“I’m sorry about Clarissa,” Hunter said, looking across to Sasha’s bed from his. A double IV drip hung above his; one ruby-hued and filled with Sasha’s blood, the other clear, to restore potassium and other vital fluids and minerals he’d lost.
“Yeah, me, too,” she said in a distant murmur. “I feel so helpless just lying here.”
“Believe me,” he said, locking his gaze with hers, “I know that feeling well. But the doctor said for you to just give it forty-five minutes so you don’t overexert yourself and pass out-which could be very bad, depending on where that is.”
“I know, I know.” She looked down. “How’s the arm?”
“Better after your healing.”
She smiled a sad smile and tried to make a joke. “Beats duct tape, I guess.”
There was nothing to say to her that would change the facts. He watched Sasha slip back into her own morose thoughts, helpless to fix the condition that had plunged her there. One of her team members was critically injured. There was no way to make that be all right. Even retribution was a hollow win, when the only thing she wanted was for that person to be okay. He understood that, had lived through crises of this type himself.
He just wished he could have done for Sasha’s spirit what she’d just done to his arm, place his hands over the site of the injury… her heart… and allow the heat to transfer from his palms into that delicate organ… siphoning out pain, knitting back torn tissue and muscle. Closing up the hole left in it from the damage, until all that remained was a super ficial scar. If he had the power to heal the mind and spirit like that, he would. But even Silver Hawk, the wisest shaman of the clan, acknowledged such limitations.
Hunter let out a long sigh that he hadn’t meant to release. Sasha looked at him.
“You okay?” she asked, eyes worried.
“No,” he said quietly. “I’m not, because you’re not. Clarissa is a decent soul. This never should have happened to her.”
“I know,” Sasha said, leaning up on one elbow. “This kicks my ass that some little… hob goblin thing could cause so much pain to so many people.” She swung her legs over the side of the bed and hugged herself. “Bradley will just positively fold if something happens to her… and the rest of us…”
“Sasha… what if…” Hunter’s voice trailed off as he stared out toward the window, sitting up.
“Talk to me.” Sasha came and sat on the edge of his bed.
“There are three of us-three strong alphas. Me, you, Silver Hawk. Just like the attics required three sets of bad symbols to be placed in order to affect an entire fortress, what if three powerful prayers said in the shadow lands, where the terror for Clarissa became real, were said in a shaman’s white-light circle of truth?”
Sasha was on her feet. He reached to yank out his IVs and she held his arm. “Bring it with you; we need you strong.”
“The Vampires have told you what?” Queen Blatand shouted, swishing her ice-blue satin gown out of her way as she paced from her ornate ice throne to her visioning table.
Small icicles chimed against the diamonds and pearls that crusted her train, and her clear, ice stiletto heels made a harsh sound against the opaque ice floor. Her servants bowed obsequiously, fearing the queen’s notable wrath. Her fingertips were pale blue beneath her alabaster skin, threatening an icy jolt at any moment. She set the palest of blue eyes on the clear, lake-like surface of the table and spread her fingertips against it, summoning quick, spider-vein cracks to form as the table misted over. When she wiped her hand across it, the table instantly cleared so that she could begin to see events unfolding.
Angry but unsure of the politics, she smoothed a chilly palm over the back of her platinum French twist and pursed her thin blue lips.
“They are calling for a trial,” Elder Futhark said. “Kiagehul is up on capital charges, which is an affront to the entire Unseelie nation.”
“They have not summarily executed him, as is their right if your cousin committed the first act of war against the Seelie king. They seem to be employing due process. Therefore, as much as I despise Rodney, law is law, and I see no reason to expend precious resources on what appears to be a very personal matter of magickal transgression.”
“He is in bondage, my queen,” Enoksen implored. “Held in Sir Rodney’s dungeon with iron and rowan.”
“That does seem to be cruel and unusual punishment,” she said carefully, appraising her top two advisors. “But what have the Vampires to do with all this?” She waved her hand about, causing it to briefly snow in the chamber.
