Chapter 678: Freedom At Last
As Yure gaped, I let him feel what I'd done, what Charlotte and I accomplished. Together. No master, no bonded. Equals.
"Impossible," he whispered, the sound carrying in the cold night air.
"Not so much," I grinned at him. "Now, let her go." I glanced at Raoul and Oleksander, both watching me with burning eyes as I faked a thoughtful expression and tapped my chin with one finger. "Come to think of it, I want all the werewolves," I said. "How does that work for you?"
I only had a second to gloat as the Czar stared, unable to comprehend I'd beaten his delusions of godhood. This time I was ready for the burst of witch magic overhead, expected it long before now, to be honest. I was just grateful Applegate waited long enough for me to free Charlotte before showing up to blast me one.
I wasn't disappointed. She burst into view, surrounded by Enforcers, power crackling around her in a halo of fire.
"COVEN LEADER HAYLE." Her voice boomed through the darkness. I'm sure they heard her in Siberia. "YOU ARE UNDER ARREST. COME QUIETLY OR BE SUBDUED."
Yure's smirk slowly returned. He had the nerve to cross his arms over his chest, resting them on the round of his belly under his heavy robes, looking all satisfied. And toad like.
We'd see about that.
"Council Leader Applegate." I kept my tone light, but firm. "What are your charges?"
She landed on the ground with a thud, vibrating with anger. "I warned you," she snarled, more beast than witch, "if you broke the law, I'd make sure you paid the price."
"I've broken no laws." I gestured around us. "Feel for yourself."
She did. Boy, did she. She searched every blessed inch of the place, my family magic snickering softly to itself as she hunted for traces of witch magic. Blood power. Maji.
Came up empty.
Hell yeah.
"As you are now aware," I said, adding a nice dose of sarcasm, "I've done nothing but follow your rules since arriving in Europe."
She grunted, gestured around her. "You call this," her voice shook, "following the rules?"
Well, it was rather spectacular. "An earthquake," I said, radiating innocence. I was a terrible liar, true, but this wasn't a lie. "Tragic, isn't it?"
"A localized earthquake," she grated between clenched teeth, "that brought down one of the treasured historical buildings of this region."
"I know," I said, pressing one hand to my chest. "Just horrible. You have my condolences on your loss."
I shouldn't have been prodding her. I knew I was asking for more trouble. But I just couldn't bring myself to behave.
"And your invasion of this territory?" Applegate's eyes shone with satisfaction. "You are unwelcome here, Hayle." I caught a flicker over her shoulder, saw Gwendolyn and Finlay watching, the young witch biting her lip again. "My people were specifically told you were to be escorted off the Czar's property."
Tattle tales.
"Council Leader." Piers stepped slightly past me, letting go of my hand as he did. "Coven Leader Hayle had nothing to do with this invasion." He shrugged. "This has been all my doing and I take full responsibility."
She scowled at him. "You're young Piers," she said. "Eva's son."
He nodded. "I am. And, as Steam Union, I am outside your purview."
She didn't like that. Not one little bit.
I met Charlotte's eyes as she strode the distance between us. "As the representative of the werewolf nation," she said, addressing Applegate who spun slowly to stare at my werefriend, "I request freedom from the Black Souls and the right to be called our own people."
Go. Charlotte.
Yure choked, lunged for her. "Never," he shrieked. "You're mine!"
Charlotte spun and hit him in the middle of the chest. Not hard. At least, it looked like no more than a love tap. But he went down in a gasping heap.
Calm, almost serene, she stood over him, my magicks rippling around her.
"We will be free," she said. "Even if I have to kill each and every one of your sect in order to ensure my race's liberation." Chilling, how sweetly she spoke, light and full of life while she threatened his extermination.
I was just glad she was on my side.
Applegate knew she was losing control of the situation. I could see the fury working through frustration and hate on her face. Correction, the Brotherhood had to know. Because I could see from the twisting emotions rippling past her eyes she had no intention of letting this pass.
I didn't give her a chance to speak first, instead pointing at Yure who still fought to regain his wind at Charlotte's feet.
"You purposely harbor a criminal in your territory," I said. "One who preys on normals and magical races alike. And autonomous laws aside, it is your responsibility to protect and defend your people from the likes of him." I gave him my own little prod. Right in the place Charlotte hit him. Heard him groan, turned away as he puked up his guts.
Charlotte's grin and offer of a high-five told me she knew exactly what I'd done through the mutual magic we now shared. I slapped her open palm with my own smile.
So nice to have her back.
Margaret Applegate looked like she was about to explode brain matter all over me. It took her a full thirty seconds to pull her crap together, a long and very telling half a minute in which the gathered Enforcers shifted, uncomfortable and uneasy.
Maybe they were finally seeing what was happening to their leader. And would do something about it. Or, maybe, like at home, they would just follow orders as per usual.
Not my problem. At least, not yet.
"Sydlynn Hayle," Applegate finally gasped out as she clutched her own chest as though in pain. "You have poked your nose in where it doesn't belong for the last time."
