Slip Song (Devany Miller Series)

by Jen Ponce

  “They are well. The witch takes good care of them, as does your brother. The one called Ann knows I’m about but hasn’t yet caught me.” He grinned. “She thinks she’s being followed by her guardian angel.”

  “Yeah, well, don’t be too big of a pain in the ass, kay?”

  “If you insist.”

  “I do. And put a shirt on,” I said, after my eyes went ahead and took an unauthorized vacation down his chest, resting on the line between his skin and pants.

  “Perhaps I’ve been waiting for you to show up and give in to your needs.”

  “No. It’s not going to happen. And thank you for watching out for them.” Something I’d forgotten to relay popped into my head. Once it did, I couldn’t believe I could have forgotten it. “Amara will be on the warpath I think. Five of my spawn ripped hers into pieces.”

  His eyebrows rose almost to his hairline. “What? You ordered them to help you?”

  “No. They came of their own free will.” I needed time to sit and think. Too much was happening and I hadn’t had a decent amount of contemplating time since Tom’s murder. “They said they wanted to try things my way.”

  “Don’t trust them.”

  “Funny, that’s what Arsinua always says about you.”

  He snorted. “She would.”

  “I’m going to the Slip to see who it was that wants me so bad.” I started to form the hook when Tytan stepped close enough for me to smell the warm, male scent of him but without actually touching me.

  “I can smell him on you.”

  I shivered and not in a good way this time. “It’s none of your business.”

  “It won’t last, Devany. He won’t understand who you are, what you are. Your power will scare him off and your fierce nature.”

  “And let me guess, you’re perfectly suited to be my man.”

  He stepped back, a knowing smile making his dimples pop. “I didn’t say it, you did. Lucky for me, I have all the time in this world and the next for you to come to that conclusion.” He walked away, not giving me a chance to retort, not that I had any snappy comebacks at my disposal.

  Cursing him for an annoying fool, I hooked to the Slip, letting the feel of the tug guide me. I stepped out in Tytan’s manse and Ellison was there, looking shaken and weary. “What happened?”

  He looked up from the couch and I saw that his face was one big bruise. “Amara sent her goons after me. I escaped. With the help of my brothers and sisters,” he said, incredulity lacing his words. “Why would they help me? We are rivals.”

  I shrugged and sat down beside him―not too close though. “Things are changing. They want to help. I’ve promised not to harm them or limit their access to the Source as long as they only collect souls from the dying. That they couldn’t steal souls anymore or take them from people they’ve tricked or tormented. I guess they liked that idea.”

  Ellison stared at me as if I were a crazy person. He opened his mouth. Closed it. Finally he asked, “Do I get the same deal?”

  “Yes. Don’t use the Source to harm, maim, or kill and you can have access to it as long as I extend permission to you.” I felt like a contract writer. Should I put in a clause about being available to help me when I needed it?

  “That’s ridiculous.”

  “I know.”

  He shook his head. “You can’t. You can’t give us free rein.”

  “It’s not free rein. You can’t harm or kill people. I can revoke permission. That’s not free rein.”

  His jaw worked. I had no idea why he was so angry. Wouldn’t he want to be free? “This won’t stop me from looking for my soul.”

  “I guess not.” He’d been more reasonable last time around. It still puzzled me why some of the people I’d met last time knew about the time travel when others clearly did not. “Tytan agreed.”

  His lips thinned. “Of course he did. That’s what happens when you let infatuation get the best of you.” He glared at me. “It should’ve been Tytan or me who succeeded Ravana. Not you, a stupid human female.”

  “You know what? Shut the fuck up. I didn’t ask to be the boss but now I am, you damn well better toe the line.” I pushed off the couch. “Why did you call me here?”

  He rose stiffly, stifling a wince that made me wonder how long Amara’s goons had had him before my spawn rescued him.

