Myla moves to sit beside me. “The next Marked One is a human who lives with the Icythians. Any ideas?”
“The Icythians only have one major city. If they’re like the other lands, then they’ll keep their Marked One there.” I tap a spot on the map. “This is it. Finn Quay.”
Myla lets out a low whistle. “They live on a beach. Much better than underground. No offense.”
“None taken.” I scan the area we’ve crossed so far and make some quick calculations. “Finn Quay is about a day’s march from here. If we head out now, we should be there by tomorrow morning.”
Myla points to another section of map. “There’s a bunch of pink on the map between us and the quay.”
“That’s arctic tundra.”
“Fun.” Myla hoists herself up to stand. Gripping the straps of her backpack, she stares out toward the route we must take.
My heart swells with awe. We’ve both been through a lot but Myla’s gotten an extra dose of unwanted attention, what with being asked to sacrifice her hair and mate with a random bird man. Even so, she’s up and ready to go.
My woman.
Something itches at the back of my mind. For a moment, I see a flash of the lush green woods where the Guide awaits me. The thought strikes me.
Another threat remains, and you’re missing it.
Still, we take off across the desert. With every step, I sense soundless voices screaming in my direction, warning me of impending doom. For now, there’s nothing to be done.
All I can do is to move forward.
55
Lincoln
We soon reach the edge of Icythian territory. Before us stretches a chilly tundra, all of it formed in various shades of pink. Like before, a blade-like line separates this new slice of the Primeval from the last.
And what a territory it is.
Pale pink pine trees stand covered in picture-perfect swirls of coral-shaded snow. Small fuchsia birds hop along the branches. A fox-like creature, pink and with four tails, scampers across the ground.
It’s stunning.
And yet, I can’t wait to get home.
My thoughts return to Antrum. Baptiste and Nat are still frozen. No way can we return without having ended the Contagion and set everyone free.
Anything else is simply unacceptable.
I choose a safe spot in a small clearing, pull off my pack, and begin to sort through supplies for setting up camp. Once more, the Reptilians have stocked things well. I find metal bowls and utensils, as well as thin blankets that stretch into tents or can be used a sleeping bags.
I don’t find matches though. “Myla, can you please summon a few igni?”
Myla frowns. “Why would you…” She spies the pile of untouched wood and nods. “Sure thing.”
My girl closes her eyes. A second later, a dozen tiny flames appear near her hands. The igni have arrived. Again, they appear as fire in the Primeval.
“Go get him,” orders Myla.
The tiny flames whip across the clearing to land on my fingertips. I hold up my hand, marveling at the sight. “Care to help me make camp?” I ask the igni.
The little flames flare more brightly, which I take to mean yes. I rest my fingertips atop the wood pile. Instantly, the camp fire bursts to life.
I hold up my hands once more. “Thank you.” The igni flames shimmy as if caught in a breeze. After that, they vanish. I look to Myla. “As igni interactions go, that was relatively simple.”
“I know, right? If only they were so easy to control in the after-realms.”
With the fire blazing away, I focus on setting up our tent. Meanwhile Myla heads off to fill the canteens in a fresh water pool we spied along our journey. Turns out, the tents are a little odd, but eventually I figure them out. Once that’s done, it’s easy to follow Myla’s path through the snow. The trail heads directly for a small pool of fresh blue water.
There I see Myla.
Naked.
Washing her hair.
The sight immediately heats my blood. My breath catches. She’s a vision.
Myla glances at me over her shoulder. “I found these pink berry things that act like soap. I already cleaned out my fighting suit.”
Words escape me. It’s all I can do to strip my body armor and enter the water.
“You want to get clean, too?” asks Myla.
Not for the first time, it strikes me how Myla has no idea how gorgeous she is. Men, women, demons, angels… everyone is thunderstruck by her. It’s more than being lovely, although Myla is certainly that. Energy pulses through her.
