Ancient Ways

by Patti Larsen

  Inside. “You want me to go inside the crystal?” Seriously, there was only so much I could take. This wasn't the Node, all soft and liquid. It was a solid piece of stone.

  “Not you,” he snarled. Poked me between the eyes. “You.”

  He was making no sense and I was out of patience. “Just freaking show me,” I snarled.

  “No!” Mia lunged to her feet, leaving Quaid's side. I turned, distracted, realizing the sound of gunshots had faded to one or two at a time, flashes of light and guttering black just visible past the crystals. “Let me!”

  She pushed me aside, hugging the black stone, weeping as she lay against it. Quaid rushed forward, but I held him back as Mia leaned away, blue eyes closed in concentration.

  “My life,” she said, “my magic. Come to me.”

  The crystal pulsed, once. I almost thought I imagined it before it pulsed again, a lavender rim forming around the edges. She was doing it. Calling out the family magic. Even Demetrius gaped as though he didn't think she could do it.

  A hysterical laugh built in my chest as Mia's lips spread in a smile, arms wide open to welcome her family magic home.

  “Mia?”

  We all stopped, stared as a tall, broad-shouldered figure emerged from the back side of the machine. Mia turned, arms dropping, expression crumpling as Rupe entered the light. His smile was small, secret, face open. One hand reached for her even as Quaid snarled under his breath.

  “Blood.” Mia sighed out his old Goth name and my hope cracked down the middle.

  Quaid eased around me, heading for Rupe, but I knew he was too late.

  “I'm sorry,” Rupe said. “They made me lead them to you. This was all a mistake.” Mia nodded, leaning toward him even as the rippling lavender fire retreated back into the crystal. Quaid was almost in position, hate burning in his eyes. But he didn't stand a chance, not when Rupe took one more step toward Mia and smiled. “You know I love you.”

  She rushed to him, falling into Rupe's arms just before Quaid reached them. A heavy thrum of empty magic hit my chest as Quaid flew backward, impacting one of the crystals, falling, unconscious on his side.

  Mia screamed, thin and wailing, turning to claw at Rupe's chest. The sound of his fist hitting her jaw hurt me even from a distance. She went silent with a squeak, spinning sideways before tumbling to the rooftop.

  I met Rupe's eyes with hate of my own even as he saluted me.

  “I really have to thank you, Syd,” he said, laughter in his voice. “If it wasn't for you, I never would have found out I was a sorcerer.”

  And I'd called him my friend, once. Trusted him. “You're welcome,” I snarled. “Too bad you won't live long enough to enjoy it.”

  Shouting, renewed gunfire, echoed from the other side of the crystals. Trill had to be holding her own. But I had no idea how long she would last. My eyes went to her direction. Caught sight of a ball of silver fluff. Amber eyes winked at me before Sassafras turned and ran away.

  For help. Just like he promised.

  If he made it.

  I turned back to the black column, knowing our only hope lay there now. Rupe took a step toward me, but Demetrius hissed and slashed at him with his own sorcery, the footing under Rupe's feet giving way, sending him tumbling back with a cry.

  “Now,” Demetrius said, grabbing my hand, forcing his crystal into it, squeezing our flesh together over the sharp stone. “Inside.”

  I followed where he led, felt myself lift free of my body. The urge to fight was so powerful, to return to my mortal form, I almost ruined everything. But they saved me.

  Surrounding me, outside me as I was outside myself. My vampire, my demon, my Sidhe princess. Freed as I was freed.

  Together, we followed Demetrius into the heart of darkness.

  ***

  Chapter Thirty

  So black, so thick, the world was gone. And then light, thin and distorted, tinted deep purple, all around me. My vampire stood beside me, her white power flaring, stained by the crystal's heart. My demon and Shaylee both stayed close, back to back with me, a four-cornered star as we all peered outward into the dark.

  A shining light appeared on my left, floating toward me. When he came close enough to recognize, Demetrius's smile lit my heart, blue eyes as clear as any crystal, no sign of the insanity in control of his mind, the damage to his body not visible on him here. In this place.

