mythean arcana 07 - witchs fate (24 page)

Gratitude welled in Sofia. Should she encourage them to leave? To save themselves? But if she did, she’d be consigning the rest of her village to death. 

Kitty pressed against her leg and she focused on her warmth, drawing strength and comfort from her familiar. 

“We’ll need as much help as we can get,” Sofia met the gazes of the council members, who’d all come to stand before her. “Talk to your factions. Let those who are not of the original descendants make their own choice about whether or not to fight. But if they will stay, ask them to get what help they can. Friends and family who live in other places. The High Witches will converge upon the village with magic the likes of which we cannot imagine. We’ll need numbers to fight them.”

“I can talk to the transients,” Aleia said.

“Good.” Sofia nodded. Bruxa’s Eye drew dozens of visitors every day, many of them repeats. Often, the population of the village was at least doubled by their numbers. “I will do what I can to find help from elsewhere. We still have two days before the High Witches expect us to return with the Grimoire. When we don’t appear with it, they’ll attack. Do what you can to add to our numbers and we will meet again tomorrow morning.”

The council members nodded and said their goodbyes, then left the circle. When it was just her, Inara, Aleia, and Malcolm, Sofia almost collapsed. Despair stole her strength.

Unable to help herself, she glanced at Malcolm. He stood so tall, a pillar of strength in the middle of the stone circle. Early morning sun gleamed on his dark hair. Pain stabbed her, a blade to the heart. Gods, she almost loved him. Yet his actions had led her here. 

How the hell was she supposed to reconcile that?

Did it matter, considering what they were facing?

They couldn’t win this. If, for some insane reason they did, it wouldn’t be without enormous loss of life.

Just the thought of it forced steel back into her spine. She didn’t have time to collapse. She had to keep going. There had to be a way—build their numbers strong enough, attack the High Witches on their home turf, do
something. 

Malcolm came to stand by her side, his gaze fierce. “We can fix this.”

“Can we?” She had no idea how.

“My brother will help. We can go to the university and request more assistance. They have a vested interest in not letting the High Witches destroy an entire village, even if that village isn’t in their territory.”

She nodded. She’d been thinking of going to them. There was no central organization like the university in South America. Her village was the closest thing to a large, organized group of Mytheans in the entire continent. Salem served the same purpose in the north, but they had no friends there. Not after they’d destroyed the Salem Coven’s home. 

“We’ll go to your brother,” she said, feeling not a whit bad about using him for his contacts. He owed her. “His wife has contacts with the university, right? And powerful friends.”

“Yes. We can go now.”

Sofia nodded, then turned to Inara. “Will you stay for the battle?”

“Yeah. You helped me get back at the Salem Coven, I’ll help you with this. But if it looks like I’m about to get offed, I’m aetherwalking away.”

“Fair enough. Thank you.” Sofia held out her hand to Malcolm. “Lead the way to your brother’s place.”

His big hand grasped hers and she shivered, unable to help the streak of pleasure that ran over her skin. A second later, they stood in the snow. Bright sun gleamed on the icy whiteness, nearly blinding her. A charming cottage—like something out of a fairy tale—stood before her.

Kitty turned herself into smoke to avoid the cold. Sofia used her wand to remove her Crone’s visage and to replace the cloak with all-weather gear. Malcolm seemed not to notice the cold, though he wore only a t-shirt and dark jeans with leather boots.

They knocked on the wooden door, which swung open seconds later to reveal Aurora, wearing pajamas covered in wine bottles. Heat wafted out of the house, along with the delicious smell of bacon and eggs. How could something as normal as breakfast be happening when she was about to lose everything she loved? Maybe even her life?

“Ah, fuck,” Aurora said. “If you’re here, it means things have gone to hell, doesn’t it?”

Sofia nodded, her throat tight but her back stiff.

Aurora stepped back. “Come on in.”

