Azazel knew it.
And unfortunately, Lethe knew it.
There was only one way to defeat this madness. The God Mother had given Tas precise instructions. Tonight would begin the correcting of a mistake made centuries ago.
The lock on the door gave under her touch and she stepped inside, unseen and unheard. Debris from the side of the house had flown in as far as the front door and done a lot of damage. She carefully picked her way through the bits and pieces and turned to the left through the TV room to where Dharma Parande and Elizabeth Hawthorne busied themselves tending to their wounds at the sink. The Water Witch's magic sensed Tas's presence, but when she turned, Tas waved her hand and the young woman stopped moving.
Elizabeth noticed this and turned to see Tas standing in the doorway. The Witch's expression revealed so many things about her, but what Tas admired the most, as did the God Mother, was the unyielding devotion she carried for her daughter. Elizabeth's hands took on light as she realized Dharma wasn't moving and pointed them at Tas. "Who are you?"
"My name's Tasoula Damali. I work at the Royale Street Police Station with Levi and Crwys. Crwys…what a silly name."
Elizabeth didn't lower her arms even when Tas showed her badge. "They've never mentioned you."
"No. I just started there a few weeks ago. But that's all on paper, isn't it." She lowered her badge and nodded to Elizabeth's hands. "You can put those away. I'm not here to hurt you. I have a message from someone."
The Witch hesitated and she did lower her hands, but she didn't extinguish her power. "A message? From whom?"
"Our God Mother."
Elizabeth instantly drew a pentagram in the air, and Tas felt it envelope her the same way she'd felt Sam's. Like daughter, like mother. She could have cried at the beauty of it. "It doesn't know what you are."
"No. It's not supposed to." She took a few more steps into the kitchen and stopped at the center island.
"You smell like grass and wild onions."
"Thank you." Tas tucked a loose strand of her dark hair behind her ear. "Your daughter's in danger, Elizabeth."
"I know."
"You know what it is she faces?"
"Yes. But Crwys will help her."
"Even Azazel can't defeat what Lethe's created, Elizabeth. I know you can sense that."
Elizabeth doused the power in her hands. "I…I don't know what to do. I've hidden for so long in my shame at being…at not being there for her all these years."
Tas closed the distance between them, but didn't get too close. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. You were bartered for by forces outside of your control. And even though the Leviathan that raised Sam did so with foul intent—he failed. He failed because your daughter is strong, as is the Arcane Magic that now lives inside her. It's that Arcane that Lethe fears and wishes to destroy."
"I think Sam knows that."
"Not…really. She won't be able to use it if she doesn't unleash it. And there is still a part of Sam that doesn't trust it."
Elizabeth took a step closer. "Are you saying that Dragon is going to kill her?"
"There is that possibility. But you could help her…level the playing field."
"How?" Her eyes searched Tas's.
Tas held out her right hand and called forth a golden arrow. Elizabeth gasped and stepped back. She pointed at the arrow. "That's one of the—"
"No. This arrow is not meant for Azazel. This arrow is meant for Lethe, with the blessing of the God Mother." She held the arrow out to Elizabeth.
The Witch started to raise her hand, then lowered it. She visibly swallowed and then finally took the arrow from Tas's hand. She smiled then and looked at Tas. "It's…it's whispering to me."
"It will tell you what to do. You still live between the worlds, Elizabeth Hawthorne. That of the Faerie and of this one. You can choose your form. The arrow will guide you." Tas took a few steps back and started to leave the kitchen.
"Wait," Elizabeth called out and Tas turned to face her. "I don't have a bow. I've never even shot an arrow before."
"You don't need skill. The arrow knows where to go. As for a bow…" She smiled. "Ask Ivan for the bow, and then scratch him with the arrow's tip. It won't hurt him. Trust me. Do this, Elizabeth, and Samantha will survive."
Now it was time to go. She waved her hands and Dharma moved. Dharma looked around the kitchen and then laughed. "Wow…I thought I saw someone back there…where did you get that arrow? Holy crap…is that the Arrow?"
Tas smiled as Elizabeth answered and said she needed to find Ivan. She headed back out of house and stood across the street, leaning against the red Mustang she'd retrieved for Crwys and left waiting for him when this night was over. "It's done, Mother."
A voice carried on the wind spoke, bringing with it the smell of roses and fresh turned earth. Now we wait and see.
TWENTY NINE
My mind screamed through the pain as I struggled to get free. I called on my Elementals, but they didn't answer and I believed I was abandoned.
-No!- came the single word that echoed through the thundering chaos.
But it was just a voice from my memories, which filed past me like burning photographs tossed into the fire of a broken heart. The most painful ones came to the surface first. The first time Crwys and I tried at making it work ended with me alone in the newly repaired shop after he told me this wasn't working, that he couldn't be the man he needed to be, or the cop the NOPD wanted if he constantly worried about me.
And then he was back and I believed we could make it work, until he left me sitting alone in the restaurant on Valentine's Day and he disappeared.
My birthday a few months ago, alone with a cake I'd bought thinking he'd be home to celebrate with me. He didn't even call.
Alone while he worked his job and refused to set a date.
