by D. N. Leo
“All right then.” She stood and went to the kitchen where she had seen some dried food earlier when she’d looked around. One of the skills she was proud of was her cooking. She could cook a gourmet meal out of nothing but thin air, but this was quite a decent kitchen.
Before she could finish preparing the meal, there was a loud bang, and the door flew open. She hurried into the living room to hide behind the breached door. Peering through the gap between the door and the frame, she saw a group of ancient soldiers storming into the bedroom. Behind them, an authoritative-looking woman in a long golden dress sauntered in.
Before she entered the bedroom, the soldiers rushed out, reporting something in to the woman in a language Kirra didn’t understand. She recognized some of the words Leon and Mya had used and thought these people must be Babylonian.
There were two gigantic guards at the door, and she wasn’t sure she would be able to get past them. The golden woman turned around, looking disappointed. She guessed the soldiers had just reported that Dex wasn’t in the room.
Kirra grinned to herself. She knew where he was. When she’d searched the place while Dex was passed out, she had stumbled upon Dex’s secret compartment in the bed room.
But before she could think about what to do next, she looked up, and her eyes landed right on the face of the golden woman. The woman said something in Babylonian. She didn’t understand but thought it was most likely a sarcastic greeting. With a swing of the woman’s arm, the door and half of the wall collapsed. Then her arm started out like a steel wire and it was flying toward her. Kirra staggered back but hit the wall. The woman grabbed her neck and pulled her up, leaving Kirra’s legs dangling in the air. She then smashed her body down to the floor.
Kirra saw stars, but she scrambled back up to her feet, cursing, and adopted a fighting stance. The woman looked at her and smirked. She said something else.
“I don’t understand a word you’re saying.”
The woman paused as she realized Kirra was speaking English. Then she smiled and spoke in English as well. “Tell me where your lover is, and I’ll let you live.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She copped a hard hit to the face for that remark. “That’s enough. You stormed into my house and assaulted me. I’ll report you.”
The woman approached, “To whom? A marshal?” And then she laughed.
Kirra stepped back. Suddenly, an explosion came from right beneath her feet. She dropped down to the hole, and the next thing she knew, she was in Dex’s arms. He put her down and grabbed her hand. “Run,” he said.
Dex threw a smoke bomb behind him and took her hand, running along what looked like a dark tunnel. After a while, he stopped.
“You don’t think they’ll chase us?”
Dex shook his head. “No. It’s a narrow tunnel. They don’t know where it leads. They won’t want to be ambushed.”
“Where does it lead?”
He looked at her. “Earth. I’m taking you back to your friends. What’s your name?”
“When did you figure out I wasn’t Elanora?”
He smiled. She had never seen a smile so sad before. “Elanora doesn’t cook.” He tilted her chin up and looked into her eyes. “If I was in my cat form, I’d know instantly whose soul was in this body. But in this human form, I can’t tell the difference between souls. However, I know personality traits. You’re a world away from Elanora.”
“I’m Kirra.”
“Thank you, Kirra, for not giving me up back there.”
“I don’t do that to friends—I mean, to anyone.”
He chuckled. “You’re too good for the underworld.”
“I’m not so sure about that. But how will you find Elanora now that she’s out of my body?”
He gestured ahead as they kept walking. “Hunting fugitives is my job. The same principle applies to finding missing persons—or missing souls in this case.”
“So, you just go around hunting fugitives for the underworld as a freelancer?”
Dex laughed. “You dug around in my files.”
She shrugged. “I have to know who I’m dealing with.”
“In this world, they call me a rogue. But freelancer will do. And yes, that’s what I do. I’ve done it for a long time. The woman back there is Ishtar, the Goddess of—”
“Ishtar! The one who cheated Mya for thousand years and kept her in debt so she could use her?”
Dex nodded. “Yes. That’s the one. She wanted to know which fugitive I’m hunting in her world.”
