by Patti Larsen
Where? I caught the flash of a location, a row house on a city street. On my way.
I took time to shed my fuzzy socks and slip into a pair of sneakers, deeming my pajama pants and t-shirt would have to do. I didn’t want to waste a second more. I lifted the impatient silver Persian into my arms as he pawed my leg and stepped through the veil to the street Apollo showed me. He looked up from where he loitered on the corner, eyes bright, Owen pacing behind a car in impatience.
“That one,” Apollo said, pointing surreptitiously at a pale gray place with a bright blue door. “Basement.”
“You’re sure?” I set Sass on his feet, knowing he could take care of himself. He shook out his fur, sniffing the afternoon air.
“Positive,” Owen said, joining us, shivering with the need to act from the intense look in his eyes. “They slipped in their shielding. I felt him.”
Good to know. “Let me lead,” I said. “But watch my back.”
Both nodded with immediate grins on their faces.
“What?” I looked back and forth between them.
“Just looking forward to a little Syd ass kicking action,” Apollo said. The brothers high fived each other with enthusiasm.
Boys. But I couldn’t help grinning in return.
Fun, my demon sent as I strode down the street like a freight train without brakes. That’s what we needed.
Indeed, my vampire sent, clearly amused. Try not to do any permanent damage, Sydlynn.
Want me to shake things up a little? Shaylee flexed her Sidhe muscles inside me, the threat of an earthquake at the ready.
Not yet, I sent. Let me see if I can convince them to be reasonable and stand down first.
My alter egos all laughed.
I loved them so much.
Just before my foot touched the first step to the door, I felt sorcery surge and paused. The sight of the tall, handsome Piers Southway emerging from the narrow alley between houses made me stop and stare. Clover was with him, a pair of men I vaguely recognized as Steam Union friends of his I’d met before. They both looked rather contrite, but eager, so I held my ground as Piers approached.
He looked much better, considering it had only been a few hours since he’d taken over leadership. A shower and shave, fresh clothing and his freedom had done wonders, but there was still a great deal of darkness around his eyes and his small smile was grim.
“Syd.” He shifted his shoulders inside his coat.
“Piers.” I nodded to him, looking at the pair grinning at me over his shoulder. More boys and their enthusiasm. They fit right in with Apollo and Owen.
“You remember Ellis Lowsley?” Red hair, freckles, bright green eyes. I wiggled my fingers in his direction and he offered a jaunty wave back.
“And Laird Meath?” Dark skin like Shenka’s, glossy black hair, crooked teeth in a bright smile. Both looked like they were ready to pounce at a moment’s notice.
Where were they when you needed them? I hoped I didn’t come across as harsh, but they were his friends, I recalled. Had been there when Piers and I attacked the Black Souls the night we freed Charlotte’s people.
Gone, Piers sent, carefully quiet. They tried to rescue me and Mum had them banished. He sounded sad, achingly so, but shook it off, power nudging me as he spoke out loud. “I understand you have a Brotherhood problem,” he said.
I glanced at the Zornov brothers who both shrugged and shook their heads.
“I have my sources,” Piers said, hands deep in the pockets of his gray longcoat. “I thought, as a gesture of thanks for your assistance, you’d allow the Steam Union to help you take care of things.”
An alliance. Brilliant, really, and so soon after his takeover. I wished I’d thought of it, though never would have considered he’d be ready for something like this just yet.
“How thoughtful,” I said. “Happy for the help.”
Piers’s smile widened, lost some of its hard edge. “Shall we?” He strode up the stairs at my side, Sassafras sneaking between our legs, the Steam Union and Zornov brothers watching our backs.
“Should we knock?” Maybe Piers needed a little fun himself, from the sudden flare of playfulness in his eyes. I was happy to see him recovering so quickly and shrugged, nice and casual.
“Fair play and all that,” I said.
Piers laughed, relaxed suddenly. “Syd,” he whispered. “Thank you.” And raised his right hand.
