“Considering what you’ve made us go through, you’d better have a map with an ‘x’ drawn on it,” Sarina grumbled. “An Al-Rasaad agent finally confronted Sel today while she was out at the market.”
Jason’s smirk vanished. “What happened? Are you all right?”
“They assumed I was helpless,” Selvhara said. “I corrected them.”
Gor snorted in between overheated pants. “You didn’t kill them, I hope.”
“Of course not. I knocked them unconscious, but not before they could look beneath my veil. They’ll soon be scouring the city for a faeyn…if they aren’t already.”
“It shouldn’t matter as long as we leave soon,” Sarina said. “We are going to leave soon, right?”
“We had better,” Gor grumbled. “I’ve purchased as much as I can from the market without drawing suspicion.”
She glanced down to his backpack as the chagari set it down upon the chair. Over the last few months, Gor had been reveling in his newfound riches. Not that Sarina blamed him for it; she was more than a little surprised he’d been willing to come along at all. He had enough gold to live like a noble in virtually any country in the world…or he could have, if not for the fact he was a chagari. Perhaps that was the real reason he’d chosen to stick around. Wealth was useless if everyone wanted to slap you in irons.
“We can set out early tomorrow afternoon,” Jason said. “I just need to finish things up with one of my contacts, and then we can gather supplies and leave.”
“So you have found the Eye, then?” Selvhara asked.
“I found the ruins where it’s supposed to be buried,” he corrected. “Whether the Eye is actually there or not is a separate question.”
Sarina crossed her arms. “So in other words, this could all still turn out to be a tremendous waste of time.”
“You act surprised,” Gor muttered as he opened up his pack and sifted through his new prizes. “He’s your mate—you of all people should appreciate his inadequacies.”
“You’re both overreacting, as usual,” Jason said, sighing and rubbing at his eyes. “A merchant caravan stumbled across something buried in the desert about a month ago. It looked like a giant slab of gold, so they started digging around the edges. As it turns out, it was just a piece of an enormous statue—a statue they believed was worthless.”
“But you don’t agree,” Selvhara prompted.
“No. According to most local sources, the Talishite princes buried the Eye in the desert to keep its power from their corrupt father. Their uncle, however, catalogued a slightly different version of events. I purchased some of his writings off a local scholar, and allegedly the brothers placed the Eye inside one of the ancient pre-Godswar temples that litter the wastelands. The brothers then used the Aether to bury the temple in the sands, and that was that.”
Sarina frowned. “What does this have to do with a giant golden statue?”
“The ancient pre-Godswar temples were statues,” Jason said, grinning. “That’s the part no one remembers—they were looking for a pyramid or similar structure, but they should have been looking for a giant stone body in the sand.”
“Interesting,” Selvhara murmured. “So you believe this caravan accidently stumbled across the right temple.”
“I do. But before you say anything, I’m fully aware that this is a thin lead, even by my standards. But the average Talishite doesn’t know their own history any better than the average Crell or Solarian. They wouldn’t have a clue that this statue might be valuable, and they certainly wouldn’t risk weeks in the desert trying to dig it out. They would much rather sell the location to a band of relic hunters.”
“That still doesn’t mean this is the right temple,” Sarina pointed out. “Who knows what the hell could be in there?”
“We will soon enough,” Jason told her. “Look, this is the only lead we have, and Sel and Tam give us a tremendous advantage over our competitors. With their magic, we can dig up whatever we find in a fraction of the time. We’ll poke around, see what we find…and if the Eye isn’t there, we’ll head back home.”
“And then we’ll blame you for wasting our time,” Gor said.
Sarina grunted. “Hey, at least you got to spend some gold. Sel and I have had to sit here hiding most of the week.”
“I know, and I’m sorry,” Jason said. “But this will all be worth it once we have the Eye. You’ll just have to trust me.”
