by N. J. Cooper
“This is a sanction for your incorrect reports. Your judgement day will appear soon, but my parents will most likely issue you with a warning. I want to speak to the Djinn, but before I do, why is she in this condition?” Zarek asked Elder Egen as he handed it over.
“Our prisoner. Our methods of punishment. She trespassed on our lands. We taught her that was not okay.” Elder Egen shrugged. Zarek frowned.
“Being on the High Council, you knew we were looking for a Djinn. This should not have been hidden. Has she spoken her name?” Zarek asked.
“She hasn’t spoken at all your Majesty. Which is why we didn’t think it had anything to doing with what you were looking for. She can barely move, let alone poison anyone.” Elder Ulga spoke.
“We don’t think she is willingly poisoning anyone. The power that did this was second-hand. We think she is being used by something more powerful. So, if her power is being siphoned, this is exactly how she would be. And if she was the Djinn targeted, then she would most likely not be able to tell us so.” Zarek said pointedly towards the Elders who looked wide-eyed and innocent, taking a step back as Zarek walked forward to the cell. Kyla and Wyatt stood either side of him. Shemar stood between them and the Elders as Orion moved into the cell. He walked forward and gently lifted the Djinn against him. The three small holes in even spaces around the top of the cell meant they could hear him try to get her talking.
“Ma’am. Ma’am. My name is Orion. We are not here to hurt you. Can you understand me?” He asked tenderly. The Djinn slowly looked up at him from under her black hair.
“Mchrachichanic.” She whispered through a hoarse voice. Kyla frowned at the strange language the Djinn spoke in. Orion’s eyes widened as Zarek leaned over to her.
“It’s a spell to stop her speaking. She can only say that word. We won’t be able to interrogate her.” Zarek sighed then turned to the Elders with raised eyebrows. They all shrugged and stammered.
“We had no idea your Majesty. She hasn’t even uttered the spell to us.” Elder Ulga insisted. Kyla clenched her fists shut, eyeing the Djinn. The Djinn’s white eyes widened, as they stared at Kyla. Her bony finger lifted on a weak arm to point straight at her.
“Mchrachichanic.” The Djinn whispered. Kyla frowned as the Djinn singled her out. Kyla pushed her powers out and tried to get into the Djinn’s mind, but it was too dark to get anything from. Kyla stepped forward towards the cell but Zarek stopped her.
“My witness must speak with the Djinn.” Zarek informed the Elders who scoffed in return.
“Absolutely not, your Majesty. The law is clear, the witnesses are to utter nothing, no matter the circumstance.” Elder Ulga refuted. Zarek raised an eyebrow and looked pointedly at the sanction scroll.
“Oh well…we…” Egen went to defend of their own disregard for the law when Timmin stepped forward.
“Alright, your Majesty. We can play the game too. We let your ‘witness’ talk to the Djinn, and you relieve us of the sanction. We turn a blind-eye, you turn a blind eye, sounds like a compromise to me.” He squeaked. Kyla waited impatiently for Zarek’s answer. She had to get in there. She could feel the Djinn trying to pull her in, trap or not she had to touch her for a vision, a thought, a cure-something to help.
“Elder Timmin, the witness is the Oracle. I don’t think letting her near such a creature would benefit anyone at all.” Elder Egen growled. He clearly wasn’t happy about Timmin’s plan, but he shrugged easily.
“What’s she gonna do? The damn thing can’t even talk. It’ll be fine. Let her in your Majesty.” Elder Timmin argued. Egen looked like he wanted to push the matter further with his pursed lips, but instead nodded once with a narrowed glare in her direction. Kyla rushed over to the door, waiting to be let in. Zarek walked over.
“Don’t say anything to anyone but the Djinn. That is your only permitted speech, okay?” Zarek ordered then opened the door on her nod. He was about to step in, but Shemar stopped him with a shake of his head. Kyla looked back at Zarek’s worried face with a reassuring smile then turned to her attempted murderer. Kyla bent down to the Djinn’s level as Orion held her arms back with one hand, the other ready on his onyx blade in his chest belt.
