“Little sister. Come home. There is no need to test your abilities. You know the outcome and it only makes you feel small. I have allowed you to shred my magic, so you can see I just want you home. You belong with your family. Whatever has happened to cause this rift can be fixed. I will go to our father myself and speak for you.”
Silence followed his plea. The sincerity in Avram’s voice bothered Isai more than his actual words. The entreaty should have sounded like a lie to his ears, but the voice was deceptive. He couldn’t imagine Julija growing up listening to lies couched in sweet, sincere tones. How would she ever be able to trust? How would she be able to trust him? He had not only asked for her faith in him, he had demanded it from her.
I am in your mind.
Her voice was gentle, accompanied by little brushes of her fingers, caresses that were unexpected and intimate.
Yes, you are, sívamet. He couldn’t help but send her the way he felt about her. The fierce need to possess her. The overwhelming softness she created in him. Love. He hadn’t known what that was, and yet now, the emotion was beginning to encompass him entirely. I would like you to engage with Vasile while I finish here. He didn’t want her to witness what he had to do.
At once he felt her withdrawal and across the small valley, on the peak closest to where Julija waited with the cats, he saw a sudden ring of green slapped to the ground by a black hand.
He shifted and became a shadow cat, moving swiftly through what would have been a minefield of traps had his woman not disposed of the traps for him. He was fast, sliding in and out of cover until he was beside the female cat. He approached her cautiously, not wanting her to give away the fact that he was close.
Avram built his defenses quickly, trying to surround himself with tougher strands of magic. Unfortunately for him, the enemy was already inside the weave. Isai slipped up right beside the female cat. He nuzzled her with his chin. She trembled and pulled at her collar, but the leash held tightly.
Avram turned toward her scowling. His brows drew together, and he flicked his hand toward her. In his fist a whip appeared, and the lash fell across her back, the tip hitting her left hip. She jumped and yowled in pain. Avram smiled and pulled his arm back to repeat the motion. Isai caught the whip in his hand and jerked hard. The smile faded as the whip turned on the wielder, striking repeatedly, not giving him a chance to regain his weapon.
He screamed his anger and ordered the shadow cat to attack. She leapt forward as if obedient, but the short leash jerked her back to the ground. She went off her feet and rolled over, coming up whining in distress, clearly not knowing what to do.
Isai ducked beneath the whip and went for the man. Avram shouted holding spells, but Isai was already past him, breaking the tendrils of magic before they could be established. He was on the man, his fist driving deep through the chest cavity to reach the heart. Unlike the blackened wizened organ of the vampire, this heart was normal, deceptive in that it didn’t show the true character of the man. Avram’s mouth opened wide in a silent scream, but Isai ripped his heart from his body and tossed it aside.
Whips of lightning hit all around them, one precisely striking the heart and the other Avram’s body. He kept the play of lightning going and then let it die down naturally, knowing Vasile would think that his brother was orchestrating a battle with Isai.
Isai approached the shadow cat cautiously. “Little one, I will free your mate. Stay with Blue until this is over.”
Blue watched with his amber eyes flashing red at times. He didn’t take his eyes or his focus off the little female. Should she decide to attack, it was clear he intended to kill her.
I will take her to Julija. The cat pushed the images into his head. He was all but telling Isai he would return to aid him. Come with me now.
The little female shook her head. To my mate.
Blue swiped at her with his paw, making it clear he was in charge and if she didn’t do as he said, she would suffer. Or worse. If you want your mate to live, come with me now. Blue swung around, not deigning to see if she followed. The little cat followed.
Isai headed toward the other side of the valley, following Blue’s progress with the little female.
Her name is Sable and her mate’s name is Phantom, Blue supplied. Comet is coming to meet me to escort her back to the others.
The blasted cat had outsmarted him. Isai didn’t reprimand him. It only went to show the intelligence of the shadow cats. When the mages were breeding, they had deliberately chosen exceptional animals to experiment on and in mixing magic with their choices, they had bred extraordinary creatures. The six cats were potentially extremely dangerous to everyone. It was only the fact that Isai and Julija had managed to gain the loyalty of Blue, Belle, Phaedra and Comet immediately. If they didn’t do the same with Sable and Phantom, he would have to destroy the pair. He would regret that to the end of his days.
You will not have to, Blue said with confidence.
Why do you think they will have loyalty to us?
Julija treated their wounds, he reminded. But that is not what I meant. I will destroy them. It is my duty. If they will not fit in with our family, and follow the pack leader, I will do what is my duty.
Isai found it interesting that Blue had stepped up to become leader when Comet was clearly the older, more experienced cat. Will Comet be a problem?
In what way? He has declared his loyalty to you.
Blue was pragmatic. It didn’t occur to him that Comet was going to be trouble. Isai liked that in the cat. Isai spotted movement along the rocks and boulders climbing toward the bluff where Julija waited for him with the remaining cats. Comet slunk around the granite, slipping from one shadow to the next until he made his way to intercept Blue. Sable hesitated when Comet stepped close. She sank to the ground in submission. Immediately, Comet ran his muzzle down her body as if claiming her into their pack.
