Page 76 of Sidhe (The Incubus Saga #3)

Another day had passed, waiting on the light fae, when Nathan found the picture in his wallet, the one Lindsey had given him to give to Sasha whenever things settled down. They weren’t exactly settled now, but he figured it was as good a time as any.

He cornered Sasha in their room. “I almost forgot about this. It’s from Lindsey,” he said, handing Sasha the belated present. “He wanted me to give it to you to avoid the slobbering hug you would have put him through. Though you probably still will…”

A laugh choked out of Sasha, but as he looked at what Nathan had given him, a hand went up unconsciously to cover his mouth. “Oh my god…look at us,” he said, gesturing for Nathan to join him on the bed.

Of course Nathan had already seen the picture, but it was a different experience now that Sasha could look at it too. Nathan sat next to Sasha as the incubus traced the figures in the photograph with his finger ghosting just above the gloss.

Sasha, Lindsey, and Cam had to have been fifteen in the picture, looking much the way Nathan remembered from the Animus House when he spied on Sasha’s memory.

It was hard to tell where they were since their faces took up most of the space, but it looked as though they were piled on top of each other, Sasha on the bottom with Lindsey and Cam sprawled over him and all their heads smushed together to fit in the shot.

Their smiles were so big they were blinding.

Nathan wouldn’t have believed Lindsey’s mouth had that much give considering his usual expressions.

“This was…god, it was the night before they closed us off for the change,” Sasha said, his hand still hovering by his mouth. “He was going to give us all copies…after…” He smiled sadly, a million miles away. Or at least ten years.

Nathan waited patiently for Sasha to find his way back, and when the incubus finally did it was with a large smile thrown at Nathan and wet blue eyes that shimmered.

“Thank you. It’s still kind of awkward with Lin, ya know, but at least I know he still remembers. It’s a start.” Carefully, Sasha set the picture on the nightstand.

Nathan lay back on top of the covers and tugged Sasha’s arm to bring the incubus down too. “Course he remembers. No one would wanna forget you. You’re a looker and ya got brains. Not many of us around these days.”

Sasha laughed, and for another small moment, the world was contained to their shared room, and nothing seemed able to touch them.

Nathan was in the library only a few short hours later, Wally in his lap, purring contently in chimera form, when Alex bolted into the room.

“Nathan!” she called out of breath. “You have to come downstairs! Something’s happening! Jim says it’s bad ,” she finished dauntingly, which couldn’t be anything but truly awful considering Jim could sense bad from a mile away.

“Shit,” Nathan cursed as he set Wally on the sofa. “Come on then!”

They raced down the stairs, all of the Gatehouse bustling and making it difficult to move past everyone until the other people realized that Nathan was the one trying to get through.

By the time he reached where Jim and Sasha were standing at the open main doors to the Gatehouse, it was obvious that everyone— everyone —was aware of what was happening.

“What is it?” Nathan asked his brother as soon as he came up next to him.

“Why’s everyone so freaked? What hap…pened…

?” Nathan could barely voice the last of his question, staring out the doors the way Jim and Sasha were, the way everyone was, some people looking out windows, others out on the lawn.

“Nathan…” Jim said like a breath, “are we really seeing this?”

Every last inch of Nathan wished he could say no.

The land beyond the Gatehouse was changing, shifting and moving, some of it falling away to deep cavernous drop-offs, other parts struggling to reach the sky as high cliffs. Those watching could see it all like eons of landmass changes over time happening in the span of minutes.

It looked exactly like Nathan’s dreams, his recent dreams of the battle ahead, fruitless but inevitable, creatures of all kinds fighting and him leading one side of the fray.

Nathan took two steps until he was just outside the doorway, able to see farther, more clearly despite the blackness of the sky with no sun.

He could see so far, as if the Gatehouse was on the highest peak looking down on the changing land, but at the farthest point there was only deeper shadow.

Nathan couldn’t see any fae advancing, not yet, but he knew they were coming, knew they were almost ready to break forth into the mortal world as a giant mass.

“I was worried that Malak hadn’t come to me since that day, or tried to send any more spies like Walter thought,” Nathan said as he stared, awestruck and frozen to the spot as Jim and Sasha came up on either side of him.

“He didn’t have time for any of that. He was making sure his army got here before the rest of ours . ”

Nathan squeezed his eyes shut.

“ Nathan .”

Then his eyes sprang back open. He hadn’t even gotten to the praying part, but Walter was with him, right in front of him looking especially tired, his brown eyes urgent.

“Walt,” Nathan stepped toward him, “what’s going on? Is it happening now? We can get everyone ready but we need—”

“Nathan,” Walter cut him off, “I am sorry. Malak’s army, led by Solrin, will reach you before Gwen arrives with the remaining light fae. I am so sorry,” he said again, “help is not coming soon enough. We must get word to the incubi and succubae to send over everyone they have.”

Four words clanged in Nathan’s head.

Help is not coming.

“ Jesus .” Nathan scraped a hand back through his hair, pacing in place. “We really have no one else? This is it?” Looking around, though their numbers were impressive, having so many seals and non-humans with amazing abilities, it wasn’t enough, even if they got every sex demon to fight with them.

