by Joe Jackson
Kari and Eli both gave Alyssa and Chelsea a lengthy farewell, and Kari apologized for any danger her stay had put the innkeeper and her daughter into. Alyssa waved off the apology. She said she was glad to be able to return the favor Kari had done for her three years before. Alyssa tried to refuse payment, just as Dave and Millie Marrack had on Kari’s last trip through the city. Kari wouldn’t take no for an answer, and gave Alyssa the money she had received from the church of Zalkar. Alyssa had a child to feed, house, clothe, and educate, and Kari would not allow the woman to put her first, regardless of how indebted she might feel.
Kari and Eli left and headed toward the bazaar, and Kari took in a deep breath through her nose and sighed happily. The spring morning was sunny and warm. The skies had been cleared out by the prior night’s thunderstorm, which also brought warmer air behind it. There was the scent of early spring flowers in the air, and the city of Barcon suddenly showed a bit of subtle charm. The wistful smile on Eli’s face told Kari that he’d spent some time thinking on what she’d told him the night before. Spring was definitely in the air.
The two visited Dominick and thanked the wizard for his aid. Kari wasn’t positive, but she suspected the wizard’s arcane seal had precipitated the attack by BlackWing on Temple Street a few nights before. Had Dominick not provoked BlackWing, Kari wasn’t sure the demon would’ve revealed itself until it was too late. By fate or by luck, Dominick had unwittingly helped bring the entire situation to a head. Kari thanked him for that, and assured him that he should have nothing to worry about where Emma was concerned. She didn’t bring up the fact that he’d informed Kaelin Black that Kari was Salvation’s Dawn, and he made no mention of it either. Kari was just as happy to let that sleeping dog lie for the time being.
Kari did spend a little while talking to Dominick about her sister-in-law, to see if the wizard might have some insight into Sonja’s troubles as a budding spell-caster. He seemed intrigued by Kari’s description of Sonja’s troubles, though he didn’t have any explanation that he was confident in. He was noncommittal on Kari’s suggestion that perhaps Sonja just needed a different teacher: he assured Kari that Maelstrom was every bit as good as his reputation suggested. His best explanation was that Sonja was still young, and mastery of the arcane sometimes took decades. He knew it wasn’t much in the way of comfort, but asked Kari to tell Sonja not to give up.
Kari and Eli avoided passing near the black tower on their way to the stable square. They didn’t want any of the members of the Black Dragon Society to see Eli speaking with the marshal, and potentially mark him as a target. Kari wanted to see the marshal one last time, but he had an important job to do, and she didn’t want to get in the way or complicate matters for him. She was satisfied that after the prior night’s conversation, Everett Saracht knew that Kari considered him a friend, and she hoped he felt the same way.
Markus, Katarina, and Sherman were waiting to see Kari and Eli off at the stable square. All three of the paladins hugged Kari, and offered handshakes to Eli. Even Markus, who had long considered Eli a bit of a problem back home in Lajere, made sure to thank the half-corlyps and tell him he’d been a great help. Markus may not have liked having a brothel in his city, but the way he looked at Eli as they bid each other farewell told Kari that if it had to be so, there was no one else the Earl would rather have keeping watch over the place. It took Markus and the twins longer to see, but they seemed to understand Eli’s nature, and looked at him much the same way Kari did now.
“Did you make up your mind on Sharyn?” Kari asked Sherman.
The young man scratched at the back of his head nervously. “I’m still not sure,” he said. “I’d like to see her again, but we’re all in agreement that it would be…complicated.”
“Things are only complicated if you make them that way,” Kari said, drawing on the quote from Eryn. “Do what you think is right for you, Sherman. Just whatever you do, don’t hurt her. If her being a werewolf is what you can’t live with, be honest about it.”
“I will. Thank you, Kari. You are an amazing friend,” Sherman said, hugging her again.
“I did not get to know the young lady, but what I have heard of her suggests she is worth getting to know,” Markus said with a nod. “Certainly the word of a high-ranking demonhunter who dealt with her quite a bit carries more weight than my own perceptions at this point. I think an invitation to dinner – or perhaps the Summer’s Ball – would be appropriate, should Sherman decide to pursue the relationship.”
