her mouth in disdain, and her black hair swirled with agitation. Her gaze burned into Ari’s face. “With your help, we could burn their castle to the ground.”
“Burn a stone castle? Not likely. If they’ve faced fire witches before, I don’t think they’d be stupid enough to live in anything that burns easily. In any case, I’m not going to Europe. I have problems enough in Riverdale—starting with you. If you really want to do something useful, why don’t you get rid of Ursula?”
The priestess stiffened. “Why do you bring up the name of an enforcer?”
“Because she’s in Canada. Being what I presume is her usual uncharming self.”
“So far away from the elders,” the priestess murmured, looking intrigued. “That has many possibilities. Yes, many.” She tapped her lips with a fingertip. “Once we have the power stone…”
“Which you’re not getting.”
“Perhaps not, but you will not be around to find out.” The priestess laughed.
Ari felt sudden pressure surround her. A loud humming filled her brain; her witch senses shrieked. She struggled to move leaden arms and legs, but her visio
n dimmed. A light, floating sensation. And then nothing.
* * *
Ari woke cold and shivering. A sandy surface pricked at her cheek, a cool breeze ruffled her hair. She pushed up on her hands and looked around. It was still night, but the light of the moon revealed a very unfamiliar landscape. Large formations. Dark, rugged valleys. Plateaus. No forest of trees. Not a single dot of light from houses or streetlights. Where in the hell was she?
As her scattered wits returned, she realized what must have happened. She’d been teleported by the rogue witches. But where? What was Zimbabwe like?
She picked up a handful of debris, sniffed it, and sifted it through her fingers. Sandstone. She peered at the area immediately around her. She was on top of some type of stone edifice with a five-by-five-foot top surface. She scooted to the edge and looked over, drawing back sharply. At least one hundred fifty feet. Good thing she wasn’t a restless sleeper. She tried other directions with similar results. Maybe a hundred forty feet on one side, but the landing was jagged rock. Getting out of here wasn’t going to be easy.
Ari sat down to think, hugging her knees to her in the chill air. Damn the witches. Stranding her like this. How had they done this in spite of her defenses? The fire spirits must have dissipated the moment she passed out. And then the coven had transported her, defense barrier and all. Damn. She hadn’t grounded herself, hadn’t even thought about it. She sighed and crawled over to the side again, this time checking for handholds on the sheer side wall. In the dim light she couldn’t tell the difference between potential handholds and shadows, but it wasn’t promising. The sandstone was too loose, too crumbly. Rappelling equipment would be handy about now.
Shivering again, she rubbed her arms. Was it cold enough for hypothermia? She needed to keep moving while she figured what else to do. She stood and stamped her feet, then started jogging in place to keep her blood pumping.
She was stuck on this rock, at least until dawn when she could make a better assessment. If there was anything to burn—which there wasn’t—she could have used her magic to build a fire. Just the thought brought on another shiver. She untied her magical pouch to see if she had anything useful inside, but all the spells and potions were protective or healing. Nothing of practical help, like a heat spell.
She had her knife and derringer, a dozen silver bullets. And her cell phone. Perking up, she thumbed Gabriel’s number. No service. Holy crap, she must be in the middle of nowhere.
That left one possibility to raise a rescue. She opened the mental gate to Andreas, and her magic flowed outward. She felt the link surge and his immediate presence.
Where are you? he asked. Lilith reported your disappearance.
Trust Lilith to get worried and take action.
I don’t know where I am, Ari projected. The damn witches teleported me to the top of some rock. Looks like a desert down below. She formed an image in her mind of the sandstone butte with its sheer sides and the surrounding terrain. It’s chilly up here. Is the meeting still going on?
Yes, but I will find you.
Don’t. Finish your business. When I get down from here, I’ll call Gabriel.
Ari quickly shut down the connection before he could quiz her for details. She had no intention of dragging him from the negotiations unless there was no other choice. If she didn’t find a way down by tomorrow night…well, that would be a different matter.
She kept herself awake and reasonably warm for the remainder of the night by stamping her feet, drumming her heels, and waving her arms. And by contemplating ways of taking revenge against the witch coven. When early dawn streaked the sky, she began to search for a way off her sky-hung prison.
* * *
Two hours later she squatted on the edge looking down for the hundredth time. The only sign of other life she’d seen was a pair of vultures checking her out on their morning search for food.
The overhead sun beat down, and sweat began to trickle between her breasts. Without water, she’d be in trouble within hours. She had to get off this perch before heat and dehydration took their toll and the birds were back picking her bones.
She scooted down on her belly and reached a hand over the side, feeling the wall. Grainy, but more solid than the top. She peered over. There were potential handholds for maybe the first twenty feet. She really didn’t have a decent perspective to see much after that. If she didn’t find additional places where her hands or feet could catch a small ledge or crack, the slide all the way to the bottom would be quick—way too quick. Even with her constitution, she’d be injured. Just how badly was impossible to calculate. Ari took a deep breath and blew it out. Whatever the cost, she couldn’t wait any longer.
