“Peta, can I cover her with Spirit? Make her invisible to the supernatural world?”
Peta came to a full stop and craned her head around. “I suppose it would be possible. But it would wear off after a time, I would think.”
“How long?”
Her eyes went thoughtful. I jiggled the baby to keep her from fussing. “Peta, think faster.”
“Depending on how much you put into it, you might be able to keep her covered for a decade. Maybe longer.”
“It will have to be enough.” Sweat popped out on my forehead as I thought about what I was about to attempt. Using Spirit had not gone well for me in the past.
Licking my lips, I held the baby close to me and called Spirit up. “Protect her from harm, from those who would hurt her for as long as possible.”
A flickering answer beckoned from the baby’s Spirit. From what made her mother a Tracker, from what would make the babe a Tracker one day. Spirit flowed through me like a gentle creek curling around us both, tying us together. I went to my knees as my energy was pulled from me. I let it go, knowing it would protect her. Keep her safe.
And even if Elle hadn’t asked me, I would have done it. There was something about the child I couldn’t quite put my finger on . . . but I knew she was special. The daughter of a Slayer, the daughter of a Tracker, a joining of two powerful blood lines. I opened my eyes and stared into her face. She lifted a hand and touched my nose.
“You . . . I think are going to need all the help you can get, my little friend,” I whispered to her.
Peta butted her head against my thigh. “Over there. Two women talking about not being able to have babies.”
The scene was too perfect to not have fate’s hand in it.
I lifted my head to see a slender young woman with long blonde hair almost as pale as my own. Tears hovered in her eyes as she pressed a hand to her belly and shook her head.
I felt a pull toward her and listened to my instincts. “Peta, we will come back for her. To check on her.” I didn’t have to say why. We both knew Elle wasn’t coming for her daughter. Not in this life.
Peta bobbed her head in agreement. “Of course we will.” As though there was no other possible solution.
I strode up to the woman. Her friend had left and she was alone on the bench. “You wish to have a child?”
Her head jerked up. I stared down at her tear-stained face. “What?”
I didn’t wait for her to say anything else, just placed the baby into her arms. “She needs a mother. Take her.”
The woman’s mouth dropped open as I backed away. “You need her too.”
She clutched the baby to her. “How . . . why?”
“Because sometimes . . . things have to happen. Good and bad. This is one of the good things. Love her. Protect her. Teach her. Be her mother.”
I kept backing away, a part of me feeling as though I’d abandoned the little one.
“Does she have a name?”
Smiling, I nodded. “Her name is Rylee. A warrior’s name for a warrior’s heart.”
The world seemed to still around us, as though the universe had paused to take note of that exact moment. I knew it for what it was; a fork in the road, one I would look back on and wonder if I made the right choice.
I should have been terrified.
Peta and I spun at the same time and ran back the way we’d come.
“She will love her,” Peta said. “I saw it in her eyes.”
“If she doesn’t, it won’t matter. We’ll be back and if I have to . . . I will raise her myself.” The words popped out of me and I realized I meant them.
I would take the girl into my care if the woman proved to be false.
Perhaps the most concerning thing was I almost hoped that would be the case.
CHAPTER 22
he Eyrie was as we’d left it. Chilled by the wind, hidden by clouds and ruled by Queen Aria.
“Where are we landing?” Shazer banked to the right, circling the Eyrie, moving with the air current.
“The throne room.” I’d barely said the words and he dropped, tucking his wings and swirling through the clouds in a looping spiral. I clutched his body with my legs, and Peta sank her claws into me. Her hair fluffed up around her body and her green eyes watered.
“I hate this horse. I regret suggesting him.” The words were hard, but there was no heat in them.
He laughed and snapped his wings out wide. They caught us only a few feet from the floor of the throne room. With a delicate prance he landed, snorting and blowing.
I slid from his back. By the scene in front of us, we’d interrupted something rather important. There was a row of four women on their knees at the feet of the queen. Her blind eyes came up and somehow seemed to meet mine. To the left of me, Cactus stood between two Sylphs. He gave me the slightest of nods.
“Ah, Larkspur. You made it in time, I see.” Aria laughed softly. “I had hoped you would come.”
I strode forward, snapping my spear together at my side. “I’m here for my father. Nothing more, nothing less.”