“Nothing. It’s still there as far as I’m aware.”
I gave him the look. “You know what I meant.”
“Yes, I do, and you can blame the crown.” He lifted my chin and studied me intently for a second or two. “You look like shit.”
“Stop avoiding the question.”
A smile tugged at his lovely lips. “Not long after our phone call, the crown and the ring came to life. From what Ricker has said, it happened around the same time as you drawing Elysian from the palace courtyard. It made me remember an off-the-cuff comment an old lecturer once made about Elysian being part of a triad, rather than the sole power that many presume.”
“You could have sent Barney or anyone else to deliver them. You didn’t have to bring them here yourself.”
“I did, but not because of the damn crown or ring or triad of power. You said you loved me, and then you fucking hung up. How could I let a statement like that go unanswered?”
A laugh escaped, even as my heart swelled. “So you drove all the way down here just to give me a response?”
“I had no other option.”
And with that, he kissed me. It was heart and soul, love and yearning, the past and the future, all rolled up in one deep, mind-blowing kiss.
“Gwen De Montfort,” he whispered eventually, his breath hot and heavy on my lips, “you have stolen my heart and turned my world upside down with your craziness, and I cannot imagine life without you. So you had better survive the battle that’s coming, or I’m going to be extremely pissed off.”
I laughed and hugged him. He returned it fiercely but all too briefly, then stepped back and pulled his phone from his pocket. “I’m under instructions to report back the minute I arrive.”
“Ginny?” I said with a smile.
“No, Mia. As I said, she’s swiftly usurped all other members of the council to become Barney’s second—a position I think she’ll retain once this is all over.”
“I wouldn’t be at all surprised.” Barney had been trying to get younger people onto the council for a while, and Mia had certainly been looking for something new to tackle.
He dialed the number and then put the call on speaker so I could hear it.
“Luc?” It was Ginny who answered, and she sounded slightly breathless. “Everything okay? Is Gwen there?”
“I am,” I replied. “Why are you puffing?”
“Been acting as runner between the map room and the forces up top.”
Luc frowned. “Why not just use the phone?”
“Because a number of cell towers have been damaged. I’m damn surprised this call even got through.”
My gut clenched. “So Ainslyn’s under attack?”
“Yes, but at this point, they’re not hitting the business district or the port.”
“Is the shield holding?” Luc asked. “Are there any casualties?”
“I daresay there are, given the number of folk who wouldn’t listen to reason and evacuate to either shelter point. But the shield is holding, and their regular weapons aren’t as yet making much of an impact. We’ve also had word that the military are on their way.” Her voice gained an edge as she added, “Of course, the entire situation might change once the dark elves and demons come out to play tonight. You heard from Max yet?”
“No,” I said. “And I doubt I will. I think a trap has been set at the rendezvous point.”
“Meaning Mo still hasn’t contacted you?”
“No.”
“That’s not like her.”
“I know.” I drew in a breath in an effort to calm the angst. “I need you or Mia to tell me what the map says about the area around Pucklechurch.”
“Mia!” she instantly yelled, just about deafening the two of us even though the phone was nowhere near either of our ears. “Any demon or half-breed activity at Pucklechurch?”
There was a long pause through which footsteps echoed, and then Mia said, “There wouldn’t be demons at this hour, natch, but at least two dozen of those lighter hot spots we think are half-breeds. There’s two rings of them, and I would think one is surrounding the farmhouse.”
“More than likely,” Luc replied. “Ginny, can you take a photo and send it to me? Also, if those hot spots move in any way, can you text us and let us know?”
“Done.” She paused. “Don’t trust Max, Gwen. Not in any damn way.”
The smile that twisted my lips was bitter. “I think he burned away any remnants of trust when he handed me over to Darkside.”
“You say that, but he’s still your twin, and that’s a hard connection to sever. Believe me,” she added, “I’ve attended far too many family disputes that have turned deadly simply because one party held on to love rather than trust their gut and common sense.”
Which in many respects was an echo of what Winter had said and a possibility I still couldn’t deny, no matter how much I wanted to. But at least I didn’t have all that much longer to find out if, in the end, womb kinship was stronger than my love for Mo.
“I’ll send the pic through now and keep you updated on movements,” she said.
“Thanks, Ginny,” Luc said and hung up.
The phone pinged as the image came through. We studied it for several seconds and then Luc said, “Are you getting any indication from the earth on what may wait inside the house?”
“Not with my mage powers, and I dare not use Elysian in case she sets off an echo in his sword.”
Luc frowned. “What makes you think that’s possible?”
“When I was on that bridge, just before Max arrived, Elysian and his sword appeared to perceive each other.”
“Was she in the gray?”
“Only partially.”
“Even so, it shouldn’t have been possible.” His frown deepened. “What sort of distance are we talking about?”
I hesitated. “Can’t really say. Not that far, but I don’t think we can afford to take the chance.”
“No, I guess not.” He scraped a hand across his bristly jaw. “Maybe you should avoid the place and let me—”
“You know that’s never going to happen, so why even mention it?”
His cheeks puffed out, frustration evident. “Because every now and again, my protective instincts kick in.”
“They should know better by now, especially when Mo is in danger.”
“They should, but they don’t.”
“I’m Elysian’s wielder, and I have no choice but to be in this fight.”
“I know.” He sighed and then reached into the car and pulled out the crown and the coronation ring, handing them to me. “I’ll take care of the outer circle of half-demons; you go in through the gate and take out the inner one. We’ll meet in the middle and go hard and fast into the house.”
My stomach did a series of vicious flip-flops. “You make it sound so damn easy.”
“It won’t be, and we both know it.” He touched a hand to my face, his fingers oh-so gentle. “But as you said, you’re Elysian’s wielder and Mo’s granddaughter. Max has no idea of your true strength.”