Chapter 432: On Our Own
Charlotte was waiting for me at the top of the stairs when I emerged from the basement. She touched me with trembling fingers, face pale in the low light of the tiny bulb over the oven, eyes frantic. But she calmed the moment our skin made contact, her hand clenching around mine almost painfully before she settled, taking a step back.
"Here's the keys." She handed them to me, no longer trembling, as though it was no big deal.
I really loved her sometimes.
Together we rode the veil to the library. This time as I entered the slice between planes, I purposely felt for the difference. Yes, it was Charlotte and the power connection she had to me muting the pull of Demonicon. Completely one-sided, formed when she bonded herself to me out of some misplaced sense of honor, it anchored me to her and, thus, to my home plane. My demon didn't complain either, and I considered the possibility Charlotte's connection to me was more than just a bond. Something much more.
I really had to stop worrying about her feelings and figure out what the magic between us was all about.
But later. Yeah, always later.
Liam waited for me with Galleytrot at his side as I passed through the barrier. His arms slid around me, hugging me as he always did, his favorite form of greeting. Shame on me, I didn't resist, loving-yes, loving-the feeling of his arms around me.
I was a horrible, horrible person.
"Did you find out anything?" Liam led me past his room. A glance inside showed Owen curled up with a book, Meira at his side, though the open tome lay across his chest and both of their eyes were closed. I smiled a little, wanting to go to him and brush the hair out of his face, to kiss Meira's cheek, surging protectiveness rumbling inside me. Poor kid, he had to be exhausted. This was probably the first time in a long time he was somewhere safe from the Brotherhood.
My sister's eyes opened. Fixed on me. She slid from the bed and came to my side, taking my hand, covering a yawn with her free one. A glance to the left showed me Trill on Liam's computer, sitting at his desk, Sassafras curled up on his favorite chair, watching her. His amber eyes winked at me as I passed, energy touching mine. I continued following Liam as the silver Persian hopped down and waddled his way after us.
Galleytrot sank to the floor with a groan, big head falling to his front paws as Liam stopped beside the Gate, glancing back the way we came a moment before focusing on me.
"What did you find out?" His voice was soft, not quite a whisper, and I wondered at his sudden need for secrecy.
"Not much," I said. Hated to admit it, really. Sassafras hissed at me when I mentioned Belaisle and my first encounter with the Brotherhood, tail swishing as I told them what Mom said.
"Damn her," Sass snapped. "What is she thinking?"
I kept my suppositions about Mom's motives to myself. "I managed to reach Dad," I said.
Sassafras perked, amber fire flashing in his gaze while Meira looked momentarily angry. "Harry?" Was that hope in his voice? Longing? Did Sass blame himself as much as I did for Dad's present circumstances? Probably. There was lots of guilt to go around. "What did he say?"
"About what Mom did." I didn't intend for that to come out so glum. "He's going to warn Ahbi, but doesn't expect her to take any action. Oh, he did mention I should ask you," I turned to Liam, "to do some research into the maji's creation of the demon planes. Dad seems to think Iepa isn't to be trusted."
Sassafras snorted while Liam nodded. "Of course she isn't," he said in his most condescending tone.
Smartass cat.
"You've been acting like you know more than we do," I said, focusing on him as his tail twitched in irritation. "Time to 'fess up."
He shifted from one front paw to the other, eyes glowing as he looked away. "The Zornovs were friends once upon a time," he said. "Vasek and his wife Josephine. Your great-great-great grandmother Auburdeen was involved with them. And the Brotherhood."
I knew how much it bothered him to talk about the past, but this was important. "And?"
"It's odd," he said. "Josephine was a sorcerer and Vasek maji. But both were enemies of the Brotherhood. It's a long story," he turned to me at last, "and has little bearing on what's happening now. Except your two families used to care for each other. Fought together." Sassy sighed then, a sad sound full of years of memory. "But from what I knew, the Brotherhood disbanded, thanks to their efforts, and Burdie's."
Interesting. "Obviously not."
Sassafras hissed softly. "Obviously."
"At least now we know Trill and Owen are safe here in the cavern." I found myself glancing back toward the entry, mimicking Liam's tone of voice. "The Brotherhood may be here, but if they can't find what they're looking for, they might just leave."
"They'll never give up." How had Trill snuck up on us like that? One second the entry had been empty, the next she stood there, body tense, Owen's sleepy but unhappy face beside her. "You've just succeeded in trapping us here."
Owen murmured something to her before meeting my eyes with his intense blue gaze. "We're really grateful," he said. "But Trill is right. We can't stay here forever while the Brotherhood tears apart your town looking for us."
Damn, I hadn't warned the family. I reached for Gram, just caught the edge of her mind. But the Sidhe wards were too strong. I'd have to leave to talk to her.
"We need to go." Trill turned, grabbing her brother's arm, the scowl back on her face. "Thanks for nothing."
I went after them, but it was Liam who held them back. The wards at the exit flared, green magic blocking them in. I wasn't sure if he'd be able to keep Trill contained for long while I struggled for a way to convince her to trust me.
Sassafras reached her before I could, standing on his back legs, front paws on her thigh. "Please listen," he said. "You aren't trapped. You're safe. And we'll find a way to get rid of the Brotherhood. You just have to trust us."
