How to Train Your Channeler

[Oriena]

Life had not improved. Oriena sank into isolation, caught inside the webs of her own head. She visited Sofia’s grave, and even considered seeking Luca, though that was a fleeting idea. Instead she cleaned Nadhezda’s apartment top to bottom, made sure her mother’s freezer was full, and kissed her forehead before she left.

No one had seen Sasha at the church, nor any of his usual haunts. He was a creature of shadows but it was a shit dealer who couldn’t be found at all. For some reason it tightened the anger in her chest, that she could even have that before… whatever happened. She doubted all the bloody noses were going to end well for her, especially when the last one knocked her out cold. Not that she had any intention of going down quietly.

Nox offered his help time and again, and she knew he had all the right kind of resources, but she wouldn’t take it. Not out of pride, but maybe out of some knee-jerk reaction at feeling helpless to fend for her-fucking-self. She’d never been that, not even as a vulnerable kid knocking around the shit side of the city. Not even when her heart was crushed in another's fist and Kallisti was born from the ashes.

She was contemplating a bottle on a street corner when her wallet beeped a message. The packet of drugs was still in her pocket, where she knew now it would remain. There was no headache to fend off, but old habits died hard, and these days sober was depressing. The whispering of the ijiraq was a low susurration, easy enough to ignore for once; they’d backed off a little since she presumed their queen had realised forcing her way in almost killed her last time.

A poor vessel indeed. It made her smirk as she checked the message.

Wicked informed me that the Atharim took Sasha. I'm unable to do anything at this moment. If you wanna have a little fun. Coordinates of last contact attached.

She’d told Nox about Sasha to make it his problem, not hers. The sort of power which she’d seen the night they fucked suggested he ought not be in trouble. He was the fucking trouble. Or should be. And she’d already babied him once. It hadn't gotten her anywhere.

So sad for you, she replied. Which was more of an answer than he usually got to his texts. Ori either turned up or she didn’t, and she didn’t announce either way.

---

Of course it was the fucking tunnels.

And of course the screaming wasn’t the good kind.

The power wreathed her, an enormous amount of it. Enough to lure an ijiraq queen’s attention sooner or later, which begged Ori to be quick about the business, but fuck if that wasn’t also the wrong kind of begging. She presumed Sasha was the screamer, but in the shadows couldn’t see what was making him contort like that. It should have made her wary of what tricks these snakes might have up their sleeve.

It didn’t.

“Well shoot then, sweetheart.” She laughed. “Let’s see what happens.”