by Linda Howard
“Thank you, Mother,” Cael said, then spoke the ancient words of a potent spell she had taught him when he was only a small boy.
He waited for the names to appear, until slowly as if imprinted on a puff of gray smoke, the first name appeared, and then the second, the third and the fourth. All were names of council members loyal to Judah. The fifth appeared. Nadine. Then the sixth. Claude. The seventh was Sidra. No surprises.
But the eighth name puzzled Cael.
Judah.
He believed his brother to be his greatest enemy. How could there be someone of more danger to him than the Dranir?
And then the ninth name appeared, a name Cael did not recognize.
Eve.
Who was Eve?
The spell-induced vision ended, and Cael’s mind cleared.
Eve, who are you? If you can hear me, open your mind to me.
A vigorous surge of mental energy shot through him, bringing him to his knees. As the pain radiated through him and then quickly dispersed, he cursed loudly, damning whatever force had attacked him.
Someone did not want him contacting Eve. Could that someone be Eve herself?
You caught me off guard, Cael said. I am more powerful than any Ansara. You cannot win in a fight against me. Do you hear me, Eve?
Another blow zapped Cael, sending him flying halfway across the room and landing him in a heap against the far wall.
Damn you! I warn you. Don’t make an enemy of me. You will regret it.
I’m not afraid of you, a child’s voice replied. I will not let you hurt my daddy.
Cael’s heartbeat accelerated. Who is your father?
I am Eve, and I hate you!
Tapping into the child’s anger, Cael returned a psychic blow and laughed when he heard the little girl’s screams.
Screaming, Eve doubled over in pain, then dropped to the ground as if she’d been hit by a giant fist. Sidonia, who had been sitting in the swing watching Eve as she raced around in the yard, playing with Magnus and Rufus, rushed to the child as quickly as her old legs would carry her. Mercy, who had been picking peaches from the lower branches of one of the many trees in the fruit orchard, saw in her mind’s eye what happened to her child the instant it occurred. Someone had attacked Eve! Running as fast as possible from the orchard, Mercy sent several powerful bursts of retaliation energy, disrupting the flow attacking her child and reversing the blows so that they would strike their sender.
When Mercy reached Eve, she found her wrapped in Sidonia’s comforting arms.
Her old nanny looked right at her and said, “This is Ansara evil.”
“Mommy…” Eve’s voice was a mere whisper.
“I’m here, baby. Mommy’s here.” She took Eve from Sidonia and held her close.
“He’s a very evil man.”
“Who is, baby? Who attacked you?”
“The man who wants to kill my daddy.”
Mercy’s heart sank. No! Please, God, no. How had Judah’s half brother, his former business partner and now his enemy, found out about Eve? Did it really matter? Apparently this man, whatever his name was, thought he could somehow get to Judah through his daughter.
Half an hour later, when Eve had calmed somewhat, Mercy questioned her about what had happened. There was only one way anyone could have gotten past the protective barrier that Mercy kept around Eve.
Eve must have let him in.
“Why did you let him in?” Mercy asked.
“I didn’t. Honest, I didn’t. I just heard him call my name. He said Eve. And I knew who he was. I blasted him to make him go away, but he didn’t.”
No, it wasn’t possible. Only someone as powerful as she, as Dante and Gideon, could have broken through such a powerful protective barrier.
“I knew who he was—my daddy’s enemy—so I socked him again and again.”
“Oh, Eve, you didn’t.”
“I did, and I warned him that I wouldn’t let him hurt my daddy.”
“Oh, God, Eve, what am I going to do with you?”
“He thinks he’s more powerful than my daddy, but he isn’t. I’ll show him.”
Mercy shook Eve gently. “No more communicating with this man. Do you hear me?”
“Yes, Mother.” Eve hung her head.
“Now you run into the kitchen and have Sidonia get you some milk and tea cakes.”
Eve grasped Mercy’s hand. “You come, too, Mother. We’ll have a tea party.”
