by Linsey Hall
My army—my friends—were taking care of the last of the figures.
But the Fates were still nowhere to be seen.
A shiver raced over my spine.
Something was wrong.
In the distance, a tiny shape flew toward me. I squinted.
“Muffin!”
He hurtled toward me, green eyes wide. Boris rode on his back, the little rat waving his tiny arms and squeaking like mad.
“Oh, shit. Something is wrong,” Claire said.
Muffin slowed as he neared me, his face wrinkled up with worry. Boris squeaked like his tail was on fire.
Muffin meowed. Fates invaded from the back of the village. Snuck in with help while everyone was distracted. In the potion master’s house. Go!
16
Panicked, I turned back. “Rowan, drive for the main gates! Fates attacking from the back of the village!”
Rowan pressed on the gas, and the buggy jumped for the last gate.
I waved at the people standing on the wall and screamed, “Let us in! Attack from behind!”
“What? Battle is still going!” An old druid shouted.
Holy crap, was he for real?
I looked for my mother but couldn’t see her. “I’m on your side. Come on! Open the gates.”
“What?” he shouted.
He couldn’t hear me.
They couldn’t hear me. Not through the shouts and screams, the clashing of swords.
I turned back to Rowan. “Can you ram it?”
“I can try. Bail out, though. You got no seatbelts.”
“Safety first.” I jumped off the buggy, followed by Claire, Connor, and Nix, who took a moment to unlatch the metal chain and ball.
I caught Rowan’s eye. “Be careful.”
She nodded, then turned forward, a determined glint in her eyes. She pressed the gas, and the buggy revved forward, crashing into the wooden gate and slamming through. I saw her jerk forward, her body stopped by the racing-grade safety harness.
A low growl sounded from my side, and I turned. Lachlan stood next to me. I jumped onto his back, and he plowed forward, then jumped through a hole in the fence.
“Wait for me!” Rowan sounded so pissed and determined that Lachlan stopped, waiting.
She scrambled on behind me, grabbing onto my waist.
“Go!” I shouted.
Lachlan leapt forward, sprinting through the village toward the back. Muffin and Boris flew ahead of us, leading the charge. Thank fates for Muffin, finding the Fates.
We sped past shocked faces, but in the air above, I spotted Bree. She hadn’t let us out of her line of sight, and now she was backup.
At the far end of the village, we found the potion maker’s house. It sat right up against the wall, in a remote corner of town.
They must still be in there! Muffin meowed. Doing something!
Boris screeched his rage. Something was really pissing off that rat.
A half second later, a crazy old crone lunged out of the house, her wild hair askew. A total rat’s nest. Boris started to squeak even louder.
Her eyes widened and she hissed. “Boris!”
I swore Boris screeched, You bitch!
Yeah, there was history there. And this must have been the contact who had helped the Fates sneak in. Whatever they’d wanted in the potion master’s house, they’d had plenty of time to find it, what with everyone being distracted by the massive attack from the other side of town.
Then the Fates came out, the three shadowy figures looking almost human again, if you ignored the shadowy gray skin and semi-transparent figures.
They had no thread or scissors with them, like the traditional Fates, and were still dressed in their military garb. Something had changed for them, that was for sure. They were playing a different game than they ever had before.
A vision flashed in my mind, so fierce and strong that I couldn’t stop it.
My druid sense going wild?
But one of the Fates was looking at me, her eyes burning into mine.
They had lost their thread and scissors. Or someone had taken it away from them. Yes, that was it. I could see it in my mind’s eye. It had happened long ago, when they were still old crones dressed in their feminine Roman garb. They lost their power over life and death. Their only power.
They hated that.
They wanted to fix it.
So they were.
Right now.
“Ana!” Rowan shouted.
I snapped back to reality, blinking.
The Fates were trapped between us and the building, with the exterior wall at their backs. And damned if they didn’t want to escape. It vibrated off of them. The one on the left, the tallest one, had something clutched in her hands.
She couldn’t have it.
I called upon my magic, blasting them with flame. It plowed through them, not having any effect.
Bree shot her lightning, but it did no good either.
At my side, Lachlan shifted back to his human form. He called upon the earth, making it rise up. I joined him, adding my magic to his. It slammed into the Fates, and they stumbled back.
Then their magic burst forward, that same terrible sonic boom that had slammed into me before, back in Italy. It tore through my middle, making my organs vibrate. I spun head over heels, tumbling backward, Lachlan at my side. He must have been hit, too.
I slammed into the ground, blinking.
Get up! Muffin screeched.
I heaved myself up, catching sight of the old crone running away. She wasn’t my problem.
It was the other two Fates who were running that made my heart thud. The one with the package was already ten feet away. Fifteen.
A scream sounded from the other side.
Your sister! Muffin shrieked.
His tone made a cold shiver run over me.
I turned.
Somehow, Rowan had missed their sonic boom and grabbed ahold of one of the fates, determined to stop her. And instead of blasting her backward, the Fate had grabbed onto her, too, squeezing around her neck.
