So she knew Sebastian pretty well. But that by itself wasn’t enough, not by a long shot. How could she get out of these rope and over there to get that damned collar off him? How could she possibly stop the spell from all the way over here?
Doc’s voice rang out in her mind again. “It’s mostly a matter of will, my dear. The rituals and the tools help you focus, and that helps you direct your power where you want it to do the work you wish it to do. That focus takes a great deal of practice, but it’s not complicated at its base.”
Sarah sniffled, trying not to choke behind the tape gag. She looked back at Sebastian and met his eyes again. The barest flicker of recognition moved in his wild gaze, but she could see that he was losing the battle. It was, like the warlock had said, either now or never. She pushed the despair and sadness aside. It wasn’t helping, only tying her hands mentally as firmly as the rope held her physically.
She had to work fast, no matter how little she felt qualified. She steadied her breathing and concentrated, meeting those yellow eyes with her own deliberate stare, forming her own will into a point and imagining it flying at Sebastian like a dart.
She was floating. It was a little like those pictures of sci-fi space stations, her a small shuttle looking down on a huge edifice that just hung there in the dusky nothing that surrounded them. A series of brightly glowing rings made from those same squirming, wriggling runes as were inscribed on the collar circled the main planet-like structure, crisscrossing to form a cage that sent tendrils down to the surface, like roots seeking nourishment. The rings made her feel sick and she knew that was the spell from the collar. Well… now what?
“What are you doing here, priestess?” a voice asked from behind her. Sarah whirled to face a small Japanese woman. She looked somehow ancient and young at the same time and even as she felt the urgency of the situation she couldn’t quite understand the woman.
“I…” She shook her head to clear it, hoping it would stabilize the woman’s appearance as well. “I’m not a priestess. I’m barely even a witch.”
The woman shrugged. “Witch, priestess. Whatever you like to call it. Different words for the same thing, mostly.”
“Who are you? Where are we?” Sarah’s questions whirled though the space between them.
“We are in Sebastian’s mind, I suppose would be the easiest way to put it.” The woman said, her dark hair rippling as she moved her head. She smiled sadly. “That spell was not fast enough to catch me, but I only exist as long as his memories of me do.”
“Are you,” Sarah paused. The woman in front of her clearly looked human, but she realized that it was just an image. It felt identical to many of the other spirits at the Village. “Are you Sebastian’s mother?”
The woman laughed and nodded behind Sarah, who turned to see another woman approaching them past the outermost ring.
“I am his mother Sachiko. This is my mother, Keiko.” The newcomer walked up, her feet landing on nothing at all. She smiled at Sarah, her eyes warm and clever, just like Sebastian’s. Sarah looked between the two women.
“You have to help me.” She said. You have to help him! It’s too big, I can’t do it.”
“There’s nothing we can do, really,” Sachiko said, sadly. “This is your spell and we are just shadows puled from Sebastian’s memory.”
“But I don’t have any training! I’m not even sure how I got here.” Sarah felt the tears hot on her face.
“But you are here,” Keiko said. “Don’t tell me you worked so hard to find your way here only to give up, did you?
“Of course not!” Sarah wanted to stamp her feet, to scream at the women in front of her. “I’m trying to fight that thing! But I don’t know how. It’s all so new to me and that thing feels so strong. I don’t even know what it’s doing, let alone how to stop it!”
“It is reaching down to find those things that make Sebastian, well, Sebastian. To destroy them. To destroy him.” Keiko said. Her eyes narrowed. “It is a foul, evil bit of work. It must be stopped.”
“But how?“ she almost sobbed. Now that she was here, it felt so bleak. She’d really only had a tiny bit of training compared to a warlock who could fashion this spell and raise the monsters they’d been fighting. “I mean it’s only been a few months since I even found out about all this stuff.” The women smiled and exchanged glances.
“Well, we are both merely memories for the most part. Mental impressions of his mother and grandmother that Sebastian carries in his heart, so we can only advise you so much,” Sachiko said.
