Tarian looked where her mother pointed, and stared at the rune on the floor as it glowed bright, then dim, then bright again. In the silence, she finally paid attention to the watery, stochastic call of dolphins. When she’d first arrived, it had been pleasant and reassuring, a reminder that she was home. But now a chill ran through her as she looked at the rune in the floor.
Its placement in the exact center formed part of the power structure of the room. She’d stood there on her naming day. She was bound to it and to the house in more ways than one because of the magic of this room.
And now the rune glowed and the dolphins sang. Her stomach sank to her feet.
How had she not noticed that on her trek across the floor earlier? She closed her eyes and counted slowly. Her heart pounded. It couldn’t be. She wasn’t ready. It was too blasted soon.
The Succession Ritual.
“This can’t be happening.” The dread that lodged in Tarian’s heart threatened to overtake her panic at a demon stealing her power. No wonder her mother had rushed out of this room in the middle of an audience with Aiello. She’d been looking for Tarian. She’d known from the very first dolphin call that the Succession Ritual had begun, but probably hadn’t understood why, which explained the look on her face when she’d seen Tarian sprawled on the floor, bloody and ripped up. Tarian sank slowly back onto the throne, stunned.
“I see you now have a full grasp of the situation.” Marielle turned to Chloe. “How long?”
Tarian answered before Chloe could say anything. “A week. More or less.” Her heart pounded. “It doesn’t matter. The ritual doesn’t matter. There won’t be time for the full thing before we’re all screwed. Unless I find the demon.”
Her mother’s eyebrows inched up her forehead, making wrinkles Tarian had never seen before. “The ritual can’t be stopped regardless of other circumstances. The call has already gone out to potential candidates. They will answer and arrive here for presentation within three days, according to the rules set forth centuries ago. ”
“So with everything else going on, you just expect me to go ahead with an archaic, ridiculous ritual?” Her voice rose with each word, panic driving the syllables home. “It’s insane. It’s not right. Women shouldn’t be treated this way. I will not just spread my legs to complete strangers just because this…inanimate…thing insists I should. I won’t do it. Nobody should be forced to have a child, and especially not this way.”
Her mother stood watching her with the calm of a woman who’d heard every argument before and merely waited out the storm. It was an old argument, but one never settled. Jonus shifted from one foot to the other. Chloe shuffled back an inch or two as she too stared at the rune on the floor.
Tarian hadn’t expected to be hit with the ritual like this. She’d spent most of her life simply ignoring the subject entirely. After all, what woman in her right mind, in this day and age, would even contemplate a custom like this, which required her to have sex with a group of strange men, with the objective of getting pregnant without knowing who the father was, all so she could provide an heir and continue the family blood line? Even the British didn’t approach the regency this way. And in America? It was unheard of. Ridiculous to even contemplate. This kind of thing just didn’t happen. Yet here it was, staring her in the face. The Dolphin Throne had felt threatened and taken action, her feelings on the matter be damned.
Tarian somehow thought the ritual thing would work itself out eventually if she waited long enough. She’d thought that maybe, at some point, she’d find men she didn’t mind having sex with, and then would start the ritual on her own. She’d get pregnant on her own terms, in her own time, and screw the rules and the throne. But that tenuous, girlhood plan was nothing but vapor. Reality slapped her in the face and poked her in the back of the neck for good measure.
The demon had no idea how well he’d struck when he slashed her arm.
Or maybe he did.
Marielle paced from one side of the platform to the other, obviously sensing the agitation in her daughter. “This magic is ancient, Tarian. It can’t be altered and is the main reason the Dolphin Throne exists. It ensures the safety and succession of leadership. It’s a duty, a right and a privilege. One you were born to fulfill. The consequences if you don’t will put our entire Society at risk in a way that demon hasn’t even begun to contemplate.” Her mother’s voice, so tight and controlled, told her far more than her words ever could. She was scared. Very scared. “As I’ve mentioned countless times before, if you’d look at it in a different way, you’d see it’s not the travesty you imagine it to be. Demon aside, that is.”
