by Kimbra Swain
Soraya and Ruby herded our rescued fairies down the steps with Rory leading the way.
“I’ve got this one,” he yelled back at me. I turned around to look after the last fairy when a brute ran down the hallway after the faun we’d first found. He grabbed the poor thing, knocking it to the ground. I couldn’t throw fire, so I ran toward them with flaming fists. My approach was enough for the man to release the faun.
“Run!” I yelled at him. He scampered to his feet. As he cleared, I tossed two balls of fire striking the brute in the chest with both. His clothes ignited, and he squealed in horror.
I didn’t bother to see what happened to him as I ran after the faun. Rory was fighting two other ogres.
“Raya, I wish for huge fists!” he yelled.
“As you desire,” she said and motioned toward him. Purple smoke flowed out of her palm, enveloping Rory’s fists. When the smoke cleared, his fists were three times their normal size.
“Damn,” I muttered as I helped fairies down the gangplank.
Rory and his fists made quick work of the two ogres. Soraya passed me as she ran down the gangplank. I shook my head at her, but she winked in response.
A figure stepped out of the shadows down on the dock. We had company. I stood on the edge of the ship and looked up to the clouds. Kyrie swooped down out of the sky, scooped me up, and we landed right in front of the three men holding swords.
“Uncle Levi!” I exclaimed.
“Hey, Wildfire,” he said with a grin. I was old enough now to realize how handsome he was and didn’t blame my mother for falling for him at all.
“We have to get them out of here,” I said.
“Allow me,” Astor said behind him. He swung his sword in a circle, opening a portal to Shady Grove. Astor was once a knight of the round table. Percival, the Grail Knight. His sword bore the cracked scar where it was once broken. He’d reforged it but would not part with it despite its imperfection.
“Daddy!” Ruby yelled, running to her father. He reached out and hugged her with one of his hulking arms. Ruby and Rory had gotten their red hair from their father. The ginger knight.
“So many,” Levi said.
“I think there are more, but we are already being followed,” I said.
Gunfire erupted once again on the ship. The third man with Levi threw a large blue shield up to block us from the bullets. The blue light illuminated his cleanly shaven face.
“Tennyson,” I said in shock. He rarely fought anymore. He, too, had once been a knight. Lancelot.
“Hello, Wynonna,” he said with a devious smile. He’d changed so much in the past years. The stains of his past had been washed away in death, and he returned to us with a clean heart and clean skin. The tattoos that once marked him were gone.
“It’s good to see you. Catrina is here,” I said.
“I know,” he said. Of course, he knew. He knew everything. He might be out of the mob boss role, but he still had his hand in the pot.
“Where is Nick?” Levi asked.
“Not here. We thought the Sanhedrin had Rory and Soraya, but they didn’t. The traffickers had them,” I said. Colton walked up next to Ruby, and she winked at him.
“Who is this?” Levi asked.
“This is Colton Walker. His father is contracted to the Sanhedrin,” I said.
“He’s human,” Levi said.
“Yes, well, actually changeling,” I said.
“No, he’s human,” Levi said.
“What?” Colton said.
“Son, I don’t know who your father is, but you aren’t changeling. You have no fairy aura,” Levi said.
“He’s not developed any skills,” I said.
“Winnie, even an undeveloped changeling has an aura. It’s how Grace knew I was a changeling when she met me,” he said.
“Your father isn’t Professor Karis,” I said.
“I, I, I don’t know,” he said.
“Let’s get out of here,” I suggested as the last fairy went through the portal.
“Astor and Tennyson, go back with these fairies. I’m going with Winnie,” Levi said. I knew he wouldn’t go back until we had found Nick.
“Son,” Astor said, reaching out for Rory.
“No, Dad, I belong here,” he said. Astor nodded, then looked at Ruby.
“Someone has to watch the human,” she said with a shrug. Colton blushed.
Astor shook hands with Levi, then he and Tennyson disappeared into the portal. It closed quickly behind them.
“Do you have a vehicle here?” Levi asked.
