Page 46 of Hex
“As I do you.”
The djinn is at Sage’s eye level, my vine making sure they can’t move.
“What in the name of the goddess have I ever done to you? Seriously? Can’t a girl just walk around a beautiful valley and enjoy the literal sounds of music?”
“It is not I that seeks you, but you searching me out. If you come closer, I can tell you a secret the Fae’s Lanterns have bestowed upon me.” Fucker and their riddles.
“Don’t listen to them, Satapti. They’re a trickster, like all the djinn.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” I squeeze hard enough to make them choke on their spit, then release the tiniest increment. “Fine. Fine.”
“Why did you stop me all those months ago, in the alley? You did something…” She frowns, her memory of the events most likely hazy. After all, it’s not every day you have a run in with a family of hungry ogres. “You hurt my palm.”
“I have no grievance with you, born from the queen. My hands are bound to the will of the rebellion. Nothing beyond, nothing beneath.” My eyes meet Pierce’s and we communicate without speaking a word.
This is a dead end? I don’t believe in coincidences. The Moirai don’t like them any more than we do, so it’s hard to believe that everything that’s happened to Sage is collateral damage from this ridiculous rebellion that won’t last beyond the year’s end.
“But…” Sage narrows her eyes, and the more she does it, the scarier she gets. “What do I have to do with the rebellion?”
The djinn looks around like they’re about to give us the secret of life, then fights the vines to lean closer.
“Return the fenrir to us and we shall give you the answers you seek.” At their words, Sage recoils as though she’s been slapped, while the harpiesoooohandahhhhat the mention of our giant wolf. No, notour.The.Thegiant wolf. We’re not keeping Loki’s spawn.
“Fenny?” Sage shakes her head, her body trembling with anger at the idea of giving the wolf back to the djinn. “I will rip your head off before you put an evil hand on my Fenny.”
“Very well, heir to the crown. The decision is yours, but so is the ruin it invites.”
With those words hanging in the fresh, warm air of the Valley of Chants, Sage reaches out to the djinn and places her palm on top of their head.
“Sleep.”
And they do.
Problem is, from the patrons’ viewpoint, it looks like she’s killed a kyn and their exit is none too subtle.
Every one rushes out, some screaming, others threatening to burn us down. The harpies are full body laughing like fucking lunatics and Pierce and I have no fucking clue whether we should cut our losses and raze the fucking pub and everyone with it or get the hell out.
The building doesn’t seem massive, but with the sheer number of djinn and harpies filing out, I have to question my first impression. Not to mention a couple of banshees who just float away like they can’t be bothered by the drama.
My vines are fighting off the onslaught of jokesters while Pierce is using the harpy’s body as a weapon, or more like a baseball bat.
“Well, this is a little over the top, isn’t it? I only put them to sleep so they would stop with their stupid riddles.” Sage is just standing there, and as the djinn try to rush her and attack her, the rainbow of colors would be breathtaking if not for the factthat they’re actively trying to harm her. To my relief, there seems to be a force around her that’s keeping them all away, pushing them back and protecting her.
One of the djinn bites me and I backhand it, sending it flying across the lawn to land face down and passed out cold.
“Enough!”
Everything stops. The djinn freeze, the harpies stop their erratic laughter, and even my vines cease all attempts to block the carnage.
Sage looks around, almost as though she wants to make sure everyone is listening to her. Fuck me, she’s never looked more regal and fucking magnificent than she does this very second. Not even when she first inherited her powers.
“I’m not here to hurt any of you. I just want answers. I want peace and I want everyone to live in harmony.” Okay, she may be laying it on thick but hey…who knows? It might work.
“How is that possible?” I have no idea who’s asking, there’s just too many of them.
“Well, because I’m not evil and peace and love and all that jazz?” Sage looks confused, the question clearly throwing her off.
“Who are you and why do you ask?” My voice booms and I realize, a little too late, that maybe it wasn’t the best course of action after Sage’s speech about living in harmony.
