Apotheosis of the Immortal (13 page)

Chapter 24

“You are really
going to betray your friends so easily?” Ayda looked up from the floor. Her ankle was chained to an iron ring that had been hammered into the side of a thick wooden slab that was part of Elijah’s bed.

“I only have one friend.” Elijah sat on a thick cushion which was layered in silk and topping the wooden slab. Ayda retreated slightly as he reached for her leg.

“I’m only trying to help you, girl. Besides, you are no use to me chained up.” Elijah grabbed the chain and began dragging her towards him. As she slid forward on the ground, her gown was forced up, exposing the smooth skin on her legs to above her knees. Elijah was caught off guard for a moment; his eyes followed from her ankles, to her knees, and further. He leaned forward, hovering over her as if her legs were the steps to Mount Olympus and he had just climbed to the heavens.

“Please don’t.” Her lips trembled.

“Shhh.” Elijah quickly hushed her as he pulled her dress down to cover her thighs. He fumbled with the cuff around her ankle for a minute before leaning back and pulling the chain loose from his bed. “Here.” Elijah handed her the loose end of the chain. “Take that to the Khan and have it removed.”

Elijah walked to the tent opening and called to a guard standing outside. When the guard entered, Elijah instructed him to take Ayda to the Khan and have the chain removed.

“I have the key here, sir.” The guard pulled a small key from his pocket and handed it to Elijah.

“Thank you.” Elijah knelt and removed the cuff from Ayda’s ankle, handing it and the chain to the guard, who quickly exited the tent.

“What do you want with me?” the girl asked as she picked herself up from the floor and sat on the bed.

“Well.” Elijah remained on the floor, but leaned back against the bed. He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t even know why he had asked for her, other than he had wanted to wreak some small revenge on the Khan for putting him in an impossible position.

Still, he couldn’t deny that the girl intrigued him. She had courage; she was beautiful. She was one of the very few things that had distracted Elijah from his blinding rage and driving need to avenge his family’s slaughter. “I just want to talk.” Elijah bent his right leg and wrapped his arm around his knee.

“Talk?” Ayda shook her head in confusion. “What do you want to talk about?”

“We could start with you; tell me about your family.” Elijah stared up at her from the floor.

“My family is none of your business.” Ayda raised her voice, but her eyes dimmed and the muscles in her face loosened as she dropped her head slightly and rubbed the side of her neck.

“Why don’t you tell me about William?” Ayda raised her head and looked at Elijah, the fire back in her eyes.

Elijah held her stare for a moment and then looked away.

“I’ll be back. I don’t need to chain you up again, do I?” Elijah got to his feet and smiled. He selected an apricot from the bowl sitting on the table and turned back towards her. “This is excellent. Now, please inform the Khan I need some pineapple.” Elijah turned and walked out of the tent.

“Is that it?” Ayda followed him out.

“Yes, that is all.” Elijah took the last bite of his apricot and threw the pit on the ground.

“I am here only to fill your bowl?” She bumped into Elijah and took a step back when he stopped walking and turned towards her.

“Yes, and to talk.” He stared at her in awkward silence. “You seem disappointed. I can give you more chores if that’s what you really want.” Elijah stepped forward and gently placed his hand on her hip. The gown she was wearing followed her curves, as did his eyes, from her hips up to her breasts.

“No.” She spoke softly.

“No?” Elijah leaned forward until their faces were only inches apart. He looked down at her lips and then back up at her eyes; he watched them as they shifted down towards his lips and then quickly back up.

He leaned in closer; his hand moved from her hip to the small of her back. Just as their lips were about to touch, Elijah turned his head slightly to the side and pressed his head against hers. “Then get to work,” he whispered into her ear, and quickly walked away, marching to the edge of the camp. He stood on the hillside, looking down at the Assassin fortress.

Chapter 25

The sun had
been up now for a couple of hours. Due to Elijah’s insistence, the Khan had waited, giving the Assassins more time to consider surrendering the fortress. At this point, Elijah believed there was no more reason to wait, no reason to drag out the inevitable; it seemed Hassan was not going to change his mind.

