Darkness Unmasked (DA 5) (33 page)

“And you wish us to find her by tracking the magic itself?”

“Yes. I have no idea if it’s possible—”

“It is.” She tilted her head, and just for an instant it felt like she was seeing into my mind, reading all my hopes and fears. Judging me. My breath caught somewhere in my throat, and I found myself hoping I came up to scratch. After a moment, she added, “This way.”

Once again I was led through the Brindle’s quiet, shadowed halls and into yet another area I’d never been before. This one felt and looked far older than the other areas I’d visited, and power seemed to ooze off the walls. It was almost as if the centuries of spell making had infused the old stones with a magic all of their own.

We made our way through the dimly lit corridors, each one getting progressively smaller and darker, and eventually stepped into a room that appeared little more than an antechamber. The air was rich with such a riot of scents that my nose twitched and I didn’t even bother trying to sort them all out. There was power here, too, and the force of it made my skin itch and tingle.

“Wait here,” Kiandra murmured, waving an elegant hand toward the two small chairs that were positioned on either side of the doorway. “You are not an initiate and therefore cannot follow me into the next room. I will see what magic there is to be found.”

“It won’t feel like human magic,” I said. “Because it isn’t.”

She didn’t ask what type of magic it could be, but then, given she appeared to know all about my key quest and the forces that fought for control of both me
and
them, maybe she didn’t need to.

Without further comment, she turned and walked into the next room. The door closed behind her with a heavy
click
, leaving me alone in the silent shadows. I sat for all of three seconds, then got up and began to pace. I couldn’t help it. So much of what we could do next depended on the information Kiandra did—or didn’t—find for us.

It seemed to take forever. I didn’t have my watch or phone, but I guess the reality was closer to ten minutes. I spun around as the door opened and she reappeared, a slight haze of smoke and magic accompanying her as she walked toward me. Her expression gave little away, so it was with some trepidation that I asked, “Did you find her?”

She stopped and clasped her hands in front of her. Her expression held an odd sort of excitement. “Ilianna is with child?”

I closed my eyes for a moment and swore internally. If Kiandra knew, then Ilianna’s mother would more than likely find out sooner rather than later. Given her desire to see Ilianna join Carwyn’s herd, I wasn’t entirely sure how’d she react. Or, indeed, how Carwyn would.

“It’s more than possible. The man who holds her is an Aedh—”

“And her child will be as you are: born of two worlds, powerful in magic, and gifted with foresight.”

I frowned. “I’m not—”

“Just because you do not acknowledge such things does not mean they do not exist or that you are not capable.” She paused, her gray eyes glowing molten silver with the shadows that held the room hostage. There was more than just power in her gaze now. There was excitement. “The old ritual site on Mount Macedon would not have acknowledged you in the manner that it did if it were not so.”

The site had acknowledged me? When? Then I remembered the odd sense of watchfulness and the feeling that the trees themselves were sentient. Remembered that I’d been able to become Aedh when the magic of that place barred all such beings entry.

“Ilianna may not choose to keep—”

“She will,” Kiandra said, with a certainty I couldn’t help but believe. “Because she knows, as I know, that this child has been a long time coming, and a long time needed.”

I frowned. “I don’t understand—”

“No,” Kiandra agreed. “But Ilianna does. There are many reasons she ran from us. What she witnessed when young was the excuse but not the truth.”

I rubbed my forehead wearily. Fate, it seemed, had been brewing her plans for us all for a very long time. “Look, right now, all I want to do is rescue her. Did you find her?”

“Yes. And you were right—great magic holds her.”

“Meaning we won’t get past it?”

“Meaning that neither you nor your dark defender will. It is aimed at energy beings rather than mere flesh and blood.”

“So Tao and Carwyn would get past it?”

“I suspect so.” She hesitated. “There are beings within who guard her, but I could gain no true sense of them. They may or may not be human.”

“Well, neither are Tao and Carwyn, and both are pretty pissed off right now.”

She nodded. “It may be enough. Just tell them not to go in all guns blazing, because that will have dire consequences.”

For Ilianna, I thought, not for them. I swallowed and nodded. “I’ll pass on the message.”

