Текст книги "Total Eclipse"

Автор книги: Rachel Caine

Соавторы: Rachel Caine
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David and I both stood outside the gates for a moment, looking in; I think we were both feeling a dread we couldnt consciously explain. Bad things had happened in this cemetery to me before, and I couldnt help but feel a crawling sense of foreboding.

The air was just so still.

Jo. David was looking down at the neatly raked gravel path that wound through the picturesque landscape. Footprints.

Two sets of them. One matched Kevins giant, battered kicks; the others were Cherises, judging from the small size. Wheres the Djinn? I asked.

Floating, David said. Djinn do that.

It had been a dumb-ass question, and Id known it as soon as Id opened my mouth. Many of the Djinn didnt bother to manifest themselves physically all the way; I remembered the one whod started out guarding Lewiss old house. He hadnt bothered with anything below the knees.

David, for whatever reason, had always taken care to do the whole human body. Id always loved that about him.

Imara, our half-Djinn child, had always done that, too. I had a sudden, visceral flash of her standing here in this exact place with me, smiling, and it took my breath away, shock followed by grief. Imara wasnt gone. I knew that, but Id had her for such a brief time, and then . . .

David took my hand. Youre thinking about Imara.

Stop reading my mind. Its creepy that you can do that even when youre not a Djinn.

Im thinking of her, too, he said, and I heard the sadness in his voice, too. Im thinking that if we cant do this, were going to lose her completely.

That isnt going to happen. Come on, confidenceget it in gear!And were wasting time. You want to leave this up to Kevin and Cherise?

He winced. Definitely not.

Then lets go.

We walked together, hands clasped, down the gravel path. Except for the crunch of our shoes, it was like moving through a dream, full of color and light but nothing else. The essential lifeof the place was gone, or at least hidden.

The door to the mausoleum we wanted was standing wide open. Darkness was a thick, black square in the doorway, like a hole in the world, and I hesitated, glancing at David. Well? I asked.

He nodded, shut his eyes, and walked forward into it, still holding my hand tightly in his. The darkness slipped over him like water, not shadowit had a thickness to it, and its own surface tension. I watched him disappear into it, staring at our linked fingers until his were gone and mine touched the dark.

It was cold. Very cold.

Like David, I took a deep breath and went in anyway.

The trip through the cold felt as if it took forever, an eternity of freezing to the bone, and when it stopped, when I finally was able to move again, I found myself shaking violently, almost unable to stand. The darkness was gone, at least, and the air felt warm.

No. The air felt hot.

I pulled in my first breath, and it scorched my lungs. David was already coughing, and as my eyes adjusted to the sudden dazzle of light, I realized we were standing not three feet away from a blazing inferno of red, gold, and white flames that seemed to have no upward limit. The fire just dissolved into a haze of lurid glow at the top.

We were in a small rock chamber, round and rough-hewn. It was basically a big chimney, much taller than it was wide, with an opening in the center through which the fire blazed. It was nota safe place to be standing, but there were no doors, no windows, not even a handy alcove in which to try to hide. To make it even worse, I was still violently shivering from the passage through the cold, even while my skin was registering burning pain. I smelled the distinct, bitter odor of hair crisping.

Someone came at us from the other side of the brilliant blaze, and suddenly I felt the pressure of the heat ease back. It didnt leave completely, but I wasnt in danger of becoming baked goods.

Kevin. He looked singed and breathless and wild around the edges. His movements were fast and jerky, fueled by way too much adrenaline. We have to get out of here! he yelled. Its trying to kill us!

Hed extended some kind of fire protection over me and David, which was damn nice of him, considering. I wondered if Cherise had smacked the back of his head to make him think of it. If it had wanted to kill us, wed be dead! I yelled back, over the roar of the flames. Has it said anything?

Kevin gave me a blank look. Its a fire.

Trust me. It talks! Even with Kevins power canceling out the fireand this went well beyond the kind of power that Kevin the Fire Warden could have summoned up; it was more on the scale of a Djinn, which fit with the flickers of poison green in Kevins eyesthe air pressed boiling hot against my skin, and I could feel it hungering for me. Not that it had anything against me, personally; it just devoured. That was the nature of fire.

My body tried to sweat, to protect me, but that was like spitting in a volcano. Wisps of steam rose off my skin, but it didnt cool at all.

Kevin stared at me in utter confusion, working through what Id told him, and then turned to face the fire. Hello? he said. It would have been cute if it hadnt been so dire. Uhhi? Anybody home?

