Page 81 of Jay's Silence
“Furthermore.” Ogden gestured to Marduk’s demons. “Why use demons and golems, which I assume you made, if you collect firstborn children to create your personal army?”
Marduk's face pinched before he let out a frustrated grunt. “I despise this.”
“Yeah, not more than I do,” Jay mumbled before continuing with more confidence. “I might be on your doorstep, but you needed me here. Why?”
Power swirled around Marduk, and he brought his palms together. Sheer force pushed against me. Like Noah parting thesea, the four of us began to slide before digging our claws into the cave floor. Despite his power, we stayed strong, leaving only the smallest inch for Marduk to see our mate through.
“You owe me a child, Jaiyana.” Marduk slashed his hand through the air. “But you are young.” He smiled tightly. “I’m all but a god with eternity at my fingertips.” His smile fell. “As long as earth, and the magic on it, thrives.”
Jay took a deep breath, her tightly coiled muscles slightly relaxing. I took it as a good sign but didn’t let my guard down.
Marduk gestured to Ogden. “You, my clever friend, are not wrong. I should have an army of children. Instead, I have five, whom I keep far from my dealings Under London.” He looked at Jay again. “You were called.”
Tyson gave me a confused look, and I mouthed, ‘to the Ley Line.’ His eyes lit up with understanding.
Jay nodded. “Over a month ago, and then I was set up.”
‘Our island,’ I mouthed.
Tyson scowled at me. ‘I know.’
“My youngest child is fifteen,” Marduk stated. “I have five women, not including you, who’ve taken my deal.” He grimaced, and Jay shrugged. “Until Caoimhe, none conceived.”
I looked at Tyson, trying to figure out how to simplify that.
Fire filled his eyes. “Fertility problems aren’t only on our island.”
“A problem on your island,” Marduk repeated. His gaze flicked to Lux and his metal appendages before he scowled so deeply it aged his face centuries. “I do despise being the good guy.”
Jay snorted and relaxed. “I’m surprised you didn’t catch fire just saying the word ‘good.’”
Silver-blue magic swirled around Marduk. The demons stepped back, breaking into smaller groups and marching backdown the tunnel and into the opened double doors at Marduk’s back.
“Your current mortality is too convenient.” Marduk turned his back to us. “I can’t capitalize on it and trust the world will still be here. The demons in the Ley Lines are not mine, and children worth making bargains for have gotten rarer and rarer over the years.” He took a step forward. “Without the Ley Lines, this world, me included, is doomed.” He took another step. “Follow, now, before I change my mind. Malta awaits.”
I cocked my head to the side. I wasn’t as bright as Og or as sensitive to situations as Lux, but my memory was solid. The last time any of us had even said the word Malta was back in Ireland.
“M…” Tyson started to say.
“Why Malta?” Jay cut him off.
Marduk sighed. “Because it’s where I want Caoimhe to spend her pregnancy. Don’t make this complicated, Jaiyana.”
Jay dropped back, forcing Caoimhe into our protective circle. Tears streamed down the nymph's face while Tenzin looked at Jay with murder in his eyes.
“Then to Malta, we shall travel,” Jay said too readily, her focus still on Marduk. “Though, if there’s anything else you’d like to tell me, best spill it now as our goals are briefly aligned.”
Marduk paused again but didn’t look back. “You must fix your own mistakes.”
A shiver ran down Jay, vibrating all of us. Her ex had said something similar.
“Caoimhe’s sealed the fate of her firstborn.” Marduk began walking again. “But I do look forward to whatever trickery you have up your sleeve.” He snapped, and the two golems closed in at our backside. “The child’s life is fated to my service. But. Toying with you until you realize that will be the best prize of all, Jaiyana. By fixing the Ley Lines, you extend the game I intend to win.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
JAIYANA
Marduk knew I was revisiting the places I stole Gorm’s Casket from to reclaim my memories. He had to. Why else take me exactly where I wanted to go? He probably knew who cursed me in the first place and who put the demons in the Ley Lines. But he hadn’t given me more information, which told me two things. First, whatever entity put demons in the Ley Lines was stronger than a two-thousand-year-old demon mage and his armies.