Everlost (The Night Watchmen Series Book 3) (14 page)

“ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR
mind
?” Jezi is screaming over top of me. “I told you! I freaking told you not to spend a moment more after you got your Grimoire, and what do you do? You jeopardize everything!”

I sit up, laying my Grimoire next to me, trying to untangle the words in my mouth.

The door to my room busts open. Jaxen’s by my side in two strides. “What happened?” he asks, cupping my face, forcing me to look up at him.

But I can’t see him through the blur hazing my eyes.

“She ruined this place. That’s what happened,” Jezi says heatedly, throwing her hands in the air. “She lingered for five minutes after we found her Grimoire.”

Jaxen’s eyes are still on mine. “What happened?” he asks again, this time calmer, softer.

“Clara. She has Sterling. She found him out and she… she…”

I can’t. I can’t get the words out. I can’t accept that a man of his strength, a man who was only trying to help us and has already been robbed of so much, could be robbed of all that he has left. Or that she plans on doing it again, to as many people as she can.

All because of me.

I feel Jezi in my mind, pulling, prodding, and forcing up the information that my tongue can’t manage to speak.

I hear her gasp, and I shut my eyes. “Sterling was bit. He has one hour until he turns. One hour for Faye to turn herself in. If she doesn’t, she’ll target someone else to hurt.”

Jaxen’s hands slip away from my face. “Damn it!” he shouts out. Volation courses down his forearms, crackling with energy. He shoves the lamp off the nightstand. It shatters against the wall. He grabs the nightstand and flips it over. Kicks it until it’s nothing but shards of wood. Curses until the veins are bulging in his neck and his hands are bloodied from punching a hole through the wall.

Cassie, Gavin, and Weldon rush into the room. Katie scoots closer to me on the bed.

“He’s on his own,” Jaxen forces out, his hands in fists and his chest heaving in and out. His words sound at war with one another. His face is screwed up in pain.

“What?” Jezi asks with wide eyes.

I feel him shut down.

“You heard me. Faye can’t go back. Not now,” Jaxen says, his eyes on the floor. “Sterling knew this would be dangerous. He wouldn’t want Faye—our only weapon—to risk herself for him.”

“What happened? Faye flub the spell?” Weldon asks from the doorway with a teasing smirk.

“Not now!” Jaxen yells out. I see his strings of strength unraveling, one by one, as he fights to do what he believes is right.

“Hey, man,” Weldon says with his hands up in surrender. “I was only kidding. What happened?” His face is serious now as he strides over to where we are.

“Clara threatened her using Sterling. She had a vamp bite him. He has one hour until he turns. One hour until Faye turns herself in, or Clara picks another victim,” Jezi quickly explains.

“And how long did she linger in the in between?” Cassie asks through her teeth.

Jezi hangs her head. “Five minutes.”

Cassie stomps her foot. Looks to Gavin before looking at me. “Seriously? Did you not hear anything we said? They’re probably tracing us this very moment. They’ll have our location pinpointed within the hour.”

“Calm down,” Weldon says from the corner. “We have wards up. They can’t cross.”

“Are you an idiot? We can’t ward out Primevals,” Cassie says, throwing her hands around in anger.

“Whoa, what are you saying?” Weldon says, face flinched. “We have to go?”

“If you want to keep your head, then yeah, we need to go,” Cassie says harshly, scowling at me.

“We have nowhere else to go!” Jaxen says heatedly. “Jezi’s family safe house was destroyed by fire.” He looks at Weldon.

“Don’t look at me,” Weldon says, “I’m an outcast. Unwelcome even in my own home.”

I want to disappear. Forever.

“You’re saying there’s nothing you can do? No Witchy magic that could reverse the trace?” Jaxen says, almost desperately.

“No,” Cassie says firmly, arms crossed.

“That’s not true,” Katie speaks up.

The room goes quiet. Cassie’s eyes fall on her, and she looks at her as if she only just realized she was here.

