Page 40 of Lucifer's Mirror
“You live here?” Khaosti asks.
“Some of the time. I’ve been expecting you for three years. We’ll talk later. Now we need to get inside.”
Full darkness has fallen, though one of the moons has risen, giving enough light to see. I become aware of sounds around us: the call of some night bird, something shifting in the rubble. I shiver, wrapping my arms around myself.
“Are you all right?” Thanouq asks. “I could carry you.”
Khaosti’s body stiffens, and he glares between us. I’m so tempted, but perhaps not. I don’t know this man, after all. “Thanks, but I can walk.”
“Pity.”
He turns and heads off down one of the side streets. We all stand in silence, as if we’re not sure what to do. Then I pick up Stella’s reins and hurry to catch up. I sense the other two following. Zayne comes up beside me. “You understand what they’re saying?”
“Yes.”
“Fuck. Well, tell me if there’s anything I need to know.”
I pat his arm. “I will.”
As we walk, I’m aware of others falling in behind us. I glance back and catch their dark forms bringing up the rear—friends of Thanouq, I hope.
As we walk through the gloomy city, lights flicker on in the buildings on either side of us—small, sputtering orange flames. The city isn’t abandoned after all.
It’s probably only ten minutes before we come to another gateway, almost as big as the one entering the city. It has an actual wrought iron gate and a guard standing at attention. He’s dressed in some sort of livery, like a medieval soldier, with an emblem on his chest—though I can’t see the details—and holding a fucking great spear. He salutes Thanouq as we approach, and the gate slowly rises.
And once again, I’m really not sure it’s a good idea to go inside.
After all, what do we really know about Thanouq?
A few moments later, I look around. I’m not sure what I expected on the other side of the gate, but this isn't it. It’s almost like civilization, if civilization had a cousin in an alternate universe. At least this place doesn’t scream “demolition zone” like the rest of the city. The grounds are clear, the buildings clean, and the stone gleams a pristine white. There’s even a cute little tree growing in the center of the courtyard and lights glowing in the windows. It’s weirdly welcoming.
The only thing out of place is a huge, toppled statue of a man sprawled across the paving stones. The stone figure looks as if he’s had one too many. No one’s bothered to pick him up and place him back on his empty pedestal, and I wonder why. I glance across and find Khaosti staring at it, a frown on his face.
The courtyard is square, with tall buildings on three sides and the wall behind us. A great big double door opposite is obviously the main entrance. Thanouq heads toward it and turns to face us just as a young man approaches from the left.
“This is Raffi,” Thanouq says. “He’ll look after your horses for you.” He must have seen something in my face because he continues, “I promise they will be well cared for.”
I’m not sure I trust anyone with Stella, but the boy looks nice. He has a kind face. I turn and kiss Stella on the nose, and she nickers.
“Go with him, Stella. The nice man will look after you.” I watch as he leads the horses away, then turn back to our host. He’s staring at me again, and while I’m not attracted to him—hey, I’m not that shallow—there’s something about him that draws me in. A sense of… power. But it’s more than that; it’s like I don’t know him, but everything inside me tells me to trust him.
He waves a hand toward the entrance behind him. “My house is your house,” he says.
Aw, isn’t that nice?
He finally drags his gaze from me to encompass the rest of our little group. “Do you need to clean up before we talk?”
I glance down at myself.
I am filthy; dusty, dirty, and spattered with what I suspect is mad dog blood, but I really want to find out what Thanouq knows. So, he’ll just have to put up with the dirt.
“Let’s talk first,” I say. “Clean-up later.” At that moment, my stomach rumbles.
Thanouq smiles. “And perhaps some food.”
I like the man already.
He turns and heads inside. I glance at Khaosti; he’s not moving. “So far so good,” I say. After all, we’ve made it here in one piece.
