《8 Ezekiel [Queer Fantasy]》


 Chapter 1 - The Dread Sword

    In a mossy cave with a single beam of daily light, Ezekiel had a happy childhood.


    He grew up with fireflies and glowing mushrooms, bioluminescent plankton in the saltwater lake, the clean scent of wet moss, chirping crickets, croaking frogs, a bubbling stream, and a network of caves that seemed to branch out forever.


    Not that his parents ever let him explore beyond their territory.


    Too dangerous, they said.


    But he never wanted to leave anyway. Their home cave was grand, with bright mossy lichen, towering crystal columns, and manifold biodiversity.


    Mama and Papa taught Zeke how to hunt and forage. He grew up on a diet of cave goats, fish, mushrooms, blind birds, eggs, crickets, berries, honey, and foraged greens. Sometimes a pale bear would wander into their territory, and then Zeke¡¯s parents would show off with a feat of power and skill, and everyone would eat bear meat for days.


    In almost all things, Mama and Papa were total opposites.


    Mama was passionate and knowledgeable and summoned fire.


    Papa was quiet and absurd and summoned shadows.


    Mama was a kitsune with jade green eyes, copper red hair, claws, and a bushy red tail. Mama was lovely.


    Papa had burn scars on half his body and head. His face was mostly spared, but one ear and most of his jet-black hair had melted off. His left arm was entirely burned, as was his backside.


    Papa¡¯s legs were severed at the knees. He conjured shadows to move around. Simple legs, usually, but on occasion wheels, or a column to reach high places.


    Papa wouldn¡¯t talk about his injuries, but sometimes Papa would look off in the distance wearing an angry, vengeful expression. When Papa noticed Zeke watching, he¡¯d put on a smile and say, ¡°I love you. Let¡¯s play a game.¡±


    They had many board games and an entire library of books. Their home was grand, splendid, and carved into solid stone.


    Aunt Gwen was their only visitor. Twice a year, she would bring supplies and usually something special for Zeke.


    But they were never alone. They had each other.


    For as long as Zeke could remember, at first light beam, Papa would make breakfast, and then Mama would take Zeke for a day of training.


    Mama knew everything. Encouraging yet demanding, Mama taught Zeke how to read, write, dance, fish, and properly swing a sword.


    Zeke adored his parents and wanted nothing more than to make them proud. All his life, he studied diligently to make Mama happy, practicing swordplay every day, until he finally, finally won in a practice duel against Mama. Zeke felt his victory wasn¡¯t legitimate, since he tricked Mama with a joke and struck while she was distracted and laughing. But Mama said the win counted because it showed ingenuity and resourcefulness. When Papa heard about Zeke¡¯s victory, he killed a goat, cooked a feast, and threw a celebration, proclaiming Ezekiel a man at last.


    That¡¯s when things changed.


    As Zeke finished his dessert of honeycake and berries, Papa stood and reached into his shadow pocket to draw a sword. The sword was unique, made entirely of translucent white ivory, with an etching of a winged serpent coiling around the hilt. Zeke had never seen the sword before, yet the sight of it evoked a bottomless dread like nothing he¡¯d felt in his life. He couldn''t explain why but that sword terrified him.


    Papa passed the sword ceremoniously to Zeke, who took it reluctantly and with trembling hands.


    Mama said, ¡°You¡¯re old enough now. It¡¯s time you learn why we¡¯ve been training you. This Ivory Blade is yours. It belongs to you, alone. And it¡¯s time you learn to wield it.¡±


    Zeke tore his eyes away from the dreadful sword and asked with panic in his voice, ¡°You¡¯re going to teach me to use this?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Mama answered.


    Papa spoke. ¡°Starting tomorrow, Mama and I will swap roles. Mama will make breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I will be your new instructor. And in our lessons, you will use this sword.¡°


    ¡°No!¡± Zeke shouted impulsively.


    Mama and Papa both looked surprised and concerned.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Zeke?¡± Mama soothed.


    Tears filled Zeke¡¯s eyes. He shook his head in confusion. His heartbeat pounded in his ears. His throat closed shut. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m... I¡­ I can¡¯t breathe.¡±


    Zeke dropped the dreadful sword on the floor and stumbled outside for fresh air, but outside their home, the air tasted stale.


    The light beam had gone out. Mushrooms glowed in the darkness with an eerie green-blue aura, while the plankton in the water shimmered white-blue. Fireflies blinked in the air. Crystals along the cave walls reflected light like the twinkling stars Zeke had only read about in books. Everything was bright and beautiful.


    Ezekiel loved his home, but for the first time in his life, he felt trapped. He had to get out.


    ¡°Describe what you¡¯re feeling, Zeke.¡± Papa appeared next to him.


    Zeke struggled to put his anxiety into words. ¡°I feel buried alive. I can barely breathe. What is that sword?¡±


    Papa¡¯s kind, scarred face grimaced in sympathy. ¡°It was your prison.¡±


    Zeke stopped breathing entirely.


    Mama arrived on Zeke¡¯s other side and said, ¡°Many years ago, Papa and I, with some help, we stole that sword from the man who imprisoned you in it. And then we set you free. That man¡¯s name is Adam. And one day, Adam will come for that sword. He will come for you. That¡¯s why we raised you here, hiding you, preparing you. But no matter how long we delay it, one day, he will find us, and you will have to face him.¡±


    Zeke took a slow breath in and some time to consider his new reality.


    ¡°Why did Adam imprison me?¡±


    Mama answered, ¡°Because you are one of the 8 Ikons of Eden. That makes you powerful, and Adam wants that power for himself.¡±


    Zeke considered in relative silence. Frogs and crickets sang in chorus with the chirping bats and birds. He finally looked at Mama and asked, ¡°You said you freed me. I¡¯m not your real son, am I?¡±


    Mama winced. ¡°You are my son. In every way that matters. But your body was a stillborn. We needed an empty vessel for your soul.¡±


    ¡°So I was some random afterbirth you found and used.¡±


    ¡°You are not your vessel,¡± Mama said passionately. ¡°It is only a tool. You are my son.¡±


    ¡°Your mama is right, son,¡± Papa said. ¡°And we love you.¡±


    Together they embraced Zeke.


    Zeke pulled away, demanding, ¡°What is an Ikon of Eden?¡±


    Mama answered calmly, ¡°Long ago, 8 Ikons were created to tend Eden in God¡¯s absence. Adam deceived 5 of the 8 and murdered them, trapping their souls into artifacts he called Blessings from God. Wielding the combined powers of 5 Ikons, Adam conquered the world and slaughtered anyone who opposed him, including¡­ all of my people.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°What?¡± Zeke said dumbly.


    ¡°I am the last kitsune. My people can stave off aging. Adam can lie to humans until the truth dies, but my people would remember. Our longevity made us a threat to his lies. So he destroyed my home island of Inari and massacred everyone on it.¡± Mama said sadly.


    They were silent again for a moment.


    Then Zeke turned to Papa and asked, ¡°If I¡¯m an Ikon, and Mama is the last kitsune, what does that make you?¡±


    Papa winced. It was the most emotional Zeke had ever seen him.


    Papa said, ¡°My mother was Adam¡¯s first wife, Lilith. He wronged her, yet she was banished. Lilith raised me to be her weapon of vengeance, to lead her army. She wants to invade this world, to kill Adam and eradicate all his cursed children. Nevermind that all her children by Cain are cursed, too. It¡¯s different when she does it. In her mind, eradicating every trace of Adam and taking his seat is what ¡®justice¡¯ looks like.


    ¡°On Lilith¡¯s orders, your mama and I stole 2 Blessings. Adam took countless lives in retaliation, and I lost my legs in the process, but we succeeded. I brought the Bone Gauntlet and Ivory Blade home to Lilith.


    ¡°But I returned home changed. I¡¯d found love. I¡¯d seen beauty in humanity. I couldn¡¯t let Lilith kill everyone. So I stole the Ivory Blade again¡­ but as I was escaping, Lilith¡­ punished me. She still has the Bone Gauntlet, you see. It gives its wielder power over fire and lightning¡­¡±


    ¡°Your own mother set you on fire?¡± Zeke was aghast.


    Papa answered with silence.


    Mama spoke again, ¡°Like Adam, Lilith wants the Ivory Blade. More accurately, she wants your power. It¡¯s a race to capture you, Zeke. If Adam wins, he¡¯ll imprison you again and use your power to rule Eden forever.¡±


    Papa finished, ¡°If Lilith wins, she¡¯ll use your power to open a doorway between Eden and Nod. She¡¯ll unleash an army of monsters, and those monsters will slaughter every human on the planet unless Adam kills Lilith first. He still has 3 Ikons. Against Lilith¡¯s 2, odds are in his favor. The only certainty is the death count, which would be catastrophic.¡±


    Zeke felt dizzy and had to sit down on a nearby stone bench. The light was shining down on a bubbling stream. ¡°Just the fate of the world, then. No pressure.¡±


    Papa chuckled and said, ¡°Yeah, none at all. That is why we waited to tell you. But you¡¯re ready. It¡¯s time for your real training to begin.¡± He put his hand on Zeke¡¯s shoulder.


    Zeke was uncharacteristically speechless. It was all so much.


    Mama sat next to Zeke. ¡°It¡¯s not right, what was done to you. I¡¯m sorry. And we had no right to hide the truth from you all these years. But we wanted to give you a childhood. Hate us if you must, but please trust us. We love you, and we believe in you.¡±


    -8-


    That night, Zeke dreamed he was drowning. The dreadful sword was tied to his feet and dragging him down. He couldn¡¯t breathe. There was no escape. He would drown for eternity.


    Zeke woke up drenched in sweat and tears. The walls in his room suddenly felt cramped and suffocating. He had to get out.


    He jumped out of bed and went for a walk, only to find Mama in the kitchen preparing breakfast, lanterns already lit through the house.


    ¡°You¡¯re up early!¡± Mama proclaimed while kneading biscuit dough. ¡°Breakfast isn¡¯t ready yet, but you can help me set the table. Your papa was teasing me all night, saying it¡¯s finally his turn to do the fun job. Do me a favor and don¡¯t go easy on him today.¡±


    Zeke set the table as requested, appreciating the distraction, but nothing could keep his mind off that damn sword.


    ¡°What does the sword do? What is its power?¡± he asked.


    Mama frowned. ¡°Your papa should be here for this conversation, but that lazy ass is sleeping in.¡± She sighed. ¡°The sword is only a conduit. It has no power on its own. You¡¯re the one with the power.¡±


    ¡°So then, what is my power?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know. I wasn¡¯t near Adam long enough to learn the specifics. But I saw the sword used like a key to make doorways across distances. So I assume your powers include creating doorways. Beyond that, I can only speculate. No more questions. Wait for your training with Papa.¡±


    Papa arrived downstairs as Mama was finishing making breakfast of biscuits with goat meat and mushroom gravy, and a fried egg on top. It was the most delicious breakfast Zeke had ever eaten. Mama was undoubtedly the superior cook.


    After breakfast, Papa helped Mama with the dishes and gave her a loving hug, ¡°I think I¡¯m gonna enjoy the next few years.¡±


    Mama kissed Papa affectionately and then pushed him away, ¡°Get outta here. Go train our son. He¡¯s been pestering me with questions all morning, and it¡¯s now your job to answer them. Go, both of you. I have a house to clean that¡¯s been neglected for years.¡±


    Zeke followed Papa to a large open cavern not far from their home cave. There was no glowing life in this cavern, so Zeke lit the oil lanterns with a torch he brought from home.


    Stalagmites, stalactites, and columns covered the walls and ceiling, but the ground had been smoothed flat like the floor at home. This enormous cave was prepared long ago for open training.


    Papa drew the Ivory Blade from his shadow pocket.


    Zeke panicked. The cave was too small. He had to get out. His heart started racing.


    Papa passed him the blade, but Zeke was paralyzed.


    ¡°Must I use that sword? If the power is mine, I don¡¯t need a sword, right?¡± he begged.


    Papa said sadly, ¡°Yes, you should be able to access your powers without the sword, but you¡¯ve forgotten how. I believe your time trapped in this ivory left an indelible mark on both of you. For thousands of years, whenever your powers were used, it was through this instrument. The first step to mastering your power is to master the instrument. And to do that, you have to master your fear. Now, take the sword.¡±


    Zeke hesitated but took the sword, as ordered. It was heavy. Heavier than anything he had practiced with before. He needed both hands to hold it. The anxiety was overwhelming. Zeke could barely stand.


    Papa corrected Zeke¡¯s position and said, ¡°Feel that extra weight in the pommel? That¡¯s for balance. You¡¯ll get stronger through daily practice. One day, you should be able to wield it one-handed.¡±


    Zeke was trying to focus but all he could think about was throwing the sword and running in the opposite direction.


    Instead, he asked, ¡°So what¡¯s next?¡±


    ¡°Next, you swing that sword around. We¡¯ll start small. One of Lilith¡¯s soldiers.¡±


    Papa raised his hand and gathered shadows from the surrounding darkness into a grotesque winged monster the size of a small person. It looked famished, skeletal, and seemingly more claws and fangs than muscle. Its movements were rapid and twitchy. Its wings were bat-like and sharp.


    ¡°What is that thing?¡± Zeke asked.


    ¡°One of Cain¡¯s kin. Lilith has thousands on Nod. They¡¯re vicious beasts, and they will rip your throat out and drink your blood in an instant, given the chance.¡±


    As if Zeke wasn¡¯t already terrified enough, he had to fight bloodthirsty monsters.


    ¡°Hey,¡± said Papa. ¡°I know you¡¯re afraid. That¡¯s alright. But this here beastie, he¡¯s my puppet, and I won¡¯t have it hurt you. Take a slow, deep breath. Hold it in. Release. We¡¯ll start slow. Ready yourself. Begin.¡±


    The cainkin launched itself at Zeke, who dropped the sword and ran away.


    ¡°Ezekiel!¡± Papa¡¯s barking voice brought him back to his senses. He froze and turned around.


    Papa frowned but said nothing. The shadow cainkin carried the dreadful sword back to Zeke, who sheepishly accepted it.


    Papa summoned a hard shadow sword for himself. Lifting it into the ready position, Papa said, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s slow it down further. Attack me.¡±


    The shadow cainkin flew away to spectate, but Zeke was more afraid than ever. He had never sparred with Papa before. Zeke would have been intimidated even if he wasn¡¯t wielding his own prison.


    ¡°Attack me now!¡±


    Zeke lunged. Papa deflected easily and Zeke stumbled.


    ¡°Again!¡±


    Zeke steadied himself and swung. Again Papa deflected.


    ¡°Attack!¡±


    Papa continued until Zeke couldn¡¯t lift the dreadful sword anymore.


    ¡°You did good, son,¡± said Papa, taking the Ivory Blade and returning it to his shadow pocket.


    With the dread sword gone, Zeke felt such relief as he¡¯d never experienced before. It was like color had returned to his sight. He cried tears of joy, but once that dam had broken, the tears wouldn¡¯t stop. He couldn¡¯t understand why, but waves of misery erupted from within.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t good. I¡¯m a coward. I ran. I couldn¡¯t even touch you. I¡¯m weak.¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey,¡± Papa embraced Zeke tightly. ¡°That¡¯s alright. Let it out. No one is brave and strong all the time. You were brave when you swallowed your fear and swung the Ivory Blade. That was what mattered. And you will get stronger. Beating me today was never an option. When you¡¯re ready, we¡¯ll go see what your mama made for lunch. That sounds good, yeah? Yeah.¡±


    Mama made honey crawdad stir fry. It was incredible.


    ¡°You know, I taught your papa everything he knows in the kitchen.¡± Mama bragged for the third time. ¡°But I¡¯ll tell you a secret. I have been cooking for a long, long, long, long, long time.¡±


    ¡°Can you teach me how to cook like you do, Mama?¡± Zeke asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± she brushed his bangs behind his ear. ¡°But later. You are not using me to get out of training. You done with your plate? Good. Get your ass back out there.¡±


    Papa led Zeke to the same cavern.


    Like before, Papa summoned a shadow cainkin and drew the Ivory Blade, handing it to Zeke, who took it without hesitating, burying his fear and dread so he could focus on the enemy in front of him.


    ¡°Attack the shade,¡± Papa ordered.


    Zeke gritted his teeth and lunged. It flew out of reach, then dived for Zeke¡¯s head.


    Zeke swung on defensive instinct alone, cleaving the shade in half.


    Papa smiled. ¡°Good.¡± He summoned another shade, exactly like the one before.


    ¡°Again.¡±

 Chapter 2 - Aunt Gwen

    And so Zeke passed his days, every day.


    And every night, he dreamed the sword was drowning him.


    He hated training. Papa was kind, but holding the dreadful sword was torturous.


    Over time, Zeke became increasingly irritable. He slayed the shade, over and over again, but even as the fights became increasingly difficult, he never felt progress.


    ¡°What am I supposed to be doing?¡± he shouted at Papa one day after several rounds of combat practice. ¡°I swing the sword. I kill the shade. Nothing changes. What¡¯s the point? What am I doing wrong?¡±


    Papa calmly blinked at Zeke¡¯s outburst. ¡°Several points. One is to familiarize yourself with Lilith''s horde. You will likely face several before your story ends. It¡¯s important you know how they move and attack.


    ¡°Second, you¡¯re rejecting yourself. You¡¯re rejecting the sword. It¡¯s a part of you, yet you hate it. You¡¯ll never master it that way. You need to embrace it.¡±


    Zeke scoffed. It was easy to say. Embrace prison. Embrace isolation and insanity. In a haunting, absurd way, it was almost beautiful. He tried to do as Papa ordered. Zeke took a slow breath and tried to surrender. His left hand caressed the ivory grain and detailed engraving. It felt smooth and strong. Closing his eyes, Zeke ran his fingers along the blade, accidentally nicking a finger. A drop of blood ran down the blade.


    Papa interrupted pensively, ¡°But maybe we have been going too slow. Alright. Let¡¯s speed things up.¡±


    Papa waved his hand and the cainkin shade evaporated into swirling darkness. With his other hand, Papa gathered more shadows and molded the darkness into a human shape.


    As the shade took form and definition, Zeke had an increasing foreboding. The shade¡¯s brow, cheekbones, and jaw, its shoulders and shape, were all so familiar. Zeke felt an emotion he¡¯d only read about in the books at home: hate.


    Zeke hated the man this shade resembled. Adam. Without knowing, he knew. This was the monster that trapped him for thousands of years. Murderer. Betrayer.


    Zeke launched himself at the shade. Casually, it blocked. Zeke attacked again and again, but nothing went through. Shade Adam was too fast. It went on the attack, and Zeke could barely deflect its blows, the dreadful sword was so heavy.


    Zeke took a kick to the chest and fell to the ground and then rolled away.


    Papa said, ¡°You¡¯re fighting two opponents. Stop fighting the blade and focus.¡±


    Shade Adam slowly stepped toward Zeke.


    Zeke pulled himself up. He embraced his rage and let it flow into the Ivory Blade, and then he swung it.


    Then the strangest thing happened. Zeke felt something, and then the edge of the blade disappeared and reappeared in the air next to Shade Adam, and as Zeke swung the Ivory Blade, the edge fell in the same arc, cleaving Shade Adam¡¯s head.


    ¡°What just happened?¡± Zeke asked.


    ¡°You did it! You used your power. You doorwaed the edge of the blade. Again!¡±


    Shade Adam reassembled and attacked again. Zeke barely deflected in time. He jumped back and tried to cut from afar, as he did before, holding the thought and intention in his mind. Nothing.


    Shade Adam dashed forward and threw Zeke to the ground.


    ¡°Use your power!¡± Papa ordered.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying!¡± he shouted. What am I doing wrong? Zeke wondered. He imagined reaching into the sword, where he sent his rage and hate. He concentrated on how it felt as the blade doorwaed itself. Zeke swung the sword. Nothing.


    Shade Adam attacked again, knocking Zeke to the ground.


    He tried again and again. Nothing.


    And again and again, Shade Adam knocked Zeke on his ass.


    Finally, Papa said enough.


    ¡°Hey, you made a breakthrough today. Not only did you access your power for the first time, you¡¯ve grown closer to the blade. You¡¯re a much stronger fighter. I know today was hard, and I know being around the Ivory Blade takes a lot out of you, but I want you to appreciate this moment. Be proud of yourself. I¡¯m proud of you, of the hard work you put in, and the progress you¡¯ve made.¡±


    That lifted Zeke¡¯s spirits immensely, even while holding the dreadful sword. He was surprised to feel both joy and grief at the same time, and in that moment he realized the misery he¡¯d been feeling was grief. Zeke had never grieved anything before, so he hadn¡¯t recognized it earlier.


    ¡°Why am I like this? That shade was Adam, wasn¡¯t it? How do I know that?¡±


    Papa gently took the dreadful sword and returned it to his shadow pocket, saying, ¡°Your memories are stored in your brain, in your vessel. But your vessel has to experience a thing for you to remember it. Your soul has been around for many thousands of years, and it doesn¡¯t remember the same way your vessel does. You have no memories of Adam, or being trapped in the Ivory Blade, but your soul remembers, and your vessel is reflecting that fear and anger. Sometimes ¡®intuition¡¯ is when the soul knows something your mind hasn¡¯t figured out yet.¡±


    Papa conjured a shadow carpet to carry them home, where a surprise awaited them.


    Bright, colorful explosions surrounded their stone cottage.


    Aunt Gwen was back.


    Aunt Gwen was very small and young-looking. In fact, she looked like an 8-year-old child, but she was wise and a powerful illusionist. She had pixie shock-white hair and wore dark clothes and a jacket with lots of pockets.


    Zeke waved excitedly and ran the rest of the way home through vibrant, playful illusions. Aunt Gwen was waiting on the front porch with a playful grin. Zeke knelt to hug his aunt.


    ¡®What¡¯s new?¡¯ he signed. ¡®Did you bring me anything cool?¡¯


    Aunt Gwen laughed and signed, ¡®Of course! Your mama told me you¡¯re a man now. It¡¯s time I give you a man¡¯s gift. No more candies. Anyway, your mama and I ate them all while we were waiting for you.¡¯ Gwen laughed again. ''Now where did I put that darn thing? Oh, ha. Right here! How embarrassing.'' Aunt Gwen uncinched one of her belts and handed Zeke a sheathed longknife.


    It was a quarter the size and weight of the Ivory Blade. He drew the knife from its scabbard. The edge was one-sided and gently curved. The handle was unadorned yet elegant, with a small knuckle bow guard. Made of good steel and razor-sharp, this was a discreet weapon of a master assassin.


    ¡®My big sister Morgan gave me this longknife. One day, you¡¯ll meet her. Now I give it to you, my darling nephew. Carry this and know that you¡¯re loved and supported.¡¯


    Zeke hugged Aunt Gwen again and thanked her profusely.


    Then they all sat down to eat dinner. Mama had prepared a mushroom risotto with fish and carrots. Aunt Gwen lit the room with dancing, sparkling pixies.


    ¡®Tell us about the war,¡¯ Zeke asked.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Aunt Gwen sighed sadly, ¡®The war is over. We lost. Now we hide and survive. We wait for hope. We move refugees into safe homes, like this one here. There aren¡¯t many left. With 3 Ikons, Adam is still godly powerful. The Shell Gauntlet gives him control over water and air. Adam¡¯s Crown gives him unlimited energy and connects him to every familiar on Eden. The Steelfeather Band makes him intangible at will, so he can¡¯t be touched. On top of that, he has an army of zealots and familiars all over the world, all looking for the lost Ikons. Looking for you. But we¡¯re still here, and that means he hasn¡¯t won yet. And maybe one day, if we¡¯re lucky, we can liberate another Ikon or two or three. Even one more Ikon could change the scales. But that¡¯s a bridge to cross another day. In the meantime, how are your new studies?¡¯


    ¡®Grueling. But I used my power for the first time today!¡¯


    Mama and Aunt Gwen both reacted excitedly. The pixie illusions burst in surprise like tiny fireworks. Papa smiled and ate his carrots.


    ¡®But it only happened one time. I swung the Ivory Blade and it cut something far away. I don¡¯t know how to replicate it yet, but Papa and I are gonna train until I master it.¡¯


    Mama and Aunt Gwen were beaming with pride and joy.


    ¡®Of course, you will,¡¯ signed Aunt Gwen. ¡®And when the day comes those skills are needed, we¡¯ll be there alongside you.¡¯


    That night, Zeke dreamed he was running. Or was he jumping?


    He was fleeing something- no, someone. Adam.


    Someone was with him. Someone helped him.


    Betrayal. A stab to the heart.


    Adam¡¯s smug, perfect face leering down at him.


    Then emptiness. Stretching out forever.


    No escape.


    Ezekiel woke screaming and drenched in sweat.


    -8-


    And so Zeke passed his nights, every night. For years.


    His usual care-free nature buried itself under depression and resentment. He considered hating his parents. He hated his own cowardice and fear. He hated these awful feelings. More than anything, he hated that damn sword.


    One night, Zeke woke from another night terror. His bed was soaked, again. A crazy thought came to him. What if he ran away? The caves were massive. He could forage mushrooms and bugs forever. His parents might never find him.


    Zeke knew it was ridiculous, but he wasn¡¯t thinking. He was still panicking after the night terror. He grabbed a bag of supplies and tiptoed out of the house, his heart pounding in his chest as he ran away from home and into darkness.


    He ran for a long time through caverns he¡¯d been forbidden to venture. He foraged a light breakfast using a lantern crafted from glow bugs.


    Zeke felt a wave, like a light breeze, and he knew he¡¯d been caught.


    Here in the dark, there was nowhere to hide from Papa. He walked out of the shadows as if through a door, instantly at Zeke¡¯s side.


    Papa looked concerned but remained silent.


    ¡°Leave me alone!¡± Zeke yelled, finally. ¡°I don¡¯t care about the world or your war! I¡¯ll stay here forever and they¡¯ll never find me. I won¡¯t touch that damn sword, and you can¡¯t make me!¡±


    Papa looked devastated and conflicted. He didn¡¯t say anything for a moment. Finally, he said, ¡°Okay,¡± and stepped back into the shadows.


    Zeke was stunned and alone. Did Papa mean it? Was he angry? Was he disappointed? Would he leave Zeke?


    Zeke started sobbing. He was so scared and ashamed.


    What was gonna happen now? Did Zeke ruin everything?


    Zeke couldn¡¯t go home that night. Instead, he stayed up exploring the vast cave system. There was still so much he hadn¡¯t seen, even after spending his entire childhood here. But eventually, Zeke realized why this particular cave route had been forbidden: it was nearly barren. He found a couple bugs, but after a day, Zeke got hungry and cold enough to go back home.


    Mama was waiting at the table with a warm hug and a bowl of oats with berries. She poured hot water over the oats when he sat at the table.


    Mama didn¡¯t mention his absence last night except to embrace him and say, ¡°I love you so much, and I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back. Please don¡¯t scare me like that again.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t, Mama,¡± Zeke promised.


    That¡¯s when Papa walked into the kitchen. He was carrying something small in his arms.


    ¡°Hi, son,¡± he said with a smile. He didn¡¯t look angry or disappointed as he sat down at the table across from Zeke.


    Papa continued, ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep last night, so I went for a walk. While I was out, I heard screaming. An ocelot was raiding a nest of minks. This little guy was the only survivor.¡±


    He pulled back a blanket to reveal an adorable baby mink. His eyes were open and curious. He had black fur with little white booties.


    ¡°Would you like to hold him?¡± Papa asked.


    Zeke nodded enthusiastically and accepted the tiny bundle. As the little mink stared up at him, an incredible peace came to Zeke. He felt himself relax and take joy in the moment like he used to do.


    Animals had that effect on Zeke. Growing up in a cave, the pet goats were his best friends. But he¡¯d been so wrapped up in training and his misery, Zeke had forgotten how much he loved his home and his family.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what I said yesterday,¡± Zeke said quietly. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it.¡±


    Papa smiled sadly. ¡°I know, son. But what you said got me thinking. I need to tell you a story, about what happened after I stole the sword¡­ after Lilith did this to me,¡± Papa touched his scarred face, ¡°I spent years wandering Eden, looking for your mama. Her island was destroyed. I didn¡¯t know if she was alive or dead. So I searched for years. And in that time, I saw people grow up. I saw them have kids and raise them, and as I watched them, something broke in me a little bit. I realized what my life had always lacked: parents. Lilith wasn¡¯t so much my mother as she was my queen and master. And my father¡­ well, the less said about him...


    ¡°So when I finally found your mama again and we made the plan to make you, I was so excited but also terrified that I might hurt you like Lilith hurt me. So I begged your mama to take the lead for a few years because I didn¡¯t trust myself. To tell you the truth, I¡¯ve been terrified this entire time. But seeing you hurt yesterday, I realized something: I would do anything, give anything if I could take this pain away from you. I¡¯m your father, and I love you more than anything in the world.


    ¡°If you want to hide, I¡¯ll help you hide. If you want to burn the world, I¡¯ll help you burn it. I¡¯ve been training you because I believe it¡¯s the only way you¡¯ll live a long life, but if you won¡¯t train, I won¡¯t make you. Take a few days with your new friend and think on it. No matter what you decide, I¡¯ll support you.¡±


    Zeke didn¡¯t need days to decide.


    He loved his parents. He trusted them. And if they said he needed to master the Ivory Blade, then he would. Embarrassed by his outburst, Zeke returned to training the next day, determined to improve. His parents never mentioned it again, but they loved him even more fiercely than before.


    Zeke¡¯s skills didn¡¯t improve very much, but his strength developed rapidly. It took him months to master the doorwaed blade technique.


    The secret was so obvious in hindsight.


    After a particularly rough session with a training shade, Zeke bumped his head against a rock, and a drop of blood fell from his brow onto the Ivory Blade. When he swung the sword next, Zeke felt a familiar sensation, and the blade carved the shade in twain at a distance.


    His blood activated the sword¡¯s power.


    Specifically his blood, as nothing seemed to happen when Mama or Papa bled on the sword. Whenever Zeke¡¯s blood touched the blade, all he had to do was focus, and he could cut anything, anywhere he could see.


    -8-


    By Zeke¡¯s twentieth birthday, he hardly recognized himself. His arms and shoulders had filled out. Little scars marked his body like a tapestry. Fresh bruises were a constant, and harsh worry lines cracked his face and forehead. He had no frame of reference to compare, but Zeke had grown up fast and lethal.


    Were it not for Dook, Zeke would surely have given in to misery. Dook was what he named the baby mink. Dook was free to roam and hunt, but he always came home to sleep in Zeke¡¯s warm, soft bed.


    Mama said it was important Dook could survive on his own, so Zeke spent most of his free time acclimating Dook to the outdoors and helping him learn to hunt. Dook was a vicious little killer to be sure, but so cute. He loved bathtime and playing chase. Zeke played with Dook every night after training, and those little games helped Zeke remember joy and himself.


    Early one morning, while Zeke was snuggling Dook in bed, an explosion shook the ground and woke him up. Dook fell out of bed and scurried to his favorite hiding spot.


    Zeke grabbed his longknife and put on clothes. Then he ran outside to find the sky was falling. Literally. The cave ceiling had been blasted wide open, and sunlight was cascading into their home like a revelation from on high.


    Blinded by the light, Zeke had never seen so much direct sunlight before.


    He could barely see, but he heard Papa¡¯s voice next to him shout, ¡°We¡¯re under attack! Take the blade and run with Mama. I¡¯ll be right behind you. Go!¡±


    Papa threw the Ivory Blade into Zeke¡¯s arms and pushed him away. ¡°Go!¡±


    Zeke shuffled back, squinting and closing his eyes, reaching out for something to hold onto. A hand grabbed his tightly.


    ¡°Hurry, this way,¡± Mama said and pulled him into a run. Zeke stumbled but Mama kept him upright.


    Zeke¡¯s vision was returning but he had to look down to shield his eyes.


    Zeke briefly glanced back and saw Papa fighting a swarm of bizarre, flying leaf monsters. He was all on his own, and wielding a shadow sword and shield. Papa launched himself off the ground and summoned shadowy black wings to fight the plant-like, insectoid aliens in the air.


    Papa was careful to stay out of direct sunlight, where his shadow constructs would break down.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Mama hissed. ¡°Don¡¯t look back.¡±


    Zeke did as he was told.


    Mama led him to a corner wall Zeke had never explored closely. It looked like a nondescript dead-end until Mama pushed a stone aside to reveal a slide.


    As Mama moved the rock, Zeke couldn¡¯t resist looking back to see how Papa was faring. Papa was still midair but bloody. The leaf/bug monsters had torn large chunks of flesh from his already mangled body.


    Suddenly, a beam of light blasted from above and struck Papa in the chest. He crashed into the ground. The leaves swarmed on him.


    ¡°No!¡± Zeke shouted. Some of the leaf creatures heard and flew toward them.


    ¡°Time to go,¡± Mama said, pulling him and pushing him down the hole. ¡°I¡¯ll be right behind you.¡±


    That¡¯s what Papa said.


    ¡°No, no, no, no, no!¡± Zeke shouted, but he was already sliding into the narrow, dark escape, still holding the dreadful Ivory Blade.

 Chapter 3 - In Deep

    Zeke slid down in total darkness for what seemed a long time, sobbing with terror and fury, until he fell out splashing into a medium-size cave with luminous waves of shallow water. Glowing algae lit everything light blue. Wiping his face, he looked up and screamed.


    He had fallen into the middle of a school of large, harpoon-wielding merfolk, all regarding Zeke with surprise and alarm.


    Zeke scrambled to his feet and lifted the dread sword into a defensive position.


    His opponents were a rainbow of colors, mostly shades of blues and greens, with human-like faces and torsos. They stood upright by coiling their long, scaly, muscular tails, beginning below their navels.


    Behind Zeke was a cave wall. There was nowhere to retreat or hide.


    The merfolk aimed their harpoons at Zeke, expecting a fight.


    Zeke slid his thumb along the Ivory Blade¡¯s edge. A drop of blood rolled down the blade.


    The merfolk hesitated. Everyone held their breath and waited for the first strike.


    Fortunately and finally, Mama came sliding down with a bright splash as Zeke had moments earlier. Mama looked up and shouted in a language Zeke couldn¡¯t understand, then transformed into a mermaid!


    Mama was a shape-changer, so the ability to transform was nothing new to Zeke, but he¡¯d never seen this form before.


    Mermaid Mama had blossom pink skin, red hair, and white scales from the waist down.


    Mermaid Mama whistled and clicked and signed at the same time.


    The merfolk lifted their harpoons.


    Mama slithered forward and continued speaking mer.


    A large mer slithered forward to greet her.


    Zeke found it difficult to discern merfolk gender. Only the oldest and largest-looking merfolk seemed to have breasts. All of them were nude, but their serpent bodies began at their navels. Their most distinctive feature (apart from their tails) was their hair. Each mer had a full mane of uniquely colorful mossy hair.


    The largest mer also looked to be the oldest. She (?) had emerald green scales and skin, and long, pendulous breasts. In her hand, she held a harpoon made of bone. She spoke in a series of hums and stops and hand movements. Her incredibly full and curly hair resembled a cloak, cascading down her broad, muscular shoulders, so long the ends were underwater.


    Mama was negotiating their escape.


    The other mer seemed of mixed sentiment, their human-like faces revealing mistrust and apprehension, but the leader greeted Mama Mermaid like an old friend, smiling with sharp teeth, jovial whistles, and maybe even a laugh? Zeke had never seen a mer laugh before, so he couldn¡¯t be sure.


    But the tension seemed to pass, and soon Mermaid Mama turned to Zeke and said, ¡°They¡¯re going to help us and take us to Haven, an ocean sanctuary. We can hide out there for a while.¡±


    Zeke interjected, ¡°Wait! What about Papa? We have to go back for him!¡±


    Mama looked devastated. ¡°Zeke. Papa¡¯s gone. There¡¯s nothing we can do for him now.¡±


    Zeke shouted. His voice broke. ¡°No! He¡¯s okay. He said¡­ he said he was right behind us. He¡¯s coming!¡±


    ¡°Zeke. If Papa is alive, he will find us. But we can¡¯t wait here. Those leaf things will find us first. I don¡¯t know if they serve Adam or Lilith or someone else, but unless you want to find out the hard way, we have to go. Now.¡±


    Zeke¡¯s posture crumbled in defeat. He should have stayed. He could have helped. Tears ran down his face.


    Mama reached into a side satchel and passed something gooey to Zeke, saying, ¡°Put this in your nose and ears. It¡¯ll seal them shut and protect you from the pressure as we go deeper, so long as we don¡¯t go too deep. I can¡¯t maintain my form underwater, so I¡¯ll have to hibernate in the satchel until we reach Haven.¡±


    Mama turned, whistling something to a turquoise mer with silver hair, who slithered forward in front of Zeke.


    ¡°Zeke, this is Toa,¡± Mamma said. ¡°He will bring you to Haven. Until we reach our destination, Toa will breathe for you. Hold onto his shoulders. We¡¯re leaving.¡±


    Zeke didn¡¯t understand what Mama meant, but he did as he was told, inserting the dense paste into his nose and ears, and then awkwardly held on to a bizarre and alien stranger.


    Toa seemed equally uncomfortable, frowning and looking anywhere but at Zeke.


    He tried not to be rude, but Zeke had never seen a mer before and was equal parts intimidated and fascinated. He examined Toa¡¯s shimmering scales and taut, muscular body. They were intoxicatingly close. Zeke had never been this close to anyone who wasn¡¯t family. His arms were around the mer¡¯s round shoulders. He felt the unexpected silky smoothness of Toa¡¯s skin, the mossy fullness of his hair. Zeke tried to glance discreetly but Toa was entirely serpentine from the waist down.


    Mama gave Zeke the side satchel and then dropped a metal ingot into the satchel, disappearing along with the ingot. Zeke tied the satchel shut and secured it tightly to his belt.


    Then, without further delay, every mer in the luminous cave dove underwater, like a colorful school of fish, with one human along for the ride.


    Zeke soon understood what Mama meant, as Toa pressed his lips against Zeke¡¯s and breathed fresh oxygen into Zeke¡¯s mouth.


    It was the closest thing to a kiss Zeke had ever experienced. The salty cave water stung Zeke¡¯s eyes, but he opened them with shock and saw Toa¡¯s stunning blue-green eyes looking back at him.


    The mer wrapped his arms around Zeke with incredible strength, and kicked with his powerful tail, pushing them down into inky darkness. The water was frigid, but Toa was warm. Zeke shivered and wrapped his legs around Toa¡¯s swimming torso. In response, Toa held Zeke in a tight embrace.


    Zeke could see nothing, and when he opened his eyes to try, the salty sting forced them closed again. Zeke could hear nothing. He could smell nothing.


    But he tasted the ocean in every breath Toa breathed for him. It wasn¡¯t an unpleasant taste, but a strange, salty, wild taste.


    Zeke felt every powerful thrust of Toa¡¯s body and tail. Every muscle in Toa¡¯s body tightened and released as the mer moved through the water. Zeke felt strangely safe, cradled in Toa¡¯s sinewy arms.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    And Zeke felt something else, too, something he¡¯d felt before, but not like this, not with anyone else. With Toa¡¯s abs rubbing against his crotch, Zeke was erect before even realizing he was aroused. Zeke was embarrassed and shied away, trying to untangle his legs from Toa¡¯s gyrating body, but Toa¡¯s left hand moved down to cup Zeke¡¯s right butt cheek, pulling him closer.


    Toa breathed deeply, sealing their lips with a gentle kiss, and pulled Zeke into his shoulder. Their chests rubbed against one another, Zeke¡¯s erection pressing deeply into Toa¡¯s soft belly.


    Zeke held his breath for as long as he could, his face buried in Toa¡¯s neck, their bodies entwined until he had to breathe again, and then Toa¡¯s soft, full lips were there to meet his own. They carried on in the watery abyss for what seemed an eternity, yet it ended all too soon.


    At some point in Zeke¡¯s blind, passionate interlude, they had ascended, and Zeke returned to himself and reality as his face broke the surface of the ocean. He brushed the hair and saltwater out of his face and opened his eyes to blinding sunlight.


    Zeke had never seen the open sky before. He had never seen the ocean or the sun or clouds. He had never seen the island from the outside of its caves. It was a mountain of jungles.


    It was overwhelming.


    He looked around but saw no one else. Zeke and Toa were alone together, surrounded by endless ocean horizons.


    Zeke tightened his grip on Toa¡¯s body, suddenly and acutely aware of how vulnerable he was, how dependent he was on Toa for survival. He looked at Toa, and for the first time since their first ¡°kiss,¡± Toa looked right back at him. His eyes were emeralds and sapphires, with shards of silver, sparkling with curiosity at Zeke.


    Then Zeke noticed Toa¡¯s mossy silver hair. It was getting bigger? It almost seemed to unfurl in the air and soak up oxygen, like a sponge soaks up liquids or the way a blossoming flower soaks up sunlight. Was the merfolk¡¯s hair in truth an external lung? Or an oxygen container?


    Zeke was so taken with speculative wonder that he had forgotten to be afraid. Only the unexpectedly rhythmic sound of Toa¡¯s voice broke the spell Zeke had fallen under.


    ¡°My school is a short way ahead of us. We mustn¡¯t linger. Merfolk need air to breathe, but the surface and shallow waters are dangerous to us. I will need to surface again before we reach Haven.¡±


    Zeke was too stunned to say anything but to stupidly exclaim, ¡°You can talk!¡±


    Toa answered with dripping disdain, ¡°Yes, human, I can talk. I even speak the human language.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°A long time ago, our people traded goods and shared secrets.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Toa looked at him as if Zeke had asked why water was wet.


    ¡°Adam happened,¡± Toa answered, ultimately. ¡°We should hurry to meet the others.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    Toa paused to look curiously at Zeke, his striking blue-green eyes sparkled like the sun-kissed waves.


    ¡°About earlier¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡±


    Toa squeezed Zeke playfully. ¡°Don¡¯t fret, human. It was fun.¡±


    ¡°Ezekiel. Zeke. Call me Zeke.¡±


    Toa nodded, and his countenance softened barely. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Zeke.¡±


    Back under they went. Again, their lips locked, and their bodies pressed hard against each other, and Zeke lost track of time and of himself.


    ¡®It was fun,¡¯ Toa had said.


    Zeke felt emboldened as if he¡¯d been given permission. As the water rushed past them, Zeke¡¯s hands explored Toa¡¯s body. He caressed Toa¡¯s rippling back. He felt Toa¡¯s smooth skin transform into smooth scales, starting just above where a human¡¯s butt would be. Toa¡¯s spine was wiggling forward and back, propelling them forward in powerful, rhythmic strokes.


    Toa breathed into Zeke¡¯s mouth again, holding him tight with one arm around his back; cupping Zeke¡¯s butt with the other arm, pressing his erection into Toa¡¯s soft belly.


    Zeke was in ecstasy. He¡¯d never done anything like this before, and it felt good. It was like a dream.


    Countless questions came to him. He wanted to know everything about merfolk. At the moment specifically, he wanted to know how merfolk gender works.


    He knew the fundamentals of human sex and gender because Mama taught him those words a long time ago. So Zeke thought he knew how it was supposed to go; then again, the day had been full of surprises, and it was still early.


    But he couldn¡¯t ask any questions, because he was still underwater, and his lips were locked onto Toa¡¯s lips. And though sensory deprivation disoriented Zeke, it wasn¡¯t all bad, because he got to run his hands along Toa¡¯s firm, muscular body.


    Toa seemed to be enjoying himself. He grabbed Zeke¡¯s neck and squeezed it gently, fingers caressing Zeke¡¯s ear. His other hand explored Zeke¡¯s back, waist, and butt, pressing Zeke¡¯s crotch against his gyrating abdomen, feeling Zeke¡¯s erection through his pants.


    And so they passed the distance. One breath at a time.


    Eventually, they surfaced again.


    Feeling the air break against his skin, Zeke wiped salt water from his eyes and looked around, squinting in the bright sunlight. Toa¡¯s school of merfolk surrounded him, splashing cheerfully. The island they had fled was now a tiny green spot on the horizon.


    ¡°We¡¯ll descend again soon,¡± Toa said. ¡°The fastest route to Haven takes us through a cthulian stratum. Cthulians are deadly hunters. They¡¯re solitary, but even one is dangerous enough, so no more grab-ass. You¡¯ll need to hold your breath as long as you can. It¡¯s a long distance to travel, and we need to cross it as quickly as possible. It won¡¯t be safe to surface again until we reach the gates.¡±


    Zeke¡¯s heart dropped and then started racing. He had been so engrossed in the moment, he hadn¡¯t considered the dangers all around. He had never been outside the caves before. There was so much he didn¡¯t know. Zeke felt scared. Instinctively, he reached for the satchel. It was warm to the touch and still securely tied to his waist.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Toa said softly, holding Zeke a little tighter in his arms. ¡°I¡¯m gonna get you to Haven safely. You¡¯ll see. You¡¯re gonna love it there. It¡¯s beautiful. And safe. The safest place in the ocean. Probably the whole world.¡±


    Zeke was so surprised by Toa¡¯s thoughtful kindness, he forgot his fears and smiled in spite of it all.


