Iron Crowned Chapter 3

I ability withstand come to subscribe creation queen of the Thorn arena, and it was hard non to grow connected to a place you had a spiritual connection to. N hotshottheless, nothing the Other manhood wrap upered would constantly concord the place of my home in Tucson. It was a sm only house, scarce in a nice neighborhood, near the Catalina Mountains north of the city. Gate way of lifes between the worlds existed both oer, facilitating travel, unless I had an anchor in my home, meaning once I shifted bulge of the Thorn Lands gate, I was able to materialize directly in my bedroom. An anchor could be any object tied to your essence.My roommate Tim, who hadnt seen me in a fewer days, was understandably take a backbone when I came strolling into the kitchen.Jesus Christ, Eug he exclaimed. Hed been flipping pancakes at the stove. Weve got to put a bell slightly your neck or aroundthing.I grinned and had an inexplicable urge to hug him though I knew that would nut case him forbidden even more(prenominal). After all the craziness in the Otherworld, his northward was a welcome sight. Well, normality might baffle been an exaggeration. Tim with his tall, dark, and handsome looks had taken to impersonating Native Americans ( aw wide of the marky) in order to score chicks and make money sell his awful poetry. He rotated through with(predicate) various communitys, and last I knew, hed been passing himself off as Tlingit, seeing as the locals got a modest less pissed off by him donning the clothes of a tribe living hundreds of miles away. He lived in my house rent-free in throw for cooking and housework, and I was glad to see him dressed in an quotidian jeans and T-shirt ensemble today.Are you making passable for twain? I anticipateed, heading straight for the full drinking chocolatepot.I eer make enough for two. But most of it goes to waste. That last part came by as a grumble. Hed once complained intimately cosmos my slave exactly missed my being around now.Messages?Usual place.When in the Otherworld, I left my cell send for with Tim. It forced him to play secretary, something he resented since I actually already employed one. Indeed, most of the messages hed scrawled on the refrigerators w pull aheade board were from her.Tue. 11 AM Lara two hypothecate offersTue. 230 PM Lara one possible lymph g arrive hires ASAP helpTue. 515 PM Lara pacify insufficiencys to take to task to youTue. 520 PM Lara needs you to finish tax paperworkTue. 1030 PM Lara wont stop callingWed. 8 AM Lara who calls this early?Wed. 1115 AM BitchWed. 1130 AM Sams Home benefit interested in vinyl siding?I admired his fine message taking frustration with Lara aside only if my heart sank when I power saw who was conspicuously missing. Every eon I came home, I secretly hoped Id see their names up there. Some cartridge clips, on the sly, my mom would check on me. But my stepdad, Roland? He never called anymore, no t subsequently finding show up ab let out my allegiance to the Otherworld.Tim, preoccupied with his cooking, didnt see my face. I dont waste ones time wherefore she keeps calling. She go to sleeps you cant get any of her messages. Why does she need more than one? Its not like a billion of them be magically going to get through to you.Its beneficial her way, I state. Shes efficient.Thats not efficient, he declared. Its borderline neurotic.I sighed, wondering not for the first time if I should just permit messages go to voice mail. Despite having never met, Tim and Lara were mortal phone enemies. comprehend them bitch about distributively former(a) was wearying. Nonetheless, staring at her suck of calls already made me feel tired. Id once had a brisk parcel out as a freelance shaman, kicking out ghosts and other peckish supernatural creatures who harassed humans. Now that I moonlighted as a nance queen, Id had to become much more selective with clientele. I could no ch ronic keep up with the demand around here and felt bad about that. I suspected Roland was picking up my slack nevertheless didnt know for sure as shooting.I waited until later on cashierfast sooner dealing with Lara. Pancakes, sausage, and coffee gave me the strength to deal with this latest batch of requests. Undoubtedly seeing my effect on her caller ID, Lara didnt bother with formalities when I ultimately called. closely-nigh time, she exclaimed. Has he been giving you my messages?He just did. Ive been gone for three days. You know you dont need to keep bugging him about it.I exigency to make sure he tells you I called.He writes them down, every one. Besides, my phones log also tells me youve called a lot.Hmphf. She let it go. Well, youre getting a lot of requests lately. Ive thinned them out, but youve still got to choose.It was almost February. We werent near any major sabbats, when paranormal activity always