“Apparently you can’t tell her. But she’s a Goddess. A fugitive she cares about must be somewhat important. What kind of marshal are you, hunting fugitives of that caliber?”
Dex looked at her. “You’re a smart woman, Kirra.” Then he pointed at the dim light at the end of tunnel. “That’s Earth.”
Chapter 30
Leon was walking toward the helicopter with Mya, Ciaran, and Zach. He glanced behind and shuddered at the scene that had just happened when Ciaran and Mya killed hundreds of lost spirits. The giant woman that looked at him with fire in her eyes, he was sure she was a soul trader. And Casey had told him that his soul cannot be traded. So he challenged the woman. But damn, the woman had exploded before he could do anything.
But he was sure Ciaran had somehow killed the soul trader. He didn’t have any hopes of getting the information out of Ciaran easily. But he promised himself he would give it a go when he had a chance. He was Zach’s successor and Zach was the second councillor. Ciaran was the king of Eudaiz. They ought to teach Leon some useful skills, and that should in crude how to kill a soul trader. Leon was engrossed in his thoughts and almost jumped out of his skin when Casey called him.
“My God!”
“Oh my, goddammit!” he exclaimed.
Everyone turned and looked at him. “I’m talking to someone right now. She is invisible to everyone, including me. So please don’t think I’m crazy.” He glanced around, having no idea where to look, and said, “Speaking of the devil, Casey, I’ve been thinking about you along with the whole soul trader ordeal we just encountered. But if you don’t mind, can you wait until we get into that big bird and Ciaran gets us out of here before you tell me what you want?”
“I need your help right now, my God!”
“Stop calling me God.” Leon smiled and explained to everyone, “She calls me God all the time.”
“When did you get to know this…woman?” Zach asked.
“In Sydney. It’s a long story. She’s a soul trader.”
“A what?” everyone chorused.
“Did they just kill a lot of spirits here?” Casey asked.
“Yes, Casey. And they also killed a giant woman I believe is a soul trader. So I don’t think they’ll like you too much.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I’m not saying you did. But we just had a fight right here, and we’re tired. Can we get out of here before we talk?”
“I really need your help right now.”
“All right, but only if you can make the others hear you so I don’t have to repeat everything you say to them. If they agree to help you—”
“Please help me. I’m Casey. Can you hear me?”
“Yes,” everyone said at once.
“I’m sorry for my intrusion. I possessed a very important talisman before I become formless like this. Richard, my manager, was going to give the talisman to my son for me. He held it in his hand when he said he loved me. And the talisman branded him.”
Zach waved his arms. “Wait a second, lady. We have a life and death situation here, and we need to get out of here as soon as we can. And you want us to go help your lover because he has some kind of a love tattoo?”
“It’s not Richard who needs help. It’s the talisman. I couldn’t find my son. Someone has to take it to where it belongs. It has branded a lover and will lose its power very soon.”
“You’re not making any sense, Casey. What exactly do y
ou want us to do? And why should we help you?” Ciaran asked, stepping up from behind Zach.
“Oh my god,” Casey gasped.
“Stop calling me,” Leon growled.
“I think that was just an exclamation, Leon,” Zach said.
“Who are you?” Casey asked. “The one in the bloody shirt.”
“Ciaran LeBlanc. And for your information, I have just killed a giant soul trader.”
“Of course you did. Because you can.”
“I don’t know what you mean, but I don’t really care for an explanation. We’re leaving.” Ciaran turned to leave.
“You have to get the talisman for me,” Casey snarled.
“I don’t think that’s the tone people use to ask for help. And I second what Ciaran just said,” Zach said, turning to follow Ciaran.
“If you are who you say you are, show yourself,” Mya said.
The image of Casey Anderson flickered rapidly but stayed about ninety percent transparent. “Due to an accident, I have temporarily lost my form. But this should be enough for a presentation.”
Casey locked her gaze on Ciaran for a second then said, “Who would have thought?” She reached her arms out, and as soon as that happened, a fireball flew from Mya toward her.