She wanted to chide him a bit more, if for no other reason than to make him squirm for dragging them all out here…but the frustration in his voice was tangible. He clearly didn’t understand why everyone was so upset, but he just as clearly wasn’t about to let it go. Once he became obsessed with something, he refused to walk away. His father had been the same way.
And that was the part that scared her most of all.
“Before we do anything, you’ll need to go and fetch Tam,” Sarina said. “As far as I know, he’s been at the brothel all day again.”
“What a waste,” Gor muttered as he twirled one of his newly-purchased baubles between his paws. “Why spend your riches on something you can’t take back with you?”
“Don’t give him any ideas.”
“I’ll go and get him,” Jason said. “Everyone else just try and relax. I know it’s been a long couple of weeks, but we’ll be out of here soon enough.”
Smiling tightly, Sarina reached out and gave his hand a squeeze. “You owe me a present when we get back. Something nice.”
“You should buy her a nice norja before we leave,” Selvhara suggested with an uncharacteristically impish smile. “I keep telling her she’d look good in it.”
“I was thinking about a set of throwing knives,” Sarina said, “but I’d settle for some new Ikaran leather boots.”
Jason squeezed back and smiled. “I’ll be back.”
***
“I swear you’ll be the death of me,” Tam Eldrin gasped as he rolled off the gorgeous woman beneath him and flopped down on his back. “I haven’t been this exhausted since we tried to climb down the Skykiss Summit a few years back.”
Inaya ran her fingers across his heaving chest and smiled. “I don’t think you’ve told me about that adventure yet.”
“Oh, it wasn’t quite as glorious as it sounds,” he replied, waving a hand for dramatic effect. “Jason swore he’d discovered the ancient burial site of some king or prince or something, and he promised we’d walk out with so many relics that it would take us months just to cart them all down the mountain.”
“Your friend seems to promise this a lot.”
“Constantly,” Tam muttered. “And of course we didn’t find anything besides a den of hungry frost trolls. I doubt you’ve ever seen one all the way down here, but they’re nasty creatures—twelve feet tall, giant arms, wicked claws…”
“Then your friends were lucky they had you along.”
“As usual. The battle raged for hours, and for a while I wasn’t sure if even I could take them down. Thankfully, the Solipean blademasters taught me the value of footwork and patience, and eventually I managed to trick the brutes close to an unstable ledge. Just when they were about to grab hold of me, I smashed the ice in precisely the right spot and sent a whole sheet sliding down the cliff-face.”
“You’re so brave,” she cooed into his ear. “It’s too bad your friends don’t seem to appreciate you.”
“They do sometimes,” Tam conceded. “But not often.”
She smiled again as she buried her head in the crook of his arm, and Tam closed his eyes and reveled in the warmth of her skin and softness of her touch. She probably didn’t believe a word of his tales. He’d never been much of a story-teller, and he was far too scrawny to be a master swordsman. But he couldn’t risk telling her that he was Unbound, either—the local priests would execute him on the spot if they knew the truth of his heritage. So instead they shared sweet lies and sweeter kisses, all for the low price of a few coins a day.
After a few mo
ments of silence, Tam opened his eyes and took a moment to appreciate her exotic beauty: from her slender figure to her russet skin to her shimmering black hair, she was as close to perfection as he’d ever seen. She didn’t wear much, of course, besides her golden bandeau with silken blue frills and short matching skirt. Her eye shadow was a similar shade of blue, as was the sapphire jewel nestled into her navel.
As the only legal brothel in Talisham, the Red Sun afforded its employees certain luxuries that were denied to other Talishite women, not the least of which was their style of dress. Officially, the Al-Rasaad priests oversaw the establishment. Their magic handled the practical side of a brothel, from disease and pregnancy prevention to ensuring that customers didn’t step out of line. The arrangement was unusually modern compared to the rest of Talishite society, but the Pah clearly wanted Shanizaar to remain a hub of commerce and diplomacy.
“What time is it, anyway?” Tam whispered as he ran his fingers through her dark hair.
