Rock, Paper, Shivers

by Sara C. Roethle

  Mara withdrew her hand and smiled. “Good. Now we must get to work. I have much to teach you before nightfall.”

  I let out a shaky breath and nodded. I could practically feel the gears of fate shifting. What we were going to do was against the laws of nature, and against the grim fate that had been laid before me.

  So be it. I’d choose free will and survival over fate any day.

  9

  Crouched behind a distant tree, Sophie had watched in the darkness as her brother and James disappeared into the earth. Now, the first hints of sun were beginning to peek over the horizon. They’d been down there for hours. She glanced again through her binoculars impatiently, ignoring her weariness. She didn’t like the binoculars, or anything that might hint her own senses weren’t good enough, but she couldn’t risk getting close enough to be seen. It could ruin everything.

  If Alaric resurfaced, she would return to Mikael, setting their side of the plan into motion. If he did not, she would go in after him, despite the promises she’d made. Mikael would still be left to save Madeline, and that would have to be good enough.

  She took another look through her binoculars and nearly gasped as the first figure climbed out of the earth. Luckily, she managed to remain silent. Even at such a far distance, certain Vaettir might hear her.

  She didn’t recognize the first person out of the ground, a man with dark hair and copper skin, but she did recognize James as he surfaced next. She had to stifle her growl. James. She wished she’d had the heart to kill him, but she’d never been much of a killer unless circumstances truly called for it, despite her warlike nature. Alaric was the killer, Sophie was the tactician.

  Sophie’s body sagged in relief as Alaric surfaced next, followed by two other Vaettir she did not recognize. The plan must have worked. They would seek out Madeline, while Sophie and the others would prepare to aid them in any way possible, all while planning what might be the final battle for them all.

  She rose and ran silently back in the direction of Mikael’s current camp, wondering how her life had come to this. If only she would have stayed hidden when Alaric, Madeline, and James came looking for her in Spokane. She would have been safe . . . but no. That never would have been an option. Her brother was all she had. She’d rather follow him into hell than be alone.

  She bounded across the earth tirelessly, following her own scent to find the hidden encampment. The ten miles went by quickly, though she had to stop and catch her breath right outside of the camp. Normally such a run wouldn’t have fatigued her, but after the non-stop travel south, then a full night with no sleep, the long run took its toll.

  Breathing easier, she ventured forth, feigning confidence to cover the aching anxiety zinging through her entire body.

  Aila came into view first, her leather and fur clothing blending in well with the dried grass and oak of the forest. The only thing that stood out was her bright, blonde hair, up in its usual ponytail. Sophie observed her for a moment while Aila still couldn’t see her.

  The Viking warrioress hadn’t spoken much since the night of the ritual. This saddened Sophie, as Aila had at some point crossed the line between traveling companion to friend. Yes, Aila had been rejected by her patron goddess, but Sophie suspected the result was based around Madeline, not Aila. Strange things had happened around Madeline since the beginning, and the attention always seemed to be on her. It wasn’t surprising Madeline’s goddess would come through instead of Aila’s.

  Finally spotting her, Aila lifted her hand in greeting. Sophie closed the distance between them as Faas and Tabitha crawled out of their tents. The few visible tents were low to the ground even when erect, their olive green coloring furthering their camouflage.

  “It worked,” Sophie informed Aila. “They are on the move.”

  “You and Mikael should go before the scent grows old,” Aila advised.

  Sophie nodded, not enjoying that aspect of the plan. She was the only one who could easily follow her brother’s scent, and she would need to catch up before they reached civilization and the complications of automobiles and airplanes.

  If they were able to continue following at that point, they would. If not, Mikael had given Alaric a number to call or text whenever he was able. If he was able. Sophie didn’t like that aspect of the plan either. Aislin’s people would be watching Alaric closely, and might not give him an opportunity to make contact. If that was the case, he and James would be on their own.

  Mikael walked up beside Aila, wearing street clothes and a stern expression. Sophie wasn’t used to seeing the expression on Mikael’s face. She’d been under the impression that he’d tell jokes even if piranhas were eating him from the toes up.

  “It worked?” he asked Sophie.

  “James and Alaric came back out alive, with an escort,” Sophie explained.

  He accepted her answer with a nod. “Lead the way.”

  Before departing, both turned to Aila. She nodded. She would know what to do.

  Sophie turned and ran back in the direction she had come, knowing Mikael would follow her.

  Though she wasn’t pleased with her brother being in danger, or with the ever-present threat of the key, and enemy forces, she had to admit that running through the woods felt good. It felt like what she was supposed to be doing. She was the embodiment of a war goddess, and also a part of nature. She was never meant to be trapped in some dark, depressing hole in the ground.

  Alaric thought he caught a glimpse of his sister watching them as they walked through the forest. He clenched his jaw against his urge to look over his shoulder again. He would have to trust Sophie would be cautious enough to remain far out of sight. If one of Aislin’s people spotted her following them, the plan would be ruined, and they would all likely die.

  James walked at his side, showing no signs of worry. Part of Alaric was still waiting for James to betray him, throwing him to the wolves while he went to claim Madeline himself. Of course, the plan as they’d presented it to Aislin was contingent on the fact that Alaric would convince Madeline to use the key to do Aislin’s bidding. If he were dead, the plan wouldn’t exactly work.

