The Price of Betrayal Chapter 8 by Maggie Finson

I had all that I needed.

Life can be good at times, can't it?

In my hand. It had taken years, but I held it in my hand. Freedom.

It was held in a really pretty little leather bag I'd found in a second hand store.

And yes, I could wander, watch, whatever, so long as I remained at the beck and call of the ones who had enslaved me. I could even go shopping.

But my freedom was in my hand. I could feel it's weight. Along with the sense of joy that release was.

More, I could feel it's power. Even in my hand and not being where I needed to get it, I could sense the weakening of the bindings that held me.

“It's time.” I nodded to myself.

“Past time, Princess.” Souri nodded. “I'll go gather the others.”

“I'll get Miri.” I told her and she nodded. “We'll meet you there.

“Good.” I smiled and actually felt the smile as something that lightened everything that had happened to me over the past years. All the losses, all the gains, all the revelations.

The most staggering one was about Miri's father.

“How many bodies have you stolen from innocents, Ephriam?” I asked once I had appeared in his study.

“What?” He jumped a little when he heard my soft voiced question and turned to glare at me. “You have no business here, I didn't call you.”

“Answer my question, and aren't you curious about how I know your original name, Ephriam Abu Ghorbani?”

“That one died centuries ago.” He countered, still trying to avoid the question and the fact that I was standing in his study without having been summoned. “I command you to stop this line of questioning and to return to your bottle, slave.”

“Oh, I don't think so.” I smiled at him and he flinched at that. “You don't command me any longer, body thief, and you certainly aren't going to steal the body of my son. I'd kill him myself before that happened just to save him the pain you have inflicted on so many others.

“But that won't be necessary now, will it, my so arrogant Master?” I asked almost sweetly then let the bag of coins jingle in my hand as I bounced it a few times. “You had no idea of what you were trying to bind with me, but at first neither did I. No matter, I know now, and in a short time, you will too.”

He thundered a curse at me that had power behind it. I simply stood there, absorbed it and dispersed the thing harmlessy then shook my head with a little laugh.

“You would send me away in that manner when I've brought you a gift? How rude of you to treat a guest that way.”

“You aren't a guest, you're a slave.” He blustered, but I could see the growing fear in his eyes as he tried another spell. Which I ignored much like the first.

“But you have invited me into this place before, master.” I shrugged. “While not revoking that invitation once. Sloppy of you. But arrogance tends to make people careless.

“You may be powerful for a human, Ephriam,” I let out a little sigh while lowering my eyes then looked back up and allowed all the anger, all the hate, all the pain this man had caused to show. “But you are nothing, nothing at all compared to me.”

He tried again and I let him, while feeling the others arrive and Souri departing. “Oh, forgive me, my gift.”

I tossed him the bag and with typical reflex action he caught it without thinking even if he did flinch. I felt the last of the bindings on me unravel at that and nodded in satisfaction. “I think the going rate for betrayal used to be thirty pieces of silver? You have your payment now.”

“Payment?” He had felt the bindings let go and was truly afraid for the first time in a long time.

“You betrayed everyone who ever trusted you, Ephriam. Your companions, the innocents you displaced and destroyed when you took their bodies for your own, your own daughter. What more fitting payment for that kind of thing than thirty pieces of silver? Except for your daughter Miri, everyone of those thought you were their friend.

“Well that ends today, mage.” I glared at him and he flinched again.

“What are you going to do to me?” He asked with a sneer, still trying to regain control. “Kill me and I'll simply take another body and start again.”

“Oh, I'm not going to do a thing to you.” I gave him an almost gentle smile then gestured as the door opened. “They are.”

Everyone in his former circle, whether from fast changes, or the more painful slow ones I'd inflicted on them were female by then and had been for a number of years. They silently filed in to form a circle around the two of us, then Naderah entered with the presence of a true princess and took her own place in the circle.

“Hello, Father.” Miri entered last and the look she gave him was filled with contempt, loathing, and yes pure hatred. “You stole my happiness from me once, and now you planned to take my son from me? We can't allow that you know. You've done enough harm already you soulless creature.”

With a wave, I took his magic from him and with another returned it to those in the room who had lost it before. They felt the return and were startled for a few moments, but remained silent, well schooled in how a woman behaves in a man's presence in this culture.

