by T. G. Ayer
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 released 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 past 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 wake, 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.”
“Actually, I meant you are a lot like Saleem when he was a boy. Disobedient, mouthy, little brat.”
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 squashing, 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. Clock’s 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.”
“So we’re dealing with an unknown element who means to be in control of the djinn’s ability to generate an unending source of power. Won’t you need actual djinn to create that power?” I asked, leaning forward as my heart thudded as my brain did somersaults over the possibilities.
“Exactly.”
The single word uttered by the djinn queen made me want to curl up and cry in a corner.
“Since these people have been as enterprising in their efforts as to imprison the queen and brainwash the prince, I’m assuming that gaining access to the djinn realm and eliminating them is a higher priority than we previously thought. And a problem that will affect more than just Mithras and its people.”
The demon nodded. “Can I assume that this isn’t common knowledge?”
Cassie snorted. “Clearly, you missed the part only moments ago when the various pieces of the puzzle fell into place,” she observed coldly. Her eyes glittered as she glared at him.
But Baa’ruk seemed unaffected by her anger. He tilted his head and then focused on Aisha, ignoring the ShapeChanger altogether. He met the djinn’s gaze and waited, his expression serene, but leaving everyone with little doubt that he suspected the queen knew more than she was telling.
Not news to me.
Aisha got to her feet, and suddenly the kitchen grew much, much smaller, the force of her personality filling the room. She moved over to the sink—the only available space—and faced the gathered group, as well as the unexpected newcomer.
“A few years ago, my husband came to the Earth-Realm hoping to study power generation techniques. He made a few connections, friends, a network of like-minded thinkers. But, Kassim was far too trusting. Suffice it to say, he said the right thing to the wrong people and rumors began to spread. He quashed them and returned home, but didn’t watch his back.”
I nodded. “Someone was watching him. They figured out where he went, followed him to Mithras and figured out a way to take over the realm and the power with it.”
The queen nodded, her face shadowed, gaunt, as though she’d aged a century as I’d been speaking.
Baa’ruk leaned forward. “Were they the ones who killed Kassim?” he asked gently.
Aisha didn’t answer, but she didn’t need to. Instead, she inhaled sharply and clapped her hands together. “Maybe we need to get moving.” She looked over at me. “What time does the window close?”
I looked at my watch. “Seven hours.”
She nodded almost to herself, then scanned the room. “I wish I could say that this legion would be enough to meet these people in battle, but I fear you will only be sufficient to perform a first strike. And it’s very likely that some of you will fall.”
The demon overlord shook his head. “I’m happy to offer my skills. I can help you to bring down the ward,” he said, looking at me.
“You can do
that? I thought this demon who created it was all-powerful or something.”
He shrugged. “Me and Aisha together?” He pursed his lips and nodded, confident. “Unbeatable.”
This word served to lift the spirits in the room, and I said, “How soon can we go?” And then while I was on the topic, I asked Aisha, “So what’s with this particular window? Why did Saleem tell me to come only within that time frame?” I wanted to say that I’d seen her reaction, but I held my tongue. No need to tell her that I was able to read her. Somewhat.
Aisha smiled sadly. “I’m afraid it was a message for me. The timing wasn’t all that important. He just wanted me to know that I had to make that call and come. I suspect he banked on your honesty and your gigantic lady balls.”
The room erupted with laughter, and even Drake broke a smile.
I shook my head. “So he knew I was lying to him?”
Aisha shrugged. “My son knows me only too well.”
“I should have told you about the timeframe when he first told me.”
Aisha shook her head, her eyes narrowing. “You could not have known. But now that I understand what he’s saying, we also know the urgency isn’t as dire as we believed.”
“I’m afraid it is,” said Darcy from beside me.
I glanced at her, and she nodded. “The amount of time that he’s spent under Wade’s ministrations is inversely proportional to the strength Saleem has to resist. We cannot dare to leave him there any longer. He’s already beyond the safety time period.”
Aisha cleared her throat. “Very well then. How fast can we gather more forces?”
“Fast enough,” said Logan while Kai nodded in agreement and then glanced over at Cassie before turning to Ivy. “Think you can round up some help from Sentinel?”
Ivy barked a very unladylike laugh. “Have you seen how pathetic I look? I may not even have to say please.”
With that, Ivy broke up the party and the kitchen emptied, leaving Kai alone with the demon overlord.
I wasn’t sure how I felt, having been racing toward the mission to extract Saleem from captivity, only to know that we had to prepare some more. His window had been a message for his mother, and the damn djinn had known all along that I’d been keeping something from him.