Page 41 of Against the Veil (Endangered Fae #3)

“Maine! Stop!” Kara cried out, panting.

The pages settled and the bat began its ever-decreasing circle again. A bead of sweat trickled down Kara’s cheek but she didn’t take her hand from Will’s or stop to use her sleeve to wipe off the drop. Brandon sat panting, head down, his large body trembling.

Mr. S. always made it look so easy. Magic is a hell of a lot harder than I thought.

“We need more zoom.” Kara’s voice cracked. “How the hell do we do that?”

Cautiously, afraid he would disturb the flows, Zack eased up to peer over her shoulder. The bat circled the coast between Bar Harbor and Grand Manan Island. “Hold tight. Give me just a sec.”

He dove for the computer on the corner desk by the window.

Always powered up, it sat ready for any curious fae to play with.

With one hand, he flipped on the printer, with the other, pulled up an online map.

Once he’d zoomed in far enough to read the names of the smaller towns, he printed it. “Finn! Slide it under the bat!”

For once, Finn acted without question. He snatched up the printout and leaned carefully over Nate’s shoulder, his long body allowing him to avoid the flows as he gingerly slipped the new map between bat and atlas.

Again the bat circled, all the youngsters’ eyes glued to it movements as it zeroed in again.

“Northeast of Columbia Falls!” Kara cried out, her voice nearly a sob.

Zack zoomed in further, moving up on the map to the area in question. He stopped when he could read the street names for the odd, twisty roads. Skunk Ridge? Really? But he couldn’t stop for curiosities. He printed and handed it off into Finn’s waiting hand.

The cycle of circling repeated once again, little whimpers coming from someone in the group. Kara cried out as she was yanked down, the bat finally coming to rest at a point where no immediately visible roads led.

“Here,” she said in a shaky whisper. “It’s here.”

“Mark that!” Zack barked out. He didn’t mean to snap out orders, but the tension in the room had him in knots.

Minky pulled a pen out of her pocket and circled the still quivering bat where it lay on the paper. “Let it go, everyone. Will, I think Bran’s going out.”

Even though she had physically broken the circle, the connection didn’t break between them until Kara closed her eyes and let hers go.

Zack watched in amazement as Her Prickliness let Nate gather her into his arms. She clung to him, shaking and not quite sobbing.

Brandon would have collapsed face first on the table if Will hadn’t been ready and pulled him sideways, cradling his boyfriend’s head and shoulders in his lap.

“Well, that was…painful,” Nate said with a shaky grin.

“But it worked. We did it.” Will’s eyes shone as he stroked Brandon’s hair.

“Gets better with practice, I’d bet.” Zack made the rounds, making certain no one looked shocky and Brandon’s vitals were steady.

“You did the hard part, guys. We’ve got a location.

Getting there might be tricky, but we’ll work on that next.

” He glanced up at Finn. “Did Morrigan and Faolchú make it back yet?”

“I heard the wolf champion some time ago. Of Morrigan…” Finn shrugged. “I would be the last she would tell of her whereabouts.”

“You two have got to get over that old grudge, whatever the hell it was,” Zack said with a little sigh. “But Eithne’s here. Duh. So of course they’re back.” He paced to the door, already intent on their next moves.

“Zack?”

“Hmm? Oh. Sorry. Calling a war council. We need a better plan of action this time.”

The vampire stood in the doorway, regarding him with an unreadable expression. “Could you eat something? He mentioned you might eat oatmeal.”

Lugh tried to shake his head and failed even in that small movement. “No,” he whispered, uncertain if the young man heard him.

“No, you can’t or no, you refuse? He doesn’t want you to die, you know.”

“Can’t. Iron’s too much. Sidhe are…sensitive.”

“But you’re not fully sidhe , they say. Half and half.”

“Yes. Not dead yet.”

The distant expression became a frown, perhaps even a concerned one. “I don’t understand. He said Finn survived prolonged iron exposure for many days.”

“Pookas…different.”

“Must be.” Theo ventured farther into the room. His hesitance didn’t smell of fear, rather he seemed undecided.

Gods, please help me. You have family. You understand … “My mother…must be frantic.”

Theo crouched down near his head. “At least she worries about you.”

“Yours?”

“Thinks I’m a demon.” Theo shrugged. “Thought I could be ‘cured’. Even brought a priest to the house.”