Blue and Comet touched noses, and Comet pushed his muzzle into Isai’s hand and then wound his body around his legs. Isai was certain the show was for Sable, to make certain she understood who her family was. He turned and started back up toward Julija. Blue and Isai began to make their way around the steep bluff to the other side.
At once they felt the pressure of mage magic. It seemed to be coming at them from every direction. Above them, gray and black lines zigzagged like lightning across the sky, lashing at anything that moved. Below ground, something lifted the earth, running like a beast beneath the surface. Occasionally, a large spray of dirt and rock burst upward into the sky.
Isai halted Blue with a hand to his head, fingers absently rubbing in his thick fur. “Look at her, boy,” he said softly. “She is just underlying his magic, challenging it, but acting as if she can barely keep up with him. She is amazing.”
His woman. He wanted to bask in her power. Her colors were there, bright and shimmering with just an edge of the firepower she could bring. She had her brother fooled. Clearly, he believed she was doing her absolute greatest effort to best him.
Are you ready, sívamet?
I am.
Isai heard the growing confidence in her voice and it warmed him.
11
Julija shrugged off all doubt and stood, facing the direction of her brother. There was no room for hesitation or uncertainty now. Either she could defeat him and allow Isai to get close enough to destroy him, or he would kill her. She knew Vasile was extremely dangerous. Their father underestimated him, just as they did Julija. It would be Anatolie’s downfall someday. He counted on loyalty from his followers, but he didn’t give them much reason to follow him, other than fear.
She knew her stepmother, Crina, had little loyalty to Anatolie and tried often to get her sons to conspire with her against him. Neither respected her enough to do so. There was little love lost in their family. Crina didn’t know how to love. She was with Anatolie because he gave her prestige in the mage community.
They lived in a good neighborhood, in a gated community, one made
up mostly of mages. The occasional pure human moved in but was never invited to any of the gatherings. Usually, after some time, they moved on, uneasy, but not ever knowing why.
Vasile was the strongest of the family, aside from his father. He looked up to Anatolie, almost revered him. He would do anything the high mage asked of him, including killing his twin, his mother or her. He was far crueler than his brother, merciless in his quest for power. But even he didn’t rival Barnabas, although none of them seemed to know.
“I tire of your antics, little sister. And I’m running out of patience.”
She found it interesting that he had engaged with her, defending his grid of magic but not striking at her. That didn’t make any sense unless Isai was right, and he didn’t want to kill her. Her blood had fed them for years. It had boosted their abilities to produce magic.
She was tired. Maintaining her shape and the fog was just too difficult after time. Her head pounded with pain. She had to keep up the fog because that was what kept Isai safe.
No, little mage. I am perfectly capable of maintaining my cover. Your job is much bigger. This brother of yours feels strong.
He is extremely powerful. I’ve been testing his grid. There are weak points on the southern side. Just two. If you make your entrance from that side, once I start tearing it down, you’ll be able to get inside what he believes is his safety zone. Just know, he will have traps, all of which will be lethal within that grid. I can do nothing about them without seeing them.
I will have no problem with his traps. I am going to send Blue in first to get to Phantom, Sable’s mate. If Blue can get him to cooperate, Blue will try to free him. The two will slip away while Vasile is trying to hold you off.
Unlike Avram, he will retaliate by striking at me.
You are out in the open, sívamet.
She spotted Isai making his way to the south side of the field surrounding Vasile on three sides. His back was to the rock. She could make that rock unstable, and as a last resort she would. Yosemite was beautiful. Even if she tried to put everything back the way it was, it would never be exactly the same.
Isai waved his hand toward her. She moved before the air could reach her and surround her with a shield.
Isai, I can’t work behind a shield.
You did.
I wasn’t fighting against Vasile. I need to be able to move.
She could hear him murmuring something in his ancient language, but he kept his hands to himself. She sent him warmth and then turned her attention once more to Vasile’s grid of defense. The entire time she’d engaged with him, she had been testing the strength of his traps. He was far stronger than Avram, so much so that it surprised her. Over the years, Vasile’s diligent practice had paid off. Every line in his grid pulsed with energy.
She ignored Vasile’s implied threat. It was best not to think about it. Isai had already killed four of the enemy. She had to think of them like that. They were people she had known growing up, but they weren’t at all nice and she knew each of them had killed people and would kill more if allowed to live, so they were the enemy.
Little mage, I only wanted you to know how powerful you truly are. I do not need your help in defeating this mage. I have fought many over the years. Let me build a shield around you and distance you from this fight.
She heard the genuine sympathy in his voice. He wouldn’t think less of her for allowing him to take over.
You have done your part. Isai meant it.
She looked down the mountain and saw Blue slipping through the magic safeguards Vasile had constructed. The cat ducked under one particular line and immediately flattened himself to crawl beneath the next even lower one.
