Witchlock

by Dianna Love

  Ragan’s scream came through loud and clear this time. “Too late. Veronika’s cominnng!! Get out of here!”

  Chapter 21

  Evalle watched in horror as Ragan’s body jerked back into the center of the white-hot sphere and all the threads connected between her and walls of the globe drew tight as bowstrings. Ragan’s hands slapped against her sides and her body began spinning.

  Heart wrenching screams from Adrianna and Ragan filled the air, threatening to pierce Evalle’s eardrums.

  Crashing noises kept advancing. From all directions.

  Screw this.

  Evalle was on her own in this realm and needed no one’s permission. She called up her beast and power flooded her body, forcing muscles to warp and bones to snap and change. Being drawn and quartered probably felt like this. Her stomach roiled at the hideous sounds of the change as blood pounded through her ears.

  A creature crashed out of the trees a hundred feet away and stood upright, rising to nine feet. He had the head of an ogre, with rust-colored hair sprouting between spikes on his scalp. She mentally marked it as a he because a darker shade of hair failed to cover his genitals. The rest of his body reminded her of an oversized honeybadger, which was disconcerting to say the least.

  Did these ancestors take a hit of acid before choosing their shapes?

  She’d seen what a smaller creature could do. This one came after her, snarling with jaws snapping.

  As a gryphon, she had the body of a ten-foot-tall lion with an eagle’s head and huge claws. And a badass wingspan.

  Flapping hard, she lifted into the air as the guardian creature dove at her and missed.

  She swooped down and caught it by the neck, digging in her hooked beak. She lifted the ogre into the air and slung him far away, then turned to go after Adrianna.

  When Evalle reached her, Adrianna was wrapped up like a golden mummy and a million energy threads covered her mouth. Evalle couldn’t do anything about that until she had the witch free and away from the sphere. Keeping herself steady with a constant flapping, Evalle used sharp talons to slice through the threads holding Adrianna.

  That worked, but Adrianna slipped from her grasp.

  Evalle swooped down and caught Adrianna in her claws just before the gold mummy body slammed the ground. She banked away as another creature raced from the forest and leaped at her. Whipping her wings faster, she angled around to take a look back.

  A mob of ancestors in a mash of funky realm shapes spilled into the opening. The sphere glowed and turned with Ragan caught in the center.

  Roars and screeches filled the air.

  Evalle gave one look at Ragan and accepted that she couldn’t save her, but she could at least try to get Adrianna out of here.

  Flying hard and covering distance quickly, Evalle used her eagle vision to locate an open spot to land in.

  She circled to slow her speed as she descended to the ground, then dropped Adrianna a few feet above spongy looking bushes to cushion her fall.

  The witch’s body hit and bounced off, smacking the hard ground.

  Oops.

  Adrianna rocked back and forth, still wrapped up in the gauzy threads and making angry noises.

  Evalle landed and walked over to where she could place a paw gently on the mummy witch and use a sharp claw to slice threads that buzzed with energy. She pulled loose ones away with her beak.

  The minute Adrianna’s hands were free she reached up and scrubbed away the threads on her face, then jumped up to her feet.

  She yelled, “You pulled me away! I had a chance to destroy that sphere and you ruined it.”

  Evalle stood there, unable to talk to Adrianna because the witch had no telepathic powers that Evalle knew about—or at least none that worked with a Belador.

  Adrianna stomped around with fists clenched and hair askew in an uncharacteristic disheveled show of frustration. She turned on Evalle. “We can’t get back to Ragan. They know we’re here and Veronika is on the way. I have no idea if she’s here already, but she probably has faith in the ancestors being able to kill both of us.”

  The trees nearby started swaying and whipping their branches back and forth so fast that Evalle’s wings caught air.

  Adrianna paused her rant and took in their surroundings. “Start changing, Evalle. Now!”

  Evalle cocked her head at Adrianna, because she had no way to explain that if she shifted back to her human form now she couldn’t do this again any time soon.

