by T. G. Ayer
We, on the other hand were soaked and frozen, and feeling very far from safe.
Sienna’s teeth chattered and I matched each clash with my own. We sat side by side on the dock, barely able to get a word out.
“I’d shift if I thought it would help.” I said. Then I shook my head, which didn’t really matter because I was already shaking my head so hard that my neck hurt. “But I’d just be a wet, freezing cat. My body mass is higher in human form.”
Her eyes were wide and I couldn’t read them. Was she surprised? Amazed? Incredulous. Who knew.
I pushed to my knees and hobbled to my feet. “We have to get out of this wind or we’ll die before Larsson comes back for us.”
Sienna’s groan was swept away by a gust of snow-laden air. She coughed as she inhaled the iciness then doubled over and swallowed hard.
As we hurried around the dock I stopped so suddenly that she walked right into me.
“What?” she yelled over the gusting wind.
“You?”
“Me?”
“Yes. Do your dragon thing and make us a fire.”
“Are you insane?”
“No. We need the warmth or we will die. Either go all scaly and breathe me some fire or at least give me some protection so I can try making one. But just bear in mind the fine print indicates I can’t build a fire to save my life.”
Sienna was shaking her head. “I can’t do either of the things you’re asking. I only dream of flying. I can’t even remember being a dragon. And as for fire, that’s just something I’ve never done before.”
We got to the snow-covered bank beside the river and headed to a pair of trees that offered a tiny harbor against the wind. I rounded on Sienna.
“Quit complaining and help me.” I ignored her shocked expression, dropped my satchel on the ground and began to search behind the trees for branches and wood and leaves. Anything that we could use to make a fire.
She left her bag beside mine and followed my lead in silence.
When we had a small pile, I stood beside it and began to stamp my feet to get some blood flow going.
“Well,” I yelled at her over the pile of wood. “What are you waiting for?”
“I can’t,” she screamed back and I could barely hear her.
I shook my head. “Stop making excuses. You can. Your twin is a Fire Mage. Which means you are too. Either make fire or make peace with your spirits because we are going to die.”
She stared at me, anger now pooling in her eyes. “It’s not my fault we fell into the water.”
“Do I look like I’m responsible for the location of the portal?” I shouted, feeling a twinge of guilt at what I was doing. But the fire of anger in her eyes urged me on. “If you don’t make a fire I’m going to die. Try explaining that to Logan when they find you.”
“We’ll both die.”
“Have you not been listening to me? You are a fire mage. You can’t die of the cold. Your body will generate enough heat for you to survive. So no fire, I die. You live.”
I glared at her, stepping closer as she shook her head. When I shoved her backward she let out a shocked gasp. “Thanks a lot, Sienna. After all I did for you, coming to Drakys to save you, this is how you thank me.”
I turned to the fire and stamped harder. I should just shift and run away but I couldn’t because I’d lied to her. Her fire wouldn’t save her from freezing. She’d have to generate a low ebb of it inside of her body so that she could survive the snowstorm. If she failed to make fire she’d die too.
I spun around and yelled at her. “Just one freaking spark. That’s all we need.”
She took a step closer, shouting now too. “Why are you doing this to me?”
“To you? I’m doing this to you? You’re the one too weak to try to save us.”
“Don’t you understand that I can’t just do something I’ve never done before?”
I laughed even as the sound was snatched away. “You have made fire before. You just don’t remember it.”
She shook her head, shivering harder now. Her lips were blue and I was sure mine were too. “I can’t.”
“Logan believed in you.” I pointed at her, marveling at how still my finger remained even when my entire body shook with cold. “He protected you when you were children. Even now, dying in a fucking coma, he’s protecting you. He’d die if it meant saving you. But it seems you won’t do the same.”
“Don’t say that,.” she screamed, tears gleaming in her eyes. “I’d do anything for him.”
“Liar,” I spat back and began to pace. “Tell that to him when they come for my body.”
Then she screamed, so loud that I was afraid the snow-laden branches above would release their cargo on our heads.
Fire sparked within the pile and I rushed to it, unzipping my jacket in a swift swipe to provide as much protection as I could. Sienna did the same, her face still projecting her fury and her hurt so much that she hadn’t yet registered what she’d done.
Protected, the weak flame caught onto the twigs and branches, then wavered before flaring and catching onto the rest of the branches.
I looked up from beneath my lashes. “Well done.”
She frowned, confused. “What?”
“I knew you had it in you,” I said, warming my face in the heat of the fire.
Looking up, I met her eyes as they narrowed, as awareness bloomed behind them.
And I smiled.
She leaned closer, flames flaring within her glare.
“Bitch.”
Chapter 46
Larsson arrived two hours later, during which time Sienna had gotten over her fury.
Mostly.
She’d attempted to practice her fire magic, unable to control the curiosity, or to hold back the temptation.
She’d failed most of those times, much to her renewed fury.
But there was a passion in her eyes that reminded me so much of Logan that I wanted to burst into tears.
Instead I filled her in on Logan, his youth and his work or Omega. She’d stared shocked when I revealed that the agency was under investigation, furious that Storm had betrayed us all and hurt Logan.
