A Battle of Blood and Stone Read online

  Boral merely nods, accepting my succinct summary of the general situation.

  “What you don’t know,” I continue in a matter-of-fact tone, “is I’m the one fated by the gods to stop it.”

  That makes an impact and he straightens in his seat, leaning forward to match my pose with hands clasped on the table. “An ordinary human? How interesting…”

  “I’m anything but ordinary,” I reply blandly. “The night I was born, a daemon came into our house and stole my identical twin, who had been born just six minutes before me. A changeling was left in her place. My sister, whose name is Zora, was brought to the Underworld, where she was raised and used as a vessel to store dark magic in. That was used to propel Kymaris into our world and grant her incredibly strong powers.”

  “And your sister is still there,” Boral concludes. “That’s why you were asking about the Underworld when we first met.”

  “Yes, and I intend to rescue her.”

  “I’ll help in any way I can,” Boral says, and Zaid makes a scoffing sound from beside me. He’ll never trust a single sentiment his father utters.

  Boral’s eyes cut to his son, but make no condemnation for the lack of respect. His gaze comes back to me. “Does Kymaris know you have an identical twin?”

  Maddox stiffens at this question, and I could see why that would be suspect. It would be the most important information Kymaris could want right now outside of the Blood Stone’s location.

  But I don’t take it that way.

  The one thing I’ve been able to discern about Boral is that he’s whip-smart. He’s simply making a leap where Zora is concerned.

  I shake my head. “I don’t think so. Kymaris would have been in stasis the entire time Zora was in the Underworld with her. The minute the changeling ritual was enacted, Kymaris immediately left her static form and projected into the changeling body, which was the woman who was my sister in this Earth realm for twenty-eight years. Her name was Fallon.”

  Boral doesn’t offer condolences, and I’m not offended.

  “I know a guy,” Boral drawls, drumming his fingers on the table. “His name is Ozigeor, and he’s an expert on rituals. He might have some—”

  I hold my hand up. “Been there. Done that. Carrick and I talked to him about the changeling ritual.”

  “But he tweaked the confractus muros ritual for Kymaris,” Boral offers solicitously, showing he’s already a team member.

  I nod. “Yes, we know. Carrick tried to get the ritual from him, but Kymaris killed Ozigeor before he could say anything.”

  Boral blinks in surprise. He clearly knew from his contact, Kaesar, about the ritual and Ozigeor’s part in helping Kymaris with it, but he clearly didn’t know the immortal sorcerer was dead.

  “Does Kaesar know anything about how the ritual will occur? Anything that can help us figure out how to stop it?”

  “Not that he’s said.” Boral looks to Zaid, then back to me. “But I’ll keep my ears opened.”

  “Anything you can glean about the ritual will be super important,” I reiterate.

  “Going back to your sister,” Boral says, his gaze shrewd upon me. “I understand why Carrick wanted to bind me with my heart. You having an identical twin in the Underworld who held magic, which she then shared with Kymaris, is important information. It could blindside Kymaris if used wisely. I would bet your sister is an important key in this prophecy.”

  And that right there has made this all worth it. Boral is thinking the way I am. “I think so, too, which is why I want to rescue her.”

  “In due time,” Zaid pipes up, his gentle but chastising tone leveled at me. “It’s not the priority now. We need the Blood Stone.”

  I shift toward Zaid, giving him a nod of acknowledgment before turning back to Boral. “The Blood Stone,” I say dramatically. “We know where it is.”

  It’s utterly silent as I let that news sink in, carefully studying Boral for even the tiniest reaction. He’s clearly surprised, but I don’t see any opportunistic gleam in his eyes.

  “Are you going to tell me where?” he asks blandly.

  “I trust in the binding Carrick put on you.” I’m the one who now leans back casually in my chair, letting my forearms settle on the armrests. “And I think you love your life too much to give it up for Kymaris. So yes, I’m going to tell you about the Blood Stone.”

