There are some clumsy spells here. Nothing major. Ive gone around them rather than getting rid of them. That way theres no indicator anyone was here. A mage cast them so theyre third-rate. She curled her lip as she gathered up the data sticks.
Faine grinned at her. Youre sexy when youre full of derision.
Jayce chuckled. You and your brothers seem to share a love of the same type of female. He tipped his head toward Mei, who shook her head.
They then moved to PURITYs headquarters. Because they didnt know if anyone would be inside, they chose a spot down the block. Faine had them stay while he and Jayce moved closer.
They returned shortly. Looks like the lights are off in the downstairs, but one is on upstairs.
You all stay here. I can cast a dont-look spell and get in and out quickly.
Faine snorted. I think not. Im better at stealth than you are. And Ive been inside to check them out once before. I know where everything is.
Yes, but I know if any trap spells have been cast.
Good goddess, you two are so much like Card and Mei its sort of scary. Jayce sighed. Youre both right. Mei and I can easily hide the four of us from detection so Im going to suggest we travel into the first floor and well take it from there.
Which is how Helena found herself standing in the front entry to PURITYs DC headquarters. The hatred emanated from the walls. Shed heard witches talk about such things and had been close enough to Carlo Powers and some of the others from PURITY that shed felt their personal hatred toward her and the rest of Others, but this was as if the whole place overflowed with negative power.
Faine bristled as they moved carefully through. Someone was on a phone call but the main reception area was empty and the lights were off. There were no spells of any kind but she figured thered be cameras. Before theyd arrived, Jayce had done something to shield them from any camera view.
Helena then sent a magickal bomb of sorts out that would overload the closed circuit cameras and any security for about ten minutes. More than enough time. She hoped that phone call wouldnt have any trouble though.
Ill keep an eye on the door, Mei murmured and headed out.
Helena used the data sticks and Faine searched the drawers and they repeated the process on the two other offices downstairs.
He just got off his call. No one else is here.
Helena moved to a spot just outside the door and used a sleep spell. It would last for about ten minutes. Once he was out, shed give him a suggestion that he had done something to mess up the security and cameras and caused a short. Hed want to cover up his stupidity so hed keep it all to himself and no one would know there was ever an issue.
It turned out her sleeper was one of Powers sons, his top goon.
She wished she could put him in a tree outside so when he woke up hed fall and break something. But she reined it in. It would be better this way. No one would suspect anyone was ever there.
Helena did the spell and planted the suggestion before she also cast a surveillance spell keyed to certain phrases as she and Faine did a search and gathered data from all the computers on the second floor.
I can get into his head. Helena looked Greg Powers over. Its moderately dangerous. But I wont kill him.
I dont care if you do or not. Faine shrugged as he took out Gregs phone and removed the SIM card. This could be helpful.
She got to her knees in front of Gregs body. If he starts to wake up, dont panic, Ill take care of him.
Using the spell she and Lark had perfected over the years, she dove into his head, riffling through his memories, not bothering to be subtle. He wouldnt know why he had a headache but she didnt care anyway.
And what she saw chilled her to the bone. So much that it was difficult to leave without doing some real damage. He didnt deserve to live.
But she didnt want to deal with the added weight on her soul of killing when she didnt have to. She had enough death in her future and some in her past. It was better to only do it when she had to.
Sometimes being the better person sucked.
She pulled free and noted they had only a minute or so until the security and cameras kicked back on.
I was getting ready to shake you. Faine helped her stand. Can we get out of here?
Yes, lets go. Back home, we dont need to go to Powers house. Its not worth the risk and Im pretty sure weve got more than enough information.
They ended up back in Faines living room. What did you see? Faine asked.
They have plans to attack Rebeccas house. They know where she lives. Thank goodness she went to the enclave earlier. I think we need to call the cops though and give them a heads up. Or rather, Ill call Agent Anderson at the task force because the issue of how I came by the information wont be as big a deal. PURITY is using enough explosives to injure people on the whole block. And they know where Meriel is. One of their spies from Owen got them access to a directory. Thats how they knew where to find Lark and Simons house. They have a list of all the top-ranking witches. One of the mages has told them they need one of these witches to do the spell to open a portal. What the mage told them isnt possible, so thats something at least. But theyre willing to kill however many, and whoever they have to. Carlo Powers is obsessed with the Magister. He thinks he can control it.
Faine scrubbed his hands over his face. Fuck.
Yes. The plus is that they really have no way of bringing the Magister back. But they have no hesitation at all in killing or harming anyone to try it. I need to get all this data to our IT people. They can get in and see what we can find. And I need to get this info to Lark and the others so they can make sure all clan leadership is away from known addresses.
We can drop it somewhere if you like, Mei offered.
Helena thanked them. She made a call, told the IT people to be at the offices to get all the data off those sticks. She wrote a note, shoved it and the sticks in an envelope and handed it to Mei. Thank you so much. Youve saved lives by helping us tonight. Gennessee wont forget that.
Thats what family does. Mei hugged her. Now you need to rest or get some protein in you. You used a lot of magick to get into his head back there.
Faine narrowed his eyes at her but waited until theyd left before he turned her way again. I know you need to make calls. Im going to make some food and you will eat it without complaint or I will call your mother.
You fight dirty. She liked it.
Dont forget it.
She smiled as she grabbed her phone. I wont. Thank you. She dialed the number Anderson had instructed her to use in urgent situations.
Anderson. Hed clearly been awake.
Id say I was sorry for waking you up, but I think I should be sorry youre not sleeping at nearly two your time. Its Helena Jaansen and I have bad news for you.
