Chapter 26

Liam magically amplified his voice over the sick beats to say, "I invoke the ancient right of Parley."

Parley ?  Wow , this guy must be binge watching the Pirates of the Caribbean on Netflix or something. What a tool. Well, if he thought that would keep him save -- big mistake.

There were a few shocked faces, but most were just confused. When Cam went to leap at Liam's throat Kyle couldn't help but wonder if Megan finally told him what Liam had done to her when he stole the deathworm, however when he saw the look in his eyes he didn't have to wonder anymore.

Lauren dove in front of him and frantically tried to hold him back, but when the others started to advance on the rest of his crew, she screamed, "STOP! and threw her arms out to the side between them building a small shield in front of her; one he knew could cover the six teens in the blink of an eye.

Then his friend waved her free hand and muttered an incantation and suddenly the room was silent except for the murmur of the confused crowd.

Lauren spoke loud enough for everyone to hear her over the commotion, "He's invoked the right of Parley; we can't hurt him or anyone in his retinue."

Cam ran a frustrated hand through his beach bum hair before he said, "Look Lauren, I understand you want to protect your brother, and believe me, I would do the same for my sisters, but your brother is a murdering psychopath who needs to be put down, so move or I'm going through you."

When he punctuated his words with a growl of frustration, Zach stepped up to stand at Lauren's side and fixed Cameron with a try it and die stare.

The next time Lauren addressed Cameron there were tears in her eyes, "Oh Cameron, she began," I'm so sorry for what happened to Megan, but this has nothing to do with family. Parley was not just written into the Pirate Codex. The pirates adopted the practice from the Fae."

When over ninety percent of the crowd still looked confused her brother began to chuckle sardonically from behind her and said, "I see even from a prison realm I received a more thorough education than my counterparts."

He made an exaggerated sad face, and said, "I blame OBAMA."

His crew laughed as if on cue but everyone else just looked at him like he had two heads, while Kyle thought welcome to crazy town, apparently Liam would be their guide.

"Let me explain for those of you too slow to keep up," he began while his crew snickered beside him," Invoking the right of Parley on the Pirata Codex was known as a right in the Code of the Pirate Brethren for centuries, it was first set down by two famous pirate captains named Morgan and Bartholomew. What humans are not aware of, however, is that these two infamous men were both Fae.

"You see," Liam paced in front of the crowd of onlookers like a professor giving a lecture, "Invoking the right of Parley isn't centuries old; it is millennia old. It has been a practice of our kind since time immemorial."

He continued to lecture them as the crowd looked on in sick fascination, "You are probably already aware, we Fae are a blood thirsty lot, and as such, war and violence is second nature to us. Hence a pact was created in ancient times -- first between the Seelie and Unseelie courts to negotiate treaties and such; then it trickled down through all the Fae, gaining such power, that invoking Parley now allows any magical person temporary protection to negotiate," he followed that word with air quotes, "without being attacked until the parley is complete.

"If I or any one of my friends gets even a scratch while we are communicating every Fae halfblood in this room will be stripped of their power."

"I know what you may be thinking." He acted out the next words melodramatically like he was putting on a play," I'm not Fae so of course those rules do not apply to me, but alas, if only that were true. You can thank your precious Merlin for including his magical brethren into the invocation during the time of King Arthur's court."

"So you see, you will all suffer the same fate if we are not treated with the utmost of courtesy."

Zach spoke up then, "You've made your point Liam. What do you want?" he demanded.

"Speaking of round tables, "Liam snapped his fingers and a medieval round table with enough chairs for both crews appeared on the dance floor.

Kyle's mouth dropped open. Did he just actually pull the original round table from history? If so they were way out of their league.

"As for the rest of you, you can all run along now." He waved his hand dismissively to the crowd of Halfbloods who were looking on in fascination. When they didn't move her bellowed:

"NOW!" and they scattered like flies. It only took two minutes for the entire bar to clear. Not even the staff remained.

Liam grabbed the chair nearest to him and flipped it around so that he could straddle it backwards before saying, "please sit we have much to discuss, but first a round on the house is in order, I think, it will help lighten the mood."

He waved his hand and everyone's favorite drink appeared in front of them.

But when Quinn went to grab his rum and coke Lauren slapped his hand and shook her head slowly and silently.

