I slipped the chain back over my neck, put the knives on the chair holding Elysian, then sat on the next one and opened the pizza box. It was a meat feast—he was a man after my own heart.
I scooped up a slice and then said, “At least she’s in the hands of people used to dealing with this sort of thing.”
“Doesn’t help ease the worry though.”
It was doubtful anything would except seeing her whole and untouched by the darkness currently inhabiting her. And given what Mo had already said, that was highly unlikely. Not that I was about to tell him that.
He carefully removed a cardboard drinks tray and handed me a large cup. “What, no chocolate?” I asked, expression one of feigned horror.
He snorted. “As if I’d dare forget that.”
He pulled out a couple of assorted Cadbury blocks, as well as a big bag of jelly snakes. I raised my eyebrows. “Yours?”
“You don’t like them?”
“I’ve yet to meet a lolly I didn’t like. You just didn’t seem the jelly snake type.”
He raised an eyebrow, expression amused. “And what confectionary type did you think I was?”
I pursed my lips, pretending to seriously consider the matter. “Something traditional and retro, like humbugs or rock candy.”
He shuddered. “Hate them both.”
I laughed, and we got down to the serious business of pizza eating. Once that was consumed and the mess shoved back into the bag, he grabbed Elysian and offered me her hilt.
“I need you to grip but not draw her. The concealing spell will ensure only you can see and draw the blade when she’s in the scabbard.”
“So why is Hecate sometimes visible when she’s sheathed, and invisible when she’s not?”
“The spell surrounding her has multiple layers and exceptions woven into it. In your case, they’re not needed. We simply need to hide her from anyone else’s eyes but yours until she’s needed.”
“I won’t be able to draw her in any hurry if she’s strapped across my back.”
“I doubt that’ll be a problem, given you’re unlikely to be physically using her as a weapon.”
“True.” I had Vita and Nex for that. “Why do the paintings of all the witch kings show them using Elysian in bloody battles?”
“Because they were warrior kings, trained in warfare and sword craft. You’re not.”
“And would probably endanger myself if I tried to use her that way,” I finished for him.
He smiled. “Stick with the knives. They’re easier to wield in battle.”
“I’d rather avoid it altogether, thank you very much.”
“Wouldn’t we all.”
He motioned to the hilt, and I immediately wrapped my hand around it. He took a deep breath, then began to spell. It was long and intricate, but also spoken in what sounded like Latin, meaning the spell was ancient and I had no hope of understanding its intricacies. I could, however, see each layer as it went down, could feel the build of power. Saw the shimmer of gray appear, weaving its way around the scabbard and then up to the hilt and my fingers. It felt … odd. Ethereal. Alien, almost. Which made some sense, given the gray was not of this place.
Luc spelled on. Sweat sheened his face, and his growing weariness washed through the link between us. I wished I could push some of my strength his way, but that was not my forte. And yet even as I thought that, Vita pulsed warmly against my thigh. I remembered the moment in Mryddin’s cave when I’d leaned into Luc and strength had flowed from him to me. If, through Vita, I could siphon strength, why could I not send it?
I shifted in the seat, pressed my knee against his, and then imagined energy flowing from me to him. Vita’s golden glow infused the shadows, and warmth coursed through my body and down into the connection of our knees. His face began to look less drained, even as weariness pulsed harder through me.
I broke the connection after a few minutes. I couldn’t risk doing too much. Not when I was already pretty damn tired. But at least I now knew for sure that the De Montfort gift of healing hadn’t skipped me; I’d simply needed a means of accessing it.
Luc’s spell reached a peak, and the gray completely claimed the sword, drawing it from this world to the other. Though I could still see her, her shape was insubstantial, and she held no real weight.
Luc drew in a breath and then released the end of the scabbard and looked at me. “It’s done. She’s now in the gray.”
“But not totally invisible.”
“Only to you, and that’s a necessity, as I’ve said. If you put her down, you want to be able to find her again.”
“Makes sense.” I certainly had no desire to lose her again after all the trouble we’d gone through to find her. “Will my shifting shape in any way affect the spell?”
“It shouldn’t.”
“Good.” I shifted my grip on the sword, then slung her diagonally over my back. Though I could feel her presence, when I leaned against the back of the chair, there was no obstruction. I might not have been wearing her at all. “That’s a pretty impressive spell. I’m surprised you don’t use it for more than just swords.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Who says we don’t? But even in this day and age, an unseen sword in the hands of a similarly invisible Blackbird is a mightier weapon than a gun.”
I wrinkled my nose. “But surely death by sword would instantly point the finger at Blackbirds.”
“We haven’t survived this long without learning how to hide our kills.” He tore open the packet of jelly snakes and offered it to me.
I shook my head and grabbed the block of Darkmilk Salted Caramel instead. “So, there’s no problem with me wearing Elysian full time?”
“Technically, no.” He bit the head off a snake. “I wouldn’t recommend wearing her to bed or even in the shower. She may be in the gray, but the constant interaction with the physicality of this world can put pressure on the spell and even unravel it.”
“Good to know.” I swung her off my back and hooked her over the chair again. “I don’t suppose—when you’ve got your strength back—you could do the same to Nex and Vita?”
“Tomorrow.” He hesitated. “Are we camping out here for the night or heading back to the hotel?”
“Mo wants me here to keep an eye on the maps.”
“You can hardly do that when your eyes are just about hanging out of your head.” A smile tugged at his lips. “Very unattractive it is too.”
“So unattractive that your desire surges through our link?”
“That’s because I’m a man and the body is always more important than the face to certain portions of my body.”
My gaze swept down to his crotch. It was a rather impressive mound, even when seated. “Certain portions seem unimpressed at the moment.”
“Will of steel.” He grinned and popped another snake into his mouth. “Do you want me to head out and grab some camping beds and blankets?”
I shook my head. “I can kip on these chairs easily enough for one night.”
He nodded. “Then do so. I’ll keep watch.”
I wasn’t entirely sure I’d be able to sleep with him watching me, but was nevertheless disappointed when he rose, moved to the other side of the table, and picked up one of the many unchecked scrolls still in the pile.