“Let me help you,” says Myla. She dips underwater to rinse off her own hair. When Myla surfaces again, it’s one of the most erotic things I’ve ever seen.
Every cell in my body wants to take her, right here. But my first time having sex with Myla won’t be in a random jungle on a strange world. That said, there’s no reason we both can’t enjoy ourselves.
Thin branches hang over the pool. Myla pulls fresh berries from them before wading over in my direction. My body tenses with desire. I’ve half a mind to grab her and plunder her mouth, but that’s too fast.
Anticipation. It makes everything more intense.
Myla slowly rubs the berries across my chest, arms, and back. She’s thorough everywhere, touching and teasing. I return the favor. Just at our most intense moment, I kiss her deeply. Our bare bodies press. The play of our tongues turns rough.
That’s when a whirl of orange smoke hovers in the air nearby. One second, Myla and I are enjoying a intimate moment. The next? Peli appears in the air, his body curled up cannon-ball style.
Splash!
Peli careens into the water, sending spray everywhere. His head surfaces a moment later.
“Hello, you two,” he says with that half-crazed grin. “How I love a nice swim.”
Myla ducks down until she’s neck deep in the water. “You have a gift for bad timing.”
“But I conjured Demon Bars. They’re back at the camp.”
Myla narrows her eyes. “Now I love you and hate you.”
Peli flips onto his back and paddles around the pool. The little monkey has a talent for splashing.
Beneath the water, I set my hand on the base of Myla’s spine, guiding her back to the water’s edge.
“We’ll see you back at camp,” I tell Peli.
“I’m making dinner,” he calls.
I shake my head and smile.
Cheeky monkey.
56
Myla
With sexy swimming time cut short, I move onto the next best thing.
Demon Bars.
In short order, Lincoln and I sit around our little campfire, wrapped in blankets from our backpacks. I’ve got mine over my shoulders. Lincoln has his wrapped about his waist, kilt style. I shuck Demon Bars from their wrapper like they’re fresh ears of corn. A small pile of shiny paper soon builds up between my bare feet.
Before us, Peli stands by the fire as he works over a cauldron. He claims it’s dinner, but I’m not taking any chances—which is why I tear open the next Demon Bar in my queue. Nearby, our clothes hang on a branch by the flames. Clean stuff and a full stomach. Things are looking up.
One area where everything is far less than perfect, though: privacy. While we were swimming, Peli conjured his own orange tent right next to ours. If I were a different lust demon, I’d be able to get busy with a magical orange monkey nearby. Not my bag.
Peli sips the cauldron goop from a wooden spoon. “Perfect.” He turns to us. “Ready?”
Lincoln hands me a bowl and spoon—more handy items from the backpacks. It isn’t easy, but I force myself to set aside my last uneaten half of Demon Bar.
Peli spoons stew into bowls. I down a bite. It’s spicy vegetables and broth. Pretty good.
Peli waits nearby. “How is it?”
“Yummy,” I say with a smile.
While letting out a long sigh, Peli sits down beside us. “So,” begins our little monkey. “Tell
me everything that happened.”
Lincoln and I take turns, talking about the Reptilians, Spivey, and the Contagion. Peli listens intently. For a time, I see the guy Lincoln talked about from his visions: Peli, the powerful wizard and future leader. Versus, you know, the trickster and pain in my butt.
Peli drums his fingers on his knees. “You’ve lived underground.” He looks to Lincoln. “What will become of the Reptilians?”
“They’ll escape, but they’ll never return to that particular area again.”
Peli shakes his head. “What a shame.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” I counter. “The Reptilians spent their time hiding out and hoarding stuff. Now they’ll have to deal with the same problems as everyone else.”
Peli stares more deeply into the fire. “True,” he says. “That could be useful, when the time comes.”
There’s no question what Peli means about the time coming. That would be the hour when the Contagion is gone. It says a lot about Peli, the way he’s planning for the future of his world.
