The Inner Circle (Return of the Ancients Book 3) (2 page)

The Mesmer arced across the garage, twisting in midair to land lightly on his feet. It was a sickening thing to see. At that moment, he looked more like a snake than anything else.

Marquis stepped forward to wave his hand, and I noticed the ring on his finger. I knew that I’d seen it before, but it took several moments to recall where. It had been in the Hall of Mirrors. The ring was such a unique one, a distinctive golden-eyed snake. The figure with the white cloak had done something to the person wearing that golden-eyed snake ring.

I was so distracted trying to recall what, that I missed what Marquis said.

But then Rafael was speaking. “Not now. Leave. I will join you soon,” he directed.

“But what of them?” Marquis frowned, pointing to us.

“They are not your concern,” Rafael replied with a careless shrug.

“What are you up to, Rafael?” Jareth asked in a hoarse whisper, running his hand through his dark hair in a gesture of disbelief.

His eyes had focused over Rafael’s head, and I knew he was reading Rafael’s fate lines.

Apparently, Melody noticed as well.

“Enough, Jareth!” her ruby-red lips opened to order as she stepped forward, blocking Jareth’s view. “You may not read his fate.”

She stood there, threatening and beautiful, her platinum blonde hair falling in long spiral curls down her back.

As Rafael and Jareth’s mentor, I knew she was supposed to be one of the good guys. But she wasn’t. I was beginning to realize that she was an evil mastermind.

But Jareth didn’t listen to anyone. Apparently even his mentor.

Angrily, he shoved Melody aside and leapt at Rafael, but with a sharp, lightning-quick chopping motion, Rafael sent him sprawling across the garage floor.

Jareth crashed against some metal shelves lined against the wall, sending gallons of paint, camping equipment, and garden supplies flying in all directions.

With his face hardening into a cold mask of fury, Rafael stalked towards him.

But then somehow, I found myself standing between them.

“Rafael!” His name tore from my lips. “What are you doing? How can you do this?”

He paused, and I could see the outline of his jaw clench tight from under the white mask. But then he ordered, “Out of my way, little human!”

There was no feeling in his tone. No emotion. It tore my heart.

Pointedly ignoring me, he stepped around me to grab Jareth’s shirt collar and haul him to his feet.

“As an Initiate of the Inner Circle, you are forsworn to do my bidding.” Rafael’s lip curled upwards. But the smile didn’t reach his eyes as he added, “I am your superior and in more ways than
one
.”

“I’ll never follow you!” Jareth spat venomously.

Rafael’s eyes narrowed dangerously, and then again, his hand lashed out.

Jareth’s chin angled up and he fell back, sprawling amidst the paint cans on the garage floor once more.

Dusting his hands, Rafael nodded in satisfaction and then without even looking in my direction, he addressed Melody. “It is time.”

Melody stepped forward and grabbed my wrist. “Give the orders, my prince,” she said, holding my hand high in the air. “And I will dispose of them properly. There will be no trace.”

She said ‘them’ but I knew she was really talking about me.

I froze.

“Now is not the time for
that
. We must go,” Rafael replied without hesitation. He was confident and in command. And he appeared to be enjoying himself. “At once.”

Melody didn’t like that. Her mouth opened to protest, but as Rafael fixed her with a chilling gaze, she cleared her throat and murmured reluctantly, “As you wish, my prince.”

Without further preamble, they turned as one and disappeared in a cloud of mist, leaving me and Jareth in the garage and Betty standing in the doorway, still mesmerized.

They were gone.

We stood there for some time in shock.

Finally, Jareth crossed to the garage window and pressed his palm against the frame. For a brief moment, his hand glowed and when he moved away, I saw his symbol burnt into the wood.

I didn’t move. I just watched as he burnt a symbol into each corner, and when he was done he turned to me.

His eye was badly swollen in his dark, handsome face. Rafael had given him quite a punch. Running his hands through his dark hair, he simply looked at me.

Neither of us wanted to speak, but then Betty made a gargling sound in her throat and we whirled to face her.

She had half-collapsed against the door. Her face was gray.

“What’s happening?” I cried, rushing to her side.

I already knew. We both knew.

She was dying.

“I’ll not let him cut her life cord,” Jareth growled as he swept Betty up into his arms and carried her through the kitchen, past her sea of Ebay boxes, and into the family room where I’d found her.

