Prophecy's Child (Broken Throne Book 2)

by Jamie Davis

  Winnie reached for her jacket and backpack.

  “Winnie,” Elaine called from behind. “If you go out that door, I can’t help you anymore. You can’t keep coming home and asking me to take you back when you’re doing all the things I forbid you to do. Leave if you must. But understand that I can’t take you back.”

  Winnie spun around and pointed at her mother. She was furious, angry at herself as much as her mother. She tried to think of something to say, anything that might make her understand. In the end, she surrendered, shaking her head. Then she turned, walked out the door, and pulled it shut behind her.

  Winnie wouldn’t abandon her mother’s medical needs, but she couldn’t keep coming back and getting pummeled over doing what had to be done.

  Her mother’s sobs faded behind her. Winnie swiped at her leaking eyes as she approached the elevator. She didn’t have time to be sad, or angry, or any other useless emotion. She had a plan to put into action and it had been delayed long enough.

  Winnie watched the elevator doors close on this ugly chapter in her life.

  CHAPTER 39

  Winnie unrolled the air mattress, plugged in the pump to fill it, and looked around at Charmed’s back office. It had been her home away from home forever; it was fitting to live here now.

  The motor hummed, slowly inflating the mattress. Winnie pulled out her phone and sent messages to Cait and Tris, asking them to come over. The sooner she put her plan into motion, the sooner she could get all the things she’d been putting off for too long.

  The mission as she and Artos had outlined would have a two-fold effect. It would label Cleaver Yorke as the cause of the city’s problems, and net Winnie and her crew a significant sum of cash from the New Amsterdam boss’s coffers. He’d been taking in all the money from the Baltimore Sable trade since taking over, and Artos had discovered that he was keeping it all in his former Mender’s Hall offices. He was supposed to send it north, back to New Amsterdam, in a few days, but if Winnie could orchestrate her strike before then, she and her crew could have it all for themselves … minus a cut to Artos, of course.

  That money was the key. Winnie could set up a trust to take care of Elaine’s medical needs forever with her share. She’d never have to worry about it again, or see her mother to help. Even after taking care of her mother, she and Danny would have enough left to get started with their lives.

  Just thinking about Danny drew attention to a gut-deep need inside her. She wanted to be near him, help with his headaches. Part of her felt guilty because she craved the sweet aftermath from that particular spell, the surge of feeling coursing through her. She never felt quite so alive as she did after delving into his head to make him feel better.

  Before Winnie knew it, she was clinging to the energy, moving her fingers in the delicate motions to point the threads and form the temporary patch that blocked his headaches.

  Casting about with her mind, Winnie sensed a cat walking in the alley on the other side of the wall. On a whim, she mentally reached through the wall and placed the magical patch in the animal’s brain.

  Winnie received an instant surge of energy, a bit like a slap — not as strong as what she felt with Danny, but a rush nonetheless.

  The cat stumbled in the alley, then raced away until it lumbered head first into a wooden fence. The blow to its head knocked the creature unconscious momentarily, and her rush of power died like a curtain dropped upon a lamp.

  Winnie felt guilty, taking her powers out for a spin and using an innocent animal to do it. If she did it again, she’d insert a control spell to keep the animal from hurting itself. It was the right thing to do.

  The bell rang and Winnie stood to see who was at the door. It was Cait, entering the shop mid-guffaw.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “I just saw the damnedest thing in the alley next to your building — a cat, careening around the alley like it was drunk. Then it burst into a sprint and ran head first into a fence. Must be too much catnip or something.”

  “Must be.” Winnie joined her laughter.

  Sure, she felt bad, but the euphoria of the Sable spell, cast on another living creature, was still coursing through her and nothing could dampen the feeling completely. She buried her still-trembling hands into her pants pockets.

  “So, what’s up?” Cait asked. “You look better than the last time I saw you at Danny’s. I can’t put my finger on it, but you seem … more energized?”