increased. Sometimes, though, it happened for no reason. It figured now would be one of those times chastise enchantment I was in the middle of a war. Or, I realized, it might be happening because of that. My identities as queen and shaman were both well known among many creatures. Maybe they hoped they could get away with more while I was upseted. Half seemed to show up for selfish purposes in our world the other half hoped to forcibly father Storm Kings heir on me.Okay, I verbalise. Lets hear the priorities.We need to finish your taxes.Thats not a priority. lionise going.Single woman, stalked by a fetch.Thats serious. Ill have to get on that one.Tree elemental. In your neighborhood.Yeah, that ones here for me. He wont hurt anyone else.Phantom-infested subdivision.On a graveyard?Yup.Schedule it, and make sure the builders charged double. Their own duncical fault.Will do. Then youve got the usual weirdness. Lights in the sky. Possible UFO.Was that Wil again?Yes. tinkers damn it Did you tell him its just the military?Yes. He also verb alise theres been some Bigfoot sights I froze. Bigfoot? Where?I didnt get the details. I thought it was his usual craziness. And didnt you conjecture they dont live in Arizona?They dont. Has there been anything weird in the discussion? Deaths?There was a pause, and I heard the rustling of papers. Two hikers died everywhere in Coronado, near the Rappel Rock trail. The report resignd that they fell. Took a couple days to find their bodies. Nasty stuff. Some animals got to them.I was up and out of my chair in a flash, making the dishes on the kitchen remand rattle. Tim, leafing through a magazine, looked up in alarm.Call Wil, I told her, toilsome to tug on one of my boots while balancing the phone. give away out where he heard about these Bigfoot sightings. If its not Coronado, give me a call back. If it is, no need to call. Wil was Jasmines half brother, and I avoided speaking to him when I could. One reason was that he always asked me about her. The other was that he was a c razy, paranoid conspiracy theorist. This time, he might be on to something.Lara was understandably startled. But you said Bigfoot Its not Bigfoot.Dont forget your other job tonightI wont.I disconnected and managed to get on the other boot. Tim regarded me warily. I dont like it when you get that look.That makes two of us.He watched as I went to our hallway closet and produced a little-worn leather show up. Youre going to Coronado?Yup.High?Yup.He sighed and gestured to where we hung our keys near the door. Take my car. Itll handle better if you run into one C.I slung my satchel over my shoulder and flashed him a grateful smile. He warned me to be careful, but I was already out the door with the keys, heading for his Subaru.My eyeball scarcely saw the road as I drove toward Coronado State Park. Bigfoot. No, you wouldnt find Bigfoot out here, not even in the Catalinas. Now, tell me thered been a sighting in the Pacific Northwest? Or anywhere in Canada? Yeah, itd be Bigfoot looku p time. But it wouldnt be a priority. They were generally harmless.Here? When you got a Bigfoot sighting in Tucson, it was a demigod bear. Yeah I know. It was a absurd name, but it got the point across and really, there was nothing funny about them. They came from the Underworld and were utterly lethal. With their tall and haired bearing, it was well-to-do to understand why the untrained eye would mistake them for popular images of Bigfoot. Demon bears didnt fuck around every. If only two people were dead, then this one hadnt been in the region long. We were lucky even if the hikers werent. No rodents or play a trick ones had fed on those bodies.In Tucson proper, we were enjoying our typically mild winter withstand mid-seventies today, if I had to guess. As I drove higher into the mountains, the temperature dropped rapidly. I soon saw snow on the ground and signs for Mt. Lemmons ski resorts. Other signs directed me toward popular hiking and arise areas including Rappel Rock. In and of itself, it was a popular area for outdoorsmen. With its proximity to the ski areas, the demon bears presence was doubly dangerous this time of year.I finally reached the trailhead and parked in a gravel lot. Only a couple other cars were there, which was a small blessing. I stepped out of the Subaru, shocked by the blast of cold air that work me. I was not apply to these temperatures. I hadnt been bred for them. Give me monsters and ghosts? No problem. But cold weather? That was a weakness. I couldve apply magic to adjust the air but necessitate to conserve my power. Instead, as I stuffed my arsenal into my belt not comfortable but ready for easy access I used my magic for a summoning. I spoke the ritual words, and a few moments later, a small implike creature appeared before me. He had pointed ears, dispassionate night-black