All at once, the birds exploded away from him as if they were his polar opposite. Go, Adrianna.
The warlock who had sent that barrage finally appeared, lunging up at Tzader.
Birds screeched, flying erratically as the warlock still tried to force them in. Adrianna's voice picked up volume, and the birds were finally swept away in one big, flapping cloud of feathers and screeching noise.
Tzader concentrated his kinetics into his arm, and drew back to slam the warlock in his face.
But the bastard blinked out of sight a second before an arm snaked around Tzader's neck in a chokehold. The warlock whispered, "I should take you to my queen, but she'll understand that there are always unexpected casualties."
When the sharp point of the warlock's fingernail pricked Tzader's skin, he dove forward, dragging the warlock with him as Tzader shoved his head into the coal. Damn, that hurt. He flipped all the way over, grabbing the edge of the train car as he rolled off the edge.
Momentum tossed the warlock off his back and down to the tracks, where he screamed until the wheel severed his head and slung the rest of his body into the void.
Tzader had both arms hooked around the wall of the rail car, hanging on. He swung his feet up and used kinetics to make it all the way over. Once he landed, he turned to see Tristan laid out on the coal close to the throne, Storm battling one warlock and Evalle the other one.
They must have dealt with the fifth threat already.
Adrianna was struggling alone to keep the throne from falling over.
Daegan spied Tzader and ordered, "Spin me around and point me at the warlocks! Then get out of my way."
Tristan struggled to reach his feet, and made it to one side of the chair.
Tzader called to Evalle telepathically. Both of you let those two warlocks drive you back, then jump to our car and get out of the way. Daegan's got a plan.
Got it, she replied then must have said something to Storm. They both retreated as if beaten back.
Tzader grabbed one side of the throne with his hands and his kinetics and told Tristan, "Now!"
They turned the throne to face the fight.
Daegan roared, "Let me at them!"
Evalle shoved a quick blast of kinetics at her warlock.
Storm spun like a top and kicked his opponent as they both jumped down to the home team's coal car.
Both warlocks started forward, their faces gleaming with confidence, but then paused and started backing up until they dropped out of sight.
Had they fallen between the cars?
No. If Tzader got that lucky, he'd buy a lottery ticket when they got home.
Adrianna lifted her voice. "That's not good. They're probably partnering up to drop something nasty on us that will trap us." She positioned her hands in front of her and started to unfold the fingers of her hand that hid Witchlock.
Daegan said, "Stand back, all of you. As you people like to say, I've got this."
The Sterling witch lifted an eyebrow at that and stepped aside, muttering, "You do realize you're the only one not fully mobile, right?"
A snort puffed from the dragon.
Tzader weighed the risk of pulling Adrianna back into place, because Daegan had no idea the power she controlled. Hell, Tzader didn't know the entire extent of her abilities, but he recalled Evalle saying she'd rather go up against a Medb army than Adrianna and her Witchlock power.
Storm shouted, "Heads up!"
When the attack came, it was fast and hairy-looking.
Just as Adrianna had predicted, the two warlocks were now blended together as one wide blanket of purplish-black wraiths. Both wraith heads joined as one that led the front edge of the deadly screen. It flew across the top of the boxcar, heading straight for Tzader's group.
Evalle, Tristan and Tzader shoved their hands up to hit the deadly mass with kinetics, but at the very last possible second, Daegan opened his jaws and flames shot fifteen feet out, lighting up the flying wraith pack.
The Medb conglomeration screamed and twisted in midair, still moving forward at high speed.
The fiery mass shot over the top of Tzader's head, close enough it would have singed his hair if he'd had any. As he watched, the flames engulfing the warlocks burned for ten seconds then vanished, leaving a blanket of ashes that disintegrated in the next sharp whip of wind.
The damn chair was of some use. Tzader called up his healing and his cuts began sealing. He asked the dragon, "Can any others follow their trail?"
