by Amy Sumida
“You will regret betraying me,” Marduk snarled and pressed the Tablet into my breasts. “All you had to do was leave me alone, but you just couldn't, could you? Fucking Dragons; they have to have all or nothing. Well, here's your nothing!”
I screamed as the Tablet's magic shot directly into my star. My vision went hazy as unbearable pain flooded my body. The roar of a dragon melded with that of a lion and the howling of a wolf, slicing through my mind like razors. My nahual splintered apart into golden mist as tears poured down my cheeks. The cords binding me to everyone I loved went tight and thrummed with tension; a few more minutes and they'd snap. All of me would.
But then a strange disturbance filled the air behind Marduk. Wavering light like a heatwave. Energy gathered and faces formed in the haze. King Iblis grinned maniacally as he crouched over Marduk. All of the other Jinn Royals took shape beside him, even the canine Ibi. They circled us, leaning forward as Iblis did, and laid their hands—and a paw—on Marduk. Then they vanished.
Marduk trembled violently, his eyes going wide in fear and shock. His face bubbled, skin boiling like water. The pain in my body stopped instantly and my star snapped back together like a released rubber band. As my nahual reformed, my beasts settled, and my magic clicked back into place. I took a deep breath as Marduk began to scream, his whole body going rigid. I shoved him off me and stood, shifting into my weredragon form to cover my nudity. My dragon tail swished behind me with animal fascination as I cocked my head in curiosity.
“If you'll excuse me, Dragon Queen,” Zimri-dagan stepped past me, his boot heels clicking smartly on the stone, and knelt over the shrieking Marduk. He removed the Tablet of Destinies from Marduk's breastplate and then returned to my side with it tucked securely under his arm. “We should probably step back further. This is going to be messy.”
I lifted my brow at Zimri-dagan but backed away as he advised. Behind us, our army emerged from the earth, lifted out by jinn, while gods helped each other out from beneath boulders and other debris. The Mesopotamians didn't try to stop them nor did our forces re-engage with our enemies once they were free. Everyone was too busy staring at Marduk.
“What's happening?” I asked Zimri-dagan the question we were all thinking.
“The Kings and Queens have possessed Marduk,” he said as if it were obvious. “It's difficult to possess a god, but we foresaw that through unity the Royals could manage it with Marduk. They have taken control of his magic and body. Prepare yourself, Vervain. As soon as Marduk dies, you will need to reclaim this territory.”
“I'm on it.” I grinned and watched Marduk in anticipation.
I felt my lovers come up the steps behind me and reached for them without glancing away from the roiling mass of flesh that was Marduk. Hands caught mine and laid on my shoulders as my men pressed in around me. They were all alive and that was even more gratifying than watching Marduk writhe in agony.
“You traitorous she-dragon!” Marduk gurgled.
Then his body exploded.
As soon as Marduk turned to mush, I felt the magic of the territory burst free of his control. I barely needed to call for it; it recognized me and came to me automatically. Still, I yanked it quickly into my star and bonded it to the Lion magic before anyone else could claim it. The two merged and my lioness energy flowed into the land while territory magic circled back into me. Nothing crumbled as it had when I had transferred the magic to Marduk. Without Marduk there to destroy what he had created, they stayed as they were. I didn't care; I'd deal with it later, but I needed to add one thing immediately. I settled a new ward into place and spoke the chant that would open it. The Trinity Star glowed with pleasure, and I breathed in deeply, luxuriating in the feel of the magical place around me. My territory.
Out of Marduk's gory remains, eight flames swirled into existence and then took the shape of the Kings and Queens of the Jinn. As they formed, the Mesopotamians vanished, tracing away to save themselves. It didn't matter; they couldn't hurt me anymore. Not without the Tablet of Destinies.
“That's right!” I shouted after the Mesopotamians as they retreated. “This is our home!” Then, in a sing-song voice, I added, “I'm the Queen of the castle, and you're a dirty”—I glanced at the mess that used to be Marduk and changed my tone to one of grim declaration—“you're a dirty, disgusting splatter.” I eyed the Jinn Royals. “That was a hell of a way to kill someone. You know, they never would have upset you if they knew you had superpowers.”
The Jinn frowned.
“I guess you're not Stranger Things fans,” I noted dryly and glanced at the mess again. “Could've fooled me.”
The Jinn exchanged amused glances as they floated forward to join us, hovering over the Marduk-smear so they wouldn't get their shoes dirty. King Iblis set himself down before me and held out his hands. Zimri-dagan reverentially placed the Tablet of Destinies within Iblis' eager grip. King Iblis clutched the stone to his chest like a long-lost lover and sighed deeply. I stared at him in concern. Had I just killed one maniac only to empower another?
“Do not concern yourself about our intentions, Queen Vervain,” King Iblis said as if he knew exactly what I was thinking. “We rejoice to have the Tablet of Destinies returned to us, but we do not intend to use it. I have been given guardianship because my people live in a part of the Jinn territory that is the most inhospitable to other races.”
