by Helen Harper
Why had I let Staines wander around the city on his own when we knew that Endor was out there and planning something? Staines had been as strong as any shifter and he hadn’t even been a match for the necromancer. I thought of the old man back at the keep and something inside me snapped. I hated this world. I hated everything the Otherworld and all its people – myself included - stood for.
It took some time to compose myself to speak. Everyone was waiting for me to act. This was when leaders were really required, I thought dully. When everything’s gone to shit and you think there’s never going to be a way out.
‘Can you help us transport him back to the keep?’ I finally asked.
The Arch-Mage nodded. ‘It will be no problem. We’ll look after him.’ He snapped his fingers and two mages stepped forward. He gave them a meaningful look and they bowed, instantly understanding. They began to chant, using a spell of illusion to wrap Staines’s body so we could get him out of here without any humans noticing. It galled me. We should be taking him out of this place like a hero, not like someone to be hidden. I knew it was necessary though.
Six of my shifters moved up and carefully took hold of him, lifting him up and walking him out. The Arch-Mage and I followed, heads bowed.
Mack was waiting outside.
‘Where were you?’ I asked, trying and failing not to sound accusatory. Frankly it was either that or fling my arms round her and never let go.
‘At the bookshop.’ She hung her head, her shoulders drooping. ‘I was late getting here to meet him.’
She had no right to be upset. She’d not even liked him. He’d not liked her. ‘Deliberately?’ I snarled.
‘Um…’
‘Because he pissed you off yesterday. Were you deliberately late?’ I wouldn’t put it past her to keep him cooling his heels so she could assert her authority. The way things had been going lately, I wouldn’t put anything past her.
Her eyes widened in both comprehension and alarm. ‘No. Honestly, no. Slim found something important about Endor that he thought would help. I was only gone for twenty-five minutes. It must have happened so quickly.’
My whole body sagged. My emotions were in turmoil. Mack wasn’t to blame here though, any more than Staines himself was. There was no doubting that it had been Mack that Endor had been hoping to slaughter. ‘I’m going to kill him.’ If it was the last thing I would do, I would see Endor’s demise.
I was glad that Mack didn’t speak. The empathy in her eyes was bad enough. She just nodded until I turned away.
‘We’ll get some people to clean up your flat,’ the Arch-Mage told her.
She didn’t react. ‘We’ve got four and a half days until he shows up at Loch Ness,’ she said. ‘I have a lead on something that might help us defeat him. Instead of meeting this afternoon, we should start working on getting as many people up there as possible. We’ll need to make sure we don’t scare him off, but have enough troops on the ground to take him on.’
Part of me was pleased that she was able to take charge so calmly. Part of me hated her for it.
‘Do you need some help?’ the Arch-Mage asked. ‘I can spare a few people.’
She shook her head. ‘No. I may be out of contact until later tomorrow though. Can you get in touch with the Summer Queen and let her know what’s happened? And tell her to contact the kelpies?’
‘I’ll do that,’ he agreed.
I didn’t know what she was planning and she was obviously being deliberate vague about her plans. It was her choice. She had to know that she was in serious danger though. ‘Where will you stay?’
‘I’ll crash at the bookshop,’ she murmured. ‘There’s already a camp bed set up there for Aubrey.’
I took a deep breath. ‘What if he shows up again?’
‘Alex is there now. I’ll get him to put a ward in place. That’ll give me enough warning to prepare, even if he manages to break through it. I had quite a bit of success with Tom this morning.’
Lucy had muttered something to that effect when she’d shown the necromancer in. I’d tried not to give it much thought at the time. ‘I heard. We will have a service for Staines on Friday morning, then travel up to Scotland after that.’ My heart ached. I didn’t want to say this but I couldn’t stop myself. ‘It would be good if you were there.’
‘Of course I’ll be there. I’ll be ready and waiting by the water’s edge for the fucker to show his face.’
She had misunderstood me. ‘I mean at the funeral. Come to the funeral.’ Not for Staines. He wouldn’t have cared about her attendance or otherwise. I needed her there for me. After all this was done she could go off to into the sunset with Solus or Floride or whoever the hell she else she wanted to be with. But for this – just for this – I needed to know she was there by my side. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to make it through otherwise.
