Firebug (32 page)

I looked over at Parkin, encased in a life jacket and holding on to one of those little lifesaver rings. Apparently he couldn't swim and he sank like a freaking rock. Yup, we sure looked scary. Feel our impending wrath, Venus, you frosty bitch.

As we got closer, Bianca pushed her veil back so that it covered all the boats but ours. After all, it would look awfully suspicious if I appeared out of nowhere. So my boat was filled with the small team that Venus would see—Sid, Ikka, Lock, Bianca, Ezra, and me. The faces of my companions were drawn, tired, and wary. I was struck suddenly by how
young
we all looked. Yeah, everyone in the boat was older than me, if only by a few years, but compared with Venus we were practically fetuses.

Disembarking was done in relative silence. We didn't want to overload Bianca by creating more noise for her to morph than necessary. I may not have liked the caulbearer much, but even I had to admit she was dead useful.

Lock and Ikka yanked the skiff onto land, grinding the hull against the rocks. Sid winced at the sound. “Be gentle, you brutes. I told Lonnie I'd get it back in one piece.”

“Don't worry, we won't hurt Lonnie's baby,” Ikka said.

“Yeah,” Lock said. “We need it to get home.”

We all should have laughed at Lock's lame joke, but the comment sank down into the ground, dragging us all with it. There was a good chance none of us would need the skiff, and we all knew it. And it wasn't because we were going to suddenly grow wings and fly.

The beach didn't last very long—without much transition, it abruptly became forest. The trees jutted up, a black outline of spruce and pine clearly visible against the bright dusting of stars. The drove tied lines and did their last-minute preparations, all of them probably wondering if it was necessary or if, come morning, someone was going to discover a lot of abandoned boats along the shoreline of a deserted island.

For now, Bianca would keep all but our skiff hidden. She'd assured us in that huffy way of hers that she could maintain the veil after we left the beach. We were going to have to trust that she was right about her abilities and wouldn't accidentally slip and reveal our numbers to Venus.

My team lined up next to me, their eyes on the trees. All except Bianca, who was turned and watching everyone else. I could feel Lock's warmth at my back before I felt his shoulder bump mine.

“Lock,” I said, not looking behind me. “Do me a favor?” When he murmured assent, I said, “If I don't make it out, make sure Cade and Ryan do.” I reached back and grabbed his hand. “Don't argue. Just say you'll do it.”

He snorted. “Don't be stupid—of course I would. Even Ryan, if only so Ez and I can thrash him properly. But you need to stop listening to it.”

“Listening to what?”

It was Sid who answered. “The forest,” he said. “It's too quiet. No owls. No bugs. No bats. They've all gone a-hiding. A predator is in residence.”

Lock laced his fingers into mine, getting a firmer grip on my hand. “You're picking up on it. The fear will start chipping away at you before you even catch sight of Venus.”

I breathed in deeply through my nose and let it out my mouth. I hate psychological warfare. Give me a good ol' brawl any day—vicious and over quickly. Much more my style.

“I think we're ready,” Bianca whispered. There were probably thirty drove members grouped behind us—a motley crew, but all standing with silent uniformity that told me they were used to working as a team. Les, Duncan, Alistair, and Parkin were leading small groups. Bianca was right: we were as ready as we were going to get. I took one last look at Olive, her tiny form standing next to Les. Somewhere deep in the pit of me, I said a tiny prayer and threw it out into the night. I'm not sure who or what I was saying it to, but the instinct was there.
Please. Let us make it out. Let me have this.
I wanted those boats just as full when we left as when we arrived.

But even as I prayed I knew it wouldn't happen. Coups were bought with blood. And no whispered entreaty to nameless deities would change that.

Ezra dropped a small cloth bag onto the ground. There was a muted
clank
when it hit. Knowing Ez, it was probably a set of throwing knives. He stripped off his clothes and didn't even strut, which showed how serious things had become. Ez shifted, and Olive picked up his clothes, then put them in the boat. The fox picked up the bag in his mouth, and with a twitch of his black ears he melted into the forest.

I let go of Lock and flicked my hands out, setting off sparks as I did. To anyone watching from inside the woods it would look like a nervous gesture. But to everyone lined up on the beach, it was a signal. Almost as one we surged forward, ready to meet whatever was waiting for us.