“It is true.” Keiko nodded. “We are here only because we are a part of Sebastian. However, I had a great deal of power in my life, and I have passed it down to my daughter, and she did the same for her children. So there is some help we can give.”
“What did you think those looked like when you first saw them?” Sachiko pointed at the tendrils, fatter now, reaching down into what was now obviously Sebastian’s mind. Sarah blinked and stared at them for a moment.
“They look like roots to me.” She said.
“Well then.” Asked Keiko gently. “How do you get rid of unwanted plants in your garden? The ones that smother and choke out the plants you love?”
“Well.” Sarah thought. “I only just started gardening, but I guess I would pull them out. I would weed the garden.” Her voice took on a tone of wonder. Was it really that easy? It was such a huge job, though. But…
Keiko nodded. “A very good plan.”
Sarah turned back to the horrible rings and their awful, evil roots. She reached out, shocked that something that had seemed so gigantic during her conversation was suddenly so close she could touch it and so small that her hands could easily manipulate it.
Gently, so gently, she put her hand down beside one of the roots to reinforce and protect it from the weed. The surface was warm and alive, and its energy pulsed like a heartbeat. She felt through her palm all the things that made up Sebastian—his humor and his fear and his kindness and his anger and all the people who had touched his life were there under her hand. Her heart squeezed as she thought of all that being destroyed by this evil spell trying to burrow itself deeply into his mind.
Oh like hell she was going to let that happen! She’d die first. She grasped the spell-root in her fingers, holding on relentlessly. It was slippery and hot and tried to fight her, but she pulled. Gently, but relentlessly she tugged it out until the root slid free to dangle, limp in her fingers. The ring it came from rang out with a deafening clang, objecting. She didn’t care, hope rising in her chest, and she reached for another.
She took her time, moving slowly to make sure that she didn’t cause any damage. God, she would never forgive herself if she made a mistake here, but she had to keep working. As she had freed each ring completely it had rung out loudly, screaming in her own mind, in protest, and then shattered and disappeared. She was tired, exhausted, but there were still one of the horrible things left. She moved with extra caution, her limbs heavy from the work. She felt more like she’d been in a barroom brawl than anything, her muscles ached and protested every movement but she was almost done now. She pulled the last root, carefully dragging it from where it had lodged, and the final ring shrieked in protest, and then cracked, splintered, and vanished.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, letting the exhaustion flow through her. She was dizzy from the effort and was so glad to be able to just lie here and rest. Even with her limbs pinned back as they were, it was almost heavenly to just not have to move, not have to concentrate. She opened her eyes again a moment later and realized that she was back in her own body tied hand and foot half out of a sleeping bag on the cold ground of the forest, and staring into Sebastian’s awestruck face, his eyes fully human and aware again.
“My god.” He whispered.
Twenty-one
It took a few minutes for Sebastian to gather his wits enough to start moving. He sat up and shook himself in honestly a very vulpine manner, but snatche
d the collar off like it burned him. He tossed it into a corner of the cage, then reconsidering, stuffed it into his pocket and proceeded to shove his way out of the cheap wire box.
“God, if I’d been trapped in there it would have served me right,” he muttered. Sarah watched him step over to her, not entirely stable on his feet, but moving with determination. She couldn’t stop the cry that escaped her when he ripped the tape off her face.
“I’m sorry, oh god I’m sorry. Are you okay?” He asked, hurrying to try to loosen the rope on her wrists.
“I’m okay now.” Sarah couldn’t stop the tears rolling down her face. “Sebastian, are you okay? Really? Are you still you and you’re okay?” She had to know. She felt the binding slide off her wrists and Sebastian sat her up and wrapped his arms around her, tucking her head under his chin.
