Elemental Dreams: An Urban Fantasy Series (The Eldritch Files Book 9)

by Phaedra Weldon

  He remained in a half state as he carried Dáinn to the swamp, away from the city and then dropped him into what he knew was a rather wet area. He landed and activated his Dragon's Fury to become fully human and watched from the side as Dáinn made noises and struggled to get out of the mud. It was early morning now and the sky was just starting to lighten, except for the clouds on the horizon, approaching from the west.

  "Oh fuck'n 'ell…" Dáinn was muttering as he managed to pull himself out of the mud and mire.

  Crwys smiled as he crossed his arms. The smell of the place was awful, full of festering rot and green. The smells of rebirth in the God Mother's circle of life.

  Dáinn muttered a few more words, broken up by fits of coughing as he crawled to the side and finally hugged a thin tree. He breathed pretty hard and turned to lean his back against the wood. He faced Crwys, and narrowed his eyes at him. "What in the bleed'n fuck'n 'ell was that for?" he yelled out.

  "Where is Sam?"

  Dáinn made a face. "Wot?"

  "Where the hell did they take Sam's body when you dug it up for them?"

  "When I—" Dáinn pushed himself up to a standing position, but held onto the tree as if he thought he would sink into the ground again. He was covered in mud from his chest down. "You're fook'n crazy, is what you are. I never dug up anybody. I didn't even know you was married till God Mother told me."

  "You're lying."

  "I am not!" The Air Dragon finally let go of the tree and flicked his arms in the air to get the mud off of them. "I didn't dig up your Princess, mate. In fact I was in Cork, enjoy'n a good bottle of Tillamore Dew when She sent me the message. Made me choke and nearly die, she did." He took a hesitant step toward Crwys.

  Crwys threw up his hand and sent a ball of fire at Dáinn.

  Fire is fed by Air, oxygen being its life's blood. But Air was also its enemy, as all of the elements were. And no one else could wield Air the way Dáinn could. He simply held up his hand and made a gesture. A funnel of wind enveloped the fire and snuffed it out. "Now that's got to stop, mate. I'm not fight'n ye."

  "I'm going to fight you until you tell me where Sam is."

  "I don't know where she is!" Dáinn held out his hands. "Other than the fact she's dead!"

  Crwys's fuse was short and Dáinn just lit it with that one statement. And though he spoke the truth, it was the last thing Crwys wanted to hear, especially from a traitor. Knowing the other could block any fire attack he could use, he did what any red blooded human would do. He ran at Dáinn to tackle him to the ground, barely missing the skinny tree.

  But Dáinn was ready for him and stepped to the side. Crwys barreled past him and into a thicket of sharp leafed bushes. The sound of angry bugs and things running away from the intrusion irritated Crwys as he pulled himself out and wiped at the blood on his cheek where the branches scratched him.

  "Now look," Dáinn began.

  But Crwys came after him again, and this time Dáinn lifted into the air, carried by a gust of rolling wind under his feet. He hovered and looked down at Crwys as he once again, ran head first into a thicket. Crwys pulled back out again and looked up at Dáinn. "Stop cheating and get down here!"

  "You're a bleed'n nutter, Apollo. I told you the truth. I did not touch Sam's body."

  "You showed up just when those Witches did. You overheard what they said!"

  "Yes I did, and my showing up when they did was just a coincidence—" Dáinn stopped and looked around. "Apollo, there's something—"

  But Crwys took that opportunity to jump into the air, manifest his wings and charge at the hovering Dáinn. Again he knocked the wind out of the Air Dragon and slammed him into a much thicker, heartier tree. Dáinn slumped as Crwys lowered him to the ground, then formed a long thin rope of fire and lashed him to the trunk. The fire wouldn't burn him unless he moved. And he watched as Dáinn learned that lesson quickly.

  "Where is she?"

  "I canna tell you what I don't know, mate."

  Crwys slammed his fist into Dáinn's face. "Tell me!"

  Dáinn spit blood to the side and scowled at Crwys. "Always such a hothead. Do, then think. It's not your wife's body you need concern yourself with, Apollo, but your daughter. Someone's taken your daughter!"

