Morgan stumbled without warning. Darren caught her. But then he too stumbled. They barely managed to keep from falling.
We were all drained by the heat. Weak. Vulnerable. Exactly how he wanted us.
Sure enough, as we topped another dune, we spotted it. Djin's camp. A beautiful collection of sumptuous, silken tents wavered in the blazing heat. Against the bleak landscape, they were so gossamer and fragile, they looked like they might melt away.
"A mirage," Justin asked.
"No, they're real," I said.
Darren was already walking towards them as fast as he could.
"Is it safe?" Justin asked.
"Not in the slightest," I replied. "Let's go."
Justin only hesitated a moment before he too was plunging down the road toward the tents. Morgan and I followed, but much more slowly. For my part, it was less out of caution and more out of a reluctance to deal with what was coming next.
Darren and Justin were already at the centre of the camp. As soon as Morgan and I reached them, Djin strode out of the largest, most lavish tent.
Tall. Terrifyingly handsome. Tremendously strong. Next to his dark skin, Djin's white teeth gleamed so brightly in the sun, I had to shield my eyes.
"Refreshment for my guests!" he shouted.
His voice crackled and sizzled as he spoke. I forgot how unsettling the sound was.
Around us, scantily-clad men and women walked out of the tents. They carried goblets brimming with water and wine; platters of luscious fruit; even bowls of flavoured ice.
Darren didn't hesitate. He quickly grabbed whatever was offered. He devoured fruit and guzzled water, only to reach for more seconds later.
Morgan was surprisingly restrained. She nibbled; she sipped; she absently flitted from one thing to another with the delicacy of a butterfly.
Justin didn't move at first, but he watched me guiltily out of the corner of his eye. When I nodded, he seized a goblet and drained it. Then another. And another.
"Nothing for you, my queen?" Djin asked.
He was annoyed, but he did his best to hide it.
"Perhaps later," I managed to croak.
My voice was hoarse. I needed water. But I had to keep my poise. I couldn't give in when Djin wanted me to so desperately.
"You insult my hospitality," Djin accused.
He snatched a cup from one of his servants and placed it in my hands himself. Then he lifted it to my lips. I drank.
Cold. Sweet. Delicious. It was absolutely perfect: exactly what I wanted exactly when I wanted it most. But then again, that was Djin's specialty.
He grinned, his smouldering eyes locking with mine.
"Good, no?" he said, as he took away the goblet.
Now that he had slaked his thirst, Justin managed to tear his eyes away from the water. He looked at Djin. Then at me. Then back again. He stiffened.
Djin's eyes missed nothing.
"Interesting," he murmured.
"You always were an excellent host," I said quickly.
But it was too late. He knew.
"The water was so close to being perfect," I added, hoping to distract him. "Just a bit too cold."
The distraction worked. Djin's eyes blazed. Pricking his pride was almost as risky as pricking mine.
But then Djin erupted in booming laughter that filled the camp. His servants began to chuckle too: tiny, explosive popping sounds like wet logs in a fire.
"Queen of queens, I have missed you. You do me great honour to come to my realm," Djin said. "You all do."
A cheer went up from the servants around the camp.
"Let's us speak inside while your servants are refreshed," Djin offered, waving towards the largest of the tents.
"Alright," I agreed.
"Wait. What?" Justin said.
He caught my arm. I gave him a steady look. He returned it. I sighed. He'd been glaring at Djin almost the whole time we'd been at camp. He didn't trust him. He was right. But he needed to trust me. In the end, he did. Justin clenched his jaw, but he let go of my arm. He wasn't happy, but he knew better than to let his jealousy get in the way of our mission.
Djin grinned broadly at Justin as he held out his hand to me. Inwardly grimacing, I took it. I tried not to notice the cocky sneer he shot Justin's way as he led me into the tent. But there was nothing I could do about it, at least not while we needed Djin.
He ushered me inside the tent, seizing the opportunity to place his hand on my back. His touch was like fire. It burned, but not painfully. It spread through my body in a relaxing, seductive warmth.
