by Robyn Bachar
A trio of oily shadows loomed behind them, gliding forward, and I screamed in reflex. The demons hadn’t taken a form, and really hadn’t needed to while concealed in the dark. Realizing they had an audience, the creatures began to form arms and legs, heads and necks popping up out of their torsos like macabre toasters. My stomach flip-flopped and I turned away from the sight, only to discover half a dozen shadowy figures forming behind me.
Lex charged the demons, stabbing his spear through the closest one. There were a lot of them, and I knew I had only a few moments before one got past the guardian. I needed extra help if I was going to stand a chance against them. With shaking hands I fumbled through my pockets, grabbing a pouch of salt and a flask of water. Pouring the salt and water into my cupped left palm, I drew my rapier and sliced the blade through the mix. Blood welled as I broke the skin and it stung so badly my eyes watered, but I coated the entire length of the blade with the combination of blood, water and salt. Heart pounding, I held the sword before me and attempted something I’d never done before: I invoked a goddess of battle.
“I call the Morrigan, great Raven of Battle,
Bringer of Death,
Guide now my hands, my blade, and my breath.
Let my weapon be blessed, let it strike true,
Bring an end to the shadows, their evil undo.
Your daughter invokes you, your favor be won,
Heed now my call, let my will be done!”
My breath hitched in my throat for an anxious second, and then power slammed into me so hard and fast I staggered and nearly fell. The blade of my rapier glowed with mystical fire, and I heard the screeching caw of a raven echo around me, strident above the noises of battle. I tightened my grip on the rapier’s hilt, let my shields fall away, and charged the nearest demon with a bellowing battle cry.
As I’d been trained to do against vampires, I stabbed for the heart of the torso, but the oily shadow seemed oblivious to the hit. Demons can’t be killed, only banished back to their realm, and that required words in addition to weapons.
“Go to hell!” I shouted, drawing my blade down through the torso with all my strength. The edges of the cut hissed and smoked, and finally the demon dissolved into icky black ooze that puddled tar-like on the ground. I turned toward the next demon and was struck hard in the shoulder, knocking me several steps back as I struggled to regain my balance. I caught a glimpse of my father battling his demon, and one of his skeletal minions clattered to the ground in a useless pile of brittle bones.
Lunging forward, I stabbed at the shadow, missing it as it danced out of the way. The dark figure continued to improve itself as time passed, looking more and more human in shape and form. It eluded my attacks, swiping at me and managing to catch me soundly across the jaw once. Black, unseeing eyes formed in its face, and fangs in its mouth. Vampire, the old fear shivered down my spine, and the demon took the opportunity to sweep my feet out from under me. I hit the ground hard, and my breath whooshed out of me in a painful rush. The rapier fell from my grasp as my top hat tumbled from my head. Unable to move fast enough I stared up at the monster as it leapt on top of me. It snapped its fangs at my face like a rabid dog and I struggled to push it off.
I shoved my injured palm against its face and grunted, “Get out.” The demon’s greasy flesh smoldered and smoked as the last one’s had. Pushing hard, my hand sunk into its skin, almost burning through its skull.
“Say goodbye,” I said. The demon began to collapse, and I rolled out from under it, scraping the disgusting ooze off the front of my clothes. Lex struggled with three demons off to my left, and I glanced around to see how my father fared in his fight, but I only spotted a second pile of bones with an oil slick next to it.
“Goodbye,” Dorian said from behind me. Before I could react I felt the blade of his dagger stab through the small of my back, all the way to the hilt. “I had hoped you would be a greater challenge than your mother. How disappointing.”
I would’ve screamed if I hadn’t been so surprised. He withdrew the blade, which hurt as much coming out as it had going in, and I collapsed face forward into the dirt. For a moment I lay stunned, unmoving, and then a sharp kick to my side rolled me over onto my back. I stared up into the face of my father as he knelt down and buried his blade deep into my stomach, a pathetic gurgle my only reply. As he looked down at me I could see myself in his face-the brown of his eyes, the arch of his brow. There were no happy memories associated with the face of my father, no dimly remembered holidays or birthday parties. I knew he never loved me. There was no sorrow there, no pity. No mercy.
Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Lex struggling to finish off the final demon-his back was turned to me, and he had no idea I’d fallen. Dorian left his dagger buried in my belly as he stood, and I reached weakly for it. “You thought you could be Titania. Stupid witch, your kind isn’t strong enough to hold it. Maureen certainly wasn’t.”
“At least I’m not a monster like you,” I countered, my voice weak and strained. My fingers fumbled as I tried to grip the hilt of the dagger, and he began to speak the words of a spell-a killing curse that would end this and make him Oberon. I’d come so far, only to lose here.
Suddenly he broke off and dodged out of the way as a silver spearhead split the air where he’d been standing. Furious, Lex moved in a blur as he drove Dorian away from me. The only thing that kept my father from becoming a necromancer shish-kebab was his shields, and I knew those wouldn’t last long.
I tugged on the hilt, but I couldn’t remove it, my hands too slick with blood… Blood. Dammit, I was a witch, I could fix this. Heal, I thought as I tugged the dagger free. Heal. The word repeated over and over through my mind. Blood flowed from the two wounds, but I was sure I could feel them beginning to close with a wave of stinging energy. I lurched to my feet and snatched up my top hat and rapier, the blade still glowing with divine magic. With the hat mashed securely down on my head, I stumbled toward Dorian.
The demons were gone. Lex must’ve finished off the last of them while Dorian was stabbing me. Too focused on each other to notice my approach, the guardian and the necromancer faced each other, trading snarled threats. I edged close to them, raised my rapier, and shouted my father’s name. Surprised, he whirled toward the sound of my voice, and I stabbed my father through the heart.
The rapier hesitated for a moment at the barrier of his shield before plunging through and piercing his chest. Black fire spread from the blade and engulfed him in a hissing whoosh. Withdrawing the weapon, I watched as Dorian collapsed to the ground, writhing in the throes of terrible agony. Screaming, he tried to extinguish the magical flames.
“I am not my mother. My will is stronger, my blood more potent.” I stood over him, and I took a long look at the rapier. The blade continued to glow with ethereal fire, and I turned my gaze back to Dorian. “I am Titania, and I am your judge. You murdered my cousin because you wanted this position. You murdered my mother because she hindered your plans to live forever. This ends here.”
Lunging forward, I plunged the rapier through his chest and pinned him to the ground, ceasing his attempts to fight the flames. I wavered, unsteady from my injuries, but then I felt Lex slide a steadying arm around me. Dorian looked up at us in terror, and I watched him with grim determination. Without remorse I spoke the spell that sealed his fate:
“The laws of nature you sought to breach,
Now your judgment you have reached.
Punishment for your evil deeds times three,
To set the spirits of the wronged free.
The end of your life’s thread has come,
Let Titania’s justice now be done.”
It was not a peaceful death by any means, but Dorian had no right to one. Plucking the Justice card from the band of my top hat, I dropped it onto my father’s chest and the edges curled and blackened. I left the rapier and stepped away from the body, leaning into Lex. My legs buckled, and he scooped me up.
“Hold on,
honey, I’m gonna get you out of here,” he assured me. I closed my eyes and gave a silent prayer of thanks to the Morrigan for her aid, and when I opened them again we were in the Underhill great hall, standing in front of Cecelia and the council.
Chapter Fourteen
“Help her, she’s wounded,” Lex demanded. He laid me down on the floor and I watched the earthen ceiling spin above me, reminding me of my first appearance in this room.
Cecelia turned to the faerie on her right. “Horatio, if you would be so kind?”
Horatio stood and walked over to me. He was short, squat, with rough brown skin that indicated an earth faerie of some variety. For a moment he looked me over, and then nonchalantly waved a hand above my body. Warm, soothing energy spread through me, and the pain and faint feeling faded away.
