Crucible of Fate

Logan tensed. “I assumed this town was secure, Domin.”
    I bolted after Kabore, tracking him, and Logan was right behind me with Koren following fast.
    “My lord!”
    I heard the yell and ran around the corner. Kabore was there, down on one knee over one of my khatyu who was dead, his throat torn out, and the thick pool of blood he lay in appeared black in the moonlight.
    “Oh no,” I cried out, slowing as I reached him, seeing his pistol in his hand.
    “Jin!” Logan screamed, flying by me, charging down the alley that opened out into a smaller courtyard of the home where the new semel, his mother, and sister were staying. “Domin!”
    I rose and Kabore followed me, and we ran through the darkness to find them. Instead we found Rahim, eyes closed, head back, sprawled on the ground with a bullet in his side and one in his shoulder.
    “Kabore, get Dr. Pakhom now, and wake up fucking everybody.”
    “Yes, my lord,” he said before scrambling to carry out my orders.
    “Domin!” Logan rounded on me, and instantly I knew it wasn’t him. The man I knew was gone, replaced by a panicked, frantic animal.
    “No!” I barked, changing my stance, readying myself for the blow. “Don’t turn on me; there was no reason to think I had dissenters. There was no one here but the semel and his family, and only the semel was not pleased that I was here. He was the one the priest commanded to kill Yuri, and I stopped him. I killed his sheseru today—there was no other power here, Logan.”
    “You missed something,” he snarled.
    “I couldn’t have. I didn’t.” I shook my head. “Everyone wanted me here; there was no one but the semel.”
    “Then the treachery is there!” Logan shouted. “Which one is the house?”
    I bolted, and Logan was right behind me as we ran. Almost to the house, we both stopped midstride when the door jerked open and Alana Tarek flew out toward us, screaming.
    She was covered in blood.
    “Oh God,” I gasped as she flung herself into my arms, sobbing.
    “Yareah,” I said, trying to calm her. “Speak to me.”
    “They’re all dead!” she shrieked, shock and terror overwhelming her as she passed out cold.
    I sank with her to the ground as Logan ran by me into the house.
    “My lord!” Kabore yelled as he reappeared at my side with several of my khatyu.
    I grabbed his wrist, yanking him to his knees and shoving Alana into his arms as I leaped up. “Have someone guard her and then meet me in the house.”
    “I need to come with—”
    “Watch her!” I roared and then ran after Logan into the house.
    I nearly fell over a woman as soon as I went through the door. She, like the first man we had found, had her throat slashed open. Whirling around, panicked, I saw Logan sitting on the stairs leading to the second floor, hands covered in blood.
    I reached him fast, almost falling into him, grabbed his face and tilted it to me.
    “There’s no one here. I think they took Yuri and Jin up and out through the roof,” he reported.
    I shook my head, letting him go. “There’s no way. This is Jin. Nobody sneaks up on Jin, there’s no way his power doesn’t rise and—Logan!”
    “There’s so much blood upstairs.” He was trembling and it was scary to see him do it. Logan coming apart was disconcerting. “And Jin’s robes are there… he must have shifted and… if they had Yuri, Jin would have gone if someone said they would kill him if he didn’t. Jin wouldn’t leave Yuri and vice versa.”
    “Logan—”
    “Where the fuck are your khatyu?”
    I heard my name yelled, which answered his question, and then men pounded up the stairs, and Kabore was with them, directing, shouting orders, sending them all in separate directions.
    I grabbed Logan’s shoulder and dragged him from the house, back out into the courtyard. Koren was there to meet us, along with a disheveled-looking Danny, and he pulled Logan after him to a bench. They sank down onto it, and I watched the area flood with my guards and lights as they roused people from nearby homes and carried lanterns and flashlights into the area.
    Kabore came running and stopped close, checking me over before he touched me, something he never did. Gently, he pushed me down on the bench beside Koren before he knelt in front of me.
    “You must stay, my lord, both you and the semel-netjer. Everyone’s up. Dr. Pakhom is with Rahim. I have men here around you to see to your safety. Please remain here.”
    I nodded, and he rose and was