"It's too dangerous. Plus, you're not going out alone." Evan's tone forbade any argument.
Regardless, I opened my mouth to protest, but shut it again when the radio crackled. "Team two, what's happening?" came the disembodied voice.
Evan grabbed the radio. "We're surrounded. Did you get out?"
"Yes, but it wasn't what we expected. They had more reinforcements. We lost four of our team, and we had to leave some of the hostages behind."
"How many?"
"Hard to say. We took the strongest, those who could run, before the demons returned them to The Amethyst."
Evan dropped his head backwards, staring up at the ceiling like it had all the answers before he rested the now silent radio against his knee. "Why aren't they shooting?" he asked, addressing all of us. I looked around blankly as if answers would pour through the bullet holes. "Forget I asked," he said, dismissing the question.
"You there?" came a new voice. Gage.
Evan moved the radio to his mouth. "Yeah, we're here."
"We're shimmering the last of the prisoners out in a few seconds, but some of us can stay. We can get to you."
"You're miles away."
"The demons can shimmer us closer."
"Don't!" said Evan quickly. "Whatever we thought was the situation here, it's not. You could land in the middle of another ambush. We already have one dead and one injured."
"If we run..."
"Send help. Get back to base and send help. We can hold out until then."
"If it's anything like we just faced, no, you can't. We're coming. Sit tight." The radio went dead.
"Don't come. I repeat, don't come! Do you read me? Damn it! They shouldn't come," he said to the quiet cabin.
"Yes, they should," said Seren. "There's only a few of us against who knows how many of them? We need their help and a new plan."
"Do you have something in mind?" asked Anders.
"For starters, we have to set up protection around this cabin. If we're really lucky, they'll try and torch the place with us inside it."
"Typical Brotherhood welcome," muttered someone, just loud enough for us to hear.
"And once we have our protection in place, we need to decide how to take them out, then leave here. Not necessarily in that order."
"We could make circles, and mark them with protective magic," I suggested.
"I was thinking of something bigger," said Seren.
"Whatever you're thinking, you might want to do it now. There's movement outside," said Astra.
"I'm going to put a protective bubble around the whole cabin," Seren continued, the urgency rising in her voice. "I won't need to make a circle. It will be similar to a supercharged ward that any witch would place on their home."
"Get to it," Evan told her.
"I can help," I offered, pausing as Evan placed a hand on my arm.
He edged closer to me, leaning in so only I could hear. "I want you to take a look at that pendant I gave you."
"Now? But Étoile said it's no good. Isn't the threat more important?" I asked, jabbing a finger on the cabin door.
"Do you genuinely believe that? Or did you bring the talismans here for a reason?"
"I brought them because I didn't have enough time to store them anywhere. Plus, they're safer with me," I told him, not quite convinced of my own logic. Of course, I could have stowed everything in my room's safe, but I didn't. I didn't even consciously choose to bring them, I just did, stuffing them into my pocket under a rain jacket and wedging the werewolf talisman into my backpack.
"And now you have the demon talisman. We're stuck here, Stella, and I'm clutching at straws. Plus, I have a specific interest in that pendant I gave you."
"Because of whom you got it from?" I guessed.
"Exactly. That particular demon would not have had it, if it did not contain value."
"What if we get shot at again?"
"Let the rest of us handle that," Evan said, pushing my backpack towards me. "You need to do this."
"You believe in it?"
He shrugged. "I believe in you."
Despite the chill in the air, and the fear in my veins, his words warmed me so much that I smiled in the dark. My smile remained even after he grazed my lips with the lightest of kisses before moving away to assist Seren with her plan. Still crouched on the floor, I unzipped my backpack, and pulled out the covered talisman, carefully unwinding the cloth wrapping. I held the talisman in my lap as I searched for the small pouch where I placed the pendants. Two tumbled into my hand. The third, Evan's demon pendant, I pulled from my pocket. I placed them all on the floor, moving them around until, with a light push, I could slot them together like a very odd jigsaw puzzle. They created a pretty pattern, but without the missing piece, the magic couldn't flow between them. I didn't sense any significant increase in power just because they were nearly together again. I wondered how old they were, and if they'd had a lot more power when they were first made. I also wondered if what I felt now were just the dregs as they drained away.
