Dead Lines

20: Gadzo and Lycaon

Unedited.

Chapter Twenty

The wolves’ idea of dealing with the Nothing was simple in its complexity. If I wasn’t annoyed at being covered in goo, I’d be impressed.  

“Zeus has Hermes,” Kye said as he dug something out of his pocket. “Caelus has these bastards.”

He pulled out a flat silver disk and flashed it at me. “What is it?” I asked.

“A ward.” The guy who’d been the most vocal spared me a glance. “It’s old romani magic we’ve had to dig up recently. The Nothing have been giving us problems since Caelus came back.”

“They do his bidding,” I agreed. “Nasty pains in the butt.”

His eyebrow arched up. “Butt?”

“She doesn’t swear,” Andrzej quipped. “Often.”

“What kind of person doesn’t swear?”

“The kind that’s holding a really pointy sword and wants to stab you with it,” I said blandly.

“Feisty. Where did you pick this one up?”

“He didn’t pick me up. And just so you know, he’s not my boyfriend either. He’s my εταίρος and my friend.”

“Ah. Elite εταίρος. Doesn’t mean you can’t…”

I raised the short sword and touched it to his throat. “Finish that statement and you deal with the consequences.”

“She has a mate, Dives,” Andrzej said as he took a hold of my wrist and lowered it. “And you’re lucky he’s not here because he’d do worse to you than I could.”

“She’s a little young for a mate.” He looked me up and down before glaring at me. “And point that sword at me again…”

“Enough!” Kye yelled. “She’s out of your league, D. This is the last time I’ll tell you, leave her alone.”

“Out of my league?” He turned to look at his friend. “I don’t have a league.”

“Which is exactly why she’s off limits. Girl, come over here and help.”

I don’t think I’d ever been addressed simply as girl and strangely, it didn’t nag like one would think. In the long run, it would keep me from hurting this guy. Andrzej nodded and I headed over, ignoring the others as I passed. Kye was standing right in front of the portal I assumed since I couldn’t see. “What do you need?”

“They like you, the Nothing. I haven’t seen this many and I have a feeling it has something to do with you.” He looked over at me. “I need you to draw them out, make sure they get caught by the ward.”

“Kye…” Andrzej started in our direction. “No.”

“She can do this,” Kye threw over his shoulder. “Besides, she needs to learn these things for herself. You’re not always going to be around.”

“She’ll not learn them from you.”

“Then from who? We both know the Elite are sheltering her, assessing her. Seeing how big of a threat she is and how much damage she can do. Isn’t it time she learn something of value?”

Andrzej looked at me. “You don’t have to do this.”

Just like I didn’t have to come with him. I was here and both of us wanted this to be over and done with. We had lives to get back to, a world to save. “Give me the disk.”