“That’s probably the nicest thing that’s happened down here,” I said as we arrived in Neferante’s circular workshop. To my surprise, the torture racks had been removed and the steam-powered vehicle had been wiped down and sat against the far wall. Beyond that, all that remained were workbenches with rows of suspicious looking tools. Unlike the last time I’d been in the basement, there was no longer blood and viscera rotting on the floor.
“What a horrible space,” Gabriella said, pulling in next to me.
I caught Flick looking at the floor, dejected. Gabriella, good at reading body language, caught it also and looked at me quizzically.
“Did you do all this cleanup, Flick? It’s quite a transformation from last time,” I said.
“Cook and Laundry helped,” he said.
“Cook and Laundry?” I asked.
“The other Peutering who belong to the house,” he said.
“And their names are Cook and Laundry?”
“Master Neferante named them after their job functions so he wouldn’t need to remember new names.”
“The room looks fantastic,” I said. “We might need to work on the smell. Maybe a coat of paint is in order.”
“What are we doing here, Slade?” Amak asked.
“Let’s go upstairs first,” I said. “Maggie, you’re welcome to stay down here. Flick can see to it that you have water and I’m not sure about grain.”
Maggie’s stout horse form melted to human. I wasn’t sure if it was progress or not that I was no longer bothered by her nakedness. My quandary was resolved when Gabriella handed her sweat pants and a shirt.
“How are you doing, Maggie?” I asked. Her long black hair was bedraggled and her face was pained.
“Everything Mom worked for is lost,” she said. “Adajania knows of your existence. She will find you and take you. I failed. We’ve all failed.”
For a moment, I just stared at her. My sister was sarcastic, unfiltered, rude and often silly. I’d never seen her so defeated.
“Adajania has weakness,” Amak said. “Slade teleported her right out of that hangar. If she was all knowing, she’d have stopped that crap right in its tracks.”
“He brought her here! To Kaelstan,” Maggie said. “Here. It’s only a matter of time before she comes looking for us and when she finds us, we’re done.”
“What we know is that she has Missy and now Mom,” I said. “I’m not giving up on either of them.”
“Felix, you can’t stand against a demigod. We can’t stand against a demigod.”
“It’s okay if you want to back out,” I said. “I’m not leaving them, though. That goes for all of you.”
I stepped into the rickety elevator car. Gabriella slid in next to me wordlessly.
“We’re going to need more help,” Amak said as she joined us in the elevator.
“You should not leave me behind this time,” Flick said.
Maggie swatted at me. “You’re such an ass. Like I’d leave Mom in a dungeon.”
I smiled. There was the Maggie I’d grown to love.
“Where to, Master? Are you in need of rest?” Flick asked.
“Please. Call me Felix,” I said. “Maggie needs food. Do we have any?”
“Oh, yes.” Flick pulled a lever that engaged the elevator car. “Ghrelins consume great quantities of food to pleasure themselves. Cook’s larder is full.”
“I’m still not clear on how you got left behind when mother sent me and Adajania to Gaeland,” I said.
“I only put you to bed, Master Felix. I was not aware that you had awoken,” he said. “Did you not engage the house security?”
“How would I do that, Flick? I’ve never owned a demon house.”
He looked down at his feet as we arrived on the first floor. “I failed you. It did not occur to Flick to instruct Master on the operation of the house.”
“How do I secure the house?” I asked, becoming impatient.
“There are switches at each level.”
“Why wouldn’t you do that yourself?”
“The switches only respond to the master,” he said. “It is on the wall, there.” He pointed to a single, bronze switch. It was ridiculously labeled in large script – ‘On’ and ‘Off’. The switch arm was flipped to ‘Off’
I stepped from the elevator car into the hallway and pulled the switch over to ‘On.’ Flick nodded his approval.
“Food,” I said. To the right was a bright parlor, filled with elegant seating and a grand fireplace. To the left looked to be a dining room, which was the direction Flick led us.
