P.C. Cast - Hidden

“Really? Let us test that theory. I assume you would prefer to live.” Neferet paused, waiting expectantly for Sylvia’s response.

“I would.” Sylvia’s words were a whisper.

“Well, I believe I can control whether you live or die. Now, let’s see who has the most power.” Neferet raised her wrist. With a quick, practiced movement she slashed one pointed fingernail through the vein that pulsed near the surface there. “I grow weary of this conversation.” Neferet’s tone changed to singsong as her blood flowed.

“Come, children, taste my rage

Use my power to close her cage!”

Her loyal tendrils of Darkness slithered to her, eagerly feeding from her wrist. Refortified, they circled back to Sylvia. The old woman lifted her arms defensively, but as she did so several of her bracelets broke, raining turquoise and silver through the closing bars of her cage, and falling harmlessly in the growing pool of her blood.

When the old woman tried to begin her song again, her words were cut short as pulsing tendrils filled the skin left naked and unprotected on her arms.

Sylvia Redbird gasped in pain renewed. Neferet laughed.

Kalona

Humans don’t look up. That was one thing that had not changed as the world aged. Man had conquered the sky, and yet unless there was a brilliant sunset or a full, gleaming moon to gaze upon, humans rarely glanced above their heads. Kalona did not understand it, but he was grateful for it. He circled the Mayo, sighting Damien, Stevie Rae, Shaylin, and Shaunee. Then he returned to the ONEOK Plaza building, landing beside Thanatos.

“The four are in place.”

Thanatos nodded. “Good. Zoey has gone within. It is time to begin.” She reached within her voluminous velvet robe and brought out a large, dark bag and a long box of wooden matches.

Kalona gestured to the bag. “Salt to bind?”

“Indeed, it is a large building. I need a lot of salt.”

The immortal nodded, thinking that he’d actually come to appreciate Thanatos’s dry sense of humor. “Let’s hope there is some luck in that bag as well.”

“Luck? I didn’t think immortals believed in it.”

“We’re rescuing a human, not an immortal. Humans cross their fingers and toes and wish each other good luck. I am simply following suit,” he said. “Plus, I believe we can use all the help we can get. If that means a little luck, then I will take it.”

“As will I.” Thanatos held out her hand to him. “No matter what the outcome of tonight, I know that you will keep your oath to me, and through me, to Nyx. I wish you to blessed be, Kalona.”

He grasped her forearm and bowed his head to her respectfully. “Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again, High Priestess.”

Kalona took to the sky as Thanatos crossed Fifth Street and entered the dark alley where Damien, guarded by Stark, waited. Perching on one of the east wall’s stone buttress, Kalona watched from above. He was surprised that Thanatos’s voice carried so clearly to him—and then his surprise turned to vigilance. The power in the High Priestess’s spell was tangible, and if he could hear it, so too might a human.

“Come, air, to this night’s circle I call

protect, defend, be present—hear all.”

Thanatos struck the match and the yellow candle leaped to life, illuminating Damien’s somber face. Stark stood in front of him, bow and arrow in hand. Kalona hovered overhead as the High Priestess retraced her steps, moving quickly out of the alley and to the front of the Mayo. Hand buried in her robes, Thanatos was spilling a trail of salt. The lights on the decorative foyer entrance caught the tiny crystals, and from above it looked as if she were leaving a path of diamonds behind her.

Thanatos walked to the small, round table at which Darius and Shaunee were sitting. The young fledgling had placed her large purse before her, so that it blocked the view of her red pillar candle from passersby.

“Come, fire, to this night’s circle I plead

vigilant, strong, to fulfill our need.”

The match burst into flame before Thanatos could strike it, lighting the red candle in an audible whoosh!

Kalona scowled. It was good that the elements were manifesting, but he wished they would be less noisy about it.

With salt trailing her, Thanatos walked quickly around the building to the sidewalk that ran beside the street called Cheyenne. As on the alley side of the building, there were buttresses halfway up its nine stories, and that was where Kalona perched, gazing down at the small fledgling who sat cross-legged in the middle of a hedgerow. Shaylin had hidden herself so well that Thanatos almost walked past her. Kalona nodded to himself in approval of the child. “Young,” he muttered, “but wily. Nyx was not wrong to gift that one.”

“Come, water, to this night’s circle I ask,

Flow, wash, fill, empower—this is your task.”

The blue candle didn’t explode to life, as had Shaunee’s fire, but it did burn steadily, and Kalona could smell the cool scent of springtime showers wafting up to him.

He took to the sky, once again following the High Priestess.

Stevie Rae waited with Rephaim in the rear of the building. Thanatos had to climb down a steep, dark stairway and pick her way around vans that waited to make deliveries. Kalona hovered, watching closely. Rephaim protects his Stevie Rae, and I protect my son. But it seemed such vigilance was not needed. The night was as silent as death herself as Thanatos stepped before Stevie Rae.

“Come, earth, to this night’s circle I beseech,

Support, ground, hold confidence within reach.”

The green candle sputtered to flame. In its flickering light, Kalona caught a glimpse of Rephaim’s upturned face. The boy looked steady and sure, as if he believed there was no possibility of the night’s outcome not being positive.

Kalona wished he had his son’s faith.

He flew up, keeping Thanatos in sight as the High Priestess completed the circle around the Mayo, cutting down the alley from the rear, and moving quickly and silently past Damien and Stark, fully encasing the building in a trail of salt. When she reached the front of the building again, Thanatos hesitated only long enough to glance up. Kalona met her gaze before soaring to the top of the ONEOK Plaza and perching there. From that vantage point the immortal watched the cloaked High Priestess enter the Mayo. She disappeared for a few moments, and then he caught sight of her dark cloak as she joined Zoey and Aphrodite at their booth near the restaurant’s large picture window.

Kalona could not hear her words, but he whispered the completion of the elemental call.

“Come, spirit, to this night’s circle I cry

Endow, infill, on your might we rely.”

Zoey had carried a tiny purple votive in her pocket to the restaurant. She and Aphrodite had talked about hiding it behind the textbook they’d used as a prop. Kalona’s view was not good enough to see the candlelight, but that the circle was cast and the protective spell set, he was absolutely sure. He felt the inrush of elemental power. It tingled across his skin like an electric spark.

No! The winged immortal wanted to shout to the night. If I can sense the spell, then so might Neferet! With horrible dread Kalona stared across the space that separated the roof of his building and the rooftop balcony of Neferet’s penthouse. He could not see over the thick stone balustrades. Should he fly high and take the risk that Neferet would catch sight of him? What was happening over there?

“Hurry, boy. Get up there and keep Neferet distracted so that she does not know they circle below and the vengeance she wreaks falls only upon you. I will be certain they all get away. Steal the old woman before the Tsi Sgili kills you!” That was the unspoken truth. Kalona knew it, and he believed Aurox knew it as well. There would be no escape for Aurox. Neferet was going to kill her betraying Vessel this night.