Stone Cold Revenge (Set In Stone, Book Two)

by Jess Macallan

  I stood with a little effort. “Suck them up like candy,” I muttered to myself. “Of course, because eating candy is just like getting a nasty jolt of electricity and a tattoo you didn’t ask for.” I rubbed the back of my neck where the small mark still felt hot.

  “Ticktock, ticktock,” Luna chanted. “Time’s wasting, Buttercup. You have another ward to get through.”

  I shut out her words and took a tentative step forward. No nasty jolt. I took a few more, putting me right at the door. I could feel contained energy but couldn’t tell if it was coming from the building or from the souls of those inside.

  The granite door was locked. I didn’t have the key. I put my hands on the door and immediately sagged against the structure. The energy from the ward hit me with the strength of every one I’d accumulated, combined.

  The breath was forced out of my lungs. I clawed the stone, trying to stay grounded in the present. The ward went beyond protection; it promised death to anyone foolish enough to try and enter. I heard Jax calling my name, but I couldn’t answer. The foreign language of the ward wound its way through my mind and into my mouth. Words spilled from my lips, beyond my control.

  I was pretty certain my consciousness slipped away for a moment. Slowly, my breathing returned to normal. I didn’t dare try to stand, just focused on the cold stone under my palms. Dew from the grass seeped through the fabric of my yoga pants, where I knelt on the ground.

  “I’m okay, Jax. It’s okay,” I called out, though my voice was almost a whisper.

  The second ward mark burned on the right side of my lower back. It felt a hell of a lot bigger than any of the others. I’d be completely covered in tattoos by the end of the day at this rate. Praying my legs would hold me, I wobbled to my feet. During the shock of the ward hitting, the door had opened.

  I gagged at the scent of decay. To most people, it would have been tolerable, but my nose was too developed not to immediately categorize the notes of death and rot. I had to quickly walk a few steps away and gulp in the fresh air. Ohgodohgodohgod, I thought, sending up a silent plea for help.

  Elion appeared at my side. This time when he held out his arm, I took it without hesitation. I had to hurry and get the hell out of here. I sucked in one last deep breath before stepping inside the dark stone room. The pendant cast a small glow, giving off enough light to illuminate the three tombs. Elion and Luna hadn’t mentioned who was in the third. Right now, I didn’t care. I had to find the mark and get out.

  Elion seemed unaffected, or maybe he was better at hiding it. “Do you see the marks on the top of the tombs?”

  I didn’t want to look that closely. I felt panicky. I wanted to turn and run, but I searched the first tomb, the one that held Flins. Sure enough, a symbol was etched into the top. Six inches in diameter, it reminded me of an intricate Celtic knot. I glanced quickly at the symbol on top of my mother’s. It was the same size but a different pattern.

  My lungs were starting to burn from holding my breath.

  “Place a hand on each,” Elion instructed, and he gave me a gentle push so I stood between the two stone memorials.

  Hands shaking with nerves and gut-wrenching fear, I put one on top of each symbol. They warmed beneath my palms, as did the stones of the pendant. A bright white light flashed. The energy from the marks seemed to shatter against my hands. My mother’s voice wrapped around me, whispering the secrets of the weavers.

  The lives of weavers before me unfolded in my mind’s eye. I heard my mother’s voice and saw her story.

  Unaware that Elion had walked me out, I trembled with the energy and knowledge coursing through me.

  I now specifically knew how to unthread my father’s soul. I also knew it wouldn’t be today. I had to find the missing souls first, along with the one I’d rethreaded years ago.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  I didn’t protest when Luna and Elion delivered us back to the guesthouse. Still shaky, I sat on the couch and stared at the floor. Luna knelt in front of me. “I have to go seal the mausoleum and lay down more wards. I’ll be back.”

  Before I could answer, she disappeared. Not that I would have protested.

  I caught Elion’s gaze and held it. “I never want to do that again.”

  “You won’t have to.” He knelt in the same spot Luna had and handed me a small, wrapped package. “Happy birthday.”

  I wondered if it would jolt me like the wards had. My body could only take so much in a day. It wasn’t even six in the morning, and I’d already hit my limit. In fact, I might have gone past it, judging by the fine tremor in my hands.

