“What’s wrong with you?” he asked. “You’ve had a spear up your ass ever since we reached Shanizaar.”
Sarina released her grip and sat up straight. “I don’t know, maybe it’s the fact I’ve been treated like a slave for the past two weeks? How would you like it if you had to stay inside all day or dress up in three layers of clothing before going outside?”
“It’s more than that,” Jason said. “You’ve hardly spoken a single word these past few days without mocking me.”
“You’re very mockable, what can I say?”
“I’m being serious.”
“So am I,” Sarina growled. She swore under her breath before sliding off of him and hopping onto the floor. “By the bloody void, you’re prissier than an Izarian debutante sometimes. Why can’t you just shut the fuck up and stop overthinking everything for once?”
“Why can’t you just answer my question?”
“If you really want to know, you could just peek into my mind.”
“I don’t do that anymore. You know that.”
“Right,” she grumbled. “How could I forget?”
The awkward silence lingered for almost a minute before Jason finally sat upright and sauntered up behind her. Sarina stood stiffly, arms crossed, her eyes flicking between the fireplace and the room’s only mirror. Beads of sweat still glimmered on her bare skin, and her long, barely-intact ponytail dangled halfway down her back. She hadn’t bothered to chop off her hair since she’d abandoned her Asgardian-style dreadlocks a few months ago.
“I feel useless,” she whispered. “Between you and Tam and Sel, I don’t even know what I’m doing here.”
“What do you mean?” Jason asked, placing his hands on her shoulders. “You’re our friend. I also happen to love you.”
“So pity, then. Great.”
He sighed. “That’s not what I meant. You’re part of the team whether you can channel or not. The same is true with Gor.”
“Gor is three times as strong and ten times as intimidating.”
“Clearly you’ve never seen yourself when you’re angry…”
Sarina whirled around and glared at him. “This isn’t funny. I have no idea what the hell is happening to you, but I do know that wherever you’re going I won’t be able to follow. It’s…”
“Terrifying?” he whispered. “Trust me, I know. Sometimes I wonder if I’ll wake up one day and be a completely different person.”
“I’ve seen it happen before. When my cousin claimed the throne, most of the family became shaman. The powers changed them almost immediately. After just a few weeks, I barely recognized any of them.”
Jason nodded. “I know you’ve been worrying about that for a while, but I haven’t changed yet.”
“Yes, you have,” Sarina told him. “It was bad enough back when it was just Sel and Tam yammering on about the Aether, but now it seems like that’s every other word out of your mouth, too. I have no idea what in the Void you’re talking about half the time.”
“I wish I could show you this new world,” he murmured. “If I were a normal Ascendant, I could grant you power…but I’m not.”
Sarina swallowed heavily and turned around. His brown eyes glimmered in the moonlight, and his hair remained tussled and plastered against his forehead. “Couldn’t you, though?”
Jason frowned. “Immortals can’t grant humans power and never could. It’s the Unbound Ascendants who—”
“I don’t mean magic,” she interrupted. “But couldn’t you show me the rest? Couldn’t you let me feel what you feel?”
He studied her for a long moment. “You mean telepathically.”
“Yes.”
“I…I could, I think,” he said, his brow furrowing in confusion. “But I thought you hated the whole idea of telepathy. You just said how much the Aether changed your family.”
“I do hate it,” Sarina whispered. “But there’s also nothing I can do to stop it. You are going to change, one way or another…and I might as well try to understand it.”
Jason nodded slowly, and after another few moments of silence he reached out and gently pushed their heads together. At first, nothing happened. The only sensations she could feel were the throbbing of his pulse and the heaving of his lungs, and she began to wonder if the technique might not work after all. But then a flood of memories and images abruptly poured into her mind. Her knees buckled and her breath caught in her throat…
And suddenly she understood.
The entire world around her changed. The laughter and song in the tavern below sharpened into more than just background clamor; she could sense real people behind the words, minds and thoughts and consciousness that were all alike and yet somehow unique. She could sense the bustle of Bal’Aqui beyond the walls, from the Crell soldiers on the streets to the thousands of regular civilians in their homes. And most powerfully of all, she could feel Jason standing right next to her—not just his warmth and smell and breath, but him. All of him.
“Easy,” he warned. “Just focus on my voice or you’ll be overwhelmed.”
Sarina tried desperately to swallow, but it was like she no longer had control of her own body. She could only imagine a deaf person hearing the world for the first time and having no way to filter out or identify the new sounds assaulting her ears. Every time she attempted to focus on one mind, one voice, her consciousness was pulled in an entirely different direction…and after a few more seconds, she was struggling to even breathe.
“Focus on me,” Jason repeated. “Just me, nothing else…”
With his guidance, she reined in her wayward senses and concentrated solely on the man pressed against her. She thought she’d known him well before…but now that she could actually touch his mind, she realized she had only just begun to scratch the surface.
