Chapter 617: Balance Required
No sweat. This would be no sweat whatsoever. I felt myself rise both in spirit and in confidence, my mind and magic flowing upwards toward the edge of the emptiness. Creation power hummed, ready for action. I'd never felt more powerful, more in control of my abilities as I reached out through the blankness, searching for Belaisle and the source of the power draw draining the Sidhe realm.
And tumbled back, falling on my ass in the dying grass as answering magic rippled over the surface of the storm and threw me off.
I stared up in surprise, head ringing, body tingling with the shock of the violent recoil. Charlotte's hands grasped my arms, her human form returned now that we stood in the Unseelie realm. The monarchs of the Unseelie had no power to spare to play dress up.
"Thanks." I brushed at the seat of my jeans, face so tight in a frown my cheeks ached. "Well, that hurt."
Odhran stood mute, watching me. His disappointment looked to be about as powerful as mine.
No way I was letting the Sidhe down.
"Just give me a second." I shuddered off the last of the tingle and gathered my power again. Went more slowly, eased my consciousness closer instead of my typical all or nothing. Ran into the exact same layer of protection against my power.
I examined it for a moment, letting the maji energy slide along it, probing and exploring. There was something familiar about it, but reversed, as though I looked at and felt the underside of a power I knew. No amount of probing or poking could break through, though I came close several times.
Very close. Twice. The first time when my bright creation energy connected with equally bright creation energy. Broke free as blackness sliced through the bond. Tried again, felt the sparkly, happy, brilliant power reach for me. Only to have the darkness snarl and shove me aside.
I sank from the storm, the edge of emptiness, a sick feeling pooling in the pit of my stomach.
I couldn't do this alone.
And there was only one other person who had the powers I did, but was connected to the dark.
No. Freaking. Way.
I was going to need Ameline to save the Sidhe.
Odhran and his queen watched me with weary resolve, their disappointment no longer showing.
"You were our last hope," he said. "But if we are to fall, it is on us." He reached for me, took my hand. "Our thanks for trying."
I couldn't just leave it like this. But no way was I cutting Ameline loose. There had to be another answer.
"Send emissaries to Aoilainn," I said, trying to keep the desperation from my voice. "Thalion, you have to convince her. You need each other." The divide in the realms made them weak. I could feel it, the seam in the storm, drawing on the Sidhe like a leech. Dark and light called to each other here at this level as much as they struggled and combined in the storm above.
Thalion sighed but nodded. "I will do my best."
"I have to go," I said. "But I'll be back. I just have to track someone down and get some answers." Whether she wanted to give them to me or not. And that was only if I could break into the vampire mansion and reach Iepa.
If, if, if.
I left them there, still fighting, resolute and failing and knew if I didn't find an answer, the Sidhe realm would fall.
And the Brotherhood would win.
Charlotte and I crossed back into the Gate room, the portal sighing shut behind us.
Liam had been pacing, stopped with his hands clasped in front of him, Galleytrot's large eyes flaming red fire as they focused on our return.
"Well?" Liam came toward me, face falling as I grimly shook my head.
"Not good," I said. "I'm working on it."
He nodded quickly. "I'm combing the archive," he said, voice shaking as his hazel eyes sparked with green glints. "But there's nothing, Syd." His strawberry blonde hair stood up in weird angles, the cause apparent as he ran his hands through it for what had to be the millionth time. "Nothing."
I hugged him, whispered some platitudes I don't remember and which did little good before leaving him there to stare at the quiet Gate.
Galleytrot followed Charlotte and I out into the basement hall. I turned to him as he head-butted me.
"We can't let the Sidhe fall," he said.
More people stating the obvious.
"I'm doing my best." I tsked at myself before hugging his big head. "We'll figure it out. We always do."
Until we didn't. When would that day come?
Couldn't think like that.
"I'll talk to Mom." That was going to be a joy and a half. I could just imagine my conversation with my Council magic controlled mother. How the Sidhe were their own people and had nothing to do with witches. Galleytrot didn't seem all that inspired by my statement either. "At the very least, she has to be kept informed."
He shook himself, mane swinging, the scent of a summer storm and crushed fresh grass rising from his coat. "If there is anything to be done," he said in a voice rumbling like thunder, reminding me of the storm I'd just left behind in the realm. "I know you'll find it. Just hurry."
He didn't have to tell me twice.
Charlotte took my hand even as I stretched out mine for hers the moment we exited the side door, a heavy moon hanging overhead. I tore at the veil, distracted, heading for Mom, knowing seeing her in person would be the only way she'd listen.
She wouldn't like it. But I had no choice.
The moment I stepped into the veil, Ahbi Sanghamitra showed me she still had control over me after all, dead or not. Before I could fight her, instead of delivering me across the rubber membrane to Harvard, the Node's power, my demon grandmother fused to it, sliced open the way between planes.
Dumped me out onto polished black stone over a pair of booted feet. On my hands and knees, a growling creature crouched beside me.
I looked up.
And into Meira's startled amber eyes.
"Hi, Syd," my sister said. "What are you doing here?"
***
