Balefire by Jordan L. Hawk

Author:Jordan L. Hawk
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, fantasy, historical, victorian, lovecraft, whybourne, widdershins
Publisher: Jordan L. Hawk

Chapter 25

Griffin

“Dear God!” Whyborne shouted, taking a step back from the corpse.

The fading glow of an abandoned spell clung to its head. I swore and rushed to his side. “What happened?”

His dark eyes had gone round, and all the color drained from his skin. “Didn’t you hear it? See it?”

Christine frowned. “What are you going on about?”

Whyborne swallowed and pointed at the dead woman. “Her face…the tentacle disappeared. She looked at me and said she knew who I was. No, that’s not right—she said she knew what I was.”

My heart sank. This was what I’d feared, when I argued for him to remain behind in Widdershins. Someone—something—in this wicked pile knew his true nature. Whether the Fideles or some evil of the masters that lingered in this lightless place, it would surely turn its efforts toward his destruction.

But it was too late to resurrect our argument now, and “I told you so’s” useless, so I only said, “I can see the remains of the spell. It’s similar to the enchantment on the bas-relief.”

“None of the rest of us saw or heard anything.” Rupert’s expression was grim. “This must be some trick of the Fideles. Perhaps one of their sorcerers has something of yours, allowing him to focus his magics on you? Blood or hair would do it, as would seed.”

“Dear lord!” Whyborne exclaimed, face going red.

“I was merely listing the most common substances used in such magic,” Rupert replied mildly.

“I don’t see any traces of a spell on Whyborne,” I said over Whyborne’s wordless sputtering. “Whatever is at work here, it isn’t traditional sorcery.” Which wasn’t at all comforting. If it had been so simple, we could have used the curse breaker spell. As it was, I had no idea how to protect him from it.

“And what does that imply?” Rupert asked.

I shook my head. “I don’t know. I doubt I would have seen the influence of the dweller, if I’d had my shadowsight at the time, because it was something that came from within. Something intrinsic to Whyborne’s nature thanks to his ketoi blood, not a spell per se. But Heliabel is unaffected, so it can’t be that.” I hated not knowing; I hated feeling helpless to shield my husband.

Rupert sighed heavily. “I wish I had learned more about the creation of warding amulets, but it’s a bit too late for that now. As it seems there’s nothing further to be done, let’s continue on.”

“One moment, Rupert.” Hattie stepped into his path. “First, tell me what the bloody hell were you thinking?”

Impatience thinned his lips. “About what?”

“Giving us away.” Hattie pointed at the corpses. “We might’ve snuck up on them. Gotten the drop. Instead, you go shouting and give them the chance to attack first. Why?”

“Because they’re our family.” His hands clenched at his sides. “We can’t just go murdering them. We have to give them a chance. We have to try to save them. Supra alia familia.”

The anger drained from Hattie’s face, replaced by grief. “Look at them, Rupert,” she said softly.

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