Summon (34 page)

I derived a morbidly disappointing conclusion from
the surreal conversation. “Did I die? Again.”

She sighed prettily. “Nay.”

“It’s just…. I hear you, and it’s a sad story, I
mean, I’m dealing with the fall out daily. It sucks. The thing I’m struggling
with is that
you’re dead
.”

“Yea.”

“So, I’m dead?”

“Nay, I tell thee.” A gust of wind blew black
strands of hair across Sorcha’s milk-pale face. The imaginary female who
fancied herself my deceased mother tucked a wayward lock behind her ear, a
perfectly formed shell of creamy skin studded with gold earrings from pointed
tip to end curve. Puzzled, she swept out a willowy arm, the gesture
encompassing. “The splendour of this scene is what thee saw in the Otherworld?”

I licked my lips and darted a look around. “Last
time I died I–”

Up her palm flew. “‘Tis best thou not speak of it.”

“Uh, say-so.” I bobbed my head in the direction of
the mountains, scared to see if the overcast crept closer. “I’m doing that?”

“Thou art divine. Such a dreamscape is well within
thy power. Thee and Brean–”

I made a pained noise.

“–the
Guardian
,”
she adjusted, frowning gently,
“
conjured
a spell akin to this after thee resurrected. ‘Tis an old way to bespeak
secrets.”

“The scenery I get. I imagine stuff like this all
the time, but you? I’ve never seen you before. That must mean I’m crazy. Or
dead. Neither sound good.”

“Thou claims I am a stranger. But!” She placed her
hand beside mine. Apart from the lighter skin tone, they were identical.
High gods,
my hands are teensy.
“Upon whose visage did thee gaze when thy
bright eyes first opened?”

“Yours?”

She inclined her head.

Mystified, I rubbed my eyes with my fists. “You are
a figment of my imagination.” I spoke firmly to myself. “When I look she will
be gone.” I opened my eyes.

She studied me. “Does thou think of me often?”

“Na-uh.”

“Na-uh means nay?”

I struggled to articulate past my upset. “Yup.”

Triumphant, she fairly wriggled in pleasure. “‘Tis thine
answer.”

“My head hurts.”

“Time lessens. Thou hast naught to ask?”

“I’m supposed to ask you something?”

“Or ask thy self. Does it matter as long as answers
are given?”

It was physically painful to think his name.
“Breandan,” I mumbled. “If I’m not dead, and I do die after whatever this is,”
I rotated a hand over my head, “what will happen to him?”

“A Seer, I am not.” Sorcha shrugged. “He may mourn
thee for the rest of his days. Become a harbinger of death. A tainted shadow of
what he should hath been.” She clapped her hands to chase the pall settling on
us. “Alas, he may cry then find another love. Looking upon thy time together as
a sad yet fond remembrance.”

My mouth dried. “Another love? He was never meant
to be with me?”

“If not for thy love would thou hast possessed the
strength to achieve all thou hast? Methinks such love destined.”

“I survived because I fought to get back to him.”

“And when thou died? Did the lure of everlasting
love grow stale?”

“I had a choice. Run to him or to stay and fight. I
chose right for everyone but him. I’m beginning to see I don’t put him first.”
Tears pricked my eyes. “It felt like I did. He called me selfish once. I didn’t
understand.” A tear broke rank and rolled down my cheek. “When you’re loved you
have an obligation to live. Whenever you fall, you must stand. Not for
yourself, but because love waits for you.”

“Life is naught but choices,” Sorcha whispered. “I
made
one mistake
in a lifetime of
obedience and servitude to my Tribe. I loved thy father, Nyal, in my way, but
when I saw Daniel, I was lost.”

“Cael’s father.”

“Nyal did not understand why I desired a human. He
called Daniel insignificant. He was not insignificant to me. He was
all
.” She closed her eyes. “There lay
the problem. Daniel became everything. I forgot my responsibilities to my
Tribe, to my life mate. And to my children.” She looked at me with remorse. “I
would beg forgiveness, but the truth? I would still choose wrong. I am weak
that way.”

