“I’M BURNING!!!! I’M ON FIRE!! AAAAAHHHH!” A living torch screamed as flames consumed his red and black uniform, yet continued speeding toward a small wooden church. “I’M ON FIRE!!! AAAHHH!!!”
“TAKESHI, MASTER HAYATO! TAKE HIM DOWN! TAKE HIM DOWN!” I yelled at the top of my lungs pointing at the burning man. It crossed my mind that the Nakamuras probably couldn’t have heard me. But they both turned to me, spotted the target, and in unison, each sent one arrow at him. The man fell and the horrible screaming stopped.
“TAKESHI, OVER THERE!!! OVER— ”
Ahmed’s hand clasped my mouth, pulling me back toward the wall. “No, Astrid, don’t!” he hissed in my ear. “Don’t draw attention to yourself. Stay still and quiet. It’s almost over.”
I nodded. My eyes, burning with tears and smoke, searched for the rest of my family and friends.
“Be careful,” Heather said not to anyone in particular. “I neutralized Seth’s scent. He can now move almost undetected… I’m sorry.”
“Are you now?” Darius snapped. My mother just looked at her.
“Darius, please,” I said. “Don’t. Heather can’t undo it now even if she wants, although I have a feeling she does.”
In front of the City Hall I saw Tristan and Ella pulling the wounded from the battle, ours and theirs, without discrimination. Near them were my grandfather Arnaldur, and Robert and Anwen, fighting with about twenty men. A group of very young Copper ridge boys and girls—they couldn’t be older than seventeen or eighteen, armed with nothing but iron bars, rushed to them and attacked the enemy from behind.
“They’re kids!” I said, horrified by the sight. “They don’t even have weapons. How could you let them fight, Darius?!”
“Keep your voice down, love,” my mother said. “The wizards have cast protective shields around all our people. It’s almost over, honey.”
“You all keep saying it… Oh, God, let it be over soon!”
“Oh! Look at Peyton!” Heather gasped behind me. “Look what she is doing! She is firing fireballs! But how?”
“Shut up, Heather! I told you not to talk,” Darius warned her.
“Your daughter is an asanni. Astrid, Morgaine, and other wizards trained her,” Ahmed said.
“And she is my best friend,” I said. Peyton and Ingmar, and Dinah and Gerard were in one of the narrow streets behind the church, shooting orange, green and blue fire balls. “Under different circumstances, I’d say you should be proud of her.”
Not far away from them I saw Maggie and Betty covering each other’s backs. So much for obeying the Einhamir’s orders to stay in Red Cliffs.
Was it ever to be over? How many people would die today because Seth had wanted me for his evil plans?
I looked for Jack and found him in front of the City Hall, together with James and James’ fishing buddies: Pastry chef Herzog, chef Stammerman and my boss, Dr. Falkenstein. They stood around the remains of Seth’s guard, who had their hands raised in surrender. My eyes stopped on the main street, which was once, who knew how long ago, probably very pretty with its cobbled road, narrow, tall houses with decorative beams, and old cast-iron lamps. Now the walls of houses were black from smoke, roofs were missing, windows were shattered and the handsome street lamps were broken.
In the middle of this destruction, though, I saw people hugging each other and laughing and crying: Copper Ridge women and men who had fought today for their freedom, and among them the Blues Brothers, Mike Kowalski and Adam Mackenzie...
Was it really over?
On the opposite side of the town square, Janet Falconer, the Captain of the Falconer family, her husband Eric, my cousin Alec and the real Tariq Arslan formed a semicircle around a dozen enemy soldiers, who had also thrown their weapons on the ground. Several more Captains and Jordan Flanagan were tidying up a group of Seth’s guards.
The battle was over, and we had won.
CAREFULLY, WE climbed down the hill.
“Can you see Seth? Where is he?” Ahmed asked.
“Right beside you, you bloody Turk!”
My heart stopped. In my excitement, I’d forgotten about Seth.
“Burn in hell, Seth Withali!” my wolf growled.
“Stay with me,” I said to her. The feeling of dread instantly disappeared.
We were surrounded by two dozen desperate werewolves and vampires with nothing left to lose.
