Rise of the Gryphon (24 page)

Kizira couldn’t protect anyone while sitting in a dungeon, but he was a fool to think she’d put her life on the line for him or Flaevynn. If Kizira led the Alterants, then she would be the first to reach the river of immortality flowing beneath Treoir.

Perched on her throne, Queen Flaevynn tapped a long, black-lacquered nail studded with diamonds against her cheek. Amusement danced in her kohl-outlined eyes. Thick tendrils of black hair shifted and curled slowly around her neck and bare shoulders, falling to the strapless gown of liquid silk that reminded Kizira of a burgundy wine.

Knowing Flaevynn, the dress had been created from a rare vintage.

“Kneel,” Flaevynn ordered, sending Kizira to her knees with no notice.

She went down so hard that her bones fractured, shooting pain through her kneecaps. She bit down on
her back teeth, refusing to even wince at the sharp throbbing. Her body started healing the injury. Not as quickly as Cathbad could do it, but it wouldn’t take long.

Flaevynn chuckled.

Glad I could entertain you
. Kizira stared straight ahead, having learned years ago that the less she said, the sooner she would be released.

“You said you’d do
anything
to get out of TÅμr Medb?” Flaevynn said, reminding Kizira of her words earlier.

Kizira realized she may have spoken too boldly, but she had to be careful how she handled this. “Yes. I like the mortal world, but I can’t spend as much time there when you and Cathbad are stuck here. If you gain your freedom, I gain mine.”

“We shall see.” Pointing one of her black fingernails at Kizira, Flaevynn murmured words too soft to hear, then said out loud, “Kizira, Medb priestess of my blood, I compel you to do as I order you over the next three days. If at any time you do not repeat my compelling orders to the Alterants
exactly
as you receive them, you are to take the life of the person you love the most.”

Kizira’s jaw dropped. If she took a risk and miscalculated how she circumvented the compulsion spell, it would be a deadly mistake.

Flaevynn had finally actually surprised her with unexpected cunning.

Smiling with satisfaction, Flaevynn said, “Now I don’t have to worry about you working behind my back.”

The ache in Kizira’s knees had dropped from a ten to a
two. She forced her mask of indifference back into place. How could she risk trying to get around the queen’s orders now?

“I should give you the enchanted phrase that would allow you to live and be the next queen,” Flaevynn mused out loud.

Kizira’s pulse tripped over itself picking up speed. If Flaevynn passed those words along, Kizira would outlive Flaevynn and Cathbad. She’d never be able to leave TÅμr Medb again, but she could . . .

Flaevynn finished her thought, saying, “Then you’d know what it’s like to be trapped in this realm for hundreds of years, stuck depending on those who are inferior. But not even the idea of your suffering the way I have is enough for me to allow another queen to survive if I don’t.”

Of course not.

Pointing a deadly finger at Kizira, Flaevynn began her next compulsion spell, and purple energy swarmed Kizira. “Kizira, Medb priestess of my blood, I compel you to attend the Achilles Beast Championship in the mortal world during tonight’s full moon. You will bring to me every Alterant that is offered to the Medb prior to the battles or those gained through trade upon winning the final Elite matches.”

Not much wiggle room in that order. Kizira said, “I will.”

Flaevynn continued, “Once you return from the beast championship, you will link mentally with all the Alterants so that you have sole control over them, including
Tristan and any others in my possession . . . even after they evolve.”

“Evolve? What do you mean?”

“Cathbad didn’t tell you?”

“No.”

Genuine happiness rushed across Flaevynn’s face as she whispered, but loud enough for Kizira to hear, “I wasn’t sure he could be compelled, not at this point in his life, but we now know who is the more powerful between us.” Returning her attention to her spell, Flaevynn swirled her pointed finger.

Dark purple energy suffocated Kizira until she had to squeeze out each breath.
Get on with it, bitch.