"I'm surprised dear sister you struck me as being, if not as intelligent as myself, at least to have some wit, and if so, you must be aware that we can no more harm you as you can us."

Lauren fixed her brother with a dead eyed stare," Please dear bother," she emphasized the dear brother part, "I'm Fae I know their trickery is legendary. Especially were food and drink is concerned."

She surprised everyone when she waved her hand and their drinks disappeared, leaving only the ones in front of Liam and his crew.

Apparently she surprised her brother too, because he cocked an eyebrow before downing his shooter, and saying sarcastically, "Oh well the more for us."

Zach affected a bored tone when he said, "Enough games Liam, just get to the point."

Liam, unaffected by his tone, simply chuckled in reply and said."I see we are dispensing with the niceties."

"Very well then, but know this -- your ineptitude facilitated this visit. I must have truly underestimated your powers of observation. I triggered the curse nearly a month ago after you were very surprisingly able to thwart my efforts to obtain the Ankh. I even told your Troll friend here, "He pointed at Travis across the table before continuing, "that he wouldn't like the consequences of his actions, and yet still here you are entirely unenlightened." He laughed at his own pun.

His pack of hyenas joined in too. Lily the Aswang in human disguise rubbed his arm like a groupie and smiled at him suggestively every chance she got, while Frost the Ice Elemental with an expression as cold as an arctic breeze actually took the temperature of the room down a notch or two. Bash who sat beside him didn't seem to notice even though he wore no shirt.

Like seriously did the guy even own a shirt? He wouldn't have noticed anyway the way he kept sending his hateful yellow eyed stare across the table at Quinn who was keeping him in his sights as well. Kyle had to think it must be terribly hard for the shifters to go against their territorial nature.

Fury the fire demon sat beside the tiny Filipina witch darting concerned looks at Frost from the other side of Liam, which made him wonder if they even got close to each other would their powers cancel each other out. Could they even get close?

He was just thinking he'd like to throw them at each other to see what happened when his thoughts were interrupted by the mention of his brothers' name.

He looked over at the powerful Fae, as if to say, "Nah Brah you better leave my brother out of it," but was surprised to realize when Liam turned his cold gaze on him that he'd actually said it out loud. He wouldn't back down though and refused to look away. Instead, he let his expressive face speak volumes: If you mess with my brother, I'll fuck you up -- pact or no pact. It said.

Liam just chortled as Kyle thought angrily what the fuck is so funny, but he continued, "I'm afraid your brother, as you say, is already in it and has been since the attack at the club nearly two months ago."

"The magical agent I flooded the club with that night had a little component I'm quite proud of actually." He looked sickly pleased with himself before he finished. "It had a time lapsed component that could be triggered at will . . ."

" . . .and I willed it into action the night of the attack on the library."

"I was surprised to learn that it was taking so long to take effect; until I learned that the Troll was in a coma. The coma must have slowed the agent which is unfortunate for you," he looked around the table at Kyle's crew leaving them in no doubt of who he was referring to, "It gives you less time to accomplish your task."

Travis rumbled in his gravelly troll voice, "You're delusional if you think we're doing anything for you."

"Oh you won't be, Liam cocked an eyebrow sardonically at Travis, "you won't be in any shape to, but your friends will have to if they hope to save you before you turn to stone."

The agent I included in the liquid that sprayed on you was a destabilizing agent, it reverts you to your baser form. Anyone that was sprayed with it directly will devolve. That's why I had to make sure that Kelly left early, by dousing her paramour with a love potion and sending in my shape shifting seductress to entice him."

Lily twiddled her fingers at Xander with a self satisfied smirk.

Xander looked appalled that he'd been grinding up against the enemy all night.

Kelly just looked pissed.

"When that didn't drive you away," Liam addressed a scary looking Kelly," I had to glamour myself and give you a concoction of my own making."

"You were the demon that offered me that shot." She snarled at him in rage, "I knew I hadn't drunk enough to be that wasted."

"Guilty as charged, my dear" Liam quipped crazily.

Kyle suddenly started laughing, he couldn't help himself. The fucker thought his evil plot had worked, but Travis was fine; it hadn't worked.

When everyone turned to him with concern written all over their faces, he clued them in, "Well I've got news for you fuckface. Your plan failed. Trav's fine, so take 'the crazy bunch' and go."

