Sky Woman: Book One of The Empress Saga

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Deebee watched Enfri die. She felt her die.

    Desperately, she reached through the bond, searching for the presence that she had grown accustomed to feeling on the other side. Where once there was an untapped reservoir of ether, Deebee now felt... nothing. Enfri was gone.

    "No," Deebee told herself. Her useless, human eyes were becoming impossible to see through once more. "This can't be how it ends. I won't let it!"

    Deebee pushed strength through the bond to no effect. She stepped forward without thinking. Her passage was unhindered as she went through the cave's mouth.

    The interdiction had vanished. Jin had said that it wouldn't fall until an Aleesh died within it. That must have been Enfri's plan. She freed Jin at the cost of her own life, but that alone wouldn't be enough to save the assassin. The oren's hold on her would claim Jin's life as well before much longer.

    Even now, Jin was aware of her surroundings. She reached for Enfri and drew her close, whispering her name as if that could somehow rouse her. A strangled cry left the assassin's throat. "Enfri, no," she said. "Not for me."

It's happening again, Deebee thought numbly. First Yora, and now his daughter. Why was their family cursed with such foolish nobilty? It wasn't right. Wondrous souls such as theirs were taken, and yet Deebee remained. She couldn't live through this again. Deebee turned away, unable to bear the sight anymore.

    Her eyes fell on the two bottles of oren lying beside the cave entrance. A primal anger rose in Deebee's heart. She bent to pick them up and would have crushed them in her fist but for a single realization.

    "She would have me do this?" Deebee whispered. "After all you have done, she would ask me to save you. Blustering girl. She has more faith in me than I merit."

Had more faith. Deebee grit her teeth and felt her lungs acting up. Nothing about this body seemed to work right. She approached where Jin lay, clinging to Enfri's body and weeping.

    "Stay back, creature," Jin snarled. "Leave us be."

    "I remember similar words being said to you," Deebee replied viciously. "Had you listened, Enfri would still live."

    Jin's eyes widened, stricken.

    "You hunted her, pursued her, and now you dare mourn her, assassin?" Deebee crouched before Jin and seized her by the throat. Her hands had enough power to crush Jin's neck into dust if she wished to. "You and your abominable bloodline are a plague. The sky women cure plagues, and I would do the same."

    Jin didn't struggle. As the breath was squeezed from her, she gave no resistance at all. Perhaps too weak, but Deebee realized that Jin simply didn't possess the will to fight back anymore. She was broken.

    In that, at least, dragon and assassin were the same.

    Deebee shifted her hand to grip Jin's jaw. "I won't give you what you want, assassin. I won't take the life she gave hers for."

    Forcing Jin's mouth open, Deebee poured one of the bottles of oren down her throat. Jin gagged and tried to spit it out, but Deebee clamped a hand over her mouth and forced her to swallow. "Live," Deebee commanded. "Tell your king that you've accomplished your mission."

    Jin pulled away from Deebee's grip and coughed. She gasped for air while Deebee took Enfri up in her arms and carried her out of the cave.

    "Wait," Jin said, gasping. "Don't take her."

    "She does not belong to you," Deebee said coldly. She refused to look back.

    The sound of scrambling over stone. Jin went for her sword and brandished it at Deebee's back. "You will not have her!" she shouted.