Chapter 721: Commitments
Endings can be bitter or sweet. I chose sweet.
Though the stronghold remained in the hands of the Brotherhood, that was all they managed to hold. I had no idea what kind of friends Piers hung out with, but the term "hacker" seemed to fit.
How did I know? Coterie Industries took a nose dive only weeks after conclave ended and, from what I could tell, was about to collapse altogether under allegations of fraud and deception.
The other Councils kept Mom-and through her, me-in gleeful information, mostly about the uncovering of Brotherhood members scattered through all territories. I had no doubt, with the loss of Mom not so long ago, Belaisle planned to infiltrate another Council to balance his hold on Applegate.
Now he wouldn't get the chance.
Most of the fleeing Brotherhood members did manage to escape, though, from the sick look on Mom's face the time or two I was present when she received mental updates, I didn't want to know what the witches did to the sorcerers they managed to capture.
Eva Southway blossomed into quite the leader, coming to visit on a regular basis with her own updates. I worried she might turn arrogant now she had the power and backing to act, but, to my relief, she just settled into her newly elevated position with dedication and focus.
At least I didn't have to worry about the Steam Union getting delusions of world domination with her at the helm. Though, from what we knew, there really were other branches of the Union out there as well, branches Eva had not as yet any success contacting.
I just hoped they weren't being mobbed.
She liked me better now I was engaged, not so cold. And I was relieved she would never be my mother-in-law.
Sonja O'Dane had been bad enough.
Since there had already been a few instances of mistaken identity, though all had been resolved without the accused party actually dying, I knew we still had a lot to worry about and had concerns our new allies might turn on us if such incidents escalated.
Not my problem.
Nor was the new housing that had to be arranged for our Enforcers. Mom and the Council created a nice little barracks for them at Harvard, an offshoot of Coven Hall, but I knew Pender had to be torturing himself over the fact he was the Leader who lost possession of the stronghold.
In fact, I was there when he tried to step down, begging Mom to let him go. And I wished she would. But she refused to hear a word of it and ordered him to hunt the Brotherhood.
He did. I just hoped she hadn't created a monster needing revenge.
I attended the interment of the ashes of the fallen Enforcers. Belaisle's attempt at an insult appeared on Mom's desk one afternoon, a plain, cardboard box full of ashes and shattered skeletal fragments. We all knew who they belonged to. And though their bones were broken, we would never forget the fallen Enforcers-the ones left behind-who tried to hold the line and keep the Brotherhood from seizing their home.
Heroes came in all shapes and sizes. Like the wild magicks. They vanished again once conclave was over, whisking off to where ever it was they chose, with my thanks.
And my hope I'd see them again.
I wished Gram's interest had lasted past conclave. But her sense of duty faded as quickly as it came. Especially when I, Liam holding my hand, announced our news to the family.
Her scowl of disappointment hung between us like a curse long after she spun and walked off, slamming the door behind her.
Poor Liam. I felt terrible for him, though the rest of the family embraced him, just happy I made a choice, I think.
If only Galleytrot wasn't being such a jerk about it. Wasn't this what he wanted?
Stupid dog.
Surprise, surprise, Ameline vanished again, though now I knew she was able to hide in plain sight. I'd be watching for her, feeling for Gram. I warned Meira about Ameline's request, but my sister only laughed. Made a "let her try" face.
Didn't stop me from having a private conversation first with Dad, then with Ahbi.
No way was I letting Ameline do to Meems what she'd done to Gram.
Even while I simmered over what to do about the dark maji, I knew something had to be done if we wanted this to be over anytime soon.
I hated conundrums. They made my head hurty.
At least Femke Svensson was awesome. Every time I met her, I liked her more, from her easy laugh to her wide-open welcome, to her progressive thinking. Margaret Applegate may have done a lot of harm to her covens when under the influence of the Brotherhood, but her last act as leader was a solid.
Femke was more than happy to listen as I appealed to her about Sebastian. While she didn't immediately tell me to run off and kick Pannera Sthol's undead ass, she promised to look into it. And, if no resolution was forthcoming in the next few weeks, promised she would give me permission to act.
I'd take it.
Helped a lot Femke invited Sunny in on the conversation.
Funny, but the fear I had our little alliances would fall apart shortly after our united front came together seemed to be founded in empty air. Everyone was getting along like best buds at a strawberry social in their honor.
Amazing no one turned on each other yet.
There was still time.
Trill and the brothers Zornov were safely parked in my back yard for the time being. Nice to be able to sit with them, talk without trouble hanging imminently over our heads. Apollo's cheek didn't bother me as much as I thought it would, Owen's sweetness reminding me of Liam.
Trill and I had a long talk about her contact with the Brotherhood. Turned out one of Apollo's old friends was one of them. And not so happy with the way things were going. Enough he was willing to talk a little.
I really had to meet him. Thank him, after pinning him to the ground and going through his mind with a jackhammer to make sure he wasn't a bad guy in sheep's clothing.
She trusted him. So.
Okay then.
And wouldn't you know, Apollo had his own sources in the underground community, promising to beat Piers to the punch with a death-blow for the Brotherhood.
I let them play, knowing everything they did made Liander's Belaisle's life here on this plane more uncomfortable.
Yup, a damned shame, that.
It was nice to have a full house, especially with the wedding coming. Just so nice to have all my family and friends around me.
I had momentary panic attacks when I thought about Mia. They popped up at the oddest times, like when I was brushing my teeth or lacing up my sneakers. Anything could set me off, chest heaving, heart pounding.
Because I knew, when Mom caught her, the former Goth leader of the Dumont family would be dead. Andre was still demanding it on a regular basis, enough Mom was ready to string him up if he didn't shut the hell up.
And that made me sick to my stomach with worry, no matter what Mia had done.
Damned sense of loyalty. When I had a kid, Sassafras was keeping his fuzzy, meddling paws the hell off.
Thinking about Mia inevitably led me to ponder Alison's involvement. Why she'd sided with Belaisle in the first place, especially when he was just draining the power she'd managed to steal... she had to know what he was doing.
Then again, maybe not. Alison was unstable in life and death hadn't been kind.
I tried not to fret over the fact Belaisle had control of the battle site, knowing Ameline was right about that at least. When the time came-if the time came-we'd find a way to reach him and have it out at last.
Who was I kidding, if?
Delusions didn't become me these days.
And as for Iepa, I was still ripping mad at the maji for her little announcement about all sorcerers having a claim on the empty plane. She might have been trying to back me in her own twisted way, but I was seriously going to plant my boot in her butt the next time she had the nerve to show up and crap on my parade.
If I had any doubt, any thought about going through with my wedding to Liam, it crumbled to dust the day after conclave ended, the morning I emerged from the Sidhe cavern and felt a rubber-band snap of agony as the family magic severed on Quaid's end and slammed into me, returning home.
I knew then he'd made his choice, the faint touch of Enforcer magic telling me he'd taken his vows to the order.
At least I could hope Payten hit him hard for cheating on her. Would serve him right to end up alone, the jerkasaurus.
Sigh.
No. No way. I would not ruin the rest of my life over him.
I had a wedding to plan. And a future to focus on.
He and Payten could have each other.
Time to shake off the old and embrace the love I felt. To wed and commit to Liam for as long as he lived.
Yes, I had to go there, didn't I?
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