"How did you do that?"
"I'll show you later." He scanned the trees. "Let's move."
We crossed the brush and made it through the gates without incident.
"How do I revoke Sid's invitation?"
"Huh, I thought things had gone bad. Do it like you did with the door, but as quick as you can."
"No problem."
My breathing may have calmed down, but I was still thrumming with power. I held my arm out to the gate and thought of Sid's ugly hissing face and a large bolt of bright red power shot from my hand. It hit the gate with a loud bang and a shower of red sparks that proceeded to light up the sky.
"Or you could go big." Sarcasm dripped from Royal's words.
"We're lucky I didn't blow the whole thing up," I quipped.
The door to the house burst open, Benyst charged across the lawn towards us. Noiryn was hot on his heels, in the darkness, her third eye was a bright white beacon.
"What's going on?" Benyst bellowed.
"Are you guys okay?" Noiryn asked.
I looked past them to see Spin and the gargoyles venturing out onto the porch with scared looks on their faces.
"Get back inside," I called.
"Why?" Noiryn asked.
"I'll explain inside." I strode up the lawn, Royal beside me.
Noiryn turned, picking Brog up on her way through the door. Benyst hadn't moved.
"Now, Benyst."
It must have been a combination of the look on my face and the power in my veins because Benyst turned and walked back inside without a word.
"Remember how you did that, honey," Royal whispered to me.
I closed the door myself. I wanted to feel the lock turn under my hand and give it an extra power seal. Everyone was standing behind me, waiting for me to tell them what was going on. I said nothing.
I walked down the main hall and into my dining room, a large space with a coffered ceiling done in dark wood. The walls were painted a deep royal blue. Down the centre of the room was a large table the same wood of the ceiling, it could easily seat twelve. I walked to the head of the table and sat down. The others milled around in the doorway.
"Please, sit down."
Royal was the first to make a move. He walked with an easy confidence down the room and took the seat on my right. My newly minted right-hand man. Noiryn followed him; she put Brog down on the table and then sat on my left. Benyst sat beside her, Grog and Spin climbed onto the table, so the two gargoyles and Spin sat facing me. We were a tight circle in the cavernous room.
"Okay, guys," I started, "I'm sorry if I scared you out there, but something big just went down."
"Where's Sid?" Spin looked frightened.
"He left." I sighed. "I'm sorry, Spin. He won't be coming back. He said that he felt a great anger inside himself, that he had felt it growing since he was in the Caves. He said that he was no longer on my side. He," the words caught in my throat, "he said that he wanted to rule the minions, to take the throne, to own them. And he said if I got in his way, he would take me down."
Noiryn gasped. Spin launched into a coughing fit. Benyst got up from the table, so fast his chair fell over, and Grog put his arms around Brog.
"Why would he say such things?" Noiryn asked no one in particular.
"Places of power can do strange things to some minds." Royal's reassuring baritone rolled through the room. "He struck me as a stronger fella, but you never can tell."
"What are we going to do?" Benyst righted his chair and sat back down.
"Thank you for saying 'we.'"
"Of course," Noiryn spoke, "we're not going anywhere."
"Agreed." Spin's voice was quiet but clear. "You can't abandon the minions now, Phoenix. You just can't."
"I'm not going to, Spin. I saw what things were like in the Caves. I'm taking that seat on the Guard. Sid can blow me." Noiryn gasped, Royal chuckled. "Not everybody there wanted it that way, but enough of them liked the violence and debauchery that Sid will be able to put up a hell of a fight."
"You should bring them here!" Spin said.
"What?"
"The ones that will follow you, I mean. Bring them here, and we can set up camp outside the gates. Then you can keep us safe."
"That's exactly what Mastyx said."
"He's a smart guy," Royal said.
"Seriously?" I asked.
"Yep, he's been on the Guard a long time with no challenges from his people, and no wars with any other group. He's a good strategist."
"It is a sound idea, Phoenix," Benyst said. "They could live quite comfortably in the forest outside the gates."
I looked at Noiryn.
"What do you think?"
"It makes the most sense. It's not ideal, but you can handle it." She smiled, but it looked forced.
"But what happens when Sid comes for me?" I asked the group.
"You don't have the take the seat on the Guard," Benyst said. "If you give it to Sid there will be no reason for war."
"I repeat: Sid can blow me. If Sid is their ruler he may try to order the defectors back, and who knows what horrible things he'd do to them."
We sat in silence as we each pondered the fresh hell Sid would rain down on the most vulnerable of the minions.
"So," Royal's voice broke the silence, and we all jumped a little, "It's settled. You're going to go claim your seat on the Guard as leader of the minions, and we're going to the get the minions who want to leave and bring them over here."
"Right," I stood up, "Let's go."
"Right now?" Noiryn asked.
"Yes, now," I replied. "We have no idea when Sid is going to move on his plan, and I don't want Gentip and the others having to fight him on their own."
"We will need to move large groups of them very quickly," Benyst said. "Phoenix, you cannot expect to move each one yourself."
"Phoenix and I can introduce you all, and then everyone can help bring my people over," Spin said. "I can coordinate everyone here, and Gentip can help me."