“You are the Djinn poisoning me, aren’t you? Nod yes or shake no,” Kyla said quietly. The Djinn looked up weakly, her eyes fluttering before hanging her head in defeat, neither action had happened.
“You’ve been spelled not to tell me anything, by who?” Kyla asked as her powers searched through every part of the Djinn’s brain for an answer, but there was nothing there. Just an empty, vast darkness that echoed with Kyla’s questions. Sighing, she reached forward to touch the Djinn, but Orion yanked the Djinn away.
“No touching, Oracle. It’s not safe.” Orion commanded. Kyla looked up at him with a soft smile.
“Thanks Orion, but she’s already killing me, there’s not much else she can do, that’s worse than that. I do need those answers and I think I can get them if I touch her, but I need you to trust me.” Kyla pleaded as the Djinn tried to get out of Orion’s grasp, finally he sighed and let Kyla get close. Kyla reached for the Djinn’s hands once again, connecting them with hers. The hands were bony, cold and smooth but Kyla still couldn’t get passed the darkness that was supressing the Djinn. Kyla bit her lip then heard the Oracle’s muffled voice from the back of her mind.
‘Let me out. Her poison in me will connect her to me. It will make the poison stronger and more affective, but it should in theory, mean she can talk to me.’ The Oracle said. Kyla looked at the Djinn.
“The Oracle is going to speak with you. She’s the one you are poisoning so she can bypass the spell that stops you from speaking. You need to say as much as you can before she can’t hold the connection. We know that your powers are being used by someone else. We want to know who is siphoning you and why? Is it Byron or not and where Byron is hiding. Answer those questions and we will help you survive this.” Kyla promised waiting for the Djinn to respond but she remained unable to communicate. Kyla took a deep breath then released her mind to the Oracle who stumbled to the forefront of her body, pulling forward every ache and pain from the poison. Oracle coughed deeply, splattering black ooze from her mouth and falling into Orion who held her steady.
“Oracle, this isn’t a good idea, you are not strong enough to hold a connection with the Djinn with the spell in place.” He warned.
“I will hold the connection. We need those answers.” Oracle wheezed, then grasped the Djinn’s hands, their minds linking instantly.
“Tell me what you know, Djinn. Hurry,” The Oracle urged through clenched teeth. The Djinn breathed in sharply, gasping against the spell. Her eyes widened as her tongue flickered over her lips, finally able to take control of her own speech. Oracle gripped the small hands tighter.
“Hurry.” She growled again, warm liquid seeping over her lip as it fell from her nose.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do this to you. I have no choice…it made me.” The Djinn stuttered. Oracle gripped her tighter, moving closer to look in her eyes, her blood rushing at the idea of getting the answers they needed.
“What made you?” Oracle demanded.
“So much power. I couldn’t fight it. You can’t fight it, Oracle. Not even you.” The Djinn whispered weakly. In a quick movement that caused everyone around her to tense and gasp, Oracle shoved the Djinn against the concrete wall. She moved up to the Djinn’s face, eyes wide, face flushing.
“Tell me who is controlling you. We both know you’re dead no matter what plays out here today. Your master won’t let you live, the giants wont and if you don’t tell me what I need to know then I won’t either. Who is the one doing this to us?” Oracle snapped. Djinn’s eyes darted to the Elders standing tensely at the window. A move Kyla noticed was filled with indecision. The Djinn clenched her jaw before grabbing Kyla’s head, pulling her forward with jagged movements so her face sat in front of the Djinn’s.
“It’s closer than you think.
It won’t stop. Its name is…” The Djinn rushed through her words so fast, even the Oracle couldn’t keep up. And then they stopped, the words replaced with a horrid retching sound that turned to gurgles. Kyla pulled back as the others gasped.
“No!” She growled as the Djinn’s eyes rolled back in her head, her body convulsing violently as teal blood began to spill from the slit across her neck. The Oracle caught the Djinn in her arms, the teal blood seeping over her clothes and onto the ground as the Oracle tried to stop the bleeding that poured from her throat. But it was too late. The Djinn was dead. They had missed their chance. Oracle’s fists clenched before she placed the Djinn down and stormed up to the glass wall.