Trill shook her head, anger rising on her face while Owen just slumped, defeat written on his entire body. "You don't know that," she snapped. "They'll find a way to reach us, to breach these defenses." She looked up, met my eyes. "You don't know what you're dealing with."
"I do," I said. "I've faced off with sorcerers before." Was I getting through to her? Did she just relax a little? There was shock on her face, enough to tell me I needed to keep going before she talked herself out of listening at all. "Not the Brotherhood, but the Chosen of the Light. And we defeated their leader, destroyed their order. We can do this, but only if you don't run off and do something stupid."
Great choice of words, Syd. The tightening around her eyes told me instantly I'd gone too far. But Owen was listening. And the despair he'd been trapped in was gone.
"Trill, we have to listen." He pulled against her, drawing her back from the wards. They flashed once and faded, Liam releasing his power. An act of trust I probably wouldn't have shown her.
But it worked. Trill hugged her brother, anger gone, a moment of hope crossing her face before she nodded.
I just hoped the risks I was taking with my coven and Sebastian's blood clan, now targets thanks to my meddling, would be worth it in the end. But though I still didn't know exactly why these two were so important, I had to trust my instincts.
As long as those instincts weren't maji implants to control my actions.
Choosing to believe in the former, I stepped away from the others, motioning for Galleytrot while Liam kindly herded the pair of siblings back into his office. Meira looked back at me, face dark and expression closed and I winced privately.
Thanks for waiting for me to talk to Dad. She shut me off, not letting me back in as she left me there with her guilt-trip doing its job.
She had to know I didn't go looking for Dad without her on purpose. But I guess it would seem that way.
One more conversation I had to have.
Charlotte hovered at my side while the big dog sat on his haunches, red fire flickering in his eyes. "What do you need?"
"To find Rosetta." I quickly sketched out my plan. "I'm hoping she'll lead me to other members of the Chosen. I need one of their sorcerers."
Charlotte twitched a little, but Galleytrot nodded. "You're thinking one of them can help?"
"I need another crystal." The big dog grunted. "If I'm right, having one could give us the advantage we need." I reached out and scratched his big head. "I know you hate to leave Liam right now," I said, "but I need to find her."
"I agree," he said. "As distasteful as she and her sect are. Though you recall there wasn't much left of their order when we scattered them last time."
"I know," I said. They'd taken it on themselves to work with the Dumonts, to kidnap Sassafras when he was still in mortal form. Mom and I made sure they would never have the nerve to come together again. Still, I refused to believe someone as fanatical as Rosetta with her absolute hate for other witches, though she herself had our power, would ever give up entirely. "Do you remember her scent?"
He shook his big head, fur rippling, though not in the negative. "I do," he said. "But it would be better refreshed, if we can manage it."
Only one place to go to give his nose what it needed. I dreaded returning to the Morgan's big house, the memories of my former best friend, Alison, still clinging. How I'd failed her and left her to exist in a half-life of the ghostly monster she'd become. But this was too important for me to let something like grief and heartbreak stop me.
Way to be a trooper, Syd.
The black dog and my wereguard at my side, I paused at the entry to the archive. Liam looked up, Trill back behind the laptop, Meira and Owen looking through the stacks while Sassafras had returned to his seat.
"We're going out," I said, purposely vague. "Hopefully we won't be long."
Liam hesitated before smiling. A strained smile. But when his eyes touched on first Charlotte then Galleytrot, he relaxed a little. Probably because I had so much firepower at my back.
"Keep us posted."
Trill looked up, the light from the screen reflecting on her glasses, hiding her eyes. "I need to see the chamber under the mansion." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I think you might be right. That it could help us. Why else would Iepa lead you there?"
"I'll take you when I get back," I said, using my best Mom tone. Yeah, I pulled out the Mom tone. But the rebellion in Trill's whole body told me I had to do something. "Every time you leave this cavern, there's a chance the Brotherhood could track you. So we'll keep travels to a minimum, got me? Trill, we're just trying to keep you safe." Why didn't she understand that?
"What about your coven?" Trill dropped her arms, hands fisted on either side of the computer. "And the vampires? The longer we stay here, the more danger they are in and you know it."
Ah. My final bright light moment of the day came in a jab of sympathy. Anger hid fear and guilt inside the maji girl. How many people had she seen hurt or killed because of her and her brother? Had they trusted others to keep them safe in the past, only to fail, to fall? It seemed very likely.
"Iepa wouldn't have sent you to us, your Nona wouldn't have, if they didn't think this was the right thing to do." No more Mom. Just me, all gentle, reaching for her with my power.
To my surprise, Trill reached back as her hands unclenched, shoulders shaking a little as she drew a harsh breath. Her maji magic connected with mine, the touch tenuous, but present as she spoke.
I can't live with it, she sent, her mental voice near a sob. If anything were to happen... I won't be able to forgive myself.
You're forgetting, I sent back, hugging her gently with my power. I'm one of you. Maji. And we have to stick together.
A little smile, wavering and thin, but present. "Okay," she said. "We'll try it your way. But I won't stay trapped here forever."
Fair enough. "We'll be back as soon as we can. Hopefully with a weapon we can use against the Brotherhood."
As I turned to go, I sent a tight link to Liam.
Watch her. Just in case.
I was through the wards before he could answer, but had no doubt he took my warning to heart.
***
