by Patti Larsen
She gasped, stared at me like I slapped her. “We can't go to them.”
“Why not?” I stomped off, tired of being there, wanting to go home. The appeal of the maji had worn off. “At least we could have backup. They want to defeat the Brotherhood, too, don't they?”
She grasped my arm, pulled me up short at the bottom of the stairs as both of us began to shrink.
“The only way to gain their assistance,” she said, “is to free their daughter.”
Ameline.
Why was I not surprised?
“We can't ask?” Yeah, bad idea. I knew it before the words left my mouth.
Iepa started walking, head down. “I already have,” she whispered.
I stopped in the street, grabbed her, hugged her hard. For being so brave. I'd been mad at her for a long time, treated her badly because I didn't understand. But I understood now.
“It'll be okay,” I said. “We'll figure it out.”
Iepa hugged me back before leaning away and nodding.
“I know we will. Prophecy or not, Sydlynn Hayle, I have faith in you.”
No pressure or anything.
Iepa parted the veil the moment we left the gates. I basked in the love and warmth of the trip, my room dark and uninviting as we stepped through again. I wrapped my arms around myself and turned to her, wishing I could follow Iepa back into the veil and stay there.
“There are two ways to fight the Brotherhood,” Iepa said. “One, we go to war, all the races combined.”
“But the races won't work together,” I said. “That's been the problem all along. They barely get along with their own kind, let alone combining forces with different powers.”
She nodded sadly.
“And the other?” I already knew the other.
“You and she,” Iepa said. “Two maji, one dark, one light. Unstoppable.”
So no war necessary.
“Why haven't the Brotherhood tried to take me out yet? If I'm such a threat. If Ameline is.” Yes, they tried. But not very hard.
Iepa shrugged, suddenly desperate. “I don't know,” she said, voice bordering on a musical wail. “I can only guess, in their arrogance, they would never believe two witches could truly become maji. Or that those emerging maji could unravel what they have created. Or that you would willingly allow Ameline to develop into her potential. But once you act, when you free her, they will know, Sydlynn.” She touched my cheek, fingers vibrating with tension. “And they will come for both of you.”
Good to know.
“Tell me what to do.” Damn it, damn it. Was I really going to set Ameline loose?
“You must bring her to the chamber,” Iepa said, backing into the veil. “Only there can we find balance.”
I winced at the sour taste in my mouth.
Right, so free Ameline, putting my own life at risk, trigger an attack from the Brotherhood while sneaking into the vampire mansion where I'd been expressly told I wasn't welcome all to make sure Ameline had all the power of the dark maji.
Sounded like a great plan to me.
***
Chapter Twenty Four
Iepa was already retreating, about to leave me, when I latched onto her with my maji power, anger returning. Sure, she'd proven she was on my side, okay. But I still had questions.
“You could have told me I was in imminent danger of being wiped out,” I said.
She didn't fight me as I held her, hovering on the edge of the gash she'd made in the veil. “There was little reason to worry you. Either he and the others would destroy you, or they wouldn't. Prevention of the former was impossible.”
Far too practical for my taste. “Any idea when the Brotherhood will be ready for an all-out assault? If I don't free Ameline?”
Iepa spread her hands in front of her, palms down. “No way of knowing,” she said, “but I feel it is close. Very close. If the Sidhe are allowed to fall, I have no doubt the Brotherhood will take that as the sign they need to act.”
Yet another reason I had to save their arrogant Fey asses.
“Remember,” Iepa said, “Ameline still needs time to develop into full power. You were delivered what you needed in full force. She must grow what she requires to match you.”
Funny, I thought things always came easier for the bad guys.
Iepa finally pulled against me, gently, though, from the weight of her magic she could break free of me if she wanted to. “I must go,” she said. “I will try to reason with the dark maji while you retrieve their daughter.”
