Phoenix (30 page)

#

To my surprise, there's no shortage of volunteers. Unlike my previous visit to Summer Hill, these witches don't fear me. Rather, they're looking to me for leadership.

I guess it's like choosing the better of two evils. And in their minds, I'm less evil than Callum.

Not exactly confidence boosting, but it's all I have for now.

"Lark?"

"Mmhmm."

"Can I speak to you about what happened?" Henry asks.

I turn my head away from the line of volunteers snaking through the tents. "What is it?"

"In private."

I cast one more glance at the witches willing to fight with me. Hopefully, they'll all come back, but chances are we'll lose a good number. My heart hardens. There's no time for sentimentality.
 

I follow my uncle away from the tents toward the woods. The birds overhead chirp cheerfully as if all is right in the world. I bet the birds in San Francisco are all singing the song of the disheartened.

When we're a good distance from the tents, Henry looks around as if assessing our privacy. "Okay. This is a good spot," he says motioning to a fallen log. He bends down and sits on the log and looks at me expectantly. I, however, choose to stand.
 

"What is it?"

"We haven't heard from Annalise or Kyra for several hours now."

A lump forms in my throat. "What does that mean?"

"Several things."

My eyes water, and I scan the tree line, understanding why my uncle brought me out here. If I'm going to meltdown, best it be away from everyone else.
 

"Tell me."

Henry eyes me up-and-down. "Are you sure?"

I nod my head because if I speak, I may start sobbing.

"Callum has cut off all modes of transportation into and out of San Francisco. The humans can't get out. But more importantly, he's pulled down the grid. We can't track his - or anyone else's - whereabouts. It's possible that's all that's wrong with Kyra and Annalise. Same with Ryker." Henry pauses.
 

"Are you sure you don't want to sit down?" he asks. "You look pale."

I pace back and forth, allowing my racing heart to keep up with the tempo of my footsteps. "No, it's better when I'm moving. Otherwise, the magic boils over."

"It's good you've found some coping mechanisms."

"Oliver taught me that," I say.
 

"He was a good man."

"He was." I swing my body to the side and release a small bolt of magic at the trees. One bursts into flames, and I quickly form a rain cloud over it, extinguishing the fire. "But what does this have to do with what happened."

"You have to operate on the theory that they're lost, Lark. Annalise, Ryker, and Kyra aren't available to us."

"Lost," I spit. "You mean dead."

Henry eyes me solemnly. "Yes."

This time tears don't come. Instead, I'm filled with anger and rage. Callum has taken his grudge too far. First Mother, then my guards, now my city and friends. It has to stop.

It has to.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

"Is she prepared? Is Beck?" The words waft out of the Council's tent. I pause and eavesdrop more until Henry pushes me through the door.
 

Think like a leader, Lark,
I say to myself as I slide up to the table.
Don't focus on your losses, only on what you need to do.
 

"Let's get down to business," I announce to the group gathered before me. "Sun-Wei, please start."

The Minister looks down the table at me. "I'm leading a group of witches to reconnect the grid. Our goal is to have it up and running by nightfall."

"Is that realistic?" I ask.

"Possibly. It depends on several factors."

"Such as?"

"How far out he cut the feeds. As of right now, it seems to be Society wide." He taps his tablet. "We should be able to restore access to San Francisco tonight."

"Good," I answer. "Beck, do you think there is a chance for a diplomatic solution?"

My mate shakes his head. "I think all hope is lost. The Council and I have been over every scenario, and Callum doesn't want to talk."

My heart sinks. "So, what I'm hearing is that the only way to retake the City is to battle for it."

"If we want to remain in charge," Beck says. His eyes probe mine, reaching down into my soul. How easy it would be to walk away and let Callum rule. And haven't I said that I don't want this job anymore?
 

But I know what I need to do - I have to battle my brother.

"Explain these," I say pointing at the detailed maps spread across the table.

Henry clears his throat. "Some are maps of witch residences in San Francisco, others reflect where fighting has occurred."

