by Rye Brewer
And we hit a wall.
“What the?” I moved forward again, but no go.
My forehead bumped into something that felt like solid granite.
“Back up,” I said, and we took a few steps back before dropping the cloak.
The portal was still there, just like before.
Allonic was frowning at us.
“What happened?” I asked, still rubbing the bump on my forehead. “I think your portal is a bust.”
“It’s not the portal,” he said, looking at Sara. “It might be her.”
“Me?” She pointed to herself. “What did I do?”
“Relax,” I said, touching her arm. “Don’t take things so personally.”
“But I went through the first one, right? The one you set up to get here.”
She had a point.
We both looked at our brother.
His frown deepened. “I suppose there’s only one way to test my theory for sure.” He bent his tall body to pick the cloak up from the floor. “Here. Try it on your own.” He handed it to Sara.
“What happens if it works, and I end up in this Duskwood place by myself?”
“Come right back—the portal will look the same on your side as it does on ours,” he explained as he wrapped her in the cloak.
She couldn’t do it for herself, frozen in fear the way she was.
“I don’t know if I want to do this,” she whispered.
“You’ll be all right if it works—but I don’t think it will. Just give it a try.” That was the most reassuring he could be, and I appreciated him even making an effort.
He’s probably just trying to keep himself from getting cooked, the cynical side of my brain told me.
Either way, it worked.
Sara looked a little more sure of herself before the hood covered her face. She took a deep breath, then three steps.
Wham!
She rebounded off the unforgiving surface of the portal opening, and I caught her before she hit the floor.
“Now we know,” Allonic murmured as I unwrapped the cloak.
“What do you think is causing this?” Mom asked, rubbing Sara’s arms.
It was obvious we were coddling her, but there was no other option when she was so volatile.
“There may be some kind of enchantment particular to Duskwood that’s preventing Sara from entering,” he suggested.
“But if this Sirene can be there, and she’s a witch…”
“She might have been the one who cast the spell. Maybe for her protection. All witches aren’t as kind as she is.”
And what would they think if they knew she had consorted with Fane? Not to mention the fact that she was pregnant.
It could’ve been the baby, not herself, that she wanted to protect from certain witches. Witches with elemental powers.
But what did I know?
Each realm had its rules. Maybe a vampire/witch hybrid was against Duskwood’s rules.
I wondered if I should start taking notes to keep it all straight.
I hated to say it, but I did. “I guess Allonic and I will have to go alone.”
It hurt to leave Mom after just finding her again, but knowing Sara was with her brought me a little comfort.
And if anybody could keep Sara calm, it was Mom.
“Be safe,” Mom whispered.
“I’ve been there before. It’ll be all right—and we won’t stay long.”
I wrapped myself in the cloak and stepped through the portal before I could think twice about leaving the chamber.
It didn’t matter how I felt about leaving Mom behind, anyway.
Sara was who mattered right now.
8
Anissa
As usual, the difference between Duskwood and just about anywhere else was unsettling at first.
The air stopped moving. Everything went muffled, like I had cotton in my ears.
I unwrapped the cloak and looked around, letting my eyes adjust. I wondered if there was ever sunlight there, or moonlight. Any light at all. The sky was inky black as always, starless.
“How do we find her now that we’re here?” I asked Allonic as he closed the portal.
“It shouldn’t be difficult.”
We walked side-by-side in the direction of the marble mausoleum, the easiest landmark to spot.
I wondered if she lived there, inside, or somewhere close by. I couldn’t imagine living in a mausoleum, even if it was empty. I doubted that one was. Whoever or whatever was inside had probably turned to dust by then, judging from the age of the language inscribed on the tombstones.
“Sirene?” Allonic called out, looking around. His eyes glowed in his dark face, framed by an even darker sky.
I glanced around for her, waiting to see the moving fog which would announce her approach.
“Allonic?” A figure stepped out from inside the mausoleum, a figure with long, black hair and a sweet smile. Her hands were clasped over her stomach like she was instinctively protecting her child.
I told myself to stop imagining things.
“We’re sorry to disturb you,” he said.
“Yes, we are,” I added.
The last thing I needed on my back was an angry witch. I already had enough problems.
Her smile was as radiant as ever. “You’re not disturbing me. I wasn’t expecting company—I always appreciate it,” she added. “It gets lonely here at times.”
I wondered why she lived there at all, then. There was so much I didn’t know. Was she in danger because of Fane and the baby? Or did she stay there to be closer to him?
“We need your help,” Allonic explained. “There’s a… situation… with which we need assistance, and questions only a witch can answer.”
“I’ll do my best,” she promised.
I sensed he was waiting for me to continue.
I cleared my throat to get rid of the lump that was suddenly there. “It’s my sister. We think she may have fed from a batch of contaminated blood. She’s exhibiting elemental powers.”
“Elemental?” Sirene’s wide, bright eyes opened wider. “Is there any chance of elemental witch blood in your family?”
