Of Snow and Roses Read online

  “Anyone else have questions?” Alberich asked, surveying the room in a long, slow circle.

  Neve and Torbin stood frozen, still a good four feet away from the french doors. Alberich’s followers slid to the side, cutting them off, and Neve saw the other patients who’d been guarding the front door move into the room through the opposite door.

  They were surrounded.

  Torbin squeezed her hand and cut his eyes toward Alberich.

  “You really are a pain in the neck,” Alberich said, but Neve wasn’t sure if he intended it for her or for Torbin.

  “Ready?” Torbin asked under his breath.

  “For what?” she hissed back, but he was already gone. He dove at Alberich’s legs, knocking him down, and the bag skidded across the floor. He rolled, pulling Alberich over him, a shield as Calum tried to find a shot. Then, with a mighty heave, Torbin shoved Alberich toward Calum and scampered across the floor.

  “What are you doing?” the doctor shouted. “Shoot him!”

  A shot rang out, ricocheting off the wall. Torbin grabbed the bag and tossed it to Neve. She fumbled, clutching it to her chest, then ran toward the kitchen in Torbin’s wake. He threw people aside as they came toward them, then reached back for Neve, sliding her through the pass through.

  “Do it!” he shouted, blocking the entrance. He fought like a wild beast－which Neve supposed he was－but she had no idea what she was supposed to do. “Use them!”

  “I don’t under－” Then it clicked.

  The bag. She crouched under the pass through and pulled open the drawstring, peering inside.

  He used the talismans to control them . . .

  The emerald had broken Alberich’s hold over Torbin. Could it be that a cross and an earring and handful of rocks could help her break his control over the other patients? She felt the truth of it as the thought crossed her mind. These items gave Alberich his control. They were the tether to his victims.

  And now Neve could use it.

  She gripped the bag and closed her eyes, reaching out not for a single tether, but for all of them, a web of tangled strands leading to each one of the others. She could feel them now, their confusion and anger . . . imprisoned in their own minds.

  Neve took a deep breath and wished with all her might, sending out a single command through the web, two simple words that encapsulated everything she wanted . . . needed . . . them to do.

  Be free!

  Everything was silent for one, long moment. Then the shouting started up again, and when Neve peeked over the counter, it took a moment for her to realize what was happening.

  The patients were fighting back.

  Not only were they fighting back, they’d discarded their makeshift weapons. Whatever control Alberich had was gone, and the power he’d been so envious of now had free rein.

  Tala bared her teeth and her body shifted, transforming into a large, black wolf. She lunged at Calum, who dropped the rifle and scampered for the french doors. Nancy threw up a hand, and Angelica flew across the room, slamming into the wall. Little Alice floated in the air, chasing one of the orderlies out of the door. All of Alberich’s allies followed suit, the doctor himself leading the retreat. The kitchen door flew open and Torbin rushed in.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  She nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  “Then let’s go finish this.” He took her hand and they raced outside.

  Fighting raged on the rain-soaked lawn as lightning flashed overhead. The wind roared, whipping Neve’s hair about her face, and she could feel everything－the electricity surging through the air, humidity weighing on her skin. Torbin released her hand, transforming into the bear in the blink of an eye, and he roared, jumping into the melee. He threw bodies aside and they crumpled to the ground, shouts and screams mixing with the roaring thunder and howling wind.

  Neve saw Calum pick up a discarded pipe and move toward the wolf form of Tala. She shouted a warning that was swallowed by the storm. Lifting her hands, she called on the lightning and it crackled down at the man in a flash.

  His hand fell to the ground still clutching the pipe. Calum stared at the cauterized stump, frozen in place, and Tala whirled, fangs bared. She leaped onto the man and Neve lost sight of them as the crowd closed in around them.

  It was a battle of strength, both physical and magical. Neve paused a moment to watch in awe as a panther lunged at a man who vanished, only to appear right behind the animal and grab it by the tail. Alberich’s followers did have some power of their own, but what they didn’t have was months of pent up frustration and rage, finally set free.