“You have a safe house?” Gavin asks, almost pleadingly.

“None that we can stay in safely. Clara has my father, and my mother… I don’t know,” Katie says quietly.

“Then what do you suggest?” Weldon asks, one hand running through his hair and the other planted loosely on his hip.

Katie grabs my hand. Finds my eyes. “Lend me some of your magic.”

“What?” I ask, shaking my head.

Her brown eyes pierce through me. “I know you can do it. You let them borrow, didn’t you?” Katie asks, looking between Jezi and Jaxen.

I look up at Jaxen, confused.

“Mack told me in theory that you can bind yourself to people. That’s how you were able to allow Jaxen to use your magic when he helped heal you.”

“How did you know—?”

“You were gone. I wanted answers. You know when I set my mind to something, it happens,” she explains quickly. “Anyway, he thinks that it’s part of what you can do. As much as you can take, you can also give. I don’t have my magic. Not until we save Chett. And I can prevent us from having to leave this place, but I need my Grimoire in order to do it. My mother has tons of spells, one in particular that can make this entire house invisible, even to magic.”

Cassie snorts under her breath. “A spell of that magnitude won’t come easy.”

Katie’s head flicks up in her direction. “No, but it’s our only option at this moment. My family has a long line of spell writers. Spells that I’m sure even you’ve never heard of.” She turns back to me. “Hurry. The more time we waste, the closer they are to finding us.”

I don’t know why… maybe because in that moment, in her brown eyes, I feel like I did before when she was my best friend and I would follow her to the ends of the earth, or maybe because I see the strength in her. The strength that seems to have left me the moment Clara dragged another suffering victim in my path. I squeeze Katie’s hand and try with all my might to open myself up to her. To give her some of what she’s missed out on for God knows how long.

I feel the moment she taps into my magic. It’s the reverse of what it feels like to take energy. With every tug from her, I feel emptier. More pain. My stomach cramps up as she begins to manifest. My lungs can barely expand.

I can’t breathe. I can hardly move.

And when she has the book and lets go, I suck in a huge gasp of air, pushing Jaxen’s hand away when he reaches out for me. “I’m okay,” I say quickly.

Katie makes quick work of asking her Grimoire for the specific spell she’s looking for. The pages hastily flip until they land on the one she is searching for. “Here,” she says, pointing to it.

Cassie and Jezi move closer to her. Their eyes flit over the page.

Cassie is the first to take a step back. “Hell no.”

“What?” Katie asks.

“Can you read?”

Katie stiffens. “Quite well, actually. Thank you for asking,” she clips.

Weldon snickers under his breath.

Cassie shoots him a look that could kill. She turns back to Katie, placing her hands on her hips with more emphasis than is necessary. “Then you should know that a blood ritual isn’t commonplace within our world. It’s dark magic. The kind that opens gateways to other awful things. The kind that lets shadows in.”

“Beggars can’t be choosers,” Katie retorts with just as much attitude.

They square up against each other, both with glares as sharp as daggers.

“Whoa now,” Jezi says, stepping between them. She turns to Cassie and backs her up a step. “She has a point,” she murmurs. “We’re running out of options. This spell… even though it’s dark… it isn’t as bad as what we’ve done in the past.”

Jaxen tenses when her eyes shift in his direction.

I take the book from Katie and read past the scribble of notes, down to the spell and ingredients. The blood of a Coccia, a circle of salt, and a single black candle.

“We have to try,” Jezi says. She turns to Kat. “Come with me. I’ll show you to the cupboard. We can grab the ingredients and set up the ritual. Faye, you can recite the spell. You have the power in you and, well, this is your mess to fix.”

I flinch. Jaxen goes rigid.

She doesn’t care though. She just heads out of the room, leaving everyone staring at each other, searching for the words to fill the awkward silence. Katie stands, looking at me in question.

“Go,” I say, nodding to the door.

