Toci’s face hardened and she met Ozara’s gaze with matched ferocity. “We were not able to prevent the deaths of elders—not among the Ometeo, or among the Sidhe, or the Jinn—they have all noticed. Ozara, surely you recognize that more Fae have perished in the last year than in any time except the Fae wars. The Ometeo have expelled the Seelie and consolidated their borders.” Toci projected an image of Mexico, Central America and the upper half of South America. She highlighted an area between a perfect line just south of Mexico City from coast to coast, and another across the bottom of Panama. The area darkened to red, including the entire Yucatan Peninsula. “This is now Ometeo territory. Trespassers will be destroyed on sight.”
Ozara shuddered, her elegant fingers tightened into fists. “I suppose Tiolac will begin human sacrifices again at the Pyramid of Tenochtitlan? That is what this is about, is it not?”
Shaking her head, Toci exhaled loudly and crossed her muscular arms. “The Ometeo leaders did not discuss that. I certainly hope the question is not as accusatory as it sounds. You know how distasteful I found the practice. Nothing has changed. I’m not wearing the mark—there is no black on my face—I am a loyal Seelie.”
Ozara’s expression softened. “I was not questioning your loyalty, Toci. I apologize.”
“Your apology is accepted. Before you decide what to do to my old clan, please note that the Unseelie have been banished as well,” she said in a seething tone. Disgust filled her face as she shot a fiery look at the Unseelie Elders. Zarkus showed no reaction. Clearly, Toci despised the Unseelie and her feelings seemed deeply rooted in her obvious hatred of seeing humans tortured. I had never considered that the original clans might have been involved in human sacrifice, nor had I heard of the border fights. Relationships among the original clans were more complex than I’d imagined.
Playing diplomat, Ozara softened her tone. “Shall we allow bygones to be bygones? We, the Seelie and Unseelie, need one another right now.” What?
“The Second is causing old divisions to resurface. We have long had our differences, it is true, but even through the Fae wars the original clans knew their boundaries. Is the world not a better place for our kind?”
Zarkus laughed. “A better place for whom? For humans? Most certainly. What else should we allow them to destroy? How many species have met an untimely end at the hands of humans who foolishly spread in an attempt to quench their insatiable appetites for more? If not for your intervention last January, how much damage would their dubious addiction to fossil fuels have caused? Ozara, your edicts to abide the humans, to allow them free reign, have left our entire world in jeopardy. How is it you continue to ignore the obvious?”
Ozara stared at him. “It is not our world, Zarkus. Claiming it is for millennia does not change the obviousness of that fact.”
“They are but one species, Ozara. Tell me you do not long for the days before their pestilence. Do you not remember the beauty of Talemn Alainn before human hands transformed it? Were you not fond of, what do they call it, Manhattan, before its rape?”
Ozara sighed. “I am not willing to address these issues right now. We are here to discuss an alliance to protect our interests. Our clans are at risk from the Second.”
Toci interrupted. “You’re more at risk than you realize.”
Both Zarkus and Ozara stared at her. They seemed bewildered and frightened by her comment. Ozara nodded.
“I have news,” Toci began, “that I am sure you will find most disturbing. The Ometeo are sending an envoy—an envoy to seek out the Second.”
“Toward what end,” Zarkus said in a dry voice.
“Toward our end,” Ozara muttered angrily. What? What does that mean?
“That would mean death for every Ometeo. They are certainly aware that they cannot stand against us,” Zarkus said.
“They labor under no delusions. They are sending an envoy to contact the Second, and the Alux—all the southern clans, in fact. They spoke of ending the hegemony of the two clans.”
“Hegemony?” Ozara scoffed.
“Yes,” Toci replied. “They live under our rules—rules they have followed for thousands of years. They believe now the time may be ripe to make new treaties with the Second. They see this as an opportunity to decide their own future. They fear Unseelie rule as much as they do Seelie. To them, we are both hegemonic powers bent on enforcing our will. The question is, what will we do in response? I fear all the clans will be watching.”
Sherman shook his head. “I have feared this. We all have. We knew one day our power would be challenged.”
