The Last Slayer

by Lee, Nadia

  Instead of taking me back to the lyceum, she led me to a gazebo in the back garden. It looked big to me but probably seemed small to dragonlords. Eight red columns—each made of smooth unbroken cedarwood that had an exceptional fragrance—supported an octagonal emerald roof. Translucent ivy vines crawled up the gazebo and covered the rooftop, dragon motifs wrapping the area where the columns and the roof met. The structure’s Eastern style should’ve created an aesthetic imbalance with the Greco-Roman architecture of the lyceum and the garden. But somehow everything managed to complement everything else.

  Nahemah was waiting for me in the center of the gazebo with eight more liliths. India went to her mistress and knelt before her, whispering words I couldn’t hear. Nahemah put a gentle hand on India’s shoulder and smiled at me.

  “I hope you enjoyed the bath,” she said, ever the gracious hostess.

  “It was lovely.” I stepped inside the circle created by the liliths.

  They stood stock-still. Only the soft graze of the wind created any movement—a gentle flaring of their dresses. Even their hair was bound tightly and remained motionless. If I hadn’t known better, I might have mistaken them for statues.

  India rose and stood on Nahemah’s right. Nahemah looked at me without any expression. It was a little spooky. I was used to more vivid emotions from her, mostly a faintly mocking amusement.

  “Do not, under any circumstances, break the circle,” Nahemah said.

  Great. I hoped this wasn’t going to be like Ramiel’s teleportation. Otherwise somebody would have to carry me to Leh on a stretcher.

  Nahemah’s hand traveled over India’s belly. India’s stomach muscles began to jump and jerk under the caress, and her breath hitched, turned uneven and labored. Her pupils dilated and she gave every indication of sexual arousal.

  Powerful magic rose from each of the liliths who made up the circle. It stretched and arched, creating a dome over me. Power crawled over my skin like a million caterpillars, ticklish and grotesque, covering me from head to toe in layers and layers of translucent silver light. It took all my control not to move. If I broke the circle now, I’d be incinerated. The liliths chanted, amplifying Nahemah’s magic, and she hadn’t even begun.

  Nahemah’s hand drifted upward and touched India’s breast. The nipple turned hard and erect, and India’s lips parted. Nahemah smiled and gave her a kiss. Then she plunged her hand into India’s chest. The bones and muscles crunched, snapped, ripped, gave in like balsa wood and tissue paper. I swallowed hard, refusing to lose the mint wine I’d had over this. I didn’t want to show any weaknesses in front of Nahemah and her servants, none of whom seemed to be perturbed by the scene. Maybe it was an everyday event. Or maybe it was a great honor.

  A hell of an honor, to give up your life for it.

  Nahemah pulled out a small stone glistening with blood. India remained standing, supported by Nahemah’s magic, her eyes blank and unseeing and her lips curved into a faint smile. Her heart continued to pump, red blood squirting out of the hole Nahemah had made. But none of it touched me or Nahemah, as if an invisible shield was there.

  The Dragonlady of the Lunar Garden turned her hand and let the stone bask in the silvery light. It pulsated and glowed like a tiny moon. A cold ripple ran up my spine as realization dawned on me. It was a heartstone. India had been nothing more than an incubator, like an oyster used to grow a pearl. Mortals aren’t powerful enough to grow heartstones by themselves, so a powerful magic user is needed to help them nurture the objects. Once the heartstone is taken out, the mortal incubator dies.

  Nahemah chanted words, the sounds hissing and nearly unpronounceable—the ancient language of dragons. Then she caressed my jaw with her free hand and suddenly put pressure on my chin and shoved the stone into my mouth. The raw scent and metallic taste of India’s blood overwhelmed me, and I gagged and tried to spit the warm stone out.

  “Don’t!” Nahemah said sharply. “You need it to cross to the Mystic Forest.”

  I set my teeth firmly together and jerked my chin away from her grasp. She could’ve warned me about this part of the ceremony.

  She lowered her head until her lips almost brushed my ear. “Why pity her? You didn’t even like her,” she whispered. Her breath tickled the sensitive skin of my earlobe. I shivered.

