by C. T. Adams
She looked over into the cage and saw Rabi smile. He’d figured out her plan and she saw him fade into nothingness. It would take her eyes a moment to find him while he was ghosting. But then the strangest thing happened. The manacles dropped to the floor of the cage with a sharp clang that caught the attention of both Rachel and Larry. She wasn’t sure how Rabi had managed to make the chains appear so loose, and she couldn’t see him yet.
“No!” Rachel screamed the word and frantically turned her body in circles, desperately looking for her prisoners. She leapt onto the wall to avoid Larry’s strike and skittered onto the ceiling as she took in the empty manacles. She raced forward and back onto the floor, keeping the orange circle between her and the giant snake. Unblinking, multifaceted eyes stared at her without notice, and the spider moved her body left and right, close enough that Tahira could smell that she was increasingly desperate and panic-stricken.
Two things happened at once, and Tahira couldn’t move out of the way. Larry had decided to brave the circle of power. He threw himself into the orange light in a head-on attack on Rachel. But instead of backing up, Rachel fell forward into the light as though shoved.
Unimaginable power poured into Tahira like boiling oil. It coated her, filled her until she felt made of light. Even invisible, her body began to glow with the light of a thousand candles. Tahira screamed over and over, as fast as she could draw breath. Larry took no notice of her screams. He opened his mouth wide, revealing a startlingly pink maw. Tahira could only watch, helpless and in agony as Larry closed his mouth over Rachel’s body, driving twin fangs deep into her back. Rachel struggled and pulled to free herself, but Larry held on tight, and she was hampered by the fact that two of her legs seemed to be frozen in place. As hard as she tried to move, the legs remained in the circle, even after Larry’s strike pulled them through the circle and beyond.
Again and again, Larry’s jaws moved as he pulled her deeper inside his mouth, forcing more venom into the spider with each bite. It wasn’t until she was completely limp and her narrow black legs had started to curl under that he released her.
Tahira couldn’t move from the fury of power that soared around her, but some part of her brain that wasn’t on fire recognized a voice next to her ear. “Hang on, sis. I’ll get you out of this.” She shrieked as hands touched her, adding to the agony.
She heard a commanding baritone that had hints of Larry’s soft tenor. “Rghnl olpnst nbwiq! Hoplez requay!”
The circle of power dissolved as though it had never been, and she released her isim when she saw Larry approaching with a ring of keys. Her heart was still vibrating painfully with unspent energy, and the surface of her skin was red and raw. But the flow into her had stopped, which provided a little relief.
Rabi was standing next to her, looking worried. He smelled equally of love and concern, but there was more than a little embarrassment there, too. He winced at the crackling sound as he carefully peeled the manacles away from the charred skin on her wrists, while Larry attended to her legs. Their own fingers were smoking by the time the silver had dropped against the rock.
Her voice sounded breathy and hoarse from screaming, but she had to know. “Who released you, Rabi? How did you get out?”
“You’re not going to believe this, Tahira. I can truly ghost, like the legendary Khalid! Like from the old fables!” He smiled ruefully. “I told you that you were the smart one in the family. If it had occurred to me to isim, I could have walked out of here a month ago!”
She smiled at him and squeezed his hand proudly. “You’re going to be a wonderful sahip for our people, Rabi. I always knew you were special!”
Larry cleared his throat and they both turned to him. “As touching as this family reunion is, Ahmad and Antoine aren’t faring too well in the next room. Go! I’ll free Giselle.”
As though on command, a cat’s scream of pain filled the room.
She called out and was halfway to the doorway before she even registered the movement. “Antoine!”
Chapter Nineteen
ANTOINE WAS FORCED to change back to human form as the venom from Sargon’s bite flooded his body. Fortunately, the Rabbet was still working to heal him, but he wouldn’t be able to run on all fours until the poison was overcome and pushed out of his system.
Ahmad was still twined around the larger cobra, desperately trying to keep him still so Antoine could attack. They hissed and struck at each other, avoiding each other’s fangs with movements so quick that Antoine could barely follow the fight.
