The Order of Merlin, page 22
Two figures crested the ramp onto the deck of the Tundra Spear. She recognized both of them from the newspaper articles. Okho was better looking than his pictures. Dark, messy hair and an intensity that had her connecting dots. He looked like the kind of guy that could fix an engine and do complex mathematics in his head.
The girl, Pax, wore her hair differently than in the pictures. It was pulled back in an unruly ponytail, curls exploding from the wrap as if they were medusa's snakes. She looked like she'd been caught in a windstorm, while he looked neat and pressed. Between them strode the foxlike creature named Kali. Pi glanced at her sister, who was seeing the similarities, and yet differences, from their friend, the kitsune Inari.
Pi had gone into the visit expecting a billionaire philanthropist and his girlfriend, a mage of the Animalians hall, which if she was being honest with herself, wasn't one that she really thought much about. But this Pax and Kali—they seemed connected in ways that she could only instinctively sense—carried themselves with supreme confidence even as they found three strangers on their boat. She wasn't a run-of-the-mill mage who'd spent her five years at the Hundred Halls passing the time. She could understand how they might have survived the horrific events at the Portland Zoo.
"It's my fault," said Aurie, extending a hand. "We arrived earlier than planned and when we found your yacht uninhabited, we thought it better to wait on deck than on the shore. We haven't gone inside."
Pi followed her sisters lead, stepping forward for a greeting. When she shook Okho's hand, she felt a spark of recognition. Their visit just got a lot more complicated. She checked back to Zayn, who seemed equally tense. While she could be completely off base about her experience, she was nearly certain that the dragon in the trees had been Okho. This was a development that she neither understood nor had expected.
Okho smiled, gesturing inside. "No worries. Given the remoteness of the location, I accept your reasoning. And as you said, you stayed to the deck"—he shot a glance at Pi—"but please, come in. We're both famished from our journey today."
The interior of the Tundra Spear was luxurious and large. Pax brought them drinks while Okho worked the stove in the kitchen, grilling up elk steaks while they chatted about mundane topics like their trip and the current state of the Hundred Halls. When they moved to the dinner table, the conversation shifted to the goals of Tundra Awakening and what they were doing all the way out on the peninsula. Both Pax and Okho were vague about their efforts, mostly talking about tracking ocean creatures and sampling the ecosystem, which all seemed plausible to Pi, as she'd seen an extensive eco-lab in the lower deck when she used the bathroom.
After dinner, they helped their hosts clean up and then Okho announced they were headed into the Sea of Oktosk. While he piloted the yacht out of the bay and into the choppy waves of the interior of the peninsula, Pax poured them shots of vodka while Kali lay on the bench, watching them interestedly with her golden eyes.
"What brings you all the way out here? Long way to travel for a question about cryptids," said Pax as she threw the shot back. "Even for the sisters who saved Invictus from some unknown fate." She glanced to Zayn. "I'm sorry I don't know much about your exploits, but I assume if you're with them, you're no slouch."
"I like to think I'm a terrific slouch if the conditions require it," said Zayn, leaning back on his bench with his arms hooked around the back, receiving a coy smile from Pax as she leaned against the bar.
Pi threw down her shot, trying not to grimace as the alcohol went down. She coughed as she said, "Zayn is Priyanka's right-hand man. Before he was with us, he was deep undercover in the Eternal City."
Pax smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I'll admit I don't know much about the maetrie, but that sounds impressive."
Pi couldn't quite decide if she was being condescending or she was that narrowly focused.
"Our cryptid question is a bit unusual," said Aurie.
"Given who you all are, I wouldn't expect anything less," said Pax.
A set of intermittent beeping came from the front cabin where Okho was piloting the yacht. The noise had neither the steadiness of radar or the impatience of a warning, nor were the residents of the ship worried about it, so Pi put it out of her head.
"The reason that Invictus was missing for a long time was he was trying to stop an invasion from the infernal realm. He failed, and now we're helping him renew those efforts, but it appears there are those opposed to us. We were tracking down a lead when the girl we were talking to was kidnapped."
