by T. G. Ayer
When Kai burst into the room moments later, I wasn’t surprised to hear her say, “I think Aisha is ill.”
“Where is she?” I yelled just as the walker spun and left the room.
I pushed off the cot and hurried after her, Darcy at my side. It was significant that she didn’t stop me, just rested a hand on my elbow as a silent reminder to take it easy.
Aisha had gone over to a room down the hall where we found her curled up on the floor, her eyes closed. The commander now followed us inside with Fathima at his side.
“I told you we needed to sedate her until this was over,” he muttered, eyes flashing with anger and worry. And perhaps a little more emotion in his eyes than was legal? Did the commander of the rebel army have the hots for the djinn queen? Now that would be an epic love story.
If she survives, I may yet find out.
Darcy sank down beside the queen who’d been rolled gently over and transferred to a nearby sofa. She laid a hand to Aisha’s temple and relaxed, spine curved as she focused her thoughts.
It took a few minutes before she returned, glancing up around us, her expression confused and filled with fear. Her gaze rested on the commander’s face for a moment, her eyes widening enough for the team to all turn their attention to the man.
He waved a hand. “What happened? Is she ok?”
Darcy nodded just as the queen began to regain consciousness. I shifted to her side, holding her hand despite how angry I was.
Damned woman could be so stubborn.
“I heard that,” she said inside my mind, reminding me that I hadn’t reset my protective barriers, what with all the drama around me. Then she chuckled, “You’ve learned well. Keep up the good work.”
I rolled my eyes. “How do you feel? And can I just say that was a dumb thing to do?” I asked out loud.
Aisha smiled, ignoring the sharp intake of breath from one of the warriors in the room. “My kingdom, my choice, dear.”
I snorted. “Not if you kill yourself in the process.”
She reached a hand and cupped my cheek. “Nothing is ever worth it if you’re not willing to give up everyone in order to keep it safe.”
I pursed my lips but kept my mouth shut.
Darcy cleared her throat just then. “May I have a private word? Fathima may stay, but everyone else must leave other than our team. We can decide from there who this information can be shared with.”
Fathima nodded and jerked her head at the closest warrior who hurried out of the room without a word. The rest followed in silence and again I noted the commander’s sudden absence. The man certainly had the skill to depart a room without notice.
With everyone gone, Drake closed the door and approached us as Darcy asked Aisha, “This is a sensitive matter that will reveal your vulnerability. Of the team within the room, do you wish any one of us to leave you in private while we talk this through?”
“Is this big?”
Darcy paused. “Gigantanormous?”
Aisha huffed. “And I take it this will affect all the members of our team?”
“Possibly not all will be affected directly.”
“But they all came along and risked their lives.” Aisha nodded. “Do carry on, dear. If we cannot share our vulnerabilities, including the joint burden of a mysterious price we will pay for our use of the Sharaita, I’m not sure what is worth sharing at all.”
Darcy nodded and met my eyes for a second. Then she said, “While I was checking if your mind was still intact, I had to back out—which will explain why I was so quick to come back. I came up against something within your mind and I was afraid that should I tamper with it, I may end up causing your brain to turn into mush.”
The room was filled with a taut silence for a long moment as I shared a glance with Kai and Logan. Seemed we were right to have kept some details from Aisha.
Except she hadn’t listened and had joined us in the attack in the tunnels. So it appeared we’d found our mole.
And it appeared that, all along, Sentinel had known something we hadn’t.
Then, Aisha said, “Well, dear. Wasn’t that good thinking?”
I snorted though the comment did draw some amused laughter from the team. Probably mixed right in with relief.
Then the queen pushed to sit upright and looked around. “So, I have a bug in my brain. Who says that life can’t still surprise a woman as old as I am?” Though she was making light of the whole thing, I could tell she was in shock: her skin had paled and the light in her eyes had faded. And she was probably connecting her unsanctioned presence in the tunnels to how the witch had known where we would be to cut us off.
“Well, at least we found the culprit,” said Fathima as she pouted at Aisha. “Now, how do we terminate the bug so Her Majesty stops transmitting?”
“And let’s try that without terminating Her Majesty in the process,” I added.
Darcy gave a half smile. “The only thing I can suggest is that I erect a block for you. One that can act like a cage to protect them from receiving any details.”
“And can we ensure that the entire team be protected in the same manner?” Aisha asked softly.
Darcy smiled and glanced around at all the faces. Everyone nodded and seemed okay with it, though I wasn’t sure we’d all need to be protected. Whatever happened from here on out, I didn’t see every single person on the team being involved. But I remained silent on that subject.
“I can definitely do that,” Darcy said, a certain finality in her voice telling everyone that the meeting was over.
Logan and Kai left the room, the rest trailing after them to provide us with some privacy. Soon, Darcy and I were alone with Aisha, whose face now looked a damned sight more haggard than when she’d taken her little trip to speak to her son.
The queen sighed. “Thank you my dear, for your discretion. I fear I am quite shocked to find that I am the one who has jeopardized everything. Was jeopardizing everything all along.”
Darcy shook her head. “I think we can all say that you would never have done anything willingly, which explains why Omega put the bug there in the first place.”
