by Bonnie Lamer
Ellu does a half chuckle thing, and says, “I have no doubt that you expect a sinister response, but all I can say to you is, I am pleased to be in the presence of the King’s daughter. I have no ill feelings towards you, and like the King, you are welcome in my home whenever you please.”
My brows scrunch together. Yeah, he sounds like a vicious kidnapper who wants me dead. Then again, my own brother was turned into a vicious murderer and I didn’t know it. I’m probably not the best person to make the call on his sanity or his sincerity.
“You say those words, yet you send your Giants to kill those of the Devas, picking them off one by one in ambushes, instead of facing them in a fair fight. How do you reconcile that with the image you are trying to set forth at this moment?” Kallen asks him.
Instead of answering, Ellu falls to the floor. I hope he’s not dead. I walk towards him tentatively, waiting for his hand to reach out and grab my ankle or something. It doesn’t. He just lays there drooling. Eew.
Using my magic, I reach out to him. I can feel his heart pumping, so he’s not dead. I’m kind of up in the air about how relieved I am about that. As I magically examine him, I am able to taste someone else’s magic. A powerful magic that has a tight grip on him. Pulling my magic back, I turn to Kallen. “He’s under someone’s spell. He’s full of magic, and I think it’s black.” Sure wish Alita was here so we could know for sure.
Kallen doesn’t look like he wants to believe it. “It could be a spell he requested from an errant Fairy that has gone awry.”
He’s going to be stubborn about this. “And what would the point be. So he can pass out during important conversations?”
He sighs. “Xandra, I understand that you don’t agree with this war. That does not mean that it should not happen.”
I put my hands on my hips. “I thought Sheehogue Fairies were supposed to be anti-war.”
That makes him uncomfortable. “I may be Sheehogue, but that does not mean that I will stand idly by when threats are made on your life.”
And neither would I if I was him. “I know, but Kallen, look at him.” I gesture towards the passed out Ellu. “Does he look like he’s in any condition to mastermind a plot to kill me? The man can hardly stand up straight when he’s conscious. And I tasted that spell. I don’t think it’s one that anyone would ask to have put on them.”
At least Kallen looks thoughtful now instead of obstinate. “Unless he did not know what it would really do.”
Oh, I see where he’s going with this. “You think someone tricked him into agreeing to a spell that would hurt him?”
Kallen runs his fingers through his hair. Reluctantly, he says, “History is filled with such situations.”
“But who, do you think. And why?”
He tries to smile. “I am only now conceding to the possibility. You cannot expect me to have the answers.”
Ellu twitches a little, bringing my attention back to him. I look up at Kallen again. “Should we do something with him?”
He shrugs. “He seems fine where he is. Having him remain unconscious may help us determine who would want him to act so erratically, to the point of inciting war.”
A female voice in the hallway make us forget about Ellu. “She is here. She is with Ellu.”
Gee, I wonder who she means. “Excellent,” a male voice says as the doorknob turns.
Do we stay to find out what’s going on, or do we teleport out of here? Decisions, decisions. Kallen moves to my side in a defensive position, magic at the ready. Mine is, too. Though, when another Ellu walks through the door, I have to admit, I’m shocked enough to let some of it slip back to the earth.
“Ah, you have joined the party, finally,” the new Ellu says. He’s wearing black dress pants and a gray sweater. He’s a lot less casual than the other Ellu. Glancing at the other one on the floor, he purses his lips. “Nasty business that you had to find out about this.”
“Who are you?” Kallen demands.
New Ellu’s lips turn up into a pleasant smile as he looks down and gestures from his chest to his feet. “It seems obvious who I am.”
“Okay, then who is he?” I ask. I’m pretty sure I know who the imposter is. Generally, the imposters don’t end up unconscious on the floor. At least, not until the end of the movie, and this one isn’t over yet.
New Ellu shrugs. “A cog in the wheel.”
I hate cryptic speak. It drives me insane. “Just spit it out, will you? You’re getting really annoying.” There’s my diplomacy rearing its patient head again.
His eyes tighten. “Spending time with you does not get better with frequency.”
Ouch. Hope he’s the only one who feels that way. Right. That’s why I have so many death threats. “You act like you’ve spent time with me before.”
A wicked smile forms on his lips and Kallen is itching to wipe it off. I’m amazed at his control right now. “Oh, but I have. Simply not in this form. I do take back my earlier statement. Spending time in bed with you was certainly enjoyable.”
Obviously, that was the wrong thing to say. Kallen throws magic at him so fast, he doesn’t have time to put up a shield. Nice shot. He’s thrown into the wall hard enough, it doesn’t crack, the stone shatters around him. He’s slumping in a heap to the floor now. I don’t think he’s dead, but I’m not rushing over to find out for sure.
“Xandra, we need to go,” Kallen says, grabbing my hand.
“But the party has just begun,” a voice behind us says. I know it’s Rhamba before I even turn around.
