Chapter 28
Draecyn’s library spanned acres. It made Tremaine’s head spin. He needed to find Ceridwen and drag the answers out of her.
Preston pulled Robert and Tremaine down another aisle and came to a stop in front of Ms. Murdock.
“We have a problem,” she stated.
“No shit,” Tremaine replied. He fought for a calm tone. “Savon’s in a coma. Nikolai fucking cursed her. No magic I recognize. Seems Canagan is there, looking for the Wolfssengen Pendant, which I thought was a damned myth. You tell me, what the fuck is going on?” By the end, he could barely contain his anger.
“Tell me you’ll at least keep our secrets if not join us,” Ceridwen stated.
“We’ll join you. Next time fill us the fuck in,” Tremaine snapped back.
Robert nodded his acknowledgment.
Preston agreed.
“And Liz?” she asked.
“She’s on board,” Robert promised.
“Very well. Come, we have much to discuss because I have more to add to that list.”
Tremaine wanted to hit something so damned bad he had to close his eyes and count to fifty before moving. He didn’t want to blow up at her if she was about to help solve the fucking problem for once. Usually she gave them the runaround and suggestions. Hence, the trepidation about officially joining her cause.
If she didn’t start providing something useful soon, they’d all walk.
Ceridwen stopped before a hearth.
Draecyn looked up from an old tome. “You’re back, and just in time.”
“In time for what?” Robert asked.
“To learn the root of the current issue,” Draecyn answered.
“And that is?” Preston prompted.
“How much do you know about the Roantrees and Taggerts in Silvertail Ridge?” Ceridwen asked.
“Not nearly enough. We found some information in archives about them, but most was redacted,” Preston pointed out.
“For good reasons,” Draecyn answered. “Killian Taggert has dipped his toes into HARP and the Branches of Emrys for ages. Fawn joined the Branches of Emrys around five hundred years ago. She married Darron Roantree thirty-four years ago. She’d been sent to find Killian Taggert, who stole the Wolfssengen Pendant some forty-two years ago.”
“Killian is definitely not on our side?” Tremaine asked. “Please tell me neither Bran Roantree, nor Nathan Taggert have anything to do with the pendant.”
“No, thankfully, since Savon has always been tied to Nathan. Only together can either find happiness. And Bran is half of what Killian hated, so he would have never entrusted him with such knowledge.”
“Where is Killian?” Tremaine asked.
“Deep in the Sylvan Forest, far beyond the main realms of Faery. Fawn took him there after Killian killed Darron. She’s keeping him alive, torturing him. She didn’t want Jay Walker to become the next Alpha. She wanted to ensure Nate had a chance, and he wouldn’t be ready until he had Savon back. She knew how much one needed the other.”
Tremaine paced away. “Savon believes Fawn is dead.”
“Aye, she does,” answered Ceridwen. “I believed her dead all this time, but I have trouble seeing beyond the veil unless I travel to the realm they’re in.”
“So you found them, and you didn’t bring them back?” Tremaine raked his hands through his hair. “Why not?”
She lifted a single shoulder. “Need a Sylvan Fae to get there. Preferably one related to Fawn.”
“So, you’re going to end this curse Nikolai put on Savon?”
“I’ll bring someone to break the curse, but Nate will need to be the one who brings her back. We’ll have to go to Fawn at some point and deal with Killian. And I’m not sure what to do about Fawn. I fear she may have lost her mind.”
Preston rolled his eyes. “That’s perfect. And what about Canagan?”
Ms. Murdock smirked. “She’ll need to be dealt with, either before or after Killian. Neither will harm the other, though, because they’ll inflict the same damage to themselves.”
“Why?” Tremaine asked.
“Backfired curse.” She looked at Draecyn. “I think bringing the pendant here would be the wise choice. Clearly Fawn is not our best option.”
“What about Savon?” Robert asked. “She seems capable.”
“Most likely. I need to know she’s ready.”
“Are you worried about Nate?” Preston asked.
“Oh no. I trust that boy with her life. I also believe she’ll unlock his potential to lead,” Ms. Murdock answered.
“The pack?” Tremaine prompted
“Yeah. And he’ll do fabulous, as long as everything goes to plan.”
“Who’s plan?” Robert demanded.
“Fawn’s. What I can figure is crazy, but might be the answer. She clearly grasps the problem and believes she has a solution. Nate needs to take the pack from his father. Not Jay, who I believe is a better fit in Seattle. He’s only sticking around to ensure Killian is dead and gone.”
Tremaine lifted his hands. “All right then, let’s get back to Savon and break the spell.”
“Go back there, keep an eye on her, on Nate, and I’ll be there as soon as I track down Nikolai’s clan.”
* * * *
Nate didn’t even move when the bell rang.
Bran hurried down the stairs and opened the door to find Evangeline looking slightly frazzled. “You okay?”
She glanced around and stepped inside. “I did some digging, found out about Nikolai. The guy is bad news.”