Placing her upon the couch, he knelt beside her and held out his hands.

They began glowing with light.

I looked down at her, lying in that catatonic state. Her chest heaved with every breath as if it were her last.

I couldn’t let myself think. I just hovered over them for a time, but when her labored breathing only continued, I moved to pace at the foot of the couch.

Suddenly, Jareth began to curse, and he rose abruptly to his feet.

I followed his gaze to Betty’s face.

Her lips had begun to turn blue.

Rushing to his side, I gripped his arm. “Can you help her?” I asked. My voice trembled.

He didn’t answer me at first, but then he finally admitted, “I … don’t think so.” His dark eyes looked horrified.

I couldn’t believe it.

Shoving him aside, I reached down and shook Betty’s shoulders.

“Wake up!” I shouted. “You can’t go like this!”

It didn’t help.

I recalled how I’d broken Blondie’s hold on me before, by filling myself with love. I looked down at Betty. Once, I’d thought her a plain, average woman with mousey-brown hair and a face that no one would remember. But now, I couldn’t understand how I’d ever thought such a crazy thing. As I stared down at her, I saw the kindest, most beautiful woman in the world.

My eyes filled with tears.

Dropping next to her, I buried my face in her shoulder and tried to let my feelings of love wash over me. But I couldn’t concentrate. I didn’t think it was going to work. As I felt her shudder under my cheek, I drew back.

I could tell with a single look that she didn’t have long.

“Once they’ve gone catatonic, only a Mesmer can bring them out,” Jareth explained, ashen-faced.

It was hopeless.

Turning back to Betty, I held her hand.

“Mom,” I whispered.

My voice broke. I’d never called anyone that before. My own breath came in one dragging sob.

Jareth’s fingers gripped my shoulder.

I looked up.

His expression was shuttered, but he ordered in a low voice, “Let me … try something.”

Numbly, I got out of his way.

He didn’t do anything. He just looked at her.

I fidgeted. And just when I was about to start yelling at him to take action, I saw them.

Scales.

Scales rippled down from his neck, covering his skin just like I’d briefly seen before in Avalon, and just like I’d seen in the Hall of Mirrors. His face had changed and there was an unusual magnetic pull coming from his eyes.

“Wake up, Betty,” Jareth said. 
His voice was impossibly low. Soft. Rumbling.

The words were pleasant. Calming and peaceful. I wanted to forget everything else and just listen to him talk.

As Jareth collapsed on the floor, Betty took a long, gasping breath.

I couldn’t move. I could only watch as Betty sat up slowly, looking confused.

Passing a hand before her face, her kind, warm eyes glanced up to meet mine. “Hi, honey,” she said weakly.

“Are you ok?” The words zipped out of my mouth before I could stop them. “Are you really ok?”

“I’m fine, honey,” she answered, drawing her eyebrows up in a question. “Oh my, I must have fallen asleep. My poor cheese sandwich.”

She pointed to the cheese sandwich still sitting on the coffee table. The cheese had completely dried out.

It was then that she noticed Jareth passed out by her feet. “Oh dear, is he ok? What happened?”

I felt numb.

Jareth stirred. His skin had returned to normal. There was not a scale in sight.

“He’s fine,” I said. My throat was dry.

She didn’t believe me until Jareth straightened and sent her a dark scowl. “I’m fine,” he muttered under his breath.

He certainly sounded like his normally annoying self.

I turned my attention back to Betty and studied her tired face.

“What is it, honey?” she asked. Her reassuring smile put me immediately at ease.

She was really going to be all right.

“I’m … just glad you’re ok,” I said. It was a struggle to say the words without bawling my head off.

“I’m fine, honey,” she said as she got up and gave me a gentle pat on the shoulder. “I must’ve been tired. I almost slept through dinner. Oh my goodness. We’ll need to make something easy tonight. Al will be home soon.”

Dimly, I noticed Jareth standing up as Betty asked him what had happened to his eye. It was already turning purple.

I half-listened as Jareth gave her some lame excuse. Obviously, we couldn’t tell her that Rafael had socked him a good one after joining the lizard people.

And then Betty was telling him to see a doctor. And at his assurances that he would, she reminded him to live healthily and eat more vegetables while insisting that he sit on the couch.

