by Patti Larsen
Now or never. Remember what I said, I sent out again, to the family, to the vampires. They draw power. Don’t give them anything to feed from. Damn it, I still paused, unsure. I’d never run from a fight before, not when so much was at stake. And this felt like running.
Cold emptiness shoved me backward, eating at my shields. Time to take my own advice. I dropped my wards, all of them, let the sorcery pass over me, through me, forcing all of my magic to fall passive.
Oh. My. Swearword.
Did it actually work?
Trill cried out beside me, clutching her chest and I knew my time was up.
Heart clenched against what felt like cowardice, I grabbed her arm and Owen’s hand. Multiple fingers grasped me from all directions, Demetrius turning just in time to hook his hand around my calf, the others clinging to my clothing as I ripped open the path between planes and slipped into the veil.
***
Chapter Twenty Four
The library loomed above us in the early morning as I dumped my following onto the grass just past the parking lot. My power wrapped around Trill and Owen as we emerged, blocking off the natural pulse of their magic as we dashed as a group toward the door and down into the Sidhe cavern.
The moment Trill and Owen were safely behind the glowing green wards, I ran out into the hall, Liam hot on my heels. He grabbed my arm, turned me back to face him while Meira joined him, taking my other hand.
“You can’t go back.” My sister’s tone told me she was far more levelheaded about the whole mess than I was. Clearly. Her steady gaze had nothing on the manic need coursing through my veins to go back to the mansion and kick Belaisle’s skinny little ass. “Gram will handle it. Syd.” She jerked her grip on me, just painful enough to catch my attention. “We need you here.”
I shook my head, trying to pull free of her. “You’re as strong as I am,” I said.
“No, Syd,” she said softly, letting me go. “I’m not. And we both know it.”
No regret from her, not a trace of blame, despite the anger she’d shown earlier when I’d called Dad alone.
“Meems…” My entire body ached to leave, to charge into battle, though the need was fading as I caught my breath, tried to be rational, if only for her sake. To come up with a logical reason why I should leave them behind to fight.
Yeah, I had nothing.
Liam pulled me into his arms, but I didn’t soften, though I quickly returned his hug before sliding free. “I’m sorry. I should never have let Owen talk me into taking him to the mansion.” The boy looked guilty himself, though Trill just glared at me. Back to the old attitude, were we? “I made things worse. But you did everything you could. And if there was any doubt before how dangerous those two are, I’d say it’s pretty much gone, wouldn’t you?”
I shuddered a little at the memory of Owen, the hungry blackness, Trill’s answering maji power.
“How did you stop him?” Meira bent to pick up Sassafras who spoke as she did. I hadn’t seen him join us, but then again I wasn’t exactly being very observant at the moment.
“I found it, buried.” Again with a shudder, this one leaving me cold. “The power of the maji. Like Trill. But it’s been dormant, I guess, because of my witch magic. And, for all I know, because of Gram’s little stunt.” Not fair, I knew it. Gram had done what she could to keep our family safe. But when she hid most of her magic inside me before fighting the Purity coven, she’d walled off my connection to my demon, thanks to a geas she implanted to ensure I wouldn’t want to keep her power. The result was history. I’d spent my entire childhood, from baby to the age of sixteen, hating my magic and just wanting to get rid of it. Gram spent those years struggling to remember, in the grips of insanity the final battle with the Puritys reduced her to, what it was I had of hers she needed back.
Talk about a mess. Now I wondered what else was lost to me. And what I’d find if I really went looking.
Meira hugged Sassafras close. “We have the bloodline,” she said, matter of fact. “So it makes sense. Does that mean the only counter to sorcerers is maji magic?”
“I hope not,” I said. “Because if that’s the case, we’re in serious trouble.” The power I’d uncovered had barely been enough to keep me upright, let alone fight the Brotherhood. Which meant even if we could find and train all of those with maji blood, there was a very good chance we’d still lose.
