Katie's Hope (Book II, Rhyn Trilogy)

Chapter Three

“So this is where you’re hiding out,” Rhyn said.

Gabriel whipped around at the voice, lowering the weapon that emerged instinctively at the sound of a stranger in his home. Rhyn kept his distance, knowing just how jumpy an assassin could be. Gabriel was at his place in the underworld, a small cottage tucked into Death’s realm, in the Everdark forest of Immortal trees whose hissing, fanlike leaves and snake-like branches moved to catch the quiet wind. Gabriel’s small cottage was lit by a single candle that cast light on a collection of weapons along one wall and a few books on a bookshelf on another.

“I didn’t think you could come here,” the assassin said.

“The Code says I shouldn’t, not that I can’t. Important distinction,” Rhyn replied and pulled out a chair from the table on which the candle was placed. He straddled the chair and rested his forearms on its back. “You left without saying good-bye.”

Gabriel rubbed his face, and Rhyn saw the shadow of stubble the assassin never allowed to grow. Something was really wrong if Gabriel’s thousands-year-old habit changed suddenly.

“I didn’t have a choice,” Gabriel said with some difficulty. “Death owns me now.”

Rhyn understood without asking. Gabriel had always been a free man; now the human-turned Immortal was a slave.

“Welcome to my world,” he said with a chuckle. “You’ll find making friends is hard when everyone hates you.”

“I’m beginning to see that. Didn’t realize I liked having some sort of free will.”

“You still have choices. Just none of them are good.”

Gabriel snorted in response.

“Since I know I can drop in on you whenever I want, I promise to come back,” Rhyn continued. “I need a hand finding an Ancient healer named Lankha.”

“Your girl hurt again?”

“I suppose you’ll be the latest to tell me she’s better off without me,” Rhyn said. “But no, it’s not her this time. It’s Toby.”

Gabriel frowned and ran a hand through his hair. Rhyn watched him, concerned at finding his sole friend so affected by the recent change in his life. He sensed much more amiss than Gabriel would ever admit.

“The healers moved to the other side of the Immortal world, past Elisia and closer to Hell. I can’t take you, but here.” He held out his hand. Rhyn stretched to tap fists with him, and the portal information lit up his thoughts. He’d spent most his life in Hell and remembered little of the Immortal world.

“I’ll come back,” Rhyn promised, rising.

“Rhyn,” Gabriel said quietly. “I don’t think our friendship will survive what comes.”

“We are both bound to our destinies, Gabriel, something you taught me. Whatever that brings, you’ve been my only brother and friend,” Rhyn replied in the same tone.

When the assassin turned away, Rhyn stepped into the living forest. He opened the portal and stepped into the shadow world, envisioning the place Gabriel had passed to him. One of the portals glowed in response, and he strode through it, stepping into a world as sunny as Gabriel’s was dark. He smelled the ocean and stood on a beach of red sand edged with small shrubs. He walked up the beach and into the shrubs, finding a path that led to a small village of red cottages. Far across the sea, he saw the black walls of Hell stretching from water to sky.

The healers’ village consisted of several dozen cottages around a central square, in which many of the village’s people gathered and talked or cooked meals over red flames. They grew silent when he appeared, and those nearest him scattered. He’d thought Lankha skittish when he met the healer but soon found all the healers quaking and hiding.