Witchlock (31 page)

 “I asked Lucien what happened when he reported that to VIPER and he said Sen dismissed it without a second thought because it was when all of you Beladors were having so many problems with your power while Brina was missing. Sen said he didn’t care what the Medb smelled like as long as they kept killing demons.”
 

“No one told me,” Tzader snapped.
 

“Lucien was told not to repeat it, which makes me wonder if Sen had a hand in any of this.”
 

That floored Tzader based on the surprise in his face. “If that was ever proven, the Tribunal would take Sen apart one piece at a time for all this trouble they’re going through.”
 

“He tried to kill Storm once,” Evalle interjected.
 

“There’s no proof besides your word,” Storm reminded her. “Sen would come up with some kind of defense to get around it, claiming that even if you believe that’s what you saw you were too distraught to know what really happened. Or some shit like that.”
 

“You’ve got a point, but I’d like to see Sen hung with abetting the person behind all this.”  Evalle looked over at Storm. “Lucien was told to say nothing, but he told you?”
 

“Lucien is a loner and he doesn’t like Sen any more than I do. We talked. That’s all.”
 

“We need to get busy,” Evalle said, ready to get out of there and do something while she still had a few hours of darkness left.
 

Tzader told Storm, “Sorry I had to put you on the spot in the Tribunal meeting, but I’m glad you were there.”
 

Storm waved it off. “I’ll go anywhere she goes.”
 

But would he ever be able to stay with her anywhere she lived? He’d said he was glad about living with her, but she still had her doubts, and she needed to share those doubts with him, as Nicole had suggested. She stifled a sigh. That conversation would have to wait a little longer now.
 

Nodding at Storm, Tzader said, “I’ll pull as many Beladors as we need off of any duty, other than guarding Brina, to help. You’re about to see the full force of the Beladors when it’s comes to protecting one of their own.”
 

Tendrils of warmth swarmed through Evalle at Tzader’s declaration of support from the entire tribe. She’d spent years trying to prove she
belonged to the Belador tribe. She’d been called a Belador from the day a druid brought her into the fold, but saving Treoir from the Medb and bringing Storm to use his majik to return Brina to the castle had gone a long way to securing her position in the minds and hearts of some warriors who’d still been wary of her.
 

“Evalle?”
 

She looked up at Tzader calling to her and found both men staring at her. “What?”
 

Storm almost smiled, but he managed to tuck it away and maintain a serious face in front of Tzader, who was scowling. “I asked if you could talk to Quinn.”
 

“I told you I would.”
 

“I need you to do it soon. I took Lanna to Treoir–”
 

“Good idea. Lanna may be able to help.”
 

“We’ll see, but I want to hand over the Maistir responsibilities for a few months once this is settled, and he’s the only one I would put in my place. Maybe longer than a few months if it works out.”
 

“You’d step down?”
 

Tzader and Quinn had been her rocks since the first time they’d met. They’d been captured in a Medb trap and all three had almost died. Tzader had always been the one in charge, because he was a leader of warriors.
 

But right now indecision warred with duty in his gaze and Evalle had never seen him so torn.
 

He said, “Brina isn’t making progress. Macha said she believes Brina is losing more memories. I would never turn my back on the Beladors when they need me, but right now Brina needs me more.”
 

He was breaking her heart. Evalle said, “Oh, Z. What do you need me to do?”
 

“Just help get Quinn’s head in the right place so that if I have to ask him to take over for me, he can.”
 

“How is his present state of mind?”
 

“I wanted him to tell you, but when Kizira was dying she told him they had a child, born of when they met thirteen years ago.”
 

Evalle felt that punch to her stomach and she wasn’t even Quinn. “He’s going to want to find her.”
 

“He’s already started trying and I think he believed that Lanna was his best way to find Phoedra.”
 

Finally, a bright spot in all this. “Lanna says she can find anyone by touching something that belongs to them.”
 