And heartbroken when I told her about Anjelo’s death.
Then I gave her a shortened version of Darcy’s memory deletions and reminded her that she could have been subjected to much worse considering she’d been so far unable to recall memories.
I didn’t mention that she’d been the one to call out to Logan in the first place. There was so much to tell that we went from one thing to the next, jumping around from topic to topic, to talk to whatever occurred to us next. But I didn’t touch on the subject of her parents’ death.
Thankfully, Sienna hadn’t asked.
Larsson, with his tall, imposing and comfortingly silent demeanor, deposited us in the front hall of the Elite Headquarters.
“Hey Larsson?” I said, holding out a bag containing the lily. “Can you take that straight to Ash and have her run some tests on them?”
“Will do.” He nodded and pocketed the bag making me sputter in horror at the disrespect to evidence.
He stepped away when I said, “Larsson?” He turned, a question in his eye? “What’s your first name?”
He studied me for a moment while I tried hard to stop my teeth from chattering. Then he smiled. “Bjorn.”
“Thank you, Bjorn,” I said. Sienna echoed my gratitude.
Larsson nodded then proceeded to hurry off fetching blankets and ordering rooms and baths while we defrosted on the handmade carpet. It came as a surprise to me, despite my knowledge of the house, that the building contained real rooms, with baths and beds.
Neither Sienna nor I questioned Gerda when she herded us to the top floor and waved us into adjoining rooms, giving stern instructions to warm up. She left with an assurance that food was to follow shortly.
After a long hot soak in a deep claw-footed tub, the steaming water coming to just beneath my ears, I felt rejuvenated
. To feel my fingers and toes was truly a wondrous thing.
My clothing had been collected and tossed into a drier while I’d bathed, and was there waiting, folded neatly at the foot of my bed, perfectly dry. The speed implied the work of a mage but I didn’t question my good fortune, or the fact that another agent had gotten up-close-and-personal with my undies.
Dressing quickly, I knocked on the internal door that joined the rooms and entered when I heard Sienna call out.
“How are you feeling?” I asked, taking in the sight of her sprawled limply on the four-poster bed, staring up at the canopy.
She stared at me as I walked in, her expression not entirely free of accusation. Then she sighed, and shook her head. “I’m not sure how I feel. For some reason I’m drained. And I’m sure that makes some kind of sense. I haven’t used this power, this power that you seem to think I’ve had all my life. And now that I’ve used it, it feels more like a burden than a blessing.”
I swallowed hard, wondering how she was going to react when she discovered that she was the reason her mother had died. It was hard enough for her now, so taxing on her body and her mind, to practice using her magic.
I hoped that she would be strong enough to get through that grief when the time came. And hopefully she would have Logan by her side. The fact that she had regained some of her firepower, gave me the confidence to hope that she could help him get better.
“Most gifts feel that way.”
I sat on the mattress, keeping a safe distance. I didn’t want to encroach on her personal space. She was still angry with me, I could see from the narrowed look in her eyes, and thin line of her lips.
“What do you know about it?” she asked, challenging me.
I shrugged. “For a long time, I was at odds with my panther. I didn’t want to accept who I was. I even went almost a year without shifting. Then, years later, when I discovered my mother’s true blood, I wondered whether the hybrid nature of my DNA had affected me. I certainly hadn’t behaved like a proper Alpha’s daughter.”
“Hybrid nature?” she asked, sitting up. Her color was slowly returning.
“Yeah. My mom is a human mage. Tracker. Dad’s the Panther Alpha.”
“Wow.” Her mouth rounded. “You must have had a pretty interesting life growing up.”
“Sometimes I wish I could have skipped it altogether. My mum left us when I was five.” Sienna’s eyes hardened and I waved at her. “Don’t worry. She had a good reason, all of which I understand. I probably would have done the same thing. But it’s easy to sit now and look back at her choices and understand why she did what she did. The thing that I can’t change is how I felt back then. All those years of missing her, pining for her, hating her. That’s a lot of pain for a kid to grow up with. Add to that the pressure of being an alpha’s daughter and that’s a barrel full of C4 ready to blow.”
She’d shifted up, and was now resting against the pillow behind her. “I understand; I grew up without a mother too.” She frowned, her brow creasing as she looked off into the distance. “Sometimes I dream of her, and then sometimes I wonder whether my dreams were of a mother, or of a figment of my imagination.”
“Did anyone ever explain to you where you’re from?”
“No. They always seemed ignorant of my past. All they said was that I was brought to the Drakyr as a child, sold to General Vyrian by a human mage who wanted to pay off a gambling debt. No one ever told me who this man was, or how he had come by me. For all I knew he could have been my real father.”
“So. General Vyrian is a father figure?”
Sienna nodded, and I got the sense that she didn’t want to discuss it further. I’d have to continue the conversation at a more appropriate time. But right now, we had to get moving.
“Right, if you’re feeling better, I think we’d better get back. I sent a message to my dad, just to let him know that we’re okay. If we don’t get back soon, they’ll probably send a search party.”
She smiled, “Must be nice to be so loved by someone that they’d boss you around.”