    Toa smiled back and said, ¡°Take a deep breath. Here we go.¡±


    And with that, they went back under.


    Zeke could sense the difference immediately. While Toa swam swiftly before, now he was rushing. Zeke felt the rapid tension in Toa¡¯s muscles as he raced down and forward.


    Toa¡¯s breaths, once tender and passionate, were now quick and formal. He released Zeke and used his arms to swim faster.


    Zeke held on tight to Toa¡¯s chest and shoulders, legs still wrapped around Toa¡¯s body.


    Zeke¡¯s eyes were still shut, and his ears were still filled with waxy gunk, but somehow he knew all the mer were racing forward. He felt the water rush around him as a school of shimmering mer swirled in the water, spears at the ready.


    He felt their steady advance, their agility and elegance, as over a dozen mer danced and swam in well-versed harmony.


    And Zeke felt that harmony shatter.


    A sudden burst from below sent the school scattering.


    Zeke lurched sideways, holding on tightly to Toa.


    Zeke opened his eyes. The saltwater stung, but Zeke could see a large and terrifying monster barrelling toward him.


    It was almost humanoid with a chest and shoulders, but instead of human legs, it had four tentacles. And instead of a head, it had eye stalks like an enormous cave crab. Two crab-like legs protruded from its back, which it used to stab and deflect the mers¡¯ harpoons. Instead of hands, the monster had two enormous claws, one resembled a giant pincer, the other a serrated blade. The mers¡¯ spears and harpoons had no effect against its hard shell carapace.


    The bizarre crab-octopus-humanoid creature broke through the mers¡¯ defensives and sped toward Zeke and Toa.


    It made sense. Zeke was dead weight in the water, slowing Toa down, making them both vulnerable. Several mer fought the monster, trying to defend Toa and Zeke, but the monster was massive and fast. In an instant, it was upon them.


    This is the end, Zeke was sure of it.


    But surprisingly, Toa twisted around, protecting Zeke with his own body. The monster grabbed hold of Toa¡¯s tail and pulled him down.


    It was over in seconds, and all Zeke could do was watch. Toa reached up for help, but there was nothing anyone could do. He looked scared to death.


    Zeke didn¡¯t think. Instinctively, he pulled the Ivory Blade from its sheath.


    And then he doorwaed himself.


    It was like remembering the steps to a dance. One instant, Zeke was far above Toa; the next, he was on the monster¡¯s back, stabbing the Ivory Blade deep between its alien eyes and down into its body. Zeke twisted the Blade. As the monster died twitching, one of its crab-like legs slammed into Zeke¡¯s chest, knocking the wind out of him. He coughed, inhaling ocean water, and then everything went black.


    Toa freed himself from the monster¡¯s grasp, grabbed Zeke, and carried him upward.


    Meanwhile, beneath them, the monster¡¯s body drifted down into darkness so profound no light would ever reach it, Ivory Blade still embedded in its body like a sinking stone.

 Chapter 4 - Nohu Mangrove

    In the shade of a towering tree, surrounded by roots larger than houses, Toa dragged Zeke¡¯s limp body onto a white sandy shore. He pressed his lips to Zeke¡¯s and forced air down his lungs. He pressed on Zeke¡¯s chest again and again. Mer surrounded them, watching sadly, as if attending a wake. Sea otters gathered around to watch with curious apprehension. Violet petals fell from flowering branches far in the sky, like raindrops falling from green and purple clouds.


    Finally, Ezekiel choked up sea water. He opened his eyes but couldn¡¯t see through the stars. His chest and throat burned. He struggled to remove the gunk from his nose and ears. It was several minutes of violent coughing before Zeke¡¯s vision cleared. He looked up at a visibly relieved and smiling Toa. Then Zeke remembered what had happened.


    Suddenly panicked, he reached for the satchel tied to his belt. It was still there. Mama was okay.


    Zeke untied the knot, opened the satchel, and turned it upside down. A flaming ingot fell to the ground. It undulated and expanded and then burst upward, taking shape and definition.


    In an instant, Mama stood in her usual kitsune form.


    Mama blinked and looked around, then dropped to her knees and hugged her son tightly. Tears fell from her eyes like the flood of a broken dam.


    In the caves, Mama had acted so brave and confident. Now with the fierceness of her embrace, Zeke realized how truly afraid she had been.


    ¡°You¡¯re okay,¡± she said to him or herself, Zeke wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°We¡¯re okay. We¡¯re gonna be okay.¡±


    Reunited with Mama, the weight of it all hit him at last. He broke into sobs in his mother¡¯s arms.


    They stayed there for several moments, mourning Papa, mourning their home, mourning Dook. Was Dook okay? Zeke would likely never know. Papa¡¯s greatest gift to him, and he¡¯d left Dook behind. Like they¡¯d left Papa behind. He had run like a coward. Shame shattered his spirit like a knife to glass. He would never forgive himself.


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± he pleaded.


    Mama composed herself and held his face tenderly. She said, ¡°We wait. We¡¯ll be safe here. This place has magics shielding it from long sight. If your papa managed to get away, he¡¯ll find us.¡±


    ¡°What if¡­¡± Zeke couldn¡¯t finish the question.


    ¡°Papa¡¯s alive,¡± Mama said assuredly. ¡°I would know if he wasn¡¯t. If he¡¯s been captured, I¡¯ll need to find him.¡±


    ¡°I can help! We can rescue him together!¡±


    ¡°No. We don¡¯t know who sent those creatures. But we do know what they want: you. So you have to stay here where it¡¯s safe.¡±


    ¡°But I can help! I can-¡±


    ¡°I said no! Your papa risked his life to keep you safe, and you will not make his sacrifice in vain. You will stay here. That is what he wanted, and you will honor that!¡±


    Mama had never shouted at Zeke before, and the fury with which she spoke now crushed any fight left in him.


    He bowed his head. He would stay.


    Mama looked around. ¡°Where is the Ivory Blade?¡± she asked with a hint of fear in her voice.


    That hint of fear terrified Zeke more than the monsters hunting him. He had never seen Mama angry or afraid before today, and now he witnessed both. Zeke had thought himself a man before, but he realized now how naive that notion was; how utterly, laughably childish he had been before this moment.


    ¡°I¡­ I lost it,¡± he said.


    ¡°You lost it?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he cried. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry.¡± He hid his face in his arms and broke into sobs again.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t his fault!¡± Toa shouted with fury. Zeke looked up and Mama turned to face the mer. ¡°We were attacked! He almost died saving my life! He was brave! The only reason you¡¯re here now and not sinking to the bottom of the ocean is because of Zeke, so lay off him!¡±


    Mama and Zeke were both stunned to silence.


    Zeke appreciated Toa coming to his defense, but he didn¡¯t like the way he yelled at Mama.


    Mama, for her part, seemed only grateful. She nodded curtly at the mer and softened her countenance. She held Zeke¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for yelling at you. I know you did your best, and I¡¯m proud of you for getting us here. What happened? Where is the sword?¡±


    Zeke struggled to recall the details. ¡°A sea monster attacked us. It was coming for me, but Toa protected me. I¡­ I think I killed it, but I don¡¯t remember what happened after.¡±


    Toa finished the story. ¡°It was a cthulian. An old one. Zeke killed it, but it knocked the air out of him and he drowned. It was a lucky thing we weren¡¯t far from Haven. I carried him here and revived him, but for a moment¡­ he was dead.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Mama started shaking. Zeke knew she was trying to stay strong for him, but Toa¡¯s words struck her very core. She had lost everything and didn¡¯t know it, had been powerless to do anything about it. Her son died, while she was helpless.


    Toa continued, ¡°The sword is probably still in the cthulian¡¯s body, which sank to the bottom of the ocean. We can¡¯t go that far down. I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s lost.¡±


    Mama sat with her head in her hands. Her entire body shook with terrible emotion.


    Zeke put his hand on her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m okay, Mama. We¡¯re okay.¡±


    She held his hand but said nothing, just looked out to sea with a fixed, stoic expression. Finally, she sighed and said, ¡°What¡¯s done is done. What matters now is keeping you safe and finding your papa. With his powers, maybe he can retrieve the sword.¡±


    That sounded like hope to Zeke. ¡°Yeah. Okay! So how do we find him?¡±


    Mama answered pensively, ¡°I might have a way, but I can¡¯t do it here.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because it means reaching out to Lilith. If I do that here, she¡¯ll find us, and she¡¯ll send her forces. I have to go far from here so you¡¯ll be safe.¡±


    Panic flooded Zeke¡¯s mind. ¡°What? No! You can¡¯t leave me here!¡±


    Mama looked pained. ¡°There is no other way. If your papa isn¡¯t here by tonight, we have to assume he¡¯s been captured. He¡¯s the only one who can retrieve the sword now. And he knows what you are. The longer we wait, the greater the risk our enemies learn the truth. Right now, they¡¯re looking for a sword. If they find out who and what you are, they¡¯ll search for you. They have ways. And I can¡¯t protect you from their sight forever.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t protect me at all if you¡¯re not here!¡±


    ¡°Zeke! Listen to me. You¡¯ve been preparing for this moment your entire life. We knew this day was coming. It came sooner than we would have liked, but it¡¯s here now.¡± She tenderly held his face. ¡°You have to be brave and remember everything we taught you. You still have your Aunt Gwen¡¯s longknife. You are capable. You are immensely powerful. And you will be safe here.¡±


    Zeke fought back tears. He had cried enough. He wouldn¡¯t allow himself to cry again. Mama needed him to be brave so she could save Papa. Zeke nodded curtly.


    Mama sighed in relief. Then she turned to address Toa. ¡°Thank you, for saving my son¡¯s life, for saving both of us. I¡¯ll be in your debt forever.¡±


    Toa answered simply, ¡°I¡¯ll look after him as best I can until you return.¡±


    That response seemed to surprise Mama. She tilted her head, inspecting him quizzically but said nothing. Did she not trust him?


    But Zeke wouldn¡¯t get the chance to ask, because the sea otters suddenly swarmed the shore in massive numbers, encircling Zeke, Mama, and the mers, and shrieking loud, high-pitched threatening sounds.


    Mama summoned fireballs in each hand, but that only further enraged the sea otters. They shrieked furiously, trying to drive them back to sea. But Mama wouldn¡¯t budge. She had yielded too much ground already today, and she would burn every last one of these hysterical beasts if needs be.


    But a strange new voice bellowed, ¡°Enough!¡±


    The breeze carried a swarm of violet flower petals and green leaves, swirling like a little hurricane with bizarre anthropomorphic details. The echoing wind was its voice. The leaves and petals, its form and function.


    ¡°You are not welcome here, Rowan,¡± said the wind.


    Mama looked aghast. ¡°What? Haven is sacred ground for all fae kind. I am the last kitsune. On what grounds do you deny me sanctuary?¡±


    The wind bellowed in response, ¡°You burned Crescent¡¯s Sanctuary to ashes! You brought death and obliteration to Crescent and all who lived there! Did you think your crimes went unnoticed?!¡±


    For the third time today, Zeke witnessed a new emotion on his mama¡¯s face: shame.


    She struggled to respond but finally said, ¡°Adam destroyed Crescent, not me.¡±


    The wind hollered back, ¡°You led Adam¡¯s spy to Sanctuary! You set fire to the cthulian elders! You failed to kill Adam, dooming everyone on the island! Your actions brought death to countless innocents! And now you bring fresh death to our shores! Leave, kitsune, and take your doomed spawn with you!¡±


    Mama looked desperate. She fell to her knees, head touching the sand. ¡°I will leave as you command. But please, I beg you, do not turn my son away. He is innocent! He had no part in my offenses.¡±


    ¡°He is not fae. Our ways do not apply to him. Leave Nohu Mangrove now, or face judgment for the lives you ended.¡±


    Zeke was ready to despair, but Mama had one more revelation to show him: her capacity for violence.


    She raised her head with hardened death in her eyes like glowing embers. Her tail flicked and ignited. Her skin peeled off like burning paper, revealing white-hot flames beneath the surface. Her voice was a crackling growl.


    ¡°You will offer my son protection, or I will incinerate this grove, every living creature in it, and leave my son to safely tend the ashes.¡±


    The sea otters screeched in panic. Some scattered. Others held one another in a doomed embrace. The mers fled to the water.


    Zeke had never imagined Mama capable of such violence, such cruelty. She had raised him to love and respect nature and his surroundings. But he was only twenty years old. Mama had been alive for hundreds of years or more. There was so much he didn¡¯t know about her. Through tear-soaked eyes, he saw her for the first time and wondered if he had ever known her at all.


    In response to Mama¡¯s threat, the breeze swiftly grew into a typhoon. Green and purple leaves twisted and spun like razors on the wind, and launched at Mama and Zeke.


    But Mama simply spun her tail, now a blazing inferno, reducing the leaves to ash in an instant. Zeke fell and crawled away from the dust and furious heat, crying, ¡°Mama, stop, please!¡±


    Mama ignored him and launched herself into the air in an explosion that liquified the sand at her feet. True to her word, she would burn everything to cinders and ash.


    Suddenly, something wrapped around Zeke¡¯s throat and pulled him back. He could barely breathe but he couldn¡¯t escape.


    Toa shouted, ¡°Rowan, stop this madness or I will break your son¡¯s neck! Haven, stand down!¡±


    Mama glanced back and instantly the fight left her. She dropped to the ground, still enflamed but nearly motionless. Her kitsune features returned and she fell to her knees, finally and truly defeated.


    But the storm hadn¡¯t passed. A mighty gust knocked Mama high into the air. She fell with a great splash beyond the shoreline. She was alive but unable to reignite while surrounded by water.


    Toa said something in mer Zeke couldn¡¯t understand, but he heard two whispered words meant for him: ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Toa released his grip on Zeke¡¯s throat. Gasping for air, face soaked with tears, Zeke ran from Toa and toward the ocean, toward Mama, away from this horrible place and these horrible, treacherous creatures, but a strong gust knocked him backward.


    ¡°No,¡± bellowed the wind. ¡°We¡¯ve changed our mind. The boy stays, but you, Rowan, are banished from this land forever. If you come near here again, we will slice your son to pieces. Leave! And do not come back!¡±


    There was nothing Mama could do but obey. She got what she wanted. Zeke would stay, but she might never see him again. Mama looked at him from across an endless distance, devastated; and mournfully, silently, apologizing and saying goodbye. Then she shapeshifted into a giant bird and took to the air, leaving her son behind, maybe forever.


    Powerless, Zeke could only watch as Mama flew away, growing smaller and smaller in the distance, finally disappearing into clouds and the terrible blue sky.

 Chapter 5 - Flower-Man

    Water splashed against Samaal¡¯s face, waking him up.


    He had been captured and caged in a brightly lit room. The walls, ceiling, and floor all shined somehow. His shadow constructs would be brittle and powerless here.


    Sam was on the floor. Without his shadows, he couldn¡¯t summon legs to stand on, so he lifted himself into a sitting position; trying to retain whatever dignity was left to him, stripped naked as he was, his bloody wounds and burn scars on display.


    Standing over Sam and holding an empty bucket was one of the bizarre alien creatures that captured him.


    They resembled a flower with sticks for legs, three sets of arms, and a vine-like tail, with wings like autumn leaves, delicately folded behind the creature¡¯s back. Crowning its head were periwinkle blue flower petals. Sam guessed a few stamens functioned as eyes, but he couldn¡¯t make out a mouth beneath the petals that covered the creature¡¯s face. The flower petals seemed to vibrate, and the creature spoke in a vaguely masculine voice.


    ¡°You can make waste in this,¡± the flower-man said as he tossed the bucket unceremoniously toward Sam, who caught it casually and placed it beside him.


    The flower-man began to circle Sam, silently studying him.


    Sam said nothing and stared forward, eyes level, chin high.


    Finally, the flower-man stopped in front of Sam and leaned down, to threaten or inspect, Sam couldn¡¯t know. He had never seen these bizarre plant creatures before they attacked his home this morning. Was it still today? How long had Sam been out?


    ¡°Do you know why you are here?¡± the flower-man asked politely.


    Sam blinked. He could guess, but instead, he answered, ¡°No.¡±


    The flower-man stood to look down at Sam again. ¡°Do you know who sent us?¡±


    Sam frowned. ¡°Lilith, I suspect.¡±


    The flower-man hummed a satisfied note and said, ¡°Then you do know why you are here.¡±


    Damn, Sam thought.


    The flower-man continued, ¡°You have two options: you can tell me what I want to know now, or I can pry it from you slowly. I know which one I¡¯d prefer.¡±


    ¡°Hm,¡± Sam suppressed a shudder, trying to act amused. ¡°Do your worst.¡±


    The petals and stamens rearranged into something resembling a smile.


    ¡°I was so hoping you¡¯d say that.¡±


    -8-


    At first the flower-man only hit Sam, but with those spindly stick-like arms, his hits didn¡¯t do much damage. Sam didn¡¯t taunt the flower-man, for fear he might improve his technique. Between rounds, the flower-man began to monologue, which Sam thought was rather grandiose for a minion who looked like a tall insect.


    ¡°You cannot imagine how much I¡¯ve looked forward to this moment. The great Samaal, general of Lilith¡¯s army; the man who stole two Ikon Remnants from Adam himself, and then stole the Ivory Blade again from Lilith. The myth, the legend, bleeding and broken at my feet.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Sam spat a little blood out onto the glowing white floor. ¡°You haven¡¯t broken me yet,¡± he said foolishly.


    The flower-man smirked and sighed with pleasure. ¡°That¡¯s good. Don¡¯t give in yet. We have a long journey before we reach Nod. I want to savor this experience.¡±


    That rocked Sam. For the first time, he was actually scared. ¡°No one can reach Nod or leave without the Ivory Blade,¡± he challenged, hoping to bait the flower-man.


    It worked. The flower-man laughed. ¡°Fool, don¡¯t you know where you are? This isn¡¯t a cage. It¡¯s a brig. We¡¯re in a ship traveling between the planets. Lilith asked for our help, and we answered. Because unlike you, we are loyal. Of course, she asked us to bring her the Ivory Blade. Lilith will be disappointed we failed on that charge, but in lieu of that, I think you will do nicely. After all, even if you manage to resist my charms, we both know Lilith has ways even more ruthless than anything I can conjure.¡±


    Sam suppressed a shudder. The flower-man was correct. Lilith could reach into his dreams and extract memories. She would learn what happened with the Ivory Blade, and she would set her sights on Ezekiel.


    ¡°Of course,¡± taunted the flower-man, ¡°I would rather spare her the trouble. So tell me where I can find the Ivory Blade, and I¡¯ll let you rest until we reach Nod. Or we can continue this little game.¡±


    Sam didn¡¯t believe the flower-man for an instant. His torturer was enjoying himself too much to stop. It felt oddly personal, as if Sam had wronged him specifically.


    ¡°Why does it matter to you?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Why do you care what happens to me, or Lilith for that matter? What does she have over you?¡±


    The flower-man struck Sam across the face harder than before. Blood trickled down his brow and cheekbone. Sam was dizzy, and surprised to learn how much the flower-man had been pulling his punches earlier.


    ¡°I ask the questions. You answer them. That¡¯s how this game is played.¡±


    Dazed and afraid, Sam forgot his earlier decision, taunting his torturer. ¡°If that¡¯s the game, you seem to be losing.¡±


    The flower-man gave Sam another smirk. ¡°We¡¯re just getting started. But if this game bores you, what do you say we up the difficulty?¡±


    Sam silently cursed himself.


    Then the flower-man did something that inspired in Sam true panic: he summoned fire in the palm of his bug-like hands. Violet-blue fire. The same color fire that Lilith used to scorch half of Sam¡¯s face and body. The fire that haunted his nightmares to this very day.


    Sam could say or do nothing but crawl away in fear.


    The flower-man laughed, a clear, joyous timbre. ¡°I thought this might have an effect. Lilith told me how you got those scars. I used to ask her about you. I would pester her, begging for stories. I wanted to know everything about you. You were a giant in my mind. And look at you now. All those years I spent dreaming, wondering, building you up into some kind of god¡­ Can you imagine my disappointment at seeing this wretched creature before me? Will you give in, so soon? Will you beg? Will you tell me what I want to know, or shall I even out your complexion?¡±


    Sam fought back tears and swallowed the screams in his throat. He had to keep his wits. There was something more to this creature. Sam had no experience with whatever species of plant-insect-person stood before him, but the ability to summon fire from thin air was a strange and rare skill. This was no mere minion torturing him, no drone or stooge. He had to know more, but he didn¡¯t dare ask another question. He had to let the flower-man taunt him with the information.


    Sam was powerless in this brightly lit room. He had only his wits. What did Sam know about the flower-man? He knew this was personal. The flower-man seemed particularly interested in Sam. Why? He knew the flower-man was confident and boastful. He enjoyed taunting and correcting Sam. So Sam had to be wrong and afraid. Let the flower-man bask in his sense of superiority and strength.


    Sam let his tears fall. He was afraid. There was no sense hiding it. Let the flower-man see his tears and taunt him. Let him slip more information.


    ¡°Awe,¡± said the flower-man. ¡°Your time away from Nod has made you soft. How sweet your life must have been.¡± The flower-man¡¯s face took a resentful shape and he stepped forward menacingly. ¡°Let me remind you what life was like for those you left behind.¡±


    In an instant, the flower-man grabbed Sam¡¯s head and arms firmly in his many hands, and held the violet-blue flame against the unburnt side of Sam¡¯s face.


    And Sam screamed in fearful agony.

 Chapter 6 - Raf-Inu

    Zeke didn¡¯t move for a long time. He just sat on the beach, staring out into the hateful sky, wishing Mama would come back for him, knowing she couldn¡¯t; wishing Papa would find him, knowing he was probably lost.


    Zeke was alone. For the first time in his life; finally outside the cave, free from the dreadful sword, but now a hostage to a tribe of treacherous snakes and a murderous breeze. He had merely traded one cage for another, and to make matters worse, he was starving and had no idea what was safe to eat.


    He hadn¡¯t eaten since dinner last night. He had been too afraid and excited before to notice, but as he sat there disassociating, waiting for no one to come and save him, his stomach growled and groaned.


    Toa¡¯s unwelcome voice broke his reverie. ¡°I thought you might be hungry.¡±


    Zeke turned to look at him. Toa looked sheepish, offering Zeke a bowl with something green and oily inside. It didn¡¯t look particularly appetizing but Zeke was famished. He wanted to reach out and take Toa¡¯s gesture. He also wanted to knock the bowl out of Toa¡¯s traitorous hands and yell at him to never speak to him again.


    Zeke couldn¡¯t decide whether to accept the bowl or spit in it. Toa was the only person he knew here, and Zeke had thought they had shared something special on the journey here, but that was before Toa had threatened to break his neck.


    Zeke couldn¡¯t trust him. He wanted to, but he refused. Instead, he said nothing. He stood up and turned from Toa, walked away, and left without a word.


    He didn¡¯t know where he was going or what he would do, but he felt a cruel satisfaction at ignoring Toa. Then, regret. Why did he do that? What foolish pride consumed him? He wished it was all a horrible dream, that he¡¯d wake up in his soft mossy bed with Dook snuggling up next to him for warmth. But he knew that was pointless and pathetic. His parents didn¡¯t raise him to act this way, but his parents were gone, and he was alone. Utterly alone. And he just turned his back on the only friend he had here. Well, the closest thing he had to a friend.


    He shook his head to clear out the foolishness and self-pity. He would have to manage and take care of himself. He had no other choice. Zeke decided to catch a fish. He looked around to take in his surroundings and search for a branch he could whittle to use as a fishing spear.


    Haven, or Nohu Mangrove, or whatever it was called, seemed to be a small island surrounded by mangrove trees that grew just off the shoreline, blocking the horizon with a dense bush of leaves, branches, and tall roots.


    In the center of the island was a singular giant tree. ¡°Giant¡± didn¡¯t do the tree justice. It was beyond massive, with a violet and green canopy that nearly blotted out the sky, reminding Zeke of the cave ceiling at home; but even the largest cavern back home seemed miniscule in comparison to the sheer breadth of this colossal tree.


    A forest of coconut trees, avocado trees, mango trees, nut trees, and many more varietals surrounded the singular giant like a swarm of toddlers at their mother¡¯s knees. But Zeke was unfamiliar with these fruits and so didn¡¯t know if they were safe to eat. And he refused to ask for help. After Toa¡¯s betrayal, Zeke wanted nothing to do with him or the rest of his snake-like people.


    But he felt their eyes on him. The otters, too, followed Zeke at a wary distance. They didn¡¯t want him here. He could sense that much. No matter where Zeke went, a small crowd followed. Whether by suspicion, contempt, or simple curiosity, Zeke couldn¡¯t tell, but he resolved not to give any of them his attention.


    Searching for a fishing stick kept his mind occupied, which was a welcome a relief. It took Zeke longer than he¡¯d expected to find a suitable branch for his purposes. Most of the sticks he found were excessively curved, too large or too small, or else too decayed and waterlogged. He needed a straight branch, or mostly straight; light and thin enough to hold for extended periods as he waited for fish to come nearby; and young enough to be firm and retain its sharpness once he¡¯d whittled the end to a point.


    He found the perfect stick before the sun got low. He sat down on a fallen tree trunk and took out Aunt Gwen¡¯s longknife, permitting himself a moment to regard the precious gift, his only possession left to him, along with the clothes on his back. Then he set those thoughts aside to focus on the task at hand.


    It took Zeke little time to sharpen the stick. Mama taught him different ways to fish back when he was a young boy. Spearing a fish would be the easy part. Starting a fire with nothing but sticks would be a much more challenging and time-consuming endeavor, but one task at a time.


    The spear was ready, so Zeke stood up and walked into the water.


    The mangrove trees beyond the shoreline broke the strong ocean waves, so the water by the shore was calm and clear. Zeke found a large stone to stand on, wiggled his toes like worms for fish to come and inspect, held his sharpened stick high in the air, and waited motionless. But before he could slip into a focused trance, something broke his concentration, almost startling him off the stone he stood on.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°You can¡¯t hunt here,¡± said a bizarre, high-pitched voice, with a clicking or chirping vibrato. The voice came from farther out in the deeper shallows, but Zeke couldn¡¯t see its source. He only saw two strange-looking reeds poking out of the water. The reeds were familiar somehow, but he couldn¡¯t place where or how he¡¯d seen them before. Were they reeds at all? No, of course not. Reeds don¡¯t talk. A rising sense of foreboding enveloped him. He aimed the wooden spear toward the direction of the suspicious not-reeds.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I hunt here?¡± he asked.


    The not-reeds rose up out of the water, and Zeke realized what they truly were, where he had seen them before, and why he had been afraid. They were oblong, segmented eyes, like those of a giant crab, and as they rose higher, the attached body rose, too, complete with an electric-blue chitinous shell, a pair of enormous crab legs, and a pincer claw big enough to break Zeke in half. Long, squid-like tentacles dangled from below its abdomen.


    A sea monster. Cthulian, Toa had called it. Bigger than the one that had attacked them earlier. It had been crouched low to hide from sight, but as it stood now, it was more than three times Zeke¡¯s height.


    Zeke screamed and fell backward with a splash, scrambling to get away.


    ¡°Calm down. I¡¯m not going to hurt you,¡± the monster chirped. ¡°You can¡¯t hunt here because Nohu Mangrove is neutral ground by interspecies treaty. No one hunts here by Haven¡¯s decree. Haven punishes anyone who breaks that law.¡±


    Zeke was too shocked and afraid to respond; otherwise, he might have mentioned that Haven said their laws don¡¯t apply to him, but he could only blink, slackjawed and dumb.


    The cthulian continued almost shyly, ¡°Um, our name is Tzik-Inu, but you can call us Raf. It¡¯s great to finally meet you.¡± Raf extended a clawed, three-fingered hand, but Zeke had never shook anyone¡¯s hand before, let alone that of an enormous sea monster, and was unfamiliar with the custom.


    Wait. Finally?


    ¡°Hold on.¡± Zeke stood up and tried to collect himself. ¡°What do you mean, finally? You¡¯ve been waiting for me?¡±


    ¡°We think so, yeah. The sovereign told us to come to Haven and wait for the turning of the age. We believe that must be you.¡±


    ¡°Who is we? There are more of you?¡± Zeke asked.


    ¡°We are we. Us.¡± The cthulian put its hand to what resembled a chest.


    Zeke looked confused.


    ¡°Oh. You don¡¯t know what we are. We are a composite of many lives and memories, and our consciousness is shared with The Deep One, who in turn spreads our knowledge to all symbiotic cthulians.¡±


    Zeke was even more confused.


    Raf seemed to recognize the emotion, continuing. ¡°It¡¯s not important for you to understand now. You will in time. But to answer your second question, no. There is no other here. We are the only cthulian that calls Nohu Mangrove our den.¡±


    ¡°Can all cthulians speak human?¡± Zeke asked, still apprehensive but feeling more confident that this particular sea monster wasn¡¯t about to eat him.


    ¡°To our knowledge, we are the only cthulian who speaks human words. We taught ourself to speak with great difficulty.¡±


    ¡°How did you learn?¡±


    ¡°One of our past selves was a human. We are rare in that way. Precious few cthulians carry human selves. Our human¡¯s name was Rafael Avalyn. He was¡­ an Ikon of Eden.¡±


    In a day full of unprecedented events, this news was perhaps the most shocking.


    Raf continued, ¡°You must be an Ikon as well, yes? That is why Rowan brought you here, to hide you from Adam?¡±


    Zeke didn¡¯t answer. He was too dumbfounded. Besides, he didn¡¯t know if it was safe to share that secret with anyone, let alone a giant sea monster. Instead, he asked, ¡°How did Rafael die?¡±


    Zeke couldn¡¯t read the alien expression on the giant crab/squid creature¡¯s face, but he imagined the creature was saddened and angry by the question.


    ¡°Rafael was betrayed. Stabbed in the back by someone he trusted. His soul was trapped before it could return to the Hollow. But our symbiote was recovered. Tzik-Inu rescued us and bonded with us. Now we share a mind and body. But Rafael¡¯s human memories were powerful and angry. He threatened to overwhelm our collective, so we sought guidance from the great Sovereign of Sea and Sky, and the Sovereign sent us here, that we should await you and guide you on your journey. And along the way, we might find the vengeance Rafael desperately craves.¡±


    Raf seemed to lower itself into something resembling a kneel.


    ¡°We dedicate ourself to you now, to your health and protection. In return, we ask that you give us leave to take our revenge when fate permits, that you heed our counsel when we offer it, and you accept our service with dignity and respect.¡±


    In the library at home, Zeke had read stories of noble quests and oaths, so he had some sense of the gravity of the moment, and the precious gift he was being offered. He could not afford to deny himself an ally, least of all one as imposing and knowledgable as Raf. So Zeke did his best to emulate the heroes in the stories he¡¯d read as a boy.


    Zeke drew his longknife, his most precious possession, and gently tapped the flat of the blade against Raf¡¯s enormous pincer claw.


    ¡°I accept your oath and offer mine in return,¡± he said. ¡°I swear on my life and on those I love most; when the time comes, I will aid you in your revenge, I will heed your council, and I will treat you with honor.¡±


    Raf rose and seemed to stand tall and proud. A steady chittering sound came from their chest.


    ¡°Let us help you collect edible fruit,¡± the cthulian said. ¡°Then we can give you a proper tour.¡±

 Chapter 7 - Waterbreak

    Rowan hadn¡¯t flown since before Crescent was destroyed.


    The last twenty years she¡¯d spent hiding in a dank, dark cave system, and though she¡¯d made fond memories there; raising her son, loving her husband, tending her garden, and living a quiet life of peace; it was all done of necessity, not joy. Rowan had silently raged against the stale and unyielding stone walls, the dull tedium of domestic bliss.


    Rowan was kitsune. Her people swam in lava beds and flew with the firebirds. She was a creature of sublime freedom, yet she carried the full weight of her people¡¯s memory. A quiet life was not her destiny, could never satisfy the gruesome rage that nestled and infected the deepest recesses of her broken heart.


    Rowan loved her son. Of course she did, but he represented her last great hope to avenge her people. The two were inextricably linked. Ezekiel was her weapon to destroy Adam and bring peace to the screaming ghosts in her mind.


    So Rowan was devoted to Zeke, the instrument of her vengeance, with her every breath. She nurtured him and fed him and trained him, in a sunless, windless place, for twenty years so he would grow strong, so he would be ready, so that when the day finally came, he would kill Adam. And then, at long last, Rowan could truly know peace.


    But to fly! To taste the salt off the ocean¡¯s crashing waves, to breathe in the clean open air. There was a kind of peace to it. Fleeting and superficial, but the joy! The freedom! Were Rowan of weaker constitution, she might have spent the rest of her long life in the sky; leaving everything behind, all her regrets, her shame at surviving, the weight of her promise; she could leave it all on the ground and never touch down again, ¡®til her fire ran out and she fell as a rock. And maybe that would bring her peace.


    But Rowan was ageless, one of the few ageless still living, and to endure eons requires a purpose. Revenge gave Rowan a singular purpose. Nothing and no one would deter her, not grief, nor comfort, nor even the love of a child.


    So Rowan flew toward Safo, toward her friends and allies. Not to mourn the loss of her husband or child, not to find peace or a simple life, but to plan and organize the next steps toward that singular goal.


    But first, she would have to stop at the nearest village. Rowan couldn¡¯t fly directly to Morgan¡¯s coinnigh or the hoodwinks would attack her in the air, defending their territory from Adam¡¯s familiar spies.


    And Rowan needed to feed.


    So as Safo¡¯s rolling green hills came into view on the horizon, Rowan lilted Southward toward the coastal village, adequately named Waterbreak.


    Safo was the smallest of the Vulpen Islands. Safo¡¯s people were a hardy, isolated, and rather superstitious folk. Before Adam found Vulpex, Safo¡¯s leaders were highly regarded by Rowan¡¯s people. Before, kitsunes were venerated and welcomed at Safo with grand festivals every year.


    Those days died with Rowan¡¯s people.


    Adam¡¯s Church ruled the island now. Safo¡¯s leaders were little more than puppets. Rowan needed to be careful and covert. If anyone in the Church learned a kitsune was on Safo, they would tell Adam, and he would sink the island to the bottom of the ocean, massacring everyone on it, just to kill Rowan.


    So Rowan landed far from Waterbreak and changed shape in the forest.


    Rowan decided a man was the role to play for this task. She shapechanged into Reynard. He was an old form from back when Rowan was hiding out on Crescent as the Captain of the Guard for Steward Luther Avalyn.


    Reynard was tall and handsome, with thick black wavy hair that was always elegant yet militaristically styled, never a strand out of place. His eyes were brown with shards of gold and green. His habits and mannerisms were easy and comfortable to slide back into, like old shoes.


    He was unarmed. Rowan fled with few possessions. Everything Reynard wore was part of the shapeshift. He hadn¡¯t fed since the night before the cavern attack, so he was light-footed and hurried to Waterbreak.


    How did they find us? Reynard wondered yet again. He¡¯d never seen anything like those bizarre insect-plant things before. Whom did they serve? Probably Lilith, he reasoned, but he couldn¡¯t know for sure. Not yet. If Lilith had orchestrated the attack, she would want Sam alive. At least until she found a way to Zeke.


    Reynard would have to risk it. He had to try to contact Sam.


    But first, he needed to feed. His heart was burning low.


    The escape, the shapeshifting, the fight at Haven, the flight to Safo, they all drained his fire, and now his ingot was almost a smoldering ember.


    Reynard walked the rest of the way to Waterbreak.


    No one would recognize him. Reynard had never taken this shape on Safo before. But they would notice him. Reynard was a stranger in a small town. And a tall, good-looking one at that. Reynard heard quiet whistles as he entered town.


    Reynard told the guards at the gate he was visiting an old friend, and he¡¯d stowed his boat up the coast. He¡¯d only be in town for a night before hiking up to his friend¡¯s coinnigh. He was just looking for a meal and a drink. The guards kindly pointed Reynard in the direction of the biggest tavern in town, situated just off the port.


    It was a dingy little building, built of cobblestone and logwood. The roof was made of straw and the door was always open. There were two stories: bedrooms upstairs, bar and tables downstairs. A young man with a lute sang a passable tune on a box in the corner. Men sat on stools at the bar while families crowded around tables. People seemed good and buzzed, chatting amiably. The smell of something roasted wafted from behind the bar.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    This might be easy, thought Reynard.


    He sat at the bar, ordered a drink, and turned to face the open room with his head high and shoulders back. He was hunting; for man or woman, it didn¡¯t matter; whoever Reynard found agreeable and willing. In a glance, he inspected every face in the crowd.


    A man sitting across the bar was watching him. He was on the young side of middle-aged, athletic, with a full head of red curls and hungry eyes. He wore tailored black robes with gold trim. Reynard held his gaze for a moment and watched the man¡¯s sharp intake of breath and green eyes dilate.


    This will be easy, Reynard thought.


    Reynard turned to face his drink, a hot brothy soup.


    He asked the bartender, ¡°So what¡¯s the news in these parts? Any good rumors?¡±


    The bartender was a short, barrel-chested woman. She cocked her head as if to consider the question. ¡°What were we talking about, Colin?¡± The bartender asked another man at the bar. He was in his third age, with grey hair and a deep smile lines along his face.


    Colin answered, ¡°You just missed the big announcement. Church Brothers want to burn the forest on Safo. They say the woods are unholy and dangerous. But that¡¯s the nature of woods! They want the people to support the burn, but I doubt that¡¯s likely to happen, or make much difference either way.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, the woods? Which woods?¡±


    ¡°He means every last tree on this island,¡± whispered the bartender with hatred. The chatter in the tavern drowned her words out from eavesdroppers. ¡°They think something unholy is hiding among the trees, and whatever it is or they are, Adam wants them burnt out, but he doesn¡¯t want to feel bad about destroying another island, so he wants the Church to convince us to do it ourselves.¡±


    Reynard considered their position and was horrified. ¡°What¡¯s got them so scared of the woods?¡± he asked Colin and the bartender.


    Colin answered, ¡°Lately, people up the island been having the same nightmare. Been going on a couple weeks now. Some of the Church Brothers report they¡¯ve seen it. Reports of night terrors go up the deeper into the woods you venture.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± added the bartender. ¡°There¡¯s no way to prove anyone had the same dream, or if it¡¯s just a passing fad and everybody wants the light to fall on them for a moment. Maybe the dreams are a coincidence. People aren¡¯t all that different.¡±


    ¡°Sure, Joan,¡± conceded Colin. ¡°But I had the nightmare, too. And I¡¯m not much of a dreamer. I¡¯ve never dreamed anything so real. It¡¯s like I was there! I could taste the ocean breeze!¡±


    Joan the bartender looked disturbed. She fidgeted with her bar key.


    ¡°What happened in this dream?¡± Reynard asked.


    ¡°I was on a beach. There was this great, big, beautiful tree with green and violet leaves. And Adam was there, floating in the air, erasing the tree from existence. There was all these creatures I¡¯d never seen before, screaming out, and then silence. I was erased. And that¡¯s when I woke up.¡±


    Reynard almost fell off his stool. He focused on staying calm and collected. He glanced across the bar at the man with the hungry, shy eyes. He was still watching Reynard.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Reynard said casually. ¡°But that¡¯s all? A pattern of bad dreams?¡±


    ¡°Well, that and the weather,¡± Joan answered. ¡°Apparently, the Church thinks lightning storms and clouds are suspicious.¡± She rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Well, I hope this injustice gets settled peacefully,¡± Reynard said. He finished his drink. It was savory and delicious, but it wouldn¡¯t sustain him.


    Fortunately, the hungry-eyed man was walking by, too casually, as if only stepping outside; eyes on the floor, swiftly glancing to see if Reynard was watching him go.


    ¡°Hey there,¡± Reynard greeted the man. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t smoke, by chance?¡±


    The man looked surprised but pleased to say, ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    ¡°Would you be so kind as to share a smoke with a stranger, new in town after a long journey?¡±


    He smiled breathlessly. ¡°Well, sure. I was stepping out for one. You¡¯ll join me?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Reynard said with a smile. Their eyes held one another.


    He paid Joan for the drink with a gold coin made of his person, securing a key and a room for the night. Then Reynard followed the man outside.


    He was already lighting the smoke with a match.


    ¡°I¡¯m Darragh, by the by,¡± he said between puffs, handing the smoke to Reynard.


    Smoking had no effect on Reynard, but he found the practice curiously enjoyable. And useful in a pinch. A convenient excuse to step aside with someone for a discreet moment.


    ¡°Reynard,¡± he answered in a puff of smoke, pointing at himself.


    ¡°So what brings you to Safo?¡± Darragh asked.


    ¡°Visiting my sister,¡± Reynard lied. ¡°She¡¯s married to some farmer up the island. Been a few years since I saw her.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯ll just be passing through?¡± Darragh asked again.


    Reynard nodded. ¡°Just passing through. I¡¯ll be gone by morning.


    Between each question and answer, they passed the smoke between them, and their fingers touched again.


    ¡°And what about you? Do you work on a farm or for the state?¡±


    Darragh said, ¡°No, I¡¯m a Brother¡¯s Keeper.¡±


    Reynard didn¡¯t react. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Brothers were allowed to imbibe.¡±


    ¡°Well, it is frowned upon, but the Church is lax here. One of the few benefits of being a local convert so far from Garden. So long as I preach the word and do my duties, they give me a long leash.¡±


    Reynard didn¡¯t ask what those duties entailed. He didn¡¯t want to know more. This man would serve his needs nicely. Reynard was disgusted at himself. But what were his options?


    ¡°Well,¡± said Reynard casually. ¡°It¡¯s time for me to settle into my room for the night.¡± He reached into his pocket and pulled out the key. ¡°Room number 8,¡± he read it aloud. ¡°If your leash is long enough, I wouldn¡¯t say no to some company tonight. Thanks for the smoke. You finish it.¡±


    Reynard turned away from the Brother¡¯s Keeper with the shy, hungry eyes and back inside the tavern. He crossed the room and walked upstairs, cool as can be. He opened the door to his room and left it slightly ajar behind him. And he waited.


    It wasn¡¯t long.


    Darragh quietly knocked and stepped into the room.


    Reynard was waiting naked on the bed. Darragh shut the door with haste. Then he came to the bed, fingers unbuttoning his robe. He kicked off his boots and sat on the bed. Reynard helped him get naked.


    And they kissed.


    And Darragh gave himself to Reynard.


    And Reynard fed.


    Once it was over, Darragh was understandably exhausted. He looked to have aged ten years overnight. He would survive, of course. And he would recover, but he would remain aged. And Reynard would remain ageless.


    After locking the room, Reynard slid the key under the door so Darragh could rest undisturbed. And then Reynard walked out of Waterbreak and began his days-long journey up to Morgan¡¯s coinnigh.

 Chapter 8 - Hormiz

    Sam had no idea how long he¡¯d been in the windowless, blindingly bright room. It was impossible to know. Perhaps days. He¡¯d been beaten and burned, again and again, and he¡¯d blacked out several times, but the lights never went out.


    He was exhausted but he couldn¡¯t sleep. The flower-man wouldn¡¯t let him sleep. But maybe that was a blessing, because Sam was afraid to sleep, to dream, for dreams were Lilith¡¯s domain. With Sam¡¯s current mental exhaustion, he¡¯d be powerless in her kingdom.


    Maybe that was the point all along. Maybe the flower-man was just softening Sam up for Lilith to sink her claws into him.


    The flower-man was softening him up again now. He was biting off Sam¡¯s fingers slowly, bit by bit, like a preying mantis eating a cricket one foot at a time. Sam was pinned against the wall and screaming.


    It lasted a long time, until all of Sam¡¯s fingers were chewed down to the nub. His blood covered the floor, staining the lights red.


    And finally, Sam blacked out and stayed out.


    For a time, Sam was safe in the dreamless sleep of total exhaustion.


    But as time passed, he dreamed. His memories and fears were all stirred up in a frenzy, and someone else was guiding his thoughts.


    Sam couldn¡¯t think clearly. What was he doing here in the caves again? Where were Rowan and Ezekiel? Little Zeke. His son. His life. His joy.