  From the corner of my eye, I can see Zaid’s head drop. I don’t know if he’s disappointed in me or is just exhausted from his father becoming involved, but I can’t spare him the sympathy just now. Later, I’ll have a glass of wine with him and we can talk.

  I don’t spare any details as I recount the story of Charmeine and Micah in their utopian realm and how Charmeine betrayed Micah by falling in love with another. I explained how Micah’s rage and grief destroyed everything living and how the Blood Stone was created and attached to the chalice.

  “If you don’t mind telling me, how did you find the Blood Stone?” Boral asks.

  “Carrick’s brother, Lucien, was the one Charmeine fell in love with,” I reply simply, and Boral does a double-take. “Lucien doesn’t know we know that, though. He’s coming in tonight, and Carrick will talk to him. We want Lucien to take us there to steal the Blood Stone from Micah.”

  “And once you get the stone?” Boral prompts, wanting to know our further plans.

  It’s simple really. “We protect it. I’ll stack three demi-gods up against Kymaris any day. Then we’re going to keep it from her and hopefully destroy her. We want to prevent the prophecy from fulfilling, and this is the easiest way right now. Now, do you have any questions for me?”

  “Yeah,” Boral replies without hesitation. “I want to know why you haven’t told me all your secrets.”

  I jerk in astonishment because I have indeed held back a piece of information. Not because I’m worried about him telling Kymaris, but because I’m a bit embarrassed.

  But he’s called me out on it, and I want to be transparent. I downplay it a bit, though. “There was an angel at my birth who instilled powers in me that I’m currently trying to figure out how to use.”

  Stroking his chin, Boral nods. “You definitely have a lot of information Kymaris would reward greatly for. Your twin, your powers, and the location of the Blood Stone.”

  His tone is taunting, as if he’s weighing his options. Zaid growls low beside me, and I reach out to lay a reassuring hand on his arm.

  Just wait.

  “Your secrets are obviously safe with me,” Boral finally says. “But you didn’t need the binding. Like I said, I have no desire to be under Kymaris’ rule. I enjoy this world’s freedoms and, frankly… her demons are just nasty little fuckers that I don’t want swarming all over like rodents. What do you want me to do for you?”

  “Hang out with Kaesar as much as you can. Give us as much information about what’s happening in Kymaris’ camp as possible. If they find the twelfth fallen or get a lead on the Blood Stone, let us know. If it’s going to be a race to get it, we want a head start. And if you’re able to find out any more about how the ritual will work, just on the off chance she gets her hand on the stone, we need to be ready to fight in a different way.”

  “I can do that.” Boral cuts his gaze to his son. “Anything you, in particular, want me to do?”

  I know if Zaid answered truthfully, he’d tell his father he wishes he was dead, but he’s not going to antagonize our best chance at getting the inside scoop on Kymaris.

  Zaid asks a question of his own, however. “How badly does Kymaris want Finley right now?”

  “And what does Kymaris know about Finley?” Maddox adds.

  I can’t help but smile. My two protectors.

  My friends.

  Boral shrugs carelessly before giving me a sly smile. “As extraordinary of a human as you are, your name actually doesn’t come up much. My feeling is she’s too busy looking for the last fallen Dark Fae and the Blood Stone, but I do know you’re on her radar merely because
you have a demi-god at your side.”

  That makes me feel slightly better. Boral has confirmed my take on things, that I was sort of small potatoes for her to worry about just now. But I know that will probably change at some point.

  We spend another half hour giving Boral details he thinks to ask for since my overview was pretty generic. Zaid remains typically silent, leaving it up to Maddox and me to relay information.

  I’m relieved Boral knows everything, and while I’ll admit it to no one unless Carrick presses me, since I won’t lie to him, I am looking forward to picking Boral’s brain about the Underworld. He’s going to be a huge part of helping me formulate a plan to get Zora out.

  CHAPTER 10

  Finley

  The minute Boral leaves Carrick’s condo, Maddox asks, “Feel like blowing off some steam?”

  I had thought he meant a workout in the gym, and I was game for that. So I say, “Sure.”