“Sorry, we didn’t RSVP and we don’t want to be rude,” I say.
She laughs. “Oh, you are amusing. What a wonderful pet you will make.”
Pet? Me? What the hell? “So, I take it everyone in this house is insane?”
“No, dear. We are perfectly sane. We are also more powerful than you, as I demonstrated earlier.”
“You took us by surprise, is all,” Kallen growls.
Rhamba rolls her eyes. “Tilattoma, take care of that.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see yet another of the wood nymphs I danced with. She smiles and focuses on Kallen. His eyes begin to glaze over and he has a really stupid expression on his face. I turn back to Tilattoma and glower at her. “What are you doing to him?”
“Nothing that will permanently damage him,” Rhamba assures me. Yeah, like I’m going to trust her.
“Tell her to stop or I’ll make her stop.”
Pealing laughter follows my statement. “Xandra, we are demi-gods. You are born of Witches and Fairies. You are not a threat to us.”
So, they don’t know about my Angel blood. I’m thinking that’s going to work in my behavior. “Why are you trying to start a war between the Giant tribes?”
“Because nothing brings about more passion than fighting for your life,” the one that looks like Ellu says. Great, he regained consciousness. Why can’t the real one be more obliging, though I don’t really know what use he would be. He’s strong, but not magical.
“That’s what this is about – passion?”
New Ellu grins broadly. “I have felt the passion in your soul. Surely, you understand what a powerful motivator it can be.”
I don’t even want him to explain what he meant by feeling the passion in my soul. “So, there’s no point to this war whatsoever than to amuse you and let you feel more passionate?”
Rhamba smiles and her dark eyes sparkle. “We have not come to quench our need for passion. We answer the call of those seeking justice, something you seem to understand. That is why you would be a wonderful asset to have.”
At least she didn’t say pet this time. Still, I put my hands on my hips and try to look intimidating. “I am not anyone’s asset.” Hmm, did I just insult myself? I’m not going to worry about it if I did. I’m going to change tactics instead. “Where are you from?”
“We are half gods, where else could we be from but the heavens.”
“Oh, please. You’re a half god? I don
’t think so. Half demon, maybe.”
Now, I’ve made her mad. “Your insolence will not be tolerated any longer.”
“And why is that?” There’s Kallen’s hand on my shoulder again, trying to warn me about pushing too hard at my enemy.
Instead of answering me, Rhamba rises from the ground and her head falls back. Good lord, the woman can glow as well as glower. It’s a strange color, though. Sort of a murky, brownish purple. And I thought my aura was hideous.
I barely have another minute to think when a wave of magic is thrown at me. Great, a magical showdown with a demi-god. Life just keeps getting better. Maybe for my eighteenth birthday somebody could lop off a toe or two of mine.
A wall of my magic surrounds me and Kallen. As soon as it does, he drops out of the stupor and looks around. For some reason he’s blushing. I’m going to be asking about that later. He’s disoriented at first, but he catches on pretty quickly to what’s going on. Rhamba is strong. I keep feeding my wall more magic and it’s holding, but I’ve never felt magic as strong as hers pushing against mine.
After several minutes of not being able to penetrate my wall of magic, she loses the pleasant smile and her face becomes harsh, almost hag-like. If she sprouts a wart on her nose with a hair sticking out of it, I’m going to be so freaked out. That’s it, we’re out of here. I grab Kallen’s hand and I teleport us back to Dagda’s. I hear a frustrated growl as we leave Ellu’s house.
Chapter 20
I imagine us being in the library at Dagda’s, and the surprised gasps let me know that we successfully made it back. Unfortunately, I forgot about the chair off to the side of the room and I land us on it. And then promptly fall off from it. Graceful and I tried dating for a while, but it turned out we were too different to make things work. It shows.
“Where have you been?!” Dadga demands. I’ve never seen him look so mad before. “We were about to organize a search party.”
“Um, sorry,” I say, trying not to act like we’re feeling guilty about something.
“Quinn says he can be ready with his men just after sunrise. We will attack then.” Quinn nods from where he’s leaning against the window sill.
“Listen, I know you guys all want to go to war, but it’s not necessary. It’s not even Ellu who’s responsible for what’s been going on. There’s someone impersonating him. One of the wood nymphs I told you about before.”
I can tell Dagda’s getting more and more frustrated. “Xandra, we have already discussed this. There is no such thing as wood nymphs.”
“I saw them, as well, uncle.”
“What are the two of you talking about?” Quinn asks. From the look on his face, he thinks we’re crazy, too. That doesn’t really bother me. The crazier he thinks I am, the less attracted he’ll be to me. Unless he’s one of those guys who’re attracted to crazy. That would be my luck.
“We were at Ellu’s…” I begin, but Dagda cuts me off.
“You were where?” He kind of has an ‘I’m going to murder you in your sleep’ look on his face. Good thing I’m a light sleeper.