“You mean Hell?” I asked with a lifted brow.
“To some, maybe.” He grinned to show off his thick canines. “To the Shayteen it is paradise. Perhaps to a dragon as well. You are welcome to visit us anytime you wish.” He looked me slowly up and down. “Especially in that form.”
“Thank you.” I cleared my throat as my men made rumbling sounds. “But I think I'll stay as far away from that Tablet as I can get.”
Iblis chuckled. “That is probably for the best. Goodbye, Dragon Queen. It has been an honor to fight beside you. Or beneath you, rather.” He winked at me.
“Goodbye, King Iblis.” I ignored his innuendos. “Thank you, all of you, for saving my big dragon butt.”
Iblis laughed again—his boisterous, booming laugh—and its echo lingered as he and the other Jinn disappeared.
Zimri-dagan was the last to leave. He hugged me goodbye first. “You know the way to my home. Please feel free to visit me, Vervain. You'll always be welcome in Jinn Territory.”
“Thank you, Zimri-dagan.” I kissed his cheek. “You're welcome here as well. The chant is the same as it was.”
As I was pulling away, he snatched my arm and leaned forward to whisper in my ear, “Go over this battle in your mind carefully, Vervain. All is not as it seems.”
“What?” I pulled back to look at him, but Zimri-dagan was already gone.
Chapter Forty-Six
Our losses weren't as great as I'd thought. In fact, there were none. That's right; zero, nada. Nothing, not a single god or demigod on our side died. The Jinn had protected our troops, diminishing the blows dealt them. In their spirit forms, Jinn can travel very quickly and even though they can't be hurt while incorporeal, they can still affect the physical world. The Jinn had put themselves between our people and everything that Marduk had thrown at them; taking the brunt of the attacks like living shields then going on to cause some damage themselves. They didn't have time to stop and free the gods who ended up trapped beneath things—like Pan—but at least they protected them from fatal injuries. Gods are hard to kill, to begin with but with Jinn intersession, we were practically invincible. We just hadn't known it until gods started comparing battle stories and realized that they'd all had the strange experience of magic glancing off them or blows cushioned by unseen forces. Add enough of those together and you come up with Jinn. I was going to pay Zimri-dagan a visit sooner than expected; I needed to thank him and his people again.
I didn't have the energy to rebuild my territory right away so we headed back to Aaru for our victory celebration. I would have liked to have invited the Jinn, but th
ey had left too quickly. Something told me that they knew they would have been welcome, but it was more important for them to get the Tablet of Destinies into their territory and secure it. I didn't blame them in the least. In fact, I was grateful for that as well as everything else they'd done. The Jinn had fulfilled my wish—all aspects of it—even when my star wouldn't, and I'd never forget that. But then Zimri-dagan did say that they were instruments of the forces that guided my life. Perhaps they all worked together; the Jinn, my star, and this unknown power.
For our victory celebration in Aaru, Re erected white tents in the field before his palace and filled them with dining tables and chairs. Fire pits with seating areas were also set around the tents to give our allies several choices of areas to relax. Re's servants started preparing a massive feast, and they were even grateful to receive help from my lions. Especially since the Intare offered to work the grills outside the palace, effectively keeping out of the way of the servants.
The party was appropriate for our success; enormous and fantastic. Aaru came alive with magic, music, and laughter. No one can tell a war story like a god. They tried to one-up each other with their reenactments and poetry, magic sparkling in the night as each warrior relived the battle until it took on even more epic proportions. Jackals wandered among the throng, receiving head pats and handouts of meat as if they were pets. Anubis had even brought the souls of my dead Intare into Aaru to celebrate with us. My lions and I couldn't be happier; our family was safe, whole, and had its home back.
Beneath the glittering stars of the Egyptian Territory, Gods danced to the sound of ancient instruments, drank Duat wine, and roamed the Sun God's lands, pairing off to have victory sex in every secluded spot they could find. My children were asleep so I could fully enjoy myself as well. Re lifted his circular bed to the roof of his palace—it sits on a column that rises through the ceiling—and we had a quick romp up there, delighting in the naughtiness of making love just yards away from our guests while going completely unseen. Well, perhaps not completely; Re's sun rose with his climax and brought out my moon. Together, we glowed bright enough to warrant comments from the gods below.
After we came down, both literally and figuratively, I left Re napping in his bed and headed back to the party. On my way through the first-floor corridor, I passed a dark sitting room. Movement caught my eye, but I would have kept walking if I hadn't also spotted a sheen of silver. I paused and peered into the shadows.
“Sin, is that you?”
“Hey, V,” he said softly.
I went into the room, my eyes adjusting quickly to the darkness. Sin sat near a cold fireplace, hands crossed in his lap and metallic stare set on the pile of wood within the hearth. I took the seat across from him and leaned forward to blow a stream of fire over the logs. They came to crackling life, spreading warmth and light over us like a blanket. Sin sighed and stretched his feet toward the flames.
“Nice trick,” he murmured.
I eyed his somber expression. “You feel guilty.”
