by Thia Mackin
“Ran, wait!” The strength of the words slipping out triggered a coughing fit that only aggravated my raw throat more. My breathing stopped as I tried to end the spasms. Stupid. Stupid, Kinan.
On the other end of the line, silence reigned. Even the background noise ceased on his end, accentuating the sound of hundreds of demons gathering outside Locke’s house. “Who is this?” returned the steady voice, highlighted with the most anger I’d ever heard from him. For a moment, it hurt that he didn’t recognize my voice. As oxygen burned my airway when I inhaled, I realized that he couldn’t possibly know it was me. Hours of screaming, night after night, left me with a broken voice. The hoarse whisper I had to use was barely audible, much less recognizable.
“It’s me,” I admitted, oddly reluctant to say my name.
“You’re going to have to do better than that.”
I mentally steeled myself to get through the pain of the conversation to come—both emotionally and physically. “Kinan. It’s Kinan.” My eyes teared up as I heard him inhale sharply.
“This had better be for real. If you’re fucking with me, I swear on all the gods…” he muttered. He didn’t have to finish the threat; I knew what he was capable of, what his Gift conjuring and controlling fire allowed him to do. “I was afraid you were dead,” he whispered. “Kinan, where are you? What happened? Hypnos said you were alive, but he wouldn’t tell me where you were, and he couldn’t tell me what kept you away.”
I used my left arm to clutch my knees more tightly to my chest, trying hard to keep the tears from falling. “I-I’m alive. I shouldn’t be. Ran, I’ve done a lot of stupid things.” Without thought, I rocked forward then back. “I want to come home, Ran, but I can’t. I-I’m pretty messed up, and …”
The forward and back motion became more erratic as I tried to keep everything I wanted to say inside. What could I tell him that wouldn’t either make him pity me or despise me? I didn’t want to lie to him during our first conversation since my departure after the attack that nearly destroyed his family’s ranch—what would be our last conversation ever.
“Physically-unable can’t or prevented-by-other-issues can’t?” he questioned.
A sob choked me. “I just can’t. I’m sorry.”
As the silence lengthened on his end, I wondered if he was going to hang up on me. Just before I opened my mouth to beg him not to leave me yet, he murmured, “Will you ever?”
I wanted to tell him that I would, but I knew better. Tomorrow, I’d walk onto one of the battlefields with the intention of taking out as many of the people who had incarcerated me, raped me, as possible before I went down. I had no intention of living through it. But if I told him, he’d come for me. Or send someone for me. He needed to keep every able-bodied person with him in Tucumcari, New Mexico, to protect his boss, Keawyn Asez, and Asez Holding.
I tried changing the subject instead. “Sources say one of their land strikes is going to be tomorrow at Clovis. The Governor has directed forces there, but there will be air strikes nearby. Are your people ready?”
“Tomorrow?” Rankar’s voice hardened, and my heart sank when I realized he was angry at me. He was going to hang up. When he continued, the relief caused me to sink back against the wall. “We will be. They won’t be ready for us. I can damn well guarantee you that.” He paused, breathed in. “You don’t have to decide now, Kinan. Just promise me you’ll think about it. Promise me you’re someplace safe and getting better. I love you. I miss you so much.” By the time he said the last sentence, his voice was soft enough I only heard him because of my preternatural hearing. I wished I hadn’t.
“I love you, Rankar.” The first tear freed itself, and I swiped carelessly at the cold, saltwater trail on my cheek. As I did, I remembered the companion that I’d sent away during my capture. The Arabian-Deylura gelding had been a present from Rankar, and I’d trained him myself. “Did Pantheon make it when…”—I exhaled, changed my mind—“when I told him to go back?” My voice cracked on the harder consonants, and I knew that I was reaching the end of my mental endurance. I hadn’t said this many words to one person since… Leara. Before Locke released me from the camps.
Rankar’s voice, on the other hand, sounded stronger. He sounded surer of himself. “He’s in the stables. Rendle’s taking care of him. I visit him sometimes. I’m pretty sure he misses you—hard to tell with him, contrary bastard that he is.” If I closed my eyes, I could picture Rankar’s expressions. His smile. The look of concern in his beautiful brown eyes. I hadn’t seen his face in so long, but I remembered it more clearly than I would have if I’d had his photograph in my hand.