    What were we talking about? Oh, the fathers I met while I was wandering Eden in search of your Mama.


    There was this one time, I was working on a farm down in Lower Garden. The farmer¡¯s daughter had eloped with a neighbor¡¯s son, and she was begging her daddy to forgive her and love her new husband.


    The farmer was angry, but he said ¡®I just want you to be happy. I don¡¯t like your decision and I don¡¯t like how you handled it, but I love you. I love you for who you are, not the person I imagined you were.¡¯


    And I¡¯d never seen anything like that. I¡¯d never seen nurturing love. And it broke me, because I wanted that when I was growing up. I wanted someone to hold me and comfort me and teach me to be confident and happy.


    When I first held you in my arms, such a tiny little thing, I felt that old hurt and anger. And I knew I had to do right by you. I wouldn¡¯t do to you what my parents did to me. I wouldn¡¯t abandon you. I wouldn¡¯t hurt you.


    You look just like your Mama. But with my grey eyes and black hair. I¡¯m so glad we had you.


    Shouldn¡¯t you be training? You have to be ready for the day Adam or Lilith come.


    Didn¡¯t Lilith come already? No?


    No. Training, right. We should be training. The Ivory Blade. Right.


    What? No, the sword is yours. You have to hold it.


    They think the sword is what matters, but it¡¯s you, son. You¡¯re what matters.


    Of course.


    We talked about this.


    The sword is just a conduit. You¡¯re the Ikon.


    Oh, I don¡¯t know. We¡¯re safe here underground. No one can find us.


    Well, your Mama will know what to do. I leave those things to her. She knows this world better than I do.


    I suppose I would go to Safo. Your Aunts Gwen and Morgan live there. Sooner or later, Rowan will go there. So I would just wait there.


    Wait.


    Why do you look so much like me?


    Why are you so upset?


    Son, I love you. I just want you to be happy.


    Son?


    Hormiz?


    -8-


    Reynard ran most of the way to Morgan¡¯s coinnigh. He saw the shimmer of hoodwinks on the wind, nearly invisible but for a trained eye. They would fly ahead to warn Morgan and Hinata that someone was approaching.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    The coinnigh was on a rolling green field by the beach, where dozens of seals lounged in the sun. The farmhouse was built near a cliff wall. Wooden fences kept the dense forest on one side of the coinnigh.


    The house Morgan, Hinata, and Gwen lived in was quaint. One floor, built of carved wood and slabs of rock from off the cliffside. There was an artistry in its construction, built of talent and love. A barn for the goats was attached. The goats were out among the fields and on the cliffside, despite the heavy clouds that threatened to fall at any moment. Cracks of thunder frequented Reynard¡¯s climb, but the goats and seals were all unbothered.


    As he neared the farmhouse, Morgan stepped out onto the porch with an ax and ready shoulders. Her black hair, tied back into a ponytail, had streaks of silver. She wore practical clothes. As Reynard came into focus, Morgan dropped the ax and ran to him, giving him a tight hug and saying, ¡°It¡¯s so good to see you! You¡¯ll come in and tell us everything.¡±


    Hinata was already inside cooking a fish in a fragrant sauce. Their hair was done up into a knot and they were sweating from the heat.


    The kitchen was rustic and grand, with intricately carved decorations and evidence of life, love, and wear all around. Hinata hugged Reynard and said, ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re back! There¡¯s so much you can help us with.¡±


    ¡°I can try, but I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll be staying,¡± said Reynard, sitting at the table. ¡°I need a safe place to dream. The caves were attacked. I don¡¯t know the attackers, but they have Sam. Zeke is stranded on Haven.¡±


    Morgan and Hinata looked afraid at each other.


    ¡°You know you can rest here,¡± Morgan answered. ¡°This conversation can hold until tomorrow. If there¡¯s nothing you need, your bed in the farm is as you left it. Gwen isn¡¯t using it these days.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Gwen?¡±


    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s¡­ We can talk about it later.¡±


    Reynard hesitated but nodded. He excused himself to the barn. The bed was elevated, built of feathers and soft sheets, and surrounded by sleeping charms to protect against interference. As soon as his head touched the pillows, he was out.


    -8-


    Sam was thrown back.


    This is a dream. The boy? Was he real? What did he tell him? Oh no. Morgan is in danger. And he knows about Zeke!


    Oh no, oh no, oh no!


    Stay calm. You¡¯re driving this dream. Don¡¯t lose it.


    That mind. It threw Sam back as if recoiling from harm.


    How did it know about Hormiz? Was that Lilith?


    No, Lilith¡¯s dreams didn¡¯t feel like that. Lilith would have boasted. She would want Sam to know that she had control over him.


    But if not her, then who was that? The flower-man?


    He had summoned fire. His torment felt personal.


    Is this just another way to torment Sam?


    Could it be possible? But how? Hormiz died years ago. Didn¡¯t he?


    Didn¡¯t he?


    What if¡­ Oh no. Oh no.


    That monster! That horrible, cruel, vicious monster! How could she?!


    Did Rowan know? Oh God. Did Rowan know?


    Rowan! Where are you?


    Rowan, I need you! I can¡¯t do this without you!


    Rowan!


    Rowan? Is that you?


    Wait, I¡¯m coming!


    Sam opened the door to Rowan¡¯s dream home. Hers was designed of hardened lava flows. Pictures covered the walls of Rowan¡¯s lost family, so she¡¯d never forget them.


    Rowan¡¯s dream house was very different from Sam¡¯s. He had built his on an open plain. No walls, no ceilings, just carved earth and open sky. But he had forgotten to go back there. He had been lost in dream space. Rowan¡¯s home was an anchor for his mind to latch onto.


    Rowan and Sam embraced tightly.


    ¡°Are you alright? How¡¯s Zeke?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m unharmed. Zeke is safe. But we need you! What happened? Where are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The flowerbugs took me. I¡¯m on a ship covered in light, and they¡¯re taking me to Nod!¡±


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    ¡°It gets worse. I¡¯m so sorry. I told them about Zeke. I told them about Morgan! I¡¯m so, so sorry! I was weak!¡±


    ¡°Shh,¡± Rowan whispered. She put her hand on his face. He wasn¡¯t scarred in dream space. ¡°What did they do to you?¡± she asked with heartbreak in her voice.


    Sam couldn¡¯t answer. All he could say was, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    Rowan hugged him again. ¡°No more sorries. We knew this would happen one day. We¡¯ve been preparing for this. Zeke is safe for now. At least, I think he is safe. But something is coming, and I don¡¯t know when. I need to dream deeper. I¡¯ll try to save you, but I don¡¯t know how to reach Nod without the Ivory Blade, and Zeke lost the damn thing!¡±


    ¡°What!? How did he lose it?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you now. Lilith could arrive at any minute. Zeke is safe. I have to go. I have to warn Morgan!¡±


    ¡°Wait! What happened to Hormiz?¡±


    Rowan flinched. She hadn¡¯t spoken of Hormiz since before Zeke was born. ¡°I told you what happened. Why are you asking me this now?¡±


    ¡°Rowan, I think he¡¯s alive. I think maybe Lilith stole him.¡±


    Rowan¡¯s dream house collapsed and Sam found himself adrift.


    Imagine home.


    Imagine the plains.


    Remember that night under a lean to, watching the clear starry sky. Imagine the deer and bugs and snakes. Imagine the cool bubbling stream nearby.


    It¡¯s okay. Rest here. She¡¯ll come.


    Rowan stepped out from behind a tree. She had lost it there for a second, but she was okay now. Sam was relieved to see Rowan upset. It meant he wouldn¡¯t have to insult her by asking.


    ¡°Are you certain?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know for sure. But I think he¡¯s the one interrogating me.¡±


    Rowan faded from focus and then collected herself. ¡°Lilith will have trained him to defeat us. This changes everything. You have to reach him. You have to tell him how sorry I am. How sorry we both are! You have to stay alive! I am coming, you hear me? I am going to save you. I don¡¯t know how, but I will find a way! I will not leave you, either of you!¡±


    ¡°Rowan, it¡¯s a trap! Lilith wants you to bring her the Ikon. You cannot bring Zeke!¡±


    ¡°I will find a way,¡± Rowan said in that quiet, steely voice she had sometimes.


    Then Rowan walked behind the tree and was gone.


    Sam was alone again.


    No. Not alone. He was being watched. He felt a mind far out in the distance. The same mind as before. Sam reached out but felt a slap.


    So Sam sat down by his lean to and started a red and yellow fire. The color of Rowan¡¯s heart. And Sam let his guard down. He opened his mind to the stranger intruding on his dreams.


    ¡°So that was her?¡± said a petulant voice. ¡°That was my other mother, the one who gave me up?¡±


    ¡°Rowan would never have given you up! There¡¯s no way!¡±


    ¡°All she cares about is revenge. She didn¡¯t want me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong. She didn¡¯t know Lilith stole you. She couldn¡¯t have known.¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t she look for me!?¡± the voice yelled. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you!?¡±


    ¡°We thought you were dead! I didn¡¯t even know you existed until after Lilith took you!¡±


    ¡°Lilith loves me! She¡¯s my real mother! She raised me. She wanted me. She needs me. You both gave me up or left me for dead!¡±


    ¡°Rowan was broken when I found her. She was devastated after losing you.¡±


    ¡°But you sure got over me fast enough, didn¡¯t you?! Had yourself a nice little replacement son. That sword was the only way to take me back, and you gave it up to replace me! You never even looked for me!¡±


    Sam¡¯s dream home was fading out of focus. He was overwhelmed by the hurt and anger hurled at him. He tried to remember the dream.


    But Hormiz wasn¡¯t finished. He was in full focus now. His dark kitsune features looked monstrous with hate.


    ¡°But I¡¯ll find that little shit! I¡¯ll put him in a cage next to yours. And I¡¯ll make you watch as Lilith puts his soul back in the Ivory Blade! Maybe then you¡¯ll remember me!¡±


    Sam looked at his son, grief-stricken. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I promise you, son, I¡¯ll get you out of this.¡±


    Hormiz screamed with rage, and Sam woke up.


    Sam opened his eyes weakly.


    The flower-man was retching into Sam¡¯s waste bucket.

 Chapter 9 - Final Days

    Zeke¡¯s final days were spent with Raf and exploring life on Nohu Mangrove, fully ignorant of his approaching doom.


    His first final day was spent building a shelter. The giant crab/squid/former human prince was infinitely helpful. Not only was Tzik-Inu able to collect and carry heavy logs quickly, but they also had the memories of Rafael Avalyn, a human trained in survival by Reynard himself.


    Raf taught Zeke how to drink coconut water and all sorts of edible fruits and plants. The otters watched him constantly but Zeke ignored them. By the end of the first day, Zeke had a sturdy roof over his head and soft moss under it.


    -8-


    His second final day was spent sitting in the shade on the sandy beach, drinking coconut water, and asking Raf questions about the people inhabiting Nohu Mangrove.


    In this, too, Raf was profoundly knowledgeable. They were happiest explaining cthulian people and customs. ¡°You will see a spectacle in two days! We are the only chosen by the Deep One stationed here at Nohu Mangrove, but many more of our kind will come here to be reborn under Haven¡¯s protection. Our kind shed many times throughout long lives. When this happens, our shells are soft and vulnerable. So we gather here each full moon to shed our old selves.¡±


    ¡°Who is the Deep One?¡± Zeke asked, curious.


    ¡°The Deep One connects all ocean life. He honored our people with the symbiote, and we honor him with our lives.¡± Raf answered serenely.


    Something about the sound of that made Zeke¡¯s skin crawl. ¡°Can you tell me more about the symbiote?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Our symbiote is over a thousand years old. We have lived more than a hundred lives. And every life lives on in us.¡±


    ¡°How did Rafael Avalyn get a symbiote?¡±


    ¡°The angel Sophia led him to us. They desecrated the tomb of a revered queen of our people, stole our symbiote, and tricked us into bonding with him. At first, we were upset. But when we read his mind, there was so much to surprise us. We chose to help him. We were sad when he died, but also proud, for he died accomplishing his goal.¡±


    ¡°What was his goal?¡± Zeke asked.


    ¡°To free his sister Morgan, and punish the demon tormenting her.¡±


    ¡°I have an Aunt Morgan,¡± Zeke said offhandedly.


    Raf nearly toppled over. ¡°Morgan lives!? She survived the destruction of Crescent?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. And she gave me this longknife. I mean, Aunt Gwen gave me the longknife, but Morgan gave it to her, so it sorta comes from Morgan.¡± Zeke unbuckled the weapon from his waist and offered it to Raf.


    ¡°And little Gwendolyn lives!¡± Raf¡¯s bizarre voice sang of grief and joy. They tucked their abdomen forward, extending four wriggling tentacles to delicately hold the longknife as if it were a sacred relic and lifted it to their elongated compound eyes, investigating every detail.


    If a crab/squid could cry, Zeke imagined Raf would be sobbing. Instead, they lovingly returned the longknife to Zeke¡¯s careful hands.


    ¡°We hope to see them again someday,¡± said Raf, their voice strangely rich with emotion. ¡°Thank you for this knowledge. You¡¯ve eased Rafael¡¯s burden immensely.¡±


    Zeke could only nod. He had no idea what to do with other people¡¯s strong emotions. His parents were always so composed. So Zeke looked out of his shady enclave and noticed a bunch of otters, still watching him at a distance. Some hid behind branches and under fallen palm leaves, thinking to be discreet. Others sat plainly in the sun, hardly blinking or looking away.


    ¡°What¡¯s the deal with the otters?¡± he asked Raf.


    Raf collected themself and answered, ¡°The kush people. Their elders planted the seed here that grew into Haven. They sculpt and garden Haven¡¯s structure, with guidance and permission. They don¡¯t like you very much. Don¡¯t worry. Their fight is with Rowan, not you. They just don¡¯t trust you yet. But the kush can be brought over to your side. They¡¯re usually more fun to be around than this.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re usually playing some sort of game. And singing. They¡¯re usually singing.¡±


    Zeke thought of a game he might challenge the kush to play. ¡°And what about Haven itself? What was that leaf storm that threw Ma¡­ that threw Rowan out into the ocean?¡± Zeke wasn¡¯t sure why ¡®Mama¡¯ suddenly felt childish. She was like a stranger to him now, with so many sides he hadn¡¯t known before.


    Raf pretended not to notice. ¡°Haven is a forest spirit. Their form relates to their function and environment. Our environment is a sandbar surrounded by mangrove trees. So Haven takes the form of leaves in the wind. Haven is neither male nor female, but we think Haven acts like a boy. He¡¯s silent most times. Some mornings, he plays games with the Kush, teasing them with berries and bugs, making them chase him. He¡¯s surely watching and listening. Like the Kush. Like that merman over there. Do you see him? He¡¯s been watching you, too.¡±


    Zeke had noticed Toa¡¯s silvery hair shining in the sunlight. Zeke was ignoring him.


    ¡°Speaking of merfolk, who leads them, and how long do they live?¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    The enormous crab/squid laughed. ¡°When Rafael was alive, he thought the chosen were merfolk. Human education on ocean life is so inadequate! No one leads the merfolk. But the old maids are usually listened to. Merfolk can live for hundreds of years. Only a school of fifty live here at Nohu Mangrove. So they¡¯re a tight-knit and closed-off community. It¡¯s unusual to see only one mer. This one must have a rebellious spirit. The merfolk avoid us. Our kind don¡¯t mix well.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I witnessed that on the way over here. One of your¡­ chosen¡­ attacked us. I think I killed it-them but I lost my weapon. Raf! Can you swim down and get it back for me?!¡±


    Raf considered the request. Finally, they said, ¡°We can try, but the ocean floor is vast. It could take weeks or more, and someone might have already made off with it. Is this weapon worth the time and effort?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s important!¡± Zeke whispered, ¡°It¡¯s the Ivory Blade. It was my prison.¡±


    Again, Raf was silent. They were likely debating hundreds of ideas. Finally, Raf picked up their spear, marched to the open beach, and said, ¡°You are Eden¡¯s Ikon of Space. You can bring the blade to you from anywhere.¡±


    Zeke blanched. ¡°What? No, I can¡¯t! I need that sword to channel my powers!¡±


    ¡°Not true. Your fear and indecision hold you back.¡±


    ¡°I am not afraid!¡±


    ¡°You are afraid. And worse, you¡¯re passive. You always do what you¡¯re told.¡±


    ¡°I do not!¡±


    ¡°Stand and face me!¡±


    Zeke got up and stood his ground.


    Raf made an inscrutable gesture. ¡°What do you want, Zeke? Rafael Avalyn¡¯s want was clear. He wanted to free his sister. What do you want?¡±


    Zeke drew a blank. He had never given a thought to what he wanted. He was supposed to defeat Adam and Lilith. He wanted revenge against Adam.


    ¡°I want Adam to pay for his crimes,¡± Zeke answered.


    ¡°Is that what you want, or what Rowan wants for you?¡±


    Again Zeke was stumped. What did he want? Suppose he wanted to hold Dook again. Or maybe he just wanted his papa back. But was any of that possible?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Zeke confessed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I want.¡±


    ¡°Our training starts there,¡± declared Raf.


    -8-


    Most of Zeke¡¯s third final day was spent in guided meditation, with frequent pauses so Zeke could eat meals of fruits and salads. He was down by the shore collecting berries when Toa came close enough to say, ¡°I¡¯d like to bring you some food my family cooked.¡±


    Zeke shouted, ¡°You threatened to break my neck, Toa! I¡¯m not just going to forget that over a bowl of soup!¡± And Zeke marched away.


    ¡°Rowan was going to kill everyone, and I stopped her! I convinced Haven to give you sanctuary! Me! I saved your life, twice! I¡¯m not the bad guy!¡±


    Zeke was already far from the shore, but through the trees, he heard Toa shout, ¡°Zeke, I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    Zeke tried to ignore it but he was starting to cry. Then he remembered the Kush were watching him, judging him, so Zeke blew his nose and went back to camp.


    Meditation wasn¡¯t helping, at least not at first. It wasn¡¯t until late in the evening as Zeke started to doze off that anything happened. He was supposed to be meditating on the question, ¡®What do I want?¡¯ but Zeke¡¯s mind kept returning to the caverns. He wondered where Dook was. Zeke wanted to go home. He hated it here. He wanted to go back to the way things were. But there was no going back.


    Ugh, enough indulgent self-pity.


    Frustrated, Zeke opened his eyes to find himself home in bed.


    A great beam of sunlight cascaded through the ceiling. Birds danced in the golden air. Zeke¡¯s home was mostly demolished, but the plant-bug monsters were gone.


    He was home. How did he get home?


    Dook! Where was Dook? Zeke whistled Dook¡¯s call. He whistled again and again. Finally, Zeke heard squeaking in the distance. He ran toward the squeaks, and the squeaks got louder, until at last, a fuzzy little idiot bounced into his arms and covered his face in kisses.


    Dook survived! What a clever noodle.


    After a moment of bliss, Zeke picked up Dook and carried him home to bed. He cleaned up a little; just enough for Dook to climb into his bed. He shared with Dook the last of the dried meats.


    And Zeke went to sleep.


    -8-


    He was in a hallway. The walls were exquisitely carved to tell a story. He recognized Adam, the brute, the tyrant, pushing a woman down. She fell for a long time. And as she fell, an angel came to her and gave her wings of butterflies and bats.


    And the butterfly woman flew up and battled Adam, cutting off his hand and flying away with his sword.


    A shadow stole the sword from behind the butterfly woman. As the shadow disappeared with the sword, the butterfly woman erupted in a torrent of flames. She was devastated and betrayed.


    Zeke knew he shouldn¡¯t open the door. He knew it was dangerous. But the other wall told a different story. It was the story of his papa in a cage, beaten and broken, helpless and in pain.


    Zeke thought he knew what hate was. When he first saw Adam¡¯s shade, he thought that was hate, but he was wrong. Because this new feeling was so much more. Zeke hated whoever did this to Papa. He wanted to hurt them.


    So he opened the door.


    He was in a blue candlelit room. The walls were obsidian, smooth and ornate.


    And She stood there. Her wings were folded elegantly against her body, like a shimmering black leather dress. Her long black hair was silky and framed by two elegant horns. She had ashen grey skin and eyes of amethyst purple.


    ¡°At last, we meet,¡± Lilith said with a smile and open arms. On her right hand, she wore the Bone Gauntlet, the instrument she used to burn Papa. Another prison. Somehow Zeke knew his sister was in there.


    Zeke didn¡¯t hesitate. He drew his longknife and leaped across the room. Lilith smirked, caught the blade between two sharp fingers, and snapped the longknife into a hundred tiny shards that blew back at Zeke.


    Zeke collapsed as everything bled and hurt. He was blind in one eye.


    ¡°That was very rude,¡± Lilith chastened, leaning over him. ¡°And after I went through all that trouble to find you. The least you can do is hear me out.¡±


    Zeke struggled on the floor. ¡°You burned Papa and you took him!¡±


    ¡°Papa! Oh, my word. That is precious! Listen, yes. I have your papa. And I want you, too. The good news is, you get to decide how it happens. Come to me willingly and pledge yourself to my cause, and I will not harm you. Or your papa. The opposite! I will honor you above all others! You will be lord and commander of my armies.


    ¡°We both want the same thing, right? We want Adam to pay. So help me, and I¡¯ll help you, and we¡¯ll both get what we want. Or you can resist me. In that case, I kill your papa, and I put you back in the sword.¡±


    Zeke was paralyzed and terrified. He couldn¡¯t move or say anything.


    ¡°Think about it,¡± Lilith said. Then she put a finger on a shard embedded in Zeke¡¯s forehead and pushed.


    -8-


    And Zeke woke up screaming in bed, drenched in sweat. He felt his face but the shards were never real. Dook had run off and was hiding somewhere. Zeke must have thrashed in his sleep. He got out of bed and walked down to the stream to wash himself. He caught a fish, prepared it, and cooked it. By that time, Dook had crawled out from hiding to investigate the smells.


    He ate breakfast, fed Dook the scraps, and all the time, Zeke asked himself, ¡®What do I want?¡¯


    ¡°I want to rescue Papa,¡± Zeke decided. ¡°I want to rescue my sister. And I want Lilith to pay.¡±


    With his mind made up, a lot of things became clearer. He kissed Dook and said goodbye. He wouldn¡¯t take Dook from his home. Dook was better off here with all the mice and rabbits to hunt.


    With a wistful glance at his childhood home, Zeke bid farewell. Then he closed his eyes and began to meditate. Wanting to go home was a child¡¯s wish. Zeke had grander ambitions.


    It wasn¡¯t long until Zeke heard the waves brush against the sand, and felt the cool ocean breeze on his cheeks. He didn¡¯t need to open his eyes to know. He was back.

 Chapter 10 - Forest Folk

    At first, Sam thought he was still dreaming.


    Hormiz was there. He was bandaging Sam¡¯s hands. He looked so much like his mother. His ears, his claws, his tail, his backwards canine legs. But his fur was dark grey, with black and white accents. He had Sam¡¯s grey eyes and ashen complexion.


    ¡°Son,¡± was all Sam could say.


    Hormiz tensed and froze for a second, but then continued bandaging Sam¡¯s hands, saying nothing.


    ¡°You ate my fingers,¡± Sam thought aloud.


    Hormiz shuddered but otherwise ignored Sam.


    ¡°But I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re alive.¡±


    Hormiz stood and dropped Sam¡¯s bandaged hand to slam against the floor. ¡°Don¡¯t act so grateful. I already told Lilith about your other son. She knows what you did, and she¡¯ll be looking for him now.¡±


    Sam¡¯s head spun from the pain and blood loss. He slowly and carefully rolled himself into a sitting position.


    ¡°Zeke is ready. Lilith won¡¯t find him. And if she does, he¡¯ll defeat her.¡±


    Hormiz scoffed. ¡°Lilith can¡¯t be defeated.¡±


    ¡°I beat her,¡± Sam countered.


    ¡°You stole from her. And look what it cost you,¡± Hormiz spat.


    ¡°Helping her is what cost me you,¡± Sam said bitterly. ¡°She must have used the Ivory Blade to steal you while I was recovering from Adam¡¯s blast. I was bedridden for months. I had no idea.¡±


    ¡°Shut up! I won¡¯t hear your lies!¡± Hormiz shouted but he looked afraid.


    ¡°You have my eyes,¡± Sam said. ¡°But you look more like your mother. You¡¯re a shapeshifter, too, aren¡¯t you? That¡¯s how you could look like one of the flower-bugs.¡±


    Hormiz softened. ¡°You saw me in the dream, so why keep up pretenses? Don¡¯t think this changes anything. You¡¯re going to pay for what you did. I¡¯m just keeping you alive so Lilith can decide what to do with you.¡±


    ¡°How long until we reach Nod?¡±


    ¡°A few more days. I¡¯ll send one of the drones in to feed you. You will eat or they will force it down your throat. You are to stay alive.¡±


    With nothing else to say, Hormiz left the blindingly bright room and didn¡¯t return.


    -8-


    The forest was bathed in moonlight. It was a magical forest, but it looked especially magical that morning.


    It might have been the pixies. The uninitiated might mistake a pixie for a large bug flying in the distance, but Rowan knew better. They kept far away but were always watching. Drones were no use to Rowan; she needed a guide, and those pixies would take no action unless directed by their queen. So Rowan continued deeper and deeper into the forest. There were few trails, but Rowan had no trouble leaping from tree to tree branch or clearing. Suddenly the ground trembled; a loud thumping from up ahead. Rowan hurried towards it and came upon a clearing. In the middle, surrounded by wildflowers, was the Lord of Prey.


    Jack resembled a rabbit the size of a bear. Antlers crowned his head, and he was thumping his foot on the ground, causing the tremors. His thumping stopped as Rowan arrived with a smile.


    ¡°Hello, Jack. I trust you¡¯ve been well.¡±


    Jack bowed his horned head in greeting. His voice was deep and playful. ¡°Well enough, m¡¯dear. I heard the wind whispering ye were back. Shall we go for a stroll, like we used to?¡±


    ¡°Thank you kindly. I hoped I might find you. Can you lead me to Drya?¡±


    ¡°Why, of course, darlin. For the price of a story. Ye¡¯ll tell me what brings ye back this way, and how long ye¡¯ll be stayin.¡±


    ¡°Naturally,¡± answered Rowan with a grin.


    They set off and Rowan told Jack the whole story. There was no sense keeping secrets. Jack could suss them out. Besides, there were few beings Rowan had the pleasure to confide in.


    She enjoyed the irony of their friendship, a fox and a rabbit. Of course, Jack was no simple rabbit, less than Rowan was a simple fox. Like Rowan, Jack was ageless, but he was older than Rowan. Much older.


    Jack was there at the dawn of Eden. Crafted by God to help set and keep the balance between predator and prey, Jack was the spirit of mercy and slaughter. He¡¯d fled Garden back when Adam betrayed the five Ikons, took their powers, and began his crusade on ageless beings.


    Both of them were refugees of time and circumstance. But for Jack, survival was enough. He could stay content in this forest forever. Rowan had grander ambitions. So they were old friends with many differences of opinion. And Jack was always happy to share his opinions.


    ¡°The dreams ain¡¯t making Gwen sick,¡± he declared with gruff. ¡°She weren¡¯t meant to be ageless. Her brain weren¡¯t built for it. She¡¯s starting over. Burning the field to plant new memories, as it were.¡±


    Rowan considered his explanation. She didn¡¯t like it, but Jack was rarely wrong.


    ¡°Even if the dreams aren¡¯t causing her illness, they aren¡¯t helping. She¡¯s being traumatized again and again, night after night. Besides that, if Adam attacks Nohu Mangrove, I need to get Zeke out of there. But I don¡¯t know when it will happen, and I can¡¯t go back to warn him myself. Haven will kill him if I go back. So I need more information.¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Aye, ye¡¯re in a pinch. Can¡¯t do anything, damned if ye do nothing. Maybe ye send a message.¡±


    ¡°Zeke isn¡¯t a strong dreamer, and I don¡¯t dare try to reach him now that Lilith is hunting for him. She might follow me, and I could lead her to him.¡±


    ¡°I meant send a messenger.¡±


    ¡°Haven is out in the deep ocean. A pixie wouldn¡¯t survive the trip.¡±


    ¡°A selkie, then?¡±


    ¡°A what?¡±


    ¡°A selkie. Oh, ye¡¯ve been gone a long time, haven¡¯t ye? Ye weren¡¯t here when the selkie came ashore. The seal-folk. Some of them get along nicely with yer human friends. I reckon they¡¯d do ye a favor if¡¯n ye asked politely. They seem a decent folk. Not too high on the food chain.¡±


    Rowan smirked at Jack¡¯s little dig. He had a predilection for prey animals, and Rowan was an apex predator. Jack felt it was his duty to take hunters down a peg. She let him have his jabs. She was still the fox in this relationship. Even though Jack was her guide.


    They bounded through openings in the trees. Rowan heard the sound of running water and knew they were getting close. Soon they were splashing along a rocky beach, speeding upstream. The clean, misty open air was fragrant with pine and live fish. They rushed by bears, mountain lions, wolves, deer, boars, and endless clouds of bugs.


    At last, they came upon a magnificent waterfall. Misty air sparkled in the sunlight. Pink and pale blue water lilies decorated the small lake. Flowering rhododendron trees dropped vibrant petals onto the water¡¯s surface. Bird songs filled the air.


    Near the shore was an enormous pine tree covered in whitecap mushrooms. Bushy green moss could be seen beneath the fungus. Its high branches were full of shining silver nettles. And beneath the shade of the silver pine sat a most bizarre-looking person.


    Drya looked like a whitecap and a little human woman combined. Instead of hair, silky threads and little mushrooms crowned her head. Eight black eyes dotted her face. Her skin was white, firm, and dewy.


    Drya was lounging on a mossy stone and gossiping with the Pixie Queen, herself perched on a low branch of the silver pine tree. The old queen must have died, because Rowan didn¡¯t recognize this young, proud-looking pixie. She wore red rhododendron petals around her waist and thorax, a striking change from her predecessor¡¯s choice of yellow sunflower. Rowan thought, perhaps this queen can be convinced to fight.


    Drya rose and glided toward Rowan to embrace her friend and fellow refugee. Drya¡¯s feet never fully touched the ground; instead, near-invisible strands of mycelium carried her wherever she wanted to go. A thin fungal layer covered every surface of the forest. No doubt, Drya knew Rowan had returned the instant she touched the forest floor. But Drya waited for Rowan to come to her. It was her way.


    ¡°My love, it¡¯s so good to see you again! Come, you must meet the new pixie queen. Let me present, Queen Titania the Eighth. Long may she reign.¡±


    ¡°Titia, for short,¡± said the Pixie Queen. She had leafy green skin and human-like features.


    ¡°An honor to meet you, Titia,¡± said Rowan.


    ¡°Queen Titia,¡± the little regent corrected. Then she took to the air and flew around Rowan, sizing her up.


    ¡°So you¡¯re the operative,¡± said the queen appraisingly. ¡°Drya tells me you¡¯re our best. What news do you bring?¡±


    ¡°Dire news, Queen Titia. Lilith has taken Samaal and she knows about Zeke. I thought I left him somewhere safe, but now I worry he is in danger. Morgan tells me of a Mothman in your court. A harbinger of dreams. I need to treat with this Mothman.¡±


    Drya answered, puffing spores as she said, ¡°You speak of visions, not dreams. The Mothman brings warning of the future.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that. No one can know the future. But if I''m wrong, if this¡­ vision is going to happen, I need to know when. Is it imminent? Can it be stopped?¡± Rowan asked.


    ¡°The Mothman won¡¯t answer questions. He doesn¡¯t communicate directly. The only way to know more is to finish the vision.¡±


    Rowan considered a moment. ¡°So I have to sleep until the Mothman brings me a stronger vision?¡±


    Queen Titia spoke in voice high and mighty, ¡°There is another way. The Mothman¡¯s visions are carried on the winds. You might go to the source and breathe in his dust directly.¡±


    Sounds horrifying and gross, thought Rowan. But the Queen was testing her, daring her to do it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll need a guide to the Mothman,¡± she said.


    Drya cheered happily, ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll take you! But first, there¡¯s another person you have to meet. Rowan, I have a daughter!¡±


    Rowan was elated. The birth of a spirit was a rare miracle these days. A new forest could be planted anywhere, with a whole new generation of refugees. This was truly an event worth commemorating.


    ¡°I named her Nya. Look, she¡¯s asleep in this lily.¡±


    Nya¡¯s water lily was large and white. Rowan peeled back petals to peek inside and saw a tiny glowing frog resting in a tiny pool of water. She still had her tadpole tail, which shimmered bright blue.


    ¡°She¡¯s perfect, Drya,¡± Rowan said.


    Drya¡¯s smooth white face broke into happy spores. She then turned to face Jack. ¡°Will you wait with Nya until we return?¡± she asked.


    Jack nodded once. ¡°Gladly, m¡¯lady.¡±


    Drya floated higher in the air on her mycelium strands. ¡°We¡¯ll be off at once. Titia, you will come with us, won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course! It was my suggestion, after all.¡± Queen Titia declared imperiously.


    And together they went.


    ¡°There is more to report,¡± Rowan said as the three of them moved through the forest, Rowan leaping, Titia flying, and Drya floating. ¡°Gwen has fallen ill. Jack believes she is resetting. Our chief illusionist is out of the fight, and Lilith has Morgan¡¯s coinnigh in her sights. Lilith will attack soon. Your forest isn¡¯t safe. Even Adam has noticed, and he wants to burn every tree on this island.¡±


    Drya stopped midair. That would mean death for her and Nya.


    Rowan and Titia waited.


    Rowan continued, ¡°It¡¯s the Mothman¡¯s dreams or visions or whatever. They¡¯re too conspicuous. The Church is looking into it.¡±


    ¡°So if the visions stop, the Church will relent?¡± Queen Titia asked.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t count on that. Adam¡¯s eye is already on you. But it might buy you more time,¡± Rowan allowed.


    Drya collected herself. ¡°Then we should make haste. Come, the Mothman isn¡¯t far.¡±


    They hurried the rest of the way in relative silence, as the sounds of forest life surrounded them.


    It was early sunrise by the time Drya stopped at a dying tree. At the foot of the tree was a mound of freshly excavated dirt. Something was eating the tree¡¯s roots.


    ¡°He usually comes up at night,¡± said Drya. ¡°But I can compel him to rise now.¡± She lifted a delicate white hand, and the ground spread apart. The dying tree fell over, ripping large roots into the air.


    The Mothman was holding tight to a central root, mouth clamped tightly into it. He resembled a human man, if a human had thick plates of shiny, interlocking skin and red compound eyes that covered his entire head. His wings were fluffy and shimmered blue and grey with specks of white.


    ¡°Allow me,¡± said Queen Titia, who flew to the Mothman and whispered closely in a language Rowan didn¡¯t understand.


    He crawled out from between the roots and crouched on all fours. His wings fluttered and a small cloud of dust appeared. Then he crawled with astonishing speed up to Rowan and turned himself sideways.


    ¡°He invites you to breathe in understanding,¡± Queen Titia translated.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Rowan said politely, but she didn¡¯t like this. She had no idea what effect it would have, or what horrible truths she might discover. But it had to be done. She leaned over and inhaled a lungful of moth dust.


    And then Rowan collapsed on a bed of moss Drya kindly summoned.


    Patterns. That¡¯s what the visions are, Rowan realized, the calculus of patterns. The Mothman collected patterns on the wind. His wings counted the signals and made suppositions. Adam was very likely to attack Haven, given the patterns on the wind.


    Adam¡¯s familiars. They¡¯ve been migrating off-season in a steady progression. Methodical. And their paths would intersect with Haven. They would arrive in a matter of days.


    Rowan got the information she came for, but the vision wasn¡¯t done with her yet. She had to ride it out. She saw a seagull familiar spying on Haven. She saw Zeke sparring with a cthulian. He was wielding the Ivory Blade. She saw merfolk and otters and all the sea and island creatures that called Haven home. And Adam saw them, too. She saw him fly at terrible speed to Haven. She watched helplessly in the night as he erased countless lives, including Zeke¡¯s. The Ivory Blade fell from his lifeless hands onto barren sands. Rowan could only watch as Adam took back the sword and raged at an empty shell. The Ikon¡¯s soul was already gone.


    Zeke was going to die.

 Chapter 11 - Last Day of Haven

    Zeke¡¯s last day was interrupted in the early morning by the arrival of three strangers to Nohu Mangrove. Raf said they were selkies. They looked like naked humans carrying seal-skin blankets.


    They spoke to Haven first.


    Zeke and Raf watched from a distance, hiding in the waves as beach debris. Whatever the strangers said, it caused quite an uproar. The kush were crying. The merfolk held one another. The wind blew into a storm. Leaves twisted like razors in the wind.


    Then every head turned to look directly at Zeke. Some kush pointed.


    The three selkies walked forward solemnly.


    Zeke pissed himself a little. Then he stood up and walked out of the shallows. There was no point hiding any longer. Raf followed him, splashing loudly.


    They all met between palm trees with the ocean on their side.


    The selkies were each blushingly good-looking. The two young women were like night and day; one with hair the color of a red sunrise, the other selkie was black as a moonless night. The man was brown with long braids. They each carried the pelt of a seal, which swayed in the wind, barely covering their defined bodies and ample sexes.


    Zeke concentrated on serious things and tried not to look. ¡°Hi,¡± he said, looking anywhere but down.


    ¡°Hi,¡± the pale, red-haired selkie spoke first. ¡°My name is Kayla. This is Maeve, and Plenty. Your mother sent us with a message for you.¡±


    ¡°Hi,¡± he said again. ¡°I¡¯m Zeke. This is my friend Raf. What¡¯s the message?¡±


    Maeve spoke in a dire, velvety voice, ¡°One of Adam¡¯s familiars is flying this way. She expects it to arrive tomorrow around midday. We¡¯ve come to carry you out of here.¡±


    ¡°What? I can¡¯t leave. I just got back! No. No, I can stop the familiar before it gets near the grove. I just need my sword.¡±


    Plenty with the long braids said, ¡°Zeke, your mother believes this island will be destroyed tomorrow night. Adam will come to do it personally.¡±


    ¡°But what about the people here? The full moon is tonight. Dozens of cthulians will be here.¡±


    The selkies answered with mournful glances.


    ¡°No! No, that is not an answer. No.¡±


    Kayla said threateningly, ¡°You¡¯re coming with us, Zeke.¡±


    ¡°Try and make me,¡± he said softly. Raf stepped forward on giant crab legs that stabbed the sand. The wind howled and even some of the kush were barking.


    Maeve shouted, ¡°Fine! You know the doom is coming so maybe you can avoid it. We cannot make you leave. But we will not stay with you. Good luck.¡±


    With that, the three selkies walked into the ocean, threw the seal skins over their heads, and turned into seals. They dove underwater and were gone.


    Zeke spent the rest of the day meditating on the Ivory Blade. He needed to want the damn thing, but he didn¡¯t want it. The Dread Sword, he named it years ago. It¡¯s presence tormented him, and he was glad to be rid of it. Except he needed it if he was going to protect his grove.


    His grove. What a funny notion. Suppose his friendship with Raf was growing on him. Even the kush seemed to be warming up to him. They were playing a game with a clam shell nearby. They defended Zeke when the selkies threatened him. Haven blew up a storm.


    He didn¡¯t want them to die.


    Even Toa. Zeke was angry and would never trust Toa again, but he still cared for him. And Zeke owed him one.


    He was too distracted. Zeke sighed in frustration and stood up. He needed something to clear his head, so he went for a walk along the beach. Raf stayed behind at Zeke¡¯s request. He wanted a moment alone.


    Of course, the kush followed him. They were less quiet than before, chirping and bounding and wrestling with one another. They were annoying at first, but they reminded Zeke a little of Dook, and that gave him an idea.


    He went inland to grab twelve sticks and an intact coconut. Then he went back to the beach and stuck the sticks into the sand in a triangle pattern. Zeke walked five paces and drew a line. Behind the line, he built a ramp for the coconut.


    The ever-curious kush were creeping closer to watch whatever Zeke was doing.


    When the game was ready, Zeke dropped the coconut from the highest point of the ramp, and watched it roll down toward the upright sticks. The nut only toppled three sticks, so Zeke made a big show of disappointment and then collected the three sticks. Then he demolished the ramp and built it again. And again, he dropped the coconut to roll down, but this time, it knocked down six sticks.


    Zeke danced with exaggerated victory, ran around and thanked the crowd of kush for watching such a spectacular sporting event; the way Zeke¡¯s papa used to pretend when they played this game back home.


    Most of the kush were nonplussed, but a few got into it, bouncing for joy and rushing the field to demolish the ramp and build a new one.


    Zeke played several rounds with the kush, teaching them made up rules; when suddenly, all the kush stopped and turned to face the ocean. Zeke followed their gaze and noticed a seal bouncing ashore. Surely, this was one of the selkies from earlier, but where were the other two?


    Zeke ran to meet the selkie, expecting more bad news.


    ¡°Greeting again,¡± the selkie lifted her skin, and the beautiful, naked, red-haired woman who threatened him earlier stepped out. She covered herself with seal skin but not before showing Zeke an eyefull.


    He was struck stupid. ¡°Uh, hi. Again. Hi. Um. What are you¡­ or, um, why are you here?¡±


    Kayla the selkie gave a vicious smile. She was enjoying his discomfort. ¡°You left us little choice. Maeve and Plenty have gone back to report your foolishness to your mother. I stayed behind to bear witness to it. If we survive, I¡¯ll owe you an apology. If we don¡¯t, well, I¡¯ll just say it now: I told you so.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the vote of confidence. Do you have anything useful to add or just rude words? Because you can ¡®bear witness¡¯ from farther away.¡±


    Zeke turned to walk away, but the selkie pouted, ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be like that. I come bearing gifts. Look!¡± Kayla pointed to the sky but Zeke saw nothing but clouds.


    ¡°Look at what? There¡¯s nothing there,¡± he said.


    ¡°Look closer!¡± she said, still pointing. ¡°See the shimmer? Those are hoodwinks. They¡¯re nearly invisible, but they shimmer in the light. Look!¡±


    It took a minute but Zeke did see something. Kayla held out her arm, and several translucent birds flew down to perch on her hand and shoulder. Zeke stepped closer to get a better look. Even up close, he could barely see them. He saw tiny little organs pumping blood into tiny veins. Zeke could see through them almost entirely.


    ¡°Your mama thought these might be helpful. I¡¯m not so sure. Maeve, Plenty, and I helped them make the journey. They¡¯re not long-distance fliers. I don¡¯t know think they can fell a familiar before the familiar gets too close.¡±


    Hoodwinks were an idea.


    ¡°But with the Ivory Blade, the instant the familiar appears on the horizon, I can cleave it in two,¡± Zeke said. ¡°The hoodwinks won¡¯t be necessary.¡±


    Kayla¡¯s eyebrows furrowed suspiciously. ¡°You have the Ivory Blade?¡±


    Zeke blushed. ¡°Not¡­ exactly. But Raf thinks I can summon it from anywhere. I should be meditating, not talking to you!¡± Zeke stormed off and felt embarrassed.


    Kayla followed him at a distance. When Zeke returned to his shelter to meditate with Raf, Kayla was swimming in seal form just off the beach.


    Zeke tried to ignore her; like he was trying to ignore Toa, who also swam nearby but kept a greater distance. The shores were getting crowded. Not the least due to the massive influx of cthulian visitors attending the full moon¡¯s molting ceremony. They crawled over one another and jostled for space, making an awful ruckus. Zeke tried to ignore them, too.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    It took hours to block everything out.


    Zeke wanted to save Haven. He wanted to save the kush. He wanted to save Raf and their people. He wanted to save the merfolk. And he wanted that rude selkie Kayla to eat her words. He wanted the Ivory Blade to make it possible.


    He reached out his hand and felt his fingers enclose a familiar sadness. Zeke took a sharp intake. He did it. He opened his eyes to behold the Ivory Blade in his hand. It was heavy but Zeke carried the weight like a friend from childhood. Shades of sea green dusted the winged serpent engraving. Familiar waves of grief and hopelessness hit him like a relentless bad idea. He tested the edge with his thumb, but it was dull. He needed a whetstone.


    Raf was again helpful in finding a large and porous stone to suit Zeke¡¯s need, and then carried it in their enormous pincer claw to the shore so it would get wet.


    Zeke grabbed a handful of moss to wash off the ocean detritus that stained the Ivory Blade. When it was cleaner, Zeke got to sharpening the weapon.


