by Patti Larsen
I had to hand it to the guards. They didn't give in willingly. But they were no match for a very furious Princess Shaylee, a pissed-off demon, a vampire with a temper, a snarling werewolf with revenge on her mind, two witches and a former Gatekeeper.
Syd's team, twelve. Sidhe, zero.
Hell yeah.
It irritated me Bronagh stood back and let us do all the work, but again, I guessed I understood why. Still. She'd come this far, helped us this much. The least she could do was go all in.
I left Gram and the others to mop up the quick, dirty fight, ignoring the crumpled, shining piles of unconscious guards as I stepped to the lip of the hole. It seemed bottomless, wider at the mouth than I first thought, though it had to be a cramped space for the giant dog.
My stomach fluttered as I looked down into all that emptiness, my fear of heights driving me back a step to take a deep breath. Images of falling from an elevator toward the Parade on Demonicon still haunted me.
But this was for Galleytrot. I had to rescue him.
My vampire gently touched my mind. We have means, she sent. Think of him, remember?
How had I forgotten? I reached for her, focused on where I wanted to be and went.
The teleportation lasted a moment, the soft flutter of shadow depositing me into darkness so deep I staggered, reaching for support. And came in contact with fur, damp and filthy. Something grunted, the sound of movement sending shivers down my spine as two pinpoints of red light cast a bloody wash over everything.
“Syd.” Galleytrot groaned, tried to rise. I held him down, feeling him with my energy. They'd drained him, the bastards. Left him at the bottom of the hole almost powerless.
They'd pay.
She'd pay.
Shaylee had the answer, before I could figure out what to do. We're surrounded by earth, she sent. And though he can't reach it in his condition, it is an infinite source to help him recover.
I felt it then, when Shaylee allowed me to touch the still bubbling power. The subtle pull still going on, as the very ground around us sucked at Galleytrot's energy. With Shaylee to guide me, I shocked the contact and reversed it, sending a flood of magic back the way it had come.
For the second time since this began, Galleytrot howled his rage, surging to his feet as his magic returned to him. I leaned against him while he absorbed as much as he could, stronger than I'd ever felt him.
“We have to go.” I patted his shoulder, now almost on level with mine.
“Syd,” he said. “This is twice I've failed you.” So much regret and guilt, I could barely stand it.
I hugged him around the neck and breathed in his scent of thunderstorms and spring rain. “You've never failed me,” I said. “It's the other way around. I should have kept Liam safe. And I should never have let Aoilainn trick me like that.”
“You're going to do something about it, I take it?” Good humor returned to his voice, if only a little.
“Planned on it,” I said. “Feel like giving me a hand?”
“Thought you'd never ask.” He growled softly, big tongue swiping over my cheek. “Thank you, Syd.”
Can we teleport with him? I reached for my vampire only to have her pause.
Possibly, she sent. But we're a long way down. Perhaps the veil?
Right. She was full of brilliant ideas. I grasped the edge of the Sidhe veil, feeling my demon grunt even as Shaylee did most of the work. It parted before me, feeling different than what I was used to. That soap bubble touch slid over me as I pulled Galleytrot into the edge and let it carry me back to the surface.
As much as I loved riding the Demonicon veil, the Sidhe one gave me the willies and I was happy to find myself stepping out and onto the grass. Gram and Fergus spun from where they peered down into the hole, Charlotte trotting to my side to head-butt Galleytrot.
“One more,” I said, turning to Bronagh who watched from the edge of the clearing. “Quaid.”
She nodded while Fergus sighed and met my eyes with a guilty gaze. “He'll be the hardest to retrieve,” the advisor said. “But since you plan on confronting the queen anyway, we'll at least have access to him.”
She had him. Of course she did.
The bitch.
We'd just see about that.
***
Chapter Twenty Four
This time, I knew I had to make an entrance. If power was all Aoilainn understood, I'd show her just who and what she was dealing with.
No promises the Sidhe realm would still be standing when I was done with her.
