Finding Hawk (Branches of Emrys Book 3)

by Brandy L Rivers

  She needed to go to the pillar where she could hear her father’s voice and ask him. It was the only way. And maybe she needed someone to watch over her.

  Chatan was the only choice, of course. But would he encourage another trip? Last time could have been bad, but then again, if he had been with her, maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad.

  There was no good choice. Go without him and cause him to worry. Tell him and make him worry. Or take him and let him worry with her right there.

  He knelt beside her. “Can’t sleep?”

  “Pulling up those images left me with nightmares about him. That’s how we know he’s on the search for one of us.” She rolled to her side. “Or maybe, it was me sharing the story that left me with nightmares this time because I don’t sense a direction. Usually I sense where he might be. It makes running easier. Though we’re all caught eventually.”

  “Why do you seem like you’ve given up?”

  “I haven’t. My mom worried me last night. She’s never like that. I just wonder if she saw something I couldn’t.”

  He swept his fingers through her hair. “What do you want to do?”

  “Visit the pillar. I hear my father’s voice there, I see him. Like part of him is still there. I need to ask if he knows what to do with Dove and Hawk because he didn’t write about what to do.”

  “Maybe he didn’t know.”

  “But then how did he know I needed them?”

  “I don’t know, but get dressed, and we’ll go there first.”

  She gulped. “I’m probably going to pass out.”

  He smiled. “Then you’ll pass out and I’ll make sure the asshole brigade doesn’t come looking for you. But no one has seen Mason in a couple days. Maybe Josephine got tired of her pets and killed him when she took the other guys’ memories.”

  “That’s grim,” she said.

  “Maybe, but I wouldn’t miss the bastard. Come on, get ready. We’ll go there, then breakfast, even if we’re late. Besides, my aunt has some news she won’t simply tell me.”

  “Want to do breakfast first?”

  He shook his head. “No, too early yet. We’ll go to the pillar first, and maybe you’ll finally be willing to get some rest.”

  She smiled. “All right, you’re on.”

  * * * *

  At the pillar, Jacinda knelt before it, closed her eyes, and slipped away from him. Her body was there, but she went between the realms, out of this one.

  He sat down beside her and dug out his phone since she didn’t move. She was as still as a statue.

  Dad answered after a single ring. “Chatan, I’d been hoping to hear from you. Sounds like you found your dove again. Did she unlock your magic?”

  “Slow down. I have questions. Did you know her father?”

  “Tyrell Lavelle. One of my closest friends. He was a smart man. Healer, shifter, his blood is even more mixed than yours. He loved his wife and his little girl more than anything and led Thanatos away. Your mother found him, tried to stop Thanatos from slaying him, and she grew sick. All because I was searching for answers in all the wrong places.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You only met Jacinda once, on her second birthday. You met Tyrell a few times. I knew from the moment I saw the necklace you two would wind up together. Then you laid eyes on her, and you were captivated. She was always your other half.”

  “Dad, she found Dove. She freed her. Do you have any idea what she’s supposed to do with Hawk and Dove, or the bracelet?”

  “I’m still working that out. I have one of Tyrell’s journals. You should bring her to me so I can give it to her.”

  “Yeah, first the elders need to deal with someone who wants to drain her magic. If she leaves here, the strigoi will follow.”

  “Yeah, well, Jacinda will try running eventually to protect you. You have to be strong and follow her. And you need to be there for her when she falls apart.”

  “What are you talking about?” Chatan demanded.

  “I’ll explain when you get here. Just tell me you two are bound. Otherwise, she could lose you.”

  “We are,” he answered slowly. “I will follow her to the end of the world. But she told me everything she knows about Thanatos. I don’t think she’s going to run.”

  Dad sighed. “Something is going to happen to make her run. I can’t tell you everything. Just follow her, no matter what.”

  “I will.” He looked at Jacinda. “Why do you think she’ll run?”

