On Wicked Ground (Solsti Prophecy Book 4) (31 page)

The air seemed to shift like a mirage, and where it wavered it gave off huge bursts of power. The demons could see through it to the center of the circle, to the one who maintained it through the force of her mind. Wind whipped through the small yard.

Within the circle stood a petite silver-haired woman.
Rosa.
Brooke knew this in the way that dreamers simply understand facts about their dreams, without explanation. The witch’s flowing blouse and skirt were sooty, as was her face, which was pulled into a severe concentrated scowl.

Rosa extended her hand and a flash of light pulsed in her palm, bouncing over the barrier to explode above three green-skinned demons. Their heads resembled those of snakes and Brooke instinctively knew they were Viper demons, though she had never seen one in person.

The Vipers bellowed, but in one second they fell to the ground. Rosa turned toward another group of demons outside the barrier. This group had wings and grotesque distorted faces. The color drained from the dream, leaving Brooke only black and white images. The demons’ mouths were moving calmly, almost methodically. A spell? Suddenly a gap tore in the barrier. The winged demons poured in.

Rosa’s eyes widened, then she raised her hands and began her own spell. The demons drew closer. A burning beam cracked free of the roof behind her and, borne on the gale, it sailed toward Rosa and the demons. Closer—

“No!” Brooke screamed aloud, shooting upright in bed.

“Sprite.” Kai’s strong arms held her. “It’s okay, baby. I’ve got you.”

Brooke buried her face in the warm muscles of his chest. “Kai,” she gasped. “It was Rosa.” Her heart crashed against her ribs. Dread expanded through her limbs now that consciousness was taking over. This dream couldn’t mean anything good. “She was in trouble.”

Kai sifted his fingers through her hair. “Rosa? Don’t think I’ve ever seen her in trouble.”

“I know.” Brooke pulled back to gaze into her mate’s chocolate brown eyes. Kai’s love and concern poured through their bond, soothing her erratic pulse and calming her mind. “She can take memories, conjure food, zap herself around the realm, but…” Brooke shook her head. “She was under attack. Her house was on fire and different demons were clustered around.”

“Was she alone? No one helping her?”

“No one. She had one of those magic barriers, the ones where the air sort of looks like a mirage.” She sent him a mental image of the one she’d seen before. One she’d been trapped in, and that had been conjured by a powerful spell caster.

“Ah, hell.” He gave her a quick kiss. “Okay, if she created that, that’s a pretty good defensive tactic.”

“That’s the thing. Someone as strong as her should never be on the defensive. And the demons said a spell and broke through it.”

Kai held her gaze as she described the demons who had changed the spell. “Shit. Ghazsul demons. What happened next?”

“She was saying a spell back at them, but…” Brooke stopped trying to explain and sent him more mental images instead. She drew comfort from Kai, and also the calm, tactical logic of his warrior’s mindset. He was always there to dissect the details, to organize the snippets of action that flashed through her subconscious all too briefly. Her dreams, wild and vivid and frightening in their intensity, were prophetic.

Rosa was the one who had discerned this fact about her.

It wasn’t always clear if the dreams were literal or metaphorical, but the underlying warning was true. Brooke looked into Kai’s rugged, handsome face. “Why would different demon groups attack Rosa?”

“I think the fact that it was two different groups who don’t get along, both attacking her, tells us exactly what we need to know,” Kai said grimly. “Elegia.”

“Elegia would be threatened by Rosa, I guess. Maybe by any powerful witch. Any powerful creature in general,” Brooke mused. “Why not convert her? Dose her with lily extract?”

“Maybe that’s what they were trying to do. Burning her house meant they forced her out,” Kai muttered. “Or maybe they knew the extract wouldn’t work, so they simply want to kill her.”

“We have to warn her,” Brooke said. The witch was full of mysteries and reportedly didn’t take sides, but she had helped Brooke and Kai in the past. In fact, Rosa had met with Nicole and with Gin too, separately, and had provided encouragement if not outright aid. The sisters considered her an ally, even if their mates all regarded her with a healthy dose of wariness.

“Agreed.” Kai shoved a hand through his short blond hair. “We just need to find her. Let’s start with the Elders.”

