Page 32 of Ride or Die (The Body Shop #5)

“That would be ideal,” he said eventually, never looking at me but continuing to scan the area.

“You’re a risk, and I detest risks at my age.

I’ll take what I need from the bones in the earth, and if you prove you can be trusted, in time, I will link with you as my conduit.

” He nodded to himself, satisfied with his search or his terms, I wasn’t sure.

“I must be cautious and only take small amounts until I’ve built up strength to fight off anyone who comes for either of us.

By the time the others notice I’m flush, it will be too late for them to stand against me. ”

“Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out.”

“I do what I can.” He popped his knuckles.

“I’ll email you a schedule as soon as I get a chance to sit down and write one.

I have a deadline coming up fast, so it’ll be a day or two.

This isn’t far for you to travel, and I see Anunit has no problem teleporting.

Once a month ought to do it. At least to start.

We’ll go up in frequency until I begin drawing from you. ”

“Great.” I turned to Anunit. “Do I need to do anything special to grant him access through the wards?”

From what Anunit had told me, the wards sprang to life on their own whenever a new guardian bonded to the land. The power must be drawn from them or through them, since the wards collapsed upon their deaths, but we hadn’t had time to get into the specifics. I would have to remedy that, and soon.

“You must be in contact with him to guide him across the divide.”

“Okay.” Loathe as I was to touch Dis Pater, I relayed the information. “I’ll have to touch you for this next part. I’ll put my hand on your shoulder and walk you in with me. Then I’ll wait inside with you, let you do your thing, and escort you out.”

“All right.” He rolled his shoulders, as unhappy with the requisite physical contact as me. “I’m ready.”

Skin crawling, I set my palm on his shoulder, wishing more than his thin dress shirt separated us.

Allowing my eyes to slide out of focus, I brought the wards protecting the burial ground into view. After I mapped them with my eyes, I blinked to clear my vision, allowing a shadow of their outline to remain on my periphery to guide me.

Sparking brighter than the echoes of the dead, I spied two luminescent souls drifting closer through the trees, heading right for us.

Phew.

Right on time.

Warm tingles prickled my arms as I crossed the ward, flaring to a deep heat that settled into my bones. His sharp intake of breath hinted his experience wasn’t as welcoming as mine, but oh well. I promised I would get him here. I never promised I would make it good for him.

The moment he lifted his foot to enter the burial ground fully, I noticed motion behind us and used my grip to shove him stumbling backward. He staggered at the unexpected push, tripped over a rock, and caught himself against a tree.

On the wrong side of the ward.

“Sorry I’m late.” Matty held up his hands, four vials of Dream Sweet tucked between the fingers on each. “Traffic was terrible.” He flung them at the startled god, and they exploded at Dis Pater’s feet in a cloud of pink and purple smoke. “Hope I didn’t miss anything important.”

Plumes engulfed Dis Pater, rushing down his nose and throat, causing his eyes to water. He flung an arm out toward Matty, but a familiar thorny vine wrapped his wrist to his elbow and wrenched it down at his side before he could summon lightning or worse.

Startled to find the god still standing, Matty materialized four more vials and hurled them too.

The vines crept over Dis Pater, bundling him like the snuggling anacondas Josie had accused Kierce and me of being earlier. Eventually, she had him wrapped in a cocoon, and Matty’s sleeping draught clouded the night air.

A dull thump drew my focus to where the omen had fallen from the sky after getting too close. Karma in action.

A dozen vials later, Dis Pater swayed from foot to foot, his balance compromised from the bindings. Eyes rolling back in his head, he hit the ground on his side, knocking a deep snore out of him. His mouth hung open, drool sliding down his jaw, and his chest rose and fell in level breaths.

“Good thing I’ve been saving up,” Matty said around a yawn from the effort of retrieving so many vials. “That’s the most it’s ever taken to bring someone down. I even tweaked those for divine metabolisms.”

“More like good thing you’ve got killer aim.”

“Yeah, well, spend enough time in dreams, and you either get good with Dream Sweet or you get dead.”

Alone in the sleep realm, he’d had no choice but to become proficient. Death in that world meant death in ours too. His body failed him here, but it was a honed weapon there.

“Matty,” Josie called to him. “You stand watch.” She pushed her shoulders back. “Frankie and I are going to end this.” She bit her bottom lip. “If Carter arrives before we’re done, make sure she stands to the left. That’s my best side, and I don’t want her to miss a moment of this.”

