The Elder Mother (Riftkeepers Book 4)

by Carrie Whitethorne

  “No! I only ever left the tree of my own accord once. The girl who left the amulet. I followed her home. I left firewood, furs, and food outside, then returned to the tree. I kept the amulet. I kept it to remind me of my humanity. I was that girl once, with a family to keep safe and warm. It’s why I do this, isn’t it?”

  I nodded. She truly was a mother. She cared so deeply for them that she was willing to exist as she did. She left and returned once, because she was needed. “You really are selfless, Seren,” I said quietly.

  “I don’t know about that, but I do my best to be what they need me to be. If that means this, and this existence, then I’m happy to be that.”

  I didn’t believe she was truly happy with her lot, but I smiled and nodded as though I understood.

  “Well, since we’re both up, we should probably do something with our day. What do you think to a drive out?”

  “To where?”

  “Hills, fields, climbs?” I suggested. “Open spaces?”

  Her eyes shone at the mention of open spaces and she quickly left the sofa. Retrieving the daggers, safely locked in their case, she headed for her bedroom. “I’ll get ready!”

  I watched her and her tiny shorts go before doing the same.

  Twenty

  Elian

  We stopped for breakfast at a roadside van. Parked in a layby, she sat and pulled her sandwich to pieces before eating it. “I don’t like the rind,” she complained, removing all trace of rind and fat from her bacon.

  “Next time, I’ll just get you a buttered roll and have done with it,” I said, pulling a face at the awful coffee I was drinking. “Nope, can’t drink that. Do you want anything else, or shall we just go?”

  “I’ve had enough, thanks,” she said, tossing her small paper bag from the window and into a nearby dustbin with skilful aim. Her smug smile made me chuckle and I passed her mine to dispose of before driving away.

  “You’re cheerful today,” I remarked as she gazed out of the window humming to a song on the radio.

  “Would you rather I wasn’t?”

  “No. I prefer this version of you. Happy and confident wins every time,” I said, glancing her way.

  She grinned back at me before turning back to the window.

  We spent the entire day walking the hills. Away from the city she was so relaxed, almost entirely happy. There was always that underlying seriousness to her, the part of her that never forgot that her time here was borrowed, that she was here to perform a task.

  We stopped for lunch in a small pub, and over the meal she asked me questions about myself. Where I grew up, how long I trained with Konrad, how well I knew the Fae and how we all worked together. I filled her in on some of the recent happenings, and shared my thoughts on the warlock problem, and Kern’s arrival in this realm.

  In return, she told me about her own life. In her twenty-two years, she had never left her village. She explained how they lived, what her likes and dislikes, hopes, and dreams had been. As I was about to ask her what she wished for now, my mobile rang.

  Seren went to the restroom while I took the call.

  When she returned, I rose from the table. “Sorry, we have to go. I have to go out tonight. Is that okay?”

  “Why wouldn’t it be?” she asked, picking up her coat.

  “You’ll be on your own…”

  “I promise not to run away,” she said with an exasperated sigh.

  “That isn’t what I meant,” I grumbled, following her to the door. “I just—”

  She placed her hand on my shoulder as we walked to the car. “I know. I was joking. Where do you need to go?”

  “Kern was seen last night. At an underground club. I’m going to go for a look around.” I knew what she was going to say and added, “No, you can’t come.”

  She looked mortified. “Elian, what if they—”

  “He won’t know I’m there. I’m going for a look, that’s all. I have another Druid, a friend, meeting me. I won’t be alone.” I hoped it was enough to reassure her.

  She was quiet for a few moments, then nodded. “Okay.”

  She didn’t sound convinced, but said no more about it on the way home.

  We met on the bridge less than a mile from the club as arranged.

  “How long have you been in the area?” I asked in greeting.

  “Two days. There was a lot of clean up at Houska. I take it you’ve heard?”

  “Yeah, bits. So, you came back and went straight out looking for more demons?”