My first instinct was to pull away, but I forced myself not to. He couldn't think he had the power to unsettle me. He had to believe I was above it, above him.
The moment I stepped inside the tent, an exquisite coolness washed over me, like I was standing under a cold waterfall. Before long, my whole body was covered with goosebumps.
Djin grinned again, more self-assured than ever.
I sat on one of the large silk pillows. Djin did the same, sitting as close to me as possible. I could feel the heat radiating off of him. It made the coolness of the tent feel all the sweeter. Hot. Then cold. Too much. Then too little. Then just enough.
When he moved, I smelled the heavy spice of his cologne. It'd been thousands of years since I'd smelled that scent, but now it all came back to me. A rush of images. Sensations. Sounds. Tastes. Feelings.
"It's been too long, my queen," he murmured softly.
The low rumble of his voice purred along my skin. I didn't flatter myself. He had this effect on everyone. He had a way of reaching inside and igniting something deep and slumbering, coaxing it awake. Before long, if I wasn't careful, I'd be burning. For him. Not long after that, there'd be nothing left of me at all. Just him.
"It's been about as long as it should be," I answered.
"We'll have to agree to disagree," he rumbled.
I forced myself to meet his flaming, red eyes. They were so much like Justin's when the Dreamer power had consumed his humanity. However human Djin appeared on the outside, he was even less human than Justin had been as a Nightmare.
Djin was desire incarnate. Nothing more. Nothing less. Unfortunately, that made him almost impossible to resist. But I prided myself on doing impossible things on a regular basis. Still, it was difficult to sit there, so close to him, yet so painfully far. Every inch of me craved him, starved for him.
Djin instinctively knew something about me that few did. I was full of desire. Deep. Powerful. Passionate. But I'd long ago sacrificed my desires for a higher purpose, a deeper need.
That was my secret weapon. That was the only thing keeping me from falling under Djin's power. And that was why he was so desperately in love with me.
"I'm married," I reminded him. There was a time when that had meant something, or so I'd thought. Now it sounded hollow, even to me.
Djin laughed. "Yes. I remember. And yet, I find you with a mortal. Interesting."
I didn't say anything. I never lied, and it would be pointless to lie to Djin anyway. He could feel it, from Justin and from me. As Djin's eyes flicked between Justin and me, I could tell that it confused and infuriated him.
"Things change," I said finally. "But it doesn't matter. It doesn't concern you. That's not why I'm here."
"Oh, I think it does," he whispered in my ear, "concern me."
I didn't react. Not even a tremble. I'm not sure I'd ever accomplished such a tremendous feat of raw will. But I did. And when I didn't react, Djin sighed and pulled away. I'd just won the most important battle of all, and no one would ever know but me.
"Why did you come then?" he asked sullenly. "To make me jealous? To humiliate me with this .... mortal?"
"Hardly," I said. "Ekhidna is trying to free Typhon, but she needs the power of the Elements to do it. She's already taken what she needs from Paralda and probably Ghobe."
"Which leaves me," Djin murmured.
"And Nicksa," I finished. "But since you see
m ... intact, I assume she hasn't been here yet."
"Oh, but she has," Djin replied, looking away.
"What?" I gasped. "That's impossible! You're fine! She can't have taken your power."
"She did," Djin admitted quietly.
He pulled something out from the inside of his vest. A single, small ruby. It blazed with an inner glow, the same light as Djin's eyes.
"That's from your wand!" I realized.
"And it's the only reason I'm still alive," Djin said bitterly. "Ekhidna came in force. Overwhelmed me. I didn't even feel her coming until it was too late. I should've sensed something, had time to rally my power. I don't..."
"The orishas," I interrupted. "She's using them to access the Elemental Realms."
Djin was silent.
"Cunning," he admitted grudgingly.
"How long ago?" I demanded. "I have to catch her before she reaches Nicksa."
"Not more than a handful of your minutes," Djin replied.
