Chapter 29 #2
Fresh panic seized me. The threat was there, calmly hidden beneath a layer of sincere interest. Tenzen wanted me, but if I didn’t work out to his satisfaction, he’d track down other necromancers. He’d harvest my species, weeding out the ones he deemed useless and grooming the ones with potential.
“What is it?” Phlox asked. He was close enough that I felt his breath on my cheek. “What are they?”
“Djinn,” I answered, the word nearly getting caught in my throat.
Phlox immediately hissed. “You’re a fool, Huxley.”
“I am the opposite,” Tenzen argued. “A fool would have already released the djinn. I have been patient. I have waited until this moment, until the one known being on this planet who can truly harm a djinn is within my grasp and control.”
“Rather presumptuous of you.” Leon’s words sounded cool and controlled once more. I hadn’t looked back to see if he was still in his vampiric form or not. Considering the ever-present threat, I doubted he’d relaxed.
I stared at the objects on the mantel, their djinn still peacefully sleeping. “What’s to stop me from slamming their souls back in them the moment you release the djinn?”
Tenzen’s smokey chuckle sent shivers down my spine.
“I find it difficult to believe you would do so. You are frighteningly compassionate when it comes to djinn. You would not wish to harm one that had yet to do harm to you. And just in case I’ve misjudged your conscience, I still have two very strong motivators for you to play nicely with my desires. ”
My fingers fisted into my sweaty palms. “And just what is it you desire?” That was the crux of this whole damn situation. What in the hell did Tenzen want badly enough to risk releasing not one, but two djinn that could very well wind up destroying him?
All jovialness left Tenzen’s features, leaving behind cold calculation. Shadow weaved a little closer while at the same time appearing increasingly volatile. “What do I want? I want what everyone wants—control. There is but one way to do so. Fairy must be put in its place.”
I blinked. Leon had suspected as much, but to hear it from Tenzen himself… “You want to drive Fairy back to their realm?”
“No.” Tenzen’s grin returned, just as wicked as before. “I want to destroy Fairy.”
“Goddess,” Phlox gasped. “You want to destroy a whole species?”
Tenzen’s lips pulled back, exposing pointed teeth. “And Fairy hasn’t done the same? They’ve wiped out species here on this planet.”
“I…” Phlox seemed at a loss for words.
I didn’t have that problem. “That doesn’t give you the right to do the same.”
“You misunderstand me, Necromancer Boone. I require no justification for my actions. I was simply pointing out a fact Agent Frost seems eager to forget.”
“Arrogant asshole,” Phlox muttered, hopefully too low for Tenzen to hear.
Fairy’s takeover of Earth happened before I was born, as did most of the carnage that came with it.
I didn’t know if what Tenzen said was true or not.
What I did know was even if it was, what I’d said before still held true.
That didn’t give Tenzen the right to destroy a whole species.
Claiming acceptability based on previous violence was an unsustainable cycle that harmed everyone.
Tenzen’s gloved hand lovingly ran along the edge of the rock.
“Currently, Fairy is beyond my abilities. If my brethren had remained aware…if they understood what Fairy had done, what they’d taken from us…
” Smoke billowed from Tenzen’s nostrils.
“I attempted to wake them, but their slumber is deep. They do not wish to be a part of this world any longer.”
Leon’s voice was still calm when he said, “They might have been enough to stop Fairy from gaining control of Earth, but they would not have been able to gain entry into Fairy any more than you.”
“I am aware. That’s what my djinn are for.”
I’d never thought to ask Aurelia if she could get into Fairy.
Given how much she wanted a scuttlebutt I would have thought she’d make the attempt long ago if only to obtain one.
That made me think she couldn’t enter either.
And if that were the case, then how did Tenzen expect these djinn to do what Aurelia couldn’t?
Phlox echoed my thoughts. “Djinn can’t get into Fairy either. You have to be invited in, and I can guarantee you that Queen Silvidia would never authorize a djinn inside her borders.”
“Pathetic,” Shadow whispered, its deep voice slithering into the room. “These creatures are nothing. Allow me to rid the earth of their ignorance.” Shadow swayed forward, its intentions radiating threat.
“Soon,” Tenzen promised, that one word spiking my pulse.
“You said—”
“I promised you nothing,” Tenzen coldly stated. “And Shadow is correct. None of you can conceive a djinn’s true power—manipulation. Collateral. The key to every successful negotiation.”
We’d come full circle, and the truth of Tenzen’s words hit their mark. He’d use the same tactic with Fairy that he was using with me. Take something—someone—that was important. Use that individual to invite the snake into the garden. In this case—djinn.
I couldn’t allow that to happen. I loved Momma and Franklin. I loved them beyond measure, and yet in that moment I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I couldn’t allow Tenzen to wipe out a whole species.
And it wasn’t just about Fairy. We might grumble and complain about Fairy Law, but if it were to suddenly vanish, then what?
It would leave a power vacuum. One that Tenzen would happily fill.
I couldn’t imagine the world would be better off.
Fairy Law was strict, but it was also fair.
The law was in place to protect all species.
Fairy might have been heavy-handed when they’d taken over Earth, but they’d also saved it from self-destruction.
Gaia only knew where we’d be—if we’d even still be here—if Queen Silvidia hadn’t intervened when she did.
I could stop this madness if I shoved the djinn’s souls back into their bodies the moment they were released.
But if we couldn’t stop Tenzen Huxley, here and now, then it would only be delaying the inevitable.
Tenzen would most likely murder me and everyone else in this room.
He’d be pissed, but he’d continue his search.