Cherise staggered around the far curve of the room and headed for us. She looked like I expected I would have in her place, if Id stumbled in here with a haphazard set of borrowed powers I didnt know how to use, only to find myself in a killing trap.

In other words, not happy.

What are you doing? she yelled at Kevin. He gave her a harassed glance. We have to get out!

Before I could stop her, she turned to the rock wall and slapped her palm against it.

As she did, she let loose a furious burst of Earth poweruncontrolled, instinctual, driven by her panic and fury. What was it Id said? Shes like a baby with a nuclear bomb and a shiny red button.

Shed just pushed the button.

No! The scream tore itself out of my throat, but I was too late; shed used enough power that a sharp crack formed in the rock where her hand had slammed down. Encouraged, she did it again. She would have done it a third time, but David got to her first, grabbed her from behind, and pinned her arms behind her; even human, he had a lot of strength in those muscles, and as small as Cherise was . . .

She used Earth power, which, dammit, Idtaught her how to pull, and threw him off, almost into the fire. I grabbed him around the waist and tackled him down, landing both of us on the hard rocky floor only a few inches from the blaze. I felt my hair cook, and rolled us both as far from danger as possible.

Cherise hit the rock wall a third time.

There was a mystical significance in threes for the Djinn. Ask a bound Djinn any question three times, and theyre forced to answermaybe not the way you wanted, but they have to take action.

Cherise triggered the Rule of Three in a much more active way.

The Oracles fire formed into a huge, white-hot ball, and flew at her. Cherise screamed and ducked, but it was so large that even hitting the floor like me and David, several feet away, wouldnt have saved her.

Kevin saved her.

He stepped into its way, eyes flaring with an unholy Djinn light. He didnt try to put up his hands or fight it, or even stop it. He just stood there.

It was very likely one of the bravest things Id ever seen. And it was Kevin.Surely, one of the primary signs of the End Times.

The fireball slowed, and coasted to a halt, flicking little hissing tongues of flames at his face from a distance of no more than inches. He didnt blink. He didnt back up. It drifted closer. I knew, instinctively, that if it touched him, hed go up like an oil– soaked rag, and dread clenched my stomach into a trembling knot.

The ball lengthened to the vague shape of a manred as lava on the surface, and clothed in fire, but with that same white-hot core shining from its center. It chose the same height and build as Kevin.

And it didnt back off.

Something like a mouth formed in its blind, masklike head, and some kind of sound came out of it, but it was like nothing I could recognize as speech. I thought it was what it would sound like as the marrow boiled in your bones. Threatening and fatal.

Kevin bared his teeth and kept on staring back. Do it, he said. But you go through me first.

The sound from the Oracle stopped abruptly, and the mouth disappeared.

It turnedwell, no, that was how my purely human senses wanted to interpret it. Actually, it just reversed its body, putting its head on the other way, and walked the few steps back to the center of the pit where the pillar of flame had been.

Then it sat down in midair, floating, legs crossed in a lotus position, hands turned palms up.

Kevin blinked, and some of the insane Djinn shine drained out of him. Uhwhats he doing?

Youre asking me? I asked. No idea!

Hes listening, David said. Talk. He offered me a hand up as he rolled to his feet. He was favoring his side again, and I hoped that wasnt fresh blood. Say something.

Me? I asked.

No, he cant hear us, David said. Either of us. Its as ifhuman voices dont register within the range of his ears. Thats the best I can explain it.

But he can hear me? Kevin asked. He was helping Cherise to her feet. She was dusting herself off, shaken but not hurt. Behind her, that dark crack promised escapeto her mindand she kept looking toward it. What about Cher?

Maybe, David said. I dont know. Jo could be heard, but she was a special case. Im not sure about Cherise.

Guess that makes you our spokesmodel, Boy Wonder, Cher said. Go on. Get us out.

Uh, I think we came for a reason first.

Screw that. We need to go. For the first time since Id met her, Cherise sounded like a petulant child, sulky and stubborn and used to having her own way. Now, Kev!

Kevin frowned at her, like he was having the same thoughts I was. Chill, were fine. Look, its not even that hot in here anymore.

Compared to what, the inside of a nuclear furnace?

Kevin looked at me and David, clearly wondering when, as the supposed authority figures in the room, wed step in. David held up his hands. She already tried to kill me, he said. Youre on your own.