  She could feel her power draining away faster than normal. In fact, she wasn’t sure she could return to human form just yet.

  But even if she could, changing out of her gryphon shape would leave both of them vulnerable.

  Adrianna’s hands were shaking when she lifted them in front of her and began chanting, “From the past to the present, from death to life...” She glanced at Evalle and shouted, “Hurry the hell up. That emerald’s going to light up in about sixty seconds and you have to be in the same form to travel both ways.”

  You could have told me that sooner. But Adrianna couldn’t hear that thought so Evalle screeched at her.

  Adrianna shoved her face up toward Evalle’s gryphon face, hands on her hips. “I’m having a bad day, too, so get over it and start changing if you want to see Storm again.”

  That did it. Evalle had little practice in shifting back from this form, but she called on her powers and her muscles began contracting.

  Oh, that hurt.

  Adrianna was busy walking around Evalle, spewing her chant.

  Flames erupted in a circle that surrounded them.

  Thunder boomed over and over, shaking the ground.

  Evalle brought her head up and tears came to her eyes because that part hadn’t finished changing and her neck was tight. Why was it taking so long to shift and why did it feel like she dragged her limbs through quicksand?

  Adrianna’s words hit her. If you use your power in here the realm takes an equal amount.

  Evalle glanced around her. Trees close by that had been gray now had a vibrant, greenish glow. Was that where her power was going?

  One look at how long it was taking Adrianna to start a fire confirmed that the witch was also a quart low on juice, too.

  A loud roar joined the pounding thunder.

  That was not thunder.

  The sky, if what hovered over the top of this place was really a sky, had not a cloud.

  Adrianna’s flames were only a foot tall and from the way she kept chanting faster and faster it was obvious Adrianna expected more.

  Trees and plants literally bent to the ground to get out of the way of a beast running hard. Long orange and black hair flowed behind a body shaped as a tiger, but this one was the size of Storm’s truck.

  The emerald on Evalle’s chest heated and she felt a tug, but she was only halfway changed.

  Adrianna grabbed at Evalle, latching her fingers and yanking on what would be an arm again once Evalle finished shifting. The witch continued chanting in a booming voice Evalle would have expected out of someone twice Adrianna’s size.

  Straining, Evalle forced energy to the parts still pulling back into place. She’d reached eighty percent completion when the emerald glowed bright as a searchlight and vibrated.

  Storm must be using everything he had to pull her back.

  The tiger-looking beast leaped across the opening.

  Adrianna’s hand clamped tight, and Evalle fought back a scream of pain. The limb was sensitive in mid-change.

  Something sharp sliced her thigh.

  Her world blurred and spun out of control.

  Lights bright enough to blind flashed by her, and the whirring sound of being in motion roared in her ears, throbbed through her body.

  Body? She hadn’t finished shifting.

  What about not being able to return if she wasn’t back in her original form?

  Chapter 22

  What was that loud noise?

  Evalle covered her ears then blinked her eyes
open. Wait.

  She had hands and they were on her ears.

  “Can you hear me?” Storm leaned over her. The source of the booming noise. “You are never going anywhere without me again.”

  She’d argue and tell him he couldn’t tell her what to do, but she never wanted to do that without him again either. She croaked, “Adrianna?”

  “She’s catching her breath, but she’s fine.”

  He pulled his knee-length jacket off. “Put this on until I can get you to the truck.

  She sat up and grabbed her head where something tried to beat its way out with a sledgehammer. Storm pulled her to her feet and had her arms in the jacket without much help from her.

  “What the hell happened?” he snapped, tugging the leather together and buttoning her up.

  Warmth and the scent of Storm. She might sleep in this tonight.

  “Evalle?” He ducked his head to look at her, eye level. His fury evaporated. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”

  Her thigh felt as if she’d been branded with a long, hot poker and she’d like to curl into his arms and let him baby her, but she had too much pride for her spine to go wet-noodle limp right now.

