Page 49 of Immortal Alliance

“What else?” he demands.

“There’s a ritual that Morrigan and Variant are trying to complete. Tantric magic that must be performed by a necromancer and a woman without magic abilities, but a woman who comes from arcane lineage. Aima’s sister was very magically powerful, but Aima has no magical talents of her own. I think she’s compatible with the ritual, and it’s simply a matter of time before Morrigan realizes the same for herself.”

Baron whirls around, chest heaving as his anger seems to boil over. He shoves Pyre’s shoulder and gets in the necromancer’s face. “Is this what the prophecies say? Is that how you die?”

I step between them. “The prophecy must be completed willingly by the two participants.”

Baron appears to calm down. He steps away from Pyre and faces me. “What happens if the ritual is completed?” he demands.

“I’m not sure about the details, but Morrigan seemed convinced it would tear open the Veil so she could bring an army over to secure the Echoing Spire for herself.”

“Why does she want to come here?” Baron asks.

“She needs the power here to defeat Silvanus, but she and Variant are still struggling to locate him.”

Baron finally backs off, and Pyre’s gaze seems troubled as he faces Baron. The two of them hold one another’s attention in a way that it appears they’re communicating. I step away and pull the mirror from my pocket. “I was lucky they didn’t find it on me. But I always intended to return it, Pyre.”

He snatches the mirror and, with a flutter of his cloak, he disappears into the spire.

Baron scrubs a hand over his face. “This talk isn’t over, Cambion. But rest now. You’ll need your strength for what’s to come.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

FLUMPH

The Veil

Aima ain’t lifted her head since we brung her to the other side an’ them Sentrals or whatever the fuck they be called brought her back ta life. I guess she weren’t quite dead but she also weren’t quite livin’.

Anyhow’s the Sentrals did the best they could an’ now it be up ta Aima ta make sure she want ta live. The Sentrals said she gotta fight for her life it it mean enough to her.

I been scratchin’ my head tryin’ to think o’ somethin’ that’ll help, but I feelin’ useless as usual. Noni doin’ her healy bit, so I ain’t got nothin’ to do till she done. I’m gettin’ real fuckin’ tired o’ havin’ to see my friends hurt ‘cause o’ that Unseelie prick Theren. He an’ I gots us a big problem. If he come near me, I’ll teach him a thing or two.

“WHEN THE FUCK THIS SHIT GONNA BE OVER?” I ask.

Vampy toss a fuckin’ boot at me an’ it nearly hit me, too! I sticks my tongue out an’ throws the boot back. It don’t even get close to him, but it feel good to do it. Noni finish up her healin’ an’ fall back on the pillow. She lookin’ real pale in the face.

“Noni need sleep, Mr. Flumph. But there’s something itching at Noni’s brain. Somebody needing help from Noni.”

“Well? Who it be?”

“Noni think it Mr. Dragan... the energy feel real big and dark like him, but not mean. Not to Noni.”

“Them at theThrest, ain’t they? Maybe they gettin’ barbecued by some big fuckin’ demon or some shit like that. It’d be a real shame if Shadow Dick got all crispy-like when he protectin’ Pretty an’ all. Should we go see if he needin’ somethin’?”

I flys over to Noni an’ picks up the little house brownie. She battin’ her hands at me but I don’t really care. Somethin’ wrong, then we needs to fix it.

We land over in the corner by our bags an’ I give her my last cookie. She gobble the fuckin’ thing up an’ already she gots more energy than she should.

Once she ready to go, she open one o’ them portal thingys an’ I shoves us through the openin’. The second I open my eyes, I see a demon’s ass comin’ right for me!

I jumps to the side an’ Noni go flyin’ outta my arms. The demon fall right beside me. When I looks up, I notice we right in the middle o’ a really bloody battle. Can’t these fuckers do anythin’ without causin’ a fuckin’ war?

My poor little wings flys me up high soze I can gets a good look at what goin’ on. Noni zippin’ ‘round the battlefield an’ I spots the gargoyle. Wait... I spots two gargoyles. Which one o’ them bemygargoyle? Their big ugly asses all looks the same to me.

Arrows start flyin’ right toward me an’ I gotta get to my friends. I follow Noni’s hyper bouncin’ till Shadow King pick her up. I hear him shoutin’, soze I gets closer.

“What are you doing here?” he ask.

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