The Battered Lamp Ch. 31

Nothing serious. The witches are healing Mindy.

"Are you okay?" Kyle asked his bleeding concubine.

"I'm fine," Ms. Capello answered as they marched the Ghul towards the prison. "Christy's enhancements are quite amazing. I don't even feel the pain."

"We kicked their asses, big bro," Fatima smiled, sauntering up.

"How's your leg?" Kyle asked as she pressed against his side.

"Just fine," she smiled, standing up on her tip-toes to give him a kiss. "But that hurt. Teleporting onto a mountain slope is a bad idea."

Fumi strolled up, Windfeather transformed into her glasses. Her all-white eyes fixed on Kyle and she smiled. The breeze whipping down the mountain's slope painted the world for his wife. "The Ghul are pulling back," she reported, giving him a smile. "That was quite intense. One of them took a bite out Alexina's leg."

"Is she fine?" Kyle asked, looking down the slope for his blonde-haired concubine.

"Sable attended to her," Fumi nodded. "And I feathered the brute that bit her."

Tariq thrashed in Kyle's arm. "You murdered so many of my people."

Fumi arched on eyebrow. "You attacked us."

"You trespassed on our land." He licked his lips, inhaling deeply. "So much fresh, delicious meat violating my land. We had every right to feast."

"And how did you know we were coming?" Britney asked.

Kyle halted before the iron disk set into the blasted, red rock of the mountainside. Britney, Christy, and Aaliyah waited there. The Rakshasa fixed her fierce eyes on Tariq, the black stripes just fading from her face.

"Answer her," Kyle said, squeezing Tariq's arm. "You were waiting for us."

"Rashid," the creature hissed. "He told me you would come to free a prisoner."

"How did he know?" Zaritha demanded. "I never told him that I hid Kalila here. How could he possibly know this is where we'd be?"

"A spy."

Britney's words sent a chill through Kyle's blood.

"Only our family knew we were coming here," Kyle told her. "Me, you, your mate, my wives, and the concubines. Who could have betrayed us?"

"Zaritha mentioned that she knew how to bring the Ifrit to you in open court yesterday," Britney pointed out. "It was the logical, next step."

"But how did Rashid know this is where Kalila was?" Zaritha asked. "Did Hawaa slip him a message? Or one of those two hermaphroditic daughters that fawn over Fumi?

Fumi swelled up. "Naila and Tarah were the ones that told me of Hawaa's plans."

"Hawaa didn't betray us," Kyle growled. "No one did. They are our family, Zaritha."

The Ifrit shrank before his gaze.

"Rashid may have guessed where you hid her. Or he may have always known."

"Well, let us free her and leave," Aaliyah declared. "This mountaintop is not the place to discuss this."

Kyle nodded and stepped up to the circle. Fatima, Fumi, and Britney spread out around it, all holding their weapons, Windfeather flowing like green quicksilver down Fumi's body to become her asymmetrical bow, called a yumi.

"Focus your elements into the disk," Zaritha said.

Kyle commanded the earth to touch the disk. Wind blew, rippling Fatima's fire that danced upon the disk. Britney's rain hissed as it fell onto Fatima's flames, the steam whipping around their feet. The disk trembled and Kyle made the earth pry it up. It held for a moment, a great, magical force fighting Kyle's command. But the power was eroded away and the disk was lifted up.

Curled inside was a naked woman, an emerald collar about her throat, sleeping peacefully. Her hair was black, her skin dark-caramel. Kyle scooped up the unconscious Ifrit--she was so light in his arms--and removed her collar.

Her eyes fluttered up, red and hot, gazing up at him. A smile crossed her lips, her hand touched his cheek. "You have saved me," she purred, her voice liquid fire.

"Let's return to Khoshilat Maqandeli," he commanded. "And prepare for Sheikh Haleem's arrival."

To be continued...