  "I don't have a daughter!"

  "Yes you do!" Dáinn moved and the fire flared. He hissed and leaned against the tree. "This isn't the place to be discussing this. We're not alone."

  "It's the wolves."

  "No it's something—"

  They both heard it then.

  The roar of another Dragon.

  Both looked up at the sky, watching the clouds overhead and following the sound with their eyes.

  "That's not Thea," Dáinn said.

  "No…and it's not Tas either." Crwys moved away and continued looking up.

  Dáinn closed his eyes and whispered something. A ribbon of spinning air rolled out of the clouds, came down and wrapped itself around the blazing rope, dissipating it in seconds. Though his clothing was now scorched, his skin was unblemished as he stood and moved his lower jaw with his hand.

  Crwys looked at him. "I never could best you."

  "No. And you never will."

  The Dragon roared again.

  Both of them moved out from the trees to get a better view. But Crwys saw its tail flit in and out of the clouds. The tip of a wing and then the head.

  Blue and aqua colors. Hints of indigo and pearl.

  "It can't be," Dáinn whispered, voicing Crwys's own thoughts.

  No it couldn't.

  But it was.

  "Lethe," Crwys said.

  Dáinn started shaking his head. "She's dead. I know for a fact she's dead, mate. I saw her room in the Eye. It's laid waste. She's not alive."

  "The room's not like that anymore," Crwys said as he glanced at Dáinn then back up at the sky. "I was there, looking for Solomon, and Lethe's room was alive. It had Sam in it."

  "That's wrong. And what's a Solomon?"

  "Southern Conjurer. Lost this mind when he saw the Eye."

  "That wasn't smart."

  "No… He's possessed by a Loa now. I think." Crwys watched as the Dragon's wings broke the clouds now and then. "She's moving away." He stepped forward.

  "Wait," Dáinn grabbed Crwy's upper arm. "You can't get near her. You know what kind of effect she has on you. You need to come with me. We have to find your daughter."

  Crwys yanked his arm away. "And if that's Lethe, who's to say she's not the one who took her?"

  Dáinn opened his mouth, then closed it. He looked like a very young man in that instant. Like the boy he'd been when he'd died.

  And Crwys didn't need anyone's permission. He jumped back and transformed completely, knocking a few trees over as he spread his wings and launched into the air and made himself airborne.

  "Apollo!" Dáinn's voice followed him into the clouds and he half expected his brother to join him. When he didn't, Crwys spent his energy searching the clouds. But he didn't see her. He bellowed out a warning, broadcasted his anger into the world.

  There!

  Just to his right he thought he could see the tip of a wing again. He increased his speed and focused on that point. He saw movement in the clouds, a swirling funnel as if Dáinn were calling in his power. Maybe the Air Dragon was indeed going to join him, and together they could take down—

  Something large and nearly transparent came at him. It had the face of a nightmare and it was ten times the size of himself. Of any Dragon he'd ever seen! It opened its jaws and snapped at Crwys. He banked too far left and the air current folded his wing. Crwys spun out of control as he tried to right himself again but the ground stopped him.

  Luckily he was still in the swamp and the ground was both soft and wet, enough to douse his flames and simmer his anger.

  It took several minutes before he could initiate the Dragon's Fury so he lay on his back in a small crater, the ground steaming around him. He looked up at the clouds as they moved and swi
rled, and he thought…

  He thought he saw something moving in them. The thing that attacked him. The face…had seemed, familiar. Though distorted, there was a sadness in its eyes, and something that haunted Crwys. The sun had risen even higher now, but was being blocked by the dark clouds as they rolled in and multiplied. He he needed to get back to the Quarter, to the others.

  To…

  His daughter.

  I have a child.

  A little girl.

  He stood and wiped the emotion from his eyes as he climbed out of the hole he was sure they'd be able to spot from the air (just another weird thing about New Orleans it seems). Once topside, he looked around, a bit surprised that Dáinn hadn't followed him, or at least found him where he fell. He got his bearings and headed in the direction he'd left the Air Dragon.