Malak knew exactly what he was doing, always had several aces up his sleeve just in case things went wrong. This was the trump card, plowing his army ahead so that Nathan and his forces would be long dead by the time the light fae arrived.

Nathan thought of what Dave had told him in that diner so long ago, thought of how easy it had been then to follow that advice no matter how little faith he had in himself.

Malak can’t have power over you if you choose them instead.

It was almost as if Nathan could hear those words speaking right to him in Dave’s comfortable drawl.

He knew what he had to do. The others came first, they were what was important, they were who Nathan had faith in.

He had to believe that what he was about to do was the right thing and that everyone would fight their hardest to prove him right.

He knew they would, believed in it more strongly than he ever believed in himself.

“It’ll be okay, Walt.” Nathan put his hands on his Spirit Guide’s shoulders. “We just need to hold the line for as long as we can, however we can…and it’ll be okay.”

Swiftly, Nathan turned to Jim, Sasha, and Alex, knowing that the others nearby were waiting on bated breath to hear his orders as the first war cries sounded in the distance to warn of the approaching horde. Nathan only spared the briefest glance, but it was enough to solidify his decision.

“Jim, guys.” Nathan pulled his gaze from that awful sight, forcing his friends to look at him.

“Everyone knows what they’re supposed to do to get the Gatehouse ready; they know where their marks are, how they’re supposed to prepare for an attack.

Now they need to do it. Jim, you help get the last of the wards up.

I know we can’t get any to work inside the Gatehouse, just do whatever you can.

Al, start telling the seals to get to their posts, stocking up on weapons, as many on each person as they can carry.

And baby,” Nathan looked too long, too longingly at Sasha, that he was afraid for a moment he might give himself away, “Sasha, get everyone who can fly and work magic up on the roof. Keep watch. I’m counting on you to let us know when it’s go-time. Okay?”

Something shimmered across Sasha’s face like suspicion. “What about you, Nate? What are you going to do?”

Nathan held his expression like stone, knowing he couldn’t afford for them to doubt him, or for Sasha to sense that he was lying.

“There’s something I have to do…then I’ll join you.

Just go.” He looked to each of them again.

“I’ll be back before you even miss me. Go!

” he shouted once more, and then he was running, moving past them back inside the Gatehouse for the stairs.

He ran through chaos, but it was organized chaos, everyone already knowing to get to their posts, get weapons, get ready.

Nathan was thankful for that because it would keep them occupied, help keep the fear down, keep away the thoughts that there was no way they could beat an entire army of dark fae, dark sidhe , a powerful changeling, and the king himself with just their small fortress.

He raced for his and Sasha’s bedroom, knowing time was too short, knowing the army would reach them faster than they could possibly imagine.

He reached the room, shut the door behind him, and stared for a moment as he clung to the knob, feeling doubt flicker through him, knowing he could walk right back out that door again and forget this insane idea.

But no. He had to trust this. He knew it was right.

He had already called for him silently the moment he came into the room.

“You’ll slaughter all of them, won’t you?” Nathan whispered.

There was a small, haughty huff of air, letting Nathan know that it was her instead. “Of course, Nathan. This is a war. And I’m afraid your piddly little army is no match for mine.”

Slowly, Nathan turned to face Malak, hating her smile, her red hair like Sasha’s, like Gwen’s, those damn yellow on black eyes. “If I’m…if I’m you then I can send them back to the Veil?” Nathan asked carefully, knowing the weight of his words.

Malak honestly glowed at hearing him say that. “Oh yes. You can do whatever you like, Nathan. You could kill the whole lot of them, if that’s what you want.”

“Maybe you’re what I want,” Nathan said steadily, eyes locked on hers.

She actually made a sound like an honest to God—well maybe not God —moan. “Why, Nathan, I thought you were above making deals for yourself,” she mocked him.

“This isn’t for me. It’s for them.” Nathan gestured back toward the door.

He hated having to do this, having to please Malak so thoroughly by doing this, but he had to.

“You said to me more than once that you wouldn’t let anything happen to the people I love.

You swear you won’t hurt anyone inside these walls, that Jim and Sasha and the others will be safe? ”

Now Malak was honestly intrigued. Her heels dug into the carpet as she walked closer, the snug black dress alluring as she moved, her mouth smiling but serious.

“That will be up to you, Nathan. As I’ve told you, the power will be yours.

I’ve never lied about that. We will be one, but you will be in complete control.

So by all means, mold the world as you see fit,” she finished grandly, still mocking him, Nathan knew, still taunting him with how she had forced him into this choice.

Or so she thought.

“Yeah,” Nathan huffed, “I’ll be in control. With you poisoning me from the inside to do things the way you want.”

Malak cocked her hip, one hand curved to rest on it. “Well, if you’d rather watch all the people here die…” she said warningly.

“No. I know what I have to do. But before I give you what you want, you have to promise me something else; promise me or the whole thing’s off.”

Now Malak was really intrigued. “Anything,” she said, and Nathan knew she meant it.

“Good,” he said, turning back to the door and locking it swiftly. “Let’s make a deal.”