Chapter 22

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Arkon sent a message to Zahir to warn him that they were on their way and a request for him to behave himself. He knew that the latter would be completely ignored, but he was in a ridiculously good mood and thought to add it anyway.

Zarya walked by Arkon’s side through the narrow streets of San Marco. He wanted to hold her hand but hesitated to take it in case affection wasn’t something she wanted. When she wrapped her arm about his first, he grinned like a fool.

He didn’t know what the fuck he was doing when it came to relationships. He didn’t know if that was what was even happening between them. For once, he didn’t mind being unsure.

"You can feel how much the djinn love this place," Zarya commented. They had crossed over into the Wands district, and curious glances were coming their way. The djinn could see through the glamor that Arkon had cast about them. Thankfully, if they ever had an issue, they went to Zahir, so they never bothered Arkon. He liked that about them.

"Zahir is protective of this place and the people who live in it. He likes other magic users to know it when they cross into his territory," he explained.

Zarya smiled wryly. "Like a friendly threat."

"That explains Zahir’s whole personality."

The djinn king himself answered the door to his house in Cannaregio.

"Well, well, double trouble," Zahir said by way of greeting. He opened the door further to let them pass. "You’d better come in and tell me what this is all about. Arkon has never asked me to behave myself in all the years I’ve known him."

Ezra appeared from her office and beamed a massive smile at them. "Welcome. Wow. The Wolf Mage in my house."

"Hello," Zarya said with a shy smile.

Arkon put his hands on his hips. "You never sound this impressed when I visit."

"That’s because she’s the Scourge of the empire. She’s terrifying."

"I see how this is going to be," Arkon sighed.

"And you are Ezra Eliyahu, maker of golems. I’m very excited to meet you as well," Zarya said, moving forward to shake her hand.

Zahir raised a brow and gently pulled back the corner of Zarya’s collar. "Did you get mauled by a bear last night?"

Zarya’s ears went pink, and Arkon glared at Zahir until he moved his hand away.

"He’s not quite big enough to be a bear," Zarya said, glancing up at Arkon.

"It was part of our disguise!" he blurted out. "We needed to sell it."

Zahir coughed, trying to disguise his laughter. "I’m sure you did. Tea?"

"Yes, please," Zarya said with a relieved smile.

"You, come this way. We can meet the boys in the lounge once they make the tea." Ezra took Zarya’s hand and led her away. "I want to get your opinion on something I’m working on."

"But—" Arkon began. They were already gone.

"Did you have a good night, habibi?" Zahir asked as soon as they were alone. "And did you get a chance to maul on her anywhere else?"

Arkon ran a hand through his hair awkwardly, and the djinn just laughed.

"Arkon Ziani without anything to say. It must have been life changing."

"Telling you about my sex life isn’t why I’m here," Arkon grumbled, following Zahir into the kitchen.

Zahir started to boil the water and crossed his arms. "We are going to make tea the slow way, so the ladies have some time to chat. You want to tell me what happened last night? Only two days ago you were hiding in my wardrobe, and now you’re glowing like a bride on her wedding day."

"We found the treasurer and killed him," Arkon began and laid out the story for him. He might have edited a few details about him spanking Zarya because Zahir would never shut up about it. "And now we are here because we want to see if you can help us track down Asa’s remains. They could lead us to a death camp."

Zahir placed the pot of mint tea on a tray and arranged some delicate glass cups around it. "If you are going to take a camp, you are going to need more than just you and Zarya."

"You have no idea the power we have. Trust me, we can take the camp on our own," Arkon replied.

Zahir shook his head. "You misunderstand me. That you have the magic to level the place is undeniable, but you’re only thinking of killing bone mages. You aren’t thinking of the prisoners that are still in there. They will be traumatized and injured. You will need people to help them."

Arkon rubbed at his neck. "Shit. You’re right. I haven’t thought about that. Let’s see if we can track the camp down first."

"After tea," Zahir said, adding sweet biscuits, baklava, and Turkish delight to the tray. "You both look like you need to eat more."

"We have been eating! Don’t mother me," Arkon huffed.

"Someone has to."

"Arkon made me eat before we came," Zarya interrupted from behind him. Her hand brushed lightly against his back as she moved around him.

"You, see? I’ve been taking care of us."

Zahir looked between them and tried not to smile. "Oh, I see exactly what’s happening. Arkon tells me we are going to be doing some blood tracking today?"

"If it’s possible," Zarya replied and tugged on one of the ends of her hair. "I’ve been thinking about it all morning."

Zahir carried the tray into the lounge room where Ezra was already on a couch. She winked at Arkon behind Zarya’s back.

Whatever that meant.

Zarya sat beside Arkon, careful not to physically touch him. The threads of her power curled around his arm, and he smiled. Zahir’s head tilted to one side and shot Arkon a warning look. He shook his head a little in reply. No, it wasn’t going to blow up Venice if their magic touched.

"So, Zarya, have you used blood to track before?" Zahir asked, passing her tea.