“I am. I’m fine. I don’t even know how to thank you, though.” He rubbed her arms and shoulders as the blood rushed back into them and her joints protested at the abuse. She just couldn’t stop crying. First, the guy grabbing her this morning— now she realized, of course, it had been the warlock’s first attempt at his plan. Then the council meeting and the hunt for the wights, then the battle and all that waiting that had been so horrible, and everyone’s injuries. Then actually being kidnapped and this whole battle for Sebastian’s mind… It was too much. Sarah buried her face in Sebastian’s shoulder and let the sobs come.
After a while, she felt nauseous and sticky and cold, but also better in an odd way. She sniffled into her sleeve, now that she could move her arms freely again. Her wrists were a mess, bloody and raw, but she didn’t have the emotional space left to care too much. Someone would see to them eventually. She looked up at Sebastian, who was still rubbing small circles over her back.
“Better?” He asked. She just nodded and hiccuped. “Good. What say we get out of here and somewhere warm? I called Kai— that warlock didn’t bother taking any of my stuff, the idiot. Help should be on the way here, but we could meet them on the way if you want.” She almost laughed. He was worried about her. After all this, and he was worried about her mental state. It was almost enough to set her off again, but she dug deep and just nodded again. He helped her stand, and they steadied each other until she felt that she could move forward again. So together they staggered back through the woods towards their friends and help.
Doc fussed and clucked over both of them like they were toddlers with colds. They both got clucked at till they were seated on the sofa, both wrapped up in thick quilts with steaming mugs of tea in their hands. Sarah’s ankles and wrists were cleaned and smoothed over with ointment and wrapped up in gauze bandages and tucked carefully back under the blankets.
“That message said to go alone, but like hell we were going to let that happen,” Kai said. He was moving carefully, not leaning back in his chair.
“How’s your back?” Sarah asked. “I saw the wound before I was snatched away. And did you guys get all the wights?”
“I’m fine. It’ll heal, I’m not worried about it.” Kai waved his hand dismissively, but she saw he winced when he did it. “Doc and Stevie stitched it up. It’s just a bit tender now, that’s all. Don’t be worrying about me, jeez. Yes, the cavern is clear, and a group went back in to look for signs that the basilisks had mated. Seems they were both females anyway, so that’s another relief. I’m more worried that this warlock is going to come after you again.”
“He’s not getting anywhere near Sarah,” Sebastian growled.
“Or you!” Kai jabbed a finger at his brother, then hissed at the sudden movement jogged his back. “That guy was after you too.”
“Yes. He was.” Sarah said quietly. Something in her tone had everyone turning towards her. “I don’t hunk he realized how much I heard when he was on the phone. He wasn’t exactly careful about what he was saying, either.” She looked around at the faces turned towards her. Sebastian was still angry, and Kai was in pain, but they both waited for her to continue. Doc just tipped her head patiently, eyeing all three of her patients.
“He seemed to have two different jobs,” Sarah said. “Two clients that he thought would get what they wanted from this one action. First,” Sarah held up a finger, letting the blanket slide down her arm. “I think he hoped to scare me away from here. Away from the house, and from you guys. Second, the person he was talking to— and I think it was a man, but I can’t tell you why I think that it’s just a feeling— wanted to attack you particularly Kai. He wants to weaken you for some reason, and felt that hurting Sebastian would be a good way to do that.” She pulled the quilt back over her shoulder and wrapped herself up again while she watched that sink in.
“Well, he isn’t wrong.” Kai finally said. “I’d hate to lose you, man.” He shared a glance with Sebastian, who nodded.
“I’ll be extra careful for the foreseeable future. You should too.” Sebastian agreed.
“Who would want that, though?” Sarah shook her head. “It doesn’t make any sense, really. I mean whoever it is knows perfectly well about warlocks, I mean he hired one. It seems reasonable to figure he knows about what you guys are too. The warlock sure seemed to. Why on earth would someone want to take you on like this?”
“Great question,” Kai said. “I wonder what it’s all about. I mean, can anyone think of any reason?” Everyone sat in silence, staring into space as they tried to come up with anything.