  The eight other liliths finally moved, all taking a step back simultaneously, and India collapsed in a boneless heap. Nahemah flicked her wrist and a portal appeared in the air. It was as big as a door and glowed like fire. I stared at it, but I couldn’t see through to the other side.

  “Go, before it’s too late. Whatever happens, do not put any part of yourself into or over the lake surrounding Leh’s cottage. Leh will return you to me the same way I sent you to her.” Nahemah glanced at me with a faint smile on her lips. “One other word of advice—she may be dead, but she’s still a slayer and an extremely powerful witch, while you are a mortal not-yet-a-dragonlady. Be careful.”

  Whatever. Anyone with the power to destroy dragonlords was good in my book.

  I tongued the heartstone over into one cheek. “See you for dinner,” I said, and jumped through the portal.

  Eleven

  The portal propelled my body forward and catapulted me into the air. I flew, soaring through the sky like a missile. The Lunar Garden shrank to a tiny dot—the sky and forests flashed by me. I blinked hard. The force of the wind blasting into my face stung my eyes, and I couldn’t hear anything. Was I supersonic? The lack of sound creeped me out. It was as if one of my senses had been switched off.

  Gravity began to pull me down, and my hearing kicked in again as air whipped by me in a long chilly gust. I started to worry about my landing. Ironically enough, now I really wanted an amphitere.

  I reached out blindly for something—anything—to hold on to, but my hands found only air. Weren’t there any trees around here? It was the Mystic Forest, not the Mystic Desert. Then the world rushed up and I crash-landed on my side, which hurt like hell and stunned me for a second. Fortunately, semi-muddy ground had softened the impact. When I could draw breath again, I looked around, doing my best not to make any noise. I was dirty, but nothing seemed broken.

  I rose to my feet gingerly, checking for injuries. I was standing before a lake that circled a tiny island like a donut circling a hole. A small cottage stood on the island, soft light glowing from every window. Was that Leh’s place? I wasn’t so sure. Nahemah’s intentions seemed less than squeaky clean, and her spell could’ve dropped me off just about anywhere. I took a step forward and stopped short, my heart hammering against my rib cage.

  Nathanael was standing less than five yards in front of me, facing the lake.

  He was dressed in black and blended into the darkness of the night. But his presence was bigger than the Mystic Forest and all its dead. It loomed over me like a monster with power so potent it could never truly be killed. I felt insignificant and weak to be this close to him again, just like I had at TriMedica.

  Nothing stirred around him, neither the wind nor the night insects. It was as if the world itself was waiting, holding its breath, wondering about his next move. He remained still, staring across the lake.

  A woman came out and stood in front of the cottage. If Nathanael was the night, she was the day, all in glowing white. The modest neckline of her long-sleeved dress hinted at full breasts, and the tightly cinched waist showed off a beautiful, lithe figure. Platinum-blond hair trailed behind her, long and unbound, brushing against low plants in what seemed to be a garden. I felt dizzy from the brilliance of her presence. I knew her. Ramiel had shown her to me in my dream.

  “Leh,” Nathanael whispered.

  That single word, pregnant with so much longing that it made even my heart ache, carried over the water like a lover’s caress. She shivered and hugged herself. The wind rose and shook the trees in the surrounding forest, crackling branches and causing old leaves to fall. Even the lake surface wrinkled in agitation, and the water slapped the shore.<
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  Leh took a step back. The movement was small, almost imperceptible.

  Just as subtly, Nathanael stepped forward. He stood close to the water but didn’t touch it.

  The air was heavy, loaded with unspoken words, and I took shallow breaths. But I couldn’t understand it. His behavior here didn’t match my impression of the ruthless demigod at TriMedica. Whatever was between them was more than lord and servant, conqueror and conquered.

  Leh turned away from Nathanael and looked at the moon. The light from the cottage accentuated the clean line of a heartbreakingly beautiful profile.

  A headache formed behind my eyes, and I rubbed my temples. Maybe Ramiel had been mistaken. How could a woman that gorgeous give birth to someone who looked like me? I mean, unless she had dated someone really ugly and I had ended up with the short end of the genetic stick. Besides, Leh used to work for Nathanael. If her singing ability was as great as Toshi had said, Nathanael would never let anything jeopardize his claim to her. Exhibit A was right in front of me—he couldn’t bring himself to allow her to descend into the world of the dead. Instead he’d bound her to the Mystic Forest.

