Indigo Spell (39 page)

Jensen broke in with a loud cough. “What’s the best course of action?”

All eyes turned to Falcon but this time the leader stepped back, sweeping one hand toward Jaxon. “This one is your call.”

Jaxon struggled to collect his thoughts, to process the information. “The protective spell—it will keep Tess safe until we can get to her.” Even though his voice rang with assurance, his eyes were blanketed with apprehension. “By now Athena will be expecting us. If she knows the exact moment of our arrival, she’ll be able to prevent our entrance into the tower, at least until we can reverse the shielding spell.”

“She could possibly have a shield in place now,” Braeden ventured to guess.

Falcon shook his head. “It wouldn’t hold. Athena needs it to be at its strongest. She would wait until she knows of our arrival.”

“Which is why we should go on the wind,” Andion suggested, for once appearing concerned.

Jaxon shook his head. “Too easy. Athena will be prepared for that.” He turned toward the window, directed his cold eyes toward the sky. Instantly the heavens began to swirl, twist in the fury of the created storm, in harmony with the turmoil of his emotions. “We will go with the elements.” He lowered his gaze from the window and recited a quick spell. “Athena will be focused on me and Falcon, looking for us. All of you stay out of sight until I give the signal.” In quick bursts of breaths, he detailed the rest of the plan, explaining every aspect, taking into consideration each threat.

“Take care to shield yourselves. Athena will expect all of us but she doesn’t know how we’ll get in.” Jaxon waved the wizards toward the window.

As they disappeared into tiny raindrops, Falcon remained behind to press a reassuring hand against Jaxon’s shoulder. “You handled yourself well. You will make a good leader and we will get Tess back. Have no doubts.”

Jaxon’s eyes flashed. “I do not doubt.” His face hardened into a tight, inscrutable mask. As the sky below them streaked with lightning, he contorted his body, shot toward the spark of electricity and joined it, sizzling across the sky.

* * * * *

Where are you, Jaxon?
Tess reached out to him, anxious to feel him. He’d touched her before. So why not now? Why couldn’t she feel him?

“I know you’re trying to unnerve me.”

The sound of Athena’s voice snapped Tess back into focus. “Is it working?” A sharp inhalation told her Athena was more than a little disturbed.

“Your husband does not frighten me.”

“I’m sure that’s what you were saying when he had his hand around your throat.”

With a muttered oath, Athena flung herself toward the door. “Though I commend your efforts to convince me your savior will come, I must be off. There is much to accomplish before the rising of the sun.”

A soft whisper of wind grazed her cheek and Tess released an audible sigh that had Athena turning back around. She gauged the tension in the witch’s body, saw by the nervous shifting of her legs that she was aware of Jaxon’s approach.

The knowledge comforted Tess. She felt the brush of his love, heard the whisper of his voice reassuring her. He was projecting himself, alerting her to his imminent arrival.

Though she felt relief now, she wondered how much relief she would be feeling once the wizards swarmed the tower. The final battle would be ugly. There would be no preventing that. And she didn’t have to be a wizard to know the witches wouldn’t stand a chance in the face of her husband’s rage.

As if to regain the upper hand, Athena sailed toward the fireplace and held her hand over the open flame. The fire licked at her fingertips but she didn’t flinch. “The spell I’ve cast won’t wear off. You will not be able to leave no matter what happens.” Tess searched her memory and tried to recall the discussion she’d had with Charlemaine. There were no unbreakable spells, at least not where the wizards were concerned. Their combined energies could topple cities, destroy nations and level a coven. “Then it will be broken.”

“Not without harm to your child.”

Calling the witch’s bluff, Tess glared across the distance. “You wouldn’t risk harming the child you want so desperately.”

Athena paled a little and turned her attention back toward the fire. “Ah, good. My sisters have arrived. A little earlier than we had planned but I thought it would be best to move things along since you seem so positive Jaxon will arrive sooner rather than later.”

* * * * *

A thin witch with straggly brown hair moved into position beside Athena. “We must wait until dawn.”

Athena’s breath hissed out—a sound of unparalleled fury. The mousy witch backed away. The leader of the Coven removed her hand from the fire. It glowed an angry red. Slowly she approached Tess, her face an expressionless mask. “I do believe I have had enough of this conversation. It’s time to rest now and when you awake, all will be settled.” As she walked, she began a rhythmic chant. Soon her sisters joined in, their voices uniting in the dim light of the fire’s glow.

Her breath caught somewhere between her breastbone and her throat, Tess waited. The witches were close now, close enough for her to see the blackness of their eyes, the combination of delight and intensity on their faces. Athena reached out. Immediately Tess swept her hands up and shrouded her body with the protective shield.

Athena’s hand bumped against the unseen safeguard. Energy crackled and sizzled and the witch shrieked, stumbling backward. The scrawny witch caught her and pressed her back to a standing position. “What have you done?” Athena demanded, her eyes glittering like ebony diamonds.

Tess managed a shaky smile, careful to keep her focus on the spell. “Did you think my husband was the only one with the power?”

“I’ll take you apart piece by piece!”

Another witch, a darker version of Athena, placed a restraining hand on her sister’s arm. “The spell can’t last for long. She hasn’t got the strength to hold it.”

