by Orren Merton
“I…I had their names in my phone,” I said, realizing how silly that sounded.
“You could not have reached for your phone. Besides, to fulfill your end of the bargain you would have had to release Raum’s Seduman before he died, and that wouldn’t have allowed for much more time,” Garz noted.
I nodded. I hadn’t really thought that part through.
“I’m sure you wished for all the rumam to be freed. But consciously or not, freeing this one rumam was your main goal—and you achieved it. I couldn’t be more proud of you.”
“Thank you Garz,” I said, my eyes getting hot again, but this time not from Sedu flames.
“We will free the rest of the rumam in your name, don’t worry,” Garz said.
“You’re going to war against Raum?” I asked.
Garz nodded. “When his Seduman attacked you, he sealed the fate of his House. Our father has been gathering our allies since you first informed us it was Raum.”
“Did I…I’m sorry if I made it worse for us by not killing Dirk…”
Garz repressed a slight grin as he removed his hand from my face. “Don’t worry. We shall defeat the House of Raum. There is no doubt among us, or among our allies. Raum has few friends, and none who are powerful. Whereas you—Zedek himself fights for you.”
“He does?” I marveled.
Garz nodded. “This is who you are. The ‘dear one’ whom the Greater Sedu calls friend. The compassionate Seduman who fights for the humans. I am proud to be your brother, and proud to fight by your side.”
Just when my eyes stopped feeling misty…
“So what happened to the mirror?” I asked. “Why did it shatter?”
“Raum shattered it because we have this,” Garz picked up Dirk’s Sedu blade and put it in the belt of his tunic. “Raum knows war is coming. If he’d left the portal, we could have streamed our forces right inside his House.”
I nodded. “So that’s it? Dirk can’t return?”
“He can find another portal,” Garz said. “Or the House of Raum can build one. And I’m sure he will return, if we don’t kill him first. If he does return…you can be sure he’ll seek you out.”
“And I’ll be ready,” I said proudly.
Garz tipped his head deferentially.
“So…my mom…” Jake stood about ten feet away from me, staring at Garz apprehensively.
I held out my hand to him and smiled to invite him over. “She’s not demon food anymore. Her soul is free.”
He walked over to me haltingly and took my hand. I pulled him close. “Garz, this is my…um…companion, Jacob Harman.”
“Call me Jake,” he said nervously.
“And Jake, this is my brother, Garz.”
“You returned,” Garz observed. “You returned, once you escaped with Linda Kelley.”
Jake shuffled his feet awkwardly. “I…I couldn’t leave Alex here…when she was in danger…”
Garz nodded approvingly.
“Thank you,” I said, caressing the fingers of his hand with my own. “You saved me, you know.”
He offered a slight shrug and gazed back at me adoringly.
“Well, you saved my mom’s soul, so I guess we’re even.”
“Not quite yet,” Zaebos explained as he walked up to us. “I shall return to the House of Keroz now, and send two Mazzikim to guide her rumam to her ancestors.”
“Thank you, Zaebos,” I said. “And thank you for fighting by my side.”
“I would defend you with my very last breath, my lady.”
I stroked Zaebos’s rust-colored fur, now matted with dried blood and patches of ripped flesh. I kneeled down and hugged Zaebos’s thick neck.
“Garz, you are in charge of the warriors, but may I offer Zaebos an additional duty, if he would like it?”
“Of course,” Garz said.
Zaebos tilted his head confusedly as I rose.
“Zaebos, in recognition of your valor and what you have come to mean to me, I would like to make you my permanent personal guard for when I am in Sediin.”
Zaebos turned to Garz.
Garz tipped his head. “I believe that the Lady Firebird deserves an honor guard. And there is no one better suited to lead it than you.”
Zaebos bowed as low as he could, his two front legs bent and his head brushing the floor. “Thank you, my lady. I shall choose my two strongest warriors to fill out the ranks of your guard.”
“I plan to return in seven months—a week’s time on Earth—and dine with my family. I look forward to seeing you, my friend.”