Funny thing was, I’d never thought of it that way. I waited in my room while she finished dressing, and we left moments after.
Horner provided us with the vehicle, stretch limo of all things. The driver drove us all the way to my father’s house up in the mountains. Both Sienna and I fell asleep for most of the ride.
When we arrived home, Dad and Baz helped us inside. The twins were asleep, and though I’d wanted to see them, especially sweet little Alina, I resisted the urge to ask Baz to fetch her.
Sienna paused inside the doorway, hesitating on the threshold only a second before Dad put his arm around her shoulders and drew her into the living room.
Darcy was setting down a tray of hot chocolate and the fire was roaring and crackling. It felt like a homecoming, but one without Logan.
Sienna smiled shyly as she entered the room and sank onto the sofa beside me. She gave Darcy an inquisitive glance and I introduced them. At the mention of Darcy’s name, Sienna flinched.
“You don’t have to be worried about Darcy. She’s a friend.”
Darcy laughed and leaned forward. “Despite what I’ve done in the past, I’m only here to help.”
Sienna nodded, then glanced at me before returning her attention to Darcy. The one look said that she’d trust Darcy only because I trusted her.
Relieved, I got to my feet and went to Dad at the fire.
“You seem to spend a lot of time here,” I said warming my hands over the heat.
He sighed. “Not nearly enough.” He sounded tired.
“How did it go?” I asked. “How’s she reacting?”
Dad looked away from the fire. His eyes were dark as he said, “Let’s take every day one at a time, okay. Right now, I haven’t seen much progress and my disappointment is making me want to throw in the towel.”
“It’s all or nothing Dad. That’s what Lily would want.” I spoke softly, listening to the murmur of conversation behind me.
Darcy probably taking both emotional and mental stock of her.
“Is she conscious?” I asked.
He shook his head. “No. It’s been painful. I have her sedated right now.”
I nodded, sadness tugging at me. I’d harbored a silly hope that she’d be all healed and perfect by the time I got back home. “Let me know when she wakes up.”
Dad rubbed my back. “I will. You just concentrate on the drama at hand.” He gave my uninjured shoulder a squeeze. “I’m going to check on her.” In his absence I drank hot chocolate and texted Tara, letting her know I’m home and that we needed to talk in private. Then I watched Sienna’s face as she responded to Darcy’s subtle probing.
Although it could be considered an invasion of her privacy, we only wanted to ascertain her mental health. Not make any changes.
And yet I still felt guilty. But I’d have to deal with Sienna when we told her.
Which wouldn’t be today.
A few times the MindMelder glanced in my direction giving me an encouraging nod. From that, I understood that Logan’s sister was healthy. Though her mind had been wiped, her brain was still in good condition. I’d been terrified that whatever they’d done to her mind, would not be able to be undone. Thankfully from Darcy’s expression she seemed confident that there was hope.
The moment I entered the house all I want to do was to run upstairs and check on Logan. But if he wasn’t okay, my father would have told me. I knew he’d be asleep, resting. Yet, that kind of assurance never did work for me but I didn’t want to cause a scene and go running upstairs like some hysterical lover.
I’d given Sienna enough time to settle down, and now I glanced at her. “You ready?”
She nodded and got to her feet, dusting down the front of her pants. She gave Darcy a grateful smile and joined me as I walked to the door. We left the warmth of the living room and hurried up the stairs.
I headed to my room and stood on the threshold waiting for Sienn
a to catch up with me. At the doorway, I watched her as she caught sight of Logan for the first time. Tears filled her eyes and then ran unchecked down her cheeks.
She looked at me. “Is it okay if I . . .?”
I nodded vigorously. Hoping the tears that burned behind my lids would not fall. “Of course. You go right ahead. I’ll give you some privacy.”
She reached out to me. “You sure it’s okay?”
“Absolutely.” I patted her hand, feeling an overwhelming sense of affection for her. “I’ll come back in a little bit. You two get acquainted.”
She gave me a wry smile and went into the room and I left the two of them alone.
Brother and sister, reunited at last
Chapter 47
I left Sienna and Logan to get acquainted, although I wasn’t sure exactly how they would manage it. Even watching his unmoving form from the doorway, it was obvious to me he’d grown weaker, paler. He didn’t look any better.
Was that why Dad had failed to mention his condition when we spoke?
I shook the thoughts from my head, preferring not to think about it. Right now, there were other issues that required my concentration. Funny how the two main things in my life, the two things that hurt me the deepest, were the dead and the dying.
I headed downstairs to the living room, welcoming the warmth of the fire against my skin. For the first time in my life I felt ice right to the bone. I was grateful that the room was empty, and I sat beside the fireplace and leaned my head against the warmed stone.
Retrieving my phone from my pocket, I rang Nerina and asked her to come. When I had something to ask her, I never told her over the phone. Probably my distrust of her high priestess making me paranoid.
Nerina materialized beside me not long after, in a swirling blizzard of gray. She looked so serene, standing there all gray eyes, gray hair and gray cloak, and yet I knew more about her than I’d ever known about the DeathTalkers. They used to be creatures of the OtherWorld to me. Now that I’d made friends with one of them, I knew the truth. Deep down we were the same.