I glanced over my shoulder, gaze sweeping over the djinn to find Chandra at the ship’s wheel with Jaantor. His gaze was already on me. He raised a hand, and I raised one back, suddenly hyper aware of the blade at my hip. The blade that could trap the primordial evil in Araz’s body. I’d be getting rid of the damn thing as soon as I got the chance.
“The mountains should be in view now,” Zarael said. “Maybe we can drop altitude so we can get a look?—”
The clouds parted, and my smile dropped.
“Oh gods…” C’ael said softly.
But my exclamation remained trapped in my throat as I stared at the dark abyss. A gaping wound that looked like someone had taken a bite out of the world.
“It’s gone,” C’ael said. “The devouring force camp is gone.”
Chapter 34
IT’S WAKE UP TIME
BLUE
Mizikiel carries me around like a fucking talisman. It’s like he knows I’m planning sumtin He hasn’t let me out his sight for more than a few minutes at a time. Me skin’s itchy, and the urge to scream is trapped in me throat. I want to be back on me table in the sitting room with him gone for hours so I can do what needs ta be done.
I’m beginning to wonder if he’s using me like a comfort blanket.
Only good thing about it is that I get to map the building over and over, including the fucked-up crimson tunnels he’s built. The demigods still hang out in the east wing when not patrolling. If my plan ever gets to be executed, then I’ll find them there.
Three days of being under constant surveillance and I’m starting ta think it’ll never end when he finally takes me back into the sitting room. Could it be that he’s going to leave me here? It’s midafternoon. Too late for lunch—not that he bothers to eat much—and too early for supper—a meal he does usuallytake. Maybe he’s planning on an early supper. Maybe he’ll eat and fuck off.
He places me on the table and takes a seat, settling and resting his head on the back of the chair. There are dark smudges under his eyes, and his skin looks dry and pale. I guess destroying a world takes it outta ya.
“You okay?” I dunno why I ask it. Maybe cos he’s in Araz’s body, and I care about that. I care about Araz.
He smiles thinly, a soft laugh escaping his nostrils in a huff. “Let’s not pretend that you care about me, Blue. I know you want nothing more than to be free of me.”
“You’re right there. But I do care about that body you’re wearin’. That belongs to a friend of mine.”
“Friends are simply people with the power to hurt you.”
“They also have the power ta make life better. To enrich it. My friends are my chosen family, and I’m sorry you didn’t get ta have that. I’m sorry you mistook the Deva for friends.”
His eyes narrow. “Theyweremy friends.”
“Nah. If they were your friends, they wouldn’t have fucked you over.”
“You’re insinuating that what happened to me wasmyfault?” His topaz eyes glow dangerously.
Great. Just what I need, a fucked-off ancient being who can unmake me with a thought if he wants to. “Look, if you want a ‘yes’ rat, then you got the wrong rodent. I tell it how I see it, okay?”
His shoulders relax. “You have no filter.”
“Correct.”
“And your opinion doesn’t matter to me.”
“If you say so.”
“What do you—” His head whips toward the door, and his eyes narrow to slits, then he stands abruptly, chair scraping on the wooden floor.
“You leavin’?” Shit, why’d I say that?
His smile takes on a jagged edge. “Leela is on her way here. I’m not sure how she plans to get past my wards, and I don’t think I’ll bother asking her before I snap her pretty neck.”
