Page 38 of Blood Skye (Skye Druids #6)

Chapter Thirty-Eight

You could have heard a pin drop in the war room when Song finished describing the tear. The tables were set in a U -shape with chairs around them. Carlyle sat beside her, more for his sanity than to offer any type of support she might need. The depth and breadth of his feelings for her still had the ability to knock him on his arse.

If they hadn’t spent the time they had together, he would likely still despise her. He wouldn’t know what it was like to hold her or be held by her. He never would have discovered her strength or her resolve. He wouldn’t have uncovered how far the elders—and Thomas —had fallen without hearing about her past.

And he never would have known how much passion could be in a single kiss.

Song turned her head to him and reached for his hand. Neither of them could go long without touching the other. Perhaps it was because they had faced such damning truths about their parents together. Maybe it was because everything they believed to be true was all lies meant to mold them. The reason didn’t matter. They had endured it and still stood together.

That said something.

Yet they both grasped that things were far from over. In fact, it was just the beginning.

“ So ,” Rhona said to get everyone’s attention. “ We’ve heard Song’s description of the tear and have taken a few seconds to digest it. Any ideas on how to make it discernible?”

Killian’s chair creaked when he leaned back. “ I think the question is rather: Should we make it visible. We might know what we’re seeing, but tourists certainly won’t. There will be panic.”

“ No ’ to mention what our enemies might attempt to do with it,” Scott added.

Others joined in as the discussion morphed into the pros and cons of the tear remaining invisible. Carlyle listened with half an ear. He was still worried about Saber not checking in. After all the times he had been there for them, it might be time for the Knights to aid him.

Carlyle wasn’t the only silent one. Song had yet to issue her opinion, but he suspected he knew what it would be. He scanned the room and spotted Callum standing in the doorway. He must have arrived when Song was talking. The fact that Callum had come at all was a win. Carlyle followed Callum’s gaze and found it locked on Kirsi .

She was the reason he was here. Callum cared deeply for her. It might even be love. It wasn’t Carlyle’s business, and he should probably stay out of it, but Callum was one of them now. He had risked his life and fought beside them. His pain was their pain. His demons, their demons.

Kirsi suddenly looked up. Her eyes clashed with Callum’s , and he dipped his chin in greeting. She smiled and visibly relaxed. Was it a coincidence that Callum was around when Kirsi was in trouble? Carlyle didn’t think so.

Rhona lifted a hand after several minutes, and the room fell into silence. She looked at each of them. “ Some might call it luck that we’ve triumphed every time we’ve been tested. There are those who would claim it was providence that brought Elodie back to Skye and Scott to her door. Or Elias , the Knights , Ferne , Willa , Jasper , Killian , and now Song to us. It wasn’t by chance that each of you found your way home. Skye called you here. The magic once beckoned our ancestors, and each of you has heard that invitation.”

She paused and met Balladyn’s red-ringed silver eyes. The Reaper winked at Rhona , making a soft blush stain her cheeks. She took a deep breath and released it. “ We’ve been on the defensive from the start. Our enemies remain steps ahead of us. They have knowledge we’re piecing together day by day. They have weapons, such as the book. But we have what they don’t. We have each other.”

“ We’re a force unto ourselves,” Sabryn said.

Rhona nodded. “ That we are, and I don’t want any of you to forget it. None of us is alone. Look around the room. Take a hard look at those you have fought beside and those you will stand with in the future. Because the battles are far from over. The enemies will attempt to divide us. If there’s one thing the Dragon Kings have taught me, it’s that united, we are formidable.” She licked her lips and leaned her fingertips on the table. “ Everyone understands why Carlyle and Finn went to London . The result was in our favor. But barely.”

“ I would be in the elders’ hands if not for Song ,” Carlyle said. He glanced at the floor. “ Never in my wildest dreams did I believe my da— Thomas capable of the things he’s done. We now know London wants a fire walker. They believe it’s the answer to defeating the Skye Druids . And they’ll keep looking for one.”

Finn shot him a wide smile. “ Good thing we have our own.”

“ Carlyle left because it was family,” Elias added. “ Those no’ from Skye will be targeted, as we’ve seen with Luke , as well as Mason .”

Rhona bowed her head in acknowledgment. “ Nothing we’ve done to locate Luke has revealed his location, but we won’t give up. Not on him, Mason , or anyone else affected. But we have to be smart about how we divide our attention. We’re being bombarded on all sides as a tactic.”

“ Which is why you should let us focus on Luke ,” Henry offered.

Nikolai stood behind Esther’s chair with his arms folded across his chest. “ I concur. The four of us will delve into locating Luke while all of you remain on Skye . There are Druids you need to find.”

“ What Druids ?” Song leaned over and whispered.

Carlyle said, “ The other two pillars.”

“ Oh , that’s right,” she replied.

A pleased look filled Rhona’s face. “ I can speak for everyone when I say we’re grateful for the help. Now , back to the tear.”

“ Leave it hidden,” Carlyle stated.

Bronwyn asked, “ Then how do we…?” She waved her hands, trying to find the right words. “ Fix it? Heal it? Whatever it is we’re going to do.”

“ We don’t even know if Callum can stitch it like he did with the other one,” Ariah interjected.

Theo twisted his lips. “ We willna know until we try. That is if Callum is up for it.”

Everyone turned to Callum . He lifted one shoulder. “ I can try.” He looked at Song . “ Will you sit down with me and describe it again so I can draw it?”