She grabs her Grimoire and follows Jezi out.

“We can’t leave Sterling and let Clara continue adding to her never-ending body count,” Gavin says with the tone of a leader, looking directly at Jaxen.

“We can and we will,” Jaxen says firmly, though he doesn’t quite meet his brother’s eyes.

Gavin’s eyes harden.

Cassie looks at Gavin, and disgust twists her features. She turns on Jaxen. “Why? Because you don’t want your girlfriend to get hurt? You don’t care how many bodies she steps over in the process?” she says harshly. She faces me. Glares. “This is wrong… and you know it. You should have never worked that spell. You said you could handle it, and look where you’ve got us. Deeper into a pile of shit that seems never-ending.”

Jaxen stands in between us. “That’s enough,” he growls out. “Turning on each other isn’t going to solve anything.”

“Coming from the man who likes to use his own brother as a punching bag.” She snorts under her breath. “Screw it. Do what you want. I’m on my way to dying anyway,” she says hotly, looking down at her affinity mark.

“Hey!” Gavin shouts angrily.

Cassie shoves past him and storms down the hall, slamming the door to their room.

“It’s about time she lives up to her cliché,” Weldon says from the corner of the room.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Gavin says.

“Angry with a spitfire attitude. It’s about time she lives up to the responsibility of being a redhead.”

“Shut up,” Gavin says, plunging his hands through his hair. He looks back at Jaxen. Opens his mouth. But his words never have a chance to be heard because something crashes through my window, hitting me in the back of my head.

“FAYE!” JAXEN SHOUTS, CATCHING ME in his arms.

“What the hell was that?” Gavin asks, stepping back from the glass scattered all over the ground.   

Jaxen helps me get back on my feet. Turns me around to check the back of my head.

“I’m fine,” I say, rubbing my scalp.

Weldon’s head disappears behind my bed. He stands back up, holding something in his hands. Something moving. His face pales a little.

“What is it?” I ask.

“A carrier,” Weldon says, staring at it with an odd expression. He looks up at us, his gaze perplexed. “Maddock and I used to send these to each other when we were little.” He holds it out, showing a small, copper, mechanical bird, wings trying to flap despite the gears sticking and smoking. “I can’t believe he found it.” He looks up.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Gavin says, taking the small bird from him and turning it over to further inspect it.

“We made two, one for him and one for me, out of old radio parts. Our dad was a collector… borderline hoarder. He had a shed full of broken electronics that he swore up and down he’d fix, turn around, and sell during our weekend yard sales. But being a Night Watchman kind of took up most of his time. Made it impossible for him to ever get back there in the shed to fix anything. So Maddock and I took a few things and tinkered, trying to invent something for a science fair project.” He points to the bird in Gavin’s hand. “That’s what we came up with.

“After he went away, to the Underground, I buried them in our backyard next to Dad’s shed. Never had the chance to tell him where they were between trading myself and returning.” He runs his hand up the back of his neck. “How the hell did he know?”

“Maybe because he’s your twin?” I suggest, taking the bird from Gavin’s hand. The detail they put into the small bird is incredible. Even down to making each and every feather out of a sculpted piece of copper. Turning it over, I notice a small, red button just above its breastplate. “What’s the button for?” I ask.

“Push it,” he says, staring at me with a blank expression.

I do. Two tiny doors on the breastplate pop open. Inside is a small, rolled-up piece of parchment. I pull it out, unroll it, and look up at him. “A note?”

“I did say it was a carrier, mouse,” Weldon says. “Read it.”

Weldon,

If this letter finds you, then that means our little project surpassed our expectations. There were only two places I figured you would hide them. The first place I looked, I found them.

I’m writing you to warn you. Clara is on to your location. Unless you have some kind of miracle up your sleeve, she will have secured your exact location within the hour. To celebrate, she has ordered the execution of Jonathon, Sterling, Seamus, Garret, Joanna, Everett, Bianca, and myself. All convicted members of the Rebellion.