“Right. Quinn has a narrow braid the size of a bracelet that Kizira made
from his hair. She wove in strands of Phoedra’s hair later. When Quinn handed the bracelet to Lanna it burned her hands severely.”
 

“Is she okay?”
 

“I took her to Garwyli and left her there until I can go back and smooth the way with Macha to allow Lanna to stay with Brina. I think that will help her since Lanna was with Brina during the time she was gone and her memories corrupted.”
 

All that sparked a thought. Evalle considered everything and decided maybe it was time she took care of her two best friends. “You bring up a good point about Quinn. I think he needs something to keep him from withdrawing and pulling inside himself. Hunting his daughter will do that if he doesn’t lose hope.”
 

Tzader’s eyebrows drew tight in thought. “You’re right. I hadn’t wanted to bother him, but giving him more to do and keeping him close by so we can help him find Phoedra might be good for him.”
 

“Right,” Evalle agreed as if this was Tzader’s idea. “Handing him some of your duties would be a good start, plus he’d have constant access to resources for hunting his daughter. Why don’t you give him a push of motivation by telling him you need this time with Brina, which is the truth?”
 

Storm watched her with an assessing look. What was going on in his mind?
 

Evalle had never been much for touching, not even with Tzader and Quinn, but since Storm had changed all that, now she could offer her friend more than just words. She walked over and hugged Tzader, who put his arms around her, holding her close like the brother she never had. When she stepped back, she got a glimpse of the haunted soul Tzader kept stowed away from others.
 

She asked, “If I talk Quinn into taking over
now
, will you go to Treoir instead of waiting on the outcome of my trial?”
 

“No. Don’t even start that.”
 

“Then I won’t help Quinn.” She crossed her arms, letting her defiance fly in his face.
 

Storm looked at her as if she’d turned into a frog. “Why?”
 

She explained, “If Tzader thinks Quinn is capable of being Maistir, then he should trust him now. All of you are so damned determined to protect me. Let’s give Quinn that job, too, if you think he needs something to do.”
 

 Tzader opened his mouth to argue and stopped.
 

“Right,” Evalle said, pleased with herself. For once, she was giving directions. “You don’t have an argument, Z. If you really believe Quinn
can be the Maistir then give him all your trust.
 

Grumbling and pacing for a moment, Tzader said, “I don’t like this.”
 

“Welcome to my world.” She smiled to soften her chiding. “You tell Quinn you’re going to Treoir and you need him to take your place as Maistir. In all the time I’ve known you, you’ve asked nothing of me and I’ll bet you’ve rarely asked anything of Quinn. It’s your turn to let us do our part as friends. I have no problem trusting Quinn to stand by me with the Tribunal. If he calls to ask my opinion, I’ll tell him that we need him now. And we do. This is me helping you on my terms the way you help me on yours. Get used to it.”
 

Tzader gave her a sharp look but softened with amusement. “You do realize I’m still Maistir?”
 

“Yes and you’re also one of my best friends. Do this for Quinn and Brina. Do something for yourself for once. Storm has the best chance of delivering the evidence we need. Let Quinn be a hero and help Storm.”
 

“Damn,” he said in a rush of exhale. “If Quinn’s okay with it, then I’ll go to Brina.”
 

Evalle would make sure of it, because Quinn needed his friends now, too.
 

She swiped her hands over her hair. “Done.”  Now she had to go home to keep peace with Storm in an apartment that was starting to feel like a dungeon. Once this Tribunal trial was dealt with, she’d have to fulfill her new duties as liaison, but she was going to have that talk with Storm come hell or high water.
 

If she didn’t end up in a real dungeon.
 

Chapter 29
 

Evalle watched Storm open the door of her apartment with his duffel in hand. He shrugged. “I’m sorry about this. My fault. I shouldn’t have made you my mate without asking you first.”
 

“It’s okay. I love being bonded to you. I can make this work, but you’re just walking away.”
 

