Stone Guardian(96)
The man flailed and wrenched, but in long moments his wound was closed.
Wulver watched with no expression. When it was done, he turned to the mage “You need to bring Kyo. You would be fastest.”
Laire’s face tightened and a hurt, almost betrayed cast crossed her features for a brief moment. But then it smoothed into a mask, and she disappeared.
Fallon still had her hand wrapped around the acolyte’s jaw, and she pulled the man close, her fingers digging into the skin, making him wince. “A necromancer wannabe not able to kill himself? I’m ashamed for you.” She twisted his head, studying the work of her knife. “You should have kept your tongue, because now the Psy Master is going to rip into your mind.”
He whimpered. She loosened her grip and leaned close to his ear, saying in a small voice. “Don’t worry. If you’re still alive after he’s through with you, I’ll take pity on you and kill you. I have enough compassion that I won’t let you live like that.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Terak searched Larissa’s apartment. Each pass plucked the ever-tightening string of fear that wound around his heart.
They had her. Somehow they had used a magic even he was not immune to and could not see through and had taken her from her books and her children. He spoke to Olivia, who informed him she had not seen Larissa since lunch. Olivia called Larissa’s father and brothers who also did not know Larissa’s whereabouts, and reported that information back to Terak.
It was now, when his mate was in danger, Terak understood the value of Clan, the slice-cut of being alone. He had no one to turn to that could help him save her.
Larissa’s door opened, and Fallon entered, cloaked with her customary assurance. Her sword hilt shone bright above her shoulder and her movements placed her where she could draw with no interruptions.
The quick-rise of anger flooded his muscles, expanding them with desire to destroy the woman before him, but long-fought-for control held him still. “If you have her, I’ll kill you.”
“If I had her, I wouldn’t be here.” She took a step toward him, still out of reach, still with her sword at the ready. “Did you know why they wanted her?”
Assured Fallon was, but there was a harsh tension in the lines of eyes and mouth and shoulders that not even battles with orcs and wargs had engendered. Something was out of her control, something large and frightening, and Fallon was readying herself for a life-altering battle.
The string around his heart pulled tight in a quick snap and severed the organ in his chest, the destruction leaving him unable to breathe. “Where is she?”
Fallon made no comment on the weak and pitiable sound, but her head tilted as she studied him. “She’s a null,” the swordswoman said after long moments. “They brought her in and used her to tear through our security. Years worth of magic cast by the greatest of mages, and tissue paper would have given her more of a challenge.”
“Nulls are beings of myth.”
“Oh really? Maybe you should tell that to my dead.” Fallon’s body shifted in her anger, but within a moment she was back to her original stance. “There’s more. They’re sacrificing her tonight to raise the Four Demons.”
Sacrifice.
Sacrifice.
Sacrifice.
He rushed at Fallon and grabbed the swordswoman by the throat. “Tell me where she is!”
Fallon’s eyes bore into his, molten gold surrounded by fire, and under his hand a peculiar warmth, a current of power travelling over her skin. “Get your hand off me or lose it.”
His hand loosened but did not let go. “Tell me.”
“Will you fight beside us for her and for the protection of this realm? Will you order your Clan to come to our aid?”
Terak stepped back. He did not break eye contact. He would never be ashamed of his decision, though at this moment he regretted it more than he ever contemplated. “I have no Clan. I gave them up for her. There are no others that can help.”
Fallon’s eyes lost their fire, though her body still had the brittle tenseness that spoke of upcoming battle. “Well, hell. Looks like I owe Ais ten bucks.”
Thwup. Thwup, thwup.
Both looked toward the balcony to see Malek and a half-dozen other gargoyles on the landing. Malek walked in, the others waited outside. “Mennak, the Guild has contacted us and told us what happened.”
Confusion flew through him on hummingbird’s wings. “Malek, why are you here?”
“To rescue our Meyla.”
“What are you speaking of? I am no longer Clan.”
“No.” Malek cut him off, his wings flaring out with the strength of that word. “That is unacceptable. We have cut ourselves from the Clan as well, because we will follow none but you. The old ways are unacceptable. We trust you to lead us in a new Clan, you and your mate.”