Chapter 9

Jess caught Kasta as she stumbled when they landed in an alley just south of Central Park West. They were a couple of blocks from the mayor's house. That was still dangerous because they had no idea who would be watching them.

Bracing Kasta against him, he closed his eyes and buried his face in her shoulder to make it look like they were in an intimate moment. Instead he was looking for Bryony's mind.

He felt the tremors that were running through the Elf in his arms. Not many people could stand being cast through time and space at the velocities they moved when they shadow-walked. The only one he knew that didn't have side effects was Clint. Then again Clint was their King and he was around side effects of their power so often it didn't affect him.

From what the others said, it was like being ripped apart then put back together again. Except you were flying so fast through the shadows, if you didn't know where you were going you were likely to end up in a wall or smashed head first onto a sidewalk. Children were cautioned only to go places they knew inside and out because no one wanted to find their child dismembered somewhere.

Jess nearly cried in happiness when he felt Bryony. Austin was still a little fuzzy but the link to his mate was strong enough for Jess to hijack it. Bryony was used to Austin's electric personality so she wouldn't be too shocked when he ventured into her thoughts.

"Bryony?" he said quietly so he didn't rouse Austin's ire. "Bryony, it's Jess."

"Jess?" She sounded timid and conservative.

"Yes, sweetheart. It's me."

She sighed. "Thank goodness. It's bad, Jess, really bad. They came into the house and attacked us. Austin didn't think about it. He just shoved me into Emery's arms and took the bullet for me."

"I know. We're on our way. Sit tight." He lifted his head and looked around them. "We weren't spotted were we?"

Kasta shook her head as she pulled away from him. "No one passed by but they're close. We need to move." She jerked back even more when he reached up. "What are you doing?"

Jess pulled her hair from its silver fastening. It cascaded down her back in thick dark waves. He adjusted it enough to where it was hiding her ears. He reached into a pocket on his hip and pulled out a tube of cream base concealer. Rubbing some on his finger, he smeared it on her cheek where the Elves had their ranking marks.

"It's one thing to have tear tattoos on your face. It's another to have something else," he said. He rubbed his hand on his pants then put the concealer up. "We can't have you giving us away so quickly."

There was a pop behind him. He turned ready to fight only to have his elbow snagged. Only one person disabled his opponent when he fought because he refused to kill unless he had to.

"You can let go now, Keldin." His arm was released and he turned around. "Sorry, buddy. We have to be careful."

The younger auburn haired man rubbed a hand through his shaggy hair. "Sorry. It freaks me out when Austin gets in trouble."

The other two cast him a pitiful look. Twins were really in a league all their own. "I understand that completely. Come on. Let's go get him."

Jess took Kasta's hand in his and started down the sidewalk. He knew some of the people he passed were like him and Keldin, but they kept their distance. They knew something was up for everyone to be gone.

Austin was candid enough he knew every Silver Court member in his Sector. For him to be silent was grating on their nerves because the man talked incessantly. It could also be because Keldin and Austin were twins, and here was one though he wasn't saying anything to them. They must not be able to tell them apart yet.

Keldin suddenly pushed Kasta between them and touched Jess's shoulder once. Jess's shoulders tensed briefly then relaxed. The wind washed over them as the earth shook. Kasta clutched at Jess's hand as she realized the two of them were trying to protect her because she didn't have supernatural powers to stop whoever was coming after them. If she didn't know where their opponent was coming from, her strength was useless.

She looked up at the numbers on the houses. When they came to the one they needed to be at, she tugged on Jess's hand. He stopped, looked up then smiled down at her. Keldin took the lead and knocked on the door. They waited a few moments until the door opened. There was a teenage girl on the other side. She smiled then pulled the door opened wider.

They took that as an invitation and walked inside. The girl led them through the house to the second floor. Then she showed them down the hallway. She stopped in front of a door and knocked. There was a reply on the other side, and she opened it.

The first person they saw was Bryony. She was sitting beside the bed with her head tossed back on the headrest of the chair. The knife Paycen had given her months ago lay loosely in her hand in case she needed it. She looked miserable. Her hair was pulled up in a messy ponytail and she was dressed in sweats. She kept rubbing her arm with her free hand in an agitated manner.

As they looked closer they could see Austin sprawled out in the bed. He was barely visible but he was sweating. His breathing was labored, and his skin was turning green. Unfortunately he didn't have his brother's ability to expel toxins from his system. It made him even more vulnerable.

Keldin brushed Jess and Kasta and went into the room. Bryony looked surprised when he plopped himself on the bed and stretched out beside his twin. She looked over at them then sighed in relief.

