All That Lives Must Die - Eric Nylund [106]
“But why attack you and Eliot at all?” Fiona asked.
“I was their target,” Jezebel said. “I tried to explain to Eliot that my Queen is at war with Mephistopheles. It is not wise to be near me—save on the Paxington campus, where the school’s magics keep all but students and instructors out.”
Eliot set Lady Dawn back in her case and shut it. His eyes were ringed with dark circles. “None of that matters,” he said. “We’re all safe.” He turned to the side passage—or rather where the side passage had been—and touched the solid brick wall.
“Thanks,” he said to Fiona. “Another few minutes . . . I don’t know what would’ve happened.”
He looked like Eliot again, her little brother, normal and nerdy.
But in battle, he’d reminded Fiona of how the Immortals had been as they faced overwhelming power of the Infernals at Ultima Thule, and she felt a surge of admiration for his courage—however stupid he’d acted.
“I must take my leave,” Jezebel said. “Again, my thanks.” She nodded to Fiona and Mitch. To Eliot she said, “This incident should prove how much of a fool you are. Stay away from me.”
With that, she turned and marched out of the alley.
“What’s her problem?” Fiona asked.
Eliot shook his head. “A lot’s happened,” he whispered. “A lot I need to tell you.”
“Sounds like you two need to talk,” Mitch said, and his easy smile returned, like nothing had ever happened. “How about a rain check on our date?”
Date?
That caught Fiona off guard. They were going to have a date? It was not an unwelcome surprise . . . it just complicated everything.
“S-sure, that would be nice,” Fiona managed.
“Let me walk you to the street,” Mitch said, glancing over at the still-solid brick wall. “Just in case.”
“Thanks,” Fiona said, feeling a blush color her face. Then she turned and whispered so only Eliot could hear: “Whatever is going on—whatever you need to talk about—it’d better be good!”
28. Dr. Johan Georg Faust, a fifteenth-century alchemist and astrologer, who became the origin of the Dr. Faustus literature (notably Marlowe’s The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus [1604] and Goethe’s Faust [1808]). Papal investigations confirmed that Johan Faust did make an Infernal pact, gained fame and fortune, and fathered a dozen bastard children before his demise. One of these children was born of the Lady Dorchester Stephen, the progenitor to the Stephenson clan. Gods of the First and Twenty-first Century, Volume 14, The Mortal Magical Families. Zypheron Press Ltd., Eighth Edition.
29
DECEPTION BY MOONLIGHT
Eliot explained everything to Fiona as they walked home: how Jezebel had been Julie Marks in Del Sombra; how the Infernal Queen, Sealiah, had used her to try to get to him—but instead Julie had saved Eliot . . . got dragged back to Hell and punished for it, too.
He went on telling how Sealiah was probably trying again to use Jezebel to get to him. Eliot owed it to Jezebel this time to help her, save her somehow.
It felt good to share this with someone. Fiona would, of course, believe him. And she had to sympathize with Jezebel; see that she was as much victim as they were in the Infernals’ schemes.
Fiona listened, looking shocked, angry, and incredulous by turns.
As they rounded the corner to their street, Fiona said, “I think Jezebel . . . Julie—whatever you’re calling her—was right.”
“Jezebel,” Eliot told her. “Right about what?”
“That you’re an idiot, and you should stay away from her.”
Eliot halted and crossed his arms.
He detected no lie in Fiona’s statements—which really irritated him—but Eliot didn’t think his half-blooded Infernal lie detector covered insults from a sibling (which would have been half of what Fiona said).
“She was bait for the Infernals,” Fiona said slowly as if she were explaining this to a moron. “She admitted it. You saw what it’s like in Hell. How can you want to get mixed up in that?”
“Because