Veil of Thorns

by Gwen Mitchell

  Having something important to read would be a good excuse to avoid talking to Lucas. They were going to be cramped in close quarters alone together for the first part of their trip, and she had no doubt he was going to take the opportunity to try and…do whatever it was he was doing.

  Insinuating himself into your life.

  She sighed, took her books and a fresh cup of tea, and slipped down the hall to the stairwell that led to the highest bridge connecting the tops of the north and south towers. She tried not to think of it as a tomb. He wasn’t dead, only resting. Lost in a grey mist. And she was his only hope of finding his way home.

  She and her father had climbed these same stairs that night. Or, not her father. Lucas was right—the demon had probably been manipulating her the entire time. Maybe she hadn’t been speaking to her father at all. The demon could have been in control for years. Maybe that was why her father hadn’t tried to get in touch with her after college graduation. Or mourned Tara’s and Ce-Ce’s deaths. In some ways it was easier to believe that. In some ways not. She wondered how much of her father had been left, and if her presence in his life could have saved him. There was that one moment…run, Briana.

  Her skin erupted in goosebumps, and a gut-wrenching sense of foreboding flooded her system. A heartbeat later, a wave of magic coursed over the stone walls, enveloping the entire fortress in a swath of pulsing red wards.

  The wolves howled.

  Bri broke into a sweat. What had happened? Was the information she’d tucked in Astrid’s bag valuable enough to raise an alarm if they were caught? They hadn’t planned for this scenario. What if she was warded in now?

  She was already so on edge, she didn’t register the distinct prickling at the base of her skull until a cloud of black mist coalesced right in front of her. She took a step back and teetered on the stairs.

  A coil of shadow whipped out of the cloud and caught her wrist.

  She dropped the books and tea.

  The cup broke into shards at her feet.

  “Time to go, love.”

  “Ryder.” Bri sighed. “What’s going on?”

  “I’ll explain later.” The shadow’s grip tightened to the point of pain, and the cuff of Lucas’s magic on her arm flared with heat in response. “Come with me now, or you’ll never see your lover again.”

  Bri’s mouth fell open with surprise at the chill in his voice as he sliced at her heart so expertly, and she scolded herself for forgetting what he was.

  Maybe Kean was right, she thought. But it was too late to turn back now.

  She held her breath and let the cloud of darkness swallow her.

  Chapter Eight

  Lucas was anxious to begin their journey, if only so Bri would finally be safely under his watch. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t also looking forward to having her all to himself for a few days. But that hopefulness was tempered by all the potential threats circling in his mind like vultures.

  It had been clear from her face after hearing the wraith’s tale that Bri had hung her hopes on Ryder’s scheme. If she was anything like Vivianne, fighting her would only make her dig in her heels, consequences be damned. He didn’t want to drive a wedge between them when he’d barely begun to get close. So, he went along with it. Despite the dangers and the unknowns. And despite the fact that the wraith would surely try to twist the deal in some unforeseen way.

  So, he’d focused on preparing for the challenges he could foresee, ensuring they would be traveling in the height of luxury and well equipped for a rugged trek through the mountains in inclement weather.

  He’d taken special care to ensure not only Briana’s safety but also her comfort for every part of their travels. If she wasn’t impressed with his thoughtfulness, he hoped it would at least help her to relax and begin to trust him. Maybe even rely on him. He didn’t care if their journey resulted in a solution for the Ward, so long as Bri survived and finally understood the lengths he would go to for her.

  Keep her alive and earn her confidence—vital steps if he wanted to complete the ritual. It had crossed his mind that it would be much easier to trick or seduce her into it. The desire was there, and her emotions were raw and volatile. She would be vulnerable to his charms. The attraction between them had continued to build.

  Over text, she had opened up to him, even flirted a little. Excitement simmered in his blood. He could have her now. But she would regret it.

  And that will not do.

