Chapter 29
A STROLL WITH THE CRAZY DUDE
BLUE
Evil boy carries me through the palace. I hold on to the bars of my tiny prison to stay upright.
Not complaining about being his pet right now.
It means I get to scope out me surroundings.
The last few days, he teks me everywhere with him.
Enough so I know what’s keepin’ the anchors asleep and where all the guards are stationed.
Dharma, Joe, Bina, and the drohi are allocated ground duty, so they’re outside a lot.
I get the feeling that the primordial evil doesn’t like seeing ’em. Dunno why, though.
We’ve been all over the palace, even down to the kitchens where Asura make the meals. Yeah, that part is weird cos where are the pari gone? My conclusion? The pari are immune to his power. Means he’s not all powerful, but it could also mean that he’s savin’ his power for the unmaking of this world.
A shiver raises me fur. Not gonna lie, his story about being fucked over by the Deva makes me feel bad for the guy.
I mean, he had his world taken away and was locked up just cos the Deva wanted more time for this one, and then what do they go and do anyway?
They fuck off and leave this world to war.
I’m beginning to think the universe leaves its power in the wrong hands.
So yeah, I feel sorry for the guy, but that don’t mean I agree with him ending us all. There has to be another way, but he says there isn’t. I don’t believe him, though, probably cos of the manic gleam in his eyes when he says it.
I think being locked away for fuck knows how long has driven him nuts.
“So where we off to tonight?”
“I was wondering when you’d ask,” he says, a hint of humor in his voice. “Tonight, we’re going to check on an old friend.”
We pass down a long corridor that’s new to me, and I’ve pretty much explored the whole of this palace.
I keep me mouth shut, though. Don’t want him knowing how well I know the layout of this place.
But it’s strange. The walls are red…pulsing as if they’re alive. They make me want to shrink and hide.
Cool air riffles through me fur, and we’re outside in a part of the garden that I haven’t seen yet. We’ve got ta be on the northwestern side of the palace. I look back at the building to get me bearings and freeze as a red gaping hole in the wall behind us closes up.
“What did ya do?”
“Opened a short path to where I needed to be.”
He says it as if it’s the most common thing ever, but it’s not.
It’s power, and it’s not information I can file away.
An eerie green glow blooms ahead of us, and the urge to shrink fills me again.
It’s a dome. A huge green dome covering the grass ahead, and sitting in the center of it is a brown-skinned naked man. He watches us with yellow eyes.
Fuck, there’s somethin’ familiar about this guy.
Mizikiel comes to a halt by the dome. “Good evening, Pakshiraj.”
Fuck. What the—
“Mizikiel.” Pakshiraj inclines his head in greeting.
“So you remember now?” Mizikiel says, a slight sneer to his tone.
“Yes, I remember. I remember it all.”
“Good. Then I can end you knowing that you understand why.”
“You believe that I betrayed you.”
“I know it. You…We were friends, and you did not stop them. You didn’t warn me what would happen.”
“No. I didn’t. I had no choice but to keep my silence. Just as I have no choice but to sit in this dome now and wait for my end.” He stands slowly. “But I remember you, friend. I remember what was done to you, and I am sorry for it. For my part in it, however unwilling.”
Tension rolls off Mizikiel, making my whiskers twitch. “You think apologies will suffice?”
Pakshiraj exhales and closes his eyes for a beat. “No. Nothing can erase or soothe what was done to you. I understand why you believe this world should end.”
“The balance must be restored.”
“Is that what you tell yourself?”
Mizikiel’s eyes narrow dangerously. “It is the truth of it.”
Pakshiraj inclines his head. “If you say so, friend.”
The air goes thin and then expands.
“It is! It is the truth!” Mizikiel bellows, spittle flying from his lips.
My stomach contracts. This is the first time I’ve seen him lose his shit. The first time that he’s been less than controlled.
“The existence of this world has upset the balance of this universe.” He spits out the words like bullets, then inhales through his nose, closing his eyes for a moment, obviously grounding himself.
Thank gods. When he opens his eyes to speak next, the crackle and tension have gone.
His voice comes out smooth and even and completely sane.
“Worlds that should have been born, stories that should have been told have been left to darkness, and fractures have formed in the fabric of being. This world takes energy that must be siphoned elsewhere. You stopped me from my duty once, but you will not stop me again.” He moves closer to the dome, his voice dropping to a lethal whisper.
“This world will die. I will see to it.” He looks up at the sky. “New stars await to be born.”
Pakshiraj’s gaze flicks to me for a beat, then to the far left of the dome before going back to Mizikiel. I follow his gaze and spot the pillar on the other side of the dome barrier. There’s a glowing green gem embedded in it.