Tracing my fingers over the face-up side of the talisman, I found the shape cut into the wood. One corner was smooth, so I picked up the end pendants. The second fitted, slotting easily into place. I tapped it cautiously, but the pendant didn't fall out.
The next side took the middle pendant, the third took the opposite end pendant. I turned it to the final side, pausing to contemplate exactly what could happen when I pressed the fourth pendant into place. Would it blow up in my face? I glanced toward the window, which was barred against whatever crept forwards outside. The blast would probably take them out too, which wasn’t a bad thing.
I delved into my backpack again, this time, pulling out the horologican. "You told me the third was mine and you were right," I whispered to it. It was right, but the last thing it told me was impossibly cryptic. "The fourth will only be revealed to truth," I whispered, blowing the words across the cover. The book flickered to life, its pages turning rapidly until it was back to the title page again. I traced my fingers over where I knew the drawing of my family was. Something pushed back against my fingertips. Gasping in surprise, I withdrew my hand. The book wouldn't hurt me, I reminded myself, before placing my fingers on the page again. Another push, harder this time, and the feel of paper gave way to something colder. I waited until another push set the object free. I didn't need to see it to know the book produced the one pendant I had no idea how to find. Was that what it meant by truth? Was I the true owner of the last pendant? I couldn't be sure as I whispered my thanks and closed the book.
I looked at Evan and Seren, their heads bowed together, crafting something to save us all.
I didn't want to lose either of them, and I didn't want to die today.
Gulping back nerves, I pressed the last pendant into the talisman and waited.
Nothing happened.
I turned the completed talisman over, pressing each pendant in case they weren't connected fully, my hands smoothing over the carved shapes as I turned the object in my hands. Still nothing. No plumes of smoke, no tornado of magic, and definitely, no genie. Yet, when I stayed perfectly still for a moment, I could feel something. The thinnest threads of magic were connecting as the magic from the pendants infused with that of the talisman. It felt right, pleasing even, now that all five pieces were together. But without it working, or attracting the superwitch, it was useless.
Evan turned his head, glancing towards me. I couldn't quite see his expression, or the question I knew was etched on his face. I gave a little shake of my head: nothing. Dead end. If Evan were disappointed, I couldn't see it.
"More movement," called Anders. "Looks like binoculars."
"We haven't retaliated yet," said Evan, "they're trying to assess our numbers and our damage."
"I think I can..." said Jamie, moving to the left. "Ugh," she grunted, dropping to the ground, her hand rising to her arm. Astra rushed to her side, cradling her as she moaned.
"Sniper! Down!" yelled And
ers as we all dropped flat to the floor before several bullets whizzed past.
"Seren, get the bubble up," shouted Evan.
"I'm trying!" Seren pressed her fingertips to the floor. The earth seemed to shake as magic swept under my feet, reaching the walls of the cabin and rising up, traveling to the roof, seeking its own magic to connect with in a secure bubble. "Done. I don't know how long it will hold. It depends on how they attack it after they discover what we did."
"Can your magic withstand it?" I asked.
"Yes, but I'm more worried about fatigue. The bubble will collapse if I don't continue to power it; and I can only power it if I'm alive."
"Stay down," ordered Evan, "and keep out of sight. What's the status on Jamie?"
"The bullet missed!" said Astra with a sigh of relief, "You're going to be okay, Jamie, but your sleeve is torn."
"And Abby?" Evan pressed.
"Seems to have missed everything major, so Vanessa and I are going to stop the bleeding and leave the bullet until later," said Astra, attending to her. Another witch unwrapped bandages from the first aid kit Étoile insisted we pack. "She's going to be okay."
"Aren't we going to fight back?" asked Jamie, adrenaline at cheating death fueling her voice. "We can't just sit here while they pick us off!"