“Is everyone okay?” I whispered, wondering about Rankar’s family—a group of people who had taken me in when I was injured. Asher, Rankar’s baby brother, had been a friend to me when I needed it. He’d trusted me not to reveal his secrets to his family, a gift that someone like me could never take for granted.
“They’re good. Kismet’s wife, Tiernia, had the baby, a little girl they named Erykah. I almost feel bad for anybody who faces Kismet tomorrow—I didn’t think he could get more lethal in battle, but having a wife and baby added to the mix makes him a lit powder keg. Xander finished his degree. Mom and Dad beefed up the wards on the house. ’Sario’s lover, Treyv, moved in with him and Alala; Keawyn’s making a hell of a leader for Asez. Everyone’s good.”
“I’m glad.” The noise outside was growing louder as more demons assembled near the Gala National Forest. Humans, shapeshifters, fae, vampires, and a large number of non-Terran demons were gathered together in an effort to make a place for ourselves in the post-Enlightenment world. “Ran, I have to go. Thank you… for talking to me. Be careful. Don’t let anything happen to you.”
“If you let something happen to you, I’ll be pissed. Take care of yourself, Kinan. I’m waiting,” he promised. It made me wish I could be with him.
“I’m sorry, Ran. I love you,” I whispered.
“I love you too. You know where to find me.”
Sareya Montgomery was a former Marine who’d put together a group of former military, mercenary, and combat-trained demons. Even I had to admit that she was tough, for one of the generally peaceful Barcki demons. I respected anyone capable of keeping any amount of control over thousands of people—most of whom were more than merely human. That was the only reasonable explanation for why I was standing in the midst of the fifty-demon squad she’d assigned to Locke and me, listening to her give us marching orders while dawn was barely a thought in the sky. Some of the less weapons-savvy paranormals stood off in a clearing trying to learn how to point, fire, and reload. The more experienced of our number pulled duties similar to the ones she’d given us.
“All of our Prophets seem to believe that the attack will begin as soon as the dawn breaks, spread across six different locations.” Her voice carried over the crowd, but she wasn’t yelling. No microphones were at work. Someone manipulated the energy, or perhaps the air itself, to help her. Surrounded by the sheer number of demons in my area, I wouldn’t have felt a Gate opening directly in front of me. Even if I’d wanted, I couldn’t have traced the power back to its source. My shields were tight to prevent others’ energy leakage from bleeding into my reserve. “My generals have distributed your orders. Get some rest and regroup at the rally point in your designated city in two hours.”
Immediately, the crowd began to mill around us. A hand grabbed my backpack, and I whirled around. Locke stood his ground as I peered up at him from a half-crouching position, for all appearances unintimidated as his dark eyebrows rose in question. He’d only grabbed the material, an attempt to keep us from being separated as we were jostled by the crowd. I nodded at him, a silent thank-you for the courtesy.
Shortly after he’d taken me from the camp, he’d tried to wake me from my screaming nightmares by shaking me. Before I’d risen to full consciousness, I’d made an honest attempt to rip his throat out with my fingers while sobbing wildly and yelling in languages he
couldn’t understand. He hadn’t made contact with my skin since; a man who learned his lessons quickly. “Interested in a little rest? A meal?” he shouted over the rising noise.
As usual, he ignored my non-plus attitude and opened a Gate back to his house. An almost transparent image of his kitchen laid over the desert landscape, much like a mirage right before us. Hand still gripping the black nylon, he half-pulled me into the hazy picture. Though he was holding the backpack when we stepped free, he didn’t have to pull me out. I never hesitated while in the place between places or returned to my starting point without exiting the Gate at my destination. My dad had told me that no matter where I exited, anywhere was better than an eternity trapped in the Void. Fhen Kinan had always been wise. Goddess, it has been forever since I’ve thought of him.
“I know you won’t sleep,” Locke interrupted my thoughts, “but I’d recommend you eat something. I can just see you collapsing in the middle of the battlefield from something as fucking stupid as lack of nutrition.” I blocked the rest of his mothering from my mind as I accepted the plate of cold ham, eggs, and biscuits.
Had there been any chance of restful sleep, I would have curled up and taken a nap. Instead, I sat on the corner of the bed with my back to the wall as I listened to the sounds of demons settling in to rest outside. Over and over, my fingers traced the Glock inscription on my borrowed gun. My ice-blue eyes stared out the window, noting that already the sky was beginning to lighten. Almost time.