"That's a great idea. We'll all go to the Caves first and get started with the move, and while you guys handle that, Royal and I will go to the Guard. Agreed?" Everyone nodded. "Great. Go gather what you need, and we'll meet out on the lawn."
29
Everyone sprang into action. Benyst took Noiryn by the hand, and they moved swiftly from the room, Royal muttered something about supplies and slipped out after them, Spin hot on his heels.
"I need to change," I said to myself. My suit had gotten ruined down in the Caves, I really should have changed hours ago.
"Do you require assistance?" Grog asked.
"Good thinking, yes, yes I do need your help. Come on."
I scooped the two gargoyles off the table and made quick work of the stairs. The gargoyles hung on tight all the way up to my room. I sat down on the bed and Brog began to slice me free of the old suit with his sharp nails, while Grog started rummaging through the closets.
I looked in the mirror as Brog began to expose my flesh to the glass. I still looked quite shocking, but I was getting used to it. Sort of. I could handle my face, it was looked okay. It was my torso that gave me pause. With a quick tug, Brog had freed my wings, and the top of my suit fell down exposing my breasts. They still looked like deflated balloons that had once been filled with something other than air. I had no belly button, just a smooth expanse of muscle covered with a thin layer of epidermis. I could still see the outline of each of my ribs, moving and shifting so clearly with every breath I took.
Another tug and my anaemic chicken wing like arms were visible. Brog nudged me to my feet, and soon I could see my legs, so chorded with muscle that you could see each one twitch as I moved. I needed some body fat, asap. I couldn't even look at my ass. With only muscle over the bone, it was misshapen and flat.
"Phoenix? We are ready for you," Grog said, breaking me from my negative thought spiral.
"Right." I pulled my eyes from the mirror and gasped.
Grog had foun
d another suit. A beautiful suit. I knelt beside him, taking the fabric in my hand. It was dark black velvet, soft as a kitten, you know I like kitten softness and lined with smooth cotton that I just knew would lay beautifully against my thin skin. I held the sleeve to my face and rubbed the lining against it.
"It's so soft," I whispered.
"Check out the wings!" Brog held up one of the wing flaps. They were covered with black gemstones and sparkled brightly, even in the soft light of the room.
"This is amazing. Where did you find it?"
"It was in the final closet, near the end." Grog said. "There are also matching boots."
He held them up. They were also black velvet and looked like they went to mid-thigh. A row of gems ran up the back of the boots like a seam. They had subtle rugged soles, perfect for running through the Void.
"And gloves too!" Brog held up short black velvet gloves. A small gemstone was place of the tip of each finger, like sparkly nail polish.
"They're amazing. It's all amazing! Let's get me in it!"
The boys made short work of getting me into the fantastic suit. It looked even better on. The black velvet added dimension to the parts of me that were still super boney and, because of the way the panels were cut, shape where I had none. Gotta love pre-human Phoenix, she knew how to dress for all of life's occurrences.
Grog had also managed to find a matching holder for my sword, though without my hair the hilt was completely visible. The suit's hood was more like a cowl, and around the edge was another spray of black gemstones. When I pulled it up to try it out, it framed my face and made me look like a glamorous Emperor Palpatine.
"Something, something, dark side," I growled into the mirror.
"Phoenix?" Grog asked.
"Sorry, human joke." They don't get Family Guy in the Void.
"Come sit on the bed so we can get the boots on," Brog said.
When Brog had a particular task, he was quite the focused little gargoyle. His tiny stony fingers made quick work of the boot's zipper. When all the pieces were in place, the three of us stood in front of the mirror and admired our work.
"You look amazing," Brog whispered.
"I really do, don't I?" I said.
"Beautiful and deadly," Grog added.
That summed it up perfectly. The glittering gems on my wings were almost as beautiful as my feathers, almost. I turned in front of the mirror, and the light danced across the various gems on my body. I felt beautiful and tough for the first time in weeks.
"Thank you guys, I couldn't have gotten in this without you."
"You're welcome," Grog said.
"Shall we show the others?" Brog asked.
"Hell yeah!" I said.
Noiryn freaked out when she saw the suit. She squealed and made me do three twirls so she could take it all in, but pointedly ignored the blade at my back. Royal whistled, and Spin asked to touch one of the gems. Even Benyst nodded his approval.
"So the outfit is a success," I said, "let's hope everything else goes as well as the fashion."
"Well, let’s find out," Royal said as he opened the front door.
We stepped out onto the lawn; the sky was a dark blue with a light pink edge growing in the eastern sky. Gathered there in the cool morning mist, we went over the plan. Benyst, Noiryn, Royal, Spin and I would head out. Grog and Brog would stay behind and keep watch. That way we would know if Sid tried to get back through the gate. It was a sound plan.
I led the group to the Travelling area.
"It's going to be alright." Royal was bringing up the rear, his voice filled our little area of the forest.
"It has to be," Benyst said.
"That's reassuring," I said.
"He doesn't mean it," Noiryn added.
"Yes, I do," Benyst went on. "This has to work. We must get the minions here, and Phoenix must take a seat on the Guard. If not the minions will no doubt slaughter each other completely disrupting the power balance of the Void. We must succeed."
