“Hold!” Jax commands.
Everyone freezes in place.
E ~ Calm…down.
Kateri looks at me and slowly lowers her dagger, but I can see the hurt in her eyes mixed with anger and embarrassment.
“Well, that was interesting,” Jax says. “If you can keep your attack dog under control, perhaps we can continue.”
“It won’t happen again,” I say, looking over at her.
“Good.”
I take a step closer to Jax, and then lean in. “If you ever call her that again, I’ll rip your heart out,” I whisper before leaning back and smiling at him.
“Fair enough.”
I feel Kateri brush her finger against my hand.
K ~ Thank you.
E ~ Anytime.
“What happened?”
“It’s a long story,” Reeva replies, glancing down at her injured arm.
“We’ve got some time,” I say.
Kateri is sitting next to me on the edge of Reeva’s bed. A portable privacy curtain separates us from the rest of the hospital. Jax is off making further arrangements, giving us some time to catch up.
“I don’t remember all of it, but I was holding your hand when we stepped into the rift, and a second later I was lying face down in the grass near the Point, and you guys were nowhere around,” she says, and I feel a surge of guilt wash over me.
“I didn’t know,” I say quietly. “I didn’t know where you were.”
“I know. It’s not your fault,” she says with a smile as she gently pats my hand.
“None of us had any idea what we were heading into. Anyway, I could see people everywhere, but apparently, none of them could see me, so I started searching for you. That’s when I ran into two demons.”
“Were they some of these guys?” Kateri asks.
“No, although I didn’t know there was a difference at the time. I took one out right away, but the second one sucker-punched me and I was down.”
“Jesus,” I mutter.
“That’s where I got this beauty,” she says, gesturing to her bruised eye, “and this.”
I look at her bandaged arm. A faint shadow of blood hints at the damage underneath the bright white wrapping.
“Does it hurt?” Kateri asks.
“I’ve had worse.”
“So, what happened next?”
“When I woke up, there were three huge demons dragging me through the streets. I don’t know where they were taking me, but wherever it was, I’m sure it wouldn’t have been good.”
I nod and look around, now more grateful than ever for Jax and his people. I don’t even want to think about what horrors might have been awaiting Reeva.
“I tried to get away, but they had me trussed up pretty good, and then all of the sudden, everything went crazy. These other demons appeared out of nowhere and demanded that they release me. It was so surreal; I didn’t even know what was going on.”
“I’m sure,” I say, shaking my head.
“When they refused, then it got really wild. In the middle of the battle this huge, and when I say huge, I mean HUGE,” she says, gesturing with her arms, “demon rushes in and picks me up, like I was a stuffed animal on the floor of your bedroom.”
Just then, a massive multi-horned head appears over the top of the rolling privacy curtain. I jump back, my hand going instinctively to my sword hilt.
“Radik!” Reeva says, jumping up from her bed and pushing the barrier aside revealing the equally large body attached to the frightening head.
He must be at least eight feet tall and half again as wide, but it’s hard to tell since he’s hunched over to keep from hitting his head on the ceiling. His skin is dark blue and seems to pulse with power as his muscles flex and relax. He looks at Kateri and I with large bright yellow eyes that are deep set beneath bushy black eyebrows. He immediately wraps his tree-trunk like arms around Reeva and they embrace like old friends.
“Are you well?” he asks, his voice low but gentle.
“I am,” she replies, and she pats his huge hand with her immeasurably smaller one.
“Good. I’m glad to hear it.”
He smiles, revealing a double row of gleaming white teeth, reminiscent of a great white shark.
“These are my friends, Eve and Kateri,” Reeva says, gesturing in our direction.
He bows slowly. “It is my honor meet you.”
“No. The honor is ours. Thank you for saving Reeva. We are in your debt,” I say, bowing in return.
“There is no debt that needs to be repaid. I was simply fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time.”
E ~ Say something.
K ~ Do I have to?
E ~ Yes.
“How you doin’?” she asks.
“I’m…doing well, thank you,” Radik replies.
E ~ Seriously?
K ~ What? I said something.
“Well, I have to be going. No rest for the wicked,” he says to us before turning back to Reeva. “Stay safe. I don’t want to have to rescue you again.”
Reeva laughs and hugs him again. He pats her back gently.
“But you would, right?”
“In a heartbeat,” he replies before bowing again and then turning and stalking out of the room.
As soon as he’s gone, Reeva looks at Kateri.
“What the hell is your problem?” she asks.
“My problem? What’s your problem? Awful chummy with the demons, aren’t you?” Kateri shoots back.
“He saved my life.”
“And that means we just make up and have them over for brunch?”
“Hey. Everybody just—”
Jax suddenly reappears, poking his head around the curtain.
“Bad time?”
“No, it’s fine. We were just having a friendly discussion.”
“Well, if you’re done, we’re ready.”
“Ready for what?” I ask, becoming instantly nervous.