Naturally, my foot slipped on a wet rock as soon as we moved, completely ruining the image. Lock caught me before I slipped too far. “That's what I love about you, cupcake, your natural grace and class.”

“I'll show you grace and class,” I said as I gave him the finger. With a soft laugh he pulled ahead, leading us into the forest. It was dark and I didn't want to ruin our night vision with a fireball. Of course, the darkness didn't bother Sid or Ikka much because hares see better at night than people do, and Lock would be fine because the forest would probably speak to him or some such nonsense. But Bianca and I were blind as bats.

She surged forward, latching on to Lock's arm so he could lead her. Of course we were supposed to grab on to one of them so we wouldn't trip, but I suspected that she had specifically picked Lock even though Ikka was closer to her. If we didn't need her, I'd have tripped her.

Sid's hand snagged mine, palm to palm, dragging me closer to him. It dwarfed my hand, and I could feel his callused fingers.

“Pay attention,” Sid said, his voice a natural murmur of the forest, like the wing beat of an owl. I wished I had somewhere I fit in like this—the forest was so obviously his element. “Seriously, Ava—these trees have an extensive root system and I'm afraid you're going to trip.”

Which, of course, I did. I had to clutch his arm with my other hand.

“See? The epitome of grace,” Lock whispered.

The forest remained unnaturally quiet as we moved through the woods, the half moon doing nothing to light our path. The trees were too thick for that. I still stumbled a little, but not nearly as much as I would have if Sid hadn't been leading me. Bianca didn't falter once, but then again, I thought Lock might be cheating and asking things to move out of the way.

Ezra darted from the woods and gave a soft
yip
. He hopped in place until Ikka moved closer, examining the thing he was dancing around.

“What is it?” Sid whispered.

Ikka picked up a rock the size of a cantaloupe and dropped it onto the ground while Ezra disappeared back into the undergrowth. There was a flash followed by a loud
snap
. “Bear traps,” Ikka said, hefting the neutralized trap for us to see, then dropping it with a hiss. “With a high silver content.” I couldn't see it, but from the
thump
that followed, I assumed that Ikka had tapped the ground with her foot. Olive appeared and Ikka showed her the trap. “Carefully go down the line and spread the word.” Olive left without a sound.

We walked for a few more minutes before we crested a gentle slope. The trees ended at the top, leaving a man-made clearing ahead of us. Light flared, and my eyes stung at the sudden shift from pitch-black to bonfire glow. I let go of Sid's hand so I could wipe my eyes. The flare had caused them to water. When my vision cleared, I could see three large bonfires, maybe ten feet tall, and wide enough that my team could have grabbed hands and danced around each one. It was all very dramatic, but then, Venus has always been flamboyant.

They were spaced evenly throughout the clearing, and I could see people's darkened silhouettes in front of the middle one. As we walked slowly closer, I could make out Venus and Owen, the bound and kneeling figure of Cade, and the very unbound figure of Ryan behind Venus. Warm anger flared in my chest at seeing Cade treated like that, burning hotter when I set my sights on Ryan. There was no question now. There he stood, willing, unhurt, right behind Venus. So much of this stemmed from Ryan's betrayal. I would be home with Cade right now, sitting on the couch and eating popcorn, if I'd just stayed away from Ryan James.

We had to get close enough so that we could draw Venus and Owen away from Cade. Ryan could get his own ass home. Whether he was ignorant or not, I couldn't argue for his safety while looking at Cade bound at Venus's feet like an animal.

We got close enough that I could see Venus's amused smile. Her blond hair was twisted into an updo, the sparkle of diamond pins winking whenever she moved, like tiny floating sparks. She appeared to be wearing some sort of white leather body suit with boots, as if someone had dipped her in white chocolate. Her fashion version of a big middle finger. We were all dressed in dark colors—muted browns, greens, dark blacks—the better to blend in to the night. Stealth fighting, not to mention that it made it easier for Bianca to push and pull reality around us.