Ozara turned to him. “And what would you have us do? We have protected the human race. You above all have sought the same protections.”
“Indeed, I have,” Sherman said. “That has always been my ultimate goal, but with any goal there are always different courses of action to take. Removing all Fae influence from the human race has proven unworkable. Had we directed them, I believe we would have done a better job of protecting them.”
Several Council members agreed with Sherman. I did. It was exactly what Aunt May told me the day she handed me the Earth stone and told me about the trials.
“Perhaps you’re correct, Sherman,” Ozara said, silencing the gathering. “Regardless of whether our chosen path was doomed to failure, our current problem is more pressing. In the future, if order is maintained, perhaps we can look at a different policy. The crisis at hand dictates that we leave those questions for another time. I would like to entertain fresh ideas on how best to proceed.”
Zarkus stroked his broad chin, twisting the pure white whiskers on his goatee to a point. “The Second must be destroyed. I always thought it impossible for the original clans to overcome their differences. Alas, those differences were the key to our respective rise to power. If we are to believe this new evidence, however, it would answer a great many questions. If the clans unite under the Second and we remain at odds with one another, we will all be destroyed. As individual clans we are outnumbered. But with the Seelie and Unseelie united together, the original clans would not dare to confront us.”
Sherman gagged on the word, “Together?”
“Yes, Sherman, together,” Zarkus said.
“I’m not entirely comfortable with it myself, but it does make some sense,” Ozara said.
“It makes no sense,” Victoria countered. “For all we know, the Second is an Unseelie and these killings have been carefully orchestrated. I will never agree to it.”
Zarkus glared at her. “I can assure you, we have nothing to do with this.”
Ozara nodded in agreement while the Council carefully watched her reaction. Aunt May’s warning roared back into my head. She said the Unseelie were involved. My stomach was more than a thousand miles away, but I could feel the nausea over the distance. Still, I had no idea what was going on, and that made me feel helpless.
A crack of thunder across the lake caught everyone’s attention. All eyes stared beyond the green haze. The Seelie guards standing just beyond the Aether barrier focused on the storm while the Unseelie guards filtered between them, staring as several more bolts cracked across the sky. Beyond the Aether, I could sense nothing. I guessed that no one on the Council could either. I moved closer to Sherman and Victoria. They were standing the furthest from Ozara. As I moved, I felt every Council member channeling energy. Sherman turned his eyes back to Ozara and asked “What is it?”
Before she could answer, more than thirty Seelie and Unseelie guards popped out of existence in bright flashes, a massive charge of energy rocking the Peninsula as they were destroyed. The remaining guards instantly shifted forms and dove toward the earth. At the Aether Barrier, green energy mixed from two difference sources in a thunderous clap. Ozara screeched a curse in the Fae tongue and forced a ball of Aether out over the lake. All eyes watched as it met with an invisible source and stopped, crackling across the water surface like a novelty store plasma ball under the touch of human hands. A ball of green energy sho
t back in our direction. Half the council had already taken natural form before it hit. Ozara managed the attack, and returned another barrage. It blew the invisible source away from shore and toward the center of the lake. From the top of the bluff, at our flank, bolts of lightning and Quint rocked us from behind.
Sherman conjured Quint in roiling bands of energy on his hands, readying himself for a breach. It never came. Ozara expanded her shield to a quarter mile—her limit, I assumed. It felt weaker, but the attackers turned and escaped. I had to know the identity of the Second, even if that meant piercing Ozara’s barrier again. I waited until Quint made contact with Aether, and willed myself through it. I felt nothing, not even a hint of recognition from Ozara. Instead, I focused on the invisible source hovering over the lake. I moved close, sensing the energy, but something was wrong. Halfway there, my tether pulled violently, yanking backwards. Past me, both sides exchanged volleys of Aether. Ozara’s shield held. Once again, the tether pulled hard. Something was terribly wrong. I heard Mom’s voice. She was screaming.
* * *
I sat up on the loveseat completely disoriented. Wind blew gallons of water across my body. Everything in the media room was soaked, blown askew, and my senses were going nuts.
