Whatever Revik had said to him in the corridor earlier, it had rattled him. Jon could barely look at me since he showed up at the penthouse door.
But I didn’t have time to care about that, either.
I gave up on the strap a moment later, pulling Jon’s tuxedo jacket around me instead and buttoning the front.
I tried like hell to focus on where we were going...what I might be able to do when we reached topside again.
I felt Revik there in vague touches, watching me through the construct...but I couldn’t seem to feel much of anyone else, which told me his people still controlled the Barrier space around the hotel.
I tried to reach Balidor...Garensche...Dorje...Chandre...pretty much in that order. I still considered Chan a friend, but she’d been even more withdrawn and distant than me for the past few months. Hell, for all I knew, Chan was working for Revik again. She'd never been quite as vehemently opposed to what he was doing as the others. She even seemed sympathetic at times. She’d been almost depressed, it seemed to me...something about what happened when Terian took me really brought out a side of her I’d never experienced.
Well, that coupled with Cass trading her in for a giant Wvercian with the brain of a walnut.
Okay, so that wasn’t totally fair. I didn’t understand Cass’ new boyfriend, Baguen whatever...but I didn’t actually know for a fact that he was stupid. Wvercian aleimi behaved so differently from that of regular Sarks, I couldn’t read him much at all, truthfully.
I did know he used to work for Salinse.
The only reason he didn’t now was the fact that he followed Cass around like a rather large puppy...when he wasn’t going out of his way to protect me. He hadn’t come out and said anything, but I saw the sword and sun tat on his arm...I knew he had to be religious in one way or another. He was just like these jokers Revik had following him around, thinking both of us were some kind of holy whatevers.
Cass had the same tattoo...the sword and sun, my husband’s insignia...on her arm. She got it before Revik killed the boy, of course, so before Syrimne showed up in technicolor to be the scourge of humanity once more.
In fact, she got it before I’d been abducted by Terian...in some fit of solidarity thing with the other seers maybe. Anyway, these days, she seemed to be on her own trip with all of this stuff. I hadn’t read her to try and figure out what it was, exactly...but I knew I probably should.
It occurred to me that I was thinking about her and Chan and the others in a sideways attempt to convince myself that they were all still alive.
“What the hell is this?” Jon muttered.
He slowed the car, leaning over the steering wheel to peer up the last piece of underground ramp before us. A number of people stood outside the four cars parked there. All of them held guns. Most of those guns pointed at a van with dark-tinted windows that stood, engine idling, between the four emergency vehicles parked there with rotating sirens.
In the background, I could see smoke illuminated by the streetlights. The sound of helicopters echoed down the cement tunnel where we were parked. I heard people talking over megaphones, but at too great a distance for me to make out words. Anyway, they were probably speaking Hindi, and I didn’t understand Hindi.
I reached out with my sight, felt the humans circling in the air.
They were in a state of panic.
Revik had already claimed responsibility.
Clicking out of the Barrier, I focused back on the van with the darkened windows. It occurred to me that whoever was inside, they could probably see us.
“What should we do?” Jon said.
“Drive up, Jon,” I said, my voice low.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah.” I glanced around the interior of the SUV, looking for something, anything that might be useful. For the first time, it occurred to me that there might be weapons in there, if it really did belong to a human head of state or something. It was a little late to look now, though.
As we drew up closer to the van, I saw Balidor standing in front of the seers on the ground. Something in me relaxed when I saw his face...moreso when I noticed Cass standing next to him, and Tenzin on the other side of her.
Balidor’s lips were moving. I found myself thinking he was talking to someone in the van, not to the seers standing next to him.
At least nine other seers in the Adhipan stood there, too, all of them with guns trained on the van. The van itself looked armored, and sported one-way windows. I saw Dorje among the Adhipan, too, from the Seven’s old guard, and Illeg, from the same.
I touched the key on the dashboard that rolled down the window.
“Al, what are you doing?”