  The plan wouldn’t work regardless, since Madeline had about as much control over the key as anyone, but Aislin didn’t need to know that. All Alaric needed was to find Madeline. If he could find her, then he’d have a chance of saving her.

  When the opportunity presented itself, Mikael and Sophie would join them, and Aislin’s people would likely need to be killed. Or the Morrigan would slaughter them all, and none of it would matter. No matter how likely such an end might be, he at least had to try.

  Aislin had sent three people to accompany James and himself. He found sending such a small number odd. It was likely Aislin felt the plan might fail. She would not sacrifice any more of her people than she had to. If the plan he and James had presented was a trick, only three would die. If not, then Aislin would have Madeline and the key at her disposal. Either way, the Doyen had little to lose.

  Alaric felt little guilt at the idea of killing those who accompanied them in cold blood. He knew they would do the same to him. Damon and Alejandro were the muscle, the former standing around six feet tall with short, honey blond hair and pale eyes, and the latter around 5’10” with perfectly copper skin, long, dark hair, and strong features hinting at his Native American heritage. Both men were well-muscled fighters. Alaric was unsure of Damon’s nature, but he had learned from James that Alejandro was a descendant of Xolotl, the Aztec god of thunder.

  Their third companion was Tallie, the tracker. She stood around 5’6”, with straight black hair, porcelain skin, and features that spoke of the Far East. Her main talent was to track the energy signatures of others, though she could also take the form of a wolf, or so James claimed. Normally Tallie could only track someone she had interacted with, but the energy of the key was so great, she’d sensed it the moment it had been released from its former prison.

  Aislin had used Tallie to track the key,
and by association, Madeline, wherever she had gone, but in most cases, the search took days. The locations Tallie sensed were not exact, and she could only gain a true feel for the place if the key and Madeline remained there for several days. She had also been the one to lead Aislin to the Salr where the Norns had been slaughtered, sensing the great amount of energy used to send Alaric, Madeline, and Mikael back in time.

  Aislin’s troops had been on their way to the campsite where the Morrigan had been summoned, just as the Morrigan claimed, so in effect the goddess had saved them from a confrontation. Alaric wondered at that, since she then took Madeline away. She could have done it without the warning, leaving Alaric and the others to die.

  Alaric jumped back into the present as James asked, “Are you sure you know where to find Madeline?”

  Tallie glared over her shoulder at him as she continued walking. “Just because I’m not willing to share that specific information with you, does not mean I don’t know where she is.”

  Aislin’s three emissaries had all changed from their leather armor to clothes that would blend in the human world, so Alaric guessed they were either on their way to an airport or train station. Hopefully he would be able to alert Sophie once tickets were purchased, and he had an idea of where they were going.

  If not, he would save Madeline on his own. He would let no one stand in his way, even the Morrigan herself.

  The ocean wind hit my face, soothing my nerves, if only slightly. I watched the fading sunlight flickering on the water, hesitant to move forward. Mara stood at my side, watching me. Had I actually agreed to this?

  We had gone over the ritual to summon the banshees countless times. Once they surfaced, other phantoms would flock to their energy, and our army would be formed.

  I shivered at the thought as I looked back at the circle of rocks that marked the entrance to the Salr. The air was icy, especially with the sun slowly sinking past the horizon. It seemed odd that a place so green could also be so cold. It reminded me of Mara herself, capable of warmth and beauty, but also ruthlessness.

  At some point, I’d come to believe Mara truly had what she thought were my best interests at heart. The banshees would protect not only me, but Alaric, Sophie, and Mikael when the time for battle came. She claimed the phantoms would be under my control, and would not be loosed on humanity as a whole.

  While I was still nervous about the idea of being surrounded by spirits, and I hadn’t quite agreed to regrowing Yggdrasil, if it could even be done, the thought of being protected by an army of my own was enough to push me into performing the needed ritual, despite my reservations. I had to do whatever would give my child the best chance at survival, if nothing else.

  Before ascending to the surface, I’d found the opportunity to leave a message for Kira. I’d hidden the note in my room in hopes she would go there after we left. Once we were gone, my new friend would be able come and go from the Salr as she pleased, and my only request was that she keep an eye out for Alaric or Mikael.

  She didn’t understand modern technologies like telephones, and wouldn’t be able to contact them even if she tried, but at least her remaining behind to keep watch gave me a small hope of them finding me.

  Of course, with an army of what basically amounted to ghosts at my disposal, perhaps I would be able to find them without Mara’s direct help.

  I stiffened as Mara’s had alighted on my shoulder. She’d seemed melancholy at best since we’d started discussing the ritual, her eyes often going distant, as if witnessing things from the far past.

  She removed her hand from my shoulder then offered it to me. I took it, wrapping my fingers around hers.

  A moment later we were up in the air. I mentally screamed just as much as the first time, unable to come to terms with the feeling of not having a body of my own.

