Darkness Falls (DA 7) (15 page)

“You were never
just
flesh and blood.” Azriel caught my hand and tugged me forward. Up ahead, near the door that led into the Brindle’s shadowed inner sanctuary, a tunic-clad witch waited. “Your heritage is Aedh just as much as werewolf, and it is
that
bloodline which has always allowed you to sense the magic in this place.”

“Just this place?” I queried, remembering my reaction to the sacred site where Tao had consumed the fire spirit to save Ilianna’s life.

Azriel glanced at me. “Neither Aedh nor reaper can enter that place. That the magic lets you pass rather than forbid your entry is something I cannot explain.”

“Risa, Azriel,” the brown-haired witch said softly, as we approached. “Please follow me.”

She turned and led us through the door, then down a flight of stairs to a hall that was lined with darkly stained timber and filled with shadows. Sconces flickered on as we approached, then went dark once we’d passed, fueled by magic rather than electricity.

We turned right at the end of this hall and went down a second set of stairs and into another hallway. Our guide stopped about halfway down and knocked on a plain wooden door. Then, without waiting for an answer, she opened it and ushered us in. I realized almost immediately where we were—Zaira’s office. It was a small and sweet-smelling room, with little more than a very large old wooden desk, a leather chair that had seen better days, and shelves that lined all available wall space. Books were everywhere—crowding not only the shelves but much of the floor space, a riot of leather-bound color that lent warmth to the otherwise barren room. The smell within the room was divine, and I took a deep, appreciative breath. There was nothing quite like the scent of old books, even when it was almost overwhelmed by the richer scents of lavender and rose.

Ilianna and Kiandra were both sitting near the old desk, and they looked up as we entered. Ilianna’s gaze skimmed us; then she smiled. “Not only alive, but apparently in one piece. It’s a miracle.”

“You have no idea just
how
much of a miracle it is.” I wrapped my arms around her and gave her a brief but fierce hug. “I really
am
sorry I didn’t let you know earlier.”

“Forgiven,” Ilianna said. “I guess you have been kinda busy, what with trying to save the world and all.”

“Yeah.” My gaze went to Kiandra’s. “The Raziq are no longer a problem. There was something of an intervention by both the fates and the Aedh who still haunt that place.”

She nodded, her expression pleased, though I had a suspicion it wasn’t exactly news to her. “And the sorceress?”

“Went to hell—literally. I’m not sure she stayed there, though.”

“Which is the
precise
reason we made these.” Ilianna
held up what looked like a half dozen multicolored ribbons twined together, then looped through several creamy white stones to form a bracelet.

I frowned. “And what might they be, besides pretty?”

She grinned. “Do you remember asking me to create something along the lines of the wards your father gave you, but for personal use?”

I nodded. I’d figured at the time it might be the only way to protect everyone I cared about from the Raziq. It was a shame said stones couldn’t also ward off the crazy that was Hunter.

“Well, when you made the mad dash home and Azriel came back with the wards, Kiandra said that personal wards against the Raziq was no longer the problem, and that wards against magic would be far more beneficial. Hence, pretty bracelets.”

My gaze met Kiandra’s. She smiled. “And I was right, was I not?”

“You certainly were. And thank you.”

She nodded and rose. “Before I leave, is there anything else you wish help with?”

I hesitated, then said, “You wouldn’t be able to recommend someone with psychometry skills, would you? I need to trace the owner of a cuff link I found.”

“And the owner is the sorceress?”

“We think so.”

“Then you will need a practitioner who has some ability to protect both herself and you against the dark magic should there be a spell of some kind infused within the object.”

I frowned. “If there was a spell, wouldn’t I have set it off by now? I’ve had it for a while.”

“Not necessarily. If the object were mine, I’d set the spell to trigger only when someone attempted to use it against me in some way.” She pursed her lips for a moment, her expression thoughtful. “Unfortunately, we
have none capable of psychometry here at the Brindle at the moment, but I do know of someone outside these walls who may be able to help. I shall contact her and see if she is willing to see you.”

“That would be fantastic. And again, thank you.”