  But rather than heading toward the gym, Maddox pivots in the opposite direction and leads me to the southwest side of the condo. It’s an area I don’t go to a lot as it holds a guest suite identical to mine and another guest bedroom.

  Maddox opens a door I had thought was a utility closet, and I gasp when I realize it’s a man-cave.

  Dark paneled walls and gleaming hardwood floors, but the decor is distinctly different than the cool blues, light creams, and silvery grays throughout the rest of the condo. Persian rugs in crimson, navy, and beige are scattered under various pieces of furniture. There’s a pool table, a bar to seat eight, a poker table, and even a dartboard. One wall boasts a flat-screen TV so large I can’t even begin to fathom how big it is, and it’s sectioned off with a massive U-shaped couch in cocoa brown, distressed leather with ornate carved clawed feet.

  It was the antithesis of the rest of the condo, and not just because it’s designed to serve men and their desires for liquor, football, and cigars. It’s just overly staid in my opinion.

  “Holy shit,” I murmur as I follow Maddox in. “I had no clue this was even here.”

  He plops down in the middle of the couch, then reaches for a remote control. “I brought over my PS4. I thought you and I could practice our battle skills in a more chilled sort of way.”

  I snort as I take in the handheld gaming controls, the only reason that I recognize them is that Myles is a big gamer. He waves one at me provocatively and then nods to the cushion beside him.

  “Come on, Finley,” he urges with a gleam in his eye. “Take a load off for a while and come spend just half an hour with me blowing shit up.”

  Playing video games just isn’t my thing, but it’s better than sitting around and letting my mind become overwhelmed with planning, contingencies, and what-ifs. It would actually do me good just to take a brain break.

  “Okay,” I reply almost giddily, moving to the couch and hopping the back of it to land on the cushion beside Maddox. He hands me a controller and says, “We’ll play Final Fantasy VII. You’ll love it.”

  I wait as he boots up the game, studying the controller. I assume he’ll give me a lesson on what the buttons do.

  “Does Carrick even come in here?” I ask as I kick my tennis shoes off and cross my legs.

  “He used to PF,” Maddox says as the game starts to load.

  “PF?”

  “Pre-Finley.” He grins at me, then takes the controller I’m holding out of my hand. “But only to have a drink, conduct business, or maybe play some poker with friends.”

  “But Carrick doesn’t have friends,” I point out. “And why hasn’t he come in here since I came into his life?”

  “You are correct… Carrick doesn’t have friends. Maybe I should have said business acquaintances. And I imagine he doesn’t use this room very much these days as he hasn’t had much downtime since you came into his life wreaking havoc.”

  I know he’s teasing, so I bump my shoulder against his good naturedly. “Well, maybe I can convince him to play a few games of pool. I’m really good, and I’m not above hustling him.”

  “It’s a good thing I’m not a sucker then,” Carrick’s voice sounds from behind us. Maddox and I both twist to look at the door to find Carrick standing there casually, one arm raised and his hand resting against the jamb slightly above his head. The smile on his face is amused.

  “You’re back,” I exclaim, pushing up from the couch. I was looking forward to unwinding a little with Maddox, but if it’s a choice between time with him or Carrick, I’m going to choose Carrick every time.

  It seems just so natural, despite the fact I know Maddox is watching, to walk right up to Carrick and kiss him.

  Or perhaps it’s him who is kissing me.

  Regardless, my lips are happy for that brief connection, and I take stock of the fact I’m infinitely happier at this moment than I was a mere thirty seconds ago hanging out with Maddox, and I was pretty damn happy then.

  There’s no getting around it.

  Carrick just does it for me in all ways.

  Taking my hand, Carrick shoots a quick glance over my head at Maddox before bringing his eyes back to me. “I brought someone I believe can help you to access your powers.”

  There’s a distinct glimmer of discomfort in Carrick’s expression and I turn back to Maddox, who stands from the couch to face us.

  He bears the same expression, which tells me he knew all along what Carrick had planned and it’s something I’m not going to like.

  “Who did you bring?” I ask hesitantly, but there’s a tinge of warning in my voice that Carrick will get full blast if I don’t like his idea of “help”.

