Chapter 292: Coven First
Dad paced the pentagram while Sassy sat just outside it, tail thrashing back and forth, a soft cloud of silver hair floating in the air around him. Dad looked up at me as I descended, hurrying forward to hug me when my feet hit concrete.
I sagged into his arms for a moment, the warmth of his body not quite offsetting the hard edges of his diamond statue, the form of the effigy still present beneath the spirit filling it.
"Syd," he whispered. "It's going to be okay."
Was that for me or for him? I pulled away and nodded. "It is, Dad."
"What were the charges?" He released me and began pacing again. "Do we even know yet?"
I shook my head. "Nothing. Any action like this is supposed to be presented in writing, especially to a coven leader." I'd been brushing up on my coven law. Premonition? I hated to think so.
Dad shook his head, face reddening in anger. "She's still there at least." His hand fell over his heart. "They haven't tried to break our connection. But she's under powerful shields if they can keep so much of her from me." He paused, hesitated. "This is my fault."
My mind flashed to him lying on the floor, blood pooling under the cut in his hand as my stomach turned over slowly, once.
Oh. Crap.
"The blood magic." How had I forgotten? "But you were absolved by the coven."
"But not by the Council." Sassy sounded as grim as I'd ever heard him. "If someone chose to make issue of it, the Council could step in."
Celeste. Damn her. I felt my demon stir once again, almost reached down the connection between she and I to show Celeste just how unhappy I was feeling, but held back at the last second. It was, quite possibly, exactly what she wanted me to do and I refused to give her further ammunition against Mom or me.
"This is the Dumonts," I said. "Plain and simple. If anyone is to blame, Dad, it's them. Besides, you're a demon and you were the practitioner."
"And me." Sassy sighed. "We've both brought this on Miriam."
"Don't you start." I planted my fists on my hips, scowling at the two of them. "I need your brains sharp, guys."
Dad nodded. "There's not much I can do from Demonicon as far as the trial goes, but be sure to call on me as a witness when it starts." He smiled with an expression I had never seen on my father's face before.
I flinched. "You think it will go that far?" I had no idea what to expect from a witch trial, my mind creating a horrible scene involving stakes and fire.
"I do." Dad shrugged. "If this is the Dumonts, and I have no reason to doubt you, Syd, their goal isn't just to bring this family down. They need to publicly humiliate and reduce your mother." His blue eyes flickered with amber magic, but now he looked more sad than angry. "They will do whatever they can to diminish your mother to nothing before they destroy her."
I despised them before, but the more he said the deeper my absolute hatred ran.
"You need to find your grandmother." Dad scowled at Sassafras. "Ethpeal needs to know what's happening."
It was my turn to shrug. "Knowing Gram, she's in the thick of things already." The idea pissed me off. I had no doubt Gram did know in advance and failed to tell me anything in spite of our deep connection. A little warning would have been nice.
"We're forgetting some important players in this." Sassy turned his amber gaze to me. "Dominic Moromond is now the leader of the Enforcers. Which means his disgusting wife, Batsheva, has wormed her way far enough into the hearts of the Council to have some sway over them."
"There's one way around this," Dad said. "I could go get your mother right now."
For a thrilling heartbeat I pictured it, Dad's power tearing wide the veil, no effigy to contain him, his massive demon presence swooping down to claim my mom like the climax of some bad paranormal romance novel.
The dream shattered in a million pieces as my naturally cynical mind went to the aftermath. "Nice thinking," I said, "but there's two problems with that. What about the coven, the family magic?"
He nodded, glum.
"And two," I tried a crooked smile and succeeded, "Mom would kill you."
I made him laugh, chuckle really. But it was enough to diffuse the tension in the room.
"Keep me posted at all times." He paced backward, coming to stand in the middle of the pentagram. "I'll be waiting on the other side of the veil and can be here in a moment." His anger showed itself then, something stirring. "And I won't be alone."
Oh dear. Dad and an army of angry demons? Yeah, the Council would never know what hit them.
"It won't come to that." I hoped, at least. A war between planes would be the very last straw, thank you. I imagined even the magic-dulled folks of Wilding Springs would notice if a horde of demons suddenly appeared in their back yard.
Dad didn't retreat at once. Instead, he looked around the basement with a very sad expression. "All this time I felt useless," he said. "I wanted my power back so I could be here for you, for your mother. And now, here I am, and I still can't do anything to help."
I took a step toward him, but too late. Dad's spirit faded quickly, passing beyond the veil, the statue quickly reverting from flesh and blood to sparkling diamond catching the light of the single hanging bulb.
Sassy sighed and rubbed one paw over his eyes. "That went well."
Not even his snark could make me smile.
Sassy and I made the slow trudge back up the stairs and to the kitchen where Quaid was pouring Meira a glass of soda. They both looked up as we emerged, the silver Persian heading right to my sister. He hopped into her lap, resting his full weight against her as she hugged him and began to stroke his soft fur.
I wasn't surprised he couldn't muster a purr.
I stood there a moment, lost in nothing, not even able to think really, time passing in a blur of empty. Quaid finally moved, coming to my side, his motion jerking me out of my stunned state.
