The lightning bolts around Nïx flared and expanded. “I’ll never let that arrow hit the ground. I’ll deflect it with my lightning—or my very body.”
—Can she do this?— Blace asked.
Rune said, —Yes.—
“And if you kill me,” Nïx continued, “your poor mate won’t be a blood drinker anymore, will she?”
Blace stiffened beside Rune. —What is she speaking of?—
—Josephine made a vow to the Lore not to drink if I went about the mission to kill Nïx without her.—
Blace narrowed his eyes. —Then you can’t target this Valkyrie.—
Sian said, —I can.—
Allixta added, —As can I. The demon and I will wipe out this entire force.—
Blace pointed out, —Orion never commanded us to war here. Not yet.—
One of the wraiths had begun to stir. It drifted over and materialized a ma.s.sive braid of hair, as if pulling it from the ether, then dropped it at Nïx’s feet. The braid was as long as Uthyr’s tail. Locks of all different colors had been plaited into it.
The Valkyries’ payments to the Scourge.
Nïx’s hands flew to her cheeks in mock surprise. “But whatever could this be?” She toed the braid. “Are we starting our bar tab over? We did, after all, pay for continuous protection, and wraiths are levitating on the job right above us.” She confided to Rune, “It is so hard to find good help these days.” To the Scourge, she called, “Such a shame for you, when we were only one toll away from enslavement.” She gave Rune a broad wink.
She might as well have booted him in the b.a.l.l.s. —She set all this up. The wraiths were about to exact their payment. She couldn’t do anything to them, so she put me into play, a p.a.w.n.—
For the first time, he wondered if this Valkyrie warlord had a shot at victory. If she ever grew coherent . . .
She stroked the bat on her shoulder, brushing away dust. “Rune, you’re testing the limits of your mate’s vow just by being here without her. Only one way to reverse this damage.”
“How?” he grated.
“You vow to the Lore never to kill me. That would end your mission, nullifying her vow.”
—She played me utterly.— He’d already lessened his utility to the Møriør this night. Now he would reduce it further? Would Nïx go down the line, neutralizing the Møriør one at a time until none were free to take her out?
He yearned to kill her just to rid his allies of her. His fingers tightened on his bow. Was he about to fail Orion for the first time?
“Before it’s too late,” Nïx said. “To sweeten the pot, everyone leaves in peace tonight.”
Allixta’s eyes flashed. “You presume to dictate terms—to us?”
“Yes, least-favorite-Wiccan-person. Until you return with the monsters you keep in Perdishian. Until you return with our Undoing. But my warlocks are working on a shield.” Some of the Vertas immortals cast her questioning looks at that. Lothaire appeared amused. “I’ve heard it’s challenging to take over a world—when you can’t reach it.”
This was a threat Rune would normally investigate and contain. For now, all he could do was pop his arrow off the string and slide it into his quiver.
“Chin up, Rune,” Nïx said. “You don’t really want to kill me. If you do, I will rise in memory and wallow in power. All the factions of Gaia will unite under my banner.”
“Very well, soothsayer.”
Allixta snapped, —Don’t you dare, baneblood!—
“And no qualifiers, if you please,” Nïx said. “This is for your mate’s health and safety.”
G.o.ds d.a.m.n it. “I vow to the Lore never to target you for death.”
“Excellent.” Nïx smiled. “That wasn’t so hard, now, was it? Perhaps you’d like to go even further? Come, archer, step over to our side. Become one of the good guys.”
“Good? Valkyrie, you have no idea what you’re doing. You’re far too young and confused to understand the ramifications of your actions. You spoke of the monsters we keep in Perdishian? They display more reason than you.”
—Except for Kolossós,— Sian, Blace, and Allixta said as one. Darach grunted his agreement.
As if Rune hadn’t spoken, Nïx said, “Join us, and I’ll give you a signing bonus, tell you what the symbols on your talisman mean, what powers it doesn’t hold. Maybe I could fill in the blanks of your mother’s last letter to you.”
Nïx knew? “I’m Møriør,” Rune said simply. Orion might punish him for making that vow, but he still had Rune’s loyalty.
“I understand,” Nïx said, tucking her hair behind her pointed ear. “You can’t blame me for trying. To win this war, I’ll use every trick in my tricksy little bag of tricks.” She faced Sian and mouthed, Hold on to your a.s.s, demon.
He answered with a killing look.
Then she whispered to her bat, “Evac, Bertil.” With a screech, it flew off.
Rune told Nïx, “Whatever your interest in Josephine is, retire it. She and Thaddeus are with us.”
—Scent.— Darach sounded like he was on the very brink of a full turning. —Mate.—
Rune tensed. —You have Josephine’s scent?—
He nodded. —Close.—
—We’ll start in the city. I’ll trace you all.— They clamped hands on his shoulders and forearms.