7. Luce

7

LUCE

I shuffled the deck of cards for what felt like the hundredth time. Rissa lounged on the plush armchair across from me, her athletic frame curled into a deceptively casual pose.

We'd come up for air an hour ago and worrying at the prison around us had already made me irritable.

"This is ridiculous," I grumbled, tossing the cards onto the mahogany table between us. "Why can't I come up with a way to bust us out of this fishbowl?"

Rissa arched an eyebrow at me, her expression an inscrutable mask. "Maybe you're just losing your touch. Slipping in your old age."

I leaned forward, my elbows braced against my knees as I fixed her with a pointed look. "Funny. Given what you are, you could blow this joint to smithereens if you wanted to. So why don't you just use some of that power you're hiding under a bushel and blast us out of here?"

She bristled, her posture tightening almost imperceptibly. "Maybe this is an intelligence test for you."

I snorted, shaking my head. Of course she'd dodge the question. But I wasn't about to let it go that easily.

"Nice try, Rissa. I was there, remember? Back when you were in all your divine glory. It took every daemon, monster collaborator, and magical trinket we could scrape together just to banish your siblings." I jabbed a finger at her. "The goddess I watched could explode this trap with a snap of her fingers. Spare me the evasive taunts."

She glared at me, green eyes flashing with a warning I knew better than to ignore. I was dancing at the edge of thinnest ice.

I held up my hands in mock surrender, leaning back in my chair with a sigh. "Fine, keep your secrets. We still need to find a way to break out of this bottle. Before we get bored with sex, go stir-crazy and start using each other for target practice."

Rissa's lips twitched, the barest hint of a smirk. "Speak for yourself. I've got plenty of patience. You, on the other hand..."

She left the jab hanging, her smile an unspoken challenge and sensual lure. I chuckled despite myself, the tension between us shifting from frustration to attraction.

Her and that sharp tongue. And all the uses she put it to. Even trapped in this godforsaken bottle, she was keeping me on my toes. It drew me to her, like a moth to a flame.

But even as I debated kissing that mouth, I couldn't shake the sinking feeling that there was more to Rissa's reticence than mere stubbornness.

Why did I get the feeling whatever she was hiding was going to come back to take a large bite out of our butts?

Rissa drummed her fingers on the arm of her chair. "Maybe we're asking the wrong questions here. Before we fixate on how to get out, we should figure out why we're the ones stuck here to begin with."

I waved a hand in a ‘go on' motion, intrigued. "Continue."

"Think about it. Out of all the players on the board, why target you and me specifically? What is it about us that makes us a threat to whoever holds the bottle?"

She had a point. There was no denying we were two of the biggest wild cards in this game. Unpredictable. Uncontrollable.

"Could be they just wanted us out of the way," I offered, playing devil's advocate. "Tie up a couple of loose ends before making their big move."

Rissa shook her head, her expression turning pensive. "No, there's more to it than that. This whole setup reeks of long-term planning. Whoever did this, they're not trying to neutralize us. They're planning on using us."

A chill raced down my spine at her words, a sense of foreboding settling in the pit of my stomach. My intuition suddenly agreed with hers. This wasn't only a kidnapping. It was securing leverage.

"What's our play, then?" I asked, leaning forward in my seat. "How do we flip the script on these bastards, O lady of cunning and guile?"

Rissa's lips curved into a slow, predatory smile, her green eyes glinting with a fierce determination that sent a thrill of anticipation through me.

"We do what we do best, lord daemon. We do a sideways move."

I arched an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth. "Sounds like my kind of party. And we haven't tried sideways yet, but you're so flexible…"

Rissa rolled her eyes, but I caught the glimmer of amusement in her expression. "You're an asshole, Luce. But you're also one of the most creative and well-trained mages out there."

I leaned back, crossing my arms over my chest. "Flattery will get you everywhere. But power trumps finesse. A goddess, even if you choose not to use your full power? That's some serious magic."

She hesitated, a flicker of vulnerability crossing her face before she masked it with her usual snarky bravado. "Yeah, well, fat lot of good it does us in here. For the moment, Luce, come up with a barrier I can extend into infinity that I can also modify on the fly, to trap or possibly injure whoever comes in contact with it."

I considered her words. It was an obvious magical solution to the problem of formless ones and a long shot, but a real plan was still better than sitting on our butts waiting for the end of the world. "All right, I'm game. Not like we've got anything better to do in this damn bottle anyway."

