by Helen Harper
He nodded. ‘There’s already an ambulance on the way.’
‘Is there anyone here with the Gift of Healing?’ I asked, even though I already knew the answer.
‘No.’ His was face was pale. ‘Why would Fomori demons come here? Why would they do this?’
‘Integrity,’ Morna whispered again. ‘Take it.’
I stared at her face. ‘What?’
‘Take it,’ she repeated. Her pupils were unfocused. A tear rolled from the corner of eye, trickling down her lined cheek.
‘I told you to be quiet,’ I choked.
‘It doesn’t hurt any more.’
‘Morna…’
‘Take it.’
‘No.’
Angus shook his head. ‘I don’t understand. What is she talking about?’
Morna’s lips moved again. Tipsania’s face was bloodless as she looked at me. ‘She says it’s her time.’
Morna blinked. ‘Do it.’
I couldn’t begin to imagine where she got the strength to speak. I clenched my teeth. ‘Don’t you dare give up, Morna Carnegie. It is not your time. The ambulance is on its way and this time tomorrow you’re going to be scolding us all from a comfy hospital bed.’
She smiled sadly. ‘No, I’m not. Take it, Integrity. You’ll need it.’
I heaved in a ragged breath. ‘You’re too weak. It will kill you.’
‘I’m…’ Her chest rattled as she struggled to speak. ‘Already dead.’ She clutched at me. ‘Take it now.’
I glanced at Taylor. Sorrowfully, he gave me the tiniest shake of his head and rocked back on his haunches. Tears flowed freely from Tipsania’s eyes and Angus had to glance away. Only Morna was calm. She fixed me with a serene gaze. ‘Do it.’
My tongue darted out, wetting my dry lips. I rubbed furiously at my own eyes and then focused. I could see the swirl of magic within her. She was right – it was already leaking away, dissipating into the ether. She had only seconds left. My body was racked with uncontrollable shivers while Morna’s skin seemed to grow paler by the second.
I released the breath I was holding and did what she asked, pulling her magic inside me. The force of her Gift almost overwhelmed me as it flooded my system. I fell back, dizzy and sick and gulping for air, just as Morna’s hand dropped and she went completely still.
Tipsania gave a choked sob. Through blurred vision, I saw Angus reach down and close Morna’s eyelids. No. It wasn’t going to happen like this. I wasn’t going to let it. I threw back my head and screamed. ‘Bob!’ Then Angus was by my side and hauling me up to my feet and away from Morna’s body.
Taylor rushed round and grabbed my shoulders. ‘Don’t do it, Tegs.’
‘Bob can get here. I still have a wish left. I can…’
He cupped my face and forced me to look at him. ‘It’s wrong. You know it’s wrong.’
I didn’t give a toss. Bob had told me before that he didn’t have the kind of power to resurrect people but I’d make him do it ‒ no matter what it took. I opened my mouth to yell for him again. This time I’d make damned sure the genie heard me.
Taylor slapped my cheek, stunning me into silence. ‘Morna wouldn’t want this.’ His voice hardened. ‘You don’t want this.’
I stared at him for a long moment then I sagged against Angus, barely able to hold my own weight. That’s when I really started to cry.
Chapter Twelve
I don’t know how much time passed before I finally stood up again. I declined Taylor’s offer of help and brushed myself off, then swung my head with bitter malevolence towards the two supposed Fomori demons. They were encircled by a large group of stony-faced MacQuarries. The Chieftain stood to one side, his arms folded and his expression grim. I walked over, forcing my arms to remain loose by my sides.
‘Chieftain Adair.’ He inclined his head. ‘Words cannot express my sorrow. We granted Morna Carnegie sanctuary and failed. This loss is ours to bear.’
‘It wasn’t your fault,’ I said dully. ‘I’m the one who sent her here with Tipsania.’ I glanced back at my old nemesis who was still kneeling beside Morna’s body, her face slack with shock. ‘And besides, if we’re going to go down that road then Lily’s death was down to me.’ I tilted up my chin and met his eyes. ‘And we both know that’s not true.’ I knew that the guilt about what had happened here would affect me for the rest of my life but I also knew that I hadn’t wielded the blade: I hadn’t killed Moira. I was going to have to work hard to remember that.
