by T. G. Ayer
“Why? Did you wonder if the MindMelder might turn out to be Wade?” she asked with a delicate shudder.
“Nah. He’s got the wrong bits. Grams and Celeste both confirmed that the prophecy is talking about women.”
Darcy smiled. “Sorry about my reticence. I’ve been in a position before where I was interrogated regarding the Ni’amh, and I wasn’t sure I could trust you. I was told that there were too many elements out to obtain control of either one or all the members of the group.”
“And you would be right about that,” said Ivy and she closed in on us with Cassie in tow.
Kai was also returning with Nerina, and I wasn’t sure how I refrained from uttering the groan of relief that wanted to rip itself out of me.
“So you’ve all received the letter, which means we are at least on the same page. What I need to find out is what each of you knows about the Ni’amh and your roles in the prophecy.”
Nerina nodded, but before she could speak, I said, “But we may have to wait until we get back from the mission tomorrow night. There’s still a few things to do, and we all need to get some good rest in.”
Everyone nodded, and Kai smiled. “I’m really relieved we didn’t have to deal with you guys being clueless. Even more glad that we’re all friends.”
“Yeah, whatever is in store for us will definitely work out a little easier, since we already know we gel,” said Cassie. Her smile though was a little tense, and I had to wonder what she wasn’t telling us.
Unlike the rest of the women around me, Cassie was the only one who I was yet to get to know. Yes, we’d worked together a few times, but never under circumstances where we could get to know each other on a more personal level.
There was still time for that, though.
I stifled a yawn and grinned as I set off a chain of yawns. We chatted as we headed up to the house and said our goodbyes, everyone departing to leave Steph and Drake with Natasha and me.
This was a team we were already well familiar with, so we gathered around the kitchen table as Natasha pulled out cookies and made tea and coffee.
Natasha and I took our drinks and cookies to her study, where she closed the door and gave me a searching look. “Are you sure you’re up for this? I don’t think you’ve rested at all since you woke up.”
I steeled myself against rolling my eyes. “I’m fine. I’m going to crash as soon as I get home and if I sleep until sunset, I’ll be good.”
She snorted. “As if you will.”
I shrugged. “Nothing much to do now until sundown. Logan will give us a rundown of tactical plans before we leave, and that should be enough. I mean, it’s not as though we have much of a choice, considering Aisha refused to join us. I have no idea what is going on with her.”
“Must be something big, if you ask me.”
I stilled for a moment and considered that. “Whatever it is, it must be big. Or else I’m not sure I can forgive her for leaving us in the lurch.”
My lids were heavy now, and I took a deep breath. “Are you coming with us?” I hadn’t meant for the question to be so abrupt, but it was too late, and Natasha wouldn’t care anyway.
She sighed. “Considering the seriousness of this mission, I hardly think I could remain behind, even if I wanted to. Who knows what you are up against, you’re going in mostly blind. Seriously, you need all the help you can get, so stop fussing and go home and have a rest.”
I obeyed and shimmered away, remembering a little too late that I’d forgotten all about Steph and Drake.
I was asleep before I could think about messaging them an apology.
Chapter 37
I wasn’t kidding Natasha when I predicted only waking up at sundown. When I finally cracked open my eyes, I found myself staring at the window which was currently filled with the orange and blue glow of the setting sun.
My throat was parched, and I was so hungry that my stomach hurt. Ignoring all need for sustenance, I stumbled into the shower and then dressed in my battle gear—blue jeans, black boots and a dark skin-tight sweater beneath a leather jacket.
My weapons were downstairs in the study, so I gave the room one last check, made the bed, and headed downstairs, from where the sounds of voices and glass clinking filtered through to me.
“And here she is, back to the land of the living,” said Steph as I entered the kitchen, glaring at her.
“Shush. You’re way too loud for this early in the morning,” I muttered and made a beeline for the coffee pot.
And I sat with my cup, and I stared around me at Kai and Logan, Steph in the corner chatting with Baz and Lily, Nerina and Darcy to my left, Natasha and Drake to my right. Only Cassie and Ivy were yet to arrive.
Logan tapped the table, and the low murmurs of conversation petered to silence. “So, I’ve sent you all the preliminary plan of attack. We enter using the key, the jumpers make their way to the palace with their passenger, and I’ll take those who remain. Everyone’s been assigned weapons and ammo—please keep them locked and loaded at all times. I’m thinking it’s a little too late to be asking if everyone’s familiar with handling firepower.”
A round of snickers filled the room, and Logan grinned. “Yeah, I get it. Firepower. You guys are so hilarious.”
I grinned along with the team and then said. “So what do we have to eat. I’m famished, and I will die of hunger if I don’t at least have two full meals before we leave.”
“Two?” asked Lily her eyes wide as she tried hard to look serious.
I nodded. “One now, and the next one at eleven before we leave. I’m not taking any chances. Who knows how long we’ll be in Mithras, and even then I have no idea what type of food they have there.”
“Mel, it’s the djinn realm not some deep dark corner of Wrythiin or something,” said Cassie shaking her head. “Now that’s a realm you need to sample if you want to taste bad food. Whatever those steaks were, they certainly weren’t grass-fed, four-legged anything.” She sighed and shook her head, ignoring everyone as they teased her about her taste in red meat and how significant the number of legs a beast had was to the flavor of its flesh.