I thought of all the times I’d wanted to run into
Breandan’s arms, and let him whisk me away from my problems. How close I’d come
to doing just that the last time I’d fought. “You think I’m not like that?”

“Thou were called upon to sacrifice for the greater
good and thou gave all. Thou hast much to live for. Such magical love pulls
thee. Thou struggle to do what is right yet thou prevail. That weakness is not
a shared trait between this mother and her child. Thou art worthy of the love
found with him.” Our eyes locked. “I was not.”

“I have another choice to make.”

“Yea.”

“Why did I fail? And why am I here of all places?”

“Thou may hath followed the path thee were supposed
to.” Sorcha held up both hands, indecisive. “The elder gods are beings too. The
oldest of old watch the young, and ease the monotony of forever with hopes and
dreams they glimpse beyond eternity’s horizon. They desire balance. They’re
worry not how ‘tis achieved just that it is.”

“Why am I here in a field under a storm? Why are
you here?”

“Because thou wished it. I am here because
loneliness frightens thee.”

“This is stupid.” I pushed onto my feet. “This
can’t possibly be it. Everything I’ve been through, the horror, suffering and
loss….” I choked, bereft and heartsick. “This can’t be it for me. Stuck in some
random place I’ve dreamt up without the person I want. I love him. He doubts me
because I’ve never been brave enough to say it.” Clapping a hand over my mouth,
I realized not once had I told Breandan I loved him. I
felt
it, and assumed he knew, but words had meaning.

My butt hit the dirt, and I sobbed into my lap.

“Thy decision is straightforward. Sacrifice thy
bond to the Guardian and mend the equilibrium as destined. Harness the power of
love to set the world to rights. Negate my selfish deed.”

“I suffer for
your
selfishness,
your
failings. That’s
balance?”

“Eye for an eye. Thou art my blood, my direct
descendant.”

“I’m not the fairy Priestess anymore. Maeve–”

“Fate makes it tidy, alas, the choices we make run
amuck with the fabric of
what is meant to
be
. The bond betwixt thee and the Guardian is an anomaly. No being is meant
to possess that power and remain on the earthly plane. Natural order forbids
it. If the scales of existence were equal it could not occur.”

“I’m a burden, and this love between us costs him
so much, but I don’t want to let him go.” I trembled, the dread endless. “I
can’t decide this now.”

“Time is–”

“Wasting, I know.”

“If thou reverses the ritual used to bring thee
here, returning to the Otherworld, balance will be restored.”

“My body?”

“As thy divine spirit crosses the veil thy
corporeal form will turn to stone and crumble to dust.”

“The Loa?”

“Forced to abandon their vessels, and if they do
not return from whence they came they shall drift ever amorphous.”

“Breandan brought me back because he believes
immortal life isn’t worth it without me. I agree. Without him, I do not want
it.”

“He will feel loss. Pain. Yet the grief of thy
passing will fade, and he will live on. ‘Twill be done. Finished. True healing
will begin.”

“The alternative is I go back and fight.”

“Thou risk much. Without him to feed thy power with
love.”

“I stupidly thought to protect him by keeping him
at the Wyld.” Sick of the tears, I scrubbed my face. “He promised he wouldn’t
follow me this time.”

“Yea.” Sorcha’s face softened at my devastation.
“Oh, Rae. Thou will meet thy love in the next life.”

I remembered Breandan’s face. Heard his forlorn
plea echo in my ears.
‘It’s alright to
put the one you love first. Put me first.’

Sorcha put her love first, and look what happened.

I twisted my fingers into a knot and pressed it
into my stomach. The queasy feeling refused to ease. “I haven’t decided.”

She laughed. “Yea, thou hast chosen. I see it. Do
not be afraid. Thy–” Sorcha lurched to her feet. Her eyes rounded with
astonishment. “Now that
is
unexpected.”