I sighed, walked over to Cherise, and put my arm around her. She jerked in surprise but let me do it. You really need to calm down, Cher, I said. She gave me a furious look, and I saw that the panic and instability in her was reaching critical levels. Cher. Deep breaths.

I need out! she wailed, and tried to turn toward the wall.

I wasnt about to let her get us all killed, and I didnt think. I just dropped my arm from her shoulders, pulled my fist back, and hit her with a perfect right hook to the jaw.

She went down like a bowling pin. I caught her before she hit the ground and eased her flat. Kev, I said. Put her out. Now. Because Id hit like a girl, just dazed her plenty, and she wasnt going to be at all thrilled when she shook it off. Kevin wasnt an Earth Warden, but he had Davids power, and that meant he had everything he needed to do as I asked.

If he could access it.

Kevin crouched down and put his hand tentatively on her forehead. Cherise tried fitfully to bat it away. Sorry, he said, and I saw a spark of fire catch green in his eyes as he channeled power. It probably was spectacular on the aetheric level, but here, with my human eyes, I could only see the faintest glow around his fingers.

Cherise went limp, breathing heavily. I checked her pulsestrong and steadyand gave a solid thumbs-up to Kevin, who looked deeply relieved. Dont make me do that again, he said. It feels reallyweird. What if I get it wrong? What if I put her into a coma or something?

Shed still be alive, David said. She wont be if she unleashes more power in here. The Oracle wont let it happen again. Hell just destroy her.

Kevin swallowed hard, looking at the serene, floating figure, wreathed in flames. Yeah? What about me?

He sees you as Djinn. He expects it from you.

I Kevin stared at David now, with the same kind of alarm hed given to the figure of the Oracle. What?

David tried again, with strained patience. He was leaning against the wall now, and the hand holding his side was subtly trembling. I stepped up next to him to take some of his weight. Also subtly. Or not. Youre the only one here who can talk to him, using the powers that I used to have. So do it. Explain it to him. Oracles see everything, but their context can be far different from ours. He needs to understand what all of it means to us. To humanity. David had never put himself on that side of the usbefore, except in relation to me. I stared at him in involuntary reaction. He shrugged. I am one of you, for however long it lasts. Itsweirdly restful.

Youre in pain!

Yes, but its a different kind of pain than Im used to enduring. Thats something.

That made about as little sense to me as talking with the Oracle would have, so I shut up. Kevin didnt need side chatter. He was looking sweaty and scared and well aware of the stakes at play here, in this burning furnace of a room.

Hi, he said to the Oracle. Okay, I have no idea how to do this, but Ill try. . . .

Power, David said. Use it.

Kevin closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them, I saw a faint green shimmer in his eyes. Sort of like the Hulk, getting a little bit angry. Hello, he said in a stronger voice. Can you hear me?

The Oracle didnt make any sign he did. More serene, though extremely fierce, hovering ensued, and the green glare in Kevins eyes brightened steadily, like someone was turning up a dimmer switch in the back of his head. Eerie.

Hear me, he said, when his eyes were utterly Djinn. It wasnt loud, but it was . . . profoundly powerful.

The Oracle still hovered, but now features manifested on its face. Eyes opened, and they were the same green as Kevins.

I hear, the Oracle said. Speak.

But that was the last thing Kevin said, at least that I could plainly hear; his lips didnt move, but the intense stare between the two of them continued.

It occurred to me, after a few long seconds, that it felt just a little hotter in the room.

No, I was wrong. It felt like it was getting steadilyhotter, fast. Like a blower had come on, venting heat back into the room.

Not good, David said. Get low.

Why?

Cool air sinks?

Oh. Id forgotten even the most basic physics now, thanks to the extreme state of death I was expecting to happen any second. I helped him down to his knees, then got face-first on the floor along with him.

Kevin was still standing. And now, flames were whipping around the floating lotus-position Oracle, flaring up and twisting in a miniature whirlwindbut never blocking the connection between his stare and Kevins. As I watched, the flames stretched out, circling around Kevin.

Binding the two of them together.

Kevin took a step closer. Then another one.

Kevin, dont touch him! I yelled. You canthell kill you! Because at his core, Kevin was still human. Still a Warden. And we didnt belong here.

Kevin stopped inches away. The fire was now blazing so hot around them that it was white– hot, like a curtain of flaming diamonds. Even with my face pressed low against the hot stone floor, every breath I gasped in was torturous and searing.