“To sit and talk,” Jax replies.
“Oh.”
“Did you think I was going to say something dramatic?” he asks, his head tilted to the side and a grin on his face.
“People usually do when they say, ‘are you ready’.”
“You watch too many movies.”
We follow Jax out through a second set of swinging doors at the far end of the infirmary. As we make our way along the narrow, dimly lit corridors, I make a mental note of the path, trying to remember every turn, every door, and every possible escape route. I hope I made the right decision in letting Jax lead us here. If anything happens to Kateri or Reeva, I would never be able to forgive myself. We pass by a few dozen demons, of all shapes and sizes, most of them too absorbed with their own issues and tasks to pay us any mind. I even garner a nod of the head from one which I take as a show of respect, but I could be wrong.
I suddenly reach out and grab hold of Jax’s arm, turning him to face me. He looks down at my hand but makes no move to break away.
“Question?” he asks.
“Why did you make that phone call back at the store? You already knew she was here?” I ask, thinking back to Reeva reaction to Kateri’s assault on him.
“I had to get permission.”
“For what?”
“To bring you here.”
“Permission from who?”
“You’ll see, if you’ll let us get there.”
I release his arm and he gives me a small nod before turning and continuing down the hall. A moment later the corridor opens into a much larger space full of activity.
Dozens of demons turn and look at us as we enter. I can feel their gaze on me, but I try to avoid direct eye contact. The room is much larger than the others we’ve seen, with racks of weapons, neatly arranged stocks of supplies and other equipment. Workers move about the room, paying little or no attention to us, and then I suddenly realize why. We’re with Jax. The way he commanded the soldiers in the hospital makes it clear that he’s someone importa
nt, or at least respected.
“Are you sure you’re not in charge here?” I ask Jax as we’re passing by a pair of red-skinned demons sharpening swords on grinding wheels.
He looks back at me and grins. “No. I’m just a cog in the machine.”
“An important cog.”
“Just a cog,” he says without looking at me.
We stop in front a large wooden door with metal strapping. Jax pounds twice and slowly the door swings open. The sound of metal grinding against metal hints at the weight pushing down on the impressive cast iron hinges. Jax steps through the doorway, and the rest of us follow. Another demon, even bigger than Radik stares down at me, his dark green eyes narrowing.
“What’s this?” he asks, his voice so deep it hurts my ears.
“Friends,” Jax replies.
He bends down until he’s face to face with me. I stand my ground, although every fiber of my being is screaming at me to run. I can feel his breath, but it’s not nearly as bad as I imagined it would be. Razor sharp looking incisors peek out from beneath his frown as he studies me. He doesn’t even look at Reeva or Kateri.
“They better be,” he says, locking eyes with me.
I can feel Kateri moving a little closer to me.
E ~ Stay calm.
K ~ I told you, I am calm.
E ~ That’s what I’m worried about.
“Stand down, Dray,” Jax says and the brute takes a small step back.
I look over at Jax and grin. “Just a cog, huh?”
He shoots me a little wink.
The room where Dray is standing guard looks like some sort of waiting area. The sparsely appointed space contains only two long benches pushed up against the bare, stone walls. A smaller door to the right, marks the only other exit.
“Come on. It’s just through here.”
Jax knocks once but doesn’t wait for a response before opening the door. He goes through first with the rest of us following close behind. The new space is much smaller, but every inch is taken up with something, from books, to cabinets, to stacks of papers. It’s like a messier version of Father’s office. A well-worn desk sits in the center of the room, but the only chairs are two stools on the visitor’s side. For a minute I think we’re alone, and then a shape appears out of the dark corner to our right, but even after it appears I’m still not quite sure what I’m seeing.
“Welcome,” she says, her voice calming but also full of power.
None of us respond. I know I’m staring, but it’s the first time I’ve ever seen what could only be described as a werewolf, in person, although she looks more like a direct cross between a wolf and a woman, and when I say ‘woman’, there’s no doubt that this demon is female. She walks upright like a human, there’s no long snout or big black nose, but dark grey fur, streaked with white covers her from top to bottom. She looks like she’s sculpted by an artist with every curve and slope of her body in perfect proportion to every other part.
“These are the Shayds that I told you about,” Jax says, breaking the awkward silence.
She takes a step toward us, and my eyes immediately go to her legs, which bend backwards at the knees in the creepy sorta demon way, and I have to force myself to look at her face.
“Thank you, Jax,” she replies, tilting her head to the side as she looks at me. “I am called Kyuki.”
She extends her hand, my eyes drawn to the long nails and fur covered fingers. I pause for a moment, before gripping her hand and squeezing firmly.
“Eve,” I reply.
When I look up, I notice the milky-white color of her left eye, and the scars both above and below the socket, but strangely it does nothing to detract from her beauty, rather it adds an element of danger to her overall appearance. Although it’s hard to believe that she could look deadlier than she already does.