Rowan kicked and thrashed, trying to break free. She was gasping raggedly, clearly still unable to breathe.
Her face was turning a dark gray. The Fate was killing her. Whatever dark magic she was using was sucking the life right out of Rowan.
Two of the Fates were getting away—with whatever they’d come here for—but there was no choice here.
I raced for Rowan.
Behind me, Lachlan thundered toward the Fates, charging after them. Please catch them.
I reached for the Fate who had Rowan, but as soon as my hands hit her, darkness seeped into me. Sickness and death and misery.
I stumbled back, my mind alight.
This was the opposite of me. The opposite of my light magic.
It was so obvious I wanted to cry with joy, but instead, I called on the last of my magic. So much of it was gone, used up in all the fighting we’d been doing. But there was enough. There had to be.
Lightning struck in the background, no doubt from Bree as she tried to stop the other Fates, but I had eyes only for Rowan, who was turning a darker gray every moment.
I let my magic fill me, remembering Sulis. The light burst out of me, so bright it was blinding. It slammed into the Fate, who shrieked and fell backward.
I hit her harder, giving it everything I had. Pouring all the goodness and light and hope into her. She screamed again, then disappeared in a poof of dust.
I stumbled. The light faded.
Rowan gasped, and I ran to her. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, her color returning, and her gaze darted around me, toward where the Fates had run.
They were gone, disappeared through a back gate. In the sky, Bree screamed, a sound so frustrated, I’d never heard anything like it.
“They got away,” I said.
Rowan coughed. “Clearly. Bree sounds pissed.”
I hugged her. “Are you really okay?”
; “Yeah.” Her voice was scratchy. “Thought I was a goner for a moment, but I’m fine.”
I pulled back and inspected her. She really did look okay. Pale and miserable, but whole and no longer gray. At her side, a pile of dust sat on the ground.
I nudged it with my foot. “I think I killed one.”
“Yeah, she sure didn’t like your light power.”
“Good job, grabbing her.”
“Their boom missed me. I thought I was helping.” Distress gleamed in her eyes. “You could have gone after the one with the package if not for me.”
“No way to know how it would have gone down,” I said. “We did our best.”
We did our best worked better for kindergartners who were trying to build a sand castle that kept falling down, but I was going to cling to it. And to our victory. I wanted to get back to the main part of the village and check on our forces. Our mother.
I prayed there were no fatalities.
Muffin fluttered next to me, an angry-looking Boris riding on his back.
“What’s his deal?” I asked.
The crone was his old master. He’s not a fan.
“We’ll stop her,” I said.
Bree flew overhead and landed next to me. “Lost them. They made it outside the gates to where a portal was waiting. Lachlan tried to grab them but couldn’t. They were too fast.”
Lachlan padded up to me in his lion form, his big brow creased, frustration evident. He shifted back to human. “I’m sorry I missed them.”
I squeezed his arm. “You’ll get another chance. There’s no way this is over. Not yet.”
After the battle—during which we experienced some horrible injuries but no casualties, thank fates—the reunion with my mother and sisters was pretty much the best moment of my life.
The surprise and joy on their faces was something I’d never forget. Jude had taken a moment to update me on our status and to tell me I’d done a good job, but then she’d left me with my family.
I shot her one last grateful glance as she walked away. While my sisters caught up with our mother, I thanked the FireSouls and their guys. They all looked dirty and beat-up, with blood—both theirs and others—coating their clothes and faces, but everyone was smiling.
“Well done, Ana,” Cass said. “You’re really coming up in the world.”
Absentmindedly, I touched the tattoo at my neck. “I guess I am.”
Nix hugged me. “I like your truck. Need to upgrade my collection and do something similar.”
I grinned at her, remembering her car collection. “I’ll help you.”
Del squeezed my arm. “You’ve got a cool place here. And I’m glad you found your mom.”
I smiled at her. “Thanks.”
We said our goodbyes, then Connor and Claire came over to say farewell, along with Ali, Haris, and Caro, who made me promise to meet them at the Whiskey and Warlock the next day.
I smiled. “Will do. I promise.”
They grinned. “See you.”
I owed everyone a big thank you when this was over, but for now, I wanted to be with my mom and sisters. Lachlan hovered at the side, along with Muffin and Boris, who had calmed down considerably now that Hans had found him and given him a tiny juice box.
“Thanks for fighting, Hans,” I said. “I didn’t know you did that.”
“My baguettes are very hard.” He made swiping motions with his hands, like he was using imaginary baguettes for swords.
I laughed and eyed the real sword sheathed at his waist but went along with his joke.
“Come here,” my mother said. She had her arms wrapped around each of my sisters, and my eyes prickled.
I joined them for a hug, so happy I thought I would explode into a million pieces and float away.
This was real.
Whatever had happened in the past, all the terrible things we’d been through, we were together and alive. Sort of. Alive enough for me, especially considering the fact that we could visit Otherworld and see our mother.
