Even I’d heard rumors that Lexa had murdered a powerful family of Light Bringers. The details were scarce with no mention of them being her family.
“No one’s really sure what happened, not even Lexa,” he said. “One day Arim missed her in classes and went to check on her, concerned, since Lexa never missed her studies. She lived for academia, and back then, for Arim as well. The two were inseparable, glowing with love. It was always expected they’d marry. There was such a feeling about the pair, as if they’d been blessed with Tanselm’s grace even then.
“Well, Arim went to check on her and found Muri and Esel dead, Sercha butchered, and Lexa covered in blood, her eyes wild with horror. She was so incredibly angry, her energy bleeding everywhere, mixing with the Dark taint staining the home, that Arim only saw the surface.
“He’d loved Muri and Esel as well, and their loss devastated him. But I don’t think he’d ever known such pain before. He mistook Lexa’s hurt and rage for aggression. He never told me exactly what happened once he found her, only that they’d fought. And then she vanished.”
“But she’d never harm those she cared about.” I couldn’t believe Arim wouldn’t have known that, not if he’d loved Lexa as much as Sava said he did.
“No, she wouldn’t. But you’ve never seen her in a full-out fury, Jonas. I have. It’s a chilling sight, and I can understand why Arim would have thought what he did. He was new to love then suddenly thrust into pain and fear. To my knowledge, he and Lexa had never even so much as argued prior to that. Quite a shock to find his young love covered in her parents’ blood as she tore through the house in anger. Don’t forget, a Dark Lord’s anger is extremely powerful, not to mention Dark. An instinctive threat to anyone with as much Light as Arim.”
I stared at Sava, understanding so much more now. “That just sucks.”
Sava sat in a chair by the bed next to me. “It does indeed. I’ve never seen two people happier than Arim and Lexa in love. Watching them stab at each other for years has been unsettling. I’ve never quite gotten used to it. And I suspect, neither have they.”
I recalled instances of Lexa’s behavior where Arim was involved. “You know, anytime Arim came up in conversation, a subtle stillness would come over her. The few times I observed her near him, Lexa could barely take her eyes off him. At the time, I thought it was from mistrust and anger.”
“Probably those, as well as lust. Those two were made for each other. Even a Djinn can see that.” Sava crossed his arms over his chest and shot me a droll smile.
“Yeah, well, this Djinn owes Lexa for what she’s done for my people. I’ll do whatever it takes to heal her. As far as what she and Arim have going, that’s up to them.” Did I want Lexa with a man who didn’t appreciate her?
Sava’s gaze narrowed. “No, what’s between them is at the heart of Tanselm’s well-being. Those two are going to deal with each other if it’s the last thing they ever do. And while they’re doing that, you and I are going to track down Sin Garu.”
I opened my mouth to retort and paused. I could still feel Sin Garu’s minions all around me, the insidious whisper of death at the hands of a dreaded Nocumat as fresh as if I’d been tortured just yesterday. “No offense, Sava. But I don’t see us defeating Sin Garu, not by ourselves.”
“Of course not. Honestly, it’s a wonder you Djinn emerged from the Dark at all. No. We’re going to track down Sin Garu and let Arim know where he is. This is one battle that’s between a Light Bringer and a Dark Lord. The rest of us will just be in the way.”
“But what about the Netharat? With that army, Sin Garu, even weakened, is untouchable.”
“That’s where we’ll come in. Between the Aellei, you Djinn, and the Light Bringer sorcerers under Storm Lord leadership, we’ll bring the Netharat to us and defeat them once and for all. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of my Nocumat being seduced into joining the Dark Lords. They’re giving us a bad name.”
I snorted.
He ignored me. “Creatures of Shadow were never meant to invade worlds and envision world domination. We were created to enjoy life’s pleasures, to play and dance and laugh.”
“Seems to me you’re always playing around,” I muttered. “Maybe if the lot of you had any sense of discipline, you wouldn’t feel so threatened around us Djinn — the only race to give the Aellei a run for their money in the looks and magic department.”
Score one for my team. Sava glared through me. So of course, I continued. “So what now, Sava? You seem to have thought of everything else. Why don’t you tell me how we’re going to get Lexa and Arim together without them killing each other?”
“Obviously, we’ll have to use deception. Not so difficult for me, since Arim trusts me, to an extent, at least. We Aellei are the tricksters of the universe,” Sava said with typical arrogance. “I’ve an idea that’s been brewing since my last talk with Alandra. I’ll work on Arim while you go to Lexa and hold her there. Use this.” Sava mumbled a spell under his breath, and a small bag appeared in my hands. “Put this in her drink and make sure she takes all of it. It’s enough to knock her out just long enough to put this plan in motion.”
I took the small pouch, conscious of the coldness seeping through the bag’s pores. “What is this?”
“Demon breath.” Sava smiled, a sinister look that had me taking a second look. “I’ve been saving it for a while. Trust me, it won’t hurt her. But it’s got enough of a kick to bypass her Dark protection. In her present weakened state, you won’t need more than the small vial within the pouch.”
I nodded. “I take it we’re going now?”
“Right now. We don’t have a lot of time to wait for Lexa to realize how badly she’s hurting. I don’t trust the little fool not to take off since I know where she is. You keep her under guard while I deal with Arim. I think it’s best if they settle matters between them away from Tanselm. At Lexa’s place, perhaps. Tanselm is way too interfering for my peace of mind.”
“You got that right.” I winced when the land pulsed Light at me in protest. I noted Sava’s unease as well.
“Handling Arim’s going to be tricky, which is to say nothing of the danger he’ll present once I’ve captured him. He doesn’t take kindly to deception, not like my kind. So if I’m not spot on, this won’t work again. I have to catch him right away and bind him before he can do any return damage.”
“Bind him?” I stared, suitably impressed. I’d seen Arim turn opponents into stone and ash for less. “Takes balls I didn’t think you had.” I grinned when Sava frowned at me. “For a prissy king, you have a will of steel, don’t you?”
“I’ll give you prissy,” Sava muttered, but his eyes flashed with excitement as he waved farewell and vanished.
I wondered if I’d caught whatever contagious idiocy Sava had. Turning on Lexa? Pushing her at Arim when I knew she felt uneasy and vulnerable around the powerful mage? Irritate a woman who had the power to bring me to my knees and take me from this world in the blink of an eye?
