by T. G. Ayer
I gave a slight shake of my head, brow furrowed as I tried to figure out what she meant. Worthy of Saleem maybe? Was the woman giving me her blessing seconds before her death?
Then she let out a laugh and waved me off. “You had better leave. You don’t need to be here.” She sounded resigned, listening as the team called out again, announcing two minutes to detonation.
I took a step back, angry with her, and yet sad and confused at the same time. “Why?” I whispered shaking my head as I blinked away my tears. “Why are you doing this? What are they going to do if you don’t keep your word?”
Aisha met my gaze and said simply, “They will kill him.”
I frowned and shook my head. “Who? They have both of them, but why kill either of them. Surely, they would be better off with the brothers under their control. They already own Rizwan, and it’s only a matter of time before they own Saleem too. Their MindMelder is powerful.”
Aisha smiled sadly. “The sons are not who I speak of,” she said, her tone filled with deep sadness.
A glance at my watch confirmed a minute and ten seconds. I shook my head and stepped away. “We have to go. Seventy seconds to detonation.”
“Please go child. Get yourself and your people to safety.” Then she turned away from me to face the lawn again, her face a mask, hiding her emotions from me and perhaps even from herself.
I took another step away and disappeared from the room. For a mere moment, I materialized in the clearing, opened the bottle of poison, and jumped back into the room.
I materialized behind the queen who had remained at the window, motionless, as if the seconds were erasing her emotions too. Before she could register my presence, I tipped the contents of the bottle inside the collar at the back of her neck then stepped away.
I wasn’t sure what I’d expected to see when the poison began to work, so I had to admit to myself, and likely would to Natasha too when I saw her next, that the fall of the djinn queen was decidedly anticlimactic.
Aisha stumbled, her spine curving as she threw a hand out toward the window, a ragged gasp escaping lips already twisted with pain.
“Thirty seconds,” Drake counted down on the team’s line, making my heart jump.
The queen clutched her chest, fingers clawed, desperately grasping at air her lungs refused to give her. She sank to the floor, graceful to the very end. She slumped to the carpet, her head tipped to the side as she met my gaze.
Aisha’s eyes glistened as she stared at me, shaking her head as a tear slid down the side of her face and disappeared into her hairline.
Drake’s voice echoed in my ear, “Ten seconds. We’re leaving Mel. You’re a go.”
The djinn queen let out a soft sigh, the release of air like a crack of thunder within the silence of the room. The words she uttered promised to haunt me to the end of my days.
“What have you done, you silly child?”
Chapter 41
Even as I transported the unconscious djinn queen to the safety of Natasha’s bedroom, I felt the waves of the blast at my back.
The team was standing inside the room awaiting my arrival, and they heaved a collective sigh of relief at my arrival.
“Shit Mel, you sure know how to give a guy a heart attack.”
“Stop being dramatic, gargoyle,” I muttered as I released Aisha and sank to the floor, knees now a jellified mess. “You should thank me for making sure your heart’s working. Consider it a drill.”
I rested my head against the wall behind me and smiled as the room was filled with low laughter. A glance up at the gargoyle revealed he wasn’t the least bit amused.
“You cut it way too close, Mel. You’re getting reckless,” he snapped, his voice hard and his fingers curled into fists at his side.
I glanced up at him, my eyes narrowing. “I know. But I had to time it carefully.”
“You keep it up, and you’ll time yourself dead,” he retorted folding his arms, anger a shadow around his head. I could see he was upset; his glamor had slipped, and his gargoyle blue-black skin shimmered with its swirling silvery whorls that undulated as though they were alive.
A soft gasp cut the tension, and I glanced at Nerina, her eyes wide as she stared at Drake, who recovered lightning fast and snapped his glamor back into place without even blinking.
Still, Nerina’s fear was almost tangible within the room, and I pushed to my feet and walked over to her. “Okay, DeathTalker. Think you can rustle me up some carbs. And maybe drizzle a bag of sugar all over it.”