And then, with a tremendous burst of heat and light that seemed to char the entire world, Kevin collapsed. He did it in stages: knees went first, then he folded backward and caught himself with one outstretched arm. The arm failed, and he hit the floor, faceup.

The heat in the room suddenly dialed itself down. Waydown, until it felt icy. That probably only meant that it was down to survivable temperature, but the relief was overwhelming enough to make me sob. I felt David shiver from the sudden chill, next to me.

When I tried to get up he said, No, dont move. His voice was hoarse. Stay down. This isnt yours to do. Trust me.

I had no idea what he was talking about. He stood up, swaying on his feet, his face a dirty, pale color that didnt look at all right.

David! I started to get up to join him, but he didnt pause.

He walked into the center of the room, where the Oracle had turned into a blazing white-hot ball, and before I could stop him . . .

. . . He plunged intothe fire.

Chapter Six

I screamed. I couldnt help itthe shock and enormity of it was horrifying.

I saw the man I loved most in the world burn.

It took place in a matter of a second, no more than a flash of light against my retinas, but there it was, frozen in horrible detail.

His skin flaring into black and red lace as it burned away.

His muscles shriveling, revealing white bone beneath.

A single X-ray flash of his entire skeleton coming free of its disappearing flesh.

A faint drift of ash falling to the floor.

Gone.

No.

That was my world, breaking apart into tiny, hazy fragments too small to notice. Too small to matter.

Like all of us.

Like humanity itself.

I heard that horrible, rending screaming of the Djinn on the ship. I saw Imara, falling on the steps of the chapel in Sedona with the life leaving her eyes. I saw my old friend Paul getting in the way of a burst of power from my hand. Destroyed. Murdered, by me.

I saw all the lives, the thousands and millionsof lives, which were going out right now, like sparks drowning in darkness.

No more. No more. No more!

I realized that I was still screaming, only now it had turned to words. What did you do? What did you do?

The Oracle floated there, wrapped in a ball of blinding white fire, as uncaring as the sun.

My scream turned into a shriek of utter rage, and I stumbled to my feet, lungs burning under the pressure of the fury that was boiling out of me, and I lunged for the Oracle. He could damn well take me, too, the uncaring son of a

David manifested himself out of the air and caught me in strong, solid arms before I could finish my suicidal dash. Not the same David whod just disappeared in that horrible flash. This David was different, and achingly familiar. Pure, smooth skin with faintly metallic burnishing. A little more perfect than human. Copper flames dancing in his eyes.

This was the Djinn David.

Easy, he said, and his voice was the same, gentle and low and strong. I melted against him, weak with relief, breathless. Easy, Jo. Im here.

I couldnt speak. All I could do was shake and hold on. His fingers combed through my hair, and I felt the sweaty tangles relax, felt my filth and disarray swept away in a tingling tide. His way of showing his love and concern for me. It always had been.

Jo? Were you about to throw yourself into the Oracle after me?

I swallowed hard and tried to laugh it off, because his tone seemed so baffled and concerned.

Of course not, I said. It was getting cold out here. Needed to warm up.

Sorry, he said, and kissed me, and that was the same warm depth of emotion and love and promise as always. I had to move fast, once I realized what hed done.

The Oracle? I looked over his shoulder at the silent, glowing orb.

He separated out the powers from Kevin and contained them, but it was only temporary. Lightning in a bottle. If I didnt take it back right away, it would have been too late.

So you decided to commit suicide, on the off chance it would all work out. Nice. Thanks for giving me a vote. I was trying to sound unconcerned. It wasnt working, not at all. There was an edge to my voice, a raw hurt, and he pressed a kiss against my forehead with such gentleness my breath caught in my chest.

I was dying either way, he told me. I never would have left this place alive as a human. I didnt have the strength. It was the only chance I had.

Did it I couldnt ask that question, not directly. Did you feel it?

Davids face shut down, but his eyes remained warm and loving, focused on my face. The Djinn fires burned a little brighter.

We always feel death, he said. Its that memory that makes us different from the Old Djinn. We remember what it feels like to lose ourselves to the dark.

The Oracle pulsed light, just once, and David turned back to it. As Kevin had done, David had silent communion with the power that lived in this place. Unlike Kevin, it took a long time, and at the end of it, David didnt fall down. He just took a step back, looking thoughtful. Was that a frown? Yes, I was pretty sure he was frowning. He was staring down at the ground, so I couldnt be sure. One thing I wassure of, the place was heating up again, temperature climbing one steady degree every few seconds. In no time at all, the oven would be set to broil again.

