Nomad's Dream

by August Li

  “We’re going to set this right,” Isra assured him. “God has brought all of us together to do just that, I have no doubt. We’ll put an end to this… this evil. And then….”

  “Then?”

  Isra took a moment steady himself. Janan didn’t need Isra’s pain heaped on his already overladen shoulders; he didn’t need to contemplate the certainty that soon, each of them would return to the world he belonged to. “Then you’ll have a company to run, charities to oversee. People whose lives will be so much better because of you.”

  “I suppose I will, though it’s hard to imagine I ever held the knowledge or skill to do that.” With a sigh, he turned in Isra’s arms so they faced each other. He placed a soft, lingering kiss on the bridge of Isra’s nose. “It’s a little terrifying, everything that’s to come. All the changes. Yet another new life. I miss the quiet of the desert, the peace it allowed me, the time to examine my heart and mind. I want one more night of that peace. I want to forget everything I’ll have to face, just for a few more hours. Isra, can you help me forget?”

  Isra moved his hands up Janan’s back, over the sleek cords of muscle, as he leaned in to pull Janan’s lower lip between both of his lips. He held it there, darting his tongue out to swipe across it, relishing Janan’s taste, before pulling back to look into Janan’s eyes and whisper, “Yes. Yes, I can.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  ALL OF them slept past noon, and after washing, prayers, and sharing a meal, they went to the garage. Flicker returned from wherever he’d been just as Sehrish was hotwiring a Lincoln Navigator, since Ma’shal had taken the keys. She looked over her shoulder and winked at Janan as the engine hummed to life with quiet power, and then she got into the driver’s seat. Nawra sat next to her to give directions, Flicker sprawled out across the center seat, and Janan and Isra sat together in the back.

  “We’ll have to make a break for it,” Nawra said. “The guards aren’t likely to miss us.”

  “I’ve been timing their rounds,” Sehrish said. “If we leave at quarter past, they’ll be around back, and if they want to follow us, I hope they can run fast. I slashed all four tires in the Jeep they parked on the street.”

  Janan’s calm surprised him. They headed toward a confrontation—he knew that—but he couldn’t ask for better people to stand by his side. He squeezed Isra’s hand as they set off.

  It was a rare cloudy day, and the air was cool but still. They gray of the sea matched the sky as they drove up the coast to a construction site, where over a dozen white stucco bungalows stood in various states of completion, each with its own swimming pool, garage, and terrace that stretched out onto the beach. Bulldozers and other machines worked on some of the lots, and the presence of stacked lumber, orange cones, and piles of dirt and gravel detracted from the charm, but Janan could still tell that when finished, the vacation homes would be romantic and lovely.

  Sehrish parked the SUV at the far end of the work area, behind a large heap of soil that had been excavated from what looked like a waterline. It would afford them at least a little cover.

  Would they need it? he wondered as they got out of the car. Surely his brother wouldn’t attack them physically. Looking around, he didn’t see any armed guards, yet any confidence he’d felt evaporated as soon as his feet hit the gravel road.

  Some men were wiring one of the bungalows; others worked constructing a garden path of bluish stone. They called out greetings as Janan’s group passed by, and when Janan encountered another team pouring concrete, he asked, “Where can we find the owner?”

  The man’s cheerful smile dropped away as he pointed. “Mr. al-Qahiri is at the end of the lane, overseeing the excavation for the tennis courts.”

  “Looks like that’s where we’re going,” Flicker said, dipping his head to the men.

  Beyond the row of bungalows, a pair of loaders worked to clear a large rectangle. Palm trees lay on their sides, waiting to be planted, and more workers were laying sod and placing ornamental rocks nearby. The strips of grass looked almost unnaturally vibrant against the somber sky.

  Near the edge of the group, a short, stout man in a white jubbah and black-and-white checkered shemagh, tied turban-style, stood barking orders and hurling insults at the workers, his voice echoing even over the drone of the machines.

  Janan stopped walking, his pulse speeding up. He couldn’t remember why, but this man—his brother—intimidated him, made him want to retreat, to hide. It made little sense; Ma’shal was just one man, the younger brother. Yet Janan hesitated to approach him, bile stinging his throat, and it made him feel like a coward.