  Elion watched as I made fists in my lap. “It’s the excess energy. It will pass within an hour. Those wards would have killed anyone else, immortal or not. You absorbed them like they were nothing.”

  I almost laughed. They hadn’t felt like nothing. I think a Mack truck would have had less impact. I eyed the gift in his hands. I didn’t want to touch it.

  Elion’s blue eyes swirled with humor. “It’s a birthday gift. Nothing more, nothing less.”

  “I doubt that,” I muttered. I put it in my lap and stared at the simple blue wrapping paper with a white bow. Elion waited patiently as I studied the gift. The energy it gave off told me it was something powerful. Unlike Elion’s energy, which flashed and sparked with power, the package seemed to hold energy within a deep, cavernous well. It vibrated with a restrained, bottomless power.

  “If it shocks me, I’m testing the blade on you.”

  Elion stood and took a few steps back. “Your mother used to threaten me in a similar fashion.”

  The comment made me smile. “I guess that means you’ve always been frustrating.”

  He crossed his arms but smiled back. “No, you’re confusing me with Luna.”

  “Nope. You both fit the description.” I tugged at the bow, untied the ribbon, and set it aside. Carefully undoing the paper, I uncovered a small box. It looked like a jeweler’s box, but it was too big for a necklace or bracelet. I flicked a glance at Elion, who looked unconcerned. “Does this mean we’re going to start exchanging Christmas cards?”

  Luna walked into the room. “Open it already. You’ve got a schedule to stick to.”

  “You’re in a big fat hurry today, aren’t you?”

  Her eyes glittered with irritation and some other emotion I couldn’t name. “Damn straight, I am. A lot can go wrong, and you’re taking your sweet time with everything. Open the present, and let’s move on to bigger things.”

  Elion stepped between us. “What Luna’s trying to say is she’s stressed out. She wants today to go well. She also wants to wish you happy birthday and say she’s proud of you.”

  The room got so quiet, I expected to hear crickets. Luna’s eyes were shooting daggers at the back of Elion’s head. I think he knew, but he flashed me a genuine smile and gestured to the box. “Go ahead. I promise it won’t bite, shock, or otherwise incapacitate you.”

  I lifted the lid and gaped at the contents. A two-inch broach of the symbol I’d seen on my mother’s tomb, and a hank of golden thread nestled in a swatch of white fabric. “Um…wow. Thanks Elion. This is…ah…” I racked my brain for something to say but came up empty. After stealing various pieces of jewelry from my father, I knew a quality item when I saw it. But a broach and thread? “Were these my mother’s?”

  “No, but she had something similar. Every weaver does. Every god does, for that matter.”

  He sat beside me and picked up the broach. “Here, let me show you how they work. Take off your jacket and roll up the sleeve of your shirt.”

  A nervous laugh bubbled up. “No way. If you think I’m going to let you poke me with that—”

  “I’m not going to poke you with anything. Take your jacket off. It doesn’t hurt. I give you my word.”

  I didn’t know what his word was worth to him, but to me, it wasn’t worth any more pain or shocks, that’s for sure. Luna started pacing like a caged animal. Her kitten heels clicked against
the hardwood floors in an annoying staccato.

  I eyed Elion with trepidation but slowly took my jacket off. After I rolled up my right sleeve, he placed the broach flat against the skin of my upper arm. A brief spark of energy made me jump. It startled me more than it hurt. “What was that? You said it wasn’t a ward.”

  He brushed a hand over my arm in a brisk motion. “It wasn’t. Look.”

  Steeling myself for another strange ward mark, I looked down. Gold glinted on my skin in the shape of the broach. Before I knew what he was doing, he pressed the thread to my skin also. Another pop of energy and a few golden strands wrapped around my bicep. I didn’t know whether to be pissed or impressed at the gold imprints. “Why is it stuck in my skin, and how do I get it off?”

  I touched it, but it felt like skin. Just great. I now had gold tattoos.

  Luna and Elion knelt in front of me. Actually, Elion had to kind of force Luna to her knees.

  I was instantly uncomfortable. “Please get up.”

