Blood of the Phoenix: Book 17 of The Witch Fairy Series Read online

  Table of Contents

  1 Chapter

  2 Chapter

  3 Chapter

  4 Chapter

  5 Chapter

  6 Chapter

  7 Chapter

  8 Chapter

  9 Chapter

  10 Chapter

  11 Chapter

  12 Chapter

  13 Chapter

  14 Chapter

  15 Chapter

  16 Chapter

  17 Chapter

  18 Chapter

  19 Chapter

  20 Chapter

  21 Chapter

  22 Chapter

  23 Chapter

  24 Chapter

  25 Chapter

  26 Chapter

  27 Chapter

  28 Chapter

  29 Chapter

  30 Chapter

  31 Chapter

  32 Chapter

  33 Chapter

  34 Chapter

  35 Chapter

  36 Chapter – Taz and Felix

  37 Chapter

  38 Chapter

  39 Chapter

  40 Chapter

  Blood of the Phoenix

  Bonnie Lamer

  Copyright

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, dialogue and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright ©2017 by Bonnie Humbarger Lamer

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, scanned or distributed in any printed or electronic form without the express written permission of the copyright holder.

  ISBN-13:978-1977680570

  ISBN-10:1977680577

  Other Titles by Bonnie Lamer

  The Witch Fairy Series:

  True of Blood

  Blood Prophecy

  Blood Lines

  Shadow Blood

  Blood of Half Gods

  Blood of Destiny

  Blood of Dragons

  Blood of Egypt

  Blood of Retribution

  Blood of the Exiled

  Doppelganger Blood

  Blood of Centaurs

  Blood of Sirens

  Elf Blood

  Blood and Spirits

  Demon Blood

  True of Blood: Kallen’s Tale

  Blood Prophecy: Kallen’s Tale

  Blood Lines: Kallen’s Tale

  Shadow Blood: Kallen’s Tale

  Blood of Half Gods: Kallen’s Tale

  Blood of Destiny: Kallen’s Tale

  Blood of Dragon’s: Kallen’s Tale

  Blood of Egypt: Kallen’s Tale

  Blood of Retribution: Kallen’s Tale

  Blood of the Exiled: Kallen’s Tale

  Blood of Centaurs: Kallen’s Tale

  Blood of Sirens: Kallen’s Tale

  Elf Blood: Kallen’s Tale

  The Eliana Brennan Series:

  Essence of Ra

  Exposed

  Homeland

  Sutekh

  The Secrets of the Djinn Series:

  Marked

  Bound

  Unchained

  I love to hear from fans! Contact me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bonnie-Lamer-Author/129829463748061

  For my ever patient fans. Sorry this one took so long.

  1 Chapter

  “I have had a vision.”

  These words from Isla are surprising. She rarely tells anyone about her visions. Even more surprising? Her need to share this with us at three o’clock in the morning. Shielding my eyes from the explosion of light she let loose in our bedroom, I mumble, “Huh?” I am not at my best at three o’clock in the morning.

  Kallen is even less coherent with a mumbled, “Mmm?” I feel no movement from his side of the bed, so he may not even be awake. Despite the blinding light unleashed upon us.

  “The Phoenix is going to refuse to die.”

  Peeking out from under my arm, I ask, “Are you sleep walking? Because you are making no sense.”

  Next to me, Kallen sits up and rubs his eyes. He was awake, after all. “Grandmother, that is impossible.” I guess her words make more sense to him than they do to me.

  Maybe I should take this conversation a little more seriously. Opening both eyes, exposing dual retinas to everlasting damage, I ask, “You have a pet Phoenix you haven’t mentioned until now? And why do you want him dead?” Even to my sleep addled brain that is awfully cruel.

  The scowl directed my way is a clear indication that Isla is annoyed by my questions. “The Phoenix is not a pet.”

  Joining Kallen in a sitting position, I stretch my arms over my head in an effort to wake up. “I still don’t understand why you want the Phoenix to die.” Under my breath, I whisper to Kallen, “Are we talking about a bird?”

  “Sort of,” he replies. “The Phoenix can take many forms, but when it dies, it does die as a bird.”

  “That’s not confusing at all,” I grumble. Turning my attention back to Isla, I ask, “Why do we want the Phoenix to die?”

  “If the Phoenix does not complete her life cycle, the universe will be consumed by Cosmic Fire.”

  “You’re back to making no sense again,” I inform Isla. “I may only have a basic understanding of astrophysics, but that just doesn’t add up. The sun is nowhere near ready to go supernova.” Not to mention, our sun would not affect the entire universe. Just our small portion of it.

  “It will not be the sun that burns, it will be the Phoenix,” Kallen says, getting out of bed. “Fueled by energy usurped from the sun.”

  Now I am even more confused. “I thought the whole point of a Phoenix is to burst into flames and then be reborn to symbolize the eternal life cycle of death and rebirth. I have never heard that it could steal energy from the sun to kill us all.”

  Kallen holds a hand out to help me out of bed in a clear signal that we will not be going back to sleep anytime soon. “It is more than symbolism, but you are correct. The Phoenix must die before it can be reborn. If it does not, the flames that are meant to continue the cycle of life and death will continue to intensify until not even the universe can contain them.”