“Master requested a meal?” An even younger, emaciated male Peutering pushed through a swinging door that adjoined the dining room.
“Cook?” I asked.
“Yes, Master,” he said.
“Call me Felix,” I said. “You will prepare a large meal and I would have all who are part of this house join us.”
“We cannot, Master,” he said and then corrected himself. “Felix.”
“Why?”
“It is not done. Servants are not allowed Master’s food.”
“It is a new day, Cook,” I said. “In my house, this is allowed.”
What I wanted to do was to release all the servants. The entire idea of owning people was despicable to me. The fact was, I didn’t have time to deal with it. What I could do, however, was reduce the pain caused by the situation.
“Felix, what are we doing here?” Gabriella asked as we sat at a long, highly polished wooden table. I found the high-backed chairs comfortable as I sat next to her.
An older Peutering tentatively pushed through the kitchen’s swinging doors. Still small, like Flick, she appeared to be in her early fifties. She carried a tray of plates and placed them in front of each of us.
“Hold on, Gabriella,” I said. “What’s your name?”
I laid my hand on the older Peutering’s arm. She pulled back in alarm, cowering at my touch and dropped the plates, causing them to break. She shuddered and giant tears formed beneath her eyes as she stuttered. “Laundry.”
“Felix,” Gabriella reprimanded.
“You have no reason to fear me, Laundry,” I said, standing. “You will sit in my chair.”
She looked at me like I’d grown a second head and I had to urge her to sit. “You are not my servant and you have nothing to fear from me or my companions. I will clean this up.”
“No. Please,” she said, clearly not prepared to accept the conversation.
Flick must have heard the ruckus and rushed to join us.
“Master Felix. Allow her to clean the mess. It causes her distress to be in your presence,” he said.
“Gah. Okay,” I said. “Please explain that I’m not a demon and I won’t be torturing anyone.”
“You are not only demon,” Flick corrected.
I rolled my eyes. I certainly didn’t take it as a compliment.
“You really know how to find new problems,” Amak said, leaning back in a chair with her feet on the table.
“Tell me about it.” I blew out an annoyed breath. “You’re all wondering why we’re here. The fact is, I’m not about to let Gester run amok back home and I don’t trust the FBI to hold him. Sooner or later, he’ll go after Clarita and Lace.”
“Lace has taken Clarita into hiding,” Gabriella said. “Gester will not find them easily. Witches have been hiding from our oppressors for centuries. They’re safe for now.”
“Good,” I said. “Turns out. Gester lives right here in Tender Haut. I plan to give him a visit.”
“Isn’t this the demon that nearly turned you into spaghetti last time?” Amak asked.
I tried to ignore Laundry as she swept up broken plates.
“It’s different here,” I said. “Gester is not a real threat.”
“That’s nonsense,” Amak said. “You can’t expect to confront Gester at his home and win.”
Flick entered from the kitchen carrying a tray heaped with steaming sausages, potat
oes and eggs. Directly behind him, Cook followed carrying a similarly large tray with unrecognizable fruits and vegetables.
“Things are different in Kaelstan, Amak,” I said. “I’m more powerful here. I confronted Gester once and killed the previous owner of this house.”
“And you’re saying that was a Ghrelin?” Amak asked.
“Oh yes, Mistress Amak,” Flick said. “Master Felix is very powerful.”
“What gives, Slade. You’re not telling me something.”
“I probably should have told you this before bringing you here. My mom was forced to lie with demons. I’m not all human,” I said. I’d already intimated that truth to her but I wanted to lay it out plainly.
I had to give her credit, her only tell of shock was that her eyebrows rose. Our conversation was interrupted by Laundry, who set a basket of rolls between us.
“Thank you, Laundry.” Without making eye contact, she bowed her head and backed away. I couldn’t tell if that was progress or not. I decided to push the issue a little further. “Flick. I don’t see place settings for the three of you.”