I leapt up. Fear made it easy to tear myself away from him. I ran out to the others. Justin was already at the entrance to the tent. His eyes shone with their own dangerous glow, the glow of the Dreamlands.
"What's wrong?" Justin demanded.
I quickly took his hand and squeezed it. He looked at me, and I held his eyes until the red faded away.
"Ekhidna's already been here," I told him. "She's taken the power of Fire. But she only left minutes before we arrived. If we hurry, we might be able to beat her to the realm of Water and warn Nicksa."
Justin nodded.
"We'll need Darren," he said.
I turned.
"That might be a problem," I realized.
Darren was inside one of the tents, covered in servant girls, lost to the world. A ring of servants surrounded the tent, hands ablaze. We weren't getting to him without a fight.
Morgan sat in a neighbouring tent surrounded by servants. When she felt me watching her, she looked up, face expressionless. She didn't move. She just sat there, waiting.
"There's only one person who can free them now," I sighed.
Djin was already leaving his tent. He was grinning. But not for long.
"Let them go!" I ordered. "Now!"
"Why should I?" he replied calmly. "You can't make me."
The truth of that was like a slap in the face, a reminder of my mortality, my weakness.
"I told you, if Ekhidna gets what she needs to free Typhon..." I argued.
"What?" he retorted. "So, she frees Typhon. You think she wants a world without desire? Chaos is nothing but desires. Without thought. Without limit. She won't destroy me. She'll make me more powerful than ever!"
"You want to help her?" I shot back incredulously. "She almost killed you!"
"But she didn't," Djin replied calmly. "She'll return my power. Eventually. She has to. She'll realize that."
"Maybe Hera can't make you release them, but I can," Justin growled.
Red flowed into his eyes, but it didn't stop there. It spread over his face, down his neck, until his entire body was sheathed in crimson light.
"Interesting," Djin said. He grinned. "You can fight me, mortal. And maybe you can win. But you can't free your friends. You can't destroy me. Not without destroying your world. And I will never let them go as long as I live. Not without something in exchange."
"You want something," I realized.
Djin looked at me steadily. "Of course. I'm desire."
Justin stepped in front of me. "You can't have her."
There was nothing mortal or weak in that voice.
I shivered. But I stepped out from behind Justin. He glared at me, but I ignored him.
"You can't have me," I agreed. "But you can have something else."
"I don't want anything else," Djin replied.
"Not even something you've never had before?" I asked.
"Like what?" Djin demanded.
"A piece of me," I replied.
Both Justin and Djin stared at me.
"My power infused the amulets that gave the Heroes their powers," I continued. "That energy, my essence, is flowing through their veins."
"You'll give them to me?" Djin asked. "But I already have them."
"You're forcing them to stay," I reminded him. "I'm talking about them choosing to stay here, wanting to stay here."
"How can you..." Djin began.
I cut him off with a wave of my hand. "Let me worry about that. You can have one Hero. I'll take the other. We don't have much time. So what'll it be? A trade? Or take your chances with Justin here, and then with Ekhidna? Chaos can be terribly volatile, Djin. Just like desire. You should think about whether you can trust someone who's already come close to killing you once before. Chaos isn't just desire. It's also emotion. Would you bet your life that Ekhidna wouldn't just let Nicksa live instead of you?"
Djin's eyes blazed at the mere mention of his most hated rival. "Fine."
The tents and servants vanished. The desert heat quickly overwhelmed us. Djin was angry, but Darren and Morgan were free.
Justin and I walked over to where they lay on the sand, confused.
"So, what's the plan?" Justin whispered to me.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"How are we going to get out of here?" he asked.
"You already know how," I said.
Justin froze. "Wait. You were serious? You're actually going to leave someone behind."
I fought down my own feelings of disgust. I smothered them with something more powerful. My sense of duty.
"We don't have a choice," I said. "You can't be sure you can beat Djin, and even if you can, we can't afford to waste any time. We have to get to Nicksa before Ekhidna. We have to."
