Aaron chuckled, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, bite me.”
Almost three hours later, eight dragons, six werepanthers, and one white witch headed to the park just behind the clearing that led to the mountain where Rian was sure the traitor was hiding out. They had been in constant communication with the four Guardsmen that stayed behind. Surges of dragon magic, with an undertone of black magic, let them know the traitor was close by but being careful not to disclose his exact location.
Kyra was along to provide magical cover and to scry for the little prick. Aaron had laughed when Royce had pulled her to the side, trying to convince her to stay behind. He watched the little witch twist her mate around her little finger and get exactly what she wanted. Aaron knew beyond any doubt that Charlie would do the same thing to him. A few weeks ago that knowledge would’ve pissed him off, but after spending time with her it only reassured him that the Universe knew what She was doing.
Parking the SUVs on the far side of the park, the Guardsmen and their allies made their way to the picnic tables where the others waited. Rayne spread out a map and began giving instructions.
“Devon, Aidan, Kellan, and Lennox have narrowed it down to the far side of the mountain. Max and his werepanthers will take the trails closest to the lake in animal form. Devon and Kellan both have cuffs and chains that Kyra magically reinforced to keep the little shit bound. Royce, Rory, and Lennox will be in dragon form on the three largest ledges. Because of their dark color, coupled with our shielding, they should remain unseen. Everyone else take a trail. Find the little asshole.”
Aaron had to laugh; it was one of the shortest speeches his Commander had given in the last eighty years. Rayne was a highly respected leader among all dragon kin, but brevity was not one of his strong suits. There’d been times over the years when Aaron had prayed for the man to shut the hell up, but had always listened and learned from Rayne’s vast expertise. His short speech meant something was up…something he’d have to look into later.
Jogging ahead, he caught up to Aidan, Rian, and Kyra. The twins had the blood connection to the traitor. Rian’s dragon magic was incredibly powerful and allowed the leader of the Blue Thunder Clan to track damn near anything, anywhere, any time. But Kyra was their ace in the hole. One of the most powerful white witches in the world, the daughter to the Grand Priestess, and fully mated to the oldest on the Force; there wasn’t a spell she couldn’t work. The four of them, combined with the power of the lake would enable them to scry for Andrew, as well as track even the smallest amount of magic he may use.
When they reached the lake, Kyra began to sprinkle salt in a circle from a large burlap bag, while directing the others, “Aaron, will you get a fire started in the middle? Rian, fill the brass urn with water from the lake, and Aidan, I need the bags in my backpack set at the four corners, if you please?”
She winked and began chanting. From her grin, Aaron knew she was having fun, no matter the severity of the situation. He wished he could say the same. The longer it took to get the hunt started, the more tension filled his body. Charlie had been a beautiful distraction but reality was staring him in the face, and it was time for justice.
A few weeks ago, he would have savored the hunt for the traitor. He dreamed of the day they would finally remove the black mark from his family’s heritage. Dreamed of watching his younger brother in chains, imprisoned for his crimes, pleading for mercy when there would be none. It would be the one time the blood of a dragon staining the ground would not make Aaron sick. The little shit had whined about torture, now he would know death.
Aaron could only imagine the shame his parents felt, looking down on their youngest from the Heavens, seeing the abomination he’d become. Andrew would be caught, stand trial before the Tribunal, and die a traitor’s death. It was the only way to remove the dishonor from their family name.
Aaron dug deep, trying to find at least an ounce of sympathy for his brother turned traitor, but there was none. He’d done it to himself. Andrew was responsible for his own fate. The Heavens knew Aidan had done everything in his power to convince Andrew to turn himself in, even when the asshole had kidnapped and tortured Grace. Sure, ‘A’ had fought their little brother, had threatened to tear him limb from limb, but after all was said and done, Aidan still wanted to see the shithead returned to the clan.
Like that shits ever gonna happen. Asshole needs to die. There’s no redemption after what he’s done.
The fire he’d built reached a good blaze. The flames licked at the night as Aaron stood staring...reliving a time when the three brothers had been thick as thieves and twice as bad.