  “I’ve been practicing with Artos, refining my magic.”

  “Really? How’s that going? I imagine that old man is one hell of a teacher.”

  “He is. I had some blocks to overcome. He was great at finding a way through them for me.” Winnie stole a glance at the door. “You heard from Tris? I send her a message but she didn’t reply.”

  “She’s been off the radar for a couple of days. I’ve been texting, too. No answers.”

  “I’ll bet she’s buried with these tech failures. No worries. You and I can start looking at the plan. She can pick it apart once we’re finished.”

  “A new plan. Awesome. I can’t wait to hear it. Just like old times.”

  Winnie appreciated Cait’s enthusiasm, though her memory of the good old days needed some tweaking. Most of their larger jobs had landed them in more trouble than they were worth. This one had the same potential if it wasn’t perfectly executed.

  “Hold on to that enthusiasm, Cait. We’re going to need it. This plan has a big payout, but a huge downside if we fail.”

  “What else is new? I’m just glad you’re back here where you belong. You look better than you have in weeks. We’ll figure a way around this job, just like all the others. Lay it out for me.”

  Winnie took a pad of paper and started scribbling everything they needed to get Cleaver Yorke set up to take the fall for Baltimore’s ills. Everything hinged on her position as the city’s savior, working with Artos Merrilyn, famed mender and former leader of the Enclave. Cait had questions and pointed to a few places where Winnie would have to push back against Cleaver directly for the final part to work out. They had to start cutting into his business in the south so that he’d be forced to pay attention.

  “I can take care of that. I’m much better at a few spells that will keep them from taking advantage of us like they did in Fells Point.”

  “Good, because I didn’t like how that worked out at all.”

  “How what worked out?” Tris asked from the doorway.

  Winnie and Cait had been so absorbed in their planning, she hadn’t even heard the bell announcing her friend’s arrival. She ran to wrap her friend in a hug. Tris looked even more haggard than usual. Strands of her hair had worked loose from her ponytail and her eyes were sunken with fatigue.

  Winnie held her at arm’s length, shaking her head. “You look like crap.”

  “Gee, thanks. Remind me to tell you how you look after you’ve been up for thirty-six hours.”

  Cait came over and gave Tris a hug. “They’re working you guys too hard. How are you supposed to fix anything if you’re so tired you can hardly think?”

  “It’s important work that has to be done. Everyone is afraid that we’ll be the next Boston.”

  “Did they prove it was a magical failure that destroyed the city?” Winnie asked. “I thought it was just more of Kane’s anti-magic rhetoric, trying to get the middlings up in arms against the chanters.”

  “It’s the magic everywhere, Winnie. All of it’s fading. There’s less and less to draw on, and we’re having to manually patch all the feeder spells that keep things like electricity and water flowing.”

  “Perfect. We can use those facts to help us get rid of Yorke.”

  “What’s Yorke got to do with anything?”

  Winnie and Cait filled her in on their plan and the overarching strategy to get Artos back in power.

  Winnie wondered why she looked so concerned. “What’s up? You see something we’re missing?”

  “No, Win,” Tri
s said. “It’s the plan itself. We shouldn’t be fighting and creating enemies between ourselves and other chanters. Kane is the one who needs our attention.”

  “But Kane holds all the cards. He controls the media, or a large part of it. He controls the Red Legs and can get the middlings to do things against us that we can’t even respond to. It makes more sense to redirect his attention and energy against Cleaver Yorke.”

  “No, Winnie. This has as much to do with Artos reclaiming his position of power and using your popularity to help him do it.” Tris paused, seeming conflicted before pushing on. “I have a reason for my concerns. I met with Director Kane two days ago. I’ve heard his so-called vision for the new world order and don’t think we can afford to ignore him as our primary threat.”

  Winnie looked at Cait then the two of them stared at Tris in shock. She’d met with Kane?

  How could she even agree to that after what he’d done to them and the chanters he’d captured? Winnie was beside herself.

