Something Witchy This Way Comes: A Jolie Wilkins Novel (31 page)

“We are not safe here,” Sinjin said as he looked between Bryn and me and the children, who were standing behind us. It did seem like the throng of soldiers was edging ever closer to us—they’d met in the middle of the camp and were now fragmenting outward.

“Back away,” Sinjin demanded, and lifted Bryn when it was apparent she would have trouble hobbling to better cover. Apparently, her ability to heal herself was delayed, owing to the fact that I’d zapped her of her strength earlier and it still hadn’t completely returned. I huddled the children together, lifting those who were too young to understand, and once we were under the cover of the trees, my breath caught in my throat. A creature had suddenly materialized in front of us. I shoved a few children behind me as Sinjin and Bryn positioned themselves by my side, Bryn favoring her injured foot. The three of us made a wall between the children and the beast. The creature had simply appeared out of nowhere, and now it stood maybe ten feet away. It was on all fours, but was like no beast I’d ever seen in nature. Its entire body was covered with red scales and its eyes glowed
white. Its nostrils were wide and flaring, and as it pawed the air, I noticed talons on its hands and feet. It turned toward Bryn and seemed to somehow recognize her. As soon as it did, it aimed its furious gaze on Sinjin and me.

“Tell it to go away, Bryn,” I said in a steel voice. “Tell it to retreat.”

“I can’t,” she said, sounding frightened. “Once an Elemental metamorphoses, he loses all rational thought.”

“What does that mean?” I demanded.

“It means the creature is going to want blood, and won’t care if it’s your blood or mine.”

“What the bloody hell is it?” Sinjin asked, his face twisted with confusion.

“It’s an Elemental, Sinjin,” I responded.

“A what?” he demanded, which was when I realized Sinjin knew nothing about Elementals or Daywalkers. He just knew them collectively as Lurkers.

“It’s a Lurker, Sinjin, but it possesses magic.”

It was my way of saying,
Keep the hell away from it!
but apparently Sinjin didn’t get the message. He disappeared, then reappeared directly in front of the creature. Pulling back his arm, he pummeled it with ferocity, his fangs glowing in the moonlight. But it didn’t even faze the creature, which lashed out with its snout full of sharklike teeth. It caught Sinjin’s upper arm and pulled away, blood trailing from its mouth. Glancing at Sinjin in shock and horror, I could see the blood gushing from his ragged wound. But the brutal attack didn’t even make him wince or falter. The wound began mending almost immediately, sewing itself together as if with invisible hands.

I turned to check on the children, afraid that they
were witnessing the horrible ordeal, but Bryn had diverted their attention to the trees behind us, asking them if they could see the pixies in the branches. As I glanced behind me, I could see the flickering of lights between the trees and had to wonder if Bryn had magicked the supposed pixies. Relieved, I brought my attention back to Sinjin and watched him open his mouth to reveal his fully extended fangs. He ripped into the creature’s neck, but the beast just kicked out and sent him sprawling into a tree. The children gasped, and some screamed when he hit the tree. Bryn managed to escort them away from the creature and farther into the forest, hobbling as she did so.

I glanced back at Sinjin. In a split second he materialized in front of the Elemental, wrapped his hands around the thing’s neck and simply snapped it. The lifeless carcass fell to the ground as Sinjin dusted himself off. The only reminder that his arm had been wounded was his ripped sleeve.

Turning to look at Bryn, I saw that her eyes were on me. “Well, apparently your Elementals aren’t quite as strong as my vampires,” I said in a snide way.

She raised a brow. “That was a human Elemental, not one of our strongest by any means.”

I didn’t say anything else, not wanting to reflect on the fact that it had been a weak Elemental. I looked over at the battlefield, trying to figure out if my side was prevailing. There was so much going on all around me, I had trouble focusing. But then my gaze settled on two women standing to my left, and I recognized the one closest to me as one of my own, a vampire. The woman she was sparring with was a Daywalker—I could tell by her tiny fangs. But small
fangs or not, she was a force to be reckoned with. She was quick, almost faster than my vampire, and pivoted around the smaller woman until she looked like a ballerina on fast-forward.

