I didn't believe her, but I held my tongue this time. Adrian said nothing at all, but the nervous glance she gave him made me wonder if she feared he knew the truth. I didn't doubt there'd been a lot said between the two while Tamerlane held him.
"I know what Tamerlane is doing. He has an army up by the place they call Sheeps Lake. I can't reach my mother, but I know this is serious, Kat. I think we need to get there and do something!"
"You can't reach across to fae either?"
"No, not at all. Not for a couple days. I haven't been able to talk to anyone."
And I knew she lied beyond a doubt, but I nodded.
"Okay. I'll meet you there at noon. Don't be late."
"Noon? Why not now? Where are you going?"
"I need to study The Edge and make certain we're not going to have any more surprises. And I want some stuff from my house. Aletta, you need to find out everything you can about what's there and what they're preparing. Can you do that? Carefully?"
"Yes," she said. Her eyes gleamed a little. "Yes, I can do it."
"Good." I patted her on the arm. I thought about slugging her instead, but I didn't. I could play her the way she had played me, luring me into a trap -- which she thought she could do again. "I'll see you there at noon."
She turned and headed away, into the storm -- the snow parting around her so she went untouched by the cold and the wind.
Adrian watched her go, and then turned to me with another frown. I held up my hand and he kept quiet as we headed into the building -- and well behind the little barrier of snow and magic which would help shield anything I said.
Cato met us on the inside.
"If I could have gotten the door open, I would have gone out and bit her on the ankle," he said.
I gave him a little smile. Shakespeare came and landed on Adrian's shoulder, startling him. The bird obviously knew something was going on. I spread a little more magic to keep others away for a couple minutes, sending even the small humans charging off in other directions. How could children have so much energy?
"I'm going to go meet Aletta at noon in the park," I said.
"You know she's lying to you," Adrian replied and he looked more intrigued rather than angry now. "How are you going to use this against her?"
"She's obviously setting a trap. We need to be trickier than she is." I let the worry come to my face. There was no use hiding it from my allies because they all knew we had real problems. "I don't know quite what we're going to do, but we have a couple hours to figure something out. I have to do this, Adrian. This is my job, and right now I fear a large number of humans are going to die if I don't get some control here. He has an army for a reason, you know."
He glanced around the lobby and turned back at me. He nodded, worried as well.
"I'm open to ideas, guys."
"I take it you're really desperate, right?" Cato asked looking up at me.
And I knew I wasn't going to like what he said . . . but I listened anyway.
Chapter Twenty-One
I wanted to go to the park alone, but Adrian wouldn't let me. I could have made him stay behind.
I didn't.
He adjusted the pack, which carried food and other supplies, in case we needed them. I hoped we had a chance to take some pictures soon. I wanted normality to return.
We walked quickly along the road, careful and quiet, because I really couldn't tell what Aletta had in mind. The wind blew through the trees sending cascades of snow tumbling to the ground. Snow drifted high in places, and evened out the dips elsewhere, giving the land a deceptively uniform appearance. Adrian and I walked on top of the snow, my magic making certain we didn't slip into a crevice -- or a trap.
Adrian kept pace beside me, silent and ready. I felt odd not to have the birds and Cato with us. When, I heard the rustling of wings to the right, I stopped and shook my head.
"Stay back."
I saw a flash of black and white wings as a magpie flew off, unusually silent.
We reached Sheep Lakes, the place where I had taken Adrian the first day and we'd watched the bighorns in the meadows. Nothing moved today, and the deceptively flat stretch of land, glittering in the faint sunlight, looked peaceful.
Lies, all of it. Especially the welcoming smile Aletta gave us as she stepped away from the shadow of the tree -- practically the only landmark visible to indicate the location.
"Licorice everywhere," Adrian warned softly.
I glanced into the sky: high noon. I doubted Aletta paid enough attention to any human culture to understand the symbolic significance.
"Where is the trouble, Aletta?" I asked as she came to us -- though not too closely, and I could even sense the little whisper of a shield wrapped tight around her. Paranoid and worried.