  Neve spotted the doctor himself on the far side of the lawn, running around the side of the building.

  “Torbin!” she shouted, taking off after him. “Alberich’s getting away!”

  The bear shoved his way through the fight, leaving in his wake a tangle of limbs and broken bodies littering the ground. Neve flung a bolt of lightning toward Alberich, narrowly missing him as he disappeared into the shadows. She called on the storm, feeling it pulse through her body as rain dripped from her hair and sparks danced around her fingers, and she could feel the heat of the snow tattoo throbbing under the wet sleeve of her sweatshirt.

  She slowed to a stop, searching the darkness for signs of the doctor, and Torbin pressed into her side. She tangled her fingers in his fur, gaining strength from his warm presence.

  “Do you see him?” she whispered.

  Torbin tilted his enormous head, listening, then took off at a run.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” Lightning lit the sky as she chased after him, and Neve spotted Alberich running toward the front of Blackbriar. He whirled, throwing out a hand, and Torbin was knocked off his feet. Neve reacted on instinct, sending a bolt of lightning toward the doctor and he whipped his hands up to block it. Some kind of shield protected him from the lightning’s full impact, but the impact did push him back. He dropped to the ground and rolled, springing up quickly to dash around the corner.

  Torbin roared, the enraged sound sending a chill down Neve’s spine, and melded back to his human form.

  “I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to that,” she said through heavy breaths as they chased after the doctor. “How did he do that anyway? I thought all the power he stole was given back.”

  They splashed through puddles on the cracked asphalt, then a loud crack sounded overhead. Torbin wrapped his arm around Neve’s midsection and dove away, curving his body protectively around her as a pile of bricks fell to the ground where they’d been standing.

  “Good question,” Torbin replied. “Creatures like Alberich have a certain amount of power, but not enough for a shield like that.”

  “Creatures like Alberich?” Neve asked. “What kind of creatures?”

  They got to their feet and edged toward the pile of bricks slowly. Torbin shot her a look.

  “They’re called many things,” he said, edging forward to peer around the corner. “Brownmen. Bogles. Duergar. I just call them monsters.”

  Neve gulped.

  “His control was terminated.” Torbin continued as he scanned the area. “Whatever you did restored their memories. Reminded them of who they are. I guess that was enough for them to regain their abilities, but perhaps Alberich was able to retain some residual power.”

  “Like a magical battery,” Neve murmured.

  Torbin shrugged. “Batteries run out,” he said, before leading her around the corner. They moved quickly but quietly now, unsure of what waited for them. Torbin held up a hand, tipping his head, and then Neve heard it, too.

  Voices.

  “－be reasonable.” That was definitely Alberich, and he wasn’t alone. Neve and Torbin exchanged a look and jogged to the end of the building and around the corner.

  The front gates of Blackbriar rose ten feet tall, twisted iron with arrowhead points bridging the gap in the brick wall Neve had first seen in the meadow. Alberich stood backed against it, his hands hel
d up defensively, as the patients of the Institute surrounded him.

  They didn’t look happy. They also couldn’t get to him. Whatever shield he held stood firm against their attack, repelling fists, weapons, even fire shot from the hands of . . . was that mousey Peter from group?

  Neve and Torbin made their way through the crowd, coming to a stop a few feet from where Alberich huddled against the gates. He perked up when he spotted Neve.

  “There you are,” he said. “You have to stop this!”

  Neve cocked a brow and crossed her arms. “And why would I do that?”

  “Because－because I can help you!” He nodded rapidly. “I know how to return your memories. You want them, right? I’ll give them back.”

  She shrugged. “I don’t really want them that badly.”

  The crowd laughed, and Peter shot a fireball at the shield again. It bounced off, but Alberich seemed to shrink a little.

  As a matter of fact, did he look shorter? A little hunched at the shoulders?

  “You can’t let them kill me, Neve. You’re not a murderer!”

  Neve approached the shield, eyeing the spot where she imagined it to be. “I might be. I can’t really remember.”