“Thank you,” I said softly. The faerie’s head inclined slightly at my words as he returned to his seat. Lex helped me to my feet, and we stood together in front of the council.
“Congratulations, you’ve both performed well during the trials,” Cecelia announced, and I frowned. Both of us? “Catherine Marie Morrow, it is the belief of this council that you have proven yourself to be able to adequately perform the tasks of Titania of your region. We offer you this position, and if you accept it you will be initiated during the next full moon of your realm. Do you understand?”
“I do.”
“Do you agree to these terms?”
“Yes.”
“Very well,” she replied, nodding in satisfaction. Cecelia turned to Lex. “Alexander Duquesne, when it became apparent that you are Miss Morrow’s soul mate we endeavored to include you in the testing process. Though you did not participate in the first test, it is the belief of this council that you have proven yourself adequate to perform the tasks of Oberon for your region. You will serve as Oberon jointly with Catherine as Titania, but you cannot be both guardian and Oberon. Therefore, if you accept this, you must forfeit your position as guardian and the abilities that accompany it. We offer you this position, and if you accept it you will be initiated during the next full moon of your realm. Do you understand?”
Silence hung heavily in the air for a long, numb moment. The words “soul mate” stuck in my thoughts, tumbling over and over. Lex had said that we shared a connection, but it hadn’t occurred to me that it was a connection. Soul mates are a rare thing-a person might live through several life cycles and never come across their soul mate. The idea that I’d found mine was shocking, and the idea that I’d almost let him slip away from me was even more so. Glancing over at him, I saw his expression was carefully controlled, not letting any hint of his thoughts show through.
“If I refuse, will Catherine still become Titania?”
My heart sank-he didn’t want to work with me. I suppose I should’ve expected that. Lex hadn’t been willing to jeopardize his position for me before, I guess it’d been foolish to hope he’d be willing to do it now, soul mates or not. I was such an idiot for trusting him again.
“Yes. Though I feel I should warn you that her position will be weakened if you choose not to become Oberon. Do you agree to these terms?” Cecelia asked.
“I need more time to consider.”
“Very well. You will have until the full moon to make your decision. Until you make your choice, you will not be allowed use of your guardian powers or responsibilities, as they may unduly influence you. You both may go now, blessed be.” With a very slight bow of her silvery head she dismissed us, and we were transported into my apartment. Lex and I stood in front of the mirror in my bedroom.
Tossing my top hat onto the bed, I crossed the room and snapped on the lights. Opening the door, I headed into the kitchen, where I turned the lights on and started to wash the blood from my hands. I didn’t turn to see if Lex followed. I wasn’t sure what I’d say to him at the moment.
It was strangely quiet in my apartment. The air conditioner in my bedroom was off, and my cats were still in Faerie. Once my hands were clean I looked down and noticed the bloody stab wounds in my shirt. “Great,” I muttered. I really needed to add some Kevlar to my wardrobe.
Returning to the bedroom, I found Lex still standing where I’d left him. His lost, haunted expression was almost enough to suck all the anger right out of me. Almost.
“You gonna stand there all night?” I began unlacing the cuffs of my swordswoman shirt. I needed a shower to clean up. I had a feeling that either we were going to be showering together in a fun way, or we were going to have a big fight and I’d be crying alone in the shower afterwards.
I wasn’t giving myself good odds on the fun option.
“You’re going to turn it down, aren’t you?”
Looking up at me, he frowned. “It’s not a simple decision, Cat.”
“No shit, Sherlock, but everybody around me bullied me into trying to be Titania. Oh, you’ll be so good at it, it’s for the good of the region. Blah, blah, blah.” With the cuffs unlaced, I started on the collar of the shirt. “Not so fun when the shoe’s on the other foot, is it?”
“This is different.” He slowly flexed the fingers of his right hand, staring down at it as though it’d fallen asleep and he was trying to restore feeling to it.
“No it’s not.”
