The pilot put the ship down on a stretch of barren ground, nodded his understanding when Nardik instructed him to wait for their return.
Quinn looked around, wondering if the whole planet was as barren as this stretch of ground. At first glance, there was no sign of life, human or otherwise. No trees, no plants or flowers. Nothing but white sand as far as the eye could see until, lifting his gaze, he glimpsed a walled citadel at the top of a distant rise.
Nardik struck out at a swift pace.
After a moment, Quinn fell in behind him, content to follow, though curious as to why they were walking when they could so easily transport themselves to the citadel. The wizard had been here before. He hadn’t. Maybe the wizard knew something he didn’t. Quickening his pace, he caught up with his companion.
“Do you sense that?” Nardik asked as they drew nearer the foot of the mount.
Quinn nodded. “Magic. Dark magic.” He had been on the receiving end of it more times than he cared to admit. It wasn’t a sensation he was likely to forget. “I thought the place was supposed to be abandoned.”
“A powerful coven lives behind those walls. Their leader, Wyrick, is the most powerful witch I have ever met. He would have had little trouble convincing Amerris and the Queen’s guard that no one was home.”
“You think this guy, Wyrick, is behind Annis’ disappearance?”
“I am almost certain of it.”
“Seleena said the girl was happy with her new husband. Why would they get rid of her?”
“I do not know that she is dead.”
“You don’t know if she’s alive, either. When was the last time anyone heard from her?”
“Shortly after the birth of her child six months ago.”
“No word since then?”
“None.”
Quinn jerked his chin toward the rise. “That’s a hell of a climb.”
The wizard nodded. “True, but it is often dangerous to use one’s magic in another witch’s territory.”
“What about vampire magic?”
“I do not recommend it.”
Quinn followed Nardik up a narrow, winding trail to the top of the hill. A stone wall, at least a hundred feet high, surrounded the stronghold. This close, only the turrets were visible above the enclosure. There was no sign of an entrance.
“What now?” Quinn asked, glancing around.
“We go over the wall.”
“Won’t we need magic for that?”
“At this point, it is expected.”
“How did Amerris get in the first time?”
“She sent Annis a letter, advising of her impending visit. Wyrick met Amerris outside the wall and turned her away.”
“How did they get through the wall the second time?”
“She mentioned an opening.”
“I don’t see one now.”
“We don’t need one. Ready?”
Using magic, both preternatural and magical, Quinn and the wizard cleared the wall and landed on the other side.
The courtyard was as barren as everything else Quinn had seen. A large gray building, reminiscent of a fort with turrets at all four corners, stood in the center of the yard.
A thick oak door was set between a pair of tall, leaded windows. Nardik lifted his hand, but before he could knock, the door swung open on silent hinges.
A man clad in a flowing, black robe stared out at them, his dark eyes narrowed with obvious displeasure. “Nardik.” His voice was deep and strong, a surprise coming from a man of such small stature.
“Wyrick.”
“Why have you come?”
“Amerris, mother of the Queen of Brynn Tor, is worried by the lack of response to her last letter to her daughter. I have come to ascertain Annis’ good health.”
“Alas, it grieves me to inform you that Annis passed away shortly after her mother’s visit.”
No sign of emotion or doubt crossed Nardik’s features. “Why did you not inform Amerris of her daughter’s death when she visited the second time?”
“I have no knowledge of a second visit. Please accept our condolences.”
“I would like to take the body home to be buried with her family.”
“I am afraid that is not possible. It is our custom to burn our dead.”
“Then I must insist on seeing the child so that I might assure the Queen’s mother that her granddaughter is alive and well.”
“I am afraid that, too, is impossible at this time. My son is naturally heartbroken at the loss of his wife. Rajj has taken his daughter and gone into seclusion. Perhaps, when he has recovered from his loss, he will consider taking the child to Brynn Tor for a visit.”
Quinn shifted from one foot to the other. He didn’t know what Nardik was thinking, but there wasn’t a doubt in his mind that every word Wyrick had spoken thus far was a bald-faced lie.
