The Devil's Third (33 page)

“It’s cooler here,” Shem said, “because this city sits on a plateau. The daily temperature rarely exceeds sixty-eight degrees. We’re also in the heavy rain season.”

“It figures,” Brayden replied. “The rain seems to follows us.”

A blue and white minibus pulled in front of us and parked. An African man emerged from the driver’s side. Shem greeted him with a hearty handshake, and then after a few pleasantries between the two, he introduced us to David. Right away I liked the gentleness in his face and kind smile. He said he would take us to and from the Sof Omar Caves. While we were exploring, he’d wait for us in Dinsho. David gestured toward the cooler I was carrying. “Please, let me take dat for you. I will put it in the back where you will be sitting.”

I slipped the strap off my shoulder and handed it to him. “Thank you. You’re more than welcome to eat with us,” I offered. “We have plenty of food to go around.”

He nodded, then turned to place it in the backseat. Afterward, he shook Shem’s hand again and squeezed his shoulder. “Farewell, good friend. Do not worry,” he said. “I will take good care of them.”

“I have no doubt about your ability to follow through. Thank you, and I will see you again soon,” Shem said.

We said our goodbyes to Shem, and were off to the Sof Omar Caves with high hopes of finding the incantations so Paige could destroy them.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Paige

My stomach was in a knot, and my nerves were on edge. I couldn’t believe we were finally in Africa, now driving to the cave I saw in a vision. I twisted and untwisted my fingers in my lap, half listening to the guys talking to David about Ethiopia and how he grew up and how he knew Shem and Anwar. He openly answered their questions, throwing in jokes here and there. His unexpected humor and lightheartedness dispelled some of the anxiety in the air. I couldn’t help but like him. He was just one of those people.

When we drove through the city of Addis, the traffic was heavy, and although we had our windows up, I could smell exhaust fumes choking the air. We drove by tall buildings looming over small hole-in-the wall shops with people standing beneath the awnings, chatting. We passed a small shopping mall where three African woman wearing long skirts and head scarves entered the building to escape the rain. One of them had what looked like a wicker basket hanging from her back. Not too far from there was a squat building with a pointed red rooftop. I wondered what was inside, but I didn’t feel like asking David. He seemed too busy telling Tree Addis Ababa meant “new flower” in Amharic, and the trees on the wide avenues were called “jacarandas.” A few miles away stood an open-air market. David said it was one of the largest in Africa, known as the “Mercato.” I would have loved to check it out, but of course that wasn’t going to happen.

As the guys continued to chat, I zoned out, not wanting to think about what lay ahead of us, because when I did, my stomach would roll with nausea. I stared out the window, enjoying the changing landscapes. It went from a rainy bustling city to dry, lowland plains with what looked like scrub brush dotting the open land and distant mountains as the backdrop. Rugged land stretched for miles, some with herds of livestock roaming. At times the dirt road we traveled became rocky and uneven in spots, bouncing us off our seats. Sometimes we’d pass broken vehicles along the road and natives walking beside pack mules loaded with cargo.

Hours later we drove by distant clay and stone huts with smoking fire pits a few yards from them. Men, women, and children were milling about. I leaned closer to the window, the tip of my nose touching the glass. With my keen eyesight, I could make out what looked like tan straws protruding from the males’ chins and round, black disks, hanging from their earlobes. The indigenous people seemed content by the way they carried on, laughing and horsing around with the children, paying no attention to the blue and white mini bus driving by.

We stopped a few times in small towns to use restrooms. Outwardly, they were shabby looking, constructed of wood, reminding me of a salon straight out of the old west. But indoors, they had clean, pleasant atmospheres. It felt good to move around, get the blood flowing back in my legs. However, I noticed the heaviness in my limbs and exhaustion setting in.

“Are you okay?” Nathan asked as we piled back in the bus.

I shifted in my seat, leaning my shoulder against the door panel. I looked at him and blinked. “I’m tired.”

Brayden poked his head around the front seat. The whites of his eyes were tinged in red, bags were forming beneath them. “You’re jet lagged. We all are.”

“We can stop at Lake Ziway,” David suggested, “and get a room for the night.”

His idea appealed to me, but I shook my head instead. “No. We need to get there as soon as possible. We’ll be okay.” Really, I just wanted to get this done. The sooner it was over, the better.

