The Keepers: Archer (19 page)

It was finally over.

Or at least, the first part of their plan was. They’d broken the spell that kept the seal of the tomb in place.

Now came the creepy part.

Rose broke away, releasing Sienna’s hands, and wiped her brow. The spell had been easier this time, surprising them both.

“Are you okay?” Archer asked, approaching the two witches.

They both nodded, their attention on Declan and Ethan who were in the process of moving the heavy stone door that sealed the tomb, that sealed Mason.

The four lanterns placed around the tiny room outside the tomb offered some relief from the darkness around them. The roof was low; the room made of sandy floors and stone walls, still blackened from the fire Sienna had created the night Sarah had died. The stuffiness and warmth of the room brought a light layer of perspiration to them all. The air was stifling, the acrid smell of burnt hair making it almost impossible to breath. In the centre of the room, a small fire had already started fizzling out. The Grimoire, surrounded by the four precious stones, lay on the ground beside Rose. The mood was sombre, tension dripping from the walls, and Sienna knew it would remain that way until they’d safely relocated Mason.

Their plan was a risky one, but essential to buy them time and leverage.

Archer joined his brothers and together, grunting, they slowly shifted the rock slab to one side until a huge black hole gaped back at them.

A shiver raced down Sienna’s spine and she forced all thoughts of what they’d find in the tomb at the back of her mind. Mason’s fate had been cruel one, but he’d caused enough pain and death to so many innocent people that their decision to desiccate and entomb him had been an easy one.

It was still eerie though.

Both Ethan and Declan turned to look at Archer, a moment of heavy silence passing between them.

Sienna frowned, her instincts flickering. “Archer?”

Without replying, Archer stepped toward the dark doorway, dragged in a quiet breath, and went inside.

“Archer!” Sienna gasped, rushing to the door.

Declan and Ethan drew her back in an instant. She tried to slap them away, but they kept a firm grip on her, her efforts useless against their strength.

“Sienna,” Declan said, stepping around her so that he faced her.

“How did he do that? How could he go inside?” She tried to keep the panic out of her voice, but confusion shook her words. Only someone without any elemental powers could enter the tomb. Their hasty decision to leave Tara out of their plans for tonight suddenly made sense. They’d known all along that Archer would be the one to enter the tomb.

Worry escalated to anger, and she pinned Declan with a fierce glare. “What are you keeping from me? How the hell did Archer get into that damn tomb?”

“Sienna” Declan said softly, his tone sending a fresh shiver of panic through her. “Archer’s been stripped of his powers.”

She gasped. “What? All of them?”

“His Keeper powers are still there but slightly weaker. He’s lost his connection to the water. That’s why he couldn’t douse the fire at the pool.”

“His elemental power? How? What happened?” She spun around to face Ethan, Rose. “Did you know about this?”

The old woman didn’t reply, didn’t have to. Sienna saw the raw truth in her striking green eyes and the sadness etched on her face.

Sienna gaped at her. “You knew about this and didn’t tell me? How could you keep this from me?”

“Archer didn’t want you to know, Sienna,” Ethan said, his expression matching his brother’s.

“But how did this happen? And why now?” Her gaze flickered from those of her Keepers and settled on her grandmother’s as understanding dawned. Her skin prickled with the realization, and her abdomen tightened as the air whooshed out of her lungs in a swift blow. “Oh, my God. It’s The Circle, isn’t it? They’re responsible for this?”

Declan spoke first, reaching for her arm. “We’re not sure.”

“Sienna, you knew there’d be consequences,” Rose said softly, stepping closer. She reached for Sienna’s hand, enclosing it within her own. “I didn’t realize that things had escalated so far. I always knew The Circle would object to your relationship with Archer. I just didn’t realize how strong that objection would be. According to Lora, they’re spitting mad.”

“They’re punishing us? Are they mad?” She tried to keep the hysteric hitch out of her voice, but failed. The idea that Archer had lost his elemental power because they’d fallen in love was absurd. “In weakening Archer, they’ve put us all at risk. They’ve weakened me!”