    Kayla swam by in seal form, took a seat, and then disrobed, seal skin draped over her shoulders. Her arms and legs were crossed. ¡°Have you considered the possibility that this is a bad idea?¡±


    Zeke sighed. ¡°Say what you want to say and then shove off.¡±


    ¡°Bird¡¯s eyes are better than yours. If you see a familiar in the sky, it has already seen you. It will see the Ivory Blade before you kill it. Do you think Adam might come, not to exterminate a little island of misfits, but to retrieve the very thing that you are sharpening out in the open evening sunlight?¡±


    Zeke almost panicked. She was right! How could he have been so stupid?! So reckless?! He had to put it back. He had to hide it. Zeke ran back to his shelter and buried the Ivory Blade under layers of moss and dirt. Then he sat down to breathe.


    What was he going to do? The Ivory Blade was his big play, but he couldn¡¯t use it. The hoodwinks were an idea, but they couldn¡¯t fly out far enough. Maybe the merfolk could carry them out? But then the familiar would see the merfolk.


    What if Zeke moved the hoodwinks most of the way? Could he even do it? How would he get them back?


    But it was an idea.


    Zeke spent most of the night practicing. When he was sure he could do it, he waved down both Kayla and Toa. Raf followed him everywhere. And Zeke told them all his plan. There was some discussion and Kayla made corrections, but everyone agreed.


    That night, he barely got sleep. There were nerves, yes, but also hundreds of giant crab-squid-people were really crowding the shores, and they made a racket. Some of the cthulians had a snapping claw, which they used to snap loudly at all hours, day or night. Zeke told himself they would all be gone after tomorrow night, but was partly grateful to be kept awake.


    Zeke was afraid when he opened the door, maybe it stayed open.


    Lilith was out there, waiting for Zeke¡¯s answer. What would he say to her?


    But eventually, he slept.


    Lilith scooped him up and dropped him in a chair in her obsidian room. Zeke took a second to collect his thoughts and look around. Blue and purple lit candles. Carved armies of cainkin decorated the dark stone walls. Lilith was leaning on a desk in the center of the room.


    ¡°Have you considered my offer?¡± she asked as if curious what was for dinner.


    Zeke said, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve been worrying about other things. I¡¯m very busy.¡±


    ¡°What could be more pressing than this?¡± she casually inquired.


    ¡°Tomorrow night, Adam will attack this grove and kill everyone, including me, unless I can stop his familiar from seeing the grove. So I¡¯ve been concentrating on that immediate threat. If I¡¯m still alive tomorrow night, I will have an answer for you.¡±


    Lilith¡¯s face twitched at the mention of Adam, but then smiled. ¡°Very well.¡±


    Then she was gone, and Zeke fell again into his own dreams.


    Raf shook Zeke awake before sunrise on the big day.


    The grove was a cacophony of deafening crunches as cthulians ate their discarded shells. Some were still twitching underwater, recovering from last night¡¯s endeavor. Others had finished and left already, leaving bits of shell for others to make a snack. The entire event had been disgusting, terrifying, and loud. But Zeke supposed it was also a spectacle.


    He was fascinated to see the variety within cthulian people. They came in every size and vibrant colors. Most were smaller than Raf, but some were bigger. Some had different claws than Raf¡¯s giant pincer. Some had a long spear-like claw. Others had round claws that Zeke didn¡¯t understand. The snapping-claw cthulians were Zeke¡¯s least favorite.


    But all that was merely an unpleasant distraction. It was time.


    He knew when the familiar would arrive, so Zeke led his team out to intercept it.


    Zeke climbed on Raf¡¯s back and held his breath.


    The mangrove trees prevented any surface swimmer from entering Haven¡¯s shores. Everyone had to swim through an underwater opening in the mangrove roots. The kush had been tending and guiding the mangrove forest entrance for centuries. It was beautiful, an open doorway of green and endless blue.


    Zeke held on to Raf¡¯s back carapace. Their four powerful tentacles and system of internal jets made them a fast ride, if not a comfortable one. When he needed air, he¡¯d raise his fist. Raf would pause and Toa would rush in to breathe fresh air into Zeke¡¯s lungs.


    Kayla reasoned the familiar would fly from the direction of Garden Capital, so she led the way. She was in seal form, and she stayed on the surface so the hoodwinks could land on her tummy when they got tired.


    A seal at sea wouldn¡¯t attract attention the way a human, cthulian, and merman at sea would. So they stayed under water and out of sight, while Kayla was their scout.


    It was slow but steady going, and after a long time, Kayla swam down and gave the signal.


    Which caused Raf to slowly lift Zeke so his head broke the surface, hiding behind Kayla¡¯s fat, fuzzy belly. She had assured Zeke the hoodwinks understood their instructions, and were indeed perched on Kayla¡¯s tumtum, waiting to be deployed.


    Zeke opened his hand and felt the tiny sharp claws of a hoodwink jump into his palm. He looked out into the distant sky and saw nothing. No, there was a speck, so far away he could see no detail at all. He closed his eyes and found his meditative state. He opened them again and blew the hoodwink away, and his hand felt instantly lighter.


    Zeke deployed all six hoodwinks in rapid fashion and then submerged again. Toa continued supplying him oxygen, and Kayla continued out to sea. And until Kayla gave the next signal, they all waited anxiously.


    They were waiting for the hoodwinks to blind the familiar. Since they were nearly invisible, and the familiar was so far away, Zeke could only guess and hope they didn¡¯t arrive too far off their target.


    It took several minutes for the hoodwinks to reorganize themselves and make their attack. Two hoodwinks coordinated their dive to blind the familiar instantly, scratching his eyes out. The other four attacked its neck, and the avian instrument of doom fell to the ocean like a speck of dirt on the horizon.


    Kayla dove to give the signal, and everyone surfaced. The sandbar was so far behind them, Zeke couldn¡¯t see it on the horizon. He hoped they had gone far enough. Raf, Kayla, and Toa hurried forward to rescue the conquering hoodwinks, saviors of Haven.


    After crossing the distance, all six hoodwinks landed to perch on Toa¡¯s hair, or Zeke¡¯s shoulders, or Kayla¡¯s belly. Toa had speared a fish and was carving it into little bites for the exhausted hoodwinks.


    The plan worked. And no one died. Except the familiar. Even ocean predators left them unbothered. They rested a bit before swimming back to Nohu Mangrove, and they returned to a celebration.


    Haven had heard every word of Zeke¡¯s plan last night and knew their return meant success. The violet and green petals danced in the spinning breeze. The kush were singing! They were singing in harmony and joy the most beautiful sound Zeke had ever heard.


    A giant cthulian, fully five times Raf¡¯s size and covered in vibrant colors, stood motionless to the side.


    Zeke jumped off Raf¡¯s back and walked on wobbly legs to greet Haven.


    ¡°We owe you our lives.¡± Haven¡¯s voice was deep and whistling. ¡°We are eternally grateful to you. Please accept our deepest apologies for our earlier lack of hospitality. But we fear you have only stalled Adam. The threat remains. He will send another familiar, and another, and even if you could stop them all, he would only grow more suspicious. We have deliberated and difficult decisions have been made. The mer will withdraw to the glowing caves. The cthulians will vacate Nohu Mangrove for one year. The kush have divided in two. The youngest kush will go with you to Morgan¡¯s coinnigh. With luck, the next time Adam¡¯s familiar flies over us, we will appear as a simple sandbar with simple creatures. If we¡¯re not so lucky, we wish to minimize the losses. We would ask the hoodwinks to remain, so no familiar ever looks too closely.¡±


    Kayla answered, ¡°Now, hold on a minute! The hoodwinks agree to stay. They like your fruits and berries. But Morgan¡¯s coinnigh is crowded enough as it is, and this isn¡¯t a good time for new tenants.¡±


    ¡°Then Rowan can find them a suitable home. Tell her she can consider the conservation of the kush people her penance for her role in Crescent¡¯s destruction. If Rowan agrees, she will be welcome on our shores again. Ready yourselves and depart at once.¡±


    Zeke felt all the air leave his body. He was scared to travel again, but excited to see Rowan again, and to meet Morgan at last!


    So Zeke ran back to his shelter to recover the Ivory Blade. Zeke could summon the sword from anywhere but leaving it behind in a place Adam was threatening was too dangerous. Carrying it across the open ocean was a tremendous risk he didn¡¯t wish to repeat, but he couldn¡¯t leave it behind, and the caves weren¡¯t safe anymore. So Zeke wrapped it in banana leaves and tied it with twine Raf had taught him to make.


    Then Zeke ran back to his friends on the beach.


    Toa was holding an ornate water bag tied to a new belt. He said, ¡°This is a gift from my mother. She hopes it brings you joy and utility.¡± The bag was polished to shine and decorated with dolphins, merfolk, and whales. Inside was a hearty white soup, which was tangy yet delicious. ¡°I know you don¡¯t trust me, and maybe you never will. I am so sorry I hurt you. If you ever need my help again, you know where to find me.¡±


    Zeke hadn¡¯t forgiven Toa, but he wasn¡¯t angry anymore. Zeke accepted the thoughtful gift and said, ¡°Thank you, Toa. I will remember your promise.¡±


    Toa smiled sadly and then slithered off to be with his people.


    Kayla said, ¡°Are we ready? Yes? Let¡¯s go.¡±


    But Raf said, ¡°Wait. The Deep One would like an audience with you, Zeke.¡±


    The giant cthulian stepped forward on two crab legs as long and thick as a tree. The ground shook when their sharp feet stabbed the dirt and sand. The giant stopped in front of Zeke and made chittering noises.


    Raf translated, ¡°Her name means Priestess. She is the voice of the One in the Deep. The One expresses gratitude to you, Ikon Zeke. He has watched you with great interest and satisfaction, and would like to formally offer you symbiosis with the Deep One.¡±


    Zeke was uncomfortable and a little scared. He looked to Kayla for guidance, but she was motionless with fear. ¡°What would that mean, exactly?¡±


    Priestess chittered a response and Raf translated, ¡°The Deep One grants you your choice of symbiote, but observes you have a kinship with ours, so the One offers us to you. You have only to swim underwater and put the symbiote to your ear, and we will be connected forever.¡±


    ¡°What would happen to you?¡±


    ¡°Tzik-Enu¡¯s body would die, but her mind would live on in us.¡±


    Zeke considered his next words carely. ¡°Please tell the Deep One that, much as I appreciate the generous offer, I don¡¯t want anyone to die. You¡¯re my friend, and I like you the way you are.¡±


    Raf translated her response. ¡°The One accepts your decision but notes the invitation is open. Should you change your mind, we are compelled to offer ourselves to you. And should we fall, our head is the One¡¯s gift to you.¡±


    ¡°Cool. Got it. Was there anything else or should we go?¡±


    ¡°Priestess gives us leave.¡±


    ¡°Great! Thank you so much. Everybody. Let¡¯s move out!¡±

 Chapter 12 - Waiting on Safo

    Once Rowan woke from the vision, she raced to Morgan¡¯s coinnigh. The moon was high and Gwen was playing with the goats while Morgan watched from the patio, but when Rowan stepped over the fence separating the woods, Gwen ran over and jumped into Rowan¡¯s arms like she used to when she was very young.


    Gwen was, in truth, thirty-eight years old, but since the day that mad doctor infused her with cainkin blood, she hadn¡¯t aged a day. Gwen still looked eight years old, but now she was acting like it. She wasn¡¯t using any language. She tried to swing from Rowan¡¯s arm. And she threw a tantrum when Rowan asked Morgan to bring her to the selkies.


    Suddenly, Gwen became dangerous. She found the words for, ¡°Where is Apple?¡± and repeated them furiously at Rowan. Everything went dark, even the moon. The only light was shining off Gwen¡¯s eyes. And she kept repeating, ¡°Where is Apple?¡±


    Rowan wouldn¡¯t answer. Apple was the name of Gwen¡¯s long-dead pet, the one Rowan put down. Somehow, Gwen was remembering the little shit. Her memories were flashing by as they slipped away, and now Gwen was furious. She leapt at Rowan¡¯s throat with incredible speed and ferocity for such a small creature.


    Quick as light, Morgan held Gwen in a barrier so Rowan could charm Gwen to sleep.


    ¡°Now you see what we meant earlier. If you weren¡¯t here to charm her, a tantrum like that would have gone on for hours,¡± Morgan said wearily. She was a strong woman approaching fifty, but carrying Gwen¡¯s burden and containing her threat was exhausting.


    They carried Gwen into bed. Rowan didn¡¯t speak until they left Gwen¡¯s room, ¡°Jack believes the visions are not the cause of Gwen¡¯s illness. He believes she is losing her memories to make space for a new life cycle. She¡¯s reverting to a child and needs to be taught everything again.¡±


    Morgan looked crushed. ¡°So she¡¯s never coming back?¡±


    Rowan sighed. ¡°Perhaps one day, if we do everything right. But she will cycle again. She must prepare journals, documenting her memories for her future selves.¡±


    Morgan nodded solemnly. Then she led Rowan to the slaughterhouse, where a beautifully sculpted man with long braids was bleeding a goat. Morgan explained his name was Plenty. He and some other selkies helped on the farm in exchange for privileges, and preparing Gwen¡¯s dinner was this one¡¯s task. Plenty could be trusted and relied on. So Rowan begged Plenty to take a team to Nohu Mangrove and bring Zeke here. Rowan explained the vision and told him to take some hoodwinks, just in case.


    Plenty assembled a team and left that night.


    And then all Rowan could do was go through the motions; waiting, hoping it wasn¡¯t too late, that she wouldn¡¯t lose her second son. Hormiz! How could she have been so stupid? How did Lilith do it? It shouldn¡¯t even be possible. Rowan woke to find the crib covered in blood and the window open. She searched the woods and found only scraps of bloody clothes, and a pack of wolves gnawing on little bones. How did Lilith do it? How could Rowan be so easily tricked?


    Rowan fell into an uneasy sleep. Dreamriding was harder with an unsettled mind.


    She dreamed she was searching for her sons, but they were already lost. She was frantic and alone in the dense mist. Rowan called out but there was no answer. Soon she came upon a dark tunnel. It was oddly familiar though she¡¯d never seen it before. The tunnel beckoned her.


    She was aware enough to know this was dangerous. Someone was inviting her into their dream. They would control the setting. Could it be Hormiz? Who else?


    It had to be Hormiz.


    Still frantically searching for her sons, Rowan ran into the tunnel high on hope. She turned a bend and stepped outside onto a large stage in a courtyard. There was no sun or stars in the sky; but instead, a great line of fiery light shined from one horizon to the opposite. The rest was darkness.


    And he stood center stage. Hormiz looked like a kitsune in every way, with pointy ears, claws, and a furry tail, except he had his father''s shading. His fur was dark grey dressed in black silk. He betrayed no emotion as Rowan entered, but she cried tears of relief, joy, and sorrow.


    She ran forward to embrace him, but Hormiz held up his hand, and Rowan found herself sitting in a comfortable chair.


    Hormiz was not a hugger, it seemed. Rowan realized her reaction had been overhasty. She didn¡¯t know her son. He didn¡¯t trust her.


    ¡°I apologize for my presumption,¡± Rowan said. ¡°I¡¯m overjoyed to see you¡¯re alive.¡±


    Hormiz frowned. ¡°So you¡¯re holding to this lie, as well? You claim ignorance?¡±


    Rowan saw the hurt and anger in his eyes. She answered passionately, ¡°If I had known, I would have done anything, given anything, to get you back.¡±


    His facade cracked and Rowan saw fear beneath the rage. He was torn. Despite a lifetime of brainwashing, she was still his mother, and she was breaking through to him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± he lied unconvincingly. ¡°Even if I wanted to believe you, it wouldn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s too late.¡± His voice broke with shame and defeat.


    Rowan wanted to run and comfort him, but she held her seat and respected his distance. ¡°Whatever it is, we can fix it. I just want you to come home.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t! Lilith won¡¯t let me go! And she has Samaal. I¡­ I hurt him.¡±


    ¡°Listen to me, Hormiz. That is not your fault. None of this is your fault. I will find a way. I will come for you. I swear it.¡±


    Hormiz nodded and tears fell from his face. ¡°What will you do?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m working on a plan. Believe me. I will never give up on you,¡± Rowan pleaded.


    -8-Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    Hormiz woke up in his bunk on the loci¡¯s ship. Everything was built of their plant/insect physiology: the floors, walls, doors, and technology. The bright light keeping Samaal powerless was redirected from starlight absorbed by the leaf walls of the ship. Starlight powered the entire miserable contraption.


    Hormiz wiped the tears from his face. It was lonely in space. He was never a happy boy, but trapped in this pod, he felt worse than ever before. He hadn¡¯t spoken to Samaal in many cycles. Hormiz had been meditating to find Rowan.


    Part of him wanted to believe their story. It was a sad and beautiful story. But it would mean everything he knew before was a lie. His life, his loyalty to his Queen Mother, what would it mean if their story were true?


    It would mean nothing. Hormiz was weak. He was powerless against Lilith. She was his grandmother and the Queen of Nod. She had every right to rescue the baby of two traitors. Serving Lilith gave meaning to Hormiz¡¯s miserable existence.


    But what if he could get away?


    No, it¡¯s stupid. Even if Rowan were telling the truth, she wouldn¡¯t win. Lilith was too powerful. Besides, it was too late. He couldn¡¯t change course now.


    The ship was already being pulled into the gravity of an enormous black hole, around which orbited the dwarf planet Nod.


    -8-


    Rowan woke up and went through the motions. They ate a breakfast of goat meat curry and toast. Gwen drank her breakfast. She was well-behaved and seemed to have forgotten her tantrum. After breakfast, Morgan took Rowan on a walk around the coinnigh.


    Most of Gwen¡¯s illusions were fading. She hadn¡¯t refilled the crystals housing the illusion spells in months. As a result, Piasa the thunderbird¡¯s cave opening was nearly visible. Rowan had to climb the rock wall and pour her heartfire into the housing crystal. From inside Piasa¡¯s rocky nest, Rowan could see most of Safo. But with the spell in place, Safo couldn¡¯t see him. Piasa was the reason for the near-constant thunderstorms on the island. He only hunted in dark and heavy clouds.


    The selkies could access the barn and slaughter one goat a week provided the goat was bled for Gwen¡¯s consumption. They enjoyed the beach and only transformed beneath areas Gwen had covered in illusions. Those areas, too, had housing crystals that needed to be refilled.


    By the end of the day, Rowan was exhausted. But before bed, she gave Gwen a writing lesson and told her to keep a journal and write in it every morning before bed. Hinata and Morgan observed and were told to repeat the lesson every morning until Gwen did it herself.


    That¡¯s when Plenty and Maeve returned.


    The news wasn¡¯t good. Zeke had refused to leave and was committed to protecting Nohu Mangrove. A selkie and the hoodwinks had been left behind, preparing for the unlikely event he succeeded. Rowan was angry, scared, and proud all at once. But she already did everything she could do. There was only the waiting left. So Rowan thanked the selkies, promising to return the favor one day, and went to bed to dream lonely dreams. At least the vision didn¡¯t return.


    The next day¡¯s wait was excruciating. Rowan tried to busy herself with farmwork. She harvested grain and crushed it to make flour. She gardened. She churned goat milk into butter. She even sat with the chickens. But all she could think about was Zeke, and was he alive? And did he succeed? And would he stay at Nohu Mangrove even after? And could they rescue Hormiz and Sam together?


    It was a moonlit night when Zeke and his entourage arrived, led by a selkie. Rowan heard the seals barking in celebration and guessed what it meant. She jumped out of bed and raced down to the shore to greet her son. Her brave, clever, heroic son.


    He seemed different, older, serious, and more aloof. He hugged her but his hug felt further away than it used to. Zeke introduced his friends: the selkie Kayla, a massive cthulian named Raf, and twenty otters he called the kush people.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, wait. Your name is Raf?¡± Rowan interrupted.


    Cthulian faces are impossible to read, but this one seemed almost expressive. Raf lowered themself to Rowan¡¯s height and said, ¡°It¡¯s me, Rowan. It¡¯s Raf.¡±


    It was impossible! All of it! An impossible miracle! Rowan cried and put her hands on Raf¡¯s bizarre body. ¡°Wait here a moment,¡± she said, and then she ran back to the house to fetch Gwen, Morgan, and Hinata. Together again, they stayed up all night, crying, telling stories, and celebrating. It was weird having Raf back as a sea monster, but they were glad to have him back.


    At sunrise, Rowan and Zeke stepped aside privately.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re all reunited, but we have a lot to discuss,¡± Zeke said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Rowan agreed but she let him lead the meeting. Zeke had already proven himself simply by arriving here. She wanted to hear his thoughts and plans regarding their next step.


    ¡°The kush aren¡¯t just refugees. They¡¯re garden keepers, and they have Haven¡¯s seed with them. He said it was your penance to find the kush a home. If you accept, Haven and the kush will forgive your involvement in Crescent¡¯s destruction.¡±


    It was not what Rowan expected, but it was welcome news. Another tree spirit seed was a blessing in any circumstance. Drya would be thrilled. Rowan wondered if Drya and Titia might be of assistance in finding the otters a new home. She was so happy.


    Until Zeke continued, ¡°Also, Lilith found me.¡±


    Rowan stood petrified.


    ¡°She has Papa, and she said if I don¡¯t go to her and pledge myself, she¡¯ll kill him.¡± All of Zeke¡¯s prior confidence was gone. Now Rowan saw only a scared boy who wanted to be told what to do.


    So she told him, ¡°Let¡¯s give her what she wants. And then we¡¯ll kill her.¡±


    They talked and planned a while longer, but Zeke was visibly exhausted, so Rowan led him to her bed in the farm. He fell into a deep sleep almost immediately.


    Then Rowan collected the twenty kush refugees and led them into the woods.


    They hopped cutely behind her like she was their piper, but they were the ones whistling a song of adventure and rebirth. A pack of wolves thought to make a meal of Rowan¡¯s guests, but she snapped her fingers and fire burned their whiskers, and they ran off yelping. By midday, the kush arrived at Drya¡¯s waterfall glade.


    Drya was thrilled, as Rowan knew she would be.


    ¡°Of course, the kush can stay here,¡± Drya exclaimed, holding Haven¡¯s seed in her hand. It was the size of a small apple. ¡°A bonded pair! I know just what form to give you, my little darling!¡± Drya floated to a nearby branch with a spider on it and beckoned the spider into a tiny opening in the seed. Once inside, Drya dropped the seed into the lake. ¡°He will grow up with Nya. They will protect and comfort each other.¡±


    The kush were also thrilled. They ran around exploring their new home.


    ¡°There¡¯s something else,¡± Rowan said as she unwrapped the twine and banana leaves, revealing the Ivory Blade. ¡°Zeke can summon this from anywhere but he can only hide it in one place. He asks you to hold this for safekeeping.¡±


    Queen Titia answered, ¡°We are greatly honored, and vow to protect it with our lives.¡±


    Drya took the sword and then floated away to hide it somewhere.


    Queen Titia continued, ¡°You¡¯ve exceeded your reputation, Rowan. We wish to reward your outstanding conduct.¡± Titia raised her hand and six pixies flew forward. ¡°Three of these are drone spies, our eyes, and our gift to you to deploy wherever you deem worthy. The other three are juvenile queens. We still reign and their lives are forfeit. They will die before they can be a threat to us. We would do it ourself, but first, we invite you to feed until you are full.¡±


    Pixie society was dark and savage. But it was not Rowan¡¯s way to judge another species. And dark as it was, she hadn¡¯t been fully fed in a long time. She was tired, and she was about to do something dangerous and reckless.


    So one after the other, the little pixie princesses landed on Rowan¡¯s open hand, and she breathed in their short, magical lives, and they dropped to the forest floor dead. After it was done, Rowan was appalled and horrified by her actions, but she felt full, alive, and powerful.


    ¡°One last gift,¡± Titia motioned, and one of the drones flew to Rowan¡¯s open hand and dropped into it something like a large bean. ¡°That is a pixie queen grub. She could be the seed of a new hive. If she stays here, we will probably eat her, but in your hands, she has great potential.¡±


    Rowan understood the implication. Magic was based on potential. The greater the potential, the more powerful the spell cast. Titia was giving her a little battery to drain.


    Rowan tucked the grub into a pocket on her belt. Then she said, ¡°You honor me, Queen Titania, the Eighth. Thank you for your generous gifts. I promise to put them to good use.¡±


    With the matters of the kush and the Ivory Blade settled, and with three pixie spy drones following her, Rowan hurried back to the coinnigh.

 Chapter 13 - In the Land of Nod

    <div>


    <div>


    Nod was locked in a fixed orbit around a supermassive black hole. The radiation it exuded burned half the planet and left the other side frozen. The loci¡¯s ship had to enter Nod¡¯s atmosphere from the dark side to avoid being burned. Hormiz had strapped himself against the wall since the artificial gravity stopped spinning.


    <div>


    The only habitable area on Nod was underground at the equator between hot and cold, beneath fiery skies. So the loci¡¯s ship flew into a tunnel and had to run on emergency power for a while before it entered Lilith¡¯s City. This was the center of all life on the planet, beneath an expansive underground dome that went on for days. The burning line of fire was far above them, casting a warm glow over everything.


    Finally, the loci¡¯s ship landed on Lilith¡¯s yard, where she was waiting to escort Samaal to his new bright box. Without starlight, the loci¡¯s ship would enter hibernation soon; and without the lights to contain Samaal¡¯s power, he could destroy everything. So Lilith would personally handle the transfer using the Bone Gauntlet.


    Hormiz unstrapped himself from the wall and waited until the ship rotated his room to the exit. But he waited a long time. Lilith wanted to transport Samaal first. When he finally leaped out of the damnable ship and breathed in fresh Nod air again, Lilith had already escorted Samaal to his new cell and was waiting in the Grand Dais to receive Hormiz.


    First, Hormiz washed himself in his bathroom. His time in the ship had not been easy or enjoyable. Loci made very little waste and had simple systems for recycling it. Water was tightly rationed on the ship, so Hormiz hadn¡¯t bathed since he left Nod. That felt like a long time ago. But it was the anxiety of being alone in space with only a bunch of bugs, plants, and his prisoner that Hormiz wanted to wash away. He chose his natural form and dressed appropriately. Then he presented himself to Lilith. Cainkin attendants opened the doors as Hormiz walked up the stairs to the Grand Dais. There was no ceiling, only a long table, and thousands of cainkin flying overhead; thousands more roosted like famished gargoyles along the rooftops.


    She stood beneath stone arches, composing the cainkin flying overhead. With a twist of her wrist, dozens of dark-winged demons danced on the breeze. Lilith¡¯s wings were wrapped around her body like a black, shimmering dress. Her bare grey arms were directing the cainkin. A sparkling crown rested on two elegant horns. She looked magnificent. Composing the cainkin was an art on Nod, or a pastime, that only Lilith and Hormiz played. Most cainkin were nearly thoughtless and highly suggestible.


    With a flourish of her arms, Lilith dispersed the cainkin and turned to receive Hormiz.


    He knelt. ¡°Queen Mother, I brought you the traitor Samaal. Many loci lives were lost. Fewer than twenty survive. We remain ready to strike again at your command,¡± he said passionately.


    Lilith¡¯s voice was velvety and threatening. ¡°You were supposed to retrieve the Ivory Blade; instead you bring a broken traitor. But you did well to break him. With your intelligence, I found the Ikon. His name is Ezekiel, and he will come to us.¡±


    Hormiz¡¯s heart started pounding in fear and excitement. Ezekiel. His parents¡¯ favorite. He hated him already. He was coming here? Might they be friends?


    ¡°You did well, Hormiz,¡± Lilith declared proudly. Her wings unfurled magnificently, revealing silk panties and full, naked breasts. She stepped forward to give Hormiz his reward, slipping her nipple between his lips, and said, ¡°Drink and be full.¡±


    Her wings enveloped Hormiz like warm blankets, and he fed.


    Hormiz felt safe. He felt rejuvenated. He felt loved. Lilith¡¯s fingers caressed his face and she asked, ¡°Does anything trouble you, my child?¡±


    Hormiz finished his meal, put his chin on her chest, his arms around her waist, and said, ¡°As you predicted, the traitor pled ignorant of my existence. He pretends to care about me and tries to trick me into letting him escape. I don¡¯t believe him, of course. But he is my father, and I might like to visit him again one day. Could you see it in your heart to show him mercy?¡±


    Lilith moved her other breast into Hormiz¡¯s lips. He drank deeply.


    She sighed and said, ¡°You were ordered not to reveal yourself to Samaal. I understand accidents happen but this softness worries me. You¡¯re such a sensitive boy. You still need me to make the hard choices. Samaal is too dangerous to be left alive. But he will be given the chance to repent. He is our bait, after all. And let his fate be a lesson to you, my love. I feed you and I raised you to where you are. Your loyalty belongs to me. Everything around you and within you belongs to me, your Queen Mother. Don¡¯t ever disappoint me.¡±


    Lilith sighed. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± she stepped back and wrapped her wings around her, looking paler than usual. ¡°You must be tired after such a challenging endeavor. Rest in your own bed. Welcome home, Hormiz. In two bell chimes, we will meet again.¡±


    Hormiz rose and exited the Grand Dais the way he¡¯d come.


    For some reason, Hormiz felt unsettled as he walked to his sleeping quarters. It wasn¡¯t his place to question the Queen Mother. He was loyal. He followed orders. He went to bed and counted the troops to fall asleep.


    -8-


    <div>


    Meanwhile, Zeke dreamt a meeting with Lilith.


    ¡°I have considered your offer, and I accept.¡±


    Lilith smiled and clasped her hands together. ¡°Wonderful! I¡¯ll be so happy to welcome you home.¡±


    ¡°I have conditions,¡± said Zeke.


    ¡°Of course. Let¡¯s hear them,¡± Lilith looked tolerantly annoyed.


    ¡°You let Papa go.¡±


    ¡°Denied. Samaal is my son and my prisoner. He stole you from me and must answer for it. Next condition.¡±


    Zeke shouted, ¡°He has answered for it! He is my father. I love him. Let him go!¡±


    Lilith sighed. ¡°I give you my word he will not be harmed further. And you can visit him when you get here. Next condition.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Zeke¡¯s heart was pounding. He feared he was about to overplay his hand. ¡°Free the Ikon trapped in the Bone Gauntlet.¡±


    Lilith laughed in surprise, then she recoiled, realizing Zeke was serious. A tense and silent pause lingered between them. ¡°I will consider your request,¡± she finally answered with a flick of her wrist. Then she and the dream vanished.


    But Zeke fell into another dream. He dreamed of a dark tunnel, like the ones back home. It had the same unsettling nature as Lilith¡¯s hallway door. It was calling out to him, inviting him. Something about it felt hopeful and familiar.


    So Zeke stepped into the tunnel, turned a bend, and walked onto a grand stage surrounded by an army of cainkin. A fiery line streaked across the sky. And a dark-furred kitsune sat center stage next to a grand harp.


    Confused, Zeke asked, ¡°You¡¯re a kitsune, like Mama, right? I thought she was the last. Does she know you¡¯re alive?¡±


    The dark kitsune twitched a little and then began to play the harp. He was quite skilled and made beautiful, haunting music. Zeke was enchanted. He sat on the floor and listened to the kitsune¡¯s sorrowful song.


    ¡°So they never told you about me,¡± the dark kitsune asked. ¡°About the son they had before you?¡±


    Zeke was dumbstruck.


    ¡°We are not brothers. I am their son. You are their¡­ instrument. Understand?¡±


    Zeke shook his head in shock. ¡°Wow, that was rude! Fine. We¡¯re not brothers. Maybe we could be friends?¡±


    The dark kitsune¡¯s tail twitched and he started a different song. He said, ¡°You would not like me if you knew me.¡±


    ¡°I disagree. Let¡¯s find out who¡¯s right. I dare you. I¡¯m Ezekiel, but you can call me Zeke. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    The song changed again to something softer. ¡°I¡¯m Hormiz. You can call me Hormiz.¡±


    ¡°Glad to finally meet you, Hormiz. I wish it could have been sooner.¡± Zeke looked around at the army of snarling, winged cainkin. ¡°And perhaps under different settings.¡±


    Hormiz seemed only now to notice the cainkin. ¡°Hm? Oh, them. This is where I relax and count the troops. You can choose the setting if you like.¡±


    Zeke thought a bit and then imagined the cave he grew up in. A beam of light was shining on a cherry tree. The lightning bugs and glowing mushrooms were in full effect. They sat by a fire on the porch.


    Hormiz still had his harp. He played a new tune and said, ¡°This is beautiful. I¡¯m sorry I destroyed it.¡±


    Zeke stood up. ¡°That was you?! You¡¯re the one who took Papa!¡±


    Hormiz said, ¡°I told you, you wouldn¡¯t like me.¡±


    Zeke said nothing. He looked out over the comforting vista. Finally, he asked, ¡°Does Mama know?¡±


    ¡°Stop calling her that, you boy! She is not your mama!¡± Hormiz stopped playing. ¡°And yes, she knows! She gave me up! She¡¯s just feigning ignorance.¡±


    Zeke was stunned. ¡°Okay, what is your damage? That is an unhinged response.¡±


    Hormiz took a breath and continued playing. ¡°Rowan and Samaal both claim Lilith stole me as a baby. This whole time, they believed me dead.¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s your answer. There¡¯s no way our parents would give you up willingly. But Lilith set her own son on fire. And she sent you to brutalize him. She would definitely steal a baby.¡±


    Hormiz played a thoughtful melody.


    Zeke was pondering out loud, ¡°I wish we could have grown up here together¡­ like brothers.¡±


    Hormiz fumbled a note. ¡°We should wake up,¡± he said, and Zeke woke up.


    -8-


    Rowan was kneading dough for a pie crust when Zeke stormed into the kitchen.


    ¡°You failed to mention you had a son before me!¡± he said in a tone somewhat accusatory.


    Rowan continued kneading the pie dough. ¡°Hormiz contacted you.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°As you said, we have a lot to discuss. Hormiz was born ten years before you, but he looks almost your age. Time seems to pass more slowly on Nod. I did not know Hormiz was alive until recently. I didn¡¯t tell you about Hormiz before. I had my reasons. But now you know. And with your help, I intend to rescue him and Sam at the same time.¡±


    Zeke sat at the table and Hinata gave him a plate with meaty-eggs and toast, with a kiss on the head. Hinata was the nicest person in the house, always taking care of people.


    Zeke spoke between bites. ¡°There¡¯s still the issue of getting to Nod in the first place. I can doorway to places I¡¯ve been to or I can see, but I¡¯ve never been to Nod. I don¡¯t know what it looks like.¡±


    Rowan nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about that and I may have a solution. Mirrors. Years ago, Adam used mirrors to travel distances using the Ivory Blade. Each mirror is engraved and designated an opposite. Legends tell of a mirror in Adam¡¯s castle with a designated opposite on Nod. It¡¯s the portal God used to banish Cain after he murdered Abel.¡±


    ¡°So how do we get to Adam¡¯s castle? And, assuming we get there, how do we find this legendary mirror to Nod?¡±


    ¡°Getting there is the easy part. Adam built a church here on Safo. Somewhere inside it, we¡¯re sure to find a mirror portal to Adam¡¯s castle. We just have to sneak in.¡±


    ¡°Assuming we sneak in, I¡¯ve never worked a mirror portal before.¡±


    Rowan nodded and laid out the pie dough in a pan. She wiped her hands against her apron and said, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Then she hurried off to the bathroom. There was only one mirror on the farmhouse, so Rowan felt bad she would have to break it. It was medium-sized and portable. She brought it into the kitchen and put it on the table. Zeke picked it up to inspect it. There had been no mirrors in the home Zeke grew up in.


    Rowan said, ¡°Designated mirrors are nearly the exact same size, and they are engraved the exact same way. Deviate too much, and the mirrors will be rendered inert. Sadly, we only have one mirror, so I need to break this into two nearly identical sizes. So as soon as I¡¯m done with this pie, I will take the mirror down to the river. It will break more cleanly underwater.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s already engravings on this mirror,¡± Zeke said, inspecting the back of it.


    ¡°What? Let me see that. There¡¯s no way¡­¡± Sure enough, in tiny etches behind a thin strip of leather were words of power and destination.


    ¡°Who would¡­¡± Suddenly it all made sense. Gwen sleepwalked. Lilith must have used Gwen to spy on them, to kidnap Hormiz and conceal his abduction. Gwen was a traumatized little girl when it happened. Lilith would easily have manipulated her. Rowan started to shake with rage. She set the mirror down carefully.


    ¡°We won¡¯t be needing Adam¡¯s mirrors,¡± she said softly trembling. ¡°This mirror will take us to Nod.¡±


    Hinata gasped and cried as they realized what this meant.


    Zeke watched, confused, ¡°What am I missing?¡±


    Hinata said, ¡°Excuse me,¡± and left to inform Morgan, who was harvesting greens in the garden.


    Rowan answered with simmering rage. ¡°This is the mirror Lilith used to steal Hormiz when he was a baby. Gwen must have carved these incantations, or rather Lilith did, using Gwen.¡±


    Zeke blinked several times. ¡°You¡¯re saying there¡¯s already a mirror on Nod, connected to this mirror.¡± He reached out to touch the mirror. ¡°So how do I activate it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± said Rowan. ¡°When I saw Adam and Sam use the Ivory Blade, it seemed to work on thought and intention, so try that. Think of your destination and will yourself to reach out into that place.¡±


    ¡°So meditate is what you¡¯re telling me. The answer is always to meditate. Fine.¡± Zeke found a comfortable sitting position and put his hand on the mirror. A moment passed, and then suddenly, Zeke¡¯s hand reached through the mirror. He fell over and was sucked into the mirror.


    Rowan shouted softly, ¡°Zeke! Zeke, are you okay?¡±


    His voice came from the window on the floor. ¡°Yeah, just a little bruised.¡±


    ¡°Okay, step aside. I¡¯m coming in after you.¡± Rowan called the three pixie spies to her, changed form into a small cainkin, dove into the mirror, and flew out the other side into a spacious bathroom with a flowing underground river. Rowan had to bank and circle to avoid smashing into the stone walls. The pixies all recovered easily.


    She landed and drool fell down her cainkin fangs.


    ¡°Ew, Mom, that¡¯s gross.¡± Zeke said. ¡°Do mirrors always pull you in and throw you out like that?¡±


    ¡°No. I think it had something to do with the time and gravity differences of our two points. Time pulled us in to quickly compensate.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± said Zeke. ¡°That¡¯s interesting, but let¡¯s assess. We¡¯re in a bathroom. Lilith probably wanted to keep this mirror closeby, so we can assume this is Lilith¡¯s bathroom. Which means Lilith is probably outside that door or not far from it. Do we have a plan?¡±


    Cainkin-Rowan shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll hide in plain sight. You¡¯ll have to play along with Lilith until I find Sam. Then do you think you can doorway us all out of here?¡±


    It was Zeke¡¯s turn to shrug. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never doorwaed other people before.¡±


    ¡°Well, no pressure, but you¡¯re our only way out of here. And maybe that mirror, but you¡¯re the only one who can activate it,¡± Rowan squeezed his shoulder encouragingly. ¡°Go. You¡¯ll know what to do. I¡¯ll be right behind you.¡±

 Chapter 14 - Usurper

    Hormiz was up early and on a stroll. The cainkin were all at their duties. Ironberries needed harvesting and processing. Branches needed to be crushed into paper. Construction on a new tunnel was at way. Worms needed to be hunted and prepared. Lilith¡¯s City was always active.


    Hormiz arrived at Cain¡¯s cell. He instructed the cainkin guards to open the doors and step aside. Cain was blind. His eyes had been gouged out. A beige cloth was wrapped around his head, covering his empty sockets. He looked young and gaunt. Cain wasn¡¯t cursed with death, like Adam was. Cain was cursed with bloodthirst. Chains and shackles kept Cain at bay, but Hormiz wasn¡¯t afraid of him. Cain was the only other person on Nod, apart from Lilith. Few of the cainkin could string a sentence together. They all shared Cain¡¯s curse, and their thirst consumed their minds. Only a few of the oldest cainkin have ever enjoyed original thoughts.


    Cain was a miserable wretch. He was given a bucket of blood each day, but his thirst never slacked. The chains never came off. He was kept alive so Lilith could copulate. His entire existence was spent waiting for her to use him. He was also Hormiz¡¯s only friend.


    ¡°Hey, old man,¡± he said to him.


    Cain jumped with surprise. ¡°Oh! I thought you¡¯d be¡­ But it¡¯s good to hear your voice, my friend.¡± Cain turned his chair towards Hormiz. ¡°How was your voyage? I confess, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be back.¡±


    ¡°You thought I¡¯d fail?¡± Hormiz asked dangerously.


    Cain shook his head. ¡°I thought you might stay gone. You used to beg me for stories of Eden. I told you it was beautiful. Was it still beautiful? Did you see it? Describe it to me?¡±


    Hormiz sighed. ¡°I spent most of my time in the damn ship. There were no windows. I couldn¡¯t see anything.¡±


    Cain made a disappointed, ¡°Hm.¡±


    ¡°But I did see a cave. It was where we found Samaal. He had freed the Ivory Blade¡¯s Ikon and was raising him like his son this whole time,¡± Hormiz said bitterly. ¡°But the cave itself was beautiful. It had these bugs that sparkled in the air, and moss that made the walls glow green-blue. A beam of sunlight shined on a tree with pink flowers next to a stream. The air was humid but fresh-tasting. Birds and bats filled the air with sound.¡±


    Cain was smiling widely. ¡°Ah, what I would give to be back on Eden again. Ha! What have I left to give?¡± He laughed wildly.


    Hormiz chuckled. ¡°But I¡¯m loyal to Lilith. Without her, I¡¯m nothing. Had I stayed on Eden, I would have starved to death.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s our queen and her mercy is absolute,¡± Cain repeated, as he¡¯d done countless times before. He waited silently.


    So Hormiz added, ¡°I spoke to Samaal, and Rowan, and Zeke, the son they raised instead of me. They claim they want to take me away from here.¡±


    Cain breathed in deep. He said, ¡°I know nothing outside what¡¯s said in this room. But I know if you find a way out, you take it. Wherever you go, it can¡¯t be worse than this.¡±


    Hormiz was shocked. The brazen, disloyal ingrate! Didn¡¯t he of all people know there was no way out? Hormiz stormed out of Cain¡¯s cell and crossed the palace grounds for his meeting with Lilith.


    He was early and thought he would have to wait, but the cainkin opened the doors promptly as he arrived. Hormiz climbed the stairs to the Grand Dais and found, to his bewilderment, Lilith on her throne looking impatient, and Zeke standing in the center of the Dais. He looked beautiful and soft. There was a feminine prettiness to him. His hair was long and wavy. His eyes were dark brown. He smiled at Hormiz.


    ¡°So nice of you to finally join us,¡± complained Lilith. ¡°Ezekiel, this is Hormiz. Hormiz, this is your new lord and commander. You will follow his orders as though they were mine.¡±


    Hormiz locked his jaw, stiffened his shoulders, and said dutifully, ¡°Yes, Queen Mother.¡±


    ¡°Good. Our wonderful new friend just arrived this morning. Cainkin found him wandering the halls of the palace. He was just sharing with us the conditions of his service. You may continue, Ezekiel.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Uh, hi. Well, I want to see Samaal, and I want you to free the ikon trapped in that gauntlet.¡±


    Lilith smiled sweetly. ¡°I have given a great deal of consideration to your requests. I agree to your terms. However, I don¡¯t know the magic or spells required to free this Ikon. Until the spells can be learned, and until an appropriate vessel is found for the soul to inhabit, the Bone Gauntlet will remain in my custody.¡±


    Zeke bit his lip. ¡°Samaal may know of a spell since he cast it on me. If I can visit him now-¡±


    Lilith shouted an interruption. ¡°You may visit Samaal at a time of my choosing. Until then, you should acquaint yourself with my city. In two bell chimes, we will all supper together, like a family. Hormiz will be your guide and escort you to your chambers in the Upper Suite. Welcome home, Ikon Ezekiel.¡±


    The Upper Suite was Hormiz¡¯s dwelling. Lilith was giving this upstart little shit Hormiz¡¯s bedroom. Zeke looked stupidly happy to see Hormiz like they weren¡¯t mortal enemies. Hormiz clenched his jaw and led Zeke across the palace grounds and up the stairs to the luxurious home that moments ago belonged to him. It had been cleaned and made by cainkin workers. The house meant nothing to Hormiz. He was not sentimental. He would commandeer another dwelling in the palace without issue, but it was the insult that Hormiz resented.


    Zeke was fully oblivious. ¡°I¡¯m glad we¡¯re getting this moment alone,¡± he said.


