Forgotten in Darkness (30 page)

Yes. But a warded wall blocks us. Can you stall?

I’ve got this. I’ve been waiting a long time to speak to this bastard.

Please, do not attempt anything...reckless.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. If this doesn’t work out, then we’re probably going to have a to-the-death showdown in the next week. I still want you to try to take me out this time, if it comes to that.

Don’t trust Djoser.

She gradually stood, blinking to clear the vertigo. And strode along the periphery to the front and center. She hopped onto the platform where Djoser stood. Without breaking stride, she slapped him. “That’s for killing my cat.”

Djoser held a hand against the scarred cheek, aghast.

She reached back and hauled another direct hit with the opposite hand. “That’s for cursing me. You’re an impulsive idiot. I mean, who goes flinging eternity curses without having their facts straight?”

He grabbed her arm and cranked tight. “You bitch.”

The chill of dark power funneled up her arm.
Please don’t send any serpents after me.

“Everyone out. We’ll resume in one hour,” he ordered. With an expletive he released her, massaging his hand.

The
bochnori
slid over her skin…must’ve burned him or something.

Hashishins filed out silently.

When the door swung shut behind the last he asked, “Shaiani?”

“Yes.”

He smiled slowly as he did a head-to-chest. “Your cat? What about your family? You were not upset when I sent my army for them? Put their heads on display?”

Anger blazed. Her heart thudded. Moving air became arduous.
Fake apathy.
But, she was no actress.
You must make this good. You don’t and you’ll have to kill Dakar again.
She mentally cringed at a painful memory of shoving a knife into Dakar’s chest.
Djoser forced you to do that.
“I never gave a rat’s ass about them. They were willing to sell my highborn virgin status to the highest bidder, which just happened to be you. But my cat…that death is unforgivable.” She slapped him again.

“I will kill you for this disrespect.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “You think you can? Well, go ahead.” She grabbed the ceremonial knife from the belt at his waist, pushed it into his hand, and forced his hand to her chest. “Do it. What’s the point? Anytime I get my past-lifetime memory, guess what pissy magus barges into my life, and I get to die within a few weeks? So, go ahead. Save me the misery.”

Djoser pulled the knife away, frowning.

“You know what—” She reached back to slap him again.

He caught her hand before it impacted and pulled her close. His pupils dilated. “Maybe he is not the only one that can give you back memory.”

I’m going to puke. He’s got a hard-on,
she thought. Oh, no. She had just transmitted that to Dakar. She needed to remember how to keep him out of her mind, when she needed privacy.

Dakar grumbled in her mind,
What the hell are you doing that close to him?

Chill out. I got this.
She said, “You sure the magus you bound me to isn’t around somewhere? Why do I have memory? Didn’t you two do the soul-lock thing? That means you both should be stuck somewhere that is…not here. So, how is it you’re here and he isn’t?” Oh, shit.
Please don’t let him think through how I might know they soul-locked.

Djoser shrugged, clearly not willing to relinquish some secrets. “You left me for him.” Eons of pain laced those words.

And let the lying commence
. “Why didn’t you slow down to do a little fact checking before casting the curse? Did you even ask yourself why I never showed up to our ceremony?” She paused. When he didn’t respond she continued, “That magus stole me. Literally. I didn’t just take his hand and waltz into the flower garden all happily-ever-after. But then you had to go off half-cocked and curse us. For
eternity
!” She slapped him again.

“Stop that,” he ordered, grabbing her hands. “Or I will kill you.”

“Then, get on with it. I hate being alive and remembering all of this. Trust me when I say this was not how I envisioned my life going when I was about to be married to the pharaoh. Although I would have been your third wife, I looked forward to the power. Then you made sure I was stuck to Dakarai forever. You forced me to die young. The worst part is that I can’t even kill you over it, which I would do—I’m that angry—because you’re already dead. I do believe Dakarai stole the privilege of sending you to the Middle Realm the first time.”

“He stole you? You weren’t given to him by the gods?”