He sprinted over to where the swords still lay, holding his injured arm against his body. The pain was terrible and his entire body trembled as the venom destroyed nerve endings. But he couldn’t stop now. They had to finish this or die trying. He prayed that Tahira was alive. Her scream had torn at his heart and made him panic. The distraction had nearly cost him his life when Sargon struck.
He grabbed both blades and dropped one at the edge of the battle in case he lost the first. He raced forward, sword low with the blade edge up. He needed to thrust hard and then slice either up or down to wound Sargon the most. At least it would be easy to know which snake to cut. Antoine had always assumed that Ahmad was a full-blooded king cobra due to his markings, but now he realized, when the two snakes were together, that Ahmad must have some other breed mixed in. His back was paler than the inky blackness of his father.
Antoine leapt high into the air as the great king’s tail lashed out. With a powerful thrust he sank the sword into Sargon’s bright yellow chest and used his momentum and gravity to drag the blade down through his rib bones as he fell.
Sargon reared his head back in agony and Ahmad struck, driving his fangs into his father’s throat. Using his hood like a weapon, Sargon slammed Ahmad’s mouth away, and his tail grabbed Antoine around the chest before he could regain his footing in the tangle of scaly coils. Sargon’s eyes bled red until they glowed and Ahmad was suddenly sailing through the air, pushed away by a wave of magic so great that it superheated the air and singed Antoine’s hair, making it frizzy and foul smelling.
As the coils constricted with each breath, Antoine realized that Sargon’s goal was to crush and then eat him. But he was no mouse, no rabbit to swallow whole. He called up power inside him and expanded it in an outward wave that forced the coil open. He slipped to the floor and backed up. But he was nearly spent, and Ahmad had turned back to human from slamming against the cave wall. He was lying still and Antoine couldn’t tell if he was breathing.
He was worried that he was weakening so quickly because it didn’t appear that Sargon was in the least. He picked up the second sword. This would be his final stand.
Sargon’s tongue flicked out, and his whole upper body waved back and forth as the massive hood extended with a snap. “You’re frightened, as you should be, Councilman Monier.” His mouth opened just a bit in what might have been a smile at Antoine’s brief moment of surprise. “Oh, yes. I’m well aware who you are, since Nasil has been in your employ for nearly a dozen years. It’s interesting that you’ve taken on so many abilities of both your mother and sister. Perhaps I was wrong to try to claim the girl instead of you. But that doesn’t matter now, since I have the power well. You and my…child will die here and then I will—”
“Rule the world?” Antoine asked snidely. “I don’t think so. There are still the other council members to face, along with Wolven agents who are every bit your equal.”
“Oh, I will rule the world, young cat, but not in the way you’re thinking. My plan is even greater than you can imagine. I will free the snakes of the world, once again create a true civilization—one that hasn’t existed since the kingdom I was forced to dissolve. The precious council decided that no shifter should rule over humans. We should hide in the shadows, let the lesser race populate and thrive. But no more. Once she awakens, we will lead the earth into the glory of a new age. And there is nothing you or my feckless son can do to prevent it.”
She? What cou
ld he be referring to? But there was no time to consider it, because Antoine suddenly felt a powerful running shake the ground under him, and then a pair of orange and black forms sailed over his head with twin roars that were both vicious and heartening. Sandalwood and cherries filled the air, covering the bitter scent of venom for a brief moment.
“Maybe they can’t. But we can!” Tahira said as she and her brother both slammed into the cobra with claws and fangs extended. Blood erupted in thick lines that coated Antoine and stung his eyes. Sargon thrashed and slapped at the tigers with his tail and tried to shake them off, since he couldn’t reach them to bite them.
Antoine jumped as he felt a hand on his bare shoulder and turned to find Nasil staring at the battle with cold eyes. He smiled evilly and then whispered, “Krhlow plihep!”
Snake and tigers all reacted as though struck by a wrecking ball. The air began to glow with the power of the sun. Tahira reared back and shrieked in agony, hanging on to the snake only by her claws. Sargon raised his head to the sky and hissed and thrashed as though he were being cut apart.
