by Bonnie Lamer
Kallen raises an eyebrow. “Who do you suggest cares for her, then?”
Immediately, Kegan’s hands are up, palms out. “Uh uh, not me,” he exclaims. “I will be right there fighting with you.”
“I was not about to suggest you do it,” Isla intones. “I believe Tabitha is the safest choice. I am afraid Alita would not be able to give her the protection she needs if warriors get around us and come for the child.”
Poor Alita. She hates the fact she cannot help in these types of situations. We all try to reassure her that being able to sense dark magic is enough, but she never believes us. “I’m certain Alita will want to help,” I say in her defense, regardless of the fact she is not here.
Isla inclines her head. “I believe you are correct.” Turning to Kegan, she says, “Please fill Tabitha and Alita in on the plan.” Kegan nods and heads for the stairs. Giving her full attention to Kallen and me now, she says, “I do not believe the child should nap again for a while.”
“See, told ya,” Taz declares from my ankle. I nudge him with my foot.
“She’s probably hungry, anyway,” I say. “And she needs a diaper change.”
Kallen wrinkles his nose but says, “I suppose it is my turn.”
I smile. He is going to be a good dad someday. “Yup.”
“Then let us adjourn to the kitchen and discuss details,” Isla says over her shoulder as she walks down the hall to the stairs.
“Everything about this is going to suck,” I grumble.
Using my word, Kallen says, “Yup.”
16 CHAPTER
We find the kitchen empty except for Tabitha. “Where is Whysper?” I ask.
Tabitha’s expression is grim. “She awoke a bit ago. I sent her back to the room she occupied before. Dagda’s guard is standing watch.” In other words, she didn’t want her hanging around if she was conscious.
Kegan has already informed Tabitha and Alita of the plan. Alita’s parents have been tucked into a guest room upstairs. They are afraid they will be in the way down here. Sitting on a stool with Lielle still in his arms, Kallen fills them in on our latest experience with glamour. Tabitha and Alita are just as shocked as we were. “I have never heard of such a thing,” Tabitha says. She turns to Isla. “Have you?”
“No, I have not.”
“There is something fishy about all of this,” Tabitha warns. Like we didn’t know that already. She gives me a dirty look informing me I muttered that out loud.
“Way to piss off Bacon Mama,” Taz sniffs as he waddles to Tabitha’s side.
“It has also occurred to me that the child’s glamour may not be as strong as we suspected,” Isla says thoughtfully.
We all turn incredulous eyes toward her. “What do you mean?” Kallen asks.
“If yours and Xandra’s magic becomes entangled in the glamour, it may be the two of you giving it the strength to be solid.”
Well, that bites. “Wouldn’t we know we are doing that?” I ask. Yes, my magic is wild, but I usually know what I’m doing with it. The last episode aside, anyway.
Kallen agrees with me. “Grandmother, Xandra has a point. We would feel such a thing happening.”
“I am with the kids on this one,” Tabitha chimes in.
Isla sighs. “It was just a thought.” Wow, she admitted defeat easily.
“Perhaps it was their lack of privacy lately that let them get so entangled,” Kegan jokes.
My face turns bright red. A quick peek at my gorgeous husband shows he is, as well. Yet, neither of us can argue. Our silence is probably evidence enough that Kegan’s suggestion has merit.
“Then they had better get used to it. Quickly,” Tabitha chides.
Yup, now I’m bright purple. Why is it always Kallen’s and my sex life which is brought up in conversation? No one ever talks about Kegan and Alita’s sex life. Or Isla and Garren’s. Eew. I’m glad about the latter. I don’t really want to know about Kegan and Alita’s, either.
“We will consider this a fluke, then,” Kallen says evenly.
I get a sudden epiphany. “Okay, completely off topic,” I say, grateful to have thought of something other than our sex life, “I think I know how we can prevent the war.”
“Xandra,” Isla begins, but I cut her off.
