By Blood and Magic

by Jamie A. Waters

  Malek arched his brow. “I hadn’t realized the ruling family is the source of all magic within the entire city.”

  “Pfft,” Blossom said with a grin. “They’re only part of the magic.”

  Sabine smiled down at Blossom. The pixies were often overlooked as being an important part of Faerie. “Blossom’s right. The non-ruling families siphon off their excess magic to the crystals, plants, and trees. The pixies and other creatures help to distribute the magic to the outlying areas to keep everything running. Without them, the city couldn’t survive.”

  Blossom beamed and puffed up at the recognition.

  Malek glanced around the wall to check to make sure it was still clear. “All right. So you’re saying the treeheart is like a pump of sorts, sending the magic outward?”

  Sabine considered the analogy and nodded. “Yes. I thought the treeheart might have been damaged somehow, but the outlying areas are in better condition than the center of the city. Those should have been the first to fail if the pump wasn’t working properly. I believe Lily and the other pixies have been able to help those areas, but they aren’t allowed back in the city. The True Folk have made sure of that.”

  Blossom’s wings drooped. “Then why are the pixies sick?”

  “Because the True Folk are trying to change the purpose of the treeheart. It’s the equivalent of taking us underwater and expecting us to breathe. You can’t change someone’s basic nature, nor can you change the function of the treeheart.”

  Malek rubbed his chin. “All right. I think I understand. If we believe the treeheart is the key to saving the city, is it possible to reverse what they’ve done?”

  Sabine hesitated and then shrugged. “I won’t know until I put my hands on it. I need to connect with the lifeblood of the city and infuse my essence with it. Only then will I be able to communicate with the treeheart. It should tell me how to correct the problem. If it’s too far gone, we can try sealing it off from the rest of Faerie’s magic. But then everything living here will die within days.”

  Malek frowned and took another look around the outcropping. “We’re only going to get one shot at this, Sabine. If we free Pearl, they’ll raise the alarm and you’ll never be able to get to the treeheart. If we try to save the treeheart, we won’t be able to get close to Pearl. I’m afraid we’re going to need to decide between saving our friends and saving everyone living here.”

  Sabine shook her head as a plan began to form in her mind. “No. I think I know how we can save both. Blossom, go gather the pixie clans. We’re going to need some help.”

  Sabine finished feeding the last of the pixies and sat back. Like Lily, they were all much smaller than Blossom or her family, an indication they’d been starved for magic for a long time. They’d listened attentively when she’d outlined her plans, and they were now buzzing with excitement and renewed power. Sometimes the most powerful warriors were those you least expected.

  She’d been reluctant to ask for their help after seeing their condition, but they were eager to reclaim their portion of Faerie. Blossom had promised it was an important part of their healing, and Sabine had to agree with her assessment. With her offering to share magic, the pixies looked much better, but she wished they’d had more time to fully recover before asking them to help. If there were any other way to save the city, she’d do it.

  “Blossom speaks with my voice, so you’ll need to follow her direction,” she reminded them, gesturing toward Blossom, who straightened at her announcement.

  “That’s right, soldiers,” Blossom said, narrowing her eyes at the pixies. “Fall in line and ready yourselves for inspection!”

  The pixies’ eyes widened and they all jumped up, more than a dozen tiny bodies all standing ramrod straight. Blossom marched in front of them, assessing them with a critical eye. She pointed at a few of them and snapped, “Suck in that gut. No drooping wings. You, over there, tuck in your shirt. We’re not raiding honeypots here, boys and girls. This is serious. Get your dusters ready! On my mark, we attack and distract!”

  Sabine had to bite back a smile as she watched their wings twitch in excitement. Even Lily had joined the ranks as the head of her clan, and her eyes were bright with eagerness. Sabine just hoped none of them would be hurt.

  Blossom put her hands behind her back, continuing to march in front of them. “You all understand your mission?”

  “Yes!” they all exclaimed, saluting their new commander.

  “Then gather the rest of our forces and take your places! On my mark, we attack! We will show those stinky fish people what it means to try to steal our city!”