"I was beginning to think you weren't going to make it," she said. She stood and crossed to them, her body all but collapsing into Jess's arms.

"Sorry. We had issues in New Orleans we had to deal with before we could make it," Jess said then he kissed her cheek. He looked over her shoulder. "How long has it been?"

"He's been out for two days. He keeps mumbling in his sleep. Sometimes he has lucid moments but then he's under again. I don't know what it is." She slid down his legs and sat at his feet.

"It's peyote," Keldin replied as he lifted his head from his brother's shoulder. "Somehow they've turned it into a different type of drug."

"How can you tell?" Kasta asked.

"Keldin's in tune with everything that is and was of the earth. Since peyote is a plant, he can find remnants of it in Austin's system. But, Keldin, isn't peyote like marijuana? It has to burn to be considered potent," Jess said.

"That's true but I don't think this one works that way." There was a knock at the door. The girl skipped in followed by a tall African American woman. Keldin's eyes narrowed immediately. "You!"

"Keldin?"

Jess and Kasta barely had time to catch him as he went towards the woman. He struggled against them, his eyes wide with hatred and murder. Kasta wrapped her arms around his waist and slung him around, but he still fought her with everything he had. The very floorboards under their feet creaked and groaned as they tried to do his bidding.

Jess turned to look at him when he made certain the woman wasn't going to do anything. "What is wrong with you?"

"That's the person!" Keldin exclaimed.

"What are you talking about?" Kasta asked.

"That's the witch that's been poisoning my brother. I can feel it humming all over her. She's on their payroll. I want her out of here."

Bryony looked at him in confusion. She looked between the woman and her husband prone on the bed. "What does he mean?"

Jess gently moved her aside. "He means she's been using her magic to make the peyote poisonous. She wants to kill your husband."

The woman turned and looked at the other woman in shock. "How could you? How could you do this to me? I thought you were my friend."

"She was paid to do this job, Bry. She wanted the money more than she wanted friendship," Keldin said quietly. It was deadly, and he was just waiting for his chance to spring. Kasta held him securely against her. "She was paid very handsomely."

"Does this mean a witch is also involved in the assassination attempt on your Queen?" Kasta asked.

"That's a high probability." Jess turned to the girl. "Abby right?" She smiled and nodded. "Can you please get your father? We need to tell him this isn't going to work."

"Do you really think you can stop me?" the witch asked. "I know exactly what will happen if I use my powers against you."

Jess's eyes widened as Bryony put her knife away then pulled a sleek gun from her sweatpants waistband. She was not playing about this when she had a baby on the way. She wanted to raise her child with her husband, not as a single mother.

She pointed it point blank at the other woman and didn't flinch a muscle. "You will leave my husband alone and will walk away. I don't want to have to kill you."

The other woman smiled. "You don't have the guts." She flinched when Bryony fired. The bullet embedded in the paneling behind the woman's head. She'd missed on purpose. "What the hell?"

Bryony shifted her hand once again, this time pointing it right at her forehead. "Next time I won't miss. Now get out of here."

"I suggest you do as the lady says."

The witch turned to the mayor. He made a face at her. She huffed like an impatient child and turned. When she was gone the energy level in the room seemed to go down. Keldin slumped onto the bed and looked down at his brother. Bryony crossed over to him and they held onto each other.

Jess turned to the mayor. "Thank, Mayor Lundberg. I really didn't know what I was going to do if Bryony shot her."

"We would have figured it out. Besides I owe Austin everything for teaching Abby how to use her powers. Because she's mute she can't communicate very well. She's learning to talk to me using telepathy. I don't know what I'm going to do when she wants to go to high school."

"There are plenty of regular teachers who know about us. Besides she'll do better than you give her credit for."

Lundberg smiled. "Thank you for that. Ever since her mother died, I never thought anyone else would ever think so highly of her."

"She's one of us. We take care of our own" He paused as he watched Kasta look over Austin. "Is there any way we can find another wizard to undo this spell on him?"

"I'm way ahead of you. His name is Elijah. He says he wants to make an alliance with your people. He's based in New York and is head of the Northeast Coven." Lundberg watched him carefully. "He'll be here shortly if you want to get the women out of here."

Jess glanced back at the bed. He tossed his head back to signify the two men. "There's no way Keldin will leave him."

"You noticed I said women." Jess smiled at him. The mayor matched his look. "Emery's working on some loose ends in my office. You're free to come see him."

Jess turned. "Bryony, you and Kasta should come with me. We're about to have someone come in who can help Austin."

It took a few moments for the women to follow but when they did, Jess closed the door, giving the twins time to connect.