Sam's blue eyes were wide and she looked heartbroken. "I didn't know what else to do. Then I called you when we were successful, and that's when we learned Brendi apparently hired Scylla to be the one to bring you to Alfheim."
"It would have been nice to know that." I was angry, but not like, grossly angry. I understood what she did and why, I just didn't like it. And I was happy she as able to free Mike. I just…
I was just really tired of being some kind of weird ass bargaining chip. "She wanted me to stay…before, when we were running for our lives out of Alfheim. Then she wanted a Leviathan to bring me to her. Bastard nearly killed my girlfriend trying to get me."
"Jesus," Levi said. "A Leviathan? How did you survive?"
I shrugged. I wasn't prepared to tell them the monster had been my biological father. I wasn't ready to face it full on myself. I'd sort of compartmentalized a lot of what happened while Erebus tried to take me, and then Raven saved me. Over and over again. I made a note to ask Levi about Raven, when it seemed appropriate. Maybe he knew where she was. "It wasn't easy. I don't understand why she wants me."
"Power," Crwys said in a near snort. "She wants what's in your chest."
I put my hand there. "I don't think that's it."
"I'd bet on it. If anyone realizes what you've got your hands on, anyone who understands the significant power of it, they'll kill you to get to it."
"That would be a pretty stupid thing to do," Sam said. "They kill him; the Grimoire goes back to the Well of Souls."
"That's not possible," Crwys said.
"It's true," I said. "What you saw wasn't me conjuring the book from some orbital veil or something. The book came out of me."
"Out of you?" Crwys looked confused.
"He's telling the truth," Mike said as he stood next to me. "Before Dags and I met up in Savannah, something happened in Atlanta. Something about a society called Ishmael."
Sam shook her head. "Never heard of it."
Levi snorted. "I have. One of my kin keeps an eye on them." He looked at everyone. "They're like this secret society that keeps watch on the unconventional conventional. Us. They've gone through several sea changes recently—was the Grimoire one of them?"
Dags shook his head. "No. It was someone who worked for the Society. He liked experimenting on us…unconventionals. I was different even before the book, but that's because I didn't know I was a Goblin." He looked at Crwys. "This madman grabbed me and experimented on me. Nearly killed me before a team from the Society found me. I was shot in the heart and one of my rescuers, a Witch, had the book in her possession. I don't remember much as to why or how, a lot of that time of my life is blank space. She fused the book to me, to my soul, to save my life."
"Is…is that possible?" Levi looked at me, then looked at Crwys.
Crwys pursed his lips. "Let me see it."
I hesitated, but then figured if he tried anything, the book would stop him. I held out my hands, closed my eyes, and brought the book out.
It manifested in front of me, suspended in midair. It remained closed with a dozen orbiting pinpoints of light around it.
"Well damn," Levi said.
"Crwys…?" was Sam's voice.
When I opened my eyes, Crwys stood directly in front of it, and before I could stop him, he grabbed it with both hands.
The pain that ripped through my chest and shattered my concentration came out in the form of a scream. I could hear the others yelling as well, but my hearing was soon drowned out by the booming voice of someone reciting a spell, over and over again, until I started repeating the spell and the pain eased and then…
Crwys started to scream.
Nine
THE BOOK SAYS BACK OFF!
DAGS
I don't know when the screaming stopped or how I ended up on the opposite side of the room, barely missing the door to the kitchen. The impact knocked the wind out of me, and I crumpled pretty quick to the floor. Mike was instantly at my side, as was Grey. I could hear her asking me a million questions in my head, so I had to mentally push her aside.
I grabbed Mike's outstretched hand and pulled myself to my feet. My chest ached as if I'd been pummeled by a lot of very large mallets. With one arm wrapped around my stomach, I turned to face the bastard.
Only he wasn't where he'd been a few moments ago. In fact, I didn't see him anywhere in the apartment.
"Where the hell did he go?" Levi asked as he and Sam did a quick look around.
"You gotta teach me that," Kyle said with a wink before he too joined the others.
I looked up at Mike with a questioning look.
