Chapter Twenty-Six
Rhys
As the domeof light formed over us, I looked over at Ava. “I should have traced to them.”
Ava shook her head and lifted a hand, pointing to where I could see three figures waiting. Another circle, this one about twenty feet across pulsed with red light. “That’s a very nasty protection spell,” she stated softly. “If you managed to get tangled up in it, you would have been burned to a crisp or something worse.”
I shrugged. “Maybe, or maybe not. She wants me alive, doesn’t she?”
“It doesn’t matter now,” Ava replied. “We’re here and we’re trapped. We have to figure out a way to get past Rhiannon’s spells before we can put a plan in motion.”
In truth there was no plan. Kerry had been unable to help us locate Rhiannon or Savannah. She was insistent that we talk, that she had important information, but it would have to wait. If Rhiannon hadn’t called Ava, we still wouldn’t know where Savannah was or if she was unharmed. The only accord we had been able to come to was that Ava would deal with Rhiannon and I would kill Macgrath. As we approached the red circle, I could see that she was fine, standing unaided but clearly frightened.
Her body grew rigid when she saw me and I could practically feel her fear and relief even through the shield of magic that surrounded her. The rage that I’d suppressed all day grew, threatening to break free of my control. My fingertips burned as electricity danced between them. Savannah was terrified and I couldn’t reach her.
Ava and I stopped a few feet away from the group. Rhiannon’s face was lit with the scarlet glow, giving her a sinister appearance. It was the only time since the day she came to Savannah’s house, she resembled the sorceress from my nightmares. The carefully crafted, sophisticated facade was gone. In its place was a witch full of bitterness and scorn. Macgrath stood behind her, his face partially shadowed and expression implacable.
For the first time in centuries, I wanted to cause pain and spill blood. I killed Cornelius to escape him, but I hadn’t wanted to do it. Tonight, I craved it.
“I’m glad you two could make it,” Rhiannon greeted us pleasantly.
I bit back the growl that built in my throat, letting Ava do the talking as we had discussed.
“We’re here as you demanded,” Ava replied. “Let Savannah leave.”
Rhiannon smiled. It was cutting and cold, like the sharp steel blade of a battleax. “You and I both know that none of you will leave here tonight.”
“Maybe,” Ava said. “Or maybe you’re wrong.”
The evil bitch laughed, throwing her head back as though Ava’s words were a joke that she found incredibly amusing. “I don’t think so.”
“This is your last chance,” Ava warned. “If you stop now, I might not kill you.”
Rhiannon shook her head, still chuckling. “There is no way you could defeat me.”
Ava’s only answer was to lift her arms. A wind lifted in the field, causing the knee-high grass to shift. The sound of the stalks rubbing together was like a hushed whisper, a thousand voices speaking quietly around us. Power prickled along my flesh, making my hair stand on end. The breeze intensified, the whispers growing louder, as it rushed from the outside edges of the field toward us.
I turned toward Ava, shocked to see the change in her appearance. Her golden hair and skin glowed, gleaming with an inner light. Her eyes were brilliant amethyst, sparking with magic. As the wind swirled around her, becoming a gale, her hair billowed behind her and her feet slowly lifted from the ground. She was more than a mere witch. She was one with the Goddess.
The smile faded from Rhiannon’s face, her dark gaze narrowing. “The Goddess cannot help you here, Aveta of the Glade.”
Behind Rhiannon, Macgrath’s head jerked as she spoke, as though the strange name she used took him by surprise. Then, he stared up at Ava with narrowed eyes.
“I don’t know who you’re talking to, bitch, my name is Ava Amaris and I’m going to kick your ass.” Lifting one arm, Ava turned her palm toward the red shield surrounding Rhiannon, Macgrath, and Savannah. White light streamed from her hand and slammed into the circle. There was a shower of sparks and the crackle of electricity as the spells clashed.
Rhiannon smiled once again as the red circle never wavered. “You can’t break this spell, Ava. You aren’t strong enough.”
Ava tried again, another explosion of sparks shooting up into the night sky.
While Rhiannon was distracted, I inched closer to the circle, looking for a way to break through. I put my fingers against the pulsing light and hissed when they burned. I had never seen a spell like this before and even with my knowledge and power, I instinctively understood that I couldn’t break it.
A movement behind Rhiannon caught my attention. I watched in horror as Savannah stepped closer to the witch, her gaze utterly focused. I recognized that look. I’d seen it often enough after she completed a tarot reading. She was siphoning Rhiannon’s emotions.
The witch was too distracted with Ava to notice, but Macgrath stood next to Savannah, watching her dispassionately. He seemed to comprehend what she was doing, but he made no move to stop her. Suddenly, Rhiannon faltered, her hand lifting to her chest. The light circling her dimmed.
I glanced back at Savannah and clenched my fists when I saw how pale her face had become. She wasn’t just drawing emotions from Rhiannon, but her very life. If she continued, she would end up doing irreparable damage to herself. I wanted to stop Savannah but there was no way I could reach her.
“Ava,” I murmured, desperation rising within me.
