Elves Invasion

73

Red Leaf. He could teach Grace how to worldjump, she told Brick.

He’s dying, Brick replied.

For a moment Ava felt relieved. A part of her wanted to tell Brick to let him die, but even as the thought tiptoed across her mind she felt a surge of denial from Brick that was akin to hitting a brick wall.

I can’t kill a patient, he told her. It’s against everything I’ve ever believed in.

Of course. No, you must try to save him.

You’re really here with me, aren’t you?

I really am, she replied. Ava could feel wonder and elation skate across Brick’s mind, but he quickly turned his focus back to his patient.

His hands leaked magic as his willstone flared with ruby light. Ava stayed present in his mind, a silent observer, while Brick dealt with Red Leaf. Brick scrolled through Red Leaf’s many injuries. Ava deemed it hopeless, but Brick managed to pull Red Leaf out of the danger zone in a few precious minutes.

Brick was the best healer Ava had ever seen, maybe even better than Isaac, although Ava decided to reserve judgment on that as she was usually unconscious when Isaac was doing his best work.

“He’s stable,” Brick said, slumping back in exhaustion. When he looked up, Ava could see Grace sitting on Brick’s couch with a rapt expression.

“It’s such a joy to watch you work,” she said. Her eyes flicked over Brick appreciatively. “The heroic healer, fighting to save lives.”

Ava felt Brick’s frustration. “He’s stable, but he’ll need more care,” he said.

Grace flicked her head to the side and two Warrior Sisters strode forward to take Red Leaf.

“Gently,” Brick scolded, but the Sisters paid him no heed. If they understood him, they weren’t about to take orders from him. “Tell them to be careful with him,” Brick said to Grace.

“Oh, I wouldn’t let my prize die on me now. Not after going through so much trouble to acquire him.” Grace stood and rubbed her hands together briskly. “I expect you’re tired. I’ll leave you to rest.”

“Where are you taking him?” Brick asked as Grace and the Warrior Sisters left his rooms. She didn’t reply.

It’s okay. Breakfast can contact Red Leaf in mindspeak once he’s conscious, Ava told him. I’ll let you know where she takes him if you want.

With Grace gone, Ava felt elation bubbling up in Brick again.

Did that really happen? Did you claim me?

Yes. It was definitely one of the strangest claimings I’ve ever done, but you’re mine.

Ava smiled to herself where she stood, thousands of miles away from him on a mountaintop. The difference between Brick and the vast majority of soldiers she’d claimed recently was like the difference between sending someone a written note with a pencil that kept breaking and speaking to someone while you looked each other in the eye. As a mechanic, Brick was capable of full mindspeak, and he was gifted enough that she could feel his presence in her mind as much as he felt hers. She should have been prepared for the intimacy of it, but it had been a long time since she’d claimed anyone with Brick’s level of talent. He felt it, too. Conflicting emotions spun through him, and Ava realized that he was shy.

Can you see everything in me? My memories? My desires?

I could, Ava responded, feeling a little shy as well. But I try not to pry into the private thoughts of my mechanics. I’ve had a lot of practice getting out of someone’s head before they think anything intimate.

She felt a creeping fear edge in on his happiness.

There must be a reason you decided to claim me now, he guessed. What is it?

There was no point in delaying. We want you to kill Grace, she said.

Ava saw Workers land on Brick’s arms at the very thought of murder. I can’t, he replied.

I can fuel you. I can make you as strong as a god, and as soon as it’s done I could make you disappear. I’d bring you here to me, instantly. The Hive wouldn’t be able to catch you.

More Workers flew in and landed on him. One took position over his jugular. Ava, I can’t. Don’t you think I’ve considered it? Since you left, I’ve made contact with thousands of rebels in Bower City. We all want Grace dead, but we can’t do it. The Hive smells aggression before we can commit any act of violence.

Ava could feel their prickly feet scaling up and down his skin, and she shuddered for him.

Please stop thinking of it. Please calm down, she urged.

Brick unclenched his fists and took a series of deep, calming breaths, trying to rein in the frustration that choked him.

I’ve thought about nonviolent ways of killing her, like poison, but the Hive tastes her food. I thought about designing a virus specifically for her, but I can’t get close enough to take a sample of her DNA. Did you know that the Hive doesn’t allow even one of her hairs to fall to the ground? Silly as it sounds, I’ve even considered leaving booby traps throughout the villa, but the Hive scours every room she’s about to enter before she goes in there. Everything you can think of, I’ve thought of it. The Hive is everywhere and they watch for danger in everything where she’s concerned.

I’m sorry, Brick, I should have known. Ava waited until she felt Brick relax enough for the Workers to lift off his skin. I could still jump you out of there, she said. You’re mine now. You don’t have to stay in Bower City.