Straightening my shoulders, I walked over to the two captives. ‘Who sent you here?’
The nearest one hawked up a ball of phlegm. Before he could spit it in my direction, a MacQuarrie Sidhe cuffed him hard on the side of his head. He reeled down to the ground, making a demon-shaped dent in Morna’s pretty heather.
I shook my head. ‘Don’t.’ I hauled him upright and stared into his eyes. They still looked like Fomori eyes.
‘They’re demons,’ Chieftain MacQuarrie said. ‘We should execute them and be done with it.’
‘They’re not demons,’ I replied. ‘Not that that should make a difference.’ I pointed to the brilliantly blue sky, which had only a few fluffy clouds scudding across it. ‘The sun is shining.’
If the MacQuarries were confused, they didn’t say anything. I ran my tongue across my teeth and took a deep breath then I grasped ahead with the full force of my soul, ripping away the last of the magic that remained there. Morna’s killer let out a howl of anguished pain. I just prevented myself from flinching and turned to his companion and did the same to him. Then I stared at them. They weren’t demons but neither were they Sidhe. I crouched down by the first one. ‘Hey,’ I said softly. ‘Remember me?’
Ramsay, the surly human who’d been on Chandra’s crew when I was ambushed on my way to my Clan Lands, glared at me. ‘Thought you were dead,’ he grunted.
‘Ta dah,’ I answered with a grim smile. ‘I’m not.’
‘Fucking Sidhe.’
‘That sentiment would make more sense if you weren’t a hypocrite about it. If you really hated all Sidhe, you wouldn’t have taken the contract to come here. You wouldn’t have let a Sidhe wrap you in their magic so all this could be blamed on demons from beyond the Veil.’
His mouth flattened. The same MacQuarrie as before raised his hand as if to hit him again. I flashed a frown and his fist dropped.
‘Who hired you?’
A glint of stubbornness lit his expression. ‘Soon as I tell you, you’ll kill me.’
I remained calm. ‘I’m not the murderer here.’
‘Unless reading minds is one of your blasted Sidhe tricks, you’ll never find out the truth.’
I considered this before looking at his companion. His head hung low so I reached over and gently put my fingers under his chin to force him to meet my eyes. He still wouldn’t do it. I pursed my lips; I could work with this.
Digging out my phone from my back pocket, I found Chandra’s number and dialled. She answered almost immediately. ‘Designs by Chandra,’ she trilled. ‘How may we be service of you?’
‘It’s me.’
She dropped the phone voice almost immediately. ‘Hey. What’s doing?’
‘Chandra,’ I said, deliberately using her name so that the two bastards in front of me knew who I was talking to. ‘I’m looking at an old buddy of yours. Ramsay.’
There was a moment of silence. ‘Did he try to hurt you?’
‘Not me.’
She sucked in a breath. ‘But someone else.’
‘Yep.’ I watched Ramsay’s companion stare at the phone. He was obviously trying to work out how someone who had a hot-pink mobile had managed to best him. Sucks to him.
‘He wasn’t working for me, Tegs. I told you, I’m not in that business any more. After what happened with you, I decided it was time to retire for good.’
‘I’m sure I could persuade you to do one or two more jobs for me. They wouldn’t take long.’
The nameless human sto
pped caring about the colour of my phone and suddenly paled. He swung alarmed eyes towards Ramsay who looked away, his jaw set.
‘Er…’ Chandra paused. ‘Is that really you, Tegs?’
‘Ramsay is here with a friend,’ I told her. ‘Human but looks kind of like a troll. Heavy brow, wiry hair, bad skin.’ I looked him over. ‘Wearing a silver necklace with a tooth on it.’
‘Smack.’
I frowned. ‘Smack who?’
‘That’s his name.’
‘Ah.’ I raised my eyebrows at him. He was frozen, not even blinking. Somehow I didn’t think the innocent puppy-dog look was going to work for him here. ‘You must know where he’s from.’
‘Little town north of Inverness. Some godforsaken hole with nothing more than a post box and a pub to commend it.’
‘And he has family there?’
‘Tegs, you’re not really suggesting…’
‘The Bull!’ he burst out. ‘It was the Bull who hired us!’
Ramsay sighed loudly in disgust.
