Marie Harte - Aftershocks

“Cadmus is not a threat to you, Arim,” Lexa explained patiently. Ellie thought her more than tolerant, considering how mule-headed Arim was acting.

“ Thank you,” Lexa sent her. “ I’m always the bad guy, but see how irritating Light Bringers can be? All holier-than-thou and full of themselves.”

Ellie smiled and quickly glanced down when Arim’s gaze shot to her. His eyes narrowed, but before he could speak, Lexa distracted him.

“Darius is mostly Light, and Cadmus mostly Dark. Marcus and Aerolus are Shadowy, hence Aerolus’ bonding to an Aellei, a creature of Shadow. Alandra, by the way, has done more for his magic than you can ever understand.”

“I know.” Arim rubbed his chin as he studied her.

Surprised Cadmus’ uncle would agree with anything Lexa said, Ellie could only watch and wait.

“Did you hear that, affai ? We’re more evenly matched than I’d thought.” Cadmus snuck an evil grin at her father that made Ellie and even Amanda chuckle.

“I thought Jonas was a pain in the ass,” Ethim grumbled.

“Hey.” Jonas clutched his heart. “I’m wounded. And after all I’ve done to help you.”

Ethim nodded at Lexa. “Help her, you mean.”

“I serve the Djinn.” Jonas bowed regally, but Ellie caught the smirk he shot her father. When he winked at her, she laughed. Her father was right. Jonas was as much a pain as Cadmus promised to be.

“ Thanks for the comparison ,” Cadmus growled in her thoughts.

“All of this has been most enlightening,” Arim interrupted. “But what does it all mean? Are you telling me Cadmus is doomed to become a Djinn, now? Will he be bursting in truth at will, or just at random?”

“You are so patronising.” Lexa sighed. “No, Cadmus is not doomed to become a Djinn.”

“‘Honoured’ would have been a better word,” Jonas added.

Lexa continued, “He may burst in truth from time to time, but only when Ellie becomes threatened or his life is at stake. And before you think to condemn that trait, know that the Darkness within him has saved his life on more than one occasion. Ellie enhances that part of him, but the magic was in Cadmus to begin with. In fighting a Dark Lord, he’ll need that to survive.”

“To survive what, exactly?” Arim’s expression teetered from frustration to anger. Yet every now and again, Ellie swore she saw something more when he looked at Lexa. Something that looked strangely like confusion.

“To survive what I’ve seen coming,” Cadmus spoke up. “ I’ll tell you about it later .”

Ellie shook her head. “You’ll explain it now.”

“Tell her, Cadmus, or would you rather I look for myself, like I did earlier?” his uncle threatened.

Ellie watched her lover blanch and promised herself to give Arim a good talking-to. It was obvious the man ran amuck. Too much power corrupting his authority. Arim, the Killer of Shadow, needed some serious limits.

“ Amen .” Lexa blew out a breath.

Cadmus grudgingly explained, “‘Sin Garu is in Tanselm, and he’ll have those wraintu with him, those things that have the Nocumat inside them. Lexa’s there, and you too, Arim. And then the wraintu throw me into the mix, all bloodied and battered.” He turned to Arim. “But you’re tied up and can’t help at all. And then Ellie’s there, but there’s something different about her.”

Ellie wondered when Cadmus had thought to tell her about this vision. She’d known of his precognition, but thought he’d been unable to see anything since Darius had left for Tanselm months ago. Apparently, her Storm Lord was keeping secrets . Secrets that involved him bleeding while she watched with ‘Sin Garu in attendance.

Arim gave voice to her churned up emotions. “Are you fucking crazy?” He yanked Cadmus to him with winds of power. “You might have mentioned this possibility to me before now. As it is we’ve got Netharat and rumours of ‘Sin Garu flying around the northern kingdom every other day. We need to prepare.”

“Wait.” Lexa held up a hand. “The part about Ellie being involved should concern you more than it seems to. In each attack, ‘Sin Garu has made on the Storm Lords, they all involved Storm Lord affai . Yet in this vision Cadmus had, the Dark Lord attacks Cadmus? What is different about Ellie, about this situation?”

Ellie thought it telling that Lexa never referred to ‘Sin Garu as her brother. Then again, if Ellie had a brother like him, she doubted she’d want to claim any ties either.

“Cadmus? Any thoughts?” Arim asked.

He shook his head, and Ellie wanted to lay into him for not confiding in her. Oh, just wait until she had him alone again.

He flashed her a wary glance. “Ah, no, not anything helpful. But I can’t stop thinking about what I saw in Ellie’s eyes before the vision ends. It’s your eyes looking out, Arim. It sounds crazy, but I got the impression you were somehow inside Ellie, if that makes any sense.”

Arim stared from Cadmus to Ellie, than glanced at Lexa. Finally, he spoke, as if coming to a decision. “This is something we need to tell your brothers. Cadmus, the time has come to return home. But you won’t be coming alone. Ellie, you need to come with us.”

Ellie nodded . “I’m ready.”

“Well, I’m not,” Ethim said. “I’m still not convinced my daughter is an affai to a Light Bringer. I’ll be damned if I’ll let her go into enemy territory by herself.”

Cadmus sighed. “Ethim, really—”

“Good point.” Arim’s agreement caught Ellie by surprise. “Jonas can accompany her. In fact, I’ll be back for him myself after I verify a few things at home. Will that work?”

Ethim considered him. “Yes, I think so.”

“Don’t ask me or anything,” Jonas muttered. “Sometimes, I wonder that I’m not really a lapdog dreaming I’m a man.”

“You’re a dog, all right.” Ellie grinned, relieved she wouldn’t be going into Tanselm alone. Cadmus would, of course, be with her. But when he left to do his princely duty, she didn’t want to be alone at the mercy of a people who’d been taught she was the enemy.

“If that’s settled, then.” Arim looked ready to leave but stilled when Lexa took a step in his direction.

“Yes?” he asked coolly.

“I’m crushed you’re not extending me an invitation too, Arim.” Lexa pouted, and Ellie saw the sorcerer focus on her lips before glaring. Oh, Lexa was good. Really good at this.

“You’ll be there soon enough, I imagine. When you bring your beloved brother through a dimensional portal. Don’t worry, Blue. I’ll meet with you privately, after I’ve shored our defences. Look for my signal in Shathra.”

Lexa looked like she wanted to say something. Instead, she nodded and stepped back.

“Good. Ellie, Cadmus, take my hands.”

Ellie and Cadmus drew close to Arim and reached out. The instant she put her hand in the sorcerer’s, her mind went blank. And the world turned black.

The Djinn studied Ethim’s gathering from atop a nearby tree, his gaze unimpeded by the magical shields surrounding The Sarqua’s abode, thanks to a handy Dark Lord spell.

He watched as Arim grabbed The Sarqua’s daughter and the Earth Lord and teleported from the room. The Dark Mistress and Jonas conferred for a short time before Jonas shimmered from the room, leaving The Sarqua, his mate and the Dark Mistress alone. In the blink of an eye, she vanished. Several minutes later, she joined him in the treetop.

“So Remir, what did you think?” she asked.

“Tough call, Mistress. I think Arim bought it, but I’m not sure Jonas will do as you instructed. Frankly, he’s a little too taken with Elliara and the Light Bringers for my taste.”