She shook her head, her face closing off. “No.”
There was no one else who could help me, if the other Tracker had been telling the truth about his abilities.
I needed her . . . but she needed me too. A different tack, then.
“We killed a troll looking for you. If you have trolls after you, then they are working for someone. Which means you are going to need that favor sooner rather than later. Whether you want to believe it or not, Tracker.”
I lifted my spear from the ground and turned away. “Cactus, let’s go.”
From behind me Bram argued with her. “Take the offer. We need to move on anyway, and why not do a job on the side?”
“You can’t be serious?”
“I know you don’t want to believe her, but I think she’s right. A favor from someone powerful is not a bad thing.”
It took everything in me not to turn around, but to keep walking and act as though I couldn’t hear their discussion. Cactus fell into step beside me. “We aren’t really leaving, are we?”
“What choice do we have? If she refuses to help, you know what the other Tracker said. He can’t find someone without a picture, and neither can the other Tracker he mentioned. She is the only one who can find my father.”
Peta swayed on my shoulder. “Be quiet, they are coming.”
I slowed my steps as Elle called out, “Prove it.”
Eyebrows high, I turned to face her. “Prove what?”
“Prove you’re as strong as you say. I see a weapon, and a friend who can control fire, but I’ve seen no magic from your fingers. I think you’re a fucking liar.”
A low hiss escaped Peta, but she otherwise kept her thoughts to herself. A liar, was I?
I glanced to where the dragon sat, dozing in the sun on the high ridge of sand. I could sink Ophelia under the sands, bury her and then bring her back up, or I could create an oasis on the sands as I had done in the Pit.
The chance to do either was taken from me.
Ophelia snapped her head up, and her mouth dropped open as she let out a roar along with a burst of flame. War cries cut through the air along with bursts of lightning, flame, and power bolts.
“They found us, Elle.” Bram spun and ran toward Ophelia, Elle on his heels.
I didn’t move an inch. This was my chance to do exactly what Elle needed to see. The Bastard bolted to my side and pushed me with his big nose. “Time to go. Those witches aren’t playing around.”
“Cactus, you first. And don’t help me. Elle needs to see what I can do. Unless, of course, I ask.” I shoved him onto The Bastard’s back, then handed him my spear. She wanted magic, I would show her nothing but. “Hang onto this for me.” Cactus frowned as I stepped back. “Take him out of range, Bastard.”
“Wait, stop!” Cactus yelled, but The Bastard was already galloping away, his wings taking them into the air within a few strides.
“You don’t have to prove anything to her,” Peta said.
“I do. If she doesn’t believe in me, this negotiation is over.” I walked toward Elle and Bram’s attackers, the sand tugging at my feet with each step. I opened myself to the power of the earth and pulled it toward me. It filled me, making my skin tingle and my muscles quiver. The desire to run, to feel the wind in my hair and the sand beneath my bare feet, called to me, begging me to be a part of the earth once more.
Around us, the sand trembled and shifted. Peta swayed on my shoulder, wrapping her tail around my neck for balance. “I don’t like this.”
“Neither do I. But the choices are limited at best.”
As I drew closer, I sucked in an angry breath. The attackers were none other than the coven from Greece. I looked for Winters, searching for his demon-infested body. But he, at least, was missing from the group. They fired balls of flame and burning arrows up into the sky, while a portion of them manipulated the winds, driving the dragon and The Bastard closer within range.
Ten of them, working in concert to bring down a Tracker. What could Elle have done to piss them off? Sure, she had an attitude, but I doubted that was enough to cause this sort of problem.
Something else then.
“Focus, Lark, or you’ll get us both killed.”
Peta was right.
I stopped behind the witch closest to me, leaned in and whispered in her ear, “I warned you not to cross my path again.”
She spun, her blue eyes wide. I softened the ground under her feet with a thought, sucking her down into the sand. The others turned one by one by one.
“I wondered if you’d be here with the winged Bastard.” A man, warlock, stepped forward. “I will deal with her. The rest of you, capture Elena. Orion wants her alive.”