enjoys chaos, Ram, because they know nothing else and they have no wish to change. You live in the moment, seeing only the next opportunity to indulge. This is why you are blind to the opportunity we’ve been presented with by the unusual presence in our midst. Do you wish me to share what I can with the Fireborne’s human, or would you prefer to close the meeting now and leave all our lives to the whims of chance?”
The laughter stopped instantly and Aziza began to shake her head, already disliking the direction this seemed to be going. “With my human? You mean Greg ? No. Absolutely not. Why can’t you share it with me?”
The young Te’s large eyes were difficult to read, but Aziza would swear she saw pity. God, she hated pity. “The knowledge of who you are and what you need to do is in your veins, Fireborne. Awakened by your blood oath. It would, in due course, rise to the surface…if we had time. On both sides we are restricted from giving you the information you need in time for you to stay alive and fulfill your purpose, which could be contrary to our people’s well-being. I believe this is why they are hesitant to aid you. I respect consensus in all things, however , I am inclined to agree with my fellow Qarins in this case.”
He glanced at Greg. “We are also forbidden to reveal ourselves to a human unless the circumstance is dire. This situation qualifies. He is the way. Our loophole.”
“Agreed,” Ram and Shev spoke at the same time.
Te held out his hands again and cupped them in front of Greg’s lowered head. “Do you, Gregory Paul Prophet, willingly accept this knowledge in the Fireborne’s stead? Will you take this responsibility, freely and despite the danger, so that she may be able to protect herself?”
“Hell no,” Aziza intoned, answering for him. “This is not happening.”
Greg was watching the boy as if he would sprout horns at any moment, but he nodded. Had he even heard what she said? “Whatever it will take to get some answers. Anything to protect Aziza.”
“Yes, you have shown yourself to be interestingly determined in that task, but you should also understand the nature of the risk. It will take a transfer of thought. You will be inundated with images and words that will be out of order and confusing. It may overwhelm you. The human mind is still in a fragile evolutionary stage and I’m not entirely sure how you’ll react.” Te lifted his eyebrow, waiting for Greg’s response to change.
“Bring it, little man.”
Aziza wanted to smile at her friend’s bravado, but she was too worried. She should have sent him away with Penn. Should have sent him home before she’d come to England.
Then you might never know what you are.
But Greg would be safe.
When Te’s small hands began to glow with a brilliant white light, Aziza gasped and glanced at the men and women still walking by them. Past them. No one looked their way. The light was so bright it lit up the faces of people walking across the street, but they couldn’t tell. They didn’t see what was happening at all. Didn’t even sense it.
Greg could. “If I react badly, as in die a horrible death from my brain exploding, I’m coming back to haunt you, kiddo.”
Te didn’t respond to the threat. “The key is to feel the doors of your mind opening. You must open yourself to receive the knowledge of the Fireborne, or it will use force to gain entry.”
The ball of light grew in size until it swallowed Te’s hands and engulfed Greg’s forehead in its glow.
He began to scream and Aziza dropped to her knees beside him, reaching out to pull him into her arms. “Fuck. Stop this. It’s not working, it’s hurting him. Ram, Shev, someone make him stop.”
Ram’s hands gripped her shoulders and dragged her away from Greg, holding her easily when she struggled against him. “This is necessary, Aziza. The pompous prick is right for once. It’s the only way. He won’t hurt for long.”
“Jinn,” Greg
The laughter stopped instantly and Aziza began to shake her head, already disliking the direction this seemed to be going. “With my human? You mean Greg ? No. Absolutely not. Why can’t you share it with me?”
The young Te’s large eyes were difficult to read, but Aziza would swear she saw pity. God, she hated pity. “The knowledge of who you are and what you need to do is in your veins, Fireborne. Awakened by your blood oath. It would, in due course, rise to the surface…if we had time. On both sides we are restricted from giving you the information you need in time for you to stay alive and fulfill your purpose, which could be contrary to our people’s well-being. I believe this is why they are hesitant to aid you. I respect consensus in all things, however , I am inclined to agree with my fellow Qarins in this case.”
He glanced at Greg. “We are also forbidden to reveal ourselves to a human unless the circumstance is dire. This situation qualifies. He is the way. Our loophole.”
“Agreed,” Ram and Shev spoke at the same time.
Te held out his hands again and cupped them in front of Greg’s lowered head. “Do you, Gregory Paul Prophet, willingly accept this knowledge in the Fireborne’s stead? Will you take this responsibility, freely and despite the danger, so that she may be able to protect herself?”
“Hell no,” Aziza intoned, answering for him. “This is not happening.”
Greg was watching the boy as if he would sprout horns at any moment, but he nodded. Had he even heard what she said? “Whatever it will take to get some answers. Anything to protect Aziza.”
“Yes, you have shown yourself to be interestingly determined in that task, but you should also understand the nature of the risk. It will take a transfer of thought. You will be inundated with images and words that will be out of order and confusing. It may overwhelm you. The human mind is still in a fragile evolutionary stage and I’m not entirely sure how you’ll react.” Te lifted his eyebrow, waiting for Greg’s response to change.
“Bring it, little man.”
Aziza wanted to smile at her friend’s bravado, but she was too worried. She should have sent him away with Penn. Should have sent him home before she’d come to England.
Then you might never know what you are.
But Greg would be safe.
When Te’s small hands began to glow with a brilliant white light, Aziza gasped and glanced at the men and women still walking by them. Past them. No one looked their way. The light was so bright it lit up the faces of people walking across the street, but they couldn’t tell. They didn’t see what was happening at all. Didn’t even sense it.
Greg could. “If I react badly, as in die a horrible death from my brain exploding, I’m coming back to haunt you, kiddo.”
Te didn’t respond to the threat. “The key is to feel the doors of your mind opening. You must open yourself to receive the knowledge of the Fireborne, or it will use force to gain entry.”
The ball of light grew in size until it swallowed Te’s hands and engulfed Greg’s forehead in its glow.
He began to scream and Aziza dropped to her knees beside him, reaching out to pull him into her arms. “Fuck. Stop this. It’s not working, it’s hurting him. Ram, Shev, someone make him stop.”
Ram’s hands gripped her shoulders and dragged her away from Greg, holding her easily when she struggled against him. “This is necessary, Aziza. The pompous prick is right for once. It’s the only way. He won’t hurt for long.”
“Jinn,” Greg
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