by Patti Larsen
Unnerving, this silent battle in the dark against the rubber membrane making up the place between worlds. I knew it was Meira, from the touch of her magic, so familiar, so dear to me. Twisted now, darkened, tainted by nectar and something even more sinister, I reached for Meira to calm her only to feel the force of her power reach for me, slamming into me.
With little affect. Her attack died in the quiet of the veil, her magic merely a sting of a spark, reaching me even as I gathered all my power to control her. My energy echoed, hollow and empty too, not even staggering her as she again threw everything she had at me.
Including herself.
The impact of her physical form recoiled through me, though I knew the blow from her larger body would have done serious damage had we been outside the veil. As it was, I found my breath taken away as I tumbled sideways, losing my place in space, falling through the place between planes where I normally flew.
So quiet, there in the darkness, with the press of my sister against me, her power trying over and over to tear me apart while my heart broke for her and I fought for a way to stop her. To recover for both our sakes. I’d been lost in the veil before, was rescued only thanks to the maji Iepa and my dear friend Trill, when I thought I was dead, drained by the vampire Queen Batsheva. But there was no one here on Demonicon I could call out to, not with Ameline in control of the veil.
No way was I going to owe her anything ever again.
Meira’s magic tried to wrap around me, smother me. I slid free, not wanting to hurt her but knowing I had to do something before we were both lost. But my magic was as worthless as hers, my vampire hollow, Shaylee with nothing to grasp, my demon roaring her fury into the darkness. My family magic shrank from attacking Meira, though it suffered from her betrayal.
I had nothing. No means to stop this.
And then, I remembered.
Iepa might not have been with me, but I wasn’t helpless. Or drained to the point of death. The maji. Veil creators. I had an edge my sister didn't.
I drew on the creation energy, letting it rise to the surface, surround the still-battling Meira in its power. She fought it, though as it sank into her she calmed, stilled. Creation power flowed inside her as I pulled us to a halt from our spinning fall, cleansing her blood, her body. I cradled her as I focused on Theridialis and the Node, sliding through the veil with purpose once again, holding her against me while she struggled, weaker and weaker, until she finally collapsed just as the veil parted and we stumbled out into fresh air.
Meira fell at my feet, groaning softly, body shrinking to more normal proportions, but face remaining aged, retaining a bit of her advanced evolution despite my efforts. Whites of her eyes showing, Meira lay still on the stone floor as, panting, crouched over her, I looked up to see my friends watching while I fought the need to weep for my poor sister.
“Sequoia,” I said, choking on my unshed tears. “Take care of her.” I couldn't handle it. Had to act, to do something or I'd fall apart and all of this would be for nothing.
Nothing.
The slim demon nodded immediately, coming to my side as I forced myself to stand, to leave Meira behind. I approached Theridialis, shoving my sister's pain from my heart as a protective measure, only to find Sass's father looked so miserable I wanted to hug him, but didn't have the will.
“Thank you,” I said. “You saved our lives, I'm sure of it. And hers.” We both knew who I meant.
“You can thank me later, if you still think I'm worth the effort.” Sassafras's father crumbled, face compressing in grief. “Oh, Sydlynn, I've betrayed a soul promise and I fear I'll never be forgiven for it.”
I squeezed his shoulder, Sassy stroking his father’s cheek with one paw where he still sat, cradled in Theridialis's arms. “You did what you had to do,” I said.
“Perhaps,” the scientist said. “But in doing so, I showed Ameline where to find the Node.”
Um. What?
“When I showed the veil where to take us,” Theridialis said. “If it was she blocking our travels, it was she who understood the message.”
Oh. Right. Damn it.
Damn it.
“And if she's not here yet,” I said.
“She will be shortly,” Theridialis finished for me.
Just lovely. And yet, this was exactly how things were meant to be, I supposed.
Time to put an end to this and go the hell home.