    Hormiz corrected, ¡°We¡¯re not alone. We¡¯re being attended by cainkin, two in the kitchen, and two outside the door. They have a routine and will bring you meals at designated bell chimes. Let me make one thing clear. I don¡¯t take orders from you. You may be everyone else¡¯s favorite, but as soon as Lilith is done with you, I will kill you myself.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Zeke pressed his lips into a frown. ¡°I¡¯m going to trust you,¡± he said quietly.


    ¡°Why would you do that? I was very clear that¡¯s a bad idea.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to rescue Samaal and bring you both home.¡±


    Hormiz recoiled. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious. That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°Not if you help me. I don¡¯t know this place. I¡¯ll never find Samaal on my own. Take me to him, and we can all go home.¡±


    Hormiz narrowed his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know where he is, and even if I did, I would never help you. I am loyal to my queen.¡±


    ¡°The woman who kidnapped you? What about loyalty to our mother and father?¡±


    Hormiz screamed, ¡°Do not act familiar! We are not brothers! We aren¡¯t even the same species! We have nothing in common!¡±


    Zeke raised his chin. ¡°Only a mother who loves us and wants to bring you home.¡±


    ¡°If she gave a damn about me, where is she now?!¡±


    Zeke bit his lip.


    ¡°This is my home! Now it is your home. I suggest you give up these fantasies and do what you are told! Or else Lilith will have no use for you, and I will kill you early!¡±


    Hormiz stormed out of the room.


    -8-


    Leaving Zeke alone in a stunning house. A grand harp, a replica of the one Hormiz had played in the dream they met, rested in a corner. The furniture was all the same pressed-wood substance. The walls were all low and artfully sculpted from the stone. The ceilings were all overhangs since everyone on Nod could fly but Zeke. Only the bedroom was fully enclosed to block out light. The bed itself was firm but cozy.


    But Zeke wasn¡¯t tired, so he explored the house and found the kitchen.


    Two cainkin were playing a game with polished stones. Papa¡¯s shadow constructs were an accurate facsimile but couldn¡¯t capture their true colors and essence. They were ashen grey with yellow eyes, and in their eyes wasn¡¯t only hunger, but fear. They were petrified. Drool fell from trembling fangs.


    ¡°So what do people eat around here?¡± Zeke asked.


    The cainkin gave no response.


    That went nowhere, so Zeke went for a walk. The guards at the door didn¡¯t stop him. They didn¡¯t move a muscle. Zeke didn¡¯t wander far. He just wanted to look around.


    The city was enormous and made Zeke¡¯s childhood cave seem childish indeed. He was near the city center. The outer walls were so far, the crawling cainkin looked like ants. Thousands of cainkin were along the outer wall, or else they were gathered in two processing centers. That¡¯s what Zeke assumed, anyway. Cainkin carried in full bags and flew out with empty bags. Countless other cainkin seemed to be flying by on ineffable missions to places Zeke could only imagine.


    Zeke was overwhelmed and ran back inside. He didn¡¯t know what else to do, so Zeke sat at the harp, closed his eyes, put his ear to the wood, and ran his fingers along the strings until his heart stopped racing.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing it wrong,¡± Hormiz said.


    Zeke jumped. How long had Hormiz just been standing there, looking grumpy? ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never done it before. Would you teach me?¡±


    Hormiz shuffled uneasily, but said, ¡°I can try.¡± He almost looked excited as he opened a drawer and retrieved sheets of paper. He moved a stand in front of Zeke and displayed the sheets on it.


    ¡°Straighten your back. Lean the harp onto your shoulder,¡± Hormiz told him.


    Zeke did as he was told.


    ¡°Hold your hands like this, here,¡± Hormiz took Zeke¡¯s hands and his heart jumped. They were close enough Zeke could smell Hormiz¡¯s clean, musky fur.


    ¡°Now, see this dash here? When the dashes go up, you move your hands toward you. When the dashes go down, you move your hands farther away.¡±


    Zeke tried to follow instructions, but it soon became obvious that he couldn¡¯t read music. So Hormiz explained music theory in passionate detail. He seemed so happy talking about it, Zeke just listened, and tried to absorb as much as he could.


    A loud bell rang out, and the two cainkin servants brought in plates of food. Zeke was scared to eat anything here, but he was hungry. Hinata¡¯s scrambled breakfast felt like a long time ago.


    The food was mercifully simple. Something savory wrapped in a doughy crust and a side of sweet and spicy sauce. Zeke didn¡¯t dare ask what the meat was. Instead, he asked, ¡°Why are you teaching me music if you want to kill me? Why do you hate me?¡±


    Hormiz shifted uncomfortably. ¡°Our Queen Mother ordered me to be your friend. I don¡¯t know why I hate you. I just do.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit! You¡¯re jealous. Admit it! You wish Rowan and Samaal had raised you instead of me.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I admit it! I wanted what you had!¡±


    ¡°Then let me give it to you!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t! You have nowhere to go, nowhere you can hide where she won¡¯t find you! And if not her, then Adam. It¡¯s him or her, and you¡¯re here, so choose! Live in service to Lilith, or die in service to her!¡±


    That scared Zeke, but he said, ¡°You¡¯re wrong. What Lilith is doing is wrong. And I am going to take you home.¡±


    ¡°Then do it! Stop talking and do it!¡± Hormiz dared him.


    Zeke bit his lip. He wasn¡¯t sure he could. But he put his hand on Hormiz¡¯s shoulder and closed his eyes. He focused on Nohu Mangrove. Nothing happened. He tried to focus more. Still nothing. Hormiz¡¯s shoulder was distracting. His muscles were like steel, yet his skin was so soft.


    ¡°Okay, I haven¡¯t completely mastered moving through space. I usually have to meditate for a while,¡± Zeke cringed at how pathetic he sounded. He almost cried seeing the look of disgust on Hormiz¡¯s face.


    Then, oddly, pity. ¡°Like I said. This is your home now. It¡¯s not so bad, really. Adam can¡¯t reach you here. And if you prove yourself to Lilith, she¡¯ll reward you.¡± Hormiz put his hand on Zeke¡¯s shoulder. ¡°And maybe I won¡¯t kill you.¡±


    Zeke thought Hormiz was terribly confusing. Music theory made more sense. They spent more time practicing the harp. After a while, Zeke asked about the game he saw the cainkin playing earlier. Hormiz said it was called War Tactics, and involved sacrificing cainkin, cities, and angels to defeat the opponent¡¯s Adam. Lilith was the strongest piece on the board. Hormiz taught Zeke a few rounds and crushed him everytime.


    Finally, the bell chimed again, and Hormiz led Zeke to another dais, this one with an enormous table. Strange and various foods were laid out, a few even looked appetizing. Lilith was sitting at the center of the table with a stiff smile locked on her face. She was so naturally unsettling, Zeke couldn¡¯t tell if she was pleased or furious. Around her, the air shimmered magnificently.


    ¡°Both of you, sit,¡± Lilith¡¯s order sounded friendly.


    They took chairs next to each other and opposite Lilith.


    ¡°So, tell me about your day,¡± she inquired.


    ¡°I taught Zeke to play the harp and War Tactics,¡± Hormiz responded.


    ¡°I was asking Ezekiel,¡± Lilith said. She turned sweetly to Zeke and said, ¡°Forgive him his obsession with music. But at least he¡¯s introducing you to our culture. Tell me, did you enjoy War Tactics?¡±


    ¡°Um. Yeah, it¡¯s a fun game.¡±


    ¡°A game? Hm. And have you won a round yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. Hormiz trounced me every round.¡±


    ¡°This is good. I shall make you a wager. Every third bell, we will have supper and play a round of War Tactics. And if you can defeat me, I will take you to Samaal.¡±


    Zeke knew he had no choice but to say, ¡°I accept.¡±


    ¡°This is good. Now, Ezekiel, I¡¯d like to know exactly what you can do for me. Can you move my army to Eden?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Zeke had a sinking feeling.


    ¡°Can you activate the mirror gate and send my army through that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Maybe?¡±


    ¡°Maybe?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. I¡¯ve never opened a mirror gate before. In theory, I think it¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°You say you moved yourself here through space. Why can¡¯t you move my army the same way?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Getting here seems to be easier than leaving.¡±


    Lilith smirked. ¡°That has always been the case. Perhaps things can be summoned here. It¡¯s time for a demonstration of your usefulness to me. Summon something.¡±


    Zeke knew if he failed this test, his welfare was forfeit. So he closed his eyes and concentrated. Soon his fingers wrapped around the handle of his longknife.


    Lilith reached over to take the longknife. Zeke didn¡¯t want to give it to her but knew better than to resist. She appraised it and found it satisfactory, saying, ¡°This is a fine gift for your queen.¡±


    Zeke could only nod. After supper, cainkin cleared the table and brought the pieces to play War Tactics. Lilith dominated him.

 Chapter 15 - Love & War Tactics

    <div>


    <div>


    Hormiz was unhappy.


    Lilith wanted Zeke to return to the Ivory Blade, but until she had the weapon in hand, Hormiz had to pretend to serve Zeke and make him feel safe and welcome.


    Zeke was, at least, not awful company. He picked up the basics of music theory and played the harp with adequate skill. He was pleasant to look at. His voice was soft and pretty when he sang.


    Hormiz had been ordered to take Zeke on a tour of the city¡¯s main facilities. The Ironberry Processing Center squeezed the juice out of the fruit. That was all the cainkin drank.


    The Branch and Vine Processing Center made almost everything in the city that wasn¡¯t stone.


    Finally, the Worm Slaughterhouse. Zeke became strangely distressed to learn all the meat he¡¯d been eating was worm parts, but Zeke was strange, so Hormiz didn¡¯t know if his response was normal.


    There were other stations, the Silk Farm, the Mineral Distribution Center, and more, but the second bell chime had already rung, and it would be a long walk back to the Upper Suite. Hormiz would typically shapeshift into a cainkin and fly home, but Zeke could not fly. Just another reason to resent him.


    So they walked back, and along the way, Zeke asked questions.


    Where did the cainkin sleep? In alcoves along the city walls.


    What time did they sleep? At their assigned bell chime.


    Did the cainkin ever fail in their duties? All the time. Sometimes Lilith or Hormiz would control a cainkin to perform some menial task that conflicted with their assigned schedule. That cainkin would then get lost and wander until its control was reset. But there were so many cainkin in the city, a few defects didn¡¯t slow down production.


    ¡°What do you mean, control a cainkin?¡± Zeke asked.


    ¡°I mean control. Watch,¡± Hormiz raised his hand and chose a cainkin flying overhead. Hormiz reached his mind into the cainkin¡¯s mind and took control. He made the cainkin fly in acrobatic circles and dance before releasing it to return to its duties.


    Zeke was so impressed he said nothing for the remainder of the walk home.


    Upon walking up the steps, Zeke asked, ¡°Lilith can do that too, right? She controls all the cainkin with her mind?¡±


    ¡°My gifts come from Lilith. She taught me to master them.¡±


    ¡°So the cainkin in my kitchen and standing guard at my door¡­¡±


    ¡°Are Lilith¡¯s eyes and ears while she is away,¡± Hormiz finished.


    Zeke¡¯s eyes widened with fear as he realized Lilith had overheard his treacherous confessions earlier.


    ¡°Relax,¡± said Hormiz. ¡°Lilith knew your loyalty wouldn¡¯t come easily. She wants you to choose her. That¡¯s why she¡¯s given you this chance to beat her in a round of War Tactics.¡±


    ¡°She thinks I¡¯ll never beat her,¡± Zeke said darkly.


    ¡°Or she thinks it will take you a long time. And in time, maybe you¡¯ll come to love her as I do,¡± Hormiz said.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Zeke looked at him suspiciously. ¡°You love her?¡±


    ¡°Of course! She is my queen, my grandmother, and the woman who raised me. She is wise and powerful. She makes me strong and keeps me safe. I am nothing without her. I have nothing but what she gives me.¡±


    ¡°You are so much more than that! You are the last son of a sacred, magical people! You are the hope of your father and mother. You have a family of people who want you back. You are my friend!¡± Zeke took Hormiz¡¯s hand in his own.


    Hormiz tore his hand away. A frightening, unfamiliar emotion took him, but he said nothing. That emotion was hope. He didn¡¯t recognize it, and wouldn¡¯t realize what it was until much later.


    Hormiz walked away and returned with the War Tactics pieces. They played several rounds, with Hormiz offering suggestions; but he took Zeke¡¯s Adam every time. Zeke was a fine student, but War Tactics was a complex game and Hormiz had played it for years against a master tactician.


    Zeke took faster to music.


    Hormiz even commissioned a new instrument made, so they could play duets.


    Their suppers with Lilith were cordial events. Every supper, Lilith ordered Zeke summon something for her. She never asked for anything specific. Anything would satisfy her. So Zeke summoned fruits from Eden. Hormiz was never permitted a taste, but Lilith screamed joyously whenever a strange new fruit appeared in Zeke¡¯s hands.


    Their rounds were usually over quickly. Lilith showed no mercy in War Tactics.


    To his credit, Zeke faced the challenge with unwavering determination. They practiced constantly, and soon, they were playing rounds of War Tactics in Hormiz¡¯s dreams.


    Hormiz always felt safer in dreams. As a kitsune and the grandson of Lilith, dreams were Hormiz¡¯s domain. Before he could talk, Hormiz knew how to travel dreamland.


    Hormiz¡¯s dream home was a quiet, organized space. He had shut the doors to visitors, but his orders were to befriend Zeke, so they were playing another round of War Tactics in his viewing room.


    Lilith¡¯s City looked spectacular in his dreams. All the cainkin were organized and in place. He could reach out and control any of them from here.


    Again, Hormiz captured Zeke¡¯s Adam.


    Zeke groaned in dismay. ¡°Ugh, how am I ever going to save Samaal if I can¡¯t even beat you in this stupid game!?¡±


    ¡°Try to remember ¡®Adam¡¯s Retreat.¡¯ You might have found a way out of that loss if you had retreated.¡±


    Zeke was acting dramatic. ¡°We¡¯ve been at this all night. Let¡¯s take a break.¡±


    ¡°Alright. What do you have in mind? Back to the caves?¡±


    ¡°I have another idea,¡± Zeke closed his eyes and focused.


    Hormiz let go of the setting and allowed Zeke to direct the dream.


    Suddenly they were on a sandy beach. The sun was shining between pink and purple leaves. Blue oceans touched the horizon. Palm trees lined the beach, and a great hammock swayed in the breeze invitingly. Birdsong filled the air.


    It was the most beautiful place Hormiz had ever seen. He looked at Zeke as if witnessing a miracle.


    ¡°This is real? You have seen this place?¡± he demanded.


    Zeke laughed and said, ¡°Of course! This is where I was trying to take you before. Adam was looking into this place, but I think we outmaneuvered him. He¡¯ll look again and find nothing of interest, and then he¡¯ll look away, and we¡¯ll be safe to move in. We still have to be careful, of course. You¡¯ll want to choose an alias and a human form. It¡¯s too dangerous to look like a kitsune all the time.¡±


    Hormiz felt a complex swirl of emotions and he wasn¡¯t equipped to understand any of them. ¡°What you¡¯re suggesting is treason and a coward¡¯s life. You want me to hide myself! You want to run and hide to this pretty little spot of nowhere until Adam inevitably finds you? That¡¯s your plan?¡±


    Zeke looked rebuked. ¡°No, that¡¯s not my plan. This is just a silly dream. So ride it out with me. Who would you be?¡±


    Reluctantly, Hormiz played along. He¡¯d crafted a human shape for dream deceptions. Hormiz took that form.


    Zeke whistled. ¡°He¡¯s handsome.¡±


    Hormiz blushed and started walking along the beach, ¡°I¡¯d be stranded here with you. What would we do?¡±


    Zeke ran to be alongside him. ¡°Well, we could build a house. There are so many different fruits here, and my friend Raf taught me what leaves are edible. So we¡¯ll never go hungry.¡±


    Hormiz was brooding. ¡°I would starve.¡±


    ¡°How do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m kitsune. I¡¯m ageless but I need infusions of life essence or I will go inert. Fruits won¡¯t keep me alive,¡± Hormiz explained.


    ¡°Then take mine,¡± Zeke sounded so earnest.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I mean it. If I¡¯m such a powerful ikon, I should have essence to spare, right? So live on me. Live with me.¡± Zeke stepped forward and took Hormiz¡¯s hands.


    Hormiz was overwhelmed and dreaming. He barely had the thought before his arms were around Zeke, holding him close.


    They moved to the hammock and watched the sunset with Hormiz¡¯s head on Zeke¡¯s chest and his arms around Zeke¡¯s waist.


    And Hormiz was happy.

 Chapter 16 - Last Supper

    At first, Rowan kept an eye on Zeke to make sure he wasn¡¯t harmed. It took all her self-restraint to not fly down and confess everything to Hormiz as soon as she saw him, but their reunion would have to wait.


    As soon as she knew Zeke was safe, Rowan started following Lilith. She kept a great distance, of course. She flew in wide arcs like she had places to be. Lilith¡¯s City was such a hive of activity, Rowan easily blended into the background. She learned Lilith meditated a lot and liked to fly nude. Lilith kept an irregular schedule and seemed to come and go as whims came. But on occasion, Rowan lost sight of Lilith somewhere in the palace, so she found a place to perch and watch from afar.


    The bell chimes were frightening at first, but Rowan came to understand their purpose. They came in threes. After each bell, most cainkin stopped what they were doing and went to drink from a red lake that tasted like blood. Rowan assumed the bell chimes paralleled her ideas of breakfast, lunch, and dinner.


    The chimes kept time, since this was a sunless place. The line of fire far above them never dimmed or flickered. Everything was forever lit by the distant glow of firelight. No nights. No moon. No stars. No sky. Everything was forever dim and moving. It was madness-inducing. Rowan had to get her family out of this place.


    After dozens of bell chimes, Rowan finally learned where Lilith was disappearing. Rowan swooped by and saw hidden stairs leading to a locked door. That had to be where Lilith was hiding Sam.


    She waited until the third bell chime, when Lilith, Hormiz, and Zeke had supper. Then Rowan snuck into the palace and down the hidden stairs. Two cainkin were guarding the door, so Rowan swiftly killed them. Their heads hit the floor before their bodies.


    The door itself was made of heavy stone and barred shut. Rowan removed the bars and pushed the door open. She was trying to conserve her strength, since she hadn¡¯t fed in a while and was beginning to feel drained, but the effort was worth it, because sitting on the floor, looking haggard, bloody, burned, and beaten, was her darling Sam.


    He looked at once relieved and terrified as Rowan entered in her kitsune form. The room was cramped, with bright lights embedded into the walls, floor, and ceiling.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he asked disbelievingly.


    ¡°What does it look like? I¡¯m breaking you out. Let¡¯s go.¡± Rowan picked Sam up and carried him outside the bright room. In the dark stairway, Sam recovered his strength and summoned shadows all around him. Rowan stood back and gave him space to pull himself together. When he was finished, he still looked pale and haggard, but his face was locked and alert.


    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Zeke and Hormiz are having supper with Lilith now. I say we go kill her. Then we take our boys home.¡±


    ¡°Great plan, but I don¡¯t think I can kill her. She surrounds herself with light using the Bone Gauntlet. As long as she has it, my shadows can¡¯t touch her.¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re on a deadline. I killed those two cainkin. Sooner or later, Lilith is going to notice you¡¯re missing. If we can¡¯t kill Lilith, I say we collect our boys and get out of here. Immediately. We just need to get to Zeke. He¡¯s our ride out of here.¡±


    Sam nodded. ¡°Okay, so we mad-dash to interrupt supper, collect Zeke and Hormiz, and then what? Zeke can move us all to Eden?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m hoping.¡±


    ¡°And Hormiz is on our side now?¡±


    ¡°Maybe? It¡¯s not a great plan, is it?¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not complaining. It¡¯s better than anything I was doing.¡± Sam smiled. Then Sam hugged Rowan tight, and together they dropped into shadows.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    -8-


    In spite of everything, Zeke was beginning to enjoy life on Nod.


    Hormiz was softening and even smiled a couple times. Zeke¡¯s bed was dark and cozy, and he even acquired a taste for the weird foods. They all tasted like variations of potato and sausage, but that wasn¡¯t so bad. He just tried not to think about the worms. Zeke hadn¡¯t forgotten what he came here to do, but while he was here, he had a friend, and all his needs were cared for.


    Lilith was winning. She won every round, but this time her victory was a little less certain than the time before. Zeke was improving. Lilith found him amusing. She moved her piece into position and Zeke¡¯s Adam was captured.


    ¡°Good round,¡± she said. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ll win next supper.¡±


    Then she stood up to leave.


    Zeke and Hormiz stood and bowed their heads as she left.


    And that¡¯s when chaos erupted from the ground in the form of Mama and Papa.


    Lilith screamed, and thousands of cainkin flew down, raining sharp teeth and claws.


    Papa summoned a barrier of shadows around them, and flew to Zeke and Hormiz.


    Mama ran to Hormiz, grabbing his hands she said, ¡°Baby, I¡¯m so sorry I lost you before. I will never lose you again. I love you, and we¡¯re going home.¡± She turned to look at Zeke, ¡°Can you move us to the bathro-¡±


    Before she could finish the question, a bolt of lightning like a sword, cleaved Mama in half. She fell to the floor and dissolved into an ingot in a puddle of precious metals.


    Zeke screamed, ¡°No!¡± and fell to his knees. He reached to pick up the ingot but it burned his hands.


    Meanwhile, Papa was being electrocuted into submission. Long threads of lightning flew from the Bone Gaunlets fingertips and into Papa¡¯s writhing body, until Papa stopped moving.


    Then Lilith advanced furiously on Zeke. ¡°So, you¡¯ve been lying this whole time, accepting my hospitality, while you brought a spy into my house? You did this. What am I to do with you?¡±


    Zeke was on his knees crying. Mama was gone. Papa was down. Zeke was too late. Why didn¡¯t he act sooner? It was all his fault. He could have saved them.


    Lilith put the sharp claws of the Bone Gauntlet under Zeke¡¯s chin and lifted his head up. ¡°Summon the Ivory Blade, or I will kill Samaal.¡±


    She waved a hand, and a dozen cainkin landed on and around Samaal¡¯s slow-moving chest.


    -8-


    Hormiz had been motionless, in shock since Rowan appeared, but slowly, he knelt down and picked up his mother¡¯s ingot. It was still warm. He held the ingot to his chest, embracing her in death as he never had in life.


    His mother died trying to rescue him. His mother. His mother died. No. Lilith killed her. It was all true. His parents never abandoned him. Lilith stole Hormiz. She was the monster.


    And she had Zeke in her claws.


    ¡°Summon the Ivory Blade!¡± she screamed.


    ¡°Okay!¡± Zeke said through sobs. ¡°Just don¡¯t hurt him.¡±


    Hormiz was too weak and scared to move. He just held Rowan¡¯s ingot close and watched through helpless tears.


    Zeke closed his eyes and focused. Soon the Ivory Blade appeared in Zeke¡¯s hand, and Hormiz despaired, because he knew Zeke was about to die.


    But the blade slipped, cutting Zeke¡¯s hand, and swayed to the ground. Before its long blade could touch the ground, the edge disappeared and reappeared above Lilith¡¯s hand. It all happened in an instant. No sooner had the Ivory Blade appeared in Zeke¡¯s hand before he used it to cut the Bone Gauntlet off at Lilith¡¯s wrist.


    As her hand fell to the floor, Hormiz had a vision. Hormiz remembered the story of his parents stealing Adam¡¯s hand and escaping with two Blessings. Hormiz caught the Bone Gauntlet as it fell. Her hand fell out and hit the ground with a wet thud. Then Hormiz controlled several cainkin to pull Lilith away.


    Lilith screamed in fury and set other cainkin ripping into Samaal¡¯s flesh, tearing him apart. As he died, shadows exploded out of him, throwing everyone back.


    Hormiz grabbed on to Zeke as they fell backwards. ¡°Can you get us out of here?¡± he asked.


    Zeke looked at him with grief and pride. He hugged Hormiz tightly. And suddenly they were in Lilith¡¯s bathroom. They could hear her furious screams upstairs.


    ¡°Why are we here?¡± Hormiz asked.


    ¡°This is how Lilith stole you. And this is how we¡¯re escaping,¡± Zeke stood, sniffling his nose and wiping away tears. He put one hand on the mirror. With his other hand he held Hormiz by the wrist. Hormiz¡¯s hands were full with Rowan¡¯s ingot and the Bone Gauntlet.


    Zeke closed his eyes and concentrated, and suddenly they were pulled into the mirror.

 Chapter 17 - Dear Diary

    <div>


    <div>


    Dear Diary,


    <div>


    My name is Gwendolyn Avalyn. My family calls me Lyn.


    Morgan says I wanted to be called Gwen, but I don¡¯t remember that.


    Morgan says I have to write to you every day so I can read this in the future.


    I am Deaf.


    I remember I was 8 years old, but Morgan says I¡¯m 38! But I still look 8.


    Morgan looks old. She looks like a mom now.


    Morgan says I forgot things.


    But I remember Crescent. I remember Moondial. I remember Papa.


    I remember Rowan taught me magic.


    Morgan says they¡¯re all gone now.


    I am sad.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Dear Diary,


    I¡¯m remembering new things, like Hinata.


    I like Hinata. Hinata gives me blood in the morning and at night.


    Morgan likes Hinata, too. They¡¯re married.


    Morgan says they had a baby once but he died.


    I like babies. Babies are cute.


    I like our farm. We have goats. I like baby goats.


    Dear Diary,


    I don¡¯t like the sun anymore. I get sunburns. I don¡¯t like sunburns.


    I have to stay indoors in the daytime.


    Remember to avoid sunburns. I don¡¯t like sunburns.


    I like blood. I don¡¯t remember why I drink blood.


    But I remember a grey lady with pretty butterfly wings.


    When I don¡¯t drink blood, I get sick.


    I get tired and then I act funny.


    Morgan and Hinata don¡¯t like it when I act funny.


    Dear Diary,


    Morgan says Raf is a big crab with tentacles now.


    I like Raf better this way. He¡¯s more fun.


    Raf says his sign name is ¡®Chosen.¡¯


    Raf only has one normal hand, so his signs can be hard to understand.


    Raf says he has a bug in his ear that helps him remember things.


    I wish I had a bug so I wouldn¡¯t forget.


    Raf lives in the forest by the fence.


    I¡¯m not allowed in the forest unless Morgan goes with me.


    We visit Raf every night. Raf likes my illusions.


    Dear Diary,


    I¡¯m getting better at magic.


    Every full moon, I refill the illusion crystals with Morgan.


    I¡¯m tired for a few days after but Morgan makes me extra dessert.


    And the selkies bring fish and help around the farm to say, ¡®thank you.¡¯


    Plenty is my favorite selkie. He helps bring me blood.


    Plenty is wise like Rowan.


    I like his braids.


    Morgan and Hinata act weird around Plenty. I think they both like him.

 Chapter 18 - What Was That?

    <div>


    <div>


    They fell over each other onto a wooden floor.


    <div>


    Dazed and afraid, Hormiz looked around.


    It was an alien place. The lights were brighter. The colors were saturated. The air tasted sharp like ironberry nettles. The little dwelling they arrived in was messy and lived-in. Mysterious and threatening objects covered the walls.


    But Hormiz absorbed it as through a dense fog. He couldn¡¯t fully believe it.


    He was out. Hormiz was free.


    Zeke smashed the mirror into pieces with a scream, breaking Hormiz out of his daze.


    At first, Hormiz didn¡¯t understand why Zeke was screaming. Then he remembered he was holding their mother¡¯s molten heartstone. And Samaal was dead.


    ¡®It¡¯s all my fault,¡¯ Hormiz thought. ¡®I led the attack that took Samaal. I tortured Samaal for days. Rowan died because she was talking to me. I killed them both. Rowan will never have her revenge because of me.¡¯


    Hormiz wanted to cry tears of grief and scream like Zeke, but all he could summon were tears of self-loathing. He sat quietly as they ran down his face, watching Zeke mourn his parents.


    Hearing a scream, three nearly naked strangers came rushing into the room. They saw Zeke on the floor and rushed to comfort him. It was like nothing Hormiz had ever seen before. They didn¡¯t beat him or tell him to stop being weak. They surrounded him with a hug and told him he was loved and safe now.


    Then one of them noticed him and asked, ¡°Hormiz? Is that you?¡± There was a swell of emotion in their voice.


    ¡°You know me?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m Hinata. I¡¯m¡­ I was with your mom when you were born.¡±


    Hormiz looked Hinata up and down. They had androgynous features and long wavy black hair.


    Hinata looked at the ingot in Hormiz¡¯s hands and sobbed, then pulled Hormiz into the hug. ¡°You brought her home,¡± Hinata said.


    Zeke grabbed hold of Hormiz and held him tight, and for the first time in his life, Hormiz was comforted. The drip of Hormiz¡¯s tears broke like a dam, and he sobbed.


    They stayed huddled together on the kitchen floor for a long time.


    Hinata quickly fetched a kit to clean and bandage Zeke¡¯s hand.


    As the sunlight dimmed, the one with the braids left the room. Hinata began preparing some kind of food. The third one was a tall, muscular woman with silvery threads in her black hair. She called herself Morgan. She took a seat at the kitchen table and invited Hormiz and Zeke to join her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to burden you, but I need to know some things,¡± Morgan said. ¡°Samaal is dead?¡±


    Zeke nodded.


    ¡°Those are what I think they are?¡± Morgan indicated to the Bone Gauntlet and Rowan¡¯s ingot.


    Again, Zeke nodded.


    Hormiz was still too dazed and raw to do or say much of anything.


    ¡°Then the question is, what do we do with them?¡± she asked.


    What to do with Rowan¡¯s ingot? It was still hot in Hormiz¡¯s hands. What were kitsune death rituals? He had no idea. His ancestor¡¯s history died with Rowan. He would never know his people¡¯s ways in this strange land.


    Zeke spoke, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do with Mama yet, but I intend to free the Ikon in the gauntlet.¡±


    Morgan was pensive. ¡°I don¡¯t know how Rowan freed you and put you into¡­ your body, but Drya might. Go deep in the woods and seek out the forest spirit Drya. She may know what to do with Rowan¡¯s ingot and the gauntlet.¡±


    A pressing thought came to Hormiz like a sudden, passionate obsession. ¡°We should use the Bone Gauntlet to kill Adam. It¡¯s what Rowan would have wanted. Take him by surprise.¡±


    Zeke looked betrayed. ¡°That thing isn¡¯t a tool or a weapon. It¡¯s a cage for a person, like I was caged, and I will set them free.¡±


    ¡°With your powers and this combined, you could assassinate Adam in a blink of an eye!¡±


    ¡°And if I miss, he could get us both,¡± Zeke said softly.


    ¡°So you¡¯re afraid!¡± Hormiz bellowed. He was angry and didn¡¯t know why. ¡°You¡¯re soft and afraid!¡±


    Zeke flushed and looked hurt. ¡°It¡¯s not about that. There¡¯s a person trapped in that gauntlet. I won¡¯t be party to their torment.¡±


    Hormiz was about to call Zeke a coward and worse, but suddenly a blinding flash lit the room. Hormiz blinked the stars out of his vision and then noticed a young girl in pajamas at the foot of the stairs. She looked like a kid, but her hair was shock white. Her face was set in a determined frown.


    She ran up to Hormiz and gave him a hug, like she already knew him.


    Hormiz was stiff and tried to pry her arms off his waist, but the girl was surprisingly strong.


    Morgan explained, ¡°This is Lyn. She¡¯s deaf. You must remind her of Rowan. She loved your mother.¡± She said this while moving her hands a lot.


    Hormiz was overwhelmed and exhausted by all the unsettling new emotions he was experiencing. Yet this little girl hugging him was oddly comforting. But how could this child know and love his mother, when he barely met her? What was he supposed to do now that she was gone, and he was alone in an alien world?


    As if reading his mind, Morgan said, ¡°You¡¯re not alone anymore, Hormiz. I¡¯m sorry we weren¡¯t there for you when you were growing up, but we are here now, to love and support you. Please hear me. You¡¯re angry and scared now, and that¡¯s normal, but don¡¯t let that guide you. Hear what Drya has to say. She¡¯ll know how to honor your mother.¡±


    Hormiz was conflicted. His upbringing compelled him to follow orders, but he was on high alert and emotionally agitated. He wanted to yell at Zeke and order him to kill Adam. He didn¡¯t know this Morgan person or anyone else on this planet. He barely knew Zeke, and they were already arguing.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    It suddenly occurred to Hormiz that he had no allies on this planet but the people in this room. They said they wanted to help him. They didn¡¯t mention their help was conditional. But Hormiz knew.


    But he needed allies. There was no way around it. He didn¡¯t know how to survive in this world, and Zeke had offered to help Hormiz survive. He needed them. He needed their help. That was a sobering realization. So Hormiz gave a subdued, acquiescent nod. He would do as Morgan advised. Lyn released Hormiz and sat at the table.


    Morgan sighed in relief. Then she got up to open a cupboard. She pulled out a small box, carried it to the table, and opened it. Inside was a chrysalis roughly the size of a fist. It was dark brown and resembled a large bean. Morgan gave the chrysalis to Zeke and said, ¡°Rowan gave this to me for safekeeping. You might not need this, but bring it anyway. Drya may need the extra energy.¡±


    Zeke took the chrysalis and asked, ¡°Where do we go?¡±


    Morgan said, ¡°Deep in the woods. Drya will watch you, test you, and if she decides you pass, you will be summoned for an audience.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not coming with us?¡± Zeke asked.


    Morgan shook her head. ¡°This is your journey. I have work here on the coinnigh.¡±


    Hinata came over carrying two small bags full of savory-filled buns. ¡°There will be time for family meals later. You can eat these while you walk.¡± Hinata handed a bag to Zeke and another to Hormiz. ¡°Go. Find Drya. Honor your mother. And then come back home.¡±


    Hinata put a loving hand on Zeke¡¯s face. Lingering, they stepped back.


    Zeke picked up the Bone Gauntlet and Hormiz followed him outside.


    Hormiz had never seen a starry night sky before. He had never seen the moon. His breath stopped and he froze mid-step to stare at the stars.


    Zeke waited patiently. Then, smiling, he took Hormiz¡¯s hand and led him toward the forest.


    Hormiz slapped Zeke¡¯s hand away.


    ¡°I am not your pet to be led or summoned at your whim!¡±


    Zeke looked surprised and hurt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Hormiz suddenly felt bad and couldn¡¯t say why. He set those feelings aside and summoned a blue flame light. He condensed it to the size of a candle flame, but it was bright as a torch. The forest looked alien and sinister, even brightly lit as it was. He imagined monstrous, strange, and dangerous beasts stalking the forest, hiding among the branches.


    Hormiz remembered his brutal training. He pushed his fears aside and said, ¡°I¡¯ll lead. Follow me.¡±


    -8-


    <div>


    <div>


    <div>


    The trees, branches, and bushes looked monstrous in the strange blue light, casting long shadows across crooked branches. The glowing mist emanated a heavy gloom.


    Surely Hormiz hated him. Zeke hated himself. It was his slow reaction that got their parents killed. It was all Zeke¡¯s fault.


    Hormiz hadn¡¯t spoken a word since they entered the woods. He held Rowan¡¯s ingot to his chest and ignored Zeke, his eyes darting up and around in naked terror. Zeke wanted to comfort Hormiz but feared he¡¯d only make things worse. So they continued for hours, silently wandering through the trees.


    As their march wore on, Hormiz grew increasingly frustrated. He¡¯d nearly incinerated countless squirrels, birds, and wild animals, despite Zeke¡¯s assurances that the bright glowing light would frighten off any threats. Zeke had to stomp out several small fires after Hormiz had a frantic reaction.


    Fear was contagious in the dark blue gloom. They were lost out here. Zeke had given up trying to count trees or mark their heading. Meanwhile, above the canopy, the sky had gone from starry black to dark blue to light blue with streaks of orange. In the morning light, the woods appeared less scary.


    ¡°Let¡¯s rest for a while,¡± suggested Zeke.


    Hormiz looked disgusted. ¡°Fine,¡± he said.


    Zeke almost winced at that look of disgust, but he deserved it. Zeke was disgusted at himself, too. He sat on a fallen log, pulled out a bun, and quietly ate it. He missed his parents, and it was his fault they were gone.


    ¡°Quit sniffling. It¡¯s gross and weak,¡± said Hormiz, still holding Rowan¡¯s ingot to his chest, a reminder of what Zeke had cost them.


    Zeke held his breath until he finished his bun. Then he asked, ¡°You¡¯re not eating?¡±


    The question angered Hormiz. ¡°I don¡¯t need food, I need life energy! You said you would feed me! Now I¡¯m stranded on this bizarre planet, I¡¯m going to starve! While you treat me like some pet or servant!¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Zeke said. Promises made in dreams are easily forgotten, but he remembered now. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! What do I do? How do I give you my life energy?¡±


    Hormiz calmed down a bit. Then he said, ¡°With Lilith, I drank it in her milk. I suppose we try that.¡±


    Zeke was shocked. ¡°I don¡¯t make milk!¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s how it worked before, so take your shirt off!¡±


    Zeke pouted a moment but then did as he was told.


    Hormiz stepped forward and Zeke felt his cheeks flush.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t weird,¡± said Hormiz. ¡°Don¡¯t make this weird.¡±


    Then Hormiz got on his knees and began sucking Zeke¡¯s nipples. Zeke tried not to make it weird, but it felt weird. Awkward. Stiff. Uncomfortable. Kind of arousing.


    Hormiz sucked on Zeke¡¯s nipples until they were sore and tender.


    ¡°Are you getting anything?¡± Zeke asked finally.


    ¡°No!¡± Hormiz shouted and got up off his knees. ¡°This isn¡¯t working!¡±


    Zeke feared he would lose Hormiz if they couldn¡¯t make this work. ¡°Let¡¯s try something else.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what else to try! It¡¯s only ever been this way!¡±


    Zeke had an idea. ¡°Let me try something.¡± He stepped forward and kissed Hormiz on the lips. He breathed into Hormiz¡¯s mouth, but Hormiz stepped away, looking disturbed.


    ¡°No. But that does give me an idea. Something I¡¯ve seen humans do in dreams.¡±


    Zeke said, ¡°Okay. Whatever it is, let¡¯s try it.¡±


    Hormiz paused a moment. Then he returned to his knees and pulled down Zeke¡¯s pants.


    Zeke was stunned and nervous but also excited. Almost instantly excited.


    Hormiz put the tip of Zeke¡¯s swelling penis in his mouth and sucked, his tongue sliding under his slit.


    It felt incredible. Better than anything he¡¯d felt with Toa.


    Hormiz began to move his lips up and down the shaft of Zeke¡¯s penis.


    Zeke shuddered and sighed with pleasure. Tenderly, he ran his fingers through Hormiz¡¯s thick black hair. His thumbs gently grazed Hormiz¡¯s fox ears.


    Hormiz grabbed Zeke¡¯s buttocks in either hand and pulled him forward. Zeke¡¯s cock slid down Hormiz¡¯s throat.


    Zeke felt something rise deep within him. He sighed loudly. His body shook and his knees almost gave way.


    Hormiz made gagging sounds but held tight to Zeke¡¯s ass, his face deep in bush. When Hormiz finally pulled away, Zeke shuddered as his over-sensitive penis slid out of Hormiz¡¯s throat and mouth. He nearly collapsed onto a fallen log from light-headedness. Even his vision was starry.


    ¡°What was that?¡± he asked. ¡°Did it work?¡±


    Hormiz stood up and wiped fluids from his lips and chin. He sighed deeply. ¡°It worked,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    But Zeke was exhausted. ¡°Don¡¯t you sleep?¡± he asked.


    Hormiz was shocked. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous to sleep here!¡±


    Zeke shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s daytime. We should be fine for a few hours. Wait here. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Hormiz demanded, sounding fearful.


    ¡°Just to grab supplies. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Zeke stood up and doorwaed to the caves he was raised in. The house was still mostly rubble, but Zeke found blankets and camping supplies. He looked around for Dook, but the mink was probably off hunting. So Zeke doorwaed back to Hormiz, who was apoplectic.


    ¡°What the fuck?! You can¡¯t leave me like that!¡± he shouted. ¡°I¡¯m not a pet for you to just leave as you please!¡±


    Zeke felt awful. He dropped the blankets and supplies and ran to Hormiz, holding his free hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know you¡¯re not a pet. I¡¯m not going to leave you.¡±


    That softened Hormiz slightly.


    ¡°And look! I brought us blankets and stuff to make a tent. It¡¯s not much, but it should keep us secure while we sleep.¡±


    Hormiz was skeptical. ¡°How will that keep us safe?¡±


    ¡°Watch, I¡¯ll show you.¡± Zeke hurried to assemble a tent and bedding with the supplies he¡¯d brought. He covered the tent with sticks and leaves for camouflage. When he was finished, it was practically invisible at a distance.


    ¡°Mama taught me how to camp,¡± Zeke said proudly and ended sadly. ¡°Anyway, we should both fit. I laid some blankets down, so we won¡¯t sleep on the ground.¡±


    ¡°We? No. Make me another tent,¡± demanded Hormiz.


    Zeke was stunned, then annoyed. ¡°Fuck you! I¡¯m not your servant, either, you know! This is all I could find after you blew up my home!¡±


    Hormiz looked scared and miserable.


    Zeke immediately regretted his outburst. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have said that.¡±


    Hormiz shook his head. ¡°No, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s all my fault. You owe me nothing, and I¡­ I won¡¯t even survive without you. I¡¯m a parasite. I¡¯m only good as a weapon. And soon you¡¯ll realize it, and then you¡¯ll leave me.¡±


    ¡°That is not true!¡± Zeke went to Hormiz and grabbed his shoulders fiercely. ¡°None of this is your fault! It¡¯s my fault! I should have been faster. I was supposed to save us all. It¡¯s my fault they¡¯re dead. And I am so, so sorry. I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you! And I will never leave you, I swear it! Whatever we do, wherever we go now, we do it together. It¡¯s you and me. Forever.¡±


    Hormiz fell into Zeke¡¯s arms. They cried together for a long time.


    Then, thoroughly exhausted, they lied down and fell asleep.

 Chapter 19 - Queen Titania VIII

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    When Hormiz woke up, he and Zeke were still in each other¡¯s arms. Dim daylight leaked through the tent cloth above them. Zeke slept with his head nestled on the edge of Hormiz¡¯s chest and shoulder. His dark wavy hair smelled good, almost sweet. His skin was soft and smooth. The contours of firm muscles were artfully painted down his body. One tone leg stretched across Hormiz¡¯s waist.


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    Hormiz felt¡­ happy?


    He approached the emotion with suspicion and dread. He¡¯d never felt this way before. He was afraid of it and afraid to lose it. He didn¡¯t deserve to feel this way, not after what he¡¯d done. He didn¡¯t deserve happiness. He didn¡¯t deserve Zeke¡¯s¡­


    Was this love?


    No. Impossible. They barely knew each other. This was an exchange. They were using each other. Hormiz hated Zeke. Zeke got everything Hormiz wanted. But none of that was Zeke¡¯s fault, was it? No. It wasn¡¯t his fault. He was good and kind and generous. Zeke was everything Hormiz wanted to be.


    Was this love? Did he love Zeke?


    He held Zeke tight. His hair smelled so good. Hormiz wanted to protect this feeling, to protect Zeke, to serve Zeke and make him happy. He owed Zeke so much. He owed him everything. He was so afraid of losing this.


    Meanwhile, Zeke was waking up. His beautiful face looked up at Hormiz. They were so close Hormiz could see flecks of gold and green in Zeke¡¯s brown eyes.


    ¡°Morning,¡± Zeke smiled.


    Hormiz¡¯s molten heart melted. Surely, this feeling was love. He brushed his fingertips across Zeke¡¯s smooth cheek, tracing the curves of his jaw, neck, and shoulder.


    ¡°I have a question,¡± Zeke said.


    ¡°Hm?¡± Hormiz answered.


    ¡°That thing we did¡­ How often will you need to do that?¡±


    There it was. Hormiz started to panic. Zeke didn¡¯t like it. Hormiz had taken too much out of Zeke and left him exhausted. What was the longest Hormiz could go without feeding? He didn¡¯t know how days worked on this stupid planet. Lilith used to make Hormiz wait for at least five sleep cycles between feedings.


    ¡°Maybe every¡­ seven days?¡± Hormiz answered fearfully.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Zeke sounded disappointed.


