“Jake and me obviously, because we’ll need to…” My voice trailed away as I glanced at Dia and Nic.
She smirked at my sudden blush. “Keep an eye on your liegesworn to make sure we don’t pass secrets to the enemy.”
I shrugged and gave a smirk of my own. “While I’m sure you and Nic can be trusted, Bianca is the one with the most extensive knowledge of Colin’s whereabouts. And yeah, it’s safest for the Clan if I’m there to monitor you guys. To keep Daddy Dearest from somehow breaking the liegebond and torturing you for info if nothing else.”
Nic frowned down at his hands clenched on the table. It wasn’t hard to guess where—or rather with whom—his thoughts were. “I swear to you we’ll get your parents after we get Colin, Nic. They’re pretty much the only leverage Garrett has against us right now. He’s not going to risk that advantage.”
He heaved a sigh but his hands relaxed. “I hope you’re right.”
Me, too, I thought but didn’t say out loud. Leaders needed to show strength. And for better or worse, I was becoming a leader.
“I promise to do everything in my power to get them back. Same as we did for Si Si and my mother. Same as we’re doing for Colin. We’re going to need numbers to go after your parents, though. They’re not going to be as easy to get to as the others have been.”
Nic gave a thoughtful nod. “That’s true. His ranch, Saint Gabriel, is kinda like Fort Knox.”
Dia made a face. “I’d like to argue, but I can’t. He’s basically made his own Fortress of Solitude up there, except he’s also got a ton of armed forces and Elementals patrolling the place. And you’ve undoubtedly got him practicing the shit out of his own abilities. That first attack on the farm was just to feel you out. No way did he put his whole effort into it.”
“Good thing that neither did I.” Because I was still figuring out what I actually could do. “And how like an evil genius to name their headquarters after a freaking saint.”
She snickered. “I get the impression he did it to placate his Stalker bosses. A lot of them are pretty holier-than-thou religious types.”
Wen brought us back on task. “We can worry about Saint Gabriel later. For now, we’re agreed that we’ll return to Greener Pastures, make sure Bianca has what she needs, and then divide and conquer. Who else will you take?”
I glanced around the table. “Jake, Liam, Nic, Dia, and Bianca for sure. And then—if you’re willing—Isaac and a few of his people. Ideally I’d like at least three of each Elemental. Enough for us to take watches in shifts if we have to be gone long enough. And to handle any groups my father sends out if he catches wind of what we’re doing.”
Breena and Wen exchanged a silent glance, and then she nodded. “We’ll be going with you as well.” She didn’t leave any room to argue.
I arched my brow. “Is that the best idea?”
She pushed herself up with a scowl. “Are you questioning our abilities, girl?”
“Please, Breena. You’ve kicked my ass in our training sessions ten too many times for me to make that mistake. I can only win now because I’m a genetically modified freak. No, I’m talking about having so many people from the family—and four of the Clan’s senior leaders—plus the Steward of St. Louis all going on this expedition. If I’m wrong and we can’t handle whatever we encounter, that would be a huge blow to the Clan.”
“She’s got a valid point,” Jake said. “Much as you may hate to hear it.”
Breena opened her mouth to argue, but Wen shook his head. “No, Breena. They are both correct. We four need to help the Firsts with preparations. So that means thus far we have: Phoenixes, Cass and Bianca. Dragons, Jake and I assume Avani?” Isaac and Avani gave firm nods. “Selkies, Isaac and Nic. Gryphons, Liam and Dia. Who else from your Freeholders?”
Isaac named a Phoenix and Dragon mated pair who’d been around the safehouse the entire time we’d been here.
“So that leaves room for one more Gryphon and Selkie.”
Liam sighed. “You know Rhianne’s going to insist on coming.”
“Absolutely not!” Breena glared at her younger son in a way usually reserved for me.
Jake and Liam were the ones exchanging meaningful glances this time. The elder brother took his turn risking his mother’s wrath. “You do realize she’s 21 now, right?”
Breena gave an angry laugh. “All the more reason she’s not going. Like every other 21-year-old, she’s too quick to rush in, without the experience to back it up.”
