Looking Back

Chapter 76

North

"Why are you grinning like an idiot?" I asked Victor as he sauntered in the room.

He flopped down in the chair, "I had the best nap of my life, not to mention amazing sex."

"Excuse the fuck out of me?" Gabe snapped. "Who the hell did you fuck - Luke and I are both in here?"

"Our wife." Everyone froze.

"Care to say that again?" Luke choked. "Are you telling me Avery is in the bedroom right now?" He started to stand up but Vic put up his hand.

"Sadly, no she's not," he said.

"Then how the hell did you have sex with her?" I cut him off.

"Well, I guess when I fell asleep I went somewhere - sort of. All I know is one minute I'm doing an internet search, next thing I know, I'm in a bed with Avery watching her sleep. I'm not sure where we were, but she's safe. She thinks staying away is keeping us safe from the evil bitches. Olivia threatened to expose all of us if she didn't leave. She's afraid they will carry through if she comes home, but she wants to." He turned and looked at Sean, then Nate. "She's worried about you, Nate. She also has a solution to Isabelle's refusal to take the test - Sean. You just need to touch her and you'll know according to Avery."

Sean's mouth gaped, "I...I thought it only worked because it was Itoshii. Are you telling me I can do that all the time?"

Vic shrugged. "Maybe it's because all of us are connected," I offered. "Then again, the Morrigan did say we would all gain some skill or magic. Maybe that's part of yours, Sean."

"So is projection your power?" Marc asked Victor.

He blinked in surprise, "I...I don't know. I just thought it was a mix of us missing each other and dreaming at the same time, but now..." He blew out a breath. "Now, I don't know."

"I need to schedule a meeting with Isabelle," Nate whispered, then looked at Sean and Owen, "Will you help me?"

Sean pulled him into a hug, "Of course we will. You're family and if it gets our wife home, then I'm all in!"

"Ahem," Corey cleared his throat, drawing our attention. "I, uh, well, I need to relay some information I've been given."

"Given?" Silas asked.

Corey blew out a breath and then spoke rapidly, "I reached out to Sang and Cliff. I didn't know if the server was even still active, but I sent an encrypted message a couple of weeks ago. She just responded."

"You did what!" I boomed. "What are you thinking? The last thing Avery needs is to think we are pulling back to Sang."

Raven put his hand on my shoulder, "Calm down, North, she wouldn't think that. She knew about Sang helping with Sean so Corey hoped little bird could help again."

"Not to mention, the threats involve her as well," Corey said, "She has a right to know the game Olivia and the others are playing."

"Okay, stop arguing and tell us what she sent," Owen said, finally ending the argument.

Faire queen visits Gairloch. Captain's logs are compromised. Ranks are closing against the prince, the warrior is missing a strategic move. Don't open the gate.

Corey's hands were shaking as he finished the last line. Brandon hissed, "Scotland. There's a small harbor in Gairloch village."

"Okay, I get that she's saying my records are compromised - possibly at the law firm since Chloe worked there for a bit, but what about the prince and the warrior?" Owen mused out loud.

"The Academy," Raven said with a grunt. "Olivia is working with the Academy. It's the only way she could have gotten all of the information that he already destroyed. The Academy is pulling the damn strings again."

"What move am I missing?" Nate asked. None of us knew the answer.

"I want to know how Sang knows about the gate?" Kota added.

"Why must men always assume everything is face value," a voice asked. We turned to see an older woman with a dainty shawl around her shoulders. She giggled, then moved faster than anything I'd ever seen. Okay, maybe she isn't an old woman. We blinked and she was now sitting on the back of the couch, legs pulled up like a cat. "Ohh, I like this spot. I think I'll keep it for a bit," she cackled. "Now sit down and listen to old Mab."

"Why are you here?" Axel asked, his entire body tense like he was ready to pounce on the old creature.

"Ahh the seer, good, good," she chimed. "Didn't know if you had the sight yet, but I see you do. That's going to help."

"I ask again, Old Queen, why are you here?" His voice was rough this time, laced with venom.

She waved her hand, "I mean you no harm, seer. I come on behalf of the Unseelie Court. News has traveled to our ears that your banshee faces the gate soon. This is a matter that concerns all of Faerie. We offer our assistance."

All of us kept looking between Axel and the woman, unsure what to do or say. Only he seemed to have a clue who or what she was.

"What is the Unseelie Court?" I finally asked.

"Dark Fae," Axel said, "They are tricksters and cannot be trusted. This gentlemen, is their leader, Queen Mab."

Her laughter filled the room, "Oh, I need to hire you as a herald for my court, seer. That was a lovely introduction, but you forget, your banshee is Dark Fae - all banshee are. That is how they connect to death. Winter runs in their veins, just as it does his." She raised a gnarled finger and pointed it at Victor. "He too is in the line of banshee, just as their child is. Many of you are touched by the dark, some by light, but none of that matters if she opens the gate."

"For fucks sake what the hell is with this damn gate," Gabe grumbled. "All we hear is don't open the gate, don't open the gate, but no one says what the fuck it is!" Quick as lightning, the woman zoomed across the room to perch before him. He leaned back, "Woah lady, personal space."

She tittered like an animal, then mimicked him, "What's the gate? Foolish one, you've seen it - you've drawn it - you've touched it, or has it touched you?" she hummed then before anyone could react, she plunged her hand into his chest. Blood poured down his chest as his eyes widened and we all panicked. His breath became labored, but we couldn't get near them. "Close your eyes, dreamer, follow the magic, and call to your banshee."

Gabe's eyes rolled back in his head as he made a garbled gasp, and then stopped breathing.

A loud wail filled the house as every window shattered and the room filled with a violent wind. "Get your hands off of him! He is not yours to claim!" She stood, her eyes black, hair flying around, and skin almost luminescent as power radiated off of her.

"Avery?" I whispered.

"Ahh the Lady has arrived," Mab cackled.

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