“At least listen to my plan before saying it won’t work,” I insist. Her lips forming a thin line, Isla indicates with her hand that I should continue. Turning to Kallen, I ask, “Do you remember how I called all of the Skin Walkers to me in my home realm?”
His brow furrows. “Yes, but I do not understand why calling all the Elves here would be a good thing.”
I shake my head in frustration. “Not all of the Elves. Only the ones in this realm. Once they are all gathered, I can seal the passageways.”
“Then we keep the Elves here locked up the rest of their lives?” Kegan asks. “That seems cruel. After all, they are simply following orders.”
I shake my head again. “No, we use them as a bargaining tool. We offer them in exchange for Addylyn.”
“Yes, then you can send Addylyn and the odoriferous one far, far away,” Taz chimes in.
Everyone else is quiet as they mull over my idea. Finally, Isla says, “It has merit.”
“Please, don’t overwhelm me with praise,” I mutter only to receive a dirty look from her.
“I am not convinced you should stretch your magic so thin,” Kallen says.
“I stretch my magic thin all the time,” I retort. “It’ll be fine.”
He’s still not convinced, but he gives in. “We should bring the idea to Dagda,” Kallen says, rising from his stool. “If we are going to do this, it needs to be sooner as opposed to later.”
“I still do not understand what we are doing with the Elves,” Kegan says. “I do not believe they will simply stand around waiting to be traded.”
“We will temporarily hold them as prisoners of war,” Kallen says grimly. He agrees with Kegan. The Elf warriors are simply following orders. We cannot take out our anger toward the new Queen and the King Consort on them. From what we saw earlier, most of them do not agree with their new leaders.
“Bring Dagda here,” Isla orders. “You both need to be involved in the planning and Lielle still needs to be kept out of sight.”
I nod. “I’ll be right back.” I teleport to the palace.
17 CHAPTER
I figure Dagda will be in his war room since he is planning a war. I’m good with logic that way. I find him with several advisors mulling over plans. I startle several of them when I suddenly appear. “I need to talk to you,” I tell my father.
His face somber, he replies, “There is much to be done to prepare for war. Can it wait?”
I cross my arms over my chest. “Considering I thought of a way to avoid the war, no, it can’t.” All eyes are on me, now.
Dagda is suddenly more interested in what I have to say. “What do you mean?”
“I need to bring you back to Isla’s.”
Several of the King’s advisors grumble that they should not be left out of the discussion. After considering for a long moment, Dagda finally tells them, “I will return shortly.” He strides across the room to me and holds out his hand. I take it and teleport us back to the kitchen at home.
Immediately, Dagda turns to Isla. “You agree with whatever this plan is?”
Isla nods. “It could work. There are still several details which need to be ironed out, but I believe it is our best choice for avoiding war.” I try not to gloat for having come up with the idea. The amused look I get from Kallen tells me I am gloating.
“Xandra will do something similar to what she did in the Cowan realm in regards to the Skin Walkers,” Kallen explains.
Dagda was briefed on our trip there so he understands. “You will call all the Elves to you?” he asks. There is way too much doubt in his voice.
“Not all of them,” I say. “Only the ones in this realm.” I fill him in on the rest of the plan.
; His first question echoes Kegan’s. “What do you propose we do with the Elves you gather? If you gather any at all. We do not know for certain there are Elves in this realm. If there are not, your plan will be lacking the necessary hostages.”
Hostages? The word is so negative. “Let’s call them guests,” I suggest.
“Euphemisms do not change what they are,” Dagda replies dryly.
“The most logical and strategic maneuver for the Elves is to have warriors already in place when they declare war. There are Elves here. They are simply far enough away right now that we can’t sense them,” Kallen insists. I smile at him. I love him even more when he agrees with me.
Dagda considers the plan for several moments. Finally, he says to me, “Isla and Kegan will surround an area with magic forming a cell of sorts. If you gather the Elves inside it, they can keep them away from you while you seal the realms. When this is done, you and I will travel to the Elf realm and negotiate.” He gives Kallen a sheepish look. “You will stay here with the baby.”