My turn to dance with the angry Mama Bear. “You do realize that she’s only a few years younger than three of us already going on this expedition? And she’s one of the clan’s best scryers.” She turned her scary laser beam vision in my direction. I held out a placating hand. “I think she needs this, Breena.”
Jake nodded. “I bonded a woman just as perceptive as my mother. Only she’s not swayed by those overwhelming maternal instincts urging you to protect Rhianne rather than help her grow as the warrior she is already becoming.”
His words paired with the sincerity in my voice must have given her pause. She pursed her lips and met my gaze with less hostility. “What do you mean?”
“Haven’t you noticed how differently she’s been acting since Keith and my father did their asshole number on her? She’s less confident in both her own judgment and magical abilities. She is young, but she’s also powerful. Ju Hai, didn’t you say she’s the Clan’s strongest scryer?”
I already knew the answer to that question, seeing as how I’d witnessed Rhianne’s abilities a few times myself. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to have someone more respected reiterating that point for Rhianne’s overprotective mama.
Ju Hai nodded serenely, too used to her bondmate’s prickly nature to be affected. “Indeed she is. She has not Ju Li’s nor my strength for Foretelling, but she sees what is rather than what could be far better than either my daughter or me.”
“That will be invaluable in finding Colin, and in keeping watch when we’re in vulnerable circumstances. And she needs experience in the field. What safer way to gain it than surrounded by her two brothers, whose magical and martial skills are unparalleled—except by your Quatrain?”
“Yeah,” Dia threw in. “And your daughter-in-law is the world’s only current liegesworn. She can channel all four—make that five—elements. Oh, and I guess Isaac and Avani kick ass, too.”
Isaac and Avani snickered at the backhanded compliment. I was amused by the fact she was trying to compensate for her former hatred of Isaac’s second-in-command. Now that she knew Avani wanted in her pants and not in Isaac’s. Something Isaac had confirmed when Dia asked him in private. Displaying his own self-confidence (since Dia had confessed to him that she’d come out as bisexual since their breakup) Isaac wasn’t threatened at all by Avani’s attraction to Dia. Avani seemed to enjoy the prospect of a little competition, even if Dia seemed thus far immune to her charms.
Wen placed a hand upon Breena’s arm. “This war is coming, and we owe it to Rhianne to prepare her as best we can. If she wants to go, that is within her rights.”
Breena wrapped her arms across her chest and huffed. “Since you all seem set against me, I guess I must concede.”
“Look at the bright side,” I said with false cheer. “It’s possible she won’t even want to go.”
Of course she wanted to go. We’d barely been back at Greener Pastures for 20 minutes when Rhianne caught wind of what we were doing and ambushed Jake and me. She did have the grace to hug us both and ask after Mom and Si Si first. When I revealed they were resting with the Firsts while Jake and I went to check on Bianca’s progress, she planted hands on each hip—looking very much like her mother’s daughter despite more closely resembling her father—and narrowed her eyes as if in challenge.
“I’m coming with you to find Colin.”
“Mm hmm,” I agreed. “Just as soon as Bianca confirms where we’re heading.”
“I said I’m coming, and I won’t take no for an
answer.”
Jake just snickered. “You’re on the team, champ. We already told Mom and Dad we wanted you with us.”
Her eyes widened. “Wait. They actually said yes?”
Jake and I both nodded.
“Even after I fucked up so bad last time?”
The forlorn undertone to her voice squeezed my heart and confirmed that my instincts had been right. She needed this. And given the huge confidence boost I’d gained from wiping the floor with Dorian, I understood all too well. Neither she nor I played damsel in distress very well, which meant we needed as much battle experience as we could get.
“Okay so…I’ll see you both at dinner tonight.”
We nodded, gave her more hugs, and then watched as she jogged back toward the cabin she shared with Ju Li and Mei when home from college. We continued our walk down the gravel road toward the small grouping of cabins on the opposite side of the main farmhouse, these all nestled just a few dozen feet away from the lake. Bianca was still sharing the cabin next door to ours with Nic and Dia. A good hundred feet and thick copse of trees separated each cabin in this group, but we were well within range to keep an eye on them.