  Then, she heard the strangest sound, and the crowd fell quiet. A soft melody traveled on the gusting winds. Neve didn’t understand how she could even hear it over the storm, but there it was. The tinkling notes seemed to float through her body, relaxing every muscle, and a gentle feeling of contentment descended over her. Over all of them.

  Well, except Alberich. He whimpered behind his shield, although Neve really couldn’t be bothered with him at the moment.

  The crowd parted, and Neve saw for the first time where the music was coming from. Lily walked slowly toward her, the otherworldly song flowing from her lips.

  “Lily,” Neve said, her own tongue feeling thick in her mouth. “Are you all right?”

  The song stopped, its echo still hovering over them, and Lily smiled, touching Neve’s cheek. “I’m fine,” she said. “Thank you for helping me.”

  Neve nodded and watched, dazed, as Lily approached Alberich. She reached out and pressed a hand to the shield, tilting her head as she considered him.

  “You’re right, you know,” she told him. “Neve’s not a murderer.”

  Alberich swallowed, his eyes wide with fear. His hands trembled and Neve could tell that Torbin was right.

  Batteries run out.

  Lily’s lips twisted in a wicked grin. “She’s not,” she said. “But I am.”

  “Cover your ears,” Torbin hissed.

  Neve barely had time to comply before Lily opened her mouth and let loose a bloodcurdling scream. It vibrated in Neve’s bones, sending her to her knees, and pierced through Alberich’s shield, knocking him into the gates. Lily drew closer to him, the scream echoing off the walls, the trees . . . cutting through the thunder and lightning itself, and Alberich fell to his knees, his own hands pressed to his ears. Neve could see blood dripping from under his fingertips.

  “Stop!” he cried, but nobody could hear it. His face twisted in agony and he crumpled to the ground, writhing for a few long, painful moments before he finally grew still.

  Lily closed her mouth with a smile of satisfaction.

  The silence seemed to echo around them for a moment, then the quiet patter of raindrops filled the emptiness.

  Shakily, Neve got to her feet and Torbin wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  She nodded. “What happened? What did she do?”

  “Lily’s a siren,” he replied quietly. “We’re lucky she can control that scream, or we’d all be dead.”

  “That was control?” Neve rubbed her ringing ear, then slowly approached the pink-haired girl who’d been her first friend at Blackbriar.

  “Lily?”

  The girl glanced up at Neve, then they both looked down at Alberich. As blood pooled around him, Neve watched his body shrink and bend.

  “What’s happening?” she asked.

  Alberich’s hands grew gnarled and twisted, his chin jutting out to an outrageous point and his aquiline nose expanding, a sharp bend making it almost hawklike. His black eyes seemed to shrink under his protruding brow, and as the life flowed out of them, Neve saw his true form for the first time－bent and crooked. Dark and twisted.

  “Nasty, isn’t he?” Lily said with a sniff. She turned to Neve and held out a hand. “May I have my earring please?”

  It took Neve a moment to realize what she was asking, to remember she still clutched the black bag in her fist. With trembling fingers, she held it out to Lily, who reached in and retrieved the teardrop earring. She hooked it in her left ear, and with one last smile, turned and walked away without another word. The crowd parted again silently, then closed behind her with voices and fists raised in victory.

  Behind Alberich’s still form, Blackbriar’s gates swung open.

  Neve stood frozen for a moment, then she realized nobody was moving.

  “The talismans,” Torbin said, his voice low and encouraging. “You need to give the rest of them back.”

  “Oh! Of course.” Neve fumbled with the bag, pulling it open quickly. She took out the silver coin and held it up. “Whose is this?”

  Tala stepped forward, the black wolf now the beautiful woman. Her head held high, she held out her hand, letting out a little breath of relief when Neve dropped the coin into her palm.

  “Thank you,” she said, and Neve could see the emotion behind the words in Tala’s eyes.

  “You’re welcome.”

  Tala glanced at Torbin. “I see you got your voice.”

