Aeva’s Challenge – V

A tale of angels, demons and dragons…

One of the forest gods screwed up her leafy face. “What does it matter which mortal is missing? They are of little account anyway.”
Lucifer bulked his shoulders dangerously before looking at Aeva. “Now you see what I am up against. Most of this lot are as stupid as stumps. And capricious with it.”
“At least you are not stupid.”
He grinned at her and she couldn’t help smiling back at him.
“Aeva Darkstar, are you sure you are only half demon?”
“Probably.”
Lucifer sobered abruptly. “Why have you never asked me for anything?”
“I promised Mama I wouldn’t. She always said one of us making a bargain with Shaitan was sufficient.”
“What did she…” Lucifer wrinkled his brow as he thought, then he nodded once. “Oh yes. I remember. But that was such a tiny thing. I only asked for payment to make her feel better. She was a proud mortal, and I rather liked her. I was wrath with your father when she died.”
“So was I. But he never learned to fear either of us.”
“He knows now. He is chained and he will stay so.”
“Until some other demon frees him.”
Lucifer showed his many rows of teeth in a death’s head rictus that bore little relationship to the smile that had spawned it.
“Nobody will be setting him free this time. I locked the manacles with my own hand, and the collar about his throat. He goes nowhere.”
Gabriel had been in close conversation with one of the animal-headed deities of the Nile and he cleared his throat.
“Seti here says the words the acolyte remembers sound like the language of the desert to him. And the name Water is often used as an alias by the desert draca.”
“Thank you. And now I think it is time me and mine were not here.”
As Aeva bent to draw a portal in the raked sand there came a bang, a flash, the smell of burning incense, and the sound of creative swearing. A large female mortal fell in a heap at the centre of the amphitheater and scrambled to her feet, glaring around her. She was about seven feet tall with hands like washboards and the shoulders of an ox. She wore a pointed helmet with a heavy nosepiece, a leather breastplate and kilt, and her greaves and vambraces were of polished brass. On the other side of the coin, the braids that all but reached her knees were bright gold, her eyes were startlingly blue, and her face looked as if it had been sculpted by a master.
Aeva sighed. “Gudrun. What are you doing here?”
“You may well ask, Invigilator. Mother and Grandmother were fretting that not enough is being done to find my misbegotten whelp of a brother – and I think one of the old magick wielders decided to help. One minute I’m sitting in the great hall listening to them pair going on and on and on. The next I’m here.” Gudrun bulked her muscles. “Right. Now I am here, I’ll just be taking over the job of hunting down little brother and kicking his arse for him.”
Aeva sighed again. “No. You are taking over nothing. And if you don’t calm down you won’t even be coming with us.”
The silence in the place was profound as even the gods held their breath waiting for the giant berserker to lose control and throw herself at the slight figure before her. Only it didn’t happen. Instead, Gudrun grinned wryly.
“Do you tell me that you are mistress of the hunt Aeva Darkstar?”
“I am.”
“Grandmother is so not going to like that. She is having a hard enough time with the life debt we already owe you.” Then she spat in her palm and held out a large hand. Aeva spat too and they smacked palms.
“Just remember who is in charge.”
“As if I could forget.”
Aeva snorted and bent to the ground. She carefully drew the sigils that would have her portal come out precisely where she needed to be. Carelessness in this matter had cost others of her order their lives or their sanity.
“Join hands,” she said and her group formed a human chain before following her into nothingness.
Invigilator created portals are an uncomfortable way to travel, but after a moment of extreme sensory deprivation one and twenty creatures stepped out into burning sand under an ochre coloured sky. Aeva led the way to a stand of strange looking trees whose spiny trunks and sharp leaves offered the benison of deep bluish shade. Gudrun looked out over the harsh landscape of stone and sand and shivered.
“I don’t much like this place.”
“Me neither, but with only average luck we won’t be here too long. Now just sit down and hush. I am going out there with one other and I need the rest of you to stay put no matter what. You are going to see weird things. But. It will all be illusion. Sound and fury. It cannot touch me. However it will not be safe for anyone else to leave the shade. Can you be trusted?”
Gudrun looked into Aeva’s face and whatever she saw there convinced her. “Yes. I can sit on my beast for however long it takes.” She smiled brightly at the half-demon Fighters who surrounded her. “I’m sure me and the boys can find something to occupy us.”
Aeva shook her head before turning her attention to the de facto leader of the guard detachment. “Will you accompany me out there? It isn’t going to be too much fun, and I cannot actually guarantee your safety, but I need an anchor.”
He smiled. “You did not have to ask, lady. I am yours to command.”
“I will not command you to put yourself in danger. That is not my way. I will only ask.”
To her surprise, every Fighter raised the back of his right hand to his forehead and bowed low.
“What?”
It was Gudrun who answered her. “Fighters of every kidney respect courage, and the command of one who puts herself in danger first.”
“That is so,” the blue-skinned giant concurred, and his approval warmed Aeva’s soul.
Deeming there to be no time to explore that strange emotional pull, Aeva put it to one side and bent to remove her boots.
“Shall we?”
He came to her side and they walked out onto the burning sands together.
“Will you not burn your feet?”
“No. And the connection is necessary. But I thank you for your concern.” She looked up into the shuttered darkness of his face. “My friend. May I have the holding of your name?”
His face lightened. “If I am indeed your friend.”
“You are. Do you not feel it?”
“I do, but I was afraid it was only in my breast.”
Aeva put her hand in his, where it looked small and fragile, and he gently folded his fingers around it.
“My name is Adamo.”
“And I am Aeva Belladonna.”

Aeva’s Challenge by Jane Jago will continue next week.