“It might be long enough for the Assembly to get through our little surprises,” Athena snapped, whirling around. “Stay here and watch her. The second the shield drops, make sure she doesn’t have any more tricks up her sleeve and bring her to me.”

Her eyes became bitter pools of black as she looked over her shoulder. “I will have that child, Tess.” Her voice rang with confidence.

Tess lifted her eyes and connected her gaze with the witch’s. “If I really am pregnant, do you actually think Jaxon will let you get anywhere near the child? Do you think I will?”

The threat was quickly dismissed with a scathing laugh. “Your powers are insufficient against my magic. What you have now you have learned through hours of lessons. My magic is inherited, passed down through the ages. I am a witch of old. My coven has lasted centuries and it will still be standing the day you cease to breathe. Which might be sooner than you think. Our dear Jaxon will be so heartbroken to lose his heart’s desire and his child in the same day. How will he endure the pain?”

How close are you, Jaxon?
“You won’t be around to see his pain. He will extinguish your life as easily as you snuff out the light of a match.”

“A brave statement for someone who faces her own mortality. The instant that shield is down, you are mine.”

Jaxon was with her again. Perhaps he’d never left but either way, Tess felt the strength flowing from her body, instinctively knew the touch of his magic. Somehow he was helping her, keeping the shield aloft to protect her. “You’re relying on the mistaken belief the shield will fall.”

“Your strength will not hold for long.”

Tess’ lips curled in a knowing smile. “Perhaps it isn’t my strength alone which holds this protection in place.”

Athena and her sisters exchanged worried glances. “Jaxon would not be so stupid as to provide you with magic of his own. You aren’t capable of controlling such power.” One by one the witches inched closer to the shield.

“My husband trusts me. He knows my abilities better than you. Ask yourself why the shield is intact. Surely an ordinary human would have dropped it by now. Or at the very least lost her focus long enough to allow one of you to slip through. Why don’t you try to touch me again, Athena? That scream of yours alerted the others to the pain you must have felt.” Tess’ voice was soft but acrimonious.

Athena raged with her fury, storming closer to the bubble of protection. Common sense brought her up short and while Tess smiled, the witch twisted with hatred. “You will die at my hand.”

Thunder rattled the walls, boomed against the floor as lightning struck the ceiling and danced along the wiring. “And you will die at mine.” The deep voice resonated throughout the chamber, startling the witches. With stares of fear, they turned as one, staring in horrified splendor at the wizard who’d materialized just over Athena’s right shoulder.

Athena turned in slow motion, her face blank and emotionless. “Jaxon, how wonderful to see you again. Your little wife told me you would be coming. Her savior. And Falcon. I’m not surprised you joined our little party. How utterly predictable. Would the two of you like to have a seat? Perhaps we could discuss this over a pot of tea.”

As Jaxon trained his blazing eyes on Athena, Falcon sealed the exits with a blast of his breath, ensuring no one could exit or enter the tower.

“What I want is a coffin with your body in it and my wife safe at home.” Jaxon’s voice was a guttural rasp filled with rage.

“Now we really should discuss this like rational adults. After all, in her condition, Tess shouldn’t be upset.”

Jaxon’s gaze seared a streak across the concrete floor, the tip of the bolt lancing scant inches short of Athena’s foot. “I’m not here to play games or waste time. Let’s be done with this here. Now.”

Athena chortled and sailed across the room to the large portrait of an angry, storm-tossed sea. “Have you seen this picture? Hand painted by a fellow witch, it has hung in this tower for centuries.” She ran her hand across the textured canvas.

Jaxon’s eyes narrowed. “I am not interested in the artwork.” From a distance, Tess saw the tautness of his muscles, the way they bunched beneath the indigo robe, which swirled about his massive frame. He looked larger than life, big, powerful. Unrelenting. And destructive.

Athena’s fingers curled against the paint and she blew softly, her eyes gleaming as she spun around. “Oh, but you should be interested in this picture. It has a special ability.”

The roar of the water heightened the tension as the portrait came to life. Tess watched in horror as the picture levitated off the wall and merged into a rushing cascade of green and blue water.

Athena crossed her arms over her chest. “In a matter of seconds, this room will be filled with water. Of course, you know you won’t be able to save your darling wife unless she lowers the shield. She can’t protect herself against the water as long as it’s intact.” She lifted her shoulders, directed her gaze toward the water with a light laugh. “What a conundrum this must be for you. All I need is one slip of that shield.” One long fingernail approached the invisible force. “One small opening is all I need to get to your wife.”

“Jaxon, get out of here! Take the others. I’ll be fine,” Tess called out.

He turned his head, met her eyes. “No.” He gave her a look that silenced her. Calmed her. “Have you forgotten, Athena, that I did not come alone?”

“Of course not. I can see that Falcon is with you and besides that, you wizards always travel in clusters because you don’t have the courage to face us one-on-one.”

“No?” Jaxon strolled toward her and stopped within a hair’s breadth of her face. “Then perhaps we should test your statement. Just you and me. One-on-one. Outside. I can guarantee no one will interfere.” He held his hands up, palms extended. “How about it? We could end this before the break of dawn.”