  “You’re young, Chatan. You see love in one way, and believe everyone experiences it the same. That’s not how it works. If she loves you, and I’m sure that she does, she would leave to protect you, rather than watch you suffer because of Thanatos.”

  “Damn it, Dad. Do you know what she needs to do to stop him?”

  “No,” he admitted. “I’ll help her figure it out. With some friends of mine, we can stop him.”

  “I hope so. She’s at the pillar now, hopefully talking to her father, or his ghost, or whatever.”

  “Good. She needs words of comfort only Tyrell could give her now. Bring her to me when you get a chance. I want to see how she’s grown over these many years. I haven’t seen her since she was tiny.”

  “Sure.” He hung up, more confused than he had been before. First, they needed to deal with Josephine.

  * * * *

  Jacinda fell until she landed on her knees before her father in the same position. “Daddy, what am I supposed to do?”

  “Dove will show you the way. That’s the part Hawk didn’t understand. He showed me you needed Dove. He didn’t tell me what Dove would do when you finally released her. I only know she will show you the way, like she showed Hawk.”

  “Why all the riddles?” She dropped her head, defeat weighing her down.

  “Don’t you dare give up. You’ve come farther than anyone else in your bloodline. Keep fighting. You will defeat Thanatos. You have the pieces, now solve the puzzle. And whatever you do, don’t let go of Chatan.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I watch over you. And, baby, you couldn’t find a better man. He loves you more than anything else.”

  He faded and she woke with a start, staring at the pillar flashing with bright lights in the etching.

  “He doesn’t know,” she whispered.

  Chatan wrapped his arms around her. “That’s okay. I know another way to find the answers.”

  “Josephine needs to be dealt with first.”

  He nodded. “And the elders are getting ready to make their move.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Feeling I have. Only reason Loretta wouldn’t tell me what’s up over the phone. You ready?”

  “Yeah.” She blew out a breath. “I don’t know what else to do here.”

  He took her hands and pulled her to a stand as he stood. “We should hurry.”

  * * * *

  Chatan made it through breakfast without demanding answers. As soon as they were finished eating, he sat forward. “Okay, Loretta, what the hell is going on?”

  “Josephine killed her cousin the night Butch and the gang tried to abduct Jacinda. Mason is still around. Loval saw her teaching him to use magic. Reality altering magic.”

  “A transcendent mage?” Jacinda asked.

  “That’s what her cousin was classified as. Her husband was a warlock. He’s alive. He’s helping to teach Mason to use the magic.”

  “Mason can’t sustain that magic. He has no anchor of his own.”

  “Not unless they use a druid to anchor it,” Loretta explained.

  “And where is there a druid around here?” Jacinda asked.

  Chatan rubbed at his head. “I’m half druid. My mother was a druid.”

  Jacinda’s mouth popped open. “Please tell me whatever you all cooked up doesn’t use Chatan as bait.”

  “She’s already planning to come for him. May as well,” Loretta said, but fear coated the words.

  “No.
This is a terrible idea. You can’t seriously expect me to believe the only way to deal with them is for Chatan to let himself be taken.”

  “It’s the only way to stop them in the act,” Chatan explained. The elders would stop her. Nothing that bad would happen to him. He could live with being a little banged up in order to stop Josephine from killing another person.

  Jacinda held up her hands, her glare stopping on each of them. “There are plenty of ways to prove they did whatever they did. He doesn’t have to play bait. Point me at the damned place and I can recreate every murder that happened with a spell.”

  “We can’t find the place they’re at. It’s hidden from view,” Chatan said.

  “Then how did Loval see the training?” Jacinda demanded.

  “They were in the woods, not on anyone’s property,” Loretta explained.

  “Then I need to be part of the group that goes after him. I can track him through anything.”

  “Will you be able to break through wards to get to him?”

  She smiled. “Not a problem there. But this doesn’t happen unless I get to go.”

