“Hold,” said the Elf. “Do you accept us into the Horde?” the elf asked, his eyes no longer on me but on Ryder.
“If you swear an oath, but I will not take one under false pretense. I will accept everyone into the Horde, and I have never turned a Sidhe away. My father did turn many Sidhe away towards the last years of his rule, I admit it. His actions went against everything the Horde stands for. I am not him, as my brave, soon-to-be wife has said, and I do not rule my people as he did. I accept any and all that need us, and I do so with no conditions or clauses. You are either with us, or not. That is your choice to decide amongst yourselves. There will be tents and other necessities for you and your people in our great hall and courtyard should you decide to stand with us. Our home is now open to you. But know this: the royal suite is off limits. My children are off limits and protected by my Elite Guard, and while we will accept visits from the ruling King or Queens of the races, we will not welcome those without invitation to see them. I hope you’ll understand our need to protect them.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“Are we just supposed to sit here and wait?” I asked as I watched Ryder pace the room. None of the others had come forward to swear an oath, or even agree to help us. The Winter Court was on board, but unless we had more come forward, it would help us little. We needed them all to stand with us, because a race was most powerful when the entirety of it stood as one.
It was doubtful that the Light Court would be with us, which was yet another issue. No one knew where they stood, and since they’d sifted out during the presentation of the babies, no one had heard from them since. They’d locked down their court as if they thought that alone would protect them from the Mages.
“Synthia, we can’t force them to swear an oath or make them stand with us against the Mages.”
“Yes you can, you’re the fucking Horde King!”
“Woman, you’re driving me insane!”
“Bad timing?” Sinjinn asked as he sifted into the room, a troubled expression on his face.
“No,” Ryder growled, looking too happy for the interruption.
“Yes,” I growled at the same time. I then turned my angry glare on Ryder.
“We got trouble, big trouble,” Sinjinn said, quickly changing the subject.
“What is it?” Ryder asked, and I narrowed my eyes on Sinjinn as he moved from foot to foot nervously.
“Spit it out,” I warned.
“I went to check out the Guild. What I found wasn’t good. From what I could see from the front of the Guild it almost looked abandoned. Humans walking by don’t seem to notice, like it’s been spelled to look normal to them. Adrian said there’s been no chatter from the Guild since he got back there. It looks bad, considering we know it was in full working condition only a few days ago. Ristan’s been reporting to you,” he said to Ryder. “I was in on the last report when he said he wanted to pull Alden out against his will if necessary because the old man won’t budge. Said Alden wouldn’t abandon ship, not with the kids still in there and he couldn’t move ‘em’ without raising alarms from the other Elders.”
“Wait, back up. The Guild never looks abandoned. There’s a full school in there, and close to a hundred students at any given time.”
Sinjinn looked at me as if there was a ‘but’ in there somewhere. I stared back at him, and the sick feeling inside of me only seemed to intensify. “Alden wouldn’t abandon those kids, so they have to be there!”
“Synthia, it looks deserted, and I didn’t go in so I can’t say what’s going on. It’s normally heavily warded, and Vlad said that the vamps and Shifters have never been able to make it past the wards either. Adrian said something was off about the place lately, more than usual anyway.”
“So where are they?” I asked with my heart felt as if a vise held it.
“All I know is that it’s bad, and when I circled around to the back, I was able to jump the compound wall, and I could see one of the buildings had a wall blown out. I think the wards might be down, or at least the ones on the back of the buildings are. I brought in Vlad and Adrian and stationed them outside the compound; if something moves, we’ll know it.”
“Call the guards, and place some on the children; we have to go,” I said, already standing to be sifted out and to the Guild.
“No, we have to make a plan, Synthia. We don’t know what we will find there,” Ryder said as he pulled me against him. “Let’s go to the war room,” he said and sifted us there, knowing Sinjinn would follow us.
No sooner did we arrive than every single one of Ryder’s men sifted in as well.
I watched numbly as I allowed them to plan it all.
I only added input when I was asked, or if they said something I knew wouldn’t work. None of these people had actually been inside, and I’d lived there. I began drawing a rough diagram of the Guild for them on a large parchment that Zahruk had glamoured for me.
“Okay,” I said once I had enough of the main rooms drawn on the parchment. I paused and quickly drew in the hallway and the staircases and wrote down which of the larger rooms that they led to. “The Guild’s main entrance would be my choice for our entry point.”
“The main entrance?” Aodhan asked as he looked to Zahruk for his opinion. I wasn’t upset; they normally looked to Ryder or Zahruk for direction.
“They’d never expect us to walk through the main entrance if they’re still there.”
I smiled and nodded at Zahruk’s answer. It was exactly what I’d thought as well. “Can I continue?” I asked, looking directly at Zahruk and waited for his nod.
“This is the entryway, and if they bombed the back of the building like Sinjinn said—and hopefully that’s only an illusion spell, because bombing the Guild makes no sense, at all. Zero, since it’s a smaller Guild which is basically used just to train new recruits. Why would they bomb a building they had full access to? The only thing that makes sense is that the Guild was actually under attack, and someone fought back. Anyway, this is the main area; we have a small reception desk here,” I pointed to the side where it would be. “Over here is where the higher-ups would be. The offices have iron walls, and are surrounded in lead. It’s a precaution in case the Fae were ever able to breach the wards and get inside. And if they somehow did, the paper pushers would hide in there,” I pointed to the doors on several sides of the building. “Each one of these doors leads down into the catacombs.”
