He sighed. He bowed his head slightly to Jacin-rei, though he doubted the boy took it in, with his glazed eyes and wild look. Asai shook his head. So much of his work undone, and now he'd have to spend time redoing it. And this bold move would certainly shorten what time was left to him. Kamen would waste none of it in coming after what he deigned his.
Disgusted, Asai retrieved the amulet from where it hung around his neck beneath his cloak, held it in his palm, and whispered the spell. As soon as the earth-bound staggered forward, the wolfling shoved Jacin-rei at Asai and moved to restrain his brothers and sister. The strength of a Temshiel, obviously, but they had the audacity of youth and the ignorance of mortals. All three surged in at once, shouting and flailing. The littlest managed to writhe and twist her way through bodies and limbs to almost-freedom; she eschewed it in favor of throwing herself at Jacin-rei, even as Asai caught him. Mouth set tight, and grip tighter, Asai motioned for Tirin and Itai to hold and start disarming his Ghost. They each took an arm, though Jacin-rei wasn't fighting them, merely allowing Asai to set him upright on his feet as the little girl clung to him, limpet-like. He only stared down at his little sister, blank-eyed, as she wrapped her arms around his waist, weeping.
"Jacin!” she warbled. “Jacin, don't go, don't let that man take you away, please!"
"Let me go!” the earth-bound was shouting, caught up tight in the wolfling's chokehold, but fighting just as determinedly as his brother had done a moment ago. “You can't do this, you can't let him have him, you can't—"
"Joori, stop,” Jacin-rei breathed. He shut his eyes and tried to drag his arms away, apparently intending to reach down toward his little sister, who was still entwined around his waist, but Asai's men didn't let him loose, and he didn't struggle very hard. Just stood there as Tirin and Itai began taking his knives from their sheaths. A little more roughly than necessary, they pushed the little girl back now and then to reach a belt or a strap, but each time, she used the audacity and limber-limbed slipperiness of youth to shove herself right back in. Jacin-rei only sagged between them, and let his sister wind about him as Asai's men went about disarming him. Beaten. If he weren't being held as he was, he'd be lying face-first on the dirty stone of the alley.
"Caidi.” The boy's voice was thin and thready. Poor little Ghost. Asai almost wanted to stroke his cheek, soothe him. “Caidi, go to Joori. Please. Before they—"
"They won't do anything to your sister,” the wolfling put in, imperious and threatening as she watched Asai and his men with keen attention. “They can't."
All too true, unfortunately.
"And we're supposed to trust your word?” the earth-bound grated. “You bloody traitorous—"
"Stop, Joori,” the younger brother said, his tone far older than his apparent age, and the anger in his eyes calm and focused, where the earth-bound's was panicked and wild. The boy was just as caught as his brothers were, but he didn't struggle. He only stood in the wolfling's grip, and split an all too familiar glare between his captor and Asai. “You don't really think Malick-seyh is going to stand for any of this, do you?” he asked evenly.
"Malick-seyh,” Asai repeated, and he smiled a little, sliding a sardonic look to the wolfling. “Is Kamen still using his mortal name?"
Such foolishness. Why not just have WEAKNESS tattooed on his forehead?
"He's going to kill you both,” the brassy little brother said. “Jacin-rei sort of brings that out in people.” He smirked a little—a sly thing—and set his eyes directly on Asai. “He won't have to kill you, I guess. My brother will do that, first chance he gets."
"Oh?” Asai lifted an eyebrow. He really had to smile a little at the brash impertinence. “Which one?” The one in the wolfling's chokehold, or the one held between Asai's own men, arms spread wide and pinned like a man crucified? Asai's smile broadened.
The boy smiled back, as though they shared a private joke between them. “Take your pick, I guess,” he said. “Depends on which one gets the drop on you.” He shrugged, widened the smile. “Maybe even me."
"Morin,” Jacin-rei breathed, shoved out from between teeth clenched far too tight, “shut up. Please.” A look passed between them, something Asai would have to remember and analyze later, but it made the arrogant little misanthrope nod and shut his mouth, so Asai let it pass for now. Probably something noble and self-sacrificing on Jacin-rei's part, and selfish acceptance on the brat's. That, at least, was predictable. Ah, Jacin-rei—always and ever looking out for those he loved, never seeing them for the weaknesses they were, which was a little disappointing, but worked in Asai's favor this time. Jacin-rei's eyes lifted to his twin, commanding and pleading, all at once. “Don't do anything stupid. Don't let them do anything stupid. Caidi, go to Joori."