“Trill and Owen are the answer to this,” Liam said. “We have to protect them, Syd.”
I didn’t answer, reaching for Gram, feeling, as the vampire core inside me shivered, the sun rise. The clan?
Gone. She grunted mentally and I caught an image of Belaisle backing away from her, his people retreating.
You beat them? Awesome. Way to go Gram. But she was already denying it, allowing me to use her eyes to watch them climb into their black cars and retreat while the coven members Gram brought with her sagged, exhausted, though from what I could tell none of them looked seriously hurt.
No, she sent. Not even close. Grim, those words. They chose to leave. The kids?
Safe, I sent back. As far as I know, the Brotherhood can’t find them here.
As far as I knew.
I’m alerting your mother, Gram sent. This was an open attack on our coven and the vampire clan. The sorcerers have finally crossed a line. She paused, voice tired, hugging me. I just hope we’re ready for them, Syd. Because if we’re not, I have a feeling there won’t be much we can do to stop them.
Happy thoughts.
We needed a weapon. And I was done running.
I marched back through the wards, stomping up to Demetrius who crouched by one of the walls, looking around with terror in his eyes.
“Don’t like it,” he muttered. “Too much dirt.”
“Get used to it,” I snapped, in no mood to deal with his loose screws. “Listen up. We need a crystal. And you’re going to get me one.”
“And you fix me?” That hopefulness had returned, the spark of it in his amber eyes.
My demon didn’t fight me this time. Even she knew how much trouble we were in.
“Yes,” I said. “But after, remember? The crystal, Demetrius. Now.”
“We go,” he bobbed his head, reaching for my hand. I stepped out of his range, backing away. “You trust me, we go. I know what you seek.”
I paused. We had no idea if it would even help, aside from Demetrius’s crazy talk. And if he knew, would he lie, considering his normal appearance hung in the balance?
More, why was he willing to help against his own people? He was a sorcerer too, after all.
I had to know before this went any further. “You could just turn us in.” I watched him carefully as his eyes flew wide and he shook his head back and forth, parted lips wobbling with the movement. “You’re one of them.”
“NEVER!” Demetrius pounded the ground with both fists, body shaking with violent rejection. “NEVER ONE OF THEM!”
Touched a nerve, did I? Not like he was in much mental condition to lie to me, as far as I could tell. I just had to risk it.
“Will it work?” I stopped him as he settled from his mood swing. “Will the crystal help me defeat Belaisle?”
Demetrius hissed, rubbed his ears with both palms as though the very sound of the man’s name hurt his head. But when he met my eyes, his were full of hate.
“Yes,” he said. Giggled. “Oh yes. He won’t stand a chance against you.”
I’d just have to take his word for it.
I was almost to the wards when Trill grabbed me. And boy, oh boy, was I sick of being grabbed.
“You’re not going without me,” she said. Like there was a chance in hell that was going to happen. I choked out a laugh, not even bothering to pull away, or answer for that matter. She seemed to retreat into herself, hand sliding free of my arm. “I have to go with you.” Desperation. Need. A fire I hadn’t seen in her before, fed by fear.
Had Belaisle some kind of hold over her I didn’t know about? She’d se
emed ready to go to him when he called her. But no, it couldn’t be. She was the light.
It was her brother I had to worry about.
“You do know my family and the vampires risked everything to protect you so you and your brother could get away?” There were times I came across more harshly than intended. This wasn’t one of those. Cold fury sat in a gathering caldera deep inside my chest, just waiting for a chance to explode. “And now you want me to take you out again so the Brotherhood can take another shot at you?”
She shook her head, backed away, face crumpling, but I wasn’t done, not by a long shot. “You two,” I jabbed a finger toward Owen who came to his sister’s side, scowling at me, his anger coming to answer mine, “aren’t going anywhere until we figure out a way to defeat the Brotherhood.”