    ¡°It could be less!¡± Hormiz hurried to say. ¡°It could be every ten days, I think. And I can wait longer. I just won¡¯t summon fire.¡±


    ¡°No, you misunderstand me,¡± Zeke said kindly. ¡°I liked it. It felt good.¡±


    ¡°It did?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Zeke was emphatic. ¡°It was incredible. I want to do it again. As often as you want.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Hormiz was skeptical.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious! And I want to do it for you, too. I want you to feel it.¡± He sounded so sincere.


    ¡°Why? You won¡¯t get energy from me. It doesn¡¯t work the other way.¡±


    Zeke laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t care about that. I told you before. I have energy to spare. I just want to make you feel good like you did for me.¡±


    Beams of broken sunlight shined onto Zeke¡¯s bright face. Hormiz saw him as if for the first time. There was no deceit or artifice to Zeke. He was true and generous. He was good.


    So much better than Hormiz. Hormiz was broken and cruel. He didn¡¯t deserve Zeke¡¯s kindness. The warmth in Zeke¡¯s eyes hit Hormiz like a branding iron. He pushed Zeke away, collecting Rowan¡¯s ingot and exiting the tent.


    Hormiz had no idea for how long they¡¯d slept. It was bright out. Hormiz hated this alien planet, its weird plants, and terrifying horned beasts. He hated the wind and the constantly rustling leaves. He hated the birds and bugs and crawling, slithering creatures underfoot. But there was something else. A familiar scent amid the onslaught of forest smells. What is that? Is it¡­ smoke?


    Alarmed, Hormiz looked around.


    Zeke stepped out of the tent saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry if-¡±


    ¡°Shh,¡± whispered Hormiz. ¡°Listen.¡±


    Zeke took a defensive position and a longknife appeared in his hand.


    Hormiz jumped onto a high tree branch to see their surroundings. There! Across the valley, a forest fire engulfed a hillside. Hormiz understood fire as he understood nothing else on this bizarre planet. It would be upon them in minutes. He jumped down to inform Zeke, ¡°There¡¯s a forest fire. We need to move. Now. We won¡¯t be able to outrun it. We need to find shelter, a cave, or a wide-open clearing.¡±


    Zeke nodded and his short blade disappeared.


    Then suddenly, something quick and small flew between them, demanding attention. It was the size of a small bird or large bug, with insect wings, but resembled a tiny green person waving its arms and signaling them to follow.


    Zeke and Hormiz looked at one another as if to silently ask, ¡®Should we follow?¡¯


    ¡°Whatever we decide, we need to do it now,¡± Hormiz said urgently.


    ¡°We should follow her,¡± Zeke answered.


    And so they did. They raced after the flying little person for a long time, but the fire was faster, and soon Hormiz could hear the blaze roaring at their heels. The little flying person finally led them to a river and motioned for them to cross it, but the river was too deep.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never swam before,¡± he quietly confessed to Zeke.


    Zeke said, ¡°No problem. I¡¯ve got you. Take my hands and close your eyes.¡±


    Hormiz frowned but allowed Zeke to give him orders this once. He held Zeke¡¯s hands and closed his eyes, trusting Zeke.


    ¡°Now step forward,¡± Zeke said, gently pulling him.


    Hormiz took two steps and felt a sudden wave of vertigo. He opened his eyes to see the water was on his other side. Zeke had moved them both across the river.


    Zeke looked radiant, smiling proudly.


    Hormiz felt like he should say something, but he only managed to grunt, ¡°Hm,¡± before the flying little person demanded their attention again, pointing, waving, and signaling to follow. They didn¡¯t have to follow much longer. In an open mossy glade, they came upon another flying little person.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    She was slightly larger than their guide and dressed in red flower petals. She had an air of superiority and floated effortlessly in the air. Her movements were smooth and regal.


    ¡°Well met, sons of Rowan,¡± said the little bug person. ¡°Were that it was under kinder circumstances. We are Queen Titania the Eighth. You may address us as Queen Titia or ¡®Your Grace.¡¯


    ¡°We¡¯ve been watching you. We know why you¡¯re here. And we can help you. But first, you must do a thing for us. As you¡¯ve seen, a fire rages in the forest. This is no common fire. The Brothers of the Church are setting the forest ablaze. They intend to burn down every tree on the island. We cannot help you resurrect Rowan if we are dead. You must stop the Brothers from completing their mission.¡±


    Hormiz and Zeke both almost fell over.


    ¡°Wait, you can bring Mama back?¡± asked Zeke.


    Queen Titia nodded. ¡°She was wounded, but her ingot remains intact and warm, does it not?¡±


    Hormiz remembered he was still holding his mother¡¯s ingot to his chest. It was indeed still warm. He nodded back.


    ¡°Then she slumbers. We can keep her alive with infusions of heat and energy, but to fully recover, her ingot will need to be placed in the lava beds of Inari.¡±


    Hormiz had never heard of the place. ¡°Then we go to Inari,¡± he said.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible,¡± Zeke whispered sadly. ¡°Inari was destroyed.¡±


    Queen Titia answered, ¡°With the Bone Gauntlet, Inari can rise again.¡±


    Zeke looked devastated.


    ¡°How?¡± demanded Hormiz.


    Queen Titia said, ¡°There are two ways to bring Inari back: the first would be to use the Bone Gauntlet and do it yourself. The problem is, you don¡¯t know how to use the Bone Gauntlet. It would take a lifetime to master even the simplest feat. You¡¯ll probably fail spectacularly, and almost certainly attract Adam¡¯s attention, dooming yourself and any hope we have of victory in the process.


    ¡°The other option is to free the Catalyst Ikon and raise her to master her powers until she can restore Inari. Of course, that plan has problems, too. We have over two hundred daughters, and they all pose a unique problem. But the Catalyst Ikon herself is more likely to succeed at this task than you are.¡±


    Zeke looked relieved but Hormiz was not.


    ¡°How do we free the Ikon?¡± Zeke asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± Queen Titia told Zeke. Then she looked at Hormiz. ¡°He does.¡±


    Confused, Hormiz said, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Soul transference is kitsune magic,¡± said Queen Titia. ¡°Only Hormiz can free the Ikon¡¯s soul and guide her into a new vessel.¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t! I don¡¯t know anything about kitsune magic; besides, I don¡¯t want to free the Ikon. I want to use the Bone Gauntlet to kill Adam now.¡±


    Queen Titia sighed imperiously. ¡°Were we unclear? The Bone Gauntlet isn¡¯t a sword or a weapon. You can¡¯t just swing it. You have to understand the Ikon fundamentally, which you simply do not. Go ahead, if you don¡¯t believe me. Try to summon lightning.¡±


    Was she bluffing? Hormiz was angry enough to test it. He looked at Zeke and said, ¡°Give me the Bone Gauntlet.¡±


    Zeke hesitated. ¡°I think this is a bad idea.¡±


    ¡°Give me the damn gauntlet!¡± Hormiz ordered.


    Zeke frowned but opened his bandaged palm. The Bone Gauntlet appeared from wherever he had it stowed.


    Hormiz took the gauntlet and gave Rowan¡¯s ingot to Zeke, who quickly wrapped it in his shirt so as not to burn again.


    Meanwhile, Hormiz slid the Bone Gauntlet on. He wasn¡¯t sure what to expect, but he expected something; instead, nothing. No charge or surge or sensation, at all. He might as well have put on a heavy glove. Feeling foolish, he did as the little queen dared him. He tried to summon lightning, but nothing happened.


    ¡°Ahh! Lilith made this look so easy!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°Lilith had advantages you do not,¡± Queen Titia said while rolling her entire head. ¡°Now are you done? Or did you forget about the fire? The river you crossed will delay the flames a day or two, but Brothers will come to inspect their work and finish the job, and remember: if the Brothers burn down the forest, there will be no one left alive to help you resurrect Rowan.¡±


    Zeke spoke quickly, ¡°We¡¯ll do it. How do we stop the Brothers?¡±


    The little queen at last seemed unsure of herself, wringing her tiny hands. ¡°We¡­ don¡¯t know. We know why they¡¯re burning the forest down: they suspect fae live here. But they don¡¯t have proof. We can¡¯t kill them because that would give them proof. Church Brothers are assigned familiars that record and document everything. If anything were to happen to them, Adam would learn of it, then he would come and kill us personally. The only reason he hasn¡¯t destroyed this entire island and everyone on it, is because he doesn¡¯t care enough to bother. He thinks Safo is irrelevant. That is the key to our continued survival. We need you to convince these Brothers to leave some of the forest alive. Even a small patch would be enough.¡±


    ¡°Convince¡­ them?¡± repeated Hormiz incredulously.


    ¡°In the most mundane way possible, yes. It cannot seem like magic or force. The Brothers have to report to Adam their task is complete or that completion would be pointless.¡±


    Zeke spoke up, ¡°What made them fear the woods enough to burn it all down in the first place?¡±


    Queen Titia frowned. ¡°One of our denizens projected a vision into the dreams of everyone on the island. That was enough to rouse suspicions.¡±


    ¡°So give the Brothers what they want,¡± said Hormiz. ¡°Surrender this denizen and hope that satisfies them.¡±


    ¡°Not only is that cowardly and awful, it would confirm their suspicions and provide evidence that fae beings live in these woods,¡± she responded in disgust. ¡°You have much to learn if you are to be any use in the fight against Adam.¡±


    Hormiz advanced on the little insect person and summoned blue fire in the palm of his hand. ¡°You have much to learn if you intend to survive the fire out there or the fire right here!¡± The little queen flew up quickly.


    ¡°Hormiz!¡± Zeke shouted.


    Hormiz stopped midstep and realized he was making a fool of himself. He put his fire out and stomped back to stand next to Zeke.


    Queen Titia was floating high above them. ¡°He is not ready,¡± she pointed at Hormiz while speaking to Zeke. ¡°But you might be. We will send for you.¡±


    Then Queen Titia flew away, leaving Hormiz and Zeke to discuss her offer and their options.


    The thundering crackle of the forest fire could be heard nearby, but the river was wide enough, at least for now, they should be safe. Notwithstanding the dangers all around them. Also, Zeke was looking murderous. ¡°You just threatened a queen and our only ally in these woods.¡±


    Hormiz got defensive. His voice got loud. ¡°Morgan said to seek out Drya. That bug lady called herself Queen Titia. We don¡¯t need her.¡±


    ¡°She might have led us to Drya!¡±


    ¡°What does it matter?! She¡¯s probably lying to save herself. And even if she isn¡¯t, what she¡¯s asking is impossible! I¡¯ve visited the dreams of Brothers before. They are so rigid! You cannot ¡®convince¡¯ them to betray Adam. They fear and worship him. We should just kill the Brothers quickly and prepare an ambush for Adam. We still have two Ikons.¡±


    ¡°No, we don¡¯t! I¡¯m still learning my powers, and evidently, that gauntlet is unusable.¡±


    ¡°I can learn to use it!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s taken me twenty years and I can only move things from one spot to another! You think you can master a fundamental aspect of the world in less time?¡±


    ¡°You want to wait another twenty years hoping someone else can do it better?!¡±


    ¡°The alternative seems to be ¡®or death,¡¯ so yeah, I like the other plan more.¡±


    Hormiz yelled in frustration and stormed away. He still had the Bone Gauntlet. He just needed somewhere to concentrate, then he could access the Ikon¡¯s powers; he was certain of it. Lilith had managed it somehow, and it didn¡¯t take her twenty years.


    Hormiz sat on a large stone by the river and closed his eyes. He concentrated on the soul in the Bone Gauntlet. Hormiz was kitsune and the grandson of Lilith. Dreams were his first playground. Queen Titia said soulbending was kitsune magic. Connecting to a dormant soul should be easy for him.


    He tried to focus, but the constant sounds all around him made it impossible. There was no wind in Lilith¡¯s City. There was no birdsong or rushing river. There were no crickets or frogs. It was so easy to concentrate there. He never had to ignore a cacophony before.


    Hormiz imagined an endless darkness, quiet solitude. He saw the Bone Gauntlet. He felt the thing in his hands, the centuries of wear on it. But it was inert. Hormiz needed to go deeper. He imagined himself flying down, shrinking between grooves and cracks, down into the Bone Gauntlet itself, until he was again surrounded in endless darkness.


    But was it still quiet? Or was there a faint cracking in the darkness? Was Hormiz alone, or had he invited into his mind a fundamental aspect of change, destruction, and rebirth?


    There were no words; Hormiz got the sense that the mind surrounding his own had grown insane beyond words; but there was an idea of loss, rage, and violation. That idea overwhelmed Hormiz like waves of mud, burying him alive. He couldn¡¯t breathe. Then came the pain. Electric currents and psychic fire immolated his consciousness. An untrained mind would have collapsed into a coma. It took all Hormiz¡¯s considerable willpower to open his eyes, rip the Bone Gauntlet off, and throw it on the ground.


    He screamed and sobbed as he¡¯d never done in his life before. The intensity of emotions Hormiz felt when his mind touched the Ikon¡¯s seemed to open up new pockets of grief and pain that Hormiz hadn¡¯t known before existed.


    Lilith stole him as a baby. She stole his life. She lied to him and turned him into a monster. She killed his parents. And even now, he was suffering to make her happy, to kill Adam, like she raised him to want.


    Hormiz was on his knees in the fetal position when Zeke threw his arms around him. He didn¡¯t say anything or try to calm Hormiz down. He just sat there, quietly holding Hormiz as he screamed and heaved with his face in his hands in the dirt.

 Chapter 20 - Jack

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    Queen Titia¡¯s messenger came at sunset, and he was perhaps the most fearsome creature Hormiz had ever seen.


    He called himself Jack, and he was a giant furry beast with massive, sharp antlers.


    He said Zeke was invited to meet Drya in her secret glade. Hormiz was not, and Jack would stay behind to ensure Hormiz would not follow.


    ¡°You truly think you can stop me?¡± Hormiz taunted the beast.


    Jack responded, ¡°Young¡¯n, I been alive since the dawn of Eden. Yer mother was a good friend o¡¯ mine. Don¡¯t make me dishonor her memory by disciplining ye here and now.¡±


    The last time Hormiz rose to someone¡¯s challenge, he ended up sobbing like a baby for an hour, so Hormiz was feeling humbled enough to heed Jack¡¯s warning. He was also curious. Jack said he knew Rowan, and Hormiz wanted to know more. So they agreed. Zeke would follow a pixie to Drya¡¯s secret glade and return by sunset tomorrow. Hormiz would stay with Jack.


    Watching Zeke walk away, Hormiz felt a surprising anxiety. He wanted to run after Zeke. He knew Zeke could return anytime he wanted, so there was no need to worry. But still, he had grown fond of Zeke. When he was crying earlier, it was a comfort having Zeke there. But Hormiz held restraint. His entire life up to that point had been spent holding restraint and serving Lilith¡¯s whims. Restraint and service came naturally to him. Discomfort had a comfortable familiarity to it. He just didn¡¯t expect to care so much, and he didn¡¯t know what to do about it; so he set those curious feelings aside and turned to face the great horned beast.


    ¡°You say you were my mother¡¯s friend. Tell me more. What was she like?¡±


    Jack had eyes on either side of his face, so as he turned to the side, one eye looked at Hormiz directly. It was a deep, dark brown. ¡°Fierce. Very capable. Even as a young immortal, she was talented beyond most o¡¯ her peers. She was a diplomat. That¡¯s why she was away when Adam destroyed Inari.¡±


    ¡°You knew her before?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Not well, o¡¯ course. She was just a messenger when I first met her. She was so silly back then. Showed up in the shape of a giant turtle and challenged me to a race.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a turtle?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t matter. Point is, after losing her family, her home, and her people, Rowan weren¡¯t silly no more. Consumed by a need for revenge. I saw little o¡¯ her in those days. But there was a moment when I saw her be silly again. Ye were born on Morgan¡¯s coinnigh, did ye know that? I visited Rowan there, and it was the happiest I¡¯d ever seen her. Ye brought her joy and hope, for herself and for her people. Losing ye devastated her. She was in a very dark way when Sam finally found her here.¡±


    Hormiz was oddly satisfied to know she suffered in his absence. He moved to sit down on a fallen log. There was a smoky orange and amber glow shining through the trees; perhaps from the sunset, perhaps from the forest fire.


    Hormiz picked up a small stick and began to fidget with it. ¡°You knew kitsune society before Adam destroyed Inari. What was that like?¡±


    Jack flopped onto his side. ¡°It was peaceful. Most kitsune spent their days underground in the magma banks. Some were always flyin¡¯ with the firebirds. They had little use for architecture or buildings, ¡®cept as artistic sculptures or memory storage inspiration. For centuries before Adam came, kitsune shepherded the human refugees that arrived on these islands; taught ¡®em what foods to eat and what to farm. They guided Vulpen culture and development. Get to know the people here, and ye¡¯ll find echoes o¡¯ ya people.¡±


    Hormiz considered this news for a moment. But he had more questions. ¡°And what of soulbending? Queen Titia said it was kitsune magic. What does that mean, and how do I use it?¡±


    ¡°Hm. I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know much about it. The details were a secret among kitsune. My understanding was that God made kitsune to help guide the Ghost Ikon, the Dying One. The specifics were never mine to know.¡±


    ¡°Where is this Ikon now?¡±


    Jack looked away, seeming sad. ¡°He was lost.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°Lost to Adam?¡±


    ¡°Unknown. All we know is that an angel was involved. The Dying One¡¯s whereabouts remain a mystery.¡±


    ¡°What else do you know?¡± Hormiz dared.


    Jack tilted his head, seeming amused. ¡°I¡¯ve been around a long time. I know many things.¡±


    ¡°What do you know about the Bone Gauntlet?¡±


    Jack sighed. ¡°Her name was Aegir. She was a giant. She and her twin used to ride storm clouds across the world. They were inseparable. His soul is trapped in the Shell Gauntlet.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Hormiz turned away. He remembered too well the waves of grief and loss he experienced when his mind touched the Catalyst Ikon, but he understood better now. She was suffering in the absence of her twin.


    Hormiz wondered if he, too, would go insane, trapped and isolated as Aegir was. Could such an insane force be controlled, harnessed? How did Lilith manage it? And what madness would they unleash if they freed her?


    If they freed her.


    Hormiz was considering it. What madness, indeed. What incredible madness.


    Jack interrupted his pondering. ¡°May I ask ye a question?¡±


    Hormiz nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°What do ye want?¡±


    Hormiz examined the furry beast. ¡°I don¡¯t understand the question.¡±


    ¡°Well it seems to me, and note, there¡¯s only ever been one a me; but it seems to me that as the last kitsune, ye have wants and desires for yeself as well as others. Do ye not?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Well, what are they? What do ye want?¡±


    ¡°What do I want?¡± Hormiz repeated stupidly. Then finally, ¡°I want to kill Adam!¡±


    ¡°Ha, get in line, friend. But that¡¯s a distant goal. Set that aside for the moment. Ye may yet live a long time, but one day ye¡¯ll die. How do ye want to live?¡±


    Hormiz was frustrated. ¡°What does it matter?¡±


    ¡°If Rowan was here, she¡¯d say it was the most important thing in the world.¡±


    Hormiz groaned. Then he asked seriously, ¡°Can we really bring Rowan back?¡±


    Jack lowered his head, his massive horns exaggerating the effect. ¡°It¡¯s possible. But I cannot promise we¡¯ll succeed.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s never been done before. We believe Adam used the Catalyst Ikon to bury Inari under the ocean. In theory, a freed Catalyst Ikon could bring Inari to the surface again.¡±


    ¡°¡®We believe.¡¯ ¡®In theory.¡¯ This is just guesswork and hope. You have nothing to offer me.¡± Hormiz scoffed.


    ¡°Aye, it¡¯s guesswork and hope informed by six thousand years o¡¯ lived experience. I knew Aegir. She can do it. The challenge will be in preparing her, the way Rowan and Sam prepared Ezekiel.¡±


    Zeke¡¯s full name sounded strange to Hormiz, reminding him of when he¡¯d first heard Zeke¡¯s name, while he was torturing Samaal.


    Samaal was delirious and thought he was talking to Zeke at the time.


    ¡®When I first held you in my arms, such a tiny little thing, I felt that old hurt and anger. And I knew I had to do right by you. I wouldn¡¯t do to you what my parents did to me. I wouldn¡¯t abandon you.¡¯


    Did Samaal defeat destiny? Or did he abandon his son in the end? What hope had Hormiz of faring better? He was monstrous. He could only raise a monster. But then, wasn¡¯t Samaal a monster, too? He helped raise Zeke, and Zeke turned out alright.


    ¡°What was Samaal like?¡±


    Jack began to clean his ears as he answered. ¡°Unintentionally funny. He had a very direct way about him, but never superior. A living nightmare when he was angry. A local constable once challenged the legitimacy of Morgan¡¯s claim to the coinnigh she¡¯s on now. Sam said he¡¯d deal with it. The next morning, the constable was found wandering the roads, completely insane. I didn¡¯t know Sam as well or as long as I knew Rowan, but I feared and admired him.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t think him a monster? The way he was made, the things he did?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t sit on high in judgment. From what I saw, Sam was devoted and courageous. He saved us all from that constable¡¯s inquisition. He brought Rowan the Ivory Blade, and then together, yer parents did something I thought was impossible; they freed Ezekiel. They raised him to be a good man. Now, I don¡¯t know how Sam was made, and I don¡¯t know his every action, but whatever his failings, they don¡¯t undo his victories. Ye¡¯re here, perhaps his greatest victory of all.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel like much of a winner.¡±


    ¡°Ha,¡± Jack laughed sarcastically. ¡°Perhaps ye aren¡¯t playing the game properly.¡±


    ¡°Ha,¡± Hormiz laughed mockingly. ¡°And how might I improve my strategy?¡±


    ¡°Build something.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Build something. Anything. Consider for a moment, Lilith wants to take Eden and destroy the race of man, and then control all life on Eden, yes?¡±


    Hormiz shrugged.


    ¡°Take, destroy, control. Now consider Adam, he wants to take power from the Ikons, destroy any opposition, and control all life on Eden, yes?¡±


    Hormiz shrugged louder.


    ¡°Take, destroy, control. That¡¯s their strategy. Sam went a different way. He built a life. He gave people hope. And he was instrumental in the fight to bring ye home. Rowan wouldn¡¯t have known ye were alive without his intelligence. Now, his victories don¡¯t erase his failures, either. Ye remember a monster. Maybe ye¡¯re right. But he¡¯s gone, and ye and Zeke are here. That¡¯s got to count for something.¡±


    Hormiz shook with emotion. He had only ever thought of Samaal as a selfish, thieving traitor, and an absent father. To hear that he was none of those things was at once a relief and also infuriating. Jack had such wonderful memories with ¡®Sam.¡¯ Hormiz remembered the crunch of Samaal¡¯s finger bones, the taste of his marrow.


    Jack continued, ¡°Sam didn¡¯t let his origin define him. After everything he lost, the lives he saved, and the life he built, I remember a hero. Maybe we¡¯re both right.¡±


    Hormiz stood up and walked away. He wandered to the river bank and watched the fire rage on the other side.


    It was beautiful and peaceful. A realization dawned on him.


    Hormiz wanted to be like his father. He wanted to build a life with Zeke.

 Chapter 21 - Laid to Rest

    Zeke followed the pixie through the woods, over hills and streams, until the sun was low and the sky was aflame with stunning colors. Finally, he arrived at an open glade with a great misty waterfall. Flowers of blue, pink, and red petals covered the lake. At the center of the glade was a great silver pine, and floating in front of the silver pine was Drya, the forest spirit.


    She was beautiful and terrifying. She resembled a whitecap mushroom with the curves of a little woman. She wore a crown of mushrooms. Eight black, expressionless eyes regarded Zeke. Drya floated in the air, lifted by countless silky, moldy threads. Her dainty feet never touched the ground.


    Nearby, Queen Titia sat on a low branch of the silver pine tree as if it were a throne.


    ¡°Welcome, Ezekiel,¡± said Drya. Her voice was soft and wispy. ¡°It¡¯s good to meet you, at last. Come, sit.¡± Drya motioned to a nearby log, made soft with moss. Zeke sat down and Drya floated over to him. Her many inscrutable black eyes studied him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me anything,¡± she said. ¡°I already know. And I want to help.¡±


    Zeke sighed in relief. He was still holding his mother¡¯s ingot, wrapped in cloth now dark with burns.


    ¡°But I¡¯m going to need your help, too.¡±


    Zeke nodded. ¡°Of course. Anything. What do you need?¡±


    Drya hesitated. She continued sadly, ¡°When the Brothers burn this silver pine, I will die. I¡¯m at peace with that. But I need your help to save my children.¡±


    Zeke was dumbstruck.


    Drya lifted an arm. Nearby, a water lily was lifted into the air by countless moldy threads and carried over to her outstretched hand. She gave the water lily to Zeke. It glowed bright blue. Zeke looked inside the petals and saw a tiny frog and a spider. They were glowing.


    ¡°These are my children,¡± Drya said. ¡°They won¡¯t survive a fire. I need you to plant this lily in a gentle lake, somewhere safe.¡±


    ¡°But Queen Titia said we should stop the Brothers,¡± Zeke said.


    ¡°Yes, many lives hang in the balance. But it¡¯s too late to save mine. The Brothers are likely to burn this glade tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we stop them?¡± Zeke begged.


    ¡°How? And at what cost? The Brothers have familiars. Everything they see is relayed to Adam, and if he sees fae on another Vulpen Island, he will massacre everyone as he did to Crescent. No. I¡¯m ready. But I can still save them.¡±


    Her hands rested on Zeke¡¯s hands, holding the glowing water lily. Her skin was soft and dewy. ¡°Please,¡± she said. ¡°I know you can take them far from here.¡±


    Zeke nodded. What else could he do? ¡°I know a place. It¡¯s dark and underground and Lilith knows about it, but she¡¯s not likely to go there if I¡¯m not there, so I think it¡¯s safe, relatively speaking.¡±


    Drya nodded once in sad relief. ¡°Good,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you to bring the kush along if it¡¯s not too much. They will protect the little ones from harm until they¡¯re grown enough to protect themselves.¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course,¡± Zeke said, wondering how he was going to doorway everyone. But there was something else pressing on his mind. ¡°About Rowan¡¯s ingot¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Drya. ¡°Queen Titia tells me you want to free the Catalyst Ikon, yes? Until Aegir comes into her power and raises Inari, Rowan will need to be held in stasis.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean exactly?¡± Zeke asked.


    ¡°Rowan¡¯s body was made of rare minerals. Those minerals are lost and can only be replenished in Inari¡¯s magma. But Rowan¡¯s spirit isn¡¯t lost yet. They slumber, but we can stir them. With your permission, Rowan will remain here. And when Aegir is ready, bring her to this spot, retrieve Rowan, and bring the ingot to Inari.¡±


    Zeke was breathless. He nodded in agreement. His heart pounded in his chest as he offered Drya his mother¡¯s ingot.


    Drya hesitated. ¡°Before I take the ingot, there is more we need to discuss.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­ What¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    ¡°Hormiz. Queen Titia observed the two of you in the woods.¡±


    Zeke felt his cheeks blush.


    ¡°You need to understand how dangerous he is.¡±


    Zeke stood up tall and shouted. ¡°He is not dangerous! Not to me!¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°He is. To everyone, but himself most of all. Listen to me, Zeke. I don¡¯t have long and this needs to be said. Hormiz is broken. Lilith warped his mind. He cannot be trusted.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong! He¡¯s not broken! And even if he is, we can put him back together!¡±


    ¡°Maybe. But if you¡¯re going to try, you need to understand what awaits you.¡±


    Zeke was scared but he listened.


    ¡°He will hate you at times. Other times, he will cling to you. He will react in emotional extremes. He won¡¯t understand boundaries. He will destroy things and spend most of his days hating himself.¡±


    Zeke shook his head. He made Hormiz a promise, and he wouldn¡¯t break it. ¡°He needs love and support. I¡¯m not giving up on him just because he¡¯s difficult. He¡¯s getting better! He will get better.¡±


    ¡°He needs more than you can give him,¡± Drya comforted.


    ¡°Then I will get help! Morgan and Hinata care. They will help us. They¡¯ll help him. It won¡¯t happen overnight, but he will get better! I will help him get better.¡±


    ¡°Your relationship is not healthy,¡± she said sadly. ¡°He¡¯s not ready for love. He¡¯s not ready to raise Aegir.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not up to you. Ready or not, right or wrong, there is no other way. I¡¯m freeing Aegir, and I¡¯m not leaving Hormiz behind. He needs me.¡±


    Drya¡¯s face was inscrutable, but Zeke sensed she was satisfied by his answer.


    ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing more to say,¡± Drya whispered. ¡°It¡¯s time. Please, save my children, save the forest, and stop the Brothers.¡±


    She reached for Rowan¡¯s ingot, and thousands of tiny strands removed the cloth, lifting the ingot into the air and into her hands. Her delicate skin singed at the heat. She swiftly pushed Rowan¡¯s ingot into her own chest.


    Drya cried out as smoke rose from her newly blackened chest.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Zeke worried. ¡°What do you need?¡±


    Queen Titia flew between them. ¡°Stand and witness,¡± she ordered. ¡°Drya is giving herself to preserve Rowan.¡± Queen Titia flew delicately forward and said, her tiny voice full of emotion, ¡°Goodbye, dearest friend.¡±


    The great silver pine shook and the ground beneath it opened up as its roots spread wide. A deep hole appeared, into which Drya lowered herself, wrapped in silky fibers, and covered herself in dirt. And then she was gone.


    Queen Titia lowered herself to stand on the soft dirt. Her wings were at last still, and she hung her head in silent mourning.


    All around, the forest seemed to pull inward, as Drya summoned the last of her essence to rest beneath the silver pine, until even the great tree itself withered and dried, nettles falling to the ground.


    Zeke stood for a moment in silence.


    Finally, Queen Titia rose into the air and turned to Zeke and said imperiously, ¡°Well, are you going to fulfill your end of the bargain, or not?¡±


    Zeke nodded. Then he doorwaed himself and the glowing lotus with two baby spirits to Zeke¡¯s old home cave.


    He didn¡¯t feel confident sending the kush all at once, so he lifted them up one at a time and doorwaed with them in his arms. It took the rest of the evening and into the night for Zeke to carry all the kush to the cavern.


    Once arrived, some kush stayed with the glowing water lily. The rest went to work readying the grand cavern for two forest spirit seedlings. The stream Zeke used to bathe in would need to be dammed into a still lake.


    The kush seemed understand Zeke¡¯s affection for Dook, and treated him as a precious little baby, which infuriated Dook, but he was tiny compared to the kush, so his murderous rage was just adorable.


    Once all that was finished, Zeke was exhausted, and he fell asleep in his old bed, with Dook¡¯s head resting on his arm.


    -8-


    Zeke woke up and foraged some breakfast, then he checked in on Toa and the seedlings. Everyone seemed to be getting along with little adjustment. So Zeke said goodbye again and doorwaed to the silver pine glade.


    Queen Titia was sitting on a desiccated branch of the once majestic silver pine, now a mere sinister skeleton of its former grandeur. Queen Titia flew at once to Zeke.


    ¡°Finally!¡± She sounded anxious. ¡°We have to move. The flames aren¡¯t far now.¡±


    The loud crackling of burning wood could be heard nearby. Zeke followed Queen Titia as she flew through the trees and finally over a river. Zeke had to doorway across the river to safety.


    Zeke took a moment to catch his breath. He looked over and saw the scope of the destruction. He stood at a fork in the river. On one side, everything was already burned to ash and cinders. On the other side, everything was burning. And it wouldn¡¯t be long until his side was set aflame, too. The roar of the raging inferno was deafening. Most of the birds had long since fled, but a large silver bird flew low over the water, looking for fish.


    Zeke had to get back to Hormiz, and they had to figure out a way to stop the Brothers. He turned to Queen Titia. ¡°Can you lead me to Hormiz?¡±


    The Pixie Queen looked mighty irritated but said, ¡°Yes.¡±


    She slowed down her flight, so Zeke was able to keep up and talk with her.


    A sudden idea came to Zeke. ¡°Drya said you were spying on Hormiz and me. The other pixies are your eyes, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    Queen Titia sighed tolerantly. ¡°A pixie queen can see through the eyes of her children, yes.¡±


    ¡°What about the pixies on Nod? Rowan took three pixies when she went through the mirror. Can you see through their eyes?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s strange. They move so slowly.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense,¡± he said. ¡°Rowan believed time passes more slowly on Nod.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Two of the pixie drones were already seen and devoured by the cainkin. We don¡¯t believe Lilith was made aware of the drones¡¯ existence.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what she¡¯s doing, what she¡¯s planning?¡±


    ¡°We can only see. We cannot hear. Little has transpired since you left Nod. It¡¯s unclear if Lilith plans to do anything. She¡¯s been destroying things around the palace since you escaped.¡±


    Zeke tilted his head back and forth. That sounded like good news. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the way Hormiz acted earlier. He¡¯s not bad. He¡¯s just got a lot of messed up stuff to work through.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not as worried about Hormiz as I was yesterday. He¡¯s lucky to have you in his life,¡± Queen Titia said. ¡°Make sure he comes back often to talk with Jack. We can see Jack has a positive influence on him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that,¡± Zeke promised.


    Suddenly, a stone appeared, flying through the air. The stone flew through Queen Titia¡¯s chest, killing her instantly. Her wings twitched and her body fell to the ground.


    Zeke screamed in horror and shock. Before he knew what was happening, he was surrounded by five men in black, gold-trim robes. They swiftly tied him up. Zeke almost doorwaed himself away but stopped. He saw the animals with the black-robed men, and he realized these were the Brothers and their familiars. Zeke couldn¡¯t let these men see his abilities.


    Besides, Zeke was supposed to be here. He needed to convince these men.


    So Zeke tried to clear his head. He invented a story. And he hoped Hormiz wouldn¡¯t kill them all when he found out what happened.

 Chapter 22 - Church Brothers

    Darragh hated himself for burning the forest he grew up in, but law is the law. Adam, in his sublime wisdom, declared these woods unholy; and it was the sacred charge of all Good Brothers to impose the Will of Adam. A privilege, really, an honor. No other native Safoan had ever risen so far in the Church. Darragh¡¯s father was beaming with pride the day Darragh earned his Keeper¡¯s robes. Silently, Darragh thanked Godking his father wasn¡¯t alive to see him now.


    Darragh stumbled over the charred remains of a deer foal.


    ¡°Look where you¡¯re stepping!¡± Janus griped as he shouldered the extra weight of the canoe.


    Darragh and four other Brothers were carrying a canoe across an ashen wasteland. Heavy smoke darkened the noon sun. Today, their task would be to cross the Ojibwe River and burn all the trees that escaped the fire last night. All around them, black tree stumps dotted the land like headstones.


    Yesterday, they found ruins of a cabin with the smoldering remains of two people embracing. Darragh figured they must have been old pagans, otherwise they would have attended Church and known to move to Waterbreak.


    It wasn¡¯t Darragh¡¯s fault those people died.


    Godking, the smell of their bodies. Like a sweet roast pork.


    It wasn¡¯t his fault. They knew the law. To deny Adam is to invite destruction.


    Why didn¡¯t they move to Waterbreak?


    He didn¡¯t mean to kill anybody.


    Why did they make him do it?


    It¡¯s not his fault.


    ¡°We¡¯ll rest here a moment,¡± said Good Brother Esbern with a winded sigh. Esbern was the eldest member of their party. A black wide-rim hat covered his bald head; his wispy grey beard barely concealed a soft chin. The ugliest snake Darragh had ever seen coiled around Esbern¡¯s shoulders like a scarf. It looked like a large blue earthworm.


    Esbern was too old and frail to carry the canoe so Darragh, Janus, Marty, and Calvin shouldered the load. But the journey and the weight of their task had exhausted Esbern, and his usual calm equanimity was turning dark and mournful.


    Janus groaned loudly as they set the canoe down. ¡°These constant stops are killing my back. I wasn¡¯t bred for physical labor.¡±


    Marty teased, ¡°You must have been the runt of your litter to be sent here.¡±


    ¡°Shove it up your ass, Marty,¡± Janus said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll shove my jokes up mine the day you shove your bitchin¡¯ up yours,¡± Marty answered.


    ¡°Let¡¯s show a little respect, Good Brothers,¡± chastened Esbern as he leaned against a burnt tree stump. ¡°Marty, please send Silver to scout ahead. We¡¯re almost at the Ojibwe River. I¡¯d like a good, clear pass before we arrive.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Marty nodded agreeably and gave the orders to his grey parrot familiar. Marty gave Silver a toss, launching him high in the air.


    Calvin and Darragh each began rolling a smoke. Calvin¡¯s heightened senses left him miserable out in this wasteland. Smoking gave him a singular focus to distract from the barrage of death and gloom surrounding them.


    Janus made a disgusted face. Smoking was unpopular back in Garden. He preferred to drink wine from a flask he stored in his breast pocket.


    Marty grabbed a granola bar and went for a walk. Darragh was still smoking when Marty ran back down the hill, waving excitedly for everyone to gather close.


    ¡°Silver says he saw someone at the forest line across the river,¡± he whispered. ¡°Someone talking to a fae.¡±


    Marty paused for dramatic effect.


    ¡°We should throw fire across the river and run in the opposite direction,¡± Calvin said.


    ¡°We need that fae,¡± Janus said. ¡°If we bring proof back to Waterbreak the woods were sheltering unholy creatures, the yokels will have to cease their bleating.¡±


    ¡°Those locals mourn the loss of life our task necessitates,¡± Esbern reminded them. ¡°That our task is necessary makes it no less tragic. Safoans will mourn this event for generations.¡±


    Darragh quietly agreed with both Janus and Esbern. They needed the fae, dead or alive, to prove their tragic task had merit. But Darragh had no illusions about local gratitude or acceptance. He would never be forgiven for his part in Safo¡¯s burning.


    ¡°But we do need the fae,¡± Darragh repeated. ¡°The challenge will be in crossing the river without being seen. Janus, you can hide us with an illusion, yes?¡±


    Janus bristled at some perceived offense. He scoffed, ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°And Marty, you can make us silent,¡± Darragh continued.


    ¡°That¡¯s not how my powers work, but yeah, so long as no one makes unnecessary sounds, I can redirect the noise we make away and behind us,¡± said Marty.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take out the fae with my sling. Calvin remains our lookout, and Esbern takes the rear. Sound good?¡± said Darragh.


    ¡°Hold up,¡± Janus sneered. ¡°We¡¯re all just following the lead of a Keeper? Marty, are you so lazy you let your Keeper-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Esbern was old and frail but still had mettle in him. ¡°You dishonor yourself, Janus. Darragh¡¯s plan is sound. We will all follow it to the letter.¡± Esbern took one last, weary sigh. Then he said, ¡°Grab the canoe and move out. We can¡¯t waste any time. Silver, lead the way.¡±


    Janus looked furious but remained silent. Darragh smirked to see Janus embarrassed but was too pragmatic to give that preening brat a second thought.


    The approach went as planned. Janus erected a flat illusory wall, so anyone on the other side of the river would see a simple, floating log. Marty mumbled in a focused trance, ensuring no one would hear their paddles or footsteps. Once they¡¯d crossed the river and secured the canoe, Darragh only needed a clear line of sight.


    It was jarring how vibrant and full of life the forest was on this side of the river. Birds chirped and little critters scurried in the underbrush. They followed Silver¡¯s lead until they finally caught sight of their target in a bright mossy clearing. She was a little green person with a red petal dress on, gliding in the air on gossamer wings. And she was talking to a human. Darragh thought the human looked unusually pretty for a male, tall, young, and athletic, with wavy black hair.


    Darragh picked up a small round stone and loaded the sling. Again, Janus erected a flat illusory wall, so the targets wouldn¡¯t see Darragh winding up a stone. Marty redirected the whistling sounds of the sling so they wouldn¡¯t hear them.


    As he spun the sling in the air, Darragh¡¯s perception of time slowed to a crawl. To an outside perspective, it might look like heightened speed or reflexes or even time dilation, but Darragh had none of those abilities. Darragh could perceive time¡¯s passing more slowly, giving him more time to be responsive and precise.


    It was that precision that made Darragh such an excellent sling thrower. As he spun the sling around and snapped his wrist exactly, the stone dislodged and flew through the air.


    The little green person was dead before she knew what hit her. The stone passed through her upper chest, dislodging her head, which bounced on the ground next to her dead, twitching body. The young man''s screams of horror and grief were gut-wrenching and would haunt Darragh¡¯s nightmares for the rest of his life. But as with most uncomfortable feelings, Darragh bottled them away and concentrated on the task in front of him.


    Darragh, Calvin, Marty, and Janus rushed forward to subdue the young man. He made little resistance, only screams and sobs. He was swiftly tied up.


    Calvin was distressed, fidgeting nervously. ¡°We should burn this place before anyone else knows we were here.¡± People from Exile were known to be superstitious. It would seem that stereotype held true in Calvin¡¯s case.


    Janus rolled his eyes. ¡°Tail set firmly between your legs, already. We need to interrogate our prisoner!¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a prison, and we don¡¯t have a cage,¡± Marty corrected.


    ¡°Hostage, then,¡± Janus shrugged.


    ¡°Mm. We¡¯re not demanding a ransom. I¡¯d say he¡¯s more of a captive,¡± Marty said.


    ¡°Shove it up your ass, Marty!¡± said Janus.


    ¡°Enough,¡± barked Esbern. ¡°Secure the perimeter, all of you. Darragh, tie our guest to that tree. I¡¯d like to ask him some questions.¡±


    Everyone followed Esbern¡¯s orders. Darragh felt a pang of guilt as he dragged the sobbing young man to the nearest tree. But Darragh hardened his resolve. His role was clear. He ensured the binds weren¡¯t cruel, but tight enough the captive wouldn¡¯t escape.


    Esbern stood over the crying captive. ¡°What¡¯s your name, son?¡±


    He looked around frantically. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m Easy,¡± he said between hiccups.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that,¡± chimed Marty.


    ¡°Ignore him,¡± Esbern said kindly. ¡°He thinks he¡¯s funny.¡±


    Easy sniffled and wiped his nose on his shoulder.


    Esbern continued, ¡°What were you doing out here with an unholy creature?¡±


    ¡°I- I didn¡¯t know she was unholy. I just¡­ I was just trying to¡­¡±


    ¡°Trying to what? What business do you have with the fae?¡± Esbern demanded.


    Easy¡¯s face twisted in despair. ¡°It¡¯s my mom. She¡¯s¡­ she¡¯s sick. I thought maybe Queen Titia could help.¡±


    ¡°Queen Titia!? This one was a queen? How many subjects did she have?¡± asked Esbern intently.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! Dozens maybe?¡±


    ¡°Are there others? Other creatures besides this queen and her subjects?¡±


    Easy stammered. ¡°I- I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t see anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Does anyone else know you¡¯re here?¡±


    Easy glanced around. He shook his head. ¡°I came alone.¡±


    Esbern nodded seriously. He stepped away from their captive and waved the Brothers in for a quiet discussion.


    ¡°What does everyone think?¡± asked Esbern.


    ¡°He¡¯s lying,¡± confirmed Calvin.


    ¡°Of course, he¡¯s lying,¡± Janus condescended. ¡°We should just kill him and be done with the loose end. We already have proof with the fae¡¯s body.¡±


    ¡°He knows more than he¡¯s letting on,¡± Darragh offered. ¡°I¡¯d like to bring him back to the Church for further interrogation. The Elder Brothers will want to know what he knows.¡±


    ¡°Killing him seems the easier choice,¡± said Marty. ¡°I¡¯m all for killing him and burning the evidence.¡±


    ¡°We should burn this place and leave before the fae¡¯s subjects come seeking revenge!¡± Calvin sounded on the verge of panicking.


    ¡°Will you stop being hysterical?¡± said Janus.


    ¡°I¡¯ve made a decision,¡± said Esbern. ¡°We will carry on our mission. This forest needs to burn. Easy will remain bound and be dragged behind us until we return to Waterbreak. Darragh and Calvin will guard the prisoner.¡±


    ¡°Captive,¡± corrected Marty.


    Esbern continued as if he hadn¡¯t been interrupted. ¡°Marty, you can carry the fae¡¯s remains to the canoe. Janus, help an old man prepare lunch, would you?¡±


    ¡°We need to leave,¡± repeated Calvin.


    ¡°And we will leave, just as soon as we¡¯ve had a proper meal and a moment¡¯s rest,¡± Esbern said firmly. ¡°You all have your orders. Hop to.¡±


    Everyone seemed personally offended, but no one talked back. Esbern was feared and respected. He wasn¡¯t assigned a Keeper. Even at his advanced age, Esbern didn¡¯t need a Keeper. He could control the temperature of his body, which didn¡¯t seem like a particularly useful power to Darragh at first, but then he witnessed Esbern¡¯s mastery over his body temperature.


