Page 16 of A ?Sky Beyond the Storm

The door slams open, and a woman walks in. I drop into a crouch behind the chair, blade in hand, but the woman throws back her hood.

“Laia! Bleeding hells.” The Blood Shrike has changed into Mariner sea leathers, and though her hair is still covered, she looks more like herself. “I’ve been looking all over for you. What happened?”

“I... I was—”—taken by Jaduna, who performed some sort of rite that led to a... thing coming out of me, but now it is gone and I have no idea what any of it means.

“I got into a fight with the Nightbringer,” I say. “Escaped out a window.”

The Shrike nods approvingly. “Same. The window bit, that is. Tell me what happened on the way. We need to meet the others at the gate. Guards all over the place—”

I raise my hand, for I’ve seen a flash of iridescence—one of Musa’s wights. A moment later, a scroll appears between my fingers.

Northeast gate compromised. Soldiers everywhere. What the bleeding hells did you two do? Get to the harbor. I’ll find you.

“Nice that he managed to fit in a scolding but not which harbor,” the Shrike mutters.

“It’ll be Fari Harbor,” I say. “Where we disembarked when we first got here. But we have to get through half the city first. And if the streets are crawling with soldiers—”

The Shrike offers a grim smile. “Streets are for amateurs, Laia of Serra. We’ll take the rooftops.”

VIII:The Soul Catcher

The jinn tear Cain from my hands and the Augur crashes to the ground a few yards away. I’m certain the force of it will break his frail body in half. But he rises to his elbows as three jinn close in around him, blocking his escape.

“He belongs to us.” The jinn in command steps between the Augur and me. Rain sluices down her heavy cowl and her flame eyes burn with hate. “Go back to your ghosts. He is not worth your trouble, Soul Catcher.”

Perhaps not. But Cain knows something about the dreams. He knows about a threat to the Waiting Place. He has information I need.Curse you, old man.

“The Augur was once human,” I say. “He is thus in my charge. He will be removed from the Waiting Place. But not by you.”

One of the jinn steps forward. His hood falls back to reveal a human form, hair braided close to his head, skin a deeper brown than mine. He is vaguely familiar, but I cannot place why. He snorts. “Big words for a little boy.”

My hackles rise at the mockery in the creature’s voice.No boy now, but a man, with a man’s burden upon your shoulders. The words are from my old life, spoken to me by Cain, though I do not remember when.

I do, however, remember how to read an enemy, allowing me to shift aside just in time to avoid the blast of heat the jinn leader levels at me.

My reprieve is short-lived. She strikes again and this time, I am enveloped in flame. I have no shirt or cloak to protect me. Mauth’s magic rises, saving me from the worst of the attack. But there is the faintest sluggishness to the shield.Battling a monster of his own creation, Cain had said.

Now isn’t the time to be distracted, Mauth, I shout in my mind.Unless you want me barbecued.

Mauth doesn’t respond, but the effort to kill me appears to have tired the jinn out—at least momentarily. Regular weapons do not do much against jinn unless they are coated with salt. In any case, I only have my fists, so I throw a punch. My fist slams into solid, burning flesh, and part of me crows in satisfaction as she rears back, screaming.

“Umber!” One of the other jinn steps away from Cain to help her.

“Get back, Maro!” Umber shrieks. But Maro is too slow, and leaves enough of an opening that I can bolt through, fists flying. I move preternaturally fast and the jinns’ prejudice works against them. They do not expect my competence, and I am able to sweep Cain up over my shoulder and tear away from the grove.

The jinn might live in the Waiting Place, but they are not Soul Catchers anymore. They don’t have a map of the forest in their heads the way I do. They will track me. But it will take time.

As I windwalk, I slow my pounding heart, quell the part of me that thrills at the violence and simplicity of battle.It felt good to fight, a voice within whispers,for you were born to it. Your body was made for it.

I do not answer that voice. Instead I push myself faster, until I smell the salt of the sea. We are hundreds of miles from the jinn grove, not far from where I intercepted the humans earlier. Waves crash beyond the tree line, and I keep the water at my back. The jinn won’t approach from there. They hate salt.

The Augur winces when I drop him. “What do you know about the visions?” I ask. “You spoke of a threat to the Waiting Place?”

When the old man hesitates, I glance pointedly over his shoulder at the forest.

“I could let them have you,” I say. “I could let you rot in their jail. Talk.”

Cain sighs. “I will give you what you wish for. For a price.” His hands are inexorable as they close over mine. As he lifts them to his heart. “I want release, Soul Catcher. You are the Banu al-Mauth, the chosen of Death. You are one of the few on this earth who has the power to end my life. I ask that you do it quickly.”

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