“Of course not, Master Felix. We are grateful to be included in your meal and will eat in the kitchen,” he said.
“’Fraid not,” I replied. “House staff will join us for this meal.”
He closed his eyes and nodded, giving a pained expression, but avoided giving voice to his concern. I smiled as the three busied themselves getting place settings.
“No comment on the demon thing, Amak?” I asked.
“It is surprising,” she said, lisping on the ‘s’ in surprising, which she only did when distracted or stressed. “I don’t see how it changes who you are, though. You were my friend after you learned I was a troll. Who am I to judge.”
Maggie laughed sardonically. “Hardly a glowing recommendation.”
“Did you know?” I turned to her.
“Know what? That Mom was raped by demons at Adajania’s order?” she asked. “Or that we’re the result of some dammed biology experiment? No. Mom failed to mention any of that.” She picked at the food in front of her.
“You’re not hungry?” I asked.
“I guess all this ruined my appetite.” She tossed her fork onto the plate in front of her. I’d never seen her reject food after transforming.
“When did you first suspect?” I asked.
“I was in the hangar, Felix,” she said. “I heard Adajania.”
“Felix. Are you sure Gester lives in Tinder Haut?” Gabriella changed the subject.
“I seem to recall you mentioning that, Flick.” I turned to the three Peutering who had chosen to sit as far away from us as possible.
“Master Gester lives close but his home will be difficult to breach,” Flick answered. “He also has many servants that will come to his defense.”
“I’ll try not to hurt them,” I said. “But this thing with Gester ends today. Flick, are demon-kind able to own property?”
“It is unusual,” he replied.
“Flick. As of this moment, I transfer ownership of this property and all that is within it to you - aside from Amak, Gabriella, Cook, Laundry and Maggie. Cook and Laundry, I grant you your freedom. If Master Flick decides that you may retain residence here, so be it. Such is no longer my concern.”
“Master?” Flick said. “Please don’t.”
“It is done. If I fail with Gester, I’ll not have you punished by a new master.”
“I would stay with you,” Flick said. “Will you allow this?”
“As a free person… er… darkling,” I said.
“I accept. I hereby transfer ownership of this house to Laundry.”
The older Peutering looked from Flick to me. “I am not strong enough to defend this house.”
“If I survive, you can give it back,” I said. “If I don’t, you will need to make your own plans. It is the best I can do.”
Laundry held my gaze for a moment. “You are a strange master.”
“Not completely my fault. All this time I thought I was someone else,” I said. “Flick, if you’re coming with us, we might as well take the car, with Laundry’s permission, of course.”
“It is so granted,” Laundry said soberly.
“Grab your last bites,” I said. “I’d like to get this over with.”
Together, we rode back down to the dungeon in the elevator.
“Really, this is steam powered?” Amak watched excitedly as Flick loaded coals from a nearby permanent firebox into the smaller firebox on the back of the vehicle.
“It will take a few minutes to bring the water to a boil,” Flick said.
Placing my hand on the boiler, I drew a small amount of Kaelstan’s free energy to infuse the water. A moment later, the boiler’s relief valve whistled as steam escaped and the engine’s crank shaft spun wildly. The vehicle bucked at the sudden change to the system.
Flick gave me an appraising glance and dropped a measured scoop of fuel onto the coals. “We go.” He had to yell over the noise of the machine.
Amak studied the handles as she sat next to Flick. “Clutch and brake?” Amak yelled over the machine’s noise.
There was no steering wheel. Only a couple of sticks coming up through the floor with grip levers and a third, rounded stick with an L-shaped handle on it.
“Other way around,” Flick replied. “Brake.” He patted the lever on the left side. “Steer with this.” He pointed to the L-shaped handle that sat dead center in the vehicle.
With his left hand, Flick pulled on the paddle lever of what he’d identified as the clutch. As it compressed, the machine lurched forward. With his right, he steered us through the narrow passage.
