Chapter 30 Calypso
Chapter thirty
Calypso
There was a familiar caress of magic when she passed through the wards surrounding the estate. No one was out in the fields, but Calypso knew her crossing informed Astra of her arrival.
Seconds later, the tall woman appeared in the distance, barreling toward her, blonde braid whipping behind her. Calypso jumped off her horse and ran to her friend, meeting her halfway.
They embraced tightly. It had been only a couple of weeks, but Calypso had dearly missed her sister.
“Do not do that again,” Astra whispered, and when she pulled back, Calypso saw her green eyes were wet with unshed tears.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Calypso kept her tone light. “Where is Nyx? I would’ve expected her to be patrolling the fields.”
“She’s in the infirmary. Recovering.”
Calypso’s face fell, and she felt a sick pang in her stomach. “What has happened?”
“Too much. And I imagine the same goes for you.” Astra put her arm through hers and held her close as they walked back toward the manor. “Come, she will be eager to see you.”
Calypso stayed silent on their walk, her mind reeling with the news that her sister had been injured. She should have returned as soon as possible and not wasted that time at the mountain.
On their way to the infirmary, she spotted witches she hadn’t met before, and the manor felt busier. When they passed the women who’d followed them the past year, they stopped to embrace Calypso in greeting. The affection made her uncomfortable, but she couldn’t bring herself to reject them.
They arrived at the infirmary to hear a crash and see Marianna storm out. She came to a screeching halt when she spotted them and, instead of greeting them, threw up her hands. “She’s impossible! I’ve done what I can. The rest is out of my hands.”
Gone was the frightened woman dragged to a public trial, and instead Marianna now carried herself with confidence. Her skin had a healthy glow, and her brown eyes sparked with emotion, the current one being exasperation.
Aileen followed calmly behind, pausing to lightly touch Calypso’s hand. “You are back.”
“Of course I am,” Calypso replied at the preposterous statement, sensing the quick assessment of her feelings from Aileen’s sway in that brief contact.
Aileen shook her head with a smile. “Nyx will be happy to see you. I will go after our irritated healer.”
With no further interruptions, Astra and Calypso entered the infirmary. There were four beds lined up, all empty except the one next to the window, which currently occupied a sullen black-haired witch.
“If you expect me to apologize, Marianna, you are in for disappointment,” Nyx clipped out, not bothering to turn her face toward them.
“I’m gone for a couple of weeks and the entire realm has turned upside down,” Calypso answered.
Nyx whipped around and went to stand when she saw her but quickly crumpled to the floor. Calypso rushed over and helped her back onto the edge of the bed.
Despite her injury, Nyx embraced her tightly. It took a second for Calypso to return the hug, feeling touched by the show of affection from her typically aloof friend.
“Stop leaving the bed,” Astra chided. “Marianna has the patience of a saint. I told her to render you unconscious days ago.”
Nyx ignored the scolding but pulled back and settled into the bed once more.
Calypso grinned. “Missed my charming personality?”
“I’m glad you are back, because now I can kill you myself.”
Well, so much for the warm welcome.
Astra jumped in to speak, “The pigeon delivered your letter stating your travels to the mountain. We were glad to hear you were free, but the details were sparse.”
“What in the world were you thinking?” Apparently, the injury was making Nyx impatient.
“How many times do I need to tell you that you are strong, but your power isn’t limitless?
With those magic-nullifying shackles, they could’ve held you captive again.
We would never have been able to get you out of that mountain! ”
“I would never expect you to do that.” Calypso was bewildered at the thought, but the tension on Nyx’s face told her it was the wrong thing to say.
“Of course you don’t. Because the only thing that matters is what you think is best. I’m beginning to think you made that pact with only yourself.”
“That is unfair to say, Nyx.” Astra gave her a pointed look at her injured side.
The two women shared a tense bout of eye contact as Calypso looked between them. Her eyes skimmed Nyx’s side, seeing the outline of bandages under her gown that were wrapped around her chest.
“How did you get hurt?”
