Augustine glanced at Harlow. The look she gave him in return said she understood what he was struggling with.
She swallowed before addressing the table. “I know I’m not officially one of you yet, but—”
“Yes, you are,” Dulcinea interjected. “Don’t worry about what’s official and what’s not.”
Augustine smiled at her. He loved that she and Harlow had come to this new understanding, loved they were acting like a team and not competitors.
“Thank you,” Harlow said. “With that understanding, I assume anything said here can be kept in confidence?”
He knew what she was leading up to. “What you’re about to tell us won’t go beyond this room.” He glanced around the table, taking a moment to pause on each face. Yanna, Sydra, Dulcinea and Fenton all gave him a nod in return. “Go ahead, Harlow. Your words won’t go beyond these walls.”
She took a deep breath. “Inside my mother’s house, my house, I mean, the house that Augustine and I share, inside that house there is a very powerful thing called a lightning tree. It’s been there longer than the house.”
Yanna gasped. “I thought that was a fae legend. That’s real?”
Harlow nodded. “I wish it wasn’t.”
Fenton spoke up. “If you go back far enough in the archives, you’ll find sealed records of the deal made between Lally Hughes’s mother, the original owner of the land the tree was on, and the fae Elektos at that time. They built the house around the tree, weaving in protective and secretive magic to keep the tree hidden and to cause its memory to fade from people’s minds. Lally Hughes was granted immunity from this magic and as caretaker was promised the right to stay with the tree her entire life. Which she’s done.”
“It’s not like she has much of a choice,” Harlow said. “She can’t get too far from the tree for too long or she gets sick.” She sighed. “Anyway, I did something stupid. I tried to use the tree to bring my dead twin sister, Ava Mae, back to life. I poured her ashes onto the tree and she did come back to life, just not the way I expected. The tree turned her into a kind of spirit that was warped with the tree’s magic. She possessed me and it wasn’t until the witches threw me into the pond that I was able to get free of Ava Mae.”
Yanna made a bleak face. “I can already see where this is going. Ava Mae is the soul that melded with Giselle, isn’t she?”
“Yes. Worse, we’re pretty sure Giselle broke into our house, stole a piece of the lightning tree and had it on her. That’s how Ava Mae was drawn to her and able to take control of her.”
Sydra shook her head. “Unbelievable.”
“Tell me about it.” Harlow made a face. “We actually tried to recapture Ava Mae by sinking a piece of the lightning tree into the pond after I escaped, but I get the sense that the combination of Giselle’s living body and the leaves overrode that. Which means there’s still a piece of the lightning tree in the pond we need to recover.” She raised her hands. “Whoever tackles that task must be sure not to touch the piece with their bare hands.”
“Sturka.” Yanna looked at Augustine. “Giselle being possessed by Ava Mae is a very different kind of problem than just dealing with the witches. Power that old and that strong isn’t going to lie down and give up.”
Augustine took a long, slow breath. “No, it’s not. Which is why we’re in this war room. We have to come up with a way to stop Giselle before she destroys everything we’ve worked for.”
Chapter Twenty
Ava Mae tucked one arm between her head and the pillow. The witch’s house wasn’t as comfortable as Harlow’s but it would do for now. Or at least until she took control of that house once again. First she had to solve this issue of the body once and for all.
Her time in the well of souls hadn’t been wasted—suffering had a way of putting a fine point on things. While she’d been in there, she’d had an idea about what might secure her in whatever body she could find, but it meant getting back to the tree. She had to have a body. She’d been trapped in that tree for so long, years of being filled with the tree’s own desires to escape the confines of the house, that attaining a body was all she could think about.
That meant getting back to the house, preferably without being noticed. How that would happen she wasn’t sure, but it had to happen soon because possessing the witch was nothing like possessing Harlow had been. Giselle had no hollow place in her, no rent in her soul that Ava Mae could slip inside and fill like she had with her twin. Harlow had been her blood, her body double, her twin. Their powers had meshed, making them a force to be reckoned with, but this witch… Ava Mae tensed as the body she inhabited tried again to reject her.