Laundry and Cook met us at the garage door and swung it open as we escaped onto the brick street.
“This is insane!” Amak cackled.
“Don’t get all worried about what comes next or anything,” I yelled back. I loved that she was living in the moment, something I’d like to be better at.
Flick was right. The trip was about a mile. It was hard not to notice that every few blocks we traveled, the homes became nicer and the demons we passed more curious.
We stopped in front of a substantial home; at least three times the size of Neferante’s. Flick jumped out and tamped down the vehicle’s fire.
“What are you doing?” Amak caught up with me as I jumped from the car and strode up the granite walk that led to the front door. “It’s not like you can just ring the doorbell.”
“Why not?” I asked as Gabriella and Maggie caught up with us.
There was, indeed, an oversized doorbell with a painted, cartoonish sign that read ‘Door Bell.’ Just in case that wasn’t enough, an arrow pointed at the button.
“It could be a trap,” she said and shrugged her shoulders.
“Altum Visu.” I inspected the door and the entire wall in front of me. There was a significant energy barrier that went as far as I could see. I reached for the energy and was immediately tossed back onto my ass. The jolt felt like I’d been hit with a Taser, not that I’ll admit to having experienced that in the past.
Gabriella rushed to my side and helped me up. “Felix!”
A vehicle stopped in the road and a pair of Ghrelin looked at us, curiously.
“What are you looking at?” I growled and picked myself up from the granite slab.
The female ghrelin had ridiculously red painted lips and thick, blackened eyebrows, but was otherwise in her demon visage. She didn’t respond other than to lean back in her chair so that she could be more comfortable while watching.
“I don’t think we want an audience,” Gabriella whispered.
“Not sure we have a choice.” I stood up, brushed off my pants and approached the door again.
“The security is quite aggressive,” Flick said. “We might be making a mistake by approaching Lord Gester.”
“Better here than home,” I said. I pulled energy from Kaelstan, careful to avoid the bright purple boundary of th
e home’s security system. Amak drew Maggie and Gabriella back as I lobbed a pile of wild energy against the outer wall. I barely had time to incant my shield as the energy rebounded like a giant beach ball. With my shield, I deflected the energy over our heads and watched with some satisfaction as it landed in the street near our spectators, causing them to dive for cover.
“Master Felix, you are attracting considerable attention,” Flick said as several Ghrelin exited their homes to see what was happening. Gester’s might be the nicest home on the block, but he was by no means the largest demon.
I launched a series of fireballs into the fascia and watched in frustration as they rebounded harmlessly into the sky.
“Wizard,” a deep voice demanded from behind us. “Your kind is not welcome here.”
“Oh?” I asked, sarcastically. “What kind is that?” My voice trailed off as I turned. The group of demons had grown to a mob of twenty. At the front stood a giant white demon wearing only a towel, or possibly a sheet around its waist. It stood twelve feet tall and had to weigh in at seven or eight hundred pounds. In its left hand, it held a length of thick chain.
“Half-breed.”
Chapter 24
Down To Earth
I stepped toward the giant mob. The darkness within, which I’d so often feared, had been nipping at the edge of my consciousness for most of our trip and I fought to remain in control. I must have looked edgy as several of the smaller demons scooted back at my approach.
“Do you challenge my right to vengeance?” As I spoke, I made a decision and embraced the darkness. The rush of power was almost overwhelming.
“Felix,” Gabriella gasped, backing away from me.
I pushed her from my mind, locked eyes with the towering giant and breathed deeply. Everything snapped into focus. I could taste the fear of my companions standing next to and behind me, the excitement of the restless mob, and the hatred of the pale-skinned giant. And there was something else too. Doubt.
"You cannot hope to prevail against so many." The giant stepped forward and slowly swung the chain through the air. In addition to being a considerable physical threat, the chain acted as a lightning rod, drawing the wild energy of Kaelstan to its wielder.
Wizard Unleashed Page 24