“You know what? I totally agree with you there,” I said, ignoring the sharp look from Dorian. He didn’t understand the way these mages thought, but I did, because I’d been there, done that, and gotten the t-shirt. I knew what it was like to distrust the coven and to feel the need to rebel against their wishes. If we were going to get through to them, we needed to acknowledge how they felt.
Elder Arthur raised his eyebrows. “If you agree, then why are you here?”
“Because I believe that what they’re doing is wrong, and I want to stop it before anyone else gets hurt. At least hear us out.”
The Elders regarded me for a long and silent moment before Arthur finally gave a nod. Sarah hesitated, but she followed suit as well. The few other Elders surrounding them murmured with unease, but they also gave their nods. My breath whooshed out of me in relief. For a moment there, I thought it might all be over before we’d even had a chance to state our case.
“Right,” I said. “No reason to beat around the bush. The Bone Coven doesn’t agree with forcing you to create vampires or forcing you to fight, so we’re taking that completely off the table. They'd love for you to join them, of course, but it's your own decision. Instead, we'd like the Witch’s Blade. It’ll help in the fight against the demons when Professor Ivan Wagner finally makes his move. If you give us that, we’ll end the siege, and we’ll deal with the Blood Coven ourselves. Sounds like a win win for everyone, don’t you think?”
Elder Sarah let out a light laugh and shook her head, the opposite reaction I’d been expecting. “That’s more of a lose lose, my dear. For both covens.”
Confusion rippled through me. “I don’t understand.”
“Do you know what the Witch’s Blade does?” Elder Arthur asked, leaning forward in his rocking chair. “Did your Magister explain that to you before sending you on this idiotic mission? By the confused looks on your faces, I'm thinking not. Typical.”
Frowning, I glanced at Dorian. His face had gone tense, and his shoulders were tight. I could tell he was worried about what the Elders were about to tell us next because I had a sneaking suspicion that it wouldn’t paint our coven in a good light. Again. The revelations had been wave after wave after wave these past few days, and Dorian’s faith in the Magister was ready to crack. I knew he desperately wanted to believe that he’d been fighting for the right side all this time. It mattered to him in a way I’d never realized, not until he shared his past with me.
By working as an upstanding Enforcer of the coven, he was atoning for his sins, in a way. And now he was learning that he might not have been so much atoning as he had been adding to them.
“The Witch's Blade is a weapon that was specifically created to be used against the demons,” Dorian said in a low voice. “The Magister was very clear about that. Are you trying to tell us that he's wrong?”
“He's not wrong. The blade is capable of destroying large swaths of demons,” Elder Arthur said. “It destroys their bodies in a similar way that Nosferatu fangs do. One stab with the end, and the demons are gone, usually many at once.”
“Then, what’s the problem?” I asked. “Don’t you want demons destroyed? You can’t possibly tell me that you don’t want us to have the best possible chance at defeating them.”
“Of course not,” the Elder snapped. “But it has much more power than that. It can cut holes in the veil, releasing demons into this world at a greater rate than normal. If used enough, the blade could destroy the veil completely. We’ve been keeping it all this time, protecting it, as a way to stop it from falling into the wrong hands. Giving it up now could be suicide.”
Dread soared through my veins as I stared at the Elder’s face. His eyes flashed with anger, though it wasn’t directed at me. Some long-held resentment, something from his past. It had all built up over time, spilling out now when the conflicts between our covens were finally coming to a head.
“The strange thing,” he said, continuing, “is why your coven wants it now after all this time ignoring its existence. They knew we had it. So, what's reignited their interest in it?”
A few murmurs went through the group of Elders as they nodded along. Two Elders pressed their foreheads together and whispered something too low for me to hear. This was odd, to say the least. If this guy was telling the truth, the Witch's Blade could be used for far more terrible things than good.
“I’m sorry,” I said, finally speaking up to break the strange tension in the air. “Could you please explain what you mean by that?”
“You know, I don't believe I got either of your names,” Elder Sarah said as she perched on the edge of an armchair, her gaze intent on my face.
Okay, that was also strange. What did that have to do with anything? Dorian shifted by my side and cleared his throat. “I’m Dorian Kostas, Enforcer for the Bone Coven. This is my partner-in-training, Zoe Bennett.”
Elder Arthur raised his eyebrows and glanced at the woman by his side. She murmured something into his ear and nodded. When he returned his gaze to us, his lips were curled into a knowing smile. “Ah, yes. Dorian Kostas, the Unbound hybrid. I shouldn’t be surprised they’d send you to the negotiation. A powerful addition to their team, no doubt.”
Shock flittered across Dorian’s face. Dorian’s vampire nature wasn’t public knowledge amongst mages. Or, at least, we hadn’t thought it was. The Magister knew what he was, as well as several council members and some Enforcers, but he’d kept the matter secret beyond that. Many mages wouldn’t understand. They would use the curse against him. They wouldn’t trust him, and they certainly wouldn’t work with him.
“Don’t look so surprised,” Elder Sarah said. “We may look like we keep to ourselves out here, but we make it a priority to know what’s going on in the supernatural world. It is in our best interest to understand what we’re up against. Which brings us to you, the witch in training.”