    The old man carefully knelt down to pick up a handful of dry sticks. He squeezed the sticks with his fist and smoke rose from it. Esbern¡¯s hand glowed red hot and the sticks caught fire. He threw the burning branches down and picked up more. Soon a roaring blaze began to spread.


    Janus grumbled that such menial duties were beneath him, but he fetched provisions all the same. After food was skewered and cooked, Esbern turned a sad eye to their captive.


    ¡°I know your name¡¯s not Easy, but there is an easy way to do this. The easy way gets you untied and one of these lamb skewers. The not-so-easy way gets you burnt. You understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Silent tears fell from Easy¡¯s face. He understood.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask some more questions. And my friend here will know if you¡¯re lying,¡± Esbern gestured toward Calvin, who was fidgeting nervously. Janus rolled his eyes.


    Easy looked back and forth and all around for any sort of reprieve, but nothing came. He didn¡¯t scream or sob or plead. He shook like a puppy as tears fell down his face.


    Darragh felt miserable. He wanted to look away or stop this, but he held firm.


    Esbern asked gravely, ¡°Why are you in these woods?¡±


    Trembling, Easy said, ¡°My mom¡­ she¡¯s¡­ she needs help.¡±


    Esbern looked over at Calvin.


    Calvin nodded. That part was true.


    Esbern continued, ¡°And the fae said she¡¯d help you save your mother, is that it?¡±


    Easy nodded.


    Calvin nodded.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come to the Church for help?¡± Esbern asked.


    Easy looked around like a cornered animal. ¡°My parents never took me to Church.¡±


    ¡°Hm. You said your mother was sick. What about your father?¡±


    Easy seemed to shrink lower. ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that. So you¡¯re all alone, is that right?¡±


    Easy nodded.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Calvin interrupted. ¡°He¡¯s lying.¡±


    Esbern sighed sadly. ¡°Son, who else is in the woods with you?¡±


    Easy¡¯s trembling increased. He shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s nobody.¡±


    Esbern looked over at Calvin. Calvin shook his head. Easy was lying.


    Again, Esbern sighed. He put a gentle hand on Easy¡¯s throat. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask one more time. Who else entered the woods with you?¡±


    Easy sobbed but said nothing.


    Esbern lowered his head. Then his hand started to glow, and Easy started to scream.


    Darragh felt sick. Calvin stared at the ground and wrung his hands. Marty was eating a lamb skewer, looking bored and disinterested. Janus watched Esbern with hungry fascination.


    Suddenly, a reprieve. A dark blur flashed by, followed by loud squawks and a lot of scared shouting. It all happened in an instant. Silver the grey parrot familiar was dead and gone, carried off by a large bird of prey.


    ¡°I was almost killed!¡± Marty screamed at Darragh. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be my Keeper! Now my familiar is dead! Do you have any idea how expensive those things are to replace!? Of course, you don¡¯t, you pleb! The waitlist alone takes years!¡±


    ¡°Now who¡¯s whining?¡± taunted Janus.


    ¡°Shove it up your ass, you smug little prick!¡± Marty screamed back.


    ¡°I told you we need to get out of here!¡± Calvin shouted. ¡°The forest spirits want revenge. We have to go!¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a spirit, you rube. That was just a bird in the woods,¡± Janus spat.


    Esbern, meanwhile, had ceased his interrogation. He was leaning against a tree, looking pale and frailer than Darragh had ever seen him.


    Easy cried softly. A hand-shaped burn mark blistered his throat.


    ¡°Pack up,¡± Esbern ordered, his voice lacking some of that earlier steel. ¡°Throw some logs onto that fire and be sure it spreads. Then, everybody back to the canoe. We¡¯ll set up camp on the other side of the river.¡±


    Crossing the river with a captive took some time and planning. The sun was low in the sky by the time they all crossed and made camp. But the roaring blaze across the river shined like a beacon on a dark, smokey night.


    No one spoke much. Silver¡¯s death hung over them like an ill omen. Calvin spent most of the day muttering an Exiled prayer to ward off evil spirits. Marty was still angry over losing his familiar. Janus showed uncommon consideration; he didn¡¯t insult Calvin or Marty. Esbern went to bed early.


    Darragh was restless. Plumes of smoke darkened the sky, hiding the moon and stars. Safe on the blackened banks of the Ojibwe River, Darragh watched as a crown fire burned his homeland. On the other side, the fire had already spread far and wide up the hillside.


    Darragh¡¯s mind was a mess of ideas and emotions. He kept thinking about the smell of those two smoldering bodies from earlier. It made him hungry and sick to his stomach.


    If he and his Brothers hadn¡¯t captured Easy, the young man would surely have burned to death by now. Would that be the third death Darragh was involved in? Were there more bodies out there they haven¡¯t found yet? How many people would suffer in the coming years because of their actions today?


    Was it Darragh¡¯s fault? Was there anything he could have done to stop this?


    No. He was chosen for this mission because Church Elders thought it would look better if a Safoan helped burn Safo, but it didn¡¯t really matter. Godfather Adam wanted the woods to burn; that¡¯s what mattered. If Darragh had protested, he would have been punished and marginalized within the Church, and the woods would still burn. At least this way, Darragh would likely be rewarded.


    He hoped to finally get a familiar. Almost all Good Brothers and Keepers were assigned one. But when Darragh asked when he would be assigned a familiar, Elder Brother Aldean said that he hadn¡¯t earned one yet. It wasn¡¯t because Darragh was Safoan. Godfather Adam didn¡¯t show preferential treatment among His children, no matter what Darragh¡¯s cousin said. What does she know about Church affairs, anyway? Ungrateful wench ought to mind a woman¡¯s business.


    Besides, Darragh didn¡¯t become a Brother¡¯s Keeper so he could have a familiar. He didn¡¯t do it for the elegant robes or to make his father proud. Darragh became a Brother¡¯s Keeper because he wanted to be on the safely blackened side of the river.


    Darragh was just a boy when Crescent vanished. He grew up on ghost stories of the heretics and unholy who dared insult Godfather Adam, wiped from existence like dust under a broom. What sense was there in resisting such power? Better to worship and live than to fight and be erased.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t only about survival. Darragh was attracted to power. He used to dream of worshipping Godfather Adam¡¯s feet with his mouth. Now, he was afraid to sleep for fear of nightmares of screaming young captives, vengeful spirits, and the smell of sweet roast pork.


    So lost in thought, Darragh didn¡¯t notice a large dark fox moving stealthily toward camp. It wasn¡¯t until after the screaming began that Darragh noticed the tents were engulfed in blue flames. Instinctively, Darragh activated his ability, dialating his perception of time so everything seemed to happen in slow motion.


    Marty and Janus were screaming and struggling to escape their tents and burning clothes. Janus dropped to the ground and rolled until the flames were put out. Marty panicked and ran, dooming himself.


    Esbern was uninjured. His abilities protected him from heat or cold, but he looked frail, struggling to shake off his burning tatters. His ugly snake familiar writhed in flames.


    Calvin wasn¡¯t on fire but he was perhaps in the worst shape. He woke from tormented nightmares to a living nightmare. Unable to separate dream from reality, consumed by horror, despair, regret, and insanity, he ran screaming into the blackened woods. His beagle familiar Constance ran after him, barking loyally, disappearing in the darkness.


    Darragh heard a yelp, a cry, and then silence. He ran toward camp and threw dirt on their burning supplies, trying to put out the fire.


    At some point in the chaos, Easy had vanished without a trace.


    Janus was crying on the ground, too in shock to do anything but rock himself in the fetal position.


    Esbern was wheezing, naked, and looking very pale. He covered himself in a singed towel and tried to get a grip on the situation.


    ¡°Janus, if you would have Leo communicate our situation to Safoan Church Elders?¡± Esbern softly asked.


    ¡°Leo is dead!¡± Janus sobbed. ¡°I crushed him when I dropped to the ground!¡± He threw his head in his hands and shook miserably.


    Esbern took the news like a punch to the gut. ¡°Then we have no familiars among us,¡± breathlessly stating the obvious. ¡°We have no way of contacting Church from here. We¡¯ve lost two of our Brothers, our captive, and our evidence. Darragh preserved some supplies, so we have food enough for perhaps three days.¡±


    ¡°Church will send a rescue party, right?¡± Darragh asked. ¡°Wasn¡¯t anyone following your familiars¡¯ memories? Surely someone saw what happened!¡±


    Esbern shook his head sadly. ¡°Our mission was not for public eyes. Our familiars were forbidden to upload memories before we left Waterbreak. No one knows where we are or what¡¯s happened. No one is coming.¡±


    ¡°How did this happen!?¡± Evidently, Janus had collected his wits enough to assign blame. He was looking daggers at Darragh. ¡°Which one of you was on watch? Where is your Brother, Keeper?¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Esbern pleaded. ¡°We have an impossible decision to make and fighting amongst ourselves will only make a difficult situation harder.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Darragh.


    Esbern said, ¡°Whether to turn back now and report our losses, or to stay and finish the task we were assigned.¡±


    The dilemma hung in the air for a heavy moment.


    ¡°We have to finish,¡± declared Janus. ¡°My family already thinks I¡¯m a loser. I¡¯m the worst illusionist my line has seen in a generation. That¡¯s why I was sent to this insignificant speck of rock. They¡¯re embarrassed by me. I need to prove myself here and earn reassignment. If I go back now, a failure, I will never leave this wretched place.¡±


    Esbern nodded. He turned to Darragh.


    Quietly, Darragh wanted to go home. But this mission was supposed to be his big break, too. Returning now would make him both a traitor to his people and a failure to his Brothers. He was in too deep to turn back now.


    ¡°I agree with Janus,¡± Darragh said. ¡°We finish this.¡±


    At first light, they went searching for Calvin and Marty. They found Marty face-down on the muddy banks. It looked like he threw himself into the river and drowned from the shock.


    They found Calvin unconscious with a bloody gash on his forehead. He seemed to have run into a tree branch and blacked out. Constance was nowhere to be seen, but from the puddle of blood on the ground, a wolf may have eaten her.


    Janus shook Calvin until his eyes blinked open and he sat up.


    Janus was visibly relieved. ¡°It¡¯s good you¡¯re alive so I can kill you myself!¡± He back-handed Calvin. ¡°What were you thinking?! You¡¯re supposed to be my Keeper! You panicked! Now we¡¯re stranded without any familiars, and it¡¯s entirely your fault!¡±


    Esbern put a hand on Janus¡¯ shoulder. ¡°Peace, young brother. Let the man collect his bearings.¡±


    Disgusted, Janus stormed a short way off.


    Calvin stood up slowly, cradling his head.


    ¡°What happened last night, Calvin?¡± Esbern asked wearily.


    Calvin made a confused expression. He spoke slowly. His voice sounded strange and unfamiliar. ¡°I dreamed I was on fire. I kept waking up and the flames overtook me, again and again. Then I woke up, at last for the first time, and I wasn¡¯t burning yet. I heard a voice whisper, ¡®Run.¡¯ So I ran.¡±


    Calvin¡¯s eyes were wide in abject horror. ¡°But then I woke up again. And the forest spirit said it was going to kill us all. And then I woke up. Again and again. Am I¡­ is this a dream? Is any of this real?¡± Calvin was shaking.


    Esbern and Darragh exchanged worried glances. Even Janus looked unsettled.


    ¡°Get your shit together,¡± ordered Janus. ¡°We have work to do and little food left, no thanks to you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still going to burn the forest?¡± Calvin asked, sounding surprised.


    ¡°No, we are going to burn the forest,¡± Janus corrected. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go.¡±


    They piled stones over Marty¡¯s body and said a prayer to Godmother Eve to take her son home to live forever in Adam¡¯s Crown.


    Then they continued their mission in the canoe. They paddled along for hours with the sun beating overhead. The fire from yesterday still burned wildly on one side. No one spoke. Eventually, they reached a fork in the stream and an untouched patch of green forest.


    They paddled to shore. The forest was unnaturally quiet as if all the birds and beasts had already fled. Even the leaves were still, as if in mourning.


    Esbern asked everyone to gather kindling for him to ignite.


    Darragh ignored his feelings of dread and guilt as he gathered branches for the pyre. He had no choice. Once the pile was high and ready, Janus gave Esbern the final branch to ignite. Esbern looked pale and weary as he tossed the flame on the pile.


    The flames spread, and the Brothers returned to the canoe and the safely blackened side of the river. They set up camp and ate provisions of picked roots over bread. All the tents were burned, so they slept on the ashy forest floor under a smoky sky.


    Calvin took first watch while Darragh, Janus, and Esbern slept.


    -8-


    Darragh dreamed of angry vines and red eyes in the darkness. He dreamed he was tied to the same tree he tied Easy to, except the tree was on fire. He was on fire. He dreamed he was in a burning cabin, except there was no one to embrace him as he died.


    Darragh woke up screaming. Janus and Esbern woke up screaming, too.


    Esbern looked around in a blind panic. ¡°Am I still dreaming?¡± he asked the darkness.


    Calvin was sitting nearby, calm and collected. ¡°You had the nightmares, didn¡¯t you? The same nightmares that tormented me last night. We¡¯re being hunted.¡±


    Janus looked like he wanted to insult Calvin, but he stayed quiet.


    Darragh grew up hearing fairy tales about magical creatures in the woods. He never minded those stories, but that was before he killed a fae queen and before their camp spontaneously ignited in blue flames. A vengeful spirit didn¡¯t seem so improbable anymore.


    Calvin continued, ¡°You didn¡¯t believe me at first. In Garden, all the forest spirits were killed long ago. But in Exile, a few spirits survived. They keep to themselves mostly, hiding from humans, but when I was little, every now and again, I used to hear stories of wayward travelers who angered a forest spirit. According to the stories, the only way to free ourselves is to slay the forest spirit.¡±


    ¡°That is superstitious nonsense,¡± Janus said. ¡°But say we indulge this fantasy of yours; how does one slay a forest spirit?¡±


    ¡°In the stories, the hero pulls out the spirit¡¯s heart and crushes it.¡±


    ¡°Gruesome,¡± Darragh observed.


    ¡°And how would we find this spirit?¡± Janus asked intensely.


    Calvin didn¡¯t answer at first. The forest fire still roared, and Esbern was wheezing, but the relative silence lingered into a pregnant pause. Finally, Calvin looked out into the darkness and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s near. It¡¯s watching us, waiting for us to tire.¡±


    ¡°You sound crazy and paranoid,¡± Janus said unconvincingly.


    No one slept the rest of the night. In the morning, everyone was slow, irritable, and exhausted, but no less determined to finish their mission. There was only one place left on their map that needed to burn. Then they could return to Waterbreak Church triumphant heroes, having conquered unholy forest monsters.


    But before that could happen, they paddled for hours in the blistering heat. Esbern passed out in the canoe. Janus was too tired to complain. Calvin was unnerving and serene. Darragh¡¯s shoulders were sore from the constant rowing. He used to be able to row for days comfortably, but about a month ago, Darragh got sick after a drunken encounter. He still hadn¡¯t fully recovered.


    They reached the mossy banks of their destination by midday.


    Esbern groaned in agony as he got out of the canoe and stretched his stiff back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with,¡± said Janus.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Calvin said. ¡°This is it. If you go into those woods, the spirit will attack.¡±


    ¡°I am sick of your shit!¡± Janus yelled. ¡°Just shut up!¡±


    Esbern could barely stand, much less reprimand Janus for his outburst. He just leaned on a branch and wheezed.


    Janus turned away from Calvin and Esbern to look at Darragh. ¡°You¡¯re with me?¡±


    Darragh nodded grimly. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with,¡± he echoed.


    ¡°Alright, Brother. You and me. Let¡¯s go.¡± Janus put his hand on Darragh¡¯s shoulder, and for the first time in his life, Darragh felt accepted by a Gardener.


    Darragh wanted to bask in the moment. He activated his power, slowing his perception of time. He wanted to remember every detail of Janus¡¯ proud, handsome face. The gentle squeeze of Janus¡¯ hand on Darragh¡¯s shoulder. The beauty of nature before them. The desolate wasteland behind them.


    The forest spirit lumbered out from behind a tree. It was massive, like a walking oak, covered in moss and vines, and moved with unnatural speed. Even in slow motion, the monster knocked Calvin high into the air and grabbed Esbern by the throat before anyone could react.


    Calvin¡¯s body rag-dolled and slammed onto the ground with a lifeless crunch. Esbern was gasping and clawing at the vines and bark squeezing his neck. The monster roared at Esbern and began to slowly crush his bones like a boa constrictor crushing a mouse.


    Darragh and Janus shared an understanding glance. They knew what to do.


    Janus summoned an illusory wall to hide them from the monster. They ran toward it. As they got close, Darragh jumped out from behind the illusion and reached into the monster¡¯s chest. Blood was dripping down from Esbern¡¯s shaking feet. He was moaning in agony. Darragh¡¯s hand pushed aside vines and moss and found something circular. He pulled hard and yanked out what looked like a large seed.


    The monster roared and dropped Esbern to the ground, making a series of cracking sounds as his broken bones collided with one another. Esbern released a final groaning sigh and then was silent.


    The monster wrapped its vines around Darragh, and he knew this was the end. The last thing, the only thing he could do, was throw the monster¡¯s heart.


    As Darragh felt the squeezing crush of death upon him, he wondered if he hadn¡¯t chosen the wrong side. He felt a slow, dreadful certainty that his entire life had been wasted, chasing the approval of men he despised. Darragh had betrayed his people and burned his homeland, all so he could live, and now he was about to die. There was a poetic irony to it. He closed his eyes and welcomed the end. When he heard a crunch, he wondered if it was his bones, but suddenly, the vines released him. He fell to the ground, alive and unbroken.


    Janus dropped his illusion, and Darragh saw him with a large stone in his hands. He had crushed the forest spirit¡¯s heart and saved Darragh¡¯s life.


    Darragh and Janus embraced as Brothers and survivors.


    They set fire to the last patch of forest, then returned to camp at the same spot they had camped the night before. Tomorrow, they would return to Waterbreak Church as triumphant heroes, having slayed the monster and freed Safo from unholy influence.

 Chapter 23 - Hormizs Choice

    Suddenly, Jack stood on his haunches, his ears swiveled high and around, intently listening for something. His large brown eyes bulged in fear. His breath was quick and shallow.


    Hormiz was alarmed¡ªanything invoking fear in a creature fearsome as Jack must be dreadful, indeed.


    Jack instantly dashed at blinding speed, a copper-brown blur, his massive antlers snapping branches like twigs. He was gone only an instant, and he returned with a loud bang and a force that pushed Hormiz off his feet.


    ¡°Something terrible has happened,¡± Jack said gravely.


    Hormiz picked himself up with a vengeance. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Queen Titia was killed, and Ezekiel was captured by Church Brothers.¡±


    It was Hormiz¡¯s turn to panic. ¡°What do we do? Where are they?!¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± Jack ordered. ¡°Take a breath. Ye can help, but ye have to do as I tell ye. If ye don¡¯t follow my exact instructions, ye will kill us all. Do ye understand?¡±


    Hormiz wanted to protest, but secretly, he was relieved to be taking orders. The chain of command was a safe and familiar shackle. Hormiz nodded.


    ¡°Good. Ye see that bird circling above? Look at it closely. Ye need to turn into a bird.¡±


    Hormiz looked incredulously at Jack. Then he grunted and tried his best. The damn bird was far away, and he¡¯d never shifted into a bird before, so Hormiz tried his best.


    ¡®His best¡¯ looked like a giant, sinister bat, but time was of the essence, so Jack said, ¡°Sure, just don¡¯t let them get a good look at ye. Listen close now. Before ye can rescue Zeke, the first thing ye must do is eliminate the familiars. If even one of them get a good look at yer magic, Adam will kill everyone on this island to get to ye. Take out the grey bird familiar first, then return to me. Do nothing else. Understand?¡±


    Hormiz nodded. ¡°I understand.¡±


    Jack sighed with doubt, but he had already thrown in his lot. ¡°Fly high and fly fast. Attack with the sun behind you. They won¡¯t see you coming that way. Ye¡¯ll find them near the river, up that way. Go!¡±


    Hormiz launched into the air and flapped his wings, struggling as the strong winds blew him off course. Lilith¡¯s City had few wind tunnels, but nothing like the winds on Eden. He struggled as he flew higher, but he managed well enough.


    There! Movement along the river shore. Hormiz positioned himself between his target and the sun, as Jack ordered. Then he tucked his wings and dove. As he shot down, the trees seemed to rush toward him, he heard Zeke screaming in pain, and he caught a glimpse of silver feathers; he had no time to think; he followed orders.


    Hormiz screamed in fury as sharp talons sank into the grey familiar, swooping high and away with it. Hormiz saw Zeke. They were hurting him! Hormiz screeched and ripped the familiar to sheds in the air. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Jack was waiting anxiously on his haunches when Hormiz returned. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I did as you said. Exactly. They¡¯re hurting him! They¡¯re hurting him and I left him there because you told me to!¡±


    ¡°Well done, my boy!¡± Jack binkied. ¡°Next, ye¡¯ll rescue Ezekiel. Listen and I¡¯ll tell ye how.¡±


    That night, Hormiz shifted into a dark fox, snuck among the shadows, and gnawed off Zeke¡¯s bindings with razor-sharp teeth.


    ¡°Get to safety,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°What are you gonna do?¡± Zeke sounded worried.


    ¡°I¡¯m following Jack¡¯s orders. Now you follow mine. Get. To safety.¡±


    Zeke¡¯s lips pouted. But he doorwaed away.


    Hormiz turned his attention to the Church Brothers. Jack said their familiars needed to be eliminated, and Hormiz should impersonate one of the Brothers. Most were asleep in their tents. One was on the river bank, staring out at the burning wasteland. Jack would want Hormiz to kill and impersonate that one, alone and unattended.


    But Hormiz wanted the old man with the worm familiar. The one who hurt Zeke. Hormiz sniffed around camp. When he found the old man, Hormiz set the man¡¯s tent ablaze. No one could have survived it. But inexplicably, the old man stumbled out unharmed.


    Hormiz didn¡¯t mean to kill the other two. The fire spread. One of them ran off to drown; the other ran in the darkness and impaled himself on a tree branch. Hormiz quickly killed the dog familiar and disposed of the bodies in the river.


    Then he returned to impersonate the Church Brother.


    It was all going according to plan. Mostly. Jack¡¯s plan only included one dead Church Brother, but plans change.


    The idea was to get close enough to hijack all their dreams, then trick them into believing they¡¯d finished early.


    Part of the forest would be sacrificed to Jack¡¯s plan. Hormiz was told to stand and watch them carry out their evil deed. But that night as the Church Brothers slept, Hormiz was meditating on their dreams, and Lilith appeared.


    Long ago, Hormiz partitioned off his dreaming space, but he was outside in the wild dreamscape, searching for and collecting the Church Brothers¡¯ dreams. And Lilith knew the dreaming wilds better than anyone alive.


    ¡°At ease,¡± Lilith ordered.


    On command, Hormiz relaxed his guard. Instantly, they went back up. He was enraged at himself. He still reacted like a good little soldier. Still!


    ¡°Ah!¡± he screamed. ¡°You don¡¯t get to give me orders anymore!¡±


    Lilith made herself enormous. She towered over Hormiz and said, ¡°I am your queen! I made you what you are!¡±


    Hormiz erupted with radiant blue flames and shot into the air. He became a colossal inferno. ¡°You made nothing! You stole my life! You took me from my family!¡±


    ¡°I am your family!¡± Lilith cried. ¡°I love you! How could you leave me?! Steal from me?!¡± Lilith shrank and shook herself. ¡°But it¡¯s okay. I forgive you. We can move forward, you and me.¡± She tried to sound seductive, but he saw through her.


    ¡°Never. You¡¯re like a black hole. You¡¯ll take, and take, and take, and you¡¯ll never stop taking, and you¡¯ll never give. So I will never help you again. I choose Zeke. We¡¯re gonna start a life together. And you will never be part of it.¡±


    Any pretense of sweetness vanished from Lilith¡¯s hard, angry face.


    ¡°You choose him? You really think he¡¯ll stay with you? You!? He doesn¡¯t love you! He¡¯ll-¡±


    Hormiz opened his eyes. He resolved not to wander the wild dreamscape again. Let Lilith have her empty kingdom. He crept over to the sleeping Church Brothers, putting his hands on two foreheads. He would deal with the old man later.


    Once Hormiz grabbed hold of the Church Brother¡¯s dreams, he ¡®woke¡¯ them to his personal dreamspace. From there, he determined their perception of reality. Tomorrow, they would wake and return to their superiors, believing they finished the burn.

 Chapter 24 - Church Brothers

    Darragh hated himself for burning the forest he grew up in, but law is the law. Adam, in his sublime wisdom, declared these woods unholy; and it was the sacred charge of all Good Brothers to impose the Will of Adam. A privilege, really, an honor. No other native Safoan had ever risen so far in the Church. Darragh¡¯s father was beaming with pride the day Darragh earned his Keeper¡¯s robes. Silently, Darragh thanked Godking his father wasn¡¯t alive to see him now.


    Darragh stumbled over the charred remains of a deer foal.


    ¡°Look where you¡¯re stepping!¡± Janus griped as he shouldered the extra weight of the canoe.


    Darragh and four other Brothers were carrying a canoe across an ashen wasteland. Heavy smoke darkened the noon sun. Today, their task would be to cross the Shawnee River and burn all the trees that escaped the fire last night. All around them, black tree stumps dotted the land like headstones.


    Yesterday, they found ruins of a cabin with the smoldering remains of two people embracing. Darragh figured they must have been old pagans, otherwise they would have attended Church and known to move to Waterbreak.


    It wasn¡¯t Darragh¡¯s fault those people died.


    Godking, the smell of their bodies. Like a sweet roast pork.


    It wasn¡¯t his fault. They knew the law. To deny Adam is to invite destruction.


    Why didn¡¯t they move to Waterbreak?


    He didn¡¯t mean to kill anybody.


    Why did they make him do it?


    It¡¯s not his fault.


    ¡°We¡¯ll rest here a moment,¡± said Good Brother Esbern with a winded sigh. Esbern was the eldest member of their party. A black wide-rim hat covered his bald head; his wispy grey beard barely concealed a soft chin. The ugliest snake Darragh had ever seen coiled around Esbern¡¯s shoulders like a scarf. It looked like a large blue earthworm.


    Esbern was too old and frail to carry the canoe so Darragh, Janus, Marty, and Calvin shouldered the load. But the journey and the weight of their task had exhausted Esbern, and his usual calm equanimity was turning dark and mournful.


    Janus groaned loudly as they set the canoe down. ¡°These constant stops are killing my back. I wasn¡¯t bred for physical labor.¡±


    Marty teased, ¡°You must have been the runt of your litter to be sent here.¡±


    ¡°Shove it up your ass, Marty,¡± Janus said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll shove my jokes up mine the day you shove your bitchin¡¯ up yours,¡± Marty answered.


    ¡°Let¡¯s show a little respect, Good Brothers,¡± chastened Esbern as he leaned against a burnt tree stump. ¡°Marty, please send Silver to scout ahead. We¡¯re almost at the Shawnee River. I¡¯d like a good, clear pass before we arrive.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Marty nodded agreeably and gave the orders to his grey parrot familiar. Marty gave Silver a toss, launching him high in the air.


    Calvin and Darragh each began rolling a smoke. Calvin¡¯s heightened senses left him miserable out in this wasteland. Smoking gave him a singular focus to distract from the barrage of death and gloom surrounding them.


    Janus made a disgusted face. Smoking was unpopular back in Garden. He preferred to drink wine from a flask he stored in his breast pocket.


    Marty grabbed a granola bar and went for a walk. Darragh was still smoking when Marty ran back down the hill, waving excitedly for everyone to gather close.


    ¡°Silver says he saw someone at the forest line across the river,¡± he whispered. ¡°Someone talking to a fae.¡±


    Marty paused for dramatic effect.


    ¡°We should throw fire across the river and run in the opposite direction,¡± Calvin said.


    ¡°We need that fae,¡± Janus said. ¡°If we bring proof back to Waterbreak the woods were sheltering unholy creatures, the yokels will have to cease their bleating.¡±


    ¡°Those locals mourn the loss of life our task necessitates,¡± Esbern reminded them. ¡°That our task is necessary makes it no less tragic. Safoans will mourn this event for generations.¡±


    Darragh quietly agreed with both Janus and Esbern. They needed the fae, dead or alive, to prove their tragic task had merit. But Darragh had no illusions about local gratitude or acceptance. He would never be forgiven for his part in Safo¡¯s burning.


    ¡°But we do need the fae,¡± Darragh repeated. ¡°The challenge will be in crossing the river without being seen. Janus, you can hide us with an illusion, yes?¡±


    Janus bristled at some perceived offense. He scoffed, ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°And Marty, you can make us silent,¡± Darragh continued.


    ¡°That¡¯s not how my powers work, but yeah, so long as no one makes unnecessary sounds, I can redirect the noise we make away and behind us,¡± said Marty.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take out the fae with my sling. Calvin remains our lookout, and Esbern takes the rear. Sound good?¡± said Darragh.


    ¡°Hold up,¡± Janus sneered. ¡°We¡¯re all just following the lead of a Keeper? Marty, are you so lazy you let your Keeper-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Esbern was old and frail but still had mettle in him. ¡°You dishonor yourself, Janus. Darragh¡¯s plan is sound. We will all follow it to the letter.¡± Esbern took one last, weary sigh. Then he said, ¡°Grab the canoe and move out. We can¡¯t waste any time. Silver, lead the way.¡±


    Janus looked furious but remained silent. Darragh smirked to see Janus embarrassed but was too pragmatic to give that preening brat a second thought.


    The approach went as planned. Janus erected a flat illusory wall, so anyone on the other side of the river would see a simple, floating log. Marty mumbled in a focused trance, ensuring no one would hear their paddles or footsteps. Once they¡¯d crossed the river and secured the canoe, Darragh only needed a clear line of sight.


    It was jarring how vibrant and full of life the forest was on this side of the river. Birds chirped and little critters scurried in the underbrush. They followed Silver¡¯s lead until they finally caught sight of their target in a bright mossy clearing. She was a little green person with a red petal dress on, gliding in the air on gossamer wings. And she was talking to a human. Darragh thought the human looked unusually pretty for a male, tall, young, and athletic, with wavy black hair.


    Darragh picked up a small round stone and loaded the sling. Again, Janus erected a flat illusory wall, so the targets wouldn¡¯t see Darragh winding up a stone. Marty redirected the whistling sounds of the sling so they wouldn¡¯t hear them.


    As he spun the sling in the air, Darragh¡¯s perception of time slowed to a crawl. To an outside perspective, it might look like heightened speed or reflexes or even time dilation, but Darragh had none of those abilities. Darragh could perceive time¡¯s passing more slowly, giving him more time to be responsive and precise.


    It was that precision that made Darragh such an excellent sling thrower. As he spun the sling around and snapped his wrist exactly, the stone dislodged and flew through the air.


    The little green person was dead before she knew what hit her. The stone passed through her upper chest, dislodging her head, which bounced on the ground next to her dead, twitching body.


    The screams of horror and grief the human made was gut-wrenching and would haunt Darragh¡¯s nightmares for the rest of his life. But as with most uncomfortable feelings, Darragh bottled them away and concentrated on the task in front of him.


    Darragh, Calvin, Marty, and Janus rushed forward to subdue the human. He made little resistance, only screams and sobs. He was swiftly tied up.


    Calvin was distressed, fidgeting nervously. ¡°We should burn this place before anyone else knows we were here.¡± People from Exile were known to be superstitious. It would seem that stereotype held true in Calvin¡¯s case.


    Janus rolled his eyes. ¡°Tail set firmly between your legs, already. We need to interrogate our prisoner!¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a prison, and we don¡¯t have a cage,¡± Marty corrected.


    ¡°Hostage, then,¡± Janus shrugged.


    ¡°Mm. We¡¯re not demanding a ransom. I¡¯d say he¡¯s more of a captive,¡± Marty said.


    ¡°Shove it up your ass, Marty!¡± said Janus.


    ¡°Enough,¡± barked Esbern. ¡°Secure the perimeter, all of you. Darragh, tie our guest to that tree. I¡¯d like to ask him some questions.¡±


    Everyone followed Esbern¡¯s orders. Darragh felt a pang of guilt as he dragged the sobbing young man to the nearest tree. But Darragh hardened his resolve. His role was clear. He ensured the binds weren¡¯t cruel, but tight enough the captive wouldn¡¯t escape.


    Esbern stood over the crying captive. ¡°What¡¯s your name, son?¡±


    He looked around frantically. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m Easy,¡± he said between hiccups.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that,¡± chimed Marty.


    ¡°Ignore him,¡± Esbern said kindly. ¡°He thinks he¡¯s funny.¡±


    Easy sniffled and wiped his nose on his shoulder.


    Esbern continued, ¡°What were you doing out here with an unholy creature?¡±


    ¡°I- I didn¡¯t know she was unholy. I just¡­ I was just trying to¡­¡±


    ¡°Trying to what? What business do you have with the fae?¡± Esbern demanded.


    Easy¡¯s face twisted in despair. ¡°It¡¯s my mom. She¡¯s¡­ she¡¯s sick. I thought maybe Queen Titia could help.¡±


    ¡°Queen Titia!? This one was a queen? How many subjects did she have?¡± asked Esbern intently.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! Dozens maybe?¡±


    ¡°Are there others? Other creatures besides this queen and her subjects?¡±


    Easy stammered. ¡°I- I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t see anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Does anyone else know you¡¯re here?¡±


    Easy glanced around. He shook his head. ¡°I came alone.¡±


    Esbern nodded seriously. He stepped away from their captive and waved the Brothers in for a quiet discussion.


    ¡°What does everyone think?¡± asked Esbern.


    ¡°He¡¯s lying,¡± confirmed Calvin.


    ¡°Of course, he¡¯s lying,¡± Janus condescended. ¡°We should just kill him and be done with the loose end. We already have proof with the fae¡¯s body.¡±


    ¡°He knows more than he¡¯s letting on,¡± Darragh offered. ¡°I¡¯d like to bring him back to the Church for further interrogation. The Elder Brothers will want to know what he knows.¡±


    ¡°Killing him seems the easier choice,¡± said Marty. ¡°I¡¯m all for killing him and burning the evidence.¡±


    ¡°We should burn this place and leave before the fae¡¯s subjects come seeking revenge!¡± Calvin sounded on the verge of panicking.


    ¡°Will you stop being hysterical?¡± said Janus.


    ¡°I¡¯ve made a decision,¡± said Esbern. ¡°We will carry on our mission. This forest needs to burn. Easy will remain bound and be dragged behind us until we return to Waterbreak. Darragh and Calvin will guard the prisoner.¡±


    ¡°Captive,¡± corrected Marty.


    Esbern continued as if he hadn¡¯t been interrupted. ¡°Marty, you can carry the fae¡¯s remains to the canoe. Janus, help an old man prepare lunch, would you?¡±


    ¡°We need to leave,¡± repeated Calvin.


    ¡°And we will leave, just as soon as we¡¯ve had a proper meal and a moment¡¯s rest,¡± Esbern said firmly. ¡°You all have your orders. Hop to.¡±


    Everyone seemed personally offended, but no one talked back. Esbern was feared and respected. He wasn¡¯t assigned a Keeper. Even at his advanced age, Esbern didn¡¯t need a Keeper. He could control the temperature of his body, which didn¡¯t seem like a particularly useful power to Darragh at first, but then he witnessed Esbern¡¯s mastery over his body temperature.


    The old man carefully knelt down to pick up a handful of dry sticks. He squeezed the sticks with his fist and smoke rose from it. Esbern¡¯s hand glowed red hot and the sticks caught fire. He threw the burning branches down and picked up more. Soon a roaring blaze began to spread.


    Janus grumbled that such menial duties were beneath him, but he fetched provisions all the same. After food was skewered and cooked, Esbern turned a sad eye to their captive.


    ¡°I know your name¡¯s not Easy, but there is an easy way to do this. The easy way gets you untied and one of these lamb skewers. The not-so-easy way gets you burnt. You understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Silent tears fell from Easy¡¯s face. He understood.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask some more questions. And my friend here will know if you¡¯re lying,¡± Esbern gestured toward Calvin, who was fidgeting nervously. Janus rolled his eyes.


    Easy looked back and forth and all around for any sort of reprieve, but nothing came. He didn¡¯t scream or sob or plead. He shook like a puppy as tears fell down his face.


    Darragh felt miserable. He wanted to look away or stop this, but he held firm.


    Esbern asked gravely, ¡°Why are you in these woods?¡±


    Trembling, Easy said, ¡°My mom¡­ she¡¯s¡­ she needs help.¡±


    Esbern looked over at Calvin.


    Calvin nodded. That part was true.


    Esbern continued, ¡°And the fae said she¡¯d help you save your mother, is that it?¡±


    Easy nodded.


    Calvin nodded.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come to the Church for help?¡± Esbern asked.


    Easy looked around like a cornered animal. ¡°My parents never took me to Church.¡±


    ¡°Hm. You said your mother was sick. What about your father?¡±


    Easy seemed to shrink lower. ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that. So you¡¯re all alone, is that right?¡±


    Easy nodded.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Calvin interrupted. ¡°He¡¯s lying.¡±


    Esbern sighed sadly. ¡°Son, who else is in the woods with you?¡±


    Easy¡¯s trembling increased. He shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s nobody.¡±


    Esbern looked over at Calvin. Calvin shook his head. Easy was lying.


    Again, Esbern sighed. He put a gentle hand on Easy¡¯s throat. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask one more time. Who else entered the woods with you?¡±


    Easy sobbed but said nothing.


    Esbern lowered his head. Then his hand started to glow, and Easy started to scream.


    Darragh felt sick. Calvin stared at the ground and wrung his hands. Marty was eating a lamb skewer, looking bored and disinterested. Janus watched Esbern with hungry fascination.


    Suddenly, a reprieve. A dark blur flashed by, followed by loud squawks and a lot of scared shouting. It all happened in an instant. Silver the grey parrot familiar was dead and gone, carried off by a large bird of prey.


    ¡°I was almost killed!¡± Marty screamed at Darragh. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be my Keeper! Now my familiar is dead! Do you have any idea how expensive those things are to replace!? Of course, you don¡¯t, you pleb! The waitlist alone takes years!¡±


    ¡°Now who¡¯s whining?¡± taunted Janus.


    ¡°Shove it up your ass, you smug little prick!¡± Marty screamed back.


    ¡°I told you we need to get out of here!¡± Calvin shouted. ¡°The forest spirits want revenge. We have to go!¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a spirit, you rube. That was just a bird in the woods,¡± Janus spat.


    Esbern, meanwhile, had ceased his interrogation. He was leaning against a tree, looking pale and frailer than Darragh had ever seen him.


    Easy cried softly. A hand-shaped burn mark blistered his throat.


    ¡°Pack up,¡± Esbern ordered, his voice lacking some of that earlier steel. ¡°Throw some logs onto that fire and be sure it spreads. Then, everybody back to the canoe. We¡¯ll set up camp on the other side of the river.¡±


    Crossing the river with a captive took some time and planning. The sun was low in the sky by the time they all crossed and made camp. But the roaring blaze across the river shined like a beacon on a dark, smokey night.


    No one spoke much. Silver¡¯s death hung over them like an ill omen. Calvin spent most of the day muttering an Exiled prayer to ward off evil spirits. Marty was still angry over losing his familiar. Janus showed uncommon consideration; he didn¡¯t insult Calvin or Marty. Esbern went to bed early.


    Darragh was restless. Plumes of smoke darkened the sky, hiding the moon and stars. Safe on the blackened banks of the Shawnee River, Darragh watched as a crown fire burned his homeland. On the other side, the fire had already spread far and wide up the hillside.


    Darragh¡¯s mind was a mess of ideas and emotions. He kept thinking about the smell of those two smoldering bodies from earlier. It made him hungry and sick to his stomach.


    If he and his Brothers hadn¡¯t captured Easy, the young man would surely have burned to death by now. Would that be the third death Darragh was involved in? Were there more bodies out there they haven¡¯t found yet? How many people would suffer in the coming years because of their actions today?


    Was it Darragh¡¯s fault? Was there anything he could have done to stop this?


    No. He was chosen for this mission because Church Elders thought it would look better if a Safoan helped burn Safo, but it didn¡¯t really matter. Godfather Adam wanted the woods to burn; that¡¯s what mattered. If Darragh had protested, he would have been punished and marginalized within the Church, and the woods would still burn. At least this way, Darragh would likely be rewarded.


    He hoped to finally get a familiar. Almost all Good Brothers and Keepers were assigned one. But when Darragh asked when he would be assigned a familiar, Elder Brother Aldean said that he hadn¡¯t earned one yet. It wasn¡¯t because Darragh was Safoan. Godfather Adam didn¡¯t show preferential treatment among His children, no matter what Darragh¡¯s cousin said. What does she know about Church affairs, anyway? Ungrateful wench ought to mind a woman¡¯s business.


    Besides, Darragh didn¡¯t become a Brother¡¯s Keeper so he could have a familiar. He didn¡¯t do it for the elegant robes or to make his father proud. Darragh became a Brother¡¯s Keeper because he wanted to be on the safely blackened side of the river.


    Darragh was just a boy when Crescent vanished. He grew up on ghost stories of the heretics and unholy who dared insult Godfather Adam, wiped from existence like dust under a broom. What sense was there in resisting such power? Better to worship and live than to fight and be erased.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t only about survival. Darragh was attracted to power. He used to dream of worshipping Godfather Adam¡¯s feet with his mouth. Now, he was afraid to sleep for fear of nightmares of screaming young captives, vengeful spirits, and the smell of sweet roast pork.


    So lost in thought, Darragh didn¡¯t notice a large dark fox moving stealthily toward camp. It wasn¡¯t until after the screaming began that Darragh noticed the tents were engulfed in blue flames. Instinctively, Darragh activated his ability, dialating his perception of time so everything seemed to happen in slow motion.


    Marty and Janus were screaming and struggling to escape their tents and burning clothes. Janus dropped to the ground and rolled until the flames were put out. Marty panicked and ran, dooming himself.


    Esbern was uninjured. His abilities protected him from heat or cold, but he looked frail, struggling to shake off his burning tatters. His ugly snake familiar writhed in flames.


    Calvin wasn¡¯t on fire but he was perhaps in the worst shape. He woke from tormented nightmares to a living nightmare. Unable to separate dream from reality, consumed by horror, despair, regret, and insanity, he ran screaming into the blackened woods. His beagle familiar Constance ran after him, barking loyally, disappearing in the darkness.


    Darragh heard a yelp, a cry, and then silence. He ran toward camp and threw dirt on their burning supplies, trying to put out the fire.


    At some point in the chaos, Easy had vanished without a trace.


    Janus was crying on the ground, too in shock to do anything but rock himself in the fetal position.


    Esbern was wheezing, naked, and looking very pale. He covered himself in a singed towel and tried to get a grip on the situation.


    ¡°Janus, if you would have Leo communicate our situation to Safoan Church Elders?¡± Esbern softly asked.


    ¡°Leo is dead!¡± Janus sobbed. ¡°I crushed him when I dropped to the ground!¡± He threw his head in his hands and shook miserably.


    Esbern took the news like a punch to the gut. ¡°Then we have no familiars among us,¡± breathlessly stating the obvious. ¡°We have no way of contacting Church from here. We¡¯ve lost two of our Brothers, our captive, and our evidence. Darragh preserved some supplies, so we have food enough for perhaps three days.¡±


    ¡°Church will send a rescue party, right?¡± Darragh asked. ¡°Wasn¡¯t anyone following your familiars¡¯ memories? Surely someone saw what happened!¡±


    Esbern shook his head sadly. ¡°Our mission was not for public eyes. Our familiars were forbidden to upload memories before we left Waterbreak. No one knows where we are or what¡¯s happened. No one is coming.¡±


    ¡°How did this happen!?¡± Evidently, Janus had collected his wits enough to assign blame. He was looking daggers at Darragh. ¡°Which one of you was on watch? Where is your Brother, Keeper?¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Esbern pleaded. ¡°We have an impossible decision to make and fighting amongst ourselves will only make a difficult situation harder.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Darragh.


    Esbern said, ¡°Whether to turn back now and report our losses, or to stay and finish the task we were assigned.¡±


    The dilemma hung in the air for a heavy moment.