“Damn you!” Darius cursed through his clenched teeth and turned to Seth. “Damn you, Seth!” he repeated, angry and desperate.
“Surprised to see me, huh? I’m also entitled to have a bit of magic protection, right, Heather? Ah, you look as if you now regret doing it. Don’t worry, it’s not entirely your fault that I’m here.” He turned to me. “Astrid, you have a really strong voice. I heard you shouting commands. Tell me the truth, don’t be shy. You actually wanted me to find you, didn’t you?”
“Let Astrid go,” Darius said. “It’s over. You and your men are free to go. You have my word.”
“And Jack Canagan would just let me disappear? Yeah. It’s not over as long as I have his most valuable possession.” He grabbed my forearm. “Let’s go, Ellida. I’ll let Jack see you’re fine and taken care of… Oh, what a sad day. My wife, my loyal spy and my son betrayed me.” He looked at Darius and let out a theatrical sigh. “In case you’re my son at all, which I now sincerely doubt. The day’s not over, though. Come on, Astrid, let’s join the party.”
The guard encircled us and marched us toward the town square.
Now I was really fed up with Seth.
“Are you there?” I called my wolf.
“I am.”
“Can you protect my child?”
“Our child, you mean. I will. Do not transform. Pull Seth’s sword. Seth’s left-handed, be careful. The knife he’s carrying, it has a poisoned blade. The tip is especially dangerous. Very bad stuff.”
“Can I draw out his knife?”
“No. Only Seth can do it. It’s bewitched, thanks to you-know-who.”
“How come you are here? Haven’t we been connected once and for all?”
“We are, but in times of great peril, I will always come. That’s how it is.”
“You’re sure the baby will be okay if I use my energy?”
“I’ll protect her. Astrid?”
“Yes?”
“Do something for me. I want my own name. I don’t want to be called Astrid the Wolf anymore. Can you call me Louise? I really like that name. I think it suits me well.”
I was a bit surprised at her request—to say nothing about the timing for such discussion—but I nodded. “Sure. I’ll officially add Louise to my name.” Ah, screw the timing! “While we’re on that subject. I’ve actually been thinking about naming the baby Rosalie. What do you think?”
“Rosalie… Rose. I like it… Yes, I like it!”
“I’m glad. I hope Jack will agree.”
“Oh, he will. The very same thought has already crossed his mind.”
“Really?”
“Uh-huh. When he met you, you were Rosalie Duplant. And he happens to like the name.”
“Oh, right then. Rosalie it is. What now, Louise? Any ideas?”
“One more thing. I like what we’ve become, I mean you and me together.”
“I like it, too. I’m very proud of you, you know. How come we can do this?”
“Every Ellida has her own special set of gifts. Feeling life through light and colors, talking to each other, like today, that’s a part of the package you and I got. You can always call me and I’ll come.”
“Does it mean that our spirits separate?”
“No, they stay joined. Nothing can separate us anymore. We are one, but we are two at the same time” She laughed. “It’s hard to explain and you wouldn’t understand it anyway, it’s not very logical. The bottom line is: we can split, sort of, when it’s necessary, to help each other, like now, and it’s harmless… So what now, you asked. Let them take you down to the square,
so that somebody can see you. And then, I’m afraid, we must fight our battle. Okay?”
“Okay.”
“Don’t be scared. Fear is the worst enemy. As soon as any of the wizards spot you, they’ll cast a shield around you. Just be aware of the knife. So, there are twenty-five of them, plus Seth.”
“How many vampires?”
“Eight, those around you. The rest are werewolves. They’re also under protection, Heather’s version. Nobody can remove it for now, don’t even try. Even Heather can’t do it, even if she wants to. The common denominator—they are desperate. Twenty six against the two of us, Darius, Rowena and Ahmed. A piece of cake. Leave Seth to Jack or Ahmed.”
“What about Heather?”
“What about her? I feel some remorse in her, but don’t count on her sudden change of heart. I bet she’s still speculating on who will be the winner. She won’t help you before Seth is stone dead.”
“No. But will she help Seth?”
“Not if she can help it. He jumped to first place on her hate list. But she’s a coward. She may try to flee.”