  Ma’shal, red in the face and shouting, picked up a clod of dirt and hurled it at one of the workers, where it exploded into a cloud of dust as it hit the man’s back. He then picked up a large rock. It struck the worker in the head, knocking him down. The others flinched away, knelt to help their friend.

  Janan’s fear disappeared in an instant, replaced by burning rage. He’d put a stop to this abuse of power. He barely registered walking forward, hands balled into fists, until he stood almost face-to-face with his brother.

  They looked alike. Ma’shal was a little shorter and heavier, and his beard was thick, full, and hung to the middle of his chest. Still, no one would doubt they shared blood.

  “How dare you attack that man?” Janan demanded, pointing at the workers.

  Ma’shal pushed his shoulders back and lifted his chin. “Well, you’ve managed to crawl out of whatever hole you fell into, I see.”

  Isra and Flicker now stood at Janan’s back, their presence reassuring. Janan was glad to see Sehrish a dozen feet away, watching over Nawra, who also seemed nervous around Ma’shal, and no wonder.

  A little ways off, the workers spoke in low voices: “It’s him. The sheikh. I’m certain of it!”

  “It is Sheikh Mu’awiyah! God is merciful!”

  Ma’shal must’ve heard them, too, because he picked up another clump of dirt to fling. “Get out of here, you lazy donkeys!”

  Flicker stepped in front of Janan, raised his hand, and stopped the melon-sized piece of dirt midtrajectory. It dropped and broke apart as Flicker shook his head. “No more of that.”

  The workers ran away from Ma’shal’s ire, and in seconds, the noise of the loaders died as their operators abandoned the machines and the job site. Their efficient retreat told Janan this probably happened on a regular basis. They’d likely collect the rest of the workers on their way off site. It was a poor way to do business. Luckily that would soon come to an end.

  “You heard those men. I’m back and intend to resume my place as the head of this company and this family.”

  Ma’shal just laughed. “You think the board and the shareholders will reinstate you? You’ve polluted your body and your mind, and now any intellect you once had is ruined. You don’t have the capacity to lead this company any longer. Can you name even one of our shareholders? Will you recognize our officers when you see them? Tell me, brother, what is the name of this resort? Do you not remember?”

  “He will remember,” Flicker said, “as soon as you reveal to us who cast the spell that is preventing it.”

  Ma’shal snorted. “You’re as crazy as he is and probably just as full of sin.”

  Flicker flashed a toothy grin. “You underestimate me, I’m afraid. Still, I’m sure I can rattle loose any secrets you’re holding in that big puffy head.”

  As he’d done to Nawra, Flicker pressed his thumb and finger above and below Ma’shal’s eye. To Janan’s surprise, Ma’shal broke away and stepped back, his face smug and showing no fear as he stared Flicker down. “So, my brother has found and acquired himself a spirit of fire and air. Well, Mu’awiyah, you’ll find your servant is no match for mine.”

  “I’m no—”

  A thunderous roar cut Flicker off. The sea behind the bungalows roiled and frothed. In the blink of an eye, dark clouds obscured the sun, and the only light seemed to come from the water, where a lightning-blu
e pulse grew in intensity.

  Isra clasped Janan’s hand, both of their palms sweaty. Flicker stepped in front of Isra and spread his arms protectively, his own orange glow getting brighter, small sparks rising to eddy around him.

  Everything else was black as night—

  Except Ma’shal’s bright white jubbah, making him easy to follow as he ran away from the water’s edge, his laughter making him sound quite deranged.

  An enormous column of water rose from the sea, lit by those same blue flashes, flames swimming up and up like fishes. The water was clear—clearer than churned-up seawater should be—and Janan could see shells, polished stones, strings of seaweed, and even colored trinkets that might’ve been jewels moving in a helix pattern.

