Part 16 (1/2)
”I've created a wall in front of them,” she said.
”And they are?”
”Defenders. I'll explain later.”
She scooted along a warren of tunnels, never hesitating as she forked left, then right, then went straight. After a time he heard dripping water. They hurried around to the right, and they were going up a flight of stairs cut into the rock. The little light ball kept glowing merrily away. She ducked into another hole cut in the rock, and he saw a proper little room-a camp bed, a propane stove, and a very elaborate witch's altar presided over by a statue of the Virgin Mary, lavender and white candles, a spray of lavender tied up with a white string, some colorful crystals, and a seash.e.l.l. She sent the glowing ball to the candles, and they lit up one by one. She looked older. She looked as if she had been through a lot.
She sank to her knees and bowed her head, speaking in a language that wasn't Latin, Spanish, or English, and waved her hands about. Witchy matters. He came up beside her. She reached up, found his hand, and squeezed it. ”Are the others okay?”
”Holgar's fine. Gone off with Jenn and Antonio.” Then he realized that she probably didn't know about Eriko. He didn't want to tell her. Not now, anyway. ”What are Defenders?”
”Like golems. I doubt our 'friends' will get through my wall. I've gotten quite good at them,” she said, with a hint of pride. ”How did they find you?”
”I don't know. I think finder's spell.” He winced. ”Father Juan gave me a scrying stone to find you, but I dropped it back in that tunnel.”
”Oh, dear.” Her eyes grew wide. ”They may be able to trace us.”
”You got backup?” he asked, grimacing as he pictured his lost weapons back in the hard saddlebags of the bike. ”Witch mates? I traveled here alone.”
”Backup.” She took a breath. ”Jamie, we're on White magick ground. You know the code.”
”An it harm none,'” he intoned. Then he frowned at her. ”Leave off. Those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds were throwing lightning bolts at me, and we're not supposed to harm them?”
”L-lightning bolts?” she echoed, looking terrified.
”Yeah. That some signature of his?” he asked. ”Your ex, what was his name? Est-”
She covered his mouth with both her hands. ”Don't say it. Names have power. He might hear you.”
He s.h.i.+fted his weight. ”Maybe he's the one I shot.”
”I hope so,” she blurted; then she paled and looked down at her white robe. The spangles were moons and stars. She looked like people he'd seen etchings of about to be burned at the stake or getting their heads chopped off.
”We have to do something,” he said. ”If they do break down your wall and overtake those Defender lads, we're in big trouble.” He picked up one of her candles and mimicked the sound of gunfire. ”Take that, you big mean, bad person! I harm you not with my candle!”
”Show respect,” Skye snapped, taking the candle from him.
”Skye?” said a voice. There was a girl in the doorway, also dressed in a white robe. She had dark hair and skin. ”Who's this?”
”Farrah, this is Jamie. He's one of the Salamancans. Farrah is one of my-my coven sisters.”
”Your Salamancan coven?” Farrah said, looking askance at him, then down at his Uzi. ”Why are you here?”
”Coven?” Jamie repeated, narrowing his eyes. Skye reddened and kept her gaze averted.
”Skye's with us now,” Farrah said, moving protectively toward Skye. ”Not you lot.”
”What?” Jamie cried.
Skye grimaced. ”No one asked me to make a choice.”
”It went without saying,” Farrah retorted.
”But I belong to both. It was that way before-”
The boom of an explosion shook the earth beneath their feet. Pebbles and chalky dirt sprinkled down from the ceiling. Farrah cried out and grabbed onto Skye. For his part, Jamie checked his Uzi.
”Nice try, witchy, but I think they may be coming through your wall,” Jamie said, as a second explosion rocked them. ”Come on.”
”What's going on?” Farrah asked.
”He was followed,” Skye said. ”I made a wall-”
Farrah's shock was obvious. ”Followed? Weren't you going to come and warn the rest of us?”
”He just got here. Farrah, please, get the others. These men are Dark Witches. I set out two Defenders, but they could get past them.”
”How did they know about the tunnel?” Farrah demanded. ”How did Jamie? Did you reveal it?”
”Hey, leave off. I've seen that trick before,” Jamie cut in. ”Thought I'd take a chance. I was scrying for her, and-”
”Scrying?” Farrah shook her head in disbelief. ”Is there anything about our Art that you haven't shared with the Salamancans?”
”She didn't. Our priest did,” Jamie snapped, not liking the witch at all. Farrah looked bewildered. ”Talk later. Time to sound the alarm. a.s.semble your people. We may have a nasty fight on our hands. These lads were hurling lightning bolts at me.”
Farrah took Skye's arm. ”We have to get out of here, Skye,” she said. ”Move to safety.”
Jamie blinked. ”There is no 'safety.' There's fighting.”
”Not like this. Not White Witches,” Farrah said firmly. ”Skye, let's go.”
”You don't know what they're like,” Skye told Farrah. ”My ex allied himself with the Cursed Ones. He's done their magicks. They've changed him.”
”All the more reason to leave,” Farrah insisted. ”Let's go.”
Skye looked from Farrah to Jamie and back again. It was clear she was torn. Jamie was incredulous. He was about to remind her of the vows she took as a hunter-to hunt, to attack, to destroy. That was their mission. Not to protect. Not to defend. But to fight-to the death, if necessary. Suicide mission with one, but if only these witches would take a stand- ”Jamie, I'm with you,” Skye told him. ”Farrah, please, get the others.”
”It's the wrong thing to do!” Farrah cried.
”If it's . . . him, we can't outrun them,” Skye shot back. ”Just tell the High Priestess. Tell her. That's all I ask.”
Farrah frowned. Then she nodded, obviously coming to a decision.
”Thank you.” Skye took a deep breath and looked at Jamie. ”I can try to create more Defenders. Maybe they can hold the line until my coven sisters reach the cavern.”
”Agreed,” Jamie said, flas.h.i.+ng her a look of approval.
Together they negotiated the warrens and tunnels by way of her little glow light. Another explosion shook the tunnel, and one of the supporting timbers broke free.
The two stone Defenders stood a few yards ahead of them, s.h.i.+fting on their ma.s.sive feet. Skye's wall before them seemed to wobble and s.h.i.+mmer, and Jamie's hair rose up as if he'd just walked into a field of static electricity.