“I’ll get you some ice for that eye,” she was saying as she picked up her dried-out cheese sandwich. “I didn’t realize I was that tired. I hate wasting food, but this looks fit only for the chickens now. At least, they’ll enjoy the treat.”

As she disappeared into the kitchen, I recovered enough to turn my full attention back to Jareth.

He looked pale. Sick.

“How did …” I began, but I didn’t finish the question.

Neither one of us wanted to think about what the answer might truly mean.

I looked at his swollen eye. “Should I get some ointment for that or something?” I asked, pointing at it.

Jareth gingerly touched his purple skin. “Rafael’s brutal when he wants to be,” he muttered. “I didn’t even see that coming.”

A stilted silence fell.

Jareth got up, and straightening his crumpled shirt, strode through the back door.

I followed him.

It was cold outside. The snow was melting and our feet made squelching sounds in the darkness as we headed for the line of trees that bordered Al and Betty’s backyard.

Reaching the first tall pine, Jareth braced himself against it and leaned over as if he were going to be sick.

“Are you ok?” I asked.

“Ok?” He turned on me then, sweeping his long dark hair out of his face. “Do you really think I’m
ok
?”

I drew my lips into a grim line.

“Only another Mesmer can break a catatonic trance, Sydney,” he rasped. “And the blue strand, the blue strand in Avalon that is accessible only in the second dimension. I could access it.”

“So could I,” I reminded him in a feeble attempt of comfort.

“You’re a
human
!” He spat the word contemptuously.

I scowled at him, immediately annoyed at his tone, but I couldn’t stay angry for long. Whatever he was going through had to be hard.

“What am I, Sydney?” he suddenly asked in a tortured voice. “What …
am
I?”

I shrugged. I knew what he was asking. But I couldn’t believe for one second that Jareth was an evil Mesmer. “You can be anything you want to be,” I said stubbornly.

He snorted.

My scowl deepened. “I’m trying to help,” I pointed out acidly.

But he wasn’t really listening to me. “That tulpa,” he grated hoarsely. “It’s alive in its own right. It has an evil purpose of its own. Something beyond what they’re trying to do with it. I think it wants you.”

I couldn’t suppress a shudder. I already knew it wanted to finish eating me. But I didn’t want to think about that. “What
are
they trying to do with it?” I asked.

But he ignored me.

“And Rafael,” he said, beginning to pace under the tree. “I can’t fathom how I failed to see it. He really was in the Inner Circle this entire time.”

Hearing Rafael’s name was like being stabbed in the heart. “The Inner Circle,” I whispered. “You were in it, too, weren’t you?” Somehow, I felt better pointing that out, as if somehow we’d discover Rafael was good after all.

Jareth looked at me and answered grimly, “I was only trying to break in. I saw something strange in Melody’s fate lines, years ago. I’d … I’d thought Rafael saw it as well.”

“You didn’t ask him?” I asked.

He snorted. “We don’t talk. Haven’t you noticed?” He began to curse angrily under his breath. “Melody sent me down here earlier to make sure Rafael never set foot on Earth. Now I see why. This is the biggest mess …” His voice trailed away.

“Who cares what Melody thought … or thinks,” I couldn’t resist saying. She’d clearly been evil for a long time.

The conversation lulled for a moment. Suddenly, I remembered Rafael’s Blue Thread. Hooking my thumb over my shoulder, I pointed to the garage. “Was … that Rafael’s Blue Thread?”

It was dark, but it was still light enough for me to see Jareth’s cocked eyebrow. “His Blue Thread is alive and well.”

I don’t know why, but that made me feel better. “Then there’s hope it can all work out for the best?”

“If you want to believe so.” Jareth’s mood was only getting darker. Striking the tree, he raged, “What’s happening here?”

My head was beginning to pound. “This is a job for the army or something,” I said. “Not me.”

Jareth stepped close and, gripping my shoulders, shook me a little. “What am I, Sydney?”

His face was close to mine, the impressive purple welt under his eye made the entire side of his face look black in the darkness.

“What am I?” he repeated.

I knew we were both thinking of the images we’d seen in the Hall of Mirrors, the images of the white-cloaked figure experimenting with needles and injecting something into the dark-haired Fae that had given birth to Jareth.