Escaping El Dorado

by Helen Scott

  Gale trilled at me and then made the same noise in the direction of the queen. She turned and looked at him. "No, she can't stay. You can spend some time with her though while she goes to visit the Aerie."

  Apparently that appeased the giant bird because he went back to rubbing against my hand.

  "Gus, Winnie, and Fluffy, can you take these gentlemen with you?" The queen gestured to Finn, Griff, and Kai. It was only then that I realized Dresden wasn't included because he would be flying himself of course.

  "Henrietta? Are you back there?" the queen called, and an eagle that was about half the size of the others squeezed through the gap.

  She was similar to Gale but instead of speckles she had stripes, and two light brown patches the color of caramel decorated the sides of her head. The queen ruffled the feathers on her head and bent down, whispering something into her ear. As soon as the queen straightened the smaller eagle took off like a shot, running toward the edge before stretching her wings out and seeming to fall off the edge only to swoop back up. Her wingspan was massive, much bigger than I would have imagined for a bird of her size.

  "Henrietta is our speed flyer. She's taking a message ahead of you to the priestesses so they don't attack you on sight. Thank you for the suggestion, Niall," Ulrika said with a tip of her head.

  "Of course, my queen," Niall replied with a bow.

  "Now let's get you ready to go."

  A few moments later I was wearing a thick cape and a mask over my face that was made of glass, or something similar. It was clear enough to see through with some smaller holes in the base over my mouth and chin. I felt a little like those old school pilots but I was missing the white silk scarf. While we had been getting ready apparently the guards had been preparing the birds.

  Each of them wore a harness that had a raised section that I assumed was for holding on to and had loops on each side that seemed to be for feet. The closer we got to actually riding them the more nervous I became. When the guards handed out some weird miniature wing looking things I wanted to laugh, but I reined it in, knowing that they wouldn't give them to us for no reason.

  "When you land please put those on. They will help dampen your thoughts so the priestesses are not overwhelmed. This part goes in your ear," Ulrika said as she pointed to the circular bit at the base. "And this part goes behind and around your ear so it covers your skull and latches with the other one over the crown of your head."

  The circle she had pointed out was like a base and the actual wing part spread out behind the ear before extending over the head in spines of silver that looked like feathers or petals. They were beautiful, and I was beyond ready to have something to take my thoughts off the loudspeaker for everyone in the Hyperborean nation.

  I nodded and gulped as she gestured toward Gale.

  "He won't drop you. These eagles are bred and trained to carry the royal family. They understand how precious our lives are, and so long as we bond with them then they will always help us. Won't you Gus?" the queen said as she went over and stroked the black eagle’s neck.

  "Why haven't I seen them before?" Dresden's voice piped up behind me.

  "Before you were born, well, before I was born even, there was a different rebellion, one where a founding family sought to control everything, and in trying to weaken the royal family they mercilessly hunted the great eagles almost to extinction. It was only the eagles that were here at the palace that were safe. It's also why they don't fly free any more. They still fear the threat of being hunted. Taking you is a big honor, one which I would not lightly bestow, but our time together is fragile, as is my hold over the realm at this moment. The sooner you get to the priestesses and get your information the sooner I can show everyone that you are the Key and you will save us all."

  "Thank you, Your Majesty," I said quietly as I dipped my head.

  "They won't go anywhere else and they won't leave without you. You are their charge. They will protect you at all costs, and this will, in part, mean flying high, which is why you had to be prepared. The wind gets cold up there. Strap yourself in and get going," she said.

  One of the guards helped me mount Gale like he was a horse, which in a way I supposed he was. My feet were positioned in the stirrups and my hands slid through some loops of leather before I grasped the handle. The guard tightened the leather slightly. Not enough so I couldn't get out of it if I really needed to, but enough so I wouldn't just fall out of the loops either.