For stretched seconds, Nardik and Wyrick stared at each other, unblinking. Power thrummed in the air, raising the hairs along Quinn’s arms, arousing his instinct for self-preservation. The dragon stirred restlessly beneath his shirt.
Quinn tensed as Wyrick’s sharp gaze shifted from Nardik to himself.
“Another vampire,” Wyrick remarked. “They seem plentiful on your planet.”
“You got a problem with that?” Quinn asked, holding the man’s gaze.
“You have no inherent magic,” Wyrick said, frowning, “and yet…” Closing his eyes, he went suddenly still.
Quinn tensed, the hair on the back of his neck standing at attention as Wyrick’s magic moved over him. It took every ounce of willpower he possessed not to flinch.
Lifting his head, Wyrick breathed in Quinn’s scent. “Serepta!”
Quinn flinched when the dragon bit him, something it did whenever it heard the witch’s name.
Wyrick’s eyes snapped open, wide with shock. “You carry her magic. How is that possible when she is dead?”
Quinn started to ask how Wyrick knew of her death, then realized it was a foolish question. The wizard had obviously been keeping track of Nardik’s daughter. What he didn’t know was why.
A glance at Nardik showed he was wondering the same thing.
Wyrick gestured at Quinn’s left shoulder. “This may seem an odd request, but would you humor me by removing your shirt?”
Quinn hesitated a moment, wondering at the wisdom of exposing the dragon, and then shrugged. “Not at all.”
As Quinn slipped his shirt off, Wyrick leaned forward, a look of anticipation on his face.
Quinn glanced at his shoulder. There was nothing there. Why had the dragon disappeared, he wondered as he shrugged back into his shirt. And was it gone for good?
Wyrick’s expression was one of curiosity and confusion as he tucked his hands into the sleeves of his robe. He studied Quinn for a long moment, and then he smiled. “Vampire, and yet you have a child,” he remarked. “Unusual. Most unusual. The mysteries of magic never fail to amaze me. If there is nothing else,” he said briskly, “I will bid you good evening.”
With a curt nod, Nardik backed away from the threshold, his hooded gaze remaining on the door until he heard the click of a lock.
Quinn huffed a sigh of relief when Wyrick was out of sight. It had been disturbing, standing in the presence of two powerful wizards. Though there had been no outward sign, the two had been probing each other’s magic, silently pushing against each other, testing which was the more dominant.
Moving several paces away from the entrance, Quinn lifted his shirt away from his shoulder, pleased to see the dragon had returned. He grinned when the beast winked one ebony eye at him.
A faint murmur of astonishment rose in Nardik’s throat.
“Why do you suppose it disappeared?”
“Besides being powerful, your dragon is quite intelligent,” the wizard replied.
“It is never wise to reveal one’s secrets to your enemy, something the beast seemed to realize. Had you refused Wyrick’s request, he would have been suspicious.
He might have insisted, which could have provoked the dragon. No telling what the consequences might have been if that happened.”
Quinn considered Nardik’s words a moment, and though he didn’t say so, he would have put his money on the dragon in any confrontation with Wyrick or anybody else.
Heedless of his own admonition about using magic in another witch’s territory, Nardik bespelled them back to the Airship. As soon as they were onboard, the pilot lifted off.
“Looks like this trip was a waste of time,” Quinn remarked irritably.
“I think not. Annis may well be alive.” Nardik leaned back in his seat. “No scent of death lingers in the air. If she did indeed, pass away, it was not inside the citadel. If she is still alive, she is behind a powerful veil. Either that, or they have imprisoned her elsewhere. The child, too, perhaps.”
Quinn settled into the seat beside the wizard as the ship leveled off. “Why bother to marry the girl if they intended to kill her all along?”
“For the child, obviously.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Why would they need Annis for that? Wouldn’t any woman in the citadel have served the purpose?”