Zaebos rubbed his muzzle against my side affectionately. I leaned over and kissed him.
“Now return quickly; I can’t have the captain of my guard disintegrating,” I smiled.
Zaebos bowed to both of us, nodded at Jake, and returned through the portal I’d opened to Sediin.
I noticed that new Mazzikim were coming to help drag the corpses over to the forge and toss them in.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
Vetis, who was standing half-way between the portal and the forge directing the Mazzikim, walked over. “It will take too long for the Mazzikim bodies to disintegrate on their own,” he explained. “I assume the authorities will be here soon. So we’re cleaning up our mess.”
Jake was staring at Vetis with an expression somewhere between wonder and shock. I gently nudged him. “Hey…Jake? How’s Linda? Did you call Detective Godinez?”
“Oh…um…Linda’s okay,” Jake said turning to me. “After that bald guy unlocked the office door, I slammed his head into it and ran in. Linda was tied to a chair in the middle of the room. That office is full of unfinished daggers and swords and stuff. I grabbed one of the blades and started cutting Linda out of the chair. After I freed Linda the bald guy got up, but Linda saw him first and kicked him in the nuts and then pounded him in the nose.”
“Good for her!” I said.
“Yeah, she’s a tough one,” Jake shook his head. “We ran back to the Subaru, I dialed Detective Godinez and gave Linda the phone and told her to call it in, and after that to call Steve, who was worried sick. Then I ran back and found the bald guy’s gun in the office and came out to see if I could help.”
“That was a great shot, Jake,” I smiled.
“Well…I was actually aiming for his head…”
I snorted out a few chuckles and leaned my head on his arm for a moment.
“Then we have even less time,” Vetis said. “I’m sure that detective alerted the nearest police station to send officers.”
“So is Karl—that bald bastard—still in the office?” I turned around and looked at the open office door. “I think that is the guy who attacked Rachel and me.”
With an expression of outrage that made Jake jump, Vetis ran into the office. After hearing the sounds of something heavy being thrown around and a man screaming, Vetis came out of the office dragging Karl behind him.
Vetis threw Karl onto the ground by my feet. “Him?” he hissed.
“Yup, that’s him,” I said.
Vetis picked Karl up with his two upper hands. He stuck the silver claw of his missing hand around Karl’s throat. Vetis’s huge eyes glowed.
Garz put his hand on Vetis’s shoulder. “Alex was the one directly assaulted. Perhaps we should let her decide his fate?”
Vetis tipped his head and turned to me. “Just give me the word…” he seethed.
“You attacked me…and an twelve-year-old girl. You were going to murder a child!” I spat.
“I’m sorry! It wasn’t my…I didn’t mean…he made me!” Karl blathered on.
“Did you murder the rabbi?” I demanded.
Vetis turned back to the bald man.
“Dirk told me—”
Vetis tightened his silver claw to the point where Karl couldn’t speak anymore. Vetis turned to me.
I was more than a little surprised at how violent Vetis was being. It was obvious Vetis wanted to slice his head off…but that just did
n’t feel right to me—even if Karl deserved it and had it coming.
“He committed murder. He should be tried in human court,” I said.
Vetis looked disappointed—until a devious smile formed on his lipless mouth.
“We pin it all on him,” Vetis said. “The kidnapped souls, the rabbi, the attack on you and…” Vetis’s throat caught on his words.
“It makes sense,” Garz added. “The grieving seek closure. The truth of all this would be too much for most to accept. Tell them that a serial killer murdered their loved ones and incinerated them in his forge—that they can believe. And the guilty humans will be punished.”
“The ashes of the Mazzikim bodies will leave unidentifiable but possibly organic residue,” Vetis said. “It will be used as evidence in lieu of bodies.”
“Is that enough?” I asked.
“We can always throw him in to make the ashes remains more authentically human,” Vetis said, his lower left arm pointing behind him.
I looked around at what he was pointing at. It was the first guy that I knocked out, the one at the counter. He still had glass sticking out of his head.