Her rebellion was gone, leaving behind a horrible grief, but his was just beginning. “It’s not our fault.” Like I thought it was. “Stop yelling at my sister.”
“When she develops some sense,” I shot back, “maybe I’ll consider it. In case you’re forgetting, Owen, your sister left you behind in her little adventure to betray us all to Belaisle.” Trill flinched. This time Owen’s face fell too, his only defense fading as guilt replaced anger. “Just stay put and let me handle it.”
Trill met my eyes. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I really am, Syd.”
Yeah. Whatever.
I turned away from them both, Charlotte at my side, taking Demetrius’s arm. Now look who was being grabby? I stopped at Meira’s side, Sassafras still in her arms.
“I need you two to watch them.” Not that I didn’t trust Liam, but he was sweet and thoughtful and a bit of a sucker. My sister and my demon cat especially, knew better than to be so trusting. Meira nodded, Sassy’s amber eyes burning as his tail thrashed against her side.
“Let me come too,” he said.
“Not this time.” I backed off. “Meira needs you.”
Sassafras grumbled softly, but agreed.
“We’ll be back as soon as we can,” I said, trying to smile at Liam who looked like I’d kicked him. Even Galleytrot sank to the floor, eyes downcast, ears drooping. “Hopefully with the means to put an end to this, once and for all.”
Big words, Syd. Considering I was forced to trust a mentally crippled sorcerer whose only desire not so long ago was to burn me at the stake with the fate of our world?
I had to be out of my mind.
I guess it was going around.
***
Chapter Twenty Five
I had to see Gram, even if it was only for a moment or two before running off on yet another mad mission. Yes, I could tell from our mental connection she was fine, but after putting her and the rest of the coven in harm’s way, I needed to see for myself.
A quick stop at the house found it dark, but only because she was in the basement. And she wasn’t alone. I felt them all reach for me as I walked into the kitchen, their relief, the hug of the family magic pulling me close and helping to calm me down way more than anything I could have accomplished on my own.
I left Demetrius at the table with Charlotte to watch over him and descended the stairs into the crowd of witches circling the pentagram. My grandmother stood in the center of it, mismatched sweater and very loud pink pants worn as casually as the highest fashion. I knew part of her peculiar behavior was a mask, a way for her to hide from the world just how much of her still lurked inside, but even I had no idea if the brief jaunts back into nutty old lady were authentic or part of a show she put on for our benefit.
Gram was all business this morning as I eased through the crowd at the bottom of the stairs, letting them touch me, feel my magic, opening to them. And as I joined Gram, turning to face back the way I’d come, I sent out my thanks, surprised to find tears standing in my eyes.
“My coven,” I said, throat aching, but voice strong. “Your bravery and strength bring honor to the Hayle name and I am so very grateful I have you to count on every day.”
They swelled with pride, almost as one, their relief and optimism passing from face to face, from magic to magic until I felt like the whole room hugged us all.
How I hated to bring them down. But there was so much left to do and while I didn’t want to crush their hope, they had to know the truth.
Knowing time was short, and I needed more than anything to escape the house, the coven, and allow Demetrius to fulfill his part of our bargain, I took my time filling in the family. They deserved no less and needed to know, after all we’d been through, after they’d stood behind me, beside me, learned to trust and follow me despite the pressure they were under. Pride and commitment to them drove my tears away and actually brought my own positive thoughts back, despite knowing how far we had yet to go.
They listened without question, nodding, whispering acknowledgment, each and every one of them, from the twins with their withered apple faces and matching twinsets, holding hands while their determination held me up, to the smallest child, their magic wrapped up in mine.
“I’m assuming my plan worked?” I turned to Gram as I finished. “I tried it myself, dropped my shields. The sorcerer seemed to have no effect on me when I did.”
She nodded, grunted, balancing on one foot while she tapped out a beat on her crossed arms with her dancing fingertips. “It did,” she said. “Goes against all instinct, girl. But it worked.” The coven agreed, their eager, familiar faces so dear to me. There had been a time I wanted nothing to do with them, a time the mere touch of their power near me made me sick, want to run. But now I knew how Mom felt, why she wanted this for me.