  They didn’t. Elion dipped his head before saying, “Welcome weaver and ward thief. May your path bring you happiness.”

  Okay. This was weird. Jax sat on the arm of a side chair, watching with interest.

  Luna grudgingly lowered her head and repeated, “Welcome weaver and ward thief. May your path bring you happiness. And a pair of balls to get through the day.”

  Elion glared at her, but it made me smile, because it lightened the tension in my shoulders. “Guys, this is really awkward. What are you doing?”

  Elion helped Luna to her feet. “Consider this your official welcome.”

  “Welcome to what?”

  Luna pointed her dagger at me. “You’re one of us, Buttercup. I changed your diaper, so don’t expect preferential treatment.”

  “I thought I was already one of you.”

  Luna waved the dagger at Elion in agitation. “See? She still needs training. She can’t even follow a simple conversation.”

  With an apologetic shake of his head, Elion said, “Excuse us for a second.” And they disappeared.

  I looked over at Jax, who seemed unfazed by the whole scene. “What in the hell just happened?”

  He walked over to me and pulled me to a standing position. Wrapping his arms around me, he held me close. His voice was muffled by my hair. “Little gem, you’ve been admitted into the hallowed halls of godhood.”

  I pushed on his chest until he released me. “That definitely wasn’t on my birthday list.”

  He smiled, and his gray eyes flashed with a brief streak of silver. He tucked a loose curl behind my ears. “I know, but you can’t change your bloodlines.”

  I dropped my head to his chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart. I pushed the cemetery scene out of my head and ignored the new ward marks and the gold tattoo. Jax wrapped his arms around me in a loose hug. A contented feeling of peace enveloped me.

  I was right where I needed to be.

  We stayed that way until Elion and Luna reappeared. “Knock, knock,” Luna called out.

  I lifted my head but didn’t step away from Jax. “Nice try, but you only get an E for effort.” I shifted my focus to Elion. “What’s the purpose of the mark on my arm, beyond designating me as one of you?”

  “It’s not only the mark of the weaver, but also the magic of the weaver.”

  I lifted my arm to study the mark. The gold looked cool and bizarre at the same time. “It doesn’t feel magical or powerful. In fact, I don’t feel any energy at all from it.” Which was odd, considering the potent power I’d sensed before Elion had placed it on my skin.

  “It’s now part of you. You only sense energy other than yours.”

  Elion’s explanation made sense, but I couldn’t help the small stab of disappointment. I had expected something more.

  Luna heaved an exaggerated sigh. “Do you want fireworks? A marching band? You’ll have plenty of that in a few hours.”

  Her attitude was starting to grate on my nerves. It was the same for Elion, too, judging by the veiled glare he sent her way. “What’s up, Luna? You’ve been down my throat since the cemetery.”

  She paced a few steps away, then pivoted and strode up to me. I let go of Jax and faced her fully. She stared up at me with a fierce expression. “I knew you when you were nothing but a little bean in your mother’s womb. I felt you kick. I helped deliver you. I’ve watched your mother endure exile to keep you safe. I’ve watched from a distance as you suffered at the hands of your father and the monsters he surrounded himself with. I will not watch you die today.”

  On impulse, I gave her a quick, hard hug, and then stepped back quickly in case she decided to get me with the dagger. “You have a certain abrasive charm I find kind of…cute.”

  I expected her to put her dagger to my throat. She surprised me when she doubled over with laughter. “Well played.”

  When she eventually quieted down, I said, in all seriousness, “I don’t plan on dying today.”

  Luna met my gaze and nodded once. “Good. As long as we understand each other.”

  I looked at both of them and let a slow, wicked smile curve my lips. “I understand. Thankfully, I have a gargoyle, phoenix, and oracle on my side.”

  “I will protect her.”

  I turned at Jax’s words, and my heart swelled. I’ll protect you, too, I thought. Just as Gwen had instructed.

  “Okay, you kids should try to catch a deep breath before the hordes descend for the ball. We’ll be back.” Luna nodded once at me before they disappeared.

  “Are you tired?” Jax asked in a quiet voice. It wasn’t quite seven o’clock, but it seemed like we’d already put in a full day.