Gremlins and Goblins hid behind the huge icy stalactites and stalagmites hanging from the endless vaulted ceiling and thrusting up through the chamber’s perma-frost floor. Burly digger Gnomes stayed hidden in the shadows and squinted against the northern lights that dappled the upper air, also waiting on the queen’s advisors’ response.
“You are slow to answer,” she said in a threatening tone, “which gives me pause.” She smiled a wicked grin. “Many an avalanche has been caused by the untimely drop of a misplaced pebble.”
“Kiagehul was retained by them to keep them updated on their enemy’s movements, and the Vampires were wrongfully attacked,” Elder Futhark said quietly, and then glanced at Enoksen.
“For personal gain or for the gain of my Unseelie empire was he so employed?” she asked coolly, her breath coming out as a white mist. She narrowed her pale blue gaze.
“I’m sure he was doing so to annex power to the Unseelie Court,” Elder Futhark said quickly.
“How so?” she asked in a sudden, stormy burst, waving her arms and causing swirls of mini snow squalls to spin around the room.
“The Seelie have banded together with the Werewolf and Shadow Wolf Federations,” Enoksen said, bowing. “The trilateral alliance is an enemy of the Vampires, and also a threat to the Unseelie… as they guard and honor humans.”
Queen Blatand became very still, as though suddenly flash frozen. Then, without warning, she became animated again. “That would make Rodney extremely formidable.”
“Yes, my queen,” Elder Futhark added quickly. “Hence, when our cousin saw a way to ally with the Vampire Cartel by simply sharing information, finally having something that they might find of value… something that he could negotiate with, he seized upon the opportunity. The only small bit of remuneration he asked was for the rightful return of his Seelie-nationalized property… the old Dugan Bed & Breakfast and Finnegan’s Wake, the drinking establishment.”
“Seems a fair price for such intense labor,” she said, beginning to walk while thinking out loud. She tapped a cold, blue finger to her lips. “Such an alliance with the un-dead ones could have far-reaching value… whereas Sir Rodney’s newfound friendships could be catastrophic to our quality of life.”
“Yes, yes, my queen. This is why we must go to the UCE trial to urge that Kiagehul be remanded to our custody-it is far less harsh to be banished from the Americas, versus being beheaded.”
“So, after all these years of straddling the fence and working for Sir Rodney, the prodigal son wanted to return home to me. Interesting. I wonder what gifts he’d meant to bring?” She nodded as she strode back to her elaborate, ice-sculpture throne and sat. “I do need to stay more connected with the goings-on at the UCE; I just hate to travel to New Orleans in the summer.”
“We don’t know if this will work,” Sasha said quietly, holding Silver Hawk’s and Hunter’s hands as they stood around Clarissa’s bed. “But if we can go into the shadow lands as one, we might have a chance.”
“This man still has an IV attached to his arm,” Dr. Williams said, glancing at Doc for support.
“We put it on a walking pole,” Hunter said. “It’s either that or it comes out. Time is essential-we need to go in and reinforce her before the sun sets.”
“Anything that you can do,” Bradley said, clasping Clarissa’s hand. He gave Sasha a pleading look and then handed her a small, white, linen charm bag on a long, white satin cord. “It’s got an iron slug in there, a copper penny, rowan, bay leaf, brick dust, a four-leaf clover, St. John’s wort, a St. Anthony medal, myrrh, frankincense, sea salt…” he said as his voice cracked and tears rolled down his cheeks. “With a lock of her hair and… and…”
“You keep this on her, Bradley,” Sasha said, slipping her hands out of Hunter’s and Silver Hawk’s. “We have the amber and silver amulets from the clan.” Sasha gently looped the charm bag over Clarissa’s head and kissed her forehead. “You put so much love into that charm, Bradley, that it belongs right over her heart.”
Silver Hawk nodded and the confirmation from the older shaman seemed to help Bradley’s confidence. Bradley wiped his face with the back of one sleeve, never letting go of Clarissa’s hand.
