By Blood and Magic Read online

  “I’ve heard the stories,” Bane admitted, caging her with his arms. She leaned back against his heated skin, thankful for the warmth he offered against the chill from the elements. Bane might have difficulties tapping into softer emotions, but he’d made it no secret he admired and respected the spunky witch who was now an unwilling hostage.

  “They aren’t just stories,” she said as a daring plan began to form in her mind.

  Bane squeezed her midsection and murmured, “You are my priority, Sabine. If we must lose Esme, she will be mourned, but we cannot allow you to fall. We need to get you and this ship out of here.”

  Sabine turned and glared up at him. “We won’t be mourning anyone. I will get them back—all of them. And you’re going to help me do it.”

  Lightning flashed, and Sabine lifted her gaze to stare at the dark clouds overhead. Between the magical storm above and the Merfolk attacking from underneath, it was only a matter of minutes before they were successful in destroying the ship. Her fingers curved into fists in frustration. Her magic still hadn’t fully replenished itself since she’d managed to escape the Wild Hunt. She had enough for small magic but not enough to help extricate themselves from their situation.

  Turning to Malek, she said, “I need you to combine magic with me.”

  Malek’s head whipped toward her. “What? Now? Are you sure about this?”

  Bane frowned and asked, “What are you thinking, little one? He’ll need to remove his warding necklace to share magic with you. The Merfolk will redouble their efforts to attack if they know a dragon’s on board.”

  Sabine straightened her shoulders and flung a hand toward the waves. “I’m aware, but this may be our only chance to recover our friends. With Malek’s help, I can get their attention. At the very least, I can get rid of this damned storm. It’ll buy us a bit more time.”

  Malek’s brow furrowed, and he cocked his head. “You can control the weather?”

  Sabine nodded, abandoning any thoughts of keeping her powers secret from the crew. “It’s major magic, but yes. Bane can try to shield my magic through our mark, but we still run the risk of alerting my duplicitous family to my presence. I don’t see an alternative. If the Merfolk destroy this ship and kill us, then it won’t matter anyway. I’d rather go down fighting.”

  “A fight it is then.” Malek squared his shoulders, and determination filled his eyes. “I can infuse you with dragonfire. That should give your magic a boost to help with the storm, but it won’t do anything to stop them from attacking beneath the ship.”

  “I have a plan, but we need to hurry.” She pulled out her knife and sliced downward across her palm. The pain was sharp and biting, a suitable sacrifice for the magic she was about to attempt. Blood welled to the surface, and she allowed it to fall upon the deck of the ship. The huge vessel seemed to shudder in response to her offering, and even the rain paused briefly before falling again.

  “I hope you know what you’re doing,” Malek muttered and unfastened the warding medallion around his neck. Dragon magic, both terrible and powerful, swirled around her and caressed her skin in a heated embrace. She inhaled sharply, trying to ignore the dredges of fear his magic evoked. Dragons might be her people’s sworn enemy, but she’d already placed her life in Malek’s hands several times. If it came down to trusting their lives to either the Merfolk or this dragon, she’d choose Malek.

  He shoved the warding medallion into his pocket and took the knife from her. He flipped the blade around and repeated her action on his hand. Pushing aside her reservations about sharing blood and magic with a dragon, Sabine reached out and clasped her hand with his. She gasped and swayed at the sudden rush of power trailing upon her skin as their blood intermingled.

  That gift of blood and magic would allow her the immunity to withstand the potentially devastating effects of his dragonfire, but it also stirred a suppressed need to share magic with him in a much more intimate setting. She lifted her head to meet his eyes, staggered by the longing and tenderness in his gaze. The chaos from the Merfolk’s attack faded away as she got lost in the impossible depths of his blue eyes.

  “Sabine,” Malek said, his voice husky as he took a step closer to her. He cupped her face with his free hand and trailed his thumb across her cheek. “One day soon, I intend to do this again without the threat of enemies hanging over our heads.”

  He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. The pressure was featherlight, more an offering of power than a show of force. Recognizing his unspoken question, Sabine parted her lips and closed her eyes. This was necessary, even if she also wanted him beyond the confines of this task.