The meal progressed as Logan outlined the route we would take, using what he could recall of Saleem’s descriptions of the city of Kamsin.
“It’s a pity you can’t project and ask him for details.”
“Too risky,” said Darcy. “Even if she connected with him in a dream, the chances of Ward spotting her are high. The dream state is accessible to a MindMelder at any point in time. So when Saleem first contacted you, it was likely that Ward hadn’t yet begun his treatments.”
I nodded, not really wanting to think about Saleem’s pain. “My hands are tied until the agreed time. I wish I knew what he was planning.”
“Are you thinking we’re all walking into a trap?” asked Drake, his eyes glittering.
“No,” I replied slowly, rolling my eyes. “But now that you mention it, there is a possibility that we need to take into consideration. Which is why I think we need to make sure that no more than two of us are ever in the same place at the same time.”
Logan nodded. “Yep. I’ve paired everyone off, and we’re all good to go. Natasha wanted to go over wards and spells and stuff?” He glanced over at the white witch who nodded and leaned forward.
She reached down to the floor beside her and lifted a small satchel onto the table. “I’ve prepared a talisman for each of you. It will give you some protection against any kind of magical attack. It also has a semi camouflaging power which will help if you get too close to the enemy.”
She pushed the bag toward Kai who retrieved one small pouch and passed the rest on. The satchel made its way around the table and returned to Natasha empty.
“Now, inside the pouch, you will find a pin. It’s not just there for the contribution of the protection of iron. The potion within the talisman needs your blood to be complete and to initiate the protection of your body. Also, please add a strand of your hair to the pouch as well.”
Drake chuckled. “Next you’re going to ask for a single drop of tears and a glob of spit.”
“Eww,” said Lily and she withdrew her pin and proceeded to draw a few drops of her blood.
“He’s not too far off,” said Natasha. “We do need some form of a bodily fluid, so tears or spit are fine. I won’t recommend you pee into the pouch though. They tend to obliterate the effect of the spell.”
“So what you’re saying is all I have to do to break the spell is to pee on the hex-bag?” asked Kai, attempting an innocent expression and failing.
Natasha snorted but didn’t bother to reply. The team proceeded to complete the blood and spit ritual, then added their hair and tied the knot on the pouch, three times according to Natasha’s instructions.
All done, we hung the pouches around our necks, and I tucked it inside my sweater. “Good thing we didn’t have to pee on these things,” I muttered as I pulled up the neck of my sweater and settled the bag against my chest.
Kai said, “Yeah, I don’t think I’d have handled a bag of pee so close to my boobs.”
Chapter 38
“Shut up, Kai,” said Lily and Baz at the same time, which sent the rest of us into peals of laughter.
We completed the meal and retired to the study with Logan and Kai and Ivy while the rest of the team went to the living room.
Ivy took one of the chairs in front of my desk and sank into it with a sigh. “I’ve got the plans, but bear in mind, we may encounter changes if any were made in the last two years. I’ve also done some digging into Mithras and what’s been going on there recently. From what we know, they’ve been huge suppliers of wind energy. They discovered a method to harness energy and store it for a limited time, which is quite a deal breaker in the Earth realm.”
“That’s an understatement,” Kai muttered.
“There does appear to be a clear link between Omega and Division 7. After what you told me about Aisha’s captivity and Omega’s manipulations and then Agent Blake’s presence in Mithras, it was easy enough to parse what was being said between the lines. Sentinels files were coded above my clearance level, but it didn’t take a genius to figure it out.
“Plus, the details of the investigations into Omega’s underhanded dealings over the last decade have uncovered a lot of unsavory transgressions.”
Logan’s expression was hard as he stared off into space and said, “Omega has a lot to be accountable for. The only problem is I find it hard to see how they can be held to account for any of it. I mean, even if they are found guilty, what justice would any of us see for what they’ve put us through?
Ivy smiled sadly. “I know, my dear. But the Immortal Council is well aware that the individuals hurt by Omega—and now Division 7—no doubt, will not likely be compensated. The hope now is that they bring their crimes to a public forum, so the supernatural realms and peoples know what will happen if anyone attempts to emulate or duplicate their efforts.”
Kai folded her arms. “Do you really think this show of justice is going to be making any difference? Omega’s been on a totally different track all along. And The Supreme High Council had to accept the blame for their gullibility; they really believed that the members of the Council of Enoch were no longer subverting the laws of the DarkWorld. Pretty naive, if you ask me.”
I nodded in agreement. Kai pretty much hit the nail on the head. “I’m not really sure how the council was convinced they were toeing the line. Depending on how you look at it, we could all hold the Supreme High Council responsible for what happened to us.” I glanced over at Logan and Kai. “Logan, Saleem, and even Kai? Who knows who else has been affected. I’m only surprised I wasn’t either.”
“And how do you know you weren’t?” Asked Ivy, her eyes glittered as she met my gaze.
