Chapter 524: Revealing The Node
The veil refused to part. It was enough to shake me out of the grip of my grandmother's power. I pounded one fist against the rock, fury replacing control.
The veil was still blocked.
Syd, Sassafras sent, paw on my shoulder as Avenesequoia crowded close. I turned, eyes roving over the fight we'd left behind, the sight of my grandfather leading his soldiers against his own granddaughter and Sekaniphestat, knowing he and his small group of rebels, no matter the backup he brought, didn't stand a chance.
Couldn't be my problem. Not with a group of Guards detaching from the rest to come after us with Meira in the lead. I had to break through the veil.
Had to.
Sass, what do I do? Desperation shifted my focus to the steady presence of my demon Persian.
Open the veil, he sent.
Smartass cat. This was no time for being facetious.
Listen to me, he sent. Use us. All of us. I met Ram's eyes, Theridialis's. Avenesequoia's. Little Tara's. She clung to Sassy's sister, tears on her cheeks. Combined, we have to have enough power to break the hold Ameline has.
I didn't think. Didn't have time. Not with Meira and her thugs bearing down on us, with Ahbi latching onto Sassy's offer and linking all of us together, spinning me back around, wrenching at the veil with all the strength she could pull from the others. I screamed as my mind exploded, so much passing through it, I gripped my head in both hands, vision rupturing fire as Ahbi forced me to fight the control over the veil.
I was going to die. Any moment now. The pressure, the pain, too much.
Too much.
And it wouldn't relent. Refused. Until Theridialis offered up to Ameline what he offered me, tying himself into the controlling magic, revealing the Node.
The blocking energy collapsed in a rush, the veil tearing wide with a terrible, wet sound, gaping before me, a hole into darkness. I turned and grasped Ram's arm, shoving him through, with no other option but to trust where the veil was leading us. Avenesequoia and Tara were next, Theridialis reaching his hands out to Sassafras, gathering up his son and diving for the gap just as I spun back to join him.
Something impacted my shield as I stepped over, breaking through as my stressed mind gave way, a body impacting mine from behind, carrying us both into the veil.
I'd brought others along with me before, especially at home where I rode the veil all the time. And even here on Demonicon where it was technically illegal to do so. But usually the people with me came willingly. I'd never had to fight inside the veil before.
Unnerving, this silent battle in the dark against the rubber membrane making up the place between worlds. I knew it was Meira, from the touch of her magic, so familiar, so dear to me. Twisted now, darkened, tainted by nectar and something even more sinister, I reached for Meira to calm her only to feel the force of her power reach for me, slamming into me.
With little affect. Her attack died in the quiet of the veil, her magic merely a sting of a spark, reaching me even as I gathered all my power to control her. My energy echoed, hollow and empty too, not even staggering her as she again threw everything she had at me.
Including herself.
The impact of her physical form recoiled through me, though I knew the blow from her larger body would have done serious damage had we been outside the veil. As it was, I found my breath taken away as I tumbled sideways, losing my place in space, falling through the place between planes where I normally flew.
So quiet, there in the darkness, with the press of my sister against me, her power trying over and over to tear me apart while my heart broke for her and I fought for a way to stop her. To recover for both our sakes. I'd been lost in the veil before, was rescued only thanks to the maji Iepa and my dear friend Trill, when I thought I was dead, drained by the vampire Queen Batsheva. But there was no one here on Demonicon I could call out to, not with Ameline in control of the veil.
No way was I going to owe her anything ever again.
Meira's magic tried to wrap around me, smother me. I slid free, not wanting to hurt her but knowing I had to do something before we were both lost. But my magic was as worthless as hers, my vampire hollow, Shaylee with nothing to grasp, my demon roaring her fury into the darkness. My family magic shrank from attacking Meira, though it suffered from her betrayal.
I had nothing. No means to stop this.
And then, I remembered.
Iepa might not have been with me, but I wasn't helpless. Or drained to the point of death. The maji. Veil creators. I had an edge my sister didn't.
I drew on the creation energy, letting it rise to the surface, surround the still-battling Meira in its power. She fought it, though as it sank into her she calmed, stilled. Creation power flowed inside her as I pulled us to a halt from our spinning fall, cleansing her blood, her body. I cradled her as I focused on Theridialis and the Node, sliding through the veil with purpose once again, holding her against me while she struggled, weaker and weaker, until she finally collapsed just as the veil parted and we stumbled out into fresh air.
Meira fell at my feet, groaning softly, body shrinking to more normal proportions, but face remaining aged, retaining a bit of her advanced evolution despite my efforts. Whites of her eyes showing, Meira lay still on the stone floor as, panting, crouched over her, I looked up to see my friends watching while I fought the need to weep for my poor sister.
"Sequoia," I said, choking on my unshed tears. "Take care of her." I couldn't handle it. Had to act, to do something or I'd fall apart and all of this would be for nothing.
Nothing.
The slim demon nodded immediately, coming to my side as I forced myself to stand, to leave Meira behind. I approached Theridialis, shoving my sister's pain from my heart as a protective measure, only to find Sass's father looked so miserable I wanted to hug him, but didn't have the will.
"Thank you," I said. "You saved our lives, I'm sure of it. And hers." We both knew who I meant.
"You can thank me later, if you still think I'm worth the effort." Sassafras's father crumbled, face compressing in grief. "Oh, Sydlynn, I've betrayed a soul promise and I fear I'll never be forgiven for it."
I squeezed his shoulder, Sassy stroking his father's cheek with one paw where he still sat, cradled in Theridialis's arms. "You did what you had to do," I said.
"Perhaps," the scientist said. "But in doing so, I showed Ameline where to find the Node."
Um. What?
"When I showed the veil where to take us," Theridialis said. "If it was she blocking our travels, it was she who understood the message."
Oh. Right. Damn it.
Damn it.
"And if she's not here yet," I said.
"She will be shortly," Theridialis finished for me.
Just lovely. And yet, this was exactly how things were meant to be, I supposed.
Time to put an end to this and go the hell home.
***