Before either of them could respond, Archer appeared in the doorway, dragging a long wooden box that contained Mason’s lifeless body. A thin layer of perspiration covered Archer’s face and arms, and he breathed heavily from the heat of the room and the exertion that came with hefting Mason through the tunnel of the tomb. He didn’t flinch when his brothers went to help him but was quick to shift the weight more evenly. Together, they replaced the heavy rock slab across the doorway and moved to the exit.

Sienna stared at Archer, her entire world shaking around her. She’d done this to him. This was all her fault. “Archer?”

Declan whipped her a warning glare that immediately silenced her. “Not now, Sienna. Not now.”

Sienna opened her mouth to object but her three Keepers were already moving through the low door at the back of the room. She looked at Rose, wanting to cry, reaching for strength and any explanation.

And found none.

“Gran?”

Rose gathered the four stones and reached for Sienna’s hand. “Come, child. Let’s deal with Mason first and then we’ll contact Lora. If anything, she’ll know what to do.”

Lora, the messenger of The Circle. Right now, Sienna wasn’t sure if she wanted to listen to anything The Circle had to say to her, but she knew that if Archer was ever going to regain his elemental power, she’d have to suck it up and take their rulings.

But she knew what they’d want, and the thought tore through her like a wild wind on a stormy night. Her heart sank, and she shut her eyes in a feeble attempt to block out the truth.

Yes, she knew exactly what The Circle was after.

****

Sienna knew.

Archer punched a nearby tree, felt the pain that came with the blow, but ignored it.

She hadn’t said anything since leaving the tomb and had remained focused on the spell that sealed the entrance of the old storage building, but Archer could see from the heaviness of her shoulders and the worry reflected in her eyes, that she knew.

Damn it.

He loathed the idea of admitting to her that he’d weakened, knew the conversation was imminent, but it would have to wait for later.

Hearing a soft rustle of leaves above him, Archer glanced up at the tall trees that loomed overhead. An owl hooted softly, the sound echoing in the quiet darkness of the night. He’d left the lanterns inside the storage rooms, needing the blackness to cloak his thoughts as he waited quietly outside for his brothers and the witches.

Their plan had gone smoothly and Mason now had a new home, sealed with a spell that would keep him locked inside. And the best part of it all was that Warrick Brogan had no idea where his brother was.

The thought brought a satisfied smirk to Archer’s face that quickly disappeared when Sienna came out of the tunnel. The lantern she carried illuminated her features, masking her in a glow of warmth. She was sombre, quiet, and hot from the airless rooms. Her clothes were dirty, her hair pulled back into a thick ponytail, exhaustion splashed across her features.

She looked up at the moon as she exited the tunnel and took in a deep breath of fresh night air. A luxury after the staleness of the underground.

“Everything okay?” Archer asked quietly and she nodded. He went to her, pulling her into his arms. “You did great.”

“Rose and your brothers are gathering the Grimoire and the stones. They’ll be out now.”

“Everything went well. Better than planned.”

Wide eyes swung back at him and her eyebrows drew together in a tight frown. “Why didn’t you tell me, Archer?”

He sighed softly, stroking her chin with his thumb. “Not now, Sienna. We’ll discuss this later.”

“You should’ve told me.”

“It’s not an easy thing to say aloud and I haven’t even processed the impact of what this means.”

“It’s all my fault.”

Her words surprised him, and he scowled at her. “I wanted this as much as you, if not more. This is a choice we made together.”

“But you’re the one who’s suffering because of it.”

“You’re the one needing protection.”

“You’ll always be my Keeper, Archer.”

“That’ll never change.”

Her shoulders dropped and she looked at the ground between them. “If you’re ever going to get your powers back, we can’t be together anymore.”

“Sienna.”

“It’s over between us, Archer. It has to be.”

“I know,” he whispered, closing his eyes. His insides twisted uncomfortably and he pulled her into his arms.