I sigh. “Yes, I know you’re mad. But, I had to try to find an alternative to war, and I have. It’s not Ellu that’s causing the trouble. It’s the wood nymphs, or whatever they are. They said they were demi gods. They can impersonate people and they’re really powerful. Powerful enough to convince people to do things they don’t want to do.”
Dagda looks thoughtful for a moment. Then, he spins around and goes to a shelf in the far corner of the library. He scans a couple of rows of books before he finds the one he’s looking for. He pulls it out and puts it on a small table. He flips through the pages, finally stopping on a particular one. Looking up at me, he asks, “Are you certain that one of these nymphs, as you call them, is impersonating Ellu?”
I nod. “Yes. And not just him. I’m positive they’re the ones who were posing as my parents and who posed as me and Kallen earlier.” A vat of blood rushes to my face as I consider how far things went before I figured out it wasn’t him. I think the look on my face keeps Dagda from questioning me more about that. I also think I heard Quinn snicker.
“Come here,” Dagda says. He starts reading the page he has open. “Does this sound like these creatures? Apsaras: A trio of demon and Cowan spawn who can be summoned by a fallen hero or a woman scorned. Each excels in a different area of magic. Rhamba, the leader of the three, moves about as demons do, able to teleport from place to place. Tilattoma, also known as the Enchantress, can invade dreams and create illusions as ways to control prey. Manaka incites lust and passion, causing her victims to lose themselves for hours at a time.” He gives Kallen and me a pointed look after reading that last part before he continues. “Once called, the three may not be controlled. They will appear only to those whom they wish to see them, and will take the form of others at will. Their demon magic is strong, making it almost impossible to kill them.”
“Um, yeah,” I say, trying to hide my discomfort, about a couple of things he just read, but I know I’m failing miserably. “That sounds like them.”
Quinn’s brow is pinched together tightly. You’d think that would make him look bad, but it doesn’t. He still looks really good. I still don’t like him, though. “And you believe it is these Apsaras, these demi gods, who have been attacking the Devas?”
I nod. “Yes, I do.”
“For what purpose?”
Okay, I’m stumped on that one. Dagda comes to my rescue by asking, “There are only two who can summon them. Can you think of anyone who falls into either category?”
Quinn purses his lips and thinks about it, then shakes his head. “No, I cannot. Before the last few months, the most recent truce between us and the Daityas had inspired many years of peace between us. I cannot think of anyone who would want to bring these Apsaras upon us.”
“What if they are not seeking revenge against the Devas,” Kallen says.
I’m puzzled. “What do you mean?”
Turning to Quinn, Kallen says, “You believe that a war between the Devas and Daityas would have a given outcome. Perhaps, someone who agrees with you is angry enough with the Daityas to incite war, believing that the Daityas will fall under the swords and crossbows of the Devas, killing the one who wronged him or her.”
Click, click, click. That was the sound of the jackpot machine going off in my head. “I think I know who would have summoned them.”
Everyone in the room seems surprised except Kallen. I think he figured it out before he said what he did. “Breena and Ellu broke up recently. She does act like a woman scorned.”
Quinn pushes away from the window sill and crosses his arms over his chest. “That is impossible. She is Devas and he is Daityas. It is forbidden.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, because history isn’t full of forbidden love and the tragedies that surround it.” At least, that’s true in my realm. I’m reasonably sure it’s true here, as well.
Dagda just might be convinced. “Radella, please find Breena and escort her here.”
Radella nods to two of her security team and the three of them walk out of the library in search of Breena. I wonder if she even bothered to come back here. After all, it now seems like she was leading me and Kallen into a trap. She probably thought that I wasn’t strong enough to fight them.
The room is quiet as we wait for word on whether Radella and her team have found Breena. Kallen is standing behind me, massaging my shoulders, when she finally comes back. She has Breena with her. And boy, does she look surprised to see us.
Not knowing how much we have figured out, she tries to mask her surprise with subservience. “Your majesty, there is something you wish from me?”
I don’t know if Quinn is going to be able to hold himself back from throttling her. His hands are in such tight fists, his knuckles are as white as fresh snow. He doesn’t say anything, though.
“Yes,” Dagda says, as if he’s about to ask her to pour coffee. “There have been some unusual reports comi
ng in. The security teams are seeing what they describe as nymphs wandering the area. Have you heard anything about this? Were there sightings before we came here?”
Breena’s body tenses, but she tries to keep her face impassive. “I have not heard of any such sightings, your Majesty.”
Oh, please. Even I can tell she’s lying, and perception is not my middle name. “What about someone posing as another?” Dagda pushes. She shakes her head. Is that sweat on her brow? It’s a lot shinier than it was when she came in here.
Okay, this beating around the bush is getting on my nerves. “Did you summon the Apsaras or not?” I ask. Dagda gives me a hard look but Quinn looks amused. That’s a lot better than homicidal like he did a minute ago.
