Ancient Ways

by Patti Larsen

  Didn't stop me from trying.

  “I'm happy to answer all of your questions,” Ameline said. “I have more information that could help in our fight against the Brotherhood.”

  Her little “our” and “we” stuff really started to rankle. Who did she think she was? Still, if she was willing to give up the info, I'd let her arrogance ride.

  Still wanted a front seat when they burned her, though.

  Oh, Syd.

  “Spill it.” I gave up on intimidation and copied her action, arms crossed, the heavy fabric of my stolen robe dragging on me. “I'm here, like you wanted. So tell me what you know.”

  Ameline's smile widened as she swept to her feet with grace I envied. “Excellent,” she said. “Then let's go.”

  Go? “Excuse me?”

  She gestured at the door. “I assume you have accomplices who can help me escape?”

  She was off her freaking rocker. Being in prison must have blown a gasket or something else equally necessary to her thought process if she convinced herself, even for one bloody second, I would willingly—

  “I'm not breaking you out of jail.” Holy. What was she thinking?

  Ameline twirled the ends of her hair in her fingertips, lashes hooding over her eyes. “If you want to know what I know,” she said, “you will.”

  Cracked. She was totally cracked.

  “I'm sorry it's been so hard on you in here,” I said without a trace of honesty. “I had no idea the Enforcers shattered your damned mind so badly you think I would ever help you.”

  Ever.

  Ameline tossed her hair over her shoulder, the plain cream robe she wore falling to her bare feet, covering all but the tips of her fingers and toes. She looked like some demented angel who'd lost her halo and wings and expected me to find them for her.

  She could go to hell. Where she belonged.

  “You have no idea what's coming.” Ameline drew closer to me, voice low, deep. Her blue eyes held me still, not to mention the fact I refused to back down as she came right into my personal space, the scent of mint and faint flowers rising from her. “It's obvious your maji has been lax in her duties if you're still insisting on this foolishness.” Ameline's hands gestured, taking in her prison. “I'm not the one to fill you in. But you will need my help, Sydlynn Hayle, before this is over.”

  I wanted to lean away, to step back, but I refused to show her further weakness. Instead, I tilted forward, my nose practically touching hers, nostrils flaring as I fought to contain my temper.

  And my fear she really did know something I didn't.

  “You'll rot in here,” I said. “You and your seeds of magic.” I let myself smile as her face went flat. “And when they strip you, I'll be there to do it, Ameline. I'll be there when they tie you to that big wooden stake, when they pile the kindling under you and I'll make sure they let me light the fire that burns you up.”

  If I hadn't been so close to her, if I hadn't been practically inside her skin, I would have missed it. But, as it was, despite how good she was at hiding how she felt, her cold veneer only ran so deep.

  I saw her flinch. And it made my demon roar in triumph.

  “When this all goes to hell,” Ameline whispered, her breath in my mouth, “you will wish you had me with you.” A tremor ran through her, anger surging, frustration. “Why do you think I've worked so hard to become maji? I could have run off and lived my life elsewhere, gathered power. The European Council would have welcomed me. I could have had my own coven by now.” Fire flashed in her eyes, a hint of petulance in her voice cutting through my couldn't-care-less. She seemed momentarily confused, as if she didn't know herself why she was here, in this place, with me. But her face froze again and her resolve returned, coated liberally with ice. “Naive and pathetic.” Two points of moisture hit my cheeks from Ameline's lips as she spit out those words. “There is more than one side to this story, unfolding without your knowledge. And more than one faction to deal with.” That sounded so much like what Gram said about the sorcerer sects I actually started to pay attention. “You think you're the only one who has a stake in this? The only one fighting the Brotherhood?” Contempt washed over me and for the second time I had to fight to keep my position, to not retreat from her. Ameline turned her head, gaze still locked on mine, chin down as she glared from the corner of her eyes. “You'll see,” she hissed. “You know nothing. But you'll need me. When you finally accept this is only the first phase of the Brotherhood's plan to control all magic on all planes, when you finally understand balance comes with light and shadow,” a tingle of panic raced through me when she spoke those words, “and that only balance can win the coming war.”