  Chatan took her hands. “You shouldn’t be the one to do this. The elders and the Silver Council will protect me.”

  “Nope, not okay with this.” She shook her head. “You can’t be serious.”

  “Wish I wasn’t. Look. I don’t want to go without you, but I won’t let her touch you.”

  “I can see through any illusion they throw at me. I can tear down their reality warping bullshit. I should be there,” she insisted.

  “We’ll figure it out. They have a solid plan. Go to the meeting and see what the plan is. They want you there anyway,” Loretta assured.

  He knew what was going to happen. They’d try to convince her not to go, and when that didn’t work, they’d find another way to keep her from going. It was the only way he could be sure she was safe.

  Chapter 35

  Jacinda was nearing panic mode. Between the creeping feeling that Thanatos was close with no real direction, and Chatan’s decision to leave her behind to stop Josephine, she was at a breaking point.

  He hadn’t said as much, but she felt it through and through. He wanted to protect her. And none of them had seen even a fraction of the shit she could do.

  She stormed outside, pacing the garden.

  Chatan stepped in front of her and took her shoulders. “What’s going through your head?”

  “You want me to stay here while you go into that bitch’s den? You want to offer yourself as a sacrifice and hope like hell the Silver Council doesn’t fall for reality warping magic?” A frightened laugh bubbled up. “And you think I’d sit by and let it happen.”

  “We haven’t heard the plan.”

  “They’re not going to want me there. They won’t. You’ve all been protecting me. You don’t know what I’m capable of.”

  “Jacinda, everything will be fine. Maybe you can talk them into going.”

  “Oh, don’t even lie to me. I know you don’t want me there.”

  “Just like you don’t want me to go at all.”

  “Why can you when I can’t?”

  “She wants to kill you.”

  “And now she wants to kill you. And Mason wants to as well. Let’s see how many ways this is a bad fucking idea.”

  He grinned. “Jace, we’ll figure it out.”

  She stormed away. When she faced him again she shook her head. “Do you really expect me to be okay with a plan that doesn’t include me coming to get you?”

  “No, I don’t. And I wouldn’t like it any better if our positions were reversed.”

  “So, let’s reverse them, because I know how to deal with transcendent mages. I know how to deal with warlocks. And I’ve met Orlando. The fucker, he’s a piece of shit, and I’d love to prove he doesn’t know shit.”

  “Whoa, how do you know her cousin?” he prompted.

  She blew out a breath. “When I was in Maine, some small but rich town, he challenged me. His wife tried to help him beat me, breaking the rules of the duel, and they couldn’t pull it off. He can’t best me, and his wife couldn’t either. And if they took her magic, Josephine doesn’t stand a damned chance against me.”

  “What about Mason?” Chatan challenged.

  “If I can get out of a situation without resorting to magic, I do. Especially in a town full of humans who don’t understand magic. He had no magic. If I could have gotten away without burning the prick, I would have. I couldn’t. He was physically stronger. I did what I had to.”

  “You’re gorgeous when you’re pissed.”

  She threw her hands up. “Tell me you understand why I’d be pissed with this bullshit idea.”

  “Oh, I get it. We’ll talk to the elders and figure it out.”

  “Fine. We talk to the elders. And if you don’t say I should be there, and you fight against me showing up, I’ll walk away faster than you know what to do.” It was a promise she would keep.

  “I won’t argue. I can’t fight your case, though, Jace. But I won’t stop you from telling them why you need to be there.”

  “Good enough.” It would have to be, because walking away from Chatan might just kill her.

  * * * *

  Chatan didn’t like the fucking plan in the slightest. Let Mason do what he needed to bring him in. Then sit through whatever they attempted until the elders and Silver Council broke the door down.

  He wasn’t worried about being hurt. There were plenty of healers on the reservation. It was Jacinda he worried about. She had her own plan, and she had shut down their connection until he couldn’t even feel the building rage. And he knew it was there because her white-knuckle grip was all that kept her seated.