skin, and red slits for eyes.My mistress calls, he said in a now voice, and I answer, no doubt for some mundane task.Were going after a demon bear, I said, moving briskly toward the trail and trying my best to reduce the cold. My jacket wasnt suited for this weather at all, but it was the best I had.A more challenging task than most, he observed.I ignored his condescension as I stopped before the sign indicating the various routes and levels of difficulty for these climbs and hikes. Volusian was a cursed spirit Id suppress and enslaved. His power made him a useful asset and a unsteady one. He hated me and spent a good deal of his time planning how to kill me, should I ever lose the control needed to bind him.I closed my eyes, attempting to become one with the air quite an than its victim. The world was silent here, save for the rustling of wind in the pines and brattle of birds and small animals. I spread my senses out, seeking something out of place. My abilities werent perfect, but I could often sense a presence not from our world.There. I assailable my eyes abruptly and pointed near a trail marked somew hat difficult. Do you feel anything? Volusian studied the area, using his senses as well. Yes. But more there. He pointed not at the trail itself but more toward its left, off into the woods. I grimaced but knew his senses were slightly better than mine.Off-roading. Lovely.We set out in that direction. Volusian shifted to a more ghostly form that floated along with me, rather than treading through the underbrush like I had to. It wasnt anything I couldnt handle, but it made for leaden going. Yet, as I traveled farther and farther, that magical feel increased.It provide sense you alike, mistress, said Volusian, in a rare show of unrequested commentary.I didnt doubt it. Will it come after me? Or depart it run?Run? No. Hide? Perhaps. There was a careful pause. It wont try to force itself sexually on you, however. The blood of the shining ones is in addition alluring. It will simply try to eat you.How reassuring, I muttered. Ill do the ostraciseing. You distract it.Soon, I neede d no special senses to know wed reached our goal. The forest had expectant deadly silent. No more birds or other signs of life. A truehearted sense of wrongness filled the air. The worlds were stacked human, Otherworld, Underworld. With our proximity, Otherworldly creatures could sometimes range throughout this world without me feeling anything. Something from the Underworld was overly foreign. It stuck out.Were close, I murmured. Were often oomphfA massive arm swung out from a cluster of trees and hit me in the stomach, knocking me painfully backward. There was nothing I could do to prevent my fall onto the forest floor of sharp sticks and rocks, but I did manage to grab hold of my sceptre as I went down.A giant form loomed in front of me, almost eight feet tall. Long-limbed, with claw feet and hands, its muscled body could easily be mistaken for that of a Bigfoot. Its ears while by all odds bearlike were flattened against its head, adding to the humanoid appearance. It roared, showing a mouthful of sharp teeth. minatory eyes, filled with nothing but mindless rage, peered down at me.Volusian, compelled by my orders, threw himself against the bear. The power radiating around Volusians body had the substantiality of a ton of bricks. The creature staggered backward, eyes shifting angrily to my minion. The fact that Volusian hadnt knocked it to the ground was concerning. They were either well matched, or the demon was even more powerful than Volusian. The latter(prenominal) would be problematic, seeing as I wasnt robust enough to banish Volusian.Well, that is, I wasnt strong enough to banish him and difference of opinion him. If someone else keep down him, I could have sent Volusian on. If this demon bear had the means to vote out Volusian, then Id be cake. Hopefully, the demon bear couldnt obliterate Volusian while distracted by something else me. I scrambled to my feet, holding my wand out as I prepared to open a door to the Underworld. Volusi an and the demon battled it out, uncomplete capable of killing each other.I gathered my will, channeling the power of my understanding to spread past this world and the Otherworld, on to the Underworld. On my arm, a tattoo of a black and white butterfly sacred to Persephone began to burn as I touched her domain. The air near the demon dematerialized, forming an chess opening to the Underworld. Grabbing my facile athame with my free hand, I approached the battle, cautious of both the combatants and the forming gate.Volusian hovered over the demon, keeping its eyes directed high. I sneaked up unnoticed. With well-practiced speed, I snaked out with the athame, drawing an esoteric symbol on the demons chest. Usually, banishing a demon back to its domain unploughed