  In the center of the heart of darkness.

  I felt it then, the subtle hum of it, the pull of magic feeding it. Felt it try to devour me, a slow and lazy suction until I showed it the flower of sorcery at my base, the black of its petals a perfect match for the crystal. With a surge of joy it welcomed me, reversed its process, now supplying me with power, siphoning it back into my various magicks, as though I required nourishment. My soul shriveled even as I allowed the feeding. Not because I craved the power. But because doing so allowed me control over the stone.

  How much, I didn't know. But as long as it didn't try to hurt me, thought of me as part of it, I would do everything I could to keep it happy until I found the means to destroy it.

  And yet, my mind, freed from my physical body, from the worries of the outside world, felt the heart of the crystal and knew the truth. Evil didn't live here, not at all. The stone had a soul, clear of judgment, open and trusting. Seeking power only because doing so was its nature.

  Joy came from purpose. Happiness was fulfilling that purpose.

  Siphoning magic. And keeping it safe.

  We must act together, Demetrius sent. I could only guess he felt unaffected by the heart of the stone while my empathy grew for it moment by moment. How could I destroy something so precious, life, beautiful life, a soul without darkness despite its purpose?

  My vampire prodded me, the bite of spirit magic bringing me back to myself. All of us. My vampire nodded to him, demon snarling even as Shaylee squeezed my hand. I shuddered, knowing how close I'd come to falling into the stone's need. My vampire went on without me. If we work in tandem, we can use the power contained in this place to fracture its heart.

  Something flashed past the periphery of my vision, on the other side of the crystal. I could just make out shapes moving around and felt fear for my friends rise.

  Trust them to give us the time we need, Demetrius sent. Offered his hand. This is our only hope.

  He was right. I knew it. Didn't help much.

  Search for the seams. I already knew what to look for, had seen the tiny cracks in the heart of his crystal. They will be here, but well hidden. We must find one of its flaws before we can act.

  Did the crystal sense our intent? If so, it did nothing to act against us. Instead, it called to me again, tried to embrace me, a beloved child, a kindred spirit it longed to share its purpose with. Guilt returned as I searched for the means to destroy it. So beautiful in here, so quiet and perfect, all sharp edges and flawless motion and, ever increasing, power. All the power I would ever need. As simple as accepting my task.

  Opening the last of my will to the dark.

  Perfect.

  Sydlynn. My vampire's power bit so deep this time I cried out and jerked free of her. My mind swirled with conflict, though I grasped at her in thanks for again shaking me free of the lure of the crystal.

  Here. She drew me closer to center, down deep, near the base of the column, coming with me this time as the lure pulled at my sorcery. You feel it.

  I did. The hairline crack was barely a crack at all, a tiny flaw in the stone. But Demetrius seized on the fissure, his power flowing through our held hands and into me.

  Press here, he sent. I hesitated, bloom of sorcery begging me to feed it. But my vampire held me with her, my demon and Shaylee gathering near, their power holding me with them.

  I pressed where Demetrius told me to. Against the edge of the crack. It did nothing at first, as unyeilding as any stone. But I could sense the breaking point. If I could just find it...

  A sharp retort echoed around me, through me, an
d I screamed from the pain even as the crystal screamed. Demetrius's hold on my hand, my vampire on the other, pulled me back.

  You link too close, Demetrius sent. And yet, that is the only way we can defeat it.

  By linking with the heart of the stone.

  It might kill her, my vampire sent. Oddly calm when she said it as though such a loss would be acceptable.

  I had to agree.

  It might. Demetrius sighed. There is no recourse.

  Agreed. My vampire let me go. My demon rumbled, but nodded. And Shaylee bowed her head, turning away.

  Life and death, huh? Hadn't been here before or anything. And though I knew my alter egos worried, I didn't. As I allowed myself to sink back into the soul of the crystal, I was very sure I'd survive.

