by Donna Grant
“What I allowed for my son and your mother was seen as a true transgression by my people. They wanted me dead, and I was willing to give up my life if they left your parents alone. Except they went for your parents first. Unfortunately, they saw me take Synne and hunted us relentlessly until I found a place for her with the Hunters. Then I went into hiding. It wasn’t until the bones of the First Witch began surfacing that everything changed.”
“How?” Runa asked.
Asrail went silent for a moment before she said, “There hasn’t been another queen since I was removed from the throne. And only females rule the Gira.”
When her grandmother didn’t continue, Runa said, “Go on.”
“The Gira have found a new queen.”
“Does that mean she’s going to kill you? Tell me so I can stop her.”
Asrail smiled sadly. “That would be rather difficult since it’s you.”
Runa was so shocked that she couldn’t speak. She tried to grasp what her grandmother had just said, but her mind wasn’t accepting it. “But…I’m only part Gira. And so is Synne.”
“Synne has some amazing skills that include communicating with trees, but she can’t do what you can.”
Runa shook her head. “You must be mistaken.”
“I’m not. They took me to draw both you and Synne out. They want to deliver Synne to Sybbyl. You…they want to make their queen.”
It was Runa’s turn to squeeze her eyes shut. “Wait. Just…wait.” Her eyes snapped open. “I’ve mingled with the Gira for years, even taking jobs from them. If what you’re saying is true, they would’ve done something sooner.”
“Not exactly. The magic of the First Witch is extremely powerful. When Sybbyl took over as leader of the Coven, the Gira went to her. They used their seductive skills to divert her attention so they could use the staff’s magic to locate their next queen. That’s when it pointed to you.”
Runa swallowed and put a hand on a tree to lean against it. This couldn’t be happening. Could it?
“I don’t have much longer,” Asrail said. “My power is draining quickly. Please, get away from here.”
Runa looked into her grandmother’s dark eyes. “Will it do any good? Or will the Gira hunt me down for the rest of my life?”
Asrail didn’t reply, which was answer enough.
In the next instant, Runa jerked awake. Her breath billowed out from her mouth as she shivered from the cold. She wasn’t sure if the dream had been real or not. All this time, she’d come here thinking she was meant to save Asrail. But was it because her Gira blood had known what she was destined for?
She could feel the nymphs getting closer. It was time for her to run. Runa put her hand on the tree and leapt from the branch to the pile of snow below.
17
Blackglade
“You can’t keep me here,” Synne stated.
Armir stood up immediately. “Remember who you are addressing. She’s our leader.”
Lachlan got up from his chair near the hearth in the tower, glaring at Armir for speaking to Synne in such a manner.
Malene put her hand on Armir’s arm. That’s all it took for her second in command to back down. She took in his blond hair pulled back in its long queue. The sides of his head were shaved, showcasing intricate tattoos on either side. His pale green eyes met hers briefly. Malene then eyed Synne, who stood with her arms crossed over her chest. She was ready for battle, as anyone in her predicament would be. Malene could, in fact, keep Synne and Lachlan there for as long as she wanted. Her refusal to open the gates for them to leave ensured that.
“It’s a trap. We’ve gone over this,” Malene said.
Lachlan ran a hand down his face. “We know. However, it’s our decision.”
“It’s not just your decision,” Armir said. “Because it won’t be only you who goes.”
Synne sighed loudly. “I understand that a battle is coming, but it doesn’t have to be now. Let us leave. Lachlan and I might be all that’s needed to get to Asrail.”
“That’s wishful thinking,” Armir snapped.
Malene had noticed that Synne had become increasingly agitated with each day that passed. To the point where she was beginning to suspect there was something else at play. “Is this about finding Elin?”
Synne dropped her arms to her sides. “She will absolutely pay for what she’s done, but that’s for another day. More important matters are at hand.”
“Then it must be Avis,” Armir said.
Lachlan pulled back his lips in a sneer. “That witch will die by my hand when we’re finished with what we must do.”
Malene looked between the couple. “There is something neither of you is telling us. I’ve opened Blackglade to you. A Coven witch was within our walls and escaped, something that has never happened. I will right that wrong, but if you want us to continue helping you, then you need to be straight with us. Now.”
Synne and Lachlan exchanged a look. Synne licked her lips and swung her gaze to Malene. “I learned something from the trees.”
“Well?” Armir asked with a quirked brow.
Lachlan answered. “Synne has a sister.”
Malene hadn’t been expecting that. It explained a lot, however. What it meant for them, she wasn’t sure. “Where is she?”
“Elin told me she was dead,” Synne said. “Even Asrail believed she was deceased. I don’t know if they both lied to me. It doesn’t matter. I have to get to her.”
“Where is she?” Malene asked again.
Synne pressed her lips together. “She’s headed to the Gira and Sybbyl.”
“Bloody hell,” Armir said as he turned to pace.
Lachlan widened his stance as he crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s no’ ideal.”
Armir snorted loudly. “Not ideal? Do either of you know if she’s sided with Sybbyl and the Gira?”
“She wouldn’t do that,” Synne said.