She took off her socks and stuffed them with her knife, derringer, and pouch. She hoped to minimize the risk of losing her weapons or landing on the knife. And the pouch held vital healing potions and pain spells she’d need, if she survived. She tied the socks together and threw them over the edge, watching as they hurtled to the bottom. Hell, that was quicker than expected. Only seconds. If she went that fast, she’d never survive. Of course, it would all be over anyway, if she didn’t hug the wall. Falling backward would be fatal.
She put her sneakers back on, took a deep breath, and eased her legs over the edge.
The first ten feet weren’t so bad. Then more of the sandstone began to crumble under her fingers. She slipped once, caught herself, and hung there panting, more from nerves than exertion. She took a quick glance down. A good-size projection was now about ten feet below her. She pressed against the wall and let her body begin to slide, only breathing again when she wrapped her arms around the projection. Looking down this time, Ari saw nothing to break her fall for the next thirty feet or so. Too far. By the time she got there, momentum would make a stop unlikely.
She had to try.
Forcing her fingers to let go, she began to slide again. Faster than before. Her shirt pulled free and the rocks scraped her stomach, grabbed at her bra, but she hardly felt the savage rips at her skin. Her fingers reached for the rocky protuberance, caught, interrupting the force of momentum, then the pull of her weight yanked her free. Gravity dragged her toward the bottom at an ever-increasing speed. Twice more she found a surface irregularity that slowed her for an instant, but it wasn’t enough, and the ground rushed up to meet her.
* * *
For the second time in twenty-four hours Ari woke to discomfort. Not cold this time. Her body ached—everywhere. She lay still, taking inventory. Her head throbbed; her skin stung from a mass of raw abrasions and bleeding gouges. She wiggled her fingers and toes and finally opened her eyes. She lay on her left side on the sand and rolled to her back, thankful that many of her parts appeared to be working. Others she wasn’t so sure about. Her left hip was shooting pain down her leg.
Lifting her head to look for her socks, Ari’s focus spun for a moment. When her head cleared, she wiped aside a trickle of blood threatening to drip into her eye and spotted the socks about twenty feet away. Between here and there a snake was coiled, watching her. Brown with dark diamond markings, like a rattlesnake. She slid her gaze to the reptile’s tail.
“Well, I don’t see any rattles, my serpent friend. I hope that means you’re not deadly.” As she eased into a sitting position, Ari desperately tried to remember everything she’d heard in her venom classes. Her ribs threatened to revolt from her movement, but faced with a potential reptilian threat, most of her scrapes and bruises didn’t seem important. “I won’t bother you, if you stay away from me. But those are my socks over there, and I need them.”
The snake continued to stare at her.
Ari scooted forward, gasping at the pain in her hip. No way she could stand. Not until she used those potions, and they wouldn’t be easy to get to. Detouring around the snake seemed an impossibility in her present state. Crawling even an extra inch was more than her battered body was willing to contemplate.
“Shoo.” Ari slapped her palm on the sand in hopes
of scaring the creature away. She regretted it instantly as pain reminded her of the punctures, the ripped fingernails, and raw flesh.
The snake’s tongue flicked out.
How could she reason with a snake? Ari picked up a handful of sand and tossed it. The snake reacted instantly and slithered away. Its tail quickly disappearing between two rocks.
Buoyed by this small victory, Ari half-crawled, half-squirmed forward. Inch by inch she made progress. A half hour passed before she reached her socks and their much-needed magical contents. By that time, Ari was in serious pain. She used both healing potions and one of the pain potions before the throbbing began to ease. She kept one in reserve…in case.
Once she could think beyond her injuries, Ari rested on one elbow while she assessed the situation. She needed water, shelter, and sleep to speed the healing. Looking at the desert, the small, sparse brush, and the sandstone formations around her, her first two requirements seemed unlikely to materialize. As far as she could tell, she and the snake were the only inhabitants of the arid landscape, plus an undetermined number of scorpions, spiders, and lizards. She didn’t even see a cactus, a potential source to quench her thirst.
Ari ran her tongue over her parched lips. If she knew where she was, somehow it would seem better. Arizona, Wyoming, Utah? Was she even in the United States or on the American continent?
She pulled her cell phone out to try it again, but the screen was crushed. It wouldn’t even power on. She dropped it and scoured the area for at least token shelter. If she could get some or all of her body out of the direct sunlight, she’d conserve whatever moisture her body had. Once evening came, if she wasn’t healed enough to find her way back to civilization, she’d try to make telepathic contact with Andreas. Maybe he’d send someone to bring her a bottle of water.
She crawled to the nearest sandstone formation and curled her body into the meager shade it provided. She slept fitfully for no more than two hours. The sun was still high overhead. Her mouth felt like sawdust and her lips were chapped, but overall, she felt a little better. The potions were working, and her body was starting to heal. Water was now her biggest concern.
