“You don’t sound like a fan.”
“The Black Orchid is universally hated by mages,” LD said. “Any group that runs around calling themselves superior is instantly blacklisted by me.”
“Agreed, that whole ‘I’m better than anyone’ attitude lasts right up to the moment an orb smashes into your face.”
“No matter how badass you are, hombre,” LD said with a nod, “in this world, there is always someone or something more badass.”
“I learned that the hard way, several times,” I said. “Maybe you and TK can polish some of Jessikah’s rough edges?”
LD stared at me for a second, before shaking his head.
“TK doesn’t suffer fools lightly, even if they’ve been conditioned,” LD said. “Farsight is going to have to learn the hard way. The world is a hard and cruel place. The sooner she breaks from her current way of thinking, the easier it will be for her.”
“Either she breaks from it or the world will break her,” I said. “Especially the world of mages and monsters.”
“It would be good to have a Daughter of Bast out of their control,” LD said. “They’re powerful when fully trained, if they make it that far. Most don’t, which makes them rare.”
“The Black Orchid doesn’t feel that way,” I said, “They want her eliminated.”
“The Black Orchid fears what it can’t control,” LD said with a wry smile. “Bast mages are an anomaly to them. If they can’t understand it, they erase it.”
“Sounds like they are the ones who need to be erased.”
“One of the reasons they hate Dex,” LD answered. “He checked them a while back. Stopped them cold in their plans. Plenty of Black Orchid were retired that day and they won’t let it go, ever.”
Mage politics were worse than normal politics.
“I may not be a mage, but I know from personal experience when someone is green and dangerous,” I said. “She’ll end up getting herself or someone else killed. That’s not a risk I’m willing to take right now.”
“Duly noted,” LD said. “I’ll let Erik know your hellhound could only take you. That should defuse any protests from Farsight.”
LD moved back, giving Peaches and me some room.
“Tell TK to be careful with Evers.”
“I think you have that backward,” LD answered with a slight shake of his head. “I’d be worried if TK were after me.”
“Me, too,” I said. “Thanks again.”
“For what? I just came to deliver a card,” LD said with a tight smile. “Don’t get yourself dead, hombre. Bring Tristan back, if you can.”
I nodded.
“Failure is not an option.”
LD stepped back even farther and nodded. I looked down at my hellhound. The runes along his flanks were glowing, along with his eyes.
<Let’s go, boy. Take us to Uncle Dex.>
A low rumble escaped from him, followed by a bark. I saw LD wince, covering his ears, before the world went black.
TWENTY-FOUR
Traveling in-between with Peaches was a singular experience. Normally, it felt like a runaway rollercoaster ride where I was hanging on for dear life.
This time it was different.
It didn’t feel like my insides were trying to escape my body.
I didn’t understand how my hellhound managed planewalking. I figured it was a feature with hellhounds, but Hades never took the time to explain those abilities or how they evolved as they matured. I think Hades wanted me to be pleasantly surprised as I discovered them…in the midst of breathtaking heart attacks. God humor seriously sucked.
I was still adjusting to the fact that Peaches was a puppy. Images of Cerberus flashed in my memory, and I realized that LD was right. Peaches was going to outgrow the Moscow at some point. Unlike Hades, we didn’t have access to unlimited space, unless we started knocking down some walls or created another Dex room in the office.
Olga would love that, right before she froze us solid.
As his bondmate, I needed to take a more proactive role in our relationship, aside from being his meat dealer. I really needed to study hellhounds and their abilities.
I’m sure if I sat down with Prof. Ziller, he could break down the quantum aspects of planewalking for me in simple language I could comprehend.
I reflexively shuddered at the thought. There wasn’t enough coffee in the world that could convince me that was a good idea. I was going to have to attempt another training session with Mori, if we managed to get out of this situation relatively unscathed.
The idea of facing a Darth Monty had my stomach tied in knots. I didn’t think he would actually try and hurt me: or worse, dust me. But a part of me—a small part of me—knew it was possible.
That small voice explained that I was in way over my head, dealing with forces I couldn’t comprehend, and confronting someone who may be operating with a radically altered mental state.
A lethal mental state.
I grabbed the voice by the neck, strangled it and kicked it out of my head. This needed to happen or Monty was going dark. If that happened, all bets were off.
The sense of velocity suddenly diminished, and I found myself outside, in a large, hazy, empty, stone courtyard. The sun blazed overhead, its light diffuse as a cloudy sky blocked most of it. I looked around, confused.
There was nothing here…except for a large structure I could barely make out at the far end of the courtyard. The Sanctuary at the Golden Circle was an exact replica of Angkor Wat, the latter being the actual replica.
This didn’t look like Angkor Wat, or any other place I knew for that matter.
<Are you sure this is the right place, boy?>
<The old man with the good sausages is close. Can you ask him for meat when you see him?>
<Sure, as soon as I figure out where we are. Do you smell him nearby?>
<Over there.>
Peaches sniffed the air and began
