“No,” Echo shook her head while rewrapping her fingers around her cane. “But we do live an awfully long time.” She rapped the walking stick against the ground with an explosive clack that bounced off the warehouse walls. “And we don’t forget easily.”
“How old are you? I always thought you were twenty-five.” Vivien flattered Ryuki.
The old man blushed at her flirtatious question. He spoke with a heavy Japanese accent. “Oh, you are close. But more like two thousand and twenty-five.”
Vivien sat back. “Whoa.” Then she turned to Aoiki.
Aoiki still maintained that mischievous glimmer. “I’m the baby of the family. I’m only five hundred and sixty-two. And a couple years younger than this hottie,” she said, jerking her head toward Sunny. Their fingers twined and released repeatedly, playing with each other’s hands.
Vivien turned to get Echo’s age, but the old woman snapped. “It’s not polite to ask a lady her age.”
Ryuki reached over and grabbed one of her hands. “You age like a fine wine, my beloved.” Then he dropped a kiss across her knuckles. Her expression softened and her cheeks reddened like little apples.
Vivien and I exchanged a look, and I knew we were thinking the same thing. The woman acted more like curdled milk, but we would never voice that.
“Bob is a fae blade?” I needed this all spelled out for me. It was too much to comprehend as a grown woman with her feet firmly on the ground.
Who was I kidding? I was spiraling further into a world that seemed to get deeper and darker with every step.
“That is correct,” Echo said matter-of-factly, returning her hands to rest on the top of her cane.
“So why me? Why not have a fae wield the blade?”
The weight of something pulled at Echo's features, aging her almost instantly. “Because you are mortal. You know the value of life. Because you are a warrior. You have had to balance the choice before in war. Because you are a just person, Miranda.”
My eyes narrowed. “How much do you know about me, exactly?” I didn’t like the idea of someone checking up on me. Privacy mattered to me, especially with a young son.
Echo raised an eyebrow in challenge and swept an arm toward the monitors. “I see, and I calculate. It’s part of my magic.”
“And also, your talent,” Ryuki added, beaming at his wife.
Echo jabbed a blocky index finger in the air. “If not for your involvement, I would not have helped unearth the blade of bane.”
Vivien stilled, her expression suddenly serious.
Echo went on. “In ancient times, the gods became tyrannical, unruly. They were cruel and callous with the rest of the creatures of this earth. Soon, the fae found themselves in danger of being extinct, as the gods had become greedy and coveted their magic. The fae needed a way to fight back. So the oldest and strongest of us harnessed their powers to create a powerful weapon able to cut down the gods. It cost our fae elders their lives, but the blade of bane was born.”
“Next thing you know, she’ll pull out my baby pictures,” the blade whined.
“Shh,” I hushed at him, so she could go on.
“The fae finally leveled the playing field and through an example of force and power, were able to cut down the most greedy and dangerous of gods. It was then that balance was restored.”
Ryuki’s eyes dropped to the ground, shaking his head. “But the fae warrior grew too powerful with the blade and began to kill indiscriminately, both fae and gods alike. And we had to turn on the fae warrior to take the blade back. It was then decided that the blade was too powerful, and we hid it, even from ourselves. Once in a great many years, the blade will surface at the time it is needed most. And then when it completes its mission it is lost to us all for a time again.”
“What is your mission, Bob?” I asked.
“As you may have noticed, I cannot control my comings and goings. But I must concur that I’ve noticed I am found at pivotal times. I believe that is part of my magic. Though I must say that this is the first time I have been wielded by a mortal. Inevitably when a fae gets their hands on me, oh it all starts out roses and sunshine. Well except for the murdering bit. But then they grow hungry for power, and they all eventually turn corrupt with time.”
“But I can’t be corrupted by time because I’m mortal,” I added.
“That is what I am hoping,” Echo said with a sigh.
Vivien raised her hand. “Question. Does this mean that these little dudes aren’t genetically engineered?” She pointed down at Darth Vader who had settled on the couch next to her.
Aoiki laughed. “They are familiars. They are their own kind of magic. We are engaged in a magically symbiotic relationship. They help us and we help them. Not very differently from how the gods and sekhors join to their mutual benefit.”
I reached down to scratch Lulu’s head. The oversized rabbit pushed her head up, directing me to stroke her nose.