“Slow down,” I told Jon.
Jon let the SUV roll down to about five miles per hour, then stopped it altogether, almost directly in the path of the armored van.
Balidor’s voice grew audible, rising as the SUV’s engine idled.
“...We assumed you had him,” Balidor retorted. “Wouldn’t you be allies again these days, Dehgoies?”
I felt my breathing stop.
Jon turned, still hanging over the steeling wheel. “Did he say—”
“Shhh,” I said, holding up a hand. “Yes.”
I couldn’t hear Revik answer him, but Balidor’s voice grew louder still, his words still in Prexci. “We have no interest in Feigran...you are chasing dragons, thinking we would hide such a piece of excrement from you...”
He paused as Revik must have cut him off.
“...Why in god’s name would she?”
Revik said something else I didn’t catch.
Balidor gave a short laugh, still holding his gun steadily on the passenger window of the van. “Your delusions will have the best of you, Rook. If you weren’t such a psychotic child, I might even feel sorry for you...”
I felt the hair on my arms rise slightly.
A faint electrical current flickered over my aleimi.
“Damn it,” I muttered.
Before Jon could stop me, I snapped the latch on the door, stepping out of the SUV. Jon lunged in my direction, but missed grabbing the cuff of the tuxedo coat on me by a few inches. I slammed the door over his protests, hugging the jacket around the dress as I ascended the rest of the way up the ramp.
“Revik!” I said. “Don’t!”
I felt his light, a whisper of surprise off him.
In that split second, it occurred to me that ‘Dori was right...my shielding really had gotten better.
Then Revik was focused on me. I could feel it through the one-way glass.
“Don’t kill him!” I said again. “I mean it! He’s telling the truth...and so help me god, I’ll make you kill me if you kill any of them...”
I walked up to where Balidor and the others were now staring at me too, their mouths agape. From their expressions, I had to assume they’d thought Revik had already abducted me somewhere.
Or that I was dead.
Ignoring their stares, I continued to focus on the passenger side of the armored van. I walked right up to where Balidor stood.
“What is your deal with Feigran?” I said, speaking to the van, where I knew Revik was. “What do you want with him?”
I reached the section of driveway where I could see him through the open window. His eyes narrowed slightly as he took me in, but I was a little startled to see that my appearance there had affected him, thrown him off balance somehow.
It occurred to me again that he really hadn’t felt me there.
Noticing my scrutiny, he averted his eyes, glancing at the seer sitting across from him, who happened to be Wreg.
I nodded at the Chinese-looking seer.
“Wreg,” I said.
His eyes turned vaguely appreciative. I saw him look me over, smiling.
“Bridge.”
“Since my husband doesn’t seem to be talking, I’ll ask you,” I said to him. “What do you want with Feigran?”
“He is a menace, Esteemed Bridge,�
� Wreg said, his voice respectful. “We’d like to make sure he doesn’t pose a threat to us...or to anyone else...”
“Anyone else, meaning?”
“You, Esteemed One.”
“I see.” I folded my arms, looking back at Revik. I felt my jaw harden when I saw the smoke and ash on his face, and on the dark sweater he wore. “Proud of yourself, husband?” I swallowed thickly, fighting the emotion that tried to rise. “I suppose it wasn’t enough to kill a few million in one war—”
“Alyson,” he cut in. His pale eyes met mine. “What are you doing?”
“Keeping you from killing my friends,” I said. “Why are you still here? Haven’t you done what you came for?”
His jaw hardened. I saw him glance at Balidor, then at the rest of the Adhipan fanned around the emergency vehicles, guns raised.
“You’re not safe with them,” he said finally.
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. “You’re right. No one’s safe with you running around...certainly not me.”
“Alyson...” he growled.
“Look.” I folded my arms, holding his gaze with an effort. “I appreciate your services tonight...I do.” I saw his eyes flinch and fought my reaction off my face. “But I don’t think I’ll be needing them again. I’m going to ask Vash to sever us.”