"Oh, the trouble is very close." I saw the glitter of excitement in her eyes.
She lifted her hand.
Tamerlane showed himself first, stepping through the veil of snow which should not have hidden him. Strong magic there, and not hers, either.
"You were far too easy to play," Aletta said, gloating over every word. Tamerlane came close enough to put a hand on her shoulder, though his fingers disappeared. Not entirely real yet.
But the horses and riders coming behind him looked solid enough to be trouble. Aletta saw me staring towards them and her smile grew.
"Let me show you, cousin, what you really face." She turned, long perfectly manicured fingers flashing red nail polish in the light. Magic moved and the entire veil dissolved. That helped -- in a 'oh shit' sort of way.
"One question." I finally tore my eyes away from the army. A thousand? More? Aletta gave me an imperious little nod and Tamerlane grunted agreement. "Why did you need Adrian? Obviously they all become real anyway."
"To hurry some of the processes along." She turned her pretentious smirk my way. "And I loved seeing you so upset about your little human friend."
"Enough talk with this woman," Tamerlane growled.
"Charming," I said.
Aletta blushed. Tamerlane growled words in another language and gave a wave of his hand.
The riders gave a shout and the horses bent to the gallop. The snow didn't slow them. More magic.
"You never had the power for any real battles," Aletta replied with a haughty lift of her head.
"True -- but I do have the one thing you never have had," I said and lifted my own hand. "I have friends."
The eagles and hawks came first, rising out of the trees all around the area. They swept down on the army with screams of defiance, startling both horses and riders. Behind them came magpies, jays, and a mixture of smaller birds, all screaming in attack as they flew from the heights where they had been gathering for hours. They came in such numbers that the wind moved at the flapping of their wings. Take that you stupid hurricane-spawning South American butterfly!
And then the cats arrived, charging along the road, following the path Adrian and I had taken, and the magic I left behind to make the snow hard for them. Bobcats, cougars, and smaller cats of every breed and size raced to join the battle.
Cats can run very quickly. They were hardly more than a minute behind the birds as they leapt at horses and men.
Panic came to Aletta's face. Even Tamerlane backed away, unsettled.
"I don't have much magic. But I'm not stupid, Aletta."
A merlin swept at her and raked talons across her raised hand as she screamed in pain. Behind her, the nearest horseman disappeared as two magpies slashed at his face and a black tom held to his pant leg with all claws and ripped off the string with his teeth.
"Take her!" Tamerlane ordered waving toward me. "Take her and we must be gone!"
"Just birds and cats! Your army can handle --" But Aletta made a strangled sound of dismay as she saw the men disappearing under the combined attacks of my friends.
Cats and birds had been lost as well, their bodies falling beneath horses hooves. I couldn't watch.
Aletta had panicked but
hadn't moved. Tamerlane spoke; a curse, I thought from the sound, though I didn't understand the words. He swatted aside a crow as someone else might swat at a mosquito, and reached for me.
Wanted me -- not dead, just wanted me. I stepped away in haste, while Adrian moved to my side and pulled out the sword we'd taken the riders and had grabbed from the hotel room. I had kept the weapon hidden until he pulled the shining sword up. Adrian swung quickly, the blade hitting Tamerlane's shoulder. He backed away in haste.
Tamerlane shouted something. The horsemen turned and began to ride full out away from the battlefield and heading for the distant woods.
Tamerlane had started to falter. Aletta quickly cast a healing spell -- sloppy as ever; the magic even helped me. Tamerlane, his shoulder mostly healed, gave a shout of triumph and grabbed the hilt of his own weapon.