“You’re not happy and it’s my fault.”  Her chest hurt, but it couldn’t be from her heart beating too hard, because she had nothing but an empty hole where her heart should be.
 

He stepped out and closed the door as a loud chiming started.
 

Nooo!
 

Evalle sat straight up, suddenly awake. The chiming was her phone ringing. Quinn’s ringtone. Still trying to get back to the present, she reached for her phone and checked the clock.
 

Two ten.
 

In the afternoon?
 

“Hello?” She sounded drugged to her own ears. Or ... put into a deep majik sleep. Had Storm...?
 

He’d wakened her early this morning because she’d been crying in her sleep. The same dream she’d had again just now. He’d kissed her tears away, they’d ended up making love, and that’s the last thing she remembered.
 

“Evalle? I tried calling you telepathically and didn’t get an answer.”
 

She sat up, rubbing her eyes, trying to focus on what Quinn was saying. “Sorry. I was ... up late.”
 

“I can let you go.”
 

“No, I’m good. What’s going on?”
 

“I take it Tzader mentioned about passing off his Maistir position.”
 

Hallelujah. Tzader had actually done what she’d asked. “Yes. I know he doesn’t want to impose on you but—”
 

“Frankly, I’m glad to have him not walking on eggshells around me.”
 

Her heart whimpered every time she thought about what Quinn had suffered with losing Kizira. “I wish I could do something to take away your pain, Quinn.”
 

“I know, but you can’t. It’s done and I’ll have to live with it.”
 

Guilt hung heavy in his words, but arguing right now would not change his mind. Evalle asked, “What did you do with ... Kizira?”
 

“She’s in a mausoleum in Oakland Park Cemetery secured with one my triquetras.” He paused, but his voice had gotten gruff sounding. He cleared
his throat. “I doubt Macha knows or she’d have cardiac arrest if she found out that I didn’t follow procedure for dealing with a deceased witch of Kizira’s caliber.”
 

“Macha wouldn’t die, but she’d probably have a bad hair day.”
 

“If that ever happens, I hope someone has a smart phone handy.”
 

Evalle smiled, hearing the amusement in Quinn’s voice. Might as well plow ahead. “Tzader told me about Phoedra.”
 

That problem bombed Quinn’s happy moment, but Evalle wanted to help him focus on something positive to do with Kizira. He admitted, “I couldn’t talk about Phoedra before I left to go away.”
 

“You didn’t have to tell us then, but now that we know we’ll all help you find her.”
 

“I don’t want anyone outside my closest circle to know about her. I have no idea if the Medb can find her, but you can bet if they could they’d try to take her.”
 

“Good point. Let’s hope they don’t have a clue.”
 

“The person who makes the mistake of touching Phoedra will find out just how powerful my mind is,” he said in such a dark voice it raised the hair on Evalle’s arms.
 

There was the grim Quinn that Tzader had been talking about.
 

Evalle said, “Agreed. We tell no one about this without clearing it through you first. Now, we need a plan.”
 

“My plan burned the palms of Lanna’s hands. Kizira must have placed a spell on it to protect someone with Lanna’s gifts from finding Phoedra easily.”
 

“I know that hurt Lanna, but Tzader told me Garwyli healed her hands immediately, and knowing Lanna she’d do it all over again if there was a chance to find Phoedra,” Evalle said to soothe his remorse. “Adrianna might be able to help.”
 

He asked with a hint of surprise, “The Sterling witch? I thought you didn’t like her.”
 

“She’s okay. I’ve gotten to know her and she helped me find Storm. In fact, she’s helped me several times now in one way or another. Traveling to Mitnal was freaky and Storm might complain about Adrianna sending me through the spirit world again, but I’m willing if she is and if you’ll let her be in on finding Phoedra.”
 

“I’m not interested in having you travel astrally, but I would be open to discussing this with Adrianna if you’re sure we can trust her.”