I paused, to make sure he’d heard me.
“...That should free you up to pursue your other goals,” I added. “Without you having to worry about me.”
His eyes changed while I watched, until I swallowed, in spite of myself. I found myself looking away when his expression solidified. The look there was colder than anything I’d ever seen on him.
“I want you to go now, Revik. I don’t ever want to see you again.”
“It won’t work, Allie,” he said, his voice dangerously quiet. “Even if you mean what you’re saying...Vash can’t do what you’re suggesting. I told you that, long ago. It’s too late to back out of this thing with us...”
“You might be right about that,” I said. “But I’m sure Vash would be willing to give it a good college try, if I asked him to. I think Tarsi might help out with that, as well.” I folded my arms tighter. “Either way, we’re done, Revik. It’s over.”
His jaw hardened.
I glanced at Wreg, saw that he’d paled, just before he glanced at Revik.
“Did you hear me?” I said. “So you can go fuck all the prostitutes you want, brother Syrimne. You can do whatever you want...I’m rescinding any and all claims on you. I expect you to do the same for me...”
Revik’s eyes met mine once more.
I found myself hesitating at what I saw there. His irises sparked vaguely with light as I watched, but he didn’t seem to be doing it consciously. I was still staring at him, trying to understand what I was seeing, when he looked away, wiping his face with one hand.
I realized in a dim kind of shock that those were tears in his eyes.
“Allie,” he said then. He looked at me again. His voice was cold but almost soft, impossible to read. “It won’t be enough. We’re not just mates. You won’t be able to get rid of me that easily...even if you do sever it.” He met my gaze, his eyes empty. “And you won’t sever us, Alyson. I won’t let you.”
For a moment, we just looked at each other. I could almost feel our light pushing up against one another’s, a wall of electricity crackling between us in the space. Then his aleimi backed down, right before he looked away.
The look on his face made me swallow again.
“Maybe you’re right,” I said, quiet. “But I’m sure going to try.”
Revik turned then, looking at Wreg.
“Let’s go.”
For a moment, Wreg didn’t seem to be able to tear his eyes off me. Then he jumped, as if stung, and reached down for the control panel to the car.
The car revved to life. Wreg backed them out of there so fast I smelled rubber burning on the cement. Slamming into another car behind it on the driveway, Wreg wrenched the wheel sideways while I watched, executing a turn before hitting the accelerator again.
I saw Revik through the passenger side window. He was still staring at me.
I didn’t let out my held breath until the van disappeared behind the wall of concrete delineating the edge of the tunnel.
When I turned to look at the others, I saw them staring at me.
Balidor’s face held an open shock, his mouth nearly ajar.
“Allie,” he said then, closing it with a snap. He seemed at a loss for words. His hand grabbed my arm. “Alyson...what are you doing?”
I gave him an incredulous look.
“What am I doing?” I said. “Isn’t that exactly what everyone wanted me to do? Swear off the dangerous psychopath I married?”
“Yes, Alyson...but gods.” Balidor swallowed, stroking my arm. “Don’t you realize, Allie? You just marked Vash for death. You may have condemned the entire council of Seven...”
I stared at him. Then I felt something in my chest collapse.
“Where is he?” I managed. “Vash? Where is he, ‘Dori?”
7
BIRTHDAY
I SAT ON a bench rimming the wide cargo hold. I was freezing, shivering against the gusts that whispered through the wide compartment. I didn’t get up to look for a coat.
The pain had worsened again.
I had to assume that was partly because it had worsened on his end. It also crossed my mind that it might be because he’d taken me up on my offer to let him screw his way across several continents if the urge struck him.
I couldn’t really go there, though. It wasn’t something I could laugh off, not yet. I couldn’t even use it to make the rest of it real in my head.