She fell silent, holding onto him with an urgency that left him raw. The peace he felt when he held her, knowing she was his, contradicted his fear of losing her. He closed his eyes to savour the moment as he always did when he held her. Their life was a risky one, filled with threats and worries unbeknown to normal people. Everything could change in an instant. They’d learnt that many times over the years.

Archer kissed her head, taking a deep appreciative breath of the woman in his arms. Right now, she was here. Still his.

And the idea that she might not be because of The damn Circle made him want to punch something again.

The sound of footsteps at the entrance of the tunnel had them breaking apart.

Rose came out first, drawing in a deep gasp of fresh air that was quickly replicated by her two Keepers as they stepped outside directly behind her.

The underground rooms had been torture for them all.

Archer went to Rose, took her hand, and helped her down the steps. Her movements were slower, her eyes weary, and her lips drawn together in a thin line. All testaments to the fatigue that had taken hold of her. A powerful witch, scary to most, but her ageing body felt the strain that came with the magic. “Everything okay, Rose?”

“Nothing a scotch won’t fix.”

Her words broke the tension that rippled between them, and they all smiled.

The route home along the river was an easy one, relief etching the tones of their quiet conversations. They’d moved Mason, concluding part one of their plan. The relief that came with that was huge, despite their mutual worry about Archer’s loss of his elemental power.

It was only when Ethan, walking up ahead, stopped moving and cocked his head in the distance of the forest, that alarm prickled.

“Kill the torches,” Ethan said through gritted teeth. A moment later, complete darkness surrounded them. The full moon offered some light but with the huge trees overhead, it was minimal.

“Ethan?” Archer said, joining his brother. Everything about the way Ethan stood, staring straight ahead with a harsh frown, spelled trouble. “What is it?”

Declan was beside them in an instant. “Levi’s barking.”

A sound Archer would normally have heard too. A string of curses went through his mind, but he bit down from spewing them.

Ethan shot them a worried glance. “They’re here.”

“Archer, what’s wrong?” Sienna asked, coming up behind him.

Neither of them answered and they stared straight ahead, their ears pinned to the noises surrounding them, their bodies switching to defence mode.

To Archer, the forest appeared silent and at peace, but to his warrior brothers, the darkness of the night spelt an impending war. Frustration, anger, and adrenaline gripped him and Archer glanced back at the two women.

He may not have all his powers but he was still their Keeper, a warrior, and there was no way he’d let anyone hurt them.

Hell no.

“You think they’ve spotted us?” Archer asked.

Ethan nodded. “They’re surrounding us.”

“They’ve brought the wolves,” Declan added, his voice a low grumble of anger in the silence of the night.

“We have to assume they’ve brought Ashwood so the witches won’t be able to use their powers if they’re caught in position.” Archer looked at each of his brothers, a moment of intense understanding crossing between them. “We have to split the women.”

The idea of separating was a thought that sent the tension soaring. But they had no choice. If the wolves, the Ashwood, surrounded either witch, the other witch would still have use of her magic and powers.

And knowing the evil and hatred that spurred on their attackers, they’d need all the help they could muster.

Ethan shifted, looking at Archer. “You and Declan take Sienna. I’ll take Rose.”

“Fine. But we can’t take them home,” Archer said. “They’ll only follow.”

“So what’s your plan, brother?”

“They’re moving into place to set up an ambush. We’re going to return the favour. Only, we’re going to be smarter.”

Sienna was grateful for the darkness of the forest as it hid her fear and the trembling of her hands. Everything had gone so well and they’d pulled off their plan without any hitches. She should’ve known that in their world, there was no such thing as a flawless plan and that evil always lurked around them, nipping at their heels like an irate dog.

She worried about Rose, her insides twisting with anger at the thought of her ageing grandmother in the middle of the woods about to be wolf food.

Not that Ethan would let that happen. Her grandmother should be asleep in bed, having spent the night drinking her beloved scotch and watching old reruns of The Golden Girls, not trenching through the woods with a pack of wolves and God knows what else hot on her tail.