  I give him my hand, but he does not have my confidence yet. “You’re telling me that one creature has the power to end the universe simply by refusing to die? And how is it even possible to refuse to die?”

  The sound of a crying baby moving closer to us proves to be too much of a distraction for Isla to respond to me, regardless of Phoenixes and the threat of cosmic demise. She steps into the hall and says softly, “I apologize for waking the child. It could not be helped.”

  “It is fine, I am growing accustomed to only two hours of sleep at a time,” Kegan grumbles. “I assume there is an emergency to be dealt with?” He is in the doorway now, and Keelan is cradled against his chest. Kegan is bouncing him gently, and his little tears begin to ebb.

  Isla holds her arms out for her great-grandchild. “Let me see him,” she insists.

  Kegan hands his son over. “Feel free to change him,” he tells her. The ‘you are the one who woke him up, after all’ is implied in his tone.

  Isla narrows her eyes at him, but does not chastise Kegan in front of his son. Instead, she tells him what she told Kallen and me a few minutes ago. “I have had a vision. The Phoenix is going to refuse to die.”

  Kegan’s eyes grow round. “You must be mistaken,” he declares. Apparently, everyone but me understands the significance of this. I should pr
obably get up to speed. A good start would be believing what Kallen told me a moment ago. It’s just so hard to swallow, though. A bird is going to destroy the universe? Really? Who dreams these things up?

  “I have had the same vision every night for a week,” Isla informs him.

  My mouth drops open. “Wait, a week? Then why wake us up at three in the morning to tell us about it?” I gripe, growing more annoyed by the second. She could have told us earlier at dinner, or waited until breakfast.

  Isla narrows her eyes at my chastisement. “Because the previous visions were vague. This one clearly showed me the end. It is imperative that you act now.”

  “The end?” I ask, needing clarification. I have found through unwanted experience that it is best to never assume things. Though, I suspect I do know what she is going to say. It’s what she always says in situations like this. Or, at least, some variation of it.

  “The end of the universe.” Yup, that was what I thought she would say.

  Putting my hands on my hips, I demand, “What am I supposed to do about it? Am I supposed to track the Phoenix down and kill it? I’m not going to do that. One, I’m not a hunter, and two, I don’t kill other beings.”

  “The Phoenix cannot be killed,” Kallen tells me. “She must choose to die and be resurrected.”

  I am getting a headache. “So, I’m supposed to talk her into being suicidal?” I snark. This situation is growing more unbelievable by the second.

  “You will travel to the Cowan realm and enlist the help of your friends,” Isla insists out of the blue. Almost as if she has ignored everything I have said in the last two minutes. Wait, I believe she has.

  Frowning, I ask, “Which friends?” I don’t have a lot of friends in the Cowan realm, but still, I want to be perfectly clear who she means.

  “The friend who possesses the essence of Ra within her. He was intimately associated with the Phoenix in the past, even taking on the responsibility of guarding her ashes. He may be able to talk some sense into her.”

  Hmm, call upon Eliana to ask her to try to talk some sense into Ra’s old girlfriend? That won’t be awkward for any of us. “As much as I would like to see Eliana again, is it really necessary to drag her into this?”

  Kallen touches my arm. “If Grandmother is correct and the Phoenix is refusing to complete her cycle, we will all perish. I know that you want to believe the cosmos are guided only by science, but Xandra, you know enough of the universe to know that simply is not true. The universe is a combination of science and magic.” After a brief pause to let that sink in, he continues, “Think of the many religions in the Cowan realm. All of them have a Phoenix legend in their earliest forms. In all of nature, the cycle of life and death is perpetual. While there is science behind it, because there must be order in the universe for us to survive, there is also magic. Consider her a failsafe, if you will. She is closely associated with the power of the sun, and she draws on this power to perpetuate the life cycle. For whatever reason, the responsibility of maintaining balance, meaning the power to perpetuate life and the power of ultimate destruction, was given to the Phoenix.”

  “Isn’t that a bit too much responsibility for one being?” I grumble, still not entirely convinced this is all true.

  “It is, but he is correct, my dear granddaughter,” Lailah’s singsong voice rings in my ear.

  I whip my head to the side to find my grandmother in all her Angel glory and perfection standing next to me. I smile and give her a big hug, careful not to bend any of the feathers on her wings. “Grandma, I’ve missed you!”

  “I have missed you, as well,” she says, kissing my cheek. “You really should spend more time among the Angels,” she chastises lightly. Turning her attention to Keelan, she smiles and sighs, “What a precious child.” She moves closer and takes him from Isla’s frozen arms. Touching his smooth, still cheek softly, she says, “It broke my heart to use him as a tool to fight the Demons.”

  “He wasn’t harmed,” I remind her, even though I still have traces of guilt lingering in me over the whole thing, too. Someday, he is going to learn about it. What will he think of me then?

  Lailah smiles. “No, he was not harmed. He will grow to be strong and fierce, this Fairy. His destiny is that of greatness.” She glances up at me and winks. “Of course, that is all I can say about it.”

