Chapter 9

9

Supernaturals, various teams and efforts, Frond’s table of dissenters, the ritual with Wild, and my demon’s disappearance.My mind was filled and frantic, a sure sign that I’d neglected downloading information into my quipu for too long.

And a coven of over three hundred magus waited for me to talk, watching as I tried to order my thoughts after the quick meeting I’d just had.

You look crazy.

Wild sent me courage, and I held on tight. This moment was the same as many others in my life where I’d felt stuck.

“Where do I start?” I asked my mother, standing in the middle of the magical trap she’d formed to help me practice.

She smiled, blue eyes glinting. “At the start, Tempy. Always at the start.”

Ryzika’s robes settled around me as I stood from the table of my advisors up on the stage. “Mother,” I said, closing my eyes and raising my palms to Varden and Winona, who sat either side of me. I felt their palms against mine as they stood also, and after a brief lull of surprise, I heard the shift as the entire coven mimicked me. “From your energy are we born. From your lessons are we taught. By your mercy do we live. By your hammer do we fall. Into your open arms do we slip unto our end. Peer into our hearts and ambitions and guide us from falseness to truth, to oneness, and to prosperity in your world. Mother be.”

“Mother be,” echoed the coven.

In control of myself once more, I looked at the magus. “You have been very patient while waiting to gain understanding of what happened last week. I thank you for that. I thank you because there were things I had to understand first with help from my advisors.” I gestured to the six magus at the table, three either side. “While I cannot answer everything, I will impart what we have made sense of.”

No one spoke. Not even Frond’s gang who liked to fall silent after everyone else. He wanted more ammo, that was all, and he’d get it from this speech. I wasn’t fooled into believing what I said next would change his mind.

“Firstly, you are aware that the council is disbanded and an advisory team is formed. I would like to acknowledge the huge efforts of the council in their work while Caves was being played. That is not something I take lightly, that anyone should take lightly, and our history books will reflect as much. Thank you to all of those magus.

“Onward to coven matters, there are several new teams that are forming this week. Esteemed Advisor Astar”—I gestured to Wild—“is working with our sentries to ensure our defenses there are honed. He will work with our lead strategist, Sage, who is putting together a team of the best minds this coven has to offer. Esteemed Advisor Cyderh”—I gestured at Delta—“will soon be organizing training sessions geared toward defense and offense against demons. This will trickle across the affinities as we gather information. Esteemed Advisor Leif”—I nodded at Huxley—“has formed a team of grimoires with this need for information in mind. Thank you to everyone who has joined one or more of those teams already. This is where we start in order to make our coven safe.”

I paused to let them absorb that. “To that end, if you are not part of those teams, then you are crucial to our future safety. One week ago, demons attacked this coven. That the demons were able to leave their realm showed that they had amassed considerable strength. We have put together that a demon feeds on negative emotion—things like anger and pain and sadness and hurt. Demons feed on this for as long as is needed to gain strength and eventually step out of their realm. A demon is driven by the need to expand territory and make any new territory—and the creatures within—a part of their realm and therefore a constant food source.”

More than a few looks were exchanged.

“Yes,” I said. “I can see many of you understand what that means. The demons seek to claim the knolls. And use us as their permanent food source. That is the danger that stares us in the face. But how did an army of demons enter so close to our realm without our knowledge? That is where our minds need to be. The answer seems clear, to me and to my advisors, and maybe to some of you who were relieved to see the end of our three-hundred-year-old game. I believe the answer was Caves.”

Loud conversation broke out, and I listened closely to the general emotions through the chamber. Some disagreed, some felt shocked, and some didn’t dismiss it out of the gate. I heard their fear and nerves.

I let the conversation come to a natural end. “Whether or not that’s the case, we can say with certainty that a demon grows strength via feeding on negative emotion. To that end, you are aware by now that we have started a centering circle initiative to operate three times daily. For those in a team, or not, our objective is to limit those negative emotions to what is normal. For too long our coven has existed in two teams. That ends now. That must end if we are to avoid the fate the demons have in store for us. I want no one under the illusion that this threat is something to make light of. You do so at the risk of your life and of those around you.”

The mood was solemn. Good.

This was no joke.

Now to lay some groundwork.

“For three hundred years, our rooms have depicted our position on a gameboard. Tomorrow, the esteemed will adjust to new quarters based on their power ranking alone. The strongest will room closest to the entrance of our cave and to my quarters—which contains the only internal demon gate. The day after, proven will do the same. The day after that, novices will rearrange also. We are no longer Fertim or Vero. We are the Buried Knolls coven. Esteemed Advisor Hyatte”—I settled a hand on Varden’s shoulder—“is in charge of rolling out incentives to counter the demons’ influence within the coven. Until then, be aware that if you’re feeling high levels of negative emotion, then this could be our enemy’s influence. Demon magic is at play in the coven, trying to push us toward that which makes them stronger and us weaker.