Elijah stood with the Khan on the hillside and watched as the Mongols moved their siege engines into position. The fortress was strong and well positioned, but the Khan had collected the best engineers, weapons, and techniques from around the world. It wouldn’t be long before the walls fell around Elijah’s big friend. He instructed the Khan to send in soldiers once the walls fell, to fight the Assassins hand-to-hand. Elijah knew it wouldn’t be the Khan’s smartest move, but it would give Hassan a good death, one he deserved.

There weren’t many other options; the only way into the fortress was up a narrow ravine. The Khan agreed, but had one stipulation. He would not waste his human soldiers; he would only send in vampires. Elijah agreed, and just before the Khan gave orders to begin the bombardment, the Assassins, led by Hassan and the imam, walked out unarmed. The Khan ordered for the two leaders to be brought to his tent. He and Elijah were waiting just outside the tent when the pair arrived.

“Get on your knees before the Khan you Hashishiyun dogs,” barked one of the guards. Hassan’s hands were bound at his back, and the man standing beside him kicked the back of his right knee and pressed on his right shoulder, forcing him to the ground.

Elijah quickly stepped forward and smacked the man with his open hand. The man fell to the ground, unconscious, as Elijah knelt at Hassan’s side. The other officers and guards standing near them backed away and pulled their swords. A couple of other men stepped forward and carried the unconscious man away.

“Elijah! Please, relax,” the Khan shouted as he motioned for the men around them to stand down.

“I did!” Elijah jerked the small
kopis
from beneath his arm.

“Elijah, you need to stop for a minute and think about what you want. Is this man more important than finding William?” The Khan waved his hand over his head as if he were summoning someone.

Elijah cut the ties binding the two men’s hands and then slid the
kopis
back under his arm. As he stood up and pulled the two men to their feet, a huge man seemed to appear from out of nowhere.

Elijah took a moment to examine the giant standing before him. The darkly painted wooden mask covering the man’s face took him aback, but it was the man’s burning blue eyes that commanded Elijah’s attention. He was a vampire lord, but was too big to be his father.

“That is a lovely mask.” Elijah turned to the Khan. “Instruct your giant that if he doesn’t want to lose his fancy mask, along with his head, he needs to get out of my way, right now!” Elijah pressed the palm of his hand against the hilt of the old
kopis
on his hip—he had left the other one in his tent—and gently stroked it with his fingertips.

“Elijah, I think it is time we establish a few ground rules; please come.” Elijah watched the Khan as he gestured invitingly towards his tent.

Elijah glanced once more at the masked giant and then turned his attention to Hassan. “Are you unharmed?”

“I’m fine.” He was rubbing his wrists.

“Elijah!” The Khan shouted from the entrance of his tent. Elijah quickly pulled the
kopis
from its scabbard. Everyone took a step back, except for the man in the mask, who stepped forward.

“Here.” Elijah threw the sword to Hassan. “If that man takes another step towards this tent, make sure I don’t have to look up at him when I come back out.” Hassan nodded to him before Elijah turned and followed the Khan into his tent.

“Sit down.” Hulagu Khan pulled out Elijah’s chair as he walked past it to the other side of the table and sat down. “We have an agreement. You need to remember, you need me as much as I need you.”

He stared at Elijah for some form of acknowledgment, but Elijah didn’t move; he didn’t say a word. Seeing Hassan tied up had made him regret his decision, but what could he do now? His mind raced as he considered his options and chose his next words with great care. Elijah knew Hassan would be safe for now; they wouldn’t risk hurting him while Elijah was alone with the Khan.

“The man you nearly killed out there is one of my generals; his name is Baiju. I’m sure you can understand why I can’t allow you to disrespect one of my generals.” The Khan narrowed his eyes as he stared at Elijah. “Especially in front of my men.” He leaned his head back and rubbed his temples. Elijah remained silent. “Do you understand?” He slammed his hands on the table.

Fury erupted in Elijah’s mind and erased his caution. The answer was obvious; he could use the Khan for leverage as he walked Hassan to safety, but he would have to be willing to give up finding William, at least for now.

“And I won’t tolerate anyone beating my friend while he is tied up!” Elijah shouted as he leaned over the table. “Leave him untied, and you may beat on him all you like, or you and your generals can at least attempt to do so.” Elijah sat back in his chair and slightly lowered his head, holding the Khan’s stare. The Khan smiled.