  The water solidified, though it remained crystal clear. Arms, legs, and a head emerged, taking the form of a muscular woman probably thirty feet tall. Her long black hair spilled down her back and laid in spirals on the surface of the ocean. Barnacles, starfish, coins, and jewels clung to her, providing the barest hint of modesty. As Janan had seen Flicker do, the giantess wore obscene amounts of jewelry, from the silver disks dangling from her ears to the dozens of necklaces to the bracelets reaching almost to her elbows. A series of chains encircled her waist and hips, many of them adorned with colored beads, pearls, and gemstones. Other chains hung down like a loincloth to cover her groin.

  But one feature stood out to Janan. It was something he’d seen for months, for all that he could remember of his life: eyes of blue flame.

  The being stepped ashore, leaving footprints like small ponds in her wake. In her light, Janan noticed a manacle around one scaled ankle and a chain that disappeared into the waves. Unlike the others she wore, it was not delicate or ornamental but heavy, dull, and oppressive. Flicker must’ve seen it, too, because he pointed at Ma’shal’s retreating back. “You bastard!”

  Flicker lifted a hand with fingers wreathed in fire, but before he could do anything, the woman swatted him with the back of her hand and he sailed backward, leaving an orange streak across Janan’s retinas, until he smashed into the stack of palm trees.

  Then that eldritch gaze turned on them, and Janan and Isra clung to each other like children listening to a ghost story.

  The giantess reached into the sooty clouds, and lightning ringed her hand and arm. She directed it at them, and they would have been electrocuted had Flicker not jumped in front of them and deflected the bolt with an umbrella of fire. Using both hands and clearly struggling to shield them from the forks of electricity that kept coming, he looked over his shoulder and gasped out, “What are you waiting for? Get behind something!”

  Isra grasped Janan’s hand and tried to drag him across the dirt sward that the creature’s emergence had turned to a muddy swamp. It slowed them down, and Janan fell to his knees once, but Flicker managed to keep his adversary distracted until they made it behind the stack of palm trees.

  Janan looked around wildly, but the flashes of orange and blue seared his eyes. “My sister! Do you see her? I-I can’t see her!”

  “Sehrish will take care of her,” Isra shouted. “She’ll keep her safe.”

  That made Janan feel a little better. Sehrish was quick on her feet, brave, and a soldier. She’d get Nawra back to the car, which was probably where they should also go. He yelled the suggestion to Isra.

  “You go!” Isra replied. “I won’t leave him.” He jutted his chin to Flicker, who dove out of the way of a crushing spear of water, rolled, and threw a gout of fire at his enemy. It steamed where it hit her leg and seemed to pierce what passed for her skin, letting some of the water spill out, shrinking her maybe a few inches.

  “And I won’t leave you.”

  Flicker’s clothing had burned away, nothing but his jewelry and that filmy sarong remaining. He’d also grown, and fiery wings extended from his back. But even at the height of his power, he only reached the woman’s navel.

  Flicker twisted his wrist and a long, fiery whip appeared in his hand. He wielded the weapon with speed and grace, circling it above his head before snapping it toward his opponent, wrapping it around her legs and tugging.

  Steam rose in sheets from the woman, and she howled with rage and pain in a voice that held all the power of the oceans as the whip burned gouges into her body. As if in answer, thunder and lightning tore across the sky. Flicker’s light blinked, fluctuating, but he held fast as walls of water struck him, waves breaking over his head again and again. The woman diminished another few feet, but each time Flicker submerged, his light dimmed, and he grew smaller. She reached down and closed her hands around him. As she lifted him, his whip sizzled out and disappeared.

  She raised Flicker to her face and hurled him again, but this time his wings saved him, spreading out to slow his momentum, and after an aerial somersault, he righted himself, winged his way toward her face, and launched a stream of flame at her eyes. She raised her hand just in time to shield her face, and with her other hand, she directed another bolt of lightning toward Flicker.

  This time he couldn’t avoid it, though he bobbed to the side and the lightning struck his hip instead of his chest.

  It still knocked him out of the sky, and he landed with a splash of mud and rolled just in time to save himself from being crushed beneath the woman’s foot.

  Flicker used his elbows to pull himself back, and it was obvious that he struggled to get to his feet. Even when he managed it, he limped and swayed, his hand pressed to his side. “You don’t have to do this!” he yelled at his enemy.

