Darkness Unbound

by Zoe Forward

  Half-planted flowers and uprooted flowerbeds surrounded the brick buildings, suggesting the gardeners had ditched their work in a hurry today. Up the road a hundred or so yards rested several houses, likely living quarters. No humans were visible outside. She didn’t detect a warded wall, nor did she have a clue how to try. Khyan or Dakar would have to inform her.

  She backhanded moisture off her forehead, silently cursing North Carolina’s humidity. A few gnats annoyingly buzzed around her head.

  Dakar announced, “A warded wall again stands ahead of us. Have you any proposals, Astrid, to remove this? Could you call forth one of your familiar gods?”

  “What exactly is this invisible wall, and why do we need a god?” Astrid asked.

  “Hashishins bespelled a power-kill wall of protection by invoking a god’s power. I know not which god. If one of us crosses, we shall be at risk to have our powers removed for an indefinite time. Except, perhaps, you. The spell did not appear to affect you the last time.” Dakar’s face darkened. “You shall not run through this to enter alone, not only because I recommend you not risk your child, but also because I will be the one to find Shay. And kill all that have threatened her.”

  Her gaze darted to Kane who scooted in to her left. Kane’s gaze narrowed in warning.

  She said, “We’re doing this together. Why do we need a god? Don’t you know a good counter spell for this kind of thing? Between you and Khyan, you both remember a lot.”

  Dakar shook his head. He glanced behind him to Khyan who had remained standing. He also shook his head. Dakar said, “I beseeched a god to remove it the last time, but that god will probably not be generous twice. I could attempt such again should you be unable to summon forth one of those gods you know. I will do it for Shay, but it carries high potential for me to end my existence.”

  “I’ll do it this time, bro,” Khyan said.

  “I cannot ask that of you,” Dakar said.

  “You didn’t,” Khyan said resolutely. “I’ve been here a long enough and—”

  Astrid interrupted Khyan’s martyr speech. “No one’s dying over something as silly as a warded wall. How do you know there’s a wall there? I don’t see anything.”

  Dakar said, “My bochnori informs me of such. Like Kane’s dragons, it is not of this realm.”

  “That living tattoo thing?” Astrid’s gaze slid to Kane where he balanced at a kneel next to her. “Let me see what I can do before we have Khyan ask a god to help.” She poised to slide closer to the wall and follow Seth’s advice about putting her mind to it, whatever that meant.

  Kane clamped down on her wrist. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m doing what I can do.” She thought to him, Seth suggested I could do a lot more than I think. I don’t know what that means.

  This is not the time to experiment. You’re not running through it again. There are two of you to think about. He glanced at her stomach.

  “I’ll be careful. No running through the magikal wall.” The concern in his gaze and instant lockdown on emotion squeezed her heart. She slid her hand up his arm and gripped his biceps. The ache between her legs reminded her of a few hours ago. She traced his cheek and then his lips.

  He said hoarsely, “You better be careful or my ass will be so far up yours—”

  “You can chew my ass to hell and back later,” she interrupted. “How close is this wall, Dakar? I can’t see or feel it.” Astrid squinted into the manicured lawn behind the building.

  Khyan replied, “Ten feet ahead.”

  Astrid pried Kane’s fingers off her wrist. She met his gaze with a silent plea for him to trust her, and then strolled forward.

  An attempt to detect the wall with her senses yielded nothing. A downward shift in ambient temperature surrounded her. She halted and put her hand out. Show yourself to me, she ordered in her mind. Instantly she got a visual of the sheeny dome covering the Hashishin buildings like a thick cobweb. Laughter reminiscent of the evil bad guy at the climax of a B-grade horror flick surrounded her. She took a step back and bumped full-body into Kane. She gritted out, “I can handle this.”

  His glower was a loud I-don’t-think-so. “You have no more idea what you’re up against than I do. So, how exactly are you going to handle it?”

  “I need you to stay safe,” she whispered.

  “The safest place for me right now is right here.”

  She turned back to face the wall. As she reached a hand out to touch the mesmerizing shimmer of the wall Seth’s voice echoed in her brain, Do not touch it.

  She thought, How are you today, Dad? Going to help me?