Cato leapt and sank teeth and claws into the hand, while Shakespeare dived at his face. He screamed in rage and fear and Aletta began to cast --
Adrian took another swing at Tamerlane to help the bird and cat. I went after Aletta, and not with magic, either. I didn't need extra power to fight her. I kicked her in the knee and she dropped, howling --
One group of horsemen had not gone with the others. They charged in quickly and I barely had time to get out of the way. Tamerlane leapt up with one while another grabbed Aletta by the arm, swinging her unceremoniously in front of him. I tried to grab her, but the horse knocked me aside --
Adrian stumbled, a hand on his bleeding arm. He rushed forward to throw himself when a horse nearly trampled Cato and startled the larger animal back.
The last horses turned and galloped after the others, most of whom had already reached the woods. I tried to grab Aletta but the rider pulled aside.
Gaylord swept past me and straight into Aletta's face. She screamed and lifted her hands in protection -- and he grabbed the chain at her neck and ripped the necklace free.
"No!"
She cast in panic; so did I, and I deflected most of the spell, but Gaylord still tumbled to the ground and I couldn't cast fast enough to keep him from being trampled --
Shakespeare flew straight at the horse, startling the creature aside. Dipping down, the larger bird grabbed Gaylord out of danger. The little bird still held tight to his prize.
Aletta, screamed in protest as they rode away.
I took Gaylord into my hold and quickly healed broken bones. He gave a shuddering sigh of relief and held the chain out for me.
"You shouldn't have done something so dangerous!"
"You said you wanted the stone, boss. I figured I had the best chance."
I couldn't berate him. Instead, I took the gift with a nod of thanks and settled him in the nest pocket inside my jacket. I held the stone, remembering how Aletta had tried to hide the pretty bauble from me. I had been stupid to think she had been petty -- but I had the stone now. I couldn't do anything yet, though. If I found out who was on the other side, I wanted to make certain someone was there to grab him.
I worked at healing the others instead -- first Adrian and then the birds and cats who came limping to me or the ones others brought. I dragged magic out of the air and even out of the snow until it melted and left me in a puddle of icy water. I couldn't save them all, but I did what I could.
My hands appeared translucent. I hadn't the strength left to stand. Adrian lifted me, and wrapped me in his arms. He did not let me see the battlefield as he carried me away.
We had won the battle, but not the war. And this ploy wouldn't work a second time. I couldn't say I minded. I could never stand to put my companions in such danger again.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Adrian must have realized how dangerous using magic had become for me. I could barely talk as he carried me away, and my arms wouldn't move. Cato walked with us, and Shakespeare stayed on Adrian's shoulder, looking at me and plainly worried. I hoped my magic held for him and Gaylord and they didn't get too cold.
"The Edge," I managed to whisper. "I need -- The Edge. Magic there."
Magic that I wouldn't have to convert from the snow. Magic I could drink in like water. I needed to get there.
Adrian had started to disagree, but he stopped and glanced frantically around. "How do we find it?"
"Close," I whispered and lifted my trembling hand as I felt out the area around us. The Edge had come closer, though not in the direction Tamerlane and his people had ridden. "About a mile." I pointed off to the left. "Find the Lawn Lake Trailhead. Just get me there."
He nodded and I knew he'd do everything in his ability to get me up the hillside to The Edge. I spent a little more magic to help us, because if we didn't reach The Edge, I wasn't going to have enough to save us from any other trouble, even if I survived. Adrian panted as he hurried. Birds flew around us, and a couple of the cats came with Cato. I saw a bobcat run ahead as a scout.
We reached The Edge. I saw the bright glow even in the daylight. Adrian walked forward, until I could kneel before the swirling colors and put my hand right on the magic of the wall. The area darkened as I drew out the power, more quickly than I ever had.
I had never pulled in power quite this way. I'd accepted magic passively from the snow, and even from being close to The Edge, but I had not directly tapped the source before. This was not my power, but I could use it to survive. My blood seemed to tingle, but my sight cleared and the world came clearer. My thoughts began to race.
And I realized I'd made a bad mistake.