it from returning. A binding mark like this ensured it. I didnt want to take any chances.The demons roar of rage echoed through the woods, and it turned toward me. Id anticipated this and had already scrambled away, keep ing out of its reach. Really, Id been lucky the first time it hit me. It had the strength to kill me with one blow. Volusian came forward again to pull the demons tending back only, it didnt work. The demon recognized the threat I was and could feel the opening of the gate. Volusian, attacking and attacking, was a nuisance a painful one but one the demon could apparently ignore as it came toward me.Shit, I said. I backed farther and farther away, but the demon was quickly final stage the distance. Its massive feet could trample the underbrush that slowed me so much. I worked hard to ignore just how dire my situation had become and instead concentrated on the gateway. That door grew more substantial, and soon, its power began calling to its own sucking the demon back. The creature paused in its attack. The problem was, the gate wanted to pull Volusian too. Orders or not, he moved out of range for self-preservation, which I didnt exactly load him for. Only, without my minion to beat on the demon, it now had just enough strength to advertize the gate and keep coming toward me. It had to know that if it could take me out, the gate would go away too.Suddenly, I heard something approaching us, sticks and leaves crackling under strong feet or, to be more precise, paws. A red fox much larger than a normal one sprang out onto the demons back, sinking its teeth into the furry brown hide. This brought some other shriek from the demon and gave me a moments respite. I threw all my power into the gate and jerked the demon toward it. The demon flailed, unable to fight being sent back to its own world. The fox had the sense to get out of the way, its services no longer needed. The demon gave one last abject cry and then faded from our sight. I stretched the wand toward where the demon had disappeared, move my energy through the wands gems to banish the gate as well and reseal this world.Silence followed, except for my own rapid breathing. Slowly, birds began t o sing again, and the forests natural state returned. I leaned against a tall, leafless oak in relief. The banishing hadnt been as easy as I expected, but it certainly could have ended worsened like, with my death.We didnt need your help, I said. We were doing just fine.The fox was no longer there, as Id already known. It had transformed into a tall, muscled man, with deep, golden-brown skin and black hair that barely touched his shoulders. He was a kitsune, a shape-shifting Japanese fox from the Otherworld. Actually, he was half-kitsune. His mother had been the kitsune his father a mortal from Arizona. Power-wise, it made little difference.Yeah, said Kiyo, crossing his arms over his chest. He needed no coat and simply wore a burgundy T-shirt. You seemed to have it all under control.We were about to, I retorted.Actually, mistress, said Volusian, deadpan, your death was probably imminent.Oh shut up, I snapped. Youre dismissed. Go back to the Otherworld. Volusian vanished.I turned ba ck to Kiyo. What are you doing out here leastways?He shrugged, and I worked hard to ignore the effect his somatogenic appearance always had on me. Same thing as you. Im on Wils get off list. When I heard about the Bigfoot sightings I sighed and turned back the way wed come. I dont need your help.I wasnt coming to help you. He caught up with me easily. I was coming to kill a demon bear. You just happened to be here first.Considering the trouble Volusian and I had had, I doubted Kiyo could have taken out the demon through brute force. Kiyo was strong, yeah, but hardly all-powerful. Unfortunately, he was all-bravery. He rushed into impossible situations, ready to defend others even at court to himself. Hed always been reckless that way except for once.And that was the core of our problems.Kiyo and I used to date, wrapped in a deeply romantic and physical relationship. His unrelenting disapproval of my Otherworldly relations had begun to fracture things between us. The final brea k had occurred after Leith had raped me. Kiyo had come to rescue me but had refused to punish Leith. Kiyo had well-advised a tamer career of action letting Otherworldly arbitrator take its course. Dorian, however, had opted for on-the-spot justice hed run Leith through with a sword. Kiyo and I had broken up shortly after that.You were outclassed, I told Kiyo. There are a billion other creatures running loose right now. If you want to help, go after them.Ah, yes. I forgot, he said. Tucsons former caretaker is too occupy playing queen.I came to a halt and glared. Im not playing at anything Controlling the Thorn Land wasnt my choice, and you know it.Thats true. It was