The Curse (40 page)

“That is the part that I will now share with ya. ’Tis said once the female Alterant has the gold aura and shifts into her beast—as she did today—the other four Alterants will seek her out. When that happens, Tristan an’ his sister will become important, so do no lose them.”

“I don’t plan to lose any captive, but what would it matter since Tristan is not one of the five?”

“Open your scryin’ wall to the arena an’ teleport Tristan there.”

Flaevynn considered his request with suspicion but floated over to her wall. When she waved her hands, the massive pit in the tower known as the arena came into view, an’ Tristan appeared inside, lookin’ around in surprise. He shouted, “Where’s my sister, Kizira?”

Blank walls echoed his question back at him.

“Well?” Flaevynn said to Cathbad.

“Ya still have our wyverns we altered with Noirre majik?”

“Of course, and they are
mine
, not ours.”

What man ever owned anythin’ in a marriage? Cathbad let that go. “Call up the one known as Morvack.”

“Why the wimpy one? Some have grown far larger than that one.”

“Morvack is fine for what I have in mind. Just do it, Flaevynn, an’ allow Tristan to use his kinetic powers in the arena.”

She shrugged and twirled the fingers on one hand. An iron door slid up, and one of the winged creatures Cathbad had begun acquirin’ more than three centuries ago came snarlin’ into the room. Unlike most dragons, wyvern had only hindquarters at one end of a black, snakelike body, but four massive orange-and-black wings with razor claws at the tip of each vertebra. The tail whipped back and forth, split at the end into two sharp, red spikes loaded with deadly Noirre venom.

Tristan took one look at the wyvern and began ta shift into a beast, growin’ taller and thicker with twistin’ bones and muscles. His head widened and stretched with jaws that snarled open, a black maw with jagged teeth. Saliva ran from his lips when he roared.

The wyvern flared its wings like an angry vulture, and fire shot from its snout. The black, undulating body twisted and arced back, liftin’ a head with black eyes and red diamonds for pupils. Flames shot past the wyvern’s two deadly fangs. Its head flared wide as a cobra’s and struck with the same speed.

Tristan blocked the strike with his kinetics, then slammed his fist at Morvack, lookin’ surprised his power worked, but he did no more than knock the beast sideways. The wyvern flew at Tristan, drivin’ the Alterant to the floor and stompin’ on his chest.

Flaevynn hissed at Cathbad. “I thought you said we needed Tristan. Why are we letting Morvack kill him?”

“Just watch.”

Morvack an’ Tristan battled across the arena. Tristan finally knocked the wyvern off its legs an’ pinned him with kinetics, then jumped on the wyvern’s neck. The wicked tail whipped ’round to stab Tristan’s chest, but he grabbed the tail, an’ used his power to hold the creature in place. He stomped the wyvern’s head ’til it exploded.

Fire danced up the Alterant’s leg, singeing his hair.

Tristan roared, his rage echoing around the arena.

Flaevynn sighed and doused Tristan with a wash of water. “That was a waste of a wyvern.”

“’Tis no finished yet.”

Tristan’s back arched. He jerked ’round, moaning, an’ fell off the dead beast, rollin’ into the middle of the chamber. The Alterant’s body began changin’ again, elongating as the scales and hair gave way to a smooth gray-blue skin covered with new translucent scales the size of Cathbad’s hand. Tristan’s neck stretched an’ his head shrank, but in proportion to a body that took on a lion’s shape with front an’ hind legs, all the paws tipped with sharp claws. Wings sprouted from each side of the body, then stretched and widened. Blue and black feathers covered the tops of the wings, but they remained smooth underneath. Predator green eyes shone from within a head shaped like an eagle’s, right down to the hooked beak.

When the evolution finished, Flaevynn whispered, “He looks like a … dragon, but more regal.”

Cathbad chuckled. “’Tis a gryphon.”

“I didn’t know any still existed.”

“No for a long time an’ these will soon be ours.”

“Mine.”