  She said, “I’m fine. I was shifting back to this form when you pulled me out of the realm.”

  “Shifting from what?”

  She whispered, “Gryphon. I don’t have permission to shift here but no one specifically said I couldn’t shift in some unknown realm with a bunch of ancestors in beast form trying to rip us to pieces.” When she took in the sick look on Storm’s face, she stepped up and hugged him. “We made it back alive. I’m just drained. When you use majik or powers there, the realm takes an equal amount for fuel, so we’re both at rock bottom right now. I see why Adrianna wanted you here for when we came back.”

  He crushed her against his hard chest and she welcomed the feel of his strength. He kissed her face and hair then said, “You’ve been gone for hours.”

  “Really? What time is it?”

  “After one in the morning.” He hugged her again. “You’re safe and I want you to stay that way. Promise me you won’t go back no matter what.”

  That was an easy agreement. “I promise, and besides, we can’t go back.”

  “I should be so lucky,” he muttered.

  Adrianna wobbled her way over to them. “She means it, Storm. I failed to destroy the sphere holding Ragan. There is no going back. ”

  Evalle’s heart broke at the devastation in her friend’s voice. “I’m sorry Adrianna. It was killing you. I couldn’t leave you there to be trapped with her.”

  Adrianna shook her head. “The realm took too much of my power—a lot more than equal measure, maybe because Ragan and I share the same origin. I couldn’t strengthen the bond quickly enough. Veronika’s hold on Ragan is too strong.” She met Evalle’s eyes. “At least we tried.” She raked a hand through hair that was messier than Evalle had ever seen it. “Ragan is still trapped and the ancestors have called in Veronika. They’ll tell her I was there.”

  Storm said, “Can she find you here?”

  Adrianna gave up a weary sigh. “My whereabouts are not a secret.”

  Storm said, “We’ll have your back if she shows up. At least you’re both safe and in one piece.” He paused and sniffed the air. “I smell burned skin.”

  Adrianna said, “I thought the last beast that came after us clawed at Evalle. Did it catch your leg?”

  Evalle sent Adrianna a death look for pissing off Storm again when she finally had him calmed down. The witch lifted her shoulders in answer.

  Storm asked, “Where are you hurt?”

  “My thigh. It’s not bad.” Burned like a bitch, but she wasn’t going to whine.

  “Sit down so I can see.”

  Once she was on the ground again, he moved aside a flap of leather to expose her thigh.

  Evalle leaned forward to see what hurt so much and damn if it didn’t look like she’d been burned instead of cut. “Why isn’t it cut and bleeding? I’m not complaining about the lack of blood, but ... “

  Adrianna scratched her forehead. “That is strange. I don’t know everything about the realm, but it’s surprising that it clawed you. It was close enough to bite off your leg.”

  Lovely thought.

  Storm said, “It has a sharp cinnamon smell.”

  Adrianna murmured, “Not good.”

  “Why?”

  “That’s the KievRus scent.”

  “What does that mean?” Evalle asked.

  Adrianna hesitated, then shook her head as she stared at the burn. “I don’t know.”

  “We should get out of here.” Storm stood up and looked around. He told Evalle, “If you’ll sit tight, I’ll help if Adrianna will allow me to pick up any of her things.” He raised his eyebrows in Adrianna’s direction, obviously asking permission along with the offer.

  Evalle had no problem being a slug on the side. She’d tried to help Adrianna once in the past and the borderline OCD witch did not like anyone touching her toys. Storm already knew that, apparently.

  “I’ve got this, Storm,” Adrianna said in a no-nonsense voice worthy of a grade school teacher.

  He nodded, and Adrianna said a quick chant, using the knife to close the circle she’d created earlier. Storm moved Evalle out of the circle and kept watch as Adrianna moved around the space, collecting her things.

  When she had everything packed to suit her, she gladly handed Storm the backpack, and he adjusted the straps then slid his arms through. Once Adrianna had him loaded down like her own personal pack mule, she walked out ahead of everyone.