  I roll my eyes. “Of course, you would not be an Angel if you did not speak cryptically. It’s the law, isn’t it?”

  Lailah laughs. “As a matter of fact, yes.”

  “So, you’re here to tell me that Isla is right, and I really do need to go talk this Phoenix into killing herself?” That comes out ruder than I meant, but Grandma isn’t bothered by it.

  “It is not quite that simple.”

  “It never is,” I mutter. Realizing I am taking my annoyance out on her, I smile sheepishly and ask, “Can you simplify it for me?”

  Lailah’s smile remains warm and understanding. “I will try. Like the Angels and the minor deities, the Phoenix is immortal. The difference is, she must walk among the mortal beings of the universe forever. She lives as they do. She travels from realm to realm and lives many lifetimes in one.”

  I can’t help it. Words slip out of my mouth. “That sounds tedious.”

  “It can be. But the Phoenix has never minded. She loves being free to wander, free to take on new identities, new lives.”

  Frowning, I ask, “Then why is she suddenly bent on destroying the universe?”

  With a heavy sigh, Lailah admits, “We do not know.”

  “Then how do you know she is going to refuse to die?” I ask.

  “She said so right before she disappeared.”

  I guess that is pretty good evidence. “Could she just be teasing you?” I ask hopefully. Yes, it would be in poor taste, but I would rather the Phoenix have a terrible sense of humor than be bent on destroying the universe.

  “The Phoenix may not lie. She is bound by the truth of existence and carries within her a spark from the Flames of Truth.”

  “Um, the stuff the Demons were created from?” I groan. I really do not want to fight Demons again.

  Understanding where my thought process has gone, Lailah shakes her head. “Demons were created from the ash. The Phoenix was not created from these flames, nor the ash as the Demons were. But, the flame that allows her to die and be reborn is from the Flames of Truth.”

  “Got it,” I mumble, hoping there really is a difference between the Phoenix and the Demons. I am not yet convinced. After all, both seem to want to end the universe.

  Lifting her hand from Keelan’s cheek, Lailah rests it on mine. “Find the Phoenix. Discover what has caused her to defy her destiny and help her see this is not the way.”

  I open my mouth to argue that I am not the best diplomat in the world when her first sentence sinks into my brain. “Wait, what do you mean ‘find her?’”

  Lailah is suddenly consumed with the need to adore Keelan again. Without looking at me, she says, “As Kallen said, the Phoenix can take many forms. We have lost track of her.”

  My jaw just became unhinged. I am going to have a nasty bruise from it hitting the floor. Pushing my jaw back into place with my finger, it still takes me a moment to find words. Finally, I go with, “The Angels don’t know where she is, but I am supposed to find her?”

  Lailah glances up from Keelan and gives me an encouraging smile. “Yes.”

  I am not encouraged. Another thought hits me. “You all believe that Ra will be able to figure out what form she is in right now and where she is.” That’s why I need Eliana.

  With a nod, Lailah confirms I am right. “In Heliopolis, Ra stored for the Phoenix the ashes of her previous resurrections. There are wards in place that only he may see through. We believe there are clues there which will help you find her.”

  “If you believe that, why don’t the Angels go?” Not that I don’t want to help, but it would be faster if they searched for clues themselves seeing as they kn
ow so much more about the Phoenix than I do.

  “Because we do not know where it is.”

  So, there is no choice but to include Eliana in this. Ra is apparently the only one who knows the secret location of the Phoenix’s hideout. I hate to do it. I know Eliana’s life has gotten very complicated now that she works for the government. But, I doubt she will mind too much. I assume she would like the universe to continue to exist just as much as the rest of us. “Fine,” I grumble.

  Lailah leans over and gives me a kiss on the cheek. “Someday, you will be rewarded for all of your sacrifices.”

  I cannot help but scowl. “Unless the reward comes in the form of no more universe threatening incidents, I’m not really looking for compensation.”

  “Which makes you perfect for the destiny set out for you,” Lailah replies sweetly. I try not to roll my eyes. Smiling down at Keelan, she gives his forehead a final kiss. “Good bye, little warrior.” She hands him to me. I assume because it would be hard to put him back into Isla’s arms since the Fairies are frozen in time at the moment.

  Situating Keelan in my arms, I give my grandmother a wry smile. “Thanks for the information.”

  “I do what I can to help you.” With a wink, Lailah disappears and I am back in Fairy time.

  It is not often that Isla is startled, but suddenly finding her great-grandson missing from her arms does the trick. Her eyes immediately zero in on me. “Who was here?” she demands. She may have been startled, she is not stupid.

  2 Chapter

  “Lailah,” I respond, handing the now very calm Keelan back to her. A benefit of having the Angel of Love hold him, I imagine. But, as much as I love the little guy, he stinks and I don’t want to be stuck changing his diaper because I am the last one to hold him. Selfish, yes. Am I okay with that? Definitely.

  “What cryptic information did your grandmother bring this time?” Kallen asks.

  Ignoring his snide tone, I tell him, “She was actually very helpful. Well, sort of,” I amend. Glancing at Isla, I complain, “You didn’t tell me that no one knows where the Phoenix is, not even the Angels.”