Unease skittered across my skin at the knowing glint in the Elder's eye. There was no way in hell she would know what I was. No one did, save a few people closest to me. And not a single one of them would have said a word. Okay, so some of the Daywalkers had figured it out as well, but I had a hard time believing they spent their time acting as spies for the Sun Coven.
“The daughter of Hank and Lily Bennett, both powerful mages in their own rights. Both fiercely loyal members of the Bone Coven. Your grandmother is also a member of the Bone Coven and a very strong and powerful witch. There are some odd gaps in her history, though. And her power has been reported as being a bit fidgety, if I remember. Much like yours.”
Swallowing hard, I turned toward Dorian. He stood motionless, expressionless. Just like a rock that was being blasted by a bitter wind, he showed no sign that the Elder’s words were getting to him.
“The thing is,” the Elder said, standing slowly before making her way across the room to stand just in front of me. “The blade is powerless in my hands. It’s also powerless in your coven’s hands and will do absolutely nothing to stop the demons.”
“But you just said—”
“That it can be used as a weapon against them,” she said with a nod. “And it can. But it can only be used by a shadow mage. If your coven is so desperate to get their hands on the blade, then there’s only one conclusion to make of that. One of them is a shadow witch, and I think it’s more than clear who that is.”
Chapter 27
Words failed me. Not only had the Elders figured out what kind of mage I truly was, but they’d dropped a bombshell the size of Texas on top of my head. Could this be true? Could the blade really only be used by a shadow mage? If so, it didn’t explain why my coven could possibly want it. Unless…
A lightbulb went off over my head. A very painful bulb that brought on a fresh wave of panic and fear.
“They know what I am, Dorian,” I said in a whisper. “And they’ve known since that night I confronted the Blood Hunter Coven.”
“Zoe.” Dorian’s voice held a warning. Clearly, he didn’t want
me discussing this in front of the Elders, but I was pretty sure it was far too late for that.
“They already know. No sense in pretending they aren’t right.”
“They didn’t know until you confirmed it for them,” he said. “Now, there’s no telling how they’ll use that information.”
“We had our suspicions before today. And even if Zoe hadn’t confirmed it, it would have been obvious regardless. In order to get the blade, they would have needed to send a shadow mage. It does not like being handled by any other type of witch.”
“Still, we can’t be certain the Bone Coven knows,” Dorian said. “This entire trip was our idea in the first place.”
“No, they definitely know,” I said, beginning to pace across the floor. “Ben must have told them. It would explain why they pulled me from the field almost immediately and why they’ve gone out of their way to keep a protective duty around me at all times. Remember what the Magister said before we came here. They didn’t want to waste me in a skirmish against some Daywalkers. They’ve known all this time, Dorian. And they want to use me as some kind of walking weapon.”
As the shock of my discovery settled in, most of the Elders retreated to a back room to discuss the pros and cons of agreeing to the truce. Arthur stayed out in the front room with us, though I was pretty sure he was guarding us more than keeping us company. But the wait was painful, especially when my mind began to whir over all the possible scenarios. I needed something to do.
“Where’s the Blade Room?” I asked, looking up to meet the older mage’s eyes. “I want to see it.”
The Elder furrowed his brows and fell silent as if deep in thought. After a moment, he nodded and led me down the hallway and a long flight of stairs before we stopped at a thick metal door, only a small window displaying what was kept inside.
“This is where we keep it,” he said. “It’s behind several wards as well as a thick binding spell that cannot be undone. We made sure of that.”
I peered inside. The blade had been erected to stand tall on a stone pedestal, the light from the sun shining down on it from skylights. It looked just like any normal dagger. There was nothing special about it other than the light, but something about it called to me, something deep inside my gut.
“The light helps dim its power,” the Elder said. “As a shadow weapon, it works best in the darkness, though it does emit its own glow.”
Remembering the blank letter I’d found in Wagner’s belongings, I searched through my bag until I had it in my hands. “This is one of those parchments with the ink that can only been read by the light of the blade. Do you have any idea what it could mean?”
“I’m afraid not,” he said with a quick shake of his head. “That is a document that was likely created in the Shadow Coven. They used to use this kind of letters to keep the contents hidden from prying eyes. And by prying eyes, I mean other mages. The shadows have always firmly believed in secrecy and in deceit, and they found their own ways of dealing with that.”
“Not all shadows,” I said, feeling the intense need to prove to this man that I wasn’t the stereotypical image that most held of my kind of witch.
He raised his eyebrows. “No? If you are so different than your kin, why have you forged your mark? Why have you kept your identity secret? And why did you turn to deception when there were a hundred other jobs you could have taken?”
I opened my mouth to respond but couldn’t find the words. Because looking at it from that point of view, he was right. I’d long relied on deception and secrecy, and just because I had done it to save my skin and help my Grams, it didn’t change the fact that was exactly what I had done. Maybe I was more like them than I wanted to believe.
“It isn’t necessarily a bad thing, Zoe,” he said. “We automatically equate darkness and shadows with evil, but it’s all in how you choose to use your power. Yes, the magic can twist and tempt the soul, but there are plenty who don’t turn down that path. They aren’t talked about because it doesn’t fit the Bone Coven’s narrative. But good shadow mages definitely do exist.”
