Silence greeted the words.
“Are you insane?” Elias blurted.
“Excuse me?”
He reddened. “I’m sorry, your majesty. It’s just–”
“You know what Darius will try to do to you if you go back, your highness,” Katherine filled in. “And what he will try to do to us as well.”
“I know what the Blood will do if nobody at the factory knows they’re coming,” Ashe said. “The Taliesin council can’t have been their only targets. They’ll go after our people too.” She paused. “I really don’t want us to be the only Merlin left in this city by the end of the day.”
Katherine looked down.
“How quickly can you get a second car?” Ashe asked, glancing from Elias to Nathaniel.
The large wizard hesitated.
“This is suicide, your highness!” Elias protested. “And if that’s what you order, then fine. So be it. But–”
“I’m not ordering suicide! But we have to tell them–”
“Then let me go,” Nathaniel cut in. “I will tell them.”
“And when Darius tries to stop you? He’ll lock you up, and that’s the best case scenario. He won’t get that far with me.” She fought to keep her gaze from dropping to Lily. “He doesn’t have hostages he can threaten this time.”
“The couple hundred people hiding there ring a bell?” Elias snapped. “The man is insane, your majesty. We didn’t break you out of his custody just for you to trot back to it again!”
She stared at him, eyebrows climbing. Scowling, Elias turned away.
“We cannot continue risking you like this, your highness,” Nathaniel said more quietly.
“And what do you suggest?” Ashe said, tearing her gaze from Elias. “Send them a text message and run for the hills? You won’t get past the door, Nathaniel.”
His face became stone. She turned away, hating herself for letting her anger answer him.
“What about your sister?” Elias argued. By her husband’s side, Katherine looked between him and Lily in alarm. “This puts her in danger too.”
Ashe glanced to him. “She stays with me.”
“Sister?” Katherine said, looking at the little girl. Lily shifted, uncomfortable under the scrutiny. “She’s…?”
“Yeah,” Ashe said flatly.
“But–”
“She stays with me,” she repeated, desperate to keep the focus from turning to Lily’s strange appearance. “And the rest of you do too. Everyone sticks together, we go warn all the innocents who’ll otherwise get killed, and if Darius tries to stop us… we handle him.” Her heart pounding, she met Elias’ eyes. “You know I’m right about this.”
Elias looked away.
“So how soon till you have another car?” Ashe asked Nathaniel again.
The wizard watched her and she struggled not to drop her gaze from his eyes. “A few–”
He cut off as tires grumbled on the gravel drive. Striding across the room, he motioned her away from the window.
“Who is it?” Katherine asked, her attention torn between Lily and Nathaniel.
“Joe,” Nathaniel said after a moment. “He appears to be alone.”
“He’s back from the restaurant already?”
“It would seem so,” Nathaniel answered as the back door swung open.
His attention on his key in the lock, Joe got halfway through the door before spotting them. He came to a stop, his gaze running over them all. “You folks look like hell.”
Elias scoffed. “You seen a mirror, Joe?” he replied, jerking his chin to the man’s soot-covered clothes and bandaged arms.
Chuckling, Joe came the rest of the way inside, shutting the door behind him. “Not sure I want to.”
He tossed his keys onto the counter and then caught sight of Nathaniel by the window. “It’s okay, big guy. Nobody followed me. Told the police I needed to run home to get my insurance info. Took the longest route I could think of, and I didn’t see anyone behind me.”
Nathaniel appeared scarcely reassured. Lifting his phone, he called Gavin to check on the status of the house and then summoned the guard back to the kitchen.
Shrugging equitably, Joe looked over at Ashe. “You alright?”
“Yeah,” she said, and then her gaze went to Elias. “But we should go.”
The councilman sighed.
“Hope it’s not on my account,” Joe said.
“No,” Elias told him, shoving away from the counter. “We’re just giving the people who want us dead another shot. You know, for old times’ sake.”
Ashe eyed the councilman, but he didn’t look her way. Pulling open the back door, Elias strode outside.