  Long before I was ready the queen was scratching Gale on the neck and he was running off the top of the roof. It was like being on the biggest, fastest, most intense roller coaster in the whole world. We dipped lower than I thought we would and then as we rushed up into the cloudless sky I felt the breeze whipping through the holes in the mask, making me wonder how bad it would be if I wasn't wearing one.

  As we climbed higher and higher I could feel the air I was breathing getting colder. Each breath stung my lungs a little more. When we settled into a cruising altitude I felt like I could finally look around. Gale's powerful wings moved at my sides, and I was in awe of his grace as we swooped through the air. His feathers were sleek and beautiful as we moved, and past them I could see the ground flying by underneath us, each valley and mountain, each lake, it was all so amazing.

  When I looked out over his head I saw the most stunning sight. A mountain had been carved away, that was the only way I could think of to describe what I saw. It stood like a pillar with nothing else around it. While the top was a peak, it wasn't a mountain top. Well, maybe it had been at one point, but now it was the top of a stunning piece of architecture. Towers jutted up all around the outer rim with the central building being supported by beams that went from each tower to the roof of the tallest part of the building.

  It was beyond the Taj Mahal, beyond the Sydney Opera House, even beyond Chateau de Chambord, although it did remind me slightly of the Basílica de la Sagrada Família. The closer we got the more detail I could see, like the moss growing on the mountain side and the lush green grass that carpeted the opening to the area. I could also see where a bridge of some kind had been destroyed and left a jagged edge between the other mountains around it and the one that we were flying toward.

  Gale's flaps slowed as we glided toward the entrance. I could see a line of people forming and nerves jangled in my belly as we approached. Each of the women wore dresses that ranged in a gradient from white to gray to black, as though someone had been testing the ink in a printer. There was only one woman in a black dress and she stood in the center, while the women in white were on the outer edges. The weird thing was that they all had the same white-blond hair that the queen had.

  When we landed I struggled to get the leather straps from around my wrist. Apparently, the guard had tightened them too much after all. Panic flared in my chest as I remembered how Ailsa had tied me down, forcing me to face a certain way or hold myself a certain way until she had done whatever it was she had in mind for that session. Suddenly, Niall was beside me, helping me loosen the straps and getting me out of the harness quickly and effortlessly. I hadn't even realized he was coming with us, but I was grateful for his presence.

  "You're fine, no one here will hurt you, and if they try then they will answer to all of us," he said quietly before handing me the weird ear-helmet things to put on.

  My eyes darted behind him and I saw each of the guys already had theirs in place. They were all looking at me with serious eyes. I had no doubt that some kind of conversation had taken place that I hadn't been a part of and I knew we would have to address that later. For now though, I turned to face the line of women, pulling the mask and cloak off as I did so.

  The woman in black stepped forward and said, "You must be Tessa. I'm High Priestess Erissa. Welcome to Valkyrie."

  19

  Finn

  Welcome to Valkyrie. It didn't feel all that welcoming. A line of warrior priestesses, who were clearly not relaxed at all by our presence, what wasn't welcoming about th
at?

  Tessa didn't seem to pick up on any of it, or at least that's how she was playing her hand. Sometimes I wished I had Dres's psychic powers, just to know what was going on in her mind. After High Priestess Erissa had introduced herself, Tessa had filled her in on everything that was happening at the palace and why we had come to Valkyrie. The two women had been talking the entire time we had been walking from the landing area all the way up through two different towers to the highest point, which evidently, was the common room area.

  Each tower as it turned out was for different levels of Valkyrie priestesses. Novices wore white, Women of the Wing wore light gray, Warriors of the Wing wore Dark Gray and then the High Priestesses wore black. Currently, Erissa was the only High Priestess, as most of the others had died when they destroyed the bridge. Apparently, they had gladly given their lives to protect the purity of the Valkyrie compound.

