Chaos Burning

by Lauren Dane

  “He doesn’t know the exact location. But it’s in the Cascades. We need to take this place apart to see what else we can figure out.”

  “What do you want me to do with the others? And that one?” Teo indicated the guy on the ground she’d just been inside of.

  “This one right here is responsible for the couple in Toronto. He raped the woman before he gave them over to the helper. He’s not going to be hurting anyone now.” His brain was a mess and one of the shots she’d delivered had hit a major vein in his thigh. He wasn’t long for the world and she didn’t give a shit. “Have a problem with that?”

  Quinn shook his head. “Harm ye none doesn’t mean to lie down and take fucking genocide. We’re allowed to defend ourselves. This piece of garbage is out to kill us all. All of them.” He shrugged. “If you act like victims, you make yourself an easy mark. I’m no one’s victim.”

  Teo blew out a breath. “I wish I was upset. I’ve seen a lot. Saw more than my share of horrors in Iraq. Let’s do what needs to be done and if people try to kill us, I say we kill them first.”

  “All right then. I’m going inside the other two to see what they might know. I questioned this one here when we had him in custody first, but time has passed and I’m done waiting around.”

  She went to her knees and sank into the mind of one of the prisoners, taking what she needed as she knew the others in the room would get things done.

  Simon watched her work, knew what a toll it was taking as she used her magick and then some to get into the heads of these thugs.

  “She’s out of control with all this killing,” one of the witches said to Teo. “How are we any better than they are? Shouldn’t they go on trial?”

  “We’re already better than they are. They’re trying to render us extinct. This is defense. We didn’t stalk them and kidnap them. And trial where? Will Nell be alive while we set up an entire system to try them? And build a prison to hold them? This isn’t a usual situation, Craig.”

  “Well, probably not. But this one is going to bleed to death. She made him brain-dead. Nell would never do that.”

  “Don’t be so sure. Nell’s no freaking fluffy kitten herself.” Teo worked, going through drawers and tossing anything that looked important into a box.

  He lowered his voice, Simon figured to try not to be heard. “If we all three take her now while she’s in the guy’s head, we can subdue her. Call Meriel or Gage to come take over.”

  “Do you care about Nell at all? We had these prisoners and you notice none of them have been forthcoming. They’re killing us within a day or two of taking us. Time is of the essence and you’re wasting it with all this stuff. She’s working under the gun to find Nell. She’s doing all she can and in case you haven’t noticed it’s pretty freaking bad out there right now.” Teo kept moving and working, but his tone suggested he was close to punching someone in the nose.

  “Maybe we could make a deal with them. If we gave them all our lawbreaker witches, they might leave us alone.”

  Simon’s beast surged against his human skin, wanting at this weak fuck.

  “What the hell are you talking about? Cooperate with them? This is bullshit. You’re talking insubordination and I’m not having it. Lark is in charge. She’s making the calls and she asked if we were on board. If you weren’t, you should have said so. But you can’t do this now while she’s in there getting answers.” Quinn’s gaze slid to where Simon had been standing, guarding Lark.

  “She’s not right. I’m calling Meriel.”

  Simon half turned. “Go on ahead and call her. I won’t stop you. But I’m going to recommend to Lark that she excise you from her hunter team when she’s finished up. I’d never allow this sort of nonsense on any crew I ran. This lack of discipline won’t get your friend back. And it won’t stop the Magister from sucking you all dry. So go ahead on and pretend you’re better because you’re too weak to defend yourself. And imagine how it is you think these mages will ever see justice. Real justice, for what they’ve done to you.”

  Simon turned his back again, letting the witch know just what he thought of him. He watched Lark work, saw her aura brighten as she pulled energy from the font to keep working. She was pale and sweaty, but she never paused. Her features always intent and focused.

  When she came out she looked up to Simon and held his gaze. “The Magister is using the energy to fully manifest.” She stood on shaky legs and he moved to her to hold her steady.

  “Manifest how? What’s next then? What else did you find out?”

  “I don’t know. I have a feeling it means he’s drawing power to fully come into this plane of existence. But I don’t know for sure. They don’t know where the Magister is in any case. But I have some more info about the place in the Cascades. We’re going to have to track on our own. I need to speak with Meriel and fill her in.”

  She turned to Quinn. “I need you to secure this scene. I need the two mages moved back to a cell and the body of the other cleaned up.” She narrowed her gaze when it got to Craig. “You. Did you make your call?”

  The one who’d been complaining paled. “I… I should be able to bring up any concerns I have.”

  “Yes. At the appropriate time. While your commander is out of communication and in the middle of a difficult spell used to find your boss isn’t what I’d call appropriate. It’s not that you disagree with my measures. That’s your right. How you did it is the problem. But in any case, make your call and when you do, ask for a transfer because I don’t have time for anyone who can’t speak to me face-to-face.” She turned her back and grabbed her phone to call Meriel.

  He should have known she would hear. Simon helped load the two remaining mages into the car outside and kept an eye on the witch who’d been whining. She didn’t trust this one, which meant he didn’t either. He already thought the witch was a useless twat, but the way she’d reacted meant something else.