  “He brought me,” a sultry voice says from behind Carrick, but his body is so tall and wide that I can’t see the woman.

  But I recognize her voice. My teeth grind down hard as her hand creeps over his shoulder and she peeks around his arm, flashing me a victorious smile.

  Deandra.

  My eyes lift to Carrick, who stares at me guardedly, then back to Deandra, who has linked her arm through my man’s and is actually leaning into him. Carrick makes no effort to distance himself, but, in fairness, they’re both filling the doorway so there’s no room to step to the side.

  I give my regard to Carrick. In as pleasant a voice as I can manage, which still sounds incredibly biting, I ask, “Do you mind if we speak privately?”

  Carrick nods and Deandra takes the hint, spying Maddox behind me.

  “Mad Maddox,” she calls out with glee, pushing roughly past me so I stumble to the side as she runs to Carrick’s brother.

  I watch over my shoulder as she leaps into his arms, wraps her legs around his waist, and plants a hard kiss on his mouth.

  Oh my God.

  Has she slept with Maddox, too?

  Maddox merely laughs, slaps her on the ass, and lifts her under her arms to set her back down on the floor. I notice that Deandra is actually dressed in modern Earth realm clothing—jeans, an off-the-shoulder blouse, and wedge-heeled boots.

  Unfortunately, the fact she’s dressed for the Earth realm probably means she’s here to stay.

  Or, at least, I’m sure that’s what Carrick is thinking, but I intend to change that assumption.

  I move past him into the hallway and I can feel his presence behind me despite his steps being whisper quiet. I head to his room, which is closer than his office, so we can have privacy.

  When he follows me in and shuts the door, I force myself to turn slowly to face him—straining to keep my emotions under control.

  Taking in a breath, I let it out slowly. I try for a pleasant smile. “Deandra. Really?”

  Carrick doesn’t move to me, which I thought he would. To either distract or comfort. He holds his place by the door, stone faced. “I think she’s the best option to help you learn your powers. She’s one of the strongest Light Fae in the world, and she has extreme mastery over magic.”

  My control slips as I blurt out. “But she hates me and I hate her.”

  “Exactly,” Carrick repli
es with a nod. “And that’s what will make her your best option.”

  Chin jerking inward, I frown at the man that I love with all my heart. Is he off his rocker?

  “You’ve had some success in using your powers,” Carrick points out, a fact I know as it frustrates me to no end that I know I’ve got the ability. “And you’ve been under great duress each time you were able to utilize them. Specifically breaking the incubus compulsion over you and Adira in the bar, and then again at your house. That is some serious use of magic right there. And I’d even dare say in Faere when you confronted Deandra, you were able to tap your powers.”

  “But those were Zora’s powers,” I point out.

  Carrick lifts an eyebrow. “Maybe so… but it’s quite possible you pulled on them yourself from a great distance, separated by a veil.”

  “What about when the wraith was attacking me?” I argue, grasping at anything for him to send Deandra away. “I couldn’t do anything but a bubble shield.”

  “But it was a use of your magic,” he counters. “It may not have been what you wanted, but you pulled on it. You need someone that can provoke you into reaching deep and then using it properly.”

  “You can do that,” I all but whine to him.

  He shakes his head, looking more determined than ever to go through with this. “No, I can’t. I don’t think anyone can like Deandra, and we are on limited time, Finley. I need you to trust me on this.”

  I blow out a frustrated breath, lifting one curly lock that had fallen over my forehead. I look around his room—a place that has become a sanctuary to me as it is when it’s just Carrick and me and our love connecting us. It doesn’t soothe me at all.

  “Carrick… I honestly don’t think I can handle her being here, flirting with you. Taunting me with innuendos.”

  His frown face is deep and he moves into me, hands to my shoulders. “Why would you even worry about those things? How can you when you know how deep our connection goes? It lasts throughout infinity, Finley. What you and I have, someone as shallow as Deandra would never understand. You’re strong enough to know all she can give you is meaningless words.”