by Patti Larsen
You’re never alone, my vampire sent, her mental voice soft.
Never, my demon sent.
We are here for you, Sydlynn, Shaylee sent. As always.
Thank you. I stopped at the entry, the way mostly covered by a giant rock, magicked for ease of removal. The darkness called me and I couldn’t resist, slipping out the thin crack and out into the grassy clearing on the other side.
Shields firmly in place, I sat with my back against the rock, knees up, staring at the stars overhead. Did they even know what was happening? Did anyone out there care? A weight like the entire world settled on me, pushing me down to slump, weak and frail under the pressure of the past two days.
He took advantage of me being away, I sent to my alter egos. Liander. I’d finally found time to wallow. Old habits were hard to break.
This was my fault.
I’m not even going to comment, my vampire sent, decidedly snippy.
Real piece of work, isn’t she? My demon’s mental voice burned and sizzled. After all this time, still beating herself up over things out of her control. I thought we raised her better than that.
Clearly not, Shaylee sent, sniffing in irritation. We’ve failed utterly. What a disappointment.
The chuckle that escaped me was answered by three other voices, all in my head.
Okay, I get the point. I hugged them together inside me. Just figured a little poor me for old time’s sake might make you nostalgic.
My demon snorted. If it got us somewhere, I’d be all for it.
Agreed, my vampire sent. And sighed. Options?
We go to Harvard and challenge the council. My demon’s temper burned hotter than mine.
I believe we’ve already agreed even we are not strong enough to take on all those witches and sorcerers. Shaylee shifted inside me. It had to be odd for her, I thought out of the blue. Of all of my egos, she’d lived a life before this one, had her own body. How strange it must have been for her to share mine.
“I thought I’d find you here.” Sassafras’s furry head nudged me until I stretched my legs out in front of me. He hoisted his fat cat body into my lap, looking up into my eyes. “Beating yourself up, are you?”
“Actually,” I said with false arrogance, “I was figuring out how to save the Universe. Feel like chiming in?”
His tail thrashed. “Now that you mention it.” Sass lowered himself, curling up on my thighs, head on his paws. “I’m open to suggestions.”
“Sass,” I said, hand stroking his fur in a slow motion. “Why do things always get to this hopeless stage before we seem to be able to do something about it?”
“Nothing is ever hopeless,” he said. “You should know that by now.”
“I guess so.”
“Besides,” he said, looking up at me, “you thrive on being the underdog. And don’t tell me you don’t.”
That made me laugh all over again, partly because it was true. Was I really that much of a lone wolf, a free agent acting on whim and impulse, trusting my intuition and the incredible power I possessed to save me?
Oh dear.
SYDLYNN!
I jerked upright, Sassafras hissing at me, fur standing on end.
“Did you—”
He fell silent as the voice screaming my name reached me again.
HELP US!
I didn’t think. Didn’t pause or wait to act. Someone needed me. And the underdog in me couldn’t say no. I was on my feet, Sass bundled against my chest, dodging into the tunnel before tearing at the veil to hide the power surge, long before my mind whispered to me to be careful.
***
Chapter Twenty
You do realize this is most likely a trap. Sassafras’s mental voice was calm, regardless of the panic I felt.
I know, I sent, sliding through the veil so fast I felt the pressure of suction against me just as the other end opened and I hurtled through. But what choice do we have?
My sneakers squeaked on marble tile as I landed in chaos.
It would appear, Sass sent as I ducked under a wave of blackness hurtling toward me, none.
I didn’t have time to respond. My maji shields protected both of us from the oncoming wash of sorcery, deflecting most of it, absorbing the rest, giving me a boost as the dark flower beneath me blossomed and opened wide, the presence of other power like it waking my sorcery and making it hungry.
Sass hissed as I stumbled over something soft, landing hard on my butt on the smooth, white floor. I caught my breath, taking in the sweeping staircases, one on either side of a large foyer, the old, dark stained wooden walls, the feeling of age in this place. Witches loved their old houses full of pretense. All the while chaos rippled around me.
I looked down, into vacant eyes, and bit back the shriek of fright that wanted to escape. The old woman whose body tripped me died with her hands outstretched, a terrified expression locked on her wrinkled face.
No time to mourn as a dozen or so black robed sorcerers swept toward me, driving back a thin line of witches, shouting and screaming tearing the air, numbing my hearing until I could barely distinguish individual voices. I recognized their leader as she turned her head, desperate eyes locked on me.
I lurched to my feet, Sass leaping free, my power gathered, ready to strike.
At the exact moment a spike of black drove itself through the center of Violet Rhodes’ chest and sent her flying backward to crash to the marble floor.
I stared at her, stupid and shocked, while her witches gathered around her. The sight of the silver Persian scampering toward them drove me to move at last, my shining rainbow shields encompassing the handful of witches who huddled, shivering and terrified, around their fallen leader.
I wondered what Willa would think of sacrificing her sister and coven now.
My knees ached as I fell to them beside Violet, pulling her into my lap.
We have to get them out of here, Sassafras sent.
I reached for the veil, felt my power stutter and struggle. Damn it! Why did I have to reach my limit now, when I needed it most?