Mizikiel drops his chin to look at Pakshiraj. “You will die, but not until you watch your bonded die by my hand.”
Ice floods my veins. He’s talkin’ ’bout hurting Leela. My Leela. A hot coil expands in my belly.
“I won’t let you hurt her,” Pakshiraj says.
“You’ll have no way to stop me. That dome is impregnable.”
“This dome surrounding me might be, but the one around Aakash Sansaar isn’t. Not to me or my kind.”
My ears prick up, and even though he isn’t looking at me, I know his words are meant for me.
“Your kind are in my control,” Mizikiel reminds him.
“Not all of them.”
“Maybe so, but they know better than to attack me. They are wise enough to know that they will lose. I have their king, after all. And you are not going anywhere.” He smiles thinly.
Satisfied. “I’ll be back soon, and the next time I’ll have Leela with me.
” He turns away from Pakshiraj and the dome.
“Come, Blue, we have an interrogation to make now.”
It teks everything in me not to curse him out and demand he leave my Leela alone. I’m proud of meself when my voice comes out normal. “Who are we interrogating?”
“A little spy I caught skulking on the castle grounds.”
My chest clenches. “Spy?”
“Yes, a pathetic looking creature, all skin and bones. I’m sure it won’t take much to make him talk.”
No…It couldn’t be. If Arpita’s spy was here, then it means Chandra escaped…or is close to it. But if he spills the beans to Mizikiel, then we are fucked.
Crimson tunnels morph into crimson steps, pulsing with soft pink veins as if alive.
Down, down, into a basement area of the palace we go.
Cold, dark stone, damp air, and a godawful stench like death, despair, piss, and shit.
Bile stings the back of my throat, the cheese from lunch threatening to come back up.
I breathe through my mouth, scanning the gloom, lit by two wall sconces, as we glide past empty cells.
How had I missed this place? And how is the evil fucker making tunnels to get around?
My stomach goes rock hard at the sight of the spy cowering in a cell. One side of his face is swollen around his eyes and cheekbone. His mouth is bloody, and his leg is at an odd angle. Broken.
He looks at me with his good eye and quickly drops his gaze.
A figure stands a few feet from the cell, and nausea rolls in my stomach when I recognize Joe. His blank face is speckled with blood. His fists are dark with it too.
He did this.
He hurt the little spy dude.
Sweet, kind Joe…Fuck. I can only hope he doesn’t remember this. Or any other horrific thing he’s been forced to do.
“Are you ready to speak now?” Mizikiel asks the spy. “Tell me who sent you and I will allow you to be healed. You will no longer be in pain.”
I don’t get this guy. He plans to end the world and everyone in it, but he’s offerin’ to heal his torture victim. He is one fucked-up dude.
“Well,” Mizikiel demands. “Speak now. Tell me what I need to know or experience more pain.”
“I have nothing to say to you,” the spy says softly.
“You will die here, then. There is no escape.”
The small man looks up, his eyes dark and filled with emotions that make my chest hurt. “There is no escape for me. I know that.” His gaze flicks to me for less than a heartbeat, and I know…I know what he’s trying to say. I know why he came back.
Mizikiel steps closer, and the spy cries out and clutches his head. “There it is,” Mizikiel says, “the fracture I need.”
My pulse races, and I clutch the bars of my cage harder. “What are you doin’ to him?”
“Don’t worry, Blue, this won’t hurt him any more than he’s already hurting. I just needed his shields weakened with pain so I can get into his head. I can find the answers I need now. All of them.”
The spy’s eyes go round.
Our gazes lock, and then the man grabs his own head and twists. There’s a crack, and his body goes limp, the life draining from his eyes as he hits the ground.
Dead.
“No!” Mizikiel’s bellow echoes around us, then dies.
I can’t tear my eyes away from the body.
Mizikiel takes a breath and exhales. “I will find out who sent you. If there is a plan to oppose me, I will root it out. Nothing will stand in the way of what must be.”
From behind us, Joe speaks, his voice mechanical and flat. “There is an attack on the obelisk.”
Mizikiel scoffs. “Let them attack. They won’t get to it.” He closes his eyes briefly. “More troops have been dispatched. We’ll have the culprits in our custody soon enough, and these cells…they will be home to all who try to oppose me for the rest of their short lives.”
He turns away, taking me with him, and I know what I need ta do. The attack on the obelisk is the sign. It’s a diversion for Chandra to get to a portway and find Leela, which means it’s time to make my escape.
But I won’t be doing it alone. I’m teken me friends with me.