Mike shook his head. "The detective grabbed the book. You screamed, he screamed, and there was a flash of light. You went flying and he disappeared."
I put both of my hands to my chest. The book was still there, but it was agitated. The pages were flipping back and forth furiously, as if looking for something. And I figured that something would be pretty bad.
I know where he is, Grey said in my head.
"Where?" I looked down at her.
He's in the swamp. Near the nature preserve. If a wolf could smile, Grey pulled that off pretty well with a nicely placed pant.
"Is he okay?" I asked.
He’s fine, but he's mad. He'll be back here in five, four, three—oh!
The doors on the veranda flew open at that moment. I expected something to come flying in. But it didn't. Instead, we heard stomping around downstairs and then saw Crwys, mud-covered, as he clomped back up.
"You stop right there!" Sam said before he could clear the top step. There was a slight shimmer in the air in front of him, and I was pretty sure she'd just put up a barrier. Woman didn't want mud on her hardwood!
"You!" He pointed at me.
"No, you!" Sam threw back at him and put herself between us. "What in the hell were you thinking grabbing hold of the book like that? He just told you a Witch fused it to his soul. It's the only thing keeping him alive."
"That wasn't her book to use on his life. It doesn't belong with him. And it doesn't belong to him."
I kinda wanted to tell him it never felt like that. I never felt I owned this magical tome…more like, it owned me.
"Doesn't matter. It's done."
"And I plan on undoing it, Sam." Crwys looked at her finally, and not at me. "You have no idea how dangerous that book is. How powerful. Now Dags might be a good person, but if someone who isn't gets ahold of him and uses that book, this world won't be able to handle the consequences."
A sharp pain moved from my neck to a place between my eyes as I involuntarily held out my arms. The book appeared again, stopping all conversation, as I stared straight ahead. I wasn't in control of the book. And I couldn't stop whatever it was planning.
"Hearethe me," I heard myself say and felt a bit of power from the Grimoire, as if it wanted me to speak for it. In fact, it wasn't until I started talking that I realized I was speaking Sumerian. "Such a destiny will I not yield. I did not belong to thee to destroy, yet thou sundered me helpless for ages. Now I am nearly whole and I have'st a mind, Son of Gaia. Right and wrong is within me, and righteous I do serve her. Within this halfling, I can protect both thy body and mine. No one will ever possess or use me again. Not even my maker, which thou are not. Do not ever attempt to take me again, or I will destroy thee utterly."
The book vanished. I stumbled forward, shaking my head, and Mike kept me from falling. He always did. I sort of stepped back and thought, WTF? I had never known the book to talk. EVER!
And it seemed to know this Crwys guy very, very well. I got that from its thoughts.
"What"—Kyle pointed at me—"did he just say?"
"That wasn't English," Sam said and looked at me. "It was Sumerian, wasn't it?"
I nodded.
"What did you say?"
"He said…" Crwys's shoulders lowered and shook his head. "He said what the book wanted him to say. And the message was delivered. That's the end of it."
&nb
sp; "I want to know." Sam put her hands on her hips.
Grey padded over and stuck her face in Sam's hand. She looked down and smiled at her familiar.
"Sam," I said in a soft voice and she looked at me. "Even I don't know what I said." It was a lie. And a whopper of one. But I felt that message was solely for Crwys, even though I didn't know why. Or how. And at that moment…I didn't really care. My chest ached and I just wanted to lay back down again.
I felt her gaze linger on me, but I concentrated on getting across the room to the sofa where I promptly plopped down. "Instead of lingering on this book, can we get back to this deal you made?" I looked up at her.
She winced. "I never intended to turn you over to Brendi."
"Given the little demonstration we all just witnessed," Levi said. "I don't think you could even if you wanted to. That book isn't having any of it. "
Kyle sat on the opposite sofa. "So, if Scylla was sent to bring Dags to Brendi, and you just kicked him out, empty handed, what happens now?"
I was interested too. Sam never said what her deal was. And from the looks on their faces, it wasn't good. "Uh…Sam? What did you promise?"
