Heat Stroke(51)

“So what do we do?” Lewis asked.

A short, pregnant silence. Her stare didn’t seem quite so menacing, but it was still as intense as a laser.

“I think,” she said slowly, and transferred the gaze to Lewis, “that perhaps I should consult with Jonathan and find a way to make this right. You stay here. The fewer who travel the aetheric, the better, until we know what the consequences might be.”

“I’ll go,” I said.

Rahel looked at me sharply, and unpleasant recognition dawned in cat-bright eyes. “Ah,” she said. “I did not see it at first, because it changed you very little. But still you’re claimed, aren’t you? And chained.”

“It’s not so bad,” I said. “All the buildup, I was expecting something a lot worse.”

“A good master makes a good servant.” She leaned on the word servant with a heavy weight of disdain. “I don’t think this is at all wise. Lewis, you should know better.”

“I wouldn’t have claimed her if you’d given me a choice.”

Ouch, the look that swept between them was like two master fencers, lunge and parry and riposte faster than thought. Lewis certainly felt comfortable around Djinn. I wondered when familiarity had happened to breed that particular contempt.

“I am not your slave,” Rahel said.

“Apparently, you don’t believe in working for a living, either.”

“Sssst!” It was less a sound than a burst of electricity from her, snapping like a whip. It didn’t touch Lewis. I don’t think he even flinched. “Djinn did not make this portal, did not create this pollution you speak of. Humans meddled in things they didn’t understand, and this is the result. Chaos.”

“Djinn being perfect.”

“More perfect than…”

“Excuse me,” I said loudly, “can we please focus on the problem? Because I for one don’t really feel this is getting us anywhere.”

Rahel looked murderous. Junior half-Djinn were not supposed to get uppity, apparently.

“Where’s David?” I asked.

She favored me with something that looked dangerously close to a sneer.

“Running to your savior?” she asked, sweet as a batch of overcooked fudge. “Jonathan has a use for him. You’re to learn to fly for yourself, little bird.”

“Fine. Then let’s go see Jonathan,” I said.

She stopped me with an outstretched hand. Did the fingernails look longer and sharper? Yeah. Definitely. “Slaves do not go there.”

“Excuse me?”

She flicked her eyes toward Lewis. “Nor do humans. I will go. Not you.”

“She’s not a slave,” Lewis said, and stepped into Rahel’s space. He was taller, broader, but I couldn’t be sure he was stronger. In fact, the chances of him even holding his own against her were thin. “She’s an ally. I don’t suppose you get the concept.”

“An ally who accepts any order you choose to issue, no matter how degrading? Who has no choice but to comply?” Rahel swept me with a hard look. “Do not fool yourself, little Snow. A slave with a kind master is still a slave.” The look ripped Lewis, too. “And a slave’s master has no honor.”

“Maybe I’m crazy, but I have the strong feeling that if we don’t get this straightened out, it may not matter whether I’m free or not. Everybody gets the same crappy deal.”

“Likely you’re correct.” She quirked her head to the side, an alien-looking catlike movement that made me jump a little. “And yet I will not take you.”

Fine. I plopped down on the comfortable brown leather sofa and put my work-booted feet up on the coffee table. “I’ll just sit and watch the world get eaten, then. Hey, be sure to call me if the apocalypse comes. I need to get some 400-speed film, make sure I get good pictures.”

She gave me a snarl, and vanished. Whoosh. There was a breeze—displacement of air—and I transferred my stare to Patrick. He looked blank and angelic. Put a red suit on him, and he could be handing out candy in a mall and asking kids what they wanted Santa to bring them.

“You’re not going?” I asked.

He cleared his throat. “Let’s say that I’m not welcome in those particular circles.”

“Because of the way you were made Djinn?”

“Among other things.” He shrugged. “I’ve learned to live with disappointment.” He stretched out his arms and manifested a light camel-colored coat, something appropriate for a spring day. “I have not, however, learned to live with this… redecorating. I believe I’ll go for a walk. Call me if the world ends, there’s a dear.”