    ¡°We have to finish,¡± declared Janus. ¡°My family already thinks I¡¯m a loser. I¡¯m the worst illusionist my line has seen in a generation. That¡¯s why I was sent to this insignificant speck of rock. They¡¯re embarrassed by me. I need to prove myself here and earn reassignment. If I go back now, a failure, I will never leave this wretched place.¡±


    Esbern nodded. He turned to Darragh.


    Quietly, Darragh wanted to go home. But this mission was supposed to be his big break, too. Returning now would make him both a traitor to his people and a failure to his Brothers. He was in too deep to turn back now.


    ¡°I agree with Janus,¡± Darragh said. ¡°We finish this.¡±


    At first light, they went searching for Calvin and Marty. They found Marty face-down on the muddy banks. It looked like he threw himself into the river and drowned from the shock.


    They found Calvin unconscious with a bloody gash on his forehead. He seemed to have run into a tree branch and blacked out. Constance was nowhere to be seen, but from the puddle of blood on the ground, a wolf may have eaten her.


    Janus shook Calvin until his eyes blinked open and he sat up.


    Janus was visibly relieved. ¡°It¡¯s good you¡¯re alive so I can kill you myself!¡± He back-handed Calvin. ¡°What were you thinking?! You¡¯re supposed to be my Keeper! You panicked! Now we¡¯re stranded without any familiars, and it¡¯s entirely your fault!¡±


    Esbern put a hand on Janus¡¯ shoulder. ¡°Peace, young brother. Let the man collect his bearings.¡±


    Disgusted, Janus stormed a short way off.


    Calvin stood up slowly, cradling his head.


    ¡°What happened last night, Calvin?¡± Esbern asked wearily.


    Calvin made a confused expression. He spoke slowly. His voice sounded strange and unfamiliar. ¡°I dreamed I was on fire. I kept waking up and the flames overtook me, again and again. Then I woke up, at last for the first time, and I wasn¡¯t burning yet. I heard a voice whisper, ¡®Run.¡¯ So I ran.¡±


    Calvin¡¯s eyes were wide in abject horror. ¡°But then I woke up again. And the forest spirit said it was going to kill us all. And then I woke up. Again and again. Am I¡­ is this a dream? Is any of this real?¡± Calvin was shaking.


    Esbern and Darragh exchanged worried glances. Even Janus looked unsettled.


    ¡°Get your shit together,¡± ordered Janus. ¡°We have work to do and little food left, no thanks to you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still going to burn the forest?¡± Calvin asked, sounding surprised.


    ¡°No, we are going to burn the forest,¡± Janus corrected. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go.¡±


    They piled stones over Marty¡¯s body and said a prayer to Godmother Eve to take her son home to live forever in Adam¡¯s Crown.


    Then they continued their mission in the canoe. They paddled along for hours with the sun beating overhead. The fire from yesterday still burned wildly on one side. No one spoke. Eventually, they reached a fork in the stream and an untouched patch of green forest.


    They paddled to shore. The forest was unnaturally quiet as if all the birds and beasts had already fled. Even the leaves were still, as if in mourning.


    Esbern asked everyone to gather kindling for him to ignite.


    Darragh ignored his feelings of dread and guilt as he gathered branches for the pyre. He had no choice. Once the pile was high and ready, Janus gave Esbern the final branch to ignite. Esbern looked pale and weary as he tossed the flame on the pile.


    The flames spread, and the Brothers returned to the canoe and the safely blackened side of the river. They set up camp and ate provisions of picked roots over bread. All the tents were burned, so they slept on the ashy forest floor under a smoky sky.


    Calvin took first watch while Darragh, Janus, and Esbern slept.


    -8-


    Darragh dreamed of angry vines and red eyes in the darkness. He dreamed he was tied to the same tree he tied Easy to, except the tree was on fire. He was on fire. He dreamed he was in a burning cabin, except there was no one to embrace him as he died.


    Darragh woke up screaming. Janus and Esbern woke up screaming, too.


    Esbern looked around in a blind panic. ¡°Am I still dreaming?¡± he asked the darkness.


    Calvin was sitting nearby, calm and collected. ¡°You had the nightmares, didn¡¯t you? The same nightmares that tormented me last night. We¡¯re being hunted.¡±


    Janus looked like he wanted to insult Calvin, but he stayed quiet.


    Darragh grew up hearing fairy tales about magical creatures in the woods. He never minded those stories, but that was before he killed a fae queen and before their camp spontaneously ignited in blue flames. A vengeful spirit didn¡¯t seem so improbable anymore.


    Calvin continued, ¡°You didn¡¯t believe me at first. In Garden, all the forest spirits were killed long ago. But in Exile, a few spirits survived. They keep to themselves mostly, hiding from humans, but when I was little, every now and again, I used to hear stories of wayward travelers who angered a forest spirit. According to the stories, the only way to free ourselves is to slay the forest spirit.¡±


    ¡°That is superstitious nonsense,¡± Janus said. ¡°But say we indulge this fantasy of yours; how does one slay a forest spirit?¡±


    ¡°In the stories, the hero pulls out the spirit¡¯s heart and crushes it.¡±


    ¡°Gruesome,¡± Darragh observed.


    ¡°And how would we find this spirit?¡± Janus asked intensely.


    Calvin didn¡¯t answer at first. The forest fire still roared, and Esbern was wheezing, but the relative silence lingered into a pregnant pause. Finally, Calvin looked out into the darkness and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s near. It¡¯s watching us, waiting for us to tire.¡±


    ¡°You sound crazy and paranoid,¡± Janus said unconvincingly.


    No one slept the rest of the night. In the morning, everyone was slow, irritable, and exhausted, but no less determined to finish their mission. There was only one place left on their map that needed to burn. Then they could return to Waterbreak Church triumphant heroes, having conquered unholy forest monsters.


    But before that could happen, they paddled for hours in the blistering heat. Esbern passed out in the canoe. Janus was too tired to complain. Calvin was unnerving and serene. Darragh¡¯s shoulders were sore from the constant rowing. He used to be able to row for days comfortably, but about a month ago, Darragh got sick after a drunken encounter. He still hadn¡¯t fully recovered.


    They reached the mossy banks of their destination by midday.


    Esbern groaned in agony as he got out of the canoe and stretched his stiff back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with,¡± said Janus.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Calvin said. ¡°This is it. If you go into those woods, the spirit will attack.¡±


    ¡°I am sick of your shit!¡± Janus yelled. ¡°Just shut up!¡±


    Esbern could barely stand, much less reprimand Janus for his outburst. He just leaned on a branch and wheezed.


    Janus turned away from Calvin and Esbern to look at Darragh. ¡°You¡¯re with me?¡±


    Darragh nodded grimly. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with,¡± he echoed.


    ¡°Alright, Brother. You and me. Let¡¯s go.¡± Janus put his hand on Darragh¡¯s shoulder, and for the first time in his life, Darragh felt accepted by a Gardener.


    Darragh wanted to bask in the moment. He activated his power, slowing his perception of time. He wanted to remember every detail of Janus¡¯ proud, handsome face. The gentle squeeze of Janus¡¯ hand on Darragh¡¯s shoulder. The beauty of nature before them. The desolate wasteland behind them.


    The forest spirit lumbered out from behind a tree. It was massive, like a walking oak, covered in moss and vines, and moved with unnatural speed. Even in slow motion, the monster knocked Calvin high into the air and grabbed Esbern by the throat before anyone could react.


    Calvin¡¯s body rag-dolled and slammed onto the ground with a lifeless crunch. Esbern was gasping and clawing at the vines and bark squeezing his neck. The monster roared at Esbern and began to slowly crush his bones like a boa constrictor crushing a mouse.


    Darragh and Janus shared an understanding glance. They knew what to do.


    Janus summoned an illusory wall to hide them from the monster. They ran toward it. As they got close, Darragh jumped out from behind the illusion and reached into the monster¡¯s chest. Blood was dripping down from Esbern¡¯s shaking feet. He was moaning in agony. Darragh¡¯s hand pushed aside vines and moss and found something circular. He pulled hard and yanked out what looked like a large seed.


    The monster roared and dropped Esbern to the ground, making a series of cracking sounds as his broken bones collided with one another. Esbern released a final groaning sigh and then was silent.


    The monster wrapped its vines around Darragh, and he knew this was the end. The last thing, the only thing he could do, was throw the monster¡¯s heart.


    As Darragh felt the squeezing crush of death upon him, he wondered if he hadn¡¯t chosen the wrong side. He felt a slow, dreadful certainty that his entire life had been wasted, chasing the approval of men he despised. Darragh had betrayed his people and burned his homeland, all so he could live, and now he was about to die. There was a poetic irony to it. He closed his eyes and welcomed the end. When he heard a crunch, he wondered if it was his bones, but suddenly, the vines released him. He fell to the ground, alive and unbroken.


    Janus dropped his illusion, and Darragh saw him with a large stone in his hands. He had crushed the forest spirit¡¯s heart and saved Darragh¡¯s life.


    Darragh and Janus embraced as Brothers and survivors.


    They set fire to the last patch of forest, then returned to camp at the same spot they had camped the night before. Tomorrow, they would return to Waterbreak Church as triumphant heroes, having slayed the monster and freed Safo from unholy influence.

 Chapter 25 - A Vision

    Hormiz had been motionless, in shock since Rowan appeared, but slowly, he knelt down and picked up his mother¡¯s ingot. It was still warm. He held the ingot to his chest, embracing her in death as he never had in life.


    His mother died trying to rescue him. His mother. His mother died. No. Lilith killed her. It was all true. His parents never abandoned him. Lilith stole Hormiz. She was the monster.


    And she had Zeke in her claws.


    ¡°Summon the Ivory Blade!¡± she screamed.


    ¡°Okay!¡± Zeke said through sobs. ¡°Just don¡¯t hurt him.¡±


    Hormiz was too weak and scared to move. He just held Rowan¡¯s ingot close and watched through helpless tears.


    Zeke closed his eyes and focused. Soon the Ivory Blade appeared in Zeke¡¯s hand, and Hormiz despaired, because he knew Zeke was about to die.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    But the blade slipped, cutting Zeke¡¯s hand, and swayed to the ground. Before its long blade could touch the ground, the edge disappeared and reappeared above Lilith¡¯s hand. It all happened in an instant. No sooner had the Ivory Blade appeared in Zeke¡¯s hand before he used it to cut the Bone Gauntlet off at Lilith¡¯s wrist.


    As her hand fell to the floor, Hormiz had a vision. Hormiz remembered the story of his parents stealing Adam¡¯s hand and escaping with two Blessings. Hormiz caught the Bone Gauntlet as it fell. Her hand fell out and hit the ground with a wet thud. Then Hormiz controlled several cainkin to pull Lilith away.


    Lilith screamed in fury and set other cainkin ripping into Samaal¡¯s flesh, tearing him apart. As he died, shadows exploded out of him, throwing everyone back.


    Hormiz grabbed on to Zeke as they fell backwards. ¡°Can you get us out of here?¡± He asked.


    Zeke looked at him with grief and pride. He hugged Hormiz tightly. And suddenly they were in Lilith¡¯s bathroom. They could hear her furious screams upstairs.


    ¡°Why are we here?¡± Hormiz asked.


    ¡°This is how Lilith stole you. And this is how we¡¯re escaping,¡± Zeke stood, sniffling his nose and wiping away tears. He put one hand on the mirror. With his other hand he held Hormiz by the wrist. Hormiz¡¯s hands were full with Rowan¡¯s ingot and the Bone Gauntlet.


    Zeke closed his eyes and concentrated, and suddenly they were pulled into the mirror.

 Chapter 26 - Dear Diary

    Dear Diary,


    My name is Gwendolyn Avalyn. My family calls me Lyn.


    Morgan says I wanted to be called Gwen, but I don¡¯t remember that.


    Morgan says I have to write to you every day so I can read this in the future.


    I am Deaf.


    I remember I was 8 years old, but Morgan says I¡¯m 38! But I still look 8.


    Morgan looks old. She looks like a mom now.


    Morgan says I forgot things.


    But I remember Crescent. I remember Moondial. I remember Papa.


    I remember Rowan taught me magic.


    Morgan says they¡¯re all gone now.


    I am sad.


    Dear Diary,


    I¡¯m remembering new things, like Hinata.


    I like Hinata. Hinata gives me blood in the morning and at night.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Morgan likes Hinata, too. They¡¯re married.


    Morgan says they had a baby once but he died.


    I like babies. Babies are cute.


    I like our farm. We have goats. I like baby goats.


    Dear Diary,


    I don¡¯t like the sun anymore. I get sunburns. I don¡¯t like sunburns.


    I have to stay indoors in the daytime.


    Remember to avoid sunburns. I don¡¯t like sunburns.


    I like blood. I don¡¯t remember why I drink blood.


    But I remember a grey lady with pretty butterfly wings.


    When I don¡¯t drink blood, I get sick.


    I get tired and then I act funny.


    Morgan and Hinata don¡¯t like it when I act funny.


    Dear Diary,


    Morgan says Raf is a big crab with tentacles now.


    I like Raf better this way. He¡¯s more fun.


    Raf says his sign name is ¡®Chosen.¡¯


    Raf only has one normal hand, so his signs can be hard to understand.


    Raf says he has a bug in his ear that helps him remember things.


    I wish I had a bug so I wouldn¡¯t forget.


    Raf lives in the forest by the fence.


    I¡¯m not allowed in the forest unless Morgan goes with me.


    We visit Raf every night. Raf likes my illusions.


    Dear Diary,


    I¡¯m getting better at magic.


    Every full moon, I refill the illusion crystals with Morgan.


    I¡¯m tired for a few days after but Morgan makes me extra dessert.


    And the selkies bring fish and help around the farm to say, ¡®thank you.¡¯


    Plenty is my favorite selkie. He helps bring me blood.


    Plenty is wise like Rowan.


    I like his braids.


    Morgan and Hinata act weird around Plenty. I think they both like him.

 Chapter 27 - At the Kitchen Table

    They fell over each other onto a wooden floor.


    Dazed and afraid, Hormiz looked around.


    It was an alien place. The lights were brighter.  The colors were saturated. The air tasted sharp like ironberry nettles. The little dwelling they arrived in was messy and lived-in. Mysterious and threatening objects covered the walls.


    But Hormiz absorbed it as through a dense fog. He couldn¡¯t fully believe it.


    He was out. Hormiz was free.


    Zeke smashed the mirror into pieces with a scream, breaking Hormiz out of his daze.


    At first, Hormiz didn¡¯t understand why Zeke was screaming. Then he remembered he was holding their mother¡¯s molten heartstone. And Samaal was dead.


    ¡®It¡¯s all my fault,¡¯ Hormiz thought. ¡®I led the attack that took Samaal. I tortured Samaal for days. Rowan died because she was talking to me. I killed them both. Rowan will never have her revenge because of me.¡¯


    Hormiz wanted to cry tears of grief and scream like Zeke, but all he could summon were tears of self-loathing. He sat quietly as they ran down his face, watching Zeke mourn his parents.


    Hearing a scream, three nearly naked strangers came rushing into the room. They saw Zeke on the floor and rushed to comfort him. It was like nothing Hormiz had ever seen before. They didn¡¯t beat him or tell him to stop being weak. They surrounded him with a hug and told him he was loved and safe now.


    Then one of them noticed him and asked, ¡°Hormiz? Is that you?¡± There was a swell of emotion in their voice.


    ¡°You know me?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m Hinata. I¡¯m¡­ I was with your mom when you were born.¡±


    Hormiz looked Hinata up and down. They had androgynous features and long wavy black hair.


    Hinata looked at the ingot in Hormiz¡¯s hands and sobbed, then pulled Hormiz into the hug. ¡°You brought her home,¡± Hinata said.


    Zeke grabbed hold of Hormiz and held him tight, and for the first time in his life, Hormiz was comforted. The drip of Hormiz¡¯s tears broke like a dam, and he sobbed.


    They stayed huddled together on the kitchen floor for a long time.


    Hinata quickly fetched a kit to clean and bandage Zeke¡¯s hand.


    As the sunlight dimmed, the one with the braids left the room. Hinata began preparing some kind of food. The third one was a tall, muscular woman with silvery threads in her black hair. She called herself Morgan. She took a seat at the kitchen table and invited Hormiz and Zeke to join her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to burden you, but I need to know some things,¡± Morgan said. ¡°Samaal is dead?¡±


    Zeke nodded.


    ¡°Those are what I think they are?¡± Morgan indicated to the Bone Gauntlet and Rowan¡¯s ingot.


    Again, Zeke nodded.


    Hormiz was still too dazed and raw to do or say much of anything.


    ¡°Then the question is, what do we do with them?¡± she asked.


    What to do with Rowan¡¯s ingot? It was still hot in Hormiz¡¯s hands. What were kitsune death rituals? He had no idea. His ancestor¡¯s history died with Rowan. He would never know his people¡¯s ways in this strange land. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Zeke spoke, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do with Mama yet, but I intend to free the Ikon in the gauntlet.¡±


    Morgan was pensive. ¡°I don¡¯t know how Rowan freed you and put you into¡­ your body, but Drya might. Go deep in the woods and seek out the forest spirit Drya. She may know what to do with Rowan¡¯s ingot and the gauntlet.¡±


    A pressing thought came to Hormiz like a sudden, passionate obsession. ¡°We should use the Bone Gauntlet to kill Adam. It¡¯s what Rowan would have wanted. Take him by surprise.¡±


    Zeke looked betrayed. ¡°That thing isn¡¯t a tool or a weapon. It¡¯s a cage for a person, like I was caged, and I will set them free.¡±


    ¡°With your powers and this combined, you could assassinate Adam in a blink of an eye!¡±


    ¡°And if I miss, he could get us both,¡± Zeke said softly.


    ¡°So you¡¯re afraid!¡± Hormiz bellowed. He was angry and didn¡¯t know why. ¡°You¡¯re soft and afraid!¡±


    Zeke flushed and looked hurt. ¡°It¡¯s not about that. There¡¯s a person trapped in that gauntlet. I won¡¯t be party to their torment.¡±


    Hormiz was about to call Zeke a coward and worse, but suddenly a blinding flash lit the room. Hormiz blinked the stars out of his vision and then noticed a young girl in pajamas at the foot of the stairs. She looked like a kid, but her hair was shock white. Her face was set in a determined frown.


    She ran up to Hormiz and gave him a hug, like she already knew him.


    Hormiz was stiff and tried to pry her arms off his waist, but the girl was surprisingly strong.


    Morgan explained, ¡°This is Lyn. She¡¯s deaf. You must remind her of Rowan. She loved your mother.¡± She said this while moving her hands a lot.


    Hormiz was overwhelmed and exhausted by all the unsettling new emotions he was experiencing. Yet this little girl hugging him was oddly comforting. But how could this child know and love his mother, when he barely met her? What was he supposed to do now that she was gone, and he was alone in an alien world?


    As if reading his mind, Morgan said, ¡°You¡¯re not alone anymore, Hormiz. I¡¯m sorry we weren¡¯t there for you when you were growing up, but we are here now, to love and support you. Please hear me. You¡¯re angry and scared now, and that¡¯s normal, but don¡¯t let that guide you. Hear what Drya has to say. She¡¯ll know how to honor your mother.¡±


    Hormiz was conflicted. His upbringing compelled him to follow orders, but he was on high alert and emotionally agitated. He wanted to yell at Zeke and order him to kill Adam. He didn¡¯t know this Morgan person or anyone else on this planet. He barely knew Zeke, and they were already arguing.


    It suddenly occurred to Hormiz that he had no allies on this planet but the people in this room. They said they wanted to help him. They didn¡¯t mention their help was conditional. But Hormiz knew.


    But he needed allies. There was no way around it. He didn¡¯t know how to survive in this world, and Zeke had offered to help Hormiz survive. He needed them. He needed their help. That was a sobering realization. So Hormiz gave a subdued, acquiescent nod. He would do as Morgan advised. Lyn released Hormiz and sat at the table.


    Morgan sighed in relief. Then she got up to open a cupboard. She pulled out a small box, carried it to the table, and opened it. Inside was a chrysalis roughly the size of a fist. It was dark brown and resembled a large bean. Morgan gave the chrysalis to Zeke and said, ¡°Rowan gave this to me for safekeeping. You might not need this, but bring it anyway. Drya may need the extra energy.¡±


    Zeke took the chrysalis and asked, ¡°Where do we go?¡±


    Morgan said, ¡°Deep in the woods. Drya will watch you, test you, and if she decides you pass, you will be summoned for an audience.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not coming with us?¡± Zeke asked.


    Morgan shook her head. ¡°This is your journey. I have work here on the coinnigh.¡±


    Hinata came over carrying two small bags full of savory-filled buns. ¡°There will be time for family meals later. You can eat these while you walk.¡± Hinata handed a bag to Zeke and another to Hormiz. ¡°Go. Find Drya. Honor your mother. And then come back home.¡±


    Hinata put a loving hand on Zeke¡¯s face. Lingering, they stepped back.


    Zeke picked up the Bone Gauntlet and Hormiz followed him outside.


    Hormiz had never seen a starry night sky before. He had never seen the moon. His breath stopped and he froze mid-step to stare at the stars.


    Zeke waited patiently. Then, smiling, he took Hormiz¡¯s hand and led him toward the forest.


    Hormiz slapped Zeke¡¯s hand away.


    ¡°I am not your pet to be led or summoned at your whim!¡±


    Zeke looked surprised and hurt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Hormiz suddenly felt bad and couldn¡¯t say why. He set those feelings aside and summoned a blue flame light. He condensed it to the size of a candle flame, but it was bright as a torch. The forest looked alien and sinister, even brightly lit as it was. He imagined monstrous, strange, and dangerous beasts stalking the forest, hiding among the branches.


    Hormiz remembered his brutal training. He pushed his fears aside and said, ¡°I¡¯ll lead. Follow me.¡±

 Chapter 28 - What Was That?

    The trees, branches, and bushes looked monstrous in the strange blue light, casting long shadows across crooked branches. The glowing mist emanated a heavy gloom.


    Surely Hormiz hated him. Zeke hated himself. It was his slow reaction that got their parents killed. It was all Zeke¡¯s fault.


    Hormiz hadn¡¯t spoken a word since they entered the woods. He held Rowan¡¯s ingot to his chest and ignored Zeke, his eyes darting up and around in naked terror. Zeke wanted to comfort Hormiz but feared he¡¯d only make things worse. So they continued for hours, silently wandering through the trees.


    As their march wore on, Hormiz grew increasingly frustrated. He¡¯d nearly incinerated countless squirrels, birds, and wild animals, despite Zeke¡¯s assurances that the bright glowing light would frighten off any threats. Zeke had to stomp out several small fires after Hormiz had a frantic reaction.


    Fear was contagious in the dark blue gloom. They were lost out here. Zeke had given up trying to count trees or mark their heading. Meanwhile, above the canopy, the sky had gone from starry black to dark blue to light blue with streaks of orange. In the morning light, the woods appeared less scary.


    ¡°Let¡¯s rest for a while,¡± suggested Zeke.


    Hormiz looked disgusted. ¡°Fine,¡± he said.


    Zeke almost winced at that look of disgust, but he deserved it. Zeke was disgusted at himself, too. He sat on a fallen log, pulled out a bun, and quietly ate it. He missed his parents, and it was his fault they were gone.


    ¡°Quit sniffling. It¡¯s gross and weak,¡± said Hormiz, still holding Rowan¡¯s ingot to his chest, a reminder of what Zeke had cost them.


    Zeke held his breath until he finished his bun. Then he asked, ¡°You¡¯re not eating?¡±


    The question angered Hormiz. ¡°I don¡¯t need food, I need life energy! You said you would feed me! Now I¡¯m stranded on this bizarre planet, I¡¯m going to starve! While you treat me like some pet or servant!¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Zeke said. Promises made in dreams are easily forgotten, but he remembered now. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! What do I do? How do I give you my life energy?¡±


    Hormiz calmed down a bit. Then he said, ¡°With Lilith, I drank it in her milk. I suppose we try that.¡±


    Zeke was shocked. ¡°I don¡¯t make milk!¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s how it worked before, so take your shirt off!¡±


    Zeke pouted a moment but then did as he was told.


    Hormiz stepped forward and Zeke felt his cheeks flush.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t weird,¡± said Hormiz. ¡°Don¡¯t make this weird.¡±


    Then Hormiz got on his knees and began sucking Zeke¡¯s nipples. Zeke tried not to make it weird, but it felt weird. Awkward. Stiff. Uncomfortable. Kind of arousing.


    Hormiz sucked on Zeke¡¯s nipples until they were sore and tender.


    ¡°Are you getting anything?¡± Zeke asked finally.


    ¡°No!¡± Hormiz shouted and got up off his knees. ¡°This isn¡¯t working!¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Zeke feared he would lose Hormiz if they couldn¡¯t make this work. ¡°Let¡¯s try something else.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what else to try! It¡¯s only ever been this way!¡±


    Zeke had an idea. ¡°Let me try something.¡± He stepped forward and kissed Hormiz on the lips. He breathed into Hormiz¡¯s mouth, but Hormiz stepped away, looking disturbed.


    ¡°No. But that does give me an idea. Something I¡¯ve seen humans do in dreams.¡±


    Zeke said, ¡°Okay. Whatever it is, let¡¯s try it.¡±


    Hormiz paused a moment. Then he got returned to his knees and pulled down Zeke¡¯s pants.


    Zeke was stunned and nervous but also excited. Almost instantly excited.


    Hormiz put the tip of Zeke¡¯s swelling penis in his mouth and sucked, his tongue sliding under his slit.


    It felt incredible. Better than anything he¡¯d felt with Toa.


    Hormiz began to move his lips up and down the shaft of Zeke¡¯s penis.


    Zeke shuddered and sighed with pleasure. Tenderly, he ran his fingers through Hormiz¡¯s thick black hair. His thumbs gently grazed Hormiz¡¯s fox ears.


    Hormiz grabbed Zeke¡¯s buttocks in either hand and pulled him forward. Zeke¡¯s cock slid down Hormiz¡¯s throat.


    Zeke felt something rise deep within him. He sighed loudly. His body shook and his knees almost gave way.


    Hormiz made gagging sounds but held tight to Zeke¡¯s ass, his face deep in bush. When Hormiz finally pulled away, Zeke shuddered as his over-sensitive penis slid out of Hormiz¡¯s throat and mouth. He nearly collapsed onto a fallen log from light-headedness. Even his vision was starry.


    ¡°What was that?¡± he asked. ¡°Did it work?¡±


    Hormiz stood up and wiped fluids from his lips and chin. He sighed deeply. ¡°It worked,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    But Zeke was exhausted. ¡°Don¡¯t you sleep?¡± he asked.


    Hormiz was shocked. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous to sleep here!¡±


    Zeke shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s daytime. We should be fine for a few hours. Wait here. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Hormiz demanded, sounding fearful.


    ¡°Just to grab supplies. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Zeke stood up and doorwaed to the caves he was raised in. The house was still mostly rubble, but Zeke found blankets and camping supplies. He looked around for Dook, but the mink was probably off hunting. So Zeke doorwaed back to Hormiz, who was apoplectic.


    ¡°What the fuck?! You can¡¯t leave me like that!¡± he shouted. ¡°I¡¯m not a pet for you to just leave as you please!¡±


    Zeke felt awful. He dropped the blankets and supplies and ran to Hormiz, holding his free hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know you¡¯re not a pet. I¡¯m not going to leave you.¡±


    That softened Hormiz slightly.


    ¡°And look! I brought us blankets and stuff to make a tent. It¡¯s not much, but it should keep us secure while we sleep.¡±


    Hormiz was skeptical. ¡°How will that keep us safe?¡±


    ¡°Watch, I¡¯ll show you.¡± Zeke hurried to assemble a tent and bedding with the supplies he¡¯d brought. He covered the tent with sticks and leaves for camouflage. When he was finished, it was practically invisible at a distance.


    ¡°Mama taught me how to camp,¡± Zeke said proudly and ended sadly. ¡°Anyway, we should both fit. I laid some blankets down, so we won¡¯t sleep on the ground.¡±


    ¡°We? No. Make me another tent,¡± demanded Hormiz.


    Zeke was stunned, then annoyed. ¡°Fuck you! I¡¯m not your servant, either, you know! This is all I could find after you blew up my home!¡±


    Hormiz looked scared and miserable.


    Zeke immediately regretted his outburst. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have said that.¡±


    Hormiz shook his head. ¡°No, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s all my fault. You owe me nothing, and I¡­ I won¡¯t even survive without you. I¡¯m a parasite. I¡¯m only good as a weapon. And soon you¡¯ll realize it, and then you¡¯ll leave me.¡±


    ¡°That is not true!¡± Zeke went to Hormiz and grabbed his shoulders fiercely. ¡°None of this is your fault! It¡¯s my fault! I should have been faster. I was supposed to save us all. It¡¯s my fault they¡¯re dead. And I am so, so sorry. I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you! And I will never leave you, I swear it! Whatever we do, wherever we go now, we do it together. It¡¯s you and me. Forever.¡±


    Hormiz fell into Zeke¡¯s arms. They cried together for a long time.


    Then, thoroughly exhausted, they lied down and fell asleep.

 Chapter 29 - Queen Titania VIII

    When Hormiz woke up, he and Zeke were still in each other¡¯s arms. Dim daylight leaked through the tent cloth above them. Zeke slept with his head nestled on the edge of Hormiz¡¯s chest and shoulder. His dark wavy hair smelled good, almost sweet. His skin was soft and smooth. The contours of firm muscles were artfully painted down his body. One tone leg stretched across Hormiz¡¯s waist.


    Hormiz felt¡­ happy?


    He approached the emotion with suspicion and dread. He¡¯d never felt this way before. He was afraid of it and afraid to lose it. He didn¡¯t deserve to feel this way, not after what he¡¯d done. He didn¡¯t deserve happiness. He didn¡¯t deserve Zeke¡¯s¡­


    Was this love?


    No. Impossible. They barely knew each other. This was an exchange. They were using each other. Hormiz hated Zeke. Zeke got everything Hormiz wanted. But none of that was Zeke¡¯s fault, was it? No. It wasn¡¯t his fault. He was good and kind and generous. Zeke was everything Hormiz wanted to be.


    Was this love? Did he love Zeke?


    He held Zeke tight. His hair smelled so good. Hormiz wanted to protect this feeling, to protect Zeke, to serve Zeke and make him happy. He owed Zeke so much. He owed him everything. He was so afraid of losing this.


    Meanwhile, Zeke was waking up. His beautiful face looked up at Hormiz. They were so close Hormiz could see flecks of gold and green in Zeke¡¯s brown eyes.


    ¡°Morning,¡± Zeke smiled.


    Hormiz¡¯s molten heart melted. Surely, this feeling was love. He brushed his fingertips across Zeke¡¯s smooth cheek, tracing the curves of his jaw, neck, and shoulder.


    ¡°I have a question,¡± Zeke said.


    ¡°Hm?¡± Hormiz answered.


    ¡°That thing we did¡­ How often will you need to do that?¡±


    There it was. Hormiz started to panic. Zeke didn¡¯t like it. Hormiz had taken too much out of Zeke and left him exhausted. What was the longest Hormiz could go without feeding? He didn¡¯t know how days worked on this stupid planet. Lilith used to make Hormiz wait for at least five sleep cycles between feedings.


    ¡°Maybe every¡­ seven days?¡± Hormiz answered fearfully.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Zeke sounded disappointed.


    ¡°It could be less!¡± Hormiz hurried to say. ¡°It could be every ten days, I think. And I can wait longer. I just won¡¯t summon fire.¡±


    ¡°No, you misunderstand me,¡± Zeke said kindly. ¡°I liked it. It felt good.¡±


    ¡°It did?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Zeke was emphatic. ¡°It was incredible. I want to do it again. As often as you want.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Hormiz was skeptical.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious! And I want to do it for you, too. I want you to feel it.¡± He sounded so sincere.


    ¡°Why? You won¡¯t get energy from me. It doesn¡¯t work the other way.¡±


    Zeke laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t care about that. I told you before. I have energy to spare. I just want to make you feel good like you did for me.¡±


    Beams of broken sunlight shined onto Zeke¡¯s bright face. Hormiz saw him as if for the first time. There was no deceit or artifice to Zeke. He was true and generous. He was good.


    So much better than Hormiz. Hormiz was broken and cruel. He didn¡¯t deserve Zeke¡¯s kindness. The warmth in Zeke¡¯s eyes hit Hormiz like a branding iron. He pushed Zeke away, collecting Rowan¡¯s ingot and exiting the tent.


    Hormiz had no idea for how long they¡¯d slept. It was bright out. Hormiz hated this alien planet, its weird plants, and terrifying horned beasts. He hated the wind and the constantly rustling leaves. He hated the birds and bugs and crawling, slithering creatures underfoot. But there was something else. A familiar scent amid the onslaught of forest smells. What is that? Is it¡­ smoke?


    Alarmed, Hormiz looked around.


    Zeke stepped out of the tent saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry if-¡±


    ¡°Shh,¡± whispered Hormiz. ¡°Listen.¡±


    Zeke took a defensive position and a longknife appeared in his hand.


    Hormiz jumped onto a high tree branch to see their surroundings. There! Across the valley, a forest fire engulfed a hillside. Hormiz understood fire as he understood nothing else on this bizarre planet. It would be upon them in minutes. He jumped down to inform Zeke, ¡°There¡¯s a forest fire. We need to move. Now. We won¡¯t be able to outrun it. We need to find shelter, a cave, or a wide-open clearing.¡±


    Zeke nodded and his short blade disappeared.


    Then suddenly, something quick and small flew between them, demanding attention. It was the size of a small bird or large bug, with insect wings, but resembled a tiny green person waving its arms and signaling them to follow.


    Zeke and Hormiz looked at one another as if to silently ask, ¡®Should we follow?¡¯


    ¡°Whatever we decide, we need to do it now,¡± Hormiz said urgently.


    ¡°We should follow her,¡± Zeke answered.


    And so they did. They raced after the flying little person for a long time, but the fire was faster, and soon Hormiz could hear the blaze roaring at their heels. The little flying person finally led them to a river and motioned for them to cross it, but the river was too deep.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never swam before,¡± he quietly confessed to Zeke.


    Zeke said, ¡°No problem. I¡¯ve got you. Take my hands and close your eyes.¡±


    Hormiz frowned but allowed Zeke to give him orders this once. He held Zeke¡¯s hands and closed his eyes, trusting Zeke.


    ¡°Now step forward,¡± Zeke said, gently pulling him.


    Hormiz took two steps and felt a sudden wave of vertigo. He opened his eyes to see the water was on his other side. Zeke had moved them both across the river.


    Zeke looked radiant, smiling proudly.


    Hormiz felt like he should say something, but he only managed to grunt, ¡°Hm,¡± before the flying little person demanded their attention again, pointing, waving, and signaling to follow. They didn¡¯t have to follow much longer. In an open mossy glade, they came upon another flying little person.


    She was slightly larger than their guide and dressed in red flower petals. She had an air of superiority and floated effortlessly in the air. Her movements were smooth and regal. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°Well met, sons of Rowan,¡± said the little bug person. ¡°Were that it was under kinder circumstances. We are Queen Titania the Eighth. You may address us as Queen Titia or ¡®Your Grace.¡¯


    ¡°We¡¯ve been watching you. We know why you¡¯re here. And we can help you. But first, you must do a thing for us. As you¡¯ve seen, a fire rages in the forest. This is no common fire. The Brothers of the Church are setting the forest ablaze. They intend to burn down every tree on the island. We cannot help you resurrect Rowan if we are dead. You must stop the Brothers from completing their mission.¡±


    Hormiz and Zeke both almost fell over.


    ¡°Wait, you can bring Mama back?¡± asked Zeke.


    Queen Titia nodded. ¡°She was wounded, but her ingot remains intact and warm, does it not?¡±


    Hormiz remembered he was still holding his mother¡¯s ingot to his chest. It was indeed still warm. He nodded back.


    ¡°Then she slumbers. We can keep her alive with infusions of heat and energy, but to fully recover, her ingot will need to be placed in the lava beds of Inari.¡±


    Hormiz had never heard of the place. ¡°Then we go to Inari,¡± he said.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible,¡± Zeke whispered sadly. ¡°Inari was destroyed.¡±


    Queen Titia answered, ¡°With the Bone Gauntlet, Inari can rise again.¡±


    Zeke looked devastated.


    ¡°How?¡± demanded Hormiz.


    Queen Titia said, ¡°There are two ways to bring Inari back: the first would be to use the Bone Gauntlet and do it yourself. The problem is, you don¡¯t know how to use the Bone Gauntlet. It would take a lifetime to master even the simplest feat. You¡¯ll probably fail spectacularly, and almost certainly attract Adam¡¯s attention, dooming yourself and any hope we have of victory in the process.


    ¡°The other option is to free the Catalyst Ikon and raise her to master her powers until she can restore Inari. Of course, that plan has problems, too. We have over two hundred daughters, and they all pose a unique problem. But the Catalyst Ikon herself is more likely to succeed at this task than you are.¡±


    Zeke looked relieved but Hormiz was not.


    ¡°How do we free the Ikon?¡± Zeke asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± Queen Titia told Zeke. Then she looked at Hormiz. ¡°He does.¡±


    Confused, Hormiz said, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Soul transference is kitsune magic,¡± said Queen Titia. ¡°Only Hormiz can free the Ikon¡¯s soul and guide her into a new vessel.¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t! I don¡¯t know anything about kitsune magic; besides, I don¡¯t want to free the Ikon. I want to use the Bone Gauntlet to kill Adam now.¡±


    Queen Titia sighed imperiously. ¡°Were we unclear? The Bone Gauntlet isn¡¯t a sword or a weapon. You can¡¯t just swing it. You have to understand the Ikon fundamentally, which you simply do not. Go ahead, if you don¡¯t believe me. Try to summon lightning.¡±


    Was she bluffing? Hormiz was angry enough to test it. He looked at Zeke and said, ¡°Give me the Bone Gauntlet.¡±


    Zeke hesitated. ¡°I think this is a bad idea.¡±


    ¡°Give me the damn gauntlet!¡± Hormiz ordered.


    Zeke frowned but opened his bandaged palm. The Bone Gauntlet appeared from wherever he had it stowed.


    Hormiz took the gauntlet and gave Rowan¡¯s ingot to Zeke, who quickly wrapped it in his shirt so as not to burn again.


    Meanwhile, Hormiz slid the Bone Gauntlet on. He wasn¡¯t sure what to expect, but he expected something; instead, nothing. No charge or surge or sensation, at all. He might as well have put on a heavy glove. Feeling foolish, he did as the little queen dared him. He tried to summon lightning, but nothing happened.


    ¡°Ahh! Lilith made this look so easy!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°Lilith had advantages you do not,¡± Queen Titia said while rolling her entire head. ¡°Now are you done? Or did you forget about the fire? The river you crossed will delay the flames a day or two, but Brothers will come to inspect their work and finish the job, and remember: if the Brothers burn down the forest, there will be no one left alive to help you resurrect Rowan.¡±


    Zeke spoke quickly, ¡°We¡¯ll do it. How do we stop the Brothers?¡±


    The little queen at last seemed unsure of herself, wringing her tiny hands. ¡°We¡­ don¡¯t know. We know why they¡¯re burning the forest down: they suspect fae live here. But they don¡¯t have proof. We can¡¯t kill them because that would give them proof. Church Brothers are assigned familiars that record and document everything. If anything were to happen to them, Adam would learn of it, then he would come and kill us personally. The only reason he hasn¡¯t destroyed this entire island and everyone on it, is because he doesn¡¯t care enough to bother. He thinks Safo is irrelevant. That is the key to our continued survival. We need you to convince these Brothers to leave some of the forest alive. Even a small patch would be enough.¡±


    ¡°Convince¡­ them?¡± repeated Hormiz incredulously.


    ¡°In the most mundane way possible, yes. It cannot seem like magic or force. The Brothers have to report to Adam their task is complete or that completion would be pointless.¡±


    Zeke spoke up, ¡°What made them fear the woods enough to burn it all down in the first place?¡±


    Queen Titia frowned. ¡°One of our denizens projected a vision into the dreams of everyone on the island. That was enough to rouse suspicions.¡±


    ¡°So give the Brothers what they want,¡± said Hormiz. ¡°Surrender this denizen and hope that satisfies them.¡±


    ¡°Not only is that cowardly and awful, it would confirm their suspicions and provide evidence that fae beings live in these woods,¡± she responded in disgust. ¡°You have much to learn if you are to be any use in the fight against Adam.¡±


    Hormiz advanced on the little insect person and summoned blue fire in the palm of his hand. ¡°You have much to learn if you intend to survive the fire out there or the fire right here!¡± The little queen flew up quickly.


    ¡°Hormiz!¡± Zeke shouted.


    Hormiz stopped midstep and realized he was making a fool of himself. He put his fire out and stomped back to stand next to Zeke.


    Queen Titia was floating high above them. ¡°He is not ready,¡± she pointed at Hormiz while speaking to Zeke. ¡°But you might be. We will send for you.¡±


    Then Queen Titia flew away, leaving Hormiz and Zeke to discuss her offer and their options.


    The thundering crackle of the forest fire could be heard nearby, but the river was wide enough, at least for now, they should be safe. Notwithstanding the dangers all around them. Also, Zeke was looking murderous. ¡°You just threatened a queen and our only ally in these woods.¡±


    Hormiz got defensive. His voice got loud. ¡°Morgan said to seek out Drya. That bug lady called herself Queen Titia. We don¡¯t need her.¡±


    ¡°She might have led us to Drya!¡±


    ¡°What does it matter?! She¡¯s probably lying to save herself. And even if she isn¡¯t, what she¡¯s asking is impossible! I¡¯ve visited the dreams of Brothers before. They are so rigid! You cannot ¡®convince¡¯ them to betray Adam. They fear and worship him. We should just kill the Brothers quickly and prepare an ambush for Adam. We still have two Ikons.¡±


    ¡°No, we don¡¯t! I¡¯m still learning my powers, and evidently, that gauntlet is unusable.¡±


    ¡°I can learn to use it!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s taken me twenty years and I can only move things from one spot to another! You think you can master a fundamental aspect of the world in less time?¡±


    ¡°You want to wait another twenty years hoping someone else can do it better?!¡±


    ¡°The alternative seems to be ¡®or death,¡¯ so yeah, I like the other plan more.¡±


    Hormiz yelled in frustration and stormed away. He still had the Bone Gauntlet. He just needed somewhere to concentrate, then he could access the Ikon¡¯s powers; he was certain of it. Lilith had managed it somehow, and it didn¡¯t take her twenty years.


    Hormiz sat on a large stone by the river and closed his eyes. He concentrated on the soul in the Bone Gauntlet. Hormiz was kitsune and the grandson of Lilith. Dreams were his first playground. Queen Titia said soulbending was kitsune magic. Connecting to a dormant soul should be easy for him.


    He tried to focus, but the constant sounds all around him made it impossible. There was no wind in Lilith¡¯s City. There was no birdsong or rushing river. There were no crickets or frogs. It was so easy to concentrate there. He never had to ignore a cacophony before.


    Hormiz imagined an endless darkness, quiet solitude. He saw the Bone Gauntlet. He felt the thing in his hands, the centuries of wear on it. But it was inert. Hormiz needed to go deeper. He imagined himself flying down, shrinking between grooves and cracks, down into the Bone Gauntlet itself, until he was again surrounded in endless darkness.


    But was it still quiet? Or was there a faint cracking in the darkness? Was Hormiz alone, or had he invited into his mind a fundamental aspect of change, destruction, and rebirth?


    There were no words; Hormiz got the sense that the mind surrounding his own had grown insane beyond words; but there was an idea of loss, rage, and violation. That idea overwhelmed Hormiz like waves of mud, burying him alive. He couldn¡¯t breathe. Then came the pain. Electric currents and psychic fire immolated his consciousness. An untrained mind would have collapsed into a coma. It took all Hormiz¡¯s considerable willpower to open his eyes, rip the Bone Gauntlet off, and throw it on the ground.


    He screamed and sobbed as he¡¯d never done in his life before. The intensity of emotions Hormiz felt when his mind touched the Ikon¡¯s seemed to open up new pockets of grief and pain that Hormiz hadn¡¯t known before existed.


    Lilith stole him as a baby. She stole his life. She lied to him and turned him into a monster. She killed his parents. And even now, he was suffering to make her happy, to kill Adam, like she raised him to want.


    Hormiz was on his knees in the fetal position when Zeke threw his arms around him. He didn¡¯t say anything or try to calm Hormiz down. He just sat there, quietly holding Hormiz as he screamed and heaved with his face in his hands in the dirt.