  "Tell me, what can I do to help you?" the High Priestess asked, talking only to Tessa, as she sat on one of the long wood benches. Something I had noticed as we had moved around was that none of the women looked at us, let alone spoke with us. We all took a seat at that point, taking our cues from the High Priestess even though she wasn't acknowledging us. Tessa sat on the stool opposite the High Priestess, while the rest of us scattered around the room.

  Tessa looked isolated, an island in a storm, and I hated it. I wanted to swoop in and protect her, but I had failed at that once already. It wasn't just that though, I wanted to lift her up, to support her in any way I could. I wanted to be in her life... permanently. The thought surprised me. I knew I had feelings for her, I'd been drawn to her the moment I first heard her voice yelling at that asshole, but I hadn't realized until that moment how strong those feelings were.

  A throat cleared and I looked over at Dres who just raised an eyebrow. I knew the man couldn't read my thoughts at that moment because of the weird helmet things we were all wearing, which I had a hard time believing really did anything. He just knew my expressions so well after over a decade of training together and years of working together on the origin world that he could tell something was up. Now wasn't the time though. I redirected my attention to Tessa and the conversation at hand, giving Dres a subtle shake of my head.

  "We need to find a stone, or artifact of some kind, that will allow me to anchor Hyperborea and prevent it from being pulled into the origin world. In Atlantis it was hidden in the belly of an ancient temple. I was hoping it would be a little easier to get to here," Tessa said with a chuckle.

  "I think I know what you're talking about, but no one has ever been able to reach it."

  Tessa seemed unfazed by the priestess’s answer. We had faced down more in Atlantis to get the stone than just not being able to reach it. "We were also wondering if there are any prophetic murals that you might be aware of? Atlantis had a room with four murals in it, one on each wall, that spoke to what each realm would experience as everything changed."

  The High Priestesses face changed, darkened. "There are many things of a prophetic nature, that is why we, the Valkyrie, exist as we do. Our job is to find anyone with a talent for prophecy and nurture that gift. Unfortunately not everyone always agrees with that idea, which is why we live here."

  "I'm not sure I understand," Tessa said cautiously.

  "Of course. Come and see what I mean about the stone, then. If you can retrieve it and show me that you are in fact the Key, we will have much to discuss," Erissa said.

  We all rose and traipsed out after the High Priestess following her around stairway after stairway until we reached a dark room that was deep within the mountain. I could feel the tension coming off Tessa in waves as though she was right on the edge of a panic attack. As discreetly as I could I nudged Griff and made the same gesture with my hand as he did when he conjured a fireball. He nodded.

  "May I assist in lighting the way, High Priestess?" Griff's voice broke the silence and it felt like glass shattered.

  The priestess’s eyes were glowing when she turned and spoke with us, which was more than a little unsettling. "You may. I also would like to ask you not to speak with any of the other women. Their minds are fragile, and though you have the Valkyrie Wings on, it is hard for us to be around men because of the difference in thought patterns. As High Priestess I can handle it, but I ask, for the sake of the others’ mental stability, that you refrain from engaging with them."

  We all murmured some kind of agreement before Griff lit up the room with a small ball of fire. It was just enough to let everyone see without overwhelming anyone's senses. I felt Tessa's tension ease slightly as I stood next to her. Was it the dark that had messed with her? We had a lot to talk about when we hand a chance. Right now though, I had to stop letting myself be distracted by Tessa. I sighed and looked around. The room seemed like it was the bottom of a pit. It was completely circular, and as we walked in the High Priestess went directly to the center and pointed up. Wind whipped her clothing around and almost seemed to draw her hair upward.

  Our heads all tilted back as our gaze followed her indication. So far above us that it was barely visible was something glowing. It was small and seemed to be spinning, but I couldn't really tell what it was. I definitely wasn't convinced that it was what we were seeking.

  "Fly up there and take a look, Guardian. Tell us what you see, how close you can get," the High Priestess said although her voice had the edge of a challenge in it.

  "Forgive me if this is rude, but can you not fly up there yourself and get it?" Tessa asked quietly.