  I just wasn't sure I could follow through with destroying the heart.

  The crystal welcomed me as before, guileless, as naïve as Liander accused me of being. It opened to me as I whispered to it, joined with it, let it pull me in the rest of the way.

  It was only then the Dumont family magic appeared, rising from the core, winding around me, tense and unhappy. It could probably still feel Mia on the other side. But despite the unrest of the power it held, the black column's calm and deep joy never changed.

  Purpose was everything.

  Unknowing, the Dumont power gave me the edge I needed to break the hold of the call to feed.

  Smaller clumps of power slid around me now, crying piteously, tiny seeds of families long gone. I sank deeper, anchoring to the Dumont power, my sorcery's flower opening, petals gaping wide, mouth of blackness calling me home. For the first time, I let my sorcery have its way without holding back, absorbed the taint of it, the destructive magic of using one thing's power for another thing's gain. Unlike witchcraft, demon magic, even Sidhe power, sorcery was based in the utter obliteration of the source of its magic.

  No wonder the Brotherhood were a dark and terrible league. I could feel my soul shrivel at the touch of the gaping wound that was my sorcery. The aching hunger rising from it, the need to feed and feed in order to survive. I'd starved it my entire life, as I'd starved my other magicks, at least until I was sixteen. But my sorcery had only woken recently. And its desperate need to swell and grow scared the crap out of me.

  I needed it too, though, didn't I? As much as my other sources of power.

  For the first time since I found out where my evolution was heading, I worried about what the end result really might look like.

  No time for selfishness. The flaw sat before me, widened, but still small. I wormed my way inside it even as my sorcery begged to devour the Dumont power swirling around me, to gobble the other tiny magicks like snacks. I instead showed it the ultimate feast, used the black to seep through the gap, oozing into the micro fracture, pointed my power in the right direction until it saw.

  And understood.

  My sorcery didn't hesitate when it found its prize. Acted while I shuddered and backed away, letting it do what it wanted, wished things were different. It drew on the strength of the column, pulling not at the stored magic, but the inherent power built into the stone itself.

  The black flower gulped energy, petals swelling, eager and grasping. I screamed silently into the depth of the stone as my sorcery devoured it, eating its heart, swallowing its soul, weakening it until it sighed and sagged around me. The sad song of the crystal made me weep, heart aching for what I'd become. But I had no choice.

  No choice at all.

  The Dumont power rose around me as the stone died, Mia’s family magic clinging to me for safety while I swam to the surface. Cracks appeared, sharp and jagged, endless snapping and popping making my head ache. The smaller pockets of magic circled us, the voices of their hope rising, drowning out the last of the crystal's song as it finally sighed one last note and died.

  Demetrius was with me, my egos, all of us together, the Dumont family magic and that of the other covens pulled tight as the small sorcerer nodded sharply to me.

  Now, he sent.

  I focused all of my power on the central crack and pushed.

  ***

  Chapter Thirty One

  The world fragmented around me, slicing crystals bursting with explosive force. I flowed with them, from them, slamming into my body, the force of four souls coming together rocking my physical form even as I raised my arms and threw up my shields.

  Liander thought bullets were efficient. Flying shards of crystal would do the job just as well.

  Only problem, I had terrible aim.

  A crystal shard whispered past my ear before freezing in place, much as Trill's bullet had, my shielding catching the flying projectiles and then releasing them all at once to tinkle harmlessly to the ground. I would have loved to let them fly, but I had no way of knowing if they would take out friend or foe and I just couldn't risk it.

  The building below me groaned as though in agony as the power inside the black column vanished, the entire structure suffering from the loss. The feeling of my other egos remained with me, my magic intact, the petals of the dark flower at my base sighing shut, sated for now on the power of the dead crystal.

  It was only when my magic pulsed, unfettered, I realized the protections around Brotherhood territory shattered with the crystal I destroyed.

  “No!” I spun to find Belaisle pushing his way past the red pillar, heading for me. He seemed ready to lunge, attack me physically before he stopped, staring, hate and rage and fear on his face.