“It is a small coven. I sensed only six men -- all of whom are well past their prime -- and a handful of women. None of the females are of child-bearing age. They need fresh blood. They have Annis’ daughter. As she matures, she will inherit her father’s magic.” Nardik fixed his gaze on Quinn. “I would not be surprised if they intend to acquire a boy, as well.”
Quinn sucked in a deep breath, fear knotting in his gut. Wyrick knew he had a child. No doubt he also knew it was a boy. Only one parent needed to possess magic to pass it on. Wyrick already had a girl. “You don’t think…?”
The wizard nodded. “I would keep a close eye on Seleena and your son. Wyrick is clearly driven to repopulate his coven. There is nothing he will not do to achieve his goal.”
Chapter 3
Seleena was waiting at the front door for Quinn when he returned home. “Any news of Annis?” she asked anxiously.
Quinn shook his head. “According to Nardik, there’s no way to prove if she’s alive or dead. And no way to ascertain if she was inside the citadel. He said if she’s dead, she didn’t die there. When he asked about the baby, Wyrick said Rajj had taken his daughter and gone into seclusion. How’s Steffon?”
“Sleeping. I’ve hardly let him out of my sight since you left.”
“Why? Have you sensed something?”
“No, but…” Seleena shrugged as she moved to the sofa and pulled Quinn down beside her. “Marri and Amerris must be worried sick. Does Nardik have any idea about what we should do next?”
“If he does, he didn’t share it with me. All he seemed to know for sure was that the marriage was a ploy, and that Annis was nothing more than a means to an end.”
Seleena considered his words for several minutes and then frowned. “So, all they wanted was a baby?”
“Seems that way. According to Nardik, all the men in the coven are past their prime and all the women are past child-bearing age.”
“They need fresh blood,” Seleena murmured.
“Yeah, that’s what Nardik said.”
“Their coven must be dying out.”
Quinn nodded, thinking about what Nardik had said, wondering how long it would take Seleena to put two and two together and realize Wyrick would also need a male child and that Steffon was the right age. Wondering if he should tell her. It would only make her worry, and yet, she needed to know. If something happened and she found out he had kept this from her…it didn’t bear thinking about.
Rising, he said, “I need to see my boy.”
Tiny and perfect in every way, Steffon lay on his back in his crib, eyes closed, arms flung out to the side, tiny hands fisted. Quinn felt a familiar catch in his heart as he drew a blanket over his son. Even now, months later, he found it hard to believe he had fathered a child, or that he could love something so small so much.
He glanced over his shoulder as Seleena came up behind him.
“He’s beautiful, isn’t he?” she remarked, slipping her arms around his waist.
“Like his mother.”
“Like his father.”
Quinn snorted. Then took a deep breath. “Wyrick knows we have a son,” he said, picking his words carefully. “Nardik warned me to be careful.”
Eyes widening with alarm, she asked, “How could he know?” and then shook her head. “How could he not? He seems to know everything.”
“That’s not all. He knows I carry Serepta’s magic.” He muttered an oath as the dragon bit him.
“Again, hardly surprising that he would recognize it, since he restored it to her.” She released a long, troubled sigh. “Steffon’s in danger, isn’t he?”
Quinn gathered her close, his hand stroking up and down her back. “Remember what you told me. Worrying doesn’t help.”
A very unladylike sound escaped her throat. “Not worry? When the most powerful wizard I’ve ever met is looking for a male child born of a witch? Right.”
“Maybe we should leave here for a while,” Quinn suggested. “Go back to the Fortress.”
“Do you really think we’d be any safer there than we are here?”
He frowned. “Have you got a better idea? If you do, I’m listening.”
“We’ll think of something.”
Chapter 4
Amerris wept bitter tears after hearing Nardik’s report of his journey to Caynn.
“Do you believe Wyrick?” she asked between sobs. “Do you think Annis is dead?”
“I do not know. I sensed no hint of recent death within the citadel, nor any trace of Annis or her child. All I know is that, if she is truly dead, she did not die there.”
