by Donna Grant
She looked at her wrist again. What was it about Helena’s magic that caused such a reaction? The witch was powerful, but no more than Sybbyl. The only difference between them was that while Sybbyl had a bone, Helena was a direct descendent of the First Witch. A living, breathing person might be considered stronger than a single bone.
Though Sybbyl would’ve had more than one bone if Avis hadn’t turned against her. Sybbyl wasn’t a fool. She knew the moment the witch hadn’t returned that Avis had taken the sword for herself. Not that it mattered. Avis wouldn’t get far.
Sybbyl almost felt sorry for the witches she’d sent out to look for Avis. The only way Avis would return was if she wanted to. Anyone who forced her would feel her wrath magnified by the sword she’d stolen.
While Sybbyl wasn’t pleased she had been deceived, she had to admit that what Avis had done took courage. It was precisely something Sybbyl would’ve done in her place. Perhaps she should’ve seen what Avis was about. Then again, Sybbyl wasn’t worried about Avis. Bone or not, Avis was no match for Sybbyl one on one, and Sybbyl wasn’t alone. She had the Gira.
The more time that passed after the healing spell, the better she felt. With her mind cleared from the pain, she could think about her plans for the Varroki and how she was going to find more bones. She could take the time now to search out more of the First Witch, but she would rather deal with the Varroki first. Then there would be nothing standing in her way.
Her gaze dropped to the staff. This was usually the time when it told her that of course something would always stand in her way. She didn’t have all the bones, nor would she ever get her hands on the Blood Skull. Which meant there would always be someone opposing her.
That used to bother Sybbyl. Now, she didn’t care. If the Blood Skull was so powerful, why wasn’t the Warden, Braith, here with the relic and his wife, the Hunter, Leoma? They weren’t here because everyone knew she was unstoppable.
“My queen.”
Sybbyl’s head turned to the side to see a petite witch with mousy brown hair and eyes watching her. “Aye?”
“A group of witches has returned.”
Sybbyl nodded, feeling the weight of the large, black crown atop her head. “Send them to me.” When they came into the clearing, Sybbyl looked them up and down. “Did you find anything?”
“We had Avis’s trail,” an older woman with salt and pepper hair said. “Then it disappeared.”
Sybbyl frowned. “Disappeared how?”
“She just seemed to vanish,” a tall redhead said.
The rest nodded in agreement.
There were only two ways to disappear. One was with a spell, but Sybbyl knew it left a witch weak to use it for traveling great distances. Avis had been unwavering in her desire to lead the Coven one day. There was no way she would travel away from the coming war. Her only option was to join Sybbyl in a bid to jointly take out the Varroki. Sybbyl wasn’t a fool. She would’ve taken that offer, then killed Avis the first chance she got. Which, no doubt, the witch planned to do with her, as well.
The other way was with the Gira. No other creature in the world could make someone vanish like the nymphs could. And they knew what Avis had done. They also knew that Sybbyl was looking for the witch.
Sybbyl wrapped her hand around the staff and anchored it in the ground to use to help her rise. She braced herself, hoping her wounds didn’t start to fester again. To her delight, they didn’t. Feeling better than she had in weeks, Sybbyl knew she had one place she needed to go.
She nodded to the witches. “Thank you for returning so quickly with the news. Rest and recharge with the others. It won’t be long now before we face the Varroki.”
When the witches turned away, Sybbyl walked from the Grove into the thick, twisting branches of the trees surrounding it. She walked past trunks, noting only a few Gira remained. There had been great excitement when she allowed the nymphs to take Asrail and use her to get Synne’s attention, but she hadn’t expected so many of them to leave.
Sybbyl wound her way through the forest, looking for the Gira. The farther she went from the Grove without finding them, the more concerned she became. Just where had the nymphs gone? Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a Gira, who had turned her head from the tree, watching her.
“Where are they?” Sybbyl asked without looking at the nymph. When the Gira didn’t answer immediately, she looked at her.
The nymph dropped her arms from around the tree and stepped back before facing Sybbyl. The Gira held her head high, uncaring that she was naked, and her skin looked and felt like bark. “Follow me.”
Sybbyl didn’t like the uncertainty she felt. Something had changed, and she wasn’t sure what. Or even when it had happened. But there was no denying something was different. How that would affect her in her bid to take out the Varroki, Sybbyl didn’t know. It was another reason to track down the Gira. There was a good chance she would find out what she needed from the nymphs.
The Gira she followed took her farther up the mountain and then over it before they began their descent. Halfway down, Sybbyl spotted the loch and some of the nymphs. She tried to think about what could’ve changed with the Gira, and the only thing she could think of was Avis. Had she gone to the nymphs? Had they aligned with the witch? That couldn’t be possible. Avis wasn’t the leader of the Coven. Which meant, she didn’t have the power Sybbyl did.
No matter how hard she tried to find the answer, Sybbyl kept coming up empty. As she neared the loch, she noticed that some of the Gira didn’t even look her way as if she didn’t matter. They were the ones who’d said they would follow her. She hadn’t gone after them to join her, so it shouldn’t bother her so much that they didn’t seem to care that she was here now. But it did.
