Chapter2
Finn's mind was his own again, thedrugs and alcohol finally purged from his system. It didn't makewaking to a blade at his throat an enjoyable experience. In some waysit made it worse, at least if he was still high he wouldn't care asmuch. As it stood, he cared a great deal, and was incrediblyannoyed.
It was still impossibly early, and nocreature in its right mind was awake and functioning at this hour,and he sure as shit didn't want to be either. He'd passed outhard enough that he had only moved throughout the night enough todislodge his headphones. He could still hear the bass bounding fromwhatever song was playing as they lay a few inches from his face. Hisjeans were damp with sweat and uncomfortable the way they wereclinging to his skin. Maybe she'd help him out of them, he didenjoy a ride in the mornings, even at this unholy hour.
The thick burgundy curtains over hiswindows were still closed, but he'd not turned off the few lightshe'd had on last night so at least he could see the would-beassassin very clearly.
What was he paying Altar and Jessenfor if they couldn't keep him alive in his own house? Not that thisone was much of a threat.
Her full and dark ruby lips spreadinto a most obnoxious smile, revealing perfect straight white teeth. "G'morning, your highness." The smugness in her faux cheery voicewas obnoxious, and would be even if he wasn't hungover.
"Is it, Gyllian?" If this was howhis day was starting at least it couldn't get worse. She didn'tremove the blade, just continued standing over him, grinning. How shemanaged to move so stealthily in jeans and a leather jacket wasdisquieting. "How'd you get in here?" He raised an arm andrested it behind his head, and allowed her to believe she likewiseallowed the gesture.
"Does it matter? What are you goingto do about it any way?" Her grin only broadened. She was goadinghim, taunting him, just like everyone else did. "Come on Prince,show me what you got."
It was always the same, they wanted toknow what he could do, what his gift was. Finn couldn'tmanipulate the air, or control the temperature. He had no ability tocontort his form into an animal, or compel people to do as he asked. Finn's strength, speed and skill with weapons had been honed fromyears of practice, not magically enhanced.
From the time he was a child he'dnever shown the slightest ability to be or do anything, and it drovehis father insane. He'd even nearly killed Finn a few times tryingto force some sort of magic out of him in self-defense, out of mortalfear. Finn wondered if his father didn't still assume he was justthis side of human, even all these years later. Finn had struggledin his youth to figure out what gift he'd possessed as well, to noavail, and it only furthered his determination to make his body, andhis authority as much of a weapon as he could.
Then his patron god Anubis hadactually appeared to him during his Right and let told him in nouncertain terms what he was in fact capable of... and why. Finnvowed to himself to tell no one, show no one what he was capable ofunless utter necessity forced his hand.
"Why should I? I find it much moreinteresting to see what my enemies will do. The interestingpositions people will put themselves in, when they think their targetis helpless, or are misinformed about an opponent's skill level." He winked at her.
Gyllian's eyes guttered but onlybriefly, re-evaluating her position, wondering if she had indeedmiscalculated as much as she had. "Again, how'd you get in here?" Finn repeated, more sternly. He pulled his lip ring through histeeth, a bad habit but Gyllian's eyes snagged on it, like she wantedit between her teeth instead.