***
Chapter Thirty
I turned from Theridialis to take my first good look around. At nothing. A round chamber, dome just a few feet above my head without doorways, windows, cracks even. Nada. Zippo.
We were trapped.
“Now what?” Sassafras looked around. “What is this place?”
“First level of protection,” Theridialis said. “Only Node monitors can find it. If, for some reason, those without true knowledge were to make their way here, they would be truly caught for all eternity.”
Before I could panic, I felt the part of Theridialis's magic he'd given me thrumming softly, while Ahbi's magic pulled me gently toward the center of the space. I found myself approaching a small depression in the floor with the portly scientist on one side and the demon girl, Tara, eyes wide but no longer afraid, on the other. Tara smiled at me, a bright and shining expression before she crouched and poked her finger into the divot in the stone.
The whole room hummed to life, walls pushing back in a rush as a massive shield spread outward from the hole in the floor as though she'd somehow triggered a chain reaction with her single touch. Where once we'd stood in a small arched chamber, we now hovered on the edge of a singing shield stretching upward into the blackness, more black behind us, more to either side.
“Second level,” Theridialis said, regret heavy in his voice. “The entry.” He sighed, gazing with longing at the shield before us. “I'd forgotten how very overwhelming it is.”
He could say that again. I reached out, let my hand slide over the surface of the shield, felt it welcome me, part. A section slid back, revealing light from inside. Only then did I understand—the shield was a mirror, reflecting back at us, while inside the true center of Demonicon awaited.
“And thus the second level,” Theridialis said. “If, by some catastrophic means, one not a monitor made it out of their confines, the mirror of the shielding would keep them here, lost and wandering, forevermore.”
And while I was sure the Node had been safe for millennia, I knew very well it wasn't safe any longer.
Tara took my hand, tiny fingers wrapping around mine. “Can we go inside?” She seemed eager at last, her fear gone and, as I felt the pull of Ahbi's magic mingle with the thrum of the Node, I understood why. I felt rather light myself, despite everything. And being born to a Node monitor, Tara must have had more of its residue in her than I had access to.
“We shall,” Theridialis said, turning to his daughter. “Bring Meira, and be gentle. I will have the monitors look at her.” He offered a sad smile. “Perhaps they can help.”
I tried not to get my hopes up, but it was hard. It felt like we'd finally made it, progress, success even. There was no way Ameline beat us here, not with the two protections in her way. She would have to navigate them first and that would take her time.
Fingers crossed.
The only problem? The moment I passed through the shield my feeling of happiness and good will died the moment Ahbi's power jerked against me, pulling me toward a tall metal building in the middle of a bright field. At least, that's the best way I could describe it. The sky, the grass, the dirt, everything, shone white and glowed softly. It should have burned my eyes, like snow-blindness, but instead it made everything sharp and clear.
I practically ran to the large doorway blocked by a blood-red portal, reaching for it before Theridialis could touch it, watching it swing open to the smiling face of a thin demon with a very crooked nose. His smile faded as I rushed past him, Tara in tow. I spun, turning to the left and the right, looking down
identical metal corridors, empty of doorways or windows, lit by flames hovering above, rippling over the ceiling.
“I beg your pardon.” The Node monitor's tone turned me around despite Ahbi's insistence. “You're not members of this order.” He puffed up a little, though was clearly nervous, hands shaking. We'd just rocked his world.
“I am,” Theridialis said smoothly. “Or, I was. And this child,” he pointed to Tara, “is a descendant.” Pause. “And her entourage.”
The monitor spluttered, hands flapping in front of him as he backed up a step. “But wait!” He looked like he was about to implode from the shock. “The rest are common.” His sneer drove my temper to skyrocket. “You must all leave. At once.”
I didn't have time for this. One of my hands clamped over his upper arm and pulled him toward me as I snarled in his face.
“Listen up,” I said. “I need to get to the Node. And you're going to help me.”
“But, but, I can't, this is terrible, why are you here?” Terror flooded his eyes. “Please, you must go back. The damage to the balance. Don't you understand?”
