Chapter 39
Ilooked back to the crowd. Tynan was itching to attack, as was Cliona. Jordan was crouching, ready to strike. If the circle didn’t hold, what weakness would Nessum find in my mind and how would he use it? He took another step away from the circle. If I was going to try, it had to be now.
I started the spell for closing the circle in my mind, leaving the last few words for just the right moment. Then I took in a long, cleansing breath and turned my head to the moon, making a small prayer.
I dropped the bubble in my mind and felt his surge on my memory. The burning of his invasion made me fall to my knees as I called on the Demon power from my belly and thrust. I felt the energy of it leave my body.
I didn’t have the strength to direct it, so it spread through the courtyard. I heard gasps and cries from the crowd but I only watched Nessum.
He stumbled back a step. Not enough. I thrust again as I felt his power surge through my mind harder. He stumbled back again and I started the last words of the spell to close the circle as his second foot fell within it.
Nessum’s hold on my mind ripped away and pain shot through my head, tears pushing at my eyes. I fell to the ground.
He roared and pushed at the bubble of magic that now surrounded him, trapping him in my circle. The shimmering blue of the circle gave at the strength of his power. I lunged for the ley line and the clean, smooth feel of that power as Manus channeled it for me. The energy responded immediately.
I felt the joining of other powers in the line.
Doran, Bevin, and several of the coven leaders had come to the line.
The strongest Witches in the world were feeding me power through it.
My magic, joined by theirs, turned the bubble to a luminescent violet.
Nessum roared again. Feldema fell to the ground out of her bindings, still pleading, crying to me to release him.
The two Vamps had tried to attack me in the process, but Tynan and Cliona stopped them before they could touch me, and I heard the turmoil of the fight off behind me. I felt sore from head to toe. Jordan knelt beside me. I sank into him for the feel of his warmth.
“You’ve accomplished nothing, red Witch!
” Nessum spat, his beautiful, calm face now contorted.
The glittering blue of his eyes was replaced with red, glowing hatred.
He made a summoning chant and a woman appeared, hanging loosely in his arm.
He held her around the waist with one arm and she hung like a wet towel at his side. She slowly raised her head.
“Mother?” I panted, heart lurching. She gave me a pleading look.
My human mother in the hands of this beast was about the last thing I could bear this night.
Jordan tried to lift me but I struggled free and shoved him back as I crawled toward her.
“Mother!” I got as close as I could, still holding the spell that kept Nessum imprisoned, the ley magic moving with me.
“Mary? Where am I? You…you are…” She tried to look around, but being held in the awkward position, she could only look at me. I studied her face, realizing how much I missed her gentle tones and prodding nature.
I stood, energized by my anger, and drew my real mother’s blade, Trevina’s blade, from the sheath on my back. “Nessum. Release her or die.”
“You can’t hold me in your pathetic circle for long, Keena. Let me out now and maybe I won’t kill your human mother as punishment for entrapping me.” He took the dagger from his belt and held it to her throat.
“Damn it, Mary!” my mother cried out as he put the dagger to her throat. “Let him out.”
I took a deep breath—and looked at her face again. Seconds ticked by. “Kill her then,” I said, stepping back from the circle and spinning the blade of Trevina in my hand. There were more gasps from the crowd.
“Keena…” Jordan began, putting his hand on my shoulder. I held a hand up to him.
He stepped back.
Nessum grumbled, “You would have me kill the woman who nurtured you?”
“That’s not my mother.” More gasps. The woman vanished as quickly as she had appeared. “Parlor tricks, Nessum? I would have thought better of you.”
He growled, and it was not the sexy growl that I had grown to love from Jordan, but an earth-moving growl that built to a screeching howl.
“He’s called the Slaugh,” Jordan said.
Trammel and his followers didn’t flinch or make any sign of answering Nessum’s call.
They simply watched intently, waiting. The Witches were still doing their best, pouring their magic into the ley line.
I could see the toll on a couple of them.
I felt it too, but was too frightened to think of what to do next.
I had to kill him. Yet, if I killed him, his supporters and followers could send the Kith into war.
Red Witch. He’d called me red Witch…
Karackos had been the only other one to call me that.