“I don’t want to overwhelm you,” he whispered. “You remember how difficult it was for me to adapt at first. I can stop this whenever you want…”
“No,” Sarina begged, squeezing his arms. “Please, don’t…”
She leaned forward and kissed him. As always, she could taste the passion on his lips and tongue…but for the first time she could also taste her own. It was as if she were in both bodies at once; she could feel the warmth of his hands as they curled around her waist, and she could also feel the sensation in his fingertips as he caressed the smoothness of her own skin. It was both bizarre and wonderful at the same time…and she absolutely did not want him to stop.
Wrapping her arms around his neck, Sarina dragged him down onto the bed. He slipped back inside her, and she lost herself within the power of their shared minds.
Chapter Eleven
“Some secrets are best left unspoken. Some treasures are best left unfound.”
—Marcus Hitchens, Galvian Historian, 1993 A.G.
Morning had already melted into afternoon by the time Jason and Sarina stumbled out of bed, and during their quick, mutual bath they scolded themselves and each other for sleeping in so late. Not that either of them would have traded last night’s experience for anything. Back before the battle at Garos, they had finally come to terms with their years apart, but it wasn’t until last night that he felt as though they had come to terms with their new identities. A part of him wanted to immediately touch minds with her again and see where the sensations would lead them, but he knew they couldn’t afford to withdraw from the world again. Unless they wanted to waste several months of searching and travel, they needed to get to work.
After all, they had no guarantee that the mysterious owner of the Eye would stay in Freedom Port, and the longer they postponed their search the more likely their quarry would flee through the eastern city gates or even hop on a ship and disappear into the ocean. But whenever Jason took a few moments to concentrate, he could still sense the strange Aetheric echo at the very edge of his consciousness.
One way or another, this “demon” was here in the city. The question was whether or not it was still in possession of the Eye.
After scarfing down an embarrassingly large and surprisingly delicious breakfast, the group set off into the heart of town to continue their search. Less than two hours later, Jason knew exactly where they needed to go…and why Bal’Aqui was so different than he’d expected.
“Evidently Queen Khalina decided to sign an alliance with the Crell,” Jason told the others after finishing a conversation with one of the local merchants. “Imperial soldiers are now garrisoned inside every Elashi city.”
“An alliance?” Sarina stammered. “The Crell don’t ‘ally’ with anyone—they conquer.”
“Not this time, apparently. The specific terms haven’t been made public, of course, but it’s not hard to figure out the basics. The Elashi get the benefit of imperial soldiers guarding their border against the increasingly aggressive Talishites, and the Crell gain access to one of the most important ports in Torsia.”
“There has to be more to it,” Selvhara whispered. “The Elashi have been fiercely independent ever since they declared their freedom. The Crell must have forced the queen’s hand somehow.”
Jason shrugged. “Maybe, but most of the locals don’t seem all that concerned about it. The merchant class doesn’t, anyway—imperial soldiers mean safer trade routes and more customers.”
“What’s good for the merchants is rarely good for anyone else,” Sarina grumbled. She crossed her arms and scowled at a Crell patrol a block to the east. The black-armored soldiers were a stark contrast against Bal’Aqui’s vibrant colors and fashion. “I always thought the Sovereigns would have to take this place by force. “
“Yeah, well, maybe we shouldn’t advertise our disapproval,” Tam scolded. “You’re drawing more attention than Gor at this point.”
“We should get off the main streets regardless,” Jason said before Sarina could snipe back. For once, Tam was right—they were attracting an uncomfortable number of curious glances. The locals might have been used to travelers from all across the world, but a free chagari and a towering Asgardian huntress were still rare sights. If Selvhara hadn’t been able to hide her faeyn features behind a cloak so easily, he had a feeling they’d have already been arrested by the Crell… “I know where we need to go—this way.”
They dipped in and out of a half dozen alleyways, and a few minutes later they approached the city’s sprawling docks. Once he was certain no one was following them, Jason took in a deep breath and stretched out his senses as far as he could.
“There are still too many enchanted items in the city for me to track down the Eye’s trail,” Selvhara told him. “The docks are just as bad as the market plaza, possibly worse. Did one of those merchants give you a specific lead?”
He shook his head. “No, but it doesn’t matter. I can still sense the demon’s wake…and we’re getting closer.”
“Let’s just hope Malacross isn’t playing tricks on you,” Tam grumbled. “Accidently busting down the door of an imperial garrison will make getting home a lot more difficult. If they figure out who we are, we could end up in the gallows.”
Jason turned and studied his old friend. Tam was clutching his arms together like he was freezing, and his skin was getting paler by the day. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“Huh? Yeah, sure, I’m just great,” Tam mumbled. “I’d just really like to get this over with so we can hop on a boat and get the hell out of here.”
Selvhara clutched her hand around his arm, and the air tingled with healing magic. “Your condition is worsening.”
“Thanks for the update, I hadn’t noticed,” he growled as he jerked his arm away. “That breakfast sausage probably just isn’t agreeing with my stomach. Now where is this demon thief of yours?”
Jason was tempted to stop and demand a more elaborate explanation. It had been nearly four days now since Tam had first started showing symptoms, and Selvhara’s inability to cure him was truly troubling. But it didn’t seem like there was anything else they could do about it right now, and the faster they got their hands on the Eye the faster they could get out of here and relax. Perhaps a few days of real bed-rest would make a difference…
“Come on,” Jason beckoned. “The wake leads this way.”