But Venus was a creepy angelic vision next to the bonfire. No matter where she moved, she'd stand out. Clearly she thought this fight had a forgone conclusion. I can't say I didn't see her point. I knew that, even though I could only see her and a small handful of people, the woods were full.

Next to me, Lock had his head cocked, listening to the trees and plant life. “Thirty to the left,” he whispered, and it was passed on with more of the drove's flashing hand signals, down to the end of the ranks. “Forty behind, fanned out. About twenty-five on the right.…” He tipped his head again. “And about fifteen or so creeping up behind us. We're being surrounded, Aves.”

We had guessed as much, so no surprise there. That's why small teams of were-hares had been slipping away as we'd crept closer. Eventually we'd be ringed like a bull's-eye, with Venus in the center. It didn't really matter, though. In the end it would come down to Venus and me. I was sure of that.

“Just remember,” Alistair whispered off to my left. “Try not to kill too many of my future employees. A kingdom without serfs is pure nonsense.”

“Hard to argue with that,” I mumbled.

“Ava, my darling,” Venus called out. Her voice was clarion. It trumpeted over the hush of the woods, and it was obvious how much she was enjoying herself. Owen offered her his arm and she took it. Queen and king of Crazytown. This was how Venus had fun.

Personally, I prefer board games.

I stepped closer, my few visible reinforcements doing the same. We were fully in the clearing now, only twenty or so feet between us and my least favorite creatures on the planet. But also closer to my very favorite person in the entire universe. Cade had looked up when Venus said my name, but his face was in shadow so I couldn't tell how he was doing. Ryan was turned enough toward the firelight that I could see that his eyes, those same sweet hazel orbs that used to be all for me, that I now wanted to poke out, were for Venus. His hands hovered around her, hungry to touch, but waiting for permission. Watching me, Venus reached out and stroked his cheek. Ryan shuddered slightly, his body on bliss overload.

My heart wrenched. I couldn't tell what I was more disgusted at—Ryan or the fact that seeing him was upsetting me. I let my anger burn away the residuals of any other feeling for him. No more pity, love, jealousy, nothing. Just anger. Just hate. It was all he deserved.

Venus looked at my reinforcements, and I could see some genuinely amused surprise there. “I thought you'd bring more friends to the party,” she said.

“Less is more,” I said. “Wouldn't want to be gaudy, would we?” I crossed my arms. “Besides, this is supposed to be a friendly trade-off, right?” My tone was flat and dry. Yeah, right. Still, I had to try to get her hostage clear. Maybe that would make me feel less emotional about it—if Cade were simply a hostage. “So how about you send Cade over and once I make sure he's okay, I'll come to you.”

Venus trailed a hand down Ryan's cheek. “What, you don't want your little friend anymore? I thought he was part of the deal.”

It was all I could do to keep from gritting my teeth. “He was never mine, Venus. He was always yours. Let's get this over with.”

Venus's grin was a flash in the firelight. “Come, now, Ava. I didn't fall off the turnip truck this morning.” I had a sudden image of Venus, her hair done up and full of diamonds, her white leather smudged and dirty from sitting on bags of turnips in the back of a rusted-out pickup. It was an image I'd definitely have to save for later.

“Fine,” I said, walking forward, my arms held out, wrists together, like I was waiting to be trussed up. “I'll go first.” I stopped halfway between Venus and my team. “This is what you wanted. I'm offering myself up to your mercy. So here's the part where you live up to your promise and fulfill your end of the deal. Hand them over. Let them walk away unharmed, and it will all be over.”

Venus stared at me for a few quiet breaths. The bonfires crackled, but that was the only other noise. She cocked her head, then signaled Owen curtly with one hand. “I truly thought you'd put up more of a fight, Ava. I believe I'm a little disappointed in you.”

I gave a one-shouldered shrug as Owen grabbed my wrists. “I know when I'm beat, Venus.” I could tell they weren't quite buying this but didn't know what to make of it either. I wasn't struggling. My arms were still while Owen strapped cuffs on each one, wards branded into the leather. A similar cuff would go around my neck and waist. They'd all be linked in the back by a chain. The contraption was meant to restrict my spark. The rest of me wasn't considered that dangerous.

While the cuffs were on, I wouldn't be able to light so much as a candle without a match.