There were still more djinn out there to find and Tenzen had all the time in the world to hunt them down.
Everyone said I was one of a kind, that I was a necromancer anomaly, but most likely that wasn’t true.
I might be rare, but I couldn’t be the only one who’d remained sane enough and who had enough power to do what Tenzen wanted.
Eventually he’d find another necromancer and the cycle would repeat itself.
Head tilted toward the floor, tears pressed against the back of my eyes. I knew what I’d have to do. I also knew what that meant. None of us were walking out of here alive.
“I’m sorry.” Those words were barely a whisper that I knew Phlox and Leon would hear.
Phlox’s hand found my shoulder again, and I felt the press of his chest against my back. “We understand.” A well of sadness and determination enveloped those two words. “Your momma and Franklin will understand too.”
They would. I was certain. I wasn’t so sure about Pops.
He’d understand why. I wasn’t so sure he’d forgive me though.
I just… I just wanted to see Momma and Franklin again first. I wanted a chance to explain, to tell them again how much I loved them.
I wanted to feel Franklin’s arms around me, to feel his flesh against mine.
Franklin touched me so freely and happily.
His touch was a gift. Knowing I’d never feel it again gutted me.
“You are thinking something very foolish, Necromancer Boone.” Tenzen’s voice hardened. “I doubt you are as irreplicable as you think.”
Head still hanging, I nodded. “Oh, I know.” I pressed my eyelids closed, squeezing tight and pushing back tears.
I’d no more than raised my head when I heard Phlox gasp and Leon roar.
Shadow flew apart, black tendrils racing toward us.
Instinctively taking a step back, I slammed into Phlox and Leon.
I threw my arms wide, trying to shield them but the shadows raced forward anyway.
Like a child, I squeezed my eyes closed, waiting for the inevitable.
Seconds ticked by. Phlox’s heavy breaths rattled against my ear and shifted my hair.
Leon’s growls continued echoing above my head.
Eyes slipping open, I found myself staring at a squirming wall of black.
Snake-like tendrils danced around us, snapping forward only to bounce back, unable to get through.
Mouth hanging open, I twisted my head this way and that only to find the same situation surrounding us.
“W-what the…?” I wasn’t sure what to say. Hands still raised, I noticed a brilliant glow coming from my finger. My eyes widened as I stared at the ring Pops had insisted I wear—the wedding band he’d made especially for me.
I couldn’t stop staring as I ignored the angry curses Shadow spewed.
My grin was slow to form but quick to expand into something manic.
“He warded my ring.” I threw my head back, nearly smacking into Phlox.
“Sweet Gaia. Pops warded my ring.” I had no idea how he’d done it, how he’d packed so much power into such a small band. Leave it to Pops to figure out a way.
Space developed behind me, and I felt Phlox pushing away. “Don’t! Don’t move back. Stay next to me.”
“They’re hurting Leon.” Panicked rage filled Phlox’s voice.
“We need to get him closer to me. I’m not sure how far Pops’s protection stretches.” It seemed to be covering Phlox, but Leon was at Phlox’s back.
“I am fine, beloved. Stay—”
“Like hell I will.” Phlox flew up but not far. Quickly transforming into his Pallas’s cat form, Phlox managed to make himself smaller. Now propped on Leon’s shoulder, it was Leon’s chest at my back instead of Phlox.
“You good now?” I asked Leon.
“I am well. Thank you. Truly, Holland is a master at his craft.”
“Do not tell the warlock this.” Aurelia’s voice cut through the static filling my ears. “He is difficult enough as is. As you requested, your progenitor is restrained within the vehicle we arrived in. He is very displeased. He should be thankful. I left him company.”
“Company?” I questioned.
“Hikaru is with him.”
Oh, I’ll bet Pops was more than displeased.
If we survived, he’d never let me hear the end of it.
That didn’t matter. What was important was that Pops would be alive enough to be angry.
I hadn’t been able to keep him at home, but I could keep him out of this house and away from Huxley’s immediate grasp.
At least, with Aurelia’s help. She’d agreed a little too easily, eager to get permission to irritate Pops.
With Aurelia’s presence, the shadows pulled back as quickly as they’d arrived. I didn’t know if Tenzen could harm Aurelia and had no desire to find out. “Careful, Aurelia.”
“I am always cautious,” Aurelia answered. “Cautious and calculating. This is not the first master I have had to deal with.” There was a well of spite and hatred wrapped into that one word.
“I don’t doubt that but—” The house shook, sounding like it was ready to come off its foundation. “What in Gaia’s name is—” I slammed my hands over my ears. Tenzen’s head flew back, his mouth gaping unnaturally wide as an unearthly scream ripped from his throat.
“Shadow!” Needing nothing more than their name spoken, Shadow fragmented, its dark tendrils flying up and through the ceiling.
The house settled. Tenzen Huxley did not.
My breath caught. Long gone was the gentlemanly disguise.
Jacket torn asunder, a tattered shirt covered Tenzen’s chest. His shoes lay shredded around his feet, exposing dark black claws.
His gloved hands were similar, those same ebony talons extending from elongated fingertips.
But the absolute most disturbing feature were Tenzen’s eyes. A sickening yellow ringed a slitted pupil. His goat-like eyes stared into nothing, and yet I imagined they saw everything.
“They will pay for this offense.” Tenzen’s words were sharp and filled with rage. “They will pay dearly.”
A thump sounded to my left, and my hand flew to my mouth, covering my joy with overwhelming dismay. Momma and Franklin lay on the floor, black shadows writhing over them. It was all too easy to see who Tenzen’s rage was directed at. He was murderously furious with the people I loved.