“I forgot about him! Is he dead?”
“Not yet,” Vetis said.
“Then we can’t kill him,” I insisted. “He must face trial as an accomplice.”
“Are you sure?” Vetis asked. “It would be cleaner without two humans babbling about demons and portals.”
“I know…” I turned to Garz, “but this is who I am.”
Garz nodded.
“Very well. I’ll restrain the two humans,” Vetis said. We all nodded and he dragged the bald man off to the front of the warehouse.
“And I must take my leave of you as well, my sister,” Garz bowed slightly. “There is a siege to plan.”
“Be careful,” I said. “I’d ask you to give my love to Dad…”
Garz chuckled. “I shall relay your regards.”
“I guess that will have to do for now,” I shook my head playfully. I reached up and touched his arm. “But one day…we will make the House of Keroz stand not just for honesty, but for compassion as well. Thank you for everything—and I’ll see you in a week. Well, a week for me.”
Garz patted my hand. “We shall look forward to it.”
Garz turned to Jake, who was still gazing all around the room, marveling at all the different weirdly shaped beings from Sediin.
“And Jake Harman,” Garz said. “There is courage in your heart.”
“Does…does that mean I can shake your hand?” Jake asked, quite nervously.
“It does,” Garz nodded.
He extended his hand. Jake, although clearly anxious, extended his hand. The two shook.
“Hot hot HOT!” Jake exclaimed.
Garz laughed and released Jake’s hand. “Well met,” Garz tipped his head.
We waved good-bye as Garz stepped through the portal.
“Remind me not to get on your brother’s bad side,” Jake shook his head. “I could tell he was being gentle, but that’s still some grip!”
“Aww, Garz likes you,” I chuckled. “He said you’re brave. I think you’re brave. What’s not to like?”
“I always—”
Jake stopped talking as soon as the phone in my pocket started chirping at me.
“I totally forgot I left it on!” I said and pulled my phone out of my pocket. “It’s Rachel,” I said. I held the phone between us and answered the call on speakerphone.
“Hi, Rachel?”
“Alex, what’s going on?” a concerned Rachel asked. “First we were told that nobody was coming to get us, then Emma’s dad would be coming, but not until six. Then we were told that he’s coming to get us now. Why couldn’t Emma’s mom come? Or you? Is something wrong?”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s okay. Everything is okay. And I mean really, really okay. Linda was in trouble, but she’s not anymore. We’ll talk about it tonight. I’ll tell you everything.”
There was a pause. “You got her out of trouble, didn’t you?”
“Jake and I both did,” I smiled to Jake.
“Cool!” She enthused. “Hi Jake!”
“Hi Rachel,” Jake replied.
“I’ll see you tonight. Bye Rachel!” I signed off.
“Glad you’re okay Alex! Bye Jake!” Rachel said, and disconnected the call.
“That reminds me,” Jake said. “I need to get in touch with Jill. She’s still panicking, I’m sure.”
“Say hi from me,” I said as I handed Jake my phone.
As Jake started swiping away, I looked up and saw Vetis staring at me, wearing the most wistful expression that a dragonfly-like face could have. And suddenly, it all made sense. The eyes. The shortness. How close I felt to her so quickly. How easily she accepted what I was. Rabbi Norm’s assurance I’d meet another Seduman one day. And now, Vetis’s rage.
I walked over to him. “You and my father shared a secret,” I said.
“Yes…” Vetis nodded.
“You both had Seduman daughters. His born eighteen Earth years ago…”
“Yes…”
“And yours…twelve.”
“Yes,” he admitted.
“You could have told me,” I said.
“I know,” he lowered his head. “For most of her life I didn’t know where she was—I told her mother to leave Chicago and not tell me where she was going. It wasn’t until you were attacked that I figured it out. When you were in Sediin, I wanted to tell you…but there was that part of me that still wanted to keep her a secret…to keep her safer. Are you upset?”
“I think it’s great,” I assured Vetis. “Besides, I already felt like she was my adopted sister. It turns out, she’s my adopted niece! I’m okay with that. But she doesn’t know.”
