Chapter 3 #2
She raised a brow, clearly unimpressed with my temper. “I have a network of informants spread throughout the realms.”
“And you trust them.”
She rolled her wrist and fingers, like a dancer doing elaborate hand choreography. “I own them. They could no more lie to me than they could ignore my summons.”
A light bulb went off in my mind. “They made deals.”
She winked. “Just so.”
“And how is it safe for them to send you communications?” Gavin asked, still suspicious as ever.
“The bond magic protects it,” she said simply.
“How?” I demanded.
She shrugged. “Not every trick should be revealed. Suffice it to say, it’s a special sort of magic that has its own rules. It cannot be tracked or monitored the way elemental or even spellcraft can.”
“Am I the only one annoyed that she is just now mentioning this?” I asked the others.
Caleb was less interested in the details of how it was possible and more interested in what the message contained. “None of that is relevant. What’s it say?”
Gavin scoffed. “Of course it bloody is. We are in hiding. Do you want a sloppy trail to lead them straight to us? To your mate?”
Caleb’s chiseled jaw worked as he ground his teeth and stared Gavin down. “Lilith has been operating in secret for millennia, Donoghue. Don’t discount her power. I trust her more than anyone in this room. What does the note say, Lilith?”
She opened the envelope and quickly scanned the contents, a frown pulling at her lips the more she read. “The Princes are gathering demons to find the children of the horsewomen.”
I let out a disbelieving laugh. “Oh? Is that all?”
“No, actually. Three of the four members of the Siren coven have been taken.”
I gulped, not having expected her to have an actual answer. “Shit.”
“Why are they coming after us . . . again?” Pan asked.
Lilith’s eyes went hazy, as if she were weighing dozens of options. “I’m not sure, but it’s not for anything good.”
“And the witches?” Gavin prompted.
“The Siren coven match the Belladonnas in power. With that kind of magic at their disposal, there’s no telling what the Princes will be able to do.”
“Locator spells,” Caleb murmured.
“Very likely. Especially if they’re looking for us.”
“Why would they willingly help the Princes?” I asked, but I knew the answer. It was always the same thing.
“What wouldn’t you do to save the lives of those you love, Asher?”
Nothing.
That was the answer.
I’d throw away every scruple I had if it meant saving Rosie or Remi. Our kids. Our family.
“Okay, so they’re looking for us. Why? What purpose do we serve them now? This isn’t their fight, is it?”
Lilith shook her head. “One could argue that they started this apocalypse and they want to see it through.”
“Great. Fucking wonderful.”
“What can we do?” Caleb asked.
“Besides sit here and cower,” Gavin added.
Lilith tapped the edge of the card against her lips.
“Drystan!” she called, magic pulsing in the air as she summoned him.
The man walked through the door moments later, long black hair shiny and slick as oil down his back. “You called, Lilypad?”
“Care to give us an update on our security measures? We’ve received word the Princes are coming for us all. Some of us are a titch antsy.”
“We’ve established traps in various locations, portals that look like they’ll bring them to us but send them elsewhere. Some to their deaths, others to cages where we can intercept and question them. It’s all very elaborate and impressive, really. You’re welcome.”
I didn’t know much about Nord and Lina’s abilities, but Alek said that his mother was a reality shaper and his father had spent several centuries as something called a Guardian.
I could only assume their skills in those regards were what made such things possible.
Especially if they were able to do things on that scale with only three people.
“That’s great, but we need to be doing more,” I said. Trapping them and killing them wasn’t going to work in the long run.
Crombie glared at me. “Be my guest, human.”
I narrowed my eyes right back, not appreciating his tone. “Technically, I’m not a human.” With a horsewoman for a mom, and a fallen angel for a dad we weren’t exactly sure what I was.
“Oh? Do you suddenly have useful magical skills to offer?”
I didn’t answer, because no, I didn’t. Unless you counted purple laser beams that showed up whenever the fuck they wanted and a healing ability I still hadn’t fully learned how to master. Power was only useful if you could control it, and I, unfortunately, could not.
Crombie smirked at my continued silence. “Hmm. What’s that mortal saying? If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck . . .”
Pan’s snicker filled my mind. “Now who’s a duck.”
“Fuck off,” I shot back, before returning to my earlier point.
“We can’t keep sitting here waiting to be found.
If enough of them find us at once, we’ll be cooked.
We have the numbers to start patrolling, to get ready for the big fight ahead and keep watch so we’ll know if they do get close to our hideout.
And it’s a way to get our own info about what’s happening in real time. ”
“You’re suggesting strategic strikes?” Gavin asked.
“Yes. We find them before they find us.”
Lilith nodded, a smirk playing on her lips. “Look at you, Asher. Coming into your own. Who shall lead the army of our resistance?”
“Alek and Tor, along with Jensen and Finbar. They’re all fighters. The fae are commanders of the Shadow Court’s army. They can work together and train our people to be real warriors. Give us a chance to survive.”
“Why the twins instead of their father?” Pan asked. “Wasn’t he Odin’s warrior? Seems like he would be an obvious choice.”
I nodded. “Yeah, but he’s busy doing magic shit with Crombie. And he trained his sons, so they’re basically the same thing.”
“Fair enough,” Pan murmured.
“Go on, then. Gather your warriors, Asher. I’ll keep you abreast of any further intel I’m given.” Lilith took her pet’s hand and the two of them vanished from the room, leaving me looking from Caleb, to Gavin, to Pan.
“Well, clearly we’re done here,” Pan said before turning on his heel, tail swishing behind him. “I’ve got a date with a vampire queen in desperate need of a good choking.”
“Pan!” I shouted behind him. “She’s pregnant. You can’t play the same games you . . . Goddammit, why do I even bother?” I asked the room as he stalked out, ignoring me and my warnings completely.
Seconds later, shouts rang out as our allies clearly came face-to-face with his demon form.
“God grant me the serenity,” I intoned, knowing I was going to have to deal with the fallout of Pan’s little stroll.
Caleb chuckled behind me. “Ah, one of my favorites.”