Her Keepers’ presence brought Sienna some comfort and she drew on that to settle her nerves. Tension and anger radiated off them in a power of its own, and she glanced at them with a mixture of pride and worry.

They’d fight to their deaths to protect their witches. A destiny they never resented, a duty they saw as an honour. And she loved them all so much. The thought of losing another Keeper ripped at a part of her she constantly fought to keep buried.

The initial peace of the forest had whipped around to blanket them in a fear and attack mode that had both her Keepers on the full alert. Although it was dark, she saw glimpses of their fierce expressions through the moonlight filtering through the rooftop of huge trees above them. Muscular. All man. All warrior. It was a scary sight, impressive, and it took her breath away.

An eerie silence enveloped them as they walked toward their attackers. The sound of their feet softly crunching on the blanket of forest debris on the ground echoed through the quiet that surrounded them, the sound ridiculously loud in the stillness of the forest.

A flutter of wings in a nearby tree had them all whirling around defensively. An owl set flight, aiming for the ground. With expert grace and ease, he snatched a running mouse and disappeared into the darkness. An unpleasant reminder of where they were and what they were about to do.

Hopefully their fate would fare better than the mouse’s.

A shiver ran down Sienna’s spine, and she shook her head to shake the gloom. Not that it was remotely possible considering they had wolves and warriors nearby.

Declan halted, his head cocked to one side. “They’ve found Ethan and Rose,” he whispered, his words barely audible. “They’re at the bridge.”

“We should hurry,” Archer said, taking Sienna’s hand and moving forward.

The tension escalated the closer they got to Rose and Ethan, the sound of water gushing between mossy rocks becoming louder with their approach.

They reached the valley between the two forests, separated by the river below, and nestled down amongst a blanket of thick fern bushes. A perfect camouflage. Tall trees, stripped of their bark from years of age, lined the edge of the forest on either side of the rocky valley, hovering high above the water. An old wooden and metal bridge hung from one side of the valley to the other and Ethan and Rose stood in the middle of the bridge. Part of their plan, a risky one at that, but one that would hopefully work. Gathered in a huddle of hatred on the opposite side of the bridge stood Warrick and his warriors, carrying burning torches, two wolves behind them.

Fury reached a level Sienna had never felt before. Her powers churned inside her, mingling alongside the rage and threatening the shaky control she had begun to master over her magic. Never a good mix, but this was Rose and Ethan, and she didn’t care about keeping her magic in check. Not tonight.

And no doubt, their attackers carried Ashwood. Clearly their new weapon of choice.

“Easy, Sienna,” Archer said softly, reeling her in.

She ached to charge, to annihilate everyone in her way until she had her grandmother and Ethan out of harm’s way. Judging by the way her Keepers bristled with restless energy beside her; she wasn’t the only one with thoughts of revenge.

Rose stood behind Ethan, the wooden railing of the rickety bridge against her back. Despite her age and the Ashwood, there wasn’t a hint of fear in her expression. Her grandmother had always known their Keepers would protect them. That, combined with the magic and the power they possessed – a lethal brew that was currently brewing a dangerous concoction inside Sienna, ready to explode.

Sienna drew in a deep breath of air and control, paused to shift her focus where it mattered most, and slowly exhaled.

“Where’s the rest of your merry little gang of powerhouses?” Warrick yelled out to Ethan, his tone laced with more mockery than amusement.

“They went home.” Ethan replied. Even though his voice was calm, level, his body was rigid in preparation of the inevitable attack.

Warrick turned, scanning the area. “Leaving you two alone? Right.”

Although they were hidden in the thick blanket of ferns that surrounded them, and basked in darkness, Sienna still had the urge to shrink back.

“Your warrior skills must be waning, Bennett,” Warrick goaded. “I’d have thought you would have smelt us from a mile back.”