  The worst kind of bondage, according to Ramiel.

  If Leh delivered me to Nathanael, would he release her? Could he? It didn’t seem entirely unreasonable. And given the kind of vibe I was getting, there was definitely some kind of tie between them.

  “Leh!” Nathanael’s voice this time was sharper and had a desperate edge to it that scraped like a rasp.

  Leh’s throat moved as she swallowed. She turned toward him.

  One heartbeat.

  Two.

  If she didn’t respond to him, what would he do? What would I do? Nahemah had told me not to get wet or put any part of my body over the lake. Since Nathanael also seemed to be keeping clear of the water, it must hold something so terrible not even a dragonlord wanted to provoke it.

  So far, neither Nathanael nor Leh had noticed me, thanks to Nahemah’s illusion and their preoccupation with each other. The color of my body changed as a cloud shifted and the moonlight hit me—from black to a silvery shimmer. I was a shadow that could blend equally with the darkness of the night and the light of the moon. The trick was going to be revealing myself to Leh without Nathanael seeing me as well.

  Suddenly, Leh began to sing. It was a voice that could make angels weep with envy. Clear, powerful and pregnant with magic, her song made the water still until the surface was like a polished mirror.

  Nathanael took a step onto it. Then another.

  Quite the faith he had in her. What if she stopped singing? If a guy bound me to a place of the dead the way Nathanael had Leh, I might drown him. Or let whatever lurked in the water take him.

  With these cheery thoughts in my head, I tiptoed out behind him. The water was as solid as ice, but it wasn’t frozen. I marveled at the fantastic amount of power Leh wielded, to create such a total transformation. The surface wasn’t even damp.

  When Nathanael reached the other side, I jumped onto the ground and crouched behind a short bush. Nahemah’s illusions were good, but any illusion can be seen through by a person who wields enough magic—and these two were exceptionally powerful. I would hate to get caught, especially since I had no idea how Leh would react to my presence. Ramiel had claimed she’d waited twenty-seven years for me. But from the longing in her violet eyes, it looked like it was Nathanael she’d been waiting for.

  Once again, I wondered if I had walked into a trap.

  Leh’s song ended, and the water began slapping the shore again. Too late to turn back now. I looked around. As a trap, it was effective. I couldn’t leave by myself, Leh definitely felt something for Nathanael that went beyond the usual boss-employee relationship and Nathanael wanted me dead.

  Damn.

  Nathanael put his hands gently to Leh’s cheeks and kissed her. She responded without holding anything back. What the—? There was something wrong with the scenario. Leh was my mother—according to Ramiel at least, but I was beginning to doubt him—and Nathanael was my mortal enemy?

  No. She knew his intentions toward me. Otherwise she wouldn’t have collected his blood to cast the protection spell. So why was she still with him and, worse, devouring him? It’s gotta be illegal for mothers to kiss their children’s mortal enemies like that.

  “Every cycle seems to grow longer,” Nathanael whispered. “I cannot bear it.”

  “Nor can I,” she whispered back.

  He rested his chin on the top of her head. His powerful arms wrapped around her as if trying to protect her from the cool night breeze. She shivered.

  “I grow weary. Everything cloys, except you, except this,” he said. “Mayhap it’s better I stay here with you.”

  “No, you mustn’t.”

  I perked up a bit. Maybe she didn’t love him that much.

  “The forest will drain you,” she continued. “I couldn’t stand it if anything happened to you.”

  Never mind.

  They kissed again, and I took the opportunity to think. Leh couldn’t tolerate it if anything happened to Nathanael. And Nathanael wanted to kill me because he was convinced I was the bad guy, because of what the stupid Advisors had said. So…did this mean Leh would deliver me dead or alive to Nathanael or what? I wasn’t willing to risk it, but how the hell was I going to get off the island? I couldn’t just sprout wings and fly away like Apollyon.