  Light. Shadow. Trill and her brother, Owen. The young maji and her sorcerer brother were part of a prophecy, a prophecy that called them by those same names.

  Ameline finally turned away, arms wrapped around herself, accentuating how slim she was as she tucked the thin fabric of her robe to her. “Ask your darling mother,” she said. “Ask her if any small covens have gone missing in the last few months.”

  A knot, fierce and bubbling, clenched inside my stomach. “What are you talking about?”

  “Tests,” Ameline said, tone as light as air as she spun back, smirking again. “You idiot, they had to test their technique, didn't they?” Amusement fled, anger racing over her flawless features before she stilled again, a statue of white marble with only her flowing hair and icy eyes living things. “They've figured out a way to strip families of their magic. But they aren't stupid, Syd. Not like you. Or the High Council.”

  Bile burned the back of my throat, nausea churning around the lump of oh crap building inside me.

  “Magical races will fall,” Ameline said, old arrogance surfacing. “All of them. Without us.” Her blue eyes flashed with a rainbow of power and I felt my own maji magic answer her, magic I barely kept contained under Gram's touch. “We can save them, don't you understand?” She shook her head, eyes narrowed, black lashes veils over her gaze. “But unless you free me, unless you allow me to develop as I need to develop, you will lose. And all the planes will fall to the Brotherhood.”

  I backed away from her, trembling suddenly, the hem of my robe vibrating as I stood there a moment and shook. She was wrong, totally wrong. Mom would never cover up something like this. And I didn't need Ameline. I was becoming maji. I could handle it.

  Keep saying it, Syd. Maybe you'll even come to believe it.

  I turned without speaking another word to her, knowing, unless Mom allowed me to use power against her, I wouldn't get anything useful.

  Unless I broke Ameline out of prison, that was.

  Her false cheer chased me out as I slid through her cell door and slammed it behind me.

  “See you soon,” she said.

  ***

  Chapter Sixteen

  Gram's grim expression told me my own couldn't have looked good. Instead of grilling me for answers, she hustled me around the corner and toward the exit, Charlotte sniffing at me, chuffing softly, angrily as though she could smell Ameline all over me.

  Which I knew for a fact she couldn't. Hadn't been able to for ages.

  Pissed Charlotte off to no end, too. I knew how she felt.

  We practically ran down the stairs, Gram setting a grueling pace. My vibrating thighs and aching butt were happy to alert me to the fact I was going to suffer for a few days. Sitting down would likely be impossible without serious groaning and complaining.

  But I ignored the feeling, ignored everything, let Gram lead and Charlotte follow, trusted them to keep me going in the right direction while my mind churned and the core of fear and anger in my guts writhed like a living thing.

  We slowed as we entered the stronghold again, down from the tower. It was easy enough to keep my head bowed while I fought a massive battle with what Ameline told me.

  I'm sorry to bear bad news, my vampire sent in a tone telling me she expected me to explode. Since nothing terrible happened, I could on
ly assume talking to myselves in my head wouldn’t trigger anything. But there is a very good possibility Ameline is correct.

  Shut. Up.

  My demon grumbled and fumed while Shaylee sighed and piped up.

  Quite likely, she sent. Though, without proof, with only her word to go on, how can we be certain?

  We are not setting her free. My demon's rumbling fury sent shudders through me. Unless it's to find a nice place to dismember and bury her where no one will find the body.

  Iepa would have told me. I grasped onto that thought as I sent it to the others. She would have warned me, when Trill was here. Surely she would have. The maji who'd alerted me to the Brotherhood's impending threat hadn't said a word about Ameline. Had barely told me anything about what I was becoming. It was Trill who finally filled me in to the fact while she had maji blood, was a descendant, I was actually becoming maji.

  And so, it seemed, was my nemesis.

  We have to expect this transformation isn't commonplace, my vampire sent. Or there would be new maji all the time.