  They squealed in excitement and took off into the night.

  Blossom grinned and said, “That was fun!”

  Sabine smiled. “Just do your best to keep them safe. When I connect to the treeheart, I’ll ask it to send you a message so you can distract the guards. You just need to buy enough time to allow Malek to escape through the doorway with Pearl. If we fail for any reason, you need to get word to Balkin. Let him know what’s happened here.”

  Blossom’s face fell. “This is really dangerous, huh?”

  Sabine nodded. “Yes, but I’m fortunate to have such fierce allies. With the pixies orchestrating the distraction, we have a chance to save everyone.”

  Blossom’s wings drooped, and she whispered, “Don’t let them hurt you, Sabine. We need you.”

  Sabine trailed a bit of magic over Blossom. Normally, such a thing delighted the pixie, but Blossom’s fear overshadowed everything else. “Same goes to you, my friend. Take care of yourself and the other pixies for me.”

  Blossom flew up and kissed Sabine’s cheek. Without another word, she disappeared into the darkness. Sabine took a steadying breath and looked at Malek, who had been watching everything in silence.

  She frowned at him. “I don’t see another way.”

  Malek looked in the direction of where they were holding Pearl and sighed. They’d moved away from the building so she could meet with the pixies without being detected, but more guards were moving into the area. “It’s unnecessarily risky and dangerous, Sabine. I know it’s not ideal, but choosing between the two would be the safest course of action. Although, if I’m honest, I’d rather just steal you away from here and say to hell with the whole thing.”

  Sabine tilted her head to study him, suspecting he was lying to himself. She’d seen the pain in his eyes when he’d met the part-wyvern boy who had reminded Malek so much of his friend.

  Placing her hand on his arm, Sabine whispered, “I need to do this, Malek. I know you think we should choose between them, but I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t try to save everyone. I don’t think you could either. I know how much Levin means to you.”

  He sighed and placed his hand over hers, holding her to him. “You’re right. I’ll do what I can to stick to your plan, but I can’t promise I’ll be able to suppress my instincts. You’ve come to mean a great deal to me.” His jaw hardened. “If they hurt you, I will kill them.”

  Sabine didn’t know how to respond. She’d had years to understand Bane’s and Dax’s demonic instincts and how to work around them, but Malek was still a mystery in many ways. Their relationship may have begun because he needed her help to seal the portal, but the lines between them were now blurred.

  Once emotions and intimacy had entered their arrangement, she’d noticed a subtle yet distinctive shift in his reactions. He was becoming more protective, and even possessive, where she was concerned. She wasn’t yet sure how to handle it, but she needed to focus on living through the next few hours. If they survived, they’d need to figure out a way to manage the changing dynamics between them.

  Sabine leaned forward and kissed him lightly. “You’ve come to mean a great deal to me too. Just make sure you get to Pearl while I’m keeping everyone focused on me. As soon as I connect with the treeheart, I can use the magic of the city to open a doorway.”

  “I hope you’re right.” Malek nodd
ed toward the treeheart and said, “The patrol just finished making their rounds and won’t pass this way again for a few minutes. If you’re going to change your appearance, now’s the time.”

  Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and focused on her impressions of Lausianne, the True Folk woman who had escorted them to their quarters. Once she ensured she had a fairly accurate image of Lausianne in her mind, Sabine attached the illusion to her skin with thousands of tiny pinpricks.

  Gesturing toward herself, she asked, “Will it work?”

  Malek frowned, scanning her up and down. “The eye color is off. Can you make them greener? I think her hair is a bit shorter too.”

  Sabine nodded and changed the glamour coating her skin. “How’s that?”

  “Better, but your voice isn’t the same and your mannerisms are much more regal. I’m not sure the illusion will stand up to scrutiny, especially since they know about your abilities.”

  “I only need it to work long enough to get to the treeheart. Worst-case scenario, I distract them so you can rescue Pearl. If necessary, I believe I can convince them to take me to the treeheart. Then I can open a doorway for you to take Pearl back to the ocean.”

