Chapter 12: You Will Surrender

I choked on the surge of absolute consuming fury trying to launch itself from my lips and smother his smug ass with fire. But I managed to hold back, partly because of the added pressure of sorcery that layered over my shields, adding to the magic of the Enforcers surrounding us. A ring of sorcerers joined Liander Belaisle. I struggled to make it past the hate in my heart and understand what was happening here.

The leader of the Brotherhood. I defeated him eight years ago, stripped his power and won the battle foretold by the Fate twins. I won, damn it. And though he escaped, he was powerless, broken.

I'd been too complacent, it seemed. Let life take over, Max's need draw me away when I should have spent every waking moment pursing this man and destroying him utterly.

What had I done? More to the point, what had Erica?

"You will surrender," she said, voice like stone.

"Like hell I will." I held my place, Mom's mind connecting with mine.

We need to get out of here. She sounded calm, reasonable, considering our position. And I took great support from that. Mom was back and we could handle anything together.

"There will, of course, be some growing pains." Belaisle's smirk never faltered. He leaned casually against the base of the Council dais, the old, polished wood panels glowing softly in the light. "But I assure you, when the integration is all over there will be a new dawn for all magic users."

It's all of us. Mom's crisp announcement wasn't a surprise. She's thrown the entire continent to the wolves.

But why? She had to have been coerced. I was so familiar with his tactics, thanks to Mom and what she endured. He tried for several years to break her and failed. But Erica was weaker than my mother. If I could free her, this could be over in a moment.

Are we sure it's just North America? Charlotte's cold calculation made me pause. We need to check in with Femke.

Panic rose, stormed my resolve, almost won. But I had two frighteningly strong women at my side, and three furious alter egos who refused to let me fall.

"This is your last warning," Erica said, power behind her words, crackling along the edges of my shields. "Give over the Hayle coven and turn yourself in. Allow your family to survive, to be assimilated, and we shall consider your good judgment during your trial."

I lunged into her mind, not allowing her a moment to resist me. I was far more powerful than her, tired or not. Still, no matter how exhausted I felt, there was no missing the fact she was free and clear, her own agent, without a trace of coercion in her magic.

"Erica," I breathed as Mom gasped softly beside me. "What have you done?"

I felt Mom scour the Council too, while Erica answered me. They were sad, but compliant, and I realized as Erica spoke again they had all done this by choice, on purpose, knowing what they were getting into. What they were dragging all the witches of this continent into.

"I have created balance where once there was none," Erica said. "Too long have witches stood outside and allowed other races leeway in our territory. Combining our magic with the Brotherhood will allow us to assert true dominion and uphold the law while providing a peaceful world for all paranormals to live in."

Did she really believe that? Did she even have a vision of what that would look like? Or was this all a pipe dream wrapped in a steaming pile of crap?

"Protection for all paranormals," Erica said. "Equality in power." Whatever that meant. Considering the Brotherhood were thieves and parasites... "And a formal truce and peace between the sorcerers and witches who have been at odds for centuries." The lovely Brotherhood burned innocent women in the Dark Ages as witches, hunted us down, and tried to put the fear of God into normals. They succeeded. So why should we work with them now?

She's lying to herself, I sent to Mom. No answer. But, then again, I wasn't really expecting one, stating the obvious like that.

"Sydlynn," Belaisle said with a chiding drawl. "You should be happy about this. You're getting what you wanted." He took a stride toward me, arms outstretched, as though embracing all of us. "The Brotherhood and witches, working together. Soon, we'll include vampires and werewolves, too. And even the Sidhe who live among us." He winked. "The odd lost demon." My skin crawled at the thought. "Strengthening our position among the normals as a whole, as the Brotherhood have always done. Taking advantage of their naiveté, placing ourselves in positions of control. So magic users of all kinds will never have to fear normals again." The council was nodding in time with his words. They feared persecution, and I guess I didn't blame them. But the fact it was the Brotherhood who began all the hate toward our kind was rather ironic and chillingly disturbing. "All coming together in perfect harmony." He paused for effect. "We will rule this territory and, in doing so, protect ourselves from normals forever. For the common good, of course."