“What can you tell us about the Icythians?” asks Lincoln.
“They’re rather clever for fish,” says Peli. “You may find an easy ally with them.” Peli rises.
“Are you leaving?” I ask.
Peli doesn’t answer, which is a yes.
“Where have you been running off to?” I ask.
“The same place I visit now,” answers Peli. “There are things I need to do which you can not be part of yet.”
Orange smoke curls up around Peli’s body. Colored light flashes around his small form.
A moment later, Peli is gone.
“One thing I’ll say,” I quip. “Peli is consistent in his inconsistency.”
A weight settles onto my shoulders. After so much running and excitement, I haven’t really had a moment to think. Now that we’re in a break, the world seems to press in around me. I watch the flames bite into the log pile. It’s familiar. Something inside me is burning down as well.
Lincoln wraps his arm around my shoulder. “What’s wrong?”
“You told me about the wizards from the other realms. How they pestered the Contagion. He was strongest, so they asked him to do every little thing.”
Now that I’ve started talking, I can’t stop. “All these rules,” I continue. “The Rixa Way. The Purgatory Path. The Avian Route. The Reptilian Nest. I can see it, you know?”
“See what?”
“How the wizard snapped. Why he decided to stop dealing with what everyone else wanted and just take for himself. It’s shitty and now he’s a freaking tree, but I get it. Is that weird?”
“No,” Lincoln says gently. “Everyone has limits.”
“Cissy said something like that.” My voice breaks.
Lincoln pulls me onto his lap. “What did Cissy say?”
“That no one can hold out forever. She reminded me of the ghoul saying, the coffin nail that sticks up gets hammered down.”
“Oh, Myla. What can I do to help?”
“Just what we’re doing now.”
There’s so much more to tell, but I can’t find the words. My soul feels hollowed out. Every nerve ending shot. I’m used to fighting enemies on the Arena floor. Not this constant barrage against the essence of who I am. First it happened in the after-realms, now it takes place here as well.
I lean my head against Lincoln’s shoulder. For a few minutes, we watch the fire burn down. Neither of us speaks. Lincoln rubs my back in soothing circles. It helps.
Eventually, the fire is nothing but embers. At some point, I’m aware of Lincoln carrying me to our tent. The last thing I sense is Lincoln’s body next to mine as I fall into a deep sleep.
57
Lincoln
It takes me a while drift off. The conversation with Myla has me concerned, to say the least. Still, there are so many other things to worry about. The Contagion tops the list, but nearby there’s Nat and Baptiste, the other Marked Ones, and whatever it is that Aldred’s really up to.
When I do fall asleep, I dream of white fire. The flames quickly vanish, leaving me in the same fantasy forest from my previous dreams. I approach the line of blue smoke that curls above the treetops.
When I reach the clearing, my Guide is nowhere to be seen. A different figure stands facing the fire. It’s a woman. Although her back is facing me, I can tell how her gown hails from the House of Rixa. Betrothal jewels—earrings, tiara, and a diamond ring—all glimmer in the firelight.
I step closer. “Myla?”
The figure turns around. It’s Lady Bentford. This dream is always surreal, but now it takes on an even more plastic quality. The woman’s face seems too long. Her mismatched eyes bulge in odd ways.
“Hello, my love,” says Lady Bentford.
I frown. “Where is Myla?”
“What do you mean? I’m Myla.”
Something pulls at my boots. Looking down, I find the forest floor fills up with the same tar I saw back in Antrum. It’s a sign of the Contagion. Fast as a heartbeat, the black ooze rises to my knees.
Danger.
Yet where is Myla?
My pulse speeds as I race through the pull of tar, searching for my Angelbound love in every cluster of trees.
Once more, I never do find her.
58
Lincoln
The next day bring more marching through brightly colored tundra. Along the way, Peli points out which paths include new sink holes or old predators. With every change, Peli suggests we follow a slightly different and longer path.