The aftershock passed. A tiny, metaphysical tremor that turned Ava Mae’s stomach with a few seconds of nausea.
The witch had a very different set of powers. She was human, not fae, and she hadn’t welcomed Ava Mae’s invasion so much as allowed it to spare her own life.
Fortunately, the witch still slumbered, the fall into the pond and her brief dance with death enough to keep her subdued. But that wouldn’t last and Ava Mae knew it. Her struggle for control was about to become a war, but she had a plan.
Until then, she would enjoy the calm before the storm. If she couldn’t have Augustine, she would continue to amuse herself with the male witch. He lay beside her in the bed, the rise and fall of his chest finally returning to normal levels. Humans were not as resilient as fae, but she felt certain her use of him wasn’t going to do him any permanent harm. And if it did, well, she had no intentions of keeping him alive that much longer anyway. He was wary of her and had too much rebellion in him.
“Ian,” she whispered.
He swallowed. “Yes, my Lady.”
She turned on her side and stroked her fingers down his naked, tattooed chest. She stopped where the face of a snarling devil breathed fire, then traced the whorls of red and orange and black until goose bumps rose on his skin.
“You’ve had enough rest.”
He shifted very slightly away from her. “Again? I don’t think I can. I’m spent.”
That was not the answer she wanted to hear. She straddled him, staring down into his face. “Find a way.”
He shook his head. “It doesn’t work like that. I can’t just snap my fingers and—”
“What good is your magic then?” She could feel the tree manifesting itself in her appearance. “What good are you?”
His eyes reflected how black hers had gone. How wide and toothy her smile had become. He nodded, fear and tension tugging his mouth open slightly. “Of course, my magic, I was just too tired to think.” He lifted a hand to caress her cheek and smiled. It didn’t reach his eyes.
She didn’t care. She wanted obedience, not sincerity. “I’ll let you sleep after this, I promise.”
But not for long, because after they were done, they were going to Harlow’s house. Her house. The home of the tree that had given her life. And then, with the help of that tree, she would finally become truly whole. No other soul inside her, no sharing a body. Just her, in control.
Then she would deal with Harlow. Despite the pleasure from Ian’s efforts, Ava Mae’s lip curled in anger and fear. Because having been inside Harlow, Ava Mae knew what her twin was capable of.
Even if Harlow didn’t.
Giselle had never experienced fear like she had after being pushed into the pond. She’d felt the crush of the spell, her breath leaving her lungs. Her soul leaving her body. Terror had clawed through her like the will to live. She’d cried out for help. Any help. Her last memory had been a mouthful of water and a plea to be saved.
She’d awakened expecting to find herself in the Summerlands. Instead, she found herself alive and no longer alone. The tortured soul who’d come to her for help, the one she and Zara and Ian had tossed into the very same pond, now possessed her.
Ava Mae. Having her inside Giselle’s body felt like wearing a coat two sizes too small.
As the effects of the failed chaos magic
wore off and Giselle’s memory became clearer, she understood how it had happened. Ava Mae had wrenched control from Giselle in those last dark, breathless moments after entering the pond. When Giselle’s instinct had been survival at any price. When Giselle had clutched at the lightning tree’s leaves and cried out for the tree to save her.
This was not what she’d had in mind.
This is my body.
Ava Mae laughed. I see you’re awake. You’re welcome, by the way.
For what?
For saving your life, of course. Now if you could hold it down. I’m in the middle of something. Or perhaps I should say someone’s in the middle of me.
As the scales fell away from Giselle’s eyes, she realized what she was seeing. Ian. On top of her. No, not her. Ava Mae. Did he know? Based on the numb look in his eyes, she guessed he did.
Ian, help me.
He can’t hear you, witch. I’m in charge now. Remember? It’s what you asked me for.
You? I asked the tree.