  Though his demon side demanded the spell be completed and his wolf howled for the solidification of the bond to his mate, the part of him that was a man wanted Briana to not only accept him but choose him. Her body and soul were no longer enough—he would have her heart as well. And a little adventure could go a long way on that count.

  Now that the day of their departure had come, however, he questioned himself. Wondered if he was being too reckless with Bri’s life. A voice inside answered that if he couldn’t keep her alive long enough to complete the ritual, he didn’t deserve her.

  If you fail her as you failed Vivianne, perhaps eternity alone is due punishment.

  He had to admit he was also curious to meet a fully bound Skydancer and Familiar, to know what the future held for them. By the time Vivianne had come to him with the idea, knowledge of the ancient witches who had bound themselves to Kinde had fallen into myth. She had only told him what she’d divined about how to perform the ritual and how it would need to be echoed in another life. In all his searching, he’d never uncovered the full truth of their bond.

  He’d found her again. Now, he might finally get some answers.

  Everything is coming full circle.

  He couldn’t put a finger on why that wasn’t more reassuring.

  He double-checked the luggage stacked in the narrow space leading to the bow-side cabin. Satisfied everything was ready, he set Bri’s carry-on bag on the bed and stored the rest in his cache—the metaphysical storage locker where he kept his most valuable possessions and anything he needed quick access to. He could conjure any of it back with a thought. It made packing light unnecessary, which he liked. He’d equipped a large tent with all the modern amenities and a smaller one for more rugged terrain.

  Astrid would smuggle Bri to the harbor tonight under a cloaking spell, then he would sail the Marguerite to the Port of Tacoma, where a hired crew would be waiting to continue south to the estate he’d purchased in Baja. He and Bri would take a town car to the airport and embark on their foolhardy little quest.

  He was impressed with Bri’s dauntlessness. Even if it was reckless. The Synod would not be lenient upon her return, but it was clear she considered the Ward worth the risks. At least he’d had time to put some contingencies in place. He knew the ins and outs of the Synod and had many favors he could call in.

  The wraith was a far more pressing concern. Ryder was withholding something vital—he could smell it. There had been no time to root out the whole truth, but he knew the scent of malignant, murderous vengeance.

  It smelled like leverage.

  In hiding his stake so well, Ryder overplayed his hand. He didn’t want to recover something Hedvika had stolen—he wanted her dead.

  Lucas couldn’t stop Bri from making her bargain with the shadows, so he’d made one of his own. Not only would Ryder cut their mission short at Lucas’s word, but if the Synod tried to imprison them or worse upon their return, the Hohlwen would whisk them away to safety. In Baja. And since Bri had been so foolishly open-ended in her bargain, he’d shored that up as well. The Hohlwen could not take her anywhere or feed on her without Lucas present.

  Ryder’s price: Maxxim’s life. The owlkin stood between Ryder and his quarry, and only Lucas had the power to deliver such a gift.

  It was not a difficult decision for him to make. For Bri’s safety. For insurance against the wraith’s treachery.

  Not even the Synod will come between us this time.

  He was debating whether it seemed too over-confident to have champag
ne chilling, when his ears pricked at the sound of a scuffle on the dock.

  It came again, along with a thump and a muffled whimper that set him into motion.

  “Lucas!” Bri yelped.

  He leapt the last two steps out of the cabin and vaulted onto the dock in one smooth motion. Bri was struggling against Ryder’s hold over her mouth, her eyes wide and panicked.

  Lucas conjured his broadsword from his cache, the blade and leather battle harness materializing on his back. He drew the sword from the sheath with a slow, menacing hiss. It was Khaos-wrought and one of two weapons he owned that could end a Hohlwen with one sure stroke. “Let her go, leech.”

  He could make out the barest flash of teeth in the shadows. “I won’t harm her, hound. You both need to calm down and listen. There’s been a slight change in plans.”

  “If you mean no harm, release her.”

  Ryder whispered in Bri’s ear, but Lucas heard him perfectly. “I’m going to let you go now, love. Don’t scream unless you want the whole harbor in on our little plot. Understand?”

  She nodded.