If it means avoiding the sink hole situation again, then I’m all for it.
It’s nightfall by the time we reach a bluff overlooking the ocean. The beach stretches before us, a streak of pink sand before a bright blue sea.
Finn Quay.
Humanoid fish saunter across the sands. The setting sun highlights the webbing between their arms and bodies. A halo of fins surround their heads. The women wear flowing white gowns, the men sport loose pants. All have overlapping scales the color of coral. Too many appear as thin as the Avians, with skeletal bodies and sunken eyes.
Some Icythians sit about a bonfire. Others enter or leave the surf. Still more sit beneath half-shell tents that point toward the ocean.
“You understand the plan?” asks Peli.
“We both do,” I state.
Peli only reviewed this scheme about a dozen times on the trek over. We’re to stand within twenty yards of the bonfire. Peli knows the Icythian queen. She’ll recognize us when she’s ready.
For their part, the Icythians act as if three strangers haven’t just marched to their beach. The exception is the human in their group. She glares at our group as if we’re enemies to be sliced through with pure joy. It reminds me of the thrax in my mother’s house, Gurith. The human looks similar as well, with her muscular body, leather armor, and braided blonde hair.
Classic Viking.
An Icythian woman steps toward us across the sands. Unlike the others, her dress is woven through with gold. Her bulbous eyes also carry a pink tinge, unlike the all-black of the rest of the Icythians.
That must be her. Queen Caudal.
She approaches Peli and smiles. “Greetings, my friend.”
Peli falls to one knee. “It is always a joy to see you, your Majesty.”
“Come join us at the bonfire.” Caudal gestures to me and Myla. “Bring your friends. We’ve been expecting you.”
We all take a seat around the blaze. Peli introduces us; Caudal asks questions about the after-realms. The human, Elyse, watches the interaction from a few yards away, her fingers toying with the hilt of her longsword.
I like her.
Once Peli finishes, the queen makes her pronouncement. “We realize the threat from the Contagion. The Icythians are happy to help.”
Myla pumps her fist in the air. “Yes! We were starting to wonder if everyone in the Primeval was a little HEH-heh, if you know what I mean.”
“
Of course, we shall assist you. Our warriors are experienced and this human is a valued member of our community.” Caudal turns to Elyse. “Isn’t that true?”
Elyse goes into fighting stance. “Viking. Kill.”
Caudal smiles, a movement that makes her overly large lips stretch half-way around her head. “As you can see, Elyse is a warrior. That’s why she’s so valued by our people.”
“Viking, kill, kill, kill,” grumbles Elyse.
“Where can we obtain more weapons?” I ask.
“There are other things to discuss first,” says Caudal.
Myla groans. “Here it comes.”
“Our waters are depleted. Our little ones go hungry. We cannot assist you without gaining something in return.” Caudal gestures to Myla. “I’d like you to make a sacrifice.”
“So you need food?” asks Myla. “Peli here can conjure something.”
“They can not consume my magic,” says Peli. “It is a benefit of your being from the after-realms.”
“Okay.” Myla purses her lips, thinking. “So maybe Lincoln and I find you something to eat. Can you down the same seeds as Avians?”
“You’ve a powerful life force,” continues Caudal. It’s like she didn’t hear Myla’s question. Not a good sign. “Here in the Primeval, it translates into magic. In the old days, wizards would siphon that off for a bounty paid.”
Myla narrows her eyes. “But all the wizards are gone.”
“Sadly, yes.” Caudal sighs. Every line of her body seems to weigh down with genuine sorrow.
I’m reminded of the pain all these people share. How each land lost many loved ones when they were frozen. It’s a weight everyone here carries, invisible and omnipresent.
Caudal lifts her chin. “Therefore, I’ve another request for a bounty paid.” She returns her focus to Myla.
Here it comes, indeed.
59
Trickster (Angelbound Lincoln Book 3) Page 18