“Yeah, we know. Come upstairs.”
“I don’t think we can pull her out of the coma. There’s old magic involved. He’s the worst kind of gypsy.”
“He’s dead,” Bran answered. “Doesn’t that usually nullify the curse?”
“Not in his case.”
“Fuck. Then what does?”
She shook her head. “Not sure anything will. Not unless we track down his clan.”
“Clan?”
“He’s Romani. Only someone from his clan can offer help breaking it. His last name isn’t common. How would we even go about finding him?”
Robert, Tremaine, and Preston appeared before she could ask the last.
She turned to them, her mouth popping open. “The mages?”
Bran rolled his eyes. “They’re here to help.”
Tremaine stepped forward. “Old Lady Murdock knows where to find Nikolai’s clan. She will do everything in her power to bring someone here to fix the problem.”
“That’s a relief.” Bran scrubbed a hand over his face.
Evangeline glanced up the stairs. “I’m another Dreamwalker. Nate and I are going to try to reach Savon.” She rubbed one arm. “I’m sure he wants to reach her now. I need to get up there before he tries because there’s a real chance he could lose himself in there if he’s not careful.”
“Think he’ll listen?” Tremaine asked.
“That’s why I need to hurry.” Evangeline rushed up the stairs.
Bran followed. Everyone else would come up. At this point, he didn’t care. He wanted his sister back.
Nate looked up. “Any news?”
“Yeah. Not sure how you’ll take it,” Preston offered.
“Hit me with it,” Nate replied.
Tremaine looked at Bran. “First, your mother is alive. She’s the one who has Killian, in a part of Faery no one, save for a Sylvan Fae, can reach. Sounds like she’s taking revenge out on him for killing Darron.”
Bran shook his head. “But she died with Dad, in the same accident.”
“She didn’t die. Not sure who did, but Old Lady Murdock found her.”
“I don’t care what shape he’s in. I’ll challenge my father.”
“Got to bring him back here. In Faery it won’t have any bearing on the pack. In fact, it may disassemble the pack magic and there will be a fight for Alpha position.”
“Fine, what do we need to do?”
Tremaine answered, “Get Savon back first, but Ms. Murdock is on her way to find Nikolai’s clan and bring someone here to break the magic. You may or may not be able to reach Savon before then, but she won’t come out of the magical coma.”
“What happens in the meantime?”
“We’ll keep watch, waiting to see if Canagan makes her move. If we see something you need to know about, we’ll call, or you call us,” Preston answered.
Robert pulled out several cards. “That goes for all of you. We need to know if you hear or see anything. We’ll be keeping an eye on Canagan. In fact, we can track her. We’ll know if she makes a move.”
“Wait,” Preston said. “Do any of you know a Paineater?”
Bran walked out of the room, rubbing at his face.
That damned woman…
He came back. “Meridian Lagoon. Blue hair, pale blue eyes. She’s, uh, she healed that bastard, didn’t she?”
“Believe so,” Tremaine answered. “She may not have had much of a choice in the matter. She made an oath to Canagan long ago. And until Meridian completes her end of the bargain, she has to do as asked.”
“What?” Bran whispered.
“She’s a pawn. That’s all. She wants free of Canagan.”
“That’s not the story my mother tells,” Bran argued.
“No, but she may not know all of it. I knew both Canagan and Meridian long ago. Shit, this is all tying together. Ceridwen better hurry her ass up because I have even more questions than I did before we found her.”
“What are you talking about?” Nate demanded.
“It’s complicated, and until I know for sure what I’m going on about, I’d prefer to have answers. I hope she hurries.” He turned to Robert. “Let’s see what we can find.”
They disappeared. Bran stared after them.
* * * *
Nate turned to Evangeline. “You’ll help me find her?”
“I’ll do what I can. I don’t know her like you do. And you haven’t been around her in years. Navigating may not be easy. Depending on how far she’s retreated, it can take us days to reach her.”
“With or without you, I have to try.”
“She may be lost, Nate. Not for good, but when you do find her, she may not have any recollection, like when I found you. She may be so deep, she doesn’t know how to crawl back. You should have an easier time helping her find her way, but it won’t be easy. You’ll see things in her memory, things you may not want to know. Twelve years is a long time, Nate. She didn’t think you were coming for her.”
“I don’t give a shit what she did during those twelve years. I finally have her, and nothing is going to keep me from her.”
A sad smile pulled at her lips. “I’m glad to hear that. Now, lie back and pull her toward you. It will help to have physical contact. I’ll be here too, but you’re going to have to lead.”
“Fine with me.” Nate lay near the edge of the bed and pulled Savon into his arms.
Evangeline joined them on the bed and touched her arm. “We may have to do this in bursts. We’ll be able to go back to where we were if we have to come back. And, Nate, it took me a week to find you. You can’t expect to reach her right now.”
“I realize that, but I have to go after her.”