"What she wanted."
"And that was…"
"Me."
Aw dammit. I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Sam—"
"Look—" She whirled on me. "I had to get that damn thing out of Mike. And I sure as hell didn't know she was going to send an Incubus to fetch you, and don't you dare move!" She pointed at Crwys, who had started up the steps again. "Go downstairs and shower off. You look and smell awful."
He hesitated, then turned and stomped back down the stairs. Within minutes, I could hear water running through the building.
"What exactly did you promise?" I needed to know what kind of exchange had been made for me.
"She didn't specify. She just said if I didn't turn you over, then she'd take me instead. Though I'm pretty sure she'd prefer you."
"Because of this book?"
Sam shrugged. "I don't know? Does she know you have it? I'm thinking most don't."
A voice cackled loudly and I put my hands to my ears. Kyle rolled his eyes and Levi smirked.
:Of course she knows! That book is power, and power she will need to have a case to plead!:
"Rhymes?" Kyle said. "It's rhyming now?"
Sam snorted and sat down next to me. "She’s bored." She gestured in the air and abruptly the cackling stopped. "The silence spell works for a while, but as you can see, eventually it wears off and we can hear her."
"Speaking of magic…" Kyle stood and offered his hand to Sam. "We need to get those wards back up."
"You're right. If they'd have been up, I doubt Scylla could have gotten inside." She stood and Grey came to stand beside her.
I stood as well. "I'll help."
"Oh. No." Kyle shook his head. "I'm afraid our wards are a bit complicated."
Levi snorted as I said, "Yes. I know. So much so I broke them with a sneeze. Sam knows what I can do." I looked at her. "Can I help?"
"As long as you're up for it. Then afterwards I can make a big breakfast because Ivan will be in by then."
I followed them down the stairs as a door opened near the office and a very naked Crwys stepped out, dripping water on the concrete.
"Crwys!" Sam shouted.
Kyle stared.
I felt the book make an odd noise, kinda like a tsk noise, and a towel appeared and flew at his head. It was big enough to wrap him in several times and knocked him backward into the bathroom.
Sam touched my shoulder and guided me into the front room where Kyle started putting candles and a brazier on the counter. "I'm really liking that book of yours."
"It doesn't like Crwys."
She laughed. "No, it doesn't."
"But you do."
She didn't say anything. Only smiled and started walking me though their warding process.
Ten
TO BiTE THE HAND THAT FEEDS
SCYLLA
Scylla stole a life after leaving the magic shop on Bourbon. Well, not so much stole it as conned a very inebriated tourist, who liked young men, out of it. Promising him sex in an alley was the best way to drain him of his soul's energy. He drank fast and tossed what remained of the human's husk, licking his fingers. Something had to be done with the body, because the police finding mummified remains in the city would draw too much attention.
So he stomped on it, crushing the bones and flesh to dust. After a few good landings with both feet on the larger bones, like the collar bone and pelvis, the thing pretty much melted. Thunder broke the silence in the alley, but did nothing to the lone sound of a sax somewhere above him. If he was lucky, the rain would wash it all away.
Scylla grabbed the clothing, pocketed the wallet and keys, and tossed the former into a dumpster. Usually he'd just incinerate the clothing, but he wasn't sure where a furnace was in this city. He was learning, picking up what little the now-dead tourist knew about the place. He had a hotel room over at the Marie, walking distance from where Scylla emerged from the alley.
What he wanted was his victim's car. He needed to get to Atlanta.
He needed to find the Society of Ishmael.
He needed…answers.
Most importantly, what was Dags McConnell? How could a Goblin possess so much power? What was that book? Why did a Goblin have wings?
What in the Lady's name is he?
Unfortunately, Scylla never made it to the Hotel St. Marie. Something twisted his stomach, then twisted reality around him. In a second, he landed hard on black, gold-flecked marble and realized through the pain in his shoulder he was on his side in front of the Obsidian throne.
