CHAPTER Twenty Four
Once my sobs subsided, and I was hiccupping in a ball on the floor, Alex came over and picked me up, hugging my body to his.
“It’s not your fault,” he said gently. “You didn’t know and you couldn’t help it.” He pulled out another chair from the table and sat me down. I gazed dully down at the grains of wood, and traced a whorl with my finger.
“I don’t understand.” Tom came round the other side of the chair. “What does this mean?” He waved the piece of paper at me. “What’s not your fault? And, I say again, who the hell is Iabartu?”
I took a deep breath and answered. “She’s a demi-god. She’s the blue bitch who Alex scryed and who killed John. She’s the…thing that sent through the terrametus and the ispolin. She’s looking for me because she wants my blood.”
“But why your blood?” He looked frustrated and his fist tightened on the paper. ‘What does this mean?”
Alex took it from him and glanced at him with a serious, warning look. “Mackenzie is one eighth Draco Wyr. She has dragon blood in her veins. It’s what makes her stronger and what fuels the bloodfire. It’s also why she can do things that most humans can’t. It’s diluted enough by her human side that no-one can detect it unless they go looking specifically for it.” He waved the paper in the air. “Which your alpha obviously did.” Alex looked back at me. “You’re still human, Mack Attack. It’s only a fraction of you, and it’s not your fault. It’s not as if you could control it.”
“I should have known,” I said dully. “You worked out within just a couple of days that I couldn’t be fully human. I’ve lived with this for my whole life. Even though I realised that the bloodfire was strange, I didn’t try to work out why I had it. I just pretended that it was normal. And it got John killed.”
“But he knew, Mack.” Alex’s voice was soft and insistent. “He knew and he didn’t tell you.”
My eyes blazed and I growled. “Are you trying to suggest that it’s his fault that he was killed?”
He sighed and ran a hand through his dirty blond hair. “No. What I’m saying is that he was trying to protect you. He was your alpha and your guardian, and keeping you safe was his job. If he’d thought it was something you’d needed to know, he would have brought it up. But he didn’t. Remember what you told me about him trying to break the geas when you originally arrived? If he’d had this letter and he knew your mother then he must have made that part up to keep your identity secret even from yourself. Everything you’ve told me suggests that he loved you like a daughter; that it didn’t matter to him that you have the fire of the Draco Wyr in your veins, but it did matter that you were safe. He knew what he was doing.”
I sank back down in my chair. “If he knew what he was doing, then why is he dead?”
Nobody answered. After a moment, Tom cleared his throat. “So, this Iabartu half god woman. Why does she want your blood?”
Alex answered for me. “Draco Wyr haven’t been seen for centuries.” I looked at him, startled. He shrugged at me. “You’re not the only one who can do research, Mack Attack. Anyway, as I was saying there’s not been sight or sound of them for longer than even the Fae could remember. Not just on this plane but on any plane. Most people think they didn’t ever really exist in the first place. The stories say, though, that their blood is strong enough to bring down an army. Or to cure the most terrible afflictions imaginable. It depends on how it’s used. Even though Mack is only an eighth Wyr, there is still power there.”
“And Iabartu must need it to kill and destroy or because she wants to open up a pharmacy.” My fire was still flickering but I knew with cold certainty what I needed to do. “Tom, I need you to hide these papers. It’s still enough to hurt the pack if the Brethren find them.”
“But it means you’re not human!” He exclaimed with sudden realization. “They won’t do anything because now we’re not breaking the Way.”
He could be really na?ve sometimes. “And until now we all thought I was completely human so whether we did break the Way or not, we had the intention of doing so.”
Alex frowned. “And the dragon blood is only a fraction of you. In essence, Mack Attack, you are still human.”
Whatever. The point was moot as far as the Brethren were concerned. But I looked steadily at Tom and gestured expansively. “You see? Corrigan still can’t find this out. Please, Tom. Find somewhere to hide this stuff.” I gently touched the letter quietly saying, “This is the first time I’ve ever seen my mother’s handwriting. It’s proof that she might still be alive, still exist somewhere. I don’t want to lose it.”
“Okay, okay, Red. Whatever you need.” He picked up the papers and moved towards the door, then suddenly turned, holding up a finger. “Just one thing though – how does a dragon mate with a human in the first place? I mean how did your great-grandfather or grand-mother have sex with a fire breathing lizard?”