The rest, thank the God and Goddess, remain on the outside, lying in wait.

I had intended on that horrid, ghastly night on the rooftop to pass the reins of the Rebellion onto you, dear brother. But, as you will recall, I was not in the right frame of mind. It seems self-loathing and alcohol do not mix well for me.

Even though we parted on bad terms, I have not stopped trying to push the Rebellion from the inside. Using our carriers, I have been able to get messages to the outside. Those who were banded with me are still just as anxious, and just as ready. They need a better leader. Someone who is strong, reliable, trustworthy, determined, and has seen a thing or two. Someone like you and Faye. Experienced. Ready.

I have complete and total faith that you can steer them on the right path. That, together, you both can guarantee the Priesthood will pay for the crimes they have committed, and then reestablish the vision the Divine left behind for our Coven.

At this very moment, Clara is coming for me. I’ve managed to hack into Ethryeal’s computer system, and I have given you a small window to rescue those of the Rebellion that Clara has locked up. Within the hour, they will be on the rooftop, awaiting your removal. Please save them. They know the others on the outside. Jonathon Coccia has all the details. He will be able to guide you until you are on your feet.

As for me, I hope the next time I see you, the bad blood between us will have dried up. And more so, I hope that I will see you again, not for my own life, but so I can make things right with you and Claire. I will try to make it to the rooftop… but even now, I see Clara is on my floor.

I must go. Be well, brother.

I know I have yet to say it, so in case I never see you again, thank you. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for loving me and never giving up on me. I know I have disappointed you, but I am doing the right thing now.

Love,

Maddock Aaron Jacobsen

I stop and look up, trying to coax my vocal chords into moving. Trying to think of something to say that’s worthwhile, but what do you say to this? How can I tell him that everything will be okay, when it’s a lie? Because this is far from okay. She was never going to let Sterling live. Not even if I had gone to Ethryeal City.

Weldon’s eyes are bloodshot, but his face is neutral. He’s trying to keep his posture collected and composed, but I see the slight tremble in his fingertips. The slight quiver on his lower lip.

I roll the paper back up and place it back in the bird, closing the doors. Jaxen runs his hand down his face, and then crosses the room, pulling Weldon into a hug. Gavin stares at them, his eyes pressed with worry.

I’m still trying to remember how to swallow.

“What now?” Gavin says.

Jaxen lets go of Weldon. Steps back. “It’s up to you,” he says, looking Weldon square in the eyes.

Weldon swallows hard and bites his bottom lip to keep his emotions from spilling over. I want to hug him so bad. Tell him how sorry I am. But I anchor my feet in place, knowing that’s not what’s needed. Not when he has a big decision looming over his head.

“We have to go back,” he says.

“What about the spell? There isn’t enough time for both,” I say.

I already know his answer before Weldon looks up at me. “You have to stay, mouse. We need you to work the spell with Katie. You’re her only chance.”

My nerves pop loose like strings on a guitar.

“I’ll take Cassie, Gavin, and Jaxen with me. I’ll need all the help I can get to make sure everything runs smooth.”

“Got it,” Gavin says, heading out of the room for Cassie I suspect.

“And you?” I ask, looking at Jaxen. “How will you function without powers?”

“I’m more than my powers, Faye.” He says this with more surety than defense. His head hangs a little, and he adds, “I was wrong about leaving Sterling behind.”

“No, you weren’t,” Weldon says. “Going back for him without the guarantee that my brother was helping would have been stupid. Even Sterling would agree. But this,” he says, taking the bird from my hand and holding it up, “this is a shot. This is a chance to get ahead. My brother, if anything, will make sure of that, and I won’t let his risk go to waste.”

Jaxen’s fists tighten at his sides as war flashes in his eyes. “What’s the plan?”

Weldon’s eyes flash gold. A smirk lifts the corners of his mouth.

“We put on our Saint panties and save the day.”