“It’s good to meet you, Eve,” she says, releasing my hand a moment later.
“And you,” I say. “This is Kateri and you already know Reeva.”
“Yes,” she says, smiling, her pointed canines peeking out from beneath her full lips. She nods at Kateri before turning her attention to Reeva. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better, thank you.”
I can feel a jumble of thoughts from Kateri cascading through my own head. There’s nothing specific, but rather a general sense of anger, discomfort, and enmity.
“That’s good. I’m glad to hear it.”
“By the way, I wanted to thank you for saving Reeva.”
“There’s no need for thanks. We did what we thought was right. Now, I think we need to talk,” Kyuki says. “Jax, can you get a couple more chairs.”
“Of course,” he replies before turning to leave the room.
“I can stand,” Kateri says, speaking for the first time.
“As you wish,” Kyuki replies.
K ~ Are we really doing this?
E ~ Yes, and you need to stop this.
K ~ It’s a dog for God’s sake.
A Lycan demon to be exact.
My jaw literally hits the floor as I stare at Kyuki.
K ~ Oh shit.
E ~ Shut up.
“You’re an empath?” I ask, still trying to process what just happened.
“Yes.”
“All of you?” I ask, looking over at Jax.
“No, just a few. I didn’t know Shayds were though.”
“Just a few,” I reply.
“I’m not, so what the hell is going on?” Reeva asks.
“Kateri said…thought something rude,” I say, looking at her.
“What a surprise,” Reeva replies, grinning.
Kyuki chuckles and I feel the tension in the room drop ten degrees.
“Funny,” Kateri says.
“So, let’s talk,” Kyuki says, moving to the desk and sitting on the corner, her long, sleek tail trailing on the floor.
Reeva takes a seat on one of the stools, while Kateri and I continue to stand. I don’t do it out of defiance, but rather I don’t want to seem that much shorter than our host. It’s all about appearances. Jax sits down next to Reeva, and for a second, flickers of thought slip through my mind, but I can’t quite get a clear grasp on them. Shaking my head, I look at Kyuki.
“Can I ask one thing first?”
“Of course.”
“What is all this, this place and everything here, if you want to make peace with us?” I ask.
“This?” she asks, looking around the room. “This is war.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“War? A war against who?” I ask, every nerve ending in my body feeling like it’s on fire.
“Let me ask you a question, Eve. How long have you been fighting the forces of the Abyss?”
I’m almost reluctant to answer.
“Personally, not long,” I reply, feeling somewhat inadequate.
“And you?” she asks, looking at Kateri.
“Five years.”
“And you?” She turns her gaze to Reeva.
“Maybe eight.”
Kyuki nods slowly. “I’ve been battling with Shayds in the Umbra for more than three-hundred years.”
“Three hundred?” I utter quietly.
“I’m not telling you this to brag or make light of your skills or experience.”
“Then why tell us?” Kateri asks.
“To illustrate the futility of this war between our peoples. Three hundred years of savagery, for what?”
“We fight to protect,” Kateri says. I reach out and touch her hand, but she pulls it away. “Your ‘people’ fight to destroy.”
“You’re right, Kateri, we have, but there are many among us who desire something more.”
“What?”
“Peace.”
“Please,” Kateri says, scoffing at the word again.
“I don’t blame you for doubting.”
“They did save me,” Reeva says, looking at Kateri.
“For their own reasons, I’m sure.”
; “That’s enough, Kateri,” I say, trying not to scold, but failing miserably. “If what you’re saying is true, what does it have to do with us?”
“We need your help.”
“Help with what?”
“We need you to take our proposal back to your people.”
I nod, and then look at Kateri and Reeva.
“If I agree to that, you need to help us.”
“Very well. What do you need?”
“I assume that Jax filled you in on why we’re here.”
“He did,” she replies, without giving away how much she knows.
“We need to find out what’s happening here, and what the demons…what those demons are planning,” I say, correcting myself in mid-sentence.
“And how can we help?” she asks.
I’m not sure if she’s testing us to find out how much we know, or if she’s truly ignorant about what’s happening. I think it’s the former.
“We need to get into Barad-dûr.”
A heavy silence falls over the room as confused looks are passed around.
“Where?” Kyuki asks, frowning.
“I think they mean the Citadel,” Jax says.
“You’re really going after Sirix?” Kyuki asks.
I look over at Jax and then back at Kyuki. “That’s the second time I’ve heard that name. Who is he?”
“He’s the one we’re fighting,” Kyuki says.
“Is that where attacks on the Umbra are coordinated?”
“Yes.”
“Then I think we have a deal,” I say, extending my hand.
She takes it, squeezing firmly, the hair tickling my skin.
“I think it would be best to get a good night’s rest before risking an assault on the Citadel, and it can give us time to come up with a plan,” Kyuki suggests as she releases my hand.
All Things in the Shadows Page 26
