Kaliya Sahni: Volume One (Kaliya Sahni Volumes Book 1)

by K. N. Banet

  That sent a chill down my spine.

  “We’ll speak on it another day,” Hasan said with finality. “Kaliya, deliver the judgment of the Tribunal.”

  29

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  “Ah, shit. I forgot to tell them about Kartane,” I muttered. “Raphael, don’t freak out, but I’m going to text and drive.”

  “Want me to hold the wheel?” He wasn’t surprised, which made me chuckle. I nodded as I turned on cruise control. We were going ninety, so I hoped he knew how to keep us steady from the passenger’s seat. He grabbed the wheel as I picked up my phone. I quickly punched in the information Hasan needed about Kartane, where to find him, and that he was innocent. I got a response immediately.

  Hasan: And here I thought you couldn’t piss the witches off more than you already have.

  I chuckled again, knowing what he meant. The witches were probably hoping from the very beginning their precious Eliphas wasn’t guilty, and his second had done all of this, but Kartane’s information for them would wrap all of this up in a tiny bow.

  As the witches said, it doesn’t really matter. He tried to kill me, which gives me the freedom to kill him.

  The witch tried to play a dangerous game with a snake, and now he was going to get bitten.

  I put the phone back down in a cup holder, then grabbed the steering wheel from Raphael.

  “Thanks.” I was used to saying that now. When this had all started, his willingness to help was surprising. Somewhere in the last day, I had grown used to it, and now, I just appreciated it.

  Being old makes some of us forget how fast things can change. Not that I’m old.

  Before we reached the prison, I made one more phone call.

  “Kaliya. I haven’t heard any news all day. Do you know what’s going on?” Korey was professional again. Whatever hostility she had felt toward me in the morning was gone. I was glad to hear it. It meant her power wasn’t tenuous. She had probably spent the entire day dealing with wolves who might challenge her role and securing her position.

  I was glad she hadn’t heard any news, which meant there was a high chance Eliphas was also out of the loop. Probably because the Tribunal hadn’t cared to tell them what was going on outside the prison, much in the same way most of the outside world had never known what was happening inside it. Because of their positions, they were active suspects. A good Investigator would have made sure the Tribunal took that into consideration. I suddenly wished I knew which Investigator they had called in to work on their end, but it was something I could ask about another time.

  “I killed Levi and the werewolf twins. Nakul is secured, but he won’t be returned to the prison. The threat to Phoenix and the surrounding area is considered active until further notice, but there’s been nothing for the last several hours. Everyone else who escaped probably went underground and found ways out of Arizona. Where are you?” I asked, needing to know if I would need to save her from an angry witch.

  “Outside on a walk with some of the pack. We’re checking the perimeter, marking where we’ve found scents of other escapees to track later. I think we might find a few in the desert on their way to Mexico, instead of heading up to Phoenix.”

  “And those would be the smart ones. Good thinking. I need you to stay outside until I get there. If you could, meet me in the parking lot. Something is about to happen.”

  “Should I call Eliphas? He’s been locked up in his tower since you left earlier today, working on the magical defenses again.”

  “No, do not call Eliphas. Don’t send anyone to get him or check on him. Korey, he was the source of the breakout. He was blackmailed by the healer he brought in. You’re going to meet me in the parking lot. I’m going to kill him while you work with my partner to find any information you can about the healer.”

  “Oh.” Korey was stunned. “Am I going to get a briefing on why my fellow Warden is going to be executed?”

  “By the time you get the full briefing, it’ll be about why he was executed. He’ll be dead before dawn, probably not long after I get there. I just want you out of the way.” I didn’t need the fucking wolf pack trying to help. For once, I was in my element and didn’t need anyone tagging along.

  “Okay. I’ll call out the wolves inside to get out of the way.”

  “Good.” I hung up on her and hit the gas.

  “Partner?”

