Chapter 520: Ahbi's Agent
Whatever power Ameline used to disguise her path in Bilhaeder, she'd managed to do so again. It didn't take me long to realize she'd laid more false trail, though how she was accomplishing so much diversion I had no idea.
Belkni led us to a rebel house where Tara was laid out on a soft bench and left to sleep while the rest of us were served dinner. I stuffed myself on purpose, keeping my mouth full so I didn't have to talk, poking and prodding at the problem of Ameline and the veil blockage until I gave myself heartburn. I left the table before the others were finished, exiting through the large doorways leading to a wide balcony overlooking the center of the city as it plunged in layers below me.
It wasn't long before I felt Ram's warmth next to me, the heat of his skin pressed to mine as his shoulder brushed me.
"I'm sorry, you know I'm sorry, don't you?" He gazed out over the view, not looking at me, voice aching with regret. "Syd, I never meant for any of this to happen. It wasn't what Ahbi wanted."
Um, what? "What does she have to do with it?" I half-turned to him, a sneaking suspicion growing as he ducked his head before meeting my eyes.
You know what it means, he sent. I'm not working for the rebellion because I believe in the cause.
You're an agent for my grandmother. Holy. Just. Holy. Well, how trustworthy of you, Ram. Anger spit and hissed in my stomach, adding to the ache from earlier. So much for your grand ideas and faking offense. I'm sure you're really sorry and that I can believe every word you say from now on.
I'm telling you so you will trust me. He reached for my hand, tried to pull me toward him, but even my demon, usually so attracted to him, snarled and pushed him away. I don't want to have any secrets between us anymore.
Just so you know, I sent, I have no intention of telling you everything, so you can just go to hell, spy boy.
Ram's face crumpled, his emotions reaching me easily as he opened his magic and allowed me look inside. I swear, I've only been working on your grandmother's orders all along. Including when we first met. He twitched, guilt rolling through him. Well, that's not exactly true. A bit of a grin lifted his lips. I was only supposed to follow you, to observe. Never interact. But that day in the market when I saw you on your first official visit to Demonicon, you looked so beautiful, I had to meet you, even if it meant Ahbi's wrath.
Nice try, I sent, even as my heart softened a little. Damn it.
I was going to help you when the cousins attacked, he sent, but I wasn't alone. My partner wouldn't let me.
Forget it. I turned away from him, tried to focus on the beauty of the city before me, climbing buildings marked with hanging gardens of multi-hues, the whole place its own kind of waterfall of demanity cascading from the sky to deep underground. It doesn't matter anymore. Grandmother is dead.
And you're carrying her magic. Ram stepped closer again, hand covering mine on the rail and this time I didn't pull away. You know I'm speaking the truth.
Ahbi's power welcomed him, accepted him. Had all along. So I wasn't really all that surprised, now that I thought about it. What was the point of lying to me?
Ram shrugged. I knew you wouldn't believe me at first. And I figured getting you to Henemordonin was the best way to keep you safe.
Stupid logical thinking. Okay, so what if you're working for the other side? I refused to relent. Besides what did it matter anyway? Why did he care if I hated his stupid guts?
I just wanted you to know I'm loyal to you and your family, he sent. To you, especially.
I turned my head, looked up into his eyes, found his face hovering over mine, closer, closer. My demon had given in to his pleas long ago, begging me to relax and just let him kiss me again, to devour me with his burning demon embrace.
Yeah. Not happening.
A chilling blast of air magic mixed with water power cooled the space between us, making Ram's breath emerge in a puff of white mist.
Thanks for the confession, I sent. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a job to do.
I turned on my heel and strode away, leaving him standing there. Felt bad. Hell yeah. Still.
Double "O" Demon could just suck it up.
Tara was still asleep when I checked on her, so I settled in a chair beside her to wait her out.
***
Ameline tossed, restless, moaning as she twisted and turned on the floor behind the controls of her transport, body flickering from demon to human and back again. One hand fell open, a teardrop-shaped, black rock pressed into her palm. A little boy's screaming denial rose from her, broken off as she sat bolt upright, hand tightening around the stone again. Turned and saw me watching-
***
I woke with a start, gasping for air, sitting forward in the chair where I'd passed out. Avenesequoia reached over from where she perched next to Tara and squeezed my knee.
"Are you all right?"
I gulped, nodded. "Fine. Just had a bad dream." Ew. And yet, from the furious mix of fear and frustration on Ameline's face, things weren't going as she'd planned.
I'd take that as a win.
Power gathered in a careful thread, I reached for Ameline, trying to follow the dream connection back to her. But she was blocked to me, even more so the veil, the barrier even tighter than before. I pondered the stone from the dream. Could Ameline be using some kind of crystal variant she found here on Demonicon, similar to the one I had back home to tap into my sorcery? If so, maybe she was the one blocking the veil.
But no, that was impossible. No way did she control that kind of magic. Only Ruler had the amount of power needed to keep me from riding the veil or communicating effectively. It had to be Dad I had to thank for my troubles. Why he was keeping such a tight rein I didn't know, could only guess was connected to his battles with the family and the threat of the rebellion.
Damned inconvenient, but I'd have to work around it.
Syd. Sass's voice surged into my head, the 'd' sound fading before strengthening again. Are you in Nunaresh?
How did he know that? I'm not sure if it's safe to tell you, I sent back, pouring power into the connection. He felt closer, his touch growing in strength a little. You're on the move?
Nunaresh was the most logical guess, he sent. Knowing Ameline would likely want to run under the radar. So I'm coming to you. With Father.
I met Avenesequoia's eyes. There's someone with me who would love to see you.