She nodded. “She is being held in an abandoned warehouse in Link Court, Brooklyn. The magic lies within the building, not along the perimeter.”

“Meaning they’d need to be wary of other security measures?”

“Yes.” She moved past me and led the way back through the warren of shadowed, powerful corridors. When we neared the front door, she stopped and lightly touched my shoulder. “Be careful, Risa Jones. There are more games being played than you realize.”

My smile was almost a grimace. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

“There are two people in your life who are in reality one, and their deception goes deeper than you think.”

I blinked. “What do you mean?”

She half shrugged. “What I see is not always clear. But I would suspect that a shape-shifter of some kind has entered your life.”

“There is—he stole the first key. It’s tracking the bastard that is proving the problem.”

“Then perhaps you should start looking closer to home.”

I frowned. “Are you saying it’s a friend?”

She hesitated. “Acquaintance, perhaps. As I said, these things are not always clear.”

Then I wished she hadn’t mentioned it, because now I’d be looking at everyone suspiciously and suspecting the worse. But I forced a smile and said, “Thanks. I’ll keep an eye out.”

She nodded and, with one eloquent gesture, ushered me out of the building. But I was aware of her gaze as I ran down the steps, and it made my back itch. She knew more than what she’d said; of that much I was sure.

Azriel appeared near the bottom step. “You were successful?”

“Yes. Now we just need to plot our next move.”

“Back to your apartment, then.”

“No. I need to go see Aunt Riley. She’s the expert in this sort of stuff. As much as I hate to do it, I think I need to bring her in rather than risk using only Tao and Carwyn.”

“And once again, you do something thoroughly sensible. There is hope for you yet, I think.”

I grinned. “Don’t say that too loud. Wouldn’t want the word getting around and spoiling my reputation.”

“Your secret is safe with me.” He wrapped his arms around my waist, dropped a kiss on my nose, then zapped us across to my aunt’s.

To say our sudden appearance in the middle of her living room was something of a surprise would be the understatement of the year. I waited until she stopped swearing, then dropped a kiss on her cheek. “And good morning to you, too.”

“Well, it was a good morning until you scared the life out of me
and
made me spill my coffee.” Amusement teased her mouth and lit her gray eyes as she walked into the open kitchen area and grabbed a cloth. She tossed it to me, then added, “Seeing as I have to make a fresh cup, do you want one?”

“No, I haven’t the time.” I bent and wiped up the spillage. “I’m actually here for help.”

“I’m gathering it’s not key related, given your determination
not
to involve any of us in that search.” Her voice was wry. “Which, by the way, is neither warranted nor necessary. We have faced far worse in our lifetimes than rogue Aedh.”

“Which is precisely
why
I don’t want you involved.” And she
knew
that. “But this is related. Sort of.”

“Go on.”

She crossed her arms and regarded me steadily. A rock I could always depend on, no matter what, I thought with a half smile.

“Lucian has kidnapped Ilianna and is holding her hostage against my good behavior at a warehouse in Link Court, Brooklyn. According to the Brindle witches, she’s protected by magic that will allow neither Aedh nor reaper entry.”

“Then I’m surprised Lucian is still alive. In a similar situation, I would have killed the bastard.”

“A sentiment I totally agree with,” Azriel said.

I gave him a look over my shoulder, but he merely raised an eyebrow at me.

“Then why isn’t he dead?” Riley said. “It would solve the problem of being forced to do what you do not wish to.”

“If he doesn’t report in every hour, the men holding her have orders to kill her.”

“Ah.”

“Also, I do not think those men are human.”

She shrugged. “Non-human I can deal with.”

“Yeah, but these are non-human
and
Razan.”

“Meaning the fight will be infinitely more exciting.” She grinned and cracked her knuckles. “I haven’t had a good fight in quite a while.”

“That is because you’re
supposed
to be settling down to a quiet life.” Uncle Quinn’s gently lilting tones seemed to come out of the air itself. “And you
were
intending to call me in on this, weren’t you?”

He re-formed next to Riley, his expression a mix of love and amusement. Like me, he was half Aedh, and was, in fact, the man who had taught me all of my skills.