"No. I was putting together a spell when Arkon suggested we come to you."

"The good news is we can definitely use your blood to track down your sister’s remains. Do you have anything else that belonged to her?" Zahir asked. "It will help make the bond of the spell stronger."

Zarya showed him the woven bracelet around her wrist. "This was hers. I made it for her. Will it do?"

"Very nicely. What does the magic on it do?"

"It’s protection against pregnancy and any diseases," Zarya replied and sipped her tea.

"How…helpful," Zahir said, earning Ezra’s elbow in his ribs.

"Asa was close to the emperor. I didn’t want her complicating matters by getting pregnant with his bastard." Zarya touched the small rune pendant. "The bone mage I killed was wearing it. He knew enough that it was a talisman of protection, but he didn’t know what it protected the user from."

"Certainly not from you," Arkon said, and they shared feral smiles. There would be no protecting any of the bone mages from her.

"This coming from the man who shattered every bone in Stas’s body last night instead of just slitting his throat," Zarya replied with a dark little giggle that went straight to his dick.

"He had it coming," Arkon replied with a shrug. He realized too late that Zahir and Ezra were staring at them like they were both crazy. They probably were.

"Jesus, it’s like you both have sewed all your red flags together and are just waving them at each other," Ezra commented.

"Like emotionally dysregulated matadors in a field with no bulls," Zahir added. "Or psychotic birds doing mating dances."

"Are you both done?" Arkon sighed.

Zarya started to laugh loudly, surprising all of them. "I haven’t hidden the fact that I like Arkon’s red flags. They match mine."

"I think you would look great in red," he replied, his grin widening that she was getting in on their nonsense. He realized that he wanted them to get along. He wanted her to feel welcome. What he didn’t want was for her to leave Venice when they stopped the war.

Once she has what she wants, what will stop her from killing you? Vlad’s voice hissed about in his head. Arkon pushed it aside and focused on Zarya eating Turkish delight and chatting with his friends instead. That was all that mattered in that moment.

After tea, they went into Ezra’s study where a map of Europe had been rolled out on a table.

"I’m going to need some of your blood and the bracelet," Zahir said and held out his hand for it. Zarya touched it and hesitated.

"It’s okay, lupa. You will get it back," Arkon assured her. He pointed at Zahir. "No burning it."

"The audacity of you to think I would. Burning everything is your area of expertise," Zahir chided. Zarya handed him the bracelet, and he lifted it up to look at it closer. "It’s beautiful work. The spells are very intricate."

"Thank you," Zarya replied and held out her arm. A large hunting knife appeared in her other hand. "How much blood?"

"Only a few drops," Ezra said, eyeing the knife warily. "You look ready to open a vein there."

"You don’t understand how much I want to kill Strahil," Zarya replied. She looked at Zahir. "Where do you want it?"

"In my palm," he replied and held out his other hand. His eyes were already beginning to glow with the first traces of his bronze magic. Zarya sliced open the pad of her thumb and held it out to Zahir. Crimson splatted into his palm and instantly his magic flared. Arkon pulled out a clean handkerchief and wrapped it around Zarya’s bloody thumb. He really didn’t like seeing her blood. She gave him a curious glance as his magic started binding the cut back together.

"It’s barely a scratch," she said softly.

"I don’t care."

"Maybe you should heal that bruise on her neck while you’re at it," Zahir suggested.

"Maybe you should focus on the fucking spell you’re meant to be doing," Arkon snapped.

Zahir rolled his eyes. "Put your claws away, baby bear. It’s already working. See?"

Arkon looked at the map where the blood had settled in a small pool. He leaned in closer to try and read the writing nearby. "Looks like it’s in a forest outside of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina."

Zahir rubbed at his goatee. "That makes sense. It’s been Varangian territory for years, and it would still be easy enough to transport slaves from the coast through the port at Rogotin."

"I was so close, and I didn’t even realize it," Zarya said, her face pale. "I went to Rogotin looking for you and stopped to sleep in Mostar. Fuck."

"Blaming yourself won’t help anything," Ezra replied and looked back at the map. "The good thing we should focus on is that part of the Republic’s army is now at Rogotin. That means soldiers who can help with transporting any survivors and securing the base."

"I don’t want to risk anyone non-magical going in there. I have no idea what Strahil and his mages have set up to protect it. You’ve seen the attacks they carried out in my name. Normal people can’t fight that," Zarya argued.

"Then we take djinn."

Arkon glanced up in surprise. "But you’ve always said you’d never let them get involved in the conflicts."

"This is different. It’s a rescue operation," Zahir pointed out. The air around him crackled with hot static. "Also, they lost the right to proper rules of engagement when they started harvesting people like they meant nothing."

"Will you come with us?" Arkon asked, crossing his arms.

Zahir smiled. "Of course, I will. Someone has to keep an eye on you two and make sure you don’t get overconfident."

"I have no idea what you’re talking about," Arkon replied with a sweet smile.

Zarya gently nudged him with her shoulder. "Sure, you don’t."