Page 29 of Deadly Deception (Necromancer Tales #2)
Tenzen Huxley
“You seem confident.”
I stared at my shadow, small glimpses of the creature weaving back and forth in the firelight. My shadow never needed much, just the hint of a low glow to bring about its presence.
“I see no reason not to be,” I answered while relaxing into my chair. The fire’s heat felt good against my bare skin. My clawed toes dug deep into the soft rug on the floor. The texture was heavenly.
“He will be suspicious,” my shadow responded.
“Of course. I expect nothing less.”
“And yet, you are not concerned.”
I waved my shadow off. It wasn’t that I ignored their concerns. My shadow had reason to be skeptical and had saved me too many times for me to ignore their warnings. “I am offering Necromancer Boone an opportunity he will be unable to ignore.” Tipping my head back, I stared at the unusual patterns on the ceiling. The darkened areas weren’t my shadow, but they were beautiful, nonetheless.
“Do you truly believe there are other necromancers in the world that possess Erasmus Boone’s abilities?”
“It would be to everyone’s benefit if so. And if not, that makes Erasmus Boone an even more important commodity. A one of a kind.” I thought back to our brief conversation and felt a wave of relief suffuse my body. “He truly does sound sane.”
“A rarity for a necromancer,” my shadow stated accurately.
“Very rare.” Possibly too rare. And if that were the case, then allowing Erasmus Boone to move about freely, placing himself in danger, was completely unacceptable. Shifting, I leaned over the edge of my chair and pulled open a drawer, pulling out a rock with a single red line traced across its center. The second object I removed was an empty ink pot. Both objects felt heavy in my hand. I could feel the hum of their leashed energy, the beings attached to them beyond powerful.
Two . I’d located two djinn and had yet to wake either, though the temptation was strong.
“I’ve seen that look in your eyes before. You know the risk.”
Inhaling, I filled my lungs before releasing that breath. “I am aware.” I stared at the small, innocuous-looking objects. It would be so easy to release the power within, to bring forth their djinn. And yet, that path led to only one ending—death. Every djinn eventually found a way to murder their master. I wasn’t fool enough to believe I would be different.
At least, not without an ace up my sleeve.
Everyone knew djinn were indestructible. They were feared because there was no way to defeat one. And yet, that no longer held true. There was a force living within the world that could destroy a djinn.
“Boone,” I reverently whispered into the ever-darkening room, the fire banking lower, the flame and shadows dissipating. With Erasmus Boone in my back pocket, no djinn would dare double-cross me.
“He will never agree to what you want,” my shadow whispered as the dying firelight diminished their voice.
My laughter was harsh chuckle rather than delight. “ Never is a strong word, Shadow. The key is finding out what is most important to Erasmus Boone, what he values beyond his own life and the lives of all others. Once I am in possession of that knowledge, all things are possible. Even leashing one very capable necromancer.”
I stared until the fire was little more than ember and ash. Shadow had gone quiet. They would be there again, when the light flared a little brighter. Shadow could never leave my side. Soon enough, I would add a djinn or two to that constant truth.