My vampire seemed unsure on her feet. It was clear that she was unaccustomed to such an opponent, and she almost appeared clumsy as she avoided some fist falls and was pummeled with others. The Daywalker was stronger than the vampire, and seemed far from exhausted. The vampire, on the other hand, was tired and getting more and more clumsy. Pretty soon it was apparent that the Daywalker was toying with her, just postponing the inevitable. I felt my palms grow clammy—I couldn’t just stand by and watch. I had to do something.

“There’s nothing you can do,” Bryn said flatly, and I realized I wasn’t doing a good job of hiding my thoughts. Dammit, I’d have to be way more careful whenever she was nearby.

“Well, I’m also not going to let that—that woman just toy with her when it’s clear they aren’t evenly matched.”

Bryn frowned and then shrugged, seemingly unconcerned. “All is fair in love and war, right?”

“What does that even mean?” I threw back at her.

“It means it is their fight,” Sinjin said calmly, watching the two women. “And furthermore, I will not allow you anywhere near them. It is too dangerous.”

Even though I had it in mind to argue, by the time I returned my attention to the combatants, my vampire had been reduced to a pile of ash, which was in the process of being blown into obscurity by the wind. I was too late. I felt a cry catch in my throat as my
people continued to fight our enemies and buildings continued to self-destruct around us.

I needed to focus on finding Mercedes. Now. She would know what to do. But the problem was I had no idea where to find her. I closed my eyes and relied on my sixth sense, sending out mental feelers as I imagined the supreme witch of all witches in front of me.

Find her
, I said to myself.
Mercedes, where are you?

With my eyes still clenched firmly shut, I suddenly saw her. She was standing on the crest of the hill just on the west side of A Street, adjacent to the house in which Luce had held me prisoner. I opened my eyes and turned to face Sinjin, whose gaze had already settled on me.

“I have to go to Mercedes,” I said quickly.

He nodded and took a few steps toward me, as if to say he was going with me. That was when I realized our quandary. Someone had to stay behind to protect the children, over a dozen of them now in our charge. But I wasn’t about to relegate Bryn to that position. I still wasn’t convinced she wasn’t playing some part in this whole thing. “Sinjin, I need you to stay behind and make sure the children are safe,” I said softly.

He firmly shook his head. “You are my priority, my Queen.”

Just as I was about to argue, Bryn glanced over at us. “Let me find someone suitable.”

Sinjin nodded, showing his support for the idea. Bryn started looking around as if searching.

“The redhead,” she said abruptly, pointing to a woman who was three people deep in a mob of soldiers. Sinjin nodded and grasped her arm, allowing her to use him as a crutch. Then they disappeared,
materializing through space, no doubt. I checked behind me to ensure the children were all present and accounted for, then took a deep breath, anxiously awaiting Sinjin’s and Bryn’s return.

A few minutes went by before I could see them on the horizon again. They were accompanied by the redheaded Lurker. She was dressed in training combat gear, so I assumed she was a soldier. Her hair was in disarray and blood and dirt smeared half her face. Sinjin was holding her arms behind her back with one hand and supporting Bryn with the other.

“Do not attempt anything,” Sinjin said to Bryn, narrowing his eyes at her.

She nodded, then faced the redheaded woman. “Rhonda, I need you to take the children the back way through the compound until you get to the gatehouse. Once there, tell Hanz that I directed you to take one of the vans.”

“What about you?” Rhonda asked her, glancing at Sinjin. “Will you be safe?”

“Do not worry about her,” Sinjin responded, his tone icy. “Just do as you are instructed.”

The redhead glared at him. Sinjin smiled in return.

“And if the vans are all gone?” Rhonda demanded of Bryn.

“Then you can walk until you find another means of transportation,” Bryn said. “Give me your hand.”

But before Rhonda could so much as move, Sinjin grasped Bryn’s hand himself.

“Rhonda won’t get far with Hanz unless she has my blessing,” Bryn said through gritted teeth.

Sinjin released Bryn’s hand and Rhonda took it, staring at Sinjin with undisguised anger. Bryn closed
her eyes as she traced something in Rhonda’s palm, which lit up and glowed in what was now dark night. It looked like a circle with a line through it. Then she opened her eyes and dropped the other Lurker’s hand.

“What was that all about?” I asked suspiciously.