I had no idea how long our conversation had lasted: a minute or two, or just the blink of an eye.
I WALKED sandwiched between the guards. Among them I recognized my escort from last night. We soon reached the first buildings around the town square.
“LOOK WHO’S WITH ME HERE, JACK CANAGAN!!!” Seth yelled in a high-pitched voice, pulling the knife and pointing its tip between my breasts. I took a deep, jerky breath and closed my eyes, waiting for the tip to pierce my skin.
“Louise?
“I’m here. Stay calm, Astrid.”
Even from a distance I could see every drop of blood draining from Jack’s face.
“RELEASE HER, SETH, AND YOU’RE FREE TO GO! YOUR GUARDS, TOO!” he shouted back.
He walked slowly toward us, followed by James and my grandparents. Betty took a step forward to join them, but James stopped her.
“TOO LATE, JACK!” Seth shouted.
The pressure between my breasts increased. I held my breath.
Yet, the only sensation on my oversensitive skin was the warm touch from the back of my silver wolf-pendant. Then I heard a quiet snap.
The tip of the knife had gotten caught between the wolf’s teeth and broken off.
Seth must have realized what had happened because he slowly pulled the knife up until the blade stopped at my throat.
“I would’ve enjoyed killing you much more, Jack Canagan!!!” he yelled so loud that my eardrums cracked. “As much as I enjoyed killing your father, but you’re out of my reach, and she’s here. I’m going down, but she’s going with me!!!”
Forty-Five
Astrid
“THE HELL I AM, YOU BASTARD!!!”
My voice roared as my left arm snapped at Seth’s forearm, knocking it off of my throat. The moment the contact between my skin and the knife was broken, I felt the energy shield surround me. Almost simultaneously, my mother, Ella, Morgaine and Peyton raised invisible armor over me. I felt Louise inside me, wrapping herself around our baby, keeping her safe.
My right hand stretched out. As if attracted by a strong, invisible magnet, Seth’s long sword pulled itself from its sheath and flew to my palm. Without a second thought, I slew the vampire standing next to me, the bastard who’d threatened to slash my mother’s throat. Then I turned to the rest of Seth’s men, cutting my way through them. Ahmed and Darius were fighting their way through the confused guards. Protected by the powerful wizard shield, I was able to fight, staying out of reach.
Jack and James reached us first, finishing off the last few men.
When it looked like it was almost over, the shield around me suddenly collapsed as Seth’s Finnish knife found my throat again.
“The slightest movement, Jack Canagan, and she’s gone forever!”
“NO!!!” My mother and Heather cried in unison.
Several things happened simultaneously.
I saw my mother and Heather launching themselves at Seth. He was so shocked that he released me instantly, unharmed.
Seth’s knife first flashed left, toward Heather, scratching her neck, and then right, in the direction of mother’s heart. In the nick of time before it reached its goal, the blade changed its trajectory as a big, unfamiliar, dark brown wolf with a scar across his face materialized out of nowhere. He jumped on Seth, knocking him off balance, and disappeared among the houses behind us.
Instead of piercing through my mother’s heart, the knife left a shallow cut across her arm.
In slow motion I saw another unknown wolf, with light gray fur, sprinting toward me. In the split second before he reached me I noticed his eyes, dark-blue and shiny, with gold speckles around the pupils. He leaped on me, thrusting me to the ground so gently that I landed softly on the grass. He rolled over me, covering me with his body. And then, grabbing the collar of my white jacket between his strong jaws, he dragged me away from the fight as I if were weightless. He licked my face and sniffed me, as if he tried to memorize my scent, and the next moment he vanished among the narrow streets.
Pulling myself to my knees, I saw my mother and Heather lying on the ground, unconscious.
Suddenly, there was total silence.
Staggering, Seth turned around in confusion, the dagger still in his left hand, eyes frantically searching for me.
I stood up. I saw Jack, James, Darius and Robert, all four with swords in their hands, reaching Seth in a few long strides and bringing him down. I saw his face deformed with madness, his eyes, wide-open and shocked. And then, for the briefest moment, strangely calm and relieved. Jack’s sword rose one more time and, catching a sunbeam on its blade, swiftly slashed down. Seth Withali’s head rolled off, as if cut off by the light itself.