“And answers the question as to why Sentinel wanted the medical exam done. It was a charade just so they could check for the mole.”
“You think the doctor was a MindMelder?” asked Aisha, her eyes meeting mine briefly.
“That would make the most sense,” I replied, suddenly exhausted, mind, body and soul.
Aisha sighed. “I only wish I’d suspected something. I’ve never even sensed that anything was in my head that shouldn’t be there.”
“Do you think they would have heard our discussions?” I asked Darcy, anxiety pooling within me.
“It’s likely, although the bug works in such a way that a MindMelder—a low-level one would do—has to physically access the magic to see what’s happening around you. It’s more like a remote camera than anything. And it doesn’t read thoughts. And the power of the transmission degenerates with time.”
Aisha was nodding and I wondered if she was thinking of the power-block she’d requested for her son all those years ago.
Then Darcy said, “Saleem has one too,” almost giving me a heart attack.
I stared at her, mouth open, then looked at the queen who appeared confused and worried as she too probably wondered if Darcy had been the one to erect the protective barriers around Saleem’s powers.
But Darcy continued speaking, and was saying, “I placed a block in his mind at his request, just before he left for Mithras—I mean came to Mithras. I’m hoping that would have protected him somewhat.”
“I think you meant to say you’re hoping it would have taken Ward longer to break through,” I muttered.
Darcy nodded. “Exactly what I was meaning,” she said with a bright fake smile.
I sighed and tapped my foot on the bare wood floor. “So what now? How soon can we try again?”
Aisha shrugged. “All plans are up in the air at the moment. I’m
assuming we can storm the palace as soon as we’re all blocked and ready. I don’t see any reason to delay unless there’s something Fathima and her people haven’t revealed to us.”
I nodded, well prepared to put down a bet that they were also holding out on us. Seemed like par for the course these days.
Chapter 41
With the tunnels devastated and preventing the teams from entering the palace through the Caves of Zemamra, and while we had the cover of darkness and the assistance of the mayhem caused by the simultaneous explosions, we had to devise another plan to storm the palace.
Again.
There had been mention at some point of a tower entrance, which was Fathima’s current suggestion as we had gathered to discuss our next steps.
“If it’s a tower-access point, I know a guy with wings,” I said with a smirk. We’d decided that it was far too risky to do any jumping this close to the palace.
“You are turning me into a beast of burden?” Logan rolled his eyes. “This is the thanks I get.”
Everyone laughed, including the commander, whose presence I was sure was only because Aisha was sleeping off the effects of her treatment from Darcy—though I suspected the queen’s state of unconsciousness had been further assisted by Fathima.
I’d recovered well enough, but I had to wonder if the queen had been more affected by the creation of the spell to get us through the Veil, and the transition using the Sharaita, than she had been letting on. That plus the bug in her brain, and the emotional weight of her unconscious betrayal, would certainly be affecting her by now.
I’d have to keep a closer eye on her if this whole mission was going to continue for much longer. Although, Aisha unconscious was also a good way to deal with the queen.
With Logan the designated packhorse, the rebels provided lists of names and locations where they would need to be dropped off. With time running out, the plan was to infiltrate the palace and for only those with the block placed by Darcy to enter.
The EarthWorld team was already protected by the Kelans, a safety net not available to just any djinn, which led me to believe that was one of the reasons the commander had been happy to bring on a team of non-djinn agents to assist.
The tower we were meant to enter turned out to be a library, a place of such beauty that on arrival, I was determined that we would not cause any damage inside the historic space.
After gathering beside the orange orchard, and thankful for the lack of moonlight, my team settled in place on Logan’s back—the dragon, not the man. I did a quick projection into the library and confirmed it as empty. Logan surged up into the air and glided along the air-currents, making good time to the tower.
He landed on a wide parapet, gripping the stone with his gleaming talons as we slid down a collection of ropes attached to his neck. He’d looked ridiculous before he’d transformed, with them all coiled around his neck.
Once we landed on the narrow balconette and were in place, Logan also transformed and the team moved in. I wanted Darcy to remain with me just in case, so our team was a little bigger than needed.
“The royal suites are on the other side of the palace. Just follow me and we’ll get there soon, hopefully without any trouble,” Drake said. He’d been updated on the layouts and locations of everything and everyone within the palace by Fathima.
The halls of the palace were dark and silent as the team made their way through. “Seems as though the place has been evacuated,” Kai whispered from up ahead.
“If Division 7 decided to cut their losses, especially now that all their batteries had been hidden away, that’s possible. Though unlikely,” I replied, my tone hard. “I don’t see these assholes giving up that easy. Especially not the head pecker.”
“Huh?” Kai said, glancing over her shoulder at me. I heard Darcy snort from behind and wondered if she’d run across that bit of info somewhere inside my mind.
I shook my head. “Inside joke. Explain later.”
Though Kai appeared annoyed to have to wait to find out, she remained silent and we headed further down plush-carpeted halls with gilt-edged paintings and portraits to accompany us in our journey.
The rebel warriors had done an amazing job finding places all over the realm to hide the people they’d saved from the production plants. Still, it felt as though the wind had been taken out of my sails having to come into the palace intent on fighting our way in, only to find the place abandoned.