“Although the stench of evil desperation should’ve hit me, sniffing has never been my forte, Warrick,” Ethan retorted.

“Evil desperation? Is that what you call this?”

“Why else would you mess with the Beckham witches? You know the wrath they can dish out.”

“You know I’d do anything to free my brother.”

“And you know we’d do anything to stop you.”

Warrick held out a hand, focused on a pile of rocks beside him. With a brief flick of the wrist, a few rocks went hurtling through the air toward Ethan.

Senses in top form, Ethan stepped in front of Rose, shielding her body with his, and flung out his arm. A gust of wind followed suit, connecting with the rocks and sending them off course. To show his disapproval, he sent another gust of wind toward Warrick and his warriors.

Several of their torches blew out from the wind, darkness enclosing them in one quick gulp. Without much light, there were several yells of confusion that sparked a series of loud snaps from the two wolves.

Ethan grabbed Rose and bolted to the opposite side of the bridge.

Sensing their escape, the warriors set chase, their heavy boots scraping against the wooden bridge. Several shouts filled the air, warrior calls that unsettled the peace of the forest.

Just as Ethan and Rose reached the end of the bridge, he took a large leap into the forest.

Declan rose up from the shelter of the ferns, staring at the bridge with an intensity that came whenever he channelled his powers.

The bridge began to shake, followed by panicked shouts as the warriors realized they’d run into a trap. There was a frantic collision of bodies as they all tried to get off the bridge before it collapsed.

Not waiting for that to happen, Declan stepped forward, channelling more power, more anger. The bridge groaned under the pressure of his powers and slowly began to crumble as the metal bolts and nuts gave way to the intense onslaught of heat. It was an eerie picture of destruction and desperation, the warriors shuffling with frantic speed to get to the edges where safety existed.

But Declan was too quick for them. The bridge folded, collapsing with a crunching of metal, sending a dozen of Warrick’s warriors plunging into the water below. Their screams echoed through the darkness, muffled by the sound of the bridge crashing against the rocks.

Sienna heard the whiz of the retaliating arrow past her ears seconds before it slammed into Archer’s chest. He stumbled to the ground with a soft groan. In quick succession, several arrows followed from all directions, shattering the darkness with panic.

In a swift movement, Declan flung himself toward her, shielding her body as they tumbled into the ferns. The air whooshed out of her lungs from the impact, and she gasped air.

“Declan!”

“Stay down. They know we’re here.”

“Where’s Rose?”

Declan glanced over his shoulder, his heartbeat thumping a frantic rhythm against her chest. “I can’t see her but Ethan won’t let anything happen to her.” He swung around, crushing Sienna with his weight, and tracked Archer. “Archer! Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine,” Archer replied, his voice low and tinged with a soft wheeze.

“Stay there, brother. I’ll come for you.”

“I’m fine, dammit. Stay with Sienna.”

“I’ve got Sienna,” Declan said, doing a quick scan of the area in an attempt to track their enemies.

But Warrick had doused the rest of their torches, using the darkness to his advantage. The blackness had swallowed their enemies, and they had no way of knowing which direction the attack was coming from. The eerie sound of the howling wolves tore through the sudden silence that had engulfed them.

“Declan, I can’t breathe,” Sienna said, slapping his chest. She gulped air, unable to breath from Declan’s weight on top of her. He shifted his weight, looking back at her.

“We have to stop them,” she said.

“Their arrows are lethal, Sienna, and we don’t know where their archers are hiding.”

“We can take them down. You know we can. We’re more powerful than them.”

“How the hell are we supposed to defeat them if we can’t even see them?” Declan glanced around, spotted the several large rocks overgrown with bushes nearby. It was the perfect respite from the danger that lurked. “I’m going to help you get to those rocks. You stay hidden; stay safe until I come back for you.” He shifted his weight, preparing to move. “We’re going to run on the count of three.”

A batch of arrows, this time alight with flames, came hurtling through the air, landing on the ground around them. A fern bush went up in flames beside Archer, and Sienna gasped at the sight of all the blood on him.