Sybbyl came to a halt when five Gira—four females and a male—stood before her. Some might think the five had come forward to greet her, but she knew they had situated themselves so she couldn’t go any farther. Sybbyl looked over them to the loch and the forest that curved around it. What was in there the nymphs wanted to protect? Or keep hidden?
And where was Asrail?
Just a day ago, Sybbyl had known she could command the Gira. She had captured and held Asrail. She had given the nymph to the Gira to call out Synne. So, why did it feel as if they were simply humoring her now?
“I came to check on how things were progressing with Asrail,” Sybbyl said. “I gather the trees have already told Synne that we have her grandmother? When can we expect the Hunter to come? I’ll have the Coven move here in preparation.”
“Asrail is gone,” one of the females in the five said.
Sybbyl glanced around to see more and more of the Gira turning her way. “It matters not that she’s dead. Her body will be enough to draw out Synne.”
“We never said she was dead,” another female said.
The lone male replied, “We said she was gone.”
Sybbyl struggled to keep her fury in check. “You let her go?”
“We did,” a third female answered.
Sybbyl couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Why would you do that? I worked hard to get Asrail, not just for me but for you.”
“Now that’s a lie,” the fourth female said. “You captured Asrail because you couldn’t get any of the others. And you gave her to us because you knew you had no other choice.”
That wasn’t exactly true, but Sybbyl wasn’t going to split hairs. “Where is she? I need to capture her again.”
“She’ll not be harmed,” all the Gira said in unison.
A chill raced down Sybbyl’s spine. Something had absolutely changed. And it was time to find out what. “What’s going on?”
A tall woman walked out of the forest from behind the five. Her long, blond hair hung freely about her. She wore breeches and had two short swords strapped to her back, but it was the sword she carried in her hand that got Sybbyl’s attention. The staff in Sybbyl’s hand began to vibrate, an indication that the sword held a bone of
the First Witch.
It was likely the very sword Avis had stolen.
The woman said nothing as she reached the five, and they moved aside to let her through until she stood facing Sybbyl. “I wondered how long it would take for you to come.”
“Where is Avis?”
The woman quirked a brow. “Why would you think we would know where one of your witches is?”
“Because of that,” Sybbyl said and jerked her chin to the sword.
The woman merely smiled, not answering.
“Who are you?” Sybbyl demanded, noting the woman’s odd accent.
Blue eyes looked her up and down. “Runa.”
“You say that as if I’m supposed to know you.”
Runa chuckled, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “You had no cause to know me before, but you will after this.”
“And why is that?”
“Because I’m queen of the Gira.”
Sybbyl busted out laughing. Until she realized that no one else was joining her. The laughter faded as she held Runa’s gaze. “You’re serious?”
Runa shrugged. “Ask them if you don’t believe me.”
Sybbyl looked to the five. “You can’t have a queen, especially not one who is human.”
“Why?” the male asked. “Is it because you believed you were our queen?”
One of the females smiled. “And Runa is only half-human. Her other half is Gira.”
Sybbyl knew of only one other who was half-Gira—Synne.
“That’s right. Synne is my sister,” Runa said with a knowing grin.
Everything Sybbyl had put into place was crumbling, but it hadn’t fallen apart yet. The nymphs had been a benefit she had exploited, but she didn’t need them. And she would prove it. She glared at Runa. “What are your plans?”
“What are yours?” the blonde asked in return.
Sybbyl wanted to scream in frustration, but then she reminded herself that all was not lost. There was still a chance that she would vanquish the Varroki and take over the world. “I highly recommend that you don’t stand in my way. The only option you have is to join me. If you do nothing, once I win, I’ll hunt you down and kill you.”
Runa actually smiled and lifted the sword before her face. “I suppose we’ll just have to see what happens.”
Sybbyl spun around and walked away, seething with fury.
23
This had to work. There was no other way. But so much hinged on so very many factors. Brom stood atop Malene’s tower and looked out at the sea, watching the waves whitecap from the winds and the turbulent currents as the sun sank into the horizon. It had been a rough day with many plans discussed, many more thrown out, and all kinds of scenarios put into motion.
“I’m not surprised to find you up here,” Armir said as he came to stand beside him.
Brom shrugged, glancing at him. “I needed some air.”
“This is a great place to get it. I know it’s Malene’s favorite spot.”
“And yours.”
They exchanged a glance, and Armir smiled. “You’re right. How did you guess?”
“If everyone saw this view, they would be up here all the time. Be it the sea, the city, the forest, or the land beyond. It’s stunning.”
“That it is.” They stood in silence for a few moments before Armir asked, “How are you holding up?”
Brom shoved his hair out of his face. “I’m no’ sure. I’m ready to find Runa, and I know there’s a chance she’s out of my reach now, that I may never have her beside me again. I’m anxious to get the battle going, but I know there are so many moving parts to our plan that anything could go wrong.”
“We’ve planned for some of those.”
Brom slid his gaze to Armir’s pale green eyes. “There’s no way we can plan for everything.”
“Our chances of winning are good. I could not say that before Malene brought you here. I think with you, we can end this before too many die.”
