Illusion (28 page)

In a week of impossible events, this topped the list of the bizarre. Could she do it again, or did she have to be in danger? Worst of all, once she’d rejoined, she’d felt refreshed. As if she’d had a long rest. A small part of her liked the idea of having that kind of power, even if it made her stomach squirm.

The light revealed the rough, striated surface of the rock face. Diamond-like veins swirled like a spiral galaxy in a dark universe. Water dribbled down rough walls. They followed a stream of water down the slope, their steps echoing in the damp air. Her heel stung, no doubt covered in blisters. What she would do for a pair of sneakers instead of clunky boots.

“Resheph, she divided matter without a charmed circle,” said Esmonda.

Maya rubbed her thigh where the
kila
rested in its sheath.
No violence.

Had Resh’s shoulders stiffened slightly?

“It’s a foul branch of magic. One that doesn’t follow the natural laws of Creation.”

Resh shook his head. “We’ll discuss it later. We need as much distance between us and the Khereb as possible.”

Maya’s foot landed in a large puddle and she slipped. Alexandr snagged her elbow and hauled her to a flat piece of rock, saving her from a rough tumble to the ground.

“Thank you,” she said.

“Try and ignore her,” Alexandr murmured, and touched her shoulder.

They kept walking, away from the thumping Khereb and the scent of blood.

The tunnel disappeared into darkness, as black as Gaai’s feathers. Just like Esmonda’s words. Maya would love to put her in her place, but she refused to get into a fight with Resh’s sister when she didn’t know what she was capable of. The sorceress had a point, and she had to give her credit for saying it out loud rather than behind her back.

Esmonda came to an abrupt halt. Resh had edged back against the cave wall into the small stream. The floor dropped away into darkness. Water ran off the edge with a rush of sound.

“You first,” he said as he beckoned Alexandr with one long finger. The silhouette of his hand on the rock was snakelike, reminding Maya of the dream of the serpent back on Earth.

The warlock brushed between the two women and stood on the ledge. He crouched and lowered himself into darkness. His fingers clasped the stone, and he let go, landed with a soft thump. Resh’s hooded eyes glittered in the dim light. Maya barely breathed as he tugged her to the edge and lifted her down the eight-foot drop to Alexandr. The warlocks repeated the maneuver with Esmonda, who stepped away as soon as her heels touched the floor.

The walls of the new tunnel were smoother, but water still pooled and ran in natural troughs along both sides of the path. The air changed, fresher somehow, less dank and black with the smell of death than the cavern where she’d split in two.

Resh leaped with unnatural speed. Yellow light flashed high, close to a protruding rock in the ceiling, revealing several sigils. He touched the shelf, and dropped with a soft whoosh, landing on the balls of his feet next to Maya.

“The markers say we’re about halfway to the Chasm of Light,” he said. “Up ahead is one of the exits to a plateau overlooking the coast. It’s possible the Khereb have broken through the restricted doorway. I’m banking the light until we reach the other side.”

The tunnel widened to maybe four feet. The light from the staff revealed white stalactites, and calcified water resembling long, draped hair. The cold, damp air was starting to drag at her bones, but at least the splitting in two had stopped the withdrawal symptoms—for a while at least. She pulled off her backpack and yanked out her leather coat.

“They’re not there,” Maya said as she shoved her arms through the jacket. There was a deathly silence, the kind of quiet that usually made her want to fill it with chatter. She should have kept her trap shut because right now it felt like she was on a precipice and any false move would send her pinwheeling in the wrong direction. Esmonda’s words rattled around inside her head. Her birth hour was coming up; only two nights to go. What else would happen? Hopefully she wouldn’t turn into a giant bat or a demon, for Christ’s sake. Her stomach gurgled in protest.

“What can you sense?” Resh asked. He ran his long fingers over his sword.

“Back at the cave, I could feel their heartbeats. Their voices are like a bell twanging in my head, except … I understand the meaning. They’re not ahead.”

Esmonda’s hair beads clacked and clattered as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Hecate’s bells. You converse with Khereb and divide. Resh will never know whom he’s sleeping with. You could send your Second out for all sorts of misadventures. Perhaps you’ll find other lovers? I’ve never heard of a conjuration of powers that bi-locates matter.” She tapped Resh with one black-painted nail. “She’s deadly. You can’t trust her.”