Forgive me for this one, Dakar,
she thought to herself, careful this time not to transmit the thought to him
.
“You think I was his
senariai
? Ha. That’s a good one. Seems he was horny and took a fancy to me. You know the egos of those guys. They think anything with tits wants to blow them at first sight. Even the sex sucks. You condemned me through that curse to screw and then hate him. I didn’t even love him.”
May the gods forgive me for these lies.

“You would join me as my queen in this lifetime?”

“What have you got to offer? That destroyed face of yours, and those freaky daemon eyes…it’s not a good look for you. And this little club of reject magik dabblers is not impressive.”

He smiled. “I can give you so much more than…him.” He pulled her tight to his body and ground his hard-on into her.

Her stomach lurched.
Do not toss your cookies,
she ordered herself
.
“You’ll have to do better than fancy pelvic moves to sway me. What else have you got to offer?”

“I’m this close to the Trifecta.” He held his thumb and forefinger an inch apart. “With your help, perhaps even through that kid who I think is the spell keeper, I could have them.”

“Now you want me to help you? It’s a two-way street. What are you offering in return?”

“I’ll rescind the curse. Then you never have to be with
him
again.”

“I’m not so sure that’s enough. It’s a start, though. As it stands now, you’ve got him locked in the other realm. You think he can escape? Because if he can’t escape, why should I help you in return for something that may be a moot point.”

His confident look faded. Maybe he was spooked since she was back and had memory. He said, “Why not make extra sure and have me rescind it?”

“I want to be guaranteed that spot at your side is mine. That none of the other weirdo females you likely have hidden in some backroom harem will outrank me. I want to be the first royal wife this time. I also want your vow that you’re not going to flip psycho on me and cast a new curse. Swear to Apep that you will never curse me again. In fact, I want you to swear to whatever god you worship to not use your magik to hurt me. Ever. At least let me live the one lifetime and then die like a normal person.”

“What about that
bochnori
attached to you?”

“I’ve got no clue on that one. When I came out of the coma after the daemon attack, it was there. I think it finally puts us on equal footing. When it comes to you having your magik, I’ve got my moving mark.”

“You still want to be my wife?”

“I signed a contract all those years ago. I’m not a cretin. I know who’s got it and who doesn’t. But I also have seen exactly what happens when someone dabbles with dark magik. I do not want to look like that in the afterlife—all gray and leathery. And the smell is horrendous. Ick. So, you can count me out on magik-casting stuff.”

An eerie too-delighted smirk transformed his face. “Prove it. Kiss me.”

****

“Yep, it’s god-magik built,” Khyan announced

“Only a god can take it down?” Nate asked rhetorically.

Javen lit a hand-rolled and took a deep drag. “We can’t do a full-on Ma’at summoning ceremony here. Too many humans around.”

“I’ll get it down,” Dakar announced.

“Don’t,” Khyan ordered.

“I’ve had this life longer than most. Really, what choice is there? What more could they do to me?”

“Case in point is where you’ve been for the past two centuries.”

“Survived, did I not?” Dakar turned to move deep into the wooded area for privacy.

Khyan caught his arm, “Please, don’t. I just got you back, Dak. I know you’re doomed soon, but—”

“Let me do this.”

“What are you about to do?” Ashor ground out.

“Summon a god.”

“You think they’ll listen and not strike you down immediately?” Ashor asked.

He shrugged. “I see no other option. You need Cy, believe me. By the looks of him, he needs you as well. Do not follow me. Remain here. Khyan can tell you when the wall is down.” Dakar stalked into the woods. He glanced to the darkening sky as dusk rested just at the edge of drifting into night. The white crescent moon had already risen. Perfect.

He fell to his knees and uttered the sacred words to summon his god of choice. This might get him permanently sent back to the Middle Realm. Only a crazy ass did a direct summon. The gods were cranky for starters, but when a magus got conceited enough to call them out of their gilded home for personal reasons…well, this guaranteed the deity would get downright pissed.

Like he cared.

Within a half minute, a blazing glow appeared in front of him.

Dakar chanced a glance into the glow, but quickly shielded against the radiance. A peripheral scan saw the others had hit their knees.
Idiots.
Why hadn’t they stayed away?

“Dakarai. What is the meaning of this?” the deity demanded.