They stepped into the warmth just as Felix walked in from the back room wearing loose sweatpants and a t-shirt. Mouse was draped over his broad shoulders, yellow eyes watching them thoughtfully. Felix carried a fluffy cat toy in his right hand.

“This can’t be good,” Felix said.

“It’s not.” Malcolm scrubbed a hand over his face.

“Why don’t we take a seat and you can tell us what you need?” Felix asked.

They sat. Mouse jumped down and went to greet Kitty, who’d chosen to sit by the fire. They sniffed each other, then sat down companionably to enjoy the warmth.

Sofia took a deep breath and began to speak. It didn’t take long to spell out exactly how dire her situation was.

“We’re happy to come,” Aurora said. “And we can get some help from the university. My sister of course, and her friend Andrasta, I’m sure. She’s a Celtic demigod and her man is the Celtic God of War. Camulos, I think he’s called. Logan and Sylvi will help as well, I’d bet. I used to think the university was full of assholes and egos, but most of them aren’t that bad and they’re happy to jump into a worthy battle.”

“Thank you.” Sofia took a deep breath. Maybe they could win this. Maybe even without too much death. They had immense numbers on their side, and powerful allies. She had to cling to hope.

“We can go there now,” Aurora said. “I have a flat on campus. We can use it as a base.”

Sofia nodded gratefully. “Thank you. Really.”

“It’s not a problem. I understand what it is to be in a bind. Let us change, and we’ll go.” Aurora and Felix left to change.

Malcolm came to sit next to her. He rubbed her back and a small bit of tension dissipated. She hated that he could make her feel better. He’d left her. He’d stolen her dagger and gotten her into this mess. But she still melted when he was near.

It was annoying as hell. She had huge things to worry about. Obstacles that were likely insurmountable. 

But then, wasn’t that a good reason to take comfort where she could find it?

She shook the thought away. A moment later, Felix and Aurora returned, dressed in jeans and coats.

“Get a move on, Mouse, we’re headed back to the university,” Aurora said.

Mouse glanced at her, then rose, stretched, and sauntered toward Aurora like a tiny jaguar. The little familiar had as much feline grace as her larger brethren, but Sofia would take roly-poly, squinty-eyed Kitty any day. She smiled at Kitty as she made her way toward her.

“Malcolm, you remember where Aurora’s flat is, aye?” Felix asked.

“Yes. I’ll take Sofia.” Malcolm wrapped his big arms around Sofia and transported both her and Kitty to the base of a tall stone tower. Rolling green hills and giant, gnarled oaks surrounded it. In the distance, Sofia could make out huge, ornate stone buildings. The air had the bite of autumn, with winter coming. 

The Immortal University. They were outside of Edinburgh, Scotland. It didn’t look like she’d expected. It was greener. But then, she’d never thought much about Scotland or the university. Though the university was vital to British Mytheans, she’d never had a reason to come. 

Until now, when she hoped to find as many powerful Mytheans as she could who were willing to fight a deadly battle with her.

This wasn’t going to be easy.

Aurora and Felix appeared next to them, Mouse at Aurora’s side.

“Come on,” Aurora said and led them to the door at the base of the tower. 

They made their way up the spiral staircase to a landing at the top. Aurora ran her hands over the door frame. 

Removing a charm. So that’s why they hadn’t aetherwalked straight inside. They’d have gotten zapped, or worse.

“Flat, sweet flat,” Aurora said as she led the way in. 

Sofia’s brows rose when she entered. The flat was one large, round room with a section walled off for the bedroom. The main room had a small kitchen that faced the living room. The space was full of electronics. Televisions, computers, blenders, fans, flashlights. Half of them were assembled, some were vomiting their circuit boards and wires into the room.

“I had a bit of a thing for electronics when I first got out of the pokey,” Aurora said.

Pokey? Did she mean prison?

“Anyway,” Aurora said, “I’m mostly over that now. I’ve figured out how it all works. Lost its allure. She nudged an old rotary phone with her foot. “I really need to clean this up. But, another time. First, we need to find you some help.”