Maya felt as if she’d swallowed a rock. She had an overwhelming urge to slap the sorceress across the back of her braided head. When would she learn to keep her own mouth shut? She’d only encouraged the horrible woman.

“Esmonda, what do you hope to gain from stating the obvious about Maya’s powers? I said we’ll discuss it later and I meant it. Leave it alone.” Resh lifted his hand and they came to a stop. He turned and lowered the crystal to his chest. The light revealed the flat expression on his features.

Maya let his loyalty wash over her and she felt compelled to fill the silence, to explain. “I don’t know how or why it happened. I panicked and then I split in two, watched my body crawl into the tunnel.” The words sounded worse out loud.

Esmonda made a strangled sound in her throat. “She speaks the language of the Abyss. The ritual dagger is her talisman. Did you hear her speak any mystic words to deactivate her double? Resheph. Think on it. No conjuration shroud and no evocation of spirits. What could it mean? An abomination, that’s what. One that can disintegrate and scatter particles at will. The old traditions speak of removing tongues, ritual beheading, and excoriation.”

An arm reached out and Maya jerked in surprise.

Esmonda squawked as she was dragged past Maya.

Alexandr gripped the struggling sorceress against his chest and the two men exchanged a look. “If she’s that dangerous I’d leave her alone,” Alexandr said.

Esmonda shoved his hand away and lurched back against the wall.

Resh extended a hand out to Maya. “So, the Khereb aren’t near. We’ll keep the light, and rest at the Chasm.” His voice held unending patience.

He turned and trapped her hand in his hot grasp. It must have been awkward for him. But he wouldn’t let go, even when she patted his back to indicate she was fine. She was happy to keep her hand right where it was, at home among all that burning energy.

“Your mother is a whore’s ass, and keep your damned hands to yourself.” Esmonda’s biting voice echoed in the tunnel.

“The less said about your own mother the better,” retorted Alexandr.

“You graceless dreamer. You’ll never make arch-warlock. What in the gods is that smell?”

Maya leaned forward and whispered over Resh’s arm. “I wouldn’t hurt her.”

“I couldn’t care less,” he murmured, turning. “When we reach the Chasm we’ll try and find some privacy. Ignore her.” He skimmed his lips across her temple. He pulled back and stared at her. The smile softening his ragged features changed. His gaze raked over her body and he tilted her jaw up with his fingers. Something darted across his eyes and she tensed.

“You’re burning up,” he said.

Her stomach clenched in pain. Sweat broke out all over her body and her head spun. She hit the cold ground, unable to speak through the waves of agony gripping her stomach. Her skin burned like fire and breathing came so hard she wished she was dead. The smell of burning metal filled the tunnel and light dragged away from the crystal, covered her body in interlocking chains.

“Here, drink.” Resh gently nudged her lips with a flask. She guzzled twice before he pulled the silver container away.

“Small sips. You’re fevered.” The lines around his eyes were tight, even though his hands were gentle on her hair.

The cool water relieved her dry throat. The bracelet shivered on her forearm, sounding like rowdy chimes. Her coat and pants swelled and the skin on her hands heaved like the ocean waves off Balkaith’s coast. She had the same feeling of dislocation she’d experienced in the cave, as if she didn’t really exist.

“Oh, God,” she said. “It really hurts.”

“I wouldn’t look to Jehovah for help,” said Esmonda.

It was the last thing Maya heard before she fell into darkness.

* * * *

“You’re going to be fine.”

No she wasn’t. She was going to be sick again. Her heart beat triple rhythm as if it was about to explode.

A hand pushed tangled curls off her face.

“Shhhh, I’m here.” Above her head the ceiling rose as high as her apartment building back on Earth. Resh held her on his lap, rocked and soothed, his arms around her but his eyes on something else. Alexandr sat cross-legged nearby. He busied himself with laying out amulets and healing charms.

“What’s happening?” Maya rasped.

“You’re changing. I’ll do what I can to help with the pain,” said Alexandr in a quiet voice.

Resh gripped her with hard hands, but his eyes were averted. Fixed somewhere else, near her legs.

“It will pass; just close your eyes and rest. It seems to be coming in waves. Building in intensity.”