“Let me look at that,” Katherine said, starting toward Joe.
“Nah, it’s alright. Cops see me all healed up, they’re going to have some interesting questions.”
The woman’s lips tightened, but she left his arm alone.
A moment went by. “Anybody want something to drink?” Joe offered.
No one answered. Uncomfortable, the man hesitated and then went to the refrigerator. He pulled out a can of soda and then opened it with an expression that made it clear he wished the contents were much stronger.
Taking a breath, Ashe looked away, trying to calm down. Her gaze caught on Cole. Standing by the back door, he was studying them all, his eyes flicking to Lily from time to time.
Ashe’s brow drew down, uneasiness moving through her, and instinctively, her arm went around Lily, pulling the girl closer.
Cole blinked, his gaze twitching to meet hers. Muscles moved beneath the skin of his jaw and then he looked away.
Elias pulled up outside in a blue sedan.
“That was fast,” Joe commented.
Katherine gave him a small smile and headed for the back door. Motioning to Gavin, Nathaniel sent the guard ahead and then glanced to Ashe, waiting.
Pulling her gaze from Cole, Ashe tried not to scowl at herself. She was on edge and just needed to calm down. Cole wasn’t a threat. He’d rescued them from the Blood, for pity’s sake, and obviously kept Lily safe ever since. Everything was fine. As much as it could be, anyway.
Drawing a breath, she drove the tension from her expression and ordered herself to focus, determinedly ignoring the fact she couldn’t have pried her arm from Lily’s shoulder if she’d tried. Pushing away from the counter, she started toward the back door and then paused, her conscience catching her.
“Joe?”
He looked to her curiously.
“I, um… I’m sorry about your restaurant.”
The man smiled. “Danni’s worth a thousand of them.”
She tried to mirror his expression and failed miserably. Nodding awkwardly, she headed for the door.
“Hey, Ashe?” Joe called.
She glanced back.
Seeming uncomfortable, he hesitated, and then crossed the distance to the back door.
“Listen, they told me what happened before you first showed up at my place, and well…” he shrugged. “Just take care of yourself out there, alright? Like to see you all back under better circumstances someday.”
She nodded again, though the motion felt like a lie. They’d all do what they could. And anyone who hurt Lily wouldn’t survive the mistake. She couldn’t promise anything beyond that.
Wordlessly, she walked out the door. In the garage, Gavin was waiting with the other car.
“Ashe?” Lily asked.
She glanced down to see the little girl looking up at her.
“He called you Ashe,” Lily said, a touch of accusation in her tone.
“I…”
Hesitating, she caught sight of Cole studying her as though unsure what to make of what he saw.
“I go by that now,” she finished uncomfortably.
Lily’s brow furrowed, her expression vaguely hurt.
Ashe grimaced. “I’m sorry. It’s just…” Her mouth tightened as she tried to put it all into words. “Everything fell apart,
Lil. Everything. And I just… I didn’t want to lose the last thing I had of you. The last thing that felt real.”
She paused and then bent to catch the little girl’s eye.
“Is that okay?”
Biting her lip, Lily said nothing for a moment, and then she nodded. “Yeah, I think so.”
“Thank you.”
Lily nodded again.
Exhaling, Ashe straightened.
Cole was still watching her. The look on his face hadn’t changed.
Tightening her grip on Lily’s hand, Ashe pulled the little girl with her as she headed for the car.
Chapter Eighteen
The vehicles crested the rise and the roar of the tires faded as the sedan slowed. On the opposite side of Lily, Cole raised an eyebrow as the factory came into view.
“This,” he said, “is where the Merlin council is hiding?”
Ashe glanced over, her brow drawing down at his tone. “Yeah. Why?”
His gaze went to her briefly before returning to the decrepit building. “Nothing. It’s just… different.”
She watched him a moment longer, trying to judge the meaning behind the words.