Nyx looked away, and Calypso thought she’d refuse to speak, but then she answered, “After Gemma arrived with a medicinal witch, I went after the merchant who was planning on purchasing them.”
“Gemma returned? Is she well?” Calypso asked, hands tightening in the sheets of the bed. She still carried the guilt of almost getting her killed at the trials.
Nyx nodded. “She has healed well physically. But I am not sending her to Sanograd anytime soon, despite her protests.”
“The merchant?”
“Dead.” Nyx fell silent for a moment before continuing. “Though not before stabbing me with the sharp edge of a broken wineglass.”
“I’m surprised he got close enough to do that.” It wasn’t criticism. While Calypso liked her fights up close and personal, liked to feel the skin blister and blood gush out, Nyx preferred to kill from the shadows.
“I was rushing and didn’t confirm he was truly unconscious after I struck him. He recovered while I was busy unlocking a cage containing two elven women.” Nyx scowled while recounting the event.
“Odessa said something interesting. The medicinal witch who arrived with Gemma.” Astra added, seeing Calypso's confused expression. “She said an orc helped them to safety and gave them coin to travel back here.”
Vidorak had told her what he’d done, but hearing how he’d helped the women made her immensely grateful once more. He had been under no obligation to do that, and her heart warmed at the knowledge he’d done it regardless.
“That was one of the orcs who had captured me, though he later helped free me as well. The orc clan was going through its own power struggles, but the chieftain who made the deal for my capture has since been deposed.” Calypso took a breath before the next part.
“I know I often let my ambitions cloud my judgement, but I needed to go to the mountain, and I’m glad I did. Because I realized you were right.”
The statement was so uncharacteristic that it silenced the other women.
Calypso continued, “The pact we made has been my focus for so long. It was what gave me life and purpose in a world that rejected us. In the mountains, I saw the true hopelessness of abandonment. I met a witch who preferred to stay with her captors than return to the realm because there was nothing to return to. She is not wrong to feel that way because there is no place of safety for our kind. I also discovered that the prior orc chieftain was trafficking some of the human women to the priestesses of Mother Selene’s sanctuary. ”
Astra gasped at the revelation, “How could that be?”
While they shared their distaste for the private sanctuary rituals, housing the needy was part of their mother’s tenets.
“The priestess facilitating these exchanges was the same one I visited here recently. I could not get much information out of her before she ended her life, but I am certain the main sanctuary is leading this. Davinger must be stopped at all costs, but that revenge would be hollow when many others hold such sentiments. Our strength could mean so much more, not just for us but for all of our kind.”
Astra reached out and touched her shoulder. “I am happy to hear you say that.”
Nyx remained silent, and Calypso turned toward her. “This should not be an estate to loot on the way toward the next part of our plan. This could be a stronghold for our new coven. One that will protect any witch who needs refuge.”
Nyx shook her head in bewilderment. “Who would’ve thought that being taken by orcs would finally make you see reason.”
“It wasn’t just that. There were a few things that opened my eyes. Willingly or not.” Calypso smiled, thinking about her recently discovered mate.
“I am glad we are finally in agreement.”
Calypso nodded before turning serious once more. “We need to discuss Hugh Davinger. I hear the royal army approaches.”
Astra spoke up. “We are aware. We have been tracking his movements since he left Sanograd.”
“I suppose it’s flattering he considers us enough of a threat to bring such a force. Do you know how many soldiers he brings with him?” Calypso asked.
“Reports aren’t exact, but likely four to five hundred.”
“This complicates things.” That was the kindest way Calypso could think of to phrase things. Their small coven of witches was no match against hundreds of royal army soldiers.
She wanted to delve into preparations, but she noticed the exhaustion around Nyx’s silver eyes. “Luckily, complicated is what I do best. But let’s plan after some rest.”
Nyx straightened. “Don’t stop on my account. This is too important to put off.”
“It’s not you. I need some rest. I rode here straight from Ettera.” Two days of no sleep was taking its toll.