  He let her go, and she staggered to Lucas’s side.

  Lucas stepped in front of her, keeping his attention and sword trained on the wraith. “Explain yourself.”

  “There isn’t time for this. An opportunity presented itself, and I took it. I have a means to transport us all to Romania tonight.”

  “What about our plan?”

  “That plan’s shit now, isn’t it? I kidnapped her from the Arcanum after nabbing this.” He tossed a palm-sized diamond into the air. It made a sharp humming noise in Lucas’s sensitive hearing, and when Ryder held it up in the light, a shadow writhed inside like a wisp of smoke trapped behind glass.

  “You stole a traveler’s stone?”

  “Now you’re getting it, old dog,” Ryder said with a cheeky grin.

  Lucas sheathed his sword.

  “Wh-what’s a traveler’s stone?” Bri asked from behind him.

  She was shivering, and her heart was beating like a cornered rabbit’s. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders to offer some warmth, and she sidled against him.

  “It allows a Hohlwen to carry mortals through the shadows. It is a magic restricted to the highest level of Synod use. How did you get away with it?”

  “That’s my business.” Ryder tucked the stone into his pocket, if he had pockets under that corona of sinuous black. “Shall we get this show on the road? They won’t be far behind, you know.”

  Lucas growled and turned to Bri. Her pupils had nearly swallowed the green of her eyes. “Remember when I said he intended to force my hand?”

  A crease formed between her brows, but she nodded.

  “It’s happening. Now.”

  She didn’t speak, so he went on.

  “I had hoped to have more time to warm up to this, but I don’t know what other surprises await us, so I must say it now. I swore to protect you, and I will do whatever is necessary to keep you safe, but you must promise me one thing. Please, trust me. If we get into a dangerous situation, listen to me. Do not hesitate, just do as I say, knowing my solitary goal is your survival.”

  Bri gripped his forearm. “I’ll trust you. I promise.”

  He loosened his hold on her shoulders and sighed in relief. “Thank you.”

  “But you have to promise me something too. Let me choose the right time to dole out information about my visions. Promise you won’t dig at me, and that you will trust me if I make a snap decision to veto your decision for some reason.”

  His instincts wanted to rebel. He was several centuries her senior, and she was new to their world. If she had information, she should share it and allow him to make the best decision. But she might not always have time to deliberate, and in those instances, if he were about to lead them off a cliff, he would definitely like to know.

  “Alright, I promise.” held out his hand. “Partners?”

  Bri gave him a funny look, as if she didn’t quite believe him, but finally pursed her lips and shook on it. “Partners. In crime.”

  In destiny, he wanted to say, but instead, he squeezed her fingers and let go.

  “Touching,” Ryder drawled. “Off we go, now?”

  Lucas grunted an irritated response as he turned on his heel and hopped aboard the deck of the Marguerite. He quickly stowed the rest of their luggage in his cache, frowning as his mind churned over this sudden change of plans.

  He couldn’t believe Ryder had already tricked him. Made him look like a fool. And cheated him out of time with Briana.

  To what end?

  He was thrown slightly off-balance by the sudden shift of events, but he would figure out the rest of the wraith’s game. He’d never met a puzzle he couldn’t solve. He locked the boat and returned to the dock, offering Bri her thick wool coat. He helped her into it, and they turned to face Ryder together.

  “Finally.” The cloud of shadow swelled like a growing storm as the wraith strode toward them.

  Bri slipped her hand into his, and Lucas had a moment to etch her profile into memory before they were wrapped in black mist and carried away on a dark wind.

  Chapter Nine

  Central Romania

  They coalesced in a cemetery next to a decrepit mausoleum that looked more like a nesting roost for pigeons than a building. Bri shivered as the bone deep cold of the shadows ebbed, a little quicker this time.

  Lucas backed up against her as he took in their surroundings with sight and scent.

  Ryder perched like a gargoyle on the crumbling corner of the mausoleum, the waning moon behind him cutting his sleek profile into sharp edges.