“Yuk. You just made me imagine a piece of meat cover in syrup.”
“Don’t you mean rib sauce?” Logan said as he followed them out to the kitchen.
We were in the kitchen, with only ten minutes having passed, when an almighty yell rent the air. Chairs skidded and toppled over, and everyone raced for the bedroom. As I ran down the hall, I caught the glow of fire from within the room.
I raced inside, gripping the threshold to slow my speed and redirect my momentum.
I let out a low scream at the sight that met my eyes.
Then I managed to regain some control and yelled out, “Let her go!”
The djinn queen hovered in the air, the top of her head almost grazing the ceiling, her fingers encircling Natasha’s neck. The white witch was suspended off the ground, her feet kicking out as her fingers struggled at the vice grip around her throat.
Strangely enough, she didn’t appear to be afraid, merely impatient as though she couldn’t wait for the whole throttling episode to be over.
Aisha looked over at me, her eyes glowing with flames, her hair floating around her, loosened from the elegant chignon to drift around her shoulders. “You!” she bellowed, the flames flaring, heat rolling off her toward me.
“Yeah, me!” I yelled back. “Let her go. If you need a whipping boy, I’m ready,” I said my tone even.
“Mel,” whispered Kai from behind me, “don’t make the nice djinn queen angry.”
“Too late,” I said out of the corner of my mouth. “Been there, done that, got the tee-shirt.”
Perhaps Saleem’s mother enjoyed my smart-ass comments, or maybe she’d grown tired of posturing, but she lowered herself to the ground and releases Natasha. The witch glided away gracefully, not in the least afraid of the scary djinn.
A djinn whose mouth was twitching with amusement.
But I was annoyed. Damned annoyed.
Who did she think she was anyway?
“I’m a queen of an entire realm, dear. A powerful one to boot,” Aisha said as she smoothed down the front of her skirt, flicking away the flames that still danced on the fabric.
Shit, she heard me?
“Yes, child. You do need to shut your thoughts off from the astral plane after a jump,” Aisha said, her tone conversational now as she approached me.
I took a step away, not trusting her for a second. She looked likely to turn me into a piece of coal
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to burn you to cinders—”
“Stop doing that,” I snapped, my cheeks burning.
“Then stop projecting,” she said serenely as she walked past me and into the hallway. She strode down to the kitchen passing the members of our team, her head held high as though they were subjects that had lined up to pay their respects.
I followed in her way muttering to myself all the way to the kitchen to find Aisha already seated at the table, a cup of hot tea being placed before her by a serene Natasha. The white witch looked up as I entered and gave me a smile.
“See?” she said raising her hands to display her body. “Still alive and breathing.”
“And not roasted,” murmured Kai as she chose to stand behind me, the laughter in her voice clear.
The queen smiled at that. “I see like attracts like with you and your friends.”
My eyes narrowed as I folded my arms, leaning against the counter behind me. “If you mean I like to hang around with women who speak their mind, then yes.”
I opened my mouth, then hesitated before letting out a sigh and glancing over at Kai who now wore a wide grin.
Kai shrugged. “She didn’t kill you, so I’d consider that a win.”
“Yet,” said Aisha softly, the single word echoing around the room filling it with tension and danger.
I let out an impatient sigh and sank into the nearest chair. “Can we please wait until after we save your offspring before you kill me?”
Aisha smiled. “I believe I can make that happen.”
I wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so I chose silence.
Good choice, said the djinn queen inside my mind.
Crap.
Chapter 42
The team spent a few minutes together going over weapons and preparing for the entry to Mithras while I paced up and down the narrow aisle that ran between Natasha’s kitchen table and her counter.
I’d wanted to leave the djinn queen alone, but we didn’t really have the time for that. I couldn’t wrap the woman in cotton balls just yet.