  Raphael’s smooth voice sounded all too pleased. The man sitting next to me wasn’t the man I had lived with for four months, certainly not the man I had found outside that church, paranoid and pissed off.

  “Yeah, partner.” I swallowed. “I know you didn’t ask for any of this, but—”

  “I’m not mad. I’m glad I can help, and you consider me a good help at that. I was just messing with you.”

  “I’m not going to say you’re good, but you’re at least hard to kill, so I don’t need to worry about you as much,” I smirked, turning it around on him again. “Now, pay attention. You’ll be with Korey through this. I am going to kill Eliphas alone. I don’t want you to see that or potentially get in the way. It’s nothing against you, but this is an official execution, and…this is what I do most of the time. I’m an assassin. These big brawls aren’t really my thing, but this is.”

  “I’ll help Korey, just don’t nearly die on me this time. I kind of need you, Kaliya Sahni.”

  I kind of need you, too.

  We pulled into the prison’s parking lot an hour later. For the third time today, I stepped out of my BMW to be greeted by a werewolf Alpha. Part of me was weary, tired of this back and forth, tired of this entire fucking mess—only a small part. I was so close to finishing this, and the resolve made me stand straighter, lifting my chin as Korey walked closer.

  “I don’t think any of them have a clue what’s going on,” Korey said softly. “I’m afraid the witches and fae might attack you, thinking you’ve turned or something. Loyalty to the Wardens runs deep.”

  “I know. Once I’m in, you’ll know when it starts. He won’t go down quietly. I want you ready on the intercom system to announce he’s no longer in power, and he’s been sentenced to execution by the Tribunal. That will keep them out of my way.”

  “Are you really going to climb his tower? That’s his seat of power, where he’s most powerful.”

  I knew all of that. Eliphas controlled all the magic around the prison from the top of his tower.

  “Yes.” I wasn’t concerned. I should have been. Only hours ago, the coven had to put me back together. There was a principle to the matter, though. He came after me. I got to end him.

  Tit for tat.

  “I’ll be helping you collect evidence from Eliphas’ office,” Raphael stated as he came around the car. “Kaliya…maybe you should get ready?”

  “Yup.” I left them to talk about what they needed to look for. Raphael knew the score and what we were looking for. He also knew what to keep, what to give to the Tribunal, and what to leave with Korey. I trusted him to handle it.

  I went to the back of the BMW, ignoring the wolves around me. Many watched as I popped open the truck and began to arm up—talwar, katana, sidearm, thigh daggers, and boot daggers.

  “She’s a walking arsenal,” someone whispered. “Do you think she’ll need all of that?”

  “It’s not about what you need,” I said loudly as I added a case of throwing knives on my belt. “It’s about what you might need. Never go into a fight unprepared.”

  “Wolves don’t need all that. We have teeth,” one scoffed.

  “You have numbers,” I corrected, turning on the werewolf as I closed the trunk, then opened my mouth. “And my teeth are better.”

  “Move for her,” Korey ordered. The werewolves, both in human form and wolf, made a path.

  I entered alone, noting the silent halls. The few fae and witches on duty let me pass without much concern. I was always heavily armed when I came in. The werewolves had only pointed it out because they had seen me preparin
g, something not many got to watch.

  No one questioned me when I started climbing the stairs to Eliphas’ tower. Once I hit the third floor, there were no guards. I walked slowly, knowing Eliphas didn’t have anything similar to werecat magic. Werecats could pinpoint the type and location of any supernatural in their territory. It was a magic unique to them, and there were few who could recreate even a knock off of the werecats’ territorial awareness. Most couldn’t differentiate between different supernatural types or couldn’t get the location perfectly accurate. I knew Eliphas had neither. There were too many living things in the prison. That’s why his border defenses were so important.

  When I reached the top of the stairs, all six flights up, I wasn’t out of breath. It was just another day. I knocked once, then opened the door.

  I wanted Eliphas to know I was coming.

