by Evans, Holly
“I have guests for dinner.”
I glared at her and she walked away back to her little cabin.
“The pain will ease soon,” Elise said, a sadness in her eyes.
I helped Alasdair to his feet and kept him close as we returned to the car.
“You have a pack. We might not live in the same house, but we will fight at your side. Just say the word,” Evelyn said fiercely.
A flicker of Alasdair’s usual fire passed over his face as he smiled. He wasn’t lost just yet.
25
I curled up on the sofa with Alasdair and held him close for the rest of the day and evening. We slept on the sofa with my head on his chest and our legs entangled. He started to look more like himself the following morning.
Evelyn got us up with strong coffee and fresh pastries. We still had our blankets around us and half-eaten pastries when Lysander emerged in just his boxers with Gray not far behind him. Kadrix and Quin let themselves in.
“I come bearing gifts,” Kadrix called.
He handed Evelyn a couple of large bags of coffee beans.
“How are you feeling after the ritual?” the elf asked.
To my surprise, he spoke with genuine concern, and there was no sign of his notebook.
“Better than I have in a long time,” Alasdair said.
“I’m glad to hear it. You’re a good friend, I hate seeing you hurt.” He looked in the direction of the kitchen. “I brought coffee. I believe that means I’m owed pastries.”
Alasdair shook his head and laughed. “Elves trade for everything.”
Once everyone had their desired food and coffee, we were all settled on the armchairs and couches. Elise was back with Bryn, and we were ready to begin the discussion no one wanted to have.
“Rifts are popping up all around the world. We’re struggling to keep on top of them. Some rare witch-fae mixes have been able to heal the small rifts, but they can only be in one place at once. The beings that are coming through the rifts are some of the worst that fae has to offer. The redcaps are making the most of it, and a lot of the lycans are struggling with the shift in magic. It is calling to their predatory side more than any of us could have anticipated,” Lysander said.
“Who was the witch that fixed the ward stone?” I asked.
“That was a Wren Kincaid. She has a home in Scotland,” Quin said.
“We took the liberty of booking you a flight to Inverness this afternoon. You’ll meet Dante Caspari at the airport and speak with Wren. We suspect that she’s a blood witch. She’s also the best chance we have right now, so play nice,” Lysander said.
“We’re hoping that she might know others who can heal the veil and give us a chance. As it stands, it’s looking like the veil will be down within a week. There are back-up plans in place,” Quin said.
“Yes. A large group of fae are coming together to prepare the weavings necessary to help ease the transition should the worse come to the worst,” Kadrix said.
My chest tightened. This was really happening. There was a very good chance that the veil was going to be torn down, and I’d had a key role in that happening. Fuck.
“You are not to blame here,” Lysander said.
“Well-” Evelyn started, but stopped when she saw the glares from the others.
“You thought you were helping things and keeping the world safe,” Elise said softly.
Bryn kissed her temple and gave her a gentle knowing smile.
“Best intentions or not, we must act with what we know and have. Right now, the witch Wren is our strongest chance. We will continue gathering our allies and trying to keep the humans safe,” Kadrix said.
“We got you some fresh clothes,” Quin said as he dropped a collection of bags at our feet.
To my relief, the bags were full of jeans, t-shirts, and other similar clothes. There wasn’t a suit in sight. As much as I adored seeing Alasdair in a well-fitted suit, this was not the time to be wearing them.
“What about our income?” I asked Alasdair.
“I have a good deal of savings, and we will speak with Adam about further income.”
“You’ve been in contact with Adam?” Lysander asked.
“Yes - nothing concrete yet, as he’s as busy as we are. He had hoped to see Tabs, but she appears to have gone to ground.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Give him my best,” Lysander said.
“Tabs is his twin. They haven’t seen each other in a few centuries. As they’re both wildings, the magic keeps them apart as wildlings are too rare to waste their talents like that,” Alasdair said.
“A wildling is a balancer who works on the chaos side of things,” Gray explained.
Just when I thought I had a solid grasp on the world someone went and added something new.
26
Lysander joined us on the trip back to Scotland. It was a shame we were flying under new IDs. We could have gathered quite a few air miles with our various trips. I was glad that my shifter immune system was strong and stopped me from getting ill as I saw all of the sniffling sickly people at the airport.
The hellhound remained on guard for the duration of our trip. Gray followed suit and walked a little taller when he was around his father. I saw the resemblance in their movements and the small mannerisms. The way Lysander narrowed his eyes a little as his step slowed a fraction. Thankfully, that flight went smoothly without delays. There wasn’t even any turbulence. The upside to no longer having any belongings besides what we carried in our backpacks was that we didn’t have to wait around for luggage.
A tall, broad man in an expensive shirt and jeans stood looking intently at everyone who dared emerge from the incoming flight area. He smiled when his eyes settled on Lysander. He looked to be in his mid-twenties, but there was something about his bearing that made him feel much older.
“Good to see you again, Marrok,” the man greeted Lysander with a firm handshake.
“Lysander, please.”
