I looked across at the small group on the other side. Larkin and Max appeared to be doing what I’d asked, as Max was testing the edges of the ward to check whether there was any intrinsic magical alarm system built in and Larkin was trying – and failing – to cast an appropriate Divination spell. Every time he flicked his fingers forward, a puff of blue light appeared and then vanished. So much for tracking the Batibat by magic then. Aubrey was clutching my plastic bag for dear life, watching me carefully from across the expanse, and Lucy was on the ground, with her back to me, hugging her knees. I had my doubts as to whether I could protect any of them in the event that I managed to breach the ward and confront the tree daemon. I really had no idea about its capabilities. I was going to have to face it before night fell, however. I stared again at the dead tree. Perhaps there was a way to get inside without breaking the ward.

Casting around the ground for a few moments, I quickly found what I was looking for. There was a clump of pink shale half concealed by one of the tufts of grass, and I bent down to pick a piece up. I tested the edge, deciding that it would work, and then opened up my fingers and drew the stone across my palm, watching the thin red line of blood that sprang up in its place. Then I knelt down again and rubbed my hand on the ground.

I only had to wait a moment or two before the air started to crackle and shimmer purple and the figure of Solus appeared, an angry grimace marring his features.

He sprang towards me, pulling my body towards his, and hissing in my ear. “Where is it?”

I stayed calm. “Where’s what, Solus?”

“The thing that attacked you. You’re bleeding. Tell me where it is.”

I was touched by the ire in his voice. “Sorry. Nothing attacked me. I just needed to talk to you.”

He released me abruptly, spinning me round to face him. “Dragonlette, you are trying my patience. You could have just called.” His violet eyes shot sparks at me, but I could tell from the way his muscles had immediately relaxed that it was more for show.

“Sorry,” I said, although I wasn’t really. “But I need you now, not in three days’ time when you bother to answer me.”

He clasped his heart in mock agony. “You wound me.” He leaned in towards me. “I was busy annoying your brawny Brethren Lord.”

Uh-oh. “Bloody hell, Solus, is that really necessary?”

“Not in the slightest,” he grinned at me insouciantly. “But it’s a hell of a lot of fun. The Furry One doesn’t like me very much.”

“I can’t imagine why,” I murmured, eyeing him unhappily.

The Fae arched an eyebrow and watched me carefully. “Have you read the translation yet?”

“Been kind of busy to be honest. It’s back at home.”

He grinned. There was an edge to it that both surprised and concerned me. “Interesting,” he said, with a suspicious note of underlying glee, “be sure to let me know when you do.”

I filed away his on-going interest in my reading of the translated Fae book for later. There were more pressing concerns to deal with right now. I gestured towards the centre of ward instead. “Can you transport me inside that?”

Solus turned at stared at it, his skin visibly paling as he did so. “That’s a dryad.”

I nodded. His fists clenched, and a ripple of fury shuddered through him. I swallowed involuntarily. I’d never seen him this upset before. He reached out and touched the ward, then drew it back again.

“You don’t know what could be in there. Just because it looks empty, doesn’t mean it is.” His voice remained curiously emotionless and flat, which was almost more scary than if he’d allowed himself to show what he was really thinking.

“It’s not empty.” I outlined for him my theory about the Batibat.

He shook his head. “Except Batibats wouldn’t attack dryads and certainly not like that. They prefer young men.”

“Let me guess,” I said drily, “you’re an expert on Indonesian daemons along with everyone else.”

He sent me a puzzled look. “It’s common knowledge, dragonlette.”

I rolled my eyes. Of course it was. “I don’t need you to spell out the dangers for me, Solus, I just need you to get me inside.”

“I’m not sure I can. Even if I managed it, it would drain me of all my energy and then I wouldn’t be able to help you if things went wrong.”

“I think I’m capable of looking after myself,” I scoffed.

“You let a vampire get the better of you barely two days ago.”

“It was one.”

“Eh?”

“It was one vampire. And if you look closely, you’ll see that he’s not doing so well as a result.”

Solus looked understandably confused. I gently pointed out Aubrey’s figure to him. Even with the hat and trenchcoat, his features were obvious. The Fae’s mouth dropped open. “Is that…?”

“Yup.”