The sedan drove down the hill, following the other car to the gate. A dozen wizards lined the fence, watching the vehicles roll closer. Nathaniel pulled to a stop and tossed a quick look to her in the rearview mirror.
“Don’t let your guard down,” he ordered.
The command was unnecessary, but she nodded anyway.
His gaze flicked to Katherine in the passenger seat and then he pushed open the door. From the car ahead, Elias emerged as well. Checking Nathaniel’s position by the sedan, the councilman nodded and then approached the gate.
Ashe swallowed dryly as Elias called to the guards, his words unintelligible over the distance. One of the guards responded, and she could see Elias’ anger at the man’s words. He snapped back, the guard paused, and then ostentatiously consented to draw out his phone and call someone else.
Moments crawled past. The guard hung up and then grinned. Nearly inaudibly, Katherine muttered something, her disgust clear even if the words were not. With a sharp motion to the others, the guard stepped away from the gate.
The barrier flickered. Cole’s eyes narrowed, whether from pain or caution, Ashe couldn’t tell, and he twitched slightly as though surprised. Moving to the sides of the road, the guards waited as the gate rolled away.
Elias turned and walked back toward his vehicle. In the passenger seat, Katherine tensed, barely breathing. By the driver’s side, Nathaniel stood motionless, his gaze locked on the guards.
The councilman sank back into the car and shut the door. With a small growl, the engine turned over. Still watching the guards, Nathaniel returned to the driver’s seat and put the sedan into gear.
Ashe’s gaze slid to the guards as the cars crept past the gates.
Of the dozen men, only a few met her eyes. Contempt twisted their faces, making her blood boil. The lead guard let out a chuckle, equal parts disgust and satisfaction in the noise.
The rest wouldn’t look at her. Eyes on the ground, they let the cars pass with expressions as still as stone.
Warehouses closed in. On the rooftops, more guards watched, motionless as the vehicles moved by. In the rearview mirror, Nathaniel studied the men as the barrier flickered and strengthened, sealing them all inside.
Near the opposite end of the parking lot, the sedans stopped. Drawing a breath, Nathaniel opened the door while, on the other side of the car, Katherine did the same.
Ashe looked down at Lily, trying to ignore the nervous twisting in her stomach. “Just stay near me,” she told the girl quietly.
Lily nodded.
Echoing the motion, she pulled Lily with her as she left the car.
Broken concrete crunched beneath their feet as they walked toward the entrance. Wind swept around them, stirring the weeds and, up ahead, the rooftops showed no sign of security.
The factory door swung wide. Ahead of her, Nathaniel and Elias came to a stop, their magic strengthening simultaneously. Two dozen guards emerged from the building and fanned out immediately, surrounding them.
“Nice welcoming party,” Elias murmured.
Nathaniel snorted, his gaze tracking the guards.
Ashe pulled Lily closer, ready to strip the magic from the first one stupid enough to attack.
From the circle, the man nearest the door stepped forward. “The regent has consented to grant you an audience,” he said coldly. “You will follow us.”
“The regent.” Elias repeated flatly.
Eyes narrowing, the man turned and headed back inside. The other guards stepped closer, tightening their circle.
Jaw muscles jumping, Nathaniel glanced to her and then started forward. Silent, she followed.
The quiet beyond the entrance was eerie. The din of the factory was all but gone, replaced by a hush that made her skin crawl. In front and behind, the guards marched, pressing her and the others onward with their presence alone.
Light from the factory floor cut through the shadows and when she turned the corner, she felt Lily tense. Wizards were everywhere.
And every single one was waiting for them.
A narrow path cut through the crush of Merlin, leading to the distant stairs. The walkways hosted more watchers, though at the opposite end of the gallery, the crowds stopped. Only a few people stood on the stretch of walkway on the far wall, and even over the distance, she recognized them immediately.
Air slid from her. She’d wondered how it all went after she left. Now she knew.
Along the path between the masses, the guards strode. Without a word being spoken, the crowd pulled back to distance itself from them. She glanced around, trying to read faces, and then abandoned it as useless.