“Does it really matter?” Inaya teased, swinging her leg back over his waist. “You can stay all night if you wish. I have some ideas to keep us entertained…”
He smiled. “You know I’d stay longer if I could, but Jace will probably be back soon. He was meeting some new contacts today, and he was optimistic they’d have the information we need. We might be leaving the city tomorrow morning.”
“All the more reason to stay as long as possible. I need to make sure you won’t forget me.”
“I don’t even think that’s possible,” he said, squeezing her thigh.
“You could always invite your friends over,” she suggested, grinning coyly. “I guarantee we can find a way to keep them occupied.”
Tam snorted. “I doubt chagari are welcome here. At least, I hope not…”
“I meant Jason. The other girls will love him. He sounds like a fascinating man.”
“You’d be surprised. Besides, you don’t want to have to deal with a perpetually-irritated Asgardian.”
“I would love to meet a strong woman from the north.”
“You really wouldn’t, trust me,” Tam muttered. “But I promise to stop by one last time before we leave.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” Inaya said.
Tam kissed her deeply, and as always he was tempted to accept her offer and stay. But he really did need to get back to the others. He had barely seen them at all over the past week, and even Sel seemed like she was starting to get annoyed with him. Not that there was anything he could do to help—he had never been much of a negotiator, and the moment he so much as conjured a ball of light the Pah’s goons would be all over him. He might not have been trapped indoors like the girls, but he was still trapped inside his own body. If not for Inaya, he would have been begging Jace to get out of Shanizaar days ago…
What he really wanted was to take her with them, but he knew how pathetic that sounded. Every foreigner who visited the brothel probably made her the same offer. Still, perhaps he would summon the courage to ask before he left…
A few minutes and a dozen kisses later, he slipped out of the room and made his way downstairs. To his surprise, Jason was already waiting for him in the bar.
“I had a feeling you’d still be here,” his friend said, grinning. “I was hoping I wouldn’t need to bring Gor to pry you away.”
“Very funny. It’s not my fault that the rest of you are so boring.” Tam tossed a small pouch of coins on the bar and sighed. The one disadvantage of spending so much time here the last few days was how tired he always felt when he left. And no matter how much he slept, the fatigue just seemed to get worse. If that wasn’t a testament to Inaya’s skill, then he didn’t know what was.
“Are you feeling all right?” Jason asked, his brow furrowed in concern. “You look pale.”
“That’s just because you look so tan,” Tam countered. “I take it you finally found what we’re looking for, then?”
Jason nodded. “You could say that. Let’s go—I’ll explain on the way.”
***
“I trust you’ve learned what we needed.”
Inaya hopped upwards at the sound of the booming male voice. She clearly hadn’t expected him to visit just yet, but they were running out of time. And Dathiel was running out of patience.
“They haven’t found the Eye,” she replied, turning. “But Moore has located contacts in the city who claim to know where it is buried. He expects to leave the city as early as tomorrow.”
Dathiel stepped out from the shadows, and as always his tall, broad figure caused his servant to visibly recoil. He had draped himself in garments appropriate for Talishite nobility, and so far no one in Shanizaar had balked at his appearance. Not that he was overly concerned with the locals. There was only one man in this city capable of threatening him…
“You have sufficiently weakened Moore’s associate, I presume?”
“I have drained him considerably,” Inaya confirmed. “Within a few days, Tam will no longer be a threat to you, my lord. Though I’m still not certain why you don’t wish me to kill him instead…”
“There are other variables of which you are not aware,” Dathiel told her. “But I do not wish to startle Moore and his companions. Not yet. Not until I have the chance to evaluate them in person.”
“I see,” she murmured. “Tam truly believes that his friend carries the fractured spirit of an Immortal inside him.”
Dathiel stopped mere inches in front of her. “And what do you think, my dear?”
“Tam’s memories are powerful and vivid. I believe he is telling the truth. I can’t think of any other explanation for Moore’s powers—he is not Bound or Unbound.”