“I can’t believe you of all people are saying that,” I said with a laugh. “Your magic comes from the exact opposite source. You’re full of day. I’m full of night.”
“In order for the world to exist as it does, we need both day and night. We need the moon as well as the sun. Nature works in harmony. Without one, we cannot have the other. Besides, from where I’m standing, it isn’t shadow mages who are doing these terrible deeds. It’s blood and bone.”
“I’m truly sorry,” I said. “If I’d realized what was happening here, I don’t know if I’d been so quick to come and try to talk you into giving up the weapon. They’ve been using me the same way they want to use you.”
“And yet, it is easy to understand why,” the Elder said. “In the end, the Magister merely wants to save the world from the demons, and he’ll do whatever it takes to do so, even if you and I might not like it.”
“You’re taking his side? After everything they’ve done to you.”
“Not taking his side. Just understanding it. I’ve always said that the key to beating your enemies is to put yourself inside their mind. To understand his motives and his goals is to understand the best way to win.”
“And what is the best way?” I had to ask, because from where I was sitting, there didn’t seem to be a solution at all.
“Compromise. We will give you the blade, but only you are to have access to it,” he said. “Use it against the demons. Win the war. But when it’s all over, you must convince them to return the blade to us where we can put it back in its rightful place under our protection. Because all it takes is one corrupt soul to bring all those demons straight back through the veil again.”
With a nod, I gave him a smile. The Bone Coven would have to agree to this. They would get what they wanted, and the weapon would be safe once we’d won. Everyone would be happy with this arrangement, except maybe the Blood Coven, but they’d have to accept this deal. They might not get their army out of it, but they’d get something much better. A surefire way to beat our enemies. I just hoped I could live up to the task.
Chapter 28
“It’s almost been twenty-four hours,” I said, glancing at the timer on my watch. “We have about half an hour before the coven launches an offensive through the siege wall. I’m not exactly sure what they have planned, but I don’t think any one of us wants to find out.”
One of the Elders shook his head and scoffed. “Knowing they planned to attack us does little to convince me to agree to this truce. If they want fire, then perhaps we should meet them with fire.”
A couple of the Elders murmured in agreement, frowning out at the dusty expanse around us. The coven would have a difficult time with the element of surprise—we’d see them a long way off—but they were still double the army here. Two covens were stronger than one, and many of these Elders were on the far side of eighty. They weren’t as strong as the younger Enforcers, and unless they upped their numbers fast, they wouldn’t stand a chance.
“They don’t want fire,” I said. “They want peace. If they were desperate for a fight, they wouldn’t have sent me to talk to you.”
“We’ll agree to talk to them,” Elder Sarah said. “But we can’t promise anything more than that.”
“Hello, Magister,” I said through the barrier when the twenty-four hours ran out. He and a team of Enforcers had appeared almost immediately at the edges of the Sun Coven property, ready to call the truce.
“Zoe,” he said with a nod before turning to the Elder at my elbow. “Summoner Arthur. How lovely to see you again.”
Summoner? That was interesting. In our world, the Magister was the head honcho of the entire coven operation with the Summoner acting as his second-in-command. A vice-president of the coven in some respects. The rest of the council acted as a sort of Congress, voting on issues relevant to the inner workings of the coven. The sun mages had abandoned that structure, but th
ey clearly still relied on their old leaders even in this new iteration.
“I’d say the same back to you, Salvatore, but I can’t say this is lovely in any way, shape, or form. This entire thing is practically harassment, if I’m honest, and if I weren’t a man of peace, I’d be declaring war.”
Frowning, I glanced back at the Elder. These were much more confrontational words than I’d expected him to say. Hell, if I’d known he was going to be like this, I would have approached the Magister on my own. I couldn’t let anything happen to ruin this. We were only moments away from ending this entire thing, and I couldn’t let a few bitter words screw that up.
“Don’t worry, Zoe,” Magister Salvatore said. “If you got what you came here for, then I don’t care what an old, cranky warlock says to me. He can ramble for an hour if that makes him feel better about how terribly his coven lost to ours.”
“Lost?” Elder Sarah barked out a laugh. “In what world did we lose when you had to send a shadow mage to negotiate a truce for you?”
The Magister frowned and flicked his gaze to me, but the look in his eyes wasn’t one of shock or alarm. The Sun Coven had been right. Magister Salvatore knew exactly what I was, and it was why he’d sent me here in the first place.
“Zoe, that was probably a piece of information you shouldn’t have shared with our enemies,” he said in a patronizing tone, “but I understand how it could have helped in the negotiations.”
“Enemies?” one of the Elders asked. “You mean your prisoners.”
“Alright,” I said, holding up my hands. “Obviously, there are a lot of issues that we need to work through. On both sides. But, right now, we’ve come to discuss the end of the siege, which I think we can all agree is something everyone wants.”
“It’s no skin off their backs,” one of the Elder’s grumbled. “Hell, they probably enjoy watching us suffer.”
The Bone Coven Chronicles: The Complete Series Page 57