Daegan's deep voice boomed, "Only to this point. The warlocks followed us here because that Medb priest tagged us when he threw majik. That allowed him to follow the link. Without a second majik trail from here they won't find us, but we have to leave immediately or we'll have to fight the next wave."
Tristan asked, "Again? You want me teleport again? Now?"
Evalle cut in. "Hold on, everyone. I just got telepathic word from Trey that they found Mother Mattie."
Tzader said, "We can't deal with that right now, Evalle. We have to turn Daegan into a dragon before the energy is gone from that scale. If we teleport anywhere, it's going to be to Treoir."
"Treoir?" Tristan shouted. "No one is listening to me. There's no way I could teleport to another realm right now. Maybe not for another day."
Daegan glowered at Tristan. "Then your ability to teleport is as much use as a gelded stud."
"It was good enough to get your ass out of TAmr Medb," Tristan argued back.
"Would you two can it a minute?" Evalle shouted. Once Tristan and the dragon quieted, she told Tzader, "Trey found Mattie, but it's not all good news. Storm asked the twins staying with us to keep an eye on Lanna while we were gone and to call Trey in case of an emergency, or if anything unusual happened. They just called Trey to say Lanna was missing, but he hung up as Lanna called him and said she'd found the witches. Something happened during the call. He heard the phone fall and scuffling noises. He traced her phone to a building downtown and went hunting her. When he got there, five Medb warlocks slipped into the building from a side entrance. He needs reinforcements, but Tzader told him to check before bringing other Beladors in on this--"
"No." Tzader had four too many lives standing around him already at risk. "If the white witch situation blows up in our faces, I don't want more Beladors involved, but we can't leave Lanna there."
Evalle said, "We need to go help Trey. The only person he can call is Quinn, who's still in the Tribunal trying to keep everyone out of our way." She leaned toward Tzader and added, "I gave Trey enough to know what we were doing so he'd be up to speed."
"Good."
"We have to go to Treoir," Daegan said, with the kind of authority that didn't invite argument.
Tzader agreed one hundred percent.
Time was running out, and if he didn't get Daegan and Brina together soon, he'd miss the tiny window of time he had left. Once Queen Maeve found out her throne had been stolen, she'd question her security. Tzader had no doubt that the warlock priest had left a detailed description of Tzader and his team before chasing them down. The queen would be able to turn all of VIPER on him and the four who had already risked so much.
But he still couldn't put any of them ahead of Lanna's life.
"We're going to get Lanna back first," Tzader announced.
Daegan roared in fury.
Tzader stepped over to face Daegan and roared right back, "I know what's at stake. At the moment, Brina is safe, you're safe, and we're not locked up yet. Lanna has helped all of us, but more than that she's family. We don't turn our back on our own. Prepare to teleport."
Tristan opened his mouth.
Tzader pointed at him. "Not a word. I know you're exhausted, but you can do it one more time with us linking. I know you can."
Tristan blinked at the show of confidence from Tzader, but the moment passed. He said, "Fine, damn it, but hold on to your asses."
Daegan blasted a harsh exhale through his nose. "You'll wish you'd listened to me."
/> "That may be, but right now we do what I say," Tzader slapped back at him. Worry balled in his gut over expending their last teleport and the lost time, but he couldn't live with himself if anything happened to Lanna. Quinn had lost too much already.
"Oh, crap," Evalle groaned. "We're coming up to a bridge over water. There will be nothing to block that wind we've danced around."
Storm noted, "Looks like we're somewhere in North Georgia."
"Get in position to teleport," Tzader snapped.
Adrianna rolled her eyes and stepped on the base of the throne to push up, then landed hard on the seat.
Daegan grunted. "The minute I get out of this--"
"Yes, yes." Adrianna waved a hand at him. "We know. You'll rain terror down on all of us. Let's skip ahead to the part where the curse is broken and you're out of my sight."