‘Never mind, Chandra,’ I said. ‘Talk to you later.’ She murmured back, obviously confused. I’d explain later. I hung up and crossed my arms. ‘What were your instructions?’ I asked.
‘To retrieve his daughter.’
At his words, Tipsania flung her head up and stared at him with a haunted expression. Her hand curled round her own throat.
‘And do what?’
He sighed. ‘Bring her back to him. That’s all.’
I shook my head. ‘No, it’s not.’
His nostrils flared. ‘We were to dispatch the old woman too.’
‘Dispatch?’ Taylor growled.
‘Send her to Sidhe hell,’ Ramsay said, unhelpfully. He received a kick for his effort. This time I didn’t complain.
‘That’s not all, though, is it?’
‘We were to get rid of as many MacQuarrie Sidhe as possible.’
There was an audible gasp from the others around me. My chest tightened. ‘Why?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘She asked why!’ Angus spat.
‘He’s telling the truth,’ I said. ‘He doesn’t know.’
I turned my back on him, shoving my hands in my pockets and walking away a few metres. It was only a few days since I’d seen Tipsania’s father and been assured that he thought she was dead. Something had happened since then to change his mind. Not only had he worked out that she was here but he’d turned vengeful in the process. I gnawed on the inside of my cheek. Something didn’t fit.
Tipsania, looking more dishevelled than I’d ever seen her, got to her feet. She pushed her limp hair away from her tear-stained face and cleared her throat. ‘No,’ she said, her voice ringing out across the meadow. ‘He wouldn’t do that.’ She put her hands on her hips as if daring me to disagree. The trouble was that she was right.
There was no denying that the Bull was a bully and I wouldn’t have put it past him to kidnap his own daughter. I wouldn’t even have put it past him to suggest that anyone helping her – like Morna – be killed in the process. But to come here? Onto another Clan’s Lands with the intention of destroying as many of those Sidhe as possible? That was tantamount to inciting civil war. The MacQuarries were considered the weakest of all Sidhe and the Bull, with his magically enhanced wealth, would probably have no trouble in seeing them off, but others would protest if he moved against the MacQuarries. No one would stand for another’s Clan seat being invaded unless…
I sucked in a breath. ‘Where’s the ambulance?’ I whirled round. ‘How long has it been?’
Angus blinked and checked his watch. ‘Too long,’ he admitted. ‘I’d forgotten with Morna’s … passing. They should have been here ages ago.’
Who had the power to stop the emergency services from getting through? Who had the impunity to cause bloodshed on another’s Land? ‘We need to get out of here,’ I whispered. ‘All of us.’
The MacQuarrie Chieftain cocked his head. ‘What do you—?’ He broke off mid-sentence, his eyes falling on something behind me. A heartbeat later I heard the engine. I closed my eyes briefly. Too late.
It was a stretch limousine. It glided towards us, halting next to where Morna lay. As the door opened, I raised my voice and spread out my arms. ‘Everyone get back.’ When they didn’t immediately do as I said, I repeated it louder.
Tipsania seemed frozen. Taylor, sensing her dismay, grabbed her arm, pulling her back towards the crowd of MacQuarries for safety. The pair of them had only just moved past me when Aifric emerged. ‘Try anything,’ he smiled at us, ‘Invisibility or Teleportation or goddamned flower arranging, and it’ll be the last thing you do.’
It was hardly the most inspirational of threats. Then again, when three burly guys stepped out after him, each holding a shit-scary machine gun, it didn’t need to be.
I watched them all. The Apportation trick had worked on Ramsay’s knife but I wasn’t sure how much magic it would take to work simultaneously on three guns and, with no practice, it was a dangerous manoeuvre. If it had just been me standing there, I would have tried it without thinking but there were fifty people at my back.
The last person to get out of the car was the Bull. His eyes landed immediately on Tipsania and he let out a choked cry, throwing out his arms as if to run towards her full of fatherly joy. He hadn’t realised that Morna was lying next to him, however, and his foot caught on her outstretched hand. If Aifric hadn’t grabbed him, he’d have gone flying. Tipsania snorted in disgust but I could feel her fear.
Aifric smiled at me, the very picture of dictatorial benevolence. ‘Integrity,’ he boomed. ‘I’m so thrilled that you’re still alive.’ The scariest thing was that I knew he was telling the truth.