  "We cannot. Those of us that have functional wings choose not to use them in an effort to channel our magic into our visions, but most of the Valkyrie do not have what my people would term normal wings. Most of us can barely get off the ground." Erissa rolled her shoulders and her wings appeared, but they were shrunken and looked more like they belonged to a penguin or a chicken than a Valkyrie.

  Niall shook his own wings out and the difference was as clear as night and day. He jumped and spread his wings, which covered at least six feet on each side. Every powerful flap of his wings pushed him higher, but also buffeted those of us still on the ground around. When he reached a certain point it seemed as though he was struggling with rising any higher, and now he was the one being blown about by winds that we couldn't tell were there previously.

  When he started to spin in a circle he slowly dropped back down to where we were all still standing. As his feet connected with the ground I saw that he was out of breath. Whatever had just happened up there took a lot more effort from him that it had appeared to from down here.

  "It's like a vortex of wind up there, but I could see it. The stone is encased in ice, but it's just floating there, spinning in the circle of wind that's coming from a few different openings," Niall said as he got his breath back.

  "Now you see why we haven't been able to get to it?" Erissa said, her raised eyebrow showing exactly what she thought of Niall's effort.

  "Thank you for showing us, High Priestess," Tessa said. "Is there somewhere we could rest and discuss our options?"

  "Of course. We had a suite prepared for you as soon as Henrietta let us know you were coming."

  Back up the stairs we went, following once again, but this time at least my mind had a problem to work on, something to solve. If there was wind and water blocking us from getting to the stone then maybe Griff was the answer. He'd put on a good display in the prisons, so maybe we could use that here as well. It seemed too easy, but it was worth a shot.

  My brain put that problem aside and focused on Tessa. She was slowly trailing further and further behind the High Priestess. Each movement seemed to sap the small amount of energy she had left. She'd probably had a pretty big adrenaline spike from the flight; I know I had, after all, it's not every day I got to ride on the back of a bird that could literally eat me for dinner and not bat an eyelid. If I was feeling tired after the rush wore off I could only imagine what Tessa was feeling.

  When she stumbled I
gave into my impulse and picked her up, carrying her in my arms as we continued up the stairs for what felt like ages. There wasn't much to her before Ailsa tortured her, but now? Now, there was almost nothing. I felt like I was holding on to her just to prevent her from floating away.

  "Thanks," Tessa whispered as she snuggled her head against my chest.

  I'd expected protest, for her to complain and say she didn't need any help. For her to admit that she did need help was a testament to how long she'd been fighting this exhaustion. It was enough that I would fight anyone who tried to take her from me or tried to wake her up.

  The rooms that we were directed to were sparse but comfortable with a light airy feel to them. It didn't hurt that we were higher than any of the other towers either. Apparently, the guests got the best views, because the window in the common area of the suite looked out over what felt like all of Hyperborea.

  Without waiting for anyone to give me directions I turned and walked into one of the bedrooms. As I settled a sleeping Tessa onto the bed and covered her with the thickest blanket I could find, my heart constricted in my chest. She made the cutest little noise before rolling onto her side and snuggling down into the blankets. I wanted nothing more than to make her happy. To hell with the four worlds. All I needed was Tessa, and as soon as she woke up I was going to tell her exactly that.

  I carefully shut the door behind myself as I went back out into the common area. "She's sleeping," I said as I met four pairs of eyes looking at me curiously. I wasn't sure how I felt about Niall yet, but he was clearly related to Dresden, so it wasn't like we could just dump him somewhere and forget he existed. Even if I wanted to give him hell for leaving Tessa in that place, ultimately, without him we wouldn't have been able to save her from it either.

  When I sat down onto the chair that was in the corner we all just looked at each other for a moment before the tension in the room seemed to break. We were all exhausted and none of us knew what was going to happen next, but I could tell just from looking at each of them, that no matter what it took we would all protect Tessa, even if it cost us our lives.