Tarian let go of some of her anger, though some boiled in reserve. Her mother hadn’t caused this situation. The ritual was as old as the island they stood on, created by some long-dead ancestor to ensure power remained within the Xannon family, with the women, rather than bloodthirsty men. But that was so long ago. Times had changed, and surely the ritual could change with it.
Except now there was no time to change it. She’d always thought there’d be time. Her heart ached for missed opportunities she couldn’t even begin to imagine.
“I know, Mother, I know. But how the hell am I supposed to do all the steps of this…farce, and get pregnant, while hunting down the demon who, by the way, will have stolen all of my power before I’ve ovulated? Just how is all this supposed to work?”
As she said the words, her mother’s face turned a sickly shade. The real problem, aside from the archaic and twisted ritual, was that the demon would have control of her while the ritual was taking place. The demon could, if he had control of her body, select the Potential. The demon could be the Potential. There were no rules governing exactly who took part in it or how, apart from her. The main rule was more than two men, so that a combination of powers would mix with her own, providing the heir with new abilities, and ensuring that no man could claim to be the child’s father and therefore, claim the throne. But if that man had control of her power, and that of her child, there’d be nothing to stop him from abusing it. Nothing at all. She’d be a puppet, dancing on invisible strings.
Tarian pounded the arm of the chair. “This can’t be happening. I can’t believe the demon was able to trigger it like this. Does he even know? Or was this just lucky coincidence? He obviously wanted my power, but did he have any idea it would trigger the ritual? It shouldn’t count. We should be able to call it off.” The horror of what might evolve from that one scratch washed over her.
Tarian leaned her head back against the carved dolphins and closed her eyes. Her stomach growled, oblivious to the tension in the room.
“She needs to eat. Then rest. And then…” Chloe’s voice trailed off. “Perhaps Calliope will find something useful. I will check the medical archives as well.”
Tarian slumped in the chair. She hardly noticed Chloe leave the room and didn’t hear the door shut. All she heard was the dolphin calls echoing through the empty space.
Marielle continued to pace, but now seemed to be talking more to herself than the room at large. “Perhaps we should ask for assistance from the Sentinel’s. A squad could be sent to find…”
Tarian snorted. “Exactly how are they going to find him? It’s not like he left a calling card.”
Except he had. Inside her. She rubbed the back of her neck. It felt stiff and sore, as though she’d been struck with a heavy object. Within, wrapped in a shield and layers of throne magic, something pulsed in time to her own heartbeat. The demon held a connection to her now just as she connected with others using their own signature. Surely if the demon could siphon from her, she could use the same trick to find him. The fact that it hadn’t worked in the alley in Philly had to be a fluke. One she refused to admit to her mother. When she got her strength back, she’d be able to do it. Surely.
She looked at her mother. She’d obviously had the same thought because her eyes widened and her face flushed.
“No.” Marielle shook her head.
> “It’s the only way, Mother.”
“You must remain here. We can’t risk it.”
Jonus cleared his throat, and Tarian nearly jumped out of the chair. She’d forgotten he was there.
“Keeper, the cost if the Scion leave this house..”
“I know the cost if I stay. I will not put my family and friends or this house in danger. I will not allow that demon to use me to steal the Dolphin Throne. I sure as hell am not allowing him any part of the Succession. I can find him. I’m the only one who can. But I can’t do it hiding here in this room.” Tarian tried to stand, then settled back into the chair. Her legs were in no condition to support her. She ignored the knowing look in her mother’s eyes. “I just need something to eat. And a shower. At the moment, he’d smell me coming.”
The main doors banged open, making all three of them jump. Alex entered the room at a fast walk. Tarian rolled her eyes, nearly laughing at her own nerves. She was on edge, that’s all. The attack had made her jumpy. Chester must have sobered up enough to talk.
Except he advanced as if he had something important to say. She narrowed her eyes and studied Alex’s face. He looked grim.
