21. Pike

Chapter 21

Pike

"We had him. He was right here." I howl into the rainy night.

"He fought the magic," Van points out. "That has to mean it's not as strong as it was before."

"It's not." I fist my hands. "What the fuck can I do?"

Wick stops short from his own pacing. "Call a tribunal against Drake. Ethan told me about one he went to as a kid. His uncle ran the coven at the time and pissed them off."

"We're not part of the coven."

Wick shrugs. "I don't know how it works, but I think if there's someone with beef against the coven and they have proof it goes against the coven rules they can call the tribunal."

Rain sizzles around me, burning off my overheated skin. "Coven of Hex, I summon thee!" I bellow the words and they echo off every building. There's no doubt every resident heard the call. "I demand a tribunal for Drake Speller. On account of him siphoning magic from his captive Fae."

A huge fiery blue ring circles us, blocking out the rain as witches appear all around us. The circle grows until it's large enough to contain spectator stands where witches find a seat and gossip with their friends. A long table forms in front of the stands and a half a dozen judge's seats settle into a half circle in the very front.

The four of us stand waiting for the coven and their judges. Drake still hasn't arrived by the time the final judge bangs their gavel.

"Who are you and why do you call a tribunal?" They stare down at me with hard dark eyes and it takes everything in me not to growl.

"I'm Pike, a crossroads demon."

"Yes, but why do you call a tribunal? You are demon not witch."

And I remember. "True, but I am partial owner of Flutter, and I have a major grievance against Drake Speller." I smile to myself, because this has to be my in.

"We can proceed," the judge calls. They snap and Drake stumbles in.

"What is the meaning of this?" Drake screams. "I am the leader of this coven. No one has the right to call me in for judgement."

"Demon. State your grievance."

I'd already stated it during the summoning, but I start again. "As you know, I'm part owner of Flutter. Over the last few weeks, Drake and I have gotten close as business partners, and the business has expanded. I knew Drake had a soul tether on his pet Fae."

The audience gasps.

"Impossible," the judge says. "Drake would never."

My tail wiggles as if it's a shaking fist and I have to take a hold of it. "You can't see the tether because of all the other clever spells Drake has it hidden beneath. But it's there."

"Bring the Fae here. Let us see for ourselves." The judge points to Drake.

Drake grinds his teeth. His shoulders drop, but he nods and does as the judge asks.

I suck in a breath when a cage containing Lark enters the circle with us. He's soaked to the bone still and gasping for breath. "A little warning next time."

I have to hide my smile. My Lark hasn't lost his spark.

Murmurs rise all around.

"As you can see," I start. "There are several layers of spells. The Fae's brother can't even see him, can you?"

"He's here again?" Wren asks, looking around. I take his hand and squeeze.

"He is." I glare at Drake. "I thought Drake just attached his lifespan to the Fae's, but that's not the entirety of it."

"Shut up," Drake growls. "Or you'll regret it."

"Pssh." I wave him off and continue to address the judges. "Drake also siphons life force from the Fae, stealing his magic. Drake is not this powerful. He can't work his magic to make all those brews you love so much without the Fae."

More mumbles and murmurs.

"And they've been getting weaker, haven't they?"

"They have!" someone yells from the stands. "They don't buzz any more. There's hardly any magic at all in them. Not worth the money, if you ask me."

Drake's lips twitch. "New recipe."

"Bullshit." I slam my hand on the nearest table. "The Fae has found a way to counteract the siphon making you weaker."

"Impossible." Drake crosses his arms over his chest. "Trick isn't smart enough to figure it out."

"Let's not insult the intelligence of the boy, Drake," the judge says.

I pace as I think. "Your honor, familiars are allowed by the coven, however, slaves are not, correct?"

"You are correct. Our familiars help us, but we do not use their magic for our own gain without their explicit permission. We use our born talents. If the witch isn't as strong as they wish to be, they are to educate themselves. We take pride in the fact that only we use our born talents." They write a few notes. "That is, of course, not counting the help of our demon brethren in the creation of the veil to hide Hex from prying human eyes. Sometimes one does need help, but that's not to say we should create a permanent tap of magic from another being. That is despicable."

The crowd agrees, making the noise level rise until the judge raises their hand. "Hush. Hush. We will bring justice down on Drake's head."

"The Fae agreed to be my servant!"

I snort.

Lark yelps when he grabs the bars of his cage. "I didn't know the language! You can't say I agreed if I didn't know what you were saying!"

Again, the judge raises their hand for silence. "Fae, tell me exactly what happened."

Lark settles on his bottom and pulls his knees to his chest. "Everything?"

"From the beginning of your enslavement, yes."

Lark nods. "Very well. On the day I was captured, my brother just got initiated as a courtesan in the Winter court. I ran off with a boy once the celebration party started. We wanted to…" He nibbles his bottom lip and goes pink all the way down to his chest. "We'll I wanted my first kiss and maybe more. I was fifteen." He starts to rock as he continues. "We flew to my favorite meadow. As we touched down, we got tangled in each other and laughed as we rolled down a hill.

"I tried to get to my feet, but tripped. When I finally got up, I was in an unknown cornfield. Drake stood there, smiling. He said something in a language I didn't know at the time and it sounded so nice I nodded. I thought he was asking if I needed help. But he wasn't. He had shackles I hadn't noticed and snapped them on me. As soon as he did, he pricked my finger and squeezed a drop of blood into a goblet. He stirred the liquid with something, drank half, then forced me to drink the other. The rest… well, I've lived in the basement of Flutter the last five years while performing on stage while being forced to glow. The five years before that, I lived in the dining room of his house with the insistent ticking of the grandfather clock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick?—"

"Okay," the judge says the word gently, but Lark jerks like he's been slapped. "What do you say to all this, Drake?"

"Lies. What?—"

"No!" Lark screeches. "I'm Fae, I can not lie!"

My heart breaks for Lark. I wish I could open the door and set him free, but Drake could snap at any moment.

The judge sighs. "We have a complicated situation, and I'm sorry, dear Fae, but we can not order Drake to sever the soul tether."

Lark goes back to rocking. "I don't understand."

"You're integrated into each other's souls, whether you like it or not. At least until the new tether is complete, or the anchor is destroyed."

"I really have a new tether?" Lark's head lifts.

"Both are clear as day now that I've untangled the spells wrapped around you."

The layers of spells shimmer and fade. All but the soul tethers. Wren gasps beside me and rushes to the cage. "Brother," he whispers as he sticks a hand through the bars. Lark presses his cheek into Wren's palm. It's a sweet portrait of brotherly affection.

The judge turns to Drake. "While we can not force you to sever the soul tether, we remove you as the owner of Flutter. All assets are now Pike's as your business partner. He can chose to keep the business or sell to another in the coven."

"You can't do that!" Drake bellows. "I?—"

"You haven't paid your latest debt to the coven in months. We're also removing you from leadership and we will hold a vote at a later time for who takes your place. We strip you of any enhancements you may have purchased."

"You'll regret this!" Drake sucks in a deep breath and lifts his hands, rising dirt and grit from the ground.

Lark moans and drops to his side. His hair is so pale it rivals the white of his brother's. Wren stumbles back.

"Release him," I shout as I lunge for Drake. But he's gone and so is Lark before I can get to him.

My knees threaten to buckle.

I've failed.