Pax crossed her arms. "I'm still not seeing where I come in."
Pi was playing with the empty shot glass between her hands. "My sister is dancing around the fact that I nearly got immolated by a creature that after investigation was suggested to be similar to the flying snake thingy that you killed at the zoo."
The redhead had been casually leaning against the bar, but as soon as Pi finished speaking, she shot erect. Kali immediately rose to her feet on the bench, making Zayn lean away. The foxlike creature had the aura of menace in its eyes.
"What was it?" asked Pax, lips squeezed white. It didn't take Zayn's senses to see how her heart rate had increased and she seemed extremely agitated by the mention. Okho leaned back from the helm, frowning at the change in mood. He seemed focused on Pax, rather than their information, which gave Pi the impression that the encounter had left a lingering trauma.
For the next hour, the three of them explained the events of the last few weeks—from the ambush in the warehouse to Andromeda's kidnapping to the mountains of Montanhas—but left out any mention of Elosian. Pax and Okho occasionally asked questions, but mostly listened intently. The description of the cobra-headed creature received frequent questions from Pax.
"Is it like your flying snake thing?" asked Pi.
Pax went from listening intensively to leaning forward, angrily retorting, "It's not a flying snake thing. It was a god. A terrible being from the ancient world that fed on chaos and death."
There was a lot more behind the outburst, but Pi wasn't going to press further since they barely knew the Animalians mage. Pax stared at the ground for a moment.
"But yes, it sounds like something that came from or was inspired by Aepep. A chimeratic beast bred for a specific purpose." Pax's expression hardened. "I assume you didn't come all this way to ask a few questions."
Aurie leaned forward. "No. We need your help. The threat from the demonic realm is real and immediate. We don't know how, or why, but Andromeda is a part of it. We need to get her back, but we were totally outclassed by that team of mages, especially with that creature. We each have our specialties, but the cryptid world is beyond us."
Pax stared out the darkened windows. "I have important work to do out here. The world of humans is entirely capable of fucking up their own spaces. Why should I step in to save them?"
When Kali growled lightly under her breath, Pi realized that the pair were not just companions, but probably psychically linked. Neither Aurie nor Zayn answered her. The angry retort had surprised them, but not Pi. The flying snake Aepep, the disaster at the zoo—these had impacted Pax in ways she probably hadn't resolved. That's why she'd come out to this far-flung place. A way to avoid the things that had hurt her most. Pi knew because she was aware that she'd been doing the same thing since her parents had died. If she ever had a chance to think too hard about what happened, she knew she'd probably be in trouble. It was one of reasons she'd allowed Invictus to send her all over the realms, because not being busy was a recipe for introspection, and she was afraid of the answers.
"Your friend Janelle works at Aura Healers," said Pi, sensing the need for a good push.
Pax screwed up her face, part question, part accusation. "So?"
"So," said Pi, taking on a casual tone, "when we say our realm is under threat of infernal invasion, that means that the city of Invictus is ground zero for the breach. The barrier between our world and theirs is rotten. The patrons have been doing what they can to shore up the wells, but the extent of their efforts is coming to an end. We're on the precipice of disaster. Possibly annihilation. That means Golden Willow, the Animalians campus, the zoo, anyone else you care for in the city is going to be on the front line sooner rather than later. What we told you about Montanhas? That was just a warm-up for the real thing. You can choose not to help, but the creatures that will come through the barrier won't care about humans or animals, they'll slaughter everything, starting with your friend at Golden Willow."
"She can handle herself."
"So can we, but I'll let you know right now that I'm terrified. The demon lord we're up against, Elosian, has only one goal and that's the subjugation of our entire world," said Pi.
The beeping from the front cabin had gone from passive to insistent. Even Pax couldn’t completely pay attention to the conversation. She kept glancing towards Okho and the noisy equipment.
"Elosian?"
Pi checked with her sister, who gave a nod to continue.