  You can do this. Seth’s deep voice rumbled in her mind

  How am I supposed to remove this? she asked.

  Seth’s advice thundered in her brain. Approach this as you would a living entity, and not as an inanimate. It wants to hurt. It wants to take. Give it something to take or somewhere to go.

  Don’t you want to pop down here and take care of this? The wall bulged toward her.

  Use the one ability you have mastered, Seth said.

  What if I try to run through it? Will you stop me?

  Do not test me. Threat rolled through that dictate. Her stomach cramped so tight that it hurt. All right, she’d reserve that extreme only if nothing else worked.

  “So, what’s your plan?” Kane asked behind her.

  She asked the wall, “How’d you like to go somewhere else? Somewhere…that needs exactly what you offer?”

  The wall bulged even more.

  Astrid opened a portal to the hell where Zannis had been imprisoned. She waved toward it. “Go there. There are many more you can hurt there than here.”

  The wall bulged toward the portal and then shrank back into place. Damn. Maybe if she just tugged and then threw it in the right direction. She reached out to grab it. And was knocked backwards through the air, landing several yards away. She gripped her burning hand, which was now a shade of dark red. Possible second degree burns.

  Seth towered above her. Based on his black look she’d pissed him off. “I clearly told you not to touch it.”

  She lifted and dropped her shoulders. Behind Seth she saw Kane sit up from where he’d been thrown from the wall too. “I don’t know what to do. It’s not like I had any training on spells and warded force fields. I offered it a doorway to go do whatever it does, but it refused.” She massaged her hand.

  Kane asked her softly, “Astrid, what happened to your hand?”

  “Burns. Like a sunburn on steroids.”

  Astrid stood and stifled a grin at Seth’s shirt that had no buttons and veed open to his navel where it tucked into black leather pants. The shirt’s geometric shapes and bright colors pained her eyes. “Did a seventies rocker lose his shirt?”

  “I had this custom made. It’s a unique.” Seth smoothed his hands down his waist to where the shirt tucked into the pants.

  “It’s certainly something.” She compressed her lips to smother laughter. “If your goal is to mesmerize people into worshipping you, then I’m not sure that shirt is the right approach.” She wiped away laughter tears. “Sorry. So what do I do to remove this thing?” She waved at the wall, and then glanced behind her, where Khyan and Dakar knelt, staring at Seth in awe. “I think that shirt has wowed the boys.” She chuckled.

  Seth rolled his eyes. “You are most insolent. Take care when addressing us.”

  She lifted an eyebrow in challenge. “What’s the worst you’ve got? Pain? Death? Then, bring it on. You already did whatever this is to my hand. I invite you to make someone else your incubator for future grandchildren.”

  Seth sighed and shook his head.

  “That’s what I thought,” Astrid said.

  “This once I will aid you. Your destiny lies inside.” He waved a hand at the wall. The spider web disappeared.

  “Here I thought this would be a simple rescue op,” Kane said sarcastically. “Your friends have been planning on us facing off with this daemon for a long
time, haven’t they?”

  “How’d you remove the magikal wall thing?” Astrid asked.

  Seth slow smiled. “Be warned. I am not allowed to interfere once you cross.” He disappeared.

  Astrid nodded. “Then let’s get this fiasco started.” She waved for Dakar and Khyan to follow.

  Dakar moved in beside her and waved his hand through the now vacant area where the wall had been. He announced, “’Tis gone.”

  “I say we go in the front door,” Kane said.

  “Think we should knock first?” Astrid asked. “Or just throw in a grenade and make it a grand entrance?”

  Kane chuckled.

  Dakar said, “Let us separate. Khyan and I shall enter at the rear and you enter at the front. I no longer detect Shay, but they typically keep prisoners on the lower floors. Perhaps, she is still unconscious.”

  Kane closed his eyes as if concentrating. “I do not detect either of them. Are we sure they’re here still?”

  Astrid said, “Last communication with Scott said Cy was still here.” She punched Scott’s number on her cell phone. “No signal. Kane, you got signal?”

  Kane shook his head. “We should’ve brought the sat phone.”

  “I don’t like this,” Khyan said.