Rissa snorted. "I'm a bit sore, yes. We can entertain ourselves more in a bit, once I heal up."

I grinned, relishing the challenge in her tone. "Bring it on, kitten. But first, let's see if we can't come up with a little magic to save the world while you rest your delicate…legs."

Rising from the chair, I rubbed my hands together. "We'll start with something small, just to get a feel for it. Watch closely."

Focusing my energy, I visualized a shimmering, sticky web forming around an empty wine bottle on the table. Tendrils of magic wove together, creating an intricate lattice. I textured the magic to cling to the physical world and the web contracted, clinging to the glass like a second skin.

Also, to the table, but that was a minor clean up issue. Nobody, not even me, got a new spell entirely right the first time they crafted it.

"Your turn. Try to replicate what I just did."

She narrowed her gaze, concentration etched on her delicate features as she extended her hand toward the bottle. At first, nothing happened. Then, slowly, wisps of energy began to coalesce, forming a tenuous net around the vessel. As I watched more and more power manifested, until the net was simultaneously so thick and fine the bottle was completely enveloped in it.

I watched, impressed despite myself. She was rusty, but there was so much raw power there. With a little practice...

Rissa let out a frustrated huff as the net flickered and dissipated. Still very clean, too, most spells would have left a residue. "Damn it. I used to be able to do this in my sleep."

"I think after a few tries it'll be down pat. Even if you're rusty, you did it." I assessed her. "Was there a problem that made you stop? Do it slower so I can try to figure out what happened."

She nodded curtly, taking a deep breath. This time, the net formed slowly, the strands thickening and tightening until the bottle was completely encased. The power flow was steady.

I took a chance, keeping my voice even and uninflected. "Now, expand it. Imagine it growing, spreading out to cover a larger area."

Rissa's expression became peaceful as her concentration deepened. The net stretched, extending outward until it enveloped the table, the air above, and a part of the carpet under it. She held it for a moment before releasing it with a controlled exhale, the magical threads vanishing into the air.

I whistled. "Impressive. Based on how you feel, could you do that on a larger scale? Big enough to cover a city? The world?"

She considered it for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I have to. I want to practice more, but... yeah. I'll have the power to do it right later."

If she retained even a portion of the magic I remembered, she could do it. A brief flare of envy flickered in me. What I could do with that level of power…I shook it off. I'd explode like a tick who'd sucked too much blood if I tried to encompass that level of energy.

"Okay then," I said, then grinned at her. "Which exercise do you want to continue?"

Rissa grinned, a fierce light in her eyes. "Are you up to it, daemon lord?"

The door to the kitchen and bathroom burst open with a bang. Both of us spun to face it. Numir, head of the Council, strode out, his dark suit impeccable as always, a smug smile playing about his lips.

"Well, well," he drawled. "Isn't this cozy?"

My hands clenched into fists at my sides, red anger flooding through me. "So it is the Council."

The fool's grin widened. "Now, is that any way to greet an old friend?"

Beside me, Rissa snorted. "Less gloat. More demands."

Numir ignored her, his gaze fixed on me. "I must say, I'm impressed. Teaming up with a goddess to try to save the world? How superheroic of you. Very much in line with those new action movies. Like the one where half the universe dies."

His tone fed the anger. I took a step forward, putting myself between him and Rissa, holding a hard rein on the desire to pound him flat. "Out with it, Numir. What does the Council want?"

He spread his hands wide. "Why, only to help you two, of course. I've come to offer my assistance in your little... project."

I narrowed my eyes. "And why would you do that?"

His smile turned sly. "Let's just say I've been enjoying the show, but you two need a little redirection."

That was it. I lunged at him, my fist slamming into his jaw with a satisfying crack. He staggered back, his eyes wide with shock.

Pressing my advantage, I methodically beat him down. He tried to fight back, but I hadn't spent the last millennia having minions do all my labor for me, unlike him. Exercise and a risky life made me faster and stronger than most daemons. My knuckles cracked as I punched him, venting all the rage and frustration of the past few days.

Finally, he stopped flailing back at me and crumpled to the ground, a bloody mess. I stood over him, chest heaving, knuckles throbbing.

"Get out," I snarled. "And don't come back."