He flinched. “Why would I feel guilty?”
“Because we hurt your pantheon today,” I said as if it were obvious. “Oh, crap. Is it your daughter? Is Ishtar dead?”
“No,” he whispered and looked up at me. “She's fine. I saw her trace away.”
“Good. That's good, right?”
“Yeah,” Sin smiled gently at me. “That's good. And I'm not upset about the others. They deserved what they got.”
“Then why are you so sad?”
Sin's jaw clenched and his stare settled on me. He leaned forward onto his knees. “I miss you, V. Those days when you lived with me were some of the best of my life. I know you were heartbroken and it's probably wrong of me to have enjoyed being with you, but I did.”
“Oh,” I whispered.
“With the battle over, I don't have a reason to visit you,” he went on. “It's stupid, but I think I'm sad because the war is won and now I have to go back to Bahrain.”
“No, you don't,” I said softly.
“I don't?”
“I'm not saying there will be anything between us,” I clarified firmly. “But if you don't mind keeping our relationship a friendship than you're more than welcome to live at Pride Palace with us. As soon as I rebuild it, that is.”
“You'd let me live with you?” Sin gaped at me.
“Ninkasi too, if she wants.” I nodded. “You helped me get my territory back. The least I can do is share it with you. You'll have somewhere safe, where no one can bust in and catch you unaware ever again.”
“Thank you, Vervain,” Sin whispered.
“Of course.”
“No, truly.” He lurched up then pulled me to my feet to hug me. “Thank you. This means a lot to me.”
“I don't abandon my friends, Sin. You stood by me when I had no one. You've been a better friend than I could have asked for. You have a home with me as long as you want one.”
“Damn it, woman, just stop already,” Sin growled. “I'm in love with you enough as it is.”
I went tense, and he released me.
“Sorry about that,” Sin mumbled.
“No, it's fine. Never apologize for loving someone.” I smiled softly. “I love you too, just not in the way you'd like me to.”
“I get it. And don't worry; I won't make any trouble for you or your family. I just... it just came out. I won't say it again.”
“You can say all you want.” I leaned up on my toes to kiss his cheek. “Just don't say it in front of my men.” I stepped back and winked at him. “That could be dangerous to your health.”
Sin chuckled. “Deal.”
“Good. Now, how about we go and get something to eat? I'm starving.”
“That sounds great,” Sin said as he walked out of the palace with me, “No offense, but I'm glad the Jinn went back to their territory. There's no way I could eat with the Ghouls around.”
“No kidding. Even a dragon has to draw the line somewhere.”
Chapter Forty-Seven
I strolled through the celebrating gods and over to my faerie husband. Arach stood near one of the fire pits, far enough away from the tents that the only light hitting him came from the fire. It warmed his pale skin and sent shadows skittering beneath his sharp features. He looked more dragon; all fey and fierce. So incredibly beautiful that I had to take a moment to stare at him. Arach shifted his vibrant stare to me, heat rising in it that had nothing to do with the fire before him. He slid his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. I settled in against his side and we sighed together.
“I want to see our sons,” I whispered. “It's time to go home, Arach.”
“It is,” he agreed immediately. “I'm ready as well. I miss them, and I miss our home. It was glorious to fly with a dread of dragons into battle, but the Fire Kingdom calls to me.”
“Shall we return together?”
“I'll use my ring so I'll return a day before you. Then I can meet you at the Great Tree.”
“Why?” I frowned at him. “I'll just use my ring...” I trailed off as I realized where, or rather when, I'd return to if I used my Ring of Remembrance. “I'd be going back to just before you returned to forge the weapons.”
“Yes. Things have gotten complicated with all of my back and forth as well as the travels of the Hunt. I think it's better to not risk you telling me something that might interfere with the outcome of the battle.”
I sighed. “You're right. And I'm sorry; I know how you hate having to wait.” I stretched up on my toes to kiss him.
Arach lifted me off my feet to kiss me passionately. Our dragons rubbed against each other through our skin, bringing ardent growls up our throats. My fingers dug into his shoulders and his erection pressed urgently into the cradle of my thighs, but we broke our kiss before things could go further. Both of us wanted to get back to Faerie.
“You are always worth the wait, A Thaisce.” Arach rubbed his forehead against mine then stepped back, just enough to give hims
elf the space he needed to use his ring. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Dragon.”
I watched as Arach used his ring, vanishing back through time and the realms, then headed inside to use Re's tracing room. I didn't bother to let anyone know I was leaving; I could use my ring to return to a few minutes after I left. No one would miss me.
I traced to Faerie, reforming before the ancient tree at the end of the road that led to the Castle of Eight. Arach was already there, waiting with a regiment of Red Caps and a carriage hitched to a team of four phookas.
I grinned and hurried over to my husband, glancing over his shoulder into the empty carriage. “Where are the boys?” My grin faded as I absently waved to the red caps who greeted me.
“They're at home. I wanted you to myself for a little while longer.” Arach helped me up into the carriage.
