by Patti Larsen
It will have to wait. Shaylee's concern cut through my emotions like a cold splash of water. Vibrations beneath us. Someone is coming.
Out of time.
“I'm not strong enough to lead them.” Charlotte's self-flagellation was getting a little old, frankly. “I know that now.”
“What the hell happened to the weregirl who didn't take crap from anyone?” I could feel the approaching feet now, thankful for Shaylee's early warning system. “They're coming for you, the family you seem to have written off, so you'd better be damned ready to fight.”
Charlotte's head whipped around, desperate fear on her face. “No,” she whispered. “They can't.”
“Well, they are.” I crossed my arms over my chest, forcing myself to calm despite the approaching feet. Which slowed. Stopped. Okay then. Luck was on our side. No clue how much time we had, but Charlotte better smarten the hell up or I was knocking her over the head and dragging her out of there.
Charlotte leaped to her feet and grabbed my arms in her hands, shaking me. “They can't,” she sobbed. “Yure knows they are coming. He's ready for them.”
Piers was in for more than he bargained for, then. I forced aside my need to warn him. I had to focus on Charlotte. But she clung to me, still shaking me, fingers digging into my bare flesh.
“Please.” She fell to her knees at my feet. “Please, you have to stop them. He will kill them all.”
“Charlotte,” I said. “They aren't my problem.” I reached for her as gently as I could. “You are.”
She surged to her feet, face twisting in anger. Charlotte lunged for the bars, screaming at the top of her lungs in Ukrainian. I felt the shiver of the ground as the feet that approached doubled, tripled in number.
Out of time.
She spun on me, frantic. “Save them,” she said.
Damn her. A flicker of motion around the far corner and I was sunk. Kicking myself for not just grabbing her when I had the chance, I ducked back into the veil and ran for the werewolves to warn them.
This was just not my night.
***
Chapter Twenty One
The moment I landed back in the bedroom, I knew I was too late. The touch of werewolf and sorcery was gone. I jerked the door open after swearing at the lock I myself engaged, racing down the hall and into the foyer, reaching for Piers even though I knew he was gone.
They all were. Didn't take them long to clear out, either. I stood in the empty dining room, maps still spread out, and knew I'd pushed the young sorcerer to act impetuously by denying his request for help.
Damn it, he was going to get them all killed.
I spun, reaching for the veil, ready to chase them down and stop them.
Only to slam into a flare of blue magic that sent me flying backward. Stars burst in my vision as I impacted the doorjamb, body going limp. I sagged to the floor, spine on fire as Finlay and Gwendolyn appeared in the foyer in that same flare of magic.
The young witch ran to my side, falling to her knees beside me as I fought to stay conscious. My head rang, the clunk to my skull enough to shake my focus. My vampire did her best to fix the damage quickly, but I was already being lifted into Finlay's arms, his power wrapping around me before she could complete the healing.
Flaring once again.
I tried to fight him off as the big Enforcer set me on the bed. The inn again, the same suite I'd been kidnapped from. Was it really only a few hours ago? My vampire cursed softly as she finally healed me, my awareness coming into sharp focus.
“Let me go.” I shoved Finlay aside, almost ran into Gwendolyn who reached for me, worry creasing her face.
“Are you all right?” Her voice shook as she spoke. It wasn't until I looked up and around I realized we weren't alone. The room was full of witches, both local and Enforcer. Nataliya wrung her hands over and over, tears standing in her eyes while Fedir patted her shoulder in an endless attempt at comfort. “We've been searching everywhere for you.”
Could this night really get any worse? “I have to go.” I tried to shove past Gwendolyn, felt a bubble of Enforcer magic flare to life around the room.
“You're not going anywhere.” Finlay's gruff voice made me snarl.
“Like hell.” I jerked free of his grip as he reached for me. “Back off.”
“Sydlynn.” Gwendolyn's worry turned to hurt. “We came to save you.”
“Thanks for that.” Okay, it wasn't her fault, not really. But Charlotte was still captive and, if my werefriend was right, Piers and her family were walking into a trap. I had to go, damn it.
