Blood Politics (Blood Destiny 4) by Harper Helen

Author:Harper, Helen [Harper, Helen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-05-20T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

By the time the three us reached Haughmond Hill again, the sun was high in the sky and midday was fast approaching. At least I knew from Slim’s information that the Batibat was nocturnal and therefore wouldn’t be likely to be making a voluntary appearance. With any luck, however, I’d still be able to track down her hiding place and find out just what in the hell was really going on.

Larkin and Max, the two mages, were sitting down on the ground, close to the warded off area. When they saw us approaching, they both scrambled to their feet.

“We didn’t think you’d be here so quickly,” exclaimed Max, with a note of guilt in his voice that he’d been caught virtually napping.

“Are you complaining about my presence now?” I asked.

Larkin held up his hands. “No, no, definitely not. It’s great you’re here.” He gave his companion a warning glance. I felt oddly good that I had them snapping to attention when I arrived. Maybe I could give myself some kind of moniker to encourage further deference. Arch-Dragon? Lady Alpha? Fire Queen? I chuckled to myself at the absurdity of the idea, then looked round and realised that everyone was staring at me strangely. I pulled myself together and got down to business.

“Right,” I said, “what have you found out then?”

“It’s a really strong ward,” stated Larkin seriously. “Not like anything I’ve ever seen before.”

Max nodded in agreement. “It’s definitely not of Ministry origins. It’s bound by something very dark indeed. And that dryad is most definitely dead.”

I shot him a look. “That much I already knew.”

Lucy was staring in horror at the dryad’s hanging body. “Oh my God,” she whispered. She turned away and began to retch. Aubrey rolled his eyes at the apparent weak appreciation the shifter had for such ‘art’. I ignored him and focused on the mages.

“Can you tell what will happen if we break the ward?”

“You can’t,” Max said firmly.

I was irritated. “Can’t what?”

“Break the ward.”

I sighed deeply. “Let’s imagine that I can. What would happen?”

He appeared completely nonplussed. “I, er, have no idea.”

“Well, fucking find out,” I snapped. I turned my attention to Larkin. “Are you the Divination guy?”

When he didn’t immediately answer, I clicked my fingers impatiently in front of his face. “Divination? Are you the guy?”

“Um, yes.” He ran a nervous hand through his hair, and I realised that I was sounding a bit too much like a school bully.

I softened my tone. “Somewhere near here there’s a Batibat. A nocturnal tree spirit.”

“Fat naked woman,” added in Aubrey, unhelpfully.

“Yeah, whatever.” I gave the mage a serious look. “Can you find where she is?”

He nodded. “I can try.”

“Great. Be aware that there are dryads around here as well. They’re pretty shy and probably wouldn’t take too kindly to you mistaking them for an evil daemon.”

It was his turn to look irritated. “I can tell the difference between a dryad and a Batibat.”

Did everyone know what a bloody Batibat was apart from apparently Alex and me?

“You know what a Batibat is?” asked Aubrey, arching a surprised eyebrow.

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