Clash of the Otherworlds: Book 3, Portal Guardians (37 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

JARED MOTIONED FOR TIM TO come close.
 
I held out my hand and Tim alighted in my palm, pointing a warning finger at me that nearly had me laughing again.
 
I was pretty sure it meant,
Don't chop off my balls
.

"Tim, can you go in there and let us know what we're getting into?"

Tim saluted.
 
"Aye-aye, Captain!
 
Your wish is my command!"
 
He grinned like a lunatic.

"I'll take that as a yes," said Jared, forcing himself not to smile, but not completely succeeding.

Tim flew up and through the space in the door.
 
I expected to have time to fully catch my breath and calm myself before he was back, but less than five seconds had passed before he returned.
 
He landed on my shoulder, gesticulating wildly.

"There's a spell on the room.
 
No one can go in there.
 
I almost got trapped again.
 
It's that same binding spell that was near the door to the void before.
 
You remember, Jayne ... the one you had to blow your way out of."

I resisted the urge to growl at him and shove him into my armpit.
 
"Tim says there's a binding spell in there that'll snare anyone entering."

"How'd he get in and out, then?" asked Finn.

"Tell him I felt the vibration in my wings.
 
I ignored it last time, but I won't this time."

"He felt it in his wings."

"Tim ... can you go back in and try to figure out the boundaries of the spell?
 
And also tell us who's in there and what they're talking about."

"Of course.
 
I live to serve! ... To sacrifice my life in the service of others!
 
To ..."

"Tim, could you do this today, maybe?" I asked, cutting him off.

"Thhhppbbttt!" and a squeak from Tim's butt were the last things I heard before he disappeared into the room again.

We waited in tense silence, standing on either side of the door, all of our eyes glued to the opening.

Tim came through a few very long minutes later, flying over to sit on my shoulder, his words flowing out in a rush.
 
"Okay, so we have four fae inside and that's it.
 
Leck, Maléna, Ben and Samantha.
 
The boundaries of the spell are actually a lot narrower than I thought.
 
They are only in front of this door and one on the other side of the room."

"You went all the way around the room?" I whispered, pissed he'd taken such a risk.

Tim sniffed haughtily.
 
"I completed my mission, if that's what you're asking."

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head.
 
"You're nuts."

"Aaaanywho, Jayne, if you will please fill in the others while I try and remember everything they were saying in there, that'd be extra special."

I looked at Jared.
 
"He says there are four fae in there: Ben, Maléna, Leck and Samantha.
 
The boundaries of the spell are just at this door and one on the other side of the room.
 
I guess if we can get past it here, we can move around the room without a problem."

Tim nodded.
 
"Oh, and they were talking about their troops and friends."

"What troops and friends?" I asked.
 
I looked at Jared.
 
"That's what they were talking about."

"Maléna and Leck seem to be filling Ben in on their progress, and he's getting angry about something, but I couldn't tell what."

"Ben's angry.
 
That's ... interesting.
 
What about Samantha?
 
What's she doing?"

"She's just sitting there with her standard scowl.
 
Very sexy."

"Does she look like she's in on it or a prisoner?"

Jared frowned at me, so I shrugged.
 
It didn't hurt to be sure.

"I can't tell.
 
She just sat there saying nothing.
 
Leck mentioned a spell they needed her to do, but she didn't respond."

"So what's the dang plan, then," said Finn.
 
"We're spendin' too much time yappin' and not enough time doin' as far as I'm concerned."

Niles grunted his agreement.

"Well, we have to assume Samantha won't act against us."
 
Jared looked at me before continuing.
 
"And Leck has no powers he can use against us ..."

I held up a finger.
 
"Uh, except the brain-melting thing.
 
He can do that, and I'm here to tell you that it's pretty damn effective at making you do almost anything in order to make it stop."

"Samantha can block him from affecting us that way. She knows the incantation.
 
And Maléna is basically defenseless too.
 
The only thing they have on us is orc muscle, and I'm confident we can take any orcs down if they show up."

I glanced at the weapons my friends held, hoping they were as handy with a club as they were with a knife or axe.
 
I flexed my forearm muscle by squeezing my sword's handle.
 
"So let's do this," I said, anxious to get it over with.
 
"Tim, how much space between the door and the spell?"

"You have about the length of your sword before you come into contact.
 
If you walk out and side-step about two sword-lengths, you should be able to avoid it.
 
Stop immediately if you feel a noose tightening anywhere on your body."

I repeated Tim's instructions and his warning, and everyone nodded in response.
 
I caught Spike's eye, and he winked at me.

"Alright ... Niles first, then me, then Finn, Spike, and Jayne.
 
We fan out and just approach them straight-on.
 
I don't think sneaking around is going to work, am I right, Tim?"

Tim nodded.
 
"Kind of difficult to sneak around an open space."

I amplified Tim's words.
 
"He says it's wide open, no sneaking possible."

Everyone moved together towards the entrance, stopping just at the edge of the door.
 
I looked down at Niles and wished him good luck silently.
 
He nodded once and then disappeared from the room.

One-by-one, we left the safety of the outer hallway and entered the room where the fae who'd sold us out waited.
 
Hopefully there was also a fae in there expecting a rescue - one who'd traded her allegiance to them for one with us.
 
Samantha had seemed so genuine when I was with her in that cage and at Maggie's, and I truly believed she cared about Jared.
 
But I knew better than anyone how convincing Ben could be when he was determined, and he sure as crap wanted Samantha's power on his side.
 
Who knew what he'd been filling her head with while we were gone.
 