Brayden rubbed his brow and closed his eyes. “You’re right.” He turned back in his seat. “I’ll text Anwar to let him know what’s going on.”

I leaned over Nathan to see what Tree was doing. He’d been quiet since we boarded the bus. The side of his head rested against the window, his eyes closed, faced slacked in sleep. I yawned and glanced out the window.

 We were on a road which seemed to be levitating above a huge body of water. David mentioned it was Lake Beseka. On the shore were yellow-bellied storks and great white pelicans. David pointed toward the bushland and told us it was inhabited by baboons. Nathan slipped his arm around my shoulders, and I rested against his chest, imagining walking in the jungles of Africa unafraid. I closed my eyes envisioning coming across a gorilla and befriending him through my ability to communicate with animals by touch. The corners of my mouth twitched into a small smile. My head shifted downward as Nathan’s shallow breaths slowly moved it up and down, lolling me to sleep. The last thing I could remember was Brayden’s open-mouthed snores that sounded like a cross between Darth Vader breathing through his mask and a cat hacking up a hairball.

***

Something moist and soft touched my cheek. I stirred in my seat and winced at the sharp pain in my neck. It felt like somebody shot an arrow through it. Slapping a hand over it, I sat up and opened my eyes. The evening sun slanted through the windows, creating a ray of pale light in front of me. I could see the dust motes swirling around inside it. I rubbed sleep from my eyes.

“Hello, beautiful,” Nathan said in a low voice, his fingers brushing the hair out of my face. “We’re here.”

Here?

At first my foggy brain couldn’t register what Nathan was talking about until Tree leaned over Nathan’s lap. “Are you ready for this?” he asked me.

Then the connection was made.

Omigod.

We. Were. Here.

We were near the Sof Omar Caves, where Solomon stashed his incantations. I was the only one who could find them. But could I? What if I couldn’t? What would happen then? Doubt pinched my brain, keeping all other thoughts at bay. If I couldn’t locate Solomon’s spells, and the vision I had of the cave turned out to be bogus, what would I do? But then something much more powerful punched a hole through my incredulous musing.

Hate.

Aosoth and Roeick were here with Bael and Anwar. I dreaded seeing that bitch. I wanted to end her.

 My hands balled into fists, and my lips formed a tight sneer.

Tree’s eyebrow furrowed. He glanced down and back at me. “What’s wrong? You look pissed.”

Brayden was on the phone with Anwar or Bael. I didn’t know. But he was talking to somebody, announcing our arrival. David was outside having a conversation with several people. My ears automatically honed in on what they were saying. They were residents of this tiny village we were in and seemed friendly. They welcomed us, ensuring the caves were at our disposal alone. We had two days to do our “research.” He apologized for the lack of time given to us. However, his village and the towns outside it would suffer a monetary loss because it was a huge tourist attraction.

Nathan rested his hand on my arm, drawing my attention back. I glanced at Tree who had a quizzical look on his face, like he was waiting for me to answer him. My hands ached, and I noticed they were still tightly balled. I opened them, allowing the blood to rush back. I then remembered Tree’s question. “Sorry,” I said. “I got distracted. I was thinking about Aosoth.”

Understanding entered Tree’s face. “Ah, no need to explain.” He reached in the back and grabbed some sandwiches and water bottles out of the cooler. He handed me egg salad on wheat and some water. “Here,” he said, smiling. “Get some nourishment in you before you kick her ass.”

I laughed. “I don’t want to merely kick her ass. I want to annihilate her.” I bit into my sandwich, tearing a chunk of it off with my teeth to emphasize my statement. “After I find those damn incantations and destroy them, she’ll be next in line,” I declared.

“I’ll help you,” Nathan said. “The grimoire I was telling you about might have a spell in there we can use to wipe her from this earth for good.”

I turned to him and grinned. “What a great idea.” The very thought of it gave me a rush of hope and excitement. I knew Ameerah would allow us to borrow the book. Hell, she couldn’t stand Aosoth either.

“What grimoire?” Tree wanted to know.

Brayden said goodbye to Anwar and peeked around his seat. “What are you guys talking about?”

“The grimoire is bounded in human skin,” I told them, making a face.

Tree shifted to the edge of his seat so he could see me. “Are you serious?”