I closed my eyes, emptied my mind, and counted my breaths. A false sense of peace descended over me, one I would need to find the quiet place inside me. My father and my uncle had both described their centers in different ways. Thinking back, I could perhaps assume that the discrepancies between the two descriptors were more an indication of how their Gifts interacted with them as individuals than differences in their actual thought processes. Both had agreed, though, that the room was inky and black. My center was also a lightless room, but it was made of cold and nothingness. Seeing the past, present, or future never seemed cold or emotionless, but I didn’t presume I was using my Gift correctly. Who was I to second-guess the Goddess?
The door opened to me, pulling me toward it. Instead of fighting the windstorm, my body went limp and was embraced by it. Energy swelled inside me, filling my inner reserve. Instantly, I was rejuvenated. And despite the oddness of invisible snowflakes landing on my skin, I felt whole for the first time in eight months. I was ready for dawn.
Cold Comfort – Coming Soon!
Glossary of Terms with pronunciations using IPA
Aclan Plane /æklæn pleɪn/ Known primarily for exports in precious metals valuable for energy-working, the Aclan Plane has three major cities plus assorted mining camps. Their native demon breed has evolved into three sub-breeds: Eiran’ku, Eiran’vy, and Eiran’ri.
A Evo Ra /ɑ ivoʊ rɑ/ Raspea for ‘I love you’
Alternate form /ɔltɜrnət fɔrm/ A non-native, non-humanoid form typical of some demon breeds. Tuatha de Danaan most commonly have a Terran animal form.
Anwylyd /ænuɪlɪd/ Welsh for ‘dearest’
Asez Holding /əsæ hoʊldɪŋ/ A compound near Tucumcari, New Mexico, known to the unEnlightened for breeding horses and to the Enlightened for employing paranormals. Owned by the Asez family, they also train their own security force.
Bond /bɑnd/ A connection formed between a specific energy-sensitive creature and its chosen demon. Drakyn and Deylura are both capable of bonding. Demon chosen is called a bonded /bɑndəd/ or bondmate /bɑndmeɪt/.
Bouzouki /bʊˈzuːki/ A Greek instrument adapted from a Turkish bağlama in the same family as a lute.
Chegori /ʧəgɔri/ Demon breed native to Elysii Plane known for alabaster skin, eye, and hair color. Native form appears human excepting pigmentation. They tend to be poor fighters and pride themselves on their fairness in all things, even creating Raspea as the primary language.
Custodia /kustoʊdiə/ Latin for ‘guard’
Descendo /diskɪndoʊ/ Latin for ‘down’
Deylura /deɪlʊrɑ/ An equine species native to the Kirian Plane capable of bonding with an individual demon of its choice at any age. Deylura cannot be forced to bond. They are capable manipulating energy to create a Gate. They roam wild only on their native Plane, but they appear very similar to Arabian horses and can be bred with Terra horses.
Drakyn /dreɪkɛn/ A reptilian species native to the destroyed Danaan Plane capable of bonding with an individual demon of its choice. The dragonesque creature weighs about fifteen pounds, the size of a large housecat. They can manipulate energy to work a Gate and use Gating as their primary mode of transit, though they can fly. They can also communicate telepathically, though they usually restrict speaking to their bondmate. They avoid Terra and love playing tricks—like stealing trinkets and shiny things, hoarding baubles, or playing simple pranks.
Drava /drɑvə/ Demon breed native to the Drinari Plane known for trade and their Gifts with Earth and Fire. They do have a neutral form, though their native form is very human in appearance. Their native language is Dravic /drɑvɪk/, though they also tend to speak Raspea.
Drinari Plane /drɪnɑri pleɪn/ At 65% water and 35% land, the Plane consists of one main continent and several archipelagos. The main continent is primarily controlled by Drava demons, and the archipelagos are primarily controlled by Qalanve demons. The lingua franca is Raspea, though each native breed has their own language.
Eiran /aɪræn/ Demon breed native to Aclan Plane with three sub-breeds known for mining, forging, and manipulating metals. They do not have a neutral form and do not frequent the Terra Plane. Their native language is Kisuye, but all Eiran demons also learn Raspea from birth.