  “Tris, how could you? He tried to kill all three of us. He did kill Joey.”

  “I didn’t know it was him. Two men pulled me out of work and said that someone wanted to talk with me. I was treated well, not threatened, then all of the sudden I see Nils Kane standing in front of me, telling me that I should bring you and Cait in for us all to join him.”

  “Join him!” Cait and Winnie exclaimed in unison.

  “Yeah. Join him. Saying it out loud, I realize how ridiculous it sounds, but that’s what he said. Kane told me that he could protect our families and that the infrastructure would continue to fail no matter what we did. Only he has the power and control to save the city. I got the impression that he needs you, Winnie, most of all. To do what he wants to do.”

  “Well, he’s not getting me or my powers. You told him no, right?”

  “Of course I said no. I was scared to death, but I told him that we’d never join him. I figured I’d be killed on the spot but he smiled and nodded instead. Then he turned and left with all his men, including the ones who had picked me up. I was alone in the restaurant and didn’t even know if I was supposed to stay or go. I expected a bullet to the back of my head the whole way home. It’s been two days and I’ve heard nothing else from him.”

  Cait stared at Tris. “I don’t like this. I can’t see him making an offer like that and then not getting angry when the answer was no. There’s no upside to letting you live after turning him down.”

  “Maybe not.” Winnie shook her head. “He had to know that Tris would tell me about the offer eventually. It’s his way of planting the idea without telling me directly.”

  Tris nodded then turned to Winnie. “Will it work?”

  “Of course not. I’ll never work for him. Not after all he’s done to me and my family. To all those people who died in the Harvester.”

  “So you and Cait are still committed to this other plan? Artos has his own schemes at play, you know.”

  “Of course he does. As long as his goals are headed in the same direction as ours, we’ll play along. We need Cleaver out of the way no matter what, so yes, we’ll continue with our plan. Are you both in?” Winnie extended a hand and looked at her friends.

  Cait and Tris looked to each other then stepped forward to lay their hands on Winnie’s. They were finally together again.

  Now the plan could move forward and everything would be fine.

  CHAPTER 40

  Winnie’s plan started with trying to move a year’s worth of Sable in a day. It wasn’t the largest shipment they’d ever tried to move — it was the largest shipment anyone had ever tried to move. But that’s how it had to be if they were to lure Cleaver from his New Amsterdam cave.

  Trafficking in the forbidden meant the girls were selling their souls. Tris and Cait were nervous. Winnie tried to soothe them.

  “We’ve never been willing to cross this line.”

  “Dammit, Winnie, there’s a good reason for that,” Tris said. “Even for Sable magic, this is a terrible idea.”

  “She’s right, Win. You’re talking about military-grade stuff,” Cait said. She wasn’t less concerned than Tris, but she’d used magic in the army and the plan wasn’t going to work without her.

  “Look, if we’re going to step out and do everything we want, we have to accept some serious risks,” Winnie explained. “That means doing things we’re not comfortable with, even stuff like this.”

  Tris looked worried. “What if this stuff falls into the wrong hands? Maybe we’re handing a grenade to a baby. If this stuff gets on the street … ”

  “That’s the beauty of our plan, Tris. You and Cait will help me make sure that none of this stuff hits the streets. We want to cave in on Yorke and his guys. The authorities will swoop in and confiscate the shipment. It won’t fall into the wrong hands, I promise.”

  Cait shook her head. “You can’t make that promise, Win. There are a million ways for this plan to go south. In the service, we said that no plan survives enemy contact. Something always goes wrong.”

  “That’s why we have to plan for every contingency. Cait, you make sure the worst items are secured in such a way that even if they escape us, no one can use them, or at least they’ll be easy for the authorities to track down.” Winnie turned to Tris. “And you’re going to select the perfect location for the sale, then rig the building’s systems to help us shepherd the situation once everyone is inside.”

