PART I
Chapter 1
The Return
With a shrug of my shoulders, I adjust my leather pack and step over the geode-littered ground. “When I came to Earth, it was through the Gate of the Gods in Peru. It’s spectacular.” I stare, unimpressed, at the craggy seven-foot-tall archway in the middle of the Arizona desert. “I thought this one would be more impressive. It’s the Doorway to the Gods, capital letters implied.”
“Doorwayofthe gods. Notto. But itisa doorwaytoAmagi, so quit complaining.” Val stares at the hand-carved quartz crystal ring resting in his palm and frowns. “Or we hope it is and that this key works.” He squints up at the arch, lit by the early morning sun. “You sure you want to do this? You don’t have to, you know.”
I smile at my best friend. “Val, it’s time. I’ve hidden long enough.” I shake out my hands. “Plus, I miss my magic being at full power. No wonder they think magic is fake here.”
Val snorts. “Yeah, I do miss that, but you get used to it.”
“I’ve been here for five years. How long does it take?” He ignores my question because we both know the real answer is never. Not when you’ve grown up with magic at your fingertips. “I’m tired, Val. Tired of feeling like a kicked dog, cowering with his tail between his legs.”
He shakes his head. “Recovering. Regrouping. Not cowering. What they did to us, toyou, was brutal, and you deserve all the time you need to heal. Plus, it’s given us time to find the Key.” He looks at the quartz and white gold filigree ring again. “Maybe.”
“Weknowwhere the Key is, even if they aren’t admitting it.” My words come out more angry than I planned.
Sighing, he moves closer to the gate. “Wethinkwe know. And when we have a few more things in place, we’ll take the Key back.” He mock glares at me. “And I meantthiskey, asshole.”
He holds out the ring, and I take it, giving him my own glare. “Fucker.” Our gazes meet, and he clenches his jaw, then pulls me into a bear hug. Which is awkward since he’s six feet tall and lanky, and I’m barely five feet, eight inches of compact muscle.
Tightening his ridiculously long arms around me, he kisses the side of my head. “Be safe, Zayd. Don’t make me come home to kick someone’s ass. Because after I do, I’ll kick yours for forcing me back before everything’s ready.” It’s odd that after almost seven years on Earth, Val still calls Amagi home. But I get it. I feel the pull too. Especially this close to one of the few doorways to our world.
“You can try. You were never as skilled as I am, and you never will be. You like to dance around and show off too much.”
He snorts. “That’s because I’m beautiful and worth showing off.” He squeezes me tighter, and I get the message: shut the fuck up.
I squeeze back. “I’m beautiful too, you ass.” We’re quiet for a moment, and the silence becomes overwhelming. There’s too much to say, and we’re not good at any of it. “I’ll be careful. They trained that into us. ‘Be careful or be dead.’ Right?”
“Stab Master Cosimo several times for me. Okay?”
I laugh into his shoulder, my throat tightening as my eyes prickle. “Definitely. And if I end up poisoning him instead, I’ll make sure it’s a slow, painful death.”
“Excellent.”
Reluctantly, I let go and step back with an embarrassed chuckle. “We’re getting all sappy, and we don’t even know if this will work. I could walk through the arch and still be in the middle of the Arizona desert.”
Val’s gaze sharpens. “It’ll work. You’ve met Ronan. I’m telling you, he’s the one we’ve been searching for. Even if he’s clueless abouteverything.”
“You’ll have to fix that.” I slip the ring on my left index finger, and the massive amplification of my magic catches me by surprise. Wide-eyed, I look at Val. “Whoa. It’s like being home!”
Val grins wickedly. “Right? I told you. Ronan’s the one. This’ll work.”
“How old is he?”
“Just turned thirty last September.”
I gawp at him. “He’s a baby! By the Founder, he’s strong.”
Laughing, Val waggles a finger at me. “Careful, your Amagi is showing.”
I flip him off. “I’m headed home, jerk. I’m practicing.”
Val’s smile fades, and his expression becomes serious. “Good. You need to blend in so you don’t bring attention to yourself. Once uncontracted bodies start appearing, they’re going to wonder why. And who’s behind it. But there’re enough transplants from rescued covens to excuse any slips you might make. You can tell people you’ve only been in Amagi for a year or less and keep forgetting local slang.”
A year ago was right about when the last refugees were allowed in, and it’s believable as excuses go. Though it’s probably better if I hole up and keep to myself until I get my slang under control. And my contractions. And translation spells should take care of most slips. Plus, keeping a low profile will give me time to familiarize myself with Panah City again. There are bound to have been changes in Amal’s capital over the last five years. After that, I’ll locate Master Cosimo and the handful of targets on my list, relearn their routines, and plan how best to painfully kill each of them.
