Davina (Davy Harwood #3)(53)

Davy closed her eyes and hung her head.

“Block her out. Don’t listen to her. You need her essence. It will help you against the Mori and Jacith. You’ll be able to find Kates.”

“I . . .” Davy still hesitated.

“The Mori captured you. They assisted Lucan with taking the others and torturing you. You can use her essence and her power. When we’re done, you can let her essence go. It can rest with her family.” The Immortal squeezed her hands. “We have to, Davy. It’s no longer you and me. It’s us. We have to do this.” She paused a beat, then added, “This will save Lucas, too.”

The last sentence was enough. Davy was wavering, but her mind was made up. She shut her emotions off and started to chant.

She concentrated on the words. Magic hadn’t been an effort for her before. The effort had been in trying to control her power, but since Lucan’s witches, it was like she was learning everything new. And this spell, drawing the Mori’s essence, was beyond anything she had done knowingly.

“Davy!”

The Immortal moved so she was directly in front of Davy. Her back was to the Mori, and she tucked her head next to Davy’s. She took Davy’s other hand, and she began to chant with her. They both spoke at the same time, in the same breath, with the same focus and attention.

“Davy,” Yaeyn yelled once again. “I know there is good in you. Please don’t do this. I’m one of my people’s leaders. They will be devastated by my death—”

Enough!” The Immortal slammed a hand behind her, and in a moment, she snapped Yaeyn’s neck. Her hand returned to Davy’s, and she squeezed it hard. “Hurry. We can still take her essence. It hasn’t depleted to the earth yet.”

They worked together, as one mind, one mouth, and when it was done, a peace settled over Davy. She opened her eyes, but she was back in her own body once again. She wasn’t in her mind and she looked down.

The Mori was at her feet. Her eyes were wide open with death in them, and her mouth was open, like she had been gasping for breath.

“I can feel them.” Davy didn’t turn to the others. She said, “I can feel all of them. I know where they are.”

“Davy . . .” Gavin gestured to the Mori. “What about her?”

Davy didn’t look. She only said, “She would’ve killed us. I was protecting us.” And with that, she stepped over the body.





ROANE



As soon as Roane walked into the encampment, the Christane wolves knew. He still wore Benshire blood on him, and it wasn’t long after that before Christian issued the order. They were marching on their enemy.

“You’ll lose.”

Christian was leaving his tent, his sword ready. Pippa was next to him, and as Roane said those words, she stood next to her brother. Both regarded him with resolved faces. They were going to war. The order had been issued. They were ready.

Christian snapped, “You brought us here. This is why we’re here.”

“They’re being helped by Jacith—”

“And we’re supposed to have The Immortal on our side,” Christian’s voice bellowed. “Where is she?”

“Brother,” Pippa said. Her head turned up, regarding him.

He ignored her, glaring at Roane. “You’re the leader, but you come in here wearing our enemy’s blood.” He gestured around them. “Look at my men. If you wanted a battle cry, you got one. The smell worked them into a frenzy. They must have blood of their own now. They have to spill their enemy’s blood for themselves.”

“We have to wait.” But as Roane said it, he knew they wouldn’t.

He smelled the wolves’ blood thirst. It was intoxicating, even to himself. It was bringing the Hunter in him alive again, the Hunter that he thought was long gone. Even now, as Christian started to speak, Roane wasn’t paying attention. The Hunter mark on him started to burn. It was awakening and he closed his eyes. He needed to allow it to return. He had been stripped of his Hunter privilege, but for a reason unknown to him, it was being returned to him. He was no longer only powerful because of Davy’s blood, but because of his ancestry.

“. . . We have no choice,” Christian was saying.

Pippa added, “We have to go.”

Roane didn’t look at her. He hadn’t paid attention to the wolf that was Davy’s friend. It hurt too much, remembering the times when Davy fought for this one, proclaimed she was friend and not foe. That had been when Davy was safe, not like now. She’d been gone for so long . . .

Wren stepped next to him. “The witch is gone, but we’ll fight with you.” She glanced to Roane, then back to Christian. “It’s why we all came here.”