Family was everything.
“I refuse to put you in danger again.” At least, not until I knew if I could come up with something better.
“We’re not going anywhere,” Estelle said, her twin nodding beside her. As she spoke, her magic stroked mine. Yes. Estelle. For once I didn’t have to guess if it was her or her sister Esther. “This coven has survived more hardship than any other, and we’re stronger for it.” The family agreed with words and magic. “You have saved us from ruin time and again, Sydlynn Hayle. No matter what you need of us, we are yours. Now and forever.”
Okay, weepy time. I really had to find a way to get past all this crying business. And yet, as the family pressed close, hands reaching out, smiles all around despite their worry, no matter the conflict we faced, I knew I wasn’t alone.
“Go home,” I said, sending them love. “Ward your homes and keep an eye open. Belaisle isn’t stupid enough to come after us again, not without a clear target.” Please, oh please, let that be true. They accepted the kind of lie with the same solid support I’d already felt before coming to me one at a time for a kiss on the cheek, a hug, a kind word, before filing out.
My coven. My family.
Hell yeah.
I’d never been so proud.
When it was just Gram and I, she hooked her arm through mine, pulling me against her side.
“You’ll do,” she whispered. Poked the end of my nose with her index finger. “I guess.”
I needed that laugh.
Charlotte stood over Demetrius who huddled in the corner, almost under the table he’d slunk so low in the wooden chair. His amber eyes peered over the edge, focused on Gram as we emerged into the morning light.
“Well, well,” she said. “Demetrius Strong. It’s been a while.”
Whoa. Hang on.
“You two know each other?” But she was nuts when he was sniffing around as leader of the Chosen, and he was already in demon form and outcast when Gram got her marbles back.
“Ethpeal,” he cackled softly, sliding upward in his chair as though rising from the earth. “Hello, Ethie.”
Major creepy ickle. But Gram just chuckled back.
“Looks like you got yourself into a bit of a pickle, old salt.” Was that evil in her eyes?
He writhed in his seat, eyes turning to me. “She said she’d fix me. Said, Ethie.”
Gram caught me staring
out of the corner of her eye and winked. “Well then, if that’s what she said.” She turned to the refrigerator as if it was just another morning, a big smile on her face. “Who wants breakfast?”
“We can’t.” I turned to Charlotte, nodded. She reached for Demetrius who slunk from her, climbing to his feet on his own.
“Yes,” Gram said while she rooted for ingredients. “You can.”
Was she serious? Really?
“Gram—”
“The kids are safe,” she said, dropping a carton of eggs and a sleeve of bacon on the counter, kicking the fridge door shut with one spotted sock. Green and purple today. Nice blend with the pink pants. “And you haven’t slept in what, almost two days?”
When she put it that way… “Fine, breakfast.”
She smiled and patted my cheek, fingers cold from the bacon package. “You know better than to argue, girl,” she growled. “I always get my way.”
Charlotte’s lips twitched. Yeah, she was laughing at me.
Mumble, grumble.
At least I had the time to finally take a shower, though the stink of the Chosen’s miserable apartment was long gone at least so I forewent the bleaching of my entire body for a good scrubbing with soap and a scratchy loofa. I briefly considered throwing Demetrius in after I was done, but the effort it would take to clean him up would mean I’d have to shower again.
He could stay dirty.
I descended to the happy smells of morning, wondering how I could possibly just sit down and eat while my mind churned with the need to keep moving. But the sight of Gram standing over my plate, tapping her foot on the tile floor with a wicked looking spatula in her hands made me sit and do as I was told.
She wasn’t past smacking me with her weapon of choice, just to prove a point.
And I had to admit, by the time I was done, wiping up the last of the yolk with a chunk of homemade bread, I felt much better. Clean, full and human again.