  Malek scowled. “You expect me to go through the doorway without you?”

  Sabine nodded and touched the mark on his wrist. “You must, but I’ll try to follow as soon as possible. My mark will keep you safe through the in-between since I’ll be the one activating the doorway. You’ll need to hold tightly to Pearl’s hand to keep her from being harmed.” Sabine removed Ilwan’s necklace and offered it to Malek. “Take this. Your powers probably won’t work to summon Ilwan for the prisoner exchange, but Pearl should be able to help you.”

  Malek gripped the necklace and studied it. He squared his shoulders and handed it back to her. “Keep it. I’m taking you with me, Sabine. When I leave this city, you’re coming with me or we’re not leaving at all.”

  “Malek,” she replied, looking down at the necklace, “you need this to rescue Esme, Levin, and the rest of your crew. Otherwise, there’s no point to this plan.”

  “You’re putting a lot of weight on the conversation we overheard with those guards.”

  “Perhaps, but why would they sacrifice me if Pearl is gone? They need me. Marsious admitted he knows the city is dying. I’m the best hope they have.”

  He shook his head, and his jaw hardened. “No. I’m not leaving you here. I’ll make every effort to get Pearl to safety, but I told you before—you are my priority. This is about something bigger than you, me, or even this city. If the portal opens and the war spills back into our world, how many millions will die?”

  Sabine didn’t respond. They didn’t have time to argue about this. She wasn’t the only Fae who would be willing to help him. If something happened to her, Blossom could find someone else who could locate the rest of the artifacts for Malek. She stared down at the necklace, wondering if his feelings for her were clouding his judgment.

  Malek reached over to tuck her hair behind her ear. “Sweetheart, I understand you feel the need to do this. I’m not completely sold on the idea, but I won’t try to stop you. I only ask you to understand I need to protect you.”

  She lifted her head and frowned. “Is this a dragon thing?”

  His mouth curved upward. “You could say that.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “You’re not going to budge, are you?”

  He chuckled and shook his head.

  “Stubborn dragon,” she muttered with exasperation and fastened the necklace around her neck again.

  He grabbed her and hauled her against him, then kissed her soundly. When he released her, he said, “And you’re a very stubborn Fae.”

  Despite herself, she smiled. Without another word, she stood and began walking down the path. Using her memory of the True Folk woman she was impersonating, she tried to adopt the same swagger as Lausianne. It was impossible to get angry with Malek over his refusal to follow her orders. If she were in his position, she wouldn’t have agreed to leave him either.

  He might need to protect her, but she needed to protect this city, the forest, and all its inhabitants. This was why the Fae had been created, and it was hardwired into her psyche. Sabine couldn’t change her nature any more than he could change his. It didn’t matter what illusion she wore, she couldn’t change who she was under the surface.

  She approached the first patrol, but they were looking at something on the ground and barely spared her more than a passing glance. Sabine swallowed, forcing her body to stay relaxed while her heart pounded in her chest. More than a few of these True Folk would have the ability to detect foreign magic. If even one of them became suspicious too soon, her entire plan would fall apart. Everything depended on getting to the treeheart and buying enough time for Malek to rescue Pearl. Blossom and the pixies were a secondary distraction, designed to help Malek escape.

  Sabine kept her footfalls even and unhurried, watching the treeheart pulsing with colors. The closer she came, the more the treeheart called to her, urging her to hurry. It could sense her approach, and its song was becoming more frenzied. On the surface, it appeared much like a centuries-old silver tree, but it was much more than that. Like her, it wore a type of glamour to hide its true self.

  “What are you doing here?”

  Sabine froze, turning to see three True Folk guards approaching her. Two of them were men and one was a woman. The man who had spoken carried himself as though accustomed to some form of command, while the other two remained a step behind him in a more submissive position. If her analysis was correct and the True Folk were structured similarly to the Fae hierarchy of power, he was the one she needed to distract and stall. The other two wouldn’t make a move without his leave.

  Feigning exasperation, Sabine asked, “What do you think I’m doing here?”

