November Reign (Northarbor Coven #3)

24. Battle for Northarbor

Battle for Northarbor

Oak

Preparation for the confrontation with Basil took another couple of days. We knew when I contacted him he would set the meeting place. I could try to make it more public, but I wouldn’t be able to push it too hard without raising suspicion.

That left us with very little time to get our allies into place. Both a good and bad thing. Good because Basil wouldn’t have a lot of time to prepare either. Bad, well, because less time meant less people to help us.

My sister wanted to come, but her family’s safety had to come first. I refused to put them in danger. I thought she was going to stop talking to me with how angry she was at being denied, but Poppy must have talked sense into her because Zin told me she loved me and ordered me to be safe.

I’d do my best. All I wanted was to get to the other side of this with Thyme so we could be free.

We gave out as many of the charms as we could get away with. Thyme had to lie and say he ditched a bunch because they were poor quality. Too many of them were, honestly. The coven had gotten sloppy with their basic magic. He, Damon, and Cody fixed them right up. We wouldn’t leave our allies unprotected.

“Today’s the day!” Damon sang as he entered the kitchen looking like he’d gone ten rounds in a boxing ring. He had a case with him. “Your turn!”

“Mine?”

“There’s no chance Basil will believe you got the jump on me without a little damage.”

“Fine. Explain while you do your thing.”

Damon’s ability with special effects makeup was pretty neat. His bruises and cuts all looked authentic.

“We’re going to go off the mansion property when you call him. Say I did a guard shift with you. Found something iffy so you took the opportunity to knock me unconscious. Then you put the magic nulling cuffs on me. We fought, but because you still had magic, you won.”

All plausible. Fine, I liked this plan well enough. It did leave Damon vulnerable though, because he wouldn’t have his magic. He must have seen something on my face, some of my worry leaching through because he continued outlining his plan.

“You being a witch, forget to check me for weapons so I’ll have knives and a couple of guns on me.”

“You will?”

“I do now.” He lifted an eyebrow in challenge.

“Seriously.”

In a blink, Damon had a knife pressed against my throat. “Hurt Thyme and I’ll gut you, clear?”

“Clear. He’s the best thing to ever happen to me, the last thing I want to do is hurt him, which is why I need to know you’ll be okay when Basil gets his hands on you.”

“Me? Why?”

“He loves you, dumbass. If you’re hurt, he’ll be upset.”

“I’ll be fine.” He brushed the concern off. “How are you with a gun? I’ve been working on these spelled bullets.”

“Decent. Why?”

“We should all be armed with more than just magic. I’ve got enough bullets for all of us to have some.”

Curious, I asked, “What do they do?”

“Get through shields. Literally rip a hole in them.”

“Care to give me a demonstration?”

A couple hours later, satisfied we all could shoot to a decent degree, Damon armed us before getting Parker to send out a mass text in his app so all the demons knew to be ready. As soon as we had a time and a location we’d send it to get everyone in place.

We were at a distant corner of the property, out of sight of the mansion.

“Okay, we look far too clean so you’re going to have to tackle me. Make it look convincing.” Damon wore a smirk on his handsome face.

There were times I only saw Basil in him, now I only saw Thyme. The man I loved who had given up years to make sure this kid, this man, who was only a handful of years younger than me, got the best start in life.

Thyme would always regret coming back to Northarbor for his father’s funeral only to lose track of the people he loved. He still lamented the years Damon spent in foster care when Thyme could have been raising him.

I had to think fate had a hand in this. Damon was smart, ruthless, talented, driven. There was no doubt in my mind he’d have been completely different if raised by Thyme. Gentle, kind, a peacemaker. Likely dead as soon as Basil found them.

No, Damon was what he was supposed to be. He was in place to protect Cody so the half demon could meet his mate, reuniting Mori with his son so Damon could find love too. Without all that Parker and Gregoris would never have crossed paths. I’d never have given Thyme a chance .

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. We’re too dressed. Too prepared to be looking for a fight.” He flung off his coat. “Better. Now come at me. Let’s get this done.”

I narrowed my eyes at him before rushing forward. My shoulder connected with his.

“Try harder! C’mon!”

I turned, pushed all my anger at Basil into my legs and drove Damon to the ground. Once there, I didn’t really hurt him, just tried to pin him down.

“That’s more like it!” He laughed, actually laughed! He was nuts. “Grab the cuffs.”

From my pocket, I pulled the cuffs. They were made of iron, a magic dampening metal. They were covered in runes to nullify the wearer’s natural magic. Didn’t stop spells being done on them.

“Now, I’m going to pretend to be asleep for your call, but you might have to use a sleep spell on me at some point. You have my permission. Just wake me up as soon as you can.”

“Okay.”

“Make the call.”