Women. Cathbad let it go. “All Alterants can finish evolvin’ ta this state if they battle a wyvern … or a gryphon. But we must capture the five Alterants we need ta breach Treoir and finish their evolution here.”

Flaevynn eyed Cathbad with irritation. “We only have four more wyverns. We have no choice but to use one with Evalle. Then what will we do about the other four Alterants?”

’Twas just like Flaevynn ta think in terms of
we
when she did no care for the task. Cathbad said, “We need no waste a wyvern on Evalle.”

It took Flaevynn a moment, but she caught up to his thinking. She scoffed at him. “If you think to use Tristan as a sacrificial lamb for Evalle to kill so she can reach gryphon state, you’ll be disappointed. She won’t fight Tristan or his sister. Evalle is nauseating when it comes to caring for others, especially those she calls friends.”

Cathbad would no tell Flaevynn exactly what he ha in mind or the alternative. He’d let her think she knew all there was ta know about the evolution. “I am no concerned. Evalle
will
fight Tristan in the arena, an’ one will die. I promise you that.” This much he knew to be true. “But ya must be able ta bring Evalle back ta us.”

“If that’s all you need, not a problem. Evalle has this misplaced sense of honor that will force her to come looking for Tristan and his sister. I’ll compel Kizira to lay a trail for Evalle that leads to Tŵr Medb.”

THIRTY-FOUR

F
or the millionth time, I am not going there.” Evalle slapped her hand down on the island counter in her kitchen. Why wouldn’t Lanna let her enjoy a quiet Sunday night after all she’d been through? “Storm doesn’t want to see me. Besides, I have a job to do.”

If she knew where to start looking for Tristan, she’d leave now, but the Medb had Tristan … if Kizira’s warlocks hadn’t killed him after he’d teleported Evalle away from the farmhouse. It was going to take some time to find out where he was.

If
he still lived.

She hoped so and would start searching tomorrow. If Tzader caught her out walking the streets tonight there’d be hell to pay.

Lanna had showered and changed to a bubble-gum pink sweater and jeans after having swung by the hotel to retrieve her small suitcase. The clothes gave her the appearance of an innocent teenager, but she called herself a sorceress.

Could she actually
be
a sorceress?

Picking up a lug nut, Lanna tossed it to Feenix, who snagged the treat with his tongue, then danced around chortling. Lanna said, “Tzader said you take time off. That was order. I know. I heard.”

“That doesn’t mean I have to go out to dinner.”

“What do I tell Quinn? He does not like you unhappy.”

“And that’s the only reason he gave you that message for me.” Evalle had a moment of excitement when Lanna had first delivered Quinn’s message, then reality had set in. Quinn and Tzader had witnessed the looks of shock—and horror—on faces when she shifted into a beast.

Of all people, they would know how deeply that reaction cut her and, of course, want to do what they could to soothe her.

“You call my cousin liar?” Lanna could arrange her face into a seriously mean look for a teen.

“Of course not, it’s just that—”

“Oh. Now you have gift to see future?”

“No.” Sarcastic little snot.

“You say you like Storm. How can you
know
he does not still like you?”

Evalle shoved a handful of damp hair over her shoulder. Why had she spilled her guts to Lanna on the way home this morning? Because she’d never felt so alone and she’d had no one to talk to but Lanna.

“Cousin said—”

“I know, Lanna. The Belador warriors are proud of me, and Storm wasn’t given the chance to speak to me before I left.” Evalle would not put Storm on the spot to see her again just to prove Lanna wrong. She’d seen his face. He would still treat her as a friend, but she’d started thinking of him as more than a friend. Much more.

Someone she didn’t want to lose.

“Do you not want Storm?”

Just cut me to the bone.
“This discussion is over.” Besides, Evalle had to focus on finding Tristan and his group. She owed him for helping her escape. She would not leave him to the murdering Medb.

But she would not have Storm’s help tracking Tristan this time.

She already missed Storm ranting at her about how Tristan could not be depended upon.