More laughter . I am the tree. The tree and I are one.
The leaves burned against Giselle’s breast like a reminder. If that was true, if Ava Mae and the tree were one and the same… Goddess grant me the strength to free myself. Giselle focused every ounce of power and energy she could scrape up into a single move.
What are you doing?
Giselle answered Ava Mae with a burst of power, throwing Ian off as she tore the leaves from her skin and hurled them to the floor. The moment the contact was broken, her control steadied.
No, Ava Mae cried. What have you done? You stupid, stupid woman. Don’t you know what I can do for you? The power we can have together? We can rule this city—
“Mortus sonus.” The silencing spell did more than shut Ava Mae up. It affirmed that Giselle was truly in charge again. She exhaled with relief at the sound of her own voice. “At last.”
Ian looked thoroughly confused. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He frowned.
“Sorry,” Giselle said. “That wasn’t meant for you.” She released the spell and held up a finger to Ian. “Just a moment, my love.” Ava Mae, if you try to take me over again, I will do more than silence you. I will exorcise you. Understood?
Understood. The voice that answered her was half the volume it had been before. Being relegated to the position of second fiddle had taken the wind out of her parasite’s sails.
But the power that coursed through Giselle verged on the euphoric. She wasn’t about to exorcise Ava Mae. Not if she could help it.
“What’s going on?” Ian asked. “Aren’t you Ava Mae?”
“No, I’m back to being me. Giselle.” She patted herself down. Everything felt as it should have.
Ian slumped against the headrest. “Thank the goddess. If I had to have sex with you again, I thought I’d die.” He shot her an apologetic look. “Not you. Ava Mae.”
“I knew what you meant.” She rolled her shoulders, happy to be in control of her body again. “My memory of what happened is pretty fuzzy in some spots. I know we didn’t make the chaos spell happen, did we?”
“No.”
“Where’s Zara? Recovering? I imagine she’ll sleep for a few days after—”
“Giselle.”
She looked at Ian. His face held a deep seriousness. “What?”
“Zara’s dead. You… or Ava Mae, I guess, snapped her neck.”
His words brought the memory of what Ava Mae had done back with a cold, hard shock. Giselle nodded stiffly as the scene played out in her head. It might have been her body, but she had definitely not been in charge of it. “I remember that now.” She crossed her legs and hugged a pillow to her chest in an attempt to stifle the pain. She almost broke, then reminded herself, “It’s no different than what she planned for me.”
Exactly, Ava Mae whispered.
“I don’t think she had it planned. More like it seemed the best way to fix the spell in the moment.” Ian shook his head sadly. “I had no idea she would even try something like that. If I had, I would have stopped her.”
“I know that.” Giselle lifted her chin, her chest aching with the loss as much as from the betrayal. “I am sorry she’s gone. We were just reconnecting. And she was the only close family I had left.” She swallowed down the emotion clogging her throat. “But if she’d had her way, I wouldn’t be here.”
“That’s right.” Ian nodded, moving to be next to her. He wrapped his arms around her. “I’m so glad you’re the one who made it.”
She rested her head on his shoulder. “Having Ava Mae’s spirit inside me is a little overwhelming, but the possibilities of what this new power can do for me—for us—are too great to ignore. I feel almost invincible. Like I’ve been surrounded by an impenetrable shield.” There was nothing that could hurt her. Us. Nothing that could stop her from accomplishing whatever it was she desired.
Us! Ava Mae shouted.
“So what now?” Ian asked.
Giselle ignored her to answer him. “Now we do exactly what we intended to do with the chaos spell. We find a way to take over the rule of this city just as we were meant to. The way our ancestors did.”
We will rule together, witch.
“Yes,” Giselle whispered. “Together.”
Ian pulled back to look at her. “Were you talking to Ava Mae?”
She nodded. “It must be confusing for you.”
“I don’t really understand it, but if you want to keep her inside you then I’m willing to go along with whatever you think is best.”