“You go ahead. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“All right.”
As soon as Eve disappeared down the hall, Mercy headed straight for her study. After closing the door behind her, she used her cell phone to make a call.
A gruff male voice said, “Why the hell are you—”
“Your brother knows about Eve,” Mercy told Judah. “Less than an hour ago, our daughter exchanged psychic blows with him.”
EIGHT
Tuesday, 3:00 p.m.
There were only two Ansara psychics loyal to Cael: Natalie, a girl of twenty, who had predicted that in the upcoming battle with the Raintree, many Ansara lives would be lost but they would not lose the battle; and Risa, older, wiser, more cautious, one of Judah’s discarded lovers who now often warmed Cael’s bed. Neither woman possessed half the ability that Sidra did. The old councilwoman, fiercely loyal to Judah, was the most gifted Ansara psychic. To his knowledge, the only Raintree psychic who had the potential to reach Sidra’s level was Echo. But that little bitch would be dead long before she could harness and control her gifts.
At his request, Natalie and Risa, who intensely disliked each other, arrived at his home together. Cael greeted the two women cordially, then personally escorted them into the living room and offered them refreshments. After they declined his offer, they obeyed his command and took seats on the sleek leather sofa.
He stood over them, glancing back and forth from one to the other. “I need information that I cannot gain by normal methods. You understand?”
“Yes, my lord,” they replied simultaneously, then glowered at each other.
“What I’m going to share with you is not to go beyond this room. If it does, there will be severe consequences.”
Natalie’s facial muscles tightened. “I swear my loyalty to you. I’ll take an oath in blood if your require it, Dranir Cael.”
Smiling, Cael reached down and caressed the blond girl’s tanned cheek. She returned his smile. He slapped her. Stunned by his actions, she reeled backward and gazed at him in shock.
“I displeased you?” her voice quivered.
“Not at all,” he said. “The slap was merely a test to judge your reaction.”
“Yes, my lord,” Natalie replied.
“I’d prefer not to be tested,” Risa told him when he turned to her. “I’m your loyal servant, but I am not your doormat. You’d do well to remember that.”
Cael focused directly on Risa, tall, elegantly slender, with black hair and dark blue eyes. When he was Dranir, he would prove to her that she was whatever he wanted her to be. The thought of forcing her to lie prostrate before him while he walked across her prone body brought a wide smile to his face. “I will remember,” he told her.
“Why did you summon us?” Risa asked, giving Natalie another displeased sidelong glance.
“I want you to work together to find the answer to a question. I need you to seek a child named Eve. I believe she’s Mercy Raintree’s daughter.” Then Cael added, “The little girl has powers, so be forewarned.”
“How old is the child?” Risa asked.
“Six.”
Natalie laughed. “A six-year-old with powers that we should fear?”
Cael nodded. “Unusual, but not unheard of. Remember, she is a Raintree princess.”
“What do you want to know about this child?” Natalie asked.
“I want to know who her father is.”
“What possible interest could the paternity of a Raintree child be to you, my lord?” Risa asked.
Cael barely managed to control his anger. How dare Risa question him? But for now, he would allow her disrespect to go unpunished. He realized she was jealous that he had shown an interest in Natalie, and by summoning them to his home together, he had placed the younger psychic on an equal level with the older. For the present, he needed Risa. Once she had served her purpose…
“Why I am interested in this child is not your concern,” he said. “Not at this time.”
Apparently finally realizing that she had stepped over the line, Risa acquiesced without further comment. She bowed her head, then turned to Natalie. “Prepare to link your mind to my mind.”
The two women sat facing each other. Risa took both Natalie’s hands in hers and stared into the younger woman’s eyes. “Go deep and let yourself travel across the ocean to the Raintree sanctuary, but do not project your thoughts into the future. Concentrate solely on the child named Eve.”
Natalie nodded agreement.