  “The Theleoni are on the run. I caught three groups and made their lives miserable as you wished. The fourth group fled into the Anwar. I can go there but I don’t have access to most of my magic. I’d be worthless. What do you want me to do next?”

  Stay the fuck away from me and my family. “This time mess with the slavers. Free as many of the slaves as you can. No harming or killing people.”

  He made a face. “You won’t change the witches’ society. It is the way it is there.”

  “Then it is. I still want you to do it. Yes, it’s an order. Have fun.” I started to walk away, something more satisfying and visual than slipping into a hole but he stopped me again.

  “Why?”

  “Because it’s wrong. Owning people is wrong and slavery shouldn’t exist.” And I’m not just talking about the slavery on Midia. If you’re not an idiot, you’ll hear that, too.

  He didn’t look interested listening to any more so I left him, focusing on the shard of crystal to get back to the Dreaming Place.

  Lizzie was there, sitting on a rock with a paperback book in her hand. When I stepped in she looked up and smiled. “I thought I would see you here soon.”

  -TWENTY-NINE-

  The book was one I’d read, by a favorite author of mine. “How’d you get that?”

  “Traders. There’s no telling what they will have on their wagons and it’s a hit and miss. This time, though, my granddaughter picked up a box full of fantasies for me.” She put a length of ribbon between the pages and closed the book, then patted the stone beside her. “Sit, sit.”

  I sat, nerves on edge from my talk with Ellison and Tytan both. I hoped she wouldn’t have any bad news to drop on me. My head might explode if I had to deal with anything else, honestly.

  “I understand from my dreams that we’ve met before. We met in this Dreaming Place and we gifted you with one Dream and a shard of the crystals in this cavern to use as an emiliometer to bring you back here.”

  I nodded, still unsure which direction this conversation would take.

  “I wasn’t supposed to give you that shard but I did because I’ve had Dreams of you before. They weren’t clear then, not until I met you in real life the first time. Confused images of fire, of pain, of suffering, of strength and hope.”

  It was very strange to me that some stranger had been dreaming about me. It was one thing for Ann to tell me that she’d had dreams, quite another for this woman to tell me the same. What did it mean? Anything?

  “When one of the elders Dreams of someone, it’s because they are important to our Clan. The Dreams don’t tell us how they are important, however. I’ve dreamt of the lion-headed one too and from what I’ve heard from Kroshtuka he is a bad one indeed.”

  Oh lord, was she working herself up to telling me that I had to give the shard back and get the hell out?

  “Stop.” She tapped my knee with her hand.

  “What?”

  “You’re obsessing. Your body is tense and you’re jerking that leg up and down like a dog running after rabbits in its sleep. I’m not here to give you bad news.”

  I nodded, willed my leg still and did my best to relax. Meditation, Zed and Jasper had told me. The elusive quiet time I was supposed to be using to help me work the power inside me. Lucky for me I’d had the visit to the control room and knew somewhat how to use it. That had come from the Dream Lizzie had gifted to me. That had been the answer to the question I’d asked. “Thank you, by the way.”

  She smiled. “Of course. For what?”

  I grinned back. “The dream. It helped. It probably saved my life. Kroshtuka’s life. My friends.”

  �
��Good. I’m glad to hear that you found the right question to ask. Anyway, I have seen things from the past and the future. I’m not supposed to tell people what I see in the future because the knowing might mess with what’s fated to happen. However,” she said, mischief in her voice, “I’ve never been one to follow the rules.”

  A thrill of superstitious fear twanged through me and I batted it away. I’d always thought it stupid in movies for oracles to speak in code or hide the future in order to not mess up the future. I didn’t believe in fate anyway. Our actions determined what happened next, not some all-knowing, all-seeing entity who spent all his free time deciding what would befall his subjects. That was a ridiculous idea to me. But that was before I’d learned that such things as magic and future seers were real things. Maybe I needed to rethink my beliefs. “If it will help me get through this without dying, I’m all ears.”