She didn’t want to face Vasile because she wasn’t nearly as brave or as certain of her skills as Isai thought she was. It would be so nice to let him take care of her. But what if he got hurt? Or injured? That would be on her. She knew Vasile and his dark magic far better than anyone else unless it was Anatolie, and she was fairly certain she knew more than he did.
Julija had paid attention when they’d studied. She’d paid attention to each spell, even if it was one she never wanted to use. She’d memorized the construction of it, how each word was put together, not so she could use the spell, but so she could counter it. Barnabas, Anatolie and Vasile favored dark illusions. They could turn anyone’s dreams into nightmares that turned into reality. They created dark webs of deceit, terror and agony and they reveled in their abilities to do so.
She lifted her hands. I will bring down the grid. She poured a confidence into her voice that she didn’t feel. Concentrating on that southern tip where her brother had sent out his magic but failed to follow up on his construction, she began to weave strands of shimmering color.
Julija could almost hear Vasile’s sigh of annoyance, then a wave of anger hit her, much like a blast of hot air from a vent in the ground. In the distance, she could see dust rising as something came toward her bluff very fast.
Her heart sank. She knew what was in his first attack. She didn’t mind scorpions. She knew Anatolie often took their venom, and that her brothers thought her secretly afraid of the arachnids. It wasn’t true. She had come to peace with them.
Right now, the birthmark of the high mage reacted, the scorpion squirming in anger that anyone would use scorpions against one born with the mark. The snake loosened his coils, rattled his tail, and the scorpion lifted his stinger as if they could help stop what was coming.
The scorpions moving fast toward her were large, close to twelve inches tall, and positioning as an army. She judged the distance to her. Vasile thought she would run, not fight. She didn’t want to hurt them, but Vasile’s evil had already invaded. First, she sent her magic straight to the southern tip of his grid. She shot it straight toward the spinning black and gray layers of magic. She made certain to keep the colors as soft as she could, hoping there would be no sparks of energy to give Vasile any clue that she was attacking his defense.
Strands of silver seemingly gray
Attach and weave dissolve evil away
As blackness forms let silver invade
Transfusing evil so light may be made.
The moment she could see that magic had taken hold of the weaker tip, she turned her attention to the army of scorpions crawling up the mountain toward her. They were coming fast, the clicking they made with their legs against the rocks horrid to hear.
She visualized them gone, each one disappearing in a puff of smoke. Lifting her arms quickly, she wove the pattern she needed, air and water, earth and fire, entwined together, a plaited band she flung out toward the scorpions. As the band moved through the air, it lengthened and widened until it was a large canopy covering the fast-moving insects. Then it dropped over them.
As the canopy settled over the insects, orange and red flames burst into the air, tall columns that turned immediately to black smoke, as if water had been poured over the fire. So many. Too many. The forward charge halted, and a few strays tried to escape the fires, but each time they moved, the flames found them.
“Nice, sister. Very nice.”
“I am mage, the same as you,” she pointed out.
“You’re not the same. You are nothing. I can’t believe you’d be so stupid as to defy our father and me. Do you think you will find the book and reign?” As he spoke Vasile gestured toward her with both arms.
Beneath her, the ground shook. Rolled. Cracks appeared along the rock. She countered immediately.
I call to the power of Earth
Hear my call
I stand to fight that which would destroy us
Quiet yourself, Mother, join with me
Let our power be as one
Let us fight together.
Strangely, she felt almost as if she connected with Mother Earth. For just one moment there was a feeling of something old, definitely feminine, rising to meet her as she chanted softly, calling on the elements once more to protect and preserve the beauty of the
landscape, but more, to keep it safe for its inhabitants.
She watched her magic eat the black magic, strand by strand, grid by grid. It was slow. She had been careful to keep her true intentions from Vasile for as long as possible. She wanted to open a route for Isai and the cats. Blue had made his way to the other male, staying just out of sight, but where he could dart in and pull the chain loose, so they could both escape. It wouldn’t be easy if Vasile noticed. He would retaliate, and that was when she had to be ready.
Blue? Can you wait just until I have opened a large enough path for both of you to run through when you free Phantom?
I am nearly to the mage. Isai made it a statement. Blue, as soon as the mage turns to attack you, I will strike.
Vasile was becoming agitated. He flung fireballs at her, one after another. The balls spun through the air, gaining speed and fury. Bright, hot spheres of molten rock and fiery flames. Now he wasn’t trying to keep her alive or control her. He’d gone past that to wanting to kill her.
She countered with a simple water spell, turning the fireballs to smoke, dousing them with liquid pouring from the sky. Her magical colors had spread now, going through the layers protecting her brother from any retaliation. He thought himself safe. It wouldn’t occur to him that she would find a way to penetrate his defenses and be brave enough to aid in the escape of the shadow cat as well as a Carpathian’s attack on him.
The moment Vasile saw his fireballs turning to smoke, he slammed lightning down on her. It cut through the star-filled sky, striking the top of the bluff over and over in an effort to kill her. The white-hot whip struck right over her head and hit a barrier, sizzled and burned, lighting up the shield Isai threw over and around her.
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