The fighting map is covered in yellow dots, most along the perimeter of the Park. "And the humans?"

"We don't know," Sun-Wei says.

I resist burying my head in my hands, and instead drum my fingers on the table. "We need a war party."

Beck rests his hand against my back. "We need an army, and as luck would have it, we have one, waiting right outside."

Everyone is staring at me, waiting for me to say something. To lead them. But all I feel is overwhelmed. Can we really ask these people to put their lives at risk because my brother is having a childish tantrum?

Beck clears his throat. "Start having the volunteers line up." He turns to Patrick Channing. "Dad, would you oversee the formation of the army?"

Patrick readily agrees. "Of course. We're taking all able-bodied, I assume." From his undertone, I gather he really means not just Light witches.

"Everyone who is willing and capable is welcome," Beck reiterates.
 

My fingers curl around Beck's.
Thank you.
 

"The war is here. It's time we fought back," I say.

#

Two long lines of witches - both Light and Dark - stretch out before me. They face each other, paired up to practice offensive and defensive magic. Patrick and Landon are running them through drills. Me? I have my own practice, later with Beck, Patrick, and Henry.

Random sparks of magic bounce off the trees behind us. Luckily, no one is hit.
 

"How many are beginners?" I ask.

Patrick snorts. "All of them. You forget, Lark, that most witches aren't trained to hurt others. We're peaceful."

I tilt my head and look up at him with big eyes. "And you forget I haven't had the most traditional introduction to magic."

Beck steps between us. "Not now." He turns to Landon. "Can you run that drill again. The Light witches seem to be struggling with it."

"Of course," Landon says.

I shake my head. "No. They need to see magic in action. They need to see what they're up against." I stroll down the middle of the two columns, and with a tiny flick of my hand over my shoulder send disabling magic darting back at Beck. When I spin around, he's immobilized, and as quickly as I froze him, I undo the spell. He doesn't waste time and comes at me with a heavy dose of determination. A bolt of magic zooms at me, and I side step it. The crowd around us spaces out.

"This is what you're going to be facing," I yell to my army. "Lethal, deadly magic."

I spin quickly now, pulling the anxiety of the crowd into my core and letting it sit there for a moment before releasing it at Beck. He deflects it with a shield, and the physical manifestation of my magic crumbles to the ground like glass shards.
 

He bashes his hands together, and the land beneath me rolls, knocking me off my feet. I scramble to get up right and send a lightening bolt in his direction.

Mr. Channing jumps between us, hands raised. In that instant, he traps my arms, and my hands are forced to my sides. I can't move, and if I can't move, I can't do magic.
 

Damn it.

"Enough of your playtime, you two," he says. "I think they understand."

I eye the two sides. A few shift uncomfortably. Others look like they may be sick. All but a few seem terrified. "You're going to have to do better than this if we stand a chance," I whisper to Landon and Patrick.

Beck laces his arm through mine. "Let's get out of here."

I allow him to guide me away from the trainees and down the path to the lake. The temperature in the trees drops at least ten degrees, and I shiver. Beck pulls me closer. "Cold?" he asks.

"Freezing."

"How funny," Beck answers. "You used to hate the heat and love the snow."

I smile up at him. "I still like the snow. The heat isn't so bad, though." I stop walking. "What are we going to do with them? None are warriors. We can't take back our city with a group that's afraid to fight."

Beck runs his hand down my arm. "For now, Birdie, it's the best we have. You need to have faith in them."

I close my eyes, and a massacre dances behind my lids. Heaps and heaps of dead witches. Destruction all around. Losses too great to count.

Cool air fills my lungs. Having faith. In an army that's anything but.
 

"Lark?" Beck says, waking me from my trance.

"Yes?"

"We need to get back. It's almost go time."

My stomach plummets. In a few hours, I'll be leading a group of unskilled, non-battle-tested witches, who may or may not hate each other, into the fires of San Francisco.

What possibly could go wrong?

