The Soother (26 page)

Krystoff bowed his head, wiped blood from his lip with the back of his hand. “Good to see you, witchling.” Sadly, the nickname no longer seemed to fit.

Isabelle waggled her finger at him. “If this is your idea of a reunion, it totally sucks.”

Scout coughed, but remained silent. Isabelle had some effect on him. Good or bad was yet to be determined.

Ambra stood on the other side of Isabelle, looking furious as hell. Back ramrod straight, her red hair stood straight up like the world had been flipped upside down. “I expected more from you, wizard. My daughter is missing and you waste time with these playground antics?”

Krystoff winced at her comment, then stood and cracked the kinks out of his neck. After throwing a glare to Scout, Krystoff said, “My apologies. You’re absolutely right.” How had he lost sight of that? No matter what role Scout had played in Calliope’s abduction, Krystoff couldn’t afford to waste another minute.

He turned his attention back to Isabelle, who still hadn’t let go of Scout’s arm. “Do you remember exactly where you were when you last saw Calliope?” Logic told him just to head straight to Mistropa. Riona had never been logical. Krystoff couldn’t risk the time it would take to find out. If he was wrong … He calmed down and forced himself to be rational. Follow the proper steps. He had to see if he could sense where Riona had taken Calliope before he found himself in the midst of a wild goose chase.

Isabelle nodded.

“Good,” Krystoff said, relief evident in his voice. “I need you to take me there.”

“Us,” Scout interjected.

Krystoff gave Scout a jaded stare. “Not likely.”

“He’s right,” Ambra announced. “We need numbers.” Her hair had fallen back into place, settling around her shoulders in waves.

Krystoff disagreed. Bodies would only slow him down. “With all due respect, I disagree.”

Ambra tipped her chin up. “Noted. I’m going anyway.”

“Me, too” Isabelle chimed in with a stomp.

No. Definitely not. Though it was good to say that some things about her hadn’t changed. “I’m sorry, Isabelle. You’re too young.”

Isabelle jerked as if she’d been slapped. “Is that so? Don’t forget who just saved your butt.”

“She’s going.” This from Scout who carried a smug look on his face like he was enjoying the anger even more than he had the fight.

Isabelle turned her now smiling face to Scout. “Right, then. Let’s go.”

Resigned, and unwilling to lose any more time, Krystoff finally nodded.

Isabelle patted her lips with one finger. “It’s hard for me to explain exactly where it happened, so I guess we’ll have to walk.”

Krystoff shook his head. “That won’t work. Calliope’s been gone for two days already. Who knows what Riona has done?” Acid swirled in his gut. They might be too late. Krystoff would never be able to live with himself if that was the case. Without Calliope in his life, he didn’t want to live, period.

“There’s no other way,” Ambra said with a sigh. “We’ll just have to hurry.”

“Maybe I can help,” Scout offered.

“Haven’t you already done enough?” Krystoff lunged, drew back when Isabelle blocked his path, arms crossed over her chest. Gods, his mind was in shambles. If Scout could get them there faster, Krystoff needed to back off and let him. “Can you really help?”

Scout lifted one shoulder. “Depends on how much Isabelle will let me in.”

Isabelle’s eyes glazed over with suspicion. “Let you in where?”

Scout tapped her forehead, his lips tilted in a lopsided smile. “In there.”

Krystoff stepped closer, ready to intercede if necessary. “I won’t let you hurt her.”

Scout’s features softened. He peered down at Isabelle. “I won’t hurt you.”

Eyes narrowed, Isabelle said, “You do and you’ll regret it.” But her voice lacked the usual spunk.

“No doubt,” Scout said with a rumble of laughter. “You ready?”

“I’ll just go tell the others what’s happening,” Ambra said. She grabbed Krystoff’s wrist. “Don’t leave without me.”

He understood why she had to go. She’d missed a lot of years with Calliope. There’s no way Ambra wouldn’t take part in this rescue effort. “I won’t,” Krystoff assured her. “Just be fast.”

Ambra nodded and took off.

Scout cleared his throat. “I need a little quiet here.” He closed what was left of the distance between him and Isabelle.

Now it was Krystoff’s turn to clear his throat. He did so loudly. “Be careful, Scout.” Thankfully, Krystoff didn’t have to say anything else.

Scout backed up a half-inch before placing his hands on each side of Isabelle’s head. He rubbed his thumbs across her forehead, repeating the action as he spoke. “Think back, Isabelle.”