“He’s a master vampire, dragonlette. One of the strongest. What in the hell…” Dawning realisation lit his features. “He drank your blood.”

I nodded.

“And because your blood has the power to heal, it healed him. He’s no longer a vampire.”

“Yup.”

“Bloody hell, dragonlette, do you realise that this makes you number one on the vamps’ hitlist? They’ll do anything either to control you or destroy you. That’s unbelievable power. How many people has he told?”

I shrugged. “None. He’s afraid of what the others’ll do to him if they find out.”

Solus blinked slowly. “Of course. A cured vampire is the antithesis of everything they believe in.” He smiled, and it wasn’t very pleasant. “How very interesting.”

“Solus?”

“Hmmm?” He was still watching Aubrey with a worryingly predatorial expression flickering through his eyes.

“You can’t tell anyone.”

“Mmm.”

“Solus, I mean it. He was a horrible vampire. And right now he’s a horrible human. But he has a chance to maybe turn things around and be a better person. You are not going to fuck that up.”

“Dragonlette,” he began.

I looked him in the eyes. “Don’t.”

“Okay.”

“Give me your word, Solus.”

“Okay.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. He lifted his hands up in the air. “Fine! I give you my word.”

“Excellent. Now, get me in there.”

“It’s not a good idea, dragonlette.”

“Please.”

“If I do this, then in return you need to do me a favour.”

Of course. Why would I have expected anything less? “What?” I said, exasperated.

“I don’t know yet. But,” he held up one long elegant index finger, “you will owe me one favour of my choosing to be fulfilled when I require it.”

I gritted my teeth. “Fine. But no giving away of my firstborn or secondborn or anything like that. No hurting of anyone, physically or emotionally. “

He winked at me. “What if it’s an evil tree daemon?”

I gave him my death stare.

“Okay, okay, nothing that involves children or hurting things, I promise.” He gave me a cheeky boyish grin. “As if I would anyway, dragonlette.”

I really hoped I wasn’t going to regret this. Solus snapped his fingers and the air immediately began to flicker purple. “Give that bitch hell,” he said, suddenly all serious again.

I nodded. I intended to.

Chapter Fourteen

The molecules in the air snapped and bit. As soon as I registered the purple shimmer, I stepped forward, not hesitating further. I was too nervous to delay further. Whatever had done that terrible thing to the dryad was not the kind of being that I should take lightly.

Transporting through felt different to how it usually did. Clearly the ward was going to make things as difficult as possible, and it created the effect of feeling as if my body was being rent asunder. The world outside the barrier pulled at me, as if, with a magnetic urge, it was demanding my physical presence remain there. I couldn’t see what was happening to Solus, but I heard his cry of pain as I wrenched myself through, then collapsed panting, with pricks of tears forming in my eyes. My stomach lurched with devastating nausea, even worse than I normally experienced. I tried to force myself to face the tree, just in case my arrival had woken the Batibat from her sleep and she was already on her way to meet me, but the retching overtook me. My fingernails stabbed into the blackened ground, clawing in agony as my once pleasant breakfast deposited itself unceremoniously in front of me. I was dimly aware of the blur of frantic gestures from my little band of followers on the other side, but the effort to raise my head and acknowledge them to reassure them that I was alright was almost too much.

When the convulsions finally stopped, I collapsed, my cheek hot against the soot. I gasped for air several times, and had to force myself to take in deep heaving breaths to calm myself down. Eventually I was able to scramble back to my feet, where I stood trembling. I looked behind and saw Solus down on the ground. Lucy had managed to get round and was by his side, her hand on his arm. She mouthed something to me, but I couldn’t work out what it was.

“Is he okay?” I shouted over.

She looked puzzled and mouthed something again. Shit. Clearly the ward blocked out sound too. I pointed down at Solus to highlight my worry and concern. She blinked in sudden understanding, and nodded back, this time enunciating her words more obviously, stating what appeared to be ‘he’s fine’. I watched him carefully, relief flooding through me when he stirred and slowly sat back up. He pushed his hair away from his face and grinned boyishly. I rolled my eyes. Idiot. Then, however, his gaze fixed on something behind me and his pupils narrowed to tiny sharp pinpricks of glass. Lucy too was now frozen and staring beyond me. I guessed the Batibat was finally awake.