  30

  Chapter Thirty

  “Ah, Executioner Sahni. What a pleasant surprise.” Eliphas looked up, his eyes still bandaged.

  Liar.

  “I wanted to ask you a few questions,” I said, closing the door behind me.

  “You could have asked any of the witches below to call for me.” He was annoyed. He didn’t like anyone in his personal space.

  “I could have, but I figured it would be nice to drop in on you and not force you to go down all those steps in your current condition.” I smiled, locking the door. I did everything slowly, with purpose, so he knew what was happening around him. Not that I thought his blindness would be a problem.

  “What news do you bring?” he asked, leaning back in his seat. “I would offer to get you a drink, but I’m afraid those are on the floor below.”

  “Well, I was hoping to know where your eyes are. Kartane didn’t have them.” I looked around the room, not seeing any evidence they were around. It didn’t even look like a fight had taken place, but I knew it was possible someone cleaned up already.

  “You found the traitor? Oh good. Well, if he lost them, I’m certain I can do a spell to track them down. It might take some time, but I don’t need any assistance. A shame he’s misplaced them. They are very important to me.”

  “They are, aren’t they? Why didn’t you try to track them earlier? It would have been helpful in locating your traitor.” It was my turn to be annoyed.

  He knew a spell to find his eyes, huh? Well, Eliphas, you really are digging yourself quite the hole.

  “I’ve been a little weak since they were taken. It was my last resort if you were having a hard time tracking him down.” Eliphas sighed. “I didn’t want to expend the energy until the prison was cleaned up.”

  “Your eyes are in this room, aren’t they?” I asked softly. “You took them out and hid them, didn’t you?”

  He straightened, realizing I had ulterior motives.

  “How dare you? I’m a highly respected witch with allies in the Tribunal. Your bosses. I can see you fired for accusing me of something so heinous.”

  “There’s nothing heinous about hiding the most vulnerable part of your body,” I said carefully. I wanted him to walk into it.

  “It implicates me in other things, and I won’t tolerate it.”

  “Fine, forget I ever said anything.” I waved my hand around casually, dismissing the topic. “Let’s talk about the healers you and Tarak invited into the prison without telling anyone.”

  “As I told Korey and the Tribunal, they are unrelated to this. I vetted them personally. When Tarak came to me, disappointed Mygi could do nothing to help Wesley, I reached out to several smaller groups, traveling healer teams. The one I chose seemed to understand the best and were willing to help, even at risk to themselves, where no one else was.” He was pissed off now, which was okay with me. “They are a non-issue, and I will take the reprimand the Tribunal decides to give.”

  “You let this healer and his team see other inmates,” I reminded him. “Any reason for that?”

  “I wanted to see if he could help the therapy we did with many of our patients. I’ve spent years trying to help the supernaturals here by finding the root of their problems and using that to put them on the right path. Years, Kaliya. Have you ever been so dedicated to something, you would take risks?”

  “Oh, yes.” I nodded slowly. “I’m one of nine living naga. I know all too well about risking everything to protect an ideal. I do it every day, out here in the real world instead of a naga compound. I do it every time I go on an assignment. Every time I perform an execution for the Tribunal, upholding the Law that also protects my people. I do it to put the fear of the gods into anyone who might try their luck, toying with me or any other of my kind.”

  He went very still.

  “What did he blackmail you with?” I asked gently. “What was it, Eliphas?”

  “He paid me to see some of the patients. We kept it very quiet. He would go in, perform a couple of blood tests, take samples. That was all. Nothing more.”

  “And yet, it broke rules, didn’t it? You were subjecting prisoners to medical procedures against their will, and they could tell people you were corrupt. He could tell people you were corrupt.”

  “How…how did you know?” He slowly stood and brought his hands together, pleading. “You must understand. He was going to stop all the good work he was doing with Wesley, and I knew that would hurt Tarak. Wesley didn’t belong here, and we all wanted to help him. He just wanted more access in exchange for that help. It started small and…”

  I didn’t need a werewolf’s nose to know that was a lie. He got greedy. A little money, and no one would have to know. He was too smart to get caught. Eliphas was always fucking full of himself, and his attempt earlier to throw his political might at me only proved it.