“I will clear the path for you, so that you can reach the child’s mind,” Cael said, certain that if he had made contact with Eve once, he could break through the barrier surrounding her once again. He found the anticipation exhilarating.
Judah walked along the beach, Claud eat his side, as he so often was. His cousin had been at his side, literally and figuratively, since they were boys. They had shared many things over the years—their first taste of liquor, their first woman, their first kill. They had left the island and gone to America to college together, and had joined the business world together as young men.
“Could it be a trick of some kind?” Claude asked.
“For what purpose? If it’s not the truth, why would Mercy want me to believe that Cael knows about Eve? Why tell me that he actually exchanged psychic blows with my daughter?
“To lure you back to North Carolina?”
“For what reason? The woman despises me and has made it perfectly clear that she doesn’t want me anywhere near Eve.”
“Forgive me for asking, but are you sure Eve is your daughter? Isn’t it possible that—”
“She’s mine.” Judah was as certain of that fact as he was that the sun would rise in the East tomorrow morning.
“If Cael even suspects that this child is yours, he will try to kill her,” Claude said. “And no one would stop him or judge him for his actions, because he would be obeying the ancient decree to kill any mixed-breed child.”
“I’m going to call a council meeting tonight. Only those loyal to me. And I will announce that I have revoked the ancient decree. With nothing more than my signature, witnessed by two council members, I have the power to revoke any decree.”
“The council will want to know why—”
“I am the Dranir. I am not obligated to answer to anyone, not even the high council.”
Claude paused, laid his hand on Judah’s shoulder and made direct eye contact. “Is now the time to alienate even one council member? Cael is preparing for a premature war with the Raintree. The more high council members he can turn against you, the easier it will be for him to follow through with his plans.” Claude squeezed Judah’s shoulder. “Your brother won’t stop until he kills you or you kill him.”
Judah pulled away from his cousin. “Are you saying that I shouldn’t protect my daughter?”
“I’m saying that your priority should be keeping Cael in check. Only you can prevent him from destroying us.”
“And you think I should be willing to sacrifice my daughter’s life? Don’t you believe I can protect Eve and also safeguard my people from my insane brother?”
“Why is the child so important to you? You didn’t choose to father her. You didn’t even know she existed until two days ago. And you can’t forget that she is Raintree.”
Judah seethed. “Eve is Ansara!”
“No, she isn’t,” Claude said. “She is only half Ansara. The other half is Raintree. And she has been reared for the past six years within the Raintree sanctuary by Princess Mercy. If your daughter had to choose between you and her mother, between the Ansara and the Raintree, who do you think she’d choose?”
Whirlwinds of sand swirled upward from the beach, shooting high into the air. Fire shot from Judah’s fingertips, and the ground beneath their feet trembled.
“Enough already. I get it,” Claude said. “You’re pissed at me for speaking the truth.”
Claude understood Judah as no one else did and accepted him without question. Instead of being irritated by Judah’s hair-trigger temper, his cousin usually seemed amused. There were times when Judah envied Claude’s innate calmness, an inner peace that he himself didn’t possess.
As Judah’s anger subsided, the whirlwinds died down one by one. He flung red-hot flashes out toward the ocean, where they sizzled and died in the salty surf. Then, when he continued walking up the beach, Claude followed, neither of them saying a word. The tropical June sun warmed them, while at the same time the breeze off the water cooled them. The Ansara lived in paradise.
“I can’t claim Eve until after The Battle, when the Raintree are defeated,” Judah said. “If I try to take her before then…”
“What will you do about Princess Mercy now that you know she gave birth to your child?”
“Nothing has changed. Mercy is still my kill on the day of The Battle.” Judah paused and looked out over the ocean toward the far horizon. Now that she had come into her full powers, Mercy would be a worthy adversary. She would fight him with all her strength. “As long as the Raintree exist, they will be a threat to us.”
“It won’t be easy to kill your child’s mother.”
“My father had Cael’s mother put to death. He never regretted it.”