“You lay a finger on his soul, and I swear to my Goddess, I’ll burn you to ashes,” Mya snarled.
Casey raised her hands, seeking a truce. “All right, I won’t touch his soul. Please hear me out.”
Ciaran tapped Mya’s shoulder to calm her down and stepped forward. “You have one chance to convince us to help you. Make it count.”
The flickering image of Casey looked at Ciaran. She stepped closer. Mya inched forward behind Ciaran. Zach gripped her shoulder to hold her back. Leon could feel the intense energy in the air. He pushed forward.
“Casey, just tell them why they have to get the talisman.”
“They won’t believe me.”
“As I’ve said, you have one chance,” Ciaran said patiently.
Casey looked at Ciaran then back at Leon. “Go on, tell him,” Leon said.
Casey nodded. “The talisman is the proof that you were created out of true love.”
“Oh, fuck no!” Zach shouted. “Ciaran, let’s go.”
Ciaran’s eyes were as cold as steel. He said nothing, turned around, and walked away.
“What’s wrong?” Leon asked and followed Ciaran and Zach. From the corner of his eyes, he saw that Casey was confused and upset. She reached her hands out after Ciaran. “No, Casey,” Leon shouted. But it was too late. A second fireball flew from Mya toward Casey. But instead of setting Casey on fire, Mya was thrown several feet away. She hit the ground and rolled .
“No, Mya,” Zach shouted and ran toward her. She scrambled up to her feet and threw another fireball. The fire fizzled out, and she was thrown again, this time passing out on the ground.
“Stop that, Casey!” Leon shouted.
“I didn’t do anything wrong!” Casey said.
Zach blasted his sound waves at her. Casey cried out.
“Go away, Casey!” Leon shouted.
Zach blasted again.
Casey screamed in pain. The waves bounced back at Zach, and he staggered, blood trickling down his nose.
Ciaran approached Casey. “You forced me to do this,” he said.
“Kill me, and you will regret it.”
Leon heard Ciaran said something strange. It sounded like a spell. Everything moved too fast for him to react. The next thing he knew, Ciaran’s body, like Mya’s, was hurled several feet in the air. He shot away as if he were a cannonball and then dropped down through a tree to the ground. He lay there, fifty feet away, totally out.
“What did you do? Did you kill him, Casey?” Leon shouted.
Casey started crying. “I didn’t do anything,” she said.
“Go away,” Leon growled.
“Can I take a look at him?”
“No, if anything happens to them, I will never forgive you. Go away.”
Casey nodded a goodbye and vanished.
A short distance away, Zach had helped Mya up. She was still groggy. Leon darted toward Ciaran.
“How is he?” Zach asked.
“I don’t know,” Leon said. “He’s been stabbed by a tree branch. It’s just shoulder wound, but he’s not breathing.”
“I don’t know where the fuck his eudqi point is,” Zach growled.
“It might be just the shock of the fall,” Mya said. She could feel every ounce of muscle in Zach’s body trembling. “It might be just a flesh wound. And like you, he’ll heal fast. Don’t you lose it, Zach. We need you.”
Zach said nothing. His eyes were dark, and his lips formed a thin line. Mya knew he did that when he was either unsure or angry. They approached Ciaran and Leon. A small but sharp-looking tree branch protruded from the left side of Ciaran’s chest. Mya knew that with the Eudaizian energy in him, the only thing they had to worry about was his eudqi point.
Zach peeled Ciaran’s bloody shirt off. “Fuck me,” he muttered. The tree had pierced his chest just a couple of inches from a faint round mark that Mya knew by now that was his eudqi point.
“It’s a flesh wound, right?” Leon asked.
Zach said nothing.
“Yes, Leon. But it’s a serious one,” Mya said.
Zach concentrated. “I have to get the branch out. He can’t heal himself when it’s in there.” He grabbed the tree branch and pulled it out in one swift move. Blood spurted from the wound. Ciaran gasped and resumed his breathing.