The little girl lifted her head, big eyes welling over, cheeks pale and stained with tears. “But—"
"Jacin,” the earth-bound whined. “You can't just—"
"C'mon, Caidi,” the brat cut in, eyes still on Asai, mouth still curled in that overconfident smirk. Asai marked it all for another time. Marked it very carefully, and with great relish. Someone needed to be taught a lesson about having the arrogance to try and challenge a maijin. “Don't make it worse for him,” the boy went on. And then he all but dismissed Asai—dismissed—turning his eyes to the earth-bound. “He needs us to stay alive. He'll take care of himself, and what he can't take care of, Malick-seyh will.” He leaned in as much as his restricted movements would allow, dropping his voice almost low enough that Asai didn't hear. “Let him be what he is, Joori. You just be what you are.” Another significant look Asai couldn't interpret before the boy's gaze slid back to the wolfling. “You can't think you'll be forgiven for this."
The wolfling grimaced, released her hold on the boy, and used both arms now to restrain the twin. “Hush and go get your sister, lad."
And why was Asai even standing here, wasting his time on this ridiculous little drama? He had what he needed for now, and he could turn Jacin-rei back onto the proper path without this nattering troupe of incompetents. He'd given his Ghost what he'd asked for; it was time to collect on his end of the bargain.
"Enough,” he snapped, giving his men an impatient wave toward the mouth of the alley. “Get him to the carriage, and make sure the curtains are drawn.” He tossed the length of rope to Tirin. “Secure his hands, and don't let his state of apparent dysphoria take you in. He is fast, and he will kill you, if you give him half a chance.” Asai almost smiled a little with pride. He'd taught the boy so very well, after all. Still, even if Jacin-rei did manage to gut these two fools, he wouldn't run far. He'd never leave his family at Asai's “mercy."
"No,” the earth-bound snarled, redoubling his efforts in breaking loose from the wolfling, but she grimly held on as he flailed. “I won't let you take him, not this time. Jacin!” he shouted, “Jacin!"
The little one screamed as Tirin shoved her away from Jacin-rei, and she fell to the ground in a tumbling little heap. It was a mistake—Asai could tell before she even hit the stones. The look of vague, helpless rage that had settled over Jacin-rei's face abruptly lifted and cleared, and his gray eyes burned. He turned, swift as lightning, and head-butted Itai, stunning him. Almost an indistinct streak of movement, Jacin-rei lunged out of Itai's grip, and right into Tirin, grappling at the man's belts where his own weapons had been thrust. Worrying, certainly, but not dire. Tirin still had the strength of a maijin to rely on, and Jacin-rei was more a frenzied madman than the efficient assassin Asai knew he had become.
Still... the lad was something to watch. He was fast. Nearly a blur to the eye, and Asai couldn't help the bit of admiration and loving pride. He'd seen Jacin-rei spar—with that... unfortunate young degenerate, and then with the shadows—but he'd never seen his Ghost actually fight before. Asai could only imagine what it would look like if he hadn't had the boy's knives taken from him, but this... this was something to see, all economical, unthinking grace and lethal instinct.
The twin
was still struggling with the wolfling, the little one still sitting on the stones, shrieking, the younger brother trying to duck around the perimeter of the fray to reach her. Itai was hovering at the fringes, trying to clear his head, watching it all and waiting for a signal from Tirin to join in or take over. And all Asai could see was the Untouchable. Dodging and striking. A flying kick to Tirin's gut that left him gasping. Jacin-rei twirled back, braid flying, and landed on his good leg. An offensive stance, waiting for the right moment to drive in again.
There was no holding back in that narrow gray stare, no mercy. Nothing at all but caged malevolence and intense concentration on his own body and that of his opponent's. Nothing at all but cool, deadly intent, artful violence.