  To Janan’s surprise, the enormous djinn bowed her head, looking desolate. “I wish that were true.”

  Before Flicker could say anything further, she kicked out and sent him reeling. His injury prevented him from getting out of the way of the next fork of lightning she sent, and when it hit, his screams tore Janan’s insides to shreds. The woman loomed over Flicker, her hands parallel to him, fingers spread.

  Water poured down in a torrent. For the first minute or so, Flicker flailed and tried to crawl to safety, but the other djinn put her massive foot on his torso and held him down.

  “I won’t let him stand alone.” Isra darted from their cover and ran toward Flicker.

  Janan followed. He didn’t know what either of them would be able to do, but he couldn’t simply watch while Flicker was killed. No one deserved to die that way, especially not someone who had helped them when he didn’t have to. He certainly wouldn’t cower behind this pile of trees and do nothing.

  And not even an invincible magical being would keep him from Isra’s side.

  As Isra rushed forward, his knife drawn and slashing madly at the djinn, Janan tried to stretch over Flicker, shield him from the flood. He couldn’t believe the force of the water. As soon as it struck his back, it smashed him flat on top of Flicker, knocking the breath from his lungs, and he couldn’t fight against it to even make it to his hands and knees. He rolled and, with a herculean effort, inchwormed around to get a grip beneath Flicker’s arms. But try as he might, he couldn’t free Flicker from her foot.

  The rush of water nearly muffled Isra’s desperate screams. Janan hacked at the blue djinn with one hand, punched with the other. But it wasn’t doing any good, and he couldn’t get beneath the water to attack her foot, or he would be crushed as well.

  Flicker sputtered, the light in his eyes barely an ember. If they lost him, the djinn would kill Janan and Isra easily.

  Through the water beating him down, Janan saw a pair of lights getting brighter.

  Coming closer.

  He could just make out the shape of the Navigator hurtling toward them at high speed.

  “Isra!”

  Isra dove out of the way just as the SUV crashed into the djinn’s leg—the one not holding Flicker. She stumbled before regaining her balance, and Janan didn’t hesitate. He threw Flicker’s limp body over his shoulder and half ran, half crawled away from the creature, digging the fingers of his free hand into the mud to pull himself alo
ng.

  The Navigator’s tires threw up fans of filthy water and wet sand as it reversed. Then it sped forward and struck the blue djinn again, this time sending her to her knees.

  Isra scrambled to his feet and ran toward their enemy. Now he could reach her torso, and he didn’t hesitate to use that advantage—he stabbed hard and fast, perforating the creature around her waist and ribs, causing frothy water to rush out, diminishing her. She bent forward, and Isra embedded his dagger in the side of her neck. She howled like a tempest as a waterfall sprang from her open mouth.

  The Navigator reversed and accelerated again, sending the djinn, only around twelve feet tall now, sprawling on her side, water pooling around her.

  “Get in!” Sehrish shouted from the back seat as she held the door.

  As soon as they made it into the vehicle, she turned to Nawra, who was driving. “Go!”

  “Where?”

  “Anywhere!” Sehrish shouted, starting chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth on Flicker.

  “We can’t go back to the house,” Janan said. “That thing will only follow us.”

  “Go into the desert,” Isra said. “Get off the road as soon as you can, and I’ll guide you. We are not far from a box canyon. Hopefully we can find some shelter there before she recovers.”

  Flicker spat up water and wheezed in a breath.

  “Yes,” Sehrish said. “That’s it. Breathe. We need you.”

  Isra, in the front seat, prayed softly, his voice trembling and full of fear.

  Nawra cut the wheel sharply and sent the SUV careening off the road, spraying sand and gravel until she regained control. Then she hit the gas again, clearly driving as fast as she dared, her mouth set in a hard, determined line. In the rearview mirror, Janan could see her eyes were wide with nerves, but her hands remained steady.

  Janan couldn’t see much else from the back seat of the SUV, but he didn’t have to. That thing would come after them, and there was nothing they could do. Isra had even left his dagger embedded in her. Without Flicker, they had no way to fight.