“Maggie, hurry,” Mom screamed. “We have to get upstairs, now.” She grabbed my hand and dragged me with more strength than I knew she had. My eyes adjusted enough to see the hurricane windows blown out across the back of the house. And unobstructed by the glass, I saw a tidal surge lapping over the retaining wall at the back of the patio. The beach was underwater.
“Mom? Oh god, what’s happening?”
“The hurricane is much stronger than anyone predicted—it’s slamming Miami right now, and we’re getting the surge.”
I ran upstairs behind her, Mitch, Justice, and my grandparents. We went through darkened halls to my parent’s bedroom at the front of the house, as far away from the ocean as we could get. The sound of snapping wood and the roar of wind signaled the roof tearing away somewhere behind us.
Grandma Sophie was crying, but grabbed blankets from the closet. Grandpa Vic had turned white and his eyes were huge. Then I noticed something else. There were ten new Fae. They were fighting with Vilas, Sasha, and Faye, my three protectors. Oh my god.
While my parents discussed what we should do, I concentrated on the fray outside. Vilas stood between the house and three charging Fae. He exploded into several pieces and I felt him die. Faye closed in behind them and destroyed one, a Water inclined Fae. Then she changed into her natural form and dove to avoid Quint. Oh god, this can’t be happening.
The first three entered from the gaping hole in the roof, while several more chased Sasha. He changed into his natural form and escaped, moving under the house. When he appeared on the other side, they were waiting for him. He dodged and their attack and dove again. We’re hopelessly outnumbered.
Faye managed to take out another attacker before she was forced to retreat. She was smart, powerful, but I’d be dead before she could stop them all. A crashing sound echoed through the impossible roar of the storm, and everyone looked at the bedroom door, now rocking in the wind. My family, huddled together, exchanged looks—looks that made my blood run cold. They were silently saying goodbye. Mom began praying in Spanish, and they all held hands. All but me.
I turned to face the door. It blew open and two Fae in the shape of hulking men walked in. The tallest one, a blond with a determined look, fell into two pieces, split down the middle as my Quint blade sliced through him. He still had a fierce expression when he popped out. The other, in the shape of a black man with a massive brow, growled at me. I felt his Air attack coming, but it was too little, too late. His head rolled across the room, stopping just short of my sneakers before he flashed out.
Grandma Sophie shrieked. Dad grabbed my shoulders to protect me, but I pulled free. “No, let go. There are more of them.”
His mouth fell open, and I saw his eyes focus on the dark hall. I felt that one, too.
“Maggie O’Shea. It’s time to die,” said a small bald man with pronounced cheekbones and blood red eyes. He flashed long yellow fangs, sending my family into hysterics.
He entered the room and looked me over. His gaze sent shivers down my spine. I lashed out with Quint, but just before it made contact with his skin, he produced Quint of his own. The two balls of energy sizzled and popped against one another for several seconds, lighting up the room in orange strobes.
“Mom, Dad, get out of here. Run, now!”
Nobody moved. They stood, watching me, dumbfounded. I blew them backwards, gently but firmly. “Please, get out of here!”
“I am Nija. I am here for you.”
Dad roared at him, “I don’t care who you are, get out of my house.”
Nija eyed my family and pulled his dry, black lips back in a downward smile. “I will be with you straightaway, David O’Shea. I’m here for all of you.”
Slowly the Quint began moving back toward me. I struggled against him, grunting in the process. Deep lines formed around his eyes as he pushed harder. I drove concrete spikes through the floor and tried to force them into his feet, but he rose on top of them as though he was levitating. We struggled, Quint against Quint, sparking and sizzling. I wrapped myself in Clóca and moved to the left. Nija twisted his head to the side, listening. I began blowing objects at him from behind. They bounced harmlessly off his shield. A high-pitched laugh rattled out of his chest when I wrapped the Clóca around my family.
“Please,” I cried, looking into Mom’s wide eyes. “You need to leave. I’ll explain later. Get out of here now or you’ll all die.”
A vein bulged in Dad’s neck—he was furious. From a nightstand next to their bed, he grabbed a handgun. I didn’t know he had one. He lifted it and squeezed off a shot. To my shock it entered Naji’s chest. From behind the Clóca, he hadn’t seen it coming. A dark wet stain appeared in his shirt over his heart and he slumped, glowering in our direction. Dad fired another round, but it sizzled and disappeared against the Quint barrier Naji made solid.