"Tristan!" Evalle called, her gaze turned to the bridge.
Wind whipped across the top of the car.
"Ready?" Tristan called out.
"Do it," Storm growled.
Ten warlocks landed all around them on the piled-up coal.
Chapter 29
Grendal led his party from the hangar in a regional airport near Charleston, South Carolina, to a van large enough to carry his crated shipment. From here, it was on to the ship waiting at the docks. Casting a compulsion spell on an Atlanta-based shipping agent a month ago had ensured a way for Grendal to leave quickly and quietly with his precious cargo.
Just in time.
Pulling back his sleeve, he studied his arm. His skin had turned a splotchy, dark shade of mustard since yesterday. Lanna's decision to run had caused him unnecessary discomfort.
She'd have a chance to make that up to him, especially since his time with Mattie's granddaughter had been cut short.
It would be more painful than necessary for Lanna.
Still, he could appreciate small favors.
He'd have to wait until the ship was out to sea to draw on her. No interruptions at that point. Even with Leeshen to protect him, he would be at his most vulnerable once he started the transfer.
If not for all the useful information Nightstalkers had provided, locating the shipping agent would have taken much longer. Such a shame he didn't have the same intelligence sources in his country. He should work on developing a ghoul network, which would make him that much more powerful.
Snow floated down, sprinkling the pavement and making him homesick for his castle deep in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania.
He'd be returning victorious. His plan couldn't have worked any better.
The crate jostled when one of one of the three men he'd hired stepped in a hole.
Leeshen barked an order at the man, who straightened up and grumbled something about taking orders from a bitch.
Grendal touched her shoulder, letting her know he was pleased with the discipline she demanded. He whispered, "Once the crate is loaded, take the driver's place."
"Yes, Master." At the van, she held her corner of the crate with one hand and used her free hand to open the tall, rear cargo doors. She issued orders on how to position his precious shipment, forcing his motley crew to shape up and handle it with care.
Using Medb warlocks would have been so much easier, but first he'd have had to capture them, then control them. Controlling warlocks not bound to him required too much majik. Using any more than he needed between now and getting settled on the ship would put him at too much of a disadvantage.
It was a shame to miss seeing Queen Maeve's face when she read the note he'd left for her. She was so sure she'd be able to call him to her by using the ring. He'd found four of her warlocks running around Atlanta, given them identical messages, then cast a spell on each so that the ring's pull was transferred to those four. When the ring was used to call Grendal, it would draw those warlocks, who were now at the farthest east, north, west, and south points of the Atlanta area. By the time the queen or her druid received his message and figured out how to follow Grendal, he'd be home in his own territory.
Queen Medb had no valid complaint. She hadn't captured Lanna, after all, and she could still figure out how to clear her name with regard to the white witches.
It would take some work.
Besides, Grendal had learned while handing off those notes to the warlocks, that Queen Maeve and Cathbad were on their way to a Tribunal meeting. The four designated warlocks might not even reach them with his message until after that meeting.
To be honest, Queen Maeve owed Grendal her appreciation. His two-word note more than fulfilled his part of the agreement. The note explained how to gain Kizira's body per the terms of the blood oath, if the queen and druid could figure out the significance of those two words.
Grendal watched the three men lumber around with less intelligence between all of them than one of Grendal's tikbalangs. Such a shame to kill that last creature. It had been a decent informant. If there had been any way to bring the beast back with him, Grendal would have. The first one had been a complete disappointment. Grendal had told him to search for the witch's familiar.
What had he done?
Rounded up dogs. He'd deserved to be killed by those VIPER agents.
All things considered, this entire operation had actually worked out quite nicely.
After the queen's Scath Force soldiers had been informed of where to find the white witches, Grendal was told they'd send a group to take possession. Of course, Grendal had vacated the premises within minutes of capturing Lanna in order to avoid that confrontation.
Let the Medb and VIPER figure out who was at fault for the kidnappings.