Mack bit her lip and nodded. The relief I felt was extraordinary. ‘I’m so sorry, Corrigan.’
I met her eyes for one moment. The truth was reflected there. I clung onto my composure and then walked to the car. It was time to bring Staines home.
Chapter Nine
The day of Staines’s funeral was both bright and breezy. I stood out in the garden, dressed somberly in a black suit and felt like the weather was an affront to his memory. It was a ridiculous idea, of course, but it seemed to me that he deserved thunderclouds and heavy rain. It certainly would have suited my mood. Endor had vanished as effectively as before and all we had was Staines’s body to show for it. It shouldn’t have happened like this. He should have died as an old man, warm in his bed.
‘My Lord?’
I turned and saw Laura, flanked by both Mark and Colin. All of them had expressions to match mine.
‘Thank you for coming,’ I said stiffly.
‘It was the least we could do.’
Colin, the quiet werewolf, stepped up, uncurling his fingers. Lying in the centre of his palm was a tiny flower. I took it from him.
‘Forget-me-not?’ I asked.
He just nodded. I swallowed down the lump in my throat.
‘We thought we’d stay here once the funeral was over,’ Laura said, ‘rather than returning to Gloucester. It seems like you need us.’
I did need them. Just not in the way she thought. I lifted up my chin. ‘No,’ I said. ‘As soon as the service is over, you need to go back home and stay there.’
‘But…’
I held up my palm to forestall her. ‘If something happens to me, I need the three of you to step into my shoes.’ They all looked taken aback. Colin, in fact, looked utterly terrified. I cleared my throat. ‘I’ve already discussed it with several others. We know what Endor is capable of and it’s highly possible that in going after him, something will happen to me. You need to be ready to step in at a moment’s notice.’
‘We’re not Brethren.’
‘Even better,’ I growled. ‘You don’t have any preconceived ideas about how things should be done. The success you’ve had in leading the Gloucester Pack proves how capable you all are. I have absolute faith in all of you that you’ll lead every shifter in the country to greater success.’
‘What about the Voice though?’
I looked Laura directly in the eyes. ‘I might still have it but you know that you could break it if you wanted to.’
She seemed reluctant to acknowledge the truth of my words. ‘He’s only one guy. He’s not going to beat you. You’ve got the mages and the Fae and the dragon…’
‘He beat Staines,’ I said flatly. Everyone looked away.
Lucy appeared behind them, gesturing to me. It was time. I sighed heavily. Now more than over, I had to show strength. I pulled back my shoulders and nodded.
It wasn’t only shifters who were attending the service. Both the Arch-Mage and the Summer Queen were here to show their support. It was probably the first time, I thought sadly, that we’d managed to come together and not argue. I took the lead, entering into the hall with the procession of m
ourners behind me. Staines had already been cremated in preparation for his internment outside with all the other fallen Brethren shifters from across the ages. His urn, however, came with us, taking pride of place at the front. As I turned to take my seat, I caught sight of Mack in the back, seated next to Tom’s fiancée, Betsy. She looked about as miserable as I felt but I was still selfishly glad that she had come.
Several of us spoke, telling stories of Staines’ life and acknowledging the role he’d taken in keeping the Brethren strong. I hadn’t been sure that I’d be able to speak without choking up but somehow, knowing that Mack was there, gave me the strength to manage it. Once everyone was done, and all that remained was to scatter his ashes, the hall began to empty. With such a large and varied attendance, there were refreshments being provided in a nearby room. It wasn’t how we normally did things but then these weren’t normal circumstances.
I waited outside, gesturing to everyone else to go ahead. Mack was one of the last to leave, her eyes trained on her feet. She must have felt me looking at her because she suddenly looked up and met my gaze directly. As much as I grieved for Staines, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that things would be far, far worse if she had been the one on the bloody table. I felt like a traitor for thinking that.
‘Hey,’ she said softly. ‘I’m really sorry about Staines. I know how much he meant to you.’ She sounded hoarse.