Brom didn’t want to carry the weight of that, but there was no way he could release the burden now that Malene had said he was the key. He never would have guessed that by setting out to find Runa, he would assert himself into a war that had the potential to change the entire world.
“You love her,” Armir said.
Brom nodded. “All it took was one meeting, and I knew we were meant to be together. The one night we had was…wonderful.”
“Aye. I can see it every time you speak of her or even say her name.”
Brom smiled and looked back at the sea. “I kept telling myself that I couldn’t fall in love with someone that quickly, that there needed to be time for us to get to know each other. Now, I know how wrong I was.”
Armir made a sound in the back of his throat.
Brom turned his head to look at the commander. Armir was staring off in the distance, but he wasn’t looking at the sea. “You should tell her.”
“What?” Armir asked with a frown as he looked at Brom.
Brom smiled. “You should tell Malene how you feel.”
Armir’s lips parted as if he were going to deny that he felt something, then he looked back at the water. “Perhaps. In time.”
“You have no idea what tomorrow will bring. I wish I would’ve told Runa how I felt. I wish I would’ve done more. I have a second chance now, and nothing will stop me from telling her my feelings.”
“What if she doesn’t return them?”
Brom shrugged. “If she doesna, then I’ll accept that. However, I know how she felt in my arms. I know she feels something for me. Is it love yet? I can no’ say, but I’m willing to wait until she’s sure.”
Armir smiled and slapped him on the back. “You know you’re welcome here anytime. You’re Varroki.”
“Even though one of your warriors broke the code and slept with my mother? He told her he was supposed to remain celibate.”
“Everything happens for a reason. Haven’t you figured that out yet?” Armir asked with a grin.
Brom laughed. “I’m beginning to.”
Their smiles died as the sun finally sank into the horizon.
“It’s time,” Armir said in a soft voice.
Brom turned on his heel and walked to the stairs. He ascended to the first door and entered Malene’s chamber, where everyone waited. Armir was right on his heels and closed the door behind them.
After a day of recovery, as well as food and a short nap, Malene looked hale and hearty once more. She gave him a nod. “Ready?”
“As I’ll ever be,” Brom said as he made his way to her.
Everyone stood in a circle except for Helena. She sat before the fire, facing them. Jarin called to her, but the witch didn’t answer. Everyone then looked over at her. As they watched, she began to slowly rise into the air.
“Her eyes,” Lachlan whispered.
Helena’s green eyes were now glowing as brightly as an emerald. Jarin rushed to her, but before he could touch her, Malene batted his hands away.
“Don’t,” the Lady of the Varroki said.
Jarin shot her a dark look. “Something is happening to her.”
“She’s not in pain,” Armir said.
Helena suddenly spoke, but it wasn’t her voice that came out. “The time is now. The others have been called to right the balance once more. Where there is poison, there is a cure. You know the way.”
The last part was spoken with Helena looking right at Brom. It felt as if he’d been punched in the gut. Helena lowered back to the floor and blinked. Whatever had overtaken her was gone. She looked to Jarin, who wrapped his arms around her. The warrior held her tightly as everyone else looked at Brom.
“Who was that speaking?” Synne asked.
Malene said, “Thea, the First Witch. I’ve heard her voice in my head many times.”
After Jarin had gotten Helena on her feet, she looked at him. “You know what Trea was referring to, don’t you?”
“I do,” Brom admitted.
Lachlan’s frow
n deepened. “What is it?”
“Runa,” he answered.
Synne smiled at him. “You think you can reach Runa through the Gira?”
“I do,” Brom told her.
Armir nodded at Malene. “I think we should get going then.”
“Wait,” Helena said. “Trea showed me something that I think you all should know. First, you won’t be the only ones fighting against the Coven.”
Malene looked pleased with the news. “Did she say who would join us?”
“Braith and Leoma and Ravyn and Carac. She’s commanded Braith to bring the skull.”
Jarin’s brows shot up on his forehead. “And here we thought it would be better not to have the other bones here.”
“Trea wouldn’t lead us wrong,” Malene stated.
Helena swung her gaze to Jarin. “There’s one more thing. She said if I go, and the power of the heart combines with the other bones, we’re all but ensured a victory.”
“But?” Jarin said when she paused.
“Trea warned me there is a chance I could lose the baby if I go.”
Brom was glad that he wasn’t in Jarin’s shoes, because he wasn’t sure what he’d do. Some might say the couple could have another child in the future, but nothing was ever guaranteed.
Jarin asked, “What do you want to do, my love? It is your body.”
“It’s our child,” she argued.
He grinned and gave her a kiss on the lips. “True, but no one knows more than you how important this battle is. Whatever you decide, I’ll stand by your decision.”
“I’m going,” Helena declared.
The seven of them gathered together in a circle, holding hands. Everyone with magic said the spell Malene had taught them earlier. Brom braced for the pain as the final words fell from his lips, and they were transported from the tower in Blackglade to the forest in the Cairngorm Mountains.
Night blanketed the land when they arrived. Brom turned away to empty his stomach before he collapsed. He spotted Armir and Malene holding onto each other just as he lost consciousness.