Chapter 587: Retreat

Gram's grim expression told me my own couldn't have looked good. Instead of grilling me for answers, she hustled me around the corner and toward the exit, Charlotte sniffing at me, chuffing softly, angrily as though she could smell Ameline all over me.

Which I knew for a fact she couldn't. Hadn't been able to for ages.
Pissed Charlotte off to no end, too. I knew how she felt.
We practically ran down the stairs, Gram setting a grueling pace. My vibrating thighs and aching butt were happy to alert me to the fact I was going to suffer for a few days. Sitting down would likely be impossible without serious groaning and complaining.
But I ignored the feeling, ignored everything, let Gram lead and Charlotte follow, trusted them to keep me going in the right direction while my mind churned and the core of fear and anger in my guts writhed like a living thing.
We slowed as we entered the stronghold again, down from the tower. It was easy enough to keep my head bowed while I fought a massive battle with what Ameline told me.
I'm sorry to bear bad news, my vampire sent in a tone telling me she expected me to explode. Since nothing terrible happened, I could only assume talking to myselves in my head wouldn't trigger anything. But there is a very good possibility Ameline is correct.
Shut. Up.
My demon grumbled and fumed while Shaylee sighed and piped up.
Quite likely, she sent. Though, without proof, with only her word to go on, how can we be certain?
We are not setting her free. My demon's rumbling fury sent shudders through me. Unless it's to find a nice place to dismember and bury her where no one will find the body.
Iepa would have told me. I grasped onto that thought as I sent it to the others. She would have warned me, when Trill was here. Surely she would have. The maji who'd alerted me to the Brotherhood's impending threat hadn't said a word about Ameline. Had barely told me anything about what I was becoming. It was Trill who finally filled me in to the fact while she had maji blood, was a descendant, I was actually becoming maji.
And so, it seemed, was my nemesis.
We have to expect this transformation isn't commonplace, my vampire sent. Or there would be new maji all the time.
Which means we're special. My demon bared her mental teeth. Knew that already.
You're not helping. Shaylee's earth magic shuddered. Is it possible?
Light and Shadow. Two sides.
Oh. My. Swear-
Hang on, I sent as I turned a corner, Gram right in front of me. If Ameline is meant to be maji, why is it so hard for her? Why is it such a fight?
Silence in my head. Would wonders never cease?
You raise an excellent point, Sydlynn. My vampire sighed. There is only one way to find out the truth. You must speak to Iepa.
Like she would just come and chat with me over popcorn and a movie.
The maji cavern, Shaylee sent.
My demon grumbled, but agreed.
Right. The cavern under the vampire mansion, Sebastain DeWinter's home base. If I could reach Iepa anywhere, it would be there.
And then I'd have my answer.
Thanks, gang. I hugged them all, feeling the family magic coil around us, stirring ever so gently. We'll figure this out.
One step at a time. My vampire retreated, Shaylee's embrace full of strength, my demon's full of passion. There had been a time I feared being alone. Fearing by becoming maji, immortal and pretty much invincible was a long and lonely life sentence. But I was never alone, not really.
And despite the few occasions I wished I could have some privacy from the souls hitchhiking in my head, I wouldn't give them up for anything.
Gram faltered in front of me as we passed an opening and I only had one second to register her sudden turn toward the black before a hand reached out of the black and grabbed me, jerking me into a small, dark room. Charlotte's low growl and sudden rush of action, her wolf eyes glowing in the gloom, freed me from my captor's grip before I had a chance to react. She hunched over, just visible in the low light coming from the hall, her wolf rising as the risk to my life increased.
Craptastic.
A flare of blue light burst into life next to the shadowed shape who attacked me. Quaid's Enforcer magic, shining on his scowling face, cast unhappy shadows over his handsome features.
Yeah. The shadows were unhappy. Sure, that was it.
"What-" He stopped, cleared his throat. Ground his jaw around a moment. Tried again. "What are you doing here?"
Gram shoved past me, smacking his arm with one wrinkled hand, her magic squashing his ball of light until only a tiny fragment remained.
