Chapter 274: Chosen Of The Light
The world wavered, wobbled. Shapes drifted past me, sounds echoing in and out. I struggled to rise, caught a distorted image of Sassafras, his mouth gaping open, magic flashing, people being thrown about. He staggered as I had, a cloth shoved over his face as he collapsed backward into the arms of someone dressed in white.
A familiar face drifted into view, her petite features twisted into a snarl of hate. I recognized Rosetta, the white Chosen robe she wore, but was unable to gather my magic, my senses, my head still ringing from the blow I'd taken.
I knew I had to get up, get moving, go after him, save him... but the world wobbled again and I collapsed sideways, reaching out to him.
White robes surrounded me, hands grasping, pulling. My demon lashed out on her own, Shaylee at her side, their combined magic sending the Chosen members flying back from me though I was only peripherally aware they took action. The pain had come at last, disorientation fed by agony of a pulsing, knife blade of pain driving through the back of my head.
Oblivion was the only alternative.
A wet tongue swiped over my cheek, breath carrying the scent of earth and a growing thunderstorm. I groaned, felt soft fur nudge my face, a stream of healing Sidhe magic sliding over my scalp and into my body, waking me in an instant.
I sat bolt upright, swaying as dizziness took me for a moment, the great black dog pressing his huge head under my body to hold me up. I hugged him hard, breathing in his scent while I pulled myself together.
"Sassy." I looked into Galleytrot's big dark eyes, seeing the stirring red fire deep inside.
"I felt Shaylee's call," he said. "I came as quickly as I could." He nudged me again. "Your mother is coming. It might be good to have you on your feet by the time she arrives."
He was so right. I used him for leverage, but by the time I was standing I was already feeling much better. His magic healed the wound and what I'm sure had to have been one doozy of a concussion.
The Chosen of the Light hadn't learned their lesson yet, it seemed. Time to bring school back into session.
Mom came running through the grass in her bare feet, face desperate. I reached for her immediately and she grasped onto my magic, grabbing me the moment she was in reach, hugging me tight.
"What happened?" She looked down at Galleytrot who sat on his haunches, tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth.
"I'm not sure," he said. "Only that Shaylee told me to hurry."
"The Chosen." I snarled it like it was offensive. It was. "They attacked us, hit me, tried to kidnap me." My fingers sought out the crystal in my pocket. Still there. Small miracles. But without Sassafras to funnel Dad's power into it, feed it, build his power inside, there was nothing I could do to help my dying father.
The source of my hope was gone.
"Mom," I choked, "they took Sassafras."
She twitched, like I hit her. "We'll find him."
Damned straight. The memory of Rosetta's face wavering in my mind sent my blood pressure so high I gasped for air around the anger I felt.
"This is the last time," I snarled. "They are so finished." Mom reached for me, but I pulled away. "Let me handle this. You stay with Dad. He needs you. The Chosen of the Light are my problem."
Before Mom could answer, the air rippled and Sunny emerged from flickering shadow. "What happened?" One quick word to her was all it took. "I'm coming with you," she said.
"So am I." Galleytrot chuffed deeply, the red fire in his eyes burning brighter.
Mom couldn't argue with them.
She returned to the house without much of a struggle, though I could tell she was at war with her decision. I waited for her to disappear from view before turning to Galleytrot.
"Track him."
The big dog huffed a breath and immediately turned away, loping through the line of trees. I suppressed a shudder of deja-vu and the last time I was in these woods at night, begging Sunny to make me a vampire so I could have some power, any power, to battle the Wild Hunt. My demon grumbled at me, though with good nature, and I knew she was as happy to be home with me as I was to have her.
Sunny and I reached the street where Galleytrot stood, head in the air, sniffing in every direction. He finally swung toward me, growling softly under his breath.
"They put him in a vehicle," he said in his voice like a waking volcano. "Normally I'd be able to track him no matter what, but his scent just disappears."
"Magic." I felt around, finding nothing. But that didn't mean squat. Most of the Chosen I knew with power were sorcerers and it was almost impossible to detect their kind of magic.
"We don't track him then," I said, a familiar face popping into my head. "We track one of the Chosen."
Sunny nodded. "You know where to find scent for a particular member?"
Did I ever. "Will it work?"
Galleytrot hummed a growl. "It will. If I can single out the person, I can track them to the ends of the earth."
Perfect. "Follow me."
I led them, my magic trail pulling them along as I skimmed the veil. Alison's house soon loomed in sight, as dark as the aging night, empty and hollow. I felt a pang of guilt then, remembering I'd promised my friend we'd talk. Obviously I'd been a little busy, but that fact didn't do much to quell my sense I'd let her down.
I swore to myself as I led my friends around the back of the house to the kitchen door I'd contact her the second I was able.
Sunny paused at the threshold, a shimmer of white light forming around her as she tried to advance closer. Her face twisted in disgust and frustration. "You'll have to do this part without me," she said.
Right. Vampire rules. No invite, no entry. I felt around inside the house first to be sure we wouldn't accidentally stumble on Angela or Alison, but it was, as I thought, completely empty. I slid air magic inside the lock, my fire element severing the elaborate security system connection before I eased open the door and stepped inside.
Galleytrot stayed on my heels all the way to the sink. I spotted what I was looking for hanging by the door to the main house. The soft gray sweater, the one I remembered the nasty little maid wearing, though the sight did nothing to stir happy thoughts. I jerked it from the peg by the door and shoved it under Galleytrot's nose.
"Find Rosetta," I whispered, "and we find Sassafras."
He snorted on the sweater, leaving behind some nice, thick mucus. It made me want to laugh because I knew he did it on purpose.
Sunny hovered, anxious, as we reemerged, breathing a sigh of relief from lungs that no longer drew air from necessity. "You have it?"
Galleytrot once again lifted his huge head, his nose tasting the air. The low growl he'd let out earlier grew in volume, a rumble like the storm he always reminded me of.
"I do." He ran off without us, forcing us to chase him. I knew Sunny was perfectly capable of keeping up so I didn't worry about her. I opened instead to Shaylee and had her lock onto the big dog while my demon and I slid over the stretching rubber making up the gateway between planes.
I could get used to traveling this way. It was smooth, rapid, almost effortless and my demon loved it so much she howled her joy. I felt like I was surfing on thickened air, the world flickering around me, taking me in only long enough to get my bearings before I was sliding through the veil again.
Most awesome. And way faster than driving Minnie, my blue Cooper.
As I chased the black hound through the darkness, I reached for my mother.
We'll be home soon.
I just hoped I could keep my promise this time.
***