“Tahira!” Antoine couldn’t decide whether to attack Sargon now, try to help Ahmad while he was distracted, or gather Tahira to him to ease her pain.
Nasil made the decision for him. He pushed Antoine forward almost viciously with a strong hand on his back. “It’s yours for the taking and it will destroy him! Go to Tahira and help her slay this demon.”
Antoine didn’t know what he meant, but he moved forward, anyway. He heard Nasil’s voice call out from behind. “Tahira! You have the ability to choose to end this! That which is taken must be given. Only love is stronger than hate, so make your choice!”
SHE COULDN’T SEE through the fire that burned in her vision. Somehow the well inside her had opened once more, and unimaginable magic made her skin swell and seared across her mind. Her very fur was glowing, and she couldn’t help but remember the old William Blake poem.
“Tyger! Tyger! burning bright, in the forest of the night!” She thought she was saying the line in her head, but the sound of the words filled the room until it was painful to her ears, like a scream that was pulled from her very soul. Somewhere in the distance, she heard Antoine yell, and Larry’s voice telling her to choose. But choose what?
Again, the words whispered into her mind, What the hand dare seize the fire? She turned her head, as though in slow motion, and saw Antoine slashing his way across the snake’s dense body. His panic was so real, and so painfully endearing that she knew, absolutely knew what Larry meant. Sargon had planned to drain her, but she was draining him instead.
The power flowed through her veins, turning her skin, muscle, and bones into the living embodiment of magic. Without a second thought, she willed herself human again and flung herself into Antoine’s arms. He grabbed her and held her tight against him with something close to a sob. She pushed power into him in a fiery burst that arched his back and pulled a cry of agony from his lips. She pulled his face down and covered those lips with hers, fed the fire into him wherever their skin touched. He tried to pull away from the kiss, but she held him tight, willed him to accept the fire and love inside her.
She filled him until he was a glowing star, golden and pure with a light that rivaled the harvest moon.
But there was still more to give. The fire was still strong enough to burn, so she reached out and found the others who owned a piece of her heart. Rabi was filled until he resembled her—a neon sculpture of fur and muscle. Even Ahmad, for all of his faults, had showed himself honorable and worthy. She went to him, raised him up and held him close, even though she never moved from Antoine’s embrace. He woke as she filled him with fire. He welcomed the power, pulled on it greedily until he was fat and lush with it. She felt Antoine pull away from her, hand her back to Nasil. She looked past the eyes of a traitor and into Larry’s eyes, silently asking if he wanted to share the fire, but he shook his head.
“There’s another more deserving. Reach out and see if she can be saved.”
Giselle! She whispered the word and felt the old healer faintly in the next room. She was barely hanging on. I’ll heal you.
She felt the old cat’s words in her mind. No, child. My time is over. Too much was taken and the venom from the spider was too strong.
She started to run, to find her and save her. Grabbing the corner of the doorway into the other chamber, she swung in, but Giselle wasn’t there. She realized almost belatedly that tears were streaming down her cheeks. Where are you, Giselle? You’ll be fine. I have more power than I know what to do with. I’ll give your magic back to you. Hold on for me.
Tahira, please listen. I can think of no one more fitting to inherit my power than you. You must help them. You must use my power to save your people—and mine—from Sargon’s menace. Tell Antoine for me that I’m very proud of him. He is a…great leader of our people…more than I ever could have been. Take ca…care of hi—
“GISELLE!” Tahira dropped to her hands and knees as she felt Giselle slip away. She vaguely felt sharp stones ripping at her skin. She cried wordlessly from the sudden emptiness in her mind.
But then there was an audible pop, and sound flooded her brain. Antoine’s scream of anger and pain told Tahira that he knew Giselle had died. There was nothing more she could do—at least not for Giselle. She turned and ran back across the cool stone. Even with the three men sharing the excess power, Sargon was slowly but steadily winning. She watched as Antoine threw Rabi away from a frighteningly fast strike, and Sargon’s fangs buried themselves in Antoine’s shoulder instead. She rushed forward but was pulled to the side by Larry and held in a grip of iron.