Jacin-rei was at an obvious disadvantage—Tirin and Itai were among the idiots who had torn him up the other night, and the boy was clearly favoring his right leg as he fought. That, and he was currently locked in combat with a maijin. And still, he attacked and parried Tirin, as though he was the one with supernatural talent. And the boy was unarmed. Tirin's blade never touched him.
Oh yes, this one would do the job on Kamen quite well, when his head was finally put back to where Asai needed it. And with the added advantage of being someone Kamen wanted up close....
It might all work out after all.
With efficiency and skill Asai just had to admire, his little Ghost blocked strikes and deflected thrusts of Tirin's sword, waiting for his moment, before he finally propelled himself across the small distance separating them. He hit Tirin low, driving in with his shoulder and knocking the sword to clatter across the stones of the alley.
They rolled. Tirin landed on top. With one hand, he tried to restrain; the other wrapped around Jacin-rei's throat. Asai almost put a stop to it there, but perhaps, if he allowed it until the boy lost consciousness....
The little girl screamed again. Scrambling away from the fray, she retreated back toward the wolfling, propelling right past the younger brother and throwing herself at the twin. He managed to get an arm loose and reach for her. Asai only just caught a glint of dull metal out the corner of his eye, only just registered what he was seeing pass from sister to brother. He turned back to shout to Itai and Tirin, but Jacin-rei had managed to get one of his knives back and was currently carving a wide, precise gash through Tirin's chest. And Itai was standing there, watching it in obvious disbelief
Magic swelled around Asai, thick and oppressive, raw and unfocused. Enough crude power to set his skin buzzing and make his mouth go dry. The wolfling shouted something, the ground rumbled a little beneath Asai's feet, and before he even had the time to acknowledge what it meant, all hell broke loose.
* * * *
Malick was extraordinarily unhappy, and he didn't much care whom he brought down with him. He'd been terse and snappish with Yori as they'd made their swift way to the Stallion, his longer stride and quick pace somewhat trying for Yori to keep up with. He'd ignored her huffing and the light scrim of sweat on her red face, and kept rattling off what had happened, what was happening now, what he thought might happen next, and how he was all kinds of pissed off that so little of it was under his control.
"So, Joori's not going anywhere, then?” Yori asked, which had only pissed Malick off more, though he shouldn't blame her for being pleased about the idea—she'd never formed an attachment to anyone else in all the years he'd known her; he should be delighted for her—but it was so far beyond what was actually important that it made him grind his teeth.
"The Ancestors seem to think he's significant to what's going on,” Malick had told her as evenly as he could, because it was just one more thing on which Fen would lay distrust, and it wasn't bloody fair, damn it. Malick had meant to get them out, he'd wanted to get them out—who wanted the annoying, jealous twin about mucking up the works, anyway?—but he'd forced the issue with the Ancestors for a reason, and now he had to suck it up and deal with what he'd gotten. Joori was some kind of key, according to the Ancestors, and there were bigger issues at stake here than Fen being pissed at Malick for not coming through on his promise.
They sat now in Xari's dark little parlor, listening to Husao blather about changing fates and what Wolf really meant—because, of course, Husao, one of Dragon's, would know better than Malick how to interpret Wolf's directives; Malick didn't even try not to roll his eyes—Yori listening attentively to Xari and Husao debate, and Malick grinding his teeth down to almost nothing. The day just kept getting better and better.
"But he clearly said that he was calling Kamen to his duty,” Husao argued. “'All fates rest on the Heart of the Null'. Surely that means—"
"The hand of Fate itself safeguards those who would mock Balance,” Xari put in wearily. “What Asai is safeguards Asai. Fate safeguards Yakuli. It does not mean what you want it to mean, and no amount of debating and choosing those things you want to hear will make it any more what you want it to be. The Balance comes before your vengeance, Husao.” She turned to Malick. “Your god has commanded you to risk your soul to do his work, to see to Asai, to see to Yakuli—and I would hazard any other who has dared to use Wolf's children so badly—but you have not been given leave to destroy out of hand. You risk the suns only if you disobey your laws while obeying Wolf. That is your conundrum. Only you are Wolf's-own. Only you can judge best what your god wishes of you."
"Yeah,” Malick snapped. “All I have to do now is kill Yakuli without actually going near him, and then let Asai walk away because Fate says I get to kill everyone but the people who badly need killing."