  She reached up and placed her palm against his chest. His heart beat faster beneath her touch, a mirrored echo of her own. Malek swept in closer, his taste and feel surrounding her as she explored his kiss and the nuances of his magic. From all outward appearances, it was nothing more than a kiss. But Malek’s touch and power was more consuming than anything she’d ever experienced.

  Malek breathed his dragonfire into her, and she gasped. An indescribable heat rushed through her, burning away all her subterfuge. She was vaguely aware of her glamour falling away as she was swept along on the wave of Malek’s power. The silver markings etched into her skin glowed with an unearthly light as he fueled her power and passion to greater heights. The tiny embers of her magic flared to life, charged by the force contained with Malek’s dragonfire.

  Sabine leaned into him, desperately wanting more, and Malek willingly provided it. Her fingers curled into his wet shirt, pulling him even closer. Gods. He was even more powerful than she’d realized. If his magic was typical of other dragons, it was no small wonder why the battle between their people had nearly decimated the world. Malek was power, and more than a match for everything at her command.

  “That’s enough,” Bane snapped, jerking Malek away from her. “We don’t know how this will affect her.”

  Sabine swayed slightly, trying to get her bearings while Malek’s warmth faded from her skin. She laughed, both in delight and exultation. Leaning against the railing, she touched her lips, which were still swollen from his kiss. If that was a hint of what it could be like between them, she wasn’t sure how long she could keep trying to deny her attraction to him. Malek gazed at her in return with a hungry and predatory gleam in his eyes, and her body immediately responded. She knew he was equally affected by her.

  Bane turned toward her. “Do you have enough?”

  She nodded, and another explosion rocked the boat. This time she was more prepared and didn’t lose her footing.

  Malek frowned and stared hard at the waves. “If they haven’t figured out who I am yet, they will soon enough. Our catapults may create enough commotion to interrupt their attack once they sense me. If you can manage to turn the storm away, that should also help get their attention.” He paused and then turned his gaze back on her, causing her skin to prickle in awareness. “Levin is practically a brother to me, and I’d rather not leave him to his fate if there’s a chance to save his life. The world will be a poorer place without him in it.”

  Touched by the conflicted emotions in his eyes, Sabine reached over and placed her hand onto his. “I feel the same way about Esme. We’ll do whatever’s necessary to save them. If you can, focus on using the crystal lances to break the Merfolk’s ranks. We need them closer to the surface for what I have planned.”

  Malek lifted her hand and brushed a light kiss against her knuckles. “I only hope the Merfolk are as equally charmed by you as I am, Sabine.”

  Bane snorted in amusement. “If you two are finished, I’d like to draw your attention back to the damned Merfolk trying to kill us.”

  Malek frowned at him, but Bane merely smirked and continued, “Once Sabine gets rid of the storm, I’ll return to the rigging and call out directions as I sense them. This should enable the crew to target the Merfolk with the catapults more efficiently.”

  “No,” Sabine said, interrupting. She put h
er hand over the mark on Bane’s arm symbolizing his sworn oath to her. “The lances will buy us time by causing commotion among the Merfolk, but our intention isn’t to kill them. We need to stop them from trying to capsize the ship. I think I know how we can achieve our goals, but I’ll need your help to do it.”

  Bane cocked his head. “Very well, little one. What do you have in mind?”

  “We’re going to force them to negotiate with us, even if we have to turn the tables on them and take our own hostages.”

  Malek pressed his lips together and then gave her a curt nod. “You alone may hold sway over the Merfolk. I’ll defer to your lead in this, but only up to a point. My priority is to keep the portal sealed, even should I lose my friend in the process. I won’t allow the Merfolk to harm you or jeopardize our purpose, Sabine. I need you.”

  She didn’t respond. There wasn’t anything she could say. It was painful to think about, but Malek was right. If they didn’t ensure the portal remained closed to the absent gods, their entire world would be at risk. She couldn’t afford to put the lives of the crew above the millions inhabiting this world, even if it broke her heart in the process.

