TDEH Ch. 17

Sitting awkwardly around the old table in camp chairs, the group drank their tea in relative silence. Carter cleared his throat, "this is nice tea." He wasn't much of a tea drinker but was at a loss for what to say surrounded by his mate's siblings. He wanted the uncomfortable silence to cease.

"Mmhmm," Ramsey seconded.

"Jasmine, if I'm not mistaken?" Asked Eutus. He reached out and took his lover's hand. Izzy looked up from his cooling cup and nodded a small smile.

"Really boys?" Finn raised an eyebrow and pushed herself back onto two legs of the chair. "We're probably all going to die in the next couple of months. We could just move past whatever social awkwardness this is?" She took another drink from her cup, looking at each of the men in turn.

"Are you really so sure we're going to die?" Carter interjected in haste.

The Helmuts all began to chuckle, their eyes flicked between themselves.

Eutus gave them each a look that quieted them. "My darling, I do hope we won't die. But these creatures," a flourish of his hand to indicated Finn, Izzy and Ramsey, "are of the darkest stock. They do not see hope. Do not allow their gloomy view of our circumstances to cast doubt in your mind."

"If there is no hope, why are we here?" Carter asked.

Finn turned her attention to her mate. She allowed the chair to settle back down on the old wooden floor. "If you had to choose between doing nothing and dying or trying to do something and dying, which would you choose?"

"Well... to do something," Finn nodded as he continued, "but you told dad that we'd come home."

The other three looked at Finn. She cleared her throat, taking a large drink from her chipped cup. "No, love, I told Art that you'd come home."

"We aren't sure what the outcome will be but we are planning for as many of them as we can. You may be the keystone to our plan but the rest of it is ensuring you return home. You have a family and a pack that needs you," Izzy said, an attempt to help his sister.

"You know," Carter turned his attention to his mate, "you talk about hating the pomp and pageantry of enchanters but you're just as bad as they are. You never give me straight answers."

Finn puffed out her cheeks as his comment stung her. She released the air, allowing her cheeks to deflate. "I know. It's all been a lot," she admitted. "The issue is we don't have a lot of answers right now and the real problem is me."

"You?" He asked his mate.

"They're all dancing around the subject but the main issue, and the real reason we don't know if we're going to live, is that all of this depends on my ability to cast the spell they are working on."

"I don't understand. You're an enchanter, why is that the problem?"

"Because she stinks at magic," answered Eutus. Ramsey and Izadore both nodded.

"I've only managed to cast two spells..."

"In your entire life, you've only cast two spells?" Carter repeated, shocked.

"Realistically, one and a half," Izzy said. "I helped you cast that first doorway spell."

Finn frowned. "One and a half," she acquiesced.

"So, our entire plan counts on an enchanter who can't cast magic? While we go up against possibly the most powerful dark enchanter of our time?"

"Oh no, darling," Ramsey added. "While we go up against possibly the most powerful dark enchanter to ever live."

(2)

The group separated after their unproductive meeting. Izzy and Eutus held hands as they walked outside and disappeared from view. Ramsey said he had reading to do and left them to retire to the small room he slept in with Eutus and Iz. Ramsey wouldn't listen to Finn when she said he could keep the room they had assigned her and Carter. She was happy sleeping in the main room or outside.

Finn stood and walked to the old door to their room. She opened it, revealing two camping cots, a nondescript pillow and blanket each.

"We're bunking in here. It's not very comfortable, sorry. Staying hidden was the priority."

Carter stood, grabbing his duffle bag and walked into their shared room. He placed his duffle on one of the cots and sat down.

"It's fine," he said as he looked around. The walls had once been painted a colour but the age and the sun had blanched the peeling paint. He absentmindedly wondered if they should be worried about lead. His eyes strayed to the one small window the room had. He was surprised it still had glass in it. He saw the tops of damaged flora and his mind continued to wander. "Where are we?"

"Geographically? We're in Russia. But I am fairly confident the Russian government just pretends this stretch of land doesn't exist. It's tainted, no one lives out here," Finn replied. She moved to the window and stood staring at the unnerving view.

Carter stood and moved to Finn and the window. He stopped and looked out at the ruin surrounding them. "What happened here?" he asked.

"A long time ago there was a battle. Between dark and light enchanters. The darkness won but the cost was high. The dark wizard focused a blast of magic so powerful it vaporised both the opposing force and most of the enchanter's allies. This stretch of land has been trying to rejuvenate itself for almost a thousand years," Finn turned her gaze from outside and settled on Carter. "The others chose this location as the area is still so saturated in lingering magic that it camouflages us."

"Magic... lingers?" Carter asked. He didn't have a lot of experience with magic. All of this was new to him.