His knock broke the door from its hinges, crumpling its center and sending it spinning inward, the shards impacting the wall at the end of the hallway like arrows. I strolled inside to the sound of panicked shouting, my demon cat sashaying in front of me. A Brotherhood sorcerer appeared, face pale with shock under his short, dark hair, staring at us as though he had no idea what to do. Sassafras’s demon fire burst in his bulging eyes, sending him falling backward with a frightened cry.
Piers crushed him easily, the push of his sorcery sweeping the house. “Down,” he said at the same moment I felt Simon’s soul through the weakening field of the Brotherhood’s dampening energy.
Owen had been right. I let the Zornovs and the Steam Union deal with the handful of sorcerers upstairs, Sassafras and Piers joining me as we crossed to the kitchen and to the basement door. The stairs were dimly lit, not that it mattered. A flare of witchlight hovered over our heads as I tossed the glowing blue ball ahead of us to light the way.
A ring of young Brotherhood sorcerers, six or so, surrounded a steel cage in the center of the basement. From the terror on their faces they knew what was coming. I grinned and waved at them, relaxing into the joy of taking action.
“Hiya,” I said. “Heard you had a friend of mine. Thought I’d talk to you about playing nice.”
One of the sorcerers whimpered. But the one in the lead scowled at me, power gathering, bolstering the others.
“We’re not afraid of you,” he said, first hint of a goatee marking him as a Liander Belaisle wannabe.
Piers laughed. Doubled over, gasping for breath, one hand on my shoulder as his amusement filled the suddenly quiet basement. He took the time then to artfully wipe the tears from the corners of his eyes while I met Simon’s nervous gaze. He looked okay, undamaged, and when I wiggled my fingers at him, he waved back, a bit dazed.
“Be with you in a sec, Si,” I said. “Just need to take out the trash.”
The fight turned out to be little in the way of entertaining. Whether Belaisle himself instigated the kidnapping, or if it was the brainchild of their sad and sorry little leader, they hadn’t left nearly enough protection. Piers’s power roared through the space, mine in counterpoint. While he bowled them over with a powerful push of sorcery, my maji magic sliced through their shielding and cut their bonds to their stolen power. It rose from them with a musical sigh, escaping their clutches. I sealed them off from stealing more while Piers caged them in a smoky bubble of semi-opaque darkness.
It might have been cruel, but they were the enemy. With some help from the blossom of sorcery beneath me, I made the seal severing their sorcery access as permanent as I could. Sure, Belaisle might have been able to reverse it eventually, but it would take a great deal of power to do so and I doubted he cared about this small group of foot soldiers enough to make the effort.
Piers let them go when he realized what I’d done, nodding his satisfaction. While I turned toward the cage, he addressed them, his friends and the Zornovs herding the rest of the defeated Brotherhood down to join them.
“My name is Piers Southway,” he said. “I am the leader of the Steam Union. As Brotherhood, you are the enemy, parasites devouring power for your own gain.” My fingers traced over the lock as I listened, a soft surge of power opening it, the door to the tall, steel cell swinging open. “You’ve chosen the wrong side, but, I would offer you an alternative.”
I turned as Simon exited, shaking but physically fine. Tell me, I sent to Piers, you’re not going to make your mother’s mistake.
He didn’t answer me. “I know wh
at Liander Belaisle told you,” he said. “But there is a better way. And if you’re willing to explore that, I’m willing to show you how.”
The leader spit on the floor at Piers’s feet. “Forget it,” he said. “Master Belaisle is our leader. We don’t need another way.” He was shivering, probably an after effect of being cut off from his power. “He’ll come for us, and when he does, he’ll kill you and restore our magic.”
Piers shook his head, blond hair rippling like a silk waterfall. “You’re mistaken,” he said. “Belaisle isn’t coming and you know it.” No protests, not this time, just unease, shifting of feet as the young men stared at Piers with growing worry. “He doesn’t care about you,” he said. “And he never will. The Brotherhood is about power. Without your own, you’re dead to him.”
“Don’t listen!” The young leader whipped his head back and forth, trying to meet the eyes of his friends, but they were muttering among themselves, uncertain. “He’s lying to make us betray the master.”