Eirlys /eɪrlɪs/ Welsh for ‘snowdrop’
Elysii Plane /iliʃaɪ pleɪn/ A thriving trade Plane centered around the culture built by the Chegori, Elysii encourages the use of Raspea in all dealings. The four native demon breeds now live in peace—Chegori, Wevran, Zksau, and Qtal—with the majority of them living outside the capital city of Mystor.
Energy /ɛnərʤi/ A pool of power in all living beings that can only be accessed by certain demons and creatures, typically mastered with training. If too much energy is used, the pool can be depleted and ability to work the power disappears forever.
Energy-working /ɛnərʤi-wɜrkɪŋ/ The act of manipulating one’s internal energy to shield and ward, create Gates, work spells, and use Gifts.
Enlightened /ɛnˈlaɪtənd/ An adjective for a demon of any breed who knows that the extended paranormal community exists.
unEnlightened /ʌnɛnˈlaɪtənd/ An adjective for a demon of any breed who is unaware of the extended paranormal community’s existence. Most Terran demons are unEnlightened.
Enlightenment /ɛnˈlaɪtənmənt/ An event in 2005 that revealed the paranormal community to the unEnlightened on Terra.
Exeatis /ɛxeɑtiz/ Latin for ‘you leave’
Fae /feɪ/ Another name for the Tuatha de Danaan
Fenital /fənətɔl/ A feline predator native to the Elysii Plane approximately the size of domestic cats on Terra that hunts small rodents. Shaped like Terran cats, it has medium-length fur as soft as chinchilla and no tail.
Ferente /fɜrɛnteɪ/ Demon breed native to Kirian Plane known for their Gifts of Healing. Their native form and neutral form are the same, as they can pass for human excepting that they tend to receive colorful, cultural tattoos. Their native language is also Ferente.
Gate /geɪt/ A portal created from one place to another using energy. The act of using the portal is called Gating /geɪtɪŋ/.
Gift /gɪft/ An innate ability or abilities of an energy-working demon.
Human /hjumən/ Demon breed native to Terra Plane known for their inability to energy-work, with a few exceptions. Humans are the only demon breed susceptible to the Thalassemian-Therianthro Virus.
Interplanar /ɪnˈtɜrplænɜr/ Moving between Planes
Kapuliv /kæpjulɪv/ Sand shark; A creature nati
ve to Adaghi desert on Aclan Plane approximately the size of a bull shark. It uses a filtration system like the sandfish lizard to breathe beneath the sand. The dorsal fin is smaller than a Terran sharks and the pectoral fins are longer, used like legs to propel them through the sand. Their skin is covered in cilia that protects them from the rough environment and also helps them move. They mate on the surface or in large enough water sources at night.
Kirian Plane /kɪriən pleɪn/ An isolated Plane with only one native demon breed, the Kirian Plane is best known for Ferente demons, Deylura horses, and healing. Caravans are only encouraged to visit the capital city, Bagavo, as most of the tribes of Ferente are spread out.
Lycanthrope /lʌɪk(ə)nˌθrəʊp/ A human infected by one of the ten L-strains of the Thalassemian-Therianthro Virus (TTV) who survives the genetic changes and begins changing into the alternate form during moon phases.
Lykos /laɪkoʊs/ A lycanthrope infected by the wolf strain of TTV-L
Mahalraka kitasinu varhakohev /mɑhɑʀɑkɑ kitasinu vaʁokɛv/ Teharan for ‘I love you.’
Mystor /mɪstɔr/ Capital city of Elysii Plane; Raspea for “center”
Native form /neɪtɪv fɔrm/ A form a demon is born with and is likely to revert to during high stress situations. Some demons’ native and neutral forms are the same (e.g. humans).
Neutral form /nutrəl fɔrm/ A humanoid form that would pass for human on the Terra Plane. Not all demons have a neutral form. Those breeds tend to avoid Terra completely.
Nwazeh /nɑwɑzɛ/ Plant native to the Drinari Plane with spiky leaves like an aloe plant. The flower smells like candied ginger and orange blossoms and can replace comfrey. It does not grow on Terra but is available in some Sithens.
Qalanve /kɑlɑnveɪ/ Demon breed native to Drinari known for their control of weather and their piscine appearance, which may have helped inspired the Terran idea of mermaids. They do not have a neutral form. Their native language is Qalan /kɑlɑn/, which is signed and spoken.