“Nasil!” Sargon’s voice boomed through the chamber. “Kill these fleas that attack me and bring the girl to me!”
Tahira struggled in his grip, stared into his cold, hard eyes and pleaded. “Larry, please! I have to get to them! Please don’t let them die!”
Nasil looked from her to Sargon and back again. His voice rang out over the sound of snarls and hisses. It was filled with something like sorrow, but his scent was determined. “I’m sorry, my lord. But as you said—you can’t trust those who can be bought, and there are things more valuable than money. You’ve been…outbid.” He pulled Tahira close to him and whispered, “Use it well.” Then he pushed his own power into her until she screamed. He was nearly as powerful as Sargon himself, and her vision began to sparkle and burn with blue-tinged fire.
She vaguely heard the words, “Rghnl olpnst nbwiq! Hoplez requay!” and then she was standing alone at the edge of the battle. Only Rabi was still in animal form, and he was tearing mouthfuls of flesh from the snake’s neck, while Ahmad and Antoine hacked at Sargon desperately with magic and blades. They were all bloodied, and the scent of their pain and fear angered her.
She felt the power swirl inside her until it was a tight ball in her chest. It hovered there, making her skin feel so tight it felt like it could tear apart. Her lungs couldn’t expand for air and her heart couldn’t beat. But she didn’t need them. She could not only use the power, she was the power.
With a roar of animal rage that transcended any humanity inside her, Tahira launched herself forward, turning in midair to a shining tiger with a coat of pure flame. As though the snake was dry tinder, Sargon erupted in a blaze of orange and blue so intense that Antoine, Rabi, and Ahmad were forced to move away from the fury of it.
She held on with her teeth like a thing possessed, as he fought and struggled to rid himself of the thing he had created—the animal, and the woman, that would be the instrument of his doom. The toxic fumes as he burned made her dizzy, and she felt her blood flowing freely as he savagely beat her body into a sharp stalactite and bit her in a frenzy. She dug in her claws and increased the fire, letting her hatred for his acts against Antoine and Larry, Rabi and Giselle fill her with the need for vengeance.
Finally, with a scream that she feared would haunt her until the day she died, Sargon of Akkade crumbled into a hot ash that
rained down on her head as she dropped to the cool stone. It coated her skin and burned away the pain in her heart.
Chapter Twenty
REDDISH DUST ROSE in a cloud around the Jeep as Antoine braked to a stop under a lone tree at the edge of a tiny village a few miles from the Iranian border. The cold wind reminded Antoine of the holiday season, even if the surroundings didn’t. It would be the first Christmas in his life that his Grand-mère wouldn’t be—
He ran his fingers through his newly cut collar-length hair, and pulled off his sunglasses to look at the gorgeous woman in the seat beside him. “Are you certain that I’m invited to this, Tahira? We don’t need to start a war just because I’m curious. I didn’t even have time to buy a suitable tribute.” He’d considered bringing the cognac, since they’d been too tired and wounded to open the bottle after Sargon’s death. But there hadn’t been time.
Tahira smiled and pulled the scarf from her striped hair, shaking it until it lay in loose, luxurious waves around her shoulders. “Rabi called me personally and said I was supposed to bring you. He wouldn’t be taking over the kabile at all this early if we hadn’t defeated Sargon. You helped, so he wants you there. Don’t worry about a gift. He doesn’t care.” She touched his hair and smiled. “I still can’t get used to the short hair. It just looks so different.”
Antoine smirked and put the sunglasses on top of his head, tucking the ends behind his ears. “Well, I’d already lost the bet after half of it singed off from the firestorm in the cave. I was lucky I didn’t lose it all. And as for Rabi, he’s taking over the kabile because you turned him into a full-blown sahip with your little power play.”
She opened the Jeep door and swung her skirt-clad legs out, carefully checking the ground before she put a foot on the sand. He wasn’t sure why, but it seemed to be important to her.