And not for power, right, Belaisle? Sure. Not buying it. "For your good," I snarled before I could stop myself. I knew he was baiting me, and kicked myself for responding to him, but I just couldn't help it.

"For everyone," Erica said, voice booming over mine, silencing everyone until the room felt like a haunted tomb, the soft in and out of breathing frozen as the council held their collective breath. "That was the point of this." If she was trying to convince me, she was doing a terrible job. But, for the first time since I'd known Erica, she didn't seem to care what I thought, what Mom thought. There was no urging to believe her in her voice or her magic, only conviction and icy cold resolve. "No more fighting. No more deception. This coalition will be my legacy to all witches, and all paranormals." She nodded once, a sharp gesture. "Peace, at last."

I laughed, bitter and crackling, another impulse reaction. But I didn't care at this point. Not in the face of such blatant lies and misconceptions.

"You," I said, pointing at her as she once pointed at me when this debacle of a meeting began, "are so full of crap, I'm surprised your eyes aren't brown." She didn't answer, though some of the council members gasped at me. Let them, the nasty old biddies. "If you think Liander Belaisle," let him stew over the fact I was talking about him like he wasn't even here, "has anyone but his own best interest at heart, you have completely cracked your nut."

Erica's stony face greeted me with silence.

I couldn't just let this go. I had to get through to them. But Mom was faster than me.

"Tell me," she said, voice cold and clear. "What will happen to those who disagree with this new order?" She met the eyes of those on the council who would willingly do so. Not many, that was. She finally settled on Erica. "Have any of the covens been consulted on this matter?" The council's guilty silence made my blood run cold, though it made sense. No way the collective witches of this territory would agree to such a plan. They might have been a pain in the ass, but even they weren't that foolish. Mom's grim expression even made me feel guilty, and I hadn't done anything. "Which means this is an arbitrary decision of the council." If things hadn't been so damned broken and dark right then, I would have grinned. She was the master of disapproval and guilt. Her vibrant voice rang with indignation. "Might I ask what punishment you have arrived on for those witches who might choose not to comply?"

Was Mom onto something? How could they do this without talking to all of us first? Maybe there was a way out of the law and back into sanity.

Erica looked suddenly grim, but it was Belaisle who answered.

"An unfortunate set of circumstances," he said, still grinning. "But, naturally, such opposition will have to be dealt with immediately." He looked up at Erica. "Am I correct, Council Leader?"

She nodded, brusque. "For the good of all." She paused, almost hesitant. "The price of peace."

My two-baby-wide ass.

Mom's next question made me freeze in place.

"Are witches being executed, Erica?" It was suddenly as though only the two of them were in the room as I stood, shaken and cold, waiting for her reply. Surely not. She would never go that far.

Would she?

The council stirred, uneasy, even upset. And we had our answer as Erica spoke.

"Only those who oppose the new alliance with violence." I wondered if she really believed that. She had to in order to sleep at night.

I, on the other hand, knew better.

"You have been demanding change, Coven Leader Hayle," she went on. "And the council has delivered."

"Without the input or approval of the covens," I snapped back.

"Your approval wasn't necessary." She held up a sheet of parchment, glittering with blue magic. "The council has full autonomy. Doesn't it, Miriam?" Mom flinched next to me, worried eyes meeting mine as I turned to look at her. "One of your laws, I think."

Syd. Mom's fear hit me like a blow. She's right. Oh, dear elements. I think Belaisle has been setting this up for years.

Just like him to make Mom do something while under his influence that could possibly give him an advantage down the road. "Whatever twisted logic you're calling on to justify this," I said, "never in a million years would anyone in their right mind get into bed with Belaisle and his Brotherhood. We have far too much sense for that. Sense, it seems, you're lacking, Council Leader Plower."

That got through to her. Erica's nostrils flared. "You will surrender," she said, gesturing and the Enforcers closed in tighter, joined by the sorcerers of the Brotherhood. I could feel the noose jerking around my neck and knew we had very little time if we were going to escape. "And there will be order!"

