章 11: Chapter 11: Decimation
Okay, so not ready for the worst. "We're what?"
Quaid crouched, hugging Gabriel to him, still cradling Ethie in one arm. "All the accounts were cleaned out, babe." He looked about ready to cry himself, jaw jumping, voice thick. "The Hayle family fortune is gone."
I spluttered at him. "That's impossible," I said. Our money was old, really old, and vast. I'd lost track of how much we were worth, where it was all diversified and hidden.
"I hit an internet café," Quaid said. "I checked every single account I could think of. Stocks, investments, all of it." He swallowed hard. "Gone."
I didn't care about the money. But that meant I couldn't provide for my family.
"What have you been doing for supplies?" Desperation washed over me, crushed me like the weariness never did. My world was spiraling downward and I felt like there was nothing I could do to stop it. This was worse than anything I'd been through before. Every other time I'd been in trouble, I'd kept the family out of it as best I could. But this...
This was intensely personal.
"You must have been hacked." Sage's soft voice broke through to me, but I just stared at him with nothing to say. "From what Charlie told me, the Brotherhood are known to use modern tactics to their advantage, right?" I nodded, and so did his wife, my mother, all of us. "Can you generate more money?" He waggled his fingers in the air with a grimace. "You know, with magic?"
Of course I could. "It will take time," I said at the exact moment Mom spoke the same words. "Time we don't have," I finished for us both and met Quaid's eyes. "I take it supplies-food and water and clothing-are the priority?"
His jaw jumped. "And blankets. Yes." He looked back over his shoulder. "A few of us have been raiding coven houses, but it's getting risky." I realized then I hadn't seen Shenka yet and tensed, though I was sure she was fine because Mom said everyone made it. I finally spotted her sitting with Esther and Estelle Lawrence, the old twins, helping them cover themselves with a quilt. "The Brotherhood sorcerers are everywhere, Syd." He sounded offended, as in, "How dare they be in our town?" Like he wanted to wage a one-man war on them, and I was with him all the way.
"No one's been caught yet," Mom said, "but it's only a matter of time if we keep going this way. Our safety up to now has been based on them not knowing where we are." She sagged a little. "We were waiting for you to wake so we could decide what to do."
"A few of the family have mentioned turning ourselves in," Dad said, so softly it was clear he didn't want anyone to hear. "But the majority are waiting for us to rally and kick some ass."
If only. I felt like a day-old kitten left out in the rain to die. But, I did have some hope to offer. "There's a cash stash in the house," I said. Waved off Quaid when he frowned at me. "In the basement. Set it up ages ago, back before you and I were married." I almost forgot about it. I put it down there, buried under a magicked chunk of concrete, right behind the mummified remains of Batsheva Moromond. Quaid's former adopted mother, witch-turned-vampire queen and all around evil bitch stayed down there after her defeat and draining, gathering mold and dust. And marking the spot where my secret cache of emergency funds were hidden.
"I'll get it." Quaid handed Ethie over to Mom, standing after a quick hug for Gabriel. But I shook my head and forced myself to stand. My muscles protested at first, but as I stretched out, the deep and persistent ache finally eased.
"Too big a risk for just money," I said. "At least until we know what's going on. We need solid information. The family is safe enough for now."
"I'm coming with you." Mom's mouth opened, a clear protest on her face, but I squashed it with a scowl. For the first time since I'd woken, anger-real and burning anger-jerked to life inside me, making Shaylee stir at last.
"You have no idea where I'm going," I said. "And I'm the only one who can use the veil in this family."
"Not true." Charlotte stood to face me, grim and threatening. "There's three of us, in case you've forgotten."
Right. Four if we counted Dad. She'd developed that ability, along with Sage, when the pair of them accessed their full power by accepting wolf form. "Have you tried riding it out of Wilding Springs?"
She nodded, irritation in her eyes. "Twice," she said. "Blocked both times."
Probably because they could only ride our veil, use our plane's membrane to travel, though it was likely Charlotte and Sage could reach Demonicon if they tried. I, on the other hand, had access to all of them. Surely the Brotherhood didn't have a corner market on the entire Universe. If Meira's and Fergus's lack of issue was any indication, it was a safe bet I'd have better luck than Sage and Charlotte.