Lanna played patty-cake with Feenix, whose wings fluttered as he hovered in front of Lanna where his hands could reach to hit hers. “I saw way Storm hold you when we teleport. His eyes only for you. Why you let Adrianna win?”

Feeling that strike right through her heart, Evalle opened her mouth to snarl at the brat, hoping to shut her up, then Lanna added, “She is nothing next to you.”

Lanna’s words cheered Evalle’s bruised heart, but that didn’t make the words true. “You saw Adrianna at the building. She’s beautiful. I will
never
look anything like that woman or say the right things to a man or ooze sexuality the way it drips off her. I can’t do it. And now Storm’s seen me as a monster.”

Lanna cocked her head to the side, black-tipped curls bouncing. “If Storm wanted someone else, he would not look at you as if you are his world. Clothes, makeup and hair … same as swords and daggers. Me? I am most excellent with female weapons. I would not let go of man like Storm and leave spoils to Adrianna … or any
other
women.”

The thought of any other woman touching Storm hurt Evalle’s heart. She crossed her arms, refusing to engage any longer with this pint-size spawn of Dr. Phil.

Lanna gave her a sly glance. “If you want to keep women away from your man, you must prepare for battle. Do you not tell me Storm will look for you at night until you show?”

“I’m not going.” Evalle couldn’t let Lanna talk her into humiliating herself.

“You would let this man wait forever?”

Would Storm wait forever? Hope quivered inside her, but Evalle shut the door on wishful thinking. “He’ll realize in a couple days I’m not coming.”

“So you agree he waits for you tonight?”

How had Lanna cornered her this way? “Maybe, but that was before—”

“You are not coward when you fight trolls and demons. You risk your life for strangers, but not your heart for man you want?” Lanna stopped smiling and patted Feenix on top of his head. “Storm would fight for you. He fought for your queen … for you. He does not deserve same?”

That struck home deeper than everything else Lanna had said.

Storm had come through for Evalle time and again. He’d taught her that a man could touch her without harm. He’d awakened her heart, and she feared the frightened organ would never beat again if he walked away from her forever.

But Lanna was right.

Evalle owed it to Storm to show up and give him a chance to say what he thought. If he wanted only to continue as friends, she’d honor that … from a distance. If he wanted nothing else to do with her, she’d accept that even though it would rip her heart in half. “I’ll go.”

Lanna’s eyes lit up with excitement until Evalle said, “Quinn’s driver refused to leave, so he can take you to the hotel, then drop me at my bike.”

“No. You go nowhere like that. Take Cousin’s car to see Storm so you dress nice.”

Evalle looked down at her jeans and T-shirt and back up at Lanna. “I don’t have dressy clothes.”

“Good thing for you I stop at hotel for suitcase.”

Evalle now feared what Lanna had in mind, but she feared losing Storm more.

The next thirty minutes became a battle of wills with Lanna determined to put Evalle in a dress with heels. Seriously?

When Lanna declared Evalle ready to leave the apartment, Evalle took one last look in the mirror and decided she’d never be Adrianna.

Lanna fussed at her over how late it was getting to be and how Quinn would be back at the hotel suite by now, playing Evalle’s guilty nerves to get her moving.

Quinn’s driver dropped Lanna at the hotel first. Before getting out, Lanna leaned over and hugged Evalle, whispering, “Remember. You are like Brasko woman. Too sexy to ignore.”

Evalle hugged the brat and waited until Lanna was safely inside the hotel before leaving. Quinn might be in residence, but it was after eleven at night out here on the streets.

When the car pulled up in front of Storm’s house, she experienced a moment of cold feet. Two icebergs.

She started second-guessing the blue sweater she’d allowed to be
sparkled
, as Lanna put it. The dress never happened. No way those tiny things that Lanna had offered to share would have fit her, and in the end Lanna admitted that Storm would want Evalle to look like herself, but with sparkles. She’d agreed to the glittery sweater, black jeans and her favorite boots, which felt dressed up compared to her normal look.

Lanna’s shoes wouldn’t have fit or been worth a dime for fighting even if they had.