Page 59 of Sins of the Fathers
“Back to Ophelia, from what our folks have been able to find out, she’s encouraged both the HDF and the SPS—and then played them against each other,” Gibson added. “We think she’s led them into creating tulpa—thought-form beings—out of their fears to give them something perpetual to fight against. They bring their own worst fears into reality, then have to fight them, reinforcing the fears and making more things to fight.”
“Why?” Colt asked, shaking his head in disbelief. “Why would she do that?”
“Distraction,” Knox said. “If we’re looking at them, we’re not looking at her.”
Gibson nodded. “Some of that, I think. While Ophelia was injured, keeping the HDF and the SPS at each other’s throats and fighting off their own boogeymen kept any would-be rivals at bay. Now that she’s ready to make her big move, she’ll let them kill each other without a backward glance.”
“She’s made a big mistake.” Everyone turned to look at Denny. “Adam King, our ancestor who came here from Wales, made a bargain with the fae. We leave them alone, they leave us alone. Blood was spilled, gifts were given. Our family has anarrangementwith the fae, in perpetuity,” he said. “The fae won’t look kindly on violating that deal.”
Dawson had the feeling that Denny knew a whole lot more about the fae than he let on and decided an in-depth conversation was needed—afterthey stopped the threat and rescued Grady.
“She must think she has a way to open the mound,” Gibson said.
“Openingthe mound isn’t the hard part,” Denny shot back. “Controllingwhat you’ve set loose—that’s the part that kills everyone in a hundred square mile area. It’s the supernatural equivalent of a loose nuke. We’ve got to stop her. Not just to save Grady—we need to save ourselves and everyone else.”
Gibson and Tucker exchanged a glance that spoke volumes. “That man—” Tucker said.
Gibson nodded. “I think you’re right.”
Tucker turned to the rest of them. “I had a dream where I saw a man in the woods who didn’t look like he belonged there. He should have been on some high-fashion runway in Europe. Or maybe be a movie star or a prince. Not someone wandering in the forest. But now—I think he was a fae.”
Denny looked up sharply. “The fae agreed to very strict rules about how and where—and when—they could be in our world. Only a few registered representatives are permitted—and only if they technically stay on good behavior.”
Tucker snorted. “I guess ‘technically’ allows for being bankers and attorneys for the legal side of the Syndicate.”
Denny ignored the comment. “What the agreement didnotallow was tampering with human affairs or causing harm. So if we’ve got a rogue faerie, we’re in big trouble—and the fae elders are not going to be happy about it.”
“One thing at a time,” Dawson argued, feeling like he was going to snap from his worry for Grady. “We need to find Gray.”
“We’ve got the traffic cam footage. We know the SUV that grabbed Grady was headed north,” Knox said.
“I had dreams that were just snippets, and I couldn’t make sense of them at the time,” Dawson confessed. “I saw a white SUV with no license plates—like the one that snatched him. But I also saw a cabin in the woods. At first, I didn’t know where it might be. But Gray’s got this weird link with the spirits of the mountains.”
“When we were out in the woods near where the HDF bikers were found, Gray said that one of the mountains was a bad place and that he felt a strong urge to stay away,” Dawson finished. “I’d vote for that being the first place to look.”
Denny leaned forward, intrigued. “How does this have anything to do with the spirits of the mountains?”
Dawson turned to his uncle. “Gray can hear them—the genius loci of the hills. I think he’s always had it, but before, he never let himself fully believe in it. Lately, he’s been listening without prejudice. That ‘song’ helps him navigate and apparently gives him a nudge now and then, a hunch that turns out right.”
A crack of lightning made Dawson flinch. “I’m going after Gray. You can come with me—or not—but I’m going.”
“Hell of a storm,” Tucker noted. “Not the best for a fight.”
“Doesn’t matter. Gray’s out there, and the longer it takes to find him, the less chance we have of bringing him back,” Dawson said. “Tomorrow’s the full moon, so if Ophelia’s working magic, we’re running out of time.”
“He’s right,” Denny said. “There’s something cockeyed with the fae angle. I don’t know yet what it is, but if it comes down to it, y’all handle the witch, and I’ll deal with the faeries.”
“We’re in,” Gibson said with a quick glance at Tucker, who nodded.
“So are we,” Colt and Knox spoke at once.
Denny shook his head. “You two need to hold the fort.” He raised a hand to forestall argument. “If Ophelia is the one pulling the strings on the HDF and SPS, she’s likely to find a way to send them after us as a distraction. We need someone here to keep an eye on the security cams on the shop and the store and the other house.”
“You were in the hospital just a few days ago,” Dawson said, looking at Knox. “I know you’re feeling better. And I know that it’s Grady and you want to help. But you’re not one hundred percent yet. We can’t protect you in a fight and save him.”
Knox glared at him, and Dawson remembered their long-ago staring battles as kids. Finally, Knox dropped his gaze.
“You’d better bring him back alive.”