I stepped back and used Trevina’s blade to draw another circle beside the first. Jordan gave me a concerned look. I winked, teasing with a slight smile. Another growl of anger ripped from Nessum’s beautifully evil face.
I loved it when a plan came together. And finally, I knew what to do. I summoned Foras.
“Well, Keena, Priestess of the Wild,” he said, bowing first to me then to Jordan. Jordan returned the greeting and Foras looked around him, offering a shocked look at the fallen angel in my circle. “I see you’ve had a busy evening. How may I be of service to you, My Lady?”
“Lord Foras, I request only that you answer a question.”
He looked around again. “And for that answer, Lady Keena?” I realized in public he must bargain. In private he had promised help, but in public he had to remain an Upper Demon Lord who would never give anything—or any deed—for free.
I thought for a moment. “I think the question alone will be payment for the answer.”
He tilted his head at me. The same look came from Jordan. Foras considered it. “I will accept the terms.”
“Thank you, Lord Foras. Previously, you and I had discussed a bargain that I struck with Karackos.” Foras nodded. “If I change the payment of that agreement…exchange it, so to speak, with Nessum, would that upset the balance of the gatekeepers?”
I saw all the onlookers exchanging glances and heard the murmurs as they tried to understand the question.
Foras understood perfectly. He rubbed his chin and looked from Jordan back to me.
“No, no it would not. The Demon in question would not be able to make use of the prize in such a way. He will think so…but he will not.” He bowed deeply.
“And I do appreciate the warning. I consider this a more than fair bargain.” He rose.
“I would request to remain and see the show, Keena?”
“Thank you again, Foras. But I don’t believe I can hold three circles.” I nodded beside me to the rather angry Dark Angel.
“I will summon you after she releases,” Jordan offered.
Foras bowed again. I broke the circle and let Jordan summon his Incubus father.
He did and released Foras. Some backed away for him, others moved closer to get a better look.
Gatekeepers rarely moved about among the earthbound, and surely not at a function such as this.
A hush fell over the crowd as I drew and closed the circle again and summoned Karackos. He appeared immediately, looked around and saw Feldema crying, head hanging. He saw Nessum caught in the other circle. “Lady Keena. We have an agreement and I fulfilled my part. Has she agreed to come to me?”
“I have not given her the choice. I wanted you to know her condition before you thought I had exploited our bargain.” I was getting weaker.
The energy to hold the circles as Nessum was still fighting against his was killing me.
Holding myself up with the blade of Trevina as I spoke, I was also feeling the weight of the ley magic as it moved with me.
Manus was curled up and lying on the ground with his head filling Abbey’s lap.
She was caressing him. Every bit of energy I used was being filtered through him in order for me to handle the sheer amount of it.
“Condition?”
“It seems that Nessum has abused her over the years, Karackos. She has no real power left.” The crowd mumbled and churned as I spoke. “He drained most of her magic and gave her only the illusion of power in return. She will be of little use to you.”
He stomped inside his circle, his leathery wings flipping back and forth. He glared at me. “Did you know of this prior to our arrangement?”
“Not that it matters, Karackos—you asked me nothing of her powers. It wasn’t in our agreement.
” He grumbled, not angry but defeated. “Like I said…not that it matters, but no, I did not.” His attention turned back to me.
“I have an alternate to your prize,” I said and turned and swept my hand to the circle holding Nessum.
“What gibberish are you talking to this Demon?” Nessum growled.
I kept talking to Karackos but looked behind him to Foras. He nodded. “The Dark Angel in exchange for Feldema. I will make him the same offer. He can choose.”
“Choose what?” Nessum shouted. I saw Doran’s face finally flood with understanding, as well as a few others.
“Agreed!” Karackos said as soon as he caught on. “Agreed!” His excitement betrayed his overzealous greed for power. The same greed in Nessum that had brought all this on me.
“All the same conditions apply? At no time will Nessum be allowed to have enough power to harm me or mine. If you let him out of servitude, those same rules apply. I will be made aware?”
“Yes, yes…make him the deal.” He was rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
I did my best to turn without showing pain or weakness. I would not be able to hold the circles much longer.