The air next to me shuddered into shadow just before Sunny, poised and elegant, emerged from the darkness to stare down Applegate. I felt the rapid approach of dawn-holy, had it really only been one night?-and knew she had little time. Even so, she seemed nonchalant as she, Uncle Frank beside her, came to me and kissed both of my cheeks as though Applegate wasn't even there.
"My child," she said, stressing the word in her clear voice. I knew it carried to every pair of ears gathered near. "You're done here?"
"Not quite," I grinned. "Just another minute, great queen."
"Very well." She glanced at Applegate. "I'd hate to think one of my vampires was being treated less than kindly. Or was having trouble for no reason." She fluttered her fingertips at Applegate. "I would have to take appropriate action were that the case."
How did she know to come and rescue me? I had my answer when I caught sight of Isabelle hovering behind Uncle Frank and grinned.
The young vampire beamed back.
I thought Margaret was struck speechless by fury before. I had no idea someone's face could turn that color.
"Since Sydlynn is a member of my family," Sunny pronounced in her precise voice, "she is, naturally, immune to witch law." Said with contempt. And just enough pity the Enforcers twitched again at the implication they were beneath her.
I loved Sunny so much.
"There's the issue of Yure Danko," I said to the vampire queen. She nodded, grave.
"Indeed," she said. "I've been meaning to deal with him personally." He had finally managed to gain his feet, backing away a step as Sunny turned her gorgeous face toward him. "If you will not take care of this smudge of filth," she returned her attention to Applegate, "I will."
I was about to hug her when the air on the other side of me tore wide, gaping amber fire, and, to my utter shock, a towering demon emerged.
I knew her, so it was all good. But still. Who told my sister I needed help?
Meira had aged well beyond her thirteen years, matured by her time spent on Demonicon and exposure to a particularly horrible strain of the power-boosting nectar. I had to admit, even I was nervous as she strode through the veil, dressed in full demon garb, her long, black curls in ornate spirals hanging almost to her platform boots. Amber eyes flared with fire, black horns shining in the light coming from behind her.
Ahbi's magic hugged me, practically bouncing in glee as Meira spoke.
"WHO DARES ARREST A PRINCESS OF DEMONICON?" The air shook with the power of my sister's voice, boosted with her magic. Meira swept to the right, showing the gap in the veil even as Ahbi's power turned me around. I heard the distinct sound of my grandmother giggling even as I gaped at the ranks of soldiers lined up in the Parade outside the Seat. A demon army waiting to march through and crush all opposition. Dad pulled a similar stunt when Mom was on trial and, I had to admit, it was an impressive threat.
Empty. But impressive.
Applegate spluttered. "You wouldn't dare."
Meira covered the ground between them in two strides, towering over the round woman while her Enforcers had collective fits of fear, power reaching for her. Power Ahbi held back. My sister loomed, glaring her rage at the Council Leader. "I would."
I think Applegate believed her. Hell, I believed her, even though I knew now it was an impossibility. Those demon soldiers wouldn't be able to cross without effigies to fill. Still.
Applegate didn't know that.
I couldn't help the growing smile on my face, the warmth filling me despite the freezing temperatures, as my family came to my rescue.
How freaking awesome.
But the show wasn't over yet, not by a long shot. Just past Applegate, under the hovering Enforcers, a black hole formed, opened. I felt Piers stiffen, heard him say, "Bollocks," before a tall, stunning woman with short blonde hair and a stern expression walked through. Followed by a dozen others, all in gray long coats.
She caught Piers's eye and sighed. He shrugged at her, winked.
Applegate spun on the woman I now assumed was his mother and proved me right.
"Southway!" She fixed her rage on the Steam Union leader as Eva Southway took in the scene. "I'm holding you equally responsible for this mess."
Her gray eyes, the eyes she gave her handsome offspring, met mine. "My son," she said, heavily stressing the term, "may be misguided," in mom speak she was going to turn him into something green and slimy when he got home, "but his convictions are unbroken." She nodded once, sharply. "And I give him my full endorsement. The stain of the Black Souls is one the Steam Union has long meant to erase. Now," she brushed past Applegate, "if you will please leave this property, my people will deal with our business." She fixed Applegate with one raised eyebrow as she looked back over her shoulder at the Council Leader. "Since you are invading my magick's purview."
I loved her already.
And, to be honest, I was half expecting the Sidhe to make an appearance after all this. Was a little breathless from the fun I was having. Yes, I know. It shouldn't have been fun. But it was.
It really, really was.
After all, it was usually me, alone, standing my ground while the bad guys ran. Having a backup choir of assorted powers was the most amazing thing I'd ever experienced.
Giddy, I held my breath, waiting.
No Sidhe made an appearance. Nope, not them.
But there was one final player who still had her cards to lay out on the table.
So I wasn't really all that shocked when the air over my head split in two in a sunburst of blue fire and my mother burst through.
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