“ Of course,” she agreed.

“ Perhaps we should all be there,” Jasper said. “ Just in case.”

Heads nodded in agreement.

“ Great ,” Rhona said. “ Let’s get moving, then.”

Carlyle stood with Song as Callum walked over. He reluctantly let her hand slide from his as the two of them sat. It was silly for him to think that he wanted to protect Song inside the manor. Callum wouldn’t hurt her, and the manor wouldn’t allow anything inside to harm anyone.

“ She’ll be okay,” Finn said.

Carlyle watched the others file out of the command room. “ I know.”

“ Do you?”

Carlyle looked at his best friend and realized that Elias and Sabryn had joined them. “ I do.”

“ There hasn’t been much time to discuss Thomas ,” Sabryn said.

The last thing Carlyle wanted to do was talk about him, but it had to be done. Holding it in would only cause more hurt. “ I don’t see that changing anytime soon.”

“ It has to.” Elias shrugged. “ He’s your father.”

Carlyle rubbed the back of his neck in agitation. “ Let’s not forget that he’s a murderer and a liar.”

“ But still your blood,” Finn added softly.

Carlyle shook his head. “ He donated the sperm. That’s it. The man I believed was my father was fiction. In my mind, that man is dead.”

“ You may have to face him in battle,” Sabryn said.

Finn snorted. “ There’s no may about it. We will.”

“ He’s just another enemy,” Carlyle replied.

Elias put a hand on his shoulder. “ With my sister potentially sitting in that column with Thomas , I know how you feel.”

“ None of it has really hit you yet,” Sabryn cautioned. “ It will, though. Same with Song .”

Finn glanced toward the doorway where she had walked out with Callum . “ She’s finding her way here.”

“ She’s no’ had time to let it all sink in yet,” Elias said.

Carlyle wanted to disagree, but he couldn’t. Because he knew it was the truth. Right now, he and Song were clinging to each other in a raging sea. They both needed to talk things through, including the tough emotions he was desperately trying to ignore.

His phone buzzed with an incoming call. Carlyle pulled it from his back pocket and froze at the sight of Thomas’s number. Apparently , Thomas ’ reach was long indeed if he could uncover the burner phone’s number.

“ Let me talk to the fekker,” Finn stated angrily.

Sabryn put her hand on Carlyle’s arm to get his attention. “ You don’t have to answer it.”

But he did. Thomas wasn’t randomly calling. Carlyle looked at Finn , then Elias . He answered the call and put it on speaker but chose not to say anything.

“ I’m surprised you answered,” Thomas said through the mobile. “ I figured you’d be petulant and let it go to voicemail.”

“ What do you want?”

“ You .”

Carlyle closed his eyes, the image of Thomas in that room below headquarters filling his mind. “ Too bad.”

“ I knew that would be your answer.”

“ Then why did you ring?”

Thomas chuckled. “ I’m your father, even if you try to pretend that I’m not now. My blood runs in your veins, son. There’s no getting away from that.”

The truth lodged in Carlyle’s throat and threatened to choke him. He opened his eyes and glared at the screen and the picture of Thomas’s smiling face.

“ You’ll discover very soon that you’ve picked the losing side. I’ll be waiting for your call. That’s all it will take for me to accept you back into my life.”

Disgust filled Carlyle . “ You speak like you lead London when we both know the elders do.”

Laughter floated through the phone and filled the hallway. “ Oh , dear boy. You have so much to learn. Others would like the chance. I’ve recently taken one under my wing. Want to guess who it might be?”

Carlyle didn’t need to. He knew it was Mason .

“ I’ll be waiting for your call,” Thomas said before disconnecting.

Elias raked a hand through his blond hair. “ Tell me he wasna talking about Mason .”

“ I can’t do that.” Carlyle barely recognized his voice.

Sabryn pressed her lips together. “ Should we tell Ferne ?”

“ I don’t think that’s going to be an issue,” Finn murmured.

They turned and found Ferne standing behind them, her eyes wide and her face pale.

“ I don’t understand,” Ferne said. “ Mason hates the organization. He wouldn’t do this.” She looked up at Carlyle . “ He wouldn’t willingly join them.”

Elias crossed his arms over his chest. “ Maybe he hasna. This could be another ruse to get you and Carlyle back to London .”

“ There’s no way Thomas would think Carlyle would return now,” Finn said.

Four sets of eyes trained on him. Carlyle turned away, unable to handle their stares. “ I abandoned Mason once.”

“ You didn’t abandon anyone,” Sabryn said. “ You were grieving. There’s a difference.”

Ferne’s voice wobbled when she said, “ He wouldn’t leave me behind. I have to go.”

“ I’d follow,” Theo said as he walked up.

Finn made a sound in the back of his throat. “ Then more of us would go. Thomas wants to lure us away from Skye .”

“ Which is why we can’t go.” Carlyle looked at Ferne . “ You heard Rhona’s speech.”

She dashed away a tear. “ You left for your father. Mason’s my brother. The only blood family I have left.”

“ I didn’t know what I was stepping into when I went to London , but we know now. Thomas is using Mason .”

“ He’ll kill him,” Ferne stated loudly.

Theo pulled her into his arms and turned her face into his chest as she cried. He gave Carlyle a nod and then walked her away.

“ Are we really no’ going?” Elias asked.

Sabryn shrugged. “ It’s a trap.”

“ Then perhaps we set one of our own,” Carlyle declared.