Jake watched as Rhianne jogged off before tugging me into his arms. “Some things do remain completely predictable, at least.”
“I mean, your mother should have seen that one coming. She is her mother’s daughter. And brother’s sister. Her aunt’s and uncle’s niece. Her father’s child. Her—”
He silenced me with a quick, firm kiss and then pulled me farther along the gravel road. “Yes, yes, we’re a family of ass kickers and she comes by it honest.”
“Whereas I come from a line of evil Mindbending geniuses so come by it dishonest?”
Jake’s eyes rolled so hard I feared for his brain. “You come from one Mindbending genius, and that’s only half your family tree. And remember what the Firsts said. The universe always sends a powerful liegelord to balance out their evil genius parent.”
I pressed myself to his side and took comfort, as always, in his unwavering support. The universe really had known what it was doing when it threw us together. Even if I did secretly believe I’d gotten the far better end of the deal.
“Do you think she’s cracked the last clue ye—”
My voice broke off as sheer terror screamed across the liegebond from Bianca to me. The force of her fear had me swaying for a moment. Thankfully, Jake’s arms steadied me while his eyes scanned the distance for potential danger. Finally, I managed to find my voice.
“Bianca. Terrified. Feels like she’s…like she’s smothering.”
We took off running toward the cabin, which felt a million miles away. Moments later Jake burst into the front door a few steps ahead of me—damn my shorter legs—Earth energy already swirling around him. I followed suit, summoning a ball of Fire between my hands just in case, and leapt across the cabin’s foyer.
Bianca lay upon the floor, hands around her own throat and face beginning to turn blue. Glittering bands of Spirit wrapped around her neck, cutting off her physical air supply. Jake knelt beside her, already trying to check her airway. He couldn’t see what I saw.
“Garrett’s behind this. Move!”
He didn’t hesitate, rolling away so I had unimpeded access to the frantic Bianca, whose eyes begged me to help. I plunged Spirit-tinged threads of Fire into the outer edges of my father’s pure Spirit. ((You’ve got my attention, you son of a bitch. Now fucking stop before you kill all three of them. Wouldn’t want to waste all that effort you spent in conceiving replacement kids, now would you?))
Amusement flooded into my psychic feelers, and all at once Bianca gained enough oxygen to cough as if she’d just downed a shot of the world’s worst tequila. She sucked in mouthfuls of air but otherwise remained still, able to tell I was silently confronting Garrett.
((Now, now, dearest Cassidy. I could never replace my favorite daughter.))
I gave a mental snort. ((I heard Lily was your favorite daughter.))
((Certainly the most well-behaved. But we both know the qualities I truly value.))
((Strength. Power. Batshit crazy?))
Another surge of amusement. ((Two out of three isn’t bad. You are strong. Powerful. Unique. And meant to be with me, ruling over your kind by my side.))
((So yes on the batshit crazy, then. The very quality all dedicated, would-be tyrants possess.))
((Oh, I have so missed sparring with you. But I drew your attention for a reason.))
((I take it you got my little present?)) I failed at keeping the gloating tone out of my mental voice.
((If you mean the pieces of Dorian’s body, then yes. I’m still deciding whether he’s worth the trouble to keep around. But don’t you think that qualifies you as the far more insane of us two? First Keith—whose body I still haven’t found, no thanks to you—and now Dorian. Quite the murderous spree you’re on, daughter.))
((I didn’t kill either of those two permanently, so they don’t even count in my murderous spree roster.))
((Valid point, I suppose. And speaking of points, let me get to mine. How long are we going to play these little games before you give in to the inevitable?))
((If by inevitable, you mean my kicking your ass until you leave us the hell alone, then you’re the only one who knows the answer to that question.))
He sent another burst of amusement through our psychic connection. I could only assume he must have navigated here through bands of Spirit the way I had previously used Fire. Bet it was a more straightforward journey using the ethereal element. Something for me to try in the future.