“What’d you do?!” She screamed at the Elders. The giants bared their teeth at the confrontation, while the goblins smirked. Kyla tried to snap the control back from the Oracle before she could take it too far, but it was too late. The poison was ripe in her blood, with the anger at losing their only lead boiling deep in it. She threw her hand out, launching the bony goblin into the far wall. He squealed, jumping to his feet, aiming his arrow at her, the end sparking as Elder Timmin aimed his bow. The giants roared so loud the cave shook, rocks grumbling around them as they stamped their feet, grabbing their clubs, smashing the end in their hands. Oracle didn’t care, Kyla couldn’t get through and all she could hear were the centaurs and Zarek yelling through the pulse in her ear to stop. But it wasn’t her doing it. Oracle sneered at the beasts who were on the verge of attacking.
“You will pay for your treason, Elders,” She spat the word. “You were placed on your ability to protect this realm and you betray that honour. We may have nothing to pin on you now, but before this war is over, you will meet your end. That’s a promise. Now put away your weapons. We both know you are not going to start a war over a Djinn you were illegally harbouring for Byron.” Oracle snapped before turning away from the glass and going back to the Djinn. Oracle closed the girl’s eyes then looked up at Orion.
“I need a vial or jar. Do you have one?” Oracle asked, Kyla wasn’t sure what for, until the Oracle bent down by the Djinn and began collecting the blood in the thin vial Orion handed her, with a scowl on his dark face. His disapproving lecture could wait. Kyla let the Oracle stay in control as she clearly knew what she was doing. Kyla had no idea. The Oracle filled the vial then turned to the Elders who stood with their weapons still in hand, frowns marring their faces too. She lifted the vial.
“Bottoms up.” Oracle uttered before gulping the teal liquid down in one swig. Kyla cringed as the ice-cold sting of the liquid bit into her flesh. Oracle gasped and fell back into her mind, clutching her stomach. Kyla went to kneel down beside her in their mind, but Oracle waved her off, stumbling to her feet.
“This is going to take a while to work until you burn that body and taste the ashes. Only blue fire will burn an ancient so get to it. It will take ages to burn though, so get to that warehouse before those so-called Elders clear whatever they’re hiding. Once you have been there and back to get the ashes, then we merge. You’re welcome. Go.” Oracle shooed. Kyla hesitated, she wanted to make sure her alter ego was okay, but the Oracle had already gone back to her room. Kyla sighed and stepped into her body. Her eyes fluttered open to the roof of the caves moving, her body hanging off Shemar’s strong arms. She shifted slightly and half sat up. Shemar looked down at her with a frown. Kyla went to speak but Shemar shook his head. Kyla locked her lips. She had obviously done enough damage for the day. Instead she went into his mind.
‘I need to burn the Djinn’s body. I need the ashes,’ Kyla spoke to him. Shemar nodded his head towards the others walking back through the dungeons in front of him. Kyla followed his eyeline to Orion’s large body that was in front of them. The Djinn’s teal legs hung from his arms as he carried her back up. Kyla nodded in understanding. They knew what needed to be done.
‘It’ll take too long to burn. We can’t wait, I think they are stalling us. Buying time. We need to go to the warehouse. Come back for the ashes.’ Kyla tried. He looked down at her with a nod then squinted towards Orion. His body tensed before he gave them a sideways glance and nodded. He walked forward to where Zarek was walking behind the giants and leant down to whisper in his ear. They came back out into the cave where the dining hall was, the Elders going to the other side as Zarek and their group hovered by the entrance of the cave.
“You will forget what happened here today. I will take back the sanction. We are going to the warehouse for an inspection, I want the ashes of the Djinn by the time we return. Understood?” Zarek ordered. The giant’s fists clenched.
“The Oracle was out of line, Prince. She should be sanctioned. Whether we have one or not, she attacked an Elder.” Elder Egen proclaimed. Zarek’s jaw visibly clenched.
“Your position on the High Council is in question right now Elders, your loyalties the same, so do not question those of us who are still fighting undoubtedly for the right side. Remember who gave the giants and goblins their freedom back after the last dark era. We’ll be back for the ashes this evening.” Zarek snapped with a vicious loyalty ringing in his voice. The Elders shrunk back as Kyla smirked. Zarek in Prince mode was amazing. Orion placed the Djinn on the table, before looking over at Kyla with a raised eyebrow.