“What’s best is for me to rest.” She lay down on the bed and pulled the sheet over herself. “I am exhausted from all the preparations for the chaos spell, from almost dying and from having a very demanding voice inside my head. A few hours, that’s all I need.” Ian didn’t know about the lightning tree and she didn’t have the energy to explain that this spirit that had come to live inside her was the soul of that tree. She welcomed Ava Mae as a gift from the tree, but Ava Mae’s desire to be the one in charge was something she was going to have to get over. That was never happening.
I am stronger than you, witch. I am older. I know what needs to be done.
Ian kissed her cheek. “Get all the rest you need. I’ll be downstairs, working on a plan.”
Giselle closed her eyes and feigned sleep. I am the high priestess. I am the most powerful witch in this city. You either work with me or I will remove you.
I am the one with the power. Ava Mae’s anger manifested like an itch on Giselle’s skin.
She smiled. You have your own power, yes, but the tree gave you to me. To use as I see fit. And right now, I don’t need you.
You needed me at the pond.
You did save my life. I owe you for that. But you took my sister’s life, so I consider us even.
She needed to be taught a lesson.
I don’t know about that, but as she was going to kill me anyway, I’m letting it go. Now stop your incessant chatter or I’ll bespell you again.
Ava Mae went quiet.
Satisfied that her parasite was taking her seriously, Giselle asked her a question. What do I need to do to take over the city? She already had a good idea but she wanted to see what Ava Mae’s approach would be.
A moment passed without a reply and Giselle got the distinct impression that Ava Mae was pouting. At last, she answered. For us to take over the city, we need to remove the fae. It’s that simple.
And how would you propose doing that, since the chaos spell didn’t work?
Ava Mae laughed. Further proof you have no idea how powerful I am. The tree, witch. The tree can do anything you desire.
Giselle’s eyes opened. What do I have to do?
Easy. Offer it a sacrifice, then ask for what you want. The tree will do the rest.
What kind of sacrifice?
Ava Mae answered her question with another one. What is your greatest desire?
To destroy the fae and their Guardian.
And who repr
esents that desire best of all?
Augustine.
NO! Ava Mae’s scream raked pain through Giselle’s body. You will not touch him.
Giselle cringed as she replied, Who then?
Ava Mae paused. Harlow.
Chapter Twenty-one
Harlow entered the house ahead of Augustine and Fenton, calling out for Lally as soon as she was in the kitchen. “Lally? Where are you? We need to go see Queen Jewelia.” She pulled her gloves off and tossed them on the counter. She’d almost progressed to the point that she didn’t need them, but they’d become something of a safety blanket.
Lally came in from the foyer, the serious set of her mouth a sign that all was not right. “We got something else to deal with first.”
Fenton and Augustine walked in behind Harlow. Augustine shucked his coat. “What’s going on?”
Lally looked older than she had when they left. She pointed to the front of the house, her voice solemn and quiet like she was fighting tears. “Detective Grantham is here to see you, Augie.”
Fenton looked at Augustine. Augustine shrugged. “Then let’s go see him.”
“He’s in the library.”
“After you.” Augustine followed Lally, leaving Fenton and Harlow to trail behind. The tension in the house was palpable, causing her stomach to knot.
Grantham wasn’t alone in the library. Two uniformed police officers stood with him. He didn’t look any happier about being there than Lally had. “Robelais, I’m sorry about this, but my hands are tied.”
Augustine stopped short. “Sorry about what?”
Harlow stayed by his side, nerves turning her insides to mush. Something bad was about to happen. The air reeked of it.
Grantham wiped a hand over his mouth. “Augustine Robelais, you’re under arrest for the murder of Robert Pellimento. Anything you say can and will be—”
“What?” Harlow felt like punching something. She stepped in front of Augustine. “The witches killed the senator’s son. The witches killed all of those tourists.”
“—used against you in a court of law.” Grantham had handcuffs out, but the set of his face showed the effort it was taking him to do his job.
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