Armir quirked a blond brow. “In other words, you don’t know what she’s doing.”
“Synne is certain her sister wouldna side with the Coven.”
Malene listened to the three of them arguing for several minutes. Finally, she raised a hand, and everyone fell silent. Her gaze slid to Synne. “I can’t imagine how you must feel learning that your sister is alive. The need to get to her must be tremendous. You want to help her, join her even, but the simple truth is…you don’t know her. She could be your ally. She could also be your enemy.”
“That’s for me to determine,” Synne stated, lifting her chin.
Malene let those words hang in the air for a beat before she replied. “A war is on the horizon. It’s imminent. When you and Lachlan came here, it was because Sybbyl was after you and the bone Lachlan had. We gave you sanctuary. We all planned how we would deal with the Coven and Sybbyl. And while I will still hold to that promise, what I refuse to do is allow anyone to leave with either of you if you go now.”
“You can no’ be serious,” Lachlan said in a shocked voice, his arms falling to his sides.
Armir nodded once. “She is.”
Synne said nothing, her gaze locked with Malene’s. She had no idea what the Hunter was thinking, and it didn’t matter. Malene had more than just two people to think about. She had an entire city and its occupants to keep safe, even if the Coven won.
“The two of you can leave now. Today,” Malene continued. “Or, you can wait, and let us see what we can learn about your sister.”
Synne shook her head sadly then looked at Lachlan. “I just found Asrail when Sybbyl took her. Though we lost your sword and a bone of the First Witch, by some miracle, you survived Avis’s magic. I discovered that my younger sister is still alive, and I’m supposed to wait? I can’t do that.”
“Malene has a point,” Lachlan said. “I’ll stand with you no matter what you decide, but more information is always better.”
“The trees told me nothing else.”
Armir shrugged. “Ask them again. Ask them over
and over. Maybe they didn’t tell you because they didn’t know yet.”
Malene frowned as she had the distinct feeling that someone was listening to their conversation. She walked to the door of her chambers and opened it to look out into the darkness. No one was on the stairs outside the tower.
“What is it?” Armir asked as he came up behind her.
She peered into the darkness. “I thought someone was out here.”
“Knocking?”
She shrugged, not wanting to say anything just yet.
Armir gently pulled her aside and looked out himself. Then he shut the door and faced her. “This door is spelled so no one can get in unless you want them here. No one can hear what’s happening inside either.”
“I know.” Yet none of that rid her of the feeling within her.
Lachlan caught their attention. “Is everything all right?”
“It’s fine,” Armir said.
Malene followed Armir back to the others. “Synne, you were destined to find us because you were meant to fight alongside the Varroki when we go up against the Coven.”
“What if there isn’t a battle?” Synne asked.
Armir propped a hip on the table. “No one wants a war, but that doesn’t mean we can stop it.”
“We can if we free Asrail and my sister joins us.”
Malene smiled and tried not to look over her shoulder like someone was there, eavesdropping. “That is a lovely thought. How do you think you can get to Asrail, who is no doubt surrounded by Gira? Not to mention finding your sister during all of that.”
“Then there’s the Coven,” Armir added.
Synne threw her hands up as frustration filled her face. “I don’t know! I’m willing to try whatever is necessary, though. Is either of you? Or do you both just want to hide in the tower and pretend that none of this is happening?”
“Lass,” Lachlan said in a soft voice as he moved to stand before her. His hands came up to grasp her shoulders as his voice lowered so only the two of them could hear.
Armir caught her eye. “What is it?”
Malene shook her head. She was sending out a little magic at a time, trying to determine if someone was trying to invade the tower or her head. She didn’t think Sybbyl had that kind of magic, but she wasn’t going to be taken unawares if she could help it. Her instincts told her that someone was listening. She’d never had such a strong reaction before, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized that this wasn’t the first time she’d felt something like this. The times before had been so slight that it had nearly gone unnoticed. If this time hadn’t been so intense, she probably wouldn’t have recognized it now either.
Armir wasn’t taking her silence. He straightened and walked to her. Without saying a word, his fingers wrapped around her wrists, and he lifted her fisted hands so her palms faced her. The blue radiance filtered through the cracks between her fingers. Malene pulled her arms away and put her hands behind her back. She frowned and shook her head at Armir. He got the hint and remained silent as he returned to his position by the table.
A few minutes later, Lachlan moved aside and nodded to her and Armir. “A lot has happened in a short period. Synne just wants to help her family.”
“As anyone would,” Malene said. “If your sister is against the Coven, then I’ll be standing right beside you to help find her. But you must understand that I have to think of more than just what I want.”
Synne flashed her a quick smile. “I know. I apologize for my outburst. I just feel like time is slipping away.”
“Because it is.” Malene hadn’t wanted to tell them so soon, but she realized she could no longer put it off. She glanced at Armir to find him frowning at her. “I know where Sybbyl is. She’s called the entire Coven to her.”
Lachlan smiled. “Then we know where to attack them. Unless you want her to come here.”
“She’ll never find this place,” Armir declared.