"Elosian, Prince of Whispers, Lord of Lies. He's a demon lord intent on our realm. He feeds on chaos and lies. We think that other team is unknowingly working for him."
"Unknowingly?"
"When Beckett Dreadmarsh was dying after the blowback from his spell, he claimed he was trying to save the city from us," said Pi. "Said that we were going to be the cause of destruction. That's why they grabbed Andromeda, because they think she's part of it, but we're fairly certain that the information came from Elosian."
"How do you know you're not working for him?" asked Pax.
"We don't, honestly," said Pi, "but we figure if we're working with Invictus, we're probably doing better than most."
Pax inhaled deeply, a pained expression on her face as she looked out the windows.
"We're close," said Okho.
A wistful smile formed on her lips. "Come with me. I have something to show you."
Pax led them to the bow of the ship. Okho was faintly visible through the cabin window, the bluish lights of the monitors reflecting on his face. The sea was calmer further out from shore, with long, shallow swells. The engine had been cut and they drifted in the quiet, gently rocking.
"What are you tracking?" asked Zayn, who looked down to find Kali beneath his hand. He gave the creature a rub on the back of the neck, which had Kali leaning into him. Pi was a little jealous of the interaction.
Pax leaned on the front rail, peering into the darkness. Pi could sense something. She wasn't sure if it was the anticipation of exploration, or that her soul fragments were sensitive to something out in the water. The back of her neck prickled with warning.
Eventually they were all pressed against the rail, even Kali, who put her enormous paws on the smooth brown surface, straining forward. Pi felt the presence before she saw the swell. About two hundred feet out, something massive crested the water. It looked smooth like a submarine, but much larger, and not metal.
"Merlin's tits," breathed Aurie.
An irrational fear stole into Pi. She found herself gripping the railing as if she were holding on for dear life. The creature broke the surface again, this time closer. It dwarfed the yacht by a factor of a hundred to one, and they were only seeing a small part of the creature—whatever it was.
"Nothing is that big," said Zayn, jaw pulsing. "Nothing natural."
The creature passed beneath the Tundra Spear, swelling the waves to push them higher. Pi feared for a moment that they'd get sucked under but the boat slid down the wave without issue. They moved to the back of the yacht and watched the creature undulate out of sight during the next ten minutes. It felt like every time she thought the creature was gone, a new piece of it would surface briefly.
"What was that?" asked Aurie as Okho joined them at the stern.
"The Jörmungandr," said Pax.
"That's not a real creature. A myth," said Aurie breathlessly.
"You're right and wrong," said Okho. "It's not the world serpent of legend, but a creature recent to this world."
"Are you tracking it to kill it?" asked Pi.
"No," said Pax, forcefully. "It's not a danger except to those that wish to hurt it or use it for their own sick purposes."
"It came from the cult of Aepep, though I suppose it wasn't much of a cult at the end. More like a corporation," said Pax, staring into the dark waters.
"Same difference," said Zayn.
"In ancient times, Aepep fed on lies and chaos, driving its members to their own deaths as they attempted to prove their fealty. They believed they were going to gain great powers, but ended up dead on the creature's poison." Pax turned her head. "This Elosian sounds a lot like Aepep."
"Except, forgive me for saying this," said Pi, "but Elosian is more devious and cunning. We don't know how he whispers into our world, but his lies move many on his behalf."
"Maybe Aepep had some connection to Elosian," said Pax, "though it would be hard to know since the flying snake was trapped in a tomb in Caer Corsydd for a thousand years."
Pi shared a glance with her sister but said nothing.
"You're asking me to give up everything I have here to track down a missing girl, and you have no idea about how she fits into the larger scheme." Pax clasped hands with Okho, who gazed at her with solemnity. "And help you fight battles I care nothing about."
"If the barrier is breached there will be no bystanders. Your friends, the animals of this world, the kids at the Halls now, everyone will be on the front line," said Pi.
"I need a minute," said Pax, gazing into Okho's serene face.