Before their little brother had been born, the twins had been inseparable. Nothing could come between them. Their mindspeak had been immediate; they finished each other’s sentences, and shared each other’s thoughts. Their days had been filled with fun and training, always dreaming of a future filled with honor.
Along came Andrew with his mismatched eyes and chubby little face. Things should’ve been awkward, but the little bugger fit right into their gang, brandishing his stick turned sword like a pro and following orders like a true soldier. Their duo became a trio and they never missed a beat.
Andrew quickly picked up their strategy as they sought to free princesses from the clutches of the evil sea captains, or liberate captives from their prisons. The brothers’ days were filled with fun and dreams of the day they would assume their father’s role. The three would become the proud Guardsmen they were meant to be.
All had gone as planned and they’d had years of ridding the world of their greatest enemies. Aaron had always been the muscle, Aidan the brains, and Andrew possessed the unique ability to see the whole picture. Their parents had attributed it to him being ‘the Special One’ and maybe that was true, but Aaron always figured it was just that the three of them made the perfect team. They had completed mission after mission, enjoyed countless victories over their enemies, and been as close as three brothers could be.
Sure, Andrew had been a lazy bum most of the time. Everyone, not just the twins, took up for him, kicked his ass when he screwed up, put up with his lame excuses, and treated him like one of their own. But his ability to see the big picture had always made up for all his shortcomings; that ability was one that should’ve come in handy the night everything went to hell, however, there’s no explaining Fate.
“Yo, dreamer, whatcha say we get this show on the road?” Kyra’s words, along with the swat to his arm, brought him back to the future.
“Sounds good to me,” Aaron chuckled as he backed away, taking his spot in their circle.
“We’re standing at the four corners–air, water, wind, and earth. These elements will give us the power needed to track the traitor and provide the cover our friends need.”
She pulled a small silver box and the antique mirror she often used from her backpack. Opening the box, the fragrance of herbs drifted on the breeze, herbs Aaron knew were also in the sachets laid at their feet. He remembered some of them from previous spells–Angelica root for protection, Caraway for protection from evil, specifically black magic, Cinnamon for success and Holly Leaf for luck, the others he couldn’t distinguish, but trusted Kyra to mix up the right concoction for their needs.
Their little witch continued, “Everyone close your eyes and imagine a large bubble with you at the center.” She paused for several seconds and then said, “Now expand your bubble until it touches the others.”
Magic, both Earth and Dragon, danced over his skin like fireflies on a summer’s night. In his mind’s eyes, Aaron watched his sphere expand until it bumped the other three. The edges of the spheres wavered. He watched the colors of his aura mix and mingle with those of the others, blurring the lines and making a kind of real life mosaic.
The pressure built to an uncomfortable level. A loud ‘POP’ reverberated within their containment, followed by a shock wave that almost knocked him to the ground. From the looks on Rian and Aidan’s faces, they experienced it also.
“No worries, guys. Everything that happens in the bubble stays in the bubble,” Kyra chuckled her answer to his unasked question.
She began the spell that sounded more like a lullaby than an incantation, “We pray to the Goddess of All and the Universe for help to bring justice where there has been none. Provide us with the cover of your dark skies; keep our scent unknown by your winds and footsteps unheard by all ears. Only you can give us the power and strength we need to conquer evil and restore the balance. So it is written, so it shall be. Blessed be.”
She repeated the same words over and over. Their containment grew, surrounding the entire mountain and the lake. Her chant stopped, the immediate silence almost deafening. Kyra laid down the box and picked up the antique mirror, along with a deep purple pouch. Moving forward, she dumped the herbs on the glass, speaking in Latin as she went. Aaron had seen the white witch scry before, but on this night, her focus was more intense. Her power radiated in all directions, leaving a white stream of energy in its wake.
The mirror vibrated in her hands as Kyra’s chant rose, not only in volume but also in its depth of emotion. She was pouring everything she had into finding the traitor. She looked up several long minutes later, her violet eyes glowing with power.