But, in the end, it didn’t matter as long as we found Saleem.
We were closing in on the royal suites when I tapped Drake on the arm. “Once we confirm the palace is abandoned, we can get Fathima and her people over here.” Drake gave a nod, eyes tracking left and right as we reached a junction.
A few turns later, I slowed my steps and looked over my shoulder, my heart sinking as I found that my worst fears had been realized.
Darcy was missing.
Fear in my throat, I whispered the news to Drake. “I’m going to check on her so watch my back. And we have to slow down. I don’t want to have to waste time backtracking when we find her.”
Drake nodded and slowed his pace, up ahead, Kai and Logan did the same having noticed my worried expression and then Darcy’s absence.
With Drake watching over me, I slipped into the ether, a little worried that I’d be detected as I certainly had no clue how to hide my presence. I shifted away and reached out for Darcy’s life-thread, spotting it almost instantly. Aware of the danger, I moved with care instead of rushing headlong toward her to get her to safety in case Ward had gotten hold of her.
Her thread pulsed, darkness twisting and looping within the bundle of energy that was her spirit and essence. Darcy was in trouble, and afraid, the darkness of the threads revealing how deep her terror had grown.
I reached Darcy and eased slowly to the edge of the ether to check on her location. Darcy stood stiffly inside a darkened room where furniture lay broken and tossed across the floor.
I whispered the location to Drake, who would pass the info on to Logan and Kai. The gargoyle could have jumped to Darcy easily enough but he didn’t, as aware as I was that Ward was unpredictable and dangerous. We could only guess at his strength and at his power over our MindMelder friend.
Darcy was shaking her head.
She held her thigh protectively and I looped around to check, concerned to find a deep slash in her jeans and blood staining the front of one leg all the way to the hem. He must have hit an artery.
But why was he hurting her physically when he could easily enough have burrowed into her mind? I remained still, hoping I could remain off his radar for as long as possible.
When I spotted Ward, I stiffened.
He lay on the ground a few feet from Darcy, his blood-drenched body stricken, limbs twisted as though caught within a convulsion. Darcy, though also unmoving, appeared calm and unhurt.
Though I couldn’t be sure without entering her mind.
Something I wouldn’t do even if I knew how.
Then I heard that laughter again and Darcy’s body convulsed. I’d suspected the guffawing to have come from Ward and I was horrified to find I was right. Worse still, that laughter, and Darcy’s fear had me worried that perhaps he’d sensed my presence here in the ether above them.
Then the laughter turned into a choking cry and I let out a breath of relief.
“You deserve to die,” Darcy said.
“You can’t kill me now can you, darling?” came the man’s strangely hollow voice.
Darcy smirked. “You greatly overestimate your power, master.”
Ward snorted but even from where I hovered, I could hear the hesitation in his utterance.
“Come quietly, Ward. I’m going to let you live, but since we only need your mind, I have no limitations on what I can do to your body.”
I swallowed at the utter emotionless tone of Darcy’s voice. It seemed as though her personality had shifted from warmth and care to cold and calculating, and I almost fe
lt as though this side of her was real.
I suppressed a shudder, worried this was going to delay us, worried Ward would find a way to escape, worried we’d miss Saleem altogether.
Then Ward’s body twisted and he let out a horrific screech, then fell silent and still on the floor.
Darcy slumped over, clutched her thigh and said, “Don’t worry. I wouldn’t have tortured him. Much.”
I shifted to solidity beside her, aware the team was already entering the room. “You had me worried there for a moment,” I said as I stepped over to check on Ward.
Darcy grunted. “He’s caged. His mind’s cordoned off until we decide to access it. His body though...”
“Darcy?” I said with a laugh. “What are you doing to the guy?”
She lifted a shoulder and gave a shrug. “Nothing much. Let’s just say that if Fathima decided to consider Ward for inclusion in the pecking order, he’d decline saying he lacked the...appendage. And then he’d reconsider because he’d find he was wrong. And then—”
I raised a hand. “I get it. But while you have your fun, I need to find the prince and get us out of here.”
Chapter 42
I’d left Darcy and the team to keep a close eye on Ward and shifted my senses into the ether. And latched onto Saleem’s life-thread almost instantly. His essence was strong, stronger than ever before. It appeared more likely than ever that Ward had broken through the memory block on Saleem’s mind and freed the powers Aisha was so afraid of.
But there could be time—once we got out of this crap-heap—to figure out how dangerous his new abilities were, both to himself and to us. Not to mention the danger he posed to the DarkWorld in its entirety.
For now, I focused, took a breath and followed Saleem’s thread right to the throne room, and sucked in a breath of horror. The hooded witch stood on the dais in front of the gleaming golden thrones, hands outstretched. The hood bathed much of her face in shadows but I could see her mouth and chin, lips contorted in focused fury as she threw a spinning ball of magic at Saleem.
I materialized inside the throne room, terrified that the witch was about to obliterate Saleem with her flaming orb. Without thinking, I planted between the witch-bitch and Saleem, thinking only to protect him as I drew my power to my palms and allowed it to surge forth.