“You could, but it might start another supernatural war. And in case you’ve forgotten, we’re already in one of those.”
Myanin grunted, both in response to the whip of Lyra’s words as much as to Tenia’s. Then they both sat in silence. Tenia didn’t seem bothered by the lack of conversation, and the djinn certainly wasn’t uncomfortable. She preferred the silence, considering at the Order compound, it was never quiet. If one of the power-hungry mongrels of the Order wasn’t running their trap, then the constant sounds of sparring were assaulting her ears. Even in sleep she found no peace.
“So, what’s your story?” Tenia asked.
Damn, that didn’t last nearly long enough. “I don’t have one.”
“Everyone has a story. Especially if they end up working for the Order and can’t hide the fact that they have no desire to actually be there.” Tenia rested her elbows on the table, setting her chin on her joined hands. It was a very human gesture, Myanin noted.
“Does anyone really want to work for the likes of Alston or Ludcarab?” Myanin countered. “Regardless of whether or not I agree with their plight, they’re dishonorable.” As soon as the words left her mouth, Myanin felt the slash of the whip again, burning the inside of her body instead of the outside. She was no better than them. Why, Myanin? Lyra’s voice filled her mind. Why did you do this to me? Myanin clenched her fist, her body rigid as she fought off the assault of her tormentor. Lyra’s magic hummed beneath the surface of Myanin’s skin, but this time it felt a little different, as if it were growing claws and beginning to dig them into the marrow of her bones. The same damn question. Perhaps she should welcome the new question being asked of her now. She managed to breathe through the pain, whether real or imagined she couldn’t tell, but gradually she regained control. If Tenia had noticed something, she didn’t let on.
“True,” Tenia agreed. “But that still doesn’t tell me your story. We’re going to be spending a lot of time together. I need to know I can trust you. I’ve already proven that I’ll help you out when you need it.” The fae motioned to the bags sitting in the chairs next to them.
Myanin couldn’t deny that fact. Tenia had taken her to multiple stores just so she could stock up on cotton candy. It might not seem like much to someone else, but to Myanin it proved the fae would have her back, at least when it came to Myanin’s favorite food.
“Fine,” she said as she silently considered how much she was willing to tell the fae. “I’m on a mission.” She waited for the voice, her own or Lyra’s, but for the moment it was silent in her mind.
“The djinn elders sent you to the human realm?” Tenia asked, her voice rising in surprise.
“Not exactly,” Myanin muttered. “It’s more of a self-appointed quest.”
Tenia snapped her fingers, and suddenly the noise that had been all around them was gone. Myanin looked around. Everyone in the room was still talking and eating.
“I’ve put a silencing ward around us,” Tenia explained. “The only way for us to trust one another is for one of us to take the first step,” she said and then took a deep breath. “I have no desire to work for the Order. I am disgusted by what they’re doing and what they believe. But I don’t have a choice.”
Myanin eyed the fae as she stifled a snort. She’d made her own choices believing the same thing. She wondered if Tenia’s choices had her on the run, too, or if they were actually honorable?
“Alston has my young,” Tenia said through clenched teeth. Her hands began to visibly shake as she continued. “He knew it was the one thing that would make me comply.”
Okay, that was definitely a much better reason than running from your own race because you snuffed out the life of one of your leaders. Again, she waited for a voice, but still there was blessed silence. “No offense,” Myanin said, “but why you? He has plenty of fae who seemed to have voluntarily signed up for the coming shit show.” Myanin grinned. “I learned that one from a troll.”
Tenia snorted. “They like to curse.”
“Truth,” Myanin agreed. “Seriously though, he has plenty. Why does he need you?”
“I am unique and not in a good way.” She paused and looked around before finally meeting Myanin’s eyes. “The high fae are powerful, very powerful. But they aren’t the only ones who are gifted with certain powers. Some of us have specific powers. Mine is particularly rare.”
“How rare?” Myanin asked slowly.
“As far as I know, I am the only one in my entire race that has this ability.” Tenia did not seem proud of that fact. Myanin thought she actually looked sickened by it. The fae’s hands trembled slightly as she continued. “It’s not really a gift. Especially when someone wants to use it for evil gain.”
“It must be some ability,” Myanin said softly.
Tenia visibly swallowed and then said, “I can take a person's free will.”
Myanin opened her mouth to argue that high fae were able to do the same, not to mention she could persuade a person weaker than herself to do what she wanted. But Tenia shook her head, cutting the woman off as if she knew what the djinn had been about to say.
“No, the high fae can glamour a person, they can compel someone, but not actually take their will away from them. I can literally make a person do something they don’t want to do. Not only that, but I can make them want to do it, make them truly believe it was their idea in the first place.”
Myanin’s mind immediately jumped to Thadrick. He would have known this.