I was pulling back to say that when a heavy jolt of power hit the air. It rumbled through me, strong and fierce.
Sulis.
I knew without looking that she was here.
I pulled away from my mom and sisters and turned. The glowing goddess stood a few feet away from me, her gaze trained on my face. “Well done, Ana.”
“Thanks.”
“It seems that you are more than worthy of your title, Warrior Druid. The dragons and the Celtic gods chose well.”
I smiled. “We’re not done yet. The Fates got away.”
“You will catch them. In the meantime, I was hoping that you could help me with something.”
I felt like I could probably only take a few more steps without falling onto my face with exhaustion, but I nodded. “Sure.”
“Together, we will get rid of the poison that they left behind.”
“I don’t have much magic left.” Almost none, in fact. I needed an eight-hour nap and a whole lot of food.
“It is enough.”
I nodded and followed her. My family and Lachlan trailed behind, with Muffin fluttering along at my side. Bojangles and Princess Snowflake III joined us. As usual, the white Persian was covered with blood and looked so damned happy. She loved a good battle.
Sulis led us to the closest scar on the land. It stretched across the field, reaching into the distance.
“Now that this is over and they are gone, we can fix the damage that they left behind,” she said.
I nodded and took the hand that she held out. Immediately, her magic flowed through me, warming me and giving me strength. It made it easier to call upon the light within me.
Without a doubt, this was my strongest power. This was what made me The Druid—Sulis’s gift. The rest were valuable and strong, but this was what I was all about. Light and life and health.
She didn’t need to give me any instructions. I reached into myself and grabbed the light, then poured it out of me and into the earth. Sulis’s touch acted as an accelerant, lighter fluid to my flame.
The magic streaked along the ground, driving away the dark shadow. It zipped across the earth, leaving healthy ground behind. On and on it went, into the distance until we could no longer see it.
But I could feel it, racing over Otherworld and healing the land. After a while—minutes or hours, I had no idea—it stopped.
Everything felt good. Healthy.
I let go of Sulis’s hand. “I think we’re done.”
“I think so, too.” She stepped back and smiled. “Well done, Ana.”
I grinned at her, and she disappeared.
My mother and sisters stood off to the side, watching me. But Lachlan was at my side.
I turned to him. “Thank you. For everything.”
“Of course.”
“I don’t think this is over.”
“I’m sure it’s not. But together, we’ll stop them. Whatever they took from here, we will get it back.”
I reached for him, then pulled him close and rested my head against his chest. “We will. But first I need a nap.”
“You’ve earned it.” He shuddered slightly and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his embrace.
“What was that about?” I asked.
“For a moment there, I thought you were gone.” His voice was rough with emotion. “When I lost sight of you in the battle, I thought my worst fear had come true.”
“Losing me is your worst fear?” I looked up at him, shocked.
“According to the Phantoms, it is.”
“That’s what they were making you feel?”
He nodded.
“Me too.” I hugged him tight. “Losing my sisters. My mother. Losing you.”
“I’m in good company,” he murmured against my head.
“I’m glad we’re not pretending anymore.”
“Me too.”
“Never again,” I said. “Never again.”
Together, we’d take down th
e Fates. There were two of them and two of us. And those poor bastards didn’t have backup like I did.
I looked toward my family, grateful for everything that I had. For everything that I would have, when we finished this job and stopped the Fates.
Because it would happen. I’d see to it.
Book 4 will be out in July. Continue the adventure now with the free novella, Death Valley Magic, that stars the Dragon Gods in their early days, fighting their way across Death Valley. Click here to join my mailing list and get the book, or turn the page for an excerpt.
Captured by Magic
Dragon’s Gift: The Druid Book 4
1
“Do you really think the kids are back here?” Rowan asked.
I turned my head to look at my sister who trudged along beside me, knee-deep in cold river water. On either side of us, red rock walls towered hundreds of feet toward the sky, blocking out the late afternoon sun.
“I hope so.” I picked my way around a submerged boulder and kept going. “If I were going to abduct some kids and wanted to hide them in a hard-to-reach place, The Narrows would be it.”
Rowan craned her neck to get a better view of the deep gorge in Utah through which we walked. She and I pulled up the rear of our little rescue party. Lavender and Angus, my fellow classmates at the Undercover Protectorate’s Academy, led the expedition, while Caro, our supervisor, took the middle position.
Our goal was to rescue a group of four children who’d been abducted by demons. We’d been given word just hours ago that they were supposed to be way out here in the middle of nowhere. So we’d set out immediately on the rescue mission.
“I can’t believe everyone else was out on a job when this came in,” Rowan said. “Talk about bad timing.”
“No kidding.” The Protectorate had been slammed with a lot of requests for help—more than we’d seen in years. All of the other agents had been out handling some other catastrophe when we’d learned about the kids.
That left us—the B-Team.
Sure, we had some talent. Me especially, now that I was getting the hang of my Dragon God powers.
But rescuing kids?