Binding the Shadows (Arcadia Bell) - By Jenn Bennett Page 0,74
Dukes in the Æthyr. But I had to know. “His name isn’t Chora, by chance?”
Priya was surprised. “You know of him?”
“You can’t be serious. It’s Duke Chora?”
“Yes.”
“Sh-h-hit.”
“What is wrong, mistress?”
“This Duke almost killed someone I love a couple of months ago.”
“Your demon child?”
“What?”
Priya pointed to my palm. “The one bound to you.”
“He’s not my child. I mean, I didn’t give birth to him. Anyway, I was talking about someone else.”
The door to the library swung open. “She’s talking about me.” Lon burst inside the room, all fiery halo and spiraling horns, eyes narrowed to slits.
Priya rushed in front of me and snapped his wings open. “Stay back, Kerub.”
Lon balked at the reference to his demonic heritage—or perhaps at the fact that Priya was protecting me against him.
“Priya, calm down,” I said. “This is Lon. He’s, uh . . . well, he’s the father of the demon boy under my protection.” I couldn’t think straight. I was still reeling from Priya’s news about my mom. “This is his home.”
Priya’s wings fluttered and drooped. He stepped aside and lowered his head, black halo trailing. “Forgive me.” I couldn’t tell if he was hurt or angry, but his mouth was drawn in a tight, straight line, and he was unwilling to take his eyes off Lon.
“It’s fine.” I put a hand on Priya’s arm, which was cooler and smoother than I expected. It was a simple gesture, meant to be casual, but it seemed to surprise both of us, and I quickly moved my hand away. I still couldn’t reconcile the familiarity I felt around him with the foreignness of his new body. I did my best to push away my confused feelings and cleared my throat. “Lon, this is Priya. He’s one of my oldest friends, so please stop glowering.”
Lon glanced at the spilled books on the floor. Yeah. Not happy about that. An accident, I said to him in my head.
He made a disgruntled noise then spoke to Priya. “What else have you learned about her mother?” He’d been listening to our conversation, which meant he’d heard me say the L-word. And now he was listening to me obsess over it. Awesome.
Priya glanced at me. “Would you like me to continue to discuss this in front of the Kerub?”
“Yes. Anything you tell me, you can tell Lon. He’s empathic, by the way. And he can hear your thoughts.” Only fair that he knew.
Priya nodded. Surely he was well acquainted with demonic knacks. Regardless, he wasn’t happy. He crossed his arms over his bare chest and turned to me. “As I was saying, rumors are spreading about your mother. Whenever there is a human in the Æthyr, it is momentous. But it has been said that she wields a great power. I am worried that this power is . . .”
“Yes?”
He blinked black, feathery lashes. “I am worried the power she wields is connected to you.”
“What power is that, exactly?” My voice came out squeakier than I wanted.
He shook his head. “I do not know. But there is talk that she’s given birth to someone who could decimate armies of demons.”
Oh, God.
“And since you are her only child . . .” Priya shrugged and narrowed his gaze at me. “You used your Moonchild ability recently.”
“What? Yes. A day ago.”
He nodded. “I thought I detected your Heka in the Æthyr. Not strong, but if I can sense it, then your mother may likely sense it, as you suspected. And because of this, I would be wary when you are drawing on those powers. Shield yourself. I think you are opening up a channel to the Æthyr when you use moon magick.”
I groaned.
“I do not know the repercussions of doing such a thing,” he said. “There are magicks that can track energy signatures. Creatures who can follow your Heka and use it to slip between the planes, or to spy on you.”
I thought about the spy in the shadows I’d seen at the racetrack after I’d used my moon power. Chills pricked my skin. What if it was something spying on me from the Æthyr? Although that wouldn’t explain the mystery sedan I’d seen at Diablo Market, or the one I thought I saw after Telly tore the bridge down. Æthyric creatures don’t drive cars.
“Perhaps it is not something to worry about,” Priya continued. “But I am concerned it will attract the attention of other beings in the Æthyr who are familiar with the scent of your Heka.”