I reached for Piers again, only to run right into the same bubble of witch power.
“For your own protection,” Gwendolyn said. I'm sure she meant to be soothing, the way she patted my hand. Like I was some frightened kitten needing to be coaxed into trust with a soothing pet.
“Listen to me.” I reached out and grabbed her like she'd grabbed me, ignoring Finlay's growl of warning. “You have no idea what's going on out there.” The bubble taunted me. I could break through it easily, of course I could. But doing so meant taking that final step. Expulsion from Europe and war.
“We know the Czar has been difficult.” Gwendolyn gently detached herself from my grip as the gathered witches and Enforcers stared at me like I'd lost my mind.
Was about to, thanks.
She had no clue, none of them did. That the Czar was owned by the Brotherhood. Would it be worth it to tell them? I met Gwendolyn’s eyes, Finlay's. The other gathered witches and Enforcers who looked alarmed, but not for me.
Because of me.
They wouldn’t listen. No more than the two who were charged with tying my hands behind my back listened when I’d berated them only a few hours earlier in this very room. I scowled at the missing furniture wreckage, evidence of my loss of temper wiped clean, replaced with a new chair.
As if nothing happened. As though none of what was going on beyond these walls mattered.
Sometimes I really hated my kind for their shortsighted lack of willingness to care about anyone but their own damned outdated laws. Had finally dealt with this same mess at home only to have to face it all over again.
Déjà vu I could do without.
I could have told them about the Czar, the Brotherhood connection, my suspicions this wasn’t about Charlotte at all, but about me and the final battle to come. But I just didn’t have the energy to expend on wasted breath and effort.
Hope died. I’d fought so hard for so long, only to be right back where I’d started. Yet again, things had gone so far out to left field I was sure now they would never come back. But.
But.
Head shake. This wasn't my fight. I had a larger picture to observe, didn’t I? The werewolves, the Steam Union. None of them were part of what I had to do, at least, not according to Iepa. They might have to fight if I failed, but I wasn’t planning on failing. I really should just stand down, focus on what I had to be prepared for, my job ahead. The last battle with the Brotherhood. With Ameline and the two sides of the maji.
The grand scheme called me. Mocked me. Rubbed me the wrong way for the last time.
To hell with it.
Something fluttered in the air, shadow trying to take form. I caught the briefest touch from Isabelle as I reached for her with my vampire power, slicing the tiniest hole in the edge of the bubble.
Please.
It was the only word to make it through. That and the snapshot of the scene at the front of the palace. Falling werewolves dying under gunfire, pops of light cutting the night. The surging black of sorcery devouring everything.
Piers. Oleksander.
Aw, crap.
I reached for the veil, felt Finlay's magic try to stop me. Brushed aside the surge of rage Applegate aimed at me as I reached for Ahbi and jerked open a hole in the bubble.
Dove into the welcoming amber fire to the sound of Gwendolyn calling my name and was gone.
***
Chapter Twenty Two<
br />
Ahbi dumped me out of the veil just inside the tree line, within sight of the front entry to the palace, but out of the fight. I let out a shriek from the sudden cold, forgetting, in my dash for freedom, I'd lost my jacket back at the farmhouse. Ahbi snarled, her power surging around me. A film of heat pushed back the icy winter night and cocooned me in warmth. I hugged her and let her go, feeling her anxiety for me, but knowing I had to act.
Damn Piers Southway for needing me to rescue him.
I locked onto his sorcery, only beginning to be able to differentiate between gaping holes of nothing. His had the same subtle taste of mint around the edges. I brushed two others, could only guess they were his friends and not his enemies, and threw up all the shielding I could before making a dash for his position.
Bullets ricocheted from my wards, bouncing free in showers of sparks. It was my sorcery's idea to absorb the energy from the bullets, pumping up the power it had available with every strike. Not that being shot at was ever a good thing, but at least I gained some benefit from it.