  Ramiel had to have known about Leh and Nathanael’s relationship. But if he was Nathanael’s ally and wanted to give me to the Triumvirate of Madainsair, wouldn’t it have been easier to just duct tape me—or do the dragonlord equivalent—and toss me over to Nathanael’s dragonhold? Why bother with this elaborate ruse?

  Maybe it was for their perverse amusement. Maybe Leh had betrayed her people because she was in love with Nathanael. Maybe this was a nightmare. I’d seen how easily Ramiel had controlled my dream.

  I gave up trying to figure it out. Supernatural relationships are seriously complicated. It’s a side effect of living hundreds of years, having zillions of affairs and complex alliances.

  Nathanael picked Leh up, carried her inside the cottage and kicked the door shut behind them hard enough to make the walls shake. I crouched under a window and stared at the lake.

  I don’t normally brood, and—as a rule—I try not to be pessimistic. But here, on this tiny patch of land in the middle of a lake that was so legendarily dangerous it intimidated a dragonlord, and surrounded by a forest that drained the life energy from every living thing, I couldn’t help but think that I would be very lucky to get out alive.

  Somewhere owls hooted and wolves howled. They were probably undead or something. The herbs in Leh’s garden danced in the breeze and scented the air with mint, rosemary and thyme. The old legends say fairies love thyme, but I doubted I’d find one out tonight.

  Nothing grew near the lake. Not even mint, that aggressive invader of gardens, crept anywhere close to the water. Its surface was tranquil. Of course, appearance is often deceptive, especially in the supernatural realm.

  Why did I ever think I could get involved and not get hurt? I rested my forehead on my palms with a sigh. Come on, Ashera, you know the answer already. Despite everything, Valerie and all, I wanted to meet my mother. But I’d never expected this, and I had a feeling that Nathanael and Leh weren’t talking inside. There was something grossly disturbing about imagining a mother I hadn’t even met having sex with a guy who was out to kill me.

  I lifted my head, drummed my fingers on a bent knee. How long did it take to do the act between two demigods? I didn’t have all night. The moon was descending from the sky into the horizon. Nahemah derived a lot of power from lunar energy. What would happen when the dawn came? Would her protective glamour vanish? I didn’t have any weapons with me, and the last thing I wanted was a battle against Nathanael. I crept over to the wall adjacent to the entrance. From this position, I would be able to see him leave. I couldn’t believe how nobody had thought to mentio
n that I might have to wait while Nathanael and my “mother” gave in to their libidos.

  As I leaned back against the rough brick and stretched out my legs, my right foot hit a small rock. I watched in horror as it rolled down the slope and into the water.

  The pebble didn’t immediately disappear under the surface. Instead it sank slowly, like something stuck in a tar pit. The water surrounding it started sizzling with an ancient malevolent magic, and pungent smoke rose in wisps. Tiny piranha mouths appeared, digging their tiny razor teeth into the rock. I pushed my back against the brick wall. No wonder nobody—and nothing—wanted to get anywhere near the lake.

  The power grew stronger, so much so that it made my skin prickle. I glanced at the small square patch of land lit from the light from the cottage window. Would Nathanael and Leh notice? I hoped they were too busy to do so.

  The door burst open. Nathanael rushed out half-dressed, a long sword—the same one he’d used at TriMedica—in his hand. The huge blade reflected the silver-blue moonlight.

  I pressed closer against the wall and held my breath. Nathanael’s head turned, slowly, to the greedy mouths in the water before me. Soundlessly, he began walking around the cottage. In three steps, he would find me. Although Nahemah’s magic allowed me to blend in with my surroundings, if Nathanael looked hard enough, he would spot me. I didn’t doubt it for a second.

  He turned the corner. The wind picked up dry leaves from the ground and tossed them into the air. His eyes sharpened and narrowed, categorizing all the details around him, searching for the one that had caused the lake to hiss. He blew out a steady breath through slightly parted lips. Then his sword winked in the moonlight.

  I ducked and rolled.

  The section of wall that had supported my head exploded. Bits of brick peppered my back. Dust clouded the air, making it difficult to breathe.

  I would’ve killed for my katana. Without it I wasn’t much more than a fencing dummy, and a simple wall of containment wasn’t going to keep a dragonlord away.