Call of the Siren(55)

Through his research, Taeg had discovered that the famed sword Excalibur was not only real, but could be used to cut through any object. With Maya’s help, he’d found the sword and destroyed the book. What no one save Keegan and Taeg knew was that even though the book had been destroyed, the spell had become embedded in Brynn’s mind, ready for her to call forth its power to raise the undead at any time. Not that he ever planned on that happening.

However, as they’d discovered in the time since then, the sword had all sorts of uses. For instance, it could cut through impenetrable shields, like the one Belpheg had placed around his castle.

“This Belpheg dude is bound to know we still have the sword, isn’t he?” Dagan pointed out as he leaned his weight over the wooden bar. “Why put a shield up in the first place?”

Keegan shrugged. “Maybe for general protection. Or to limit whatever sort of invasion he might expect us to pull.”

“Given his powers, he’d probably sense the moment we cut through the damn shield and know exactly where we are,” Ronin’s weary voice sounded out.

When the muscles in Keegan’s shoulders twitched, he popped his back. What he needed right now was sleep. They all did. But that wasn’t going to happen. Not for a while, he suspected. “Considering the fae’s goal is to lure us to him, and given the impressive scope of his powers, I have a feeling he’s not too worried about us successfully invading him.”

Which sucked. Big time.

“I have another idea.” The quiet timber of Ronin’s voice suggested he wasn’t too happy with whatever it was.

“What is it?” Keegan asked.

“When I touched down on the side of the lake surrounding the rear of the property, I was able to go several feet into the water before getting kicked back. But…when I tried to swim under, the barrier wasn’t there.”

Dagan stood to attention, his interest clearly piqued. “The shield doesn’t extend beneath the water?”

“No,” Ronin said. “Only thing is, like I said before, the lake is wide, and the shield extends for quite a distance. When I tried to pop up for air, I couldn’t. Damn near drowned hauling my ass back to the shore.”

It wasn’t hard to read the look on Dagan’s face. Keegan gave voice to the same concerns. “Wouldn’t this fae know what we are? Why would he leave the lake unprotected knowing that one of us can breathe underwater?”

Taeg locked gazes with him, his expression calculating. Finally he shrugged. “Maybe he doesn’t know exactly what each of us is.”

“Or maybe he doesn’t realize his shield doesn’t extend beneath the water,” Ronin said.

“Either way, we can’t just leave her there,” Dagan said, his voice hard.

“Of course not,” Ronin snapped. “Whatever happens, whatever secrets she’s kept from me, in my heart she’s still my sister.”

Keegan exchanged a loaded glance with Taeg. Much as the most selfish part of him might like to argue with Dagan and Ronin, they were right. Lina was Ronin’s family, and by extension, their family. If there was one thing they’d learned from dealing with their evil father, it was that you didn’t abandon your family unless they truly deserved it, the way Mammon had. Whatever Lina’s faults, she was worth saving. Even if he wanted to howl in agony at the thought that he was placing his own life, his future with Brynn and Aegin, in danger.

In the end, Brynn would understand. Oh, she wouldn’t be happy about it…but she’d understand.

“I’m going in,” Dagan said, his jaw setting in the particular way it did when he was determined to do something. “I can get her, I know I can.”

“Not without the rest of us.” When Dagan, Taeg, and Maya looked at him, Keegan took a deep breath. “We’ll do it, together. The four of us.”

“Four?” Maya let out a gruff laugh and walked over to the sectional. She dropped herself onto it and crossed her arms. “I don’t think so. I’m going.”

When Taeg looked as if he would argue, she quickly added, “After all, I can see through glamours. You’re probably going to need my help over there.”

Taeg’s mouth snapped shut, and his eyes took on a dejected expression. “Much as I’d like to argue that, she’s got a point.”

Yeah. She usually did.

“So it’s settled then.” Keegan rose to his full height and stalked across the room to the bar. He snatched up the whiskey bottle and took a big swig. “Now we just need a plan.”

…

Inky tendrils from a lightning storm curled across the midnight sky, illuminating the craggy tops of the countless towers topping Belpheg’s expansive castle. From their precarious positions atop a copse of trees that lined the outer forest, Dagan and Ronin observed the rear of the massive stone structure. The air in this part of the world was surprisingly warm, and Dagan had to admit there was something very picturesque about Romania. It held a completely different sort of charm than his adopted home of New York City.