74. Kami

74

Kami

" A hza?" I'm trembling as I rise from the earth, the branches and dirt holding me fast sluicing off me like a gentle rain.

The guys look from me to him and slowly back away, coming to stand next to me.

"Kami?" Oz reaches out to steady me. "Are you back with us?"

"I think so." I waver on my feet, and Crash is there, balancing my other side.

He glares at Ahza. "One wrong move and die, djinn."

"Oh, this is the one who ditched you in the forest. Odd, but I like him." Ahza grins, and smoke pours from his mouth. His skin is night-dark. Swirls of incantations, like the ones on Caethybdue, move over his flesh. His three eyes flame in their sockets, his power not imagined.

"Are you real now?" I move closer, aware everyone is tense.

"This is her brother," Oz says and moves aside once I show I can stand on my own.

Ries blinks. "Her dead brother? "

"Oh, the merman. " Ahza bats his eyelashes. "Yum."

Ries grins.

Malkar takes a step closer. "Fascinating. I wonder how he tastes."

At that, Ahza focuses on Malkar then yanks me to him and puts me between him and the others. "You can't let him eat me, Kami. I don't have a lot of time."

"Malkar, cut it out," I snap.

"Hot damn. She's back!" Crash grins.

Everyone starts laughing.

"We were worried about you, you moron." Crash hugs me then darts away, as if he hadn't just shocked me to silence.

The others crowd closer for hugs as well, even Oz, and all while Ahza stands back, watching with a smug expression, his arms crossed over his chest.

It's then I realize we're in a lush forest, and it doesn't feel like a part of the Radiant Trials. "Where are we?"

"Outside Rilitar's castle, in the forest of the leshy," Oz answers, and I sense Ahza's interest. Because Oz is a beast.

My beast.

"Back off. He's mine," I say under my breath.

"You could share," Ahza whispers back. "How about the cute mage?"

"Nope."

"Merman?"

"No."

"What about the regular who's not a regular? I dig that braid."

"Stop it."

"Spoilsport."

"You do realize we can hear you both?" Malkar says. "And what's wrong with me? I'm much better than the others. "

"Oh please. I rocked her world more than you did," Ries says.

"I'm bigger than all of you," Oz boasts.

Crash just shakes his head. "Truth? She's into me. It's obvious."

I shake my head, doing my best not to laugh.

"Ah, I'm sorry to interrupt the ‘who's dick is bigger' competition, truly," Ahza says. "But I'm limited on time. We need to get you five up to speed and moving. Can someone tell Kami and I what's been happening?"

"You're dead though," Oz says.

"And back, but not for long." Ahza squeezes my hand then lets go. "So please, summarize what Kami missed."

Malkar gives a quick explanation of the battle in the cave, then our rescue by a godling and kraken—I'm so sorry I missed that. Then the hiding out and getting the protection of the leshy for me, followed by burning out Rilitar's home and the killing of all his guards.

Apparently, I've been out of it for a week.

Crash adds, "While Rilitar is busy with the extended Radiant Trials, having been tasked with more sacrifices to bring the war dick all the way over, rumor has it he's ordered Folas to attack with reinforcements from Godtown. Can you believe that?" he smirks. "My old stomping grounds."

The guys have been busy.

"Wow. Nice work." Ahza nods. "Okay. Kami died, and now she's back."

Silence falls.

"Dead?" Oz pales. "I killed her?"

"What? No." I rush to his side. " Beyrthnel killed me. But Caethybdue was apparently in on it. We missed the why of it all, because she kicked us out while talking to Leon and Sebastian. "

Ahza holds up a hand to stop everyone's questions. "You know what Evers are. Sebastian is After. Leon is Death. He's partial to necromancers, obviously. And he's dating Caethybdue, I think." Ahza frowns. "I can't keep up with all the gossip. You wouldn't believe how the dead can talk."

"Ahza." I need answers. Although, the gossip is intriguing…

"Sorry." He clears his throat. His voice is so deep, the smoke from his mouth and the flames of his eyes distracting. And intimidating. I'm so impressed with my brother despite his being dead and all.

"You're sure he's not going to eat us?" Crash asks.

"Pretty sure. Though he's got a thing for obnoxious fireflies."

"Jackass," he mutters but smiles back at me.

I'm so happy to be back, so happy to be with them all. And to have Ahza, even if for a short time…

"This isn't going to be fun," Ahza says, as if in apology to me. I wonder if he can read my thoughts. "I can."

"You can?"

"He can what?" Oz asks.

"Read my thoughts."

"Read all your thoughts," Ahza announces. "I'm not really here. I'm a ghost. And I don't belong. So listen good."

We all circle around him before I'm pulled back into Ries's arms for a hug. He rests his chin on my shoulder and kisses my cheek.

I feel so good, so welcomed.

Ahza smiles, but I see a glimmer of sadness in his eyes. "You must stop the war god. At all costs. Kami has seen what's coming. It's not good for anyone. If Beyrthnel steps into this world, the rest of the gods will follow. And everything ends."

The guys look as grim as I feel.

"The Radiant Trials partially succeeded," Ahza continues. " Because of Kami's death. But she's a soul-taker, and her job is to do as Leon bids."

Leon, not Caethybdue. Interesting.

Ahza nods at me but says to the others, "The Evers are the ones really in charge. They allow the gods some liberties. But other deities are tired of taking orders, and they decided they want to change the order of things.

"Thus you are the tools of the Change. All of you." His eyes glow, and Ahza speaks in a cacophony of sound, the voices echoing as he commands us. "One by one, you are bidden."

To Crash he says, "Burn away your pain."

To Ries, "Wash away your sins."

To Oz, "Break the ties that bind."

To Malkar, "Protect your hoard at all costs."

And to me, he adds, "The burden sits on your shoulders, my sister. If you make the wrong choice, there will be no tomorrow. No After. Nothing but pain and misery and solitude. Forever."

Ahza moves closer and hugs me. "I will miss you every day of my long afterlife." He pulls back, and I see smoky tears tracking down his cheeks. "I was blessed beyond the pale to have spent my days with you." He smiles through tears. "But maybe I'll get lucky in the afterlife with some hotties of my own."

Before I can wipe away my own tears, he's gone.

And this time I know it's forever.