Page 93 of Birthright

“I had it planned, Keena. Feldema. The prophecy. Never did I dream that the Creator would grace one with as much mixed blood as you with such power. Though it is obvious that I have never understood His intentions.”

If he would just back up one more step, I could try to trap him. I would have to drop the bubble blocking my mind from his and reach for the power of the ley line to maintain the circle. I was too weak to hold both. It was worth the shot.

CHAPTER 39

Ilooked back to the crowd. Tynan was itching to attack, as was Cliona. Jordan was crouching, ready to strike. If the circle didn’t hold, what weakness would Nessum find in my mind and how would he use it? He took another step away from the circle. If I was going to try, it had to be now.

I started the spell for closing the circle in my mind, leaving the last few words for just the right moment. Then I took in a long, cleansing breath and turned my head to the moon, making a small prayer.

I dropped the bubble in my mind and felt his surge on my memory. The burning of his invasion made me fall to my knees as I called on the Demon power from my belly and thrust. I felt the energy of it leave my body.

I didn’t have the strength to direct it, so it spread through the courtyard. I heard gasps and cries from the crowd but I only watched Nessum.

He stumbled back a step. Not enough. I thrust again as I felt his power surge through my mind harder. He stumbled back again and I started the last words of the spell to close the circle as his second foot fell within it.

Nessum’s hold on my mind ripped away and pain shot through my head, tears pushing at my eyes. I fell to the ground.

He roared and pushed at the bubble of magic that now surrounded him, trapping him in my circle. The shimmering blue of the circle gave at the strength of his power. I lunged for the ley line and the clean, smooth feel of that power as Manus channeled it for me. The energy responded immediately.

I felt the joining of other powers in the line. Doran, Bevin, and several of the coven leaders had come to the line. The strongest Witches in the world were feeding me power through it. My magic, joined by theirs, turned the bubble to a luminescent violet. Nessum roared again. Feldema fell to the ground out of her bindings, still pleading, crying to me to release him.

The two Vamps had tried to attack me in the process, but Tynan and Cliona stopped them before they could touch me, and I heard the turmoil of the fight off behind me. I felt sore from head to toe. Jordan knelt beside me. I sank into him for the feel of his warmth.

“You’ve accomplished nothing, red Witch!” Nessum spat, his beautiful, calm face now contorted. The glittering blue of his eyes was replaced with red, glowing hatred. He made a summoning chant and a woman appeared, hanging loosely in his arm. He held her around the waist with one arm and she hung like a wet towel at his side. She slowly raised her head.

“Mother?” I panted, heart lurching. She gave me a pleading look. My human mother in the hands of this beast was about the last thing I could bear this night. Jordan tried to lift me but I struggled free and shoved him back as I crawled toward her. “Mother!” I got as close as I could, still holding the spell that kept Nessum imprisoned, the ley magic moving with me.

“Mary? Where am I? You…you are…” She tried to look around, but being held in the awkward position, she could only look at me. I studied her face, realizing how much I missed her gentle tones and prodding nature.

I stood, energized by my anger, and drew my real mother’s blade, Trevina’s blade, from the sheath on my back. “Nessum. Release her or die.”

“You can’t hold me in your pathetic circle for long, Keena. Let me out now and maybe I won’t kill your human mother as punishment for entrapping me.” He took the dagger from his belt and held it to her throat.

“Damn it, Mary!” my mother cried out as he put the dagger to her throat. “Let him out.”

I took a deep breath—and looked at her face again. Seconds ticked by. “Kill her then,” I said, stepping back from the circle and spinning the blade of Trevina in my hand. There were more gasps from the crowd.

“Keena…” Jordan began, putting his hand on my shoulder. I held a hand up to him.

He stepped back.

Nessum grumbled, “You would have me kill the woman who nurtured you?”

“That’s not my mother.” More gasps. The woman vanished as quickly as she had appeared. “Parlor tricks, Nessum? I would have thought better of you.”

He growled, and it was not the sexy growl that I had grown to love from Jordan, but an earth-moving growl that built to a screeching howl.

“He’s called the Slaugh,” Jordan said.

Trammel and his followers didn’t flinch or make any sign of answering Nessum’s call. They simply watched intently, waiting. The Witches were still doing their best, pouring their magic into the ley line. I could see the toll on a couple of them. I felt it too, but was too frightened to think of what to do next. I had to kill him. Yet, if I killed him, his supporters and followers could send the Kith into war.

Red Witch. He’d called me red Witch…

Karackos had been the only other one to call me that.

I stepped back and used Trevina’s blade to draw another circle beside the first. Jordan gave me a concerned look. I winked, teasing with a slight smile. Another growl of anger ripped from Nessum’s beautifully evil face.

I loved it when a plan came together. And finally, I knew what to do. I summoned Foras.