((We both know that’s never going to happen. You said it yourself a moment ago. I’ve invested entirely too much effort in conceiving you, dearest daughter. I’ve spent decades tracking you down time and time again. And now that you have come into your own Mindbending powers, there’s nowhere on this earth you can hide from me. The only question is how many of your loved ones will I have to hurt until you take your rightful place?))
((Do you really think that threatening people I care about is going to make me want to come play Daughter of the Year for your psycho ass?))
((Is there some other incentive I could offer that would be more effective?))
My gaze wandered from Bianca to Jake and then back to Bianca, settling upon her gently-rounded stomach.
((We both know there is no better incentive for me to use. I take no pleasure in hurting you, Cassidy. But I have spent nearly a century perfecting my abilities and a half-century more attempting to create the perfect heirs who can help me bring stability and strength to both the Elemental and human worlds.))
((Stop this insanity, Garrett. I am not your heir. Your actions killed my mother. Your continued actions now are only serving to further push me away. If you stay on this path, I will do everything in my power to stop you. I will call upon every ability that both genetics and your fucked-up science experiments have bestowed upon me to bring you down.))
((Oh daughter, the mere thought of that brings me sheerest joy. Hone those abilities. Make yourself as strong and powerful as possible. Because sooner or later, I will have what I want from you. No matter how long it takes.))
Bianca let out a gasp as Spirit wrapped around her throat once more, but just to jerk painfully once as a reminder, and then the glittering shards of ebony faded away. Just as did my father’s despicable, unwanted presence. Leaving me to wonder just how many loved ones of mine he would hurt before I managed to stop him.
Chapter 12
Jake and I helped Bianca to her feet and then over to the nearby sofa so she could recover from Garrett’s attack. Her breathing was still shaky, something that concerned me until she reassured me that she was otherwise fine.
“Besides, I can always take a short firebath to heal myself without hurting the babies. I just wish…I just wish that monster wasn’t their father.”
“You and me both. But then I suppose neither the babies nor I would be here if he we
ren’t our father. And your other option of sperm donor is no catch either.”
Bianca nodded slowly and tilted her head. “Speaking of whom, I assume you were successful in getting your friend and mother back from Dorian?”
“You’re damned right we were. I sent him back to Garrett in pieces. That’s the main reason he threw his little hissy fit just now. So I guess for that one part of it, I’m sorry.”
Her lips twisted fiercely. “Don’t be. I’m glad you killed that asshole and sent him to Garrett in pieces, and I’m even more glad that doing so sent Garrett over the edge. He wouldn’t have reacted so volatilely if you hadn’t completely pissed him off.”
“I guess that’s true. And a volatile enemy making emotional choices is generally a more easily-defeated one.”
Jake nodded. “Too true. Piss off your enemy enough and they start making a lot more mistakes.”
Bianca gave another tight smile. “Mistakes we can exploit.”
“Exactly,” Jake agreed. “That’s one of the things I teach all my martial arts students. The main reason I train so many competitive champions. For now, though, we can only worry about one problem at a time. Our most immediate concern needs to be tracking down Colin. Both because I understandably want to save my brother, and also because that’s what’s best for your children. You won’t survive without a full Quatrain, and we’ve got our work cut out for us in making that happen in the few months left to us.”
I tapped fingers against my thighs. “Surely we can find at least one Gryphon and Selkie who need to stop the wildness from overwhelming them in the next—what? Four or five months?”
Bianca rubbed a hand idly against her stomach. “We would have close to six months if I carried them to full term. Most twins pregnancies do not go that long, however. The odds are we’ll have closer to four or five months from now, if we’re lucky.”
“Well then, all the more reason to haul ass now. We should send out word among all the Beholden Clans and Freeholder Chapters possible to give us the best chance of finding the right pair. Or any pair, when it comes down to it. Anything is better than nothing at this point! And if we find Colin quickly enough, the two of you can bond immediately while we continue the search.” I hesitated before adding, “And I have a couple ideas of my own that may help buy us more time.”
Forged from Flame Page 14