Great, the prick already sounded tetchy.
“Thank you for answering.” He bowed until his knees were on the ground. “Djoser placed a wall warded with a power-kill spell that prevents us from retrieving Cyrus, our spell keeper, who appears to be seriously injured.”

“And Shaiani.”

Dakar glanced up sharply. The glow had dulled enough to allow him to see the deity cock his head and purse his lips.

Dakar admitted,
“Yes, I cannot reach her either. Yet, I understand the futility of rushing to free her. We are about to the time when one of us will slay the other. Well, when she slays me again.”

“Ah, my son, but it has been different this time, has it not?”

“It has been…It was you, was it not? You pulled her out of the water and got her to that hospital.”

“Perhaps.” He raised his eyebrows.

Damn it.
He’d played right into whatever
plan the old geezer had concocted.
“Please. Will you help us?”

“In return you must give me your solemn vow to do two tasks.”

“Two? May I know the exact price I must pay?”

“You wish to argue my conditions?”

“I just—”

“If I wanted her dead, then I would have left her blind, deaf, and half brain dead in the ocean. Not only did I remove her, but I also granted her the gift of my
bochnori.
The odd thing is that I actually miss the cantankerous creature. I am offended that you question me.” He turned on his heel to stalk away.

Dakar rushed out, “I apologize. It is just that—well, others have misled me before and I…You know, it matters not. I thank you for rescuing her. I vow on my eternal soul to complete the two tasks which you ask, if you remove the warded wall.”

Khonsu clapped his hand. “Excellent. Stand up and let me look upon you.”

“Is that one of your tasks?”

Khonsu shook his head and chuckled. “You have learned well, Dakarai. But, no.” He walked a leisurely three-sixty.

Dakar shifted from one foot to the other. Couldn’t he speed this up so he could get to Shaiani?

The god rested one hand on his shoulder to hold him to his spot while he thundered, “The wall is down. Go, magi, rescue your young one, gather your people, and depart. Today is not for battling Djoser. You are not yet ready.”

Khyan stepped forward as if to question. Khonsu narrowed his eyes on him. He bowed his head and turned, departing with the others.

Dakar itched to run to that compound and to her.

“You may not go to her,” the deity said softly, “That is your first task. You must wait here. Allow her to face the daemon on her own.”

“But, if he kills her—”

“Then, she dies. Vow it to me.” He pushed Dakar to his knees.

“I…shit. Why not kill me instead of torture me?”

He thundered so loudly the ground shook, “Vow.”

“I vow to remain here until I learn of her fate, either from the daemon himself, or when she returns to me.”
Shit. Shit. Shit.
But the bastard wasn’t done with him yet.

“Yes, and to the other. You must vow to remain a fighting magus. Now and for eternity.”

“I believe I already made that oath.”

“I am well aware you feel your contract voided due to Ma’at playing her trick. You plan to quit.”

“You are a scary motherfucker to know that.”

Khonsu smiled and stared dreamily into the night. “That I did to your mother. And what an exceptional creature she was in the bedroom. And in the kitchen, against a tree, and there was this time—”

“I did not need to hear that. Fine, I will stay a magus, so long as you promise never again to speak of my mother in such a way.”

“And?”

“I will continue to slay daemons and all that is entailed in being a Scimitar. But I will not vow to be happy about it.”

“Good.” Khonsu clapped his hands together, pleased.

Dakar fell to his knees with his head bowed, miserable that he could do nothing for Shay. Damn it, his eyes were tearing. He couldn’t handle this deity watching him bawl.

He felt a hand on his chin, tugging upward, forcing his gaze to meet his. “Have faith. Or perhaps I should say, you need to find your faith.”

“I will never blindly trust any of you again.”

“Understandable. You are right about one part of your curse. None but you can take her from this world.”

“If he rescinds it…then, Djoser can kill her.”

“Yes, but she has the
bochnori,
Thanasa. All will happen as it is meant to.” Khonsu laughed and disappeared.

Dakar glanced around at the now deserted, quiet forest. Even the wildlife remained silent. The others had gone to get the spell keeper, and hopefully clear out. He stood and leaned against a tree ready for a long wait. He wouldn’t leave until he knew her fate. Couldn’t.