“We’re not leaving without Dinorah,” I promised her. “I doubt we can get our hands on Ithas’s research. Most of it is likely in his head anyway. But we can make sure he loses his access to both Dinorah and me. That will stop him from trying this again.”
“He should be made to suffer for what he has done.”
“We’ll figure out a fitting punishment for himandfor Dis Pater. We owe it to the past victims to prevent future ones.” A clattering noise in the room behind us drew me to the doorway, but there was no one. If Ankou had come back to spy on me, he was failing at being stealthy. “Do you smell anyone?”
Walking to my side, she lifted her head and inhaled, her tail lashing once before footsteps rang out.
“Ah.” Ithas strolled into view. “There you are, daughter.” He gestured toward the chandelier, and I realized the sound had been him kicking aside a crystal. “I apologize for the disturbance. It’s dangerous living in Abaddon, even for someone such as me.”
“Oh, don’t worry about us.” I pasted on a fake smile. “We entertained ourselves.”
“Ah. Yes. This is one of my observatories.” He appeared pleased by the fact I was showing interest. “This particular window is a favorite of mine in spring. That’s when the juvenile mirashii return to their nesting grounds and stake their claims. Fascinating creatures. I have a few ideas for improvements, butthey’re a lower priority. Merely a hobby. Not a commission or anything pressing.”
Of course he had created the mirashii. Or tampered with them until they became so nightmarish.
Hearing his regard for them drove home the fact the obsidian landscape we first entered had been in his territory. This was the reflection of his soul. Dark. Bleak. Deadly. It fit him like a glove.
“The mirashii were hunting me.” I watched for his reaction. “You would let them attack your own daughter?”
“There are no mirashii for leagues.” He chuckled. “They won’t return until spring, as I said.”
For him to be so convinced, I had to believe Dis Pater was the one who decided to sic them on me. And, I had to say, all signs pointed toward him wanting to kill me—for good—before I got anywhere near Ithas. He must have known Ithas would shelter me as long as he remained fascinated with me, and he couldn’t risk Ithas choosing to harbor me within reach of a god killing blade long term.
With the enthusiasm of someone experiencing an epiphany, he lifted a finger. “I should have asked earlier, but are you hungry?”
“I’m good, but thanks.”
A frown knit his brow but then cleared with a new idea. “Thirsty?”
“I drank a ton before I got here.”
“Oh.” He snapped his fingers. “Do you need to use the facilities?”
For a guy who went around creating life willy-nilly, he was grasping to recall my basic bodily functions. “Where is the bathroom?”
“Just there.” He indicated a dark section of wall. “There’s no door, but everything works.”
Oh joy.
Had the bathroom been on a different floor, I would have leapt at the chance to explore further, but this room had all the amenities apparently. “I’m fine for the moment, but I’ll let you know.”
“Then perhaps you and I ought to sit and discuss our next steps.”
Hopefully, my next steps would carry me right out of here. “That sounds good.”
With an absent flick of his wrist, he summoned a table with two chairs. The same movement cleaned the shattered crystals and removed the chandelier. A single candle flickered on the tabletop, allowing me a better look at the features he had selected for me. He even pulled out my chair like a gentleman.
Meanwhile Anunit prowled a square around us, her gaze never leaving my face, her claws flexing sharp.
“Now.” He sat across from me. “Tell me how you came to be the Alcheyvaha guardian. Spare no details. Explain the connection you share with the burial grounds and this bond with Anunit. The hope was that you could access the magics on your own, through your power and bloodline, but you far exceeded my expectations when Anunit herself crowned you guardian of her people.” He leaned back. “That she is here, that she chooses to travel with you, is a marvel. You are everything I set out to achieve and more.”
“Thanks,” I said bitterly, biting my tongue to rein in my temper until I got him to part with Dinorah.
Maybe if I stroked his ego enough, he would let me hold Dinorah under the pretense of wanting to know more about where I came from and how he accomplished his miracle. Even if the idea of praising him for what he had done made me want to hurl, I had to be smart if I wanted to get out of here.
And that meant, for better or worse, I had to answer his questions and play the role of dutiful daughter. Dutiful creation?Dutiful invention? I didn’t care how he saw me. All that mattered was I got my hands on Dinorah and got out of here in one piece. Assuming Anunit and I made it that far, we could worry about Kierce and the mirashii later.
A loudpopstartled me as Ankou appeared beside Ithas. “You might want to?—”