I let her leave without a fight, feeling the last of the warmth leave the room as the veil sealed behind her. Only the light from the bathroom illuminated the space, though, as I turned, I noticed the thin red line of dawn shining through my window. I retreated to the sink in my bathroom, splashing my face with water, staring at my tired expression in the mirror. The subtle hum of the taint gem buzzed against my hip, one hand falling to pat the pocket though I knew it was still there.
I really had to get rid of the damned thing.
It wasn't until I left my room, on my way to the stairs, I stopped with a start. Charlotte's door stood open a crack, but there was no sign of my bodywere. Not that she slept much. I knew she patrolled late at night. But she hadn't said boo about me leaving this time and, oddly, I started counting up the times she'd reacted badly to me going anywhere without her in the past month or so.
I shook my head and kept moving, promising myself I'd sit her down and talk to her once this present disaster was dealt with. And no amount of weregirl stoicism would keep me from finding out what was wrong.
Shenka sat in the kitchen over a cup of coffee, looking out the window with Sassafras curled up on his placemat next to her. She smiled and rose, came to hug me before pouring me my own cup as I sank with a sigh into my seat.
Magic topped up my cup with milk and sugar. The scent alone made me feel perky, the soft feel of Sassy's fur under my free hand helping, too.
They weren't going to like what I had to tell them, but I owed the pair of them the rest of the story. They both listened quietly until I fell silent, now moodier than ever, staring into the cooling coffee in my mug.
“You have to free Ameline.” Shenka laughed without humor. “I can't believe I'm saying that, but you must.”
“Agreed.” Sassafras nudged my hand with his nose. “We're out of options and the Sidhe are running out of time.”
Right on cue, Liam's mind reached for me. Thalion's here.
The tension in his mental voice made me sit up straighter. Trouble? Dumb question.
You could say that, Liam sent, though with an edge of anger in his mind.
I stood, hugged Shenka again, kissed Sassafras and walked out into the early morning. Reached for the veil. Felt a hand take mine. I looked back over my shoulder into Charlotte's blank stare before pulling her along with me.
The steps to the basement of town hall were dark, Liam waiting for us at the bottom. Weird to be able to appear inside the building. There was a time when the Sidhe Gate kept me from riding the veil to anywhere near the interior, forcing me to use the lawn. Liam's eyes widened as I descended and hugged him, as concerned with the change as I was.
I followed him inside the cavern, feeling the wards at the entrance weaker than I remembered, sluggish to act. While I shivered over what that had to mean for the Sidhe, not for the first time, my mind went to Sonja O'Dane. Yes, I had bigger problems, like the imminent downfall of an entire race. And yet, I couldn't help but wonder where Liam's meddling mother had run off to, petulant thought vanishing as I joined Thalion in the Gate room.
“Sydlynn.” It was the first time he'd called me by my name. Shaylee sighed sadly and I realized then how much she would miss his devotion.
She could mourn later. “What's up?” Images of the Sidhe realm crumbling to dust, of the Brotherhood sweeping in and devouring everything, drove little spikes of feverish need into my flesh, making me antsy.
But Thalion's unhappy expression
told me not only was I not going to like what he had to say, it had nothing to do with the Brotherhood.
“I've been geased,” he said in a growling voice so unlike his normal velvet tone I flinched, “to escort you,” bring me by force, in other words, “before Queen Aoilainn of the Seelie and explain why you are attacking our people.”
Oh no, she did not just put this crap on me.
“With pleasure,” I snarled.
And the pleasure would be all mine.
You betcha.
***
Chapter Twenty Five
I didn't go with him right away. Nope, not yet. I had something to retrieve first.
Not that I expected my crystal to be able to help me much, but I was determined from here on in not to go anywhere without it.
I dug it out of my underwear drawer, flashing back to the stairs, Charlotte silent, along for the ride, before striding into the cavern and straight through the already open gate, not waiting for Thalion to lead the way.
She'd put a geas on one of her own Sidhe to force me to face her. Well now. We'd just see about that, wouldn't we? And her little plan to blame all of this on me?