“I’d like to bring my friend Aleia here, if you don’t mind. She’s a seer and I think we could use all the advice we could get.”

“Good plan,” Aurora said. “You do that, I’m going to try to find some folks. I’ll be back soon. Hopefully with some fighters.” 

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Malcolm pounded on the great wooden door of Corrier’s house. He’d left Sofia at Aurora’s flat on the university campus. He’d return to help her recruit assistance, but first, he had something to do. This would hopefully only take a few minutes and then he’d be able to return to Sofia with news that would bury their troubles.

Cold wind whipped down the valley, making this part of Norway seem more desolate than he remembered it. 

Or maybe, it was his situation.

His heart raced as he waited for the door to open. Now that he’d committed to this plan, nerves and anticipation thrummed beneath his skin. 

What if there wasn’t a way to forfeit his warlock’s power and stop being an Oath Breaker?

The thought sent a chill over his skin. 

That was
not
an option. He’d find a way around this. Once the battle was over and he had no use for his immense power, he’d forfeit it. There would be a way. There had to be.

Finally, the door swung open to reveal the same woman who had opened it on his earlier visit with Sofia. Her green eyes widened at the sight of him.

“You return so soon,” she said.

“Indeed. Corrier?”

She nodded and stepped back into the hall. The sense of familiarity washed over him again at being in Corrier’s home. He’d spent so long here. Met Sofia. Made stupid decisions.

“Malcolm.” Corrier’s warm voice carried down the stairs. His cloak flowed behind him as he walked, presenting an impressive figure. “Is there something I can do for you?”

Malcolm nodded. “Could we speak in your study?”

“Of course.” Corrier led the way, his steps quick.

Malcolm accepted the glass of whisky Corrier handed him, but ignored it. “I need to no longer be an Oath Breaker.”

Corrier’s eyes widened and the glass halted halfway to his lips. He lowered it. “That’s not possible. Warlocks are Oath Breakers. That’s the curse. There’s no way around it.”

“Then I need to no longer be a warlock.” It didn’t phase him a bit to throw away his power. Not like it once would have. Now, with Sofia on the line, he’d give it up in a second.

“Ah. It’s Sofia, isn’t it?”

Malcolm nodded sharply.

“I wondered when I saw you here last. In fact, I wondered when you were an apprentice. I wasn’t surprised when she opted out.” His gaze searched Malcolm’s. “In fact, I was a bit surprised when you decided to break your vow to Sofia to become a warlock. But then, there’s your family.”

Darkness settled over Malcolm at the mention of his family. He hadn’t seen them in centuries, not since he’d really understood the pain of losing Sofia. After that, it’d been easy to separate himself from them. But not before. Not when it would have made a difference.

“I made a mistake,” Malcolm said. “A terrible one. Now I need out. No longer a warlock, no longer an Oath Breaker.”

Corrier’s face fell. At the sight, a cold sweat broke out on Malcolm’s skin. 

“A warlock’s magic always comes at a price. It’s a power that is not inherent like that of a witch or a sorcerer. It’s greater, but at greater cost. As you know, the strongest spells take something from the warlock. Becoming a warlock took sacrifice and abandoning the path would also require sacrifice. But there’s only one way out.” Corrier’s voice was grave. “The greatest sacrifice.”

Death. 

“Death,” Corrier said.

It was a blow to hear, nearly sucking the wind from him.

“But not just any death. A death in sacrifice. Else you’ll be a warlock and an Oath Breaker in the afterlife as well.”

Malcolm just stopped himself from crushing the crystal. “Then there’s no way I can be with her?”

“No. Not short of death, and then, only if she goes to the same afterworld as you. Her beliefs would have to match yours. You knew this when you signed up, yet you did it anyway.”

Malcolm dragged a hand down his face. 

This was real. And there was no escape.

“Don’t try to be with her,” Corrier said. His tone was sharp, as if Malcolm were still his pupil. “It will end badly. You remember what happened to Laira. And to those who came before her.”