  He shrugged. “Thought you could do with a hand, since she’s still here.” He noticed my jaw clench and his brows rose. “What? You haven’t!”

  “No! Hell, no! Declan, what do you think I am?”

  “Infatuated, by the looks,” he said, with a knowing smile. “Does this mean you’re working for Taran directly now?”

  I shook my head. “Not a chance. This is a one off. After our last meeting, he won’t want me back in his study again anyway.”

  “You can tell me later,” he said, setting off for the club. I followed, matching his pace as he asked, “What’s this demon doing here?”

  “Not entirely sure his end game” I admitted. “All I know is he’s an incubus and he’s the one that killed Seren way back when. He’s been taking girls off the street, has dens full of addicts as food sources, and he isn’t alone. So far, we’ve come across Destroyers and a Leecher. I didn’t even know they had so many different races…”

  “Shit. The two of you are going to handle all that?” he asked, incredulous.

  “Not me,” I laughed. “She’s perfectly able to manage this on her own. I’m basically her escort.”

  The only way the place resembled a club was that it was dark with loud music. Its main purpose was to provide a location for people to take drugs and dance their euphoria. The place was located only a short walk from the steelworks, so it was a perfect location for Kern to collect victims. Declan shifted and concealed himself on the roof while I watched the main entrance. There was a steady stream of people, all much younger than me, filing into the warehouse. It amazed me how these places managed to operate. The police force knew of them, but seemed to ignore them entirely.

  When the doors were closed, I made my way to the rear of the building, looking for another exit. As I’d hoped, there was a second entrance on the east side of the building. I had a way out if I needed it. I decided to go inside, and made my way back around to the main doors.

  There were three girls, no older than seventeen, hovering there when I reached them. I ignored them, banging the door with my fist. It swung open, and I was looked over by a guy a good head taller than me. He didn’t look to be under the influence of any illicit substance, and given his size, was there to act as some sort of security guard. I gave a curt nod and stepped inside, the three girls following closely behind me.

  I ignored the people around me. I ignored everything as I walked through the building looking for signs of Kern. The thumping music and garbled shouts of the MC were deafening. I glanced around, trying not to focus on the people around me. Slack-jawed and sweating, they jumped to the beat of the music. Many clutched bottles of water, the only thing they needed to wash down the pills they’d obtained from the various dealers in the place. I’d never understand why they were drawn here, to this. Why they would risk their lives imbibing themselves with products of unknown origin. Strobes of brilliant white light flashed, and I turned away to continue my search.

  Naturally, I stood out as the only person not throwing themselves around or staggering in a drug addled daze. Realising I was being watched by a guy large enough for me to assume to be a Destroyer, I moved into the crowd and out of his view, and kept looking for Kern. He wasn’t difficult to find. A group of girls crowded him, all glassy-eyed and fawning, and I fought to keep my rising temper under control. If I attacked him there, I wouldn’t make it out alive. I couldn’t tell if he controlled them with magic, but their behaviour was enough to suggest that w
as the case.

  Using the rear door, I ducked outside and joined Declan on the roof. We didn’t have to wait long, Kern leaving a short time later, leading a string of girls to their likely deaths.

  I indicated to Declan that we should move on, and we took flight. He followed me in a wide arc round to the steelworks, and perched in the rafters of the very room Seren had fought the day before. I landed on the ground, shifting again to follow Kern when he arrived.

  I watched as he led his procession through the abandoned building. I followed silently in my tiny form, and could have kicked myself when I saw him open a door and pass into another room. A door we hadn’t noticed before. It didn’t appear to lead anywhere, from what I could see, but they had to have gone somewhere.

  I inched closer, looking for a way in, and felt sharp talons close around my tiny form. Then I was swept up into the air. Declan released me, and I shifted again, soaring up through a broken window and over the river.

  “Why did you do that?” I snapped, stretching my back.

  “If he’d come back out, you’d have been seen, or worse,” he countered gruffly. “You know where they’re getting in. That’s all we came for.”