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

All two hundred of us transport into San Francisco at the same time. If we wanted to be stealth, this isn't the way to do it. Once my feet touch the sand of the beach, I spin around, assessing the situation. There are witches to my left and right, but none before us.

"Go," I shout. We spread out along the beach and head for the trees of the Park. If our intelligence is to be trusted, Callum's army is set up along the Northern side of the Park, along Fulton Street.
 

Beck is beside me, running at my pace. Our first mission: locate Kyra, Annalise, or Ryker. Patrick and Landon are leading the army in the attack against Callum's people.

When we're off the beach, Beck and I stop. "Transport to Kyra's?" I ask, even though I know it's the plan. We could well be transporting into a house full of the Splinter group, but it's the best place to start looking for our friends.
 

Beck nods briskly, and we're away. We land in the foyer, crouched and ready for attack. I slink along the wall the way Ryker taught me. Beck scans the house with his wristlet. "Nothing," he says, flicking off the device. We run a risk of being pinged every time it's turned on.

I stare out the front window at my house. It's dark. Of course it is. Callum wanted Mother's house, not mine.

"Beck, do you think..."

He tilts his head and studies me. "That they're in our house?"

"Yes."

He hardens his jaw. "Maybe, but going there wasn't part of the plan."

"When do I stick to the plan?" I'm already scanning my house for wards and charms. Nothing. Huh.

"Lark, I don't like this. It seems too reckless."

I kick at the ground. "Then don't come, but don't try to stop me."

"You're angry," Beck says.

"Yes. And an angry Lark is a dangerous Lark. Especially one who knows what she's doing."

Beck backs away from me. "Fine, I'll come too. Just promise to keep yourself aware of everything that's going on."

"I'm going in, but let's do this the old-fashioned way. Sneak in through one of the doors. Whoever is there expects a transporting witch."

I swing the side door of Kyra's house open and slink down the side yard until I'm at the front of her house. Then, with a quick look up and down the desolate street, I dart across the pavement to my own side yard. With my back pressed against the house, I make my way to the door. Beck copies my movements, but when we reach the door, he darts around me.
 

"Let me go first," he says, gently opening the unlocked door. He casts a shielding spell around us, and enters with his hands at the ready. I copy his movements. We quickly make our way down the short hallway, past the servants' quarters. A small mewing sound stops me, and I yank on Beck's jacket, halting him.

Did you hear that?
I ask.

I did. What do you think it is?

The baby.

We backtrack until we stand before Miss Tully's door. Magic radiates from the room. I knock softly and then reset my position to defensive - just in case the person on the other side is an enemy. The door cracks open, and Miss Tully peers out.
 

"Lark!"
 

The door swings wide open, and she ushers Beck and me in. There, in the cramped room, is Annalise and the baby, along with Ryker, Kyra, and Maz.

"You're hiding?" I accuse. "The City has fallen, and you're here?"

Ryker jumps to his feet. "We're not hiding anymore than you were. In fact, we've been planning our attack options."

Annalise hands Olivia to Miss Tully. "Tell us what's happening. How did you get here?"

I quickly fill them in, and we agree to leave Miss Tully and Olivia behind while the rest of us regroup with our troops.

"Ready?" I ask my small group of warriors.

I am greeted with head nods and grunts.
 

"Good, let's do this."

#

Ryker is ruthless. No sooner do we transport into the tree line of the Park than he takes out two witches. How he can determine enemy versus friend so quickly is beyond me.
 

"Go!" he orders, clearing the way for Beck and me to make our way deeper into the chaos. Callum has to be at the heart, in the most protected position. It's his standard operating procedure: stand back and let everyone else work for him.
 

But not today. Today, Beck and I are going to take him out once and for all.
 

Annalise runs next to me, Kyra at my back. All around us, residual battle magic ignites. Sparks fly everywhere.

"There!" Beck points to something off in the distance, and I instantly recognize my brother. His blond hair whips around his face as he gazes across the battlefield, away from our direction.