It was probably a fifty-fifty chance that she was still with us.

"Well, look who's joined the party," said Maléna, sounding very pleased with herself.
 
I had hoped for fear or surprise from her at least, so this reaction just made me nervous.

"Right on cue," said Leck, sneering directly at me.

Tim was buzzing high above us, and I noticed none of the fae sitting in chairs set in a circle paid him any attention.

Jared held out his arm to stop us from going any closer.
 
"No one step into their circle," he said, watching Maléna very carefully.

I looked over at Samantha, but could read nothing in her expression.
 
She kept her gaze forward, saying nothing, only staring at Ben like she was trying to drill holes through him with her eyes.

"You have nothing to fear from this circle," said Maléna, standing in front of her high-backed wooden chair.
 
"You have already entered the one that matters."

Jared spun around, and I followed his gaze to the edge of the room.
 
Drawn on the floor was a soot-black ring, totally encircling the entire chamber.
 
It had been drawn right over the threshold of the door, all of us stepping over it without even realizing it.
 
I had no idea what this meant in real terms, but I knew in every witchy book I'd ever read that this is where their most powerful spells were cast.
 
Fuck and doublefuck!

"Let's begin, shall we?" said Maléna, gesturing for Leck to join her.
 
Ben stood too, walking over to stand on her other side.

"Ben!" I yelled, trying to get his attention.
 
"What are you doing?"

He looked at me, no emotion on his face.
 
"Something that just needs to be done, Jayne.
 
Don't worry.
 
You'll be able to leave when we're through."

"I'm not worried about myself, I'm worried about the others.
 
And you."
 
It wasn't a total lie.
 
Whatever he'd gotten himself into with Maléna and Leck, it couldn't be that bad or that far gone that he couldn't get out of it.

He smirked.
 
"You're worried about me?
 
How sweet."

"Ben, for once in your life, could you please not be an arrogant ass?
 
Think about Tony and your friendship with him.
 
Doesn't that mean
anything
to you?"

A muscle in Ben's jaw twitched.
 
"Tony would understand.
 
He is rational and logical, and what we're doing here makes sense for everyone."

"Then why isn't he here supporting you?"

Ben said nothing.
 
He just glared at me.

"It's because you know he wouldn't approve, isn't it?
 
So just walk away, Ben.
 
Leave the two dipshits to drown in their own evil.
 
You don't need to do this."
 
I wasn't even sure what
this
was, but it couldn't be good.
 
"You have an important role to play.
 
You're going to be a portal guardian ... zzz companion."
 
My weak finish wasn't that inspiring, but I could hardly make a bold statement about him being a portal guardian himself when that wasn't what he actually was doing as the dragon's partner.

"What I do here isn't going to do anything to change that.
 
I'll just be a different guardian's companion too.
 
My role will be enhanced."

I frowned.
 
"You think you're going to be a companion to Biad?"

"Yes.
 
As soon as we're done here, that is the proposal that will be made and secured."

"Iiiiii'm pretty sure that's not going to work," I said, looking around at my friends, soliciting their feedback.
 
Everyone just stared back at me blankly or with shoulders shrugging.

"Yes, it is.
 
I am equally of the Hawthorne and the Blackthorne lines, Jayne.
 
I can control both portals and both guardians.
 
And not you or anyone else can stop me from accomplishing all that I've been working for ... all that
we've
been working for."
 
He looked to his right, acknowledging his partners in crime.

Leck's chin lifted a little, his arrogance making me want to barf.

I shook my head at Ben, now understanding what he'd been getting at all this time.
 
The dots finally connected for me, from all the way back to our talk in the diner when we'd first met to what he'd just said now. "So you think you're going to control the portals and then control the crossings of the dead and undead, freaking the humans out and forcing them to take us into their communities?
 
You're going to be the ruler of the whole friggin world, the Here and Now, the Overworld,
and
the Underworld too?"
 
I started laughing.
 
"Oh, that's not just rich ... dude, that's fucking
hilarious!"
 
I looked around at all my friends, none of whom were joining me; but that didn't stop me from getting hysterical.
 
I bent over double with the pain of overused abdominal muscles, trying to get a grip on myself before I peed my pants.
 
My face was sore from the permanent smile it was stretched into.

"I can shut her up if you will allow it," said Leck.

That sobered me up pretty quickly.
 
I held up my hand and stood straight.
 
"No need, no need.
 
I'm okay now."
 
I wiped my brow, a huge smile still on my face.
 
I looked over and noticed Jared smiling too, but mostly in a bemused sort of way.

I turned back to Ben.
 
"Phew!
 
That was amaaaazeballs.
 
Total dopamine rush, you know?
 
So anyway, where were we?
 
Oh, yeah.
 
You ruling the universe." I pressed my finger to my lips for effect, staying silent for a couple seconds before lifting my finger up, ready to make my point.
 
"There's just one little problem with your lame-ass plan."

"There is no problem with the plan," said Maléna, gritting her teeth.
 
"All the pieces are here.
 
Everyone is ready.
 
We do not need your permission."

I waved her away like she was a stupid little child.
 
"No, no ... I know that, silly."
 
I pointed my finger again.
 
"But what you
do
need is an heir to the Hawthorne ... name? ... Throne?
 
Whatever it is ... you need an heir.
 
A full-blooded heir, right?
 
An heir untainted by demon shenanigans, I'll bet.
 
And in the words of my fine friend, Finn the green elf ... " I spread my arms wide and said, " ...
you ain't got none."
 
I bowed deeply for my invisible fans, waiting a full five seconds before I came up for air.