“What?” Elegia snarled at Baul. “How can the coordinates be the same? This looks nothing like where we were last night.” Last night, they’d clearly been on the side of a mountain, with sloping hills and pines whispering softly in the wind.

Tonight she stared angrily at a thick forest of deciduous trees covering flat land. An owl hooted and a raccoon’s tail flashed as it darted into a bolt hole. Probably sensed Razor and knew it would become dinner if it didn’t hide. “Check your device,” she ordered Baul. “I know we’re coming in from a different direction but still, the terrain can’t be that different. We were on a goddamn mountain!”

“Yes, my queen. I’ll double check.” Baul busied himself with his phone, typing rapidly.

“You.” She turned to the witch. She could never remember their names. They all looked the same to her: long hair and an expression that said they knew more than she did. The attitude used to piss her off, until she had a nice number of them addicted to her lily extract and eager to share their skills in whatever way Elegia wanted.

This witch didn’t seem too old, but one could never tell with supernatural species. She turned toward Elegia but didn’t look her in the eye. Smart female. “Yes, my lady?”

“Find out if magic is being used here. Any wards or concealment spells, anything at all. Then find out how to get through it.” She folded her arms over the many folds of her hooded cloak.

The witch nodded and knelt in the soft dirt. She wore a cloak exactly like Elegia’s, with the hood pulled up. Her face was completely obscured as she pulled items from a leather pouch at her side.

Leaving her to her work, Elegia stalked to her other companions on this journey, her two Serus guards. “Mendel,” she said to the nearest one, “show the pillowcases to the hound.”

Mendel nodded and produced the two pieces of cloth. He extended his hand slowly toward Razor. The canine sniffed cautiously at first, then drew a deeper breath of each one. His nostrils flared and crimson eyes glowed bright with understanding. His huge jaws parted, he panted, and a line of saliva dribbled down onto the forest floor.

Elegia pulled her hood farther down over her hair and waited. She had a lab full of high tech equipment, the brains to recreate the exacting needs of a once-extinct plant, and fifty thousand soldiers at her disposal. Yet she couldn’t find one vampire and one fae? Anger bubbled in her chest and she willed her mind to clear.

Razor stamped a huge paw on the ground and lowered his wide nose. His breath huffed out, noisy and snorting, as he tracked something. He prowled ahead, nose down, moving faster—

With a startled chuff, he stopped and skidded back a few inches. He shook his head, then proceeded forward again, only to repeat his halting movement.

Elegia didn’t take her eyes off her hound. “Witch, what have you found?”

“There is a barrier, my queen. It’s…it’s stronger than anything I’ve ever seen. I don’t know who has the ability to create such a thing.” The witch’s voice was panicked.

As she should be
. “You’re one of my oldest witches and you don’t know what’s blocking us?”

“No, my queen, I-I’m so sorry. This is far beyond my skills.”

Razor, rebuffed again, stood staring into the trees that he couldn’t seem to reach. He let out a piercing, ominous howl and pawed the dirt.

“Mendel, go.” Elegia pointed in Razor’s direction.

He nodded and jogged forward, and was stopped in the same way as Razor.

Abruptly, her second Serus guard whirled to look up somewhere behind their group. “My queen, I believe we are being watched.”

“What?” Alarm shot up her spine.

“I heard a distinct whirring noise followed by a click. I strongly believe it is a camera, my lady.” The guard’s expression was sincere, his tone urgent.

He was also one of her better trackers and she had no reason to doubt his superior hearing. A security camera and a heavy concealment spell? She hadn’t brought a large enough group to take on whoever lived around here.

Goddamn it. That was a detail she’d figure out from the safety of her lair. “Everyone, regroup. We’re going back to the mountains. Now.” Everyone jumped to encircle her except Razor, who still snarled at what he couldn’t see. Elegia gave a shrill whistle and he turned to her.

If it was possible for a dog to have a facial expression, he would have looked conflicted. “We’ll come back for them, Razor. Come now.”

He trotted over and pushed close to her.

“Witch, take us home,” Elegia ordered. Though she sensed they were so very close to something big, and to Sebastian and the female, she also knew not to underestimate her enemies. A lifetime of discrimination, of hiding from creatures who judged her based on her species, had taught her that. Know your enemies, know their weaknesses, and outsmart them.

Then defeat them.