“You have all paid my price.” I looked at them and nodded. “I hope you learned some lessons from that even if they were hard ones. And you all know the one rule for keeping what I've just restored.”

“Do no harm.” Everyone but Naderah and Miri whispered. Those two already knew and practiced that.

“Good.” I looked at each of them, in a way each was another daughter, then to the still stunned mage and body stealer in the middle of their circle. “In this instance, that is rescinded. You can't kill him, but be creative, ladies.”

With that I walked out of the room.

Outside the room I still heard the murmurings of their discussions, though not what they were planning. Oh I could have, but there wasn't any need for that. Everyone in that room had changed from what they had been in more ways than the physical. Whatever they decided would be justice, I was sure.

I also heard the body thief's voice, first trying to command, then cajoling and promising, which was answered with silence. Then he started to plead with them.

Then he started screaming when they began the retribution they'd decided on.

Yes, that made me feel a bit dirty, but it was also quite satisfying in a way I truly prefer not to dwell on and hope I never feel again. That old saying people have been using for years about being a prisoner, 'Don't let them give you to the women?'. Well it's true. Females tend to be far more inventive, and cruel, when someone is really at their mercy. Ephriam was now discovering that for himself. After all, he had betrayed, and harmed each of the people he faced now and was most definitely at their mercy.

So okay, I admit it. This felt good. Even if I didn't much like myself for thinking it did at the time. This man had taken young bodies for centuries, leaving the children he'd displaced in aged, dying husks without a hint of remorse. Oh, simple death was way too good for this one. My daughters and former wife would make sure that was redressed one way or another. And each of the ones working on him had been abused at some point or another. Because he had betrayed them.

So this was theirs to do, not mine. Letting them do it was enough for me. Vengeance can get old and I'd had plenty of that in the years since I had been changed.

“It is done, Mother.” Naderah told me as she walked out the door. “I think you'll find our decision to be appropriate for the crimes.”

The creature I saw huddled against itself on the floor when I entered the room almost had me laughing. Oh yes. Appropriate? Try poetic.

Stand up, Samireh.” I gently ordered the former mage who looked up at me with shock in her vividly green cat slitted eyes. I shrugged and shook my head. “You corrupted my own name after you stripped the human shell away from me, and gave that one to me. I find I don't need it any longer so it is yours now.

“Evening's Entertainment.” I chuckled while looking at her, still unbelieving touching breasts, hips, bottom, and other things. “That is indeed what you are now, little succubus.”

I looked at the one time mage and smiled again. Voluptious beyond mere human, beautiful and sensuous simply standing there shivering, and her little horns were so cute. “You will be pleasing a lot of men in the future, Samireh, but now that is in your nature. And in keeping with what you once did, you will be taking a bit from them in return, it will be how you feed, after all.

“Only now you won't be taking bodies from innocents.” I had to smile at that one, and that the one who had sentenced me to what he thought would be an eternity of being a whore was having to face that just made it all the better. “You'll be taking in the male seed, and their lust. Which will likely mitigate other things they might do without your services. For once, you'll be doing something good even if it isn't all that decent.”

“No.” She whispered in a voice that was like velvet so smooth, soft, and charged with potential electricity.

“Yes.” I nodded and again handed her the bag of coins. “Take them out, count them.”

She didn't want to do that, but did.

“How many are there?”

“Thirty.” She answered.

“Each coin represents a century.” I told her. “That is your sentence. With each hundred years, one coin will disappear until they are all gone. When that happens you'll be free. Much better than the eternal whore you had planned for me to be, don't you think?”

“Three thousand years?” She'd done the math and was appalled.

But you are assured of your freedom at the end of that.” I pointed out. “Something you wouldn't give me.”

“You call THAT a mercy?” She screamed at me while her tail lashed and her leathery wings beat at the air.

“It's as merciful as I get.” I answered. “I am a Queen, little succubus. A Queen! Of a proud race that contested with gods, and you would have had me playing the obedient little whore for eternity. I could have done much, much worse to you. You know when your freedom will come. You didn't give me that, or give it to anyone you betrayed in your former life.”

She screamed, raged, fought, but those of us watching just did that, watched.

“I even have a home for you, Samireh.” I gave her a nasty smile as Naderah brought out the bottle that had been my prison. “I have no need of it now, so you may as well use it.”