“The man in the mask is named Roman. He was sent here by William, for my protection. He will also be charged with making sure you behave.” The Khan’s smile widened as he wagged his finger at Elijah.

“Then you’d better hope
he
’s behaving, or we’ll find him a few inches shorter when we step out of this tent.” Elijah pushed his chair back and stood up.

“You really think your friend out there would stand a chance against the vampire William sent to protect me from you? I don’t even know if you could fare well in a battle with Roman. I have been assured he is strong enough to protect me. Among the vampires in this army, he is second only to William.” The Khan pulled out a jug of wine and poured two cups.

“You don’t know my friend.” Elijah lifted his eyebrows and pushed his now empty cup against the table as he considered the Khan’s words. “What about Solomon? Is he not second to William?”

Elijah narrowed his eyes as he leaned against the table. He tried to imagine why his father would trust someone above Solomon, or why Solomon might not be as strong. Perhaps William had killed Solomon; Solomon hadn’t been there the last time Elijah had seen William.

“Do you know of Solomon?” Elijah asked, narrowing his eyes further. The Khan seemed disinterested.

“I have heard William speak of him, but I don’t know where he stands among them. I have never met him.” The Khan quickly blinked his eyes; he seemed to be trying to gather himself.

“But he is alive?” Elijah asked.

“Yes, as far as I know. How, exactly, do you know so much?” He gulped down one cup of wine as he offered the other to Elijah; Elijah quickly shook his head and the Khan sat it on the table. “How are you connected to them?”

“That is not of concern. What is of concern is what I am to do now that I know you cannot be trusted to honor the terms of or arrangement.” Elijah walked to the side of the table. He wasn’t sure there was a way out his situation that left both Hassan and the Khan alive.

“Elijah, this doesn’t have to be difficult. We can get along and make this as pleasant as possible, but I will not allow you, or anyone, to question my authority by disobeying or challenging my generals.”

Elijah nodded; perhaps the Khan hadn’t ordered that Hassan be bound and treated badly. “But it wasn’t I who went back on my word. You agreed they would not be prisoners, and then you marched my friends up here like common slaves. We have an agreement, but if you expect me to keep my word, then you had better do the same.” Elijah grabbed an apricot from the Khan’s table, and then a few more.

“You are correct. I apologize; I will speak with all of my generals tonight. This kind of mistake will not occur again, I assure you.” The Khan lifted the other cup from the table and downed its contents.

“Then you didn’t order that they be bound and humiliated?” Elijah asked, sounding disinterested, before taking a bite of apricot.

“Of course not. I had no idea.” The Khan’s brows furrowed as he stood up and poured another drink. Elijah watched him for a moment. Maybe there was a way out of this. He nodded as he turned and left the tent.

“Here.” Elijah handed an apricot to Hassan and one to the imam.

“Elijah!” The Khan rushed out behind him. “I need to speak to your imam.” The Khan stepped towards the imam while Elijah kept his eyes on the man in the mask. Those eyes were haunting him. They weren’t William’s, but could they be those of the burly man who had carried Malaki down the stairs and delivered him to his death?

Roman.
He mused. The name didn’t bring anything to mind.
Why the mask? What else could they be hiding?

Elijah wasn’t afraid of the giant, but he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling of familiarity that seemed to crawl up his spine every time he saw the man’s eyes begin to burn as William’s had. The conspicuous change in the Khan’s confidence and demeanor when the masked monster was around convinced Elijah that Roman wasn’t just another vampire lord; he was definitely something more.

“I need you to send a message to Alamut and instruct them to surrender peacefully.” The Khan extended the bowl of fruit in his hand towards the imam, who retrieved an orange. “Then, when we arrive, I will be able to keep my word to our friend here,” the Khan gestured towards Elijah, “and allow them to leave unharmed.”

The imam looked to Hassan as if for guidance, or approval. Hassan nodded.

“Writing that letter will save our brothers’ lives. It is the right thing to do.” Hassan accepted the parchment from the Khan and handed it to the imam. “Will you find him a place to sit?” Hassan asked the Khan.

“Of course, come with me.” The Khan pulled back the opening to his tent and guided the imam to a table, where another man laid ink and a quill pen. The imam wrote the letter dictated by the Khan and sent it to Alamut with Hassan.

Elijah stayed with The Khan as he prepared his army to move.