  “Okay, fair enough,” I sighed. “Thanks. I appreciate the help.”

  He nodded and looked back over to the decrepit old building. “When are you going to move on them?”

  “I don’t know. She’s been having some problems. We need to work out the kinks before I can risk her going in there.”

  He raised his brows. “Problems? Such as?”

  “Whatever he’s doing down there, and I have a pretty good idea now, his victims are spilling their emotions all over the place. Seren is an empath, so she picks up on them. They overpower her, and she can’t move. Physically, can’t do anything. We’re working on it…”

  “Looks to me like you need to work faster,” he said ruefully. “You know where I am if you need an extra pair of hands.”

  I clapped him on the shoulder. “Yeah, cheers. I should get back to her. I’ll be in touch.”

  I gave him a warning glare as he smirked, shifted, and took off. I instantly followed, flying directly home.

  It gave me time to think.

  I wondered at Taran’s gesture. Did that mean he would leave her be when Kern was dealt with, or was it simple thanks for what she was doing? I wouldn’t know until the time came, and I had no way of knowing what would happen.

  I’d seen the real her: the funny, happy, optimistic Seren. She’d always been there, but never wholly as she had been today. I remembered our first meeting, when that self-assured attitude had irked me. But after getting to know her, I’d much rather that than this morose version of her.

  She was in bed when I got home. Before going to my room, I opened her door a crack to check she was alright, and found her sleeping.

  The activity that evening had taken its toll on my shoulder, so I stood under the hot shower for a while to ease the stiffness before going to bed.

  More time to think. More opportunity to wonder whether she would stay. The thought of her leaving tormented me, but I was so exhausted I pushed the thoughts away, clearing my mind to try and sleep.

  Twenty-One

  Seren

  He’d been gone for hours and I had no idea where he was. I was becoming anxious and couldn’t concentrate on what I was trying to watch on television, and I was cold. I knew he would be okay, wouldn’t take any risks, but the possibility of Kern discovering and harming him gnawed at me. Not seeing much point in dragging my duvet onto the sofa, I decided to go to bed.

  I hated the silence. We’d talked all day, about him, about my life before I’d become The Mother’s tool. I’d enjoyed it. I was growing so used to having someone there, someone to smile at, someone to smile back. Pulling on the cord, I opened the blinds and looked out of the window. Thick, dark clouds hid the moon, casting shadows over the city. It looked so unwelcoming; nothing like the vibrant and happy place I was growing fond of. But I knew that’s what it would become if I failed, allowing Kern and his demons to sap the very life from this place. I shuddered and closed them again.

  Perched on the edge of my bed, I thought of Elian. I longed to sit with him, to rest my head on him, to feel the warmth of his body and the weight of his arm around me. I missed him. I was concerned for his safety. While I knew he could take care of himself, it was my fault he’d been hurt before. He’d been focused on me rather than handling the demon attacking him. He spent far too much time worrying, put too much thought into what was going to happen to me. I hoped it was because he wanted me to stay, but he’d never said as much. It was foolish of me to hope.

  After brushing my teeth and changing, I lay in the darkness, curled into a tight ball in my bed. It was long past midnight and he still wasn’t home. I had considered going to look for him, but wouldn’t know where to start. He’d only get mad again anyway. I smiled to myself, thinking of how angry he got. It never lasted long. He was too optimistic and positive for it to become a permanent state of mind. I found his generally positive outlook infectious, recalling how his presence had influenced his friends, and his dedication to helping others was inspiring. Deb was a perfect example. She loved him dearly for what he’d done for her, and as a result, had joined his cause. How many others had he influenced in that way?

  I checked the time again. Almost two. I thought I was too worried to sleep, but I yawned and pushed my head into my pillow.

  I didn’t check the time when I woke up. Instead, my first thought was of Elian, my instinct to make sure he was home. Without thinking, I walked straight into his room.