“I assume that both her mother and the rabbi were waiting until Rachel showed signs, the way your mother waited to tell you,” Vetis said. “But I…I would very much like to be in her life…if there is a way…”
“I’ll figure it out,” I put my hand on Vetis’s right shoulder. “I’ll introduce you two. I know she’d love to have her real father in her life. Even if only part-time.”
“And she couldn’t ask for a better full-time aunt. Please watch over her, Alex,” Vetis said.
“Of course. You know I will,” I said.
The corners of his little mouth slowly turned up in a thankful smile.
We heard police sirens coming closer.
I looked around. Everything looked pretty clean. There were bloodstains on the ground, and of course the shattered countertop and mirror, but other than that and the two thugs tied to the smashed counter, the place looked almost normal.
“We must return now,” Vetis said. He and the remaining couple of Mazzikim returned to the portal.
“Good bye Vetis, and thank you,” I waved.
“Thank you for looking after Rachel,” Vetis waved back. “And I’ll see you later.”
They stepped through, and I waved my Sedu blade back over the portal to close it. I thought my blade back into a pen and put it in my pocket.
Jake walked over to me. “You know, for a five-foot-tall humanoid insect demon, Vetis seems pretty cool.”
“He is,” I agreed. “And Rachel’s dad. Go figure!”
“Damn…” Jake shook his head. “Does everyone have some Sedu in them? Or do the Sedu just love Southern California?”
“Maybe, the weather is pretty great here,” I laughed. “How’s Jill?”
“Really thankful her mom is okay,” Jake said. “We owe her an explanation, though.”
“Think I can tell her everything?”
“I know you can,” Jake nodded.
The sirens sounded like they were pulling into the industrial park.
“So do we have our story straight?”
“Yup, we do,” Jake assured me.
“Think we’ll get in trouble?”
“I’m guessing the Torrance police will defer to Detective
Godinez, since it’s his case. He’ll be disappointed we didn’t listen to him and stay put, but I don’t think we’ll be in big trouble. Especially with Mrs. Kelley’s report that we saved her. I may not mention the hacking, though…”
“Probably best,” I agreed.
“So when all of this is over, what do you want to do?” Jake asked.
“Good question,” I exhaled, giving it some thought. “I think I want to completely remodel my mom’s condo. You know, really make it my condo. It’s time that I started living again. And apply to college—maybe I can go to UCI like you, starting in the spring or something.”
Jake nodded, trying to repress a grin.
“And I think I want to learn to drive. Maybe you can teach me…and help me to pick out my Batmobile!” I smiled.
“I’d love to. That’s all awesome…” Jake tightened his lips to hide his grin. “But I meant to ask what did you want to do later today, after we’ve talked to the police.”
“Oh!” I chuckled. “Well, I’d like to change into a shirt I didn’t bleed on. And then…you know what sounds really good?”
“What?”
“Ice cream.”
“I know just the place,” Jake smiled. “There’s this ice cream and deli shop called Hans’ in Santa Ana. They make their own ice cream right there. And it’s soooo good…”
“Mmmmm….delicious…” I purred as I reached up and pulled Jake close for a long, tender kiss. k12
Don’t Miss:
Lady Firebird (The Sedumen Chronicles Book 2)
Alexandra Gold leads two lives.
In a universe filled with powerful spirit beings, she is the half human, half-demon Lady Firebird of the House of Keroz. She stopped Dirk Raum from murdering humans whose fresh souls he fed the House of Raum. This won her the respect of some but the enmity of others.
On Earth, she appears to be like every other eighteen-year old girl, but she longs to step forward as Lady Firebird, and let people know that she will protect them—but she worries that once people see her flaming hair, eyes, and long fangs, she will terrify those she wants to help. When Dirk returns and starts a kidnapping spree as part of his plan to conquer both universes, Alex races to the rescue. She is ready to meet the challenge; but is the world ready to meet Lady Firebird?