“The only master you need,” Piers said, “is yourself. Think about that.” He turned his back on them, gesturing for his people to stand guard while he crossed to me. Sassafras pawed Piers’s leg and my friend bent and lifted him into his arms, stroking his fur as he met my eyes.
“I’ll handle things from here,” he said. “I won’t do what my mother did. They are Brotherhood and always will be, thanks to how their power was woken.” I’d never heard that before and would have to ask him more later. Interesting. “Still, with some proper guidance, they are young and fresh enough they might at least learn to get along with others.”
Sorry, I sent. I shouldn’t have said that. About your mother.
He just smiled, handed me Sass, softly kissing my cheek. This close to him I could see the weariness clinging to the lines in his face, deep in his gaze. But he seemed happy enough as he moved away, fixing his gray eyes on Simon next.
“I understand you’re very important to Syd,” he said. “Which makes you a friend of mine.” He held out his hand, and, to my relief, Simon shook it without hesitation. His recent attitude shone on his face, but it wasn’t aimed at Piers.
“Likewise,” he said. “Thanks for the rescue.” Simon glared, fearless, at the Brotherhood sorcerers. “Don’t go easy on them,” he growled.
Piers’s grin was so much himself I wanted to hug him. “Trust me,” he said. “If they decide to accept my offer, their lives will be hell for a very, very long time.” He winked at me. “And now, if you’ll excuse us, the Steam Union has work to do. But we are happy to have instigated this alliance and hope such agreements can be furthered in the future.”
I saluted him with one hand, Sassafras tucked under the other, balancing his front feet on my palm.
“Steam Union Leader Southway,” my demon cat said solemnly. “Well done.”
Piers turned away as Sass’s mind met mine.
And that, he sent, is what a real leader looks like. Taking notes?
I snorted at him. Smartass cat. But, he was right. Any remaining residual worry about Piers’s state of mind washed away as I waved at Apollo and Owen. The pair joined us, Apollo and Simon sharing a distinctly guyish hug, slapping each other on the shoulder before parting with grins on their faces.
“I guess I don’t have to warn you about telling anyone what you’ve seen today,” I said to Simon.
He shrugged. “You’re just going to mind wipe me or something anyway,” he said, sullenness returning.
“Actually,” I said, mind shuffling over, “I was hoping that wouldn’t be necessary.” Sassafras’s head turned, amber eyes meeting mine.
“What did you have in mind?” Simon let out a little chirp of shock, staring at the demon cat. Sass just blinked at him. “In for a penny,” he said in his sarcastic cat tone.
“The Brotherhood has proven they will use mundane methods to come after the covens,” I said. “You do know I’m a witch?”
Simon nodded, swallowed. “When these guys took me, it all came back,” he said. That was how he knew about the mind wipe. Being subjected to sorcery must have triggered his memories. I’d have to check into that. “The Star Club, you and Darin…” he trailed off, guilt passing over his face. “Rupe.”
“But, you knew about the Brotherhood before this happened.” I’d assumed he was aware of other things, too.
“I thought they were some shadowy underground mafia,” Simon said. “I had no clue until the wipe broke who they really were. And even then, I’ve just been piecing things together.” His tight jaw told me he had lots of questions and I was more than willing to answer. But, not right now.
“Turns out Belaisle targeted the other families, too. I need help returning their money to them.” Simon’s face pinched, suddenly shrewd. “Think you could handle it?”
I worried maybe he’d say no. After all, he’d been kidnapped, his computers destroyed, all because he helped me. But the flare of anger in his eyes, the defiance, gave me my answer before he could speak out loud.
“Any chance to stick it to these buttmunchers,” he said. “What did you have in mind?”
“Feel like moving back to Wilding Springs?” His eyebrows shot up. “Coven house, your own, under our protection. All the equipment you want or need. And the freedom to pursue your own projects, as long as you don’t bring any trouble to us.”
Simon didn’t even think about it, sticking his hand out. “I’ll take it,” he said.