He glared up at me, hatred burning in his good eye. But he didn't argue. Slowly, painfully, he dragged himself to his feet and limped out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

I turned to face Rissa, wincing as the adrenaline began to fade and a few aches made themselves known. Numir wasn't quite as ineffectual in a fight as I'd thought him.

She regarded me, her expression unreadable.

"Sorry about the interruption," I muttered. "But he had it coming."

To my surprise, she laughed. "You don't have to apologize to me, daemon lord. I was about two seconds away from punching him myself."

I grinned at her, feeling something warm unfurl in my chest. "You can have the next one. Taking turns is the sign of a good partnership, right?"

She rolled her eyes, but I caught the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Maybe. Rey's still working on that concept too."

A few minutes later, Numir's disembodied voice drifted into the room, dripping with barely contained rage and sarcasm.

"You think you're so untouchable, don't you Luce?" he sneered. "Always playing the rebel, fighting against direction for the common good. Do you see where it's gotten you? You're trapped in a bottle prison like a common criminal, reduced to card tricks and idle sensuality to break the boredom."

I gritted my teeth, biting back the string of expletives that threatened to spill from my tongue. "What do you want, Numir? You better be here to let us out."

"Oh, I want many things," he replied silkily. "Power, respect, a world safe for our kind. But first of all, I want you and your new little bedmate to suffer for your insolence."

Rissa tensed beside me.

"If you're not here to free us, then get the hell out. We've got better things to do than listen to your megalomaniacal bullshit."

"Careful," he warned, his tone turning icy. "You're not exactly in a position to be making demands. And I'd hate for something...unfortunate to happen to you or your tart while you're imprisoned. Bottles are made to hold liquids. And I can think of some unpleasant ones to add."

I could practically hear the smirk in his voice, the smug satisfaction of a man who thought he held all the cards. But I knew better. Numir was a snake, a manipulator who would say anything to get what he wanted. And right now, he wanted us scared and compliant.

A smarter man would try to pretend. But I knew Numir wouldn't buy it coming from me. We had too much of a history.

"Up yours," I growled, letting a hint of my own power bleed into my words. "Know this. When we break free, and we will, there won't be a corner of this world or any other where you can hide. You're done, Numir."

Silence. A low, mocking chuckle rolled through the bottle. "Bold words from a man in a cage. We'll see how long that bravado lasts. In the meantime, I'll share some excellent news with you. Since it's been made obvious that both of you are terribly terribly concerned with the fate of humanity and monsters, I was moved to bend my abilities to find a way to protect humanity and the monsters from the formless ones. Happily, it's doable! All it requires is both your life forces and all of your magic. A burden I know you'll be happy to lay down for these masses of people. You love humanity so much. I and the rest of the Council knew you'd jump at the chance to save all the innocents in the world. We just needed to have you both in the same place at the same time to hear the plan." The sarcasm of his words was thick enough you could use it as a spread.

Me, willing to die to save the world?

Not on his word alone. "I want to see the magic formulae you've put together, complete with the calculations showing that it would actually protect humanity from the formless ones. And that our life forces and powers would be needed specifically. I want the detailed spell, Numir. Trusting you isn't happening. You're so crooked you could hide in the shadow of a corkscrew."

Numir gasped theatrically."I'm wounded. After all, you're the person who taught me how to hide in that twisted shadow." With that, the feeling of his presence vanished, leaving us alone once more.

"He's lying," I muttered. "I don't know what portions are true, but whatever the result, it won't be healthy for us."

Rissa nodded grimly. "Agreed."

I paced the length of the room, analyzing the conversation. "We now know Numir needs our life forces and powers for something. Chances are it's not to save the world. The question is, what?"

Rissa leaned back against the curved wall, her arms crossed over her chest. "Well, he mentioned protecting humanity and monsters from the formless ones. But that's nonsense. Numir doesn't give a damn about anyone but himself."

"Exactly," I agreed. "Which means there's got to be another reason he wants us out of the way. Something bigger than just killing a couple thorns in his side."

We fell into contemplative silence for a moment, the only sound the soft ticking of the clock on the wall. Then Rissa spoke up, a musing tone in her voice.

"Maybe he's planning a surprise party for us. You know, as a thank you for all our hard work and dedication to the cause."

I laughed. She'd had me going for the first few words. "I can see it. A big banner he can put up that says, 'Congratulations on being captured and having your life forces drained!' all ready to go."

We both laughed.

What was Numir's endgame? I kept pacing as Rissa stretched out on the couch and took a nap.