Durance by Lyn Gala Page 0,78

world. We must make the decisions required to protect it, and I know that is difficult. You are young and I died before I could teach you the more complicated realities that come with age.”

Julie appeared. Her body should’ve still been on top of the hotel with Ahtisham, but apparently she had decided to send her soul to oversee the battle. She looked around, her gaze taking in Anzu. As she studied the assembled group, her frame grew straighter and taller.

“This is something I had never expected to see. Truth be told, I haven’t even taught the younger ones this lore because I thought it was fantasy. Joke’s on me since that meant this task fell to me.” She sighed as she took a step closer to the tree.

“I can’t say your kind are welcome back here. We told you last time that your light was too bright for this world.”

“I don’t know who you are, but this is not your fight,” Thuya said, disapproval dripping from her words.

“Spirits save us from arrogant white folk,” Julie said with disgust.

“I am not white,” Thuya snapped, offended at that accusation.

Julie studied her. “Funny, you look pretty damn white and too damn young for someone as old as you.” She turned to Kavon and Darren. “You can reach this place because the ifrit changed one of your ancestors. I inherited this place just like thousands of other holy walkers have. No ifrit blood required.”

“We’re trying to figure out a solution,” Darren said, hoping to shut down any potential conflict between Julie and the shadowy figures standing with Thuya and Dave. Now that they were on the spirit plane, Darren could feel her power. It wasn’t the same. It was warm, summer sand instead of the velvet feel of ifrit power, but it was there. “If you have a suggestion, we’d love to hear it.”

“We should lock the evil ones away,” Salma said, “exile them.”

Julie ignored her. Taking a deep breath, she walked toward the tree. Hundreds of birds watched her, some with heads cocked, others with beaks open.

“This is our spirit plane,” Julie told the birds. “You found us here.”

The larger phoenix leaped into the air and then landed in front of Julie. It stood tall enough that they stared each other in the eyes. Darren would have pissed his pants, but Julie didn’t twitch.

“I’ve time walked to when your people first found this world. We were here. Most worlds—the inhabitants can’t reach the spirit plane. You came through to Earth because you were interested in us, the first shamans. The ones tied to our planet, and you found every living creature on Earth has magic.”

Darren stepped in front of Kavon, or his body did. He felt his limbs jerk forward like a marionette, but he had no control. “Perception. Affection. Curiosity.” The words fell out of Darren’s mouth tonelessly, and a sense of power swallowed him. Anzu cried out piteously, his armored beak clacking, and with every movement, the cut along his face bled more. Maybe it wasn’t real blood, but Darren felt sympathy for the creature’s suffering. Or maybe he channeled Bennu’s feelings. Bennu landed near Darren and gave a warbling cry.

Turning her back on the phoenix, Julie faced Darren. “We are the memories of our world. We can spirit-walk back to that day. We know you came here wanting adventure, that you didn’t know that we would change each other.”

The phoenix screamed and then words fell from Darren’s mouth. “Exploration. Ignorance. Correction.”

Kavon’s temper blew, and the bond came open so Darren was flooded with indignant fury and impotent rage. The old guide still had control of Darren’s body, but he tried to send calming thoughts back through their bond. It didn’t seem to help much. “Correction?” Kavon demanded. You killed thousands of people. You created fear and hatred that lasted thousands of years. Anzu is a monster, but Butler was right about one thing. You’re monsters too.”

“Agent,” Julie said. She tried to put a hand on his arm, but he jerked it away.

“Native people might revere shamans, but do you have any idea what it’s like in most of the world? Do you know the suicide rate? In Egypt, families abandon their children for having magic. And that all started with the damn purge. And they’re calling it a correction.”

“I know,” Julie said. “I’ve time-walked to the purge. I’ve seen the carnage.”

Familiar and gruesome images of people strewn about the blood-soaked ground like so much garbage filled Darren’s mind.

“That’s their