Shadow Blade

by Seressia Glass

  “Too much space in those enormous houses. However, at the moment, I could use a little more space. My formal dining room is crowded right now.”

  “Crowded? What do you mean . . .”

  The dining room was indeed filled with people. Zoo and Wynne, Khefar and Nansee, Sanchez, even the members of Inviolate. They sat at an ornate Queen Anne cherrywood table overloaded with food, laughing as Nansee spun one of his stories.

  Her gaze rested on Khefar. He looked as if he’d come through the ordeal completely unscathed. She remembered what he’d done for her, the sacrifice he’d been willing to make on her behalf, and almost choked on the gratitude that welled up in response.

  He stood up as soon as he saw her. The others fell silent as he crossed the dining room to Kira and Balm.

  “Khefar.”

  He inclined his head. “Balm.”

  “As always, we could use you in Gilead.”

  “As always, I must refuse. Especially now.”

  Kira looked from one to the other. “How far back do you guys know each other?”

  “Our paths have crossed a few times over the years,” Balm explained, which really didn’t explain much of anything. “I’m sure you two want to talk for a moment. It’s warm enough that the verandah should be comfortable for a while. Don’t stay out too long. This feasting is in your honor, after all.” She joined the others in the dining room, smiling as Nansee gallantly held her chair.

  Khefar led Kira through the sitting room and out the front door. The house really did have a verandah and not a porch, running the length of the front of the house before bending along the right side. A swing hung from one of the beams to the left of the front door.

  “How long has it been?”

  “Three days this time around,” he answered. “Wynne said that someone tried to re-engage the DMZ’s shields after I went in, but she and Zoo were able to keep them down. Sanchez’s team exchanged some light gunfire with some of Enig’s men, which provided enough of a diversion for the band to get all the staff members out of the club. Sanchez took all the shards of the crystal as you suggested and they’re now safely locked away. Demoz is fine, repairs are ongoing, and he expects the club to reopen this weekend.”

  Kira nodded. She wanted to ask him about the sacrifice he’d made. Wanted to ask why he’d done it. Was he still immortal? Didn’t he still have another life to save?

  He sat beside her on the swing. “I heard what the Fallen said about your former handler. I’m sorry.”

  “Yeah. I should have known something that would negate a Shadowchaser’s powers would come from Shadow-magic.”

  “You were just out of training. There was no way for you to know.”

  “Thanks for saying that.” It was something she’d have to carry with her, just like all the other regrets and mistakes she carried. She leaned into him and the regrets and mistakes didn’t seem as heavy.

  “What you did . . . what you’ve done all along . . . ”

  “I did what I had to do, as did you.” He set the glider to swinging. “I would do so again, if I had to.”

  So would she. “I saw . . . I saw amazing things while I was . . . well, dead. Did you see . . . ?”

  “The hall, the gods. Yes.” He smiled. “Definitely amazing.”

  He’d seen what she’d seen, experienced what she’d experienced. But he was supposed to move on, not stay behind in this world. He’d petitioned the goddesses for the right to return to the world of the living, to continue being her fail-safe. Yes, he had one more life to save, but that wasn’t the reason he gave them. He’d wanted to save her life. Save her. She wanted to ask him why, but she wasn’t sure she really wanted to know the answer. Not yet.

  She asked a different question instead. “Isis sent you back and Ma’at sent me back. What do you think it means?”

  He touched her throat, the mark of Ma’at’s feather imprinted there, then pulled down the collar of his shirt to show her the Isis knot just below his Adam’s apple. “It means that we’ve been blessed by our goddesses. It means we still have a lot of work ahead of us.” He regarded her. “Are you prepared?”

  “Prepared? No. Shadowchasing and the Gilead Commission have been a big part of my life. I don’t know how to live without them anymore. But I’m ready to do whatever Ma’at asks of me.”

  He stood, held out his hand to her. “At least you know how to be a team player now. Sort of.”

  “Sort of? What do you mean, sort of?” She let him pull her to her feet. “I think I’ve done pretty well with the teamwork thing.”

  He coughed, clearly to cover a laugh. “Why don’t we go inside, grab some food, and ask the others how well you’ve got the teamwork thing down. I think we’ll get some interesting answers.”

  “See, now you’re not playing fair. Maybe we should ask them if you’ve learned any humility in the last four thousand years.”

  Khefar responded with a wry smile.

  She stood and headed inside. The ancient Nubian warrior followed her.

  There were still tons of questions that needed to be answered, decisions that needed to be made. As long as Ma’at guided her, she’d face whatever the Universe wanted to throw her way.