“Why don’t you speak your mind, dear. You don’t usually hesitate.”
I glanced up at Aisha. Had she just done a passive-aggressive on me? I shook off the thought and focused on Saleem’s mother. “We have to leave, and I don’t have time to apologize, to be yelled at, or to be sentenced to death.”
Aisha smiled and met my gaze, lifting the cup to her mouth. Steam rose from the surface, and I frowned. She’d been sipping at that cup for ten minutes now, and it was still steaming?
“Djinn. Fire. Hot.” Aisha tilted her head in amusement.
I pursed my lips, rolled my eyes, and shook my head, all three movements merged into one expression of irritation and impatience. “Saleem told me that the timing had to be perfect. He even gave me a window.”
Aisha’s eyes darkened. “A window?”
I nodded. “ ‘Two days from today, on the night of the half moon, between midnight and midday’ which was a couple days ago. Give or take a few hours.”
Shadows seemed to have encased Aisha’s face. “Did he say anything else?” she asked.
“Only that it falls on the seventeenth of Nadir, the night of the full moon, and it held some significance for Mithras.”
The muscles in the djinn queen’s neck tightened and she took a slow breath. Was the reality of her son’s predicament finally settling in. She gave a short nod but didn’t reply, so I continued, “With Saleem’s window in mind, we used a portal key to access Mithras—with spectacular failure I might add.”
Aisha’s brow furrowed as she said, “A portal key failed to let you in?”
“That’s why we had to extract you. We had no other way of entering Mithras other than your Highness. The realm’s been warded, but we obviously have no idea by who or how. Or even why, but at the moment, I’m not interested in the why.” My hands shifted to my hips as I braced myself. “So, will you take us?”
Aisha shook her head, raising the heat in my face. “Ever hear of a diplomatic conversation, find middle ground, massage ego, then demand.”
“I don’t mess around with diplomacy, if that’s diplomacy. I speak straight. Help or don’t. I need an answer.”
“And what if I refuse?”
“Again?” I asked, exasperated. I threw my hands in the air and turned around to take a deep breath.
“And look what happened when you did refuse her,” said a weak voice from the doorway.
I spun to stare at Ivy Odel as she walked slowly into the room. “Grams!” I called out as I sprang toward her and threw my arms around her shoulders. “You’re alive.”
“I do believe I am, but if you keep up with the quashing, I may not be for very long.”
I let her go so fast that she chuckled and reached out to pull me toward her. “I just meant try not to crush me, dear. The hug is very much what I need.”
I grinned as I obeyed, thrilled to know she was up and about. I’d been terrified that she’d die and I wouldn’t be able to thank her for putting her life on the line for Saleem.
Then Ivy patted my arm, and I helped her to the table and waited as she settled into a chair beside the djinn queen.
Then the panther alpha met the djinn queen’s gaze, giving her a pointed look.
Aisha gave a regal nod. “Touché,” she replied in a much-delayed response to Grams’ comment when she’d first spoken. The djinn let out a sigh and looked over at me. “What information do you have regarding the ward?”
I blinked at the sudden about-face. Then decided gift horse, mouth and all though. “The ward is powerful, and Natasha believes it’s more than something built to block off the portals. The key blasted us almost into the ether so that much kickback—”
“Means the wards would have to have been erected by a supreme power.” Aisha nodded. “Who are your likely candidates?” she asked.
“The only option that is a serious contender doesn’t have a confirmed identity,” said a low baritone from the doorway.
I swiveled in my seat to see a very large, very pale and very attractive man standing in the threshold, with Logan at his shoulder.
I got to my feet, somewhat at a disadvantage with sitting when he was standing. Despite his size, he didn’t appear to exude power the way I’d have expected a powerful demon overlord would. In fact, he was downright friendly and somewhat cute.
Imagine what my son would think about that?
I glanced over my shoulder and threw Aisha a glare, then turned to greet the newcomer.
