Chapter 676: Help From Werewolves
Galleytrot went first, his earth power tied to the chaos of the Wild Hunt, the song of the end of the world humming around him. I watched him create cracks in the hold of the bonds between, breaking them apart with the soaring vibrations of the Wild's music.
They werewolves shuddered as a whole, Maksym's eyes widening, but I gestured for them to stay put.
"Phase one," I said. "My turn."
Galleytrot observed as I allowed my sorcery to explore the last bond, the one crushing the souls of the werewolves. I knew then if I couldn't break it, they would remain slaves to the Czar forever.
Damn it, I sent to the big hound as I saw the truth, how tightly they were held. No way could I free them with just sorcery, or any of my other magicks on their own for that matter. I need to use my creation power.
He grunted and sighed. I concur, he sent after examining the remaining bond. This will have to wait. But you must shield them, to keep them safe, if you expect them to be of use to you when you confront their master.
Got it. Thanks, big guy. I hugged him mentally and he embraced me back, the thrum of earth power reminding me of Liam.
I'm watching over him, Galleytrot sent as though reading my thoughts. Be safe, Syd.
Our connection faded and I sagged a little as I refocused on Maksym.
"Okay," I said. "Here's the deal. Your individual bonds are broken." The werewolves nodded, most smiling. Not ready to turn on me yet. Wicked. "But," I said, "there's a problem."
Silence and grimness. Nice. But then again, they had to have trust issues after centuries of being used and abused, and I hardly blamed them.
"The sorcery that made you is keeping you hostage." There was no way I could show them. "In order to break it, I need full access to my magic."
"Then do so," Maksym said. Ordered.
Hold on a freaking minute. I closed the gap between us, temper flaring, jabbing him in the chest with one finger. He was so startled by my reaction to his bossy pants attitude, he backed up a pace, eyes huge.
"Listen," I said. "I'm doing my freaking best here, okay?" I glared around at the werewolves, seeing their distrust fade, replaced with guilty looks. "But I have other problems besides you all. So, here's the deal. You come with us, I protect you from the Czar. And when we kick his ass, I free you when I'm able to do so."
Maksym hesitated, but I jabbed him again.
"My one and only offer," I said. "Don't push it."
My demon chuckled as the werewolf nodded.
I'm so proud, she sent.
Oh, shut it, I sent back.
Piers took my hand as I stepped away from Maksym. "Now," I said. "Where's the Czar?"
The big werewolf's face hardened, eyes sparking with anticipation. "I can lead you there," he said, guttural voice full of fury and heavy with his accent. "With pleasure."
Our werewolf escort formed up around us as I followed Maksym across the room, leaving the dead sorcerers behind.
"That was close," Piers whispered in my ear.
"Story of my life," I whispered back. "Give me a hand, would you?" I reached for him, my sorcery touching the edge of his. "We need to shield them from the Czar so he can't use them against us."
Piers nodded, his magic flowing into mine easily, as though he'd done something like this before. I flinched at the sharing, feeling like he was suddenly in my space. The emptiness of our mutual power was gone as his being joined with mine.
My, he sent, voice rich and deep as it echoed inside me. What a lovely soul you have.
Heat rushed to my cheeks as his power stroked me in places he really shouldn't have been. I slapped him abruptly, though not harshly, and did my best not to grin as he laughed and retreated with reluctance.
Focus, I sent. Like this. I showed him the webbing network of shielding I'd adopted so many years ago, during the days I hated magic. Now adapted to my sorcery, it formed a powerful net around myself and, with his help, the werewolves.
I could feel I'd impressed him, heard his low mental whisper of admiration. And wouldn't you know, Piers was a fast learner. Within seconds, a hard shell of sorcery surrounded us. Yes, I could have done it myself, but I needed to be able to defend us with my other magicks when the time came and having Piers there for support meant I could let him take on the bulk of the focus to keep the shield in place.
His mind shuddered as I pulled back and let him support the network, still feeding him power.
Sydlynn Hayle, he whispered in my mind, I worshipped you before. But now, I'm absolutely in awe.
Smarty pants, I sent. Just hold the shape and we'll be fine.
You think I'm joking, he sent before falling silent.
Maksym led us in a stomping charge through the palace, out of the wing we were in and into more lived-in sections, bright with light and rich with wealthy accoutrement. A few human servants ran before us, terror on their faces, but we didn't encounter any more werewolves or their horrible sorcerer handlers.
It wasn't until we burst through a large door I realized where he'd taken us. But, to my frustration, the Czar wasn't in his throne room. The huge room echoed hollow with the sound of our marching feet as I stomped my way to the base of the throne dais and spun on Maksym with a scowl.
"Now where?"
He shook his head, shoulders stooping. "He should be here," he said. "He is always here."
The other werewolves nodded, muttered in Ukrainian.
