no idea.
Unfortunately, no. The edge in Azriel’s mind voice was deeper, the frustration stronger.
It’s really not surprising given they’d sense your presence. The Raziq might be greater in numbers, but they weren’t fools. And they certainly had no desire to risk their lives – as evidenced by their continuing use of the Ania to do their dirty work. Not that either that fact or Azriel’s presence in any way lessened my fear of them. I licked my lips and gripped Amaya a little tighter. “Show yourself, Malin.”
My voice sounded oddly small in the damp, stale confines of the cavern.
“Malin is not here.” The disembodied voice was male, and while it held no threat, it nevertheless sent a chill down my spine. This was the Raziq I’d spoken to the first time I’d been captured – the Raziq who’d invaded my brain and made it seem like every part of me was being torn apart. A Raziq I thought I’d killed. Obviously, I was wrong.
Not. Sound same, Amaya said. Tasted sweet. Want more.
And I’d love to give you more. Trouble was, I doubted the Raziq would so foolishly expose themselves like that again.
“And even if she were,” the disembodied voice continued, “she would not be foolish enough to show herself with the Mijai present. His desire for revenge is so fierce it stains the fields.”
I snorted. “The only thing staining the fields is you lot. You’re the ones who made the goddamn keys and created this mess we all find ourselves in.”
“We do not need to justify our action to the likes of you —”
“No,” I cut in fiercely, “but you sure as hell have to depend on my help. And you know what? It’s about time you started remembering that. Because without me, there is no way on earth you’re going to get your greedy little mitts on those keys again.”
Risa, Azriel warned. As much as I agree with what you’re saying, antagonizing them might not be wise.
Well, I’ve fucking tried everything else, with little success. Maybe a little anger is precisely what’s needed. I hesitated. Are they close enough to attack yet?
No. They remain outside the barrier.
You can’t breach it?
Given time, Valdis could, but I see little point in weakening either of us that way.
Especially when the Raziq might be waiting for that very thing to happen. A weakened Mijai would be a far easier target.
“Do not think either yourself or your reaper are beyond the reach of our wrath,” the Raziq replied. “What I did to you, I could so easily do to him.”
“I suggest you look a little closer, Yeska.” Azriel’s voice was edged with contempt. “You would not find either of us such an easy target now.”
I gave Azriel a sharp glance. You know him?
We have crossed paths previously. He glanced at me, eyes glowing brightly in the blue and lilac light of the swords. He is Malin’s second. Valdis has tasted his blood in the past.
If the fierce flare of fire along Valdis’s sides was anything to go by, she longed to do so again. Why would a Mijai be sent after a Raziq?
When it became evident they were behind the systematic killing of Aedh priests. Yeska was caught and questioned.
Why wasn’t he killed? Reaper rules?
Yes. If we had known their ultimate plan, however, then perhaps intervention would have been ordered. Instead, it was simply left to the fates.
I snorted. The powers that be obviously had a hell of a lot more faith in fate than I did.
“Interesting,” the disembodied voice that was Yeska replied. “Two have become one. That would explain the lack of response in the device we placed in your heart.”
He could have been discussing the weather, for all the emotion in his voice. And yet, that device had been the only way they’d had of knowing when I was in my father’s presence, so it was a good bet there was a lot of background anger and frustration happening right now.
“Yes,” Azriel replied evenly. “And if you think to rectify the situation in any way, be prepared for the consequences. She is Mijai now. Attack one, and you attack all.”
That certainly explained the attitude of the reaper bearing the two swords. It wasn’t just that I’d made Azriel fail, it’s that I’d put them all in a bad light.
“We have no need to attack either of you,” Yeska replied, a hint of amusement in his tones. “She will comply when the lives of her friends are at stake.”
“No, she won’t,” I spat back. “Because if you harm one hair on the head of anyone I care about, I promise you, the remaining keys will be broken into little pieces and placed where absolutely no one — ”
“Do not threaten us.” His fury whipped around us, snatching my breath and stinging my skin.
Amaya reacted instantly, her fire almost sun-bright. Just for a second, I caught a shimmer of energy behind the shield. The Raziq, and more than one of them.
Kill can, Amaya said.
I glanced at her sharply. How? Valdis can’t break the shield, and she’s stronger.
Am smarter, Amaya replied. Use floor.
I glanced down. Fuck, she was right. The floor wasn’t shielded. None of the cavern floors had been shielded, when I thought about it.
They’d see you coming. And see me throw her.
Flame out can.
Yeah, but there was still the whole throwing problem. Amaya could move under her own steam, but I suspected it would be easier for her to cut through the stone if she had some momentum behind her.
Under different circumstances, it would be a good plan, Azriel said. But it will achieve little in this instance, and only amplify the danger to your friends.
Then we need to nullify that first.
There is no reasoning with the Raziq. As with all Aedh, it is only their plans – their desires – that matter.
Then maybe that’s the tack we need to take. To the Raziq, I said, “Look, I don’t give a frig who actually gets the keys. I just want to get back to normal life again.”
That statement has a scarily fierce ring of truth about it, Azriel said.
I ignored him and continued on, “So, really, it behooves you to actually do what you can to help me rather than offering a long and tedious line of threats to both my near and dear.”
“We cannot help find the keys, because we have no idea where they are hidden.”
“No, but you can help me find the bastard who keeps stealing them from me.”
“That is not possible. We do not interact with the human world.”
Unless it was to fuck or torture us, of course, but I bit that remark back. “No, but you interact with the fields, and the sorcerer has to use magic to access the fields and the gates. Therefore, he must have a particular entry point somewhere on the fields.” After all, a door always opened into the same room. I didn’t know much about magic, but it seemed logical a transport portal would do the same. “If you shut that point