"I'm joining you." I was hardly surprised by her insistent tone, her flat stare.
"Of course you are." I hugged her and she hugged me tightly back after a moment of shock. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
The family stirred when I stood and now that I was mobile, I knew I had one further responsibility to deal with before I went anywhere. It only took a short time to make the rounds, Shenka joining me with a tragic and fearful look on her face. I'd never seen her so shaken, though she handled the family as carefully and kindly as ever.
By the time I released the last of them from a gentle hug and turned to Shenka, I knew there was something much deeper troubling her than our present predicament.
"Tallah." She managed that one word before throwing her arms around me. I hugged her tight and wrapped her in what magic I had access to, vampire and demon both.
"We don't know what's going on yet," I whispered to my shaking second. "Until we do, we can't assume the worst." Shenka leaned away, wiping her nose, nodding. "I know it's cruel, but I need you to be strong for the family."
She gripped my hands in hers. "Always," she said. "Just... find out what happened to my sister?"
"I'm not coming back without news." And maybe a Brotherhood sorcerer's head or two.
Mom joined us, Charlotte with her, Quaid hanging back though he didn't look happy about it. "I know exactly where you're going, by the way. We need answers."
"Harvard." I nodded sharply. "On it." And took her hand. As I reached for the veil, Mom on one side and Charlotte on the other, my rage built, sizzling in my gut. No one attacked my family. No one.
Someone was going to die today.
The veil welcomed me as it always did, my demon magic easily cutting a way through the rubbery membrane. But I wasn't going to Demonicon. At least, not yet. I immediately felt the resistance that must have stopped Charlotte and Sage as I stepped into the gap and tried to push my way through.
Okay then. Plan B.
Instead of riding the veil itself, I pulled us out of it, into the vast network beyond. I was so used to sailing through it on Max's back, the weightless feeling caught me like a shock. I could feel Mom and Charlotte hanging onto me and adjusted my focus as I turned us around, supported and suspended as my full maji power surged back to life now I was out from under the influence of the cavern's control. I was still weak, but with some reserves remaining, thankfully. I didn't have time to figure out how much, nor did I want to. Knowing might scare me.
We're safe, it's fine. I hoped reassuring them would ease their tight grips on my hands.
Just take us to Harvard, sweetheart, Mom's mental voice cut through to me. And stop playing with the Universe.
It made me laugh, easing the terrible, devouring fury living inside me. Yes, Mother, I sent before plunging us toward the edge of our veil again, and through it.
I'd never done anything like this before, usually leaving it up to Max to guide our way through the veil network. And so, I was privately relieved to step out the other side and into the dark and silent office of the Council Leader.
Didn't kill us. Bonus.
Mom released my hand, stalking toward the empty desk. She spun on me as Charlotte sniffed around the room, growling softly under her breath.
"She's not here." Way to state the obvious, Mom. But I could understand her anxiety.
"That doesn't mean something's happened to her." I felt around me, the thrum of the Council magic present. "Don't jump to conclusions."
Charlotte spun around. "This way," she said, command in her voice.
This way, you betcha.
I followed the werewoman, Mom at my side, through the office door and into the main sitting room. This place always gave me the creeps, and tonight was no exception. All those staring portraits of former Council Leaders, Mom's nearest the door even seeming to glare at me with contempt.
"I hate that damned thing," she muttered on the way by.
Guess I wasn't the only one.
The whole of Massachusetts Hall felt dead and empty. It was still summer, but there were usually people around, regardless. But there was not a trace of late term students or Enforcers or anyone.
So weird.
By the time the creaking old elevator delivered us to the bottom floor, I was seriously creeped out. The green expanse of Harvard Yard stretched out from the bottom of the stairs at the base of the red brick building, giant trees shading the lawn. It felt like late afternoon, though the sun was hidden behind a giant bank of angry looking clouds, a roll of thunder making me jump as we touched down on the walkway.
University Hall stood across from us, the statue of John Harvard beckoning us onward. If we were going to find anyone associated with the Council, it should be there. Hidden from normals who attended Harvard and called this their workplace, the long, white-stoned hall was home to the main council chamber.