He didn't comment, urgency burning me even through the weak link. I contacted the Happerns, he sent.
The who?
The girl's family, Syd. Keep up. We don't have much time.
Smartass cat. Okay, go.
The mother, Taleesharete, is a demon, he sent, confirming what I'd guessed. Had her effigy smashed, was trapped on our plane. Married a human and had two kids.
With power, I presume. Had to be or Ameline wouldn't have been interested.
Exactly, he sent. Human faces, but half demon souls. Like you.
Wonderful. The brother?
Todd was stripped, Syd, Sass sent. Talee is beside herself, but can't help him. Ameline stole his power so she could disguise herself as a demon.
Well, he's not giving her an easy time, I sent. Showed him a flash of the dream I'd just had.
That must be what's holding her back, Sass sent, sounding relieved. But there's more. Much more. And it makes things complicated.
Okay. I just loved complicated. Story of my life.
Turns out Talee was a Node monitor once upon a time.
Of course she was. Sigh.
Is that how Ameline found out about the Node?
We have no idea, he sent. She must have dug up the information somewhere. It's not exactly a secret, but also not something we talk about. Some old text maybe.
I immediately thought of my Sidhe Gatekeeper friend, Liam, with panic gripping my heart. The Sidhe archive he guarded along with the Gate was an enchanted library where every single book ever written was stored through magical means. If Ameline somehow accessed the archive, Liam could be hurt. Or worse. Then we'd be in even more trouble.
I already checked in with Galleytrot, Sass sent. Liam is fine. So it's unlikely Ameline found her information there.
Big exhale. Did Talee tell the kids where the Node is? Why would Ameline take Tara?
Not exactly, Sass sent, his connection wavering so badly for a moment I feared I'd lose him before returning. Sorry, Father is trying to boost the signal. At any rate, because Talee was a Node monitor, she carries the residual signature of it in her body.
Did she transfer that to her kids?
Bingo. Ameline must have stripped Todd thinking he had the most of it being the oldest. But Talee said that wasn't the case. The residue passes better between same genders.
Tara. No wonder Ameline dragged her along. And since Todd was already fighting her, Ameline's power hungry nature wouldn't let her give him up, she just took the girl along.
That's Talee's guess and mine, Sass sent. How is she?
Awake, I sent, but still scared. Would Ameline have discovered the location of the Node and given Tara up for that reason? Panic pounded spikes of anxiety into my body, driving me to my feet, to action. What action? Not a clue. But I felt the need to do something.
I doubt it, he sent. If she was there already, Demonicon wouldn't be.
Right. Phew. Deep breath, Syd.
Any idea why Ameline wants the Node power in the first place? She has Todd's magic. If she can figure out how to dump his spirit, she has what she needs.
Dad has a theory about that, Sass sent. The stolen magic isn't doing her any good. But the power of the Node... Syd, it's the central core of all Demonicon. Literally, the soul of the planes.
Okay. That was freaky. She's trying to steal the soul of the planes? Is that even possible? Why?
She can't just use magic she's stolen to become maji, he sent. We think she's trying to become a demon, not just take on the appearance of one.
Triple-take.
That's insane. Ameline had been stealing magic all along. I knew it wasn't working out that well for her. And it did make total sense she needed a soul to make it happen. Her attempt to steal my vampire from me had proven as much. My big advantage seemed to be the souls I carried came to me willingly, or I was born to them, something Ameline didn't seem capable of understanding.
But, if she succeeded, if she figured out a way to make it work after all, she'd be one step closer to maji.
No argument here, Sass sent. And while we demons have been known to suffer from short-sightedness when it comes to our own needs, the sarcasm in his mental voice made me grin, there are those of us who understand how important it is to keep Ameline from becoming maji. We're all at risk from the sorcerers, and even more from her if she achieves her goals.
Code for Dad was on my side. Awesome. Relief like a cold shower washed over me. But we've beaten her. I found myself grinning at Tara who offered a little smile in return, thumb back in her mouth. Without the girl, she's screwed. And from the pressure Todd's essence is putting on her, Ameline won't be able to control him much longer. Her lack of a demon soul makes it impossible for her to integrate his magic.
Don't get cocky. Sass's mental voice cracked like a whip no matter the weakness of the connection. The boy might not have enough residue in him to lead Ameline right to the Node, but if she gets close enough he does contain what she needs to pinpoint the location.
Lovely. So it's a goose chase all over again, I sent. I need your father to tell me where it is, Sass.
He won't, Syd, my demon Persian sent. I've been on him about it, too. He refuses. But maybe the two of us can force his hand. It's the best I can offer.
While I appreciated Theridialis's loyalty to the Node monitors, it seemed a bit ridiculous under the circumstances. Okay, I sent. Get your furry butt to Nunaresh. In the meantime, I'm going to trust Ahbi's geas to keep tracking Ameline.
I'll be in touch.
Hang on. I grasped his power in mine before he could leave me. Have you seen Meira?
She's in Ostrogotho with your father. Sass sounded suddenly worried. Why?
She's been drinking nectar, Sass, I sent, letting him feel my memory of my sister through our link. Not the nice kind. If there was a nice kind. And from what I felt, she's nowhere near Ostrogotho.
His cursing faded in and out as his temper rattled his focus. I'll have someone look into it.
In the meantime, I sent, if you can tell Dad to drop the block on the veil, things would be much easier.
Sass didn't say anything, our connection abruptly cut off. I briefly considered reaching for Dad myself, but finally shook my head and dropped the idea. I had my job to do and he had his.
I just hoped we both knew what we were doing well enough not to bring the whole house down.
***