After a few more twists and turns through the alleyways, they arrived in the northern section of the docks. Just like in Lyebel, most of Bal’Aqui’s large shipping warehouses appeared to be consolidated into a single district, and the trail led them right up to a massive twenty-foot tall, hundred-foot wide building that looked old enough to have been built by the last Talishite regime. The surrounding streets were empty, and the complete lack of guards instantly made the hairs on the back of Jason’s neck stand at attention.
“This is a perfect place for a trap,” Sarina mumbled under her breath. She hadn’t drawn her weapon yet, thankfully, but her fingers kept twitching towards the longbow on her back.
“Your grasp of the obvious is truly staggering,” Gor growled back. “It’s no wonder Asgardian hunters are revered across Torsia.”
Sarina shot him a cold glare. “I’m just saying that something doesn’t feel right about this. Are you certain about this magic trail of yours? Maybe the Crell identified us and decided to lead us into an ambush.”
“Unless they’re coordinating with this demon, I’m not sure how that would be possible,” Jason said, taking in a deep breath and stretching out his senses one last time. The vibrations of the Aetheric echo were unmistakable. “This is definitely the place. The demon is inside, and the Eye might be as well.”
“I wouldn’t put it past the Imperium to work with anyone, even demons,” Sarina said. “They could have hired a warlock. Galivar’s blood, the garrison commander could be a warlock, for all we know.”
Jason pursed his lips in thought. This did feel like a trap, but he wasn’t willing to just turn and walk away. Not now, not after they had come so far. He couldn’t afford to give their competition any more time. The instant the Eye was loaded onto a boat, it would be out of his reach forever. His father would remain hidden, and this entire trip would have been for nothing.
“The Eye is here, and we’re going to find it,” he said after a moment. “But that doesn’t mean we have to charge in with swords drawn. Let’s split up and come at the warehouse from different angles. If this is a Crell trap, we might as well make springing it as hard as possible.”
“An excellent plan, other than the fact that no one else will be able to see this demon of yours,” Gor muttered. “The rest of us will be useless.”
“Sel and Tam should be able to spot him since I taught them the technique,” Jason said. “We can send one channeler with each group. Tam and Gor: loop around to the other side of the building and smash in the opposite door. Sel: fly Sarina up with you and perch on top. You should be able to blast and shoot down through that massive hole in the roof if necessary.”
“Wait a second,” Sarina interrupted, her hand gripping onto his shoulder. “We’re not leaving you alone.”
He flashed her a coy smile. “I’m the demigod, remember? I’ll be fine.”
“You’re also carrying a divine spark that every madman in Torsia wants to get his hands on,” Selvhara reminded him. “We should approach together.”
Jason shook his head and sheathed himself in a mantle of Aetheric energy just like Sel had taught him. “I’ll be fine. Trust me.”
“Your confidence is truly inspiring,” Gor grumbled. He grabbed Tam’s arm and pulled him away. “Let’s go, little wizard.”
The two of them vanished into another alley as they maneuvered around the warehouse. Sarina and Sel, on the other hand, didn’t so much as flinch.
“This is a mistake,” Sarina said. “I should stay with you.”
“You’ll have a much better firing angle from up top,” Jason told her. “Besides, we need someone to peek inside and make certain there’s not a whole battalion of Crell soldiers inside.”
“I can handle that on my own,” Selvhara said, glancing between the
two of them. “You two stay together.”
Without waiting for a reply, she conjured a burst of wind beneath her feet and vaulted up on top of the closest building. Somehow, her robes managed to remain completely still the whole time, and after a few more seconds the stream of air shifted and carried her sideways until she landed atop the warehouse.
“One of these days she’s going to have to teach me how to do that,” Jason whispered.
“Let’s get into position,” Sarina said, tugging gently at his arm. “Maybe we’ll catch this demon napping.”
Nodding, Jason followed her around to the building’s main entrance. The vibrations from the strange Aetheric echo intensified the closer he approached, and another warning tingle shuddered down his spine when he noticed that the door wasn’t even locked.
“Has Sel spotted anything yet?” Sarina asked, unclasping her bow and settling into a half crouch a few feet from the entrance.
Gritting his teeth, Jason unsheathed his sword and stretched out with his mind. Sel?
I am in position, she replied directly into his thoughts. Other than a handful of crates and barrels, the warehouse appears to be completely empty.
Appears to be? Tam piped in.
I can still detect the demon’s presence as well as several other Aetheric echoes, but I cannot pinpoint the sources of any of them. Do you sense them as well?
More or less.
Jason’s brow furrowed. What does that mean?
I’m having a hard time sensing anything, Tam admitted. I must be sicker than I thought…
You should stay put, then, Selvhara said. Somehow even her mental voice was laced with motherly concern. Perhaps we should all fall back and wait a while.
“What’s going on?” Sarina asked. “I can’t read minds unless you’re touching me, you know.
The Godswar Saga (Omnibus) Page 105