“It is in all our interest to aid you in whatever way we can.” She paused, her gaze suddenly unfocusing. Power shivered through the air, its touch as sharp and as electric as the power that protected this place.

“You must trust your instincts, Risa,” she said, voice soft. “No matter how incredible it might seem at the time. And remember, safety lies in four.”

Safety lies in four? What the hell was
that
supposed to mean?

Kiandra blinked, and life came back into her eyes. She smiled, but there was concern in her expression. “I told you once before there was someone in your life who was not what they seemed. That impression has grown stronger. Watch your back.” She paused, her gaze flickering to Azriel. “And you, reaper, had better watch yours.”

Azriel bowed slightly. “I thank you for the warning.”

Kiandra half smiled. “I shall leave Ilianna to explain the intricacies of the bracelets. I will be in contact if I find someone willing to help you with the cuff link.”

With that, she left. I looked at Ilianna. “I don’t suppose you can explain that somewhat cryptic message?”

“The ‘safety lies in four’ bit, you mean? Not a chance. Kiandra’s visions are often less than informative, unfortunately.”

Great. Though it wasn’t like I could bitch given all the help she was giving me otherwise. “So, these bracelets.” I carefully hooked a finger around one of them and plucked it from Ilianna’s hand. Energy tingled across my fingertips, and the Dušan reacted immediately, spinning around to glare at it.

Ilianna blinked. “That thing just moved again.”

“Yeah, it does fairly regularly these days.”

“Huh. I would love to know how.”

“So would I,” Azriel commented. “The Dušan are not supposed to be active on this plane of existence.”

Ilianna raised an eyebrow, amusement creasing the corners of her green eyes. “So it’s like its owner, and keeps doing the unexpected?”

“Definitely,” Azriel commented, voice dry. “But it does make for a more interesting existence.”

“Undoubtedly.” Ilianna’s amusement grew stronger. “But to get back to the point, these will protect their wearers from most incantations and spells. Given you’re somewhat more sensitive to magic than most nonpractitioners, I imagine you will probably still feel any attack on you, but it will not be enough to influence you—or anyone else who wears them—in any way. It will not protect you from the darker forces, however.”

“Darker forces meaning demon attack and the like, rather than actual spells and incantations?”

She hesitated. “I’m not sure it will protect you against a spell with the full backing of blood magic behind it, but it should withstand most other magic.”

Which was a damn sight better than nothing.

“We’ve only managed to make three of these things,” she continued. “For safety’s sake, Mirri and I are going to stay here at the Brindle, so you might want to give one to Tao and the other to Stane.”

“Not Tao,” I said immediately. “Aside from the fact that if we can’t find him, it’s doubtful the sorcerer or even Hunter could, he at least has the elemental for protection. That thing seems to have a sixth sense when it comes to attack.”

Or even being touched. I shivered, and pain ghosted through my hand as I remembered my attempt to stop the elemental reaching Macedon. If Azriel hadn’t been
able to heal me, I would have been left with a useless limb.

“You’re right.” Her expression was thoughtful. “And it’s probably the only real protection he needs, when I think about it.”

I frowned. “How so?”

“It’s obvious the fire that gave birth to the elementals still burns within the Macedon sacred site, and as long as it does, the elemental cannot be controlled by other forces of magic.”

“But it can be destroyed by them—can’t it?”

“Yes, but it would take a lot of energy and strength. The elementals are a force of
being
as much as magic.”

“Our dark sorceress has the strength, though.”

“Yes, but it would drain her. With you so close on her tail, I don’t think she’d risk it.”

Neither did I. Then what she’d said earlier actually hit me. “Ilianna, if destroying the fire will destroy the elemental, why don’t we just do that to free Tao?”

“Because it won’t free Tao. It’ll kill him.” She grimaced. “Trust me, I
did
think of that solution, but I’m afraid when Tao consumed the elemental, he forever changed his body chemistry. They are too intertwined now to separate. Kill one, and you kill the other.”

“So our only hope is praying that Tao wins the battle for control?”

“Or that, at the very least, they come to some sort of truce.”

I snorted. “It’s hard to imagine what sort of truce would work for two very different beings.”

“Yes.” There was sadness in her expression. She crossed her arms and said, “Who do you plan to give the spare bracelet to?”