“Why?”

“Exorcism.”

“Oh.”

Theo gave him the barest hint of a smile. “Didn’t work so great.”

“She…worries.”

The smile vanished. “ Sí, verdad. But accepting…” A second shrug.

It was hard to be angry with this young man, so lost and alone in the world.

A single difference in his life, something he had no control over and could do nothing to change and suddenly his family’s love became conditional.

This was not how things should be. My mother has always been my staunchest ally.

How would it be suddenly to lose her unwavering support, even her love?

Another heavy wave of pain and nausea washed through him, leaving him shivering hard enough to rattle his teeth. “Theo…” he whispered. “I won’t last. Not…like this.”

Theo stared at him for a long moment, his face blank again. Then he got up and left without a word.

I suppose I will never be done mishandling human intentions. Great Mother help me, I think I’m nearly done.

If he could have faded into the Dreaming to heal, he would have been fine, but the iron prevented that. Even if someone would remove the blasted collar, he could last several more days. No. He had said something wrong again, offended the young man, and now he would die.

Zack, my beloved, forgive me. Please think well of me when you remember me…

He had sunk so far into the pain and the sorrow that his eyes flew open in shock when his cell door swung open again.

Theo had returned, dangling a long, leather strap from his right hand.

Lugh blinked at it, wondering what purpose it would possibly serve to beat him now. Unless it’s simple cruelty.

Rather than swing the strap and strike him with it, though, Theo knelt beside him and placed the strap on the floor. Up close, he realized with its buckle it was more belt than a strap, but it was far too short.

“I will make certain with him, but I think el jefe , he misjudged this time.” Theo swallowed hard as if it hurt him to admit such a thing. “Will you swear to stay still while I switch this out?”

“Yes.” Lugh coughed out the word. “I do so swear.”

“I won’t take the cuffs off su alteza , I’m sorry. The leather collar has a steel buckle, but I think this will be better.”

Theo reached behind his neck and undid the padlock on the steel collar.

He tried to stay quiet, but when the steel band lifted from his throat the sob of relief still escaped.

Theo’s dark brows drew together as he traced a finger along Lugh’s throat and for one joyous moment, Lugh thought he would relent and take both collars away.

After a pause, though, Theo wrapped the leather collar around Lugh’s neck, his hands surprisingly gentle as he buckled it and clipped on the eyehook for the chain fastened to the wall.

“There.” Theo patted his shoulder, though his frown remained firmly in place. “Your eyes are brighter. I’ll come back later to see if you can eat.”

Again, the odd young man left him, this time with a kernel of hope rather than crushing despair. It was better. He couldn’t escape, but he could think again and perhaps, if he fought hard enough, he might even be able to reach for the smallest grains of magic.

With an irritating feeling of déjà vu, Zack found himself pacing the dining room again.

“No. I’m not starting a goddamn war here. A good size strike force, but not the whole damn Otherworld.”

Faolchú grunted, leaning back in his chair. “I suggested no such thing. But a true war band would go a long way to ensuring victory.”

Zack rubbed at his burning eyes, fighting to keep his temper.

How long was it before his next change? Would he start to feel the effects a whole week and a half out?

God, he wanted Lugh, wanted the big, stubborn jerk beside him, at his back, wanted that huge hand on his shoulder to bleed off some of the tension.

“I hear you, I do.” He held up a hand, asking for a moment. “But we have transport issues and when we get there, I don’t want to give too much warning. We go in with an entire battalion’s clusterfuck worth of fae, we’ll tip him off too early. He’ll just vanish again.”

“How many, then, Oh, Hero of the Iron Caverns?” Faolchú’s clawed fingers drummed the tabletop and Zack recalled belatedly he wasn’t the only one in the room with a temper.

Damn it. Diego is supposed to be here to handle all us macho walking egos.

“You don’t think I’d leave you out, do you?” Zack managed something close to a grin and got a strained laugh in return. “I’d say no more than twenty, total. Nathair can do some shielding, but probably not more than that, right?”

All eyes turned to little Nathair. “No more, Zack. I can only do so much. Particularly with shielding against sound. We would move silently but, and I mean no offense, the young humans would struggle to do so.”