  “Then it grew bigger and got out of your control,” I finished. “I get it. So, things escalated. You kept it from Tarak and the others in the prison. You couldn’t stop it, right? You thought what he wanted was harmless, so why not? Those prisoners would probably never see the light of day, or no one would ever believe them.”

  “He manipulated their memories. They didn’t know.”

  “Even worse,” I said. “You know, for years, I walked into this prison and had no sympathy for any of the inmates. None at all. I knew they would all end up on the wrong end of me or some other Executioner, eventually. They never cleaned up their act for long, and we don’t often get second chances. But you know what this entire thing has taught me? Or rather, reminded me of since it really is a lesson I should have already known.”

  “What?”

  “The monsters aren’t always the ones in the cage,” I finished coolly. “Now, let’s stop with the lies, and I’ll tell you my version of the story.”

  He scowled, but I wasn’t shaken. The wheels were turning in his mind to find a way to talk himself out of this. He wouldn’t give up hope until the very last moment. In his mind, it would be easier to talk me out of killing than it would be explaining my death to the Tribunal.

  “You brought this guy in to help Wesley. Sure, we can run with that. Tarak would have never agreed to help keep him a secret otherwise.” I touched something on one of his shelves, looking over the odd little figurine. Something from a distant land I wasn’t completely familiar with—human in origin. “Then you had him help with the therapy. Okay, you liked his services. Then he wanted to purchase a service from you. You said yes. There was no blackmail about Wesley. I think you got greedy. How do I know? The sob story would have worked if you had come forward. You know it would have. A sob story about saving Wesley and getting roped into a scheme is sympathetic before you took his money. Second chances and all that. You would have taken a slap on the wrist long before all of this.” I hissed in anger as it all came together.

  “No, you were just greedy. When your friend came to you and said, ‘I can destroy you unless you help me kill Kaliya Sahni,’ you knew he could. So, you helped him. You went through with it.” I pulled my sidearm and aimed. “You used the compulsion spells on the inmates he told
you to. You orchestrated the breakout during my walkthrough because it was perfect timing. You wanted me to die in this prison, then clean up the mess, maybe look like a hero, and be done with the asshole who blackmailed you.”

  “The Tribunal would have told me if I was served an execution for any of your paranoid ramblings,” he said with a boldness I could appreciate. Under normal circumstances, they would have put his name on the Wanted list and been done with it. Considering his position and his power over the prison compound, everyone in the supernatural world would have known—which couldn’t happen. It would have rattled the faith in the Tribunal too much to know one of their oh-so-special Wardens had betrayed them.

  “I’m not here to kill you for any of that,” I whispered. “This is just for trying to kill me, and I don’t need the Tribunal’s permission to do this.”

  I fired two off. They ricocheted off a shield that came up a split second after I pulled the trigger.

  Shit.

  I dove, shifting into a snake and moving for cover as a blast of magic blew the door open and destroyed a section of the wall to the staircase.

  As I moved around the office, getting closer to him, he spun around, desperate. Most aggressive witches like him and Levi resorted to the same basic attack—a magical pressure blast that could be flung out wildly. Depending on the power of the witch, the more damage it caused.

  He blew another hole in the wall, this time opening up the tower to the night sky.

  The intercom came on only a moment later.

  “This is Warden Korey speaking. Everyone remain calm and hold your positions. Warden Eliphas has been sentenced to death by Execution by the Tribunal. I repeat, everyone remain calm and hold your positions.”

  I moved silently. Eliphas stumbled into the middle of the room, where the floor was clear of debris. I kept moving out of his possible line of sight among the furniture, books, and laundry around the room. I wanted to get behind him, not wanting another brawl.