Uh, honey? I finally said. What about me? My powers?

He looked up and shook his head. Not from him. He could take them out of Cherise and hold them for a few moments, but he cant put them into your human body. Youd have to be reborn as a Djinn, and those powers are designed for a human form, not one like mine. It wouldnt work. Youd never survive. Im not sure Cherise would, either.

My day just kept becoming more awesome. So what are we going to do?

For a start, get out of here, David said. To protect himself, the Oracle has put up barriers against the influence of the Mother; its one of the most difficult things hes ever done, and hes very upset. When hes upset . . .

. . . It gets hot, I said. Yeah. Got that part.

I could survive, but the three of you wont. I need to get you out of here before the temperature rises too far.

What were you thinking about? I asked.

What? He had his back to me now, conveniently examining the walls.

You were thinking about something after you cut it off with the Oracle. What did he say?

Oh, you know Oracles, David said, and ran fingertips over the crack Cherise had put into the rock. He shook his head, and under his hand the crack bonded itself and disappeared. Not that way.

That wasnt an answer.

Youre right, he said.

What did the Oracle say?

Jo, dont

I put my hand on his shoulder, and felt the heat radiating from the skin beneath his shirt. What did the Oracle say?

His muscles tensed under my touch, and I saw the color in his eyes flicker, less copper, more red. He didnt like it when I used the Rule of Three on himwhich was why I rarely did.

The Oracle said the Mother is waking up, he said. And theres no way to stop her. If he tries, hell just be consumed along with the rest of the Djinn. Hes trying to remain separate as long as he can.

He has to at least try to talk to her, tell her our side!

No. He doesnt. David moved steadily around the circular room, avoiding Cherises sleeping form and Kevins unconscious body, both lying close together. Hes not the guardian of humanity. His connection runs between the Djinn and the Mother. Thats all. He owes you nothing.

That was direct, and painfully true. But

David stopped, hands hovering over one part of the wall. Get Cherise, he said. When this opens, I need you to drag her through, then come back for Kevin. Ill have to hold it open.

Then how are you going to get out?

He gave me a fast glance. I can go anywhere now. You cant.

Oh. Right. That made sense.

I grabbed Cherise under the arms and dragged her to where David was standing. She mumbled a littlewaking up, which wasnt a good thing at the moment. Hurry, I told him. He didnt bother to nod; his full attention was fixed on the wall in front of him. As I watched, it wavered, then fell into dust, revealing that black, oily surface like what wed pierced to get here in the first place. Once that was done, David remained where he was, unmoving, staring.

Go, he said, just the one word. I wondered how much strength this was taking. A lot, I assumed.

I towed Cherise backward through the cold, clinging liquid, fell for a thousand years, and landed with a jolt as I tripped over a tombstone and went sprawling. Cherise was with me, lying in the bright green grass. I picked myself up, dusted myself off, and charged back through the barrier. Falling, cold, et cetera . . . it was almost routine now. I grabbed Kevin and did a rinse-and-repeat, only this time I sidestepped the tombstone as I got thrown out of the barrier.

The black liquid shadow vanished with a pop. Gone. I left Kevin and Cherise tumbled up together and went to look inside the mausoleum. Just a plain old jumbo-sized family crypt, with marble benches and plaques on the wall. Sunlight filtered in graceful Tiffany patterns through the far rose window, bathing the room in brilliant, soothing color.

David?

My voice echoed on the cold stone. There was no answer.

As I turned around I ran into him. He was standing right behind me. I smacked a fist into his chest, but not too hard. Dont dothat! I yelped, and he smiled. In the sun, he looked chillingly beautiful. Id kind of gotten used to his slightly rough human looks. This was all that, only distilled into perfection.

I wondered how he saw me now, with his Djinn sight. Not the Warden Id been. No power. No real value in the world. It hit me with a jolt that David was seeing me as just any other human, and for a moment I felt true, horrified panic and loss. Hed loved me for what I was. Did he love me for what I was now?

He touched me gently under the chin and bent to kiss me. It was a thoroughly sexual kiss, all heat and heart, and the warmth spread through my body like liquid, gathering somewhere around my womb. It felt . . . wonderful. He didnt break the kiss until we both heard the mumbling from Cherise break into actual words.