“You will ensure that the Alterants follow your every order, just as you are to follow mine, Kizira. You will be bound to my life for the next three days and will die immediately if I do. However, I will not be bound to you if you should die. Once you return from the beast battle with the Alterants, you will be in charge of their evolution and compel them to execute my orders. If any one of them fails to do what I require, you will pay the penalty.”

And Cathbad thinks I can outmaneuver this spell?

Kizira held still, begging silently for this to end. Her knees were almost to the point that she could stand without crying out.

“The minute the Alterants invade Treoir and kill Brina, you will bring me water from the river beneath Treoir without touching or drinking that water. Once I gain immortality, I will unleash my Alterant army on
the mortal world, along with my entire coven of Medb witches and warlocks. Macha will no longer have her powerful Belador warriors once I control Treoir, because the surviving Beladors will answer to me.”

Kizira’s blood turned to ice.

Had she and Cathbad underestimated Flaevynn? But the queen had overlooked something. “Macha will not just stand by while Treoir is attacked.”

“You think I’ve underestimated her? Think again. I’ve been prepared to deal with her all along.”

What could Flaevynn possibly have in mind to prevent Macha from interfering? Or was Flaevynn so insane she actually believed she would win no matter what?

Kizira had a sick feeling that Flaevynn had one trick up her sleeve that even Cathbad knew nothing about.

E
valle parked in the underground level of Nicole’s apartment building in Avondale Estates on the east side of Atlanta. Nicole had been her only girlfriend since Evalle first came to Atlanta. She trusted Nicole as much as she trusted Tzader and Quinn.

And Storm.

Lanna climbed out of the passenger side. She’d been happy with the late dinner and chatty at the apartment, playing with Feenix for hours. But she wasn’t chatty or happy now.

She wouldn’t look at Evalle either.

Evalle opened the rear passenger door with her kinetics and Feenix leaped out, floating to the ground. Seeing a couple walking over to the access elevator, she cut her eyes back and forth. Keeping her voice down, she warned Feenix, “No flying until we get inside, okay?”

He sighed and turned big orange eyes on her. “Thorry.”

She smiled. “It’s okay, baby.”

His gap-toothed grin with a two-fang overbite tickled her heart. She loved her sweet gargoyle. He stood two feet tall and wore his favorite T-shirt that read EVL TOO right above his potbelly. Thankfully, with people either sleeping in or already gone to early morning activities
like church, there was little traffic in the private parking space beneath Nicole’s building, a remodeled warehouse.

Lanna retrieved her suitcase from the rear of the SUV, and Evalle snagged a tote bag loaded with lug nuts. She grabbed Feenix’s pudgy three-fingered hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Don’t forget to play robot if anyone sees you.”

“I know.” Feenix sounded exasperated over being reminded, but he did tend to have a short memory on some things.

One look at Lanna, and Evalle suffered a new wave of guilt. “You’re going to love Nicole, and it won’t be for more than a couple of days tops.”

Lanna gave her a weak smile. “I understand.”

No, she didn’t, but Evalle couldn’t tell anyone what she was going to do when she left. No one at VIPER could know, and Lanna talked too much, plus she had a bad habit of sticking her nose where it didn’t belong.

Better to keep her out of the loop on this one.

“Leth go.” Feenix tugged Evalle’s hand, then turned his smile on Lanna. “Like Nicole.”

No one could resist Feenix, not even Lanna, who finally gave up and grinned at him. “I am sure I will.”

Evalle managed to hustle her group into the elevator and up to Nicole’s floor without incident.

Sometimes the world turned in her favor.

When Nicole’s door opened, she rolled her wheelchair back out of the way to allow everyone to enter. With exotic brown eyes, slender nose, sculpted cheeks
and smooth mocha skin, she could smoke most models with her beauty, and she didn’t have a vain bone in her body. Whoever she got those eyes from probably also gave her the straight, light brown hair that normally fell to her shoulders, but she’d twisted the locks up on her head today.

Evalle introduced Lanna, who stepped aside shyly, which seemed so unlike the outgoing girl. Lanna was going to kill Evalle with guilt.