I was showing the Fae how to breach the Guild, and it felt wrong. I had to remind myself that I was doing this to save Alden, Ristan, and whoever else was still alive inside. It was our only chance of getting in, since I knew Ryder wouldn’t let me go in alone. I looked around the group, and knew they were thinking the same. They nodded reassuringly, and I took a deep breath and continued.
“Down here is the hallway that leads to the training facilities, but they stopped using those, according to Ristan. They stopped teaching them weapon skills, and were more focused on showing the kids how to use their powers. A Witch’s power is ten times more effective in a fight, which makes sense. Anyway, there are two small staircases down here.” I pointed to them on the map. “These ones go directly to the catacombs and the libraries. Archives are further down, and that is where the librarian Ristan was asking me about was stationed when I was active in the Guild. They normally stick to protocol so my guess is she’d still be at the same desk. The catacombs themselves don’t have a map; only librarians know to get around in there. Those things run under the city, and can take you pretty much anywhere you want to go.”
“So if they are in the catacombs?” Ryder asked.
“Then we’d have a hell of a time finding them. I don’t honestly think they’d go down deep into them though; if you don’t have a Guild librarian with you, you’re pretty much screwed down there. Librarians were the only ones who were allowed to stu
dy the maps of the catacombs.”
For all we knew, it could be for nothing. Ryder hadn’t been able to make contact with Ristan; they shared a mental path, but it was empty, as if Ristan had ceased to exist. I could see the tension of that question in the room, and knew that I wasn’t the only one praying that both he and Alden were okay.
There were also the children who trained at the Guild to consider, if most of the Witches and Warlocks were Mages or had joined ranks with them over time. The Humans needed the Guilds, but they needed them to be there for the right reason, they also needed them to not be on a crazy vendetta and run by Mages hell-bent on revenge no matter what the cost.
“So this is what we know from Vlad and Adrian. The Guild went quite a few days ago, and they said that the Fae are growing bolder. It’s like they know that no one is there to stop them. It’s gotten worse in the last few days. Vlad had to take out a few of the Light Fae. Said they fed until the woman turned FIZ, and then continued until she was dead. He doesn’t allow that shit in his place and took their heads without a second thought,” Zahruk said, looking right at me. “Then yesterday some unclaimed Fae turned up and caused a bar brawl, and when Adrian threatened to call the Guild, they told him go ahead. It was like they knew there was no Guild.”
“Because there isn’t one in Spokane now,” I mumbled and got up to pace. “I should have gone and checked on them.”
“When could you have done that, Synthia? When you were dying, or when you were fighting here, against Faolán?” Ryder asked calmly.
“I knew Ristan wasn’t telling me everything, and I didn’t make him say it. I know better, I was a damn Enforcer! I know when something is wrong and I felt it but I chose to ignore it.”
“You can’t hold yourself responsible,” Aodhan said. “I knew something was off with Ristan as well, and I didn’t pry either.” Many of the brothers nodded in agreement as if they all had noticed the same thing.
“Nobody is at fault here,” Zahruk said, cutting in. “The only thing we can do now is load up on weapons and go have a look. Maybe rid the world of some of those fuckers in the process. It’s the only choice we got right now, but first we need to secure the castle and the babies. I have Darynda with the babes, along with some of the guards who I trust. We leave the castle guards here—I trained them myself—and they know what to do should any of the visiting Fae get itchy. I doubt they’d have the balls to do it, but I never take chances.”
“And me?” Ciara asked as she moved into the room. “I’ve trained with you as well, brother. I can help protect the wee ones.”
“I’d like that,” I said when the others failed to answer her.
“Ya sure, Ryder?” she asked, ignoring me as she looked to Ryder for his agreement.
“They’re my children too,” I said, and didn’t back down. I liked her, even though I didn’t know much about her. She was hidden from most of the Fae at court, and while I understood Ryder’s need to protect her, I also knew she was a little wild at times.
“You shouldn’t be out of your chambers,” Ryder replied quietly as he studied the map.
“But I am, and even I can taste the energy in the air. If Rissy’s in trouble, I’m going to play a part in helping save him, even if it’s a small one.”
Rissy?
“Ciara,” Ryder warned.
“I said it was okay, but I guess I’m mute and invisible,” I offered as I sat back down to stop pacing the floors.
“Synthia, this doesn’t concern you,” Ryder growled.
“Oh stuff it, Fairy. They are my children and my soon-to-be sister in-law, and it’s pretty much in my face, so I think it does concern me. She’s trained in weapons, right?” I asked Zahruk, who nodded with a look of duh on his face. Or maybe it was a please-don’t-make-me-choose-a-side look.
Poor girl had to deal with an entire army of alpha men who thought her some weak-minded sissy. She had fire, I knew it. I could see it in her eyes, and yet I also saw the spark of spunk and the mischief that I’d seen in a lot of the younger Witches, which boiled down to trouble. I knew she’d protect the babies. That wasn’t a worry in my mind.
