Embrace the Mystery (The Blood Rose 3)

She would have moved into action, but Davido gripped her elbow gently and pathed, “Give Quinlan a chance. There’s a mystery here with him that you must pursue and don’t be afraid of Grochaire. But above all, remember the breadth of your heritage, that you are both troll and fae.

Before she could say anything more, her father vanished. He rarely did that, which sent a shiver through Batya. Davido had so much power, which he kept hidden from everyone and rarely used. That he could get past her shield as well as the ancient fae still stunned her. She might have asked for his assistance, but Davido had come only to support her. She knew his realm philosophies well, that each must face up to his own challenges.

Batya must deal with the ancient fae, now also known to be part wraith.

The next second, the new plate glass shattered and the high shrieking sound of Invictus wraiths punched through the air. At the same time a severe wind blew into the gallery, through her enthrallment shield, gathering up all the paintings and easels and carrying them past Batya, Quinlan, and Lorelei.

As she turned in the direction of the window, the golden glow of light softened in increments and Batya could see Margetta. But the one she knew to be evil turned out to be very beautiful with a complexion as smooth as glass, a straight nose, wide-set eyes and the faintly pointed chin of the fae.

“Mother,” Lorelei whispered quietly. “No.”

Margetta shifted her violet eyes from Batya to Lorelei. Her gaze narrowed as though directing her thoughts, but Lorelei lifted her chin and looked away.

Cocking her head, Margetta turned her attention fully on Batya, and not just her gaze but the force of her will as well. Ambition ruled Margetta more than anything else, to where she planned to dominate the Nine Realms at all costs, including the subjugation of her daughter.

But like hell Batya would give in to Margetta without a fight.

On instinct, she drew the enthrallment away from the building perimeter and into a tight protective shield around the three of them. “Quinlan, we’re ready to go.” She picked up her satchel and threw her arm around his neck. Lorelei did the same overlapping Batya’s arm. Quinlan gripped both waists.

“I have you both,” he said. “But Lorelei, would you do better to shift into your wraith-form?”

“No, I’m at my weakest as a wraith, especially if I fly.”

“Okay, then. Let’s go.”

Batya rarely flew with vampires, especially from the time she’d moved to Lebanon, so she wasn’t exactly used to this kind of flight. But Quinlan had muscles on muscles and held both women securely against his side, maneuvering them swiftly up the stairs to a side window.

Releasing them for a moment, he jerked the large double sash out of the molding, then dove into the air. He returned swiftly to pull Batya from the building, then Lorelei.

“Margetta!” Batya shouted. The woman’s gold light bloomed suddenly and her wind frequency struck hard, pressing them back against the brick just to the side of the window.

Batya pathed to Quinlan. We’ve got to get out of here.

* * * * * * * * *

Quinlan closed his eyes. He focused on his essential physical prowess and battling vibration. Gathering his warrior strength, he shunted Margetta’s wind aside, but only for a few seconds. The wind returned stronger than ever, despite the fact that he pressed back with all his might. She’d created a formidable wind, something he’d never experienced before and it felt inexhaustible, the way Batya’s shield felt, as though the ancient fae could sustain the hurricane indefinitely.

Batya, I can’t hold against her. Can you add your own abilities? Your battle frequency? Most realm-folk carried all the known frequencies, to lesser or greater degrees.

I’m not sure. I’m not trained like you.

He met Batya’s gaze and saw her fear, the untried nature of her latent abilities. You can do this. I’ve felt your power. Just connect your battle frequency with mine. It’s there. You know it is.

She stared back, searching his gaze. His power shook now, barely holding against Margetta.

His voice rumbled once more through her mind. You can do this.

He felt her invitation to search her power and directed his frequency to dive within her.

She groaned as though his invasion hurt and maybe it did. She’d never opened her battle-frequency before. But when he found it, and tapped in, he felt a rush of energy flow out of her.

I don’t know if the shield will hold now.

We’ll soon find out.

Power flowed through him as never before. He let it engage his levitation abilities, and like a rocket he flew straight up, through the wind, angling to fly faster than ever toward Grochaire.

“Don’t let up,” He called to Batya. But she’d slumped against him, only half-conscious. Damn, he’d hurt her. He could feel it now, that she was in pain. But her battle-frequency flowed like a quick-running river.

Once at the access point, he called to the Guardsmen on duty, but nothing returned. Two seconds later, he saw why. Both men were dead, split apart, blood everywhere.

There was nothing to do but press on, knowing as he did that Margetta would follow after them.

The moment he crossed the plane-border to Grochaire, he turned in a northeasterly direction and added even more speed.

He felt Batya’s growing exhaustion yet at the same time, he sensed Lorelei’s excitement, like a dog kept in a kennel and suddenly allowed set free.

“Grochaire,” she murmured. He heard awe in her voice.

He felt the same way. Love for his homeland pulsed within him, maybe enhanced by the ferocity of Batya’s battle frequency, he didn’t know. But he loved his land, his realm, his world.

Can’t hold on, Batya’s voice sounded faint.

I have you.

My satchel.

Lift it to my hand.

She raised her arm and with just a little shuffling, he grabbed the handle, while still holding her tight against him.

I can’t sustain both frequencies, Quinlan. Which do you want me to keep going? Battle or enthrallment?

He thought for a moment, then decided it would better to have the increased flight speed so he chose to let her drop her shield. They were far enough into Grochaire that he knew their trail would have already grown cold to Margetta. It would be no simple thing for her to find them now.

When he told Batya that she could release her enthrallment, he felt her shield fade then vanish, but her battle frequency remained at full-bore which kept his power steady.

The immediate danger was now over and he finally breathed a sigh of relief.