  I interlaced my fingers with his and tugged him toward the stairs. “Not really, but I have a good idea on how to relax.”

  He scooped me up in a swift move. “I like the way you think, mate.”

  By the time we hit the bed, we were a tangle of arms and legs. As our lips and bodies met, I vowed over and over in my mind to keep him safe. I told him over and over that I loved him. As we reached our release, I poured my heart and soul into the bond. Jax did the same.

  “I take you as my mate, forever and always,” he whispered against my temple.

  “I take you as my mate, forever and always,” I echoed. The bond blazed with energy as we kissed. Minutes later, I opened my eyes and blinked sleepily at him. “Was that the final part of the ceremony?”

  He nuzzled my neck. “A condensed version, yes. It’s official, minus the energy drain for you.”

  “Why didn’t you tell Luna that was an option?”

  He leaned back and lifted an eyebrow. “I didn’t want to spend all day arguing about it. That woman is aggressive. I knew we could do the simple version now to make it official, and then do the ceremony with friends at a later date.” He twirled a strand of my hair between his fingers. “I wasn’t about to let you walk into that party unclaimed.”

  “Worried I’ll find another gargoyle?” I teased as I snuggled closer.

  He didn’t answer, just tucked me closer to his side. “Can you sleep now?”

  The yawn took me by surprise. Oh, the power of suggestion. “Yeah, I suppose. For a little bit, anyway.”

  A deep laugh rumbled through his chest as I fought a second yawn. “Sleep, little gem.”

  …

  He woke me a few hours later. “You have enough time to shower before the stylist gets here.”

  Eyes blurry from sleep, I blinked up at him. “Stylist? Oh, right. The one my father insisted on. Ugh, okay. I’m up.” I rolled out of bed and indulged in a long stretch. A flash from my arm reminded me of the mark and I walked into the bathroom to get a better look in the mirror. At first glance, the symbol looked like an intricately carved wheel. Upon closer inspection, it looked like a cross between a flower and a wheel.

  Jax watched me from the doorway. “I believe it’s indicative of a loom, as a symbol of weaving.”

  “I think you’re right.” I rubb
ed my finger along the threads that swirled around it. It would definitely take some getting used to.

  The day called for a power scent. I pulled out bottles of a jasmine-and-vanilla-scented body scrub and coordinating lotion. I always felt sexy and confident while wearing it. If I was going to pull off that blue dress, I’d need confidence. And maybe a few drinks.

  The hot water sluiced over my skin, and I let it take as many doubts as I could relinquish. No longer was I the pawn. My father had a rude awakening in store.

  By the time the hair stylist arrived, I was just finishing a bagel and a bowl of grapes. She all but skipped into the house with a megawatt smile. “Well, hello! You must be Elleodora. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Valeri, with an i, and I’ll be making you look fabulous today.” She gave the house a cursory glance. “How about we set up in the living room? I’ll have my assistant get it all ready while I look you over.”

  Jax was inching out of the room and toward the stairs. I didn’t blame him. The tall, painfully thin woman had jet-black hair, cut in a severe, asymmetrical bob. Her pale skin was a sharp contrast to her black skinny jeans and form-fitting black top.

  Valeri pursed her lips and studied me intently. “Hmm. Your hair is in good condition. The color could use a boost, but it will work for today. When’s the last time you had your eyebrows done?”

  Over the next two hours, she plucked, pulled, snipped, and styled me into something presentable. Her exact words were, “Utterly divine, my lovely. Di-vine!”

  Jax and I breathed a collective sigh of relief when she hustled her assistant out the door with cheerful birthday wishes thrown over her bony shoulder.

  “I think that’s the worst my father can throw at me today.”

  “You might be right,” Jax agreed. He stared at my hair and makeup with obvious appreciation.

  I became self-conscious under his watchful gaze. “I don’t know if I’d say ‘utterly divine,’ but I think she did a good job.” I tried not to sound too insecure.

  She’d put my hair in an artfully tousled up-do, with a few careless curls left down. I’d asked her to keep my makeup natural, she’d insisted on dramatic, and we’d compromised in the middle.