  Which means we're special. My demon bared her mental teeth. Knew that already.

  You're not helping. Shaylee's earth magic shuddered. Is it possible?

  Light and Shadow. Two sides.

  Oh. My. Swear—

  Hang on, I sent as I turned a corner, Gram right in front of me. If Ameline is meant to be maji, why is it so hard for her? Why is it such a fight?

  Silence in my head. Would wonders never cease?

  You raise an excellent point, Sydlynn. My vampire sighed. There is only one way to find out the truth. You must speak to Iepa.

  Like she would just come and chat with me over popcorn and a movie.

  The maji cavern, Shaylee sent.

  My demon grumbled, but agreed.

  Right. The cavern under the vampire mansion, Sebastain DeWinter's home base. If I could reach Iepa anywhere, it would be there.

  And then I'd have my answer.

  Thanks, gang. I hugged them all, feeling the family magic coil around us, stirring ever so gently. We'll figure this out.

  One step at a time. My vampire retreated, Shaylee's embrace full of strength, my demon's full of passion. There had been a time I feared being alone. Fearing by becoming maji, immortal and pretty much invincible was a long and lonely life sentence. But I was never alone, not really.

  And despite the few occasions I wished I could have some privacy from the souls hitchhiking in my head, I wouldn't give them up for anything.

  Gram faltered in front of me as we passed an opening and I only had one second to register her sudden turn toward the black before a hand reached out of the black and grabbed me, jerking me into a small, dark room. Charlotte's low growl and sudden rush of action, her wolf eyes glowing in the gloom, freed me from my captor's grip before I had a chance to react. She hunched over, just visible in the low light coming from the hall, her wolf rising as the risk to my life increased.

  Craptastic.

  A flare of blue light burst into life next to the shadowed shape who attacked me. Quaid's Enforcer magic, shining on his scowling face, cast unhappy shadows over his handsome features.

  Yeah. The shadows were unhappy. Sure, that was it.

  “What—” He stopped, cleared his throat. Ground his jaw around a moment. Tried again. “What are you doing here?”

  Gram shoved past me, smacking his arm with one wrinkled hand, her magic squashing his ball of light until only a tiny fragment remained.

  “You young fool!” I'd never heard her so angry, words hissing out in a powerful whisper. “What is wrong with you?”

  Quaid flinched from her, but his harsh expression didn't soften. “You're here illegally.” At least his voice lowered, no longer carrying out of the room and into the corridor.

  “Of course we are, you absolute nitwit.” She smacked him again. “Now get the hell out of the way before I squish your little soul and have it for breakfast.”

  Quaid quivered, shook his head. “There are rules, Ethpeal.” His eyes met mine. I thought he was unhappy before. “You could have come to me.”

  Gram didn't get a chance to answer. Neither did I. Or Charlotte. He was lucky we were interrupted before Gram just decided to kill him and worry about the consequences later.

  So lucky.

  “Trainee.” A woman's voice drifted from the dark, her tall, slim form emerging into the low light. She wore her hood back away from her lean face, as lined as Gram's, grim expression tossing me from the frying pan into the very hot fire.

  We were cooked for sure.

  Quaid bowed quickly to her. “Master Rhodes.” He took a step sideways, blocking me from her full view. He needed a serious talking to if this was his idea of keeping me safe.

  She waved him away, eyes locking first on me, then Charlotte and, finally, Gram.

  “Ethpeal Hayle.” She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at Gram who glared right back.

  “Varity Rhodes.” Gram sniffed, looked the woman up and down. “You got old.”

  Seriously? Insults? At a time like this?

  If they didn't burn us at the stake for this, I'd kill Gram myself.

  Varity just shrugged. “Time's been just as cruel to you, old hack.”

  Gram grinned, socked feet pattering on the floor as she did a little dance before spreading her hands wide for her big finale. “Still have talent, though.”

  Confusion twisted around shock inside me as Varity threw her head back and laughed. Just a short bark before she stepped forward and embraced Gram.