Kallen’s eyes narrow and his lips are pressed together so tightly, he may lose circulation in them and they’ll fall off. It will be difficult to kiss him if he has no lips. “I do not like the idea of Xandra going into a dangerous situation without me.”
Raising a brow, Dagda asks, “Are you concerned I may not be able to protect her as well as you?”
“Gentlemen,” Isla interrupts before an argument of massive testosterone filled proportions begins. “Neither of you can keep Xandra safer than she can keep herself.” Both Kallen and Dagda are glaring at her now instead of each other. Kegan is trying so hard not to laugh that Alita must pinch him, hard, to keep him from becoming the next target for their ire.
I move to wrap my arms around Kallen the best I can with Lielle in his lap. “One of us must stay with the baby,” I say quietly. “If her glamour goes wonky again, only you and Isla can stop it from causing anyone real harm.”
Only slightly appeased, Kallen grunts. “Fine.” I am pretty sure he and Dagda are going to have words over this later. I plan to make myself scarce when that happens.
“What do you need for the spell?” Isla asks.
Need? “Um, nothing. I was pretty mad when I did it in my home realm which fueled my magic. If necessary, I am certain I can summon up enough anger in this situation.” All I need to do is think about how the Elf Queen and King Consort want to kill an innocent child.
“If you need help with that, I’d be glad to stand by and call you names until you get mad enough,” Taz suggests unhelpfully.
“No, thank you,” I drawl.
“I’ll standby just in case,” he replies. “I already have a few in mind. Dingle berry dodo- brain, Bacon-less blunder, Wallowing whiny windbag, Knucklehead nincompoop, Tasteless tainted Troll turd. I have a million of them.”
To his credit, he is succeeding in making me mad. Though, I do admire his use of alliteration. “Again, your services are not required.”
“Suit yourself,” Taz says with a shrug of his tiny shoulders.
“Kallen, send a message to Sindri regarding the plan. Tell him to keep my advisors where they are,” Dagda instructs. “I will fill them in later.”
His advisors must hate me. Dagda keeps a lot from them since I came along. “Are we ready, then?” I ask.
My biological father nods. “Yes.”
Letting my arms slip from Kallen, I lead the way through the house to the terrace. It will be easier to hold the Elves on the beach than in the driveway or road. The view is nicer, as well. While I wait for the others to combine their magic to contain the Elves, I consider the spell I used back home. Obviously, it needs to be modified.
When everything is in place, I close my eyes and will a spell to come to me. I open them back up when I remember a tiny little detail. “It might seem like I’m going to cause an imbalance, but I’ll try really hard not to.” I close my eyes again so I don’t see the explosion of concern and fear in their eyes. I said I’d try really hard, after all. What else can they expect?
Calling my wings from wherever they go when they are not with me, I begin to pull magic. A lot of magic. Like before, the air around me begins to crackle. The magic is burning through me, wanting escape. Not yet. I swallow back the pain and try to ignore the gasps from the others as the crackling begins to sound more and more like lightning. A single spark I let escape too early could be the one which sets the air ablaze. Finally, I am ready to say the spell. “By my blood and ancient rites, I call upon the goddess tonight. See in my heart and through to my core, what I ask of you may prevent war. I seek your wisdom and guidance as innocent lives hang in the balance. Earth, water, sky and fire, bring me now my desire. Enemies anew sent to gain a foothold, come to me strong and bold. Show me your faces, the magic in your soul, come to me and atone for the lives you almost stole.”
I drop to one knee and touch my hand to the sand. Light shoots from me in many directions as my magic explodes out of me. Everyone except me stayed on the terrace, so they are in no danger from the wild, searching magic.
Everything except the ocean behind me is still for a long moment. When the first of the Elves begin to arrive, I let go of the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. The shock on their faces is almost worth the searing of my insides. Their shock quickly turns to anger as they realize they are caged by magic.