“The power of prayer always triumphs over the power of evil spells,” Silver Hawk said, landing a time-weathered, supportive hand on Bradley’s shoulder. “You continue to pray with all your might… you, Doc, and Winters, a strong pack bond of three-while we go into the darkness to bring her soul back to wholeness.”
“We have to go,” Hunter said, looking at the waning sun.
Sasha and Silver Hawk nodded, stepping into the nearest shadow with him.
“Sir Rodney! Sir Rodney! Lower the drawbridge!” A breathless Fae archer held his prancing chestnut Unicorn tightly as the beast reared and the drawbridge came down with a thud.
“A cold front just blew in to New Orleans,” the guard said, not waiting for the normal protocols. “We must send reinforcements to the area to brace for a possible onslaught! We have Seelie civilians… humans… there could even be ice storms in June-we don’t know what all could occur, but our people must be evacuated immediately.”
Woods and Fisher ran up to the front gate with Shogun and his men.
“Just like we helped you get the prisoner down to the dungeon, we’ll help you get him to UCE trial and will assist with the evac efforts,” Woods said, staring at Sir Rodney. “We’ve got your back out there in the streets of New Orleans, too. Sasha wouldn’t have it any other way. Plus, if humans are involved, we’re involved.”
“We owe you,” Shogun said. “This battle is not yours to fight alone.”
A nod of acceptance was all that was needed. Sir Rodney turned to his guards and prepared them for war. “Full garrison alert,” Sir Rodney shouted. “I want all civilian Seelie behind these walls before sundown. As we’ve expected, there will be vicious Vampire retaliation for the accidental lair destruction, if they’ve gone so far as to call me ex-wife.”
Hunter and Sasha sat quietly inside the full-moon circle that Silver Hawk had drawn on the ground of the shadow lands, listening to the low, resonating prayer chants of their clan shaman. The insistent wail of his voice and the rhythmic thud of the finger drum he used soon merged with their heartbeats and breaths until it was all one and the same. Then his sad, native chant ceased and he closed his eyes.
“We ask permission to speak with Clarissa’s higher spirit,” Silver Hawk murmured. “Let her come into the healing circle that is guarded by those of the light.”
Sasha fought not to gasp as Clarissa’s battered soul drifted into the center of the circle. Her eyes had been put out and her ears were bleeding. It seemed like her spirit was struggling to breathe as she scrabbled at her throat. But there was no way Sasha could stop herself from reacting in horror as Clarissa opened her mouth and her tongue was missing.
“Oh, baby…” Sasha said, covering her mouth and rocking. She finally allowed her hands to fall away. “ ’Rissa, who did this to you?” she whispered.
The spirit slowly lowered herself to the ground, and scratched out the letter K into the dirt.
“It was a specific hit,” Hunter said toward his grandfather.
Silver Hawk nodded. “Kiagehul went after the weakest target… She was psychically open in here; the others were not, save me, but he could not attack around my Shadow Wolf’s silver aura. But the human woman was vulnerable… and he knew that that would hurt us all.”
“He was going after Bradley,” Sasha said through her teeth and almost went to Clarissa when her body started thrashing about in unnatural ways on the ground.
Sasha turned away as Silver Hawk and Hunter gripped her hands tightly. Clarissa’s head spun upside down as her limbs cracked backward, making her twist into a human, crab-walking monstrosity that peered at them through vacant, black holes.
“Yes,” Silver Hawk said in a tight voice, controlling his rage. “The backlash was sent against the one who figured out how to break the evil spell-that would have been Bradley… and the best way to shatter him would be to sacrifice her.”
“Seal her in the protective circle, Grandfather,” Hunter said with a snarl. “I know one way to break this spell is to behead the little bastard that cast it.”
“We have laid down light-prayer sealants to keep her from being drawn into demon doors or being lost as a wraith in the shadow lands,” Silver Hawk reported in a sad tone. “We called for the ancient spirit healers of all time and higher realms to come into the circle to stand with her and to heal her of this nightmare condition.”