I scowled. “What’s that supposed to mean? I’m not the one who’s had my mind violated, who’s had my memories and my reality stolen, who’s almost been killed more than just a few times by random people including Division 7?”
Ivy’s smile had disappeared by now, and I paused. “Do you know something? Does it have to do with Ari?” I whispered.
Ivy shook her head. “Well, not exactly.” She reached into her large purse and set down a stack of photographs onto the desk, fanning them out for us all to see.
I gasped, though it came out more like a choked squawk. As I stared down at the crime scene photographs of Detective Pete Fulbright. I shook my head. “I haven’t even given him a moment’s thought since I found him,” I said softly as I studied the images.
Logan grunted. “You don’t owe the man a thing. He stalked and persecuted you for almost half your life.”
“Don’t mean I get to be happy he’s dead.”
Ivy broke in, preventing Logan from saying anything further. “While I was reading through the investigative notes, I came across some communications between an agent from Division 7 and Fulbright. He’d been encouraging the detective to keep hounding you, implying that one day you will break.”
I stared at Ivy shaking my head slowly. “Are you saying that whatever he’s done to me in the past was because some agent was twisting his mind?” I wasn’t sure I liked the idea of Fulbright getting off scot-free. I still had it in for the guy, dead or not.
But Ivy shook her head and dropped a file onto the desk. “No, the guy’s not that lucky. His passion and ongoing tenacity in remaining on your case must have flagged him. The 7 Agent approached him a couple of years ago, just keeping himself in the loop, promising to put in a good word for Fulbright, dangling a carrot too, nice cushy agent office job.”
“Bulldust,” I muttered.
“Of course. But, Fulbright did keep him in the loop, so even you’ve had someone surveilling you for at least the last couple years.”
“I feel so blessed at having been included.” I let out a sigh and shared an amused, yet pained glance with Kai.
For a few moments, the study remained silent, and then Ivy clapped her hands together, ever the mother-figure. “Shall we get this show on the road? I ain’t getting any younger.”
She swiveled on her heel, striding out of the room, her long blonde hair swaying behind her. I shook my head and smiled, then, smirking, I looked over at my three friends and said, “You heard the woman.”
With everyone geared up, we made our way over to Natasha’s house, jumpers transporting those who lacked the ability. The time before our departure had been an odd combination of relaxed and tense, which I took to be a good thing. Fresh and ready to go.
Soon we were gathered before the pond at the back of Natasha’s property, the surface of the dark water glinting in the moonlight. The white witch was dressed for battle, her attire strange to my eyes, given that I was so used to seeing her in flowing silky kaftans.
Dark jeans and an emerald green sweater that was so dark that only when she moved and the moonlight struck the fabric just right was I able to differentiate the color from mere black.
Nerina moved toward me, reaching inside her satchel. She withdrew a black velvet pouch and handed it to me, her expression sober. I could feel her tension, and I knew what she was thinking.
Probably exactly the same thing that I was thinking; that stealing the key from the high priestess of the DeathTalkers had been worth the danger and the possible ramifications.
I took the pouch and weighed it in the palm of my hand, bouncing it a few times as I stared out at the water. When I glanced back at Nerina, I received a disapproving glare.
“What? Don’t tell me portal keys get seasick.”
Nerina rolled her eyes. “Just get on with it. I’m sure you know the drill.”
I shook my head and smiled. “This isn’t my usual mode of travel, but I think I can manage.”
Natasha drew close to my elbow. “You want to be over there,” she pointed a few yards away, where the grass met the water at a sharp edge, “where the water is deep. We can jump from that spot quite comfortably.”
I nodded and strode o
ver, aware that Kai followed me closely. She’d been very silent for the most part, even with Logan, who seemed to hover in much the same manner as Drake, eyes scanning everything, spine tense as though prepared for any eventuality.
I reached the edge of the embankment and upended the pouch over my palm as Nerina called the team together to gather behind me.
The cool metal of the portal key hit my palm, its energy a slight tickling buzz against my skin. I gripped it tightly and headed to the edge of the beach. With a quick glance over my shoulder, I scanned the faces of my team who had followed me to the narrow clearing.
Beyond them were ancient trees, trunks thick and dark, branches filled with dense leaves. It gave the pond and its immediate surroundings a feeling of safety, lending a little peace to my troubled mind.
The expressions of the team were all filled with anticipation and tension.
I threw them a nod, the confidence within the movement a total lie.
Then I faced the water and flung the key out over the darkness.
The metal disk soared through the air and stopped three feet out, hovering over the water, held above the dark, glassy surface by some unknown power. The key began to spin, and I sensed the rise in the tension behind me, my astral energies picking up on the auras of the team.
Then, without warning, a column of light flashed from the water, slipping through the empty center of the portal key, then rising into the night sky. The magic of the key was an ongoing fascination to me, but I forced myself to concentrate and not think about my form passing through a hole the size of my thumb.
Another glance backward and I faced the column of light, jumping the three feet toward the center. The way the portal key worked was the light drew the user into itself, then funneled them into the portal key. The key then directed the user to the destination for which it was fashioned.
I hit the column of light and passed through with ease, but when my essence, which by now had been transformed into a substance of the ether, entered the portal, everything shifted.