“I think she’s a good woman,” Kari said. “And I’m not often mistaken on people.” She looked at Eli as she said the last, and Markus smiled and nodded his agreement.
“Well, the two of you are invited either way,” Markus said. “The Summer’s Ball is on the first of Oncember. Feel free to bring your mate, Kari; and you may bring whoever you like, Eli. Your in-laws are welcome as well, of course, Lady Vanador.”
“I’ll look forward to it,” Kari said. She cast one last glance over the city of Barcon while her griffon was led out of the stable to her. Muireann seemed happy to see Kari again, and the demonhunter tilted her head down and held her arm up so the griffon could greet her. Muireann lightly pinched Kari’s forearm, then clicked and whistled several times. Kari mounted up while the stable master led Dougal out for Eli.
“Remember: once you reach DarkWind, you need only release Muireann and Dougal outside of the city, and they will return home to my keep on their own,” Markus said. “Do dress warmly, and be careful when flying up through the mountains. Wild griffons may think you’re invading their territory and attack, so fly fast and true, and get through the mountains as quickly as possible.”
“We will. Thanks for letting us borrow them, my lord,” Kari said.
“My friend,” Markus corrected. “I am not your lord, Lady Vanador; I am your friend.”
Kari smiled and held her hand out for a last handshake, but Markus took her hand and kissed it. “Be safe,” he told her and Eli as the half-corlyps mounted up. “God keep watch over you both.”
At last Kari and Eli departed for Sarchelete. They let the griffons run across the grassy plains for a while as the sun climbed into the sky. Once they were airborne, it was obvious the griffons would get them to Sarchelete much, much faster than the caravan had delivered Kari three years before. They cut south to avoid passing over the Sandur Jungle; they didn’t want to have to land their mounts in the jungle or sleep in its thick confines. They made camp as the sun finally retreated over the mountains in the west, and the griffons were content to let their riders rest against them around the fire.
Kari and Eli shared dinner. Afterwards, Kari waited patiently for Eli to start talking. He thought to himself for a while, and Kari’s first instinct was to believe he was once again trying to figure out what not to tell her. She fought down the rush to judgment, and tried to stay calm. It was just as likely he was trying to remember what he’d already told her, to avoid going over the same points again. He seemed to wave off whatever he was thinking after several long, silent minutes.
“The entire invasion that Ciceria was the head of was on behalf of Sekassus,” he said at last, and Kari nodded. “Ciceria was Sekassus’ high priestess, and he sent her to perform the sacrifices and ceremonies that would eventually open a portal strong enough to allow Sekassus through to our world. Ciceria betrayed him with our help: she freed the czarikk prisoners, delayed the portal opening, and ultimately sabotaged the ceremony. What I haven’t told you, though, is how she sabotaged it.”
“You mean she didn’t just botch the ceremony in the end?” Kari asked.
“No, she couldn’t have,” Eli said. He looked toward the mountains, outlined with the last of the fading light of sunset. “If she had altered or tried to botch the ceremony, the sylinths and other priests would have figured it out. They would’ve killed her and sacrificed her, and then one of the others would’ve finished the ceremony. She had to complete the actual summoning; she just changed what
it was she summoned.”
“I told you before that I’ve seen a demon king once, and my assumption was that you’d think I meant Celigus Chinchala, right?” Eli asked, and Kari responded affirmatively. “Well, I’ve seen Lord Chinchala before, but honestly I don’t even think of him as a demon king. He’s not the one I was talking about.”
“So Ciceria did summon a demon king?” Kari asked, sitting up straighter.
“King Koursturaux S’Bakthra,” Eli answered. “She hates Sekassus, and you have to really think about that for a minute before you just nod your head. Demon kings hate just about everyone and everything, but King Koursturaux’s hatred for Sekassus goes even beyond that. I don’t know what the hell the Cobra Lord did to her, but when she came through that portal, she tore the souls out of every one of his followers: the sylinths, the syrinthian priests…hell, even that elestram wizard that gave me the burn scars. The only thing that saved us from the same fate was the dying wish of Ciceria.”