My throat tightened, the scent of smoke wafting toward me, the sound of screaming in the distance joined by the crackle of what had to be an approaching fire. They’d set the coven house ablaze, the bastards. I looked up and into the arrogant face of a young sorcerer I’d never seen before. But there was no doubt who he worked for.
“The master was right,” he said. “You are weak and pathetic. Allowing your need to serve others to lead you right to us.”
“How do you know I don’t have you where I want you, kid?” I grinned at him, pushed against my shields. The row of sorcerers—all young, from what I could tell—backed off a half pace, faces flickering with fear.
I guess I still had it.
Their leader snapped his fingers and the group returned to their old position, though I could still feel their fear. And allowed my dark flower to bloom outward, past my shields to tuck under the feet of the Brotherhood. It only took a second, but by the time the young sorcerer realized what I’d done, it was too late for them.
I’d never used my sorcery for this purpose before, partly because it freaked me out, made me feel unclean. But I knew how, sure did, thanks to Ameline and Belaisle. I’d seen it done a bunch of times, felt the exit of my own power through sorcery.
Desperate times, desperate measures. And though I worried I’d hate myself later, they’d left me no choice. With a gleeful burble, my sorcery latched onto the gathered Brotherhood, their power wide open as they tried to crush my shields, and drained them in one swift draw of energy.
They collapsed as a group, a choreographed ballet of falling young men, with barely a sigh as eyes rolled back into handsome faces, bodies appearing boneless and graceful as they fell to the white floor. Their leader held on the longest, a half heartbeat or so, enough his stare of shame made me sad.
Belaisle sent them, lambs to the slaughter, as much as he’d killed this family.
My sorcery burped softly, swe
lled with power, yearning and reaching for more—
Enough. My vampire cut it off. Focus, Sydlynn.
Like she had to tell me.
“Are there more of you who might have made it to safety?” I looked around at the witches who now stared at me with desperate hope and horrible, broken despair.
“No,” one said, so softly I almost didn’t hear her past the thunderclap of someone’s power echoing outside. “They surprised us two days ago, hit us before we could react. We’ve held out this long, thanks to Violet.” Her voice shuddered speaking her fallen leader’s name. “But we just couldn’t combat them. They herded the rest of the family outside only a few moments ago.” Her lower lip trembled, whole body shaking.
She’s going into shock, Sass sent, leaping into her lap, purring and pushing his demon magic into the woman to keep her stable.
“What’s outside?” I felt hollow, suddenly, as though someone had scooped me out with a giant spoon leaving only a terrible fear behind. The witch lifted her arm, pointed behind me. I turned, looked out the open door to the front yard.
And the stakes, at least a hundred of them, all ablaze, lighting up the sky. I wasn’t seeing this, didn’t catch the last few wriggling forms before they fell still, hear their dying screams echoing through the night and past the front door, punching through my horror with the keening of their final wails. No, I refused to smell the oily taint of crisping flesh carried in on the hot breeze pushed forward by the flames, washing me in death. My mind simply would not allow me to comprehend the stillness as the last of the bodies sagged into the giant blaze, all backlit by the raging fires.
Nor did I see the row of black robed Enforcers, hovering in the sky above, doing nothing to stop the large band of sorcerers watching the blaze.
I didn’t. Couldn’t have. Because if I really did, I’d lose my damned mind.
“Sydlynn.” The whisper of my name whipped my head around. I looked down, the light from the bonfires casting a glow over the thin, wrinkled hand that rose, only to fall back to Violet’s concaved chest. She bore no wound, but I could feel her life slipping away. I pushed energy into her, but the sorcerers had done their work well. Her soul was adrift, leaving her, unable to return to her stripped body even as her old eyes met mine.
“I beg you,” she said, so softly I had to bend to hear her, drops of moisture pattering on her cheek as tears overwhelmed me. “Care for my family. And may the elements save us all.”
I didn’t get to respond, to swear to her with a fierce commitment that would have shattered bone and bent steel that I would never, ever let anything happen to her people again. The moment she finished speaking, Violet’s soul finally sighed and left her at last, leaving the body a tiny, old woman I once adored lying in my aching arms.
They wept with me, the seven witches who were all that remained of the once mighty Rhodes coven, their heads bent, hands touching her fallen form in reverence and loss as the remains of their family burned just outside. She was a great leader, had protected and guided her family for many years. And though she was a stickler for the law, Violet had always been kind to me and stood up for me at times when no one else would.
So tragic her unspeakable loss would be one more footnote after this war was over. Make no mistake, we were at war. And our own people were letting it happen.
The pressure of power approaching behind me finally broke my sorrow and turned me around. Anger poured through my veins, my demon roaring, flames erupting around me as I released Violet’s body to her people and stood, glaring my fury at the Brotherhood, but more so at the small number of Enforcers who joined them in the foyer.
My rage was aimed at them, the supposed protectors of our people. How many years had I been in awe of the Enforcers? Only to discover they were as weak as the rest of the witches who threw us to the wolves.
I had no idea which of them was leader, but I didn’t care. As my demon’s power flared, my black blossom begging to feed again, my vampire’s cold rage rippling white around me, I let Shaylee loose instead.