“We surrounded the circle with brick dust, sea salt, holy water, you name it,” Sasha said, touching Bradley’s arm. “This way nothing else can attack her, and it buys us a little time to figure out how we can undo this really bad thing that’s happened to her.”
“Not much time, though, I’m afraid,” Doc said, glancing around the group. “Her MRI and her CAT scan came back with lesions forming in her brain, her eyes, her throat, and her lungs. There’s a black mass also forming around her heart… It’s like hematomas and embolisms are just ripping this girl apart from the inside.” Doc let out a long breath of anguish. “The closer it gets to sunset, the worse her vitals become… We may have to move her onto a respirator soon and even begin dialysis. Her toxin levels are off the charts and her kidneys aren’t doing their job.”
Bradley held his head in his hands as Winters hugged himself and rocked in a chair across the room. Bear Shadow and Crow Shadow just hung their heads, thoroughly dejected.
“I should have never, ever, ever have suggested that she go into that level of darkness… I intellectually understood this stuff… but never had direct combat contact with it. I was always your researcher-the man with his stupid nose in dusty books. I put her on the front line, let the one person who truly believed in me down,” Bradley said, looking up at everyone with bloodshot eyes. “I promised to keep her safe, and I didn’t.”
“You did everything you could,” Sasha said, encircling Bradley with her arms and hugging him hard from behind. “You saved an entire team and the Seelie Fae nation… Now let us go to the UCE and see what help we can get for her, all right?” She walked around Bradley and held on to his upper arms, squatting down to face him. “We are not going to just roll over and allow her to die. I promise you, that is not the way of the wolf.”
“No, it definitely is not,” Hunter said, landing a strong hand on Bradley’s shoulder. “We will bring your mate back to wholeness.” His open, wolf gaze held no guile as the two men stared at each other. “I saw my Sasha, my grandfather, and my men all demon corrupted… I know the pain of witnessing such a tragedy. You have given me my family back… I will fight to the death to restore yours.”
A nurse came through the door and hailed Doc, making everyone look toward her. “Sir, there’s a Lieutenant Woods on the phone who says it’s an emergency and that he needs to speak to a Captain Trudeau.”
Doc headed to the door with Sasha and Hunter. “My cell was off in the ICU… pray to God nothing else terrible has happened. The general already wants a meeting with the White House, specifically the president.”
Sasha gave Doc a look but didn’t comment. She couldn’t even begin to process that issue right now.
“Bear, Crow, you stay with Silver Hawk to guard the patient. Three strong Shadows… Doc will be here with a man who knows the dark arts and one who is adept in human technology.” Hunter followed Sasha out of the door, his instincts twitching as they dashed down the hall to Dr. Williams’s office.
By the time Sasha got to the telephone, she was out of breath. “Yo, Woods, talk to me.”
“Major evac going down,” Woods said. “Unseelie Fae spotted in the area; Vampires are pissed-as we knew they would be. We’ve got to get a prisoner to court under hostile circumstances, but also have to get Seelie civvies behind garrison walls before sundown. We’re in position down in the French Quarter as we speak.”
“Roger that,” Sasha said, circling the desk as she spoke. “Have any humans been attacked since that last attempt on Winters?”
“That’s a negative, Captain.”
“All right, hold your position. We’ll meet you down there. But that’s a tightrope walk in that area, because the blood clubs share turf and will be opening up within the hour.”
“Affirmative. That’s why we’re moving like greased lightning, Cap. We’re at Aurelia’s Ale Alley down on Bourbon; it’s an underground little Fae pub, and that’s where we’ve been able to get the word out. Most of these folks already know the way to Sir Rodney’s camp and are gone, but for the slower-moving ones or the seriously frightened, we need to give them an escort.”
“Are Sir Rodney’s troops in the area already?” Sasha rubbed the nape of her neck, her eyes on Hunter and Doc.
“Affirmative.”