"Yes. Casting spells changes the natural order of the world. We use spell agents and components as well as blood to pay for the magic but because it has technically perverted nature, it leaves a mark. The larger the spell, the larger the stain. Elder enchanters generally can tell who cast the spell by what remains. A signature."

"Do we know who cast the spell that did this?" Carter asked, moving his hand to express the old devastation outside of their small cabin.

"Oh yes, Helmut cast that particular spell. His crowning achievement, he called it. It was a part of our history or so he told us. He loved to drone on about his 'accomplishments'. It's also why we're here specifically. As Malus' magic already stains this land, our smaller spells will not be distinguishable as our magics were gifts from him. They hold the same signature. The old cunt and his guard dogs may be searching for us but his own hubris will keep us safe." As she spoke, Carter placed his hand on the small of her back, staring out the window with her.

"So... what's the plan?"

She turned to him and smiled. "First, we see how well you can fight."

(3)

She looked him in the eyes, his distress radiating from him. "Just punch me," she repeated.

"I don't hit women," he responded softly, his degree of discomfort rising.

"Carter, if you cannot punch me, what good will you be in a fight? We have no idea what we will actually end up against. Malus has all the talents we do, where do you think we got them? Well, minus my form. What if he shifts into me or even your mother, taking advantage of your noble nature? Punch me! Prove to me you can fight!"

Exasperation rose up in his gut. He couldn't hurt the woman he loved. He couldn't hurt any woman.

"Punch me, you fucking weakling!" Finn screamed, trying desperately to cause him to snap. Her raised voice caused the other men to come check on them. It worked. Carter saw red. He wasn't weak. He'd show her. His right arm shot out, connecting with Finn's nose as she was calling him weak. A sickening crunching sound was all he heard. When he pulled his fist back, it was covered in blood. Her blood. He had broken her nose.

"Oh my gods, Finn, love! I am so sorry," he started, "are you alright?" He looked down at his bloodied fist and was disgusted with himself.

Finn smiled, her ruined nose and the blood giving her a monstrous appearance. Her teeth were covered in red as it continued to rain down her face, dripping from her chin and starting to pool on the ground at her feet.

"Not bad," was all she said as she shifted her weight on her feet. Her fist connected with his left kidney, knocking the wind from him and causing Carter to involuntarily curl forward. At that moment, Finn readjusted her weight, bringing her knee up to connect with his chin. His head snapped back with a crack that caused the other three men to flinch. Shen then slid forward, grabbing the front of his shirt in her fist as Carter lost consciousness. She eased his body onto the ground, ensuring he didn't fall. She pulled off her sweater and placed it under his head, cushioning him. He had a large welt growing on his chin, already an angry purple hue.

Her brothers looked at her. She avoided their wide, judgmental eyes. "We don't know what we will face fighting Malus. He has to be able to fight me. Hells, he has to be able to beat me," she said quietly. She hissed out in pain as she grabbed the bridge of her nose, pulling until it clicked back into place. The blood flow slowed, only a small trickle remained.

(4)

Carter woke sometime later. He had been moved to his cot in their small room. The window opened a crack, letting in cool air which helped his pounded head. The sun had mostly set, casting the room in an ethereal glow. He felt woozy, the world spinning. It had been a very long time since he had been knocked unconscious. The Ironbloods were a peaceful pack. He had fought some in training when he was younger and an occasional bar brawl with a rival pack but nothing like this. He tried to sit up but the world tilted and he choked down bile. He kept his eyes closed, trying to will himself better. His head throbbed. A moment later the door opened and Ramsey poked his head in.

"Hey, Finn says you're awake. I brought a wet cloth and a potion for the pain," he voice low, "may I come in?"

"Sure," he responded, keeping his eyes closed. The spinning was making him nauseated. A moment later, deft hands placed a cool cloth over his closed eyes and forehead. The wet fabric helped immensely. He breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Better?" Ramsey asked.

"Much, thank you."

They remained silent for a while. Carter wasn't sure if Ramsey had left. Slowly, he managed to sit up, pushing his back against the wall. He pulled the cloth from his eyes and saw Ramsey standing at the window looking out. He turned to Carter, smiling. He stretched out and handed him a small vial.

"Standard healing potion. It'll knit your muscles back together and redistribute the pooled blood. It'll hurt for a minute or so and then just become itchy."

"Does all magic hurt?" he inquired as he downed the small potion. The pain was minimal, it passed quickly. The itching was far more burdensome, having to fight himself from scratching himself raw.

"Most of it," Ramsey replied, "we are disrupting the natural order, bending it to our will. Pain is a part of the cost for that."

"Blood isn't enough?" he inquired.

Ramsey was silent for a moment, his gaze cast out of the window into the growing darkness.

"When has blood ever been enough?" Ramsey replied softly.