  George finished his plan.

  Jacinda shot up. “That won’t work. Who do you have who can follow Chatan through any barrier, besides me?”

  “How can we be sure you can do anything you claim?” Jenna countered.

  “Try me. I think you’ll be surprised.” Jacinda shot a glare back at George. “I could have unleashed my magic when I thought Saint Morton was full of humans who were just stupid enough to try to have a witch hunt. Now that I know the truth, I wish I’d unleashed my power. We wouldn’t be sitting here, offering Chatan to a power hungry strigoi and her favorite pet.”

  “She has a point,” Chatan answered. “I hate it. I want her safe, but I know she can do what she claims. Maybe it’s best if we let her come with you all?”

  Loretta’s eyes nearly fell out of her head as she turned toward him. “Josephine will feel her power the second she steps off the reservation.”

  “Do you sense it now?” Jacinda countered.

  Mac shook his head. “I don’t. She’s blocking it somehow. That’s a very rare talent, and she’s not a dark mage.”

  “Far from it. I don’t take magic from others. Yet, you want to send Chatan to a woman who does. I agree we need to stop her, and we need to be careful,” Jacinda offered. “However, we don’t need to send him in without protection. I can counter damn near anything she throws our way. Let me go.”

  George blew out a breath. “And what if you fail?”

  “What if you all fail to find him in time?” Jacinda asked. “Can you honestly risk that?”

  Chatan rubbed at his face and pulled her into his lap, hugging her tight. “Don’t shut me out. I just stood up for you.”

  She turned with a slight smile. “I’m not giving up on you. If I have to, I’ll walk off this reservation and let her come for me herself. She’s not going to like me when I’m angry.”

  He kissed her quick. “Promise you’ll lead everyone to me.”

  She nodded, and he held her tight.

  “Then we agree.” George sighed.

  * * * *

  Mac caught Jacinda’s shoulder on their way out. “Can you hide us all from view when they take him?”

  She nodded. “Yes. The magic will be a problem, unless there’s a vehicle we can all fit in. I can w
ard that, and we’ll be able to follow, and they won’t sense any of us until it’s too late. Just tell me the fools are still in a jail cell.”

  “Josephine has many more goons than those five. She has been known to toss them aside when they fuck up too much. The only one she has kept since the beginning is Mason.”

  “The one who hurt your daughter?”

  He nodded. “She wanted a better life. She values things no one here does. I hope she finds what she’s looking for, but I don’t think that’s here.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t. She’ll grow up, one day.” Mac kissed her head. “Let’s prepare the van.”

  She dipped her head and moved around the van, casting spells to keep it hidden from view, and everything in it, and to lock all magic within its walls to keep anyone from sensing them once they crossed the border to Saint Morton.

  The magic was all she could do to keep her mind off the fact Chatan was putting himself in their hands. Orlando didn’t play nice. He was a monster.

  But she could handle anything.

  Once the spells were cast, Chatan walked over. “I don’t see it.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “You won’t. Only those of us riding in it. That way it goes truly unnoticed.”

  “As long as it doesn’t rain and it’s light out so you don’t need headlights.”

  “Wouldn’t matter. I just have to convince them to let me drive. I don’t need headlights, especially if following someone.”

  “You really are full of surprises.”

  She sighed. “She’s killed enough people. It needs to end.”

  He took her hands. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. Whatever they do, they can heal.”

  “Mason hurts you, and I’ll do ten times worse to him.”

  Chatan kissed her, then stepped away. “I have to go. It’s my turn.”

  She pulled him closer and whispered words to form a shield that coated his body like a second skin. He wouldn’t feel it, but nothing would penetrate it. Mason would have to knock him out, but she didn’t believe that should be an issue. In fact, the cuffs probably wouldn’t do a damned thing to him with the protection woven over him, but his magic wouldn’t get through either.