  The evening was quiet, and the stars were the brightest Bri had ever seen. Or maybe they only seemed that way. Closer, somehow, after travelling through the heart of darkness.

  Lucas followed her gaze to the sky. “Well, we are in the Carpathians.”

  “Yes, imagine that—I brought you where I said I would,” Ryder drawled before slithering to the ground in an inky puddle and rising to stand before them.

  In less than a blink, Lucas had Ryder pinned on his back with a fist wrapped around his pale throat. A dagger with a wavy blade materialized in Lucas’s other hand, ready to impale the Hohlwen in the chest.

  “Deceiver,” Lucas seethed. “You find it amusing to worm through loopholes? Or did you not think I would back up my threat to end you?”

  “You can’t escape Hedvika without me,” Ryder sneered.

  Bri wasn’t stupid enough to get between them, but she said in a soft whisper, “Lucas, please.”

  “He’s already betrayed us.”

  “I saved you almost a week of travel. Ungrateful.”

  Lucas tightened his grip enough to make talking impossible, though Ryder’s cold expression didn’t show it.

  Bri placed her hand on Lucas’s shoulder. “We need him.”

  His muscles bunched under her hand, but the knife dematerialized, and he slowly opened his fingers.

  As soon as he let go, Ryder slipped away like smoke and reappeared a few feet away. His corona of shadows settled and obeyed the rules of gravity like a real cloak. He looked disturbingly human as he tucked his hands in his pockets with an indignant sniff. “One of these days, I’ll grow tired of you testing me, Moncrieffe. Find somewhere to spend the night. I will scout ahead tonight and return before daybreak to give you directions for your day’s journey.”

  Lucas shrugged into a jacket and turned away from Ryder in silent dismissal.

  Bri shivered inside her coat and glanced up the hillside at the uneven rows of headstones and crumbling crosses. A cloud drifted across the moon, and the shadows of the cemetery moved like living things. She thought she heard a faint moan on the wind and shook herself. Her nerves were shot. “I think I need a stiff drink.”

  “So do I,” Lucas agreed.

  When she turned back to the mausoleum, Ryder had vanished, leaving only a swirl of mist where he’d been standing.

  “T
his way,” Lucas said, holding out his hand.

  She cleared her throat and tucked both hands in her pockets as she climbed the hill beside him. “How do you know which way to go?”

  “I can smell where the food is.”

  “Oh. Right.” Her breath puffed out in a cloud in front of her. They reached the top of the hill and arrived at a rutted, muddy road. In the center of the bowled valley below, windows and street lamps from a small village winked like lightning bugs in a distant hedge. “What about all our gear? What if they won’t give us somewhere to stay? Or won’t sell us new supplies?”

  What if I’ve made a huge mistake?

  She was rambling, all of her worries tumbling from her mouth. Her legs suddenly felt leaden as the adrenaline rush waned and the last ten minutes caught up to her in a swift current of anxiety.

  Ten minutes. Less. And the entire course of her life had changed. Again.

  It was almost a familiar feeling now—reality unravelling and reweaving around her. In ten minutes, she was on the other side of the world. She hadn’t gotten to see Kean or say goodbye to Astrid. The Synod was hunting them that very minute. Ryder had changed the plan without consulting them. Lucas was already on the edge of violence.

  Bri blinked back tears, slow to realize she’d stopped walking.

  Lucas was standing in front of her, his hands bracing her shoulders.

  She gazed into his grey-gold eyes, smoke and flame.

  “I’ve taken care of everything, don’t worry.” He sighed and gazed down the hill. “In truth, the only thing that has changed is we are a few days ahead of schedule.”

  “We don’t have a lead any more. The Synod will be looking for me now. What if they find us before we cross the wards?”

  “They can track the stone, but the spell takes time. By the time they locate it, he will have hidden it and moved on.” Lucas rubbed the back of his head, a begrudging tone of respect in his voice. “It was quite a brilliant diversion, actually.”

  “But what about when we go back?”