‘Are you?’ I asked, still annoyed with myself for being relieved that it hadn’t been her funeral we were at.
‘Am I what?’
‘Sorry. Are you actually sorry?’ I took a step towards her. I was aware I was being unfair but I couldn’t help it.
She nodded. ‘We didn’t get on, but … but he didn’t deserve that. I should have been there to help him.’
If she’d been there she would be dead now too. I opened my mouth to tell her how glad I was that she’d not been then closed it again. I couldn’t lay that on her, not when it was obvious how hard I’d been hit by Staines’ death alone.
‘He didn’t like you,’ I said instead.
‘No,’ she agreed. Her tone wasn’t hurt or angry. She was simply acknowledging my honesty.
‘He was a good man.’ It was important she understood that, no matter how much she might have disagreed with some of his actions.
‘I know,’ she murmured.
‘There’s not anything he wouldn’t have done to help defeat Endor,’ I continued, wanting her to understand. ‘His methods might have been unsavoury to some but he knew how to get a job done.’
Mack didn’t answer. She just continued to look at me with her beautiful, sad eyes. The ache in my chest grew further. I took a deep breath.
‘Did he say anything before he died?’
She flinched slightly but kept her mouth stubbornly shut. He had said something then. Why wasn’t she telling me? She was keen enough to throw words at me every other time we faced each other. I deserved to know what he’d said.
Without thinking, I grabbed her roughly by the shoulders. ‘What?’ I snarled. ‘What did he say?’
Mack sighed. ‘That he was trying to prove to you that you didn’t need me.’ Pain lanced through me. His last words were about me and her? About keeping us apart? She shrugged helplessly.
‘I don’t fucking need you,’ I said through gritted teeth. I didn’t know whether I was trying to persuade her or me.
Mack just nodded. ‘I know.’
We stared at each other. She didn’t move a muscle and neither did I. The moment drew itself out until it was as if we were the only two people in the entire world.
‘Fuck it,’ I said, throwing caution to the wind, and sending Staines a silent apology. I pulled Mack towards me and kissed her possessively. When I tasted her on my lips, however, and realised she was just standing there in shock without responding, sanity briefly returned. She didn’t want this. Neither should I. I pushed her away and turned, spinning away. Enough already.
***
After throwing cold water on my face and composing myself, I arrived at the wake ready to do my duty. Almost everyone wanted to speak to me, murmuring condolences. They all knew how close I’d been to Staines. Despite the effort it took, I relaxed my expression and listened to them all. This wasn’t about me.
‘He won’t get away with this, you know,’ the Arch-Mage told me, once I’d covered enough of the room to get away with standing in the corner. ‘Endor, I mean. We know where he’s going to be and we’ll get him.’
I looked at him. ‘Are you really so sure about that?’ I asked. ‘He’s been ahead of us every step of the way so far.’
‘He’ll fuck up sooner or later.’
I raised my eyebrows. That was probably the first time I’d ever heard the normally stoic and proper Ministry leader swear. His cheeks coloured slightly and he coughed, looking embarrassed. That was also a first.
‘I received a message from Balud earlier,’ he said, referring to the troll who was a weapons expert and provided all manner of artillery to the denizens of the Otherworld. ‘He thinks he’s come up with a weapon that can hurt him.’
That was something. Before I could ask the Arch-Mage more about it, however, the Summer Queen came up to my shoulder, looking ethereal in a floating dress made of sheer black gossamer. ‘Look,’ she said softly. ‘Someone wants to talk to you.’
I followed her gaze, spotting Mack once more. She was striding over purposefully in my direction, with a stubborn set to her jaw that I recognised. I really hoped this wasn’t about earlier and that she wasn’t going to make a scene. I knew I owed her an apology for kissing her. I just wasn’t sure I had the words left in me to manage it.
The entire room, even though there had to be at least three hundred people – most of them shifters – fell silent as she approached. She stalked up to the table next to me, sweeping it dramatically clear of the plates and cups sitting on its top. The china fell to the ground, most of it smashing. This didn’t bode well. Then, however, she threw down a box, flipping it open to reveal a sharp, gleaming sword. It was definitely Balud’s work.
