Jared shrugged. "Better ask them yourself. It's not as if Izban would talk to us, and Amber's been busy... doing things with him. It's been a very enjoyable dessert."
He winked at Macey and heat flooded her belly. The incubus was insatiable, but she guessed that after he'd almost died, he was allowed to eat as much as he could, even if it was sexual energy siphoned off some of her friends.
They walked over to the others. The three kelpies were following them in the distance and Macey waited until they were close enough to hear her.
She took a deep breath and lifted her voice. "You have all come to fight at our side," she began, speaking as loud as she could. Something stirred within her and a tingle of magic ran over her skin. Air, she assumed. Maybe Air helped her increase her voice's strength.
"We would not have asked for this unless it was absolutely necessary. I believe you've all been told what we're up against. This isn't a mortal enemy, nor one any of you will have faced before. This isn't going to be easy. We don't know how best to defeat him."
"A little more upbeat," Jared whispered and squeezed her hand in reassurance.
Yes, she was getting to that.
"But we have defeated one of his kind before. We now know more about him and his kind than we did back then, so our chances are much higher. Last time, it was just as Wardens, but now, we have all of you fighting by our side. Together, we can defeat this evil before it spreads through all of our worlds. Just because it isn't affecting you yet doesn't mean it won't soon. The Kabouters are already feeling the effect, as are the kludde. The latter can't be here with us today because their magic is out of control and they might do more harm than good. They're suffering, and it's on us to do something about it. Now, will you fight with us, the Seven Wardens, to bring the Mahoun to justice?"
She shouted that last sentence, hoping it would bring others to join in. Alas, silence greeted her words. Were they not going to support them? Had she messed up? Was her speech not convincing enough?
Finally, one of the kelpies roared, "Yes! We will stand with you, your Majesty!"
Oh no. Couldn't they just keep calling her Princess or Highness? Majesty was a step in the wrong direction, a very wrong one that could lead to civil war.
"We're with you!" a very short Kabouter shouted, his voice surprisingly deep for his size. Then, everybody joined in, calling out statements of support, some even stamping on the marshy ground for emphasis.
Macey smiled, relief flooding her. They weren't going to leave. They were going to fight. Now, the big question was, where were they going to take the fight?
"Macey?" Amber asked quietly, having appeared behind the kelpie. "Malan told us some stuff while you were away. It might help us, or it might not. You know how he is."
Macey sighed. "What did he say? And why can't he just tell us now?"
She looked around for the bodiless prophet, but couldn't see him anywhere.
"He's left," the beithir whispered. "Don't tell anyone, we don't want them to think he abandoned us. He said he had to go and find someone who could help us. He didn't tell us who, but he did tell us something else."
"Yes?" Macey asked impatiently.
"Activate the markings and you will find a doorway that will lead to doom or salvation," Amber recited. "That's exactly what he said. Do you think he means the tattoos on your back?"
Macey frowned. She couldn't think of any other markings that they'd come across recently. The ones on her skin were still a mystery. She knew they represented the other Wardens, but she had no idea why she was carrying them. Maybe this was the answer. Question was, how was she supposed to activate them?
"Please tell me he gave you instructions to activate the markings?" she sighed, but Amber shook her head, suppressing a smile.
"Of course he didn't. I think he wasn't happy about telling us this much already. I guess it wasn't vague enough for him."
Macey laughed. "Yes, that sounds like Malan. I guess we have to trust him. So far, he's not led us in any wrong direction, although I can't say he's always led us in the right one, either."
"He's a weird man... being, that's for sure," Amber agreed. "Shall we ask the others if they have any idea about what to do with the markings? But maybe not here. I'll tell our allies we're making last minute preparations, you go inside with the others and figure something out."
Macey nodded and watched as the beithir confidently strode towards the Kabouters.
"Maybe we need to have sex?" Jared suggested with a wolfish grin. "All of us?"
Izban growled. "No way. If you even suggest this again, I'm out."
"I do love a good orgy," the incubus muttered, but didn't press the issue further. They all knew that Izban was already at the outskirts of their group, and nobody wanted him to retreat completely.
"Maybe we need to give you some of our magic?" Cam proposed instead. "Somehow point it at our respective markings and see what happens?"
"I wouldn't want to burn her," Flint warned. "And I'm not sure lightning would be good for her either. No offense, Amber."
He smiled at the beithir who'd just entered the room.
"None taken. Macey has felt my magic before however. Maybe she just needs to think about it? Concentrate on it somehow?"
Macey shrugged. "I can try it. It sounds a little too easy though."
"Sometimes, not everything is as hard as it seems," Flint said in a voice that sounded a lot like Malan's. Cam elbowed him in the ribs.
"I better show you my tattoos while I do this," Macey suggested. "Tell me if anything changes."
She took off her bra, almost enjoying Izban's shocked gaze. She stepped towards the sofa and lay on it so that they could all see her back. She closed her eyes, hoping that would make it easier to focus. Not that she really knew what to focus on. She couldn't feel the tattoos, they didn't hurt or make themselves noticed in any other way. She sighed. This was going to be one of those annoying and seemingly unsolvable quests. All part of being a Warden. Bah.