“So Ciceria served Koursturaux?” Kari asked. “Is that whose symbol I have back at my office in DarkWind?”
Eli shook his head. “It’s not that simple. Like I said, demon kings don’t share power with anyone. That symbol you have at your office belongs to a god; which one, I have no idea. Ciceria served Koursturaux to help betray Sekassus, though whether out of loyalty or just a common hatred of Sekassus, I’m not sure.”
“That’s why you told me the syrinthians aren’t demons, and that they don’t all serve Sekassus,” Kari reasoned, and Eli nodded. “So what you were really trying to tell me is that if their high priestess betrayed Sekassus, they’re rebelling against him?”
“Rebelling might be too strong a word, but essentially, yes,” the half-corlyps agreed. “They hate him. We think of the underworld in terms of everyone hating everyone else, but it seems to be a lot more subtle and complex than that. Danilynn might know more, which is why I wanted you to come with me to see her. She can tell you more about Ciceria, since the two of them kept in contact through their, um, telepathic bond or whatever. Danilynn will know more about why the syrinthians are rebellious, and why Ciceria trusted something as dangerous as Koursturaux to see to Sekassus’ humiliation.”
“But where did she go after Ciceria died?” the demonhunter pressed. “How did you get Koursturaux off of Citaria before she just conquered the entire world?”
“Like I said, it’s more complex than that,” Eli said. “The simple truth is that she left on her own. She seemed satisfied that the portal was sabotaged and Sekassus was humiliated. I’m not sure if Koursturaux is unaware of the Temple of Archons, if she just didn’t care to try to take it for herself, or if maybe Emma works for her and that’s why she just left. Then again, maybe she was afraid some of the pantheon’s avatars would forcibly remove her.”
“It’s scary to think a demon king was on our world,” Kari said quietly.
“Why? There’s one on our world even now…and I don’t think he has the power or the desire to try to conquer it. Then again, who’s to say Celigus doesn’t know about the Temple and isn’t working to learn its secrets, either for himself or the Overking?”
“Kaelariel,” Kari answered. “And I trust his judgment; he’s known Lord Chinchala for a long time. What do you know of the Overking?”
“Other than that he must be ridiculously powerful to keep all the other kings in line? Not a damned thing,” Eli answered. “Maybe Danilynn will know more, but maybe not. Luckily, we never went into the underworld, as I told you before, and we never had any dealings with any of the other kings.”
Kari nodded, satisfied enough with that for the time being. “Is there anything else you want to tell me? You don’t have to tell me that Emma is Tor’s mother if you promised not to.”
Eli balked. “What?”
The demonhunter shrugged. “You shouldn’t have mentioned Tor was from Talon Rock when Lord Black mentioned the gnoll shaman. It wasn’t that hard to make the connection.”
“Oh, shit. Kari…”
She waved off his protests. “I’ll keep his secret for now,” Kari said. “I seem to be doing a lot of that lately, and I may need him in the future if his mother keeps being so elusive. Does anyone in the Order or on the Order’s Council know?”
“No,” Eli said. “We’ve taken great pains to keep that a secret, even more so than our service to Bosimar. Kari, this can’t get out to people: it wouldn’t just be Tor’s life that would be in danger if it does. All of us would be in danger of being used to get to Tor, and then to Emma.”
“But that’s why you still consider Emma a friend, even though she told you she doesn’t feel the same way?” Kari prodded.
“Tor is a good man,” Eli said, maintaining strong eye contact. “I figure that didn’t happen entirely by accident. Yea, he was raised by humans for the most part, and was a military brat growing up, but he’s a good man. If there’s even a part of that in Emma – and there seems to be, given the way she avoids needlessly taking life – it’s possible we could turn her. If Ciceria could betray her master, maybe we can get Emma to do the same. She’s a slave; what would she have to lose?”