She didn't get to point fingers.
I covered the ground in massive strides, maintaining my natural form, again with Shaylee's full support. From the way the earth vibrated under me, how the very grass and trees seemed to shrink from my stomping feet, I knew I was making the kind of entrance I'd hoped for.
By the time I stormed over the fancy little bridge and into the main clearing, I gathered a big enough head of steam a strong gust of wind actually pushed before me, blowing over the gathered court, flapping skirts and ruffling perfect updos, sending the gauzy white fabric over the queen's pavilion into a frenzy of snapping.
She glared and I glared right back, coming to a halt before her, arms crossed over my chest. I'd taken a lot of crap in my day, but no way was some spoiled, stubborn, arrogant Sidhe going to push me around when I was trying to save her pathetic butt.
No. Way.
The queen's fury rolled over me like an earthquake, but I held my ground, creation magic slicing it open, sorcery siphoning off the excess. Aoilainn looked as beautiful as ever, but the faintest tint of decay had begun here, too, around the edges of the pavilion. Was the grass not quite so lovely, her dress perhaps slightly wrinkled? And her skin, normally poreless and translucent, seemed common, marked with the beginning of wrinkles and minute flaws that made her appear more human.
“It is you!” She pointed a shaking finger at me. “I feel your foul darkness devouring my magic. You have brought this pestilence upon us!”
Enough. Just freaking enough already. I gathered up my maji power and firmly shoved her back into her throne, pinning her there while I fought my temper.
“Listen up,” I snarled while Charlotte's wolf form snapped in counterpoint. “I've tried to warn you in the past, but you just won't hear me. Guess what? I'm not giving you a choice this time.”
Her whole court stared, some with fury, others in fear. But Thalion held his ground next to me, so they didn't move. For now. I wondered how long that would last, when the first of the queen's soldiers would finally act.
I just hoped I wouldn't have to kill any of them.
Aoilainn's face blanched even whiter than usual. “It must be you,” she whispered.
“They are called the Brotherhood.” I know I probably shouldn't have spoken to her so slowly, like she was a child without a clue, but it was hard not to use sarcasm. It was either that or shake her so hard her head popped off.
Shaylee might not have liked her mother very much anymore, but I didn't think she'd appreciate me decapitating her.
Aoilainn shuddered, one hand covering her mouth. Eyes full of desperate terror, her fury turning to fear so fast I did a double take, the queen sobbed once as a large patch of decay appeared in response to her loss of control. Several of the court Sidhe screamed and fainted, not all of them women, while the Queen pulled herself back together.
“You must help us.” She reached for me. “My daughter, I beg you.”
Shaylee shuddered and turned away while I let my vampire and demon comfort her at the sight of her mother fallen so low.
“I offered once before,” I said. “You kicked me out of your kingdom, if you recall. And I told you I wouldn't care if you fell. Do you remember?”
Aoilainn nodded, mute. She sank back into her throne. It was only then I noticed she sat alone, her prince consort nowhere to be seen. Coward was probably hiding in his room hoping this all went away.
Anger bubbled inside me, triggered by my frustration and the knowledge I had to take steps that would put not only me but my whole family in danger. All for this ungrateful, spoiled queen. It was almost too much. I wanted to walk away.
Please, Thalion reached for me. Don't punish all of us for the actions of one.
He sent me an image of the Unseelie and I sighed, temper fading, leaving a ball of burning yuck in my stomach.
I met Aoilainn's eyes as she straightened, her queenness returning.
“You're not going to like it,” I said. “But you need to work with King Odhran if you want this to stop.” Okay, that was a lie. I felt Thalion twitch next to me as Shaylee gasped, but chuckled.
Sneaky, she sent.
Aoilainn turned away, mouth grim. “Never,” she said.
“Okay,” I said, turning away. “Have a great end of the Sidhe. Let me know how it turns out.”