  But once he got there…Dáinn was gone. The area looked broken, with bits and pieces of earth and brush thrown about, but Crwys wasn't sure if that was from their fight, or something else. He cupped his hands around his lips. "Dáinn!"

  A flock of birds flew out of a nearby bush, but other than that, the swamp was empty.

  Except for something…

  He spun around in time to see something duck into the brush. He dove after it and thought he heard a squeak. And then there was nothing. He ran after it, and lost it. Whatever it was, it knew the area, and it knew how to hide. This part of the swamp was still a part of the Vervain land, and there was no telling what manner of creature it had been.

  With an aching heart, Crwys once again transformed, albeit a bit slower, and flew in the direction of the Quarter.

  And home.

  EIGHTEEN

  That was Crwys!

  I knew it the moment I heard the roar. I felt him in my heart. And I wanted to get to him.

  I TRIED to get to him, call to him, talk to him.

  But the clouds—

  Where in the hell did these clouds come from? They'd appeared the moment I descended into New Orleans. I'd been following the sound of my child and I'd come to the swamp, with Zephyros by my side. But I wasn't the best at landing, and not being able to see—I didn't want to get impaled by a tree! Zephyros's advice at focusing on something, particularly my child, had pushed all the other voices out. And now…

  My child was somewhere close…and my husband…

  No! Came Zephyros's cry. I'd turned in the clouds, diving down low to get away from them. But my old Air Elemental moved past me, a giant of a Dragon, translucent and deadly, as he sped toward Crwys.

  Don't hurt him!

  Somehow I knew if Zephyros used his full power—Crwys could be seriously wounded.

  I would never hurt him, Samantha. The sadness in Zephy's voice made me frown. I didn't mean it like that.

  I couldn't see anything, but I did hear Crwys roar again, and then felt the vibration around me of a Dragon hitting the ground. I listened to the snap of trees and the call of wild animals fleeing.

  Zephyros was beside me again, a Dragon made of glass, reflecting the moving dark clouds around us. He stared at me.

  Is he okay?

  Yes. He hit the ground pretty hard, but he got up. He looked up and then to the south. But we have to go. Someone wants to see you.

  I already knew who. I could feel Her close by. The air around us hummed with power and the clouds followed us, caressed my scales as we flew in Her direction, and then dove down into a clearing. I could see Her there, standing in the center beside a stone. She held her staff out, a glowing star atop it, shining a beacon of light. Zephyros landed first, becoming his partial human self. And me…well I kinda stumble-landed at the abrupt descent. But I did manage not to screw up the surrounding trees.

  Couldn't say much about my pride.

  Zephyros stood beside me and I crouched down so She could look me in the eye. She didn't look happy, but She didn't look angry either. She looked…worried.

  God Mother—is it about my daughter?

  "No." She shook her head. She was in her younger form, a maiden with long white hair that fell over a robe of the same intensity. A crown of crystals encircled her brow and I could just make out tiny stars moving in a deosil circle above her. "Your daughter isn't the concern at the moment—"

  She is to me!

  Silence! She pointed her staff at me and my voice took a hike. I mean literally, it was gone. I tried to think at her, but couldn't. No directed thoughts. I tried talking to Zephyros…nothing.

  "Samantha, for once in your life will you listen to me?" She sighed. "You shouldn't have broken the Haven I'd created for you. You know now why I made it? The voices? The clamoring dreams?"

  I nodded.

  "As my Spirit, you now bare the weight of millions, billions of prayers, wishes, dreams, all of which I would drown in…if it wasn't for you."

  I frowned. I wanted to ask a question, but couldn't. And as if sensing this, She touched my nose with her staff.

  ….for real? Oh, yes! God Mother…are you saying that without a Dragon of Spirit, you would be hearing all of that?

  "Yes. Each of you are an extension of me. Manifested in these forms to take the weight of creatrix from my shoulders. Without you, I'm afraid I might perish under the weight of responsibility."

  I understood her, but I wasn't sure I approved of it. So, I parsed it out. We carry the burden of creation with you.

