Realms of Shadow - Lizz Baldwin [27]
Zossimus wanted Jennah, desperately. If he were to die, he would die with his love.
"Jennah-"
A sudden shout-a roar of ecstatic triumph as loud as ten of Kozah's cyclones-carried from the south to drown out his voice. The force of the shout hit Shade like a maul and sent it lurching sideways, a bit of flotsam in the ocean of the sky. Zossimus fell facedown in the grass and cursed through his fear. He knew that voice-Karsus.
"Mystryl! I'll have your power!" boomed Karsus, his voice reverberating through the heavens.
Shade steadied itself, though it continued to descend. Zossimus rose to all fours.
"Karsus, you arrogant ass," he cursed.
Surely this was the end of the world, and Karsus had somehow brought it about.
Again the sound of Karsus's voice thundered through the sky, but this time Zossimus heard only sobs. Bottomless despair.
The crying fell silent, cut off as sharp as a razor. The world seemed to hold its breath, silently waiting. Nothing more.
Shade continued to slip earthward.
Zossimus wanted to hold Jennah in his arms. He had maybe a hundred heartbeats. He leaped to his feet and raced for the villa.
A small winged figure alit from an upper window, frantically flapping-Pleeancis. Zossimus's familiar streaked for him as though shot from a bow, a blur of green scales and membranous wings.
Unable to stop in time, the terrified little quasit crashed into Zossimus's stomach and got tangled in his voluminous violet robes. Man and demon went down in a heap.
Pleeancis's high-pitched voice squeaked oath after oath. "Oh, curse this purple hell! I'll shred you thread-by-thread, wretched robe. Dare you to offend Pleeancis the Mighty-yeep!"
Zossimus grabbed the tiny demon by his left haunch and yanked him free of the robes. "Enough!"
The quasit fluttered in his hand. His red eyes shot the robes one last evil glare before giving Zossimus his most winning, fanged smile.
"All right, Boss. Just having a moment there. Easy on the leg, eh?"
Zossimus released Pleeancis and climbed to his feet. The quasit hovered before his face, a scaly, fanged hummingbird demanding attention.
"Boss-"
"Not now, Pleeancis."
He waved the quasit away and hurried for the villa. The city was still sinking. He could feel it in the pit of his stomach. If only he and Jennah had Pleeancis's wings.
Unperturbed, Pleeancis buzzed along beside him while he ran, the demon's fanged mouth moving as quickly as his wings.
"What's happened, Boss? Huh? I can't even teleport. There's something wrong with the ring. Watch this!"
In mid-air, wings still beating, Pleeancis squatted and made as though to… do something. He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his tiny fists with the effort.
"Unh. Unh."
Zossimus would have laughed but for the end of the world. Magic had ceased to function, and Pleeancis was concerned only that his favorite toy was not working.
"See, Boss? Nothing. Nothing at all. Couldn't teleport if I wanted to. I back!"
Zossimus stopped, grabbed his familiar out of air, and looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Where's Jennah?"
"What? Who cares? I'm here, and my ring doesn't work!"
Zossimus knew the quasit didn't like Jennah, or at least didn't like that Zossimus cared for her, but he had no time for Pleeancis's foolishness. "Where?"
The quasit must have seen his anger. His wings sagged. He ran a forked tongue over his fangs and said, "She was in the sitting room."
Zossimus released the quasit and sprinted for the villa. Pleeancis flitted about his head.
"But, Boss, you don't need her. Didn't you hear me? I can't teleport. There's something wrong with my ring." "I said not now, Pleeancis!" "But, Boss-"
As he ran, Zossimus