I know when the last of them arrive because my magic comes hurdling back, stronger than any glamour Lielle has produced. I am knocked down by it and fighting to remain conscious. After all, the plan is only partially complete. There is still a long road ahead and I need to be conscious for all of it.
Kallen is by my side in a flash. “Are you alright?” he asks, pushing the hair tangled over my face aside.
I try to smile but it hurts. “I’ve been better,” I admit.
“How is she?” Dagda asks from a foot away.
“She is fine,” I say, sitting up with Kallen’s assistance. “Just a little winded is all.” Winded, seared through to my very core, eh, close enough.
A rasping cough draws my attention. Taz is lying flat on the sand. Well, flat isn’t really possible for him considering his bacon related girth. “There are easier ways to kill me than burning me alive, you know.” My magic must have splintered and some of it processed through my Familiar to reduce the pain I felt. Poor thing. I actually do feel sorry for him this time. “If you had a molecule of decency you would have left me out of it and just burned yourself.” Okay, pity party is over. Now I’m annoyed. I choose to ignore him, though.
With Kallen’s assistance again, I manage to stand. Dagda is already approaching the Elf warriors caught in our trap. “This is only temporary,” he assures them. “We hope to release you soon to your Queen.” None of the warriors are buying it. Unless cursing and throwing insults is their way of showing they believe someone. Probably not.
“Are you ready for the next part?” Kallen asks.
The concern on his face makes me put a hand on his cheek. “I feel great. I’m ready for anything.” The Elf warriors are not the only ones showing a considerable lack of belief. I try again. “Okay, I feel like crap but my magic is fine.”
This my gorgeous husband believes. “Can I be of assistance?” he asks.
I shake my head. “Too risky when I need to use so much magic.” It has been a while since my magic attacked his and I plan to keep it that way. Reluctantly, he nods and backs away once he’s certain I won’t fall back down.
Taking a deep, cleansing breath, I realize my lungs hurt and I shouldn’t do that. Taking a shallower breath, I ask, “Will you please put the candles in position?”
Kegan comes down from the terrace and hands two of the four candles he is holding to Kallen. He retrieved them from wherever they are kept when the rest of us came out here. He and Kallen place them according to the points of the compass. With magic, Kallen sets them aflame. I hope I wasn’t lying when I said I could still do this. It’s going to take a lot of magi
c and my insides are already raw. Bracing myself, I begin the spell. Modified, of course.
“To save the realms, this spell is cast, by Witch, Angel and Fairy, together set fast. Greed and blood, revenge and war, drive the need to close the door. For in this realm the Elves have sworn to come, tainted by death, destruction and venom. To save an innocent babe, this spell I do cast. In my desire for peace I remain steadfast. Close the realms and none shall pass, save for the ones whom this spell uncasts. Gateways locked, passages blocked. With this act the process begun, as threads of peace are finely spun.”
This time when the magic rips through me in its quest to do my bidding, I scream. The pain like a thousand hot pokers attacking my insides envelops me. This time, I do pass out.
18 CHAPTER
I thought my days of passing out were over. I was wrong. I come to in Kallen’s arms. Funny, he doesn’t seem very happy at the moment. I dare say he’s mad about something. Or at someone. It’s probably me. “What?” I mumble incoherently.
“You knew you were stretched to your limits yet you performed the spell anyway,” he grinds out.
Well, duh. “How else were we going to prevent war?”
“Your wellbeing far outweighs any desire for peace,” he informs me.
I snort as I struggle to sit up. “I dare say you are alone in that opinion.”
“He is not,” Dagda growls.
“It’s done and I’m fine,” I assure them both. “I just need a few minutes to rest before we go to the Elf realm.”
“I do not believe it wise to go tonight,” Dagda says.
“Why not?” I demand.
Cocking his head to the side, my father says, “Because I would prefer you to be in fighting condition if the need arises.”
Struggling to my feet, I say, “I am in fighting condition.” Kallen snorts his disagreement.
“It may be for the best to wait,” Isla says from the terrace. “Let the Elves discover on their own what you have done.”