. . . hot, have to get out . . . She sat up suddenly enough to dump Kevins head off her lap, and he groaned and rolled over, facedown. We have to get outoh. Wow. Did I get us out of there? If I did, Im awesome and oh Godmy jaw hurts! Ow, what the hell! Cherise had a bruise forming there where Id clocked herred right now, but itd be a spectacular sunset before it was done, Id bet. Little help?

I smiled at David, stepped back, and went to offer her a hand.

She hauled herself up, looked down at her clothes, and groaned. I look like a bag lady who got dressed out of an incinerator afterit was burning. How come you look so good? And I stink like a mule, too. Ugh. Did we get anything out of that at all? Because if we didnt, Im totes billing the Wardens for . . .

I glanced over at David. He had his arms folded, watching us quietly. Waiting for Cherises monologue to end, I presumed. Which, eventually, it did, and she ended up staring at him as her voice trailed off.

Oh, she said. Is he back? All magic-y again?

Yes, he said, without an ounce of amusement. Im back.

She cocked an eyebrow, almost back to the old, sunny Cherise. Nice paint job. Very plush. She stopped short of asking for a ride, which was, considering it was Cherise, tactful restraint. So you got us out.

With your help, David said, very generously. Yours, and Kevins.

Kevin, for answer, rolled over on his back, stared up at the sun, and groaned again. I hurt all over, he said. Did I lose at mixed martial arts? Maybe with a ninja?

Have you ever even tried mixed martial arts? Cherise asked, and held out a hand to him to pull him to a sitting position, then to his feet. Because you should. Those guys are smoking hot. In a bad-guy sort of way.

Cherise wasnt this shallow, but she could give a really good impersonation of it when she wanted. Right now, she was (literally) whistling past this graveyard, which, no matter how picturesque and perfect, was a less than ideal place for us to enjoy our continued survival.

Kevin knew all that, which surprised me. He folded Cher in an embrace, bent and whispered something in her ear, and then took her hand. They started walking down the gravel path toward the road.

At the gates of the graveyard, I saw the gleaming shape of the Boss pull up, idling with an intimidating growl. Our anonymous Djinn chauffeur was behind the wheel. Id just started wondering where hed gotten himself off to, but I supposed Whitney had pulled him well out of danger. She wasnt the type to sacrifice important assets unless it was absolutely necessary. I think she trademarked the phrase Youre on your own.

That chain of thought linked, fast as the speed of light, back to David, and I suddenly rounded on him, fists clenched. Wait! I said. Why are you still you?

The only thing, as far as I knew, that had protected David from becoming subject to the whims and will of the Earth had been the fact that his powers had been taken from him. Once restored, he should have been dragged into the collective hive mind with the rest of the Djinn.

I hadnt surprised him with my question. He sighed and stopped walking before he could run into me, but he didnt answer. Not at first. Finally, he looked up at the smoke-gray, unnaturally smooth sky. She cant reach me, he said. Not here. The Fire Oracle has an excellent shield up. It may not last, but its kept him safe this far. When I leave here, I wont have that protection.

You knew this could happen, I said. You knew, and you did it anyway.

I didnt have a choice, he said. I still dont. My options are very limited, Jo. I wish it werent the case, but it is, and we have to accept that.

What options?

I could stay here with the Oracle. If I go outside the borders of Seacasket he cant help me anymore. David shook his head. Staying here isnt really an option. I cant do much here to help you, and I cant protect you.

You can protect yourself.

Not really my focus.

Theres nothing wrong with

Second, he interrupted, I could leave with you and try to resist the Mothers call. Its possible I could, for a while; I have before. But that was when she was only partially aware. You heard what the Oracle said: shes waking up. I wont be able to stay apart from her for long. Shell be much, much stronger.

I swallowed, throat tight, and waited for the other shoe to drop. Presuming there were three shoes.

Last, I can go directly from here to the aetheric, to Jonathans house. Its kept Whitney safe and uncompromised. Itll do the same for me. I can do you some good there, as long as the avatar stays with you.

But It was hard to get the words out. But you wont be with me.

Staying with you was never a choice, he said. Thats what I meant. My options are limited, and all of them take me away from you. If Id stayed human, Id have died in the cavern. If I stay with you, Ill turn against you. If I leave, I wont be able to be with you, to Djinn or not, David was distraught. He was just handling it much better than I was. But Ill always do what I can. Always. It may not be enough, Jo. I may fail you.