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corresponding reaction in Stan.
Chanting, Gregori placed a hand on our friend's chest. The Magi song faltered and he snatched his hand away from Jory's chest, shaking with a hiss. With renewed determination, Gregori continued singing, grabbing Jory's shoulders with both hands. The air smelled of ozone and rain before Jory screamed. A glowing orangey-red spikey vine had begun to appear. The cord came out of his left ear, wrapped around his head like a spiked crown and trailed down his neck to wrap around his chest before splitting. One sharp cord buried itself in Jory's navel and the other connected Jory to Stan where the thorny creeper wrapped around Stan's chest to disappear into his navel.
"Shit!" Stan swore as he swiped a hand through the cord.
Jory stared with wild eyes, "Get it off! Get it off me!" He was barely this side of hysterical. I couldn't release the Alpha Bond because I smelled his terror. If I withdrew the bond, he'd inadvertently harm himself or someone else.
"You need to calm down, Jory." I used Voice Command, hoping to break into his rising hysteria. He stilled but his eyes hadn't stopped moving, seemingly unable to stay on any one thing for any length of time. "I'll remove the enchantment but I can't do it while you fight me."
He lowered his head, took deep breaths, yipped and whimpered in anguish as he fought to control of himself. "Yes, Tristan… alpha."
I blinked. Ignoring my discomfort at Jory's sudden formality and submission, I ordered everyone outside. To remove the binding spell, I needed to be anchored to the Earth. I waited for everyone to go out the back door of the kitchen and followed last. Outside on the back porch stood my tutelary, the God Ashur. Several weeks ago, he replaced Ki as my guide and teacher.
When he'd first come to me, he had been in his true form. His skin had been a Mediterranean blue. He'd had no navel, nipples, or body hair. What passed for hair on his head had been red fleshy tentacles. His feet were three toed and clawed. On his back he'd had the most beautiful set of black-tipped, bronze wings. He'd appeared both foreign and beautiful.
I wasn't sure what Ashur was the God of. I didn't believe Ashur was actually his full name. But I did know he was older than Ki, of the second generation of Gods. It made Ashur much older and more primordial than Ki.
With help, Ashur had created a passable identity, which he presented now. He was my height with dreadlocks that hung past his shoulders, dark chocolate skin, and deep onyx eyes. He still had problems choosing his clothes. He wore green plaid golf pants and a turquoise silk shirt.
He watched Stan and Jory as they were escorted to the yard with the vine swaying in between them. He pursed his plump lips before following them.
Compared to the Ki, who was my first tutelary and a manipulative bitch, Ashur was laid-back, and so far, exactly what he seemed. We met for my lessons with him teaching me songs to sing to the Earth along with their purpose. Afterward, he merely… hung out. He loved to watch everything, fascinated with some of the simplest things. He hadn't entered the house, and never made demands. When teaching, he laid out all of my options and allowed me to choose. He explained everything he taught me, at times sounding like an instruction manual. He didn't endeavor to be more than what he was, my teacher.
Ashur circled Stan and Jory, the cord pulsing when Ashur stepped up to it. As the vine moved of its own accord, constricting around both of their chests, the more agitated Jory became and, to a lesser degree, Stan.
I slipped off my shoes and buried my feet in loose soil. The barbs looked painful, but as I tested the magic through the Earth, the spell seemed to take their fears and amplify it in both men.
Ashur glanced from one to the other, reached out, and with a single finger plucked the vine. I watched in bewilderment as in unison they threw their heads back and moaned. Ashur watched them writhe as he ran his hand