"Everything is ready, Master," Leeshen informed him, her usual emotionless mask in place.
As one of the men closed the rear door, Grendal stood a few feet away while he waited as Leeshen walked up to the driver's door.
Grendal addressed the three men. "That concludes my need for your services."
"You gotta pay us," one of them reminded him.
"Of course I do." He glanced to the side where Leeshen wrenched open the van door and yanked the driver out, as if he were some skinny little guy and not a six-foot-tall man with a huge gut.
The driver started complaining. "What are you doing? I--"
Using her free hand, she stabbed a long fingernail into his eye. It made a popping sound, then the driver squeaked out a noise just before her nail penetrated his brain and he slumped to the ground.
The three men facing Grendal shifted their attention and tried to lean forward, trying to see around the van.
Grendal took a step, blocking their view, and said, "Your payment?"
At the mention of money, they lost all interest in any strange noises. Nightstalkers had told him where to find men with no families, no conscience, and unfortunately, even less concern for hygiene.
He stepped over to them and held out his hand, where a small, charcoal-grey stone with runic carvings glowed in the middle of his palm. "I'd like you to see something very rare."
"What the fuck?" the middle guy griped. "I just want my money."
Keeping his voice calm, Grendal began whispering, "By all the power 'tis mine to wield, I bid thee wander on until ... "
All three men were mesmerized within seconds as Grendal cast his spell. He watched them turn as one and walk away.
Tomorrow, two of them would be found a mile from here with their throats slit. The last one would plunge the knife over and over into his own chest.
He tucked the Slavic runestone into his coat pocket and walked around to climb up to the passenger seat.
"She is stirring, Master," Leeshen informed him.
Grendal listened, and heard Lanna muttering something.
The girl carried power unlike anything he'd ever experienced, and one wrong word said while semi-comatose could send this van cartwheeling.
Dragging up another surge of energy, he snarled at the box.
The wood vibrated.
A high-pitched screech followed, m
uffled by the wooden crate.
Then silence.
Turning back around, Grendal said, "Hurry, Leeshen, but do not break the speed limit and draw attention. She's fighting her way back to consciousness. That may not hold her long. I hope we make good time, because if she wakes again and puts us at risk, you'll have to sedate her."
Which would mean having to wait another twelve hours until Lanna could be drained, but they were safe as long as she did not call up her powers.
Lifting her index finger with the sharp nail, Leeshen nodded understanding, and placed her finger back on the steering wheel. "We have an eight-minute drive according to the electronics."
His faithful servant pulled out of the lot, and Grendal leaned back to rest. Finally, no one would stand between him and Lanna. This time tomorrow, no one could make a difference.
Chapter 30
Evalle's stomach wanted to shove everything she'd eaten earlier back up her throat as the spinning subsided. "I hate teleporting."
Storm had his arms around her, but even that could do only so much after three trips in such a short span, two through different realms, and with a severely drained Tristan piloting.
He had to be the all-time worst teleporter in history.
She opened her eyes to find that they'd landed in one of downtown Atlanta's small parks. If her cheap watch wasn't fried yet, it was nine already. She searched for the street signs.
Look at that. Tristan actually hit close to the mark she'd given him. They were at the corner of Auburn Avenue and Piedmont Avenue in the Sweet Auburn district of Atlanta. The few evergreens in this little downtown corner park offered almost no cover.
At least Tristan hadn't dropped them in a tree.
Or in the middle of the intersection. Traffic didn't rush by, but no driver could miss something that just appeared in his or her path.
Tzader stood to one side, shaking off the residual effects, and Adrianna had already stood up from the throne and begun cloaking them.
Evalle said, "Thanks."
Adrianna dipped her head in acknowledgement, but kept feeding her power into shielding five people and a dragon throne.
Good thing, since small groups of young people, probably Georgia State University students, walked past wearing a mix of sweaters, hoodies, and coats.
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