Brendi sat there, looking so out of place in her white shift and bright eyes. A child in a grown woman's chair. After his escape out of that bottle all those decades ago, he had no intention of remaining there. The whole place made him nervous.
"Why did you not take him?" Brendi's voice echoed in the large hall.
Scylla slowly got to his feet, favoring his shoulder. He couldn't sense Ripp'n Jack and wondered if the Djinn wasn't allowed in Alfheim. The black and gold wings behind the throne reminded him of what he'd seen on the back of the Goblin. Scylla had also seen the Summer Queen's throne and knew there were wings there as well. Were there wings upon each of the thrones of Alfheim? He gave her a bow, hoping he didn't telegraph the contempt he had for this human, and not human, girl. "My lady."
"Answer me."
"If your highness knows I was with him, then I would assume she also knows of his power?"
"Power?" a male voice spoke from somewhere to Scylla's right. He turned to see a full-blood Faerie approach. His purple skin glowed against the black and green robe he wore, and his dark black hair highlighted blue under the throne room's lights. The Faerie's long, pointed ears pierced the ebony locks and ended a few inches above the Faerie's head. "What is this power?"
"It is of no concern of yours, Toryn." Brendi's tone was impatient.
"If there is a Goblin with power, then it very much is this court's concern. Goblins are, by nature, very weak as they are half-breeds, and their magic is wild and not worth our time or that of the Human Realm. But if this Goblin has power within the Human Realm, there is the chance they are Daoine Sidhe, my lady."
"And what if he is?"
Scylla looked from one to the other. He knew of the Daoine Sidhe. Where the Leanan Sidhe were the muses of artistry and creativity, the Daoine Sidhe were the nobles of the Faerie races, the ones possessing the strongest magic and the ones with the greatest intelligence. All of the queens were of the Daoine. Even Medbh, though Scylla was sure that one had lost her intelligence and her marbles a long time ago over her obsession with Oberon, husband of the Summer Queen.
"It means he must be brought to us at once, but not as a prisoner and certainly not taken by…" He looked down his nose at Scylla. "The dregs of our society."
"Begging your pardon, chief," Scylla spoke up, though he
knew he shouldn't. "I'm not part of your society."
"Scylla," Brendi said in a warning tone.
"Scylla?!" Toryn stepped back. "You have made a deal with an Abandoned?"
Brendi frowned. "I'm afraid I don't understand that term, Toryn. And as my advisor, I wish to know its meaning."
Toryn looked a bit worried. Maybe he wasn't aware of just how naive their new queen was. "When the Mage Azazel cast the spell of the Tetragrammaton to seal Alfheim as punishment, the God Mother left behind three of her grandchildren. Chimera, Charybdis, and Scylla. It is assumed they were meant to die, but they survived. The three of them have continued to cause havoc throughout our rebuilt cities and are banned in most of them. Only the Spring Queen, Morgana, has ever given them succor. We refer to them as the Abandoned. They are wicked and not to be trusted."
Scylla pursed his lips. Yes, it was a pretty one-sided explanation, but it worked. He wondered how Toryn and his people would feel if they knew Azazel still lived and thrived in the Physical Realm, while those in Alfheim struggled every day with the fallout of that spell? Their once lush world was nothing but plots of civilization and mass deserts of wastelands they called Warlands.
Ah, but it was not his secret to tell.
Oh, not yet.
He liked having a backup arsenal of daggers and metaphorical spears to launch when the time was right.
"Why did this Mage cast this spell on Alfheim?"
Toryn shrugged. "There was a war, long ago, young Queen. We call it the Bulwark, when Faerie soldiers hunted down and destroyed the Sentinels, Irins born of human, Ethereal and Abysmal souls, bred to control the borders between the realms."
"And these Faeries killed them."
"Yes."
"The God Mother punished the Faeries."
"Yes, m'lady."
"I see."
"My lady…about using an Abandoned…"
"He is bound to me, Toryn. And he is under a Faerie oath."
Voices murmured in the shadows.
"Very well, my Queen." And Toryn moved back.
Chimes At Midnight (The Grimoire Chronicles Book 3) Page 6