Page 42 of Obsidian Dream

After picking up his backpack, grunting at the heaviness, he followed Khalida into the cool night.The mission was a reconnaissance, but it didn’t mean he was going in without an arsenal.Taking a page out of Khalida’s book, he had numerous knives strapped to him and a few more surprises in his backpack.But he couldn’t bring himself to leave his favorite blasters—the girls, Blanche and Rose—behind.If their charge ran out, he would use them as glorified bats; it had worked relatively well last time.

He strode after Khalida.As they approached the stairs to the library, he reached out, careful not to actually touch Khalida.

“Wait,” Talik called, ensuring he kept his voice low enough that only Khalida could hear.

She turned a couple of steps ahead.They were now at eye level.Yellow eyes stared at him blankly.The streets were alive with tourists and voices, but all the noise faded into the background.She held her arms loosely by her sides, a bored expression on her face.He had always detested her ability to tune out her emotions with a thought.He couldn’t sense anything from her.

“Yes?”

Talik gritted his teeth.“Don’t take any risks that are out of the ordinary.”

Khalida raised a perfect silver eyebrow and crossed her arms.

“We find the glyph, and if we are lucky, we locate the relic.Sypha said nothing about going up against the Anki or the wayfarers,” he added.“We come across anyone down there—we don’t engage with them and we return to the library.No heroics.”

“Worried, are you?”

“With our limited firepower.”Talik forced himself to relax and smile.“Just a reminder.If you die, I die.It’s called self-preservation.You should try it someday.”

Khalida scoffed.“I don’t plan on dying anytime soon.And as much as a small part of me hates us not confronting anyone we come across, I don’t like the idea of facing anyone in a tunnel.”

“Good, we agree on at least one thing,” Talik added.“We don’t know how the Anki were able to sway Idris and convince him to be loyal to them.And Rieka’s connection with them is because of the bracelet.”

This stopped Khalida.“Did Sypha give you any further information?”

Talik sighed.It had taken hours to decipher the cryptic comments Sypha had left him with, and he still wasn’t sure if he had interpreted them correctly.“It sounds like a glorified Faustian bargain.The Anki will offer anyone standing in their way their greatest desire, in exchange for a blood allegiance.”And now came the hard part.“From what Sypha said, they don’t believe it will work on us because of the consort mark.We would both need to agree to the bargain.”

Khalida glanced down at her wrist.It was the same as his.The faint markings had darkened and were glowing, but it was nowhere as bright as it used to be.The longer they stayed together, the greater the likelihood of the consort mark rebooting to its full capacity.Back to a time when the mark would be triggered if they spent too much time separated, and instead of the slight pleasurable tingle they were now receiving when they were within the vicinity of each other, it would be long, excruciating jolts.

“I don’t think it will be an issue.There is nothing a god can give us that will make us agree to a bargain.”She took a step away and then looked back.“Can we be influenced in any other way?”

Talik shook his head, not really sure of the answer.“Sypha only mentioned iron but provided no further information.”

“No.”Khalida crossed her arms.“If you are about to do something stupid or agree to a bargain, I will stab you.”

That did not fill him with warmth.“And what will I do?”

“I give you permission to try to stab me.”She turned, and with the bearing of a warrior goddess who had never been defeated in battle, she walked off, leaving him alone.

Talik involuntarily flexed his hand.

She was going to be the death of him.