Elemental Flame by Phaedra Weldon Page B

part. Apparently she had an alternate purpose in mind. She'd played me and Bastien and his wolves. She didn't volunteer to help us find her nephew or the Lycan. She wanted in that house to find that damn bow and quiver!
    I looked at Kyle and saw the dawning of truth in his face. He realized it as well and looked more angry than sad. Ivan was still busy on the web, moving his hands as red and green and a few blue lights streaked back and forth in the air between his hands. I didn't want to disturb him, so I looked down at Dharma. I cleared my throat. "Look up the Bow of Artemis."
    With a deep breath, I turned away and stared at the wall that made up the side of my office. I'd hung several corkboards on that wall through the years. Ivan and Kyle had tacked things on them now and then. I stared the newspaper articles from local Witchy rags and a few flyers from magical seminars taught in voodoo shops. Above them were take out menus and a few pictures of the three of us being goofy.
    My stomach growled at the thought of the menus.
    I focused on my hunger because I didn't want to think about what I read in those emails. I'm not sure I wanted to swallow the truth that slowly dawned on me. Brendi had called in the payment. Arden had called me several times, but I hadn't wanted to talk to her. I hadn't wanted to deal with her because I was afraid Brendi would demand me as payment. I was the one that got away, the one that still "owed" her. I was the only black spot on Brendi's record as the Obsidian Queen of Faerie.
    But that mark had been called and it hadn't been me. It had been something she had to use a powerful, magical artifact against. And if Dharma discovered what I feared she would—
    "Here it is. Wow I had to go to the 'Ancient Spirit Guide and Quest, Volume Six' to find it."
    I didn't know what that meant.
    "And?" Kyle prompted.
    Grey was at my feet, looking up at me with a sad face.
    "The Bow of Artemis was commissioned by the God Ra to use in hunting the Son of Gaia. After a playful fight between friends resulted in the death of Ra's son, Amun-Ra, Ra sought justice for his child, and finding none, brought his grievance to Gaia's eldest daughter, Diana. Diana commissioned Artemis to make her the bow and arrows. When Diana gave Ra the gifts of Artemis, she told him to use them wisely, because justice might have been served (see appendix 45a, The Sins of Amun-Ra ). Seven arrows were made for the seven days of the Feast of Samael. It was during this feast that Ra challenged the boy to an archery contest. Eager to win back Ra's comradeship, the boy accepted and a tournament was had.
    "Five arrows were fired from the bow at the designated target against five arrows from the boy's bow. Ra's marksmanship was leagues above the boy's and he offered to let the boy fire the sixth shot before him. But when the boy shot his arrow, Ra shot his own, but aimed the deadly arrow at the youth's chest.
    "The arrow struck the boy's heart and he fell dead before the whole of the Feast. Gaia ran to her son and wrenched the deadly arrow from his heart. She breathed life into him, using the magic of her rage, the Element of Fire. The boy shifted and changed and became a creature ten times larger than the temple of the feast. The boy's body twisted and burned with his mother's anger until he was no longer recognizable and a new creature was born. The Drachen. She sent a curse against Ra that would follow him and his family through the centuries. Their reign would know no peace and their loves would know no piety."
    No one spoke for a few seconds, and then Kyle said, "There was an arrow left. He only fired six arrows."
    I cleared my throat. "There was just one arrow in the quiver when Arden took it out of the mansion."
    "He said he was a Drachen."
    I nodded. "Yes."
    "That means she had to take down a Drachen. She had to take…Crwys."
    I turned to look at Kyle across the table. "Brendi wanted Crwys. Arden had to have him. And she used that arrow to