She nodded. “Calliope didn’t want me to, but I followed her for a bit. She didn’t know it though. No one did. Do you want me to show you everything?”

“As much as you remember,” Scout answered.

Isabelle’s eyes fluttered closed and she tipped her head up. Scout leaned in, lowered his voice. “Show me where you were. Show me what you saw.” Scout closed his eyes and sucked in a breath. Isabelle shuddered. Chest heaving, Scout broke away. The two stared at each other, one just as transfixed as the other.

Krystoff pulled Isabelle away with a firm grip on her elbow, surprised the whole thing had taken less than thirty seconds. “You get what you need, man?” And Scout better not have taken anything else from Isabelle. Memories could stir up a lot of trouble.

Scout jammed his hands in his pockets and nodded.

Ambra returned moments later. “Okay, thanks for waiting. Everyone ready?”

“Ready or not,” Krystoff said. “I’m leaving.” He turned to Scout. “If you can’t take us all at once, somebody is staying put.” At this point Krystoff didn’t care who it was.

Scout rolled his eyes. “How long have you known me?” He waved off the answer. “This is easy.” Scout gathered everyone close. He pulled Isabelle against his chest and told her to hold on. She wrapped her arms around his waist.

Krystoff tensed but held his tongue. Damn Scout and his games. He’d warned Scout to back off of Isabelle, but Scout had always played by his own set of rules.

Scout put one hand on Ambra’s shoulder and clapped Krystoff on the back. “Time to ghost.”

Krystoff immediately smelled Calliope’s blood. He crouched.

“How did you do that?” Isabelle asked, pure fascination coating her voice.

Scout chuckled. “You wouldn’t show me your secrets, so I won’t be telling you mine.”

Ambra hunkered down next to Krystoff. “What is it?”

“Blood.” He touched a drop with the tip of his finger, then brought it to his nose. Closing his eyes, he inhaled, then tasted. His cheeks hollowed as Calliope’s potent flavor danced on his tongue.
Smoky wine.
He stood quickly, turned to Isabelle. “Was she hurt?”

Isabelle shook her head. “No. I don’t think so. They had her in some kind of a net, but she didn’t look hurt.” She dropped her chin and stared at the ground. “I saw your mother, got scared and took off. I’m so sorry.”

Krystoff blew out a long breath. “Don’t be. You did better than most would have under these circumstances.”

“There’s more blood here,” Scout called from several feet away.

Krystoff flashed, bent, inhaled, tasted.
Calliope
. Not a lot blood, just a drop every few feet. Krystoff smiled. “You have a very resourceful daughter, Ambra.”

Ambra stepped close, angled her head. “Yes, I know. But why are you saying that?”

“Because she left me a trail.” He held up a finger to show the evidence. “A blood trail.” Krystoff rubbed his tongue against the roof of his mouth, letting the flavor of Calliope permeate. He flashed from blood bead to blood bead, each time consuming every miniscule drop. By the time he found Calliope, he planned to have her blood commingling with his own, increasing his power. His shadows stirred, sighed, sought.

Krystoff paused when he came upon a pool of blood. His heart battered against his ribs.

“Oh, mother goddess,” Ambra cried, fist against her mouth.

Krystoff realized he was holding his breath. If he could hold it forever, he’d never know if the blood belonged to Calliope. If it did, their search was over. No being could lose this much blood and survive. He owed it to Calliope to find out.

“I’d do it for you if I could,” Scout said, coming to stand beside him.

No one else could do it. No one knew Calliope’s scent, her flavor. No one but Krystoff. He leaned down and dragged air into his lungs. Krystoff wanted to drop to his knees. He forced himself to stand. “It’s not Calliope.”

Isabelle shrieked. “You sure? Of course, you’re sure. Oh, man. I was so nervous. I’m so glad it’s not her. I mean, I didn’t get to tell her goodbye or anything. Can you imagine — ”

Scout dropped a hand to Isabelle’s shoulder. She clamped her lips shut, cutting off the hysterics.

For once, Krystoff was thankful Scout had come along. Well, that and his crazy teleporting skills.

Krystoff pushed on, picking up Calliope’s trail again about five yards from the blood pool. The droplets were closer together now, almost as if Calliope was somehow expressing urgency. Two more spots and then he had to stop. Krystoff spun, inhaled, searched the ground. Any relief he’d had moments ago, left his body in a
whoosh
of air.

The trail had ended.

• • •

“You’ve got just as much fight as your sister.”