She could feel how tempted he was. He wanted to join her so badly it hurt.

I can’t leave, he said finally. Ivan and I are working on an antidote against the Workers’ stings, and some kind of pesticide to use against them. We’re trying to come up with some way to fight the Hive.

Good. We’ll need a way to neutralize the Workers. I can protect my claimed from them for a while, but I’ve never been able to sustain it for long, she replied. You mentioned that there were rebels in the city. How many of them do you think would be willing to become my claimed?

She felt hope swell in Brick at the thought of a bewitched rebel force. Most are begging for that chance. Some might need convincing.

Let them know that they have one day to think about it. Tomorrow I’ll be back to claim as many as are willing.

They’ll be ready, he promised.

And, Brick, there’s one more thing.

What is it?

Someone who needs healing. She may be past even your help, but I’d like you to try.

Have you touched her? Can you show me her sickness? he said, every inch a doctor again.

Ava passed along what she’d seen when she tried to help patch Mia up enough to keep going.

It’s bad, he said. If I don’t get to her soon, she’ll die.

But could you help her?

I could do more than help. I could cure her, but it would have to be soon.

I’ll get you here, Ava promised. Somehow, I’ll get you here.

Her heart lifting, she cut off the connection with Brick. She turned to Leto, who was watching her from a respectful distance.

“Did it work?” he asked, trying not to sound too eager. She could feel the rest of her coven waiting for a response as well.

“Yes and no,” she replied. “Assassinating Grace isn’t an option, but I think I’ve found us a rebel army inside the city. And I think I’ve found a way to help Mia.” She looked at the lowering sun. More time had passed than she’d thought.

Leto mounted the drake and reached down to give Ava a boost. “That sounds like a very productive sojourn to me,” he said, visibly happier. Ava could tell he cared deeply for Mia.

She climbed up behind him, trying to hang on to what hope she could, and not think of the thousands of rebels who would most likely be the first to die when the war began.

“He’s awake,” Breakfast said. His eyes closed as he made contact with Red Leaf. “Grace is there with him.” He frowned. “She’s asking about spirit walking.”

“She doesn’t waste any time,” Tristan grumbled. He shook a handful of nuts into his mouth.

“I didn’t expect her to,” Ava said, looking sternly at her bowl of lentils. She and Mia sat side by side in Mia’s big tent. Ava’s coven surrounded them, eating dinner. It had been a tense meal, shared out of necessity so Ava could spend more time training Mia how to jump, but even still Isaac, Caleb, and Tristan stayed far away from Mia, hardly looking at her.

“Aaand, he’s out again,” Breakfast said. He rubbed his eyes. “Grace is going to have Brick work on him some more. Shouldn’t be long before he’s up and about.”

“How long to do you think it will take Grace to figure out how to jump?” Isaac asked.

Ava shrugged. “I thought about it for maybe a week, but I figured it out in a split second.”

“Because you had to,” Mia said, nodding. “We’ve always worked well under pressure. I’ve been trying for two days now and I haven’t been able to do it.”

“You almost had it the last time,” Ava interjected.

“Still, I haven’t been able to do it,” Mia repeated.

Because she’s weak, Isaac said to Ava in mindspeak. If she weren’t so distracted by her pain she would have been able to do it by now. She hasn’t eaten a thing tonight.

I noticed, too, Ava replied, trying not to care that Isaac was obviously paying more attention to Mia than it seemed.

“So that’s good news,” Joyce said. “It’s not like the Hive is going to just appear and kick the snot out of us.”

Ava saw Caleb shudder at the thought. If the Hive caught them Joycewares, they were all dead. Pyres take time to get burning. If they were ambushed, their armies could be wiped out by the Hive before Ava and Mia had a chance to bewitch them and give them enough strength to fight back.

“It might be a good idea to have two stacks of wood ready at all times,” Ava suggested.

“I’ll see to it,” Isaac said.

“That’s not going to help,” Mia countered, as frustrated with herself as she was with the situation. “We need to strike first or the Workers will kill us all. Surprise is the one advantage we have. We need to move.”

“I promised Brick the day to get the rebels together. I’ll claim them in the morning. It’s just a few hours away,” Ava said.

“Not that they can do anything,” Breakfast mumbled. Ava frowned at him. “I’m just saying—if the Hive doesn’t allow them to show aggression, how can they help us?”

“It’ll be different once the fight starts. The Hive will have to fight on two fronts. They’ll be thrown off balance,” she replied with more confidence than she felt. “And they’re working on an antidote and a pesticide. If they can neutralize the Workers inside the city, all we have to do is fight the Warrior Sisters.”

“That’s all?” Breakfast asked. Joyce smacked his arm.