“Uncle Rhoan. He adamantly refuses to retreat to safe ground, so this bracelet will at least afford him some
protection.” I handed the bracelet to Azriel. “Could you please take it to him?”

“As long as you remain here, under the Brindle’s protection, while I am gone.”

“I will.”

He immediately disappeared. I took the remaining two, slipping one over my right wrist and shoving the other into a pocket to give it to Stane later. The Dušan reacted immediately to the presence of the bracelet on my wrist, slithering up my arm, across my shoulders, then down my right arm. It was a weird sensation, not unlike my skin crawling, but interspersed with needle-sharp pinpricks that were a result of the Dušan’s claws cutting into my skin—though she didn’t draw blood. As the Dušan reached the ribbon-and-stone bracelet, her tail lifted from my skin, curled around the bracelet, then returned to my flesh. The bracelet went with it, prickling and itching as it leached into my skin. After a few seconds, it was little more than a multicolored tattoo that encircled my right wrist. The Dušan then retreated to my left arm and entwined around the leafy charm Ilianna had given me earlier to protect—or at least mute—the force of any ordinary spell or
geas
used against me. Though Lucian—who’d placed one such
geas
on me—was no longer a problem, the sorceress was still out there, and who knew what kind of compulsion she might try if given half the chance.

I held out my wrist. “Is the magic still active?”

Ilianna ran a hand around my wrist, her expression thoughtful. Contemplative. “Definitely. I wonder if I can figure out how the Dušan does this. If I
could
, it could herald in a whole new era in spell protection.”

“And make you rich,” I said, with a grin.

She glanced up, expression cross. “I’m already rich. This is about—”

“Ilianna,” I said gently, “I was joking.”

She took a deep breath and slowly released it. “Sorry. As I said, the pregnancy is making me bitchy. Of course, it could also be the meeting we’ve planned with Carwyn tonight.”

Carwyn was the stallion whose herd Ilianna’s parents—who were unaware Ilianna was gay and already in a committed relationship with Mirri—were pushing her to join. Ilianna had been fighting against their wishes for a while now, but the truth was, mares rarely remained without a herd. They usually went from their father’s herd to their stallion’s, and quite often the match was chosen for political or monetary advantages rather than love.

“I hope he’s coming here—”

“He is,” she cut in. “I’m hoping the Brindle will make him see that I belong here, not with him.”

I frowned. “But you don’t belong here. You said that yourself, more times than I care to remember.”

“I know. It’s just—” She paused and rubbed her arms. “Ever since I came back here, it’s felt oddly right. It’s almost as if I’ve come home.”

A vague and definitely selfish sense of alarm ran through me. Things were changing—we were
all
changing—and no matter how much I might wish otherwise, there was no going back. Not to the way we were before my father, the Raziq, and Lucian stepped into my life, anyway. And while that might not necessarily be a bad thing, it nevertheless made me sad.

But all I said was, “Your mother was under the impression you could never return to the Brindle until Kiandra was gone.”

“She’s right—I couldn’t. At least, not until recently. Not until all this key business started. It made me realize however much I might have disagreed with what was done so long ago to maintain the safety of this place, there
was
a need for it.”

“And what was done?” I said softly.

Her gaze met mine. “Sacrifices. Blood sacrifices.”

I frowned. “But witches are against blood magic.”

“Yes, we are. It is the reason I swore never to return to the place while Kiandra was present. She was the instigator. She raised the magic and forever tainted the soul of this place. Or so I thought.” She took a deep breath and released it slowly, then gave me a quick, sharp smile. “Anyway, I’m hoping Carwyn will see this place, see my place in it, and make the only logical decision.”

“That being to walk away and not attempt to add you and Mirri to his herd?”

“No, because that would hurt both our families.” She shrugged. “The logical solution is to make it a joining in name only. That way, he gets the alliance he wants, and I get the protection of his brand.”

“And Mirri? What does she get out of the deal?”

“She, like me, gets the protection of his herd while still retaining her freedom. Plus, if she wants, she gets babies.” She half smiled. “She’s bisexual, remember, and me being pregnant has made her somewhat broody.”