  He smiled. “I see you got your wolf.”

  She tilted her head with a small smile and walked past them through the gates.

  Neve cleared her throat, feeling heat rise in her cheeks. “Were you two－”

  Torbin rolled his eyes. “We’re friends,” he said. “You never used to be this jealous.”

  Neve bristled, but then he gave her a teasing wink, and she couldn’t find it in herself to stay irritated. Instead, she turned to the line of Blackbriar’s former patients and handed out the rest of the talismans.

  Then, Torbin took her hand and squeezed it gently and they followed them out. As soon as they passed the gates, he straightened, looking around with a surprised look on his face.

  “I know where we are,” he said. “I can’t believe we’ve been so close to home all this time.”

  Neve opened her mouth to respond, but a sudden rush of electricity surged through her and the next instant, Rose appeared before her.

  “We’ve found you!” she said. “I don’t know what happened, but one second you weren’t anywhere, and the next, there you were!”

  Neve realized it was another vision, and Rose hadn’t magically transported to her. She smiled at her sister. “We got out,” she said. “Everyone is free and Alberich’s dead.”

  Rose let out a relieved sigh. “Thank heaven,” she said. “Don’t worry, we’re on the way. I should be there soon.”

  Neve looked to Torbin, who was watching her with something soft and gentle in his eyes, and she smiled.

  “It’s okay, stay where you are,” she told Rose. “We’re coming home.”

  She recognized the house as soon as she saw it. Sitting on the edge of a small farm, it was the home of her memories, a little house with a broad front porch . . . a barn to the left with a fenced area for the chickens. A garden, bright with life and color.

  Torbin was right. All this time, they hadn’t been far. It had taken only a few hours to find the way. They hadn’t slept a wink, but neither seemed to mind.

  “I don’t know why I’m nervous,” Neve told Torbin as they stood at the end of the gravel drive. “It’s not like I’ve never met her before.”

  Torbin, still the strong, silent type, even though he had his voice back, simply squeezed her hand. “It’ll be all right.”

  S
he nodded and they started down the drive as Rose emerged from the house, a wide smile on her face.

  “I think she saw us coming,” Torbin said, and . . . of course.

  Of course she had.

  Rose squealed and raced down the drive, dark hair flying behind her, glinting red in the sunlight. Neve glanced at Torbin, chewing her lip.

  He released her hand. “It’s okay,” he said. “Go ahead.”

  Neve nodded and took a few more steps before Rose swept her into a tight hug. “You’re here!” she exclaimed, taking Neve’s face between her palms. “Are you all right?”

  “Yes.” Neve took a moment to examine her sister’s face in person. It was less ethereal than in the visions, more solid and real. She had the same sprinkle of freckles over her nose as Neve, the same slight lift at the corners of her eyes. Again, she marveled at how they looked so similar, but also so different.

  “You still don’t remember,” Rose said, frowning slightly.

  Neve shrugged. “The others got their memories back. I thought maybe when Alberich died, but . . .” She shrugged again.

  Neve had returned all the talismans, but there was nothing for her in that little black bag. No gem. No trinket. Torbin had said there was nothing like that for Neve, that Alberich had to resort to drugs blended with magic to erase her memories.

  And unfortunately, he knew of no remedy.

  Neve forced a smile for her sister. “I guess I’ll have to make new memories.”

  Rose reached up and touched her cheek gently, giving Neve a glimpse of the rose tattoo. “We’ll see about that,” she said, then she reached out and took Neve’s hands.

  “Open your mind to me,” her sister said with an encouraging smile. “You know how, right?”

  Neve nodded and closed her eyes. She reached out and found Rose’s tether right away, like it had been waiting for her all along.

  “That’s right,” Rose murmured. “Just like that.”

  Neve felt the tingle of electricity running through her and opened her eyes to find sparks dancing along their joined hands . . . up their arms. A bright light glowed between them, growing bigger . . . and bigger . . . enveloping them both in a dazzling display of light and color.