Malene swallowed. “Avis and Elin both managed to get out of Blackglade. Avis will have a difficult time returning because she was considered an enemy. Elin, however, is another story.”
“You think they took the sword to Sybbyl and will come here,” Synne said.
“That’s a possibility, but if what Avis told you is true, she intends to keep the sword herself.”
Armir’s voice was filled with fury when he said, “Then she’ll be easy to find and kill.”
“We can no’ go after three different people,” Lachlan said. “We need to focus on one. And right now, the biggest threat is Sybbyl and the Coven. If Sybbyl is defeated, then Avis can step right in.”
Synne’s lips twisted. “I’m sure she’s hoping for exactly that.”
“No matter what we do, the Coven will always be around in one form or another,” Malene said. “It’s balance. Where there is good, there must be evil. And where there is evil, there needs to be good. We were able to keep the Coven in check for the most part. Edra and Radnar’s Hunters helped a lot. Was it a perfect solution? Not by any means. But it was something.”
Armir’s brows snapped together. “What are you suggesting?”
“I don’t know,” Malene admitted as the prickling sensation on her neck intensified. “There is something…just out of reach. If I can get a handle on it, then I may know what our next step should be.”
Synne studied her for a moment. “Are you saying that we shouldn’t attack the Coven?”
She parted her lips to reply when she stilled. Her gaze jerked to Armir as chills raced over her body. She whirled around, hands up as she stretched her fingers. “Someone is listening.”
18
“Someone is listening.”
Brom came awake as he jerked his hands up to shield his face from the blue magic. It was the first time he’d ever seen a face as he listened in on the Varroki. This was the second time it had happened without him trying to connect with them. It felt as if he were in the room with Malene, Armir, Lachlan, and Synne. Their voices had been so clear and loud. But he had seen nothing.
Until Malene spun around. He’d looked into her gray eyes, shocked to see that she was much younger than he’d expected. And beautiful.
When he realized that he wouldn’t have to defend himself against the magic of the Lady of the Varroki, Brom ran a hand down his face. He blinked into the darkness, trying to get his bearings. He shook off the light dusting of snow and got to his feet to get his blood flowing to warm up.
As he did, he thought over the conversation he’d heard at Blackglade. Synne needed to know about Runa. The problem was, he wasn’t sure what to tell her, even if he could. Then his gaze landed on a tree.
Synne had said the trees had told her she had a sister. How was it that she could speak to trees? Then there was Asrail. That must be the family member Runa had spoken of helping. But if the Coven had Asrail, then there was no help for her. Unless she was being held to get to Synne or Runa.
Or both of them.
But…why? What was it about Runa and Synne that was so important? The more Brom tried to figure it out, the more confused he became. Runa had known of magic, but he didn’t think she was a witch. Even if she had been, once he told her that he was a warlock, there would have been no reason for her not to tell him.
“Then what?” he asked.
Brom shook his head. He’d have to think on that some more. For now, he had another idea. He faced the nearest tree. “I know you can hear me. I wish I could hear you, as well, but that will have to wait for another day. There is something important I need you—all of you—to do. Carry a message for me.” He put his hand on the tree, hoping that it would sense how imperative this was. “Please tell Synne, the Hunter with the Varroki, that her sister, Runa, is going to help their grandmother, Asrail. Runa is alone, and she will need help.”
He stood there silently for another few moments before he dropped his hand and stepped back. “Please hurry. I think we’re running out of time.”
If he thought
the trees might respond in some way, he was vastly disappointed. Brom had no way of knowing if his plea had worked or not. Maybe the trees couldn’t understand him as they could Synne. Regardless, it was worth a try.
He drew in a breath and looked around. There were still several hours before dawn. He doubted that he would get any more sleep, but trying to find signs of Runa now would be folly. It was too dark. Yet the dusting of snow might very well hide anything he could have found anyway.
It felt as if obstacles were being put in his way to slow him—or to stop him. If that were the case, then whoever was doing this had no way of knowing how stubborn he was. But even he had to see that his only course of action for the present was waiting until dawn. The mountain was too treacherous, and he didn’t know it well enough to move about in the dead of night. Especially when there was no moon to help light the way.
If he weren’t so near the Coven, then he’d use magic. Instead, he had to keep that hidden, as well, and use his other skills. It made things difficult and took him twice as long, but the alternative wasn’t an option.
Brom situated himself against the boulders once more. He flexed his fingers to help stave off the cold, but it permeated everything. It was easy to say that winters weren’t that bad when there was a cottage with a fire within. Being in the elements had him wishing it was any other season.
He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Almost immediately, he felt the pull of his mind toward Blackglade. Brom tried to withstand it, but he was powerless to resist. Asa had warned him that being so close to the Varroki would mean he couldn’t control it. She was right.
There was only silence now. No conversations, laughter, or the battle magic lessons Armir had begun with Malene. Brom didn’t realize how much he had come to enjoy the small peeks he had gotten into those at Blackglade.
“Who are you?” Malene asked, breaking the quiet.
The darkness Brom usually saw began to lighten gradually. He’d never tried to talk to them before. He wasn’t even sure he could. “Brom.”