"Not until we know their numbers. If we fight back now, we could be telling them everything they want to know. How many of us there are, and how much magic we have. Who we are. Our best defence right now is to let Seren do her job in protecting us while we await the allies," Evan told him.
"What if they don't come?" pressed Marcy.
"They'll come," Evan assured us.
"What if they can't...?" Marcy started again only for Evan to cut her off with a firm, "They'll come."
We waited silently for a little more than half an hour before the pops of gunfire resumed again, but this time, they were unable to penetrate the building, and the bullets simply dropped to the ground. I gave Seren a thumbs-up as a chorus of relieved sighs was heard all around the small room.
"Abby? Abby?" Vanessa shook her patient, sounding more worried with each call of her name.
"What happened?" I asked.
"I don't know. She was talking a moment ago, then she just stopped. Her breathing is shallow."
"Did you stop the bleeding?"
"Yes. I applied a charm and it coagulated almost straight away."
"Did you check to see if she were hit elsewhere?" Seren asked and the witch gave her a startled look. "No, I just assumed it was her arm because that's what she said. I'll check..." she trailed off as she began to search Abby's body. "No," Vanessa said finally, sounding relieved, "No more wounds, but she won't wake up. She has a pulse, but it's a little slower. It's probably the blood loss."
"Keep watch on her."
"I could heal her," I volunteered.
"Try it," agreed Evan.
I scooted across the floor, less worried about snipers hitting me this time, but just as reluctant to be seen by the enemy’s eyes that surrounded us, watching and waiting. I didn't have much experience with charms, but I could feel the healing powers of this one as I ran my hands over Abby's arm. Underneath that lay something darker and more disturbing, a kind of black magic I never felt before. It coated her arm around the wound, oily and slithering. I peeled back the makeshift bandage and, covering my torchlight with my hands to dim the brightness, I pointed it at the wound. There was nothing but fresh blood and raw flesh. Yet I could feel it, and it seemed to be spreading.
"Something's inside her wound," I told them, "it feels like dark magic. Maybe the bullet was coated with something."
"Like a poison?" asked Vanessa. "I didn't feel anything."
"I think your charm masked it." Now I knew it for sure. I could feel it buffeting against the charm's power, contained and angry.
"Can you heal her?"
"I don't know. I've never worked with something like that before and if I get it wrong..." I didn't want to think about it. We already had one dead body in the room. I didn't dare add a second when she might have had a chance to survive if I didn't intervene. "I think the charm is stopping it from spreading."
"They covered all their bases. If their bullets don’t kill us, they made sure something else would," said Evan as the radio crackled, the sounds of shouting and snarling pitching over the line.
"We're struggling to make it to you," came Gage's voice as Evan grabbed the radio. "They're picking us off the closer we get to you. How are you holding up?"
"We have defences in play," Evan told him. "But we're holding up. The bullets are..."
"We have reinforcements coming... Go! Go! Go!" The radio went dead.
"I don't know if that's good or bad news," said Seren.
"It's both," I decided, wincing as a hail of bullets hit the defences. Seren didn't even flinch as her defence held.
"They're moving again," said Anders, pressing his eye to a bullet hole. "It looks like..."
"Fire," I said, as the first flame sprang up. It moved around the cabin, spreading quickly on the patches of gasoline, the scent of smoke rising quickly. "They're going to burn us out."
"Not going to happen," said Seren. "It's a dumb trick. They know we're shielded."
"You better hope that holds," said Evan.
Seren gave him a withering look. "What are you going to do? Never speak to me again when we're dead?"
"That is one hell of a fire," said Astra. "It blocks us in as much as it blocks them out."
"What if we pushed the fire back at them?" I said. "Fire is an elemental energy. We could use it for our benefit if we push it back at them."
"That's a terrific idea," said Anders, "only, what about that?" He pointed to the cabin door. A wisp of smoke curled underneath. "We need to force that fire back."
