53. Kami

53

Kami

" T hat's much better. Not exactly how I would have done it, but not bad for a mortal."

I blink and sit up, the bed I'm on more comfortable than any a dungeon might hold.

"Wait. Where am I?" Memory returns, and I recall my companions, so many bloodthirsty fae, the monarch, and his creeptastic demon.

I glance to my right and see Ahza smiling and waving with such excitement I'm surprised he's not bursting at the seams.

"I'm back, bitch bag!"

"Not for long if you don't control yourself," the Ever says with a dry voice.

Ahza motions zipping his lips shut.

I blink at him and then at the Ever.

"I'm Sebastian."

I nod. "Right. Um, Sebastian. Where am I?"

"Your body is currently in the holding chamber for those who have survived to the final trial. Where your death will welcome the return of Beyrthnel into your world. "

"No."

"Well, that's a start." Sebastian sits in a richly appointed chair, and I glance around at the handsome suite.

I've never been in something this nice, though Ahza and I once crept into the room of a rich monarch in one of the lower counties east of Snow-Willow, and it looked something like this.

Humans used to like rich, thick carpeting, not of grass, but of synthesized materials.

This carpet looks like that but is a rich soil color. The walls are painted a cornflower blue, with fae lanterns spaced throughout, crafted from crystal and rich gems.

Artwork adorns the walls, mostly of battles and heavenly realms.

I'm drawn to one such piece, of a fierce woman who strides toward a monarch and his flock of angels and demons. The woman points at the monarch, and I notice dead bodies all around the monarch's throne.

From those bodies are veils of souls.

Suddenly, the picture starts moving. The woman speaks in a foreign language I can understand, though I'm not sure how.

"Death is a rebirth, and you have no right to keep any of it. Forfeit your reign and receive my blessing."

The monarch shrieks. "No! I'm a Pure. You have no hold over me, fae goddess. I am human. And I don't believe in you."

Behind her, angels are morphing, their wings melting like wax too near flame. The demons bleed from every orifice, a lovely black that sluices over red and white bodies, coating horns and tails.

"Mercy, Caethybdue," one archdemon cries.

The goddess's voice softens, "For you, Irvnai, of course."

The largest of the archdemons vanishes.

Behind Caethybdue, a host of fae females appear. Some are vampires, some fae mages and sylphs. One blond regular stares at me with mismatched eyes of blue and gold.

And then there's one brownish-green dryad, holding an apple.

Wait. I'm following her.

The vision of me winks at the me watching and approaches the monarch. "For you, foolish king. So that you remember you have no control in this realm. Only Death is absolute."

Next to me, Sebastian huffs. "Only Death. Right."

Caethybdue arches a brow at him from the painting , and he waves at her to continue.

She turns to the monarch, waiting.

The king tries to grab one of the lingering ethereals for power, but they are all gone.

Then I'm there, shoving the apple into the Pure's mouth. I ram it so hard I break his teeth.

To my astonishment, the real me, sitting on the bed, feels so satisfied at hurting the monarch.

"Go on, Soul-Taker," Caethybdue urges. "Take your right and send it to me."

I nod, stand over the monarch, and open my mouth. Feeding like I normally do, but this time, I'm taking the Pure's life.

There is so much energy in the taking, one not given willingly.

This goes against everything I've been told since I could understand words.

Yet it feels right. As if I've finally found my purpose after all this time.

I feel Ahza looking at me and glance at him.

He smiles and gives me a thumbs up. "This is what you?—"

"Ahza," Sebastian cautions.

"Oh, right." He motions to zip his lips again .

I look back to the painting and immediately tap into what the painting me is feeling.

A sense of completion, of balance. I have righted a wrong and released the energy back to my goddess, back to where it belongs.

Caethybdue turns to the real me and nods. "This is so. But you must accept your place, child. No more running from truths. No more denying your purpose." She pauses, glancing at Sebastian. "Or all is lost."

I nod, feeling terrible that she might be sad. I can't disappoint her. I won't.

And yet…

"I don't worship you," I tell her.

"I know. Not your fault. I blame the Pure and his monarch who stole what you were meant to be. They destroyed your village and all the knowledge you should have had long ago. But now, you come into your own."

Caethybdue steps out of the painting before me. She is larger than any normal fae would be.

Sebastian signs. "Sure. Come on in."

She frowns at him. "Leon would be disappointed in your lack of grace."

He snorts. " Leon knows better than to expect a welcome when I'm working."

She sniffs. "I'm helping you, Sebastian. A little thanks would be appreciated."

He stands, bows low, and mutters, "Thanks."

"I suppose that's as good as I'm going to get."

Ahza snickers. "Seriously. He's lousy at social interactions." Then, before Sebastian can castigate him, Ahza waves at me, snaps his fingers, and disappears.

"Irritating Djinn." Sebastian sits once more, steeples his fingers, and considers me and the goddess. "She's all we have to work with here. So I recommend you hurry the explanation."

"I will. But please, have a talk with George about not taking her memories this time."

Sebastian glowers. "He's still doing that?" Then he vanishes.

Caethybdue looks down at me. She's glorious, a creature in shades of blue and green mixed together. She wears a hooded gown, but her features are clear, her face that of a beautiful woman one moment, a skeleton the next.

Patterns shift over her skin, glyphs of power, formulas of life and death written on a god sworn to uphold the Balance.

Her ears are pointed, and each of her hands has six long, delicate fingers and a thumb, the nails sharpened to claws. She is a fae goddess, from the times Before, when the realm of Faery was eternal.

I'm overwhelmed and lower my eyes, not worthy of such a sight.

But gentle fingers cup my chin and lift my head.

I stare into eyes that are not eyes, but windows into other realms I'm not meant to see.

"Yes, child. What happens here affects what happens everywhere. For all are connected. The gods are not all powerful, as they would have you believe. Well, not all of them." She smiles, and internally, I'm blinded by her radiance.

She must see that, because she tones it down. "Listen well, for time is short. You know your enemy. And it's not as much a war god as it is yourself."

I start.

Her hold on my chin tightens, and I blink into the voids of her gaze.

"Use what you've been given, Kami. All of it. All of them. " She nods. "Because your purpose is greater than ending a cruel elf and his hold over these fae. You must release what has been suppressed. Return what has been stolen."

She pauses. "And let yourself be who you truly are."

Caethybdue leans down and places a gentle kiss on my lips.

The surge of power makes my world explode.