  He lay on the top of his bed, thankfully wearing underwear, fast asleep. I watched him, relieved that he had come home, unharmed.

  “You know that’s creepy as hell?” he muttered, turning over onto his back.

  I flushed. “Sorry, I was worried and didn’t know if you’d come home…”

  He grinned over at me. “It’s fine. Thank you. Were you okay? I checked when I got home, and you were asleep.”

  “Now who’s creepy?” I asked with my hand on my hip, crossing the room, and sitting at the foot of his bed. “I was worried when you weren’t back by midnight.”

  He tilted his head, inviting me to move closer so I joined him at the head of the bed. Sitting cross-legged and facing him, I asked, “Did you find him?”

  “Yep.” He turned onto his side, propped on an elbow. “Watched him lead a few girls out of the club. Saw exactly where he took them and where we can get in.”

  “Did they see you?” I asked anxiously.

  He shrugged. “Dunno. If they did, they didn’t do anything about it. We left as soon as we saw the entrance. Declan knows where it is, too, so if anything goes wrong, they can pick up where I leave off.”

  My eyes brimmed with tears. “Don’t say that, Elian. If anything happened to you, I’d never forgive myself…”

  He smiled and moved back slightly. “Come here.”

  I allowed him to pull me down toward him and I lay with my head on his arm, my cheek brushing the coarse hair on his chest. “Don’t talk like that, please. I couldn’t—”

  “Nothing is going to happen to me. Not while I’m with you. We’ll both be fine,” he assured me. “Stop fretting.”

  “Okay,” I murmured, resting my arm around his waist. After a few minutes, I pulled my head back to find he’d fallen asleep. Laying my head back down, I allowed myself to do the same as I listened to his steady breathing, wrapped in his arms.

  I woke with his arm around my waist and his legs entwined in mine. I remembered falling asleep facing him, but I’d turned, my back against his chest. Content to stay where I was, I pressed into him.

  I felt his fingers twitch against my stomach and his leg straighten between mine. “Are you awake?”

  He pulled me closer in answer, groaning into my shoulder. “Yeah. Just.”

  I stretched my back, and felt him tense. Realising my mistake, I stilled, feeli
ng his physical response. “Sorry,” I muttered, pressing my lips together and holding my breath.

  He kissed my shoulder and left the bed as I rolled onto my back to watch him head to the bathroom. When he closed the door, I closed my eyes in silent rebuke of my actions, realisation hitting me at how inappropriately I was behaving.

  What was I doing?

  “I’ll go and get dressed,” I called as I passed the bathroom door and went to my own room.

  I dressed in comfortable jeans and trainers and went straight to the kitchen intending to make tea. Elian had beaten me to it and was sat at the table, his hair still damp from the shower.

  “Made you one,” he said, taking a sip of his own.

  “What are we doing today?” I asked, sitting opposite and taking my mug.

  He shrugged. “Dunno. Do you feel up to trying the emotional stuff again? Back at the steelworks?”

  “I should. Now that you know where the entrance is, we need to think about getting in there and dealing with him.”

  He nodded. “Okay. We’ll grab something to eat first. I’m starving.”

  “That’s very dramatic,” I laughed. “What are you making?”

  “Nothing! I’m still shattered. We’ll nip out for something. It’s almost lunch time.”

  “If you’re tired, go back to bed. We can go out later,” I suggested. The last thing he needed was to wear himself out.

  “No, I’m fine. Just had a few bad nights,” he mumbled. “Anyway, I’m hungry. I’ll have an early night tonight.”

  “No, you won’t,” I said, laughing and taking my mug to the sink. “You haven’t had an early night since I got here.”

  “I’ll try…” he said, following. “Come on, grab your shiny new daggers. The sooner we go, the sooner we’re back.”

  I stood at the fence, willing myself to take the step through the gap. Elian waited patiently at the other side, giving me time to summon the courage. I didn’t know what I was so afraid of, I knew what to expect.