  Tris shook her head. She didn’t think the risks were a fair trade in reward.

  “Tell me what you’re thinking. We have to be on the same page or this will never work.” Winnie waited for her friend to answer.

  After a long moment in thought, Tris said, “I don’t get why we need military-grade items. A big enough score of regular charms should be enough.”

  “I know Cleaver Yorke. I’ve met him. I know how much he wants the lion’s share of the magical trade. And I know he wants me to join him. The combination of this type of gear for his organization, and me in the bargain, will coax him out of New Amsterdam and back to Baltimore. He’s convinced that we’re following Europe. He needs the best in security, defensive, and offensive firepower. We’ll have more than that with this score alone. It’ll be too rich to resist.”

  Cait leaned back and stretched in her chair. She looked from Tris to Winnie. “What specific gear were you thinking about, Win?”

  “I don’t know as much about it as you do, but I’m thinking some perimeter detection gear to protect and shield against magic. Some sort of personal and vehicular protection devices, plus an assortment of weaponized magic.”

  Cait pursed her lips, tapping her fingers on the table before leaning forward again. “I can get that kind of gear. It’s all here in Baltimore’s National Guard Armory. I have a source that might be able to help us get in and out without anyone noticing. At least not for a while. It’ll be expensive — a career’s on the line. But I think they’ll do it. The failures are making this guy crazy. You should see his eyes, and he’s been biting his fingernails bloody. We can offer enough cash to set him up for life, even if the worst happens. Which I’m pretty sure he’s expecting.”

  Winnie nodded. She’d have to reach out to Artos for the cash reserves. They’d get Cleaver’s, too, after he showed up for the buy. They just needed seed money.

  “Cait, will your guy accept half now and half after the job is done?”

  “I think that will work. It might raise his price, but we can cover that, right?”

  “With the money we get from Cleaver for the sale, yeah.” Winnie looked up at her girls. “This is the score, ladies. We pull this off and we can all take a long vacation away from our troubles. I’m paying off Mom’s medical bills, and then I’m retired.”

  Tris smiled. A moment of grace on her weary face.

  “What will you do with your money, Tris?” Cait asked.

  Tris leaned back and stared at the ceiling. Winnie could almost see inside her mind. “There are places in the Caribbean
where they don’t even use magical tech. It’s all wind and solar powered. I’ll retire to an island with no magic to maintain, where no one knows what I can do.”

  Winnie looked at Cait. “What about you?”

  Cait smiled, a feral grin that gave Winnie chills. “I see the way things are going here. But I don’t want to run away. I think I’ll stick around and start a private security firm to help separate the rich and famous from their wealth in exchange for the comfort of safety. Between what I’ve learned running charms and from the army, it’s the perfect fit.”

  “Cait’s Mercenaries,” Winnie said. “Private security for a price.”

  “Got that right. And steep. Only top clients need apply.”

  All their dreams might soon be reality. If they could get the pieces to fit in the time that they had. But time and resources were walls around them. They needed more time or more people. Fate gave them neither.

  She thought back to the earliest days running, when there had been six of them juggling charms. A bittersweet memory. Joey was dead, and her sister Morgan had turned Red Legged. Now it was the three of them. Four, if she counted Danny.

  That tingle in her mind … She looked up and towards the door as Danny tapped on the glass.

  Winnie stood to let him in. Her pleasant craving returned. All of her was blushing. She opened the door and immediately saw that his migraines were back, and with a vengeance, judging by his pinched expression and the dark circles around his eyes.

  “Sorry, Winnie. I tried to stay away but it’s never been this bad. I had to find you.” Danny unwrapped the dust scarf from around his neck. Winnie took it along with his jacket then hung both on the rack by the office door. Danny shambled over to the table where they were planning their job.

  “Damn, Danny, you look awful,” Cait said.

  “They did something to him when he was held by the Red Legs and Kane. He has regular migraines and they won’t go away.”