“The kids have to come, though. No way around that. So, six humans, eight if I take a couple of my guys. Nathair and the big guy, of course.” He nodded to Faolchú. “Morrigan and Eithne—”

“No.” Morrigan’s voice cut him off, short and harsh.

“No?”

“We should not endanger so many healers. Eithne stays.”

Zack quirked an eyebrow and turned to the beautiful cat Fomorian. “Princess? I’d think you have a say in this, since it’s your son we’re going after.”

Eithne’s ears flattened against her head. “Morri speaks the truth, though. I am no warrior, dear Zack, as much as I would wish to rescue my Lugh.”

“Got it. Angus?”

“I will go. But not Sionnach.”

“Oh? You speak for me now, Farseer?” Sionnach pulled his hand out of Angus’ grip, his tail bristling and twitching.

Angus opened his mouth, closed it and finally grated out, “You…your strength has not fully returned.”

“You mean I fall to pieces on the slightest breeze,” Sionnach said softly. “That does not change how I fight.”

“I worry for you!” Angus flung his arms wide, his voice choked.

“And I love you for it. But perhaps it’s time to stop pretending I am made of rose petals, yes?”

Angus stared at his feet, clearly in anguish, but he nodded. Sionnach climbed into his lap to plant a scorching kiss on his lips, the two of them so lost in each other that Zack was afraid they might start going at it right there on one of the dining room chairs.

“Um. Right. Let’s try to focus for a couple minutes, at least. With Finn, that’s fourteen. Faolchú, bud, you pick whoever you think’s best for the last six. Probably—”

“Jasper should come,” Nate blurted out.

“What? Hell, no.”

“Just listen, Sarge. He’s been there. He’s knows the layout. And he wants to help.”

“You have any solid reason why we should trust him?”

“He…” Nate squirmed as his coven mates turned varied looks of concern and amusement his way. “I let him feed from me. He—”

“You what ?” Brandon bellowed. “Cooper, did you lose your damn mind?”

Undaunted, Nate patted his large friend’s arm. “He’s very gentle, Bran. Very considerate.” A dreamy smile spread across his face. “It was amazing.”

Somehow, Zack had the feeling there had been an exchange of additional bodily fluids besides blood. “Great. Just great. But the kid had a broken arm, Nate. Broken ribs, collarbone. It’s—”

“Vampire, Sarge. With enough food and some sleep, he’s almost healed. Should be a hundred percent by morning.”

Call me the world’s biggest fool. “All right. If I talk to him in the morning and I’m convinced he’s on the up and up and that he’s physically ready, he goes.

” He took a slow breath, trying for calm.

“Transport-wise, I think our best bet is to take a boat down the coast, then rent four by fours in M—”

“Sergeant, I think there’s a better way.”

Really? Can I finish just one fucking sentence? He dry-washed both hands over his face, determined not to yell. “Yes, Will? What would that be? You gonna tell me your father’s stinking rich and has a fleet of Harrier jets?”

“No, sir.” Will flushed crimson. “I mean, yes, my father’s Robert Schoenberg, and we could borrow his yacht if we needed it, but that’s not what I meant.”

“Christ. As in Schoenberg Electronics?”

Will nodded miserably. “Yes. I don’t… It’s not important.” He lifted his chin in a defiant gesture. “And we don’t need my father.”

“Okay. I’m listening. What’s your thinking?”

“If Mr. Sandoval can make doorways, then we should be able to.”

Faolchú snorted. “No one has ever been able to make Diego’s doorways. Not since the Veil closed.”

Will held his ground, though Zack didn’t miss the tight grip he had on Brandon’s hand. “But the fae we’ve spoken to have said it’s human magic. Unique to humans. Someone taught him that he could make one.”

Finn pointed a long finger across the table. “Morrigan did it.”

“I did what I needed to!” Morrigan snapped her sharp teeth at him. “To save us all. Do not lay this morass at my feet, Fionnachd!”

“If you had not encouraged him so…”

“Knock it off, you two,” Zack growled. “Are you saying you could build a door, Will? Get us there?”

“If Morrigan is willing to teach us, I think we could do it together. As a coven. You saw it today, Sergeant. We’re stronger together.”

“Yeah.” Maybe stronger than anyone but Diego . “Let’s try it. Morrigan, you’ve got yourself a batch of human students.”