Gaining my feet, I spun a circle and tripped over
the masses of skirt swirling around my ankles. Untangling my legs from the
silken material, I craned my neck around her body to see what startled her.
“What? Wait!” I reached for her alarmed she became translucent. “Where the hell
do you think you’re going? I haven’t decided.”

The landscape leeched of colour then melted into
darkness.

“Nay. Thou hast not decided, but he hath. Hear him
calling?” Smiling, Sorcha faded into smoke. “Be well, daughter.”

My heart stopped as a voice boomed from the
heavens.

Rae-love.

“Breandan?”

The world roared back.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Alec

“The
demons are nervous.” Kian scrubbed a hand over his bared chest, dark hair
falling into his eyes. “Why did Rae’s friend not become like the other
zombies?” He rubbed a hand over his mouth. “The smell is foul.”

“Rae channelled the Loa’s knowledge of
resurrection, but she used fairy magics to resurrect the human,” Lochlann replied
distracted by something Daphne whispered to him. “It is purer. Earth magic.”
Focusing, he patted Kian’s shoulder. “We are prepared?”

“Yes. Tired, but ready. Another day’s rest before
we enter the city would make the world of difference.”

Conall breathed out through his nose but nodded. “I
see no harm in it.”

“Fine.” Lochlann blinked when no one contradicted
him.

Baako remained quiet studying everyone with a
cautious eye. Alarmed, my gaze skimmed the group then shot back to him.

Damn.

“I doubt waiting until tomorrow night is a solid
idea,” Cael said, nonchalant.

Baako winced. He’d seen Breandan leave and said
nothing. He met my gaze, saw that I knew, and eyeballed me. Breaking the stare,
I said nothing. I wouldn’t have spoken up either.

 
It was
Breandan’s right to follow after his mate.

“Nobody asked you,” Maeve grated, stopping at my
side. Dressed in armoured trousers and a cropped top that bared her stomach,
arms and back, the uncovered green skin goose-pimpled as if she could feel my
eyes. Her quiver was strapped to her back, daggers latched to her legs, and her
right arm encircled by a leather arm-guard. Her fiery hair was twisted up off
her face and neck, but I knew the unruly mass would tumble free when she really
started moving.

Lochlann spun, eyes darting around. “Eve, where is
Breandan?”

“You were supposed to watch him.” Her fingers
tightened their grip on the bow she clutched until the wood creaked. Her eyes
cut to Daphne stood at her brother’s left side. “I see you were distracted.”

Daphne and Maeve stared at each other, tensing,
leaning closer as if about to lunge. Cursing softly, Lochlann slid in front of
Daphne and murmured something to her.

I clasped the nape of Maeve’s neck and whispered in
her ear. “Don’t even think about it.”

“Death no longer breaths down my neck,” Kian
muttered.

Samuel frowned in confusion.

Lorken crossed his muscled arms and sniffed.
“Humans.”

“Breandan’s gone,” Daphne said.

Samuel appeared less baffled but still asked, “Why
does that make Kian feel–”

“Poor blood sack.” She patted his arm. “Don’t you
feel an ominous sense of doom when he’s around?”

His face lightened with relief. “It’s not just me?”

Lochlann hissed and stormed up to Cael. “You said
nothing
.”

“Do I look like one of your underlings?” Cael moved
his head to put space between him and the fuming High Lord. “Why would I stop
him from doing the same thing I’ve itched to do for days?” Cael brushed spittle
off his tunic. “I’d have left if I wasn’t certain you’d use it as an excuse to
skewer me.”

Countenance fierce, Lochlann spun, determination
stamped on his features. “We leave. Now.”

Kian saluted and charged into action, shouting
orders to the fairy Knights who rushed to pass the message on.

Daphne eyed Cael. “Aren’t you going to demand we
save your Coven?”

The he-witch’s gold eyes flicked up. Thoughtful.
“If their innards weren’t decorating the Wyld then yes, I’d ask, but as it
stands the request would be futile.” He paused. “Naomi is my Daughter. Spare
her and my other Daughters if they’re alive.” He snapped his fingers. “There is
a vampire you cannot kill.”