“Of course,” she replied, a smile on her lips and her eyes sparkling. “I wouldn’t want you to miss out on the excitement.”

Quinn rolled his eyes and glanced at me. “What do we face?”

“Magic, electronic security, and more than likely Raziq.” I hesitated. “Tao and Carwyn—Ilianna’s potential mate—want in on the action.”

Quinn frowned. “Given we face an unknown number of combatants, I don’t think it wise to involve anyone who isn’t fight trained.”

“Maybe, but the magic is aimed at those who are energy or half-energy beings, so it’ll prevent you from getting in.” I switched my gaze to Riley. “I know you’re one of the best, but I don’t want you going in there alone. I couldn’t stand to see you hurt.” Or worse. I didn’t say it, but it hovered in the air, regardless.

“I won’t be alone. I have a twin, remember, and he loves a fight even more than I do.” She smiled, walked over to gather me in her arms, and hugged me fiercely. “It’ll be all right, Risa,” she added softly. “It always is.”

Tears stung my eyes, and I blinked them away rapidly. And wished, with all my heart, that I could believe her. But deep down I knew it
wasn’t
going to be all right, that it was never going to be all right. All right had long ago passed me by, and I was sliding faster and faster into the darkness that my mother had foreseen wrapped around me all those years ago.

“What we need,” Quinn said, “is eyes on the situation. Once we know what we face, we can plan our attack.”

“Stane can hook into all the security cams in the area—”

“So can the Directorate,” Riley said. “And it’ll be easier and faster. I’ll get Rhoan on it immediately.”

I frowned. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea—”

She waved my objection away as she picked up her phone. “Jack owes me more than one favor. Besides, if this goes sideways, it’s better that the Directorate be involved.”

Please, God, don’t let it go sideways
. I licked my lips, then nodded. As Riley made the call, I glanced at Quinn. “I’m meeting Lucian at eleven thirty. I know that doesn’t leave much time to plan anything, but I can delay him for at least an hour.”

He said, “The longer you can delay, the better it will be. We’ll ring—”

“You can’t. My phone is dead and I left it home.”

“Then I will shoot you a telepathic message when we’ve freed her.”

“But I’m wearing nano microcells—”

“Which have not the capacity to stop me, no more than they could Riley.” Quinn glanced at her as she got off the phone. “All set?”

“Rhoan is gearing up surveillance as we speak, and Jack has approved full Directorate participation.” Her gaze met mine. “He said he owed you a favor. Care to explain that?”

I kept my expression—and thoughts—carefully neutral. “I was asked for advice on some demon-related killings Rhoan’s investigating. Couldn’t do a whole lot to help, though.”

“Hmm.” Her expression suggested she very much
didn’t
believe my reply, even though it was the truth as far as it went. “We’re not going to need your friends, so tell Tao and Carwyn to cool their jets. We’ll contact them the minute we can.”

If they are not going to help free Ilianna, perhaps we should bring them in on the key—

No,
I said, before he could finish.
Definitely not.

Risa, I do not trust the Aedh, and it might be wiser—

I won’t risk my friends again, Azriel. I’ve already done enough damage to them.
Out loud, I said, “You’ll let me know the minute you have her? And you’ll both be careful?”

“We will, on both counts.” Quinn glanced at his watch. “If you were planning to scout the area before you met Lucian, you had better hurry. It’s almost eleven now.”

We left.

But not without a prayer to the fates and whatever gods were listening that everything went as planned and everyone got out alive.

And that included me and Azriel.

Because the shit, I suspected, was about to hit the fan big-time.

Chapter 13

The Arms and Militaria Exhibition was being held in a beautiful redbrick building that had once been a post office. It sat on one corner of a street that was a mix of old architecture and more modern—but infinitely uglier—concrete buildings, a grand old lady that time had not diminished.

The street itself wasn’t crowded, although the parking lot across from the old post office was full, and I doubted they were all here for the nearby florist or the computer shop.

A roundabout was situated at the right end of the old building, but to the left there was a small metal gate and a green covered pathway that led—presumably—around to the back. Handy, given I had to set up the ward somewhere it wouldn’t be noticed—presuming it
was
a ward in the box my father had sent, and not something else.