  She didn’t reveal it for a reason so he trusted her to do so when it was time.

  Chapter 25

  A group of witches arrived to clean the house and Simon recognized one of them and nudged Lark.

  Lark looked up from where she’d been poring over a map.

  Nell’s mother, Pam, headed toward her. “What can I do?’

  Lark looked around and then back to the woman who’d been the Hunter before Nell. “Quinn is going to need some help on all the leads we got here tonight. Or if you prefer, Ginger is doing sweeps of the city. The Weres are working with us on that. If you need to kick some butt, that might be a better option.”

  “What are you up to? Can I help you?”

  Lark looked over at the witch who’d been talking about her behind her back and then to Nell’s mother again. “Tracking. We have a lead on where they’ve taken Nell.” She said this very quietly and it occurred to Simon with sick dread that Lark suspected the witch of something far worse than talking out of school about her methods.

  Nell’s mother got it too. “What do you suggest?”

  “Stay on the sweeps with Ginger. You know Seattle better than most. They can use another perspective and if you’re lucky, you might get to land a few punches.”

  “Is there anything specific you want me to look out for?” Nell’s mother pretended to idly look around the room, but Simon saw the calculation in her eyes. She knew Lark suspected someone in their clan.

  “Let me have you look at a spot outside. It’s an energy signature I don’t recognize.” She linked her arm with Pam and they left, Simon following.

  “I really did have something I’d like you to look at. It’s there, near the planter.”

  Nell’s mother bent and examined it closely, walking around as she did to see it from several angles, before turning back to Meriel. “I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

  “None of us have.”

  “Well that’s not entirely true.” Simon stepped forward. “Whatever it is, it comes from the other side of the Veil. I can’t identify it,
but there are infinite options. Universes and realities we’ve never even dreamed of.”

  “If so, how did it get here and why?”

  “I think it might be the helper they keep talking about. If he’s with… well, with the bad guy, it’s not unbelievable that he’d be something we’ve never seen, or haven’t in a very long time. Commit that signature to memory. I want to know if you see it anywhere out there tonight.”

  Pam took Lark’s hand. “Who do you suspect? Inside, I mean.”

  “Craig. I’ve got beef with him already because I overheard him sniping about my methods while I was under a spell and in one of the prisoner’s heads. I could be imagining it.”

  “You’re not the type to imagine things for no reason.” Simon crossed his arms over his chest.

  “The first prisoner I went into tonight… he had some memories of information that could only have come from someone inside the clan. Craig didn’t know where the second location is, but he knew where the first was. And that’s the place that was breached. And Meriel and Dom’s place. And the addresses of different witches? There are directories in the database.”

  Pam’s brows flew up and then her gaze narrowed to infuriated slits. “If he did anything to hurt any of our witches, he’s a dead man.”

  Lark shrugged. “Yes. But I don’t want him to know I suspect him. I don’t want him running off. I want him close where we can keep an eye on what he’s up to. I told Meriel to stay away. I don’t want a bunch of people over here raising eyebrows. The humans are quiet. It’s late enough that if we can finish this up within the hour, we can get out without anyone seeing. Just keep it casual in his presence and obviously don’t give him anything critical that he could use against us. I’m going to have Quinn look into his background. I’d feel a lot better if we could clear him totally.”

  Gage came out and Lark filled him in as well.

  “You and Simon need to get moving. It’ll take you a bit to get up there before you can even start tracking. I’ll handle things back here. Quinn will lead the investigation and Pam and I will handle the streets. I’m going to pop a homing spell on Craig to keep an eye on him. If he’s guilty, Lark…”

  “Let’s take this a step at a time. Protect our witches. Find Nell and bring her and the baby home. Deal with the big bad and then we handle any problems we have internally.”

  Gage hugged her. “You need to be careful.”

  “Simon’s coming with me. He’s pretty good at keeping me out of trouble. I’ll be okay.”

  Simon hoped that was true.

  “Let’s go. Call me with any details.”

  “You may have trouble getting a signal out there. It’s pretty remote in some places.”

  Lark held her phone up. “It’s got a special spell, roaming essentially. I can get a signal when I need it.”

  “Go on then. Bring Nell home.”

  “If that witch had one fucking thing to do with this, he’d better hope you all get to him before I do.” Simon pulled his car away from the curb and headed back to his place.

  “Manifesting.” She ignored the comment about the witch. She knew what he meant and felt the same. “How so? Damn it, why can’t the Fae just answer?”

  “Don’t go getting your hopes pinned on them. You know how they are. You can’t control the Fae. You can’t anticipate how they’ll react to any particular thing. There are some good Fae. Strong and willing to help humans. Some have even gone to war over it to protect the human race.”

  “If he took a pregnant witch, he’s going to get a double hit. Is the Magister a physical thing? Is it a physical thing elsewhere and he needs to draw magick to get through? You said only those who have the blood of those from the other side of the Veil are able to transport to one side or the other. So does that mean the Magister isn’t? Or it could pop in for Sunday dinner if it was?”

  “The way can be closed.”

  She scratched her head. “By who and what for?”