Worry swirled in Nyx’s eyes, but exhaustion won and she relented, embracing Calypso one last time before closing her eyes to sleep.
Calypso stepped out of the infirmary, guilt burning inside her.
Her motivation had changed, but unfortunately, her plans did not.
Fighting against the royal army was a death sentence unless she used the Eye of Azara.
She may not be able to save herself, but she was going to do all she could to avoid dragging the others down with her.
Hopefully, her friends would find it in them to forgive her after some time. The question of her mate’s forgiveness was another matter.
Glass in hand, she walked onto the balcony from her bedroom. Calypso tipped back the glass of wine, finishing the red liquid before setting it aside. The moon was full and unobstructed by clouds tonight.
That was good. It would help the binding take better.
The first part of this spell was something she’d done many times once she opened the door to black magic.
Most black magic started with a binding.
A sacrifice of blood. At its core, black magic wasn’t evil; it was just magic that drew its power from the essence of life.
She took a knife and sliced down the middle of her forearm.
The pain was sharp and immediate, but she focused on the flow of the blood.
She moved her forearm over the amulet, allowing the crimson rivulets to pour over the gemstone.
The ruby absorbed it, emitting a soft glow as if awakening from a slumber before returning to its prior form.
It didn’t look different, but Calypso could sense the change within.
“And so, it is done,” she mumbled to herself and slipped the amulet back on. It would take a night for the binding to hold, but come dawn, she could complete the spell.
The cool stone sat nestled between her breasts, and she bandaged her forearm on the balcony, not wanting to return inside just yet.
The choice was cowardly and she knew it, but she would take every minute she could before facing the inevitable of telling her sisters about the amulet.
Especially now that she had bloodied it, there was no hiding the truth anymore.
Her thoughts were so full of dread that she almost missed the blur in the distance.
It was brief, simply a movement of shadows in the corner of her eye. She snapped her focus in that direction, studying the darkness of the trees and field. Everything remained completely still.
Yet, her heart rate picked up.
There was something there. Something that had bypassed the wards Astra set up.
Closing her eyes, she internally traced the boundary of the estate wards, feeling for any breaks. It was intact, which meant no one should be able to breach it.
Again, her instincts screamed that something was out there watching her.
Fists clenched, she descended the balcony stairs, craving a fight. She wanted the pain, wanted to let out all the turmoil in her heart.
Still clad in her thin slip, she reached the grounds. Her mouth curved in a wicked smile. Whatever creature Davinger had summoned to spy on them was going to meet a very brutal end.
The grass was cool under her bare feet, and she walked soundlessly in the dark until the noises of the manor died down. She stopped and took a breath. Then another.
She sensed the presence coming from her left. With an eager chuckle, she took off into the darkness, leading whatever chased her further away from the estate. She didn’t want anyone to get accidentally caught up in the fight.
Goosebumps broke out on her skin as she felt her pursuer get closer. She didn’t bother looking back and pivoted to the right.
Weaving between trees, the distance grew between them. She quickly scurried in front of a large oak tree, back pressed against the rough bark. Her skin itched with anticipation for the upcoming fight.
Several silent seconds passed, and she worried that the creature might have circled back toward the manor. She peered around the tree, searching in the darkness.
A snap of a branch came from in front, and Calypso jumped, starting the chase again. The creature was smarter than she realized. It seemed capable of hiding itself whenever it wanted. Which meant that it wanted her running, wanted the chase.
That was good because she wanted the chase as well.
Her path broke away from the trees, and she found herself in the fields north of the manor. It herded her to a place that contained no protection for her, no obstacles to weave between or hide behind.
However, she knew up ahead was a patch of rough brush before leading back into the woods. If she could just make it there, then she could catch the creature at a disadvantage as it entered.
She sprinted across the field, her arms swinging and eyes fixed ahead.
Without warning, she was suddenly tackled toward the ground. The creature hit the ground first and they rolled around a few times, ending with its heavy weight pressing her into the grass.
Then a familiar voice rumbled in her ear. “You think you can run away from me, little witch? You are mine.”