“Did you hear something?” Alina asked, looking around the huge training yard.

“Yeah, an animal,” Gin said. “Like a wolf, maybe.”

Alina frowned as a disconcerting feeling crawled up her spine. Well, the nights on Torth were full of nasty scary creatures, so who knew what lurked beyond the magic barrier of Arawn’s grounds. Ashina had assured her nothing could get through it, and she believed her. Still… “Let’s go inside.”

They stood and headed toward the door. Fire bulbs winked on as they neared, and blinked off behind them. The air was moderate, as it always was in this part of Torth. The realm had no seasons. Whatever a region had for weather was simply the way it always was year-round.

“I’m excited to talk to Whysper. I’ve only met her in passing,” Gin said as they stepped inside the building.

“Do you think she’s still awake? It’s pretty late.” Alina glanced down at her clothes. “And I still haven’t showered. Ugh. I seriously need to do that before we talk to anyone.”

Gin gave a low chuckle. “You’re right. If I had gotten sucked into the ground and then cracked it open to get myself out, I’d want a shower too.” She pointed Alina toward the rotunda. “I’ll walk you there and we can talk.”

“Good because I’m totally turned around in this place.” Plus, she wanted more time with her sister. “You said you studied science?”

“Yes, agricultural science. Soil and water, specifically.”

“So, you might be able to understand whatever Elegia did to the flower?”

Gin blew out a breath as they walked into the rotunda. “I wish. I did more water purification than gene splicing. And I bet she used a decent amount of magic too. Hey, Ana.”

Busy at the enormous reception desk, Ana waved as she murmured “
hold, please
.” She pressed a button on her tablet and set her phone down. “Hi, you two. Where are you off—” Her eyes widened at Alina’s disheveled appearance. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, fine. Just need to get cleaned up.” Alina wished she didn’t look like such a hot mess. Ana’s style was the picture of professionalism and efficiency, with a dash of cute thrown in.

“Remind me, Whysper’s rooms are…” Gin frowned and chose one of the halls that extended out from the center of the building like spokes on a wheel. “That way?”

“Very good.” Ana winked. “You’ve learned this place faster than most.”

“I was determined.” Gin grinned. “See you later.”

“Is she a workaholic or is Arawn a slave driver?” Alina whispered as they reached the elevator.

“You know, maybe neither.” Gin pushed the button. “I don’t think the fae need very much sleep. Right?”

“True. Some of them don’t. That’s why the bars are always full of nymphs who are always down for sex.” Alina rolled her eyes as the doors opened and they stepped inside.

Gin giggled. “Oh my god. I haven’t met any nymphs yet, but I’ve heard about them. Nicole and Gunnar stayed with them for like, two days! She has crazy stories about that place…River something or other.”

“Rivkin?” Alina shot a wry glance at the panel that announced the floors.

Gin snapped her fingers. “That’s the place.”

“Yep, I can guess what some of those stories are about.” Alina led the way as the doors opened, bee-lining for her room. Rivkin was the place Caine had mentioned in their twisted game of twenty questions her first night here. And she absolutely didn’t want to think about Caine and nymphs in the same sentence, let alone the same location.

After a quick shower, during which Gin told her stories from the other side of the curtain about growing up with Nicole and Brooke, Alina stood wrapped in a towel in the big guest room she’d been given. Though beautiful, it felt as impersonal as a hotel room and she’d much rather be showering and changing in Caine’s room. Too bad she didn’t have any clothes there.

Yet.

No!
She shoved the thought aside, squeezing her eyes shut.
Why do I keep thinking things like that?
It would only make things harder, later on.

“What’s wrong?” Gin asked from her spot on the bed.

Alina covered her face with her hands and shook her head.

Gin hopped off the bed to stand next to her. “It’s Caine, isn’t it?”

Alina nodded.

Gin opened the armoire. “All the more reason to find Whysper ASAP. Here.” She tossed a T-shirt and pair of jeans at Alina.

“You’re right.” Alina pulled on the clothes quickly, deciding she’d rather do something than sit around feeling glum.

“You know, I used to not believe in witches, elves, fairies,” Gin said. “Then it all changed, and I had to accept that science can’t explain everything.”

“Where are you going with this?” Alina walked out into the hall with Gin right behind her.