“I’m not telling you that you can’t feel. Many of us feel afraid of what happened and what may happen. We all feel a lot in this moment, and the last week. But let us hone these emotions into a weapon that can’t be used against us. Tell someone you trust if you feel that the level of what you feel is unusual. Ask for perspective. If you notice someone is acting out of sorts, then please open that conversation with them. If you have questions or concerns, then please come to me or my advisors. I will answer any that I can, and I hope to answer any I can’t in time.”

The lull in the wake of my words wasn’t contemplative as such. More like I’d overwhelmed the coven with information they’d need time to process.

I took a breath. “Now it’s time to join the centering circle if you wish to, or to attend scheduled team meetings. Otherwise, I wish you well in your affinities or projects today.”

I sat, my heart thumping, and magus broke out into murmurs and whispers—some exiting the chamber to do as I’d asked.

I hoped.

Varden murmured, “Nicely done.”

I’d managed to circumvent the subject of the demon gates, my father’s dagger, and a million other incriminating things. Today. What tomorrow would bring was tomorrow’s problem. Corey would be proud of me letting it all flow over me, or whatever.

For now, I had some reading to do on the history of Ogham Staves. I kissed Wild’s cheek on the way. “See you later.”

He squeezed my hand. “You will.”

Huxley hooked my arm as I passed his seat at the table. “I need to speak to you.”

“Can’t,” I answered. “Busy.”

He scoffed. “Make time. I’m important.”

“Has anyone ever commented that you’re arrogant?”

“They describe ancient gods that way too. What’s your point?”

I laughed. “In private?”

He pushed up his thick-rimmed glasses. “Yeah. Probably best.”

We walked to my quarters, and once inside, Huxley cast a nervous glance at the invisible demon gate on the far wall before sitting on the couch opposite me.

“So what happened?” I asked.

He narrowed his green eyes. “You know why I’m here.”

“You gave me a bogus answer the other day when I asked why you went to the other demon gate despite knowing an army had come out of it.”

The grimoire scowled.

I waited, then said, “I have other things to do if you’re going to waste my time.”

“I’m getting there,” he snapped. Huxley shifted on the couch, then opened his mouth. Then closed it.

I stood. “I’m going.”

“There was a woman inside the gate,” he blurted.

That made me pause. I lowered back down. “The woman wasn’t a demon?”

“She was, but most of her caste scales were covered. At least I thought so at the time.”

Demons operated in a hierarchy that seemed to have a lot to do with the color of their scales—and how much of their bodies the scales covered. “What gate was this?”

“The one I visited first. She was standing there, waiting. When she saw me, she was—” He paused as though searching for the right word. “Frantic.”

“In what way?”

He murmured, “At first I thought she wanted to get out of the demon realm. But then, why couldn’t she just walk out like the army? It was as though she was trapped.”

My insides froze at that word in particular. “What did she look like?”

“Like I said, she was mostly covered. Scarf around the head, neck, and chest. Long sleeves and pants. Boots. She was tall and moved like a fighter.” His green focus burned into me. “Why did your expression change just now?”

“My demon told me that she was trapped, remember?” Figuring out what fostbwyke meant had taken forever. “She made it clear her trap wasn’t my divination affinity—that she was somehow here while being trapped elsewhere too.”

Huxley blinked. “You think that was her?”

I didn’t know what to think. “How could my demon be a person of her own, though?” I pursed my lips. “The woman you saw seemed corporeal?”

“I believe so. When she hit at the demon gate, it rippled.”

I released a pent-up breath. There went that theory. Plus, if my demon were stuck in the other realm, I wouldn’t be alive by now. The demon king would use her against me. “I’m grasping at straws. Forget it. What did the woman do next?”

“It’s like she heard someone coming,” he continued. “She stopped hitting at the barrier and sank into a crouch. She held a finger to her lips, and then pointed to the next gate—the one where the other army had come from.”

“So you went there.”

He glowered. “Well, I expected she might have something helpful to say. She didn’t seem… vicious. Or like she wanted to fight. She wanted to help. You would have gone too.”

“I wasn’t criticizing you, Huxley. I was making a statement.”

He lost the glower. Most of it.

“What stopped you from telling me this earlier?” I asked.

Huxley glanced away. “When I said the words aloud, they seemed so foolish. I went to the other gate because a demon told me to do it.”

It really did. And yet— “Anything can sound stupid if you put it in ridiculous terms. There are things you might’ve done differently in this whole situation. Have you reflected on those?”

“I should have told Sven or Corentin I was going to the other gate.”

I dipped my head. They—and Wild—shared a powerful charm where they could exchange thoughts. Alerting Sven and Corey would have taken a few seconds. “I don’t consider your decision as stupid. Going to the other gate was a risk, but you calculated that based on what you interpreted from her behavior at the time. Now, you may make a different choice.”

“I don’t believe she was trying to trick me,” he said in a curious voice. “I think she was discovered on her way to the other gate, but why was she trying to escape? Who is she?”