Taking a drink of my water, I nodded. Out the corner of my eye I could see Brayden staring at me, waiting for me to elaborate some more.

“It’s dark magic,” Nathan said, his words slow and cautious.

He didn’t want Brayden to know more then what was said. I knew he didn’t trust him, which I couldn’t blame him there, so I changed the subject.

“What did Anwar say?” I asked Brayden.

His eyes darted from Nathan to mine, the curiosity in them still present. “He’s heading here right now to lead us to the cave.”

“Speak of the devil,” I said when I glanced out the window and saw Anwar walking toward David and the natives around him. “That didn’t take him long.”

“He shouldn’t be using his preternatural speed in front of these humans,” Nathan commented under his breath.

Brayden cracked open his door. “He’s not. He was already heading this way when we were talking on the phone.” He stepped out of the minibus and we followed.

***

Nathan and I didn’t say much to Anwar on the way to the cave entrance. I made sure Tree was by my side, prepared to protect him if need be. I didn’t trust Roeick, and I sure as hell didn’t trust Aosoth. I dreaded sharing air space with her and still had no idea why Bael would even allow her in our company. It didn’t make sense. But whatever. It had to be another one of his games, because why would he give her a fake ring, the exact replica of Solomon’s and lead her to believe it was the real deal? She was so stupid. I snickered and shook my head.

Nathan squeezed my hand. “What are you giggling about?”

“I’ll tell ya later,” I said, catching Tree looking at me, his brows raised in question.

The village was perched on the cliffs above the Weib River. We trailed behind Anwar and Brayden who were talking about this part of Africa revolving around spirit worship and cults. I walked in silence, listening to Anwar’s deep, rich voice talking to Brayden. He went on to tell him people from all over believed the most powerful supernatural beings had attached themselves to the ancient trees and boulders that surrounded us on the dirt path we were following. When it forked in three different directions, we took a right, which led us to a ledge. Cut out of the rich soil were steps made out of stone. We descended the hill into a canyon. A pebble beach encircled a large body of water. The orange light from the setting sun bounced off the dark, glassy surface, creating over a dozen rays that resembled individual portals, reaching to the heavens.

Extraordinary.

The hairs on my arms stood up, and something inside my chest shifted, as if somebody pushed a sliding door aside, allowing whatever resided in there to creep out. A shot of adrenaline caused my heart to hammer.

Tree stared at the river in wonder, his eyes drinking in the beams of light. “I think I might have to eat my words,” he said, giving me a sidelong glance.

Brayden looked over his shoulder at Tree. “Eat your words? Why?”

I knew exactly what Tree meant, but when I opened my mouth to respond, Nathan answered him instead. “When Paige had described the cave to Tree, he was doubtful, telling her it sounded like something straight out of a fantasy novel.”

Brayden looked at me for confirmation. I smiled and nodded.

Tree laughed. “Man, did I piss Paige off.”

Brayden gaffawed. “I bet.” He looked at me, then glanced away.

I could see on the left bank of the river two males and a female standing near the mouth of a cave. Anwar halted, and we all stopped. He turned, his face strained, eyes almost pleading when they darted between Nathan and me, and then finally resting on Nathan. Nathan’s grip tightened around my hand, and I could feel his body tensing.

“Nathaniel, I am sorry for causing you any grief,” Anwar said, then shifted his gaze on me. “And you, too, Ms. Paige. Maybe one day you both will understand my motives and why.”

“Bael or Roeick is coming this way,” Tree said, causing Anwar to turn back around.

It was Bael. I knew it. His choice in vessels was so predictable that I almost wanted to say, “Really?”

We walked to the dark haired guy who was sauntering toward us with a cockiness in his stride. “Good evening, Paige,” he said, a warm smile crossing his handsome face. “I trust your trip here was a comfortable one?”

“Yes,” I simply stated, staring at his glowing blue eyes, wondering if there was a way I could rid this world of him but knowing in my heart there wasn’t. He was too powerful and would always be a pain in my ass. Unless . . . maybe there was a way I could trap him, like a genie in a bottle. I made a mental note to check into the possibilities of it, along with Aosoth, once this whole mess cleared up. But in the meantime, I’d stay focus on keeping Tree safe and the task at hand.