I felt like an idiot, zigzagging my way across the snow toward two SUV's parked at angles to each other. Both rocked over and over with the impact of black balls of sorcery, and I knew the metal could only hold out for so long before it collapsed, the energy inside it spent. Cold bit through the edges of Ahbi's magic, even reinforced by my demon.
The cocoon wouldn't last long. I had to get shelter or find a new coat before I froze to death.
The sight of a trio of werewolves creeping up behind Piers made me lunge forward even faster, my demon pushing against me to give me extra speed. My last mad dash drew fire as I rushed past the weres, buffeting them with spirit magic on the way by. I slid forward, slamming into Piers from behind. He cried out as I grasped his jacket in both hands, covering him with my shielding as we both spun and attacked the rapidly recovering, gun-wielding werewolves together. My peripheral mind wondered why they didn’t just morph into wolf form and take us out instead of trusting to the artillery they carried. Werewolves didn't need guns. But I didn’t have time to thrash it out. The sneaky threesome cried out as Piers shattered their weapons with his power while another blast of Sidhe energy embedded their writhing bodies in steaming ground. I melted the remains of their weapons to slag with demon fire while they sagged, unconscious, Piers's sorcery draining them of energy.
“About time you showed up.” His harsh words were paired with a tight grin.
“Are you a total moron or just an idiot in training?” I slashed at the ball of sorcery heading for us, cutting it off before it could hit the SUV we crouched behind. The vehicle rocked anyway, tires blowing on the other side. A good thing, as the chassis sank to the snow, cutting off the path of magic under the bulk of the truck.
“What?” He tensed as the truck rocked again, focusing on the power flowing through the metal and into his hands, absorbing it before lobbing his own over the roof in a random attack. “You've never seen a knight in shining armor before?”
I rolled my eyes, jerking him back from peeking around the back corner of the truck as a hail of bullets met him. “Don't be a jerk,” I said. Looked around with growing concern. “Where are the werewolves?”
Piers's shoulders twitched. “Captured,” he said. “I tried to talk Oleksander and the others into staying behind, wanted to try a sneak attack, but he insisted.” He blew a breath through pursed lips, soft whistle escaping. “The Czar was ready for us.”
Reality hit finally, did it?
“I tried to warn you,” I said. “But I was captured by the Enforcers. Took me a bit to escape.”
“As soon as we arrived, Yure appeared and ordered Oleksander and Raoul to heel.” Piers shivered, rage in his face. “Like they were dogs.”
Unfortunately, that was all they were to the Czar.
“That left the four of us to do our best,” Piers said as the truck rocked, hitting him hard in the shoulder. “I know we should have just run, but…” Yeah. I totally understood.
A glance right and left turned up his three sorcerer friends, the young red-head passed out in the lap of the girl with the bob. Damn it, what was her name?
“What about the rest of your people?” Surely the Steam Union was way more than five young adults with delusions of white knighthood.
Piers winced, and not just from the blow to the truck that shoved it back two feet, forcing us to scramble with it.
“Ah,” he said. “About that.”
I had a feeling I was not going to like what he said next.
“As it happens,” he went on, “we're not exactly here with permission.”
Oh. My. Swearword.
“You didn't.” Go away, surge of respect and kinship. No time for you right now.
He shrugged, braced himself and lobbed off another ball of black. “I tried to convince her,” he said. “Did my best. When Danilo came to us, I almost had her. But she caved when he was killed.” Piers's gray eyes, almost silver in the moonlight reflected from the snow, caught and held mine. “I just couldn't let it stand, Syd.”
Sounds familiar, my vampire sent.
Vaguely. My demon's chuckle was wicked.
Oh dear, Shaylee sent. Sighed. Another one. Will we survive?
Smartasses.
“Who's ‘she’?” My shields repelled one more volley of bullets as I snapped off some demon fire at a pair of werewolves trying to circle around like the unlucky three buried to their armpits in steaming earth. They flew back, crashing into a fountain, the statue toppling over on top of them with a resounding crash.
Piers sighed. “My mum,” he said. “Eva Southway. The leader of our branch of the Union.”