Liam narrowed his eyes at Kyle. Apparently he didn't like being talked to in that manner; he was probably use to the sycophantic ass kissing he got from his lackeys, but too F'N bad.

"I'm afraid it is you that is wrong." He turned to address Travis then.

Travis looked to have lost control of his limbs as his left arm shot up in the air of its own volition.

The world fell out from under Kyle when from the seat beside his brother he could clearly see that his pinky finger was entirely turned to stone.

It happened then; Kyle dove across the table at Liam. He lost it! All he wanted to do was strangle the life out of him. Thankfully, Travis saw the look in his eyes a second later and he threw himself on top of him to prevent him making contact.

Liam chuckled at the exchange, but everyone else at the table who stood up in shock at Kyle's actions, breathed a sigh of relief. If it all went to shit in the club, no one would be safe from the backlash of the ancient pact.

Kyle ground out as Travis pulled him off the large table, "Yuck it up chuckles. If anything happens to my brother because of you, you're dead."

"Enough!" Zach bellowed using Angel speak, the shock of it forced everyone back in their chairs."Just tell us what you want."

Lauren rested her tiny hand on an enraged Zach and continued for him, "I'm assuming that you have an antidote which you won't give us unless we get you the Ankh, but I hate to inform you the Ankh's been moved we have no access to it"

"Oh, I am fully aware of that, I even know where it's been moved, which is fortunate for you."

Zach grabbed the bridge of his nose, a move many of them were beginning to recognize as a signal that he was at the end of his rope. "Where is it, and if you know, why the hell can't you just go get it yourself?"

Liam's expressive face took on a deadpan look when he uttered, "Oh I would if I could, however your little band of miscreants is more suited to the task given your varied talents. You see," he looked to his crew and said," I lack the proper personnel for the job."

"Tell me what the hell I have to do with this?" Kelly demanded.

"Oh my dear halfblood descendant of Freyja the Goddess of War and Death you're an integral part. You are the only one that can wield the Ankh. You alone can wield the power to command the dead."

"Good one," Kelly snorted, "If you think I'm helping you raise the dead you've got another thing coming."

"I'm afraid you have no choice, my dear. If you refuse to do it, I will trigger your paramours reaction. It should be interesting to see what a halfblood demigod of echo, gossip, and fortune devolves into.

In the blink of an eye Kelly let loose half a dozen of her throwing knives. They thunked into the wall in a semi circle -- looking like an upside down smile -- around Liam's head and shoulders, just as she growled, "Threaten him again."

When Kelly's eyes began to glow everyone had the good sense to become scared, but Liam just laughed. The guy really did have a death wish.

Zach glowered at Liam, "Tell me where it is and what we have to do as you said before we don't have time for games."

"It's been moved from the Magic Library to the Mystical library.

"You're kidding me right. I've never heard of a mystical library." Zach said.

"I have, "Lauren announced," It's a library that is never in the same place twice. It moves every five minutes to another spot that can be either across the street or halfway across the world. Unless you get an invitation from the library itself, there is no way to enter it as it is protected by a labyrinth of magical traps that includes an impossibly deadly gauntlet of tasks.

"Guys," Lauren said mournfully, "To enter uninvited would mean certain death."

"So let me get this straight: The Mystical Library could be anywhere; it's next to impossible to get in to and once you're in, you may never get out?" Zach asked in disbelief.

"Exactly, "Liam chuckled.

"How much time do we have," Lauren asked.

"Oh my dear sister you have until the Imbolc festival, or until Travis turns completely to stone, whichever comes first." He chuckled merrily which made Kyle want to dive for his throat and make it this time.

Zach grabbed the bridge of his nose again and said:

"But Imbolc is on April first that's only a week away. "

Liam turned to Zach with a face as serious as a heart attack and said in a tone utterly lacking any emotion, "That's not my concern, but mark my words: your friend dies if you don't succeed."

No . . . you mark my words," Zach pointed at Travis and said with conviction, "If he dies, we're coming for you, and there won't be anywhere you can hide that we won't find you."

"And Brah," Kyle growled, "I'll make it painful."

Well shit here we go again. Now it's Trav's life in danger.

Liam better hope he doesn't die or he's going to have a psycho Kyle to deal with.

How the hell are the guys going to break into the Fort Knox of the magical world?

Tune in tomorrow to find out.

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