I made it two very determined strides before her magic reached me, along with her voice.
“You can't leave me!”
I turned back and gave her a view of my extended middle finger.
“Like hell,” I said. And walked away.
Thalion was silent the rest of the way to the border, though he seemed to be free of the Queen's geas at least. When we came to the gate between Seelie and Unseelie territory, he sighed like he'd lost his true love.
Which, I guess, he had.
“I fear we will not survive if the realm is allowed to fall,” he said. “Prepare yourself.”
Not good. I stepped over the border and into hell.
Unseelie lay, collapsed and fading, scattered across the dead grass. Large lumps like old stones made hillocks of rock in a semi-circle around two thrones made of twigs and branches. I caught my breath as I realize those hills were the Unseelie giants I'd met my first time here, kind and gentle, sweet natured. Far more than any Seelie I'd met, no matter how they compared on the outside. The power drain had forced them to the earth, their large eyes closed, bodies rigid. And they weren't alone.
The thrones held the sagging forms of the king and queen, both of whom didn't attempt to rise as I approached. A large, black blot, reminiscent of the passage Demetrius used to take me to Wilhelm Castle loomed above, the heart of the storm eating the sky.
“I take it you have no further help to offer.” Odhran grunted as he forced himself to sit up, face lined with weariness.
Agony burst from the ball of bubbling grossness in my stomach, fed by overwhelming frustration.
Instead of answering him, I turned and looked up. Lifted my crystal in my hand and focused on the gaping nothingness. My sorcery answered immediately, eagerly, no longer hungry, but starving. And, for a brief moment, I thought I had the key.
Ravenous and powerful, the black flower unfolded, channeled through the living crystal, and began to reverse the process. I felt the sudden rush of Sidhe power, flowing back through the nothingness and into me, my crystal pulsing green. A gust of wind flattened my clothing against me as the force of my sorcery, sucked at the disappearing magic, a sigh of power echoing over the fading Sidhe.
But, within moments I no longer drew power, only defended it. Felt it begin to trickle away from me again. With a snarl of rage I gathered what I had left and tied it to my creation magic, making the edges sticky with air magic tied to the earth, before slamming it into place over the hole.
The patch suctione
d to the edges of the nothingness, flattening out, warbling as it hummed with tension. I held my breath for a long moment, staring, watching as the Unseelie sighed and straightened, looking up with me.
The patch groaned, hummed, vibrated.
Held.
Holy. Okay then.
I spun on Odhran with a grim expression, crystal held in my hand so tightly I was sure I'd see blood flow out from between my fingers any second now. He reached out to squeeze my shoulder with a small smile, already regaining strength.
“Well done,” he said.
“I have no idea how long it will last.” I glanced up, watched my sparkling, iridescent patch waver. “But if you can feed it power, it should keep the siphoning from continuing until I can get back.”
“You have a plan then.” He looked up, hands forming fists.
I sighed and nodded, chest tight, wanting to throw up.
“I do,” I said. “I have to go break someone out of prison.”
***
Chapter Twenty Six
Varity's mind felt startled when I reached for her, but she quickly sobered when I told her what I needed.
I'll meet you at the chapel, she sent. You're coming alone, I take it?
I couldn't bring Gram. No way was I involving her in the jailbreak when it could mean more trouble for our family later. Just Charlotte and I, I sent.
She had robes in her arms when we arrived, offered me mine without comment, but hugged me when I'd finished draping myself.
“She's so proud of you.” Varity's eyes glistened with tears, lower lip trembling a little. “You're Ethie's granddaughter all right.” Lips curving into a ferocious grin, she tore open the veil to the stronghold, the pull of her Enforcer magic skimming around the edges. “Just promise me you'll let me in on the action when you strip this wretched girl dry.”
Oh, did I forget to tell her I planned to break Ameline out? That I'd lied to her, explaining I just needed to “see” the prisoner, wink wink, nudge nudge?