"You young fool!" I'd never heard her so angry, words hissing out in a powerful whisper. "What is wrong with you?"
Quaid flinched from her, but his harsh expression didn't soften. "You're here illegally." At least his voice lowered, no longer carrying out of the room and into the corridor.
"Of course we are, you absolute nitwit." She smacked him again. "Now get the hell out of the way before I squish your little soul and have it for breakfast."
Quaid quivered, shook his head. "There are rules, Ethpeal." His eyes met mine. I thought he was unhappy before. "You could have come to me."
Gram didn't get a chance to answer. Neither did I. Or Charlotte. He was lucky we were interrupted before Gram just decided to kill him and worry about the consequences later.
So lucky.
"Trainee." A woman's voice drifted from the dark, her tall, slim form emerging into the low light. She wore her hood back away from her lean face, as lined as Gram's, grim expression tossing me from the frying pan into the very hot fire.
We were cooked for sure.
Quaid bowed quickly to her. "Master Rhodes." He took a step sideways, blocking me from her full view. He needed a serious talking to if this was his idea of keeping me safe.
She waved him away, eyes locking first on me, then Charlotte and, finally, Gram.
"Ethpeal Hayle." She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at Gram who glared right back.
"Varity Rhodes." Gram sniffed, looked the woman up and down. "You got old."
Seriously? Insults? At a time like this?
If they didn't burn us at the stake for this, I'd kill Gram myself.
Varity just shrugged. "Time's been just as cruel to you, old hack."
Gram grinned, socked feet pattering on the floor as she did a little dance before spreading her hands wide for her big finale. "Still have talent, though."
Confusion twisted around shock inside me as Varity threw her head back and laughed. Just a short bark before she stepped forward and embraced Gram.
And my grandmother, my crazy, kooky, evil hearted grandmother who was in on the joke, hugged her back.
Quaid stared, open-mouthed, as Varity gripped Gram's arms in her hands and shook her just a little.
"Damn you, Ethie," she said. "You could have come to me."
Same words from Quaid.
Guess we Hayles were too independent than was good for us.
Gram shrugged and punched her friend in the shoulder. "None of your damned business," she said.
Varity turned to me, met my eyes as Charlotte eased to standing again, her wolf retreating. "Coven Leader," she said. "I've heard you had a cast-iron set, but I had no idea how big. Then again," she grinned at Gram, "you have Ethie here as a grandmother so I shouldn't really be surprised."
Quaid made a choking sound. "Master Rhodes," he said.
"Oh, hush, boy," Varity snapped. "When are they going to teach you children there is no such thing as black and white?"
I stared back and forth between the two old women, Varity's long, white hair wound into a tight braid at the back of her neck and I made a connection. "You were Gram's informant," I said. "During Mom's trial."
Varity winked. "How could I say no to that face?"
Gram beamed before jabbing Varity in the ribs. "We have to get out of here."
"Oh, really?" Her dry tone raked through the air as Varity sobered. "You think that's important, do you?"
Gram stuck her tongue out at her friend.
Varity jabbed one index finger at Quaid. "This never happened," she said, a flare of power snapping over his shielding. "Don't make me erase your memories, Trainee Tinder."
Quaid nodded quickly. "No, Master Rhodes," he said while I wondered when he'd taken his birth parent's last name. I'd thought of him as Quaid Moromond for so long, then Quaid Dumont, hearing him use his real surname felt surreal.
Turned out we were almost to the exit anyway. I handed off my black robe to Varity who tossed the three of them into the air where they vanished. She hugged Gram quickly as Quaid hovered behind her, glancing nervously over his shoulder as Gram said goodbye.
"I'm aware of the present circumstances," Varity told me cryptically. How much did she know? "And I tell you this right now-if you need anything, Varity Rhodes is your Enforcer."
Quaid's scowl wasn't lost on me as I impulsively hugged the old woman.
"Thank you," I said. "I hope we meet under better circumstances next time."
The gateway opened, Charlotte easing through with her hand on my arm.
"I'll take that as an invitation," Varity said.
I would have felt pretty good about our escape if it hadn't been for the hurt look in Quaid's eyes as he watched us go.

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