Helios crossed his arms and leaned back into his dirty boots. “All the humans? Last I was awakened, this planet was infested with them.” Helios fingered the dog tags hanging around his neck. “Though things could have changed since then. They are a violently reckless species who do little more than—”
“Lydia Boone and Franklin O’Hare,” Tenzen growled. “Is that specific enough for you?”
Helios shrugged. “I am uncertain. Is there only one Lydia Boone in the world? What about Franklin O’Hare? If there are still as many humans as I remember, then—”
“There!” Tenzen pointed to Momma and Franklin, still on their knees. “That Lydia Boone and Franklin O’Hare.”
“Ah. I see.”
I did too. This was what djinn excelled at. They were slaves to their masters, but they found ways to rebel, and one of those ways was exactly what Helios was doing. It was brilliant and exhausting all at the same time.
“In the future, you will need to be as specific as possible. I would hate for you to misspeak. Such things can lead to unintended consequences.” Helios smiled wide with obvious intent.
Tenzen didn’t even look my way when he said, “If you attempt to do me harm, I will have Necromancer Boone shove your ancient soul back into your body. Do you know what that will do?”
Glancing from me to Tenzen, Helios answered, “I do not.”
Tenzen’s greedy grin took over his entire face. “It means you become mortal again. Fragile and easily killed.”
Helios blinked, his expression once more unreadable. “Aurelia, is what he says true?”
Aurelia didn’t hesitate. “It is. Janus found this out the hard way.”
“He is dead?”
“The return of his soul did not kill him, but Janus’s ensuing actions led to his demise.”
“Hmm. That is not a great loss.” It seemed Helios’s opinion of Janus didn’t stray far from Aurelia’s. “And yet you are still djinn.”
I spoke up. “Aurelia doesn’t want her soul returned. I won’t return it without her permission.”
“A luxury you do not have, Helios,” Tenzen said. “And one I doubt Aurelia can depend on if Necromancer Boone wants to keep his humans alive.”
Helios’s attention fell on Momma and Franklin. “Lydia Boone and Franklin O’Hare, I presume.”
“You presume correctly,” Tenzen answered.
“Tedious.” Helios already sounded tired. “This master will force me to fight you, Aurelia.”
“I am aware. It is a pointless endeavor. We cannot truly harm one another.” Aurelia didn’t sound upset, so I was willing to take her word on that one.
“Maybe he can’t alone, but what if it’s two on one?” Tenzen turned and reached toward the mantel, but his hand came up short. “Where…?” Tenzen’s taloned fingers swept over the wooden surface. When nothing fell to the floor, he gripped the mantel, splintering the old wood and crumbling it to the floor. His talons scraped bricks, sending dust into the air along with his smoke and ash.
“Where is it?” Hands still gripping the brickwork, Tenzen’s head twisted in an angle no neck should bend and still be alive. “You took it,” Tenzen accused Aurelia. “You took the other djinn.”
I was shocked. I hadn’t seen anyone take the other object of attachment, and it was there when Tenzen grabbed the inkpot. Aurelia hadn’t moved since then. She’d been standing in the same position the entire time. I had no idea who or what had taken it.
Crossing her arms, Aurelia’s eyes narrowed. “I am djinn. I cannot touch my own object of attachment, nor can I touch another’s. It is a hard and deeply seated restriction.”
“She cannot, but I can. I was the first—witch born and witch made.” Ajita stood there, the rock-shaped object of attachment in her hand. Eyelids slipping closed and head tilted back, Ajita’s eyelids fluttered before she opened them and pronounced, “Asha will remain where she is, quietly sleeping.”
“She is mine!” Tenzen railed. The shadows encasing Momma and Franklin leached away, coalescing into a more solid form before its tendrils shot toward Ajita. As fast as Shadow was, Ajita was quicker, manifesting on the opposite side of the room.
“Asha is notyours,” Ajita spat. Dismissing Tenzen, Ajita spoke to Aurelia. “Djinn do not belong in the hands of shadow borne. Bury him. Take him deep within the earth and leave him there to slumber.” And then Ajita was gone, leaving deathly silence in her wake.
The flash of fear in Tenzen’s eyes was there and gone before I was certain I’d seen it at all. Ajita’s words hit their mark, and I prayed she was right. Shadow borne couldn’t be killed, but they could be contained. Deep and dark with no hope of escape. I had no idea where such a prison might exist.
“Erasmus.” My name scratched through Momma’s throat. “Sweetie, are you okay?” Free of her bonds, Momma stood on shaky legs, intent on closing the distance.