Sasha entered the room from the floor and took human shape. Big blue eyes, frightened eyes, locked onto mine. “Get out of here. I cannot buy you much time.” With molten energy, he pinned the weakened intruder to the wall. I grabbed my parents and tried to push them. When Dad pushed back, I used Air and blew them into the hall, tumbling over one another. Grandpa hit the floor hard. He grabbed his hip, wincing and moaning. I knew he’d broken it. Oh god, I’m so sorry. Crap!
I drew energy from the storm and from as deep in the earth as I could reach, and focused my attack on Naji. The wound on his chest healed, and he fought back ferociously. Quint pierced Sasha’s abdomen. A second later he screamed and flashed out. I pressed my attack, nearly making contact, but Naji countered. That instant, I felt three more Fae enter the house. I backed out of the room and stood over my grandfather, keeping my attack pressed on Naji. Dad bellowed a warning as one of the new Fae took physical form. Dad fired a shot at her, but she blocked it and blew it back at him. Instantly, Dad crumpled to the floor, falling against my leg. Mom rolled him over and screamed. The female forced the bullet into Dad’s chest. I could hear him wheezing despite the noise surrounding us. He gasped for air once more, and then the wheezing stopped. Mitch was bawling and begging Dad to wake up. This isn’t happening, not happening…
The hall filled with the sound of screams. My screams. I directed Quint at the beautiful brunette woman in the hall, cutting her into a dozen chunks of writhing flesh. She flashed out, and then I directed my attack at the two standing behind her. Before the Quint found them, something seared the side of my body. Instinctively, my barrier flared back up, but I hit the wall and lost track of where I was. I was burning, spinning in the darkness, and the pain was excruciating.
My senses told me that Nija was closing the distance between us. I tried to react, but my nerves were on fire. A burning sensation tore at my left side, my eyes wouldn’t open,
and I couldn’t catch my breath. I tried to scream, “Please don’t kill my family. Somebody help me. Please.” It came out as a sobbing agonized whisper.
Then I felt him over me. Heat bore down on the parts of my body that weren’t already burning. So this is it?
I tried to roll away, but the pain only grew worse, making me wonder whether there was any skin on the left side of my body.
“Get away from her,” Mom snarled.
I sensed movement, followed by the sound of flesh contacting flesh. I heard her crumple on the floor, followed by Mitch’s wailing scream.
Somewhere above us, I heard and felt more of the roof rip away. Drawing a deep breath into my lungs set the left side of my chest on fire. It hurt so bad I wanted nothing more than to remove the damaged flesh, to crawl away from the part of my body that attacked my nerve endings so violently. I clenched my teeth and reached out with my mind, trying to draw energy. I forced it at Naji with everything I had. It wasn’t enough. I was helpless.
Oh god, it hurts. Why doesn’t he just get it over with? My brain welcomed a release from the pain—any release would do. God, make it stop.
I forced my right eye open. My left eye wouldn’t work—except for the searing pain, I wasn’t sure if it was still there. In the darkness, through tears, I saw his outline. He knelt over me from the left. His hands casually clasped together over his right knee. I blinked to get a better look, to force the tears away. A cough sent waves of pain through my chest, but I saw him. His red eyes were locked on mine. I shivered when he smiled, reigniting the tortured nerves in my skin. Should I pray? I should definitely pray.
I felt the others drawing close. Then another shape appeared just behind Naji. The shape of a huge man with long black hair. Naji spun and attacked, but the Quint bounced off Tse-xo-be‘s bare chest. In a movement so fast it was nearly imperceptible, Tse-xo-be held Naji’s beating heart in his hand. Naji flashed and so did the heart. The four remaining intruders backed away as Tse-xo-be knelt over my father. One changed form and shot through the ceiling, but somewhere above the house, I felt her die. Wakinyan? I knew I felt Wakinyan. I’m dying—none of this is real. Oh god, oh god, it hurts …
Weald Fae 03 - The Aetherfae Page 3