An awful sensation stabbed her chest, made her arch her back in agony. “Have I hurt anyone?” she panted. The pain rolled over her, left her weak and teary.

Resh finally lifted his head but he didn’t quite meet her eyes, stared off-center as if he avoided looking at her. But she could see what he’d been hiding. Stark fear had widened his eyes to a look of horror. Lines of strain had carved harsh grooves around his mouth. His normal dark complexion was pale, as if he witnessed a fatal traffic accident.

“Of course not. Hold on. It can’t go for much longer.” His face was carved with strain. If he was that upset, she must have done something, or turned into something terrible.

“Esmonda’s right. I’m a monster.”

A snort came from a sandy cove. Esmonda was sitting on smooth rocks among oddly shaped stalagmites. Her feet dangled in a pool of water with green phosphorous light particles floating above. They were in an immense cavern the size of a football field. Small grottoes fed off the main pool. Far above their heads, the rock glittered with red and blue and green lights. It was a beautiful, haunting scene but her stomach clenched again. The view of nature glowing at its very best just reminded her of her own dubious humanity.

She settled herself into Resh’s arms. If he held her like this, then she could get through it. She took a few shallow breaths, expecting to see her breasts rise like the prow of a ship.

Nothing was there.

She followed the depression in the sand where her legs should have been, up to Resh’s thighs. His coat was wrinkled and pushed flat as if someone had pressed hard and left an indentation.

Still nothing.

She tried to see her hands but she was held tight, clasped in Resh’s arms. There was nothing beneath except a gap where her arms and chest should have been.

She screamed, so loud and abruptly that Esmonda lurched into the pool.

Her body had vanished.

* * * *

The next time she woke, the warmth of a sleeping bag surrounded her. Through slitted eyes she made out the dark material of Resh’s shirt. He had his back to her, but someone had draped a blanket over his shoulders. Most of it lay on the ground, as if it had fallen off and he rejected the warmth it offered.

She reached out, but his clenched body held her back. She felt helpless and tension dragged her hand back into the bag.

“What happened?” she finally said, to let him know she was awake. Her hand was visible so she guessed it followed that the rest of her had returned.

He turned his head quickly and a small, pained smile came to his face. “You’re back.” His voice sounded like grinding gravel.

Panic tightened her throat, but she concentrated on inhaling and exhaling, a regular rhythm. “I’m here.”

His jaw was tight and he stroked her face with a trembling hand as if reassuring himself.

“Don’t blame yourself. If I’d been on Earth it would have happened anyway. Except I wouldn’t have had you to protect me, keep the magi away.” She could feel the rise of temperature again, like a fire waiting to consume her whole.

He moved closer. “I’d hoped…”

“It’s starting again.”

A heavy sigh and his eyes looked solemn, too solemn, glazed and shiny. “I’m afraid so.”

* * * *

She was hot, her skin tight and raw, like she’d been dragged through Lebartu’s teeth and spat out again. The world was dark, as black as a grave, and her fists clasped something thick and flexible. The wind dragged at her hair. It flapped against her face and whipped her neck.

Maya concentrated on that small spark within, the place where she’d pulled on her second self. Her body glowed pale yellow. She was naked, in a golden chariot, being pulled by an enormous scaled serpent. It tossed back its head, looked over its shoulder and snapped at her with a narrow Anubis muzzle, a glint of humor in its deep-set eyes. Huge bat-like wings beat the air as they flew through obsidian darkness.

In her hands she held reins. Darkness surrounded her and for the first time in her life she felt welcome—completely safe. In the distance a tiny speck of light glowed. Moments later a large planet appeared. They flew close in her golden chariot. Flew right around the moon.

* * * *

“Don’t let me go.”

“No, of course not,” said Resh. Her hand was held in a dry, tight clasp. It hurt, but she didn’t complain.

“I dreamed of a serpent. She pulled me on a golden chariot around the moon.”

He sighed heavily, but she couldn’t see anything. Her eyes were closed, so heavy she wondered if they’d placed coins on them. Did they think she was dead?

Her fingers twitched as if she still held those leather reins.

“I felt so free, powerful.”

“Try to drink this.” Someone massaged her throat and she tried to swallow, but liquid spilled down her face, ran in her ears and behind her head.