“I understand way more than you do,” I said, letting him go. “Trust me. Now take me there or get out of the way.”
He gaped. Too long. Fine. Trusting Ahbi's power, I spun and marched to the right with the sinking feeling there was more to this place than I was seeing, fairly sure I'd never reach the Node without a guide, but unwilling to stop.
I couldn't. If Ahbi's magic was correct, if the geas was functioning as it should—and I had no reason to believe it wasn't—Ameline was somehow here already and for all I knew, at the Node.
This could all be over very quickly.
Someone puffed their way to my side, Theridialis's hand pulling me back as Tara trotted along happily beside me. “This way.” He stopped, touched one of the inner walls. It melted away, leaving a perfectly shaped door behind.
Nice. And good to know. I marched through, into a matching hallway. Almost swore.
“Maze?” I turned to find Theridialis nodding.
“Third protection,” he said. “But a Node monitor can make their own path.”
Tara was already pressing her hands to the next wall, giggling as it disappeared. “Tickles,” she said, fixing me with her sparkling eyes.
At least one of us was having a good time. I turned to see Ram close behind me, face grim. Knowing he had my back actually made me feel better. Sassafras, now on his own four feet, followed close on my right while Avenesequoia floated my sister's unconscious body beside her, taking up the rear.
There was no sign of the Node monitor we'd left behind and that made me nervous. Not because I was afraid of him specifically, but because if he set off some kind of extra protection, we could be in a lot of trouble.
“This way.” Theridialis's speed seemed to reinforce my concerns so I followed him, moving as fast as I could, through wall after wall of the maze, barreling our way through until the final one parted and we stepped into a large room.
Full of control panels and Node monitors, one of which I recognized, our crooked-nosed unfriend who tried to block me at the main entry. He hovered, whispering in another scientist's ear. They both turned, all of the monitors spinning with shock on their faces, to stare at us a moment before the demon we'd met at the door pointed with some authority.
“That's them,” the nasty little tattletale squeaked.
But the older demon he'd run to caught Theridialis's eyes. And smiled.
Phew. I thought. We could still be in trouble. But smiling worked for me.
Meanwhile, the pull of Ameline was so strong I had to grip my stomach in both hands to keep from groaning.
Give me a bit of slack, please. Ahbi wasn't listening so I turned to my alter egos. A little help? I watched the old scientist cross to Theridialis, also smiling, and embrace him as my vampire, Shaylee and my snarling demon smothered the pull of the geas and gave me some relief.
“My old friend.” The scientist's smile didn't waver. “Theridialis, you've returned.”
“Only to warn you, Bilesterius,” my portly demon friend said with great urgency. “The Node is in danger.”
“Nonsense.” Bilesterius gestured to the control panels where his gathered monitors still stared at us rather than doing their work.
Gawkers pissed me off.
Theridialis gripped his friend's arm in one hand. “Please, I beg you. Is there a new monitor here? One only arrived?”
Bilesterius frowned a little before smiling again. “Why yes,” he said. “The daughter of one of our lost ones. Tara, born of Taleesharete.” Was it just me or did he have a glazed look on his face? A subtle probing was in order.
Theridialis gestured and Tara approached, smiling shyly. “You've been betrayed, my friend,” he said. “This is Tara, daughter of Taleesharete. The demon woman you allowed inside is an imposter.”
Bilesterius shuddered as my magic touched him. I could feel her there, her influence, the taint of Ameline, boosted by something I recognized. That I was feeling even now. The Node's power was helping her. But why?
No, wait. Not the Node itself. But something similar. With the same teardrop shape...
“Theridialis,” I said, growing fear gnawing at me as much as Ahbi's insistence. “Was there another Node at one time?”
His head jerked around, face paling as though I'd struck him. “Dear flame and fire, no.”