As much as I was turned around and lost, Shaylee knew exactly where we were going and, with some help from her magic and mine, shortened the trip by altering the path much as her mother had done on our initial approach. It was only then I understood just how fluid the realm was, how easy it could be to bend and manipulate, to create in exactly the shape I wanted.
Tempting. And therein lay the problem, didn't it? Queen Aoilainn had her own way for so long, controlled everything for centuries, the idea I would rebel against her had to be driving her crazy.
Wicked. The crazier the better.
Bronagh stayed at my side when I entered the court clearing, much to my surprise. The queen waited for me on her stupid throne, the crown prince next to her, the same calm, cold expression on both their faces. And Quaid, still in his armor, standing at attention by her side. I sent a wave of magic out from me, right and left, tumbling Sidhe royals like ten-pins, sending them shrieking in fear, sobbing out their poor little Fey terror as they fled.
No time for histrionics.
Aoilainn didn't move or fight back as I came to a charging halt before her, my posse at my back and a whole crap-ton of magic preceding me, ready to smear her against her pretty white palace. Instead, she merely bowed her head in a slow nod, eyes flickering to Bronagh before returning to me.
“My daughter,” she said in her melodic voice, the trailers of her magic trying to siphon away my spirit, calling to Shaylee. “Come to me, my child.”
It might have worked the second time. But if I had any doubts as to Shaylee's current loyalties, not to mention her state of mind, they shattered as the Sidhe princess lashed out with her power and slapped her own mother across the face.
Aoilainn's head rocked back, shock finally registering. One slim hand rose to touch her cheek as my Sidhe ego snarled her fury.
I reached for Quaid while Shaylee snapped at her mother. “How dare you treat me like a slave?” He felt empty. Silent. Too silent. The queen had him thralled. “Your own daughter?” I had to find a way to break him out of it. My magic reached for him, my demon boosting our touch, but he didn't react. “I've only longed for you, Mother, for my return home. And this is how you treat me?” My vampire joined us, but still nothing.
What had she done to him?
“Enough.” I pushed Shaylee back to grumble and sulk inside me. “I've about had it up to here,” I slashed one hand across the air in front of my nose, “with your absolute idiocy.” The Queen flinched, anger showing at last. Good. Let it. “No more screwing around.”
Aoilainn's lips twisted at my rude language. “You invade my realm,” she said, voice pulsating with emotion, “assault my people and expect me to listen to anything you have to say?”
Of all the conniving... “Your precious realm is in danger, you fool.” I wanted to shake her. Seriously. “An intruder with a stolen Sidhe soul is here, right now, doing who knows what. And meanwhile, one of your Gatekeeper's lives hangs in the balance. While you sit around being selfish.” I took a step closer. She had to understand. “That means the Gate is unprotected.” Was that a bit of concern or indigestion? Who knew with the Seelie Queen. “No Gatekeeper. That means everyone is in danger, your Majesty. Including you and your precious little realm. What if the Unseelie find a way through? Or someone seizes control of the Gate?” I couldn’t control my trembling. “This is a huge problem, in case you’ve missed it. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Right. Now.”
Seri
ously.
“My queen,” Bronagh’s hands rose, appealing to her ruler. “Please, I beg you to listen.”
Aoilainn’s power rose, sucking at me as the earth had drawn on Galleytrot. “You will be mine again,” she said, leaning toward me, face twisted from beautiful to absolute need.
I would have slapped her myself if Shaylee hadn't done that already. Instead, I pushed Aoilainn away with the combined energy at my disposal. She fell back, panting, perfect hair a little mussed.
She didn't give warning, leaping to her feet, all the pressure of the Seelie court coming to bear on me. For a moment, I wavered, pouring magic into my protections, knowing it wouldn't be enough, not against the ruler of this realm.
Not until the tingle of the maji power rose in answer.
Aoilainn fell back with a cry of fear as creation magic shattered her attack, drawing all the pieces of her broken glamour into itself. The Sidhe queen cut off her power as she sagged into her throne, skin sinking a moment, face crumbling with age before she sucked in a deep breath and recovered her unnatural beauty.