“None that we’re aware of. And this is the first time she’s ever exhibited these abilities.” I was fairly sure Mom would’ve mentioned something about it if there was any chance of this being spread through the family. Then again, there was a lot she had never told us. Like who my father was.
“What are these abilities?”
“She shoots electricity from her hands,” I said, realizing it sounded blunt and a little ridiculous. But still, it was the truth.
“That must have come as quite a surprise,” she said with a rueful smile.
“It seems to be getting stronger and stronger, and she has no control over it,” I explained. “Then, she gets upset over having these powers at all. She’s scared and angry at whoever or whatever is responsible. That only seems to make it worse.”
“She’s a danger to others, and possibly to herself,” Allonic added, sounding grave.
I was glad he had the nerve to say it, because I didn’t. I hated thinking about my sister—my gentle, sweet, brave sister—being a danger.
Sirene nodded. “She is. You were right to come to me, though I’m not yet sure what I can do to help you.”
My heart sank. Even though I knew better than to expect a miracle, I had hoped. I couldn’t help but hope. “Can you try, though?” I asked.
“Of course, I’ll try. I’ll do my best.”
“Thank you,” I breathed. I wanted to give her a hug, but didn’t want to push my luck.
“Where is she? I’ll go to her now if you want.”
“She’s in ShadesRealm.” Allonic made it sound like he was delivering a death sentence.
I looked up at him with a frown.
Sirene clearly understood. “I can’t go there.”
“Precisely,” he replied, giving me a look, as if wondering why I doubted him.
&n
bsp; “Why not? Witches aren’t allowed there?” I looked back and forth between them.
“That’s right. Witches aren’t welcome there,” she explained.
“But…” I looked at Allonic again.
He nodded.
Then why did he take Sara there? I wondered how much he had risked by doing that.
“What if you brought her here?” she asked.
Allonic shook his head. “We can’t—we tried, but she couldn’t get through the portal.”
“You couldn’t…?” Her forehead creased in thought, then her eyes lit up. “Of course. Fane must have an enchantment in place.”
So it was he who did that.
I wondered if it was to protect himself or to protect her. Maybe both. Or maybe to protect the baby.
“If we can’t bring her to you, and you can’t go to her, what are we supposed to do? I should’ve known this wouldn’t work. Nothing ever does.” I wanted to kick the wall and scream and curse as frustration bubbled up inside me.
“There might be another way.” Her voice was soothing, sweet, and I felt a sense of peace wash over me. Just like that, I leveled out.
She might not have waved her arms and cast dangerous spells and made wind and rain kick up around her, but she was a powerful witch. It was a shame humans were so afraid of witches, since they could save a lot of money they spent on medication to alter their moods if they spent time with someone like Sirene.
“What other way?” I asked in a much gentler voice.
“We could meet up in some other place. Somewhere in the human world.”
I shuddered at the thought. “We can’t risk that. She’s too unpredictable. I can just imagine her losing control and being spotted by a vampire. If they tell the League of Vampires, she’s in huge trouble.”
“What would they do to her?” she asked.
I felt cold all of a sudden, even though there was no breeze and the temperature never changed. I wrapped my arms around myself and trembled a little. “If the League was to find out about her—and they would—they’d punish her.”
“But it isn’t her fault,” she said in a sad, soft voice.
“I know. They don’t care. They might banish her forever. They might even…” I took a deep breath. “They might even kill her for this.”
“Why would they do that?” She touched her abdomen.
“Because she’s a witch hybrid now. They’re the rarest species of all. Most of them don’t even make it through birth.”
And that was when I could’ve kicked myself, when it hit me that Sirene was curious because of the baby she was carrying.
A witch hybrid.
It explained the softness in her voice, the sadness on her face.
I wished I could take it back and maybe not be quite so blunt.
“I understand why you’re so anxious to take care of her,” she said. “It’s unfair, isn’t it, to be judged that way? When it isn’t our choice how we’re born or who we’re born to.” Her sorrow was clear.
I wished there was something I could say to make it better, but there was nothing. I couldn’t change the way things were.
“Please. Please, come to ShadesRealm. Please, help her. She needs us. She might die if we don’t do something to help her. We need you—you’re the only one with any answers.” I would’ve given her anything in the world if she would just help us.
It took a long time, but she nodded. “I’ll go to ShadesRealm.”
“Thank you. Thank you.” I could’ve cried. I thought I might.
They both glanced away and gave me time to collect myself.
Once the urge to cry passed, I looked around. We were still alone after all that time.
“Where’s Fane?” I asked. “I have something I need to talk to him about before we go. If my sister partook of contaminated blood, she got it from the supply at the Bourke building. It’s the only blood she's fed on since we met them. I thought he might be able to go to Jonah or one of the others to warn them.”
Something changed.
Tears replaced the light in her eyes. “He’s not here.”
I was afraid for a second that something terrible happened to him—she looked that stricken.
“Where is he? Is he all right?” I asked in a whisper.