“Around here,” Kyrie said. We piled in the SUV on top of each other. Catrina was already gone. Too bad. I could have contracted her to find Reyna, but if I knew Uncle Levi, he had something up his sleeve.
I tried to figure out how we’d gotten thrown off the trail of Rory and Soraya. Scarlett O’Lear said she’d seen them with the Sanhedrin, and the Sanhedrin had left a note for them. Reyna had even taunted me about them.
“Did the Sanhedrin ever have you?” I asked.
“I don’t know who had us,” Rory said. “We were kept in the box. We’d been moved around, but I never heard any references to the Sanhedrin.”
“I heard a man’s voice and the mermaid,” Soraya said.
“Karis and O’Lear,” I said. “Karis is definitely with the Sanhedrin. Contracted or not, he lied to us about Colton.”
“But he’s always taken care of me. I don’t remember my mother. She died when I was little,” Colton protested. “Why would he have done that if he wasn’t my father?”
“It’s possible he was fooled,” Levi mentioned. “The man that raised me thought I was his son.”
“He would have to be a pretty dumb fairy. He had to have known. He had the kitty litter sparkle. Oh shit! Where are the cats?” I said in a panic.
“We are here,” Kat said from under the back seat. I saw her bright eyes. Next to her, Cat’s eyes blinked. “We wouldn’t miss our wine.”
“Do I want to know?” Levi asked.
“I’ll explain once we get Nick back,” I said.
“Despite all of this, you look well, Winnie,” Levi said.
“Thanks.” Aydan told him what he knew about Kyrie and me.
“I’m sure Aydan has threatened you, Kyrie. He still threatens me about Grace. The damn kid can be pretty intimidating, but not nearly as intimidating as his mother,” Levi said.
“I understand,” Kyrie mumbled. I giggled quietly, watching him squirm. He shook his head at me as we pulled up outside the office. We hurried inside. It was already past midnight, and I felt like shit that I’d ran off on Nick, leaving him vulnerable.
“What’s the plan?” I asked Levi.
“He is blood-sworn to the crown of Winter. Therefore, I can find him,” Levi responded. Each one of my mother’s knights swore a blood oath to her. That blood oath was renewed to Levi when he married my mother. “I need something of his.”
I walked across the office to the coffee pot, and picked up the mug that said, “Certified Ass Man.”
Levi shook his head at the mug, then I heard the soft sounds of a guitar playing. Uncle Levi had a guitar tattoo that ran from his shoulder to his wrist. It, too, was made with the same special ink. Because he was a bard, he could play the tattoo instead of carrying around a real musical instrument to work his magic. He also had the power of Winter behind him, because he was bonded to my mother. Not just married to her but bonded by blood. He had all of her powers at his disposal, making him very fucking powerful.
He lifted his eyes to me, and the normal denim blue had changed to a bright turquoise like my mother.
“He’s Northeast of here,” Levi said.
“Back to the university,” I said.
“Everyone isn’t going,” Levi said.
Ruby piped up. “I’m going to take Colton back to your apartment and console him.”
“You do that. Cat and Kat, go with her. I’ll bring home the wine,” I said. The cats didn’t
protest as they had already curled up in a ball to go to sleep.
Levi checked his sword which he wore on his back. It was a bad place to wear it if you had to unsheathe it quickly. However, he had the power to call the sword to his hand. Levi owned the Great Sword made by the fairies and given to King Arthur, who carried it back to the Otherworld when he became King Oberon, my mother’s father. Levi inherited the sword by virtue and with the blessing of my mother who had no desire to wield Excalibur.
We stood on the library once again using our sight to look over the campus. Levi said he was drawn to the same building that Karis had entered earlier in the day. From the outside, we couldn’t make out any wards or magic.
“Well?” I asked.
“I’m going in there. You can stay here and back me up, or you can go with me,” Levi said.
“I’m going with you. Kyrie and Rory can go in the side entrance. We can meet up inside. Just be quiet and smart,” I instructed.
Kyrie nodded, then laid his hand on Rory’s shoulder. They flew down in the darkness to the side entrance. Levi took my hand, and we skipped to the other entrance.