“You must be Baa’ruk,” I said, shaking his hand.
“Mel, I believe?” he replied, giving me a cheery smile. Then he looked past my shoulder and gave the queen a nod. “Aisha,” he said, his tone familiar and friendly.
“You two know each other?”
Aisha shrugged. “Power attracts power, or something like that,” she said with a nonchalant shrug.
“Bulldust,” he said, grinning as he walked into the kitchen.
I let out a giggle then covered my mouth. “Sorry, just overjoyed to see that we share the same…thesaurus.”
Baa’ruk pulled back a chair and lowered his bulk into it. I crossed my fingers behind my back and prayed the wood wouldn’t splinter beneath his weight.
Thankfully, we were saved from the sight of the Demon Overlord sprawled across Natasha’s kitchen floor.
The chair played its part, and the albino demon studied the people around the table. He was about to speak when Kai walked into the kitchen.
“You?” she said frowning as she stared at Baa’ruk.
“Yes. Last time I checked I was me.”
I smirked and noticed Kai wasn’t able to stop her own smile.
“You know each other?” asked Logan, glancing back and forth between the pair.
Kai nodded. “Sort of. We bumped into each other at O’Hagan’s. And I mean literally.”
The demon nodded, though his cheer seemed to have been taken down a notch or two. I folded my arms and watched him closely. “Would it be a good time to point out how convenient it was that you bumped into Kai at O’Hagans?”
All eyes turned to the demon.
He was about to reply when Cassie strode into the kitchen saying, “Anyone seen the patient who was supposed to be at death’s do—” She stopped in her tracks, eyes widening as she stared at Baa’ruk. “You!” she exclaimed, her cheeks turning red.
The demon got to his feet, probably feeling a little attacked. I didn’t blame him.
Logan, on the other hand, couldn’t help chuckling while Drake’s smile widened as he observed from the corner opposite me.
Logan cleared his throat. “Probably time to explain yourself, dude.”
“No kidding,” said the demon as he scanned the waiting faces. For a small kitchen, the space seemed to have done well accommodating a whole lot of extremely dangerous supernatural beings.
A
powder keg if ever there was one.
Chapter 43
Baa’ruk cleared his throat and looked at Kai. “I was sent to make sure you were safe.”
Kai raised her eyebrows. “Care to reveal the identity of my mysterious benefactor?” she asked, her tone cool.
Baa’ruk fell silent, his jaw tensing as though he’d been about to spill and had remembered not to.
“Anytime now,” I said softly. “Saleem doesn’t have all day.”
The demon nodded and shifted his gaze to Kai again. “Er…let’s just say that particular benefactor has a certain unusual attribute…” He fell silent, his eyes casting about as though he was considering a way to say it without saying it. And then he brightened, lifted his hands to his sides and wiggled his fingers.
Almost at the same moment as I realized he was mimicking flight, Kai said, “Oh, that benefactor,” and Cassie said, “If you’re done pretending to do the hula, can you please explain what you’re doing here?”
I shook my head and got to my feet. “Sorry guys. Clocks ticking so whatever you want to say, do it fast.”
Cassie looked over at me, contrite now as she mouthed, “Sorry,” and retreated to the threshold.
Baa’ruk seemed to understand the joking was past and leaned against the counter beside Drake. “I can confirm that the ward was requested about two years ago. The chatter at the moment is that an unknown quantity was interested in the almost unquenchable energy sources available in the realm of Mithras.” The demon turned to look at Aisha who let out a sigh.
“We’ve long been able to manipulate the combustible energy of fire, including the ability to store that energy to be used later. The Earth-World though is a tad more advanced in their technology, and a little study of parallel methods enabled our researchers to devise a method to store that power. The only problem was that we trusted the wrong people.”
Baa’ruk nodded. “A bad thing when dealing with such an invaluable resource. Especially after the Conflagrations that set the Earth-World back a year or ten.”