Why did he ask me to marry him if he didn't really want me?
-He wants you! You're not remembering the good!-
I struggled against the pain, not wanting to succumb to it. But somehow I knew if I gave up…if I let it all go and gave her what she wanted, the pain would end. The agony of rejection, the fear of loneliness, it would all just go away. No worries. No stress. I could just fold myself into the Well of Souls and know oblivion.
Instead, I heard voices in my head, ignoring me.
-Sam! She's not hearing us!- the Arcane said.
-What do we do? Our brother has committed the ultimate wrong by taking over. It is a betrayal!-
-No Sionna, he's in the same pain, experiencing the same loss and fear of loneliness. We have to reach them both.-
-But how? Belenos, surely you have an idea.-
-I have none. Arcane, is there nothing you can do? You have the power to take her body, use her power!-
-Arcane, you'll have to take over,-
-I can't, not like this. Even if I overshadow her, the Sylph still controls the power. Taking over will only free the Drachen to do her worst.-
-We have to do something.-
-Calm yourselves. We are all together now. There is hope. The God Mother is watching. Arcane, you help Sam while the rest of us support our brother. Are we in agreement? Good, then let us begin.-
* * *
Crwys kept his arms out in front of him, fighting off the occasional lightning strike. It was easy enough to redirect the energy. That is, if he sensed it. But if one of them hit him directly, there wasn't much he could do except hope he didn't land on anyone below. But he was determined not to let that happen. He had a job to do, which was to save the woman he loved.
Just as she had saved him.
Twice.
He rushed through the darkening clouds as they moved and spun about him. He thought he saw angry faces in their shadows, but he didn't see Sam at all. So he pushed himself even higher until he was above the clouds and beat his wings steadily as he hovered. This gave him a better angle, but it also left him very, very visible.
"I knew you'd show up here." Lethe spoke
in her normal voice, but he heard her as if she were beside him. He saw her hovering, her position even with his own, on the edge of the clouds. Her green and purple wings were out as well. "Once again, I have you at a disadvantage, Azazel. The one you think you love, the object of your fascination, is at my mercy and you can't stop it. But this time…this time I won't be so careless. She will die and you will come with me."
"You can't really still be on about that. Really, Lethe…I don't love you. If anything, I despise you." He held out his arms. "So this is it? You wish to fight one another up here over this miasma of sorrows you've created. Your own personal Sheol?"
"How very creative of you. Yes…I like that. My Sheol." She smiled at him but didn't come any closer. "No. I do not wish to fight. My power can't touch you—though I'm not sure why. I suppose it has something to do with Cosgrove." Her expression soured. "I never trusted him."
"Nor he, you." Crwys needed to get back in the clouds and find Sam. This was wasting his time. "If you're not going to stop me, then I'll be on my way." He dove down in the clouds, half expecting her to follow. But she didn't. So he waited just below the surface of the maelstrom and watched. Lethe simply hovered there.
Could she be that certain Sam couldn't be saved? Did she know something he didn't? Some key that he failed to guess? Or was it something else? Did it matter at this point? He wasn't going to lose Sam the way he'd lost the others. He refused to. He would defy all the laws of magic and follow her into the Well if he did, and he would fight to bring her back.
So he lowered himself and centered his mind, took in several deep breaths as the winds buffeted him. He had to fight to keep himself from being pulled into what was starting to be a large whirlpool—
A funnel. The winds circling the center. Was Sam doing it? The Sylph? Or was it something else, showing him the way to her? He dropped down just below the clouds, aware of his friends beneath him as spotted the center of the forming funnel. Crwys flew to the end of it and looked inside.
And there, at the very center, halfway between the top and the bottom, was Sam. She hung there; whether by her own power or by the magic of the Sylph, he wasn't sure. She wasn't moving. Was she hurt or injured?
With a look around to check for Lethe, Crwys flew into the center of the funnel, slowly, approaching with caution. All that treading past terrified Angels.
When he was just inches from her he saw it. The Sylph. It was larger than him now. He flowed behind her, holding her up under her arms with his own. It was best to try a small attack to test one's opponent. He didn't have a clue as to what the Sylph would do, but he was going to have to try.
Frowning, he held his hands at his sides and powered up his furnace, feeling the heat churning inside as he neared from below and cooled his flames to blue. But just before he attempted to aim the fire, the Sylph dropped from Sam and stopped in front of Crwys. They were face to face, evenly set. The thing was made of clouds and wind and lightning.
Lightning!
Crwys ducked just before it fired at him. The bolt missed and Crwys was able to return the fire with his blue flame. It caught hold of the Sylph's physical form and froze him solid, causing him to drop down. Crwys shot up and grabbed Sam around the front. Her eyes were open but unblinking, and they were far away, as if she were gazing at something beyond him.
He wrapped his arms around her, knowing he had very little time before the Sylph would be back to fire another bolt at him. "Sam!" he screamed at her over the rush of wind. "Listen to me. I love you. You hear me? I love you! You've got to take control back. Solomon said you have to wake the—"
The bolt caught him in the hip and he lost all feeling as his wings stopped beating. He arched back a few seconds before he plummeted back down through the funnel.