The entire floor heaved, sending the Brotherhood to their knees while the Enforcers hovered, blue power holding them steady.
“I have never been so ashamed,” I snarled, low and rumbling with as much power as I could pour into my voice, “as I am of you right now, at this moment.”
“We have our orders.” A tall, blond Enforcer, with a face I think I recognized, spoke up. But there was no conviction in his tone and I could tell from the quiver in his lips he was fighting his own battle with this.
I chopped one hand through the air, another rumble from Shaylee shattering the glass of the large plate windows just behind them. They started that time, shields flaring to repel the shards, though the Brotherhood, still recovering, weren’t quite so fast. Hot air rushed into the foyer, bathing us all in sparks from the raging fires, the scent of charred meat and death feeding my fury.
“Arrest her!” One of the sorcerers jabbed a finger at me.
And I smiled at him. It wasn’t a nice smile, not with my demon doing the smiling. “Come and get me.”
None of them moved, though they swayed, as if considering their options.
Sydlynn. Sassafras’s mind cut through my rage. We have to go now. This fight must wait for another time. We have witches to protect. And an oath to fulfill.
Damn him. Damn us all.
“Cowards,” I snapped at the Enforcers. “When the Brotherhood are done murdering entire covens, who do you think they will turn on next?”
It was clear they’d thought of that, their nervousness showing as I punched a hole through the veil, using the power I’d stolen from the fallen Brotherhood to do the job. My knees wobbled, but I managed, crouching to grasp Violet’s body with one hand. The sorcerers finally decided to risk it, a wall of black heading for us while the Enforcers continued to stand there, to watch.
To do nothing. I’d remember their faces. And I’d make sure if the Brotherhood didn’t get them, they’d have their due handed to them if I had to deliver it myself.
With my small group of refugees right behind me, I dragged their dead leader’s body through the veil and headed for home.
***
Chapter Twenty One
We burst through the other side, my power taking a second hit as the magic wards of the cavern pushed down against me. Not that I cared. My heart was far heavier, the gasps and cries of fear from my waiting coven only making things worse.
Mom was first to reach me, hands taking Violet’s empty shell from my grasp. Dad joined her, lifting the feather light remains and carrying the fallen coven leader to the shelf by the wall, laying her out on the natural bench protrusion and covering her gently with a blanket.
“Syd.” Mom wept, though her face remained calm and poised. “What happened?”
“Your daughter,” Sassafras said while the handful of Violet’s people collapsed into a sobbing heap, “just declared war on the Brotherhood and the North American Witches Council.” He didn’t sound accusatory. Just pissed off.
I knew the feeling.
Mom looked over at the remains of the Rhodes coven. “Where are the others?” She met my eyes, her blue ones huge, full of need. “Where is the rest of the Rhodes family?” She waited for me to tell her what she wanted to hear, not the truth. But I knew better. Mom was strong enough to handle it.
“This is the Rhodes family,” I said, weariness bowing my shoulders, though the fire of anger still burned hot and bright within. “What’s left of them.”
Mom shook her head, dark hair shifting around her shoulders, lips quivering. “Syd,” she whispered. “There are almost two hundred witches in that family.”
“Were,” I said, dull and listless. “The rest are gone, Mom. Staked and burned by the Brotherhood. While the Enforcers watched and did nothing.” The last word I spit out, biting my tongue to keep from screaming.
The only thing that saved me was the generosity of my coven. They came forward, offering blankets and
comfort, leading the shivering, stunned Rhodes witches away with them, giving them water and shoulders to cry on. More mouths to feed. How practical in this moment of despair. And yet, I was proud of my family for embracing the terror stricken newcomers without question or resentment.
This coven. This was what witches were supposed to be.
Mom hugged me close, and we both shook, the last few minutes etched forever in my memory. “Mom,” I said, choking on my words. “It was horrible.” Such a simple statement. But I was unable to describe to her what I’d seen, only now truly absorbing the truth. Relived the image of twisting bodies falling still in the flames, knowing there was nothing I could do for them.
She leaned away, gently wiped tears from my face before repeating her gesture on her own cheeks. “The world has gone mad,” she whispered.
Motion distracted me, the tunnel mouth in my peripheral vision. I turned and watched Gram enter, Quaid at her side, a tall, older witch I recognized instantly striding behind them. And gargled a cry that drowned in my sudden need to stop them from coming closer. To halt the old Enforcer leader who followed my husband and grandmother, to protect Varity Rhodes from seeing what she was about to see.
I was far too late, my feet moving, dragging me toward her, to Dad and the prone, silent form of the fallen coven leader. Varity staggered as one of her family reached her, wailing the truth of their loss. The old witch turned, eyes shining with tears, hands clutching at Gram who jerked to a stunned halt before turning to find me running toward her.
Gram let Varity go as the old witch stumbled the final few steps and fell to her knees at Violet’s side. A few of the Rhodes family joined her, holding hands, rocking together and weeping. Dad left them, joining Gram and me, Demetrius and Quaid, Piers and Zoe. Sassafras wound his way between our legs to stand in the middle of our little group.