When we stepped inside, I immediately felt the ward. It clawed at me like it was trying to rip off my skin. Levi huffed, and his guitar played a dissonant chord. The ward wavered allowing us to enter.
“Will that work for Rory and Kyrie?” I asked.
“Probably. If not, they will find a way to get in, but whoever is here, knows we are here now.”
I nodded and followed him down the hallway. We came to a double staircase. One set of stairs went up. The other went down.
“Down,” Levi said. I stuck close to him as we descended the stairs. I opened my sight to see the sparkling residue of the ward surrounding us. That’s why we had seen it on Karis. He’d gotten it from going in and out of this building. I just hoped that for Colton’s sake Karis wasn’t involved.
We came to a landing, and another single set of stairs descended further.
“Down?” I asked.
Levi nodded, and we moved down the steps quietly, but quickly. I felt his magic move, pulling Excalibur to his hands. I revved up my power, making my hands glow brightly. The building seemed quiet, showing no signs of anyone being here.
“This way,” Levi said, turning to his left. We followed the small hallway past the doors labeled with the names of various professors. I assumed this was a faculty office area. However, at the end of the hallway it turned slightly to the right. When we reached that turn, a noise moved behind us.
I spun around to find Kyrie and Rory stepping out of another stairwell hidden by a door. Lowering my fists, Kyrie moved close behind me.
“He’s behind those doors,” Levi said.
“This is a basement level. There probably isn’t any other way in there,” I said.
“Probably not, but I don’t want all of us barging into the room,” Levi said.
“Rory and I will wait out here. We will only come in if you call for help,” Kyrie said.
Rory didn’t seem to be happy about that idea. He seemed juiced up since his fight with the ogres. I patted him on the shoulder to show my support. He didn’t respond. Kyrie grabbed my hand and squeezed.
“I’m tired of us splitting up,” I said.
“Me, too. We should stop that,” he said, giving me his classic smirk. “You got this.”
Levi moved around the corner, holding the sword. It glowed with blue Winter power. I held my fists up while pumping heat into them. Levi released a chord on his guitar, and the doors blew off their hinges. I raised my eyebrows at him.
“I’ve done that before,” he said as if it were no big deal.
We stepped into a room filled with magical objects. Bottles and vials of substances that glowed with power. A wave of magic hit us both, but Levi’s guitar played away whatever danger it had posed.
“In the name of the Crown of Winter, surrender now,” Levi barked.
We couldn’t see anyone in the room, but I could feel their presence. “I wonder how some of this stuff would react to fire.”
“That would be unwise,” Reyna’s voice echoed all around me. I couldn’t make out a direction, and Levi seemed equally confused.
“Show yourself, or I’ll be forced to play Hide and Fire Seek,” I said.
“That one didn’t work,” Levi whispered.
“I thought it was good,” I muttered.
“You are half-fairy. You should be able to find me,” Reyna taunted.
She wanted me to switch to my sight, so I didn’t. Levi nodded that he understood without me saying anything.
“I knew you were a coward,” I returned the taunt. “Hiding behind your magic. Come on out so I can kick your ass.”
“There are two of you and many of us. I know the Bard King is powerful, but let’s test it,” Reyna said. I felt power pulled toward her. It moved on my left side. Levi played a tune on his guitar and blocked the magic she threw with the sword. It splashed against Excalibur, and the blade gobbled the magic up, making it glow brighter.
“You have no authority, Reyna. Even the sword recognizes that. The Sanhedrin are done. Come out and talk so that no one has to die,” Levi said still giving her an out.
“That’s where you are wrong, King. The Sanhedrin have never answered to the monarchy. It was why we were created by both Summer and Winter. We govern ourselves and recognize no authority but our own,” Reyna said, appearing across the table in front of us.
“Where are Nick and the Ravens?” I demanded.
“It’s funny. I tried to sell the wolf and the ravens to the traffickers like I did your friends, but they didn’t want the flea-ridden varmints. They were tried, convicted, and sentenced to death,” Reyna said.