Amerris wiped her eyes on a white lace handkerchief. His words brought little comfort. Even if Annis was yet alive, how would they ever find her if even Nardik’s powerful magic had failed?
“Should I call off the search?” he asked.
“No! Send out fresh troops. I cannot stop looking until I know there’s no hope of finding her.”
“We should advise Marri,” Nardik said.
Amerris nodded. “Yes, of course. She needs to know, though it will break her heart.”
* * *
Amerris smiled faintly as she stepped into Marri’s bed chamber. Marri was in bed, propped up by several pillows as she nursed her infant. Amerris felt a surge of relief at seeing the color in her daughter’s cheeks. For weeks, everyone in the household had feared for her health. This birth had not been as easy as the first. Marri had labored a day and a night to bring the child into the world. There had been complications, a great loss of blood. But she seemed well on the road to recovery now, as did the baby.
Amerris pulled the covers up over the baby’s feet. Leslee was finally gaining weight. She had her father’s dark hair. It was too early to tell what color her eyes would be, but Amerris hoped they would be the same blue-green as Marri’s.
Amerris pulled a chair up beside the bed, her smile fading as she considered how best to deliver her bad news. Perhaps she should have let Gryff do it. She worried her lower lip a moment, then said, “I’m afraid I have some rather troubling news.”
“Can’t Gryff take care of it?”
“It isn’t something to be taken care of,” Amerris said, choosing her words carefully. “Nardik went to Caynn to visit Annis.”
“Is she well? I can’t wait to see her again. How’s the baby?”
Striving for calm, Amerris took a deep breath. “Wyrick said Annis passed away shortly after the birth of her daughter.”
Marri stared at her mother, eyes wide with disbelief. “How can that be?
The letter before last said she and the babe were in good health. She was planning to come here for a visit.” She bit down on her lower lip. “What if it’s true? It would explain why there was no answer to my last letter. But surely Rajj would have let us know, invited us to the funeral. Did Na
rdik…did he see her grave? How’s the baby?”
“It seems Rajj has taken his daughter and gone into seclusion. As for the grave…it seems it’s their custom to burn their dead and scatter the ashes.”
“No!” The people of Brynn Tor considered such a thing to be an abomination.
Seeing the color drain from Marri’s cheeks, Amerris said, “There may yet be hope.”
“How can there be?”
“Nardik thinks Annis may yet be alive.”
“What makes him think that?”
“He detected no scent of death inside the citadel. He believes they could be keeping her elsewhere, or hidden behind a powerful veil.”
“One so powerful even Nardik can’t detect it?” Marri blinked back her tears, then shook her head. She would not give up hope. Annis was alive. She had to believe that. Surely she would know if her little sister was dead. “I want you to tell Nardik and Gryff to do whatever it takes to find her!”
Amerris smiled, pleased to see the color return to her daughter’s cheeks, the spark of fire in her eyes. “We are all everything we can to find Annie.”
Marri nodded as she patted her daughter’s back. “I know you are,” she said quietly.
“I’ve ordered your personal guards to keep a close watch on your private quarters, especially the nursery.”
“Why? Do you think we’re in danger here?”
“It’s just a precaution. Nardik said Wyrick is looking for children with magic, and even though I’m not sure shape-shifting is considered magic, I thought it wise to double the guard.”
“Where’s my son?” she asked anxiously. “Where’s Rory?”
“I looked in on him before I came to see you.” The boy, almost two, was the very image of his father. “Don’t worry, he’s in his room with his nurse.”
Marri nodded, some of the tension easing out of her shoulders. Surely even Wyrick wouldn’t attempt to storm the castle and kidnap the future king of Brynn Tor. She reached for her mother’s hand. “You’ve done everything I would do.”
“Try not to worry. Gryff and Nardik are meeting now, trying to decide what to do next.” Amerris gave her daughter’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “Get some rest now, daughter. I’ll look in on you again in a little while.”