  She waggled a finger. “I can’t guarantee that it will turn out the way I saw it. In fact, once I tell you, it most assuredly will change. What you can do with the information is change things in your favor.”

  Hadn’t that been what I was doing this time through? Changing things in my favor? It’d worked in the swamp, though not so much in Banishwinds. Still.

  “Yes. I want to know.”

  “I knew I liked you. There are very few people around here brave enough to hear about the what-may-be.”

  Nerves swept through me again. God, she was building up to tell me something bad, wasn’t she?

  “I see a dark man—who is not a man—betraying you. He kills someone you’re close to.”

  “No.” My kids? My family? Arsinua? Jasper? Kroshtuka? “Who? Not … my kids.”

  “I don’t know, my dear. It is an imperfect gift. Not one of your children, though. Of that I can be certain.”

  I swallowed. “Go on.”

  “The betrayal is guided by something powerful. I cannot see who it is because they are always in mist. The dark one betrays you, his brother, and his other self.” Her brow wrinkled. “I hate Dreams. Even when they feel straight forward they are often obtuse.”

  I sat, cold and sick at heart. “This is what for sure will happen or only what might happen?”

  She patted my knee again. “It is a possibility, the strongest one based on current events. This was, of course, before you traveled back. So perhaps already it has changed. Beware the dark man, is the message of the Dream. Beware the one hidden in the mist.”

  Well hell. I always knew I couldn’t trust Tytan. Though it didn’t have to mean Tytan, did it? And the one in the mist. Amara? Vasili? Ugh. “That’s not much to go by,” I said, wishing I didn’t hear a slight whine in my voice.

  “I know. I’ve been visiting the Dreaming Place every night hoping that I would get more Dreams to help you but all I’ve gotten are flashes of insight that dissipate when I wake. It’s not much but I hope it will help.”

  “Me too.” On impulse I hugged her and she hugged me back. It felt good and though she was older than my mom by a long shot she reminded me of her anyway. “Thanks.”

  “Of course. Go on, now, and have some fun with Kroshtuka.”

  I sighed. “Does everyone know?”

  “‘Small village big ears,’ my momma always used to say.” She grinned.

  “Great.” I waved bye and left the caverns, slipping past a young woman draped in flowers, singing at the entrance. Once down from the network of stairs I wended my way through the huts to find Kroshtuka’s abode. He wasn’t inside so I followed the sounds of laughter and singing. The arena was full of people and a hearty bonfire burned bright in the dimming light. Jasper stood off to one side, his head bowed as he listened to a young man telling a grand story. I could tell it was grand by his gestures and facial expressions.

  I wondered if Jasper would like to be rescued. I walked closer and met his eye. He didn’t smile at me. I waited until the young man concluded and wandered away before approaching him. “Everything all right?”

  “I heard two of the Meat Clan were killed yesterday.”

  I nodded. “We were taken by the Carnicus of Nightflowers.”

  “I hate all the death and killing.” He rubbed his eyes. “I’ve seen too much evil in this world and haven’t done nearly enough to stop it.”

  I put my hand on his shoulder. “You’ve been in captivity. It’s hard to change the world when you don’t have your freedom.”

  He didn’t say more but his shoulders shook. I took him into my arms and held him, murmuring to him. His tears dampened my shoulder but he didn’t make a sound as he cried. I realized with a heartsick sadness that he’d probably learned early not to make noise that would attract the attention of his captors. Ravana would have adored his tears.

  “I’m so sorry Jasper.”

  Other hands came around us, other arms, other bodies pressed close. It was the strangest thing, this spontaneous hug. Weird in that I’d never really group hugged anyone outside of family before and weird that it was comforting in a visceral way.

  The group hummed a song, low and slow. As they hummed they started swaying in a slow, broad circle. Jasper’s tears slowed then stopped and then he, too was humming. I’m not sure how long we stood there intertwined but when we finally broke free my body sang. Jasper looked better too, though his skin was pale and his eyes bloodshot.

