Fire's Ice (5 page)

* * * *

Spongy grass gave gently beneath his scuffed boots as he materialized on the rise above Liv’s cottage. The dance stood silent and beckoning on the hill behind him overlooking the cliff base, which met the sea below. Soon he would go to her, but first he needed to see the child.

Devin’s hair whipped in the wind, as he looked toward the cottage at the foot of the rise. Jack and Liv Roarke had found happiness in each other and the home they’d made together. Both were successful writers, were content to work from home and raise their brood.

Twins Raine and Aiden ran around in circles while their mother watched from behind the clothesline. The domestic scene tugged at his heart. He knew the little boy’s eyes were blue as lightning, but Raine’s were dark, curious and filled with magic. If her powers had actually burned Kate, Allie’s magic couldn’t bind them anymore.

Liv must have sensed him, because she turned and waved.

A bright giggle erupted from Raine when she spotted him on the rise. “Deeevviiiin!”

He couldn’t help but grin himself, even though his heart ached to have his own child. And then the little girl was barreling toward him, her dark curls streaming behind her with Aiden chasing Raine and Liv running after both of them. He bent down, familiar with the game, and scooped them up at impact. She didn’t act like a sick child, but her skin was so hot.

Raine laid her head on his shoulder and sniffed. “Miss yooouuu.” And she kissed his cheek, leaving cherry Popsicle goo behind. Her face was flushed. Aiden grabbed a fistful of his shirt and latched on as Devin made his way toward Liv with a child on each hip.

She peeled her son off his shoulder, set him on the ground, and ruffled Aiden’s hair. “Run tell Da we’ve company, sweetie. Go on.” The child took off across the yard. Raine squirmed down out of his arms and was off and running after her twin.

Liv kissed his other cheek lightly in greeting. “Welcome home, Devin. Sorry they waylaid you. Seems they only have two speeds these days.
Sleep
and
run
.”

“I missed them too. They’ve gotten so big since the last time I was here. How did that happen?”

“Children grow up too fast. You have a way with them. You’d make an excellent father, Devin.” As Rhiannon had, Liv linked her arm through his.

“Someday, maybe.”

“We’ve all missed you. It's been awhile. Did you finish your castle, then?”

“I did, yes. Enough space for everyone to come visit all at once and have plenty of room. Kate said Raine wasn’t well.”

“A fever, yes, but she doesn’t seem sick.”

“She felt hot to touch.” He opened the door for Liv and followed her inside.

Jack was sitting on the couch with his laptop. Aiden and Raine bouncing on either side of him. He closed the lid and set the device on the coffee table before walking over to clap Devin on the back.

“Welcome home, Dev. What’s the occasion?”

“Glen McLoch is finished.” Devin grinned when Aiden grabbed one end of Jack’s laptop and started trying to pull it into his lap. “Looks like someone takes after his dad.”

Jack lifted the machine and set it out of arms’ reach. “Sorry pal, you’re busted. Da’s toy. Where is yours?”

“Under dee bed.”

“Da’s toy breaks easy. Okay? Da needs his for work.”

“Waine broke my towee.” The child looked at Devin with pitiful eyes full of tears and wailed.

He ruffled his hair and took Aiden’s hand. “Hmm. Let’s go get it and we’ll see if I can fix it for you.”

Walking into the nursery, Devin watched the boy scramble under the bed and pull out a melted piece of plastic. He took the child-size computerized toy laptop and turned it over in his hands trying to find anything recognizable of the scorched red and yellow plastic.

“Raine did this?”

“Mine. Uh, huh.”

“How? Never mind. I need to show your Da. Then I promise to fix it. Okay?”

“’Kay.”

* * * *

Devin laid the ruined toy on the coffee table while Liv put the kids down for their afternoon nap.

“What is that?”

“His toy laptop. Let’s have a look. Shall we?” Hovering his hands over the object, Devin began to reverse the damage. Not exactly a healing, but much the same. With the magic came the memory of destruction. Raine pulling the toy out of Aiden’s hands, crying, overwhelming heat and tossing a melted lump of plastic onto the grass. Fear was the most forefront emotion. “She lost her temper and lashed out with heat, melting the toy. It’s a wonder she didn’t set something on fire. Her magic is out of control. Allie’s binds have been broken.”

“But how? She’s just a little girl, Dev,
my
little girl.”

“Not just. You’ve always known your daughter is special, Jack. Allie has been binding Raine’s gifts since she was two.”

“Yes, but I thought she might be a touch psychic or something. Not like, what do you even call that?”

“Raine is a hereditary witch. Fire is her element.”

“Like you. Then can she do all the things you can?”

“Yes, eventually. We share the same type of magic.”

“Good. Then you can tell us–”

“She’s a phoenix, Jack. Do you understand what that means?”

“Like the bird?” Liv had rejoined them. He saw the question, the realization, sink in. Her child’s life was in danger. Slowly shaking her head, she moved around the sofa to sit beside Jack and clutched his hand.

Should he lie to her? No. Liv would skin him for it later and she’d have Jack’s help. “Yes, Liv, exactly so.”

He watched her expression crumble as fear gripped her. A sob ripped from her throat. “Jack. No. No. No.” It killed him to hear her repeat the words over and over as though just that mantra would save her daughter. Only one person might be able to do that. Liv leaned into her husband and buried her face in his neck.