“Archer!” she screeched softly, panic taking a vicious grip.

“Sienna!” Declan snapped, tipping her chin back to his. “I can’t help Archer until I have you out of the aim of the damn arrows. We don’t know if Warrick has men on this side of the river too so we have to act fast.”

She nodded, struggling to regain her composure. “On the count of three.”

His nod of agreement was brief, and he quickly started counting.

On the count of three, in the quick pause between the next batch of arrows, Declan pulled her to her feet. Holding her, he raced for the rocks, moving so fast that Sienna’s head rattled.

Their attackers set off another batch of burning arrows. Declan spun around, shielding Sienna’s body with his own, and flung out an arm, diverting the flaming arrows with ease. He grabbed her hand and took the last few steps into the safety of the rocks.

“Are you okay?” he asked, quickly scanning her body for injuries.

“I’m fine. I can take care of myself. Go.”

“They’re not after us, Sienna. They’re after you. Stay here until I come for you.”

“I will. Go!”

Declan vanished as another batch of flaming arrows tore through the air. Keeping hidden, Sienna scanned the horizon, frowning when all she found was blackness.

A rustle in the bushes had her whirling around, relief flooding her as Ethan tumbled into the rocky shelter with Rose in his arms. They were both panting and Sienna raced to them, reaching for Rose.

“Gran, are you okay?”

“She’s hurt,” Ethan said breathlessly, lowering Rose to the ground.

Sienna sank to her knees beside her grandmother, a new realm of fear taking a firm hold of her. Rose appeared exhausted, bloody, and dirty, the night having taken a toll on her. “What happened?”

“She was struck by an arrow, but it’s a shallow wound. She’ll be fine.” He swung around and headed for the forest. “See what you can do for Rose. I’m going for Archer.”

Ethan disappeared and Sienna turned to her grandmother. She moved Rose’s hand away to examine the wound, the smell of fresh blood making her stomach roll. If it weren’t for the raw adrenaline that coursed through her, numbing her senses, she would’ve gagged. The lack of light prevented her from seeing much, but her fingers fumbled along the wound, stopping when they brushed against the remains of the arrow stuck in her shoulder.

“Ethan snapped off most of it. You have to pull out the rest,” Rose grunted.

“Gran.”

“Do it, Sienna.”

She did, cringing at the sucking sound the wound made as she withdrew the arrow from Rose’s flesh. She tossed the offensive weapon and quickly ripped a piece of material from the hem of Rose’s skirt. Rose reached for the material and placed it against the bleeding wound with a grimace.

“I’m so sorry, Gran,” Sienna said, covering Rose’s hand with hers. “We’ll get you home soon, I promise.”

“I’m fine, Sienna. Really, it wasn’t deep. Had Ethan not pushed me out of the way when he had, it would have been a different outcome. Some healing herbs and a wound dressing and I’ll be fine.”

“There’s so much blood.”

“Typical of a superficial wound. Where’s Declan and Archer?”

Sienna’s head shot up to peer at the opening of the rocks. The fire had taken hold of several plants and bushes, the burning blaze providing enough light for them to see. The crackling of forest debris hissed through the forest, adding a fresh bout of panic.

She heard Ethan shouting Archer’s name and frowned when he returned. Alone.

“Where’s Archer?” she asked, scanning the area behind Ethan.

“I can’t find him.” His words came out through gritted teeth.

“What do you mean? Where is he?”

“He must have gone for cover.”

“He’d never leave me, Ethan. And he has an arrow in his chest. Where is he?”

“I don’t know!” He knelt beside Rose. “You okay, Rose?”

“Yes. Sienna removed the last of the arrow.”

Declan’s arrival had Sienna and Ethan whirling around on high alert, defences primed. “It’s okay,” he said quickly, sensing the defensive attack. “It’s me.”

Sienna glanced behind him. The fires still burned but the onslaught of arrows had stopped and silence had rolled through the forest. “Are they –?”