Macey concentrated on her water magic. That one was going to be the easiest, so it made sense to start out with it. Problem was, she had no idea what to do. She didn't want to drench the room in water, or herself, or anyone. She created a few drops of water and let them fall on the bare skin of her back.
"There's water," Flint informed her. "But the marking isn't doing anything."
It would have been too easy. Instead of physically creating water, Macey thought of how the magic felt like. The cool, slippery, calming essence of the magic she'd wielded for years. Even just thinking about it relaxed her. Yes, the magic could be wild and destructive, but while it was slumbering within her, it was a peaceful loch that mirrored her thoughts and emotions. Unless she wasn't feeling peaceful, then it changed into something more violent. It happened. Now that she was looking at her magic, she felt it calling to her. She took a deep breath and jumped, diving into the loch, entering it with an elegant jump that would have made any Olympic athlete gasp. Or so she liked to think.
If this had been real water, she would have shifted into her kelpie form, but as she didn't really have a body in her mind - yes, it was very confusing - she stayed as she was, somehow being able to breathe without a problem.
She swam around a little, exploring the loch that had been within her forever but which she'd never dived into before. It had always seemed impenetrable and not as inviting as it had a moment ago when she'd taken the plunge.
"Something's happening!" she heard from far away. Good. That meant she was supposed to continue swimming, or exploring, or whatever had worked for the marks to activate. She let herself drift to the water's surface and rolled onto her back, looking up into the darkness that was her mind. Not because she was evil; no, it was a familiar, gentle darkness that felt soothing rather than threatening. She spread her arms and legs, floating, completely relaxed. She should do this more often. It felt really good.
"Your water mark is glowing!"
She smiled, until the same vo
ice continued, "Move on to the next one!"
Macey sighed. She didn't want to leave this place. She'd not had a break in weeks, always hurrying from one place to another, never resting. Still, her sense of duty prevailed and with one last splash of water, she left her inner loch, focussing on another kind of magic that was similar: ice.
She thought of what she knew about ice. It was cold, deadly, majestic. A silent killer. Strong. Able to break things. Avalanches, icicles, slippery ice on the ground. The images flashed through her mind and step by step, her skin became colder. She looked down at the loch beneath her, not at all surprised when she saw a thin sheet of ice covering its surface. Hopefully it wasn't permanent. She really didn't want to carry a piece of Izban within her. That was Amber's job.
Chapter 9
She looked in the mirror, trying to work out if anything was different about her. She'd managed all of the elements save one: Wind. Why it was Cam's mark that eluded her, she had no idea. Maybe it was all tied into the mists? They never had seemed all that friendly.
"Staring at yourself isn't going to help."
Macey shrieked and spun around, grabbing her shirt from the chair beside her and hastily throwing it back on.
"Lucien," she hissed. "What are you doing here?"
"Admiring the view." He lifted a suggestive eyebrow, but it was so at odds with the rest of his expression that she ignored it.
"And you thought just appearing in my room was the way to go?"
"I am your daimon," he pointed out. "Your Wardens did a good job at trying to lose me, I will admit. But they didn't take into account that I don't need to know where you are to be able to find you."
"That makes no sense," she snapped, concern filling her as she wondered about the implications.
"Doesn't it?"
"For a guide, you sure ask a lot of open questions."
"A guide's job isn't to tell their charge the answer, Macey. If I did that, then I might as well write an instruction manual."
"One would be appreciated," she muttered, trying not to taunt herself with how much easier that would make things.
"Whether that is the case or not, it's not something I can provide."
"Have you been talking to Malan?" She put her hands on her hips, more confident now she was covered. Even so, she hoped his eyes wouldn't stray to the messy bed and have him think those kinds of thoughts about her.
Luc laughed. "You have nothing to fear, your sex life doesn't bother me at the moment." He seemed nonchalant on the surface, but she could tell there was something else beneath the surface. She didn't know what though. The daimon was difficult for her to work out.
"Don't say that," she hissed.
"The word sex? You have four lovers at the moment, right?"
"Yes, sex."
"I didn't take you for a prude. How disappointing. I'd hoped you'd be more like the nymphs."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Anger flashed beneath the surface like a riptide under a calm sea. If the daimon wasn't careful, he was going to find himself well and truly drenched.
"How is the rage coming along, kelpie? Do you have it under control yet?"
"It was never out of my control," she snapped.
"The fields outside suggest differently."
"That was nothing more than an accident."
"I see, you're going to be one of those." He pulled out one of the chairs from beneath the simple wooden table. He flopped down on it, his dark wings flapping ever so slightly as he did.
"One of what?" She was curious, but didn't want to admit it quite yet. That would mean letting him win.
"Sit," he instructed.
She thought about arguing but decided it was too detrimental. Perhaps in his own round about way he'd tell her something useful. Or at least, more useful than Malan had. Not that it took much. Talking about something other than food made anyone more useful than the disembodied prophet.