Jack stared at him as he pulled Liv closer. Calm, controlled eyes, flat and shuttered, told Devin inside Jack was falling apart. “Tell us what we need to do.”

“If she doesn’t learn to control the magic, it will destroy her, like the bird of legend. Only there is no coming back. It explains why Allie can’t bind Raine’s power anymore. I should have come back sooner. She’s just so young. My powers didn’t emerge until I was twelve.”

“What can we do? You have to stop this.”

“It is something she has to learn. As did I, when my powers began to emerge and my mother recognized the danger. She had faerie blood and called for her cousin Daemon to teach me. We need help.”

“She is only three years old.”

“I know, but the magic has to be controlled or–”

“No!” Liv screamed pulled away from Jack, stood and met him eye to eye. “I will not let magic take my daughter. Do you hear me? Fix this. I don’t care what you have to do.” She grabbed the front of his shirt, emotions out of control. “Please. Please, Devin. Don’t let my baby die. You promised me. You promised me you’d always look out for them.”

“And I will. I’ll do everything in my power, Liv.” Gently he pried her fingers away, but held on to her icy hands. “A laird’s promise.” Watching one of the strongest women he’d ever known collapse into her husband’s arms, he knew there was only one person who could help him keep his word. And he hoped Arianne was in an accommodating mood. If not, he was prepared to barter anything necessary to gain her cooperation. Raine was all that mattered.

“Where are you going?” Jack asked.

“To make a deal with the devil.”

“Devin. You can’t. She’s evil.”

Jack’s words had his temper boiling. “Is she? Are you so sure? And what difference does it make, Jack? She is the only person alive who can help your daughter. I promised everything within my power. I keep my word.”

“At what price, Devin? What does it cost you to keep us safe?”

“At any price for every one of you.”

“You’d tie yourself to her, wouldn’t you? That’s what she’ll want. To be free. That’s the only way.”

Devin turned toward the door. “She’s been my responsibility for a thousand years, Jack, since Daemon cast his spell. Ari isn’t what you think. And even if she was, hasn’t she paid enough already?”

“How long have you been in love with her?”

“Oh, shut up and get out of my head. Ground rules, Jack.”

“Hang on to your soul.”

“My soul isn’t what I’m worried about.”
It’s my heart
. “Try to calm Liv down. I’ll be back soon. Hopefully with reinforcements.”
I’m counting on you, Ari. Please don’t let me down
.

Chapter 6

Arianne felt Devin’s power ripple on the wind, buffeting against hers as he crossed the threshold of the standing stones. He didn’t bother with the ceremony of asking permission to cross the circle. His eyes skimmed over her, heating her skin with just his gaze. “You came.” Oh, how she wanted to run into his arms and cling to him. Why was he just standing there?

He frowned and crossed his arms over a wide muscled chest hidden in a black shirt. “I need your help, Ari.” There was a sense of urgency in his step and desperation in his voice when he spoke. He hadn’t come for her.

Nothing he could have said would have surprised her more. “I beg your pardon?”

“I don’t have time for games, Ari. I need your help.”

“The child is ill? Allaina told me.”

“What?”

“She visits me. I’ve been teaching her about healing herbs.”

“She can come here? I see. That makes things easier. Do you know what a phoenix is?”

“I am looking at one. An extraordinarily powerful witch with fire magic. I may not be as skilled as my sister was, but I know a great many things Brie never took the time to learn about lore and truth in myth.”

“Raine Roarke is a phoenix. She’s three and her powers are emerging early. Allie and I can’t bind them any longer and she’s too young to control them on her own.”

“She said as much.” Her heart jerked hard in her chest. Her niece, Sorca, had been only half that age when she had last seen her. Regardless of the hate she felt for her sister, she hadn’t been able to scorn the child, and loved her dearly. “The fevers have started?”

“Yes.”

She saw the grief in his eyes, the ache he felt for the child and her parents. How could she turn him down?

Perhaps the truth would be kinder than a lie that wouldn’t come true. “The child will die, then. What can I do that you cannot?”

“You can drain her excess magic. Link with her as you did to steal Briella’s powers.”

“I had reasons for what I did. And you would be the resident expert on the subject of thievery.” She bristled.

“I’m not trying to judge you. My past isn’t the issue here and neither is yours. Would it work?”

“I suppose, but it would be a temporary solution at best.”

“And more than anyone else can do to help her right now.”

“You are forgetting one vital truth. I cannot leave the circle. My sister’s beloved demon saw to that. I would have to go to the child. And even then, the link might not save her and could kill both of us.”

“Agree to help Raine and I will free you from your prison.”

“And then what? Send me back here after a taste of what I’ve lost?”

“No. That would be beyond cruel. I think you’d find Scotland much more pleasant.”

“Where in Scotland?”

“I want you to stay with me at Glen McLoch, Ari. I want you with me. There is a circle scorched in fire and blood surrounding the castle. As long as you are within that line, you’ll be free to do as you please if your actions don’t harm others.”

“So I’d merely exchange one prison for another, then.”

“Until another way is found.”

“I turned down your offer once.”

“I would give everything I have, do whatever in my power to save that child, Ari. Understand? Whatever you want, it is yours. Anything.”