“We may never know.” I was curious too. Damn grimoire magic. “I do know that you should have told me or someone else about her immediately. This is valuable information.”

“How so?”

“Because it shows there’s a chance not all demons agree. As we know with our coven, division is weakness. We could use that against them. The demons seemed so subservient to the higher castes. Clearly, they can act independently too.”

Huxley colored. “Right.”

“Thank you for telling me now,” I said. “It may be worth reflecting on what beliefs about yourself led to the delay in doing so.”

He colored further. “I will. Sorry, Tempest. I’ll make up for it.”

“I know you will. What color were her scales, by the way?”

“I could only see the ones on her hands. They were black.”

Black. We hadn’t encountered a demon with black scales yet. “I wonder if that’s powerful or weak.” Black and white could probably be either.

The magus hummed. “Powerful, I think. Based on how she moved.”

Another mystery for another day. “How are you and Spyne?”

Huxley smiled. “Good. I’m not sure why he puts up with me.”

“Me neither.”

The quad member rolled his eyes, and we walked out of my quarters together, chatting. Rooke was on her way to my quarters.

“Huxley, there you are,” she said.

He glared.

“Yes,” she said in exasperation. “The greenhouse is purified. Hurry up, I’ve had a thought.” She peered past him to me. “Thought you may wish to know…” My cousin checked the tunnel was clear. “I heard a few comments after the gathering today.”

I braced myself. “Like?”

“Like how you’ve been chosen, and some of them knew it from the start. You just understood the game so well. You were so powerful that the quad accepted you as one of them.”

Huxley snorted as I wrinkled my nose.

Pretty sure the quad acted like assholes toward me for most of that time.

Rooke recited, “You always did dawn walks, and are so old-fashioned at esbat. Plus you talk to council members and elders like you’re their equal, and always have. That kind of stuff. They’re saying that even though you don’t look like you want to be leader, you’re doing what’s best for the coven, and they appreciate you dedicating yourself to it regardless.”

Not bad. I’d expected far worse. “Thanks, Rooke.”

“So Rooke listens to whispers, and Sven speaks them?” Huxley asked.

That about summed it up.

My bond with Rooke was shining, and I glanced at her in question.

“I was butthurt about not being an advisor,” she admitted. “Not that I want you to feel bad about that. I can see your point now. You need ears too.”

Our bond swelled further—our normal magus bond. The only normal magus bond I possessed. The one with Wild was otherworldly. Then there were the three withered bonds I’d shared with Syera, Grandmother, and Mother that told me they were gone. Then there was—I stopped in my tracks, staring at the remaining tether. I hadn’t looked at it in so long.

Huxley banged into me. “What?—”

I spun on the spot and walked double-time back to my quarters. “I’ve never been able to follow it before.”

“Follow what?” Rooke asked, hurrying to keep up. Huxley wasn’t far behind her.

“My mystery tether,” I said, barging into my room. “The one that doesn’t make sense. I’ve never been able to follow it.”

I stood before the demon gate and gazed within at the thin tether that connected me to another. “It does connect me to a demon, then. The bond travels into that realm. Can I only see it now because the gate has been opened so much?”

“Or maybe because the demons’ power has grown,” Huxley chimed in.

If the other person was in the demon realm, then that could explain why the tether was so weak and thin. Or did me being magus and the other person being a demon screw with things?

“We knew the person on the other end was a demon, right?” my cousin said. “That’s why you decided to stop looking for them.”

Huxley glanced at me, and I could tell his thoughts echoed mine.

“Tempest,” he said. “The demon woman I saw. What if she was looking for you.”

I stared at the rock wall that concealed the demon gate. “Maybe the tether belongs to my demon. And maybe my demon istrapped in that realm.”

And yet so many things in that didn’t make sense, including that the woman Huxley encountered had been corporeal. I said, “Plus, the bond only appeared before I came here. I was born half demon. I’ve always had her, so I always should have had a bond to her.”

“Demons come into maturity at around sixteen,” he answered. “Maybe yours came in later because the strength of your magus power kept her locked away in your divination affinity. The affinity you didn’t want to explore.”

The larger concept seemed impossible—not to know an entire facet of yourself until twenty-one—but I really hadn’t known about her until recently. And I kept coming back to the fact that my demon told me she was trapped elsewhere. “I don’t know what to think.”

The three of us stood before the gate in silence.

Eventually, I sighed. “Gazing at a rock won’t give any answers. Just another question for the pile in the meantime.”

But figuring this out could solve so many mysteries in my life. Had my demon managed to keep a foothold in me all this time while trapped in the demon realm? Had her magic expenditure during the battle with the demons made it impossible to keep that foothold any longer?

If she was trapped in the demon realm, how the hell did I reach her? And what if the demon king found her first?

Right now I felt cold fear at the idea that my demon was on the other end of this third tether, caged somewhere I couldn’t reach her, and life had taught me that I often felt fear when faced with a truth I didn’t want to admit.