  Time to show him who was really in control here. I raised my hand, my power reaching inside the crystal beside him. I knew what to look for now, found it easily. Welcomed the flower to open once more. Used the stored magic inside my sorcery to access all the flaws deep inside the pillar. And as I closed my hand into a fist, the column imploded, red fire shooting upward from its core, lost in the night sky.

  Belaisle fell to one side, shouting an incoherent curse as I reached for the next one, amber demon magic escaping as I crushed that column, too. An amazing and terrible joy surged inside me at their destruction, calling on me to do more damage, to draw out more power.

  The loss of the two towering pillars exposed part of the rooftop to my view, the crumpled forms of suited Brotherhood sorcerers scattered across its dark surface, only a handful remaining behind Belaisle while Trill, Owen and their companion stared at me, a swirling maelstrom of black and white magic falling to pool at their feet.

  I held Belaisle's eyes as I shattered the forth column, heard the song of the Sidhe echo in the air, felt its rumble under my feet as the fifth collapsed, vampire's hiss swooping over my head before vanishing.

  The sixth and last fell behind me, the pull of the witch magic embedded in it so strong I almost allowed it to join me, before sending it on its way, a wild trail of blue tracing a track across the dark sky until it, too, disappeared.

  It was hard, so very hard, to force the dark flower to close again. It longed for Belaisle and his people, hungry for the power they held, trying to feast on them.

  I almost let it.

  Almost.

  Belaisle's glare of fury turned to fear as my sorcery's swollen desires fell on him. But as I soothed the power to stillness, he slowly relaxed, settling finally into his familiar smile, though, from the tightness around his eyes, he wasn't as good an actor as he believed.

  “You fool,” he said. “I would have devoured you.”

  “There's still time,” I snarled. “Patience.”

  He fell back a step, smile faltering. “This was merely one piece of the puzzle.” His fists thudded against his thighs as he spoke, betraying his continued fury. “We have many more in play and you can't possibly find them all.”

  I shrugged, smiled back, let him feel my smug happiness. All those threats, what lay still uncovered? For tomorrow. I beat his ass. Time to rub his nasty face in it.

  “We'll see,” I said. “Now, are you going to come quietly, or do I have to knock the crap out of you first?”

/>   He didn't get to answer. The air around me burst with magic, flares of blue followed by small rushes of wind as a floating army of Enforcers appeared overhead. Belaisle took one look at them and snarled before snapping his fingers at his men.

  As one, they turned and ran, the Enforcers swooping after them. Only one remained behind, a tall, blonde man tucked against one side, a silver Persian held to the other. Sassafras leaped free from Pender Tremere's arms and raced to me, a streak of light, before launching himself into my arms.

  I held him tucked close, his purr giving me focus as I stared at Andre.

  I had to, Sass sent, mental voice full of misery. Forgive me, but Andre is the only choice, now.

  I forgot Sass watched Mia crumble under Rupe’s influence. Looked around to find the traitorous ex-Goth gone, run off with Belaisle, no doubt. Only then did I remember at last why we'd come here. Spotted Mia leaning against Quaid, both staring at Andre Dumont. The swirling mass of the Dumont family magic sighed as it hovered next to me, spinning slowly, sullen and rumbling, still clinging for support. The tiny pockets of magic circling it came to hover at my feet as Andre stepped forward, eyes locked on the power using me for shelter.

  Mia lurched to standing, glaring at the male Dumont. “What are you doing here?”

  He sneered, smoothing back his blonde hair, all nicely put together while Mia looked like she'd been dragged through something unsavory. And, to her credit, she had.

  There was still a chance for her, no matter what Sass thought.

  Mia, I sent. Reach for the magic. Don't hesitate.

  She spun on me, eyes wide and staring.

  This is your fault, she hissed back before turning to the family power and again raising her arms, opening them wide to the power she once possessed.

  “Come to me!” She shook with need, taking a step closer. But even before Andre spoke I felt it.