“No, he is not,” Dathiel agreed, his voice dropping to a pensive whisper. “I fear there will be only one course of action: the Godsoul must be extracted. Our lost sister must be brought back within the fold.”
Inaya paused. “Moore believes the Godsoul is weakened. It might not be able to survive without a host.”
“All the more reason to bring it back to Calhara. The Watchers can restore her. And if not, we can at least find her a more suitable host.”
“Moore must have been chosen for a reason. Perhaps your sister believed he was worthy.”
“Doubtful. It is more likely that she simply lacked better alternatives.” Dathiel shrugged. “In any event, we cannot allow him to travel freely across Torsia. He must be contained and controlled.”
“As you say, my lord. Tam promised to return in the morning. He should have more precise information about the Eye then.”
“I see no reason to wait. He knows the identity of these contacts with the city already, yes?”
Inaya nodded. “Yes, but—”
“Then show me,” Dathiel interrupted. He placed a hand upon her forehead, and her memories flooded into him. He took everything—every conversation, every carnal thrust—and once he was finished, she stumbled backwards into the closest chair.
“My lord…” she breathed, blinking frantically.
“Excellent. I will find these individuals tonight and acquire the Eye’s location from them directly. Moore will undoubtedly follow close behind.” Dathiel leaned forward and placed a hand upon her chin. “You have served me well, my dear. And I have not forgotten our bargain.”
Inaya’s breath caught in her throat. “You will allow me to remain in this realm?”
“That was our agreement. But how can I be certain that you will behave yourself?”
“I will do whatever you wish, my lord,” she said, sitting up and clasping his hand. “I will leave this place—I will even find a new host if that is what you demand.”
Smiling, Dathiel stroked his hand through her dark hair. “Our allies in the Last Dawn would be very upset with me if I left a demon to roam freely across Torsia.”
“They will never find me,” she assured him. “And I will not harm anyone.”
“I believe you,” he said, his smile fading. “But we both know I cannot afford t
o take that chance.”
A crackle of Aetheric energy surged through his fingers, and he cupped his palm over her mouth as he banished the demon living inside her back into the Void. The host body flailed in his grip, and it took a surprising amount of effort to hold her in place as he finished his work. But once the dark creature had been properly exorcised, Inaya’s eyes blinked in rapid succession and she struggled to draw breath.
“What…?” she breathed.
“It’s all right, my dear,” Dathiel soothed. With practiced ease, he reached into her thoughts and rebuilt her corrupted memories and personality. Mortals were such fragile things, especially humans, and few were capable of surviving the exorcism techniques of the Last Dawn.
But he was neither a mortal nor a paladin, and restoring her mind was a trivial task. Once he was finished, he commanded her to rest and left her slumped over the chair. By morning, she would have no recollection of her demonic possession and only scattered memories of her interactions with Moore’s associate. She would be free to return to her own life…such as it was.
Moore himself, regrettably, would not be so lucky. The extraction of the Godsoul would almost certainly destroy him, but there was no other choice. It was time for their wayward sister to return home.
At any cost.
Chapter Two
“We are not human—we are gods. And gods have no place reasoning with mortal men.”
—Sevel Thorean, 1694 A.G.
“There’s no point in lying to soften the blow, General,” Lady Savilen rasped from her perch by the window. “Lanesk and all of its surrounding lands have fallen. The Crell are now in perfect position to mount an assault upon Fort Amberwood.”
Darius Iouna, High General of the Solarian Legion, rubbed a hand across his forehead and struggled to withhold a sigh. “I wasn’t lying, my lady,” he said as patiently as he could manage. “I was merely pointing out that the situation is not quite as dire as it seems.”
“It’s bad enough,” Lord Jeracho grumbled. “If the Crell take Amberwood, they can march on Celenest. We’ll have to withdraw our troops from Galvia and cede them the northern front, and even then I don’t think—”
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