If Erica wasn't there, then I would worry.
Not true, as it turned out. While we strode with-in my case, anyway-false confidence under the trees and to the front entry, I found my anxiety level rising. Erica and I might not have been getting along lately, but she was like a second mother to me once, had helped Mom raise me. If anything happened to her and I could have done something to change it...
I'd never forgive myself.
A silver Persian and his embedded sense of guilt. I blamed Sassafras.
My questing threads of power sneaking out before me encountered only barriers. Shields upon walls upon wards. But they were all Council magic, at least. Did that mean they had somehow fortified themselves inside, were working, even as I strode toward them, on a solution? I hoped so. And maybe I could help.
Or, this was a trap and I was walking into a Brotherhood snare. Either way, I was going in.
The idea there might be a light at the end of this particular tunnel that had nothing to do with me burning at the stake drove my feet faster. Mom and Charlotte kept pace easily, obviously as eager as I was to get answers.
The big doors at the entry swung open easily, the halls eerily silent. I stepped through the false wall at the end of the hall and felt a wave of relief wash over me at the sight of six Enforcers standing guard at the doors to the council chamber.
One glance at Mom told me I should reserve my relaxing of worry for later. And, as we approached the silent, black-robed witches, I started to believe she was right.
They barely acknowledged us, staring anywhere but in our direction. I chose to ignore them in turn, though I kept careful watch with magic to make sure they didn't turn on us as we walked by.
Nope. Nada. Zippo reaction.
Enforcer statues? As long as they stayed out of my way.
By the time I hit the doors to the council chamber with power, flinging them wide, I was pissed all over again, anger giving my waning energy a boost. That irritable feeling grew into temper as I stomped my way, barefoot and in my sleep shorts and t-shirt, into the middle of the room. The Council sat in a semicircle, elevated above me in their usual places, though the Hayle seat remained empty. I'd failed to fill it after Erica took over, and now I wished I hadn't.
They watched my approach, some with open fear, others hiding it better, though I wasn't paying attention to them. My gaze was locked firmly on Erica. Only the wash of their anxiety came through, heavy under the thrumming power of the Council.
I guess I should have been nervous when Erica glared at me like I'd intruded on something important. But I couldn't bring myself to worry about what petty crap she was dealing with right now. Because here was proof only my coven had been attacked. And the rest of the freaking continent?
Business as usual.
Oh, hell no.
"Listen up." My words snapped out of me, cracking whips of magic with them. "The Hayle coven is in trouble. We've been openly attacked by the Brotherhood."
No gasps of shock. No worry or concern.
Just crickets.
A terrible fear warmed up my insides, feeding the rage that threatened to explode out of me as Erica jabbed an index finger in my direction and spoke.
"Sydlynn Hayle," she said. "We've been looking for you." Her blonde bob swung as she sat back. "You're under arrest."
I felt the Enforcers closing in about a second before I slammed up shields to protect Mom and Charlotte. My mother was faster than me with her question.
"On what charge?" Her voice vibrated with anger. "This had better be good, Erica."
The council leader didn't bend, not even under her former coven leader's displeasure.
"You and your entire coven are charged with resisting the new order." Erica's hands dropped to the surface of her desk. "When our allies arrived in Wilding Springs to present the announcement of our association, you fled and have resisted all efforts to locate you." Hell, yeah, I did. She was cracked if she thought I'd do otherwise. But, she was counting on this, and so was Belaisle. They knew I'd never go quietly. So, my family was to be an example, was it? We'd see about that.
Erica went on as though she had no clue my mind was whirling. "Because of your failure to present yourself, you will turn over your family to this council and submit to trial."
"What new order?" I spit the words at her. "What are you talking about?" But I think I already knew, that fear in my gut searing around the edges of my rage.
Made flesh as a medium-height man in a pinstriped suit, his chin dark with a goatee, pale yellow eyes locked on me, sauntered forward from the side entrance with a smirk on his face.
"There is a new power controlling your coven now," Liander Belaisle said, nodding up at Erica who held perfectly still, rigid even. "Thanks to the brilliance and foresight of your Council Leader, we have combined our magicks to make a stronger, more enduring force." His smirk deepened. "For the good of all."
***
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