“You can go full Vulcan another time,” I snapped, looking around for Ezra. “Where is he?”
“I don’t think you’re here to see him, are you?” Jen said from the bench. “You want to speak to me, about Toson.”
“You’re right,” I said. “We had an interesting conversation with him. Who is he—to you specifically?”
“Toson…is my husband.
“Your what?” I said in disbelief. “Come again?”
“He was my love,” Jen said, staring unflinchingly into my eyes, “and is my sworn enemy.”
TWENTY-NINE
“I’m out,” I said, throwing my hands in the air. “Did you hear her? Toson is her husband…No, I want no part of this. I told you, Monty, I told you: Help me, Obi Wan—”
“Simon, calm down,” Monty said, raising a hand. “We haven’t heard the whole—”
“Calm down?” I asked, raising my voice. “He’s…her…husband. Husband, Monty. Why should I be calm? We don’t do marriage counseling, and let me tell you”—I pointed at Jen—“you two need some serious therapy. Toson wants to kill you.”
“I know,” Jen answered. “I’m afraid his feeling aren’t without some merit. I stopped his takeover of the Red Mountain.”
“Explain,” Monty said, crossing his arms and giving me a look that said, Hear her out, then decide. “What happened?”
I pulled out my flask and took a swig, because if there was ever a time I needed to drink something potent—this was it. I took a deep breath and exhaled…slowly. The Javambrosia coursed through my veins and immediately filled me with divine coffee goodness. I was still livid, but at least I had my coffee. Everything was manageable with a strong cup of coffee.
“Yes, please explain,” I said. “Explain to us how you conveniently omitted the little detail that the mage you wanted us to face was your very pissed-off psycho husband.”
“Simon…” Monty started.
“No, Tristan,” Jen said, raising a hand. “He’s right. I should have told you the truth from the beginning.”
“Why didn’t you?” Monty asked. “Despite Simon’s reaction, he can actually be quite reasonable on rare occasions.”
“Gee, thanks,” I said, glaring at Monty. “It’s not that you’re married,—that’s irrelevant— it’s that you used us as your blunt instrument. You knowingly put our lives in jeopardy, without giving us the opportunity to choose if we wanted to be in that situation. By robbing us of the choice, you played god. You have no idea how I detest gods and their games—and you…you played us. I’m fucking done.”
I walked off and left her alone with Monty. I headed into the small grove of trees with my hellhound by my side.
“That was pretty self-righteous of you,” Ezra said, appearing next to me. “You sure told her.”
“Are you saying I’m wrong?”
“One second,” Ezra said, pointing to the ground and summoning an enormous titanium bowl filled with pastrami. “There you go. I know you’ve been a good boy.”
Peaches looked at me and then back at the bowl, barely containing himself. If he vibrated any faster, he’d shake himself out of the plane.
Peaches padded up to Ezra and nudged him in the leg—hard. Ezra barely moved and chuckled, patting Peaches on the head.
“You’re welcome. Please wait here, Peaches,” Ezra said, then pointed at me. “Walk with me.”
“Sure,” I said, looking around. “It’s not like I have somewhere to go in this place.”
A path appeared beside us, leading into a thicker part of the grove.
“You feel betrayed.”
“Ezra, I’m not a prima donna,” I answered. “I’ve done some dark shit in my life. Things I’m not proud of. Things that haunt me to this day.”
“I know,” Ezra answered. “I was there.”
“Yes…yes you were. This is about the principle of the thing. She used us…used me. It’s like these gods and their stupid, lethal, ego-games. Where we’re just the unknowing pawns.”
“What is the principle you’re arguing? Please share.”
“You want me to go after someone, don’t play the victim. Own your shit, and be straight from the beginning. I’d respect that more than ‘Oh, I should’ve told you—I’m sorry’.”
“Yet, you didn’t ask her pertinent questions.”
“Excuse me?”
“You didn’t ask why she wanted Toson spared, if possible,” Ezra answered. “That didn’t seem important?”
“Of course, it’s important. I was just focused on not getting slammed during the…examination,” I said when the realization hit me. “The motive. Finding the motive was part of the examination?”
“There are always layers when you learn to see,” Ezra said with a nod. “Do you love Michiko?”
“Ezra, what the—? What does that have to do with this?”
“It’s a simple question, isn’t it?”
“Yes…no. Not really. It’s complicated.”
“Only if you make it so.”
“I still don’t see what that has to do with—?”
“Orahjene found the love of her life in the Red Mountain, many ages ago. They shared centuries together…until he wanted more.”
“More? More what?”
“More recognition, more power,” Ezra said with a shrug. “He was no longer content with living a life of love with his wife, Orahjene, so he devised a scheme.”
“The Earth’s Breath.”
“Yes. You see, Orahjene was, and still is, next in line to become the First Elder. As her husband, Toson would have shared in the duties with her—together. That wasn’t enough; his pride wouldn’t allow him to accept those conditions.”
“He stole the Earth’s Breath?”
“Not only stole,” Ezra answered as we passed the tranquil scene of the grove. I noticed the gentle breeze snaking its way through the leaves and branches. “Like you and your blade, the Earth’s Breath was bonded to a keeper. In order for Toson to steal it—”
“He had to kill the keeper.”