  Astrid said, “Let’s at least look inside to confirm they’re not there. Kane and I will find Djoser. You two get Shay and Cy away from here. If something happens to me, phone Ashor. I asked him to send alternative transport to get you guys home…just in case.”

  ****

  Getting in was too easy. That should’ve been their first clue. Kane and Astrid started on the third floor, which was empty. There was no sound on the second floor as Astrid pushed out of the stairwell.

  Kane whispered, “I detect Djoser or at least a daemon up ahead and maybe one or two Hashishins. I don’t get why there wouldn’t be more. It’s like they evac-ed the place.”

  They entered a candle-lit meeting chamber with a central raised dais. Four Arab men emerged from the shadows. Kane moved through them. Only the last one managed to draw his knife before Kane knocked him to the side, dead. They lay on the ground like fallen branches.

  Clapping and laughter came from a dark corner of the room. Astrid turned.

  Djoser emerged. The Cheshire cat had nothing on the evil smirk he granted them. He held up his hands in a silent surrender signal. Her focus changed to Zimeri, who hovered behind Djoser. She’d kill that asshole and guarantee him a painful payback.

  Kane asked Djoser, “Where are they? Cy and Shay?”

  “Do you really think I’d be so amateurish, so stupid, as to have them right here where you could easily find them?”

  “This was just a lure to get us here.” Kane thought to Astrid, Stay close. Be ready to portal away.

  I’m not leaving without you this time, she replied.

  Djoser clasped his hands in front of him. His gaze slid to Astrid. “Well, it seems there are those of a higher plane that seek to end your existence. You have not been here long and already such powerful enemies. I am but a vehicle to do a deity’s bidding.” He shrugged. “I must admit surprise that you came today. It was a gamble that the Scimitars would allow the woman to do their work, but he said you would come.” He assessed Kane. “Aren’t you one of the Langford brothers? New recruit?” He chuckled. “So they sent the newbies? They really must be scared of me to not risk the most experienced on this.” He laughed delightedly. His eyes slid to Zimeri again, sharing some sort of personal unspoken signal. Zimeri backed further into the shadows behind Djoser.

  “Where are they? Cy and Shay,” Kane asked quietly.

  Djoser looked calm. “You know, Shaiani…Shay as you know her, belonged to me long before Dakarai came along. I consider this my right…our final reunion you could say. Cy, your spell keeper, is but a bonus.” His tone lowered. “Alas, you shall never get them back, not where they’ve gone.”

  The dragons materialized beside Kane. He gritted out, “Where the hell are they?”

  Djoser backed up a few feet. Shock transformed his features. His gaze shot to Zimeri, who remained frozen against the wall with his eyes fixed on the dragons.

  Kane smiled. “Reincarnation’s a bitch.” He shot an order at the dragons in that foreign language Astrid didn’t understand. One dragon lunged for Djoser and bit into his arm. Djoser howled and struggled to gain freedom.

  Kane sauntered forward. “We’ve done this too many times. By now you know how this will end. I can make it swift…” He unsheathed his sword. “Or I can make it hurt.” The dragon chewed off Djoser’s arm at the wrist. Kane yelled at the dragon who howled back as if petulant about not finishing his snack. The dragon settled for clamping onto Djoser’s leg. “You see, I know that you cannot feel in this realm, at least not by most human standards. But gods and dragons can make your end very very painful.”

  Djoser uttered a spell and flicked his bleeding newly-amputated arm toward Kane.

  Kane raised an eyebrow.

  “You okay?” Astrid asked.

  Kane nodded and addressed Djoser. “You know better than to try casting a spell on me.” He lunged forward and sliced Djoser’s face.

  Djoser gripped his cheek and stumbled, his leg still trapped by the dragon.

  The dragon released Djoser’s leg and pinned him to the wall with a tail.

  “Where are they?” Kane asked again.

  A rumbling sound started in Djoser’s chest and ended in a deep belly laugh. “Think you I care if you send me back to the Middle Realm?” He gazed at Zimeri and uttered something in an unfamiliar language. Zimeri sprinted out the exit.

  “This time you’re going to the lower realm permanently,” Kane said.