It was kind of humiliating, calling while Damon was listening in and pretending to be unconscious. I made sure to look in my camera before starting a video call. Sufficiently rumpled, I thought .

“Hey, lover. Look at you! Who did that?” Rather than look upset, like Thyme would, Basil looked practically gleeful.

“Got half of what you wanted.” I turned the device towards where Damon was lying on the ice covered grass. He had to be freezing!

“Good. Can you get the book?”

“Yeah. They have it locked away, but I can open the safe.”

“Okay, I want you to meet me by the docks in thirty. Will your spell last until then?”

“Let me worry about him. Text me the address. See you in thirty minutes. Don’t be late.”

I went to end the video call but Basil stopped me.

“Oak?”

“Yeah?”

“Well done. I’m looking forward to having you back.”

“I’ll be happy to be back.”

I hung up the call. “Bastard,” I muttered.

Damon took that as his cue to jump to his feet. “Where are we going?”

My phone dinged with the location. “It’s one of his family’s businesses. This is a set up, right?”

“For sure, but we’ve got this.”

We walked back to the mansion together to get the book .

“Shit!” Damon pointed towards the house where Aster stood at the door. “Make it look convincing!” He whisper-yelled at me before he took off running.

I chased him. Fuck! This was a shit show already. He was nearly there! Putting on a burst of speed, I tackled him to the ground where I heard a crack. Damon yelled and thrust his elbow back into my face, cutting my lip. I shoved his head at the ground with a muttered sleep spell.

Our brief tussle ended with me lying on top of him in the driveway, both covered in dirt.

“Basil sent me to help you,” Aster said as she sauntered towards me. Figured she’d be on his side. I struggled to keep my loathing off my face. Fucking traitor.

“Gotta get the book. Watch him for me?” With my magic, I put him in the car, undoing the sleep spell. “Stay asleep,” I muttered so only he could hear. There was no way I was leaving him vulnerable with her.

“Sure thing,” she called as I raced past her into the house.

The library with the safe was at the back of the house where the others planned to wait.

“Aster is a traitor,” I whispered as I went to the safe. The others gave no reaction. “Once I have the book, I’m going straight to the car. Basil’s at the docks. ”

“The shipping company?” Thyme asked in a low voice. His face was paler than usual.

“Yeah. Get everyone there. We’ve got maybe twenty minutes now and it takes that long to drive there. Hela, watch the house.”

“I’ll portal everyone who’s here. We’ll get a good vantage spot.” Barr stood, ready to move out. It took him a second to open the door to the docks. Our allies would meet us there.

“Good luck,” they all whispered in turn before going through the portal.

“Be safe,” Thyme mouthed.

I hoped it wouldn’t be the last time I’d see him properly. There was so much left unsaid between us.

When I got to the car, Aster’s body was being jammed into the trunk.

“I might have killed her a little bit,” Damon admitted before closing the lid, hiding her from view.

“What happened?” I headed for the driver’s seat.

“She wanted to compare me to my brother. She was fucking Basil, by the way. ”

“Figured as much. Probably promised her and half a dozen others a spot at the top next to him.”

“Yeah. If she hadn’t tried to sexually assault me, I might have let her live, but she was just creepy.”

“This is going to sound harsh, but she chose her side. I’m just glad I made sure you were awake before I left.”

“Yeah, thanks for that. Appreciate it. Um, sorry about your lip,” he offered as he got into the back seat.

“Sorry about your arm. You okay?” I started the car. The driveway was pretty long, but it wasn’t long enough. Soon I was on the road to Northarbor.

“It’ll be fine. I found a pain tonic in the kit. Even with the magic nullifier, it’s working.”

“Good.”

“Oak?”

“Yeah?”

“When we get there, I need you to dig deep and really sell it, okay? Every thought is how I’m your prisoner, you hate me and you’re doing as you’re told, alright?”

“Why?”

Damon shook his head. I could see him in the rearview mirror.

“You’re the worst damn actor. I need you to believe you’re betraying us all by giving me up.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Northarbor was under an inch of snow, turning the gray streets white. The road conditions were terrible, making the drive last longer. Damon lay on the back seat curled around his aching arm. His eyes were closed, his mouth pinched in pain. Guess the potion hadn’t worked all that well.

I didn’t look around me when I parked the car. Just got out and rounded the vehicle to the side where Damon’s head lay. When I opened the door, I didn’t give him time to fight, just grabbed his hair and pulled him to the ground.

Bitterly cold air bit into my exposed skin. Snow flurries filled the air and muffled the sounds my unwilling companion was making. Snow stuck to his legs as I pulled him beside me. It clung to his eyelashes and landed on his damp cheeks.

Hand still in his hair, I dragged him forward. He was a mess. Bloody lip, swollen eye, bruises. I bet to the outsider it looked like he’d really fought me. His arm, he clasped to his side. Yeah, it really was broken. Fuck. He shivered from the cold, only clothed in a torn shirt and pants. I had no clue where he was hiding weapons .