Shit.
Chapter 9
When Alex reached the platform, he stood at the base, his back stiff and his arms tight by his side. His eyes never left Tarian’s.
“Keeper Marielle, Scion, there’s been an incident in the Cellar.” Alex cleared his throat. It wasn’t like him to be nervous, but she could see sweat forming a spot under his arms. He must have run here.
“What happened?” Tarian couldn’t hold back anymore.
“Tarian…” Alex stopped, then looked around the room. The dolphin cries echoed in the stillness.
She hoped that he didn’t understand what the calls meant, but when he looked back at her, his eyes wide with shock, her heart sank. She felt heat rise in her cheeks. He knew.
“Did you have something you wished to say?” Marielle’s voice was cold and calm.
“The guy Tarian brought in, Mark Chester, is dead. I found him a few minutes ago. I was checking to see if he’d sobered up any. Tarian, I’m sorry.” Alex shook his head. “He never woke up.”
Tarian let the information sink in. Her only source of information was dead. How was she going to figure out who this demon was now?
“How is this relevant?” Marielle’s voice rang through the hall.
Of course, she didn’t know. Tarian swallowed, wishing her mouth wasn’t quite so dry.
“It might not be. He’s the one I went to grab this morning. I wasn’t waiting in that alley to be a victim. I had a reason to be there.” Tarian could tell by the look on Alex’s face that there was more to the story. “How did Chester die? Did he choke on his own vomit?”
“Somebody, or something more like, offed him.”
“Are you sure?” Advisor Jonus spoke for the first time, his voice so quiet Tarian almost didn’t hear him.
Alex nodded. “Oh, yeah. He looked like he’d been beaten by something pretty strong and then ripped apart. Maybe set on fire or something. Frankie is checking it out.”
Tarian tried to picture the scene, then realized she didn’t want to. She’d been around enough puke for one day and didn’t want to add to it.
“How did someone manage to get into the Cellar, past two guards, into a secure holding cell and rip a person apart, as you put it, without your knowledge?” Advisor Jonus’ voice was louder, more confident, and accusatory.
Tarian turned on Jonus. “If you’re trying to say Alex or Frankie had anything to do with it, trust me…they didn’t. You should be more worried about who or what would have the power to enter the Cellar without permission. As far as I know, that’s not possible.”
The Cellar was older than the house, and embedded in the rock that created the island. The only way to get there at all was via portal, and only one place, the reception area, where that was even possible. The walls were too thick to dig through and soaked in magic. The prisoners were locked in stasis, unable to move or even breathe. They were held in suspended animation until released, a feat which could only be accomplished with the help of the person who put them there. Anyone trying to break in would be faced with all of that, plus the guards on duty and some pretty nasty magic traps. She pitied the idiot who tried to get past Alex and Frankie.
Alex nodded in agreement. “The Cellar is absolutely secure.”
“Except for this obvious breech, you mean.” Advisor Jonus squared his shoulders, but kept his face impassive.
Alex glared, but didn’t reply. The two men looked as though they might step into the arena and settle things the old-fashioned way. Tarian almost laughed. Jonus was a scarecrow next to Alex’s bulk. Never mind Jonus’ lack of magic strength next to Alex’s earth-enhanced power.
Marielle turned to Tarian. “You had business with this man?”
“I wanted to ask him a few questions, that’s all. I was hoping he knew something about the demon. He seemed to. I need to take a look at that cell. I might be able to track who did it.” The determination she felt didn’t translate to any of her muscles, which simply refused to let her leave the chair.
She wasn’t ready for the chorus of protests that erupted from all sides. She closed her eyes and ignored them all, even her mother. She was the one with the tracking ability, not them. None of them could do what she could do. It had to be her. They’d figure it out soon enough.
She focused instead on the tracer the demon had left buried inside her neck, but she could barely feel it now. The Dolphin Throne’s magic stifled the signal. There was no way she’d be able to track the demon from inside this room, or from inside the House, most likely. Chester’s cell probably wouldn’t be any better, embedded as it was in the bedrock, but maybe there was some other clue that would help.