"You do not need to let Asai walk away,” Xari said quietly. “You promised—"
"No, I didn't.” Malick kept his tone firm and even, his stare hard. “I told you that there would be opportunity, but neither Fen nor I will wait for you to take it. It's up to you to be quick enough."
Xari might well want redemption for her god, but Malick wasn't about to let Asai slip away while she dithered about taking it. Because if Malick had made any promise at all about Asai's intended fate, it had been to Fen. Which brought up another point about which Malick wasn't too happy:
"Oh, right, and I also get to keep Fen's brother here—where Asai knows he is—and defend him against Asai, also without killing him, even though it's already pissed Fen off so badly he may never trust me again.” He slouched down in his chair, crossed his arms over his chest, and glared like a petulant child, and he didn't fucking care. “Oh yeah, I forgot—not only can I not fail Wolf or I burn, but I also can't fail Fen or I burn, even though keeping his family here instead of sending them away so they'll be safe is already a pretty big failure. I might as well just say, ‘Fuck it,’ and kill everyone, because I'm fucked any way I turn."
Xari tsked, shook her head. “Always you think in terms of who to kill and how to do so.” Her tone was chastising, but her hint of a smile was kind. “Do you never consider other paths?"
"Like what?” Malick wanted to know. “Tattle on Yakuli to the Doujou? Right. There are two judges I know of who don't have a full-Blood of their own or aren't waiting for one—two. Probably half the lords and prefects have been bought, and those who haven't are being steadily plotted against by those who have. The only people in Ada who aren't abusing magic, or are unaware that it's being abused at all, are the people themselves."
A grim, muffled snort from Yori's direction caught his attention, and he turned to her, asked, “What?” perhaps a little too sharply.
Yori's face flushed a little, and she sank in her seat, green eyes flicking around the table, overfaced. She hadn't said a word since introductions were made but for a soft, “No, thank you, misin,” when Xari had offered her tea, merely sitting quietly and trying not to stare at Ragi, who'd been equally as silent. Now, she gave Malick a wide-eyed look full of nerves that made him feel even worse. Made of stern stuff, Yori, a little biddable, perhaps, but not easily intimidated. She cleared her throat, glanced once again to Xari then Husao, then settled her gaze on Malick.
&nb
sp; "Nothing,” she said with a self-conscious shrug. “You just said it: the people don't know. And the Adan fear magic, above all else.” She paused and waited for a beat, but when no one shushed her, she went on, “They're not going to like finding out they've been ruled by it all this time."
"True.” Husao sat back in his chair, his face, for the first time since they'd gotten here, thoughtful rather than imperious. He studied Yori for a long moment, so intense Malick could actually see Yori trying not to shift and blush, then he peered at Malick, head atilt. “I imagine that's what Yakuli's for."
Xari scoffed. “Even my arrogant get would not think to so blatantly usurp the Adan,” she protested. “Free the Jin and enable their rise back from enslavement, yes, but true rule? Such open involvement by a maijin—for that the gods would never stand. No.” She shook her head, eyes narrowed. “No, he is more subtle than simple revolution. Yakuli is a distraction and a tool, else Asai would have hidden the magic better. Yakuli might think he is to lead a coup, but Asai has no use for the Adan, for they have no power.” She flicked Malick a meaningful glance. “His cards still strive beyond his reach. He would grasp for the Sorcerer's mantle still."
Husao answered something, but Malick was no longer listening. Subtle.
Asai was subtle, yes. Too subtle for armies and revolts, unless there was something else beneath it that served his purposes. He might want a revolt, but if he stayed true to his patterns—and he hadn't done anything yet to make Malick think he wouldn't—Yakuli was a tool to be used and betrayed. Not meant to succeed, but to be conveniently disposed of by other hands besides Asai's own. No blame to Lord Asai. No crimes of which to accuse him. Asai meant to come out of all this as a savior, clean of all blame and able to stand before the gods and claim his place with Wolf.
Banished by Raven, but... had he been? Really? Could he have been sent to finish what had long been suspected Raven had started?
Wolf suffers not the duplicity of weaker gods
Wolf's-own: Weregild Page 24