Zach slid a hand under Ciaran’s neck, checking. “A fall at that angle could have broken his neck,” he explained.
“When he was out before, his soul led us through the healing area to heal his body. It will do that again,” Mya said.
“So it wasn’t his mind that brought us here. Are you sure, Mya?” Zach asked.
“More sure than ever. My fireball bounced back at me when I tried to stop Casey from getting Ciaran’s soul because she hadn’t done anything wrong. That means she’s entitled to catch Ciaran’s soul. I couldn’t hear the spell Ciaran used, but if it was the same one he used to kill the giant soul trader, but this time, it bounced back hard at him, I can only think of one reason—Casey is his soul’s creator.
Chapter 31
Casey waited a brief moment for Richard to wake. She had just put him out a bit while she ran to Leon for help after failing to contact Dex. She didn’t have permission to go to the underworld, but most of the time, Dex was quite responsive whenever she needed him. It was lucky that she had tagged Leon during their brief encounter. He was a minor God, but he didn’t know that. The most important thing was that Casey could tell Leon had a kind nature, regardless of what kind of God he was. She couldn’t believe the tag had led her to meet Leon again at the soul market and then to meeting one of her great creations—the king’s spirit.
It had been such a long time. She didn’t think she’d ever see him again. She didn’t know why his attempt to attack her had led to his body being harmed so badly. She wanted to protect him. She had done it once. She could certainly do it again.
“Richard, could you do me a favor?”
Richard sat up on the floor and frowned.
“Sorry, you were in shock when the talisman branded you. You were out for a bit.”
He nodded and stood up, looking at the burn mark on his palm.
“The mark won’t have any residual effects, Richard. It’s just a burn. You don’t have to worry.”
“I’m not worried. What’s the favor you want from me?”
“It’s regarding the talisman.”
“You said you want me to give it to Dex. I can do that.”
“Things have gotten a bit more complicated.”
“Since when? When I was out?”
“It doesn’t matter, Richard. I tried to contact Dex, but he isn’t available.”
“Give me his address. I’ll go get him.” Richard paused and then said,
“Oh, you’re a soul trader, so your son isn’t a normal human being. If you can’t get him, then neither can I.”
“Unfortunately, you’re right. You can’t go to his house. I need the talisman to be delivered to a safe place. If I had any physical form, I would have done it myself, Richard.”
“And I’m guessing the place isn’t accessible by ordinary humans.”
Casey sighed. “No. And I don’t want to put you in danger.”
“It’s not danger I’m worried about. I don’t have any magical abilities. I don’t even know how to pray.”
“You needn’t worry about it. I can send you. But you have to travel across worlds. The travel and the task itself are not dangerous. But because you’re a human, if anything happens, and you can’t get back to your world—”
“I’ll be dead?”
“Yes, clinically dead as a human.”
“What does that mean?”
“I have traded your soul once with one of mine. I can’t do that again. If anything happens to you again, there’ will be nothing I can do.”
“What’s the location? I mean, spiritual or supernatural or however you want to define it.”
“I need the talisman to be delivered to Merlin’s cave. Then I need to talk to him to explain a situation.”
“All right, at least there’s a definite location—a cave with a name. I can do that.” Richard picked up the talisman. He wrapped it inside one of Casey’s silk scarves and slid it into his pocket.
“I would use the wooden box, but it’s quite bulky,” he said.
“Thank you.”
He paused then looked straight ahead. Casey approached and made herself appear in a flickering image. He looked at her and smiled. “There you are, beautiful.”
In her formless body, she could still feel a warm sensation as he spoke those gentle words with his deep voice.
“Tell me what I need to do to get to Merlin’s cave. I can’t imagine you want me to drive my car across worlds.” He chuckled.
She smiled at him. “Just lie down on the bed.”
He went over to the bed and sat down. “Can I ask about Merlin’s cave? If, as you’ve said, the trip could be dangerous, I should know where I’m going. And if I might die, I should at least know why.”