  “The Fae have banned members of their own race from traveling here to Earth or to anywhere else. Usually as punishment for a transgression or to protect others. My father can do it too. I suppose Pere would be able to once he takes over as well. It’s never done lightly.” Pere was Simon’s oldest brother and would take over from Cross when the time came.

  “I don’t think the Magister comes from a race of storm-like doom-villains.”

  He laughed and took her hand. “You make me laugh at the oddest times. No, I’ve never heard of any plane of existence that was home to storm beings. Though I’m not entirely convinced it will look like a storm. It’s old language and cuneiform you’re reading. Metaphor is more likely the culprit than an actual storm.”

  “Which would probably be why we didn’t see it in the satellite weather scans.”

  “Old magicks are often thought of as formless unless given an intent to form in some way. The Wild Hunt is similar. Across different groups of Fae and others on my side of the Veil the Wild Hunt can be an actual hunt with dogs and horses and riders. But it’s also been described as a tornado-like storm, a roiling blurred cloud of magick that erases everything in its path. We frame reality with our perceptions. I’m just cautioning you to remember that there are things older than this planet out there and they’re not always going to be easy to explain in terms you’d understand.”

  “It’s easy sometimes to forget you’re six hundred years old. But you keep me grounded, Simon. Thank you. It’s a good reminder to stop applying a lens that isn’t necessary accurate to something. I want to understand it. I want to know why it’s doing this so I can find it. That’s how I work.”

  “We’ll find it. I think it’s fine to think of it as a storm if that’s what works for you. And we know what it’s doing. The Others being kidnapped are being used to bolster his power to bring it here fully. Whether that’s to overcome a spell that’s locked it out of this plane of existence or whatever, we know why it’s doing this.”

  “Well, partially. What does it plan when it fully manifests?”

  And suddenly another male sat in the car with them and Lark found herself backed up against the door, ready for a fight.

  “It seeks to cleanse.”

  Simon cursed. “You can’t just jump into a moving car. I could have gotten into an accident. Lark, this is Erick Trier. Your petition to speak with the Fae has been granted.”

  She relaxed, now fascinated by their visitor.

  “I don’t have a lot of time. I tried your home, but you weren’t there and the wards kept me out. Nicely done.” The big Fae turned to Lark. “We’ve called for all our brothers and sisters living here to return to our side of the Veil. The Magister is not a threat to take lightly. The last time we encountered it was twenty thousand years ago, give or take a few hundred. We lost tens of thousands of our kin. Our records are not very detailed, though we have a few Fae still around who were there. It’s still secondhand because those who survived had gone into hiding or were locked inside a safe place working on ways to vanquish it.”

  Of course Simon kept driving like it was every day a Faerie just showed up inside his car. “So it’s bad enough to kill the most powerful beings we know of. Bad enough that you’re calling your people back. Will you seal the way then?”

  “If the Magister manifests itself here, we will seal the way.”

  “You can’t! Erick, the humans will need help. You can give it to them.”

  “I’ve made that argument already. As have many others, including the queen. But there is much fear. Too much, I’m afraid, to get a majority of votes to help. Some Fae are staying here and you can expect help from them if and when a war begins. I will be among them. I’m rushing back and forth to take care of my affairs back in tir na nOg.”

  “Thank you.” Lark nodded. “We’ll take all the help we can get. How did you stop it? Was it force? Was it a spell? What?”

  “The records say there was one last fierce battle. Many had died that day. There was a last stand of sorts.
The Fae warriors there had united to repel the Magister. And then it was gone, along with the Fae on the battlefield.”

  Lark snapped her fingers. “By manifest you mean the Magister is not here on this plane? It’s somewhere else until it gets strong enough to break through?”

  “That’s exactly what I mean. Smart one, your little witch. Once it gets the power it needs, it will tear the way open and come through.”

  “Why? What does it want?”

  “You’re never going to be satisfied if you keep thinking in this way.”

  Simon agreed.

  “Tell me how then. My job is to figure people out, why they do things and then I find them and deal with it. I can’t do that if I don’t even know why this thing is trying to break into our world.”

  “It’s not something you can wrap your mind around. The Magister is chaos. Older than even I can imagine and I’m far, far older than you are. It doesn’t care about money or weaponry. You can’t reason with it. It has a purpose, but we may never fully understand it. I just know it cleanses. Burns holy clarity with no regard to good or evil or anything like that. It’s not here to work through an ancient vengeance or revenge.”

  “So I’m told. Anything else you can tell me?”

  “I know you’ll have a better chance at stopping it if you prevent it from manifesting fully. Don’t look upon it if it does though. My queen wanted me to make this very clear. Do not look upon the Magister or you will be lost. I’ll be in touch, as will others who can help if you have a need.”

  She tipped her chin slightly in appreciation.

  Erick paused. “May I give you a piece of advice?”

  “Yes.”

  “I can see you’re driven by the need to know. Which is a good quality. But sometimes you have to accept that some things can’t be understood in a traditional sense. You’re a witch. You know some things just are. I don’t know that the Magister is something you can solve like another sort of being.”