“How?” Aoilainn's green eyes shone with tears.
“There's a war coming,” I said, letting her feel the maji inside me. “And unless you help us, there's a good chance we're going to lose.” Okay, I didn't know that for sure. But if Ameline became maji first, I had no doubt we'd be in serious trouble.
“It’s truth she speaks, my queen,” Bronagh said, climbing to stand next to Aoilainn. “Put aside your ancient need and listen to Sydlynn, I beg you. Our people are in danger from a terrible force and unless we are willing to act against them, all will be lost.”
She had to be talking about the Brotherhood, not just Ameline. But how did she know about them? Clearly she wasn’t one of these weak-minded, glamour-captive Sidhe. My respect for Bronagh went up a few more notches.
Instead of answering my challenge or answering her most trusted advisor, Aoilainn turned away, one hand over her face as she spun sideways in her throne. Bronagh’s sad expression as she shook her head and shrugged told me everything I needed to know.
“Fine,” I snarled. “Your realm will probably be the first to fall and I personally won't come running when you finally ask for help.”
I reached for Quaid, grabbed his hand, pulled him to me.
Time to go.
Too bad he had other ideas.
***
Chapter Twenty Five
I had about a split second of warning before Quaid's power slammed up in a wall between us, pushing me back from him even as a whip of green Sidhe magic lashed at my feet. I stumbled away, shock winning for about another heartbeat or so before I understood the nature of his thrall.
“You've given him a Sidhe soul.” Of course, she had. Made total sense. And now, thanks to his thrall, while she controlled Quaid's human mind, the fallen Sidhe inside him was free to act. “You go too far.”
She flickered her fingers at me, still refusing to turn, or even speak.
Expecting me to hurt my friend. Yeah. Classy.
Gram's mind dove into mine as Quaid pulled the sword from his hip and stalked toward me with soft chiming sounds, his fluid metal armor flowing like a second skin. I had to duck under the swish of the blade and back pedal further while Charlotte and Galleytrot growled. But hesitated.
We have to reach Quaid, Gram sent. The only way to do that is to have him shed the Sidhe soul.
Great idea. How? I stopped backing off, pulling on my newly risen maji magic, creating a shield of my own. Wrapped it around one arm as a length of glowing light burst from my other hand. Quaid's next swing bounced from my protected left arm, sparks of rainbow magic flying. He was much stronger than me and I knew without the extra maji boost my arm would be, at the very least, numb if not broken.
It was difficult to focus my magic on his mind while swinging my glowing weapon at him in an effort to just keep him off me. Whoever possessed his body was obviously a fighter.
I wasn't.
Sydlynn, Shaylee rose to the surface of my mind. Let me.
And me. My demon shouldered her way to Shaylee's side.
Right. I wasn't alone in this, not by a long shot. Though it was so hard to step away from my body, a passenger, feeling myself move but knowing I had no control over what I did.
Whatever happens, I shot off to Charlotte and Galleytrot, stay the hell out of it.
Neither answered but their unhappiness told me I’d better wrap up things quickly if I expected them to hold off.
The moment I released my demon and Shaylee to act, I went from clumsy stumbler, barely holding Quaid off, to fluid warrior.
Cool. Just. Cool.
No time for self-appreciation, my vampire sent. It's our job to free him.
Gotcha. Can you suck the soul out of him? Rather a disgusting suggestion, in my opinion. My body dropped to the ground in a split-leg crouch, shield arm taking Quaid across the knees as the glowing sword I held rang against the metal protecting both of his ankles.
Sydlynn. My vampire's disappointment sat heavy in my mind. Really.
Sorry. I had no idea I could do back flips. And though I looked like Shaylee here, would my human body pay for it when I got home?
No time to worry about it while I landed softly, only to spring forward and strike Quaid across the side of his helmet, sending him staggering back.
My pair of egos were really quite good.
We need to break the thrall, my vampire sent while my demon and Shaylee pushed their advantage, sending Quaid back toward the pavilion and the now-observant Aoilainn. Nice of her to sit up and take notice at last. Quaid's mind is much stronger than the Sidhe inhabiting him. Once we return control to him, he can expel the soul himself.