Mack, with an action that was almost reverent, lifted it out of the case and held it out towards me, hilt first. I met her eyes. Was she asking me to take it? Why?
‘Staines is dead,’ she called out, her voice loud and clear enough to reach every corner of the crowded room. ‘And we know exactly who killed him. You’ve had your service and had your mourning. Now it’s time to get your revenge.’ A shiver ran down my spine, although whether it was from anticipation, delight or sheer fear at the look in her eyes, I couldn’t be sure. ‘This sword is edged with palladium,’ she continued. ‘This is a necromancer’s kryptonite. Your Lord Alpha is going to plunge this into Endor’s fucking heart, and we are going to be rid of him forever.’
For a brief moment, as Mack stared at me, I was completely stunned. Rather than take the weapon for herself which, given her strength and untapped power would probably make the most sense, she was offering it to me. It wasn’t just the ability to kill Endor that she was giving me. It was so much more. She was saying to the entire world that she trusted me to bring him down. She was saying to me that she believed in me.
I took the sword, marvelling at both its weight and its balance. Mack’s expression flickered in relief. Did she really think I’d have denied it? I had no idea how she’d known about the palladium or where it had come from but as soon as the sword was in my hands, I had known with absolute certainty that it would get the job done. With this, there was finally hope. We could destroy Endor once and for all.
‘He gets the sword,’ Mack shouted to the watching assembly, ‘because it was his right-hand man who died. But there are also three daggers. One for the mages, one for the faeries and one for me. We are going to end this week victorious. We are going to make sure that this bastard dies a thousand deaths. We are going to win. And the reason we’re going to win is because we’re going to work together as a team to do it.’ She paused as if drawing energ
y and succour from the crowd. Her words were crazy but with that kind of fervor and belief, it was impossible not to agree with her. ‘What are we going to do?’ she suddenly yelled.
From the back of the room, Laura nodded at me. Then she shouted, ‘We’re going to win!’
Mack immediately responded by repeating her question with even more zest. ‘What are we going to do?’ she demanded.
More people joined in. ‘We’re going to win!’
‘What?’
‘We’re going to win! We’re going to win! We’re going to win!’ One by one, everyone fell into line, their voices rising up as if one in a wellspring of unity and promise. It was like nothing I’d ever seen.
Mack glanced at me and I raised an eyebrow at her. Well done, kitten, I thought. Well done. I thought of my words to Staines about Churchill and lifted up my own head, joining her.
‘We’ll fight him on the beaches,’ I said, speaking loudly so everyone could hear.
The Arch-Mage also understood. ‘We’ll fight him on the landing grounds,’ he yelled, a glint of determination in his eyes that reminded me about why he was leader of the mages in the first place.
Mack glanced at the Summer Queen. She rolled her eyes in a pretty display but she still nodded. ‘Yes, yes, we’ll fight him in the fields and in the streets.’
My kitten grinned with a familiar expression that I knew only too well and which pierced through me with its intensity. ‘I can’t remember the rest. But you know what?’ Every single pair of eyes was on her. ‘We’ll never fucking surrender.’
I watched her, taking in the stubborn defiance in her eyes and confidence in her posture. I didn’t think there was another person who could have achieved what she just had. I actually felt hope stirring within me and it wasn’t just because of the heavy sword I was still holding. We could do this. Together we could really do this.
Chapter Ten
If anyone had thought that the energy brought about by Mack’s little speech wouldn’t last, then they’d have been sorely mistaken. Two days later, with all manner of mages, faeries, shifters and, well, Mack herself, up at Loch Ness and waiting for the vile prick to show up, it felt as if we still possessed the same momentum. I caught Lucy deep in conversation with Larkin, the mage who’d helped us out during our first encounter with Endor. They weren’t even discussing the necromancer. They were talking about the best way to bring down wyrms without harming them. As I eavesdropped, they came to the conclusion that the optimum method would be for someone like Larkin to cast a magical net, trapping them in one spot. Then a shifter with strength could knock them out for long enough to return them to their own demesne. It wasn’t just Lucy and Larkin – pockets of these conversations were taking place all over the loch.