Dad had seemed just as upset when he'd learned Ameline managed to block the veil, but didn't say why. No way was I giving Theridialis the chance to keep this vital information to himself.
I needn't have worried. He sagged, hand falling from Bilesterius's arm as he met his friend's eyes.
“The Dead Stone,” he said. “Where is it?”
The old scientist flinched. “With Ruler,” he said. “As it always has been.”
“Dead Stone?” I looked back and forth between them as the pair aged centuries in a few seconds, so pale their veins seemed to jump to the surface of their skin. Bilesterius was sweating, beads standing out on his forehead, hands shaking even more as I prodded the power Ameline had over him.
Node power.
“The first attempt to make a Node,” Theridialis said. “It failed.”
Sassafras hissed softly. “But the stone of its focus?”
“Still retains great power.” Bilesterius nodded slowly, before shaking his head, color returning to his face. Power surged in his mind, Ameline's control tightening. She must have known I was there, trying to free the scientist from her grip because she pressed down on him so hard he groaned. “Evil one,” he hissed at Theridialis, spinning like a striking snake, “why have you betrayed your order?”
The portly demon's grief returned in a heartbeat. “I had no choice,” he wailed. “None! The Node is in danger.”
“The Node is in perfect balance.” Bilesterius clapped his hands. At the sound, a door way opened and four burly looking monitors entered, approaching us with grim expressions. “Take them into custody. They will be executed for defiling the secret of our Node.”
Not while I had a say in the matter. I gathered my magic, ready to strike, when Theridialis's desperate voice spoke in my mind.
Sydlynn, no! He met my eyes as he was bound with magic, begging me even as he fell to his knees. The Node's balance is damaged by foreign magic. This close to it, you could finish Ameline's job for her.
Now he told me.
I won't let them take me, I snarled back.
Please, don't fight. I watched my friends hesitate, waiting for my first move while the monitors closed slowly in. We'll find a way out of this. But if you do anything now, this close to the Node, even just with unfamiliar Demon magic, we'll all die.
Fuming inside, Ahbi's power fighting the rest of me, contained inside a shield to protect the Node, pissed off and out of options, I nodded slowly to my friends and gave myself up.
***
Chapter Thirty One
Another cell, this one
big enough for all of us and not all that cell-like, really. I got the impression not to many people just showed up on the doorstep of the Node like we did. As in, none.
I turned to Theridialis, needing to focus on the task at hand and not my unconscious sister lying a few feet away. “I take it they aren’t prepared for something like this?”
Theridialis shook his head where he sat on the floor with his back to the wall, sorrow and guilt still weighing him down. “The Node monitor’s oath is sacred,” he said. Swallowed hard, wiping at his sweating forehead with a shaking hand. “No one has ever broken it.”
Shocking for a bunch of power-hungry demons. “Never. Ever.”
“I know you find it hard to believe our people have honor,” Theridialis said with so much dignity I felt badly for pushing him. “But when it comes to the safety of our planes, Node monitors are absolutely loyal. Only we understand how very fragile our existence is.”
I nodded, relented. “So how secure is this place?” I waved my hand over my head so he’d know I meant the room.
“Secure,” he said. “But not, I imagine, against a combined assault.” His eyes drifted to Tara who sat with her head on Ram’s shoulder. Theridialis sighed. “And yes, if we break free, I’m certain we will be able to access the Node. We’ve passed the main protections. But if we’re going to act, we must do so before they decide to remove us back to the surface.”
First things first. I paced as Sassafras and Avenesequoia murmured over Meira, unable to look at her. She wasn't my kid sister, not the sweet, kind-hearted, spunky preteen I loved with my whole heart. The monster created with nectar and Ameline's influence through Sekaniphestat didn't even feel like Meems, not really.
But I couldn’t run off without knowing if she’d be okay.
Sassafras, tail twitching, finally looked up and met my eyes. “She'll be all right, I think,” he said. “Most of the nectar is out of her system now. But I fear things will be worse before they are better.”