“He could have stopped there, but he went a step further. In his quest for power, he used the Earth’s Breath to create the golem and fed the keeper’s energy signature to the Earth’s Breath to do so.”
“Who was the keeper?”
“That keeper was the previous First Elder—and Orahjene’s father,” Ezra said, before pausing.
“That golem has the essence of Jen’s father?”
“Yes.”
“Is he…is he aware of what happened to him?” I asked. “Is he still in the golem somewhere?”
“No, the golem is not sentient. It uses the essence as fuel. The golem is not Orahjene’s father, but his essence was used in creating it.”
We walked on in silence as I tried to process what Jen was going through.
“Why does she want to save him?”
“Does she?” Ezra asked. “What gives you that impression?”
“She asked me not to kill him if possible, and to only bring back the Earth’s Breath,” I said. “Maybe she has other plans?”
“According to the Red Mountain sect, the First Elder must uphold and enforce the law in the instance of a crime,” Ezra said. “That is the role of the First Elder. They serve as what you would know as a Chief Justice.”
“What does their law say in this case?” I asked, hoping it would be life without parole. “He gets put away forever?”
“Not in this case. Under Red Mountain law, due to the nature of this crime, it’s a life for a life.”
“That’s why she wanted him apprehended if possible. If someone else caught him, someone who wasn’t part of the Red Mountain—?”
“She is trying to create a loophole where there isn’t one—the law is clear. If she doesn’t carry out this decree, the other Elders of the Red Mountain will be forced to act, declaring her in dereliction of her duty.”
&nb
sp; “I know what that means,” I said, remembering the Magistrates after Monty. “Magistrates?”
Ezra shook his head.
“Nothing so nice,” he said, wagging a finger. “Executioners. Remember, this isn’t the casting of a forbidden rune in a populated city. This is taking a life.”
“But she’s mid-shift,” I said. “She can’t face him.”
“Her shift will end in three days, and then she will be a true First Elder,” Ezra answered. “Whether she chooses to stop him is another matter. We make our choices and live or die with the consequences.”
“What happens if she doesn’t fulfill her duty?”
“She will be stripped of her title and accepts the judgement.”
“Which is?”
“I explained that already, Simon,” Ezra said, gently. “A life for a life.”
THIRTY
We had wound through the grove and ended up back at the bench with Jen and Monty.
Monty gave me a short glare that said, I understand your anger, but you are still acting like a child. I returned a glare that said I know you are, but what am I?, at which, he rolled his eyes and sighed.
“I understand if you no longer wish to help me,” Jen said. “What I did was deceptive, and I make no excuses for my behavior.”
“I’ll help you,” I said. “But only if you’re honest with me. Are you planning on going after him?”
“I plan on saving him,” she answered, “to the best of my ability.”
“What if he can’t be saved? What if he’s too far gone?”
“Then I will uphold the law.”
“Fuck,” I said. “What if Monty and I stop him? What happens if we apprehend him?”
Jen smiled and shook her head.
“There is an obscure statute that states if a criminal is apprehended by someone other than a member of our sect, then that judgment rests in the hands of the apprehending party. Clemency can be petitioned to the Elder of the sect.”
“Then we do that,” I said. “Monty and I will catch him. We can petition clemency, and they can lock him up instead of killing him.”
“He’s too powerful,” Jen said. “I can’t ask this of you.”
“You’re not asking. We’ve already accepted,” I said. “Plus, there’s that whole matter of his wanting to attack my city again.”
“There is that,” Monty said. “We can’t let him access that hub or form his golem army.”
“I would be eternally in your debt if you stopped him,” Jen said. “I have three more days left to my shift.”
“Three days?” Monty asked, narrowing his eyes slightly. “Are you certain?”
“Quite,” Jen said with a tight smile. “I think I’m quite capable of judging the duration of my shift, thank you. I happen to be several centuries your senior, Tristan.”
“Forgive my impudence,” Monty said with a slight bow. “I meant no disrespect.”
“Only if you forgive my outburst.”
“Think nothing of it,” Monty said, glancing at me. “Please continue—your shift in three days?”
“Of course,” Jen said. “Once it’s complete, you must allow me to assist you in this matter. It’s the least I can do. It is my duty.”
“Tell you what,” I said, raising a hand. “You worry about getting through your shift. Monty and I will worry about stopping Toson. We’ll let you know where we are when we stop him—fair?”
“More than. Please be careful.”
We walked to the edge of the grove, following Ezra.
“Can we get a non-agonizing port back to our place?” I asked. “Please?”
Ezra chuckled, and then grew serious. “The non-agonizing part depends on you,” he said. “Measure your words carefully today. You have set things in motion, and not everything is as it seems.”
“Welcome to my life,” I said. “Thanks for the talk, Ezra.”
“I should be thanking you. Be careful with Toson and the golem. Do not take either of them lightly.”
He waved a hand, and the secret garden vanished from sight.
When I could see again, we were in our apartment.
“Do you think he moves the Dark Goat, too, when he pulls off these super ports?” I asked. “Can you do that?”