Shock, had to be.
"Sit." He guided me toward a chair. I almost took it before memory clicked in, a child's puzzle of pieces falling together inside my head. Mom. Pender. Alison. Angela. Erica. Galleytrot.
The Vegas.
I pulled away from him. "I need to go." I glanced at Meira as Sassy's head swung around, his bright eyes fixing on me, half lidded. "Martin and Louisa want to talk to me."
Quaid frowned. "Weird, they didn't mention anything to me." He too glanced at Sassy who nodded. "I'll come with you."
I hesitated. I really wanted him to come with me, but I didn't want to leave Meira alone.
"It's okay," she said, voice calm. "Sassy and I can watch the house."
Monkey. Sassy's power reached me, touched mine. I knew he'd never let anything happen to her, not since the night the vampire Nicholas stole her from us. And now he was at full power, he was even more a force to be reckoned with.
"Okay." I smiled a little at Quaid. "Thanks." I blew Meira a kiss which she caught and blew back. "I'll seal the wards so no one can get in."
She nodded bravely. "We'll be fine."
I still paused, unreasonable worry not seeming so unreasonable. "I promise we won't be long."
"Syd." Meira made a shooing gesture. "Just go already."
Quaid chuckled softly. "I fear for our kids."
Now there was a thought to wrap my already stressed out mind around.
I was almost to the door when it swung open and Galleytrot slumped through.
My heart clenched immediately. "Alison?"
He shook his head. "I can't find her." He chuffed a breath. "And I have no idea why. It's like she's not anywhere."
That wasn't possible. "Is she being hidden somehow?" The Dumonts and the Chosen had done something magical to hide Sassy's scent when they kidnapped him. Were they somehow involved?
But Galleytrot shook his head. "No, it doesn't feel like that. Maybe I just don't know her scent as well as I thought." He sounded doubtful.
I ran upstairs, retrieved a shirt of Alison's she'd lent me before rushing back down and handing it to him, shoving it right under his nose. He sighed.
"That's the one I remember." His voice was quiet, empty of the usual rumble accompanying it, his energy so still I barely felt the earth magic making him what he was.
I leaned forward and pressed my forehead to his, breathing in the scent of spring and approaching rain while a war raged inside me. "I need to come with you," I whispered, "but I can't." My heart clenched as tight as my fist around Alison's shirt. "There are times I hate being two people."
He nodded slowly.
There was no question where I belonged. And yet, how could I just abandon Alison when I knew without a doubt she needed me? The next decision I made was so hard I found myself twisting the soft cotton of Alison's shirt between my hands as if I could wring information from it. "Mom has to come first. And the coven." The moment the statement was out my hands unclenched, shoulders sagging as the shirt fell limp from my grip, suddenly feeling useless. "But I need to find Alison."
Galleytrot's tongue swept over my hand, eyes reflecting flickers of red fire as I watched his determination surface. "I'll keep looking, Syd," he said, "and I won't stop until I find her. For you." The big dog spun and ran out again, his magic pulling the door open, the screen once again thudding shut behind him.
I rushed toward the door as he left. This wasn't right. I could spare an hour, surely I could spare that for my friend. I needed to go with him! But Quaid's hand stopped me, pulled me back.
"Syd," he whispered. "You made the right choice. Let Galleytrot handle it. The coven needs you."
I felt them then, the press of them, hovering, waiting to see what I'd do. If I'd fall apart after all, probably. And going after Alison, would it be a sign of weakness at a time I couldn't afford it?
Most likely. But if that was the case, if worrying about my friend was wrong, I didn't want to lead the coven.
Power flickered in my mind, so familiar it was like another part of me opened up.
Gram! I reached for her, desperate, as clingy as the clutching coven members who tried to hang from me. I need you!
No, silly child. You don't. Her voice vibrated with pride mixed with love.
The anger I felt earlier surged. You knew about Mom.
She sighed, but didn't confirm it because she didn't have to.
You do realize there are more important things going on than your revenge agenda? Holy crap, I sounded like Mom.
I do, she sent. But it just so happens my agenda is a part of this. Syd, her magic stroked my mind, the old pathways welcoming her even through my frustration and fear, you need to trust me. As much as I trust you.
Damn her. Gram, please come back.
The work I'm doing behind the scenes of this little charade is important, girl. Her tone was sharper now, as she showed her own irritation. I had an insight flash into the endless maneuverings of my grandmother's agile mind and just how hard she was finding it to stay hidden and stay on her path.
Fine. But you keep me posted from now on. And send Uncle Frank home. He's been looking for you for days. And do it personally. He needs to know you're okay.
She chuckled in my head. Damned fool boy. I will. Be well, sister soul. I'll see you soon.
I wanted to scream, to throw things, but at least I knew she was okay and someone in this mess besides the Dumonts and Moromonds had a plan.
The moment Gram let go I was tackled by several witches needing comfort. They seemed to open a floodgate to the others and I ended up spending the rest of the evening in the basement, channeling the family magic and comforting witches.
Damn, I was forgetting something again. I really had to do something about my short term memory.
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