"We need to get away from here." I stood so suddenly that even Cato leapt up, startled. Adrian must have seen my desperation. "We need to --"
Magic swirled in around us, a huge suffocating mass, sending a powerful wind gust blowing through the area. Adrian and I grabbed at each other, while birds and cats floundered and tumbled away. I saw Cato sliding away on the snow howling as he went.
Horses, riders -- and from the mass came Tamerlane, his face red with anger, and Aletta smiling gleefully, though I could see a scratch across the side of her face.
I carefully shoved the necklace into Adrian's pocket -- and I let go of him. He shouted in dismay, and tumbled backwards, caught off guard, and swept out into the snow with the others.
Tamerlane rode forward with the wind at his back, fairly flying those last few feet to reach me. He grabbed me by the shoulder, and I didn't try to fight this time. I pulled magic to me, waiting for Aletta's flamboyant -- and rather messy -- arrival spell to die.
She even panted this time, leaning over the neck of the horse. I could only be grateful they hadn't gotten here any faster.
The wind died, and I hoped all my friends had the wisdom to stay away. I had forgotten Gaylord in my pocket, but he kept still. I had to think of something --
"Finally. Right where we want you." Aletta slipped from the horse and came to me, her hand brushing against The Edge. The colors moved with patterns I had never seen before. I didn't have the kind of power, and I resented her for the show.
"Do this magic of yours," Tamerlane demanded, shoving me into Aletta's hold. She almost lost me, too, but Tamerlane blocked the way when I turned, and Aletta grabbed me, her claw-like fingernails digging into my arm. I thought they might draw blood, despite the cloth of my jacket.
She shoved me against The Edge and held me there as she pulled out strands of magic and wrapped them around me -- reminding me that we came from the same clan, and she had the same powers over The Edge that I did.
Only better.
I tried to send magic against her. She laughed and brushed a spell away with a little flick of her fingers.
I couldn't breathe. I couldn't figure out why she trapped me here --
She began to open a door to fae around me -- and through me. The door would trap me between both worlds, and because of my power as a border guard, I would keep the door open for as long as I stayed there -- and I feared her spell would keep me there forever.
I fought desperately, searching for a way to escape as I felt myself becom
ing part of The Edge. I could feel the power of the fae lands reaching into me -- and I would hold the door open forever -- and change both worlds --
I fought harder and almost got a hand free, for whatever good it might do. I tried to grab Aletta, to pull her in as well -- if I was going to do this, I wouldn't leave her behind to survive this win and to change things to suit her --
She shoved my hand aside.
And the birds and cats arrived in a cacophony of sound, drawing all our attention. They rushed towards us, but Aletta and her companions were ready this time. Tamerlane's riders rushed out to stop them, and Aletta cast a quick ball of fire at the birds. I almost closed my eyes, afraid to see them fall, and knowing I wouldn't be able to help them this time. I couldn't even cry out a warning, the breath gone from me, the ties holding me, dragging me away --
At the last moment the creatures scattered, and both riders and magic didn't seem to catch them.
Adrian came for me. He ran from the side of The Edge, leaping toward Aletta and knocking her down before he reached and grabbed me by the arms. Cato leapt on her and did what he had always wanted to do -- he bit her nose. She screamed.
I tried to yell at Adrian to get away. He didn't have magic to free me.
He had something better.
Adrian pulled the cell phone from the pocket in his pack, turned it on -- and shoved the device into the opening Aletta had started to make. He wrapped his arms around me --
The explosion sent us flying. I could barely gasp for breath, and all that saved us from broken bones was a high snowdrift.
I could see both Tamerlane and Aletta sprawled on the ground, horses scattering, and magic lashing out in all directions, unstable as hell. I smiled.
"Good -- damned good work!" I said to him. He wrapped his arms around me, and we got to our feet. I could see nothing of the birds and cats, except for one bobcat which remained close. Even Cato had taken off.
I started to go back after Aletta and Tamerlane. I wanted to end this -- but the riders got in the way. I almost dared magic, but I knew that anything I did would backfire in that miasmic mess. We had to get away.
Kat Among The Pigeons Page 26