She held her hand out at the body.
“Thank you for your sacrifice Djinn. I’m sorry.” She whispered before the blue flames that she had conjured to defeat the falcon poured from her fingertips, crawling across the ground, climbing up to the table to blanket the Djinns body with a greedy hunger. Kyla tested the fire’s connection, it’s loyalty to her commands, but it was still strong, each chord ringing in her veins with a lullaby that meant she could lower her hand and trust the fire to do its job. Its hunger growled in her stomach, the only reason it still obeyed her the way it did, because she fed it. Smoke from the body billowed out the top of the mountain through the chute above the dining table.
“When that smoke stops, we’ll be back. Good evening.” Zarek said then turned and left, their group following closely behind. They got in the camper as the centaurs hooked themselves up with rushed movements. She slumped into the booth, leaning her head on the table. She was healing, slowly, but it was there. An ache in her body that meant she was repairing. She just hoped she was going to be strong enough for when they got to the warehouse. With any luck, Byron would be there, and she could finally put an end to Onyx’s plan to get back to Velatem Realm. She took a deep breath to steady her adrenalin and had almost achieved the monumental task when Zarek slammed the door of the camper closed and turned on her with a booming voice.
“What in the hell was that?!”
~ 14 ~
Kyla shrunk back into her seat as Wyatt went wide-eyed at the confrontation, his own body lowering cautiously into the booth. She looked at Zarek’s wild features before her, his expectant expression made fiercer with his pursed lips and clenched jaw.
“We got what we needed didn’t we? The Djinn is dead. I drunk the blood. I’ll be able to heal soon.” Kyla offered but it just had Zarek sighing loudly, pinching the bridge of his nose with clenched eyes before looking back at her.
“You gave them every chance to get you banished or exiled. You spoke when not permitted and then you attacked an Elder. Kyla, you can’t just do whatever you want in these places. They can now do whatever they want and get away with it because they have the leverage that they know I won’t risk getting out.” Zarek growled. Kyla frowned.
“What leverage?”
“You! Damn it, Kyla. They know I won’t let you be banished, so now whatever they do I have to shut my mouth about it because of what you did.” Zarek explained. Kyla bit her lip. Oops, she hadn’t meant to do anything like that. It just happened; the Oracle just happened. Kyla sighed and leant her head on her arms again.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t more careful. I’m sorry I didn’t have tighter control on the Oracle and I’m sorry I put you in that position. But I am no
t sorry that we got what we needed, nor that they know I’m not just going to back down and let them walk all over me using their leverage.” Kyla snapped standing up and walking through to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. She huffed, turning on the water. She knew she had been wrong to confront the Elders, but she got the Djinn, the blood was healing her; albeit slowly, but healing her all the same and now she was finally going to be able to search that warehouse with some kind of strength in her. She splashed her face with water, her hands wiping the drops away before she used a hand towel to get the rest. It was hours until they would reach the warehouse but at least they were finally going there. She needed something. Yes, she was healed but that wasn’t going to mean anything if they couldn’t find Byron. Byron was the reason they were there. And she couldn’t forget that.
***
“Kyla, we’re here.” Zarek’s voice broke through her light sleep at the back of the camper. She had hoped by having a rest that her body would heal quicker, but as the ache in her bones still pulsed through her, she realised it had been a futile effort. She was still healing, with a long way to go until she would be back to merging strength. Especially since she hadn’t had the ash yet. Kyla sat up slowly, rubbing her face with her hands as she looked up to Zarek leaving the area before she could speak to him. He was barely acknowledging her now. Eventually they would have to talk about everything, and she wanted it to be sooner rather than later but as for the moment, she had a job to do and that was search the warehouse for a lead on Byron. Kyla scooted from the bed, stood up and readjusted her clothing before walking out to meet the others who were ready and waiting, Orion and Shemar already unhooked and with the door open for them. Zarek was back to his stone-faced Prince mode and Wyatt was as serious as she had ever seen, as they both waited for her to come over to them. Zarek turned in their direction as she walked forward.