“They are not dead,” I yelled at her, knowing the Levi had followed magic to this place while tracking Nick.
“Oh, but they are,” Reyna smirked. She pulled her hand from behind her back and tossed the head of a wolf on the table. Blood splattered. I couldn’t stifle the shriek that escaped my lips.
“Dominick Meyer was a knight of the Crown of Winter. You made a huge mistake killing him,” Levi said. His voice cracked as we stared at the head.
I felt Rory and Kyrie come into the room. My scream must have alerted them.
“Ah, wonderful. More fairy trash to dispatch,” Reyna said. To our right, Gamma and Simeon appeared. To our left, Judith and Elias faded into view. Two others that I did not know appeared behind Reyna.
My anger rose as I stared at the wolf head. Blood from the head dripped off the table to the ground. I studied it closely. It certainly looked like Nick’s wolf. He had a reddish-tint to his fur like a fox with black hair mixed in. I dared to do what Reyna wanted me to do, and I opened my sight to look at the wolf head. No aura surrounded it. It wasn’t Nick. It was a fake. She didn’t want me to use my sight and used reverse psychology on me.
“This ends tonight,” I growled.
Levi shifted his feet to ready for an attack. The Sanhedrin raised their hands, forming their arcane circles. Rory smacked his fists behind me. I cut my eyes to the side to see him. His wish granted fists had reappeared. Then, I felt the cool, calming power of Kyrie building up behind me. A mist rose from the ground that twinkled like stars. It rose to our knees, and Reyna shifted uneasily looking at it. She’d probably never seen the full-power of the Star Folk. I almost wanted to lower my fire and allow Kyrie to show off.
I moved my hands to my chest. One palm pointing up. One palm pointing down. A ball of crackling fire formed between my glowing hands.
For only a split-second, I saw the doubt in Reyna’s eyes as she sized up the competition. She had to know of Levi’s power, but she couldn’t possibly know the depth of mine. It was my nature to suppress my gifts. First out of fear. Now it was for the element of surprise. She couldn’t have possibly imagined a Summer Prince with Hulk-sized fists, plus his other Summer gifts. Then, throw in the wild card of Kyrie. She had to be shaking in her panties.
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br /> “Kyrie,” I said. Gamma screamed as the fog wrapped around his leg, then jerked him down out of sight. Kyrie laughed behind me. “Lay off the maniacal.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, as his power moved again past us to one of the men behind Reyna. He too was jerked down into the fog, screaming his head off as he went. The man beside him looked down in a panic, and I took the opportunity to throw my fire ball at him. It hit him in the chest, and he yelled as the fire spread across his clothes. He patted wildly at it trying to get it to stop.
Reyna slapped her hands down on the table with the wolf head on it and then lifted it up off the ground with her palms. She slung the table at us. Levi stepped in front of me, and Excalibur split the table in half. Kyrie and Rory dodged the shards of wood and bits of wolf skull.
Simeon charged Rory. Of all the Sanhedrin, he was the largest of the bunch. He slammed into Rory’s chest while barely missing a monstrous punch. However, when they hit the ground, Rory began to way-lay him in the ribs with those massive fists. Simeon fought back the best he could, but Rory continued to pound on him.
I spun around to see Reyna preparing her circle. It stretched wide in front of her like a shield, but the magic felt offensive. Movement to my left caught my eye, and I saw Elias running toward me. Then, he passed me and Kyrie, continuing to run down the hallway away from the fight. I smelled the slight odor of piss. Poor thing wet his pants.
Levi slowly approached Reyna as she moved her hand, making the glowing circle in front of her spin.
“Reyna, you are losing this fight. There is no reason for you to lose your life,” Levi pleaded with her.
“I’m not dying today,” she smirked as the circle spun faster and faster.
The man I’d set on fire whimpered as he took his last breath before sinking into the fog. I knew that Kyrie couldn’t hold more than two of them, so he’d maxed his abilities. I also knew neither one of them would be able to get away from the attack. Judith stood still to my left, watching Reyna’s circle grow and spin.