I was the spawn of a lizard. Oh my God.
Alex pushed Tom gently towards the exit. “Let’s not think about that part for now,” he said briskly.
Tom nodded slightly and finally left. Alex looked at me silently for a second before speaking. “So, what do you have in mind?”
“Whatever do you mean, Alex?”
“You know what I mean. You couldn’t wait to get rid of your wolf friend. And I’m getting to know you, Mack Attack.” He placed emphasis on the ‘Attack’. “You have a plan.”
I nodded briefly. “I have to get into that portal.”
Alex gave a sharp intake of breath. “I’m not sure that’s wise…”
“It’s what I was planning to do along anyway, Alex. And now it just makes even more sense. It’s me she must be after. If I go to her, then all this will stop.” I gestured around the kitchen and at the still present signs of the invasion. “You know it makes sense.”
“I know Lord Corrigan is planning something.”
I interrupted. “Lord Corrigan can go f*ck himself.” I felt a brief twinge of something as I said his name. Regret? Fear? I wasn’t sure but I pushed it way and focused on the here and now instead. “Only I can do this. And I need your help to do it.” I held his eyes. Please, Alex.
He was silent for a long moment before speaking. “Okay, then, Mack Attack. What do you need?”
We walked outside into the cool night, heading for the little outhouse where the bolt of cloth was situated. Even after the Brethren had examined it, they’d left it where I’d placed it, unwilling to bring the death streaked material inside. It also meant that Tom wouldn’t know where we were should he manage to quickly hide the papers and then return looking for us. This was my fight.
Only the porch light leading from the keep was on, so we had to carefully pick our way along the path. I was alert for signs of the watchers that Corrigan had so arrogantly spoken of, but everything seemed quiet. Perhaps the Brethren weren’t as good at their jobs as he thought they were. All to the good. Neither of us spoke until we entered the small hut. I winced slightly as the old hinges creaked when the door opened, but there were fortunately no sounds of alarm from the keep behind us.
Inside it was pitch black. I sensed Alex make a movement beside me, and the interior was suddenly glowing with a soft light.
“That’s a handy trick,” I grunted.
He shrugged and walked over to the cloth, recoiling slightly as he got closer.
“This reeks of power and death. Are you sure about this?”
I didn’t even deign to answer. He lifted up his palms slightly in acknowledgement and got to work. I watched him, still fascinated at the display of magic. His eyes closed, much as they had the previous time, and he began to chant softly. After a moment, the now almost familiar swirl of blue smoke curled around the cloth then began rising into the air and filling the small space. I felt my bloodfire warm in anticipation and I knew I was ready for this. It would kill me, but it would be worth it. And the rest of the pack would be safe.
Tendrils started sneaking away from the cloth and curling around my ankles. I felt tingles of cold on my skin and shivered slightly. Alex chanted louder and then fell silent. The smoke bled away into the atmosphere.
“It won’t activate again until you’re inside the portal,” he said softly.
“Good. That means nothing else will see it between here and there,” I commented. I deliberately kept the tone of my voice light. “And the portal itself?”
“Let’s synchronise our watches,” he said, with a ghost of a smile at the spy like phrase. “At exactly 2.15am, I’ll open it for ten seconds. I can’t give you longer than that though.”
“It’ll be enough.”
“You don’t have to do this, Mack. The Brethren…”
“Don’t, Alex. I do have to do this and you’re not going to change my mind.” I picked up the cloth, trying not shudder, and stuffed it inside a plastic bag to avoid the smell escaping. Then I shoved it into one of my backpack’s side pockets.
“I can come with you,” he offered tentatively.
I laughed sharply and without mirth. “You don’t do fighting, remember?” I touched him gently on his arm and tried to put conviction into my voice. “I will be fine and back here in no time.”
He smiled slightly at the lie. “I’ll wait right here for you then.”
I tried to smile in return. “Don’t wait up.” He looked at me with a mixture of sympathy, hope and understanding. “Thank you, Alex,” I said quietly, “for everything.”
“Anytime, Mack Attack.” He gave me a mock salute, which I acknowledged with a forced grin. Then I turned and left for the beach.