“Dante, and you are?” He looked at each of us in turn.
“Seth,” I said, hating how the name felt on my tongue.
“Steele, and Derek,” Alasadair said.
Dante gave a small nod of acknowledgement before he turned on his heel and led us to a very expensive black car. He put rock music on the radio and drove with clear aggression as he made his way through the traffic and out into the countryside.
“You’re free to drop your glamours,” he said as the landscape turned into sprawling hills coated in heather.
Home. My wolf stretched in the back of my mind. We were home, and free.
He turned off the road and started down a driveway that led to a small castle. An actual castle, complete with a small turret and sprawling lawns.
“You have got to be fucking with me…” I said before I realised I’d spoken.
Dante smirked.
“Welcome to my humble abode.”
“Humble my arse,” I muttered.
“You’re here to speak to Wren about the ward stone she remade,” Dante said.
“Yes. I’m sure you’re aware of the current situation,” Lysander said.
Dante sighed.
“Painfully so. My father has been pushing very hard for me to take a position at his side. He is eager to push forward the moment the veil drops, as he is sure it will.”
I frowned at Alasdair, hoping he’d fill me on who his father was.
“Bael,” Gray whispered.
“The demon king!?”
“Technically he’s still a prince,” Dante said flatly.
I looked him up and down. He certainly didn’t look like a demon, half- or full-blooded.
“My mother is a very powerful life witch,” he explained.
I made a mental note not to get on his bad side. With his heritage, he must have been an incredibly powerful witch in his own right.
We took our shoes off when we entered the honest-to-the-gods castle. It was decorated in a clean pale palette, giving it a mode
rn look. Wren and two other guys were waiting for us in the kitchen. The witch herself had the waist-length blood-red hair of a blood witch. Her blue-green eyes were stormy, as though she were fighting an inner battle. The lean hellhound went to her side and nipped her ear as we entered the room. He stared us down, challenging us to try and get too close to her.
I frowned as I realised they were all hers. She was in a relationship with all three of them. That seemed like a lot of work.
Alasdair put his arm around my waist, and I was glad to have just him. I couldn’t imagine the emotional and physical work it would take to maintain three relationships like that.
“Gideon,” Dante gestured to the hellhound, “and Kane,” he gestured to a relaxed dark-blonde guy with the most stunning smile.
Alasdair’s grip on my waist tightened just a little, and I stroked his hands. I was only looking for a moment. I’d never do anything more. No man could compare to Alasdair anyway.
“You want to ask me how I remade the ward stone,” Wren said with a tinge of sadness.
“You know there are rifts all around the world. We’re struggling to keep them contained,” Gray said.
She sighed and brushed a piece of hair out of her face.
Kane and Dante moved closer to her, protecting her from the new people.
“I’m a blood witch. I needed a sacrifice to remake the stone.” She couldn’t keep the defeat from her tone.
I looked from Gray to Alasdair. We’d suspected she needed sacrifices, but we couldn’t ask that many people to give up their lives like that.
“Do you know any others who could help?” Gray asked.
“No. We were hunted to extinction, remember?”
Gideon stroked her hair, and she leaned into him.
“I don’t know if I can heal the rifts, anyway. I remade a ward stone; that’s a very different thing.”
“We know the politics are difficult. We have contacts on the fae plane who have told her there are revolts across the plane and some civil wars have already broken out,” Kane said.
“And my father has made it clear that the infernals are doing everything they can to bring the veil down quicker,” Dante said.
I didn’t miss the way Gideon shuddered at that.
“Is there nothing we can do?” I asked.
“I suggest you deal with your own mess first. You’re wanted men. You need to deal with the moon church before you can throw yourselves into another fight,” Dante said.
I couldn’t help the feeling of frustration. This trip had been a complete waste of time. Sure, it was nice to see a castle, but the information could have been shared via phone or even fucking email.
“When you are no longer worrying about the moon priestesses and such, we will discuss a true strategy. Until then, you’re just bringing more trouble to our door,” Dante said.
I barely managed to keep my teeth covered, as I wanted to snarl.
“Thank you for speaking with us,” Lysander said.
I was never going to be half the diplomat he was, and I was ok with that.
27
We crashed out at the hotel in Galway. Two flights in one day was exhausting, and I hoped I didn’t need to see a plane again any time too soon. We ordered room service, and I enjoyed having a full bed again instead of the couch. No one spoke much. There was an invisible weight hanging over us. We were here to see if Saoirse had gone dark side with the goddess. Galway hadn’t been my home for long, but there was still something painful at realising the one safe place I’d had since I’d been made was being torn away. The moon churches were no longer the sanctuaries to all shifters I’d grown up being told.
I held Alasdair close and took my time giving him a slow massage to loosen up his tight muscles. I wanted him to feel me close to him and to know that I was right there with him every step of the way.
Gray filled the silence with movies, which I was grateful for. He had a long talk with his sister via private messages online, and that seemed to raise his spirits. I gave him a brief hug. Being tactile was still very new to me, and I wasn’t entirely sure how Gray felt about it, but it was what pack did and I felt the desire for it.
