Anya Bast: Witch Heart

"My people?" She made a scoffing sound. "You're not my people. You only took me from my people, Rue. All these years you kept me from coming home, from having a normal life, from having friends and being loved. Is it any wonder I'm standing here now with a knife pressed to my throat?"

She glanced at Adam. Claire saw in his eyes that he understood. She was bluffing.

Adam reached out a hand to her. "Claire, you're starting to scare me."

"Back off, Adam," she said, moving away from him. "All of you, just stay away from me. Tell me why I shouldn't do it, just cut my own throat now? I'm caught between worlds. I belong nowhere. If I live, I'm doomed to a life either as a slave to Rue or running from the Atrika ."

"You have that one who cares for you." Rue jerked his chin at Adam. "You were protective of him just minutes ago. You were holding his hand."

Uh oh. She lapsed into a steady stream of Aemni. "You know nothing of the customs here, Rue. You don't know what it means when a female holds the hand of a male aeamon . You know nothing of what it means when a male defends a female. You know nothing of intimate relationships at all… and you made sure I didn't either."

Her voice broke on the last part. It was all true what she said. Adam had taught her about intimate relationships, taught her what it was to truly love.

Rue's mouth snapped shut.

"So this is how it's going to work," she said, her voice a little louder and a little stronger. "You're letting me go free."

Rue stiffened. "You will not dictate to me—"

She rotated the knife, pressed until she winced and saw stars. Adam let out a sharp breath near her. "Yes, I will, Rue. Do as I say and you can have the elium back… but you can't have me."

"I thought you liked your life on Eudae." Rue actually sounded hurt.

"I was kept in a very nice cage and given anything I could desire." She paused. "But it was still a cage, Rue. I've had my taste of freedom, of home. If there's anything I have to live for, it's that. Take it away and I want to die."

And that was the unvarnished truth. Not a bluff.

"So," she continued in a calm, sure voice. "If you want the elium back, you'll take it from me… and then you'll leave. Promise me, Rue. Give me your word in an Ytrayi blood oath right now."

Rue hesitated and she stared him down. If he refused, she wasn't sure what she'd do. Her strength was returning somewhat, but she wasn't sure she could tap the elium again. Anyway, she didn't want to hurt Rue. She certainly didn't want to kill him.

Finally, Rue's eyes grew red and his fangs extended a little. Adam shifted uneasily beside her, not knowing that was exactly how she wanted Rue to react.

Rue bit his wrist and a trickle of blood trailed down his lowered hand and fingers, then dripped to the earth of the conservatory where it sizzled, popped and destroyed the green growing things within range.

He spoke in Aemni, "I, Rue dae Raemish Tor, Cae of the Atrayi have shed my blood to show I am bound to complete the following." He paused, raised his gaze to Claire's face and held it there. "Withdraw the magickal weapon, elium, from the one known as Claire Crane. I release her from her bonds of servitude so that she may live out the rest of her life where and how she chooses."

Claire had stiffened and gone still at the word Crane. "Is that my last name?"

Rue nodded once. "Forgive me for never telling you."

She took several steps toward him, lowering her knife. The oath was uttered out loud, blood was shed. Rue wouldn't go back on that. "What else do you know?"

Rue spread his hands. "That's all, Claire. You simply didn't need to know your last name on Eudae, so I never told you."

Claire bit back a scream of absolute frustration. "Let's do this," she gritted out.

"You must come back with me to remove the elium. I cannot do it here."

"What?" Adam stormed forward. "No way—"

Claire put a hand on his arm. "Rue has sworn an oath in the Ytrayi custom. He won't renege."

"I don't want you going back there for any reason."

Rue turned his head and stared at him. "If you want the elium out of her, she must. I don't have the things I need here to accomplish it. You can come along if you're so concerned for her welfare. Claire doesn't need to fear me. I would never harm her."

"Or Adam, right, Rue? You would never hurt Adam either."

Rue sighed. "No. Not now that I understand how much he means to you. I know you care for him, Claire. I know more about aeamon relationships than you think I do." He leveled his gaze at Adam. "But he'd better stop attacking me."

Adam replied through a locked jaw. "You first."

Claire turned away and headed out of the conservatory. Her stomach tightened at the damage from the battle. Here and there, witches picked through the wreckage of the corridor. "We're bringing Micah with us, too," she said over her shoulder. "And you won't hurt him either."

Rue, for the first time in all the years she'd known him, simply nodded and followed her.

"Claire…" Thomas sighed in relief when she stepped into the library. "You're all right." Jack stood with Mira at the far end of the room, their child held close in his arms.

She raised her gaze and surveyed the damage to Thomas's beautiful bookshelves. "Houses, I'm so sorry, Thomas."

Isabelle walked over and took her by her arm. "Never mind that. It's just a building: they're just books. You're all right and that's all that matters." Her voice trailed off as Rue and Adam entered the room, her gaze fixed on Rue. Isabelle's face shuttered and hatred flared in her eyes.

"He won't hurt you," said Claire. "And I have him oath-bound to take back the elium and free me. The catch is I have to go back to Eudae for him to be able to do it. I thought maybe Micah would want to come."

"I'm going, too," said Adam.

"I don't want any of you to go," said Thomas forcefully. "Are you forgetting what happened to me when I ended up there?"

Rue held up his hand. "Peace, mage. I will not allow any of your people to come to harm. I understand more about your… witches now." The word was foreign to him. Aeamon were aeamon to Rue, at least before now. "The warlocks you fight are like the Atrika , but you and your people are akin to the Atrayi . Indeed, I believe you carry our blood. I think it would be wise to form an alliance with you."

Thomas smoldered, his hands fisting. "I don't see how that can be possible. Anyway, to what end? I can't see any reason we would need an alliance."

Rue shrugged. "Your Coven witches carry the daaeman genes of the Ytrayi. If this is true, I suspect your warlocks carry the genes of the Atrika. Don't think our goals might not be in alignment in the future."

Thomas only stared Rue down as though he could light the demon on fire with his hostile gaze alone. His answer was clear in his eyes and in his expression. It made even Claire want to retreat.

Isabelle stepped forward, a little bit in front of her husband in a defensive gesture. Claire understood how Isabelle felt, but Thomas hardly needed anyone's protection. "We don't want an alliance with you or your people for any reason, ever ."

"I hope you never regret those words," Rue answered.

Micah walked into the room behind the demon. "I heard I have a chance to visit Eudae." He'd probably been called by Mira. Air magick could be handy that way. His voice held an undeniable note of excitement.

Thomas turned away.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to," said Isabelle.

Micah just gave her a look. "Do you know what I would risk for a chance to go there?"

"You have my word they'll be unharmed," Claire said. "I have Rue's word and so do you. I understand why you would be concerned, but in this circumstance, both Adam and Micah will be returned to the Coven without incident."