You do realize, Sass sent as I opened the veil, Simon’s shock flashing over his face at the sight, you’ve just hired a criminal to live with the family.
I’m sure we’ll be a good influence, I sent as we stepped through for home.
Sass’s soft answering laughter cracked me up.
***
Chapter Nineteen
I left Apollo and Owen with Simon in the small house at the end of the street the pair had claimed as their own. The three bachelors would be great roommates, I figured, at least until one of the determined ladies pursuing the Zornov brothers actually managed to pin one of them down.
Staying out of it.
Leaving them with a credit card and license to replace Simon’s equipment, I winced at the thought of how much he would spend. I’d been more than generous with his fee when he liberated the Hayle fortune for me, but I felt responsible for his kidnapping and, after all, it was only money.
The best part of the whole affair happened as I turned to leave the boys to their shopping. Simon stopped me, chasing after me, pulling me to a halt in the driveway while Sassafras paused at the edge of the street to observe in his quiet cat way.
“Um, Syd, I…” Simon shuffled his feet, nervous fingers adjusting his glasses. He reminded me more of the boy I used to know than the man he’d become in that moment. “I just wanted to say I was sorry.” His eyes met mine through the lenses of his glasses. They’d become bent somewhere along the way, leaning slightly to the right, his dark hair falling over his forehead in need of a good haircut. So young, yet, really. “I didn’t remember… and I blamed you for everything.” He hugged himself though the afternoon was one of those warm September days that reminded me of summer not long past. “You were the only part of the whole mess that stood out in my head. That, and this horrible feeling I couldn’t shake, that something was wrong. I associated that with you.” He shrugged, dropping his arms. “Now I know you saved me. And I never thanked you for that.”
“Twice,” I said. Simon’s head shot up, eyes wide and I grinned. “I saved your ass twice, Clement. And don’t you forget it.”
He grinned at me, punched my arm gently. “Don’t get all high and mighty about it, Hayle,” he shot back. “Just saying.”
I hugged him and he embraced me back. I’d been through a roller coaster of emotions lately, and this moment was no exception. “Missed you,” I whispered.
Simon nodded against my shoulder then let me go. Flashed me a wicked smile. “Now, if you’ll excuse me,” he said, “I’m off to spend your mo
ney.”
Groan.
Sassafras and I strolled down the street toward home. I was in no hurry as the sun slowly set over the tree line to the west, lighting the tall windows of the Hilltop Hotel overlooking town. That place still gave me the creeps, even after all these years. Too many memories of the Dumont family and their evil intentions, though my recollections of Ameline had altered enough, I was surprised to discover, thinking of her in that setting didn’t raise the old hate like it used to.
Sass stopped at the end of our driveway and looked up at me. “You’re not coming inside,” he said in no uncertain terms. “You have work to do.”
I sighed, nodded, hands stuffed into my pajama pant pockets. “Think Mom will care I’m not dressed for the part?”
He turned his back on me and waddled toward the kitchen door. “Just go apologize to your mother, Sydlynn. There’s a good girl.”
A waft of his magic opened the screen door for him and he disappeared inside with a flick of his tail. I grinned despite myself. No matter how old I grew, I knew Sass would always treat me like the irritating teenager I’d been.
But, he was right about mending fences. My resolution with Simon put me in the mood to make amends. Slipping up the side of the driveway past the low-slung red convertible I had been unable to resist buying and around the bumper of the more practical gray minivan I drove more often than not, I reached for the veil out of the sight of the street and went to Harvard.
I could have showed up right in Mom’s office, but I wanted a show of contrition so she’d know I was serious. Instead, I let my power announce me as I exited in the dark paneled and formal sitting room outside her door, refusing to look at the glum, grumpy portraits of all the Council Leaders who stared down at me like I’d offended them somehow.
A moment later, the door to her office opened and Philip’s smiling face peeked out.
“One second, Coven Leader,” he said, nose wrinkling his numerous freckles before his red head disappeared again, the door sighing shut behind him.