“Ciara is trained to fight, but should the need to fight arise, we will abort and come home,” Ryder snapped.
I was off the chair and in his face. “Snap at me again, Fairy, and I’ll show you how you how to sing fucking soprano! I’ve had enough of this pissing contest with you and your sister; she’s a grown ass woman trained for war and in my book that alone makes her the best God damned babysitter here!”
“Fine!” Ryder growled.
“Fine,” I smiled and took my little victory over my beast.
“Then let’s gear up and gather in the great hall,” Ryder said.
“If we gather in the great hall, they will know we are leaving to fight,” Zahruk pointed out what everyone else was thinking.
“Yes,” Ryder said. “We’ll also return there, no matter what. They need a fucking reality check, as a very smart woman told me not too long ago.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
We met in the courtyard, instead of the great hall, since many of the lesser Fae were camped there, more than we had expected, even though they had not made a decision to support us yet. I was dressed in the same lightweight armor that the Elite Guard wore, with weapons strapped to every place they’d fit comfortably. I knew the moment they caught sight of us, because a quiet hush fell over the crowd.
We didn’t talk, or even acknowledge them for now. I was so focused on the problem at hand that I barely even noticed the look of awe that spread through the crowd at the sight of me dressed for war. It wasn’t until I looked up and found the Winter Queen looking right at me that I considered what I looked like.
They’d probably never even seen a female geared to fight, let alone carrying weapons. I didn’t move, or say anything as she watched me; the only acknowledgment I gave her was a slight nod of my head.
Ryder came out with his full Horde King armor on, along with the entire Elite Guard. He looked like something out of an anime show. His armor was once again black and formfitting. He wore a black heavy cloak, and I almost smiled as it caught the light and absorbed it. The armor beneath it was the same as his men wore. Unlike the others, his cloak was held together by a jeweled clasp of black onyx, and a single dragon was embedded in the middle of the silver disc that that hung from his neck. Unlike last time, all of his men wore the disc, signifying their position as his guard.
The entire assembly watched them, as if waiting for them to make a move so they could sift out. I could see the panic beginning to rise and took control of it.
“Let’s go,” I said as I accepted the cloak Ryder held out for me, and then I accepted his hand. I turned in his arms and eyed the assembly, knowing they’d be at ease once the Elite Guard of the Horde King left the area. I did however, notice Silas standing with Elijah, watching Ryder and I.
I didn’t have time to over think it as Ryder swept open his arms and opened a giant portal big enough for an entire company of Elite Guard to go through. We could see the deserted Guild Compound not too far from the portal and the castle guard moved into position behind us to prevent anyone from following us through. It was like a well-orchestrated move, and they all knew it. We were, after all, the elusive Horde, a monstrous bunch who never did anything half-assed.
We materialized beside Vlad, and Adrian, who paused and then relaxed when they saw it was us. I looked up at the vacated stairs of the Guild and felt the stillness of it. I was sure Adrian had felt it as well.
The Guild was normally busy, and even when it wasn’t, there were guards posted at all times outside. We knew something was off. The Witches would never leave it unguarded, not under Alden’s careful watch.
“It’s too quiet,” I said, and turned to Adrian, who watched me.
“T
hat’s what I said, the back looks a mess. I took a peek, and one of the buildings has a wall blown out. We don’t smell blood, and we couldn’t see anything dead from here,” Adrian said.
“Shit’s getting weird Ryder; my club and yours were both sites for some huge fights. I’m fighting with the liquor boards just to keep them both open. Cops are pulling doubles, and the fact that the Guild isn’t sending out help hasn’t gone unnoticed by the locals. People are staying inside, or home. It’s almost as if it’s open hunting season on the Human race,” Vlad confirmed.
“All of this happened in the last few days?” I asked.
“It started when we left to come to the presentation. It’s also why we left so hastily and without word. You guys had been through hell, and we were handling it. We handle our own, but this, this is something else. It’s like they’ve all gone mad. Could just be the rumors of the Mages and their plans, and some sick fucks are taking advantage of it, and getting a head start. Hell, it could be just about anything.”
“Or they caught wind that the Guild in Spokane is out of whack, and down. Is this happening near any of the other areas with standing portals?” I asked.
“No, only here; Adrian asked the same thing,” Vlad confirmed. His silver eyes watched me closely.
“It’s the Guild. They know there’s no one around here who can stop them. They figure why not? We’ve seen this before; when I was nineteen they announced that this Guild might be closing, and that we’d be stationed in Seattle. Hell broke loose, and it took the Elders coming out to stop it, but even then, they were careful to keep it out of the news.”
“I remember that,” Adrian said with a confirming nod.
“It took us almost a week to find the worst of the violators and contain them,” I said.
“Where were they taken to when you’d contained them?” Ryder asked, and even I heard his jaw pop.
“Don’t know. It was above my pay grade. We took them to the river where they were placed in iron containment cells. My guess would be that they were taken to other Guilds so that students could train or so the higher ups could…” I paused and winced. “Experiment on them.”