  Luckily, we didn’t need to travel near as far this time. Roughly ten minutes later, we swooped down toward an ancient, overgrown graveyard, separating into our human forms as our feet hit the ground. I took a deep, frantic breath, moving my hands up and down my body, then instinctually clutched my belly. It had grown dark while we travelled, but the moon was full, giving us enough light to see by.

  The first thing I noticed, besides the crumbling headstones surrounding us, were the distant lights of houses. We were somewhere not far from civilization.

  I looked to Mara, my worry clear on my face.

  “The banshees will be under your command,” she soothed. “They will not harm anyone unless you tell them to do so.”

  My shoulders slumped, but a measure of tension remained in my body. “Tell me why I’ll be the one to command them again?”

  Mara smiled patiently, her pale skin illuminated by the moonlight. “I may need to leave you for a short time. This body has weakened. I would not want to lose control of the phantoms because of my current state.”

  She wasn’t lying. I had sensed her growing weakness like a weight pushing down on me. I knew it was almost unbearable for her, if I could sense it to such a great extent.

  “You feel pity for me?” she asked, surprised.

  I blushed in the darkness, still unused to keeping a constant shield up to protect my emotions.

  “I can feel how tired you are,” I explained.

  She chuckled. “You hated me when I first took you away.”

  I shrugged. “I’m still mad, but I think you really do want to save me.”

  “And?” she pressed.

  I sighed, empaths could be a real pain in the ass. “And maybe some of what you said about me always needing a protector somewhat made sense. It’s refreshing to be around someone who thinks I’m capable of standing on my own two feet. I should never have expected others to help me like they have.”

  She grinned. “You could make the whole world bow at your feet, if you so chose.”

  I laughed. “Let’s not get carried away. I want to save my loved ones, and sever my connection with the key. That’s it.”

  She nodded. “Then that is what you will do, all on your own.”

  I nodded in return, then took a deep breath. “Are we ready?”

  She let out a breath of her own, and if I didn’t know any better, I would have said she was nervous.

  She reached both of her hands out to me. I grasped them in my own, forming a circle with our arms. A cool breeze played with my loose hair. It tickled my face, distracting me, though my distraction only lasted for a moment as Mara closed her eyes and began to chant.

  I joined in, repeating the words I’d memorized, first invoking the cardinal directions. The chant reminded me of something from modern day witch movies, except it was in Gaelic, the Morrigan’s chosen tongue. The pronunciation had come more natural to me than Old Norsk, but it still had been difficult to get down. Fortunately it was a short chant, and having Mara say it with me helped.

  I felt power growing around us, but words were only half the battle. Mara had explained that rituals weren’t just about the words, they were about intent. You could mutter magic words all night long, but if you didn’t have both the intent and power to back them up, all you would end up with was a lost voice from too much chanting.

  We continued the chant, then started it anew from the beginning.

  We finished, and repeated it a third time. That we were repeating it yet again was probably my fault. I wasn’t focused. I still had reservations about what we were doing, and my mind was too consumed with thoughts of Alaric, and what might be going on with the budding war while I was with Mara.

  She stopped chanting and eyed me in the darkness. “This body is too weak to complete the ritual on its own. I need your help.”

  I frowned. “I’m trying. I just can’t seem to focus.”

  Mara sighed. “I can feel that you’re trying, I apologize. Sometimes I forget you do not have the same experiences as I. Complete focus is a skill many mortals never attain. I can’t expect you to have honed such a skill in your short lifetime.”

  I pulled aw
ay and dropped my hands to my sides. “So what do we do?”

  Mara laughed, though it was weak. I could feel bone-aching tiredness wafting off her, making me feel tired too, though I was well rested.

  “It weakens me being on this earth without my true form,” she explained at my worried expression. “That form was lost to me long ago. I know it is wrong for me to be here, but I needed to help you. I needed to right the unbalance I helped create.”

  “But—” I began, wondering at her words.

  She held up a hand to stop me. “We must try again.”

  I held my hands out to her reluctantly. If she didn’t have the strength to perform such a ritual, there was no way I’d be able to do it.

  Her eyes bored into mine as our arms formed a circle once more. “Close your eyes,” she instructed.

  I did as she bade me, feeling nervous. I’d always felt uncomfortable keeping my eyes closed when I wasn’t going to sleep. Like something was going to jump out and attack me if I didn’t keep an ever vigilant watch.

  “Breathe deeply,” she continued as I forced my eyes to remain shut. “Taste the moisture in the air. Feel the plants around us.”

  I took a deep breath, and felt a measure of calm. When I really focused, I could sense the plants around us, and the tiny little lives of animals and bugs. It was all energy, just like the force that flowed through humans and Vaettir alike.

  “Good,” Mara commented. “Continue to feel the energy. Search outward, and search downward. Focus on all that we’re surrounded by.”

  I did as she bade, and eventually complete calm washed over my body.

  “Now chant,” she said softly.

  I chanted, no longer worried about forgetting the foreign words. They came naturally to my tongue, as if I’d been speaking them all my life. I felt pressure building as we named each direction once again, asking for the earth and sky to grant us their energy. I’d never been overly pagan in my spirituality, but the answering energies left little doubt there was something to the idea of earth magic. The energies were too tangible, too real, to be ignored.