"I hadn't thought of that," I mumbled.
I pulled off my gloves and touched my palm, somewhere in my heart I knew that Gentip had received my message.
We were coming.
30
We landed just outside the entrance to the Caves. It was nighttime like always. The torches and cauldron were lit once more, basting the opening in an undulating light. Gentip was there to meet us.
"Phoenix! It is good to see you again so soon." He smiled, revealing a set of very brown and slightly broken teeth. At that moment I realised I'd never noticed minion teeth before. I wondered if all minions had gross teeth. I glanced at Spin, but his mouth was closed. Then I scolded myself for not keeping my head in the game.
"Gentip, we have a lot to talk about."
"Come take your throne, and we shall discuss it."
"No, I need to fill you in out here."
I told him what Sid had said, he gasped, and again I was distracted by his teeth. Stop judging Phoenix! But they're really gross. Get over it! Okay. As part of my brain talked to itself, the central part explained our plan to Gentip. I introduced Benyst and Noiryn and instructed Gentip that Spin would be in charge of the settlement and they would work together to run it.
"How do you feel about all this, Gentip?"
"Cautiously optimistic. We have been in this dank place for some time, and it will be nice to get some fresh air. I hope that war does not come to us. Those who will be going with you are not the most skilled in combat."
"Hopefully it won't come to that."
"And what shall we do with the prisoners?"
"Leave them."
"But who will care for them, bring them food?"
"Ohhh, right." I paused.
"Leave enough food for three days. After that they are Sid's problem," Benyst said. Gentip looked at me.
"What he said."
"It shall be done," Gentip answered.
"Please call the minions, I would like to speak to them."
"Of course."
Gentip walked over to the entrance to the Caves and held up his hands. In the flickering light of the cauldron, it was hard to see what he was doing. After a few moments, his hands dropped to his sides, and he turned and made his way back to us.
"They are on their way."
A deep rumbling sound rolled up the tunnel and out into grounds before the Caves. The sound had a feeling of weight, and it wrapped around me, hugging me, supporting me, giving me energy and waking my power. I stood there and basked in it as several hundred minions exited the Caves and gathered before me.
"Minions!" My voice came from me easily and yet filled the canyon. "A great threat has been made against us. The one you call Siddhartha has sworn war against me. Soon he will come here and lay claim to the Caves and any minions that remain. Therefore, we must take shelter. I have come to bring you to my home. There we will create a safe place for you to live until the conflict is over. My friends, Benyst and Noiryn, will take you to my home via the time tunnel. There, Spin will guide you in the creation of your shelter." I looked at the minions. They had looked frightened when I told them about Sid, but they visibly relaxed at the thought of leaving. But some still looked unconvinced. "If you wish to stay and join Siddhartha, I will not stop you."
The silence stretched out in front of me.
"What say you, minions?" Gentip bellowed at the crowd, and the minions responded at once.
"We will go with you!"
"Thank you, Phoenix!"
"We must hurry, we must hurry!"
"Quiet!" Gentip yelled they all shut up immediately. It seemed that even the peaceful minions could be pretty bossy. "Gather all that you need from the Caves and return at once. You three," he pointed at a cluster of minions, "arrange food for the prisoners. Leave three days’ worth by their cells." He pointed at another group of minions. "And you three will guard them in their task."
All the minions he ordered around nodded and took off back into the tunnels.
"Y
ou're really good at this," I said to Gentip once the crowd had dispersed.
"Thank you, Phoenix."
"We will make a great team," Spin said as he joined us.
"Indeed we will," Gentip said.
"Bitchin'," I said. Spin smiled.
"Phoenix, we have things under control here. You and Royal should get going."
"Yes," Benyst said, "I will take the first group."
"I'll get the next one organised," Noiryn said.
"And I will help you," Gentip said.
"I will Travel with Benyst," Spin said. "Gentip, I shall see you soon."
"Yes, brother."
The group dispersed leaving Royal and me alone before the cauldron.
"That happened fast," I said quietly. Royal moved in beside me.
"We should get going, girl."
"I'm scared," I whispered.
"Good."
"Good?"
"You should be. This is some serious shit."
"Royal," I couldn't help but laugh, "I've never heard you swear."
"I save it for the important shit." He winked.
"Am I going to get through this?" I asked.
Royal looked at me for a long time. I must have looked strange draped in velvet with the massive fire throwing orange and red light across my smooth and stretched face. Royal's face was grim, his mouth a hard line. His wings flapped slowly, once.
"Yes."
31
We landed in the Void. I couldn't tell you where because it all looks the same. The land also moves and changes of its own volition, so you never really know where you're going to land. You just get to the Void and then think real hard about where you'd like to be. And hopefully, the Void will comply.
Royal was standing cool as a cucumber beside me. He was a great person to Travel with, super powerful, although he tried to keep that to himself, and he knew how to use his wings as rudders so he could control how he moved along the wave of Time. I watched him move with the currents and tried to emulate him as best I could. It would take a while to get as smooth as him.
"How you doing, honey?" His voice was unusually quiet.
Mend the Flesh (The Phoenix Series Book 3) Page 14