  "Yes. And though I would love to spend time to teach you more, and to explain the way things work better, I'm afraid we'll have to discuss your escape and its consequences later." She planted her staff into the muddy grass beneath us. "There is something I need you to do. My absence while you have been growing and learning what it is to be a Dragon, has been because I am fallible."

  Eh?

  She turned away and I wondered if She was listening to something I couldn't hear. "I can't keep up with every living creature in the universe. No one can. I can only do my best, and use the tools given to me. Tools such as you and your new family." She finally looked at me, and her face was shadowed. "But even as I work in the light, you know better than anyone, that there is also darkness. One cannot live without the other. And so I don't always see what the dark is doing. Therefore something close to you, close to your being, has moved from the shadows and I…I didn't see them. They are a threat to what I want to build for you, and they are a threat to your husband, my son."

  Crwys? What—is it a Leviathan? The Faeries?

  "No. This enemy has risen from your own people."

  I stepped back and tilted my head at her. Witches?

  "I'm afraid so. I've manipulated where I could. I tried mitigating the damage I saw coming, but now…" She shook her head. "Now I will require your help. I'm afraid things are spiraling out of control, and only you," and she pointed at me with the hand not holding the staff, "You, can fix it."

  I shoved my big ole head forward. Is it my daughter? Is she in trouble?

  She hesitated before answering me and I took that as a big ass yes.

  My child!

  Tell me what to do!

  "First you have to be calm and listen to me. Please, Samantha. Can you do that?"

  I nodded, but I honestly didn't think anything was going to calm me ever again.

  "You have to promise me that you won't hesitate in using the power given to you. You have my permission to use your own judgement."

  Well that was vague, and a bit ominous. I wanted to ask her what that meant, but I got the impression she wasn't going to answer me if I did. I just nodded.

  "Good. Zephyros?"

  The Air Elemental moved forward. "Yes God Mother?"

  "Go with her. The others are already waiting to help."

  "Yes, but what about the Fury?"

  "Yes, yes." She sighed. "She's going to have to get it from him herself. Oh and Samantha," She held out her hand and stroked the area above my nose. "I think it might be beneficial that you know…from a distance, you might resemble…Lethe." She patted my nose and poofed.

 
Just…

  Wait.

  What?!

  I look like Lethe?!?!

  Crwys landed just within the borders of Gypsy Gardens and heard the alarms go off as he stomped toward the house, transforming as he went. Several wolves in human form, and a few in wolf, charged him. He shoved them out of his way, growling as he did so. Until he heard a familiar voice in his head.

  It was Ben. The only Wolf he agreed to keep contact with. Or at least, a Link.

  "Yeah it's me," he said out loud and walked up to the door. Two of the wolves opened the doors as he entered and he was met with several shocked faces standing in the foyer in front of a table and a huge bouquet of flowers.

  He recognized them, though it felt like decades had passed since he last saw them. And that had been in the basement of a long, abandoned hospital.

  Ivan, Dharma, Levi, Jack and Ben were there, and to his surprise, so was Thea. He hadn't seen her in decades, if not longer, and he couldn't stop himself from giving her a half smile. Everyone else always thought of her as a loose cannon, a wild child. But to him—Thea had been the brightest spot that made him laugh.

  She put her hands to her face and ran to him, wrapping her arms around him. She was still small, and delicate. Hard to believe this little flower could turn into a badass Dragon. He enfolded her in his arms as well.

  "Crwys," Ivan said after clearing his throat. "Ah…it's good to see you."

  "You too Ivan. And you Dharma."

  And as if on cue, Dharma ran up to him and put her arms around him too. He put his arms around her as well. It felt good, really, the physical contact, after months of feeling sorry for himself and wallowing in sorrow and depression.

  "Okay this is great," Levi said and clapped his hands together and rubbed them. "And I plan on taking you out back later and kicking your ass for making us all crazy and disappearing without a word," Ashur's voice came through Levi's, the duality of the Revenant's nature more prevalent than usual. And he could hear the anger in the demon's voice. "But there's stuff happening and we have to clue you in."

  "I know I have a child," Crwys said as Dharma stepped back and put her arm around Ivan. Thea didn't let go and that was just fine. "Dáinn convinced me." He frowned. "Didn't he come back here?"