  The Sterling witch might look like she’d been dragged through a briar patch, but she could pull together dignity faster than the queen of England.

  Storm helped Evalle stand, and on the way to the truck, he lifted her over anything that might cut her bare feet.

  Once she got inside, Evalle had just sunk into the passenger seat and leaned back when she got a telepathic call from Tzader. Evalle, we have a situation. I’ve been ordered to a Tribunal meeting. I need you to meet me there.

  That would require teleporting by Sen. Ugh.

  Evalle sent back a quick, I can meet Sen in Woodruff Park in fifteen minutes. I just need to change clothes.

  More like she needed to put clothes on, but that was information Tzader didn’t need.

  Tzader replied, That’s fine. I told them it’d take a half hour.

  She asked, What’s up?

  The Beladors are being accused of killing the Medb without provocation and the Medb have demanded a judgement.

  That’s crazy.

  I know. I wouldn’t bring you in but the Tribunals are not happy about the tug-of-war over the gryphons and the Medb want to present an offer that involves the gryphons. Since you’re the gryphon leader, they want you present. Bring Storm with you.

  She rolled her eyes at being called their leader as if that meant she held some position of significance, then she realized the last thing Tzader had said and replied, Okay, but why Storm?

  The Medb are delivering a body and VIPER has requested Storm to identify a scent and give testimony about the murder.

  You don’t think a Belador murdered a Medb, do you?

  No, but I have to be prepared to deal with it if one of ours lost control and killed a Medb.

  Tzader’s presence withdrew from her mind.

  She glanced at Storm, who might have to send a Belador to his death, because some rules could not be broken.

  The Belador code of honor topped that list.

  Chapter 23

  Veronika materialized inside Jafnan Mir to find her ancestors in chaos.

  She swept through the forest, nodding at those of her family who had taken the shape of trees and plants in the muted colors of lives long gone. They bowed in respect as she passed. They cleared a path ahead of her, allowing her robe to float over smooth ground.

  Flowers burst into bloom in brilliant colors along the way. Those would be the
KievRus children who had been lost too soon.

  When Veronika reached the center of the realm, where she’d formed the sphere, all the beasts surrounding the rotating ball ceased growling and roaring. They turned to face her, then settled on the ground, docile as guard hounds.

  She opened her arms out to each side and her robe sleeves hung halfway to the ground. The smaller version of the sphere spun on the palm of her right hand. She could feel the palm sphere yearning to reach out toward Ragan’s giant ball of power.

  Ragan still spun in the center, but something had disturbed the peace.

  Something had upset her ancestors, or they would not have called Veronika in.

  She tilted her head back. The hood fell away and her blue-black hair fell gently down her back. Closing her eyes, she opened her soul to her parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and on, including, aunts, uncles and cousins from many generations back.

  Their anxiety became hers.

  She clenched against the anger and frustration, then opened her mind, asking, What has happened, Guardians?

  Reports barreled into her mind one right after another, accompanied by images.

  Ragan’s twin had tried to rescue Ragan from her destiny.

  Veronika’s eyelids fluttered with the speed of images flying past her mind’s eye.

  Adrianna had brought a friend. Someone unknown to Veronika could pose a threat to her plans, but wait ... her great, great, great uncle had marked the second woman.

  Veronika sent her appreciation for his wise decision.

  She knew where Adrianna had gone when she walked away from the Sterlings.

  But the Guardian’s mark would lead Veronika to the second woman, who would hand over Adrianna for betraying Veronika’s agreement with the Sterlings. Veronika would not bother with the Sterling leaders. They were nothing to her or her plan. Now that Adrianna had breached the contract, the Sterlings wouldn’t lift a finger to prevent Veronika’s going after Adrianna and combining her power with Ragan’s.

  In all honesty, the Sterlings wouldn’t have interfered anyhow, but although Veronika had toyed with the idea of using Ragan to capture Adrianna, she’d not been willing to risk a battle that would have divided her attention and energy.