"We need to do it soon," agreed Seren. "It's not just bullets and fire pounding the shields. There's magic pushing against it too. Heavy magic. I can't stop the smoke, as it's natural. But we could die of smoke inhalation."
"I can do this," I told them, knowing there couldn't be any argument for breaking out now. Things were desperate. "I can push the fire back and cut them off on both sides."
"Can you make a passage for us to run through so we can break their circle?" asked Evan.
I nodded. "Yes." It would be an effort, and I would have to feel my way through, and hopefully not screw it up, or the fire would consume us, but I could do it. Wasn't that what Evan taught me with his surprise attacks? To feel my way through?
"Do it. The rest of us will create a distraction so they don't see what you're doing until we're ready to flee. Everyone, be prepared to run. Vanessa and Jamie, you take Abby and wait near the door. Seren, hold the defences. The rest of you, come with me. We're going to barrage the back of the cabin with magic to draw their army to that side."
"Reduce their defences at the front? Smart," agreed Seren.
"Does anyone else see that mist rolling in from the ridge?" asked Anders, pointing.
"I see it. Where did it come from?" Astra turned to us, curiosity written across her face as we moved to the front of the cabin to see where Anders pointed.
"Kitty," I said as a gale force gust of wind buffeted the flames in front of us. They sank for a second before rising again, higher than before. Next came thundering rain, soaking the ground, but doing little to douse the magicked flames. I felt her magic in the elements, and knew it wasn't entirely natural. "She's controlling the weather from up on the ridge west of here. Reinforcements are here!"
"Reinforcements," said Marcy, jabbing a finger to the ridge, "are there. We are here."
"And that's where we're heading when we break out of the circle," decided Evan. "Stella, give us one minute to throw everything we have at our attackers, then move those flames. We'll try and send The Brotherhood in the same direction, corralling them to the east behind the fire line."
"Okay." I grabbed my backpack, anchoring the straps over my shoulders. The flames wer
e calling me, the smoke drifting over the backs of my hands. As the team rushed around, I sent my magic into the smoke, finding my way through Seren's protection bubble back to the flames. It felt natural to me, as natural as pulling magic from the earth, and I sank my magic inside it, binding it with the flames. They would bend to my will, I knew that without even trying.
Shouts sounded from outside, the refrain taken up by many voices, far too many to distinguish and count. I could just about see movement in the trees, and the bushes started shaking as they rushed past.
"Now, Stella," yelled Evan. At the sound of his voice, I gave a push into the flames, trying to separate them and create the path. The circle of gasoline anchored it. I needed to do something else and fast. Without thinking, I summoned earth magic, sliding through the dirt and disrupting the circle from under the ground, pushing upwards until it was broken. The fire instantly bent to my will, and I pushed it back, leaving a gap of a few feet wide. Movement caught my eye again, and I shoved the fire forwards on each side, channeling a path while pushing back any Brotherhood sentries left behind to keep watch.
"Ready," I yelled back as I directed the flames upwards, creating a tall wall that couldn't be breached. With luck, the Brotherhood wouldn't realise what I was doing until it was too late.
Evan grabbed me as he returned to the room, wrapping one arm around my waist and wrenching open the door. No shots were fired, but the hot smoke scorched my lungs. I ducked my mouth and nose into the collar of my jacket, my focus rigidly fastened on the flames. All I had to do was hold them for a few more minutes.
"Go," said Evan, pushing us out the door, sweeping me forwards as we surged through the red-hot conflagration.
Behind us, the cabin collapsed inwards, ash and splinters mixing with smoke and mist.
Chapter Nineteen
Running as fast and as silently as we could, only the crunches of twigs and leaves snapping under our feet made any noise. Veering away from the direction of the area where we first arrived, we headed towards the distant ridge, to the place where our allies awaited us. Cheers of triumph erupted behind us as the cabin went up in flames. They thought we were still inside, burning to death, as all witches deserved, in their eyes. As I closed the firewall behind us and left it to grow, I hoped they wouldn't discover our escape until we were safely removed from the premises.
Endless Magic (Stella Mayweather Series Book 6) Page 20