With a shove, I launched him forward, disgust on my face. He landed at Basil’s feet with a cry of pain. The bastard took hold of his prisoner with a look of unrestrained glee.

“Oh, what a prize you’ve brought me!”

“We’re done,” I barked, flexing my fingers in my agitation. I needed this to be over. My magic swirled within me, wanting out, sensing danger. “You got what you wanted. Stick to the terms of the agreement.”

Basil’s eyes twinkled with amusement. He tightened his grip on Damon’s shoulder, keeping him upright. Even though it looked painful, Damon didn’t make a sound, just kept his eyes on his surroundings.

“Of course! As if I’d lie to you, darling.”

I scoffed. We both knew which of us was the liar. Really, we both were. All I’d done these last few months, the last year, even, was lie. One after another, they built up until I couldn’t tell what the truth was anymore.

Most of my lies were to myself. Denying the feelings I had for Thyme and what he truly meant to me. How all the people in that mansion had come to be my family. A chosen family. Bonded by hardships and love.

Finally, the truth was in front of me. I’d never loved Basil. He’d impressed me until I’d seen how hollow his strive for more power was. He was vapid. Fake. Nothing to me .

My heart lay with the man who’d shown me kindness and empathy. Taught me to open up, to trust, because whenever he said something, I knew it was the truth.

Thyme was a hundred times better than me, but I’d strive every day to make myself worthy of being beside him.

“Is he bound?” Basil asked, all the while Damon spilled expletives at him, distracting him from movement from above. The demons were in place. Basil muttered a spell to mute him.

“Fuck you!” I glared at him, standing strong even as I shivered with the cold. “Damn right he is. Only way I could get him here.” Even without his magic, he’d been a pain in the ass to restrain. He was right to make us fake it on the grass. Still, my body ached with the effort it had taken. I thumbed at the blood beading on my own cut lip.

“Do you have the grimoire?”

That earned him another glare. “Would I go through all this and not bring it?” There was no one on this planet that I hated more than Basil. I loathed him almost more than I’d once thought I’d loved him.

“Show me.”

I shrugged the backpack off my shoulder and opened it, giving Basil a glimpse of the cloth-bound book inside. From the distance between us, he was sure to feel the power of the book. It was practically sentient after the hundreds of years of magic the coven witches had poured into it.

“More. Take it out. Open it up.”

“I’d have to touch it. I don’t have gloves.”

Basil sneered. “Afraid it’ll choose you?” I didn’t respond. “There’s no way you’re powerful enough to take hold of the coven. You’ve always been weak!” he spat, showing his true, hateful colors.

“Only when it comes to you. It ends today. Take the book. Take him and leave!” I yelled. The backpack, book and all, fell to the ground at my feet.

He laughed as he used his magic to further subdue his prisoner, stopping his inching away. He cupped his throat and dragged him closer.

“What do you think, little brother?” He mocked the man he held. “Do you believe I went to all this trouble to just leave?” He snickered, glancing my way. “The Northarbor coven is my birthright. No one, not you, not anyone, can steal this from me.”

Even at this distance, his rage was blistering. He turned it upon me, drawing closer. His captive shrank into himself for protection. I knew it was an act. Damon was just waiting for a moment to strike. He had to get the cuffs off first.

Basil’s lips moved as his magic stormed around us, whipping up the snow and ice on the ground, making them weapons .

In response, my magic flared. I muttered the words to create heat and light to use against him, careful not to hurt the man on the ground any more than I already had.

“Did you really believe this would be it? I’d just walk away after everything I’ve been through?” His voice was thunderous as he closed the gap I tried to create, still dragging the man at his feet.

“No,” I whispered, my voice stolen by the wind. “I always knew you were a liar. Just like me.”

“Go!” Damon yelled as he sprang free, cuffs on the ground. He aimed his gun and fired at Basil.

At the last second Basil moved out of the way, actions instinctive.

All around us, sounds of battle flared to life. Demons against shifters and witches. My friends, my new family, against far too many.

Charms flared as protection spells activated. They wouldn’t hold for long.

Instead of fighting in close quarters, the demons grabbed witches and portalled them to their realm where others were waiting to subdue the shocked witches.

Cody fought back to back with Toth while Parker and Mori tried to get to Damon. Gregoris came to cover me .

Spells flew overhead. I ducked even as my shield formed. I grabbed up the bag, tucking the grimoire away.

“Oak!” Thyme yelled, he was with Jorgoth and Barr, both fighting hand to hand with injured witches. I turned just in time to see a hawk aimed for my face. I shot a stunning spell at it, making it crash to the ground. For good measure, I kicked it. One down, too many to go.