She and Okho stayed outside, while the others returned to the interior of the yacht. No one spoke. Pi wasn't sure if it was the weight of the decision or the experience with the gargantuan worm keeping their lips shut. She hadn't been sure about coming all this way for a mage from Animalians, but after meeting Pax and Kali, and learning that she had a relationship with a dragon—a creature not known for their love of humans—Pi was hoping that they would be returning with the redhead.
After fifteen minutes, Pax and Kali entered to the interior. Okho stayed outside.
"Before I give you my answer, I have one question. This girl, Andromeda Charmer. How do you know that Beckett Dreadmarsh wasn't right about her? What if she's a danger to the city and the world? You seem determined to find her despite the threat. Why? It feels like there's something else going on."
Pi found herself looking at the golden-eyed Kali. A tickle in her mind could have been her imagination. Thoratic foxes were known to be psychic, but she didn't think they could read thoughts. The others looked to her. They'd agreed not to tell Pax about the truth bond, but Pi wondered if that was the correct choice. If they didn't lay it all out, why would Pax trust them to come back to Invictus?
"We met her after the show at the Glitterdome. I know dangerous people, she's not one."
"How can you be sure?"
Pi pictured the girl from the performance in her stage costume taking painful blows in the faux-quest to liberate the marionettes. There was something in her that was deeply wounded, an injury that drew Pi towards her. And maybe that was the thing. It wasn't that Andromeda was dangerous, but that she might cause others to act on her behalf. The things Pi would do for her sister, the things she had done. The danger could lie in other directions.
"We can't," said Pi, shaking her head.
"That's what I'm worried about," said Pax. "I've been keeping touch with Janelle, and reading about the goings-on in Invictus and the Halls. The Charmer name comes with a lot of baggage, rumors of ritual sacrifice—hell, they got funding from Magnus Dreadmarsh when their company was failing. Doesn't that worry you that Beckett is somehow connected?"
"We've thought about that," said Aurie. "That's why we hope to talk to Andromeda so we can understand what happened. Maybe we'll find the clues in what she knows. She was about to talk to us when she was kidnapped."
Pax crossed her arms. Pi could tell that she hadn't decided to come with them yet. Might not. There was something holding her back.
"There is one other thing," said Pi, checking back to her sister. Aurie looked like she was half out of her seat. "Another reason we have to find Andromeda."
"Pi—"
"We have to level with her, about everything."
The reaction from Pax suggested she'd already known. There was more to this pair than they were letting on.
"To convince Andromeda to tell us what she knew, Aurie gave her a truth bond. A bond that's still active and if the other mages figure out is there, they can use it to do just about anything they want to my sister."
"Thank you for being honest with me, Pi. I'll consider coming with you on one condition. That before you go after Andromeda, we exhaust the other leads."
"What other leads?" asked Zayn.
"The other Charmers."
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Pax stepped out of the SUV, regretting her decision to come back to the city the moment the heat and the voices pressed against her mind. The years of solitude, traveling the world on the Tundra Spear with only Kali and Okho as her companions, had reduced her mental defenses. Kali leaned against her leg in solidarity, a brief whimper slipping out. A man with a bushy mustache passed them on the sidewalk, fear radiating from him as he gave Kali a wide berth.
"Are you okay?" asked Pi, touching her upper arm.
The contact made Pax feel like she was looking at the younger Silverthorne through a broken mirror. A dozen reflections looked back at her, creating an overwhelming sense of vertigo. She pulled her arm away from Pi's touch, creating a feedback loop of shame and distrust.
"Been a while since I've been around so many people," she said as Zayn and Aurie came around the back of the vehicle, hauling their travel bags. They gave her a worried look. "Wasn't as sensitive before."
"Sorry," said Pi. "We would have gone through the underground access, but we need to get you the badges for getting in and out of the Spire."
"It's okay. I'll manage."
Pax didn't bother craning her neck back to see the top of the Spire. They were too near the base to get a good look, and the sun's reflection would have only hurt her eyes.