“Perhaps you should eat something first.” Her mother’s voice sounded distant. Tarian opened her eyes and jumped. Her mother’s face hovered two inches from her own, the eyes bright and the wrinkles in her forehead vivid.
“Okay,” she whispered.
The worried look Alex flashed her mother told her more than anything else that more than a few seconds had just gone by. Dammit. She’d passed out again. Nothing like having him see her at her weakest.
Tarian took a deep breath. “Someone bring me a damn cheesesteak. If I’m going to track a demon and get pregnant, I need a full stomach.”
“That’s not funny, chica.” Alex pointed at her. “You’re not doing that by yourself.”
“I suppose it would be hard to get pregnant alone, but I hear medicine is really advanced these days.” She flashed a weak grin at Alex.
He shook his head, his lips tight and serious. “You’re not tracking no demon by yourself. I got this.”
Jonus coughed and moved off toward the side door. She desperately hoped he was getting her some food. She might resort to crawling to the kitchen soon.
“I’m the only one who’ll be able to find him, and I don’t want him trapping anyone else. And I don’t want anyone around, in case…”
“In case he succeeds?” Marielle’s lips pursed. She knew that expression well. It meant her mother was about to lose it.
“I can handle this.”
“You don’t have to handle it alone, chica. The way I see it, all we gotta do is send out a net of Sentinels. A thing like that is bound to show up somewhere. He’d be hard to hide.”
“I don’t need you to rescue me, Alex. And I don’t need you to solve my problems.” A surge of anger energized her legs. She stood up and ignored her wobbling knees. “It’s my job to look after this house and the people in it. That’s been pounded into me since I was a child.”
“No leader stands alone, Tarian.” Marielle gestured to the door Jonus had just passed through. “Every good leader has a team behind them.”
“You’re kidding, right? All this time, all those lectures, all that preaching about responsibility and leadership. Now suddenly you wa
nt me to be a team player?”
“Leadership is not always about calling the shots. Sometimes it’s about letting others do what they do best.” Keeper Marielle’s eyes flicked toward Alex.
“And what about me? I’m just supposed to sit here and hope they find him while my power slowly leaks away? Spread my legs for an archaic ritual that has no business being any part of modern life? Sometimes a leader has to take charge if she’s the only one with the skills needed to do the job.”
The side door opened, and a young boy entered with a tray of fruit, cheese, a cheesesteak and a chocolate shake. Her mouth watered in anticipation.
“I could kiss you!” She grabbed the sandwich and swallowed three bites before she came up for air. Then she forced herself to slow down and savor each bite. Someone in the kitchen was getting a big hug from her. It was the best thing she’d ever tasted.
“Besides, so far the only way we have of finding this guy is locked away inside me.” She spoke around bites of cheesesteak, ignoring the disapproving stares from her mother. “There’s no way anyone will find him without me.”
She’d find a way to use the tracer that demon left, but it took a lot of concentration under the best of circumstances. It would be impossible to concentrate with guards staring at her as if she might blow up, or worse, as if she might faint. She might take Alex for backup, but no way was she taking an army of Sentinels.
She licked the grease off of her fingers. “First thing we need to do is check the cell. Maybe the killer touched something or dropped something. Is Chester still there?” Her stomach churned around the newly acquired cheesesteak at the thought.
“Frankie has the cleaners in there. We can’t go in till they’re done.” Alex looked so stubborn, she didn’t even bother to argue. She didn’t need to see the body. Chester wasn’t the one she was interested in tracking anyway. Dead people couldn’t be tracked. Besides, who’d want to?
“Fine. I’ll take a shower and meet you both down there. I need to get this puke off me.” She stood up, grateful for the strength that surged through her body.
Demons & Djinn: Nine Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Novels Featuring Demons, Djinn, and other Bad Boys of the Underworld Page 117