Syd, Mom sent in a sharp jab. We have one option. I suggest we take it.

That being? My shields strained. I was still so weak from saving the family.

Her next words make me gasp all over again. But I met her eyes and saw the determination there.

And trusted her, like I always had.

"You have no authority over me or mine," I said, voice ringing in the silence. "From this moment forward, I declare the Hayle coven autonomous."

That got their attention. I didn't know Erica could sit up any straighter, but she managed it, as did the rest of the council while Belaisle's smirk of confidence faltered.

Gotcha, you asshat.

"You can't do that." Erica's voice vibrated with fury.

"But she can," Mom said, her own tone reasonable and almost sweet. "The law is clear. Unless you've changed it recently?"

What does this mean? Charlotte was nervous, I could tell, but she held it together, as always.

It means, Mom sent to both of us, tired but almost gleeful, we should be safe enough. For now.

"The laws have not been changed." Lauren Noble of the Hensley coven almost sounded relieved as the others nodded. I wondered again about Tallah and why her representative didn't say a word to her or anyone else. "Any coven leader has the right to sever her ties to her council at any time, and is therefore, forevermore, no longer under the control or purview of said council."

I had no idea.

It's an old law, Mom sent. From when the council was first created. A back door to appease the coven leaders, just in case they decided to bail. I remember finding it, wondering why anyone would want to leave.

I guess we just found a reason.

"This choice will make you and your family outcast, Sydlynn Hayle." There was the soft begging sound I expected to hear earlier. Was Erica cracking? "You would be without territory or support, your power severed from the magic of the Council. This is a huge choice to make that could mean the end of your coven. You're making a big mistake."

"On the contrary," I said. "It means their survival. I want out. Now." She hesitated. "It's not like I had any support in the past." I couldn't help the jab. I just couldn't. "So this will be no different."

Her jaw tightened again and I knew we'd won.

Or, maybe not so fast.

"This is preposterous." Belaisle's fury was written all over his face. I feared he'd thought of everything, but maybe he wasn't as far ahead of me as he thought. "Arrest her!"

But the power of the council was already acting, on Erica's prompting. I felt it embrace me, even through my shielding, and worried a moment about what this would do to the coven. After all, our magic was part of the Council power, and had been for a very long time. But I shoved aside my worry as the magic of the council softly, sadly released me.

Not before it let me feel its pain at what had been done to it. I couldn't help. I was out of options and had to think of my family first. Sighing its blue flames, the Council magic cut ties with me and let me go.

One thing was for certain as I swayed slightly at its loss. I needed to get in touch with the other major coven leaders and find out if things were as grim as I now feared they'd become.

It was odd, at first, not feeling the magic of the council. But as I drew a breath and settled into the feeling of being alone, I realized, now more than ever, we didn't need the council. The heartbeat of the coven thudded strongly inside me, as warm and powerful as ever. And I grinned, knowing Erica would understand without me having to say a word.

The Enforcers backed away, but the sorcerers didn't move.

"Take her," Belaisle snapped.

The combined power of the council and his sorcery crackled between his people and my little group. I had no idea how much control Erica had over Belaisle, but I was surprised she could do even that much. I certainly didn't expect her control to last.

"We must let them go." Deep regret colored her words. Her grave and judging gaze fell on me. "Understand this, Sydlynn Hayle. You are no longer a member of the North American Witches organization. Therefore, you are no longer welcome in our territory."

Not shocking, Mom sent. Saw this coming.

"That being said," Erica went on, "if any of your outcast family are discovered in this territory, beginning at dawn tomorrow, you will be captured and executed without further warning. Do you hear me?"

I nodded, power gathered tight around me, ready to tear the veil. But I couldn't resist one last stare down with Erica, one I was determined to win.

She didn't flinch. And I was finally forced to let it go.

"I hope you can learn to live with what you've done," I said. And jerked a hole in the veil. Belaisle roared, his power smashing through the council barrier, but he was too late.

I saluted him with my middle finger as Mom, Charlotte and I leaped into the veil and out of his reach.

***