There was no sign of the Corrupter.
Actually, something noteworthy did happen. It happened several times. The Consciousness of Death Magic spoke to me. He—we're going with he because it spoke in a masculine voice—was subtle and smart. If he had been more aggressive, I would have ignored him. Instead, he waited for times when I was alone and feeling anxious, especially about the children and my parents. That's when he'd strike.
“If you had me on your side, missions would go even faster,” Death whispered.
Rath, Xae, and I had just returned from a mission to a Dhon city. Nex had been one of the other eight Lords selected by the summoning crystal to join us. Again, there had been no sign of the risen dead. But the attacking force had been larger than usual and taken us a bit longer to subdue. Word was spreading about me, and when the Dhon saw me—a human Wraith Lord—arrive, they instantly knew who I was . . . and cheered my name. I have to admit it felt good. Real good.
But, as I said, it took us longer than usual to round up the Corrupted and break the enchantment that bound them. My men and I had returned to the citadel dirty and tired. So tired that taking a shower was only about getting clean. I had let them go first, content to sprawl on a couch in the sitting room. Then I showered while they got dressed and went downstairs, leaving me alone in our suite. The perfect time for Death to strike.
But I was too tired for his crap.
“Go away, Death. I told you, I've decided not to use you to free the kids,” I said.
“UseDeath Magic, not me. I'm a god, not magic. And using Death Magic once doesn't turn you into an evil man.”
Right, I kept forgetting that the Consciousness I was dealing with either had illusions of grandeur or was trying to deceive me about what he was. He was not a god. The Goddess herself told me that, and I trusted her implicitly. No, Death was a gathering of energy—power manifested into consciousness. Since all life begins with magic, he had a sort of life and a will, as much as any being born into the flesh did. He was a being, but not a god. I could have pointed that out to him, but why bother? It would only anger or wound him, and I had no desire to do either of those things. It would take too much effort. Leave him to his illusion or let him believe he had deceived me. I cared not.
“Oh, but using Death Magic a bunch of times will turn me evil?” I went into the dressing room—a room I still couldn't believe existed. I mean, who has an entire room for their clothing?
“I didn't mean to imply that,” Death sounded annoyed.
“But it's true, isn't it? You turned the Corrupter into the man he is. And now you have the audacity to come to me and act as if you don't like the results.”
“I did not make Aranren into the Corrupter, nor did the magic alter him. He found the ancient tome and chose his own path. I only offered him the tools to enact his plans.”
“Well, if you don't like what he's doing, take away his tools.” I pulled on my underwear, then pants.
“That's not how it works.”
“Oh?” I smirked. “How does it work?”
“Aranren has mastered Death Magic. I cannot control how he uses it or take it away from him now that he is connected to it.”
“But you said you're a god. Can't you do anything?” Yes, it was vicious of me, but I was getting annoyed. I just wanted to finish dressing and go downstairs to be with my lovers.
Oh, but Death had an answer for everything.
“Even Gods cannot control magic. We can use it, bend it to our will, even gift it to our chosen ones, but it is still separate from us. Magic imbues everything and yet is its own entity. It is wild, a force of the universe, and just like other such forces, it goes where it wishes.”
I hated to admit it, but, “Yeah, that makes sense. I still want no part of it.”
I finished dressing and headed for the door.
“You are always in control of your destiny, Ember. No magic can take that away from you.”
I stopped at the door to the corridor. “I don't know about that. But I trust the Goddess to guide me.”
“The Goddess,” Death scoffed as I left the suite. “She has her own agenda.”
“I'm sure she does, and I'm just as sure that it's all about helping us. Your agenda, however, is suspect.”
“I'm trying to prove myself to you, Ember. Just give me a chance. I can guide you as well. I can teach you how to use the magic in any way you wish. Like a wild horse, you will tame it under my tutelage. The spells you could learn—”
“No, thanks,” I cut him off.
“What about the children?”
“I will find another way to save the children.” I went downstairs, turned right, and headed for the common room where I was meeting my men.