She stared at the thing and shuddered, then shook her head in denial.

“Time to go home, Samireh.” I told her and the bindings that had held me for so long snapped back, but around her this time. “Go.”

She screamed as the bottle sucked her into it, dwindled as if going into the distance, then she was gone, inside the prison she in another existence had so carefully crafted to hold me.

And hate me for that if you like. But it was very, very satisfying and my son was safe at last.

If she ever touched him, it would be to give pleasure rather than pain and loss. And she would do a lot to ease male frustrations and aggressiveness.

“Three thousand years?” Miri asked.

“You think that's harsh?” I asked my former wife who was still lovely enough to make my heart ache when I saw her.

“It wasn't enough.” She said with a frown. “And worse that one will be free when that time is up.”

“Miri.” I had to grin at her in spite of her anger or maybe because of it. “Did I once say that she would be male, or even human once she was free?”

“But...” Then her eyes widened as understanding came.

“Yes, dear one.” I softly answered. “After that much time being what any man who calls her wishes, drinking, feeding off male lust, desire, aggression and seed, do you think she could go back to being a male, or even human? No, even free, she will be what she is now. For a very long time.”

“Return to your lives.” I told the others in the room once all that was done. “What I have given you back should ease them now if they were unpleasant, and remember this. Even if you are human, you are all my daughters, and I will watch over you, and watch you. Misuse your magic again and you'll lose it forever. Be wise, be strong, be what you are and live well, my children.”

You know what? Each one of them came up and hugged me.

“Thank you, mother.” The last one smiled at me once she had done that. “I truly wish our first meetings had been different, but what can you do? I and the others have learned our lessons well, thanks to you. With the magic returning, we will grow stronger, but we will also be careful with how we use it. I hated you once, after you changed me, but as you say, I learned things, important things while that was happening and after. I have daughters, sons now, and all of them have the potential to use magic. I'll do my best to guide them, teach them, and to make sure they know that people are important no matter who or what they are. But most importantly that no one deserves to be punished for simply being different.”

“Fariba, my beautiful daughter.” I smiled at her and nodded. “I know you and your scattered sisters will make me proud to be your mother.”

We'll try our best, mother.” She told me.

“That will be enough.” I answered and kissed her cheek. “Now return to that family of yours and love them as you teach them. Though you might want to keep who your children's grandmother is to yourself for the time being.”

“Just come visit once in awhile.” She told me.

“Oh, I think I can do that. Now go, get home my dear child.”

“That was interesting.” Naderah told me once Fariba had gone. “Do they have any idea that they are already half Djinn, or of what will happen to them and their children once the magic does come back completely?”

“No.” I shrugged. “I'm sure they'll understand when it happens, though. And our race will be renewed through them if they don't mess up before that time.”

“When the world changes, it will be flooded with Djinn.” She shook her head and laughed. “As busy as those girls have been.”

“Hardly.” I had to laugh at that idea. “At least this time around maybe we won't be hated and feared by everyone.”

“Good point, mother.” My so lovely Naderah nodded thoughtfully and gave me a mischievious grin. “Well, time to go. Behrouze is waiting for me.”

“Enjoy him.” I had to grin back.

“Oh I intend to.” Naderah laughed as she vanished.

“So where does that leave us?” Miri asked while looking at me quizzically. “Am I your daughter, too?”

“No.” I moved forward and took her into a hug. “You are the love of my life, all of my lives beloved.”

“What?”

“You'll understand in time, Miri.” I told her. “Until then just know that we will never be truly apart. I will always be with you, you will always be with me.”

“But.”

“No buts, Miri.” I smiled and kissed her, really kissed her as I did when I was Michael. “Our love transcends time and it always has. When the time comes we will truly be together again. I promise.”

“I'll hold you to that, you know.” She kissed me back and smiled.

“You better.” I answered. “Now, you have children to raise and teach, and a very good man waiting at home for you. Take the blessings you have and enjoy them, Miri. Live well, love well, and we'll be reunited in due time.”

She just nodded, tears in her eyes and used her own magic to return to her home outside of London.

*

“She is happy, Vanda.”

I looked at the source of that voice, my always faithful Souri and nodded, then walked to her and gave her a gentle kiss while I hugged her. “I know you are. Hello my beloved.”