‘If you want to call for Bob again,’ Taylor murmured, ‘now would be a really good time.’
If I could have been sure that Bob would hear me and appear in a flash I wouldn’t have hesitated but there were too many variables to consider. I told my thumping heart to quieten down. I wasn’t even close to waving my white flag – but I wasn’t going to rush into anything either.
‘I believed you, you know. The whole death shebang. It was very clever.’ Aifric smiled again. ‘Just not clever enough.’ He paused. ‘Tell me, does my son know you’re alive?’
I prayed that my expression wouldn’t give me away. If Aifric remained ignorant of Byron’s actions, it could only work to our favour. I supposed there was a certain irony: Byron wouldn’t believe that his father was evil and Aifric wouldn’t believe that his son could plot against him. All the same, I didn’t reply. I wasn’t ready yet.
‘What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?’ he grinned, trying to appear disarming. ‘Or are you still pretending to be a ghost? You know it took me some time to work out what my friend the Bull here was referring to when he kept going on about hauntings.’
I cursed inwardly. So the Bull had found a way past the compulsion after all. Maybe I could use his real name to order him to attack Aifric. That was an idea.
The Steward was already five steps ahead of me. ‘Unfortunately for him,’ he continued, ‘your knowledge of his true name makes him too much of a liability these days. Even though he did as I asked in hiring these idiots to mop up things.’ Aifric shrugged at the Bull. ‘It’s not my fault, friend. It’s hers.’
He stepped away and flicked a finger at the gunmen. There was a sharp retort and then, as if in slow motion, a blossom of red appeared on the Bull’s chest. He seemed puzzled initially and stared down at himself, then he spun and fell, landing in a sprawl next to Morna. Tipsania screamed, her knees buckling beneath her. The rest of us stared in horror. Sickness rose in my gullet, threatening to overwhelm me. Aifric Moncrieffe wasn’t just the villain of the piece; he was bloody psychotic.
‘It’s quite a clever set-up, don’t you think?’ Aifric murmured. He jerked his thumb at Ramsay and Smack. ‘The Bull hired them to get his daughter back then, when he refused to pay them, they took their revenge and gunn
ed him down.’ He rubbed his palms together. ‘That was the plan I originally had but that was before I realised you were still breathing, Miss Adair. Now I have an even better idea.’
I couldn’t help myself. Setting aside my unfeigned disgust at what he’d just done to the Bull, I drew myself up. ‘Chieftain,’ I growled.
Aifric put his hand up to his ear. ‘Pardon?’
‘Chieftain Adair, you prick.’
He laughed. ‘Not for much longer. And it’s not much of a Clan that you’re Chieftain of, is it? Although I have to thank you for getting rid of the trolls for me. I’m not sure I’d have managed to broach the MacQuarrie border if it weren’t for you.’ His eyes narrowed. ‘Call it my own petty revenge for you breaching mine. Is Pyrokinesis a Gift of yours or did you simply use a match?’
I breathed out. He definitely didn’t know about Byron ‒ that was something. Neither was he aware that I could steal Gifts. There was still some wiggle room.
Tipsania was gulping for air by my side. Any second now, she’d probably do something that would get her killed too.
‘Don’t worry, my dear,’ Aifric said to her, apparently thinking the same thing. ‘I need you. You’re going to marry my son, after all.’ Nonchalantly he inspected his fingernails. ‘Your father’s untimely death means you inherit more quickly and the Moncrieffes can get those Scrymgeour riches.’
‘Never,’ she gasped.
Aifric smirked and rolled forward on his toes. ‘But I’ve still got your sweetheart.’ He laughed at her expression. ‘Tut, tut. Didn’t your new best friend tell you? Integrity, I thought more of you than that.’ He grinned. ‘Candy is enjoying the very best dungeons that the Cruaich has to offer. He’ll stay there at my pleasure.’ He paused and licked his lips. ‘Unless you step out of line, dear Tipsy. I’ve always known you and he had a thing going on. The truth is, I know just about everything.’
Nope, not everything. My blood was still fizzing with Morna’s magic, not to mention the rest that was swirling around my system. If I could get Aifric out of the way, I could steal his. I just had to work out how to do it without his goons shooting everyone first.