  “Don’t be flippant,” the man said, his eyes narrowing on her. “You’re supposed to be guarding Marsious. Who’s with him if you’re here?”

  The treeheart’s song became more urgent. Her palms grew damp, and she had to fight her instincts not to respond to the treeheart. It desperately needed her, but she couldn’t even risk looking at it. She needed to buy Malek as much time as possible. The longer these patrols were busy with her, the more likely Malek could escape with Pearl. She wished he still had his warding medallion to hide his identity.

  Tossing back her hair, she said, “If you have a problem with me being here, I suggest you take it up with Marsious.”

  The man hesitated and then shrugged. “Very well. Jaiva, stay with her. We’re supposed to stay in groups while the Fae and dragon are loose. You know that.”

  The woman moved forward, scanning Sabine up and down. “You look different somehow. Are you feeling all right?”

  Sabine arched her brow. “I think we’re all out of sorts with the Fae and dragon here.”

  Jaiva frowned. “That’s not Lausianne.”

  The man paused, narrowing his eyes slightly on Sabine. He took a step forward, his hand going to his weapon. “What’s my name?”

  Sabine resisted the urge to curse. Mentally willing Malek to hurry, she glared at the man and snapped, “What sort of game are you playing? We don’t have time for this.”

  Jaiva shook her head and said, “It’s the Fae, Zander! Grab her!”

  The guards drew their weapons. Sabine’s eyes widened. She’d thought it was a possibility, but the rest of the True Folk didn’t get the message not to kill her. Abandoning the first part of their plan, Sabine took off running in the direction of the treeheart. Some foreign and metallic magic singed her shoulder, and she winced at the pain. It wasn’t a severe blow, but it still hurt. Changing her trajectory to avoid their attacks, she zigzagged through the rubble and broken pathways trying to reach the treeheart.

  “She’s heading to the heart!”

  “Cut her off!”

  Sabine leaped over a wall as more shouts joined the chorus of alarm. She inwardly urged Malek to h
urry, knowing she wouldn’t be able to dodge the True Folk for long. Another magical bolt slammed into her arm, and she stumbled. She hit the ground, then looked up to see the treeheart was only a short distance away. After scrambling to her feet, she ran toward it but was tackled before she could make contact.

  Shoving her magic outward, she blasted her assailant with her power. She pushed him off and tried to get back up, but Zander hit from the side. She was thrown to the ground again, struggling to take a breath under Zander’s heavier weight. He hauled her upright, his grip hard enough to leave a bruise. Several other True Folk surrounded her, pointing their weapons in her direction.

  Sabine swallowed and released the glamour. She’d need as much of her magic readily available as possible.

  “Move or use any magic, and you’ll die right here,” Zander warned, still gripping her tightly.

  “Isn’t that your plan anyway?” she retorted, trying to stall for time. “I told Marsious I didn’t want to force any of you out. The magic in this city is dying. Once it’s gone, you’ll all be trapped here. I’m the only chance you have to survive.”

  “You’re wrong,” Jaiva argued, still pointing her curved sword in Sabine’s direction. “The magic here is already changing. We’re all more powerful with each sacrifice.”

  Sabine shook her head. “You feel powerful because you’re absorbing the magic from the treeheart. It’s why the trees are dying. They can’t sustain you. Faerie was designed to absorb power, not give it up.”

  “What do we care about a few trees?” Zander demanded.

  Sabine had to force her temper down and not lash out at his callousness, but it grated. Making an effort to keep her tone even, she said, “If the magic of this city dies, you won’t be able to leave Faerie. It’s why my people abandoned it centuries ago. The ruling family died, and no one was able to sustain the treeheart. Without it, they knew it was only a matter of time before they died too.”

  Zander’s grip loosened slightly. “How do you know this?”

  Sabine nodded toward the large silver tree. “That’s the treeheart. Aberforth holds one of the branches and uses it as a walking stick. It’s how you’ve been opening the doorway to the in-between. I can try to fix it, but I need to commune with the treeheart. I’ll also need the missing branch to be returned.”