Without waiting any longer, she perched herself on the end of the bed, only just refraining from kicking the loose bra she spotted underneath it so he wouldn't see.
"One of what?" she repeated.
"You know what, Macey. One of the ones who refuses to accept who they are or what they're meant to do. It's never their fault and they never know what to do. When I received you as my charge, I was actually excited. You seemed to have a certain level of acceptance which isn't often found in heroes..."
"I'm not a hero."
"Correction. You're not a hero, yet. But one day, they will sing songs about you and tell your story."
"I hope not," Macey said despite herself. She wasn't the type for that. Just like she wasn't the type to become Queen.
"Regardless of your feelings, you will be. But I was excited. A hero who finally accepted their fate. Who would do what was necessary without it being forced on them by the gods..."
"I thought you said the gods were dead?" she interrupted, receiving a scolding look in return.
"The gods are dead, but I'm talking about the past. Have you any idea how infuriating some of those Greek heroes were? The playwrights were correct in things either being a tragedy or a comedy. You should have seen Hercules." He shook his head and muttered something unintelligible.
"Hercules, son of Zeus?" she checked, suddenly glad she'd wasted a couple of days binge watching the cartoon royalty human children liked to watch.
"The one and only. His twelve trials? All performed by his daimon." Luc's eyes flared.
She still wasn't sure what he was actually getting at. Nor what he wanted from her. But the anger had ebbed away slightly, allowing her to think straight for a moment.
"I thought daimons only had one charge?" she asked slowly, recalling what Cam had said when they'd first encountered Luc.
He sighed. "We do. But we're reborn every time our charge is done. I've seen a lot of lives, but you're the only one I'm charged with in this one."
"Right." She leaned back against the wall, not sure what to do about the unknown man opposite her. He claimed to be there to help her, as her guide, but that didn't quite add up with the experience she was having. He certainly hadn't done much helping as far as she was concerned. "So...you're here to help me?"
"I can only help if you accept my aid."
"Fine, I accept it."
He laughed. "That's not how it works. You have to actually accept it within you, not just say the lie out loud."
He slunk his hand into the pocket of his coat and Macey flinched back for reasons unknown to her. Something about this man had her on edge and she didn't have the slightest clue what.
"Relax, I only want a drink." As if to illustrate his point, he removed a metal hip flask and popped the top off, taking a swig.
"May I?" she asked, her voice shaking. The past couple of days had been rough. A drink would certainly take the edge off.
"Sure." He held out the flask and she got up from her position on the bed to get it from him, only slightly resentful he was making her work for it.
She took the cold metal in her hand and brought the flask to her lips. Swallowing deeply, she glugged down the liquid inside. Or she tried to. Instead of it slipping down her throat as she'd expected, it caught in her throat and a loud cough rattled through her.
"What the fuck is that?" she demanded through the coughs.
"Fortified mead." The daimon shrugged.
"Mead isn't very Greek," she muttered.
"Neither is living beneath the Thames, but I did that too."
"You're very sarcastic for a guide."
"You're very infuriating for a hero."
"That's because I'm not one." Something bubbled up within her, reminding her of the rage of the day before. She tried to gain control again, not wanting to go through the same strain and terror again.
"Do you actually believe it when you say that?" he demanded.
"I don't know," she admitted sharply. Then sighed. "I'm sorry, it's been a rough..." she tried to count in her head but couldn't work it out. So much
had happened that her days ran together a bit, especially with her time in the Voice's castle to take into account.
"No one said your path was going to be easy," he pointed out.
"No one gave me a choice," she spat, throwing the flask back at him.
Her efforts were somewhat ruined by the ease he caught it with.
"No one said you'd get that either."
"Are you purposefully so infuriating?" she demanded, her nostrils flaring and her hands tingling with the urge to use some kind of magic on him. At this rate, she couldn't even predict which of the six would come out of her. Though she'd had the most practice with water, fire had come just as easily yesterday. Burning Luc to a crisp did sound satisfying.
She flexed her fingers, unsure if she'd actually act on her thoughts or just think them.
"No. I'm telling you what you need to hear, Macey," he shot back, getting to his feet.
He boxed her in; his height should have been intimidating, but it just seemed to egg Macey's anger on that little bit more.
"I hate to disagree..." She lifted her hand but Luc was quicker, closing his hand around her wrist and squeezing gently.
"Just because you don't want to, doesn't mean you don't need to. Now I need to know, are you going to make my job more difficult than it is already?" His jovial tone had disappeared, leaving pure threat in his words.
Macey's eyes hardened as she looked up at him, only just noticing how perfectly proportioned his features were. It was as if the term sculpted by gods had been coined for him. Macey shook her head, breaking the tension between them. But not her rage. She could still feel that and not in a way she was used to. She wasn't simply frustrated. This was something more.
What if...no. She couldn't think that. There was no way she was housing one of Mahoun's siblings. That would be too obvious.
"No, I won't make it more difficult," she accepted, begrudging him every single word.
"Good. Now sit down and I'll tell you the rest." His calm and light air had returned along with a smile.
Macey shook her head. He made no sense.
"But first, show me your back."
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