Dorians choice one he tricked you into. Yet, somehow that doesnt matter, and now its okay for you to shack up with him and wage war.I started moving again, marching through the woods in a murk of anger. When wed broken up, Kiyo had been sad and withdrawn. Over time, hed gotten his spunk back and now whenever we ran into each other didnt hesitate to express his opinion of Dorian, the war, or anything else Otherworldly I was involved in.The war wasnt my choice either, I said at last, after refusing to respond for several minutes.Stopping it wasnt exactly out of your control either.So what are you saying? That I should just stop now and cease?No. His calmness was annoying. But there must be a peaceful way to end it. To negotiate something.Dont you think weve tried? I exclaimed. How bloodthirsty do you think I am? Every diplomatist we send is either given unreasonable demands or met with death threats.I like the use of we. I wonder how seriously Dorian is taking the peace process.I could see the parking lot through the trees ahead. Good. I needed to be away from Kiyo. His presence was stifling. It stirred up too many feelings, too many feelings I didnt want to deal with.Dorian isnt running this by himself. Were in it together, and we have tried to settle with Katrice.And as thats failed, youre now going to march in with your allies and take her land with overwhelming force, expanding your pudding stone.We reached the gravel lot, and I turned on Kiyo in full anger, hands on my hips. We dont have any allies. And I dont want another kingdom I sure as hell dont want an empireHe shrugged. Say whatever you want, but everyone knows youre looking for people to touch base up with you.And Katrice is doing the same, I said smoothly. I hear shes visited the willow tree Land quite a bit.Ah, that broke him. Kiyos smug, cool faade faltered. Nothings decided, he said stiffly.But your girlfriends no fan of Dorian and me. Shes afraid of us. How long, Kiyo? How long until she and you fight against us? I was gaining ground he was on the defensive. He and Maiwenn the Willow Queen had once been lovers theyd even had a daughter together. Id never believed their just friends claims since our breakup.Kiyo took a step forward, leaning toward me and fixing me with that dark, dark gaze. Shes n ot my girlfriend. And were staying neutral.I gave a shrug as masterfully casual as the one hed given me earlier. If you say so. And I like your use of we. Except, you dont really have an equal share in it, do you? You just run along and follow her orders.Damn it, Eugenie He clenched his fists. Why do you have to be so He couldnt finish, and as we stood there, so close, I became apprised once more of his body and the memories of our time together. I remembered what that body could do in bed. I remembered the way wed laughed, how easily wed connected. The Otherworld consumed so much of my time lately, but I was still half human. The human part of me called to other humans.And as he looked down at me, the anger softening a little, I had a feeling he was thinking the same thing. If he had any lingering attraction, the animal attributes in him would make this doubly awkward. My physical appearance would trigger sexual attraction that much more quickly. veritable(a) my scent could arou se him.He looked away. Well. None of that matters. You should go home. Youre freezing.Im fine, I said automatically, like I wasnt shivering and covered in goose bumps.Of course you are. He glanced back at me, a small, wry smile on his face. Be careful, Eugenie.With what exactly? I asked.Everything.With that, he shape-shifted back into a fox a smaller, normal one and scampered off through the trees. Naturally, he was too hard-core to have driven up here. Suddenly feeling drained, I got out Tims keys and turned toward the car. Id done what I needed to, that was what counted. I didnt want to think about Kiyo or war or anything like that. I wanted to go home and rest before the next job.A tingling along my spine made me drop the keys as I felt an Otherworldly presence appear behind me. I spun around, puff my wand back out as I did. There, before me, was a ghost. It was female, looking like shed died in her midthirties. Her translucent form washed out any color, but her hair was curly and shoulder-length, her clothing casual. Seeing a ghost outdoors was rare they tended to be attracted to material things. Still, location didnt matter. They were dangerous. I pointed my wand at her, banishing words upon my lips.Wait, dont she cried, holding up her hands.Pleading ghosts werent uncommon. Sorry. This isnt your world. You need to move on. Its for the best.Please. Not yet. I need to talk to you, Eugenie Markham.I frowned, wand still poised and ready. How do you know my name?Because Ive come to ask for your help. I need you to find out who killed me.