Lupi 04 - Night Season

Daniel’s throat…for a moment. Then he was on the grass, watering it with his blood.
    Hot damn. Hunter was as fast as he was. And a helluva lot better with a sword.
    Another pair of sidhe advanced on Cullen and Cynna. There was no way he and Cynna could get inside the protective circle the Rohen sidhe had formed. Too many pressed them with both blades and magic. Lots of magic. The air was thick with it. Theil, with the power of her land-tie to draw on, was carrying the brunt of that battle from her place beside Kai.
    So Cullen circled Cynna with his arm—and circled them both with a ring of fire. It would discourage the ones with blades, and for the moment, no one was pressing them with magic. Probably because they knew where the real threat lay, because their liege knew. With the still, silent woman in the center of Rohen’s circle.
    Kai Tallman did nothing visibly, not even to Cullen’s vision. Her power lay in an area he couldn’t see. The power of mind.
    Aduello’s wall of water vanished. He pulled a chain from beneath the silk of his shirt, closing his fist around the silver medallion that dangled from it. He wore a look of intense concentration.
    Nothing happened.
    â€œNathan!” Kai cried. “I can’t hold him!”
    â€œWhat’s she holding?” Cynna gasped.
    â€œHis thoughts. She’s not letting him tap into the medallion to—oh, good.”
    The hellhound flew at Leerahan’s liege in a leap any lupus would have been proud of, sailing up from the grass and through the air, the arc of his leap carrying him past Aduello—and that shiny black sword of his swung in a quick, clean stroke.
    Aduello’s head fell to the stony dais a second before Hunter landed. His body toppled second later, a geyser of blood shooting from his neck.
    Everything stopped.
    Hunter walked to the edge of the dais and spoke loudly. “Leerahan’s liege was insane, driven mad by what he tried to hold. My lady tried to control his madness, and could not. I killed him. If any here dispute my judgment, you may make your claim to my queen.”
    â€œThat,” Cullen said very softly, “was part of the deal. Hellhounds are the only ones allowed to go around executing sidhe lords. A land liege isn’t precisely a lord, but close enough.”
    A dark-haired sidhe—the first visibly aged one Cullen had seen—stepped forward. “I am called Raellian. I accept your judgment. My brother tried to master the medallion through his land-tie.” The sidhe’s face worked briefly. “He changed. He began to believe…to do things that made little sense. I was pledged to him, but I argued…he would not listen. The medallion drove him mad.”
    A murmur of voices rose. The sound, overall, was accepting.
    â€œLeerahan,” Theil called out strongly, “I have no desire to make claim on your land, but your land wants claiming. Your liege is dead. One of you must make the tie. Your three days begin now. Rohen will stay to witness, if you wish.”
    That steered the murmurs in a whole new direction.
    Raellian spoke, his voice firmer now. “What of the medallion? Even I can hear it calling. Its voice will only grow louder as its need grows. Who can take it back to the gnomes safely?”
    Cullen sighed. This was the part he didn’t like. “I think that would be me.”
    â€œWhat?” Cynna’s head spun. She scowled at him. “No way are you touching that thing.”
    â€œShields,” he said simply. “No one else has shields like mine. I’m the only one who can—”
    â€œThat won’t be necessary,” Kai said. “Look.”
    A small orange Buddha sat on the dais, chubby legs dangling over the edge. Smiling. The silver chain around her neck was spattered with blood, as was the heavily inscribed disk hanging from it. “Hey,” Gan said, swinging her legs. “This is pretty cool.”
    â€œGan!” Cynna sounded like she was about to cry. “Oh, no, Gan. Oh, no.” She walked up to the dais. “What have you done to yourself?” she whispered.
    Kai walked up and put an arm around Cynna. “She’s all right. She’s the true holder. I can see the bond forming already, and it’s…it’s quite lovely, really.”
    â€œIt’s okay, Cynna Weaver,” Gan said kindly. “I thought it wouldn’t be, when First Councilor told me