Riots and bad news from my favorite witch too. Busy night in America.
Shit, shed forgotten about the riots. She didnt know if something even worse had happened while they were gone so she turned on the TV with the sound off and plunged ahead with the reason for the call.
Ive come by some information that PURITY has plans to kidnap Rebecca Gennessee. Ive heard this info twice. I know Senator Sato called you regarding the first source.
Weve got people on her location. Well, outside her location. Nothing amiss has happened.
We moved her, as you know. But theres more. Theyre planning to use enough explosives to level her house and probably her side of the street for a block or so.
What? His tone sharpened and she knew what was coming so she headed it off.
I cant tell you how I know. Only that I do. Greg Powers is behind a plan to kidnap Rebecca, Meriel or possibly other powerful witches to aid his father in bringing back the Magister. They know the locations of these witches because they are in possession of a directory of sorts.
Like my middle schooler has?
Probably. Look, before this mess we were just a bunch of people with magick. We had potlucks and ran businesses. None of this war or spying stuff happened. PURITY brought all this on. We just like to eat casseroles and gossip.
He snorted. Spare me. Ive seen you fight. You didnt just learn that yesterday.
No. Ive been trained my entire life to do this job and still, Ive never blown up anyones home. Ive never assaulted a child or started a riot. The bald facts are that humans have pushed this situation to the brink. Weve done nothing but react to what youve done to us.
I apologize. Im not trying to offend. I know. But not all of us are these PURITY assholes.
I know that. Which is why I called the FBI instead of handling this threat on my own. She let that hang for a moment. She would handle it if he didnt, and she wouldnt leave a body. Just because she didnt kill Greg Powers a few minutes before didnt mean she wouldnt later on if the situation merited it.
She was giving Andersonand humans in generala chance to make things right.
Ive already got people on the clan leadership in the major cities. Are the explosives planted now?
I dont know. I just know its part of their plan. Her house and property are warded pretty well. But if they were bringing the explosives, or if theyd planted some under the house in the sewers or next door . . .
Ill send teams over to check things out. So, this story about spies for Hayes disappearing.
Dunno what you mean. Ill talk to you later. Thanks. She hung up before he could say anything else. In the kitchen Faine was making bacon and eggs. Her head hurt and she normally would have gotten a bloody nose for using that spell to get into Powers head. But in the post-Magister world, bloody noses from overuse of magick seemed far rarer.
She watched the destruction on television as she called Lark and filled her in.
Chapter 26
HE found her dabbing her eyes and staring at the television. Her sadness hit him and he realized hed assumed it was his own and had been ignoring it as hed been cooking.
Hey. He handed her a plate and let her get herself together. But he settled next to her, needing that contact.
So happy first day bound to me. Hows that working out for you? She ate a piece of bacon. Thanks, by the way. Youre a really good cook as well as the other services you provide.
Her smile made him feel a little better. As it happens, though the day has been challenging, being bound to you has been quite lovely. Unexpected, I suppose, because no one can really express just what it feels like to be so connected to someone you love. What about you?
Im not quite sure what Ive done to deserve you, to be honest. I used to be calm. Like every day. I didnt cry when I watched television unless it was Steel Magnolias. Being around you reminds me that I used to be that.
You resent me for it?
Huh? No! Why would you think that? Cant you feel me? Or whatever?
Her confusion was sort of adorable, but he figured telling her that would be a bad thing at that moment. So tell me what you mean.
No. Im sick of thinking about it and talking about it.
Youre a difficult woman. He grinned and when she turned, annoyed, she saw it and rolled her eyes.
Im too tired for you to poke at.
Eat your food and then lets sleep a while. Did you talk to Lark?
Shes upset about the house all over again. Meriel and Dominic have moved into an enclave. Simon doesnt want to, but he wants Lark safe so theyre in one for the time being. Your name may have come up in a Faine did it for Helena and so you should do it for Lark way. Not by me. I think it might have been my dad.
He cringed and then laughed. Thats what its like having a father-in-law, I guess. He wants you both safe and he has every right to expect me and Simon to make that happen. Though I do plan to ask him if he has a lawn mower and some Bermuda shorts the next time I see him.
She snickered. You two. But then she put her head on his shoulder. Im so tired. Im afraid of fucking up, but Im so tired of being afraid to mess up that Im sort of feeling punk rock about it. Like, bring it, Im a cranky-ass bitch now so watch yourself.
I have no idea what you mean by that, but it sounds defiant and good and you said it with such viciousness Im okay with it. Theres so much happening right now.
St. Louis is on fire. A little girl was turned away at a hospital. Who does that? She may die and all the person could think of was that she was a shifter? What is wrong with the world? Who raised such a creature? I can try to report a possible bombing, but I cant stop that. Its totally out of my control.
I know how much you hate being out of control, alamah.
I do. She frowned and he nudged her to keep eating. Grump and eat. Now that I know you get depleted after magick and need protein, Im going to make sure you take care of yourself. Thats how I deal with my fear that something will happen to you.
She looked up as she forked eggs into her mouth.
What? Did you think I was beyond worries? I worry about you every waking moment. Its part and parcel of loving a warrior isnt it?
Youre very reasonable for someone who looks as good as you do.
I do try. He paused a moment. Its okay to be afraid. I know you were raised to feel differently. But the world now is full of things to be afraid of. Youd be a fool not to fear for the future. Youd be irresponsible not to understand the gravity of what you do and how much people rely on you and not to be worried about letting them down. Fear doesnt make you weak, Helena. It makes you strong. Because you do it anyway. You know the stakes and you get up every damned morning and you do your best.