Calliope froze in mid-fight, stared at Eron while he tethered her to the pole. The same pole Krystoff had nearly died on.
Sister?
“What did you just say?”

Krystoff yanked on the rope, tightening it against Calliope’s wrist. “That redheaded fireball sister of yours,” he said in a conversational tone, voice rumbling in his chest like he’d swallowed rocks. He flicked his gaze to her and winked. “She’s a spunky one.”

Calliope’s blood ran cold, freezing in her veins until she could hardly feel. “What do you know of Bevva?”

Eron’s eyes sparkled like wet onyx. “Don’t count me out, witch,” he said. “Riona isn’t the only one with a plan here.”

Calliope kicked out. “Where’s my sister?”

Eron slowly walked around the pole, winding the rope around her thighs like she was a skewered pig over an open flame. “You’ll never find her,” he taunted. “I must say, she was rather difficult to imprison. Feisty, that one. The crowds will love her.”

Grief nailed Calliope in the gut. Try as she might, she couldn’t keep the tears from falling. Knowing Bevva was indeed in trouble, knowing she couldn’t get to her, knowing she might never see her again was enough to have Calliope in major breakdown mode.

“Very touching,” Eron said. “Snap out of it. Riona’s coming.”

Calliope could hardly hear him. White noise filled her ears, drowning out the sound of her own sniveling.

Eron drew back and slapped her cheek. Pain radiated from her temples to her neck. He stepped back, conjured a whip and moved to the center of the circle.

Riona strolled through the trees, head held high, hands clasped behind her back. Calliope narrowed her teary eyes. Riona had changed from a dress to red leather pants, a black corset and black thigh high boots. She’d let her hair down. It hung, straight as a board nearly to her waist.

Riona smiled, licked the corner of her lip. “Pity, isn’t it, Calliope?”

Calliope so wanted not to answer. Curiosity got the best of her. “What’s that?” Her voice sounded foreign, thick, scratchy.

Riona walked the circumference of the magickal circle, never once breaching the sanctum within the stones. “Why, that Krystoff hasn’t arrived yet. Makes me wonder if perhaps you don’t mean that much to him.”

Calliope flinched.

“Oh, I do apologize. You hadn’t thought of that. Thankfully, I’m here to teach you those life lessons.” Riona nodded to Eron.

Calliope sucked in a breath as the whip cracked next to her ear.

Riona stopped, angled her head in thought. “If he doesn’t come soon, I really won’t have a use for you.” Another nod.

Calliope tensed, bracing for the hit. This one came on her other side, so close the whistle of a breeze tickled her skin.

Krystoff did care. Calliope was certain of it. She’d known the portals would pose a problem, but he was from Mistropa. Why hadn’t he come?

Another crack drew her out of her thoughts. The barb hit her knee, imbedding itself in her right knee. Calliope breathed through the pain.

Eron tugged. The barb held. He walked to Calliope and pulled the tip free. A cry broke through her clamped lips. Eron smiled.

“Once I’m done with you,” Riona said. “I will find that fire-throwing sister of yours.”

Calliope’s head jerked up. She looked from Riona to Eron. Eron gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head.

“Didn’t Eron tell you?” Calliope asked.

Blocking Riona’s view. Eron squeezed Calliope’s knee.

“Pity, isn’t it,” Calliope continued, desperately trying to shut her mind off from the pain.

Riona’s sharp gaze narrowed. “What’s that?” she said through tight lips.

“Sometimes you can’t trust those closest to you. You see … ” Calliope wheezed out a breath as Eron twisted her kneecap. “Eron already … has … my sister.”

A vicious, piercing scream echoed around Calliope. This time it didn’t come from the banshee. This scream came from Riona who had just breached the circle.

Krystoff’s shadows swirled around him like a black tornado, growing, expanding, consuming. He bore down against the assault. Had to get a grip on his emotions, couldn’t let the shadows completely take over. Calliope’s trail may have ended, but that didn’t have to mean her life had.

“What’s happening to him?” Isabelle asked. Her panic-filled voice had shot up at least an octave.

Krystoff bristled at the tone. Didn’t have enough control to ease her mind.

“He’s losing it.” Scout answered.

Not. Losing. It
. But he was. Worry over Calliope had started the transformation. Helplessness had all but sealed his fate.

“Krystoff,” Ambra called in a smooth and steady manner. “We’ll find her.”

Warm, slim fingers gripped Krystoff’s wrist. His shadows hissed, snapped. The grip tightened.