Our men finished off the rest of Seth’s guards.
I felt somebody’s arms grabbing me and pulling me further back. My brain registered Morgaine’s voice. “It’s okay, Astrid! It’s okay! She’ll be fine!”
I kicked and screamed, but couldn’t hear myself.
I saw Ahmed on his knees beside my mother as I tried to break free from the iron grip around me. I could hear nothing but two sets of heartbeats, one very weak, one just a little bit stronger: thum-thum…. thum-thum… thum-thum-thum-thum… thum… thum…
“LIVIA!!! OVER HERE!!!” Ahmed’s voice broke through my mental barrier. With a feeling of strange detachment, I listened to the voices and registered movements around me. Ahmed’s right hand covered my mother’s left breast, the place where her heart was. The other hand firmly gripped around her wound. Livia knelt down.
“Suck the poison out! Quickly!!!” Ahmed yelled.
“Is her heart protected?” Livia said in a calm voice.
“Yes! Do it, damn it!”
Livia lifted my mother’s injured arm, sealed her lips over the wound, sucking and spitting the black liquid on the ground several times.
“So she’s your bond mate, huh?” She stood up, looking at Ahmed and wiping off the traces of poison and blood from her lips with the back of her hand. “Now everything makes sense. Tristan, come here! You stay with Rowena. Ahmed, let’s check Heather.”
“No!!! Stay with her!” I thought I screamed, but no voice came out.
Then I heard Louise again. “Mom’s gonna be fine. I broke the tip, the most dangerous part of the knife. Clever move, huh? The poison on the blade is much less deadly. Her wound isn’t deep. Listen, I need to go now.”
“No! Don’t go!”
“I must. Everything will be fine.”
“My baby… Rosie?”
“Rosie’s okay. We all are.”
“Jack?”
“Jack’s fine, too. Calm down. You always worry too much. Everything’s fine.” I heard her throaty laugh and the next moment Louise and I became one again.
STILL UNABLE to articulate a single word, my mind was focused on the conversation around me.
“You’ve gotten into the habit of saving tho
se you didn’t use to like,” Tristan said. “First Madeleine Blackwell and now Heather.”
“Well, I’ve changed my opinion about Lanni,” Livia said.
“Ah, she’s Lanni now. Interesting. The next thing we know, she’s under your personal protection. Oh, I do love you, Livia Aurelia Lucilla Blake. All your little prejudices aside, you’re one of the most compassionate people I’ve ever met.”
Livia frowned. “She can always count on my support. And I have no prejudices.”
They were teasing each other. They were joking. Surely they knew mom would be fine, otherwise Liv and Tristan would be dead-serious, my mind speculated, still half-frozen with fear.
“You do, my love, just like everybody else,” Tristan said. “But how we deal with them is the only part that matters, and there you’re great.”
“Are you done talking, you two?” Ahmed said. “Livia, is Rowena going to be okay?”
“Don’t fret, Ahmed. She’ll live, thanks to that wolf and you. That freaking bastard Seth aimed for her heart. You kept her heart well protected. The poison stayed in one place, it didn’t get spread around. By the way, where did those two blaidds come from? Who are they? I’ve never seen them before.”
“They are from Winston,” I heard Morgaine’s voice behind me.
“Livia, you sure you sucked out everything?” Ahmed asked.
She threw him a look. “Of course I did. Rowena will have a scar on her arm, that’s all. She’ll need a few hours to recover completely.”
My heart made a mighty jolt. My mother would be fine! Livia always knew what she was talking about. She was the best doctor ever. Better than Tristan, better than Ahmed, better than I… Livia, the smartest, the oldest, the wisest… If she said Mom would live, then she would live… she would live… Oh, Mom, please, live…
I saw Ahmed and Livia walking toward another woman lying on the ground.
“Okay, what do we have here?” Liv said. “Could you draw the poison to one spot, Ahmed? We should work fast. She got less than Rowena, but she isn’t that strong, and the poison is spreading quickly. God, I hate to suck out poscoc poison. Makes me nauseated for days.”
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