“You’re asking me to-”
“To give up your life? The thing that makes you special? To be outcast from your family and friends?” I interrupted. “Gee, sounds familiar somehow.”
“That’s not funny.”
“I’m not laughing, Lex.” Tugging the shirt off, I held the garment up to the light. It looked like a piece of evidence on a crime show. I almost considered keeping it as a souvenir, but decided to toss it instead. I started to walk out of the room to pitch it into the trash in the kitchen, but I paused as I passed Lex. His magic smelled different-instead of the muddled mix I associated with guardian, he now had the sharp winter chill of an ice sorcerer.
“At least you still have magic,” I commented. “Was your family made up of sorcerers before they became guardians?”
“How’d you know that?” he asked, surprised.
I shrugged in reply, and then continued out into the kitchen and tossed my shirt into the garbage. Lex followed me this time and stood hovering in the doorway. “Bein’ a guardian is more than a position, it’s my entire life. It’s who I am. Duquesnes have been guardians for generations. There was never a question of what I’d be when I grew up, only a question of where I’d serve. You’re askin’ me to give all that up, and not only for me, but maybe even for my children.”
Our children, I corrected silently. My eyes stung and I turned away, standing over the sink as I fought to keep my composure. There’s very little sunshine and rainbows in being a magician-being able to do magic makes your life harder, not easier, and finding your soul mate isn’t a guarantee for a romantic happily ever after. My odds of a happily ever after seemed to be shrinking by the minute. Taking a deep breath, I turned and faced him again.
“Look, I know you didn’t know this was coming, and I’m sorry. I had no idea about the soul mates thing, and even if I did, I wouldn’t have expected this from the council. I’ve never heard of anything like it before,” I said, trying to placate him. Crossing to the kitchen table, I plopped down into a chair, intending to remove my boots, but then I noticed an odd expression on Lex’s face. He was hiding something. “You didn’t know, right? That this was coming? Did you?”
“I didn’t know that they’d offer Oberon to me.”
“But you knew about the soul mates?” I asked incredulously, and he nodded. “For how long?” Annoyed, I unknotted my bootlaces and started loosening them.
“Since the attack at Silverleaf castle, when you picked up the spear. There’re protective spells on it-only a guardian can handle a guardian’s weapon. Anyone else who tries is wounded when they touch it, but you weren’t. It didn’t harm you ’cause your aura’s in tune with my magic. It’s the same reason I keep gettin’ past your shields.”<
br />
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I don’t know. I guess I thought you had enough to worry about right now without hearin’ that too. Would it have changed anything?”
“I had a right to know.” My fingers clenched around the chunky heel of my boot as I seriously considered hurling it at his head, but then I forced myself to drop it. The boots hit the floor with a loud thump, one after the other. I could not believe that he didn’t tell me something that important.
“What are you doing?” Lex raised an eyebrow, seeming confused.
“Gonna take a shower.”
“Don’t you think you should-” he paused, and then frowned.
“Should what? Wait for you to stop being a jerk about this? Then I’d never get to shower.” Hell might freeze over before he stopped being a jerk.
“I’m not-”
“Lex, when you were picturing our future together, did you see yourself making any changes at all? Or did you just move me into your house and expect I’d go with the flow?”
His gaze dropped to the floor and he ran a hand over his hair. “I guess I did. Cat, this is what I am. Bein’ a guardian is all I know how to be.”
“Yeah, well, being a witch is all I knew how to be, and when I was cast out, I got through it. I learned how to live as something else, and now I’m going to learn how to be Titania.” I peeled my socks off and plopped them into the boots, and then shoved them under the table. “When you figure out what you want to do, you let me know, but in the meantime I think it’s best that you leave.” Standing, I placed my hands on my hips and stared him down. It was a toss-up whether I was angrier with him than I was at myself. I was such an idiot, I couldn’t believe I’d fallen for him again, only to be reminded that I’d always place a distant second to his guardian responsibilities. Apparently even something as momentous as finding his soul mate wasn’t worth interfering with them.