“I think he doesn’t forget details like our transportation. I think Uncle Dex would be the closest to Ezra in teleportational skill. I still have much to learn.”
“I don’t trust her, Monty. I told her to be honest and she tried to BS me.”
“What do you mean?” Monty said, heading to the kitchen. “I really need a cuppa.”
“Ezra said she tried to find a loophole where there wasn’t one, for starters. All of a sudden there’s an obscure statute? Please, sell that to someone else. She wants to dust Toson.”
“Is it possible that she knows more about Red Mountain legalities than, say, someone who has no clue about their laws—like you?”
“She said he was her love, but is her sworn enemy. Words matter. The rage is right there, seething under the surface—trust me. I know the feeling of rage. The smell is familiar.”
“According to Orahjene, Toson killed her father, fed his essence to the Earth’s Breath and created a golem,” Monty said. “I could see her harboring some animosity toward her husband or anyone who took those actions.”
“True, I’d want to dust him based on that myself,” I said, rubbing my chin. “Something still feels off.”
“Quite. There is the small matter that her shift is complete, and she tried to mask it—quite effectively, I might add. If I were a less experienced mage, I would have missed it.”
“Her shift is complete?” I asked. “Then what is she doing? Waiting for us to flush out Toson?”
“Most likely,” Monty replied. “I highly doubt she will sacrifice herself for him. He betrayed her and killed her family. An offense under their law—punishable by death.”
“She’s going to wait until he makes his move, intercept him, and put him down?” I asked. “Do you think Ezra knows?”
Monty nodded.
“It’s not Ezra’s place to pass judgment. In the grand scheme of things, he is the answer to everything.”
“Well, that’s not morbid or anything, Darth Montague.”
“Orahjene is angry and wants revenge,” Monty said matter-of-factly. “She may have loved Toson, once, but that love is gone now, leaving only hatred in its wake. Like you said earlier—the rage is right there, seething under the surface.”
“My intuition tells me she’s going to try and end it all,” I said, pointing at him. “I think she’s going for the nuclear option—take Toson, herself, and anyone unlucky enough to be at ground zero.”
“That would be our city,” Monty said, “and us.”
“Some people just want to see the world burn. She may still love him, but can’t bring herself to forgive him.”
“Then it’s not love, Simon.”
“Regardless, I say we stop Toson and give him to the other Elders. Then we can do this clemency thing.”
“What if he doesn’t want clemency?” Monty asked. “Maybe he wants to end it all as well?”
“Well, then it all goes to shit, doesn’t it? I told you this whole case was a disaster. No…you had to fall for the ‘Obi Wan’ line.”
“For the record,” Monty said, sipping his tea, “we fell for the Obi Wan line, you more than I, since you are the Star Warriors fan.”
“Did you just say ‘Star Warriors’?” I asked, insulted. “It’s Star Wars…not Star Warriors. You don’t see me calling your low-budget TV show ‘Space Trek’, do you?”
“Only because you know better than to mistake an insightful, intelligently written, and ground-breaking example of entertainment,” he answered with a huff. “What ground did your Star Wars break? Oh, yes, I recall now…toy sales.”
“You said that wrong,” I countered. “Totally off.”
“I beg your pardon? Which part?”
“All o
f it,” I said, hunching my shoulders in my best Shatner. “I think what you meant to say was: I, know, better, thantomistake, a, groundbreaking, example, of, entertainment.”
He stared at me and sipped his tea in silence for a few seconds.
“It’s clear we need to visit Roxanne at Haven. You have most definitely suffered head trauma. How many stones hit your head?”
“Don’t, you, think—?”
“I think,” Monty said, cutting me off mid-Shatner, “that right now we need to focus on why Cecelia’s shortcut failed to work. I thought it was sound.”
“Don’t tell me you’re going to blame little Cece for it not working? Whatever happened to ‘The teacher only shows what’s needed, not everything he knows’? Maybe a certain teacher needs to hit the books a little harder?”
“Of course not,” Monty answered. “Any failing on her part is directly attributed to my teaching.”
“Wow, I’m impressed.”
“Although, I do have to factor in for negative influences in her environment, like ill-mannered hellhounds and their bondmates, along with deluded lizards who believe they are dragons.”
“Really…you’re going to go there?”
“These influences are a clear and present danger to my apprentice’s learning.”
“You keep that up, and Cece is going to need to find a new teacher.”
Monty’s phone rang.
He put it on speakerphone.
“Hello? Tristan?”
“Ursula?” Monty asked, looking puzzled. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s better if I show you. Meet me at NP-1, now.”
“What’s wrong?”
“We have a major catastrophe in the making.”
She ended the call.
THIRTY-ONE
“Ursula doesn’t seem like the nervous type.”
“That’s because she isn’t. If she says it’s a catastrophe, rest assured, that’s a conservative estimate of the situation.”
“You know what I’d really like?” I asked as we sped downtown and the sun peeked over the horizon. “Just once?”
“Copious amounts of Deathwish coffee? Preferably delivered through an IV drip?”
The Golem: A Montague & Strong Detective Novel (Montague & Strong Case Files Book 10) Page 14