They’d think what they wanted. She was just here to give them a chance.
With military precision, the guards stopped at the base of the steps. The lead guard bowed deeply to the man atop the staircase, and then turned to Ashe and the others, dark threats in his eyes.
She ignored him, her gaze on the men above.
“And so the prodigal queen returns,” Darius called down serenely. “Again.”
From the top of the steps, he regarded her, a small smile touching his lips. Smooth lines of a gray suit covered him, with silver threads twisting through the fibers to glisten in the light. The remaining councilors waited against the wall and, while contempt showed on the faces of some, others just dropped their gazes to the floor.
But one of them had another expression altogether. Across the factory floor, he’d seemed to be standing so straight at Darius’ right hand. But closer, she could see the truth in his eyes.
Cornelius looked like a man in whom something had died.
“Are you willing to let us help you at last?” Darius asked her.
She pulled her gaze from Cornelius. The calm on Darius’ face didn’t waver and she looked away before anger could get the better of her.
“I’m here to warn you,” she called to the crowd. “The Blood have taken over Taliesin. They’ve killed the council and they’re going to blame the deaths on Merlin. You need to evacuate before the Taliesin find out where you’ve been hiding and come here for revenge.”
Cornelius’ eyes closed, pain flickering over his face.
“Oh, highness,” Darius sighed, and the pitying edge in his voice could have made the air bleed. “Please. First surrender and now this? Do you care nothing for what this does to your people?”
“I never ordered surrender, Darius,” she snapped. “And I’m trying to save their lives.”
He shook his head sorrowfully. “Perhaps, if you will only let us separate you from these influences that have so clouded your mind–”
“The queen isn’t mad,” Elias cut in. “The Blood are real and they–”
“Mister de Vila,” Darius interrupted. “How dare you? As if secretly encouraging our poor queen in her delusions wasn’t enough
, you would advertise the crime that forced us to remove you from your position by saying these things before witnesses as well?”
“Crime?” Elias retorted. “You want to talk crime, you sick bastard? We saw what you and Sebastian–”
“You’ve already been found guilty, Mister de Vila. Do not try to twist your case–”
“Enough!” Ashe yelled. Breathing hard, she turned from Darius toward the crowd. “This man is lying to you! He wants you to think Taliesin is the only threat, when the truth is there are wizards out there who make Taliesin look like nothing! You have to evacuate before–”
“Highness!”
She looked back. Cornelius stared down at her, his expression as close to begging as she’d ever seen him come.
“Please,” he said more quietly.
Darius glanced to him. For less than an eye blink, his mouth twitched toward a contemptuous smile.
And then the expression disappeared back into pity.
“Oh, your majesty,” Darius said. “These ‘invisible’ wizards aren’t real. And they’re not controlling Taliesin. Trust us, your highness. We investigated it thoroughly and the cripples did as well. They finally admitted they’d never found evidence of what your dear friend, the ‘Hunter’, Josiah Carter claimed. So please. Let go of these delusions and allow us–”
“They are real.”
Ashe blinked and looked down. Lily was eyeing Darius as though uncertain of what she was seeing, but not sure she liked it.
“What’s wrong with you?” the little girl asked. “Ashley’s not crazy. She’s just trying to save everybody from the monsters who killed our dad.”
Darius’ eyebrow rose. His expression flickered toward humor before swiftly settling into a concerned cast.
“Is this ‘Lily’, your majesty? Your sister whom Taliesin killed? Oh, your highness, I beg you. Send this poor little human girl home. Allow us to get you the help you need.”
Sighing heavily, Darius shook his head as if he’d exhausted all he could think to do. At the motion, Lily started forward, but Ashe’s grip held her back.
“The Blood exist and they’re coming, Darius,” she said. “The Taliesin council is dead, and once the Blood have a hold on their people, they’ll be after us too. Whether you accept it or not.”
Taliesin Ascendant (The Children and the Blood) Page 34