Okay, so we had to do it the hard way. I reached out around me, siphoning off a little sorcery to tie into my demon, vampire and Sidhe power, searching for the Czar. The place was gargantuan, but it was faster to skim using my mind than to tromp our way physically around the acres of property.
After a thorough search of the palace, I came up empty.
All but for the black zone.
"Could they be hiding in the prison area?" I thought of Charlotte. I should have gone after her first.
Maksym shook his head. "No, not there. If he is not in the palace, he has fled."
A soft cheer of victory rose from the werewolves, but I wasn't joining them in their happiness. I'd left far too many enemies behind to raise havoc later and refused to do so this time.
As my magic slowly retreated, I felt the subtle touch of someone I did know. But not on the main level of the building. Underground. I latched onto the whisper of Charlotte's soul through the fluttering black goop, which had weakened for whatever reason, allowing part of her through. My body jerked in response to the discovery.
"What's down there?" I jabbed at the floor beneath my feet, remembering the sight of the fallen weres and sorcerers in the hall Piers destroyed even as Charlotte's presence winked out before coming back into my awareness again.
"Tunnels." Maksym spun and strode off. "Of course, the passageways. This way."
"Not this time." I reached for the veil and tore it open. "There's a faster route from A to B."
The werewolves shuddered at the sight of the glowing amber opening even as Ahbi's power shrieked at me.
Too late. A massive surge of power erupted behind me, slamming me in the back and driving me to my knees. That same power wrapped around me, jerked me backward as Piers's hold on my hand tightened and Maksym lunged for me.
Flare of blue, fast, lightning fast, too quick for my egos or I to respond. Sudden icy cold as I fell forward on my hands and knees in the snow.
Turned with a snarl and a ball of fire at the ready to find Gwendolyn and Finlay glaring back at me.
"You two," I snarled, "had better back the hell off before I do something permanent to make you."
Finlay's power swelled around him, chest puffing out as blue magic flared. "Try it."
Gwendolyn pressed her hand to his arm, pulling him back, her pretty face filled with distress. "You must stop," she said, to both of us. I stood, still burning with demon fire, Piers beside me, a pool of blackness surrounding us. He still had the shield up. Good boy.
"To hell with that," I said. "Your Council has allowed another magic race to be enslaved for centuries." I cracked a fresh whip of demon fire into a bank of crusted white, a cloud of steam rising as the snow melted in a rush. "Centuries." Shaking? Check. Ready to tear someone a new one? Check. Didn't care who that someone was?
So. Close. To. Check.
"Please," Piers spoke up. "Listen to her. To us. The Steam Union has been asking you to intervene. But nothing has been done and now that same race is in great danger."
Gwendolyn hesitated while Finlay scowled. I was beginning to wonder if the young Enforcer had another expression.
"You're coming with us," he said. "To the border of our territory. And you're going home."
"I hate to repeat you," I shot back. "But try it."
His whole body twitched, broad face bright red. "You're lucky we don't arrest you."
"I wouldn't advise attempting it," Piers said with humor in his voice. Where he could find the funny in this situation was beyond me. Charlotte was moving further and further away, her presence still flickering as though the shielding around her failed from time to time. I had to go after her before the Czar realized she was exposed and sealed her off where I couldn't find her.
But the second I reached for the veil, Finlay's power lashed out and shut me down. I snarled and drew back my demon power as she roared in rage, but just couldn't bring myself to hurt him.
Damned conscience. I really had to do something about it.
"Arrest us if you want," I said while Piers glanced at me with raised eyebrows and whispered, "Us?" "But at least have the guts to help the werewolves who live in your territory." I prodded them both with the image of the handler whipping the weres into transforming. "Your responsibility." Another shot of Charlotte, spirit broken, the controlling collar around her neck. "Your duty."
Even Finlay backed down, head dropping, and though his scowl remained, it was less antagonistic and more hurt.
"We will come with you." Gwendolyn shook her head at her partner when he glared at her in shock. Had to say he wasn't the only one. Had I really gotten through to her at last? "Sydlynn is correct, my friend. We've allowed ourselves to follow a false leader for too long and you know it." He grumbled while my heart leaped, but he didn't argue. Gwendolyn turned to me. "But you will allow us to deal with it, and you will follow our orders."
Whatever helped her sleep at night. "Let's go." I reached for the veil again.
Allowed my demon to take over the long string of cursing I kept inside as Finlay blocked me.
"Show me where to go," he said. "I'll take us."
I rolled my eyes and sighed. Classic, but what other expression would fit such stubbornness?
Whatever.
Even as Finlay reached for my mind, I felt Charlotte's spike of fear and knew we were out of time. I threw the image at him, the one I managed to fish from her frantic mind, saw some kind of podium, as ornate as the palace, in a giant room. With a cross over the back wall.
A cross? They were in a church?
Oh. My. Swearword.
"Hurry the hell up," I said as Finlay's power wrapped around Piers and me. "The bastard is about to marry her."
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