  And my grandmother, my crazy, kooky, evil hearted grandmother who was in on the joke, hugged her back.

  Quaid stared, open-mouthed, as Varity gripped Gram's arms in her hands and shook her just a little.

  “Damn you, Ethie,” she said. “You could have come to me.”

  Same words from Quaid.

  Guess we Hayles were too independent than was good for us.

  Gram shrugged and punched her friend in the shoulder. “None of your damned business,” she said.

  Varity turned to me, met my eyes as Charlotte eased to standing again, her wolf retreating. “Coven Leader,” she said. “I've heard you had a cast-iron set, but I had no idea how big. Then again,” she grinned at Gram, “you have Ethie here as a grandmother so I shouldn't really be surprised.”

  Quaid made a choking sound. “Master Rhodes,” he said.

  “Oh, hush, boy,” Varity snapped. “When are they going to teach you children there is no such thing as black and white?”

  I stared back and forth between the two old women, Varity's long, white hair wound into a tight braid at the back of her neck and I made a connection. “You were Gram's informant,” I said. “During Mom's trial.”

  Varity winked. “How could I say no to that face?”

  Gram beamed before jabbing Varity in the ribs. “We have to get out of here.”

  “Oh, really?” Her dry tone raked through the air as Varity sobered. “You think that's important, do you?”

  Gram stuck her tongue out at her friend.

  Varity jabbed one index finger at Quaid. “This never happened,” she said, a flare of power snapping over his shielding. “Don't make me erase your memories, Trainee Tinder.”

  Quaid nodded quickly. “No, Master Rhodes,” he said while I wondered when he'd taken his birth parent's last name. I'd thought of him as Quaid Moromond for so long, then Quaid Dumont, hearing him use his real surname felt surreal.

  Turned out we were almost to the exit anyway. I handed off my black robe to Varity who tossed the three of them into the air where they vanished. She hugged Gram quickly as Quaid hovered behind her, glancing nervously over his shoulder as Gram said goodbye.

  “I'm aware of the present circumstances,” Varity told me cryptically. How much did she know? “And I tell you this right now—if you need anything, Varity Rhodes is your Enforcer.”

  Quaid's scowl wasn't lost on me as I impulsively hugged the old woman.

&n
bsp; “Thank you,” I said. “I hope we meet under better circumstances next time.”

  The gateway opened, Charlotte easing through with her hand on my arm.

  “I'll take that as an invitation,” Varity said.

  I would have felt pretty good about our escape if it hadn't been for the hurt look in Quaid's eyes as he watched us go.

  ***

  Chapter Seventeen

  I stood on the grass beside the bench and tried to pull my crap together after telling Gram and Charlotte everything Ameline told me.

  Again, Gram didn’t look surprised. Having her Enforcer magic with me gave her the in she needed to eavesdrop. Still, talking it out helped me work around some of my fear.

  “We have to tell Mom.” Why was that always my initial go-to? Old habits. But damn it, I had to talk to her. Yes, she'd freaked on me last time. And I remained rigidly furious with her. Still, now that I knew what I knew... how could I keep this from her?

  And I had to know if Ameline was right. About other covens going missing.

  “You're as big an idiot as that boy of yours.” I didn't correct Gram. Quaid wasn't mine anymore.

  Hang on. She was talking about Liam—

  Oh, Syd.

  “Your mother has made it very clear you're to stay out of this,” Gram said. “Really feel like round two? With the information you now have, unconfirmed information that has nothing to do with the present circumstance? From a prisoner you weren’t supposed to visit?”

  I stared at her, muted by indecision.

  “And you're going to explain where you particular knowledge came from how?” Gram smacked my arm. “Brains, girl. You were born with some. Use them.”

  She was right. Hell in a hand basket. I had possibly sensitive information and no way to share it with Mom. Who, frankly, was so twisted up and all kinds of wrong I was crazy even considering going to see her. Knee-jerk reaction, clearly.

  Still. I had to get through to her somehow. Didn’t I?