While I dodged to the left, spinning in a circle with my long, blonde hair flying, narrowly avoiding losing the locks to the edge of Quaid's blade, I focused my mind on his, prodding the green shielding around his consciousness, looking for a way in.
I'd give Aoilainn one thing. She was good. Very good. Centuries of experience with making those around her do whatever she wanted clearly paid off, and not to our benefit.
A bit of despair crept in until my vampire jabbed me out of it.
Focus, she sent. She is Sidhe only. You are maji, or will be some day. What others create, you can control, Sydlynn Hayle. That is the true power of the maji.
Anything? Wow, that was a revelation. I mean, I knew I could use the maji power to create, and to siphon power. But control the magic of others?
Holy.
Don't get cocky, Gram sent in a flash. Listen to your vampire. But pay attention. Like she said, you're not maji yet. But you have access to some of the abilities. Use them and hurry up about it. As much as I'm liking this new shape, I want to go home. I'm missing my soaps.
Snort. Leave it to Gram to take the edge from anything.
Focus. Right. Why had I never explored the maji power? I really had to stop being so complacent about the magic I had access to. It seemed like I just sort of fell into routine and a bit of boring normalcy when things were quiet, with no desire to prod any of my magicks for further info. It wasn't until the crap hit the fan I found myself wishing I'd done something about it sooner.
We've all been complacent, my vampire sent. No longer. There is too much at stake. Now free Quaid and let's find Ameline.
I slid inside the maji power, feeling the pull of all my magicks as my body twisted and spun and bent at odd angles, fighting Quaid still. I didn't feel an ounce of weariness or even an ache, which made me worry more. But that was for later. In this moment, as I allowed the maji energy to absorb me, fill my core while my other magicks fed into it, the world
Went.
Away.
Not away, precisely. But the glamour did. The shining, sparkling waters were just ordinary. The flowing white fabric nothing to get excited about. The ultra-green grass needed to be watered. The towering palace could use a good scrubbing. Even Aoilainn's perfect face seemed old, the sam
e drawn and thinning appearance I'd caught the edges of when my maji power pushed her back.
Interesting. I could now see the overlay of the Sidhe soul pressing down on Quaid, his magic eyes closed behind it. It was simplicity itself to slide inside the soul, past it, to my friend. To feel his heartbeat, enter his thoughts.
His dreams. Aoilainn had Quaid convinced we were on our way back to the Gate with Ameline in our possession. He felt proud, happy. Couldn't stop staring at the image the queen created of me, the real me only better. Sidhized. I felt his love and the struggle in his heart even as I reached out with my maji power and woke him up.
The soul clinging to him wailed in agony and fled as Quaid's conscious mind jerked awake. Shaylee and my demon stopped fighting instantly as the young Enforcer froze, eyes locked, not on me, but on someone over my shoulder. I turned to see Gram smiling at him.
“Syd.” Quaid staggered, dropping the sword. “What's going on?”
“You've been asleep,” I said, as his gaze flickered to me and back to Gram. “Nice dreams?”
Quaid shook his head, turned to glare at the queen. “She did this?”
“Don't you worry,” I said, facing off with the now-furious Aoilainn. “This isn't over. But it will be very soon.”
“Yes.” Aoilainn flowed to her feet, arms raised while Bronagh fell back with a quick shake of her head in warning. “But not in your favor, Sydlynn Hayle.”
Sidhe troops rushed from the surrounding trees, ranks upon ranks of them, surrounding us in their shining armor and pulsing with magic.
A quick calculation told me I could probably make a hole in them and try to run for it, but I had no idea if the glamour the queen spun would simply send me in circles or not. Probably. So running was out.
I was tired of running, anyway.
“You are ordered to leave my realm,” the queen said in her throbbing voice. “Thalion Prince will lead you to the Gate and ensure you depart. But.” She stepped down from her throne, green magic sparking around her. “You will leave my daughter here, with me.” One hand swept over the empty space beside her.