  Djoser smiled. “Even if you send me there, I’ll come back.” He grinned. “I guarantee it.”

  We need to get the one who left. He made plans with Djoser, Kane said in her mind. And he’s a daemon possessing that body.

  Astrid backed away, knowing this fight wasn’t hers. Her mark was the daemon-possessed Zimeri. A low chuckle from behind her spiked the hairs on her neck. She whirled to face a grinning male who towered above her. Based on his sarong-style wrap at his waist and hefty Egyptian-style necklace, she concluded he must be another god. This one definitely qualified as a hostile. Ibioni’s death words, He will come for your son, swirled in her brain.

  “Am I supposed to know you?” she asked, refusing to demonstrate subservience.

  “You are…weaker than I was led to expect.” He sneered as he gave her a once-over. He stepped toward her.

  Kane whirled. One of his dragons ran for the god only to find itself tossed away as if a magikal breeze blew it backwards. Kane ordered in her mind, Get out of here. Min intends to kill you.

  I believe this is the destiny to which all have referred. No running. Not this time.

  Damn it, Astrid. Their eyes met for a second. Right. Do what you need to do. I trust you. He engaged Djoser who had somehow shaken off the dragon and parried Kane with a wicked curved sword.

  “Your son shall never take my place,” Min said.

  “My son?” Astrid asked. She stepped back to put a few extra feet of air between them, even though he remained half a room away. “He’s supposed to replace you?”

  Faster than her eye could follow Min stood in front of her. She focused to slow time and see his next move, but the skill didn’t work as well as if he was countering with his own power. His hand came for her neck. She twisted right and karate chopped Min’s sternum with a force that drove them apart. She skidded along the floor.

  Min caught his balance and ran for her. She caught the shadow of a raised dagger. She dodged. It grazed along her ribs. If she had not leaned at the right moment, redirecting its thrust, it would’ve pierced her heart.

  Min’s laughter surrounded her.

  “I did not anticipate enjoyment from this quite so much. I shall kill your child first, then you, and then that reincarnated bastard.” He nodded at Kane.

&
nbsp; “It was you, wasn’t it?” Emotion welled from deep within, from its padlocked box as she hopped to her feet. Anger, grief, and hate coalesced. Her throat barely worked to allow sound. “You arranged for Zannis to kill me?” You denied me years with my soul mate. And drove me into that bitter shell that sought suicide. “You?”

  Min smiled.

  Astrid pointed her sword at him. “No more.”

  ****

  Kane dodged Djoser’s blade and ordered the dragon not to kill him. “Where are they?” he tried asking Djoser again. His gaze slid to his injured dragon and then to Astrid. Her eyes swirled? And she glowed. A blast of energy exploded through the room, throwing both him and Djoser to the ground. Min stumbled backwards against a support column.

  Astrid? Kane asked on their mental pathway.

  She didn’t reply. She truly looked like a goddess out of control. Between one blink and the next she was in front of Min and had disarmed him of his sword. Min shuffled backwards.

  She dropped her sword and punched Min, cracking his nose wide open. “That’s for destroying my relationship.” She thrust Min’s stolen sword through the god’s chest. “That’s so you know what it feels like to have someone ram a sword through your chest.”

  Min gurgled, his eyes wide. She yanked the sword out of his chest, whirled, and sliced across his neck. “That’s for being a shit and threatening Kane. No one fucks with my family.”

  The god’s head fell to one side. His body slumped to the ground, and then disappeared. She dropped Min’s sword and glanced heavenward. “He better be dead. If he’s not and he tries to mess with us again, I’ll—”

  You got him, Kane thought to her. He turned on Djoser and pointed his sword at his chest. “Where did Min put Cy and Shay?”

  Djoser grinned. He pushed himself forward onto Kane’s blade and whispered, “They are somewhere far away from all of you. Impossible to reach.” He pulled his body off the blade and threw his body neck first at the blade, effectively decapitating himself. The body fell dead to the ground. The daemon within gone.

  “Damn it!” Kane bellowed.

  Khyan and Dakar ran into the room. Dakar said, “They are not here.” Wild-eyed terror blanketed his face.