Chapter 567: That's What Greed Gets You
Why does it always seem to be what goes around comes back again? I left the confines of the Sidhe wards, with Gram's help, stepping out into the cool, musty air of the basement hallway. And reached for the veil while my demon sniffed out Shaylee.
She was surprisingly easy to find. Just like Gram said. And it was all because of greed. The veil parted and welcomed me, Quaid and Charlotte beside me, Galleytrot at our backs, sliding the short distance through the flexible membrane toward our target.
I leaped from the edge of the veil when it opened, power surging, rage rising as never before, almost consuming me as I prepared to confront Ameline.
She wasn't there. But the trace of her was. Outside the gaping hole of a cavern I knew well, that I'd once thought would be my death at the hands of Cesard and my vampire essence, tied to the demon trapped there. And once to save Sebastian and, through him, my mother when she stood trial.
So like Ameline to try to hide. I stomped my way past the reopened entry, past the stone Sebastian and I reset before leaving last time. I had Ameline cornered in a cavern where elemental magic was worthless.
Where Sidhe earth magic was worthless.
What was she doing?
I hate this place. Quaid shuddered as we traveled the dark, musty tunnel to the main cavern. I remembered. We'd been here once before, and almost died. He'd tried to protect me when my magic was blocked, my demon power held back by the wards, which kept the demon lord Torsh from escaping.
Me too, I sent. Keep your eyes open.
Maybe she chose this place because she thought it might unnerve me.
Not by a long shot. I still had a demon and a vampire to back me up. A wereguard and a hound of the Wild Hunt. And a very protective Enforcer who, powerless thanks to the element blocking wards or not, would be there when I needed him.
Ameline better watch the hell out.
I fumbled my way along in the perma light as my demon adjusted my vision, the large cavern looming ahead. She was ready for anything, as was my vampire, tense and crackling with magic.
Anything but what we found.
Ameline had fallen to her knees in the center of the cavern at some point, but didn't make it back to her feet. She clutched at her stomach while her body rippled with green fire. Expecting a trick, I threw up a wall of demon magic as a shield while I let my vampire sniff her out.
Ameline looked up, eyes flaring green, face contorting as her features twisted from face to face to face.
Liam.
Bronagh.
Shaylee.
They fought her, all of them, twining together, driving her to gag and moan, tipping her over onto her side, blood leaking from her nose.
Caught by her own greed. Just like Gram said.
Perfect.
Quaid eased forward, looking around as he did. I hadn't considered she might have backup. Silly of me, really. She hadn't hesitated to use others in the past. But no, she was alone.
Just her and three very angry Sidhe souls.
"Let them go, Ameline." I crossed to her slowly, standing over her, my shields firmly in place just in case it was some kind of trick. That I would never put past her.
She shuddered, let out a whimper. "No, I need them." She writhed on the stone floor, reaching for my foot, crying out when her hand hit my shield and was repelled with amber fire. "Help me!"
I laughed. Out loud. Doubled over from it. Choked on it.
"You've got to be kidding me." The urge to slam her into the ground with as much power as I could muster was so strong it was only my vampire's firm hold on me that kept me from turning Ameline into a multi-colored smear on the ground. "You are really. Freaking. Kidding. Me."
She sobbed once, rolled over, rocking as she clutched herself, more blood leaking from her nose, from her right eye, sliding from her ear to pool on the ground.
"All of this." My power bunched, ready to slice and dice. "Liam, Venner, all of it. Just to steal Shaylee from me."
"She would never leave on her own," Ameline whispered. Coughed. "I had no choice." She shuddered then, moaning before falling still. "You must help me," she said. "I'm dying." "Good," I said, absolutely without sympathy. "Hurry up and get it over with. I have stuff to do."
Ameline's lip curled. "You fool," she groaned. "Don't you understand who we are to each other? We will be allies in the fight to come."
"Never." I poked her with the toe of my sneaker. "Are you not done dying yet? Really, you can't do anything right."
Ameline coughed, spraying blood against my shield. The droplets burned up without touching me. I shuddered. So. Gross.
"You should have learned your lesson with Todd." The demon boy whose soul she stole the last time she tried this ridiculousness hadn't wanted her to control him, either.
"I had to try." She choked on more blood, spitting it up. "I need them to be maji. You know that. All must be equal, in balance, or the transformation can't be completed." News to me. Nice of Iepa, my maji connection, to share that bit of info, though I figured she hadn't had to bother. What Ameline fought for, tooth and nail, had come naturally to me.
If what Ameline said was even true.
Something to be said for this fate stuff, I guess.
Ameline's eyes narrowed, and even in her pain her vindictive spirit showed. "You're not maji anymore either, are you?"
Before I could respond, Shaylee's face took over, her fury rippling over Ameline's body while the tortured girl screamed.
"Syd." Quaid's low voice caught my attention. "We need to take her into custody now."
"No," I said. "We need to wait. Just a few more minutes." I looked down at the dying girl. "That should do it, right, Ameline?"
Syd. Quaid's mental voice wouldn't let me ignore him. Listen to me. You've never killed anyone. Or let them die. It's a huge thing. You have to trust me on that.
Like I cared. Back off, Quaid.
I won't. His mental voice was weak, but he clung to me anyway, despite his muted power. You're not this person, Syd. Let her go to trial. Let them burn her at the stake for her crimes. There is a more important job for you to do right now.
Liam. He was right. And yet... just a few more minutes and I'd never have to worry about Ameline again.
Fine. I pulled away from Quaid. But I'm taking the others before you bring her in.
Agreed. Quaid joined me while Charlotte hovered.
I reached for Shaylee, my demon and my vampire calling to her, the echo of the family magic reaching out. And she came, in a surge of power, flooding me, linking with me, sobbing her joy, pouring into me so fast I rocked on my heels and hand to clutch at Quaid to stay upright.
Ameline gasped, a moment of relief turning to more agony as the other two souls, clearly understanding their release was nigh, redoubled their efforts.
Syd, Syd, Syd, Syd! Shaylee hugged me, clasped me close, her power filling the empty space as I sobbed and welcomed her home, my other magicks doing the same. It was as if she'd never left, her earth magic flooding me with power, not dampened by the elemental controls of the cavern.
I am Sidhe, she sent. These wards can't contain me.
Ameline's mistake. She must have thought the cavern would give her the breathing room to figure out what to do.
I loved it when a bad guy's plan went to hell in a hand basket.
I turned to Galleytrot, my hope, at last, alive and well. "Go tell Mom we found her," I said. "To send Enforcers. We're bringing Liam's soul back."
Galleytrot chuffed and spun, racing off without a moment of hesitation.
I turned back, refocused on Ameline and her struggles. We can't hold the others, Shaylee sent when I tried to reach for Liam. But there are two here who can carry them if they are willing?
I glanced sideways at Quaid. Shaylee says you'll have to carry one of the souls. And Charlotte the other. Can you handle that?
He nodded, gritting his teeth. You're going to give me Liam's aren't you?
I almost laughed. Almost. It's either that or a girl.
He grunted. Give me fairy boy, he sent. And hurry up about it.
***