I stared at the floor of the cargo hold, where I’d retreated to hide from the others. I had no idea where the plane was headed at this point, only that Vash didn’t think I’d be safe in Asia, given what had happened in New Delhi. So after a long pow-wow with Balidor and the rest of the Council and their military arm, the Adhipan, the decision had been made to hide me. They hadn’t told me where, of course. They knew Revik and I were still connected, so they probably wouldn’t tell me any more than they absolutely had to at that point.
In fact, when the plane did land, I’d already been warned that I would be blindfolded and knocked out, so I wouldn’t be able to identify the location before they had me locked away.
Which told me it would likely be underground somewhere.
Which meant lightless, cold...probably boring as hell.
In the meantime, I did know that seers had been dispersed in several directions, some of them wearing cloaks of my light...not like that would be enough to fool him, at least not for long. Still, it might confuse the issue long enough to keep us safe...for a short time at least...while Vash tried to do what I’d threatened Revik with.
Or so I supposed.
I didn’t know for sure what the plan was, for the same reasons I didn’t know where they were taking me. I had been cut out of the construct, the military arm of it anyway, likely indefinitely.
Hell, I was lucky they’d let me stay conscious for the flight itself.
He didn’t say so, but I got the feeling that Vash had his doubts he could sever us, too. The only hope we had lay in the fact that I’d formed the energetic bond with him before he’d killed the boy. Being bonded to half an Elaerian, instead of a whole one, at least made the idea of severing us theoretically possible.
I couldn’t help but find it ironic, however. They’d managed to sever the one person Revik had been into three different, partial persons...meaning Revik, Syrimne and the Rook he’d been under Galaith. Yet now they may not be able to sever him and me back into two full persons.
Most of the Council had scattered. They disappeared somewhere underground on Balidor’s advice, and with about half of his people, the Adhipan, protecting them.
Vash came with us, of course.
But Tarsi opted to go elsewhere, too.
She did
n’t tell me until the day she left. She came to New Delhi, to the safe house where all of us stayed for the day or so it took us to regroup after the bombing at the hotel.
No one had to tell Tarsi anything. She seemed to know exactly what had happened. I tried not to think about the fact that saying goodbye to me meant she would be saying goodbye to Vash again, too. They kept it pretty quiet, but I’d known the two of them had some kind of relationship. It had rekindled for a few months now, ever since I got back from Terian and D.C.
So I’d taken more than one thing from Vash, in my confrontation with Revik.
She hugged me before she left, tears in her eyes.
I’d never seen her openly emotional before, so of course I assumed it meant I would probably die sometime in the next few months.
I knew also that it broke her heart, what had happened to Revik. He was her blood nephew, her actual sister’s son...not a fake one set up for his assumed identity. In fact, the opposite had been true. She’d changed her name and formal bloodline to match his after he’d been rehabilitated as Dehgoies Revik.
I knew she loved him, Syrimne or no.
Whether she blamed me, I would likely never be a good enough infiltrator to know for sure. Tarsi, despite her frail exterior, reminded me more of Balidor than she did of Vash.
She was...battle scarred...for want of a better term.
Balidor told me she’d once been the best infiltrator of their people.
She didn’t chide me about anything I’d done in Delhi, or even speak to me of it. She hugged me, kissed my cheek, and then she was gone.
I don’t think I knew how much I’d grown to count on her until it struck me that I might never see her again.
I wrapped my arms around my torso, shivering in spite of myself. I wore thermals, a sweat shirt, jeans, combat boots. I needed my coat, but I didn’t get up to look for it. I sat there instead, gripping my own torso as if to keep my insides from falling out on the metal floor of the plane. I don’t think I knew I was crying until the sound of footsteps on the circular staircase from the passenger cabin broke me out of my stupor.
I looked up, and my vision blurred.
I realized I was holding my own ribs tight enough to hurt. Shivering uncontrollably, I realized I hadn’t noticed the cold either, not for however long I’d been in that paralysis. I couldn’t make a sound, couldn’t articulate anything, even in my own head.
Allie's War Season Two Page 9