In the melee, I’d lost track of Damon and Basil. I found them just in time to see Basil knock Damon’s gun away. They fought hand to hand before Basil used a percussion spell to shove Damon away.

More magic as they each tried to get the upper hand. Damon’s lack of training was starting to show. He could keep going for longer than Basil with his deeper well, he just was outclassed. Basil lived to fight with his magic.

My steps were too slow, I feared we were losing even as the witch numbers dwindled as the demons stole them away. Basil was too powerful.

“Damon! Shield!” I yelled, too late. I was so close, but not close enough to stop him.

Basil curled an arm around Damon’s neck, an athame at his neck. “Stop! Right now. I’ll kill him!”

It was over, we’d lost. The bag slipped from my shoulder .

No. I refused. I still had my gun. We had the numbers. I just had to get Damon back unscathed.

I drew my gun. Aimed it at them.

“Fuck!” There was no clear shot.

“Oak, shoot!”

Damon’s eyes were trusting as I took aim and fired.

The shot hit them both, the spelled bullet going right through Damon into Basil.

“Shit!” In surprise and pain, Basil loosened his hold on Damon.

The former hitman spun out of Basil’s hold in a fluid movement even with a broken arm and gunshot wound. He twisted, grabbed the knife and stabbed it into Basil’s chest.

A look of horror came over Basil’s face before he laughed. “My knife can’t hurt me, you stupid—“

I shot him in the head.

Damon glanced over his shoulder at me. “Great shot!” Then he slumped to the ground, adrenaline leaving him in a rush.

All around us, witches and shifters held up their hands. They stood looking at Basil’s fallen body as he lay lifeless in the street.

“Leave!” Thyme yelled, stalking closer. “You are exiled from Northarbor. We see you again, you pay with your lives. ”

Coven law dictated we could have their lives as forfeit. They were lucky Thyme was in charge with Damon down. I wouldn’t have been so lenient. They would have paid for their betrayal in blood.

Mori rushed to his mate’s side. The others crowded around him too.

“Are you okay?” Thyme tentatively touched my elbow.

“I killed your brother,” my voice shook with the enormity of what I’d done.

“No. He died a long time ago. You killed a tyrant. You saved Damon’s life.” He gave me a little shake until I met his eyes. “I love you, Oak. Thank you for protecting Damon and ending this.” Thyme wrapped his arms around my waist.

Sparing the body a glance, I looked down at the man clutching onto me. “I love you, Thyme. All of this was for you. To give us the future we deserve.” I cupped his chin, tilting his head so I could press my lips to his.

We broke apart quickly, aware of the carnage all around us. “I need to check on Damon,” Thyme sounded anguished.

“No need!” the man himself said. “Jorgoth fixed me up. Arm aches a bit.” He flexed it. There was drying blood flaking on his skin. He was pale, but his eyes shone with pride. “Well done for getting the already injured arm, Oak!”

“I can’t believe you told me to shoot.” Why had I done it?

“Can’t believe you did it!” Thyme said, echoing my thoughts.

“It was perfect!” Damon proclaimed. “That shot to the head? Bullseye.” He made a bam motion with his hand. “Ever thought of a career as a hitman?”

Sirens wailed in the distance. Soon the humans would arrive. We needed to move.

“Were any of our people hurt?” Cody scanned the area, looking for people to help. The witches with Basil had taken their fallen. The shifters theirs.

“Not really. A few scrapes,” Mori assured his son. “They’ve all gone home to deal with the witches they took prisoner.”

“How about we go home?” Barr suggested, looking eager to draw a portal.

Thyme put his hand in mine. “Yeah, let’s go home. We need to celebrate.”

I stooped to pick up my backpack with the grimoire. “What do we do with him?” Basil lay alone, forgotten by everyone, even his closest people.

“Put him in the car. He and Aster can burn together.” Damon grabbed Basil’s ankle and towed him to the car I’d abandoned.

Gregoris gently shoved Damon aside and took over the task of getting the body into the car.

“Any last words for Basil?” Damon asked as Mori, Toth, and Gregoris made fireballs in their hands.

Thyme shook his head. Cody turned away, resting his head on Toth’s wide chest.

Damon looked at me. “No.” Then he paused.

“Alright. I have some,” he said, stepping closer to the car. “You took my mother from me. My chance at knowing my bio dad. You stole Thyme from me, my childhood. Everything. Then look at what I got. The magic, the family, the coven. I got it all even when I thought I didn’t want it. You could have had the coven if you’d just been content, but people like you are toxic. Power corrupts weak men and you were the weakest I’ve ever met. You’ll be forgotten, a blip in our history. I hope you’re better in your next life.”

At his nod, the demons set the car on fire. We watched it burn until the sirens got too close.

“Shame, I liked that car,” I remarked as we walked through the portal home.