  “Thank you.”

  “Brother, we do it for the good of the Meat Clan,” an older guy in jeans and a baggy football jersey said. “And we do it for our own good. Now come with me, I know where to find the best beer.” He led Jasper away but before they were completely out of ear shot I heard him say, “Bought it off a trader. Something called Sam Adams? Not bad beer at all.”

  I would have to remember the Wilds next time I had a garage sale. Sounded like they liked themselves some human stuff. I was an expert in stuff, as were my kids. Neither Liam nor Bethy would want to part with anything of theirs, though each could easily pick out things in the other person’s stash to get rid off. Travis and I had been the same so I supposed I couldn’t complain that my kids were just like me. Damn it.

  Kroshtuka sat with Mina and a few other women on the other side of the bonfire. I waited for the jealousy but it didn’t come. I’d worked myself up over Tom early on, freaking myself out when I saw him talking to other women at school. He would swear he wasn’t doing anything and I’d end up apologizing. Now I wondered, had he been cheating the whole time and I had a right to be jealous? Or had my jealousy finally given him permission to do something I’d already accused him of doing?

  “What do you think, Tom?”

  There wasn’t any answer from the soul inside me. I crossed over to the group and sat down with them, taking the mug of cider from one of the women with a thank you. Mina smiled at me and her smile wasn’t quite so frosty as her tone had been earlier. “You have a very powerful dual-nature.”

  I am powerful. She is smart.

  What should I say? Yeah? That would sound egotistical. Thank you? It wasn’t necessarily a compliment, was it? “My spider side is strong,” I said, agreeing without an answer.

  “The wild magic picks what animal we become by searching for that which is deep within us.”

  “Mina is the bear,” Kroshtuka said. “And she’s every bit a bear in real life.”

  “Strong, caring, nurturing, fierce,” said another woman. To me, she said, “I’m an owl.”

  “Intelligent and majestic?” I guessed.

  She laughed. “Flighty, my mate calls me. But also a good hunter.”

  Since we were on the subject anyway, I decided to ask, “What does the hyena mean?”

  Kroshtuka started to answer but Mina cut him off. “He will try to brush it away as a joke, so I will tell you.” She laid a finger on his lips and when she was sure he wouldn’t speak, she said, “Instinct, intelligence, communication, and strategy.”

  “All good traits for a leader.” I wrapped my arms around my knees, knowing I would regret asking. “What’s sp
ider?”

  “I don’t know,” said the owl woman. “Do you?”

  Mina shook her head. So did the others. Then Kroshtuka’s eyes met mine. “Spiders are balance and creativity. They are strength and gentleness. Past and future as well as fate.”

  There was that word again. I didn’t want to blink but I did and the mood was broken. No, that wasn’t right. It hadn’t been broken, just altered. Kroshtuka rose and held out his hand for me and though I should’ve been embarrassed, I took it and let him lead me away from everyone, back to his hut and the comfort of solitude.

  He stripped the clothes from me with deliberate slowness, allowing me to bask in each sensation as he created it. When I couldn’t stand it anymore, we lay together and explored each other’s bodies, discovering what a touch here or a kiss there would do to the other person.

  Later, we devolved into our senses and experienced each other through touch, taste, smell, and sound but that was more than enough to take joy in. Later still, when we could catch our breaths again, Kroshtuka wrapped me up in his arms and we talked about small things, avoiding the day’s trials and tribulations, learning about each other the details we’d soon forget unless our lives continued to intersect. I didn’t want to risk fate and imagine that it could happen―there was so much in opposition to our possible union―but the hope sprouted anyway. Life finds a way.

  Sated, we drifted in and out of dreams and in and out of each other.

  -THIRTY-

  A message came in the middle of the night through the Dreaming Place. One of the elders rapped on Kroshtuka’s door and had a whispered conversation with him. When he returned to me, his face was grave.