“You’re accepting your wolf,” Alasdair said with a proud grin.
I frowned and realised I was. It felt less like a separate entity and more like another facet of myself. I couldn’t pinpoint when it had happened, but I felt much better for it.
None of us wanted to put it off any longer than we had to. We had taken the evening to relax and mentally prepare ourselves, but we headed to the church right after breakfast.
It was clear there was something very wrong even from the road. The church had a darkness clinging to it that hadn’t been present before. The white and silver plants looked faded and wilted. I found myself baring my teeth as we pulled into the small carpark. Something raised my hackles and set my teeth on edge.
“I think we can safely say Saoirse went dark side,” Gray said.
“There are no councils or anything to punish those who stray from the path of balance. It is down to us to police our own,” Alasdair said.
“Meaning we kill her,” I said.
He snorted a laugh.
“Yes. If she is confirmed to be dark side, she must be killed.”
“Aren’t priestesses really strong and magical?” I asked.
“Yes,” Alasdair said.
“Well, fuck,” I said.
“Three of us versus one of her. And it’s not like we don’t have magic of our own,” Gray said.
“Kadrix was sad that he couldn’t be here to take her down himself. He has missed being on the front line, so he gave us some gifts,” Alasdair said.
He pulled a black bag out from under the seat and opened it to reveal a collection of multi-coloured orbs.
“Each one does something different. He said not knowing what does what will make the fight more fun.”
“Elves,” I muttered.
“Alchemists, you mean,” Gray said with a grin.
Alasdair split the orbs between us, and we carefully filled our pockets. I really hoped they weren’t going to react to my shadow or fire magic and blow me up.
We strolled up to the church as if nothing were wrong. Saoirse likely knew what had happened. Priestesses were incredibly connected, after all. Still, there was no harm in our looking innocent to outsiders.
The door opened easily, and we walked into the main church area. Where it had felt peaceful and calm before, it felt violent and aggressive now. A darkness reminiscent of shadow clung to the corners and hid the moon altar. Maybe Saoirse hadn’t stayed with the moon goddess but had jumped ship to the shadow god.
Saoirse emerged from her area at the back of the church with a vicious smile on her face.
“You were such good little soldiers. You played your roles beautifully. I had hoped to keep you for longer.” White-silver light balled around her hands and slipped away, leaving a pair of long daggers. “I’m sure you’ll have a peaceful afterlife.”
Gray threw a slate-grey orb at her head, and it exploded in an spray of sparkly grey dust. I swore they were supposed to do her harm, not fuck up her hair. She started clawing at her face as the dust clung to her skin. Well, maybe it wasn’t quite such a failure, after all.
Three more priestesses came from the back rooms, and suddenly the odds didn’t look so good.
I palmed a neon blue and green striped orb and threw it at the shortest priestess. She caught it in mid-air and quickly regretted it when it blew up, taking her hand with it. I grinned. Now we were getting somewhere.
All the fun faded when the priestesses circled us, long sharp daggers in their hands and pure hatred in their eyes. We tried to slip between them and get out of their circle to no avail. So, we moved to cover each other’s backs and prepared for the imminent onslaught.
The priestesses moved with swift graceful motions and a speed that no person should be able to accomplish. We kept them back with aggressive strikes of our
own and the orbs. Chunks of floor went flying when Gray threw two of the striped orbs at the broadest priestess. A lump of tile stuck in her thigh, and we had a chance. Alasdair threw another orb, one that covered her face in thick purple gloop that made her scream. Alasdair shot forward and attacked her with his knife.
Saoirse came for me. I threw a handful of orbs at her, which exploded spectacularly. I was thrown back against the wall but saw with great satisfaction that she’d lost an arm and a large piece of her jaw. The skin on her remaining arm was dissolving beneath a green glitter. I struggled back to my feet and ignored Gray’s setting a priestess on fire while I focused on Saoirse. Despite the agony she must have been in, she came at me with incredible speed. I twisted away, not before her dagger sliced through my side.
She put my own blade skills to shame as she managed to parry and block my blows with only one arm. I finally saw my chance just before she knocked my dagger from my hand. I took the last orb from my pocket and went as though to punch her in the stomach. She blocked it, exposing the bloody stump where her arm had been. I drove the remaining orb into the blood and muscle of her arm and ran back.
All that was left of her was a mess of red and shards of white bone.
28
The alchemical orbs stopped the priestesses from being able to summon too much goddess-drawn magic, which meant that we killed them without much injury on our part. Admittedly, the church was a disaster zone by the time we were done. The altar was split into three pieces, and there were large holes in the floor and walls. Blood, innards, and bones were scattered everywhere.
Alasdair pulled out some small silver disks.
“These will remove any trace of us from the scene. We need to push your magic into them. I no longer have magic.”
I ran my fingers over his inner wrist to try and ease him before I took the disk.
“So, we push our magic in and all traces vanish?”
“It’ll take a few minutes, and we have to stay still while it works,” Alasdair said.