“I mean, I haven’t known you guys that long, but I can’t imagine you’d piss someone off so badly that they would start a war over it. So the only thing I can think of is, well…” Sarah trailed off and shifted on the sofa.
“What? You thought of something?” Kai looked at her sharply. “Maybe we can trace it back to whoever started this.”
“Well…” Sarah pulled the blanket more tightly around herself. “You guys are all so sweet. All I can think of, honestly, is that you’re you. I mean. Maybe it’s like a really big escalation from throwing rocks.” She scrunched up her nose and looked mournfully around the room. Sebastian looked stony and Kai tipped his head slightly, rolling the idea around in his mind.
“Well, that’s certainly an idea,” he said, finally. Then he looked at her again, still considering. “You heard the warlock on the phone. Is that what it sounded like to you? Is that the impression you got, that it was just a broad attack on us all here in the Village?”
Sarah sucked in a huge breath and tried to remember everything that the man had said. Finally, she shook her head.
“No,” she said slowly, drawing the word out a bit. “No, I think he was trying to get to you particularly, Kai. That’s why he wanted to hurt Sebastian, and I was bait to lure him out. I think it’s more personal, but whoever it is, is more than willing to hurt innocent bystanders.”
“I am so sorry, Sarah.” Sebastian turned to her on the sofa and reached out from under his own layer of quilts to take her hand and squeeze it. “It’s my fault that you went through all this.”
“Sebastian—” Kai started but Sarah held up her other hand and cut him off.
“Ir really isn’t, Sebastian. That’s the other thing about the whole situation that I found out.” Sarah shivered. The idea that had been forming in her mind since she’d finally started getting warm again left a chill in her heart that even the wights would have respected. Doc came back in and refilled the tea mugs, then settled down in another chair. Sarah continued. “The warlock talked about two different clients, two different jobs. I don’t think he meant me to figure that out. Apparently one of his jobs was to scare me away from here. Away from you guys and Gran’s house and, well, all of this I guess.”
“But that’s crazy. Who would want to scare you?” Sebastian looked shocked. He glanced at Kai who looked equally baffled.
“You haven’t been here long enough to make any sort of enemies,” Kai said. “Besides, everyone here likes you, right Doc?” He appealed to the older woman. She smiled sadly.
“Well, it’s true that all of us here i
n the Village think well of you,” Doc said. She reached out and patted Sarah’s hand and smiled warmly at her. “Even if you weren’t Rosie’s granddaughter, you’ve put yourself out for several of us. The first contact you had with any of us, really, was to drag Sebastian away from a really stupid decision. And you spent all day today fighting with us to dig out that wight nest.”
“But I didn’t actually do anything. I just hung around and waited.” Sarah protested. “And then I got kidnapped and caused even more trouble for everyone.”
“What do you mean, you were a huge help,” Sebastian said and tugged her hand till she leaned over on him. Kai nodded his agreement.
“He’s right,” Kai said. “You were out there the whole time, helping Doc nurse wounds, feeding people soup, checking in on everyone. You kept our spirits up and that helped us beat those things.” Kai shuddered, his gaze turning inward. Doc reached over and nudged his tea into his hand, making him take a long sip before he continued. “I don’t think I could begin to describe what it was like in there. Especially at first. There were just so damn many of them, and it froze you to the soul.” He shuddered again and drained the rest of the tea.
“But… that’s just…” Sarah struggled to find words to explain that she wasn’t anything special. All she had done was do what other people had told her, really. I mean, someone needed to get a bandage she could do that without much instruction. Or a cup of tea, or whatever. That was easy, nothing like diving into a cavern filled with monsters or facing down a lunatic warlock with a gun.
“Sarah. The warmth of your concern for us, the magic of your caring for others even with simple everyday acts— that sort of thing can have a very powerful effect. Especially in fights like that was.” Kai leaned forward. “I don’t know anything about being a witch, but I do know a little bit about power. Even down in that hole I could feel the warmth of the camp, and that kept me going. And that is not a small thing.”
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