  While Malek went back to issuing orders to ready the weapons, Sabine closed her eyes and centered herself in preparation for what she was about to attempt. Bane placed his hand against the back of her neck. The skin-to-skin contact would allow her to perform the magic without fear of alerting the Wild Hunt to her presence. After she’d expelled most of her magic back in Akros, the Wild Hunt had abandoned their pursuit. It was only a matter of time before they began searching for her again.

  Pushing these thoughts aside, she focused on what needed to be done to save Esmelle. Thanks to Malek’s dragonfire, her magic once again strummed steadily within her. She’d missed being able to use it without fear of being hunted, but desperation had made it necessary.

  Tapping into the reserves of power within her, she gathered both the Unseelie and Seelie magic coursing through her. Her bleeding hand curled into a fist, but she didn’t stanch the blood. Instead, she allowed it to continue dripping onto the deck of the ship. Lifting her gaze upward toward the heavens and the storm clouds hovering overhead, she drew her magic closer to the surface. Her entire body glowed with power, a staggering beacon penetrating the darkness from the storm. She heard a few gasps from the crew nearby, but she ignored them and instead concentrated on her task.

  In a shocking blast, she expelled the built-up force within her. Ripping through the magical storm clouds, Sabine reached for the sun. Her Seelie magic sliced through the darkness forged by more than a dozen Merfolk and allowed the light of day to shine through. A cheer went up through the crew at the sight of the sun, but she couldn’t pay any attention to them. She needed to focus on the magical workings of the Merfolk.

  Their power was similar in some ways to the Fae, but it was sorely lacking the strength possessed by her people. Her magic was ancient in origin, for the Fae were the first children of the gods. Her power was the same as what originally shaped this world, creating forests and lakes where none previously existed. While the Merfolk were the caretakers of the sea, the Fae would always be the victors in commanding the heavens and earth to obey.

  With the magical storm temporarily abated, Sabine turned her attention back toward the sea. Another explosion rocked the ship, and her eyes narrowed. She might not be able to force the Merfolk to a reckoning while they resided in their seat of power, but she’d damned well make sure they had a challenge if they intended to try to keep Esmelle and the others.

  “Bane,” she said, her voice infused with the power of her ancestors as her magic pulsed wildly within her. She looked up into his amber eyes, grateful this demon had chosen to serve her willingly. “Shall we give the Merfolk further reason to hesitate?”

  His eyes flashed to silver, and his mouth curved in a wicked smile. He inclined his head and said, “Absolutely. What’s your plan, little one?”

  “To bring the memory of life to a place of death.”

  Bane’s brow furrowed. He followed her gaze to the front of the ship where the wooden figurehead of a woman stood in defiance against the ocean waves. Bane’s eyes widened, and his gaze flew back to her. “You intend to try to awaken the ship?”

  Sabine gave him a curt nod. “Demonic magic shares some similarities with necromancy. Once you bring the ship to phantom awareness, I can temporarily give it life and purpose. Between the catapults and the ship helping to defend us, the Merfolk will be forced to negotiate or back down. They can’t kill what’s already dead.”

  “A bold plan, but we will only have as much time as the magic lasts.” He paused, and his expression became grim. “I’m no small power, but I won’t be able to shield you from detection while we undertake this task.”

  Sabine nodded. “I know, but my magic will be combined with yours. This working is close enough to necromancy that it should confuse anyone searching for me. We have to take the chance.”

  “Very well.” Bane’s mouth twisted in concentration as he gathered his magic. His nearly black skin glowed midnight blue when his power surged to the surface. Even his horns, with their razor-sharp tips, shifted in color, becoming an almost iridescent silver.

  Blossom wriggled out of Sabine’s shirt and fluttered in front of them, her eyes wide with excitement. “I’ve never seen a dead tree brought back to life. Can you really do it?”

  “We’re about to find out,” Sabine said and lowered her gaze to the mark of the goddess on her wrist. It was shaped like a chalice, a reminder of the power now residing within her. To her knowledge, no one except a necromancer had ever attempted to infuse the memory of life into the dead. In truth, she wouldn’t have ever considered it until recently.

