Chapter 504: Then We Were Two
I followed Ram around the corner, unsurprised to find Ahmose standing between us and it.
"This transport is only big enough for two," he said, power crackling around him. "Which takes us back to my original idea, Ram."
"I suppose it does," Ram said, tone casual though his body was tense, shoulders pulling against his shirt as he stepped in front of me. "But somehow I don't think the princess will go willingly."
I shoved him aside, glaring at Ahmose as my own magic swelled. I let it all out, filling the filthy alley with the full power I had in my possession. Green Sidhe magic pooled along the ground, white vampire energy misting around me even as the family magic of the Hayle coven formed a small tornado at my back while fire crackled and my vision turned amber.
Ahmose paled, fell back a step. "Ram, do something."
"I plan on it," Ram said. Turned to me. "Unless you'd like to take care of it?"
"My pleasure." I didn't give Ahmose a moment to realize what we were talking about before I formed a multi-colored whip of magic and slashed him with it.
Ahmose fell back, landing on his civilized behind, scrambling to escape only to have Ram's magic form a wall behind him. I cracked my whip again, the air snapping with its speed, sparks falling over the fallen demon as Ram approached him, stopping only when he stood over the terrified Ahmose.
"There's only room for two," he said. "And you're off the list."
I felt what Ram was doing, pulled my own magic back as the demon stripped his fellow. But before I could stop him, cry out, not wishing such emptiness as I'd seen in Sassy's victim, Raneen, Ram pulled back, eyes blazing, power crackling over him while Ahmose sagged.
"You'll be executed for this," Ahmose said, voice a wheeze of exhaustion.
Ram laughed, deep and rumbling. "If you think this is the only thing I've done worthy of execution, you somehow missed the whole kidnapping a princess thing." Ram looked up and winked at me. I could feel the demon in him pulsing, eager, but the madness that took me when I drained Cypherion, the same madness Dad suffered when Ahbi forced him to fight and defeat Vandelarius, wasn't present. Which was a good thing. I didn't know, even with my advanced power, if I would have been able to control or contain Ram if that were the case.
Qesay appeared at the end of the alley, took one look at Ahmose and nodded quickly.
"Guards," she said, pointing to the east. How she knew who we were running from or that we were running at all I didn't know, but Ram grinned and kissed her cheek while she pinched his behind and smiled at me.
Qesay summoned a few of her people while Ram turned to the transport and touched the hull. All the power he'd taken from Ahmose flowed into the ship, returning Ram to his regular strength. He leaned back with a shake of his head and a rueful grin.
"I hope you appreciate this, Princess," he said.
"It's your hide you're saving." I was already climbing in the back, knowing it was crazy to trust him, but Ahbi's insistence at the thought of being caught and taken back to Ostrogotho drove me to act. "Now fly this thing already."
The hull hummed under me, seat forming to cup my body as Ram slid in the front, the console rising to his touch. I waved at Qesay while Pasht and two other men bound the weakly protesting Ahmose as the transport shuddered, bubble of shielding forming around us.
"They'll find you!" Ahmose's weak cry made it through. "I told them where you were going."
"Idiot." Ram's hands clutched the controls. "He's a spy after all."
I clung to his waist, so close he pressed fully against me, as the transport rose above the little village. A quick look to the right revealed three large vehicles heading our way.
"Hang on," Ram said, before banking sharply and goosing the power.
Whether the slim, small hull made it more apparent or I'd never really gone this fast before, it didn't matter. We whipped through the sky as though thrown by a catapult, the village left far behind before I could even turn to look back. Ram swerved as I was turning around again, almost giving me whiplash.
"Watch it!" I squeezed his waist in protest.
"So you want to be caught?" Ram laughed, the sound filling the cabin. "I'll just slow down and let them reach us then." He finished with another swerve and I almost rewarded him with the bile in my stomach.
I bit back a response, but only because my eyes settled on the giant waterfall up ahead. I'd seen it before, on the little tour Ahbi gave us. We'd plunged through the beautiful mists, down through the clouds of moisture into the cavernous rent the water carved into the earth, frothing as pink as Kool Aid. And while my previous experience with this place had been breathtaking in its beauty, this one was proving to be more so.
For the wrong reasons.
"Are you insane?" I jabbed Ram in the ribs as he dove directly for the water, terror rising and taking my breath.
"Just trust me, Princess," he grunted, whole body tense, veins standing out on his corded neck and forearms as he battled the rising mist. The transport suddenly dropped fifty feet before rising quickly again, the entire hull vibrating from the pressure. The thermals and temperature changes in the air had to be immense. And while someone like Ahbi, with all the power of Demonicon at her disposal, handled it easily, I realized Ram didn't have her ability.
My magic joined his, forming a seamless bond as I reinforced the shielding and offered him better control. Our ride steadied immediately, smoothing out from the bucking, my insides slowly settling. I barely had time to wince and squeeze my eyes to slits before we passed through the thundering fall of water. The ship shuddered from the downpour as I held my breath for the inevitable impact with solid rock.
To my surprise, we emerged in a large cavern, tinted red from the water falling behind us. Ram slowly spun the transport and settled us on the ground, letting the shielding drop.
I recommend we both ward ourselves from being detected. His mental voice was barely loud enough for me to hear over the sound of the falls as he leaped out of the ship and stared at the water. I immediately shielded, pouring on the layers of defenses I'd perfected years ago, adding to them to block out Ahbi's power from those who sought us.
Ram quivered. They're coming.
I joined him, the falling water mesmerizing. His shields were strong, but not strong enough. I reached out to him, expanded mine, let witch and Sidhe, vampire and demon magic flow over him, finally drawing on the deepest part of me, my maji power, creating a seal no Guard would be able to break.
Ram turned and stared at me, his first flash of awe quickly masked by a grin. This will do, he sent.
Better, I sent back. It's all I've got.
We both felt the pressure on our joint shield, three minds joined together, searching, sniffing. But they passed over us as quickly as they landed, skipping away. I held my breath and the energy hiding us until Ram finally saluted the falls.
We have an appointment. He gestured to the ship. And thanks to you, we just might make it after all.
I wasn't sure that was good news, but I followed him to the transport anyway, feeling the pull of Ahbi's geas weaken. As long as Ram was going the right way, the way I needed to go, I'd play along and be a good girl. But the moment our paths diverged, I was so dumping his ass.
As cute as his ass was.
***
