Page 11 of Call of the Ride
The swan didn’t respond, her violet eyes riveted to the blood now trickling from her palm to the dish Cassandra held beneath it. Each drop hit the pewter surface with a distinctive hiss, like water on a hot pan, yet the dish was clearly cool enough to touch.
After taking her time wrapping an herbal poultice over Anthia’s wound, Cassandra finally turned to me and explained. “Your swan maiden here comes from royal blood so ancient I could bottle it up to sell for ten times as much as your black market dream tea!”
The revelation floored me. Yes, Anthia was the heir apparent to Gerard’s swan clan, but that was simply an elected leadership position, hinging on power and politics. Most would accept her claim—if she had an interest in keeping it—but any swan had the right to challenge her. Anthia would then have to fight for the title, and the outcome of that altercation would be the deciding factor, regardless of whose daughter she was.
In the hundreds of years I’d known her, Anthia had never once hinted she possessedroyalblood. Gerard didn’t come from royalty, and it was my understanding that her mother had been a low-ranking swan shifter from the same clan who’d disappeared on a routine flight.
Why would Anthia keep this a secret from me?
Registering my narrowing eyes, Cassandra briskly spoke. “Anthia, why don’t you go lie down on the couch in the shop. You’ll find a wide variety of Fanta and edibles in the mini-fridge—help yourself!”
Tan watched Anthia slink away before turning to the seer. “Enough, Cass!” he snapped, betraying yet another glimpse that something was gnawing at him. “Now that you’ve successfully stirred the pot, bring my friend back and then tell me where to find mum.”
“I didn’t realize you were in such a rush to see Z!” Cassandra exclaimed, her tone dripping with condescension as she brought a hand to her heart in mock-surprise. “Is there something specific troubling you, love?”
My Bright Dawn was pulsing with a threatening white glow, his fists clenched at his sides as our bond buzzed with rising anger. Cassandra casually raised her unconcerned gaze to his gleaming horns, and I tensed, realizing she could see them—or could sense they were there at least.
Who IS this woman?!
Our eyes met, and I bristled under her scrutiny, suddenly wondering if she could also see past the mask of the Yaga. Everyone at the Facility besides Nox and Matthew saw me as an old crone, but none of the staff at Catty’s seemed disgusted by my appearance. I’d assumed this was because they were too well-trained to offend a guest, but part of me worried permanent changes were happening to me as well
“I can see why Tan likes you,” Cassandra murmured, her lips twisting in a secretive smile. “You're feisty and very, very easy on the eyes.”
Well, that answers that question.
“Ms. Moonstone,” Asa smoothly interjected, no doubt sensing my discomfort as he protectively pulled me close. “We are all incredibly worried about Nox andneedhim returned to us. And yes, itisimportant that Tan see Zehra as soon as possible.”
At the mention of that name, my attention snapped to Asa. Veles had mentioned a Zehra in the grove—had implied he knew her through Cassandra. Suddenly, I understood it wasthisconnection Tan was so upset about, and a creeping realization set my intuition buzzing anew.
My gaze darted around the room as I put the pieces together. This sacred space was obviously used for occult ceremonies, and the seer was familiar with my dream tea, which was used for brief communication with beings beyond the veil. And the most powerful creature in the realm of the dead was Veles…
“Alrighty, then!” Cassandra loudly clapped her hands together, startling me back to the present. “Let’s get your third bewitched dick back where he belongs!”
Ignoring her flippancy, I briefly closed my eyes and exhaled slowly, centering myself for whatever came next. All of my Ridersneededto be with me if I had any hope of saving my forest, and restoring the balance to the earth. Not to mention, the four of us might need to combine our powers to take down the larger threat behind the now defunct Facility.
I was eager to get back to our original plan of eliminating Matthew’s London associates, and we’d already wasted too much precious time. Never mind that it was Nox and his stubbornness who put us in this situation, I needed to stay the course for the time being.
Unruly Riders can be dealt with later.
Huffing in annoyance at my errant emotions, I focused on Cassandra’s instructions, knowing precision mattered with complicated spellwork. First, she had the three of us remove our shirts so she could paint primitive symbols over our hearts using the concoction she’d created with Anthia’s royal blood. I winced as she touched my chest, recalling the sharp stab of pain that sliced through me when the bomb exploded.
“Vasilisa the Wise,” Cassandra solemnly intoned, surprising me with askazkititle I hadn’t heard in years. “You must guide the others to reach through your bond andleadNox back from the darkness.” When I simply stared at her in confusion, she elaborated. “Focus on the connection you have with each other—on how your individual abilities strengthen the whole. Then isolate what remains of the tether between you and Nox, and pull.Hard.”
Nodding grimly, I clasped hands with my men, waiting until the circle was complete before closing my eyes again. I easily relaxed into the familiar feel of them, sighing contentedly as Tan’s light combined with Asa’s warmth to wash over me. All of my Riders wielded deadly powers, but we seemed to possess a natural immunity among us, as if our bond was so strong we couldn’t possibly hurt the others.
At least not physically…
I pulled on our collective power, projecting it outward along the bond, seeking Nox in the spaces between realms like ivy searching for a hold. I sharply inhaled as I sensed something in the dark, reaching out for me in return, feeling a distinct tug on the one tether that had been silent. Time seemed to pause as I focused all my efforts on tightening this tether like a lasso to reel him in.
Sweat beaded on my brow from the exertion, and Asa gave my hand an encouraging squeeze. The darkness was strong—and its hold on Nox felt like an extension of the man himself—but I was determined to reclaim what was rightfully mine, no matter the cost. Although my strength was depleting at an alarming rate, I growled and gave one final yank, crying out in surprise as I suddenly found myself on the floor, pinned beneath a massive body that set my nerves on fire.
Nox.
Chapter 10
Taneer
“Get off my witch before you flatten her, you overgrown gorilla!” I barked in excitement, hauling Nox off of Vasi so she wouldn’t suffocate in his forest of chest hair. That, and because I needed to wrap my arms around him and prove to myself he was real. “You fuckingmudak,”I scolded, although anyone with ears would know I was one stiff drink away from crying like a baby. “Don’t you ever pull shit like that on us again.”