  Dax, Bane’s brother, had asked for her help in stealing a chalice back in Akros. Granted, they didn’t know it was a relic of power and contained the essence of a long-absent goddess. A lich ward had been embedded over the top of the chalice, using demonic blood as a way to attack Dax. The idea of what she was about to attempt was distasteful, but she’d risk much to save Esmelle’s life.

  Sabine placed her hand on Bane’s arm, using the connection between them to help fuel his magic. Demons weren’t as powerful above ground as they were in the caverns deep below the earth. The pact she’d formed with Bane years earlier allowed him access to his same level of power. He was one of the few day-walking demons in the world, which alone caused him to be something feared.

  Bane shouted a word of power, the demonic language harsh even to her ears. The ship trembled, and Sabine sensed the moment the vessel began to awaken. It creaked and groaned, shuddering beneath her feet. Hundreds of trees had been used in its construction, and they all simultaneously turned their attention toward the demon standing upon the bones of their lifeforce.

  Bane’s eyes were completely silvered. She offered him her hand, and he brought it to his mouth to accept her blood sacrifice. She hoped it would supply Bane with enough strength to do what she needed. Even with her offering, they’d still need to hurry. Embracing this type of death magic and holding the ship in his thrall would weaken Bane significantly. With her heart hammering in her chest, Sabine bent down and pressed her bleeding palm against the slippery deck.

  “Awaken and obey!” she shouted, using her connection with Bane to bind her commands to the phantom ship.

  The figurehead’s wooden curls shifted and curved as though the wind caressed her hair. She slowly turned her head in Sabine’s direction, her painted wooden eyes giving the illusion of sight. The figurehead inclined her head in acknowledgement of Sabine’s command. The booms of the masts spread like arms, curving and swaying in the air as though stretching from a long slumber.

  The mostly human crew shrieked prayers at the sky and others collapsed on the ground, trembling in fear. Sabine ignored them, intent on infusing the ship with her dwindling strength. Bane was right; the magic wouldn’t last long, and Malek couldn’t afford to give her more. Shoul
d their efforts fail in this endeavor, they’d have to trust Malek had the strength to get them safely away.

  Another explosion rocked the ship, this one with far more force than any of the Merfolk’s previous efforts. Sabine stumbled but grabbed a nearby railing to keep from falling overboard. Nearby splashes indicated more of the crew had been claimed by the watery clutches of the Merfolk. The ship’s mind touched hers, and Sabine mentally instructed it to defend and capture.

  “The catapults, Malek. Now!” she yelled toward the captain standing on the lower deck overseeing the weapons.

  Malek shouted, “Fire!”

  The crystal-tipped lances glowed red in the sunlight, and they shot downward into the water’s depths. A high-pitched keeling noise indicated the magic contained within the crystals had done at least some damage. Sabine prayed the Merfolk wouldn’t take out their rage on their existing captives.

  Their gambit worked. The flash of silver that surrounded the boat close to the surface indicated the lances had forced the Merfolk into breaking ranks. The ship gave the illusion of stretching, and one of the spars unfurled away from the mast. It reached down and plucked one of the Merfolk from beneath the waves. Branches grew outward from the boom as it wrapped its wooden fingers tightly around the sea-dweller to contain it.

  A piercing screech ripped through the air, and the creature thrashed wildly in the ship’s grip. Some of the humans cried out, clenching their ears from the pain of the Merfolk’s scream. Like the Fae, the Merfolk had the ability to infuse their words with their power. Some sailors had been known to succumb to their songs, willingly throwing themselves overboard only to embrace a watery grave.

  Sabine waved her hand to negate the Merfolk’s cries and took a step closer to study the creature. It appeared decidedly humanoid, with some very distinctive differences. Its skin was a silvery blue, and the sunlight created a striking shimmering effect. Where legs should have been was a tail, and it flicked its fins as it tried to wrestle out of the ship’s hold.