Soon a fiery form became visible. It was trunk shaped, with thick arms and legs and no head. It dripped fire as it moved, the molten globules sizzling as they hit the ground. The dark energy that rolled off the creature crawled through my particles, making them quiver in discomfort.
This is Tao, I reminded myself fiercely. He wouldn't hurt me. I had to trust that, if nothing else.
I flew downward, shifting shape as I neared the ground. I landed on hands and knees and skidded forward, skinning my palms and ripping the knees out of my jeans. I cursed softly—more from the pain of those injuries than the incapacitating pain that usually followed such a shift—and forced myself upright. The abrupt movement had the world doing a brief three-sixty around me, but I ignored it and forced my feet forward. A heartbeat later, an all-too-familiar heat ran across my skin.
"I have no sense of Tao within that creature," Azriel said, voice soft and holding little in the way of emotion.
"You may not sense him, but he's still there somewhere."
"If he attacks, you must defend yourself."
"No." I glanced at him. "And you won't defend me, either."
Anger flickered through his eyes, even though his expression was as remote as it had ever been. "It is my duty to protect you from all danger. That includes threats from friends."
I stopped and swung around to fully face him. "If you even go near Tao, I'll fucking attack you myself."
"Tao is not in control of that being," he all but growled. The fury he was barely showing washed through my mind, a whirlwind of heat that left me singed. "And he will attack you."
"Maybe. But he won't kill me."
I had to believe that. Had to.
"I cannot stand here and watch—"
"You will," I cut in. "Promise me, Azriel."
"No."