* * *
I heard Crwys. Or it sounded like Crwys. I shushed the other voices and peered through a hole in the wall. I didn't know where the hole came from, but I saw him there. He was dressed in a t-shirt and jeans and his wings were out. He was yelling at me through that hole, trying to say something. Something important.
-Sam, can you hear me?-
Shush. I need to hear what he's saying.
-He wants you to wake the Sylph.-
How do I do that? I turned and looked at my Arcane self.
-This is your body. That is your name he took. He can't have it because it's yours. You're gong to have to…- she faltered and then grinned as if she just realized something. -Give him a name.-
What?
-Give the Sylph a name!-
But I don't know his name.
-Just give him one!-
Name the invisible man? Could I do that? The others had their own names.
I had these wonderful memories with me, the ones I'd been preparing to take with me to the Well. The memories of all my friends, my grand Dragon, my friendly Werewolf, and my wonderful Elementals.
My Undine came to me and smiled, the little mermaid I loved so dearly. -Names should count. Make it a good name. And do it quick.-
My Salamander came up behind her. -I vote for asshat.- Yes, he was so like Crwys.
-No! It must come from the heart,- replied Sionna.
I looked at all of them. "Will it hurt him?"
-It might. We don't know. But right now, it's using you. And the Dragon is using him, because she controls him. Take him back, Sam! Name him!- said the Arcane.
-Name him!- the rest agreed.
So I turned back to the portal to see a bolt of lightning strike Crwys. I screamed as his body went rigid and his wings wrapped around him as he fell. Seeing my lover attacked like that—there were just some lines nobody crossed.
Ever.
I blinked a few times so I could see through my own eyes and looked down at the falling speck. Both arms went out and I called upon Spirit, Fire and Water, especially Water to stop his fall. I ordered, cajoled, and bent the physics of the clouds to hold him there while I dealt with the one who hurt him.
The Sylph looked angry as he came at me, his arms out, ready to wrap them around me again. But I was too pissed now. Just too out of control, like I always get when emotion got involved. I put up my own hand and said, "STOP!"
He did. Inches from my face. We were eye to eye with each other, and I put my hands on his cheeks. "You are my Sylph. I have loved you, cared for you, and fought for you from the day you came to my room and made my toys dance in the air. You belong with me, with your brother and sisters, so I name you, Sylph of the Element of Air. You are Zephyros!"
I had no idea where that name came from, but something moved inside of me as the air around us stirred. The hole I'd felt gnawing at my side eased up until it was filled again. In that instant, I reached out with my arms and sent my Undine into the clouds. I followed her as she wove past every pocket of memory, every drop of anger, and every shadow of rage. At each touch the churning was gone, the magic disputed as thunder followed another jolt of lightning.
Rain poured down around me, soaking me in Arden's dress, and I wiped it away from my face as the darkness lifted. Crwys appeared in front of me, his majestic wings making him all the more sexy and incredible as he reached out and pulled me into his arms. I wrapped my arms and legs around him as he beat his wings and we sailed up through the clouds and broke through to the calm above. There, he kissed me as deeply as he ever had and I took his face in my hands. "I was afraid you would hit the ground."
"I'm a Dragon," he said, his hair wet and that shock of it sticking to his cheek. "I've fallen a lot more often than you think."
-We're not alone.-
No, we weren't. I'd already sensed her there on the edge of the dissipating cloud. New Orleans was getting that rain it desperately needed below as I turned and my Sylph appeared beside me. With a nod to Crwys, he balanced me on his shoulder and took me closer to Lethe. I had to admit it was pretty cool seeing another Dragon besides Crwys.
Only I knew from the way Crwys has described her to me, this one was bat-shit crazy. "You can
leave now," I said.
"He's mine." Her eyes narrowed at me, and I could make out the scars on her face and down her neck. Scars that Crwys's red fire had put on her.
"He belongs to himself, Lethe. Not to me, and certainly not to you."
"You won't live."
She made her move and threw something at me. I held up my arms to block it just as Crwys screamed, "NO!"
Whatever it was struck me in the chest and my Sylph spun just a beat too slow. It was like being hit with a stun gun as every muscle in my body locked and my mind went on a roller coaster through all of the bad memories and dreams I'd ever experienced. And through it all, I could hear my Elementals screaming as they relived it with me. I felt my Sylph falter as his own bad memory of being separated from me flashed before my eyes.
We were falling, unable to stay in the air, and I knew Lethe was coming after us. I tried to grasp onto something in my mind, something to stop the dreaded images, memories and the heart-breaking emotions that came with them, but I was losing myself in them.
Crwys caught me just as something a lot bigger than me few past. Even Crwys cursed as he ducked out of its way, and I managed to look up to see…
"Is that…a Harpy?" Crwys sounded as shocked as I was. Holding me tight, he accelerated upward in the storm and followed the path of the mythical creature.
Lethe was no longer coming after us but heading straight up just as the Harpy followed in front of us. Within seconds we all broke through the clouds as something golden glistened from the Harpy. Something I recognized all too well. "She's got the Bow, Crwys… That Harpy's got Artemis's Bow!"
Elemental Storm (The Eldritch Files Book 6) Page 23