Nicole offered her hand and Lanna took it. “Nice to meet you. I’m looking forward to having company. My partner is out of town this week.”

“Thank you for invitation.” Lanna gave Nicole a polite smile, released her hand and backed away.

Evalle said a silent thank-you that Red, Nicole’s life partner, was a transportation engineer who traveled for work on occasion, which took her out of the picture right now. Standing just as tall as Evalle and the alpha female in this pair, Red would not be happy about Evalle bringing her gargoyle and Lanna to stay with Nicole, even though Nicole was a powerful witch.

Feenix bounced back and forth from one fat foot to the other. Nicole opened her arms for him. “Come on, sweetie.”

Batlike wings flapping, he made happy chortling noises all the way to her lap. She hugged him and petted his leathery greenish skin. “I think you’ve gotten an inch bigger.”

Feenix looked over at Evalle with shock. “What ith inch?”

Evalle held her index finger and thumb apart to show him. “A lot.”

Nicole patted his head between his little horns. “If you’ll play for a bit so I can talk to Evalle, we’ll watch television later.”

Feenix clapped his hands, wings flapping to lift him off her lap. “Nathcar! Nathcar! Danica!”

“I’m sure I can find a race tonight.” Nicole turned to Lanna. “I’ve got a couple whirligig type toys he’ll chase around once I cast a spell for them to fly. Would you get them out of that chest against the wall?”

Lanna retrieved a spiral piece of plastic that fit in the palm of her hand.
She
whispered something and the toy came alive, spinning up in the air, changing colors as it flew.

Feenix took off after the toy as Lanna sent three more airborne.

Nicole nodded in admiration. “Nicely done. Thank you.”

Turning around, Lanna said, “Watch this.” Then she disappeared.

Nicole shot a look of concern at Evalle, who waved a hand. “Don’t worry. She explained to me that she’s learning how to cloak herself.”

When Lanna came back into view, Nicole asked, “How long can you stay cloaked?”

“Twenty, maybe thirty minutes.” Lanna rubbed her head. “Sometimes hurts. Or I’m tired.”

Pointing across the room, Nicole said, “Go ahead and get settled in the guest bedroom. Lie down if you want.”

“Thank you.” Lanna gave Evalle a look. “Do not feel bad about this. I understand, and someday I will ask you to understand for me.”

“Fair enough.” Evalle thought about giving her a hug, but she’d never been one to hug much. “Either I’ll be in touch in a few days or Quinn will, and if not, you and Nicole both have Tzader’s number to call.”

The minute Lanna stepped into the guest room, Evalle sat down on the end of the sofa that had an open space next to it where Nicole could park her wheelchair. Evalle always felt at home here and was never quite sure if it was due to the comforting autumn colors in the room or some spell Nicole cast to infuse tranquility.

“Lanna is powerful,” Nicole stated. “More than a witch.”

“She’s Quinn’s cousin, and he doesn’t know
what
she is. Says she doesn’t either. Long story, but basically her mother disappeared nineteen years ago for I don’t know, like a month, and showed up again with no idea where she’d been or how she’d gotten pregnant.”

“I’m fine with it, but I’m concerned that she’ll get past my wards on the apartment.”

Evalle shook her head. “I don’t think so. She’s never trained with anyone. I’ve gotten used to her disappearing around the apartment and in the truck today. I think she enjoys having that control. Thanks for doing this.”

“I’m happy to help, but
why
am I doing this?”

Keeping her voice down, Evalle told her, “Quinn asked me to take Lanna while he’s gone to help the Beladors with a problem. A wizard is after Lanna, but I drove
around with her and Feenix for a while to see if there was any chance we were being followed. I’ve got an SUV that’s warded against sunlight and unauthorized access, and I’m sure I had no tail today. Your place is warded, but if Lanna starts getting bad headaches, call Tzader or one of these Belador numbers and have her taken to headquarters.”