“He’s fine. He had something to take care of,” she explained. And she left it at that.
I was fairly sure she didn’t want to hear any more questions—besides, it was none of my business. Whatever Fane had to do, it was obviously hurting Sirene to even talk about it.
I imagined that loving someone like him would be a full-time job.
She squared her shoulders and lifted her head, brushing back her thick, black hair with both hands. “Well? I suppose we should start out. Let’s help your sister.”
9
Anissa
ShadesRealm was still cloaked in night, lit only by the moon. After spending time in Duskwood with its darkness and stillness, it was refreshing to feel the cool air and smell the grass and trees. It was almost enough to overload my senses, everything rushing at me at once.
In the distance—the far, far distance—I could just make out the shape of Mom’s tower. It was the size of my pinkie finger at that distance. We were miles from the mountains, which meant we were miles from where the Sanctuary was located.
Allonic wasn’t taking any chances.
Sirene tilted her face up, toward the moon. “This is lovely,” she whispered. “I do miss the moon sometimes. And the sound of rustling leaves.”
I wanted again to ask her why she lived in Duskwood at all.
She seemed much more at home surrounded by nature. Her smile widened when a breeze blew past, ruffling her hair and bringing with it the smell of flowers.
Allonic took her arm. “We’d better hurry to the tower.”
“Of course.” She didn’t say a word or even react as he lifted her in his arms.
“Are you ready?” Allonic asked me.
“Sure. I’ll be right behind you.”
In the blink of an eye, we were coursing to the tower.
I was almost glad for the excuse to be alone with my thoughts for a few minutes, since I hadn’t had a moment to myself for as long as I could remember. There was a time when I thought my biggest problem was being Marcus’s assassin. It felt like those days were another lifetime ago as I coursed across the countryside with my half-shade half-brother and a witch.
Things went by in a blur—trees, fields, dens where animals waited for morning.
I wondered when morning would come, whether we had a lot of time before the sun was just one more thing to worry about.
I couldn’t blame the way my existence was turning out on the Bourkes, even though it looked like it was their blood bank that had turned my sister into a hybrid.
It was Marcus’s fault for forcing me to work for him to pay off what he saw as Sara’s debt. But no. That wasn’t true, either.
If I went back through the decades to pinpoint the moment my life changed forever, it was the night the Great Fire started. When I lost my mother, my stepfather, all security.
If the Fire had never burned, Sara wouldn’t have been desperate enough to sell her blood. She wouldn’t have broken the League’s canons and suffered unspeakable torment, and I wouldn’t have rescued her, and we wouldn’t have needed to hide. There wouldn’t have been refuge at the Bourke high-rise because we wouldn’t have needed refuge. On and on, it all spun out.
And none of it was Marcus’s fault.
It was Lucian’s, for setting the Great Fire.
But I got my mother back, didn’t I? And I found Jonah, which would never have happened if Marcus didn’t send me to assassinate him.
I missed Jonah. It wasn’t until meeting him and going through what we went through together that I understood it was possible to be disappointed or even bitterly angry, but still care for someone.
I hoped he was all right. I wished I could see him to be sure he was.
&
nbsp; Maybe things happened the way they were meant to happen. Lucian was part of a bigger plan. I wished someone would clue me into what the plan was. For once, I would’ve liked to be ahead of things, instead of dealing with the aftermath.
Like Sara. Her elemental powers. Who would deliberately taint blood? And why? What would the purpose be?
We started to slow as we neared the tower, and by the time we reached the multi-colored stones and glittering mortar, Sirene looked like she had never had such a thrill in her long, long life.
“You never coursed before?” I asked with a grin.
Her eyes were as big as saucers.
“Just when I thought I had experienced everything,” she murmured, shaking her head.
Allonic didn’t put her down, since we would next course to the top.
She linked her arms around his neck and looked up at the endless spiral staircase.
I hoped she wasn’t afraid of heights.
Soon we were on the landing, outside the chamber door.
Mom must’ve heard us—she opened it immediately.
I heard crackling behind her. Seemed Sara was having trouble.
“It looks like we’ve come at just the right time,” Sirene observed as Allonic set her on her feet.
She strode into the chamber and looked around for a second before focusing on Sara.
My sister stood in the center of the circular room, arms crossed, hands in her armpits. It was barely helping—little streaks of lightning raced all over her body like they were following an invisible path.
“I can’t even calm her down,” Mom murmured as we stepped inside.
“Sara? We’re back. This is Sirene. She’ll help you. But you need to relax, first.” I wanted to hug her or at least rub her back, but I didn’t dare come too close.
“Please, help me,” she pleaded.
“I’ll do what I can—but like your sister said, you have to calm down. This is not the end of anything. It is not the end of you. We’ll protect you, I swear.”
Her voice was still sweet, but there was an edge to it I had never heard before. An intensity.
I believed her.
Slowly, Sara’s breathing returned to a normal rate. The electrical charge in the air eased, then ceased.