"This isn't right, Hera," Justin insisted.
"But it's necessary," I replied.
Justin wanted to keep arguing, but we had reached the others.
"What happened?" Darren demanded.
Justin bent to help them to their feet. Morgan took Justin's hand, but Darren waved him off and hauled himself off the ground.
"Djin was controlling you," I answered simply. "You were lost to your own desires."
"But he let us go?" Darren asked.
"No, he didn't," Morgan murmured.
Her eyes never left mine.
"He agreed to let you go," I explained, "for a price. One of you has to stay behind."
"What?" Darren exploded.
"Which one?" Morgan asked quietly.
"You can choose," I told them.
"Screw that!" Darren raged. "And screw you! And him! I'll fight him myself! We're all getting out of here!"
Darren started to stride over to Djin, but Morgan wisely froze him in place.
"You can't fight him," I said. "At least not here. He can control you."
"This is crap, and you know it!" Darren shouted at me.
"What does it mean if we stay?" Morgan asked.
"Djin isn't evil," I replied slowly. "He's desire. He feeds on the desires of others."
"So, he'll ... give us whatever we want," Morgan echoed.
"Wait. That actually sounds good, right?" Darren asked.
"There's a price," I warned. "The longer you stay here, the more you'll change. You'll become more and more like Djin. If you stay too long, you'll become empty. No thoughts. No feelings. No personality. Nothing. Just desires."
"But that won't happen if we leave fast enough," Darren said.
"How soon could we leave?" Morgan asked.
"As soon as I bring back his wand and restore his power," I replied. I paused. "That is, if you'll still want to leave."
"You think we won't want to go back with you," Darren guessed.
"The danger of desire is that it can destroy your identity," I warned. "You forget everything except what you want. I can't promise that, when I come back, you'll still be you. Take it from me: this place is a prison. The prisoners just don't realize that until it's too late."
Darren and Morgan looked at each
other for a long time.
"I'll stay," Morgan said.
"No, I'll stay," Darren said. "I should be the one to stay. I mean, my whole life has been just like this place anyway, right? I mean, you guys know me. I wasn't a brain before I got these powers. And they're not even the real me. I just did what I wanted to who I wanted when I wanted to. This is where I belong. This is where I've always belonged."
"That's who you were," I argued. "But you've changed. Maybe it is the powers, but it doesn't really matter why. The point is you're different now, and it doesn't make sense to punish the new you for what the old you did."
"I can stay," he insisted.
"You can," Morgan agreed. "But I will."
I took Morgan by the shoulders and looked deeply into her eyes. They were sad, but serious, and most surprisingly of all, free of doubt.
"You know what this means?" I pressed. "Everything that makes Morgan Morgan could disappear. When I come back, you could be nobody at all. You might not even remember your own name."
"Darren feels like he belongs here, because of who he was," Morgan answered. "But I feel like I don't belong anywhere because of who I am. I've never fit in, not anywhere. Not at school. Not at work. Not even in my own family. Nowhere. I don't have any friends. I don't have anyone who loves me. And to tell you the truth, I don't know if I love anyone either. I think staying here is right. It feels right to me. Is that crazy?"
I didn't know what to say.
"It's not crazy," Justin replied. "You don't feel anything back home. You feel empty. But here, Djin will figure out what you feel. He'll find your desires, no matter how deep they're hidden."
Morgan's eyes widened. A small smile tugged at the edges of her lips. It was then I realized that I'd never seen her smile before. Not once.
Justin shrugged. "Maybe it's destiny."
"Fate," I murmured.
"Is that possible?" Morgan asked.
"I can tell you for a fact that anything is possible," I told her solemnly. "Anything at all."
I took Morgan by the hand and led her to Djin. She followed like a child. Or a lamb to the slaughter. I'd gone centuries without feeling anything remotely like guilt. But ever since I'd become mortal, it was one of the most powerful and painful emotions I'd ever experienced, and also, one of the most common.
Hera, Queen of Mortals (Goddess Unbound) Page 23