Kari was stunned. She knew Eli had a protective nature like a half-guardian, but that it extended to a demon as well was truly something else. Kari’s feelings were mixed about Emma, but Eli had known the mallasti girl for much longer. She thought perhaps it would be in her best interest to look at things the way Eli did. He’d suggested more could be learned from Emma being kept at arm’s length than by trying to capture her. As Kari considered that, she realized that Emma’s presence was the only reason they even knew about Salvation’s Dawn, or the plot to open the Temple of Archons.
“All of you knew that Tor is Emma’s son?” Kari asked.
“Me, Jori-an, Danilynn, and Rhiannon,” he answered. “You’d probably better not mention it to Danilynn until she’s gotten to know you. She was always very fond and protective of Tor. If a demonhunter shows up at her temple and starts asking about him, she might get a bit defensive.”
Kari waved off the comment. “I was a lieutenant colonel during the War, and she was under my command; she should know she can trust me,” she countered. “But I can stay away from the topic and see if she brings it up. So, is there anything else I should know?”
“I’ve told you all of the important stuff, and you figured out the one secret I wasn’t going to share,” Eli said. “Danilynn will fill you in more on everything else. But you can probably see now why Bosimar kept all of this a secret.”
“Yea, his actions leading to a demon king setting foot on our world wouldn’t have gone over well with the Council or the rest of the Order,” Kari said. It didn’t sit well with her, either. She trusted Jason’s intentions, and was satisfied that all had apparently turned out well, but she would’ve never allowed such a thing to come to pass. Had Koursturaux’ goal been to conquer Citaria or try to unseal the Temple of Archons, there likely wasn’t anything short of divine intervention that could’ve prevented it. With the imminence of the Apocalypse, Kari imagined the demon king may have even joined forces with Seril.
One other good thing that came from the entire situation was that Kari now understood one large, important truth: thwarting Sekassus and humiliating him was more important to King Koursturaux than invading Citaria. Kari figured there had to be some advantages she could take from such information: that perhaps it was possible to get to know the high-ranking female demon king better, and use her to keep Sekassus away from Citaria and – more specifically – Kari’s family. There was no way Kari would ever trust a demon king – except, perhaps, for Lord Chinchala – but as Eli had told her, the fact that they were evil didn’t mean they couldn’t be of some use.
“What was Koursturaux like?” she asked Eli.
“Big, very big. Like, a foot and a half taller than Tor,” he said. “She’s beautiful and yet hideous at the same time…scary, with horns, claws, a tail…and crimson skin. And her eyes are solid black, like
you’re looking into death itself. I’ve heard they call her The Crimson Huntress among her peers in the underworld, and I really don’t ever want to find out why.”
“But she let you all live?”
“Ciceria asked her to spare us for helping her,” the half-corlyps said. “Koursturaux was just going to kill us, the same way she killed everyone else at the temple, but she decided to honor Ciceria’s dying wish. Grudgingly, it seemed. I’ve never seen or heard from her again, and I’ll be glad to keep it that way for as long as I live. Emma can be scary enough, and she’s just a mallasti.” Kari chuckled, and Eli used turnaround on her for a change. “So, you asked me back in Lajere how many demons I’ve fought and killed; how about you?”
“Too many to count,” Kari said with a shake of her head. She thought about it for a few minutes. “Outside of the War, I killed eight valirasi, six mallasti, three elestram, I defeated an erestram, killed a sylinthian prince…but Turillia was the first succubus – or half-succubus –that I've ever fought and killed. As for serilis-rir, I couldn’t tell you.”
“Good grief,” Eli said with a shake of his head. “Any regrets?”
Kari scoffed. “For the demon kills? None.”
They continued to chat for a while, and went to sleep against their warm griffon mounts as the fire died down to embers. Kari dreamed lightly of home and her family, but her dreams turned into a nightmare later in the night. In Kari’s nightmare, a towering crimson demon king burned Citaria to ash, and then she stood before the Temple of Archons, forcing its long-sealed entrance to open for her. What truly haunted Kari was the end of the nightmare, just before she woke up: the female demon king turned around and fixed Kari with solid black eyes, and Eli’s words echoed in her dream, “…like you’re looking into death itself.”
