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When he felt full to bursting, he cut it off, closing the aether until the room was dark.
He panted, his chest heaving. He could blow up a city right now, he had so much magical energy vibrating within him.
After his breath calmed, he checked his watch. More than an hour had passed. Sofia would be in her village, meeting with her council.
He aetherwalked there, sucking in the warm jungle air and realizing that the wild smell reminded him of Sofia. The screeching cacophony of tropical animals filled the air.
It was two hours earlier here than it was in Scotland and the early morning sun was just starting to peek over the top of the canopy. The buildings were quiet and the street was dead.
He made his way down the quiet street toward the bar where they’d first met the council and slipped in the door. He kept to the shadows, finding a spot near the door to watch.
The same half dozen council members were seated in the dim room. Sofia, cloaked in her Crone form, stood at the front with Aleia, who he’d figured out was her informal second in command. Inara stood with them as well.
Sofia glanced over at him, then quickly turned back to the burly Were who was giving his report on how many outsiders from different packs would join the fight.
It sounded dire. Though nearly all citizens were willing to stay and fight regardless of whether or not their ancestors had been cursed, the Were was reporting that less than a dozen Weres from outside the village were willing to fight to their potential death.
Not surprising really. Weres were loyal only to their packs, so getting others to help them was unlikely.
“Thank you, Alistair,” Sofia said. She reached down to rest a hand on Kitty’s back, who stood on the stool next to her. She glanced at the small female vampire who’d spoken at the last meeting. “Cora?”
The vampire rose and bowed low. “I have had better luck, Honored One. We have two dozen vampires willing to come to our aid, as well as all who live in Bruxa’s Eye. Though they expect to be able to drink those they slay.”
“Fair.” Sofia nodded.
“They’ve agreed to arrive tonight to prepare for the High Witches’ arrival tomorrow.”
“Excellent.” Sofia turned her gaze to the group. “In addition to our own citizens, it seems that we have approximately forty outsiders willing to come to our aid and most will arrive in two days. That’s good. We may stand a chance. I don’t know what’s coming, but the High Witches will use dark magic and we need to be prepared for anything. Continue to seek out assistance from your kind and we will meet again this evening. We’ll devise a plan for the battle tomorrow.”
Everyone rose and bowed low, then began to leave. Malcolm slipped out the door before them. He couldn’t speak to Sofia, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t be here to keep an eye on her and fight in the final battle.
The moment he stepped into the sticky jungle air, he knew something was wrong. The air vibrated with a dark, unnatural power. It was too quiet, the jungle animals silent. It made goose bumps rise on his skin and his hands tingle to unleash destructive magic.
The council members who filed out behind him stopped short.
“What’s wrong?” Cora, the vampire woman asked.
“The air’s not right.” The Were’s burly voice was worried.
Malcolm walked farther down the street, dread coiling in his belly. He was being pulled toward the Amazon River that adjoined the north side of the village. When the street opened up to reveal the small wharf and the river, he pulled up short.
The waters were receding. The river was over a hundred yards wide here, a huge expanse of murky water that was now slowly drawing away.
Fear, an emotion he hadn’t felt in centuries, skittered over his skin.
The High Witches were here. Or close.
Damn it, they should have had another day.
Footsteps sounded behind him then halted.
“Shit,” a feminine voice breathed.
The bank was slowly being revealed, muddy and wet, as the waters disappeared. Boats of all sizes sank slowly and came to rest on the slimy surface. He’d been at the site of a tsunami once. It had looked exactly like this before the flood waters had begun to rise.
“The battle is starting,” Sofia’s commanding voice rang out behind him. “Early. Council members, wake the village. Gather whatever outsiders you can who will fight.”
“That’ll be hard,” Cora said.