“Uncle Hadar hated Nusi for what she did to your mother. Nusi was an evil sorceress, and crazy, just as her son is.”
“And Mercy is Raintree. That alone is reason enough to kill her.”
Before Claude could respond, they noticed one of the servants from the palace, a youth named Bru, running down the stairway that led from the palace grounds to the private beach. He waved his hands and called out for the Dranir.
When Bru reached them, he bowed hurriedly before gasping several deep breaths and saying, “Councilwoman Sidra is waiting for you, my lord. She said to tell you that you must come to her immediately. She has dire news.”
Judah broke into a run, flying up the rock stairs, Claude and Bru following. Undoubtedly Sidra had experienced another vision. If she said the news was dire, it was. She never panicked, and never exaggerated the importance of her revelations.
When they reached the palace grounds, they found the old seer sitting calmly on a lower level patio, her wrinkled hands folded and resting in her lap. Her husband, Bartholomew, stood behind her, as always, her fierce guardian.
Judah went to Sidra, and when she tried to stand on unsteady legs, he helped her back into the chair and knelt at her feet. As the Dranir, he didn’t bow to anyone, but Sidra was not just anyone. Not only was she their greatest soothsayer, she had been one of his mother’s ladies-in-waiting and her dearest friend.
Sidra squeezed Judah’s hands. “I have seen the mother of a new clan. She is a child of light. Golden hair. Golden eyes.”
Judah’s gut tightened. He would never forget the moment when he had seen his daughter’s eyes flash golden, just for a millisecond. “The child’s existence—what does it mean for the Ansara?”
“Transformation,” Sidra said.
Judah looked up at Bartholomew and then over at Claude. Transformation? Not annihilation? Not their downfall? And not their salvation.
Sidra clasped his hands tightly once again. Judah focused on her. “If you are to save your people, you must protect the child from…” Sidra’s voice grew weak, her eyelids fluttering wearily. “Guard yourself against Cael, against his evil. You must reverse the ancient decree…today.” Sidra dropped off into a sudden and deep, restorative sleep, as she usually did after a powerful vision sapped her strength.
/> Bartholomew lifted the cloak from his shoulders and laid it across his wife, then faced Judah. “My lord, you know which ancient decree she was talking about.”
Judah rose to his feet. “Yes, I know.”
“Sidra believes her vision to be a true one,” Bartholomew said. “If it is…there is a mixed-breed child out there somewhere, a child who is half Ansara and half Raintree.”
“Yes, there is.”
“You already knew of the child’s existence?” Bartholomew asked.
Judah hesitated. “Yes.”
“After what Sidra has seen, I agree that you have to protect the child,” Claude said. “Write a new decree and sign it, with Bartholomew and me as witnesses. Revoke the ancient decree that demands the death of any mixed-breed offspring.”
“Claude is right, my lord.” Bartholomew glanced down lovingly at his wife. “Sidra believes Cael will try to kill the child, and you must not allow that to happen. Without her, the Ansara are doomed.”
“I swear on my father’s honor that I won’t let anything happen to the child,” Judah said. I’ll protect you, Eve. Do you hear me? No one will harm you. Now or ever.
Mercy sensed a triad of minds searching inside the sanctuary boundaries—powerful thoughts that had combined in order to increase their strength. Instinctively, she realized the psychic exploration originated from far away. Laying aside the book that she’d been reading—an ancient script filled with spells and incantations of protection—she concentrated fully on the hostile energy. It took only a minute for her to understand the danger.
Ansara!
One mind was leading the other two, guiding them as it struggled to contact Eve.
I won’t allow it. Closing her eyes and taking a deep, strengthening breath, she concentrated on surrounding Eve, adding extra protection to the magical boundary that already guarded her.
It’s all right, Mother. I’m not afraid of him. He can’t hurt me.
Oh, God, Eve. Don’t! Whatever you’re thinking about doing, don’t do it.
Silly Mommy.
You’d better listen to me, Eve Raintree!