I snorted. Couldn't help myself. Burst into laughter at the absolute irony of it all. Piers stared at me a moment as though I'd cracked before laughing himself.
“You'll have to tell me why that was so funny,” he said, eyes sparkling. “Sometime.”
“Not now.” I kept grinning.
“There are Steam Union in your part of the world trying to fight back.” He motioned for his friends to back off. Ellis had woken, nodded groggily as the four sank into black and vanished. “But my people won't help.” He turned to me. “It's just you and me now, Sydlynn Hayle. I won't put them at risk any more. I'll take all the responsibility for what's happening. But I can't walk away.”
My demon hummed happily, giving me a shove toward the inevitable. She didn't need to.
I was already kissing him.
Syd. Battle. Remember? Dying, fighting, bullets…
Piers's lips were hot, so hot, burning through the edge of the cocoon Ahbi created around me. As hot as other lips I knew and loved.
Like we had time for this. But I just couldn’t help myself, not when he was so in tune with my mind I wondered where he’d been all my life.
I jerked away as the SUV spun sideways, pulling Piers along with me as I tore open the veil and dove through. He didn't fight me, to his credit, though I felt him shiver beside me as I dumped us out again.
Into more snow. Back where I started at the edge of the trees, the front of the palace bathed in the crackle of fire as one of the SUV’s exploded, the body bursting outward in a hail of giant shrapnel. Piers stared at the mess he'd made for a long moment before sagging to a crouch, head down, elbows on his knees.
“I failed Danilo,” he said.
Considering he had a handful of young sorcerers and a pack of weres the Czar could control as his only backup, he was being pretty hard on himself. The worst part was how familiar he sounded. Heard that before, just recently. Wasn't taking it from him, either.
“Cut yourself some slack,” I said. “You’re alive, aren’t you?”
“I promised Danilo,” Piers said, turning to meet my eyes, his glistening with frustration and extra moisture. “I did my best to convince Mum, but she refused. I couldn’t just let his people suffer this way, Syd.” His hands clenched at his sides. “I should have known better. I’m an idiot.”
&nb
sp; He could say that again.
“You want to make a dent in this disaster or not?” I prodded him with one foot. He glanced up at me, shrugged with a slow smile. Stood to his full height, now looking down on me. The moonlight on his face really made him rather beautiful—
I snapped at my demon who sighed and shrugged.
She had the worst freaking timing.
I took his hand this time, letting him lace his fingers through mine, welcoming the heat of his skin as the cocoon began to crumble.
“Hang on,” I said. “And be ready for anything.”
How much did I love he just grinned and followed?
***
Chapter Twenty Three
I tore open the veil and addressed my grandmother. “Okay, Ahbi,” I said. “Where can you put us inside the palace that won't land us in the middle of a battle?”
She hummed and hawed a moment and, I swear, was actually enjoying herself. Piers’s frown told me he was more than a little confused, but he held his silence, bless him.
When the flickering image settled, we were looking at what seemed to be a kitchen. Empty. At least, for now.
“Perfect.” I pulled Piers through the veil before he could think to speak up after all and stepped out again on the other side into the quiet room. The veil sealed shut behind us, Ahbi's power ghosting over Piers and me before she hugged me and was gone.
“That was...” Piers's whisper tickled my ear as he bent to speak.
“My grandmother,” I whispered back. “Yeah, she's dead. Don't ask.” I shrugged. “Let's go.”
The door at the far end of the dark kitchen opened into an equally dark hallway.
“Any idea where we are?” Piers looked left and right. The elaborate décor of the main part of the palace was missing here, so I took a guess.
“Somewhere away from Yure's main stomping grounds.” I let the kitchen door swing softly shut behind me. Did my best to perform a light exam of our surroundings. Difficult considering how heavy-handed I usually was with my magic. I brushed the familiar touch of the black zone as my hopes rose rapidly despite my attempt to hold any expectation of success behind a wall of tough girl Syd. “But close to Charlotte.”