Bryn frowned as if she didn’t appreciate my tone. It was more than obvious that she didn’t trust me, so I guessed we had that in common. “It’s my signature so that Hanz, the guard at the gate, immediately recognizes Rhonda.” Then she faced Rhonda again. “Okay, Plumhoff, when you get to the gate and get everyone in the van, go as far away from the compound as you can.”

“Understood,” Rhonda said. “Where do you want me to go?”

Bryn faced Sinjin and me. “Breisgau is straight down the A5 and the closest city to us. They should be safe there.”

“My Queen?” Sinjin said, allowing me to make the final decision.

I looked at Rhonda and Bryn and nodded.

Rhonda inhaled deeply and said, “You be careful, boss.” She gave Sinjin and me a parting glare, as if she hated the idea of leaving Bryn in our care.

The three of us watched as Rhonda picked up the two youngest children and started forward with the others. They all disappeared over a valley in the grassy landscape. I hoped she wouldn’t have any trouble getting to Breisgau.

I took a deep breath. “We have to find the prophetess,” I said to Bryn. “She’s the only one who will know how to stop this place from blowing, taking your people and mine with it.”

Bryn nodded, then pursed her lips as she regarded me angrily. “I am only assisting you because I don’t want to see everyone destroyed.”

“Whatever your reasons, we don’t have time to discuss it now.”

Sinjin offered me his arm at the same time as he grabbed Bryn’s upper arm. His expression said she better not try any funny business with him. He flashed a devil’s smile at me. “Where is the prophetess?” he asked.

“At the end of A Street,” I answered, and closed my eyes, preparing for Sinjin’s brand of air travel. The swoosh of wind across my face didn’t even make me flinch, and when I opened my eyes a second or so later, I found we were nearly at the end of the dirt cul-de-sac of A Street. Another blast of air across my cheeks signified the fact that Sinjin was now closing the gap. I opened my eyes and noticed all the buildings had been completely flattened, and nothing remained but burnt-out craters where homes had once stood.

That, however, wasn’t what captured my attention. We had found Mercedes, all right, but apparently so had Luce. The two were standing on top of the hill at the end of A Street, facing each other. They were surrounded by a circle of blue flames that arced up every once in a while in a great show of light and sparks. Although five feet separated them, it was obvious they were engaged in battle. Each had a hand raised in front of them and an intense look of concentration.

I couldn’t tell who was winning.

“That’s why the camp hasn’t imploded yet,” Bryn
said in a soft voice, shaking her head in apparent understanding.

“We have to help her, Bryn,” I implored. “We have to make sure this camp doesn’t blow, or else every one of us is going to die.”

She hesitated, and I realized again that she was, first and foremost, a Lurker. She’d spent the last thirty years of her life being brainwashed, and fully supported Luce. I could see it in her eyes.

I took a deep breath. “I have to help Mercedes,” I said to Sinjin.

Sinjin nodded and tightened his grip on Bryn’s arms, as if to say she wasn’t going anywhere. I smiled in silent understanding and started forward, knowing what I had to do. Mercedes needed me, and I hoped that together we could defeat Luce.

When I was ten feet from them, I gulped down my fear, afraid of Luce’s power. I mean, I had no clue how powerful he truly was. But given that Mercedes was a force to be reckoned with too, I ignored my doubts as I approached them. Neither of them even noticed I was there. They were too wholly focused on each other. I closed my eyes and unleashed the power within me, allowing it to flow through my entire being until my skin tickled with magic and every hair on my body stood on end. Then I opened my eyes and concentrated on projecting my power into Mercedes. I imagined filling her up with my magic. As soon as I made figurative contact with her, the circle of flames that had burned around the two of them suddenly pulled me into its center. Instantly, I was overwhelmed with the feeling that something was wrong.

When I saw Mercedes, I understood why. As soon as my power entered their circle, Mercedes had fallen to the ground, unconscious. Well, I
hoped
she was only unconscious. That was when it hit me—this was what Luce had been hoping for; Mercedes had just been a prop. Luce had orchestrated their power play, knowing that I would come to her defense, and now he had me exactly where he wanted me.

“What have you done to her?” I screamed at him.

He stood there in all his glory, his white hair sailing around him as if he were underwater. “Her power could not rival mine,” he replied. “Now make your decision wisely,” he added, meaning I could fight him or join him.

“I will not allow you to destroy my people!” I shouted, wanting to cut to the chase. I was never going to join the Lurkers, and it was past time that he realized that.