Leave it to Josie to worry about putting on a show for Carter. “What do you need?”

“I can get through the wards on my own, but I’m not sure the vines count as an extension of me. I might need help getting him clearance.”

Part of the bargain between Anunit and me involved allowing my sister access to the burial grounds.

Josie was allowed to heal herself and draw power from the earth in times of crisis.

The rich soil would increase her lifespan, and Anunit had known that would motivate me to embrace my guardian status like nothing else.

“Gotcha.” I tossed the omen on his chest then slapped a hand across his forehead, the only exposed skin left, and Josie ordered her vines to drag the god across the threshold beside me. “We can’t leave him in contact with the earth.”

The instant he regained consciousness, he would draw in enough magic to break free and escape.

“I have an idea that ought to do the trick.” She cocked her head, listening, then set out for a massive oak tree wreathed in Spanish moss. “Hello, lovely.” She rested a hand on its bark. “Thanks for volunteering.”

With a quick word to her vines, Josie coaxed them to gag Dis Pater before sealing his head in thick, green ropes.

A nudge sent the vines climbing the tree until it reached the halfway point then draped itself over a sturdy limb.

The vine kept going until the tip hit the ground then knotted around the divine cocoon.

As soon as it was anchored, Josie ordered the vine to heave Dis Pater higher and higher until he reached its level before swinging him against the trunk and tethering him flush against it.

“Truss him up good,” she hollered at the vines, swaying on her feet. “Tha’s it.”

“You got him, Mary.” I darted in, hooking my arms under hers. “He’s not getting free anytime soon.”

“Showed him whoof’s boffs,” she slurred as I lowered her onto the leaves.

“You sure did.” As soon as I had her comfy, I dug a small hole and stuck her hand in. “Refuel, okay?”

Green shoots slid out of her fingertips, burrowing into the soil, and I turned to admire her handiwork.

“I still want to kill him,” Anunit rumbled, “but I understand why it must be done this way.”

“I know you do, and I’m sorry I cost you the chance.”

“I could not cost your consort a chance at happiness when it was within my power to grant it.” Her whiskers flexed forward and back. “I did not realize who he was, and after I did, I could not bring myself to speak of the past.”

“Kierce will understand. He won’t hold it against you. I doubt Berchem would have either.” I rubbed her ears between my fingers and turned her thoughts onto a more immediate concern. “Will Dis Pater be secure here?”

“The tree and the vines belong to the dryad now. They will not help him. He cannot draw power through either of them for consumption. As long as your brother keeps him dosed, he will sleep until he weakens and slips into a coma. He will wither and shrivel until he is as good as dead.” She rested her head against my thigh.

“To be so close to all he sacrificed others to achieve but never able to reach it is a fitting end.”

For Matty’s part, he had agreed to visit Dis Pater in dreams and bomb him with Dream Sweet daily.

Not only would it be safer for him to monitor the god from a realm where he held the upper hand, but it would mean fewer vials spent too. They were far more potent used against dreamers than on those who were awake.

“I would like time alone with my daughter.” Anunit eyed the sword at my waist. “To say my goodbyes.”

Gentle with Dinorah, I handed her to her mother. “Do you want company?”

“No,” she said after a long moment. “ I will be here for a while, I think.”

“Take all the time you need.” I bent down and kissed her forehead. “You know where to find me if you change your mind.”

A nod was her answer as she turned and disappeared into the foliage with the sword held in her jaws.

Within minutes, Josie began to stir, her eyes alight with verdant magic. “How did I do?”

“You did great.” I rushed over and clasped hands with her, pulling her into a seated position. “It’s a thing of beauty.” I drank in her proud smile and kicked myself for ever making her doubt the value of her help. “Do you think you can stand?”

“I can do anything .” She stood on shaking legs. “I feel amazing .”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“The earth responded to her need,” Anunit mused from some distance away. “It fed her too much energy too fast.”

“So, she’s drunk on power.” I looped an arm around her waist. “I’m sure that will end well.”

Helping her balance, I walked her past the threshold and right into Carter’s chest.

“Oh.” Josie looped her arms around Carter’s neck. “Fancy meeting you here.”

“That’s it.” Carter gripped Josie’s hips, leaving orange fingerprints behind. “I give up. You win.”

A low groan tore out of Harrow, and he tried to catch Carter’s eye while shaking his head firmly.