“We set up camp.”
By the time they unpacked, it was already dark, and everyone fumbled through setting up tents. Cordelia didn’t feel like sleeping. She stripped her armor off and sat outside, staring at the blackness to the north. No giant balls of fire were consuming the mountains; she supposed that was a good sign. She didn’t like the idea of leaving Liam to deal with Naos’s shit, but he was already dealing with Patricia’s. He’d been a fine soldier—better at taking a punch than giving one, but still—and now that he’d been living outside his hard-ass mother’s influence for nearly a year, he’d come into his own as a leader.
She clenched her fists, fighting the urge to run to him through the dark, and trusting that he could handle Patricia, make an alliance with her.
But he couldn’t handle a fight with the biggest, baddest power user in the universe. By the time Cordelia gathered Simon and got back to the mine, Naos could burn it all to the ground.
Horace sat beside her, and she expected a lecture about going to sleep, but he only said, “Why would Naos come here now?”
“To fuck with us,” Cordelia said, certain of it.
“But she can fuck with us from space.”
“Simon cut her a bit last time they fought, made it so she can’t possess people.”
“So?” He tossed a clump of grass into the fire, looking pissed. “She can still harass people telepathically. She could grab an asteroid out of the sky and throw it at us. Why put her body in jeopardy?”
“Maybe she likes the thrill.” She remembered their last encounter, how tired Naos had seemed after tangling with every other power user on the planet, but she’d been determined as well, angry. “Maybe she thought of a plan.”
Horace sighed, a big sound she could relate to, the sound of someone who was tired of being fucked with.
Cordelia nudged him and smiled. “You ready to kick her ass?”
He nodded, his dark eyes fixed on the fire. He pushed his brown hair off his forehead and rested his narrow chin in one hand. “But then we get left alone for a while, right? With nothing to worry about except sleeping?”
She thought about it and shrugged. “I could do without the mad, power-hungry gods, but if regular people didn’t try to kill me now and again, I don’t know what I’d do.”
Instead of laughing, he seemed thoughtful, opened and closed his mouth several times.
“Out with it,” she said, thinking of a recent conversation she’d had with his lover, Simon, about how their lives had changed. When he stayed silent, she remembered how quickly he’d volunteered to come on this mission when he could have stayed home and worried about nothing much.
“I get it,” he said at last. “When we were living out on the plains for months, there was always something to do, mostly minor emergencies, but something. When we got back to Gale…” He hung his head. “I’m afraid I’ve become addicted to adrenaline.”
“Happens to the best of us.”
“Not to me,” He put his head in his hands, and the firelight brought out gold highlights in his hair. “I’ve always wanted to be content.”
She put an arm around his narrow shoulders. “You can be content and not be standing still. And once we sort Naos out, there’ll always be more to do in Gale.”
“I want to learn how to defend myself,” he said. “Without powers.”
She thought of how easily Patricia had thrown them around. “Being able to fight didn’t save me from Patricia, either.”
“Even so.” His eyes seemed haunted for a moment. “With my power to regenerate my own cells, I could live…a really long time.”
She nodded slowly. She supposed the idea of living longer than everyone else was a daunting thought. At least he’d have Simon to never grow old with. And he could regenerate anyone else he really wanted. She shivered at the thought. The threat of dying had been part of her life so long, she couldn’t handle the idea that it wasn’t in her future. “When we have a moment, I’ll show you a few things.”
He gave her a grateful smile. She returned it, then yawned, the stress of this whole situation getting to her. Her back felt like a bag of sand.
“May I?” he asked, his hand hovering.
“Please.” She was so glad he now asked instead of just helping. Most people didn’t mind the occasional jolt of healing. She probably hadn’t minded in the past, but with all the various powers flying around lately…
His power flowed over her like a warm bath, soothing her muscles. She hesitated a moment, afraid not only of looking weak but of feeling weak. He probably already knew what she had in mind, being a telepath and all. She trusted him not to dig in her thoughts, but she was probably projecting for miles. “I, um, could use a good night’s sleep if you’ve got one handy.”
He grinned. “My pleasure.”
He didn’t follow her into her tent, but he didn’t have to. As soon as her eyes shut, she fell into a deep sleep, not even waking when Nettle crawled in beside her.
When they reached Gale the next day, Cordelia found it quieter than usual. People hurried through the streets rather than congregating and sharing news. She hoped it was only the arrival of the Atlas that had everyone spooked, but she knew they couldn’t be so fortunate as to have only one crisis at a time.
She dodged the questions of those who tried to stop her and went to the Paladin Keep first. Private Jacobs informed her that Simon Lazlo had been attacked twice, once when he was almost burned to death in a warehouse, then his home was raided by a group of kidnappers trying to steal the Storm Lord’s children. And the paladins hadn’t been fast enough to save one of them.
Face flushed and angry, blue eyes flashing, Jacobs reported that Miriam, one of the telepathic yafanai, had been left for dead outside Gale, her newborn stolen from her, but Simon had saved her life and wanted to go after the kidnappers.
Cordelia was torn. She’d rather march on the mine and use Simon’s power to bash Patricia into acquiescence. Then they had to prepare for Naos. On the other hand, a kidnapped baby needed her help. That was a problem she could put her blade to, not one that would be solved with mind-fuckery.
Before Cordelia could speak, the ground in front of the keep churned, and several brown roots burst into the light, bringing with them Pool, the tall, lean, green-haired drushkan queen. Her long brown face seemed grim, narrow mouth turned down, green eyes hard and unblinking.
“I have heard of the baby being taken, Sa,” she said before Cordelia could greet her.
Cordelia nodded. The drushka hated the idea of anyone attacking children. As nasty as relations had gotten between Pool’s drushka and the drushka from the swamp, they’d never involved children in their fights.
“My scouts tell me these cowards have fled Gale,” Pool said. “Their trail leads into the plains.”
“Going where?” Cordelia asked. “Jacobs said they used powers, so they’re yafanai, not plains dwellers. Pakesh is the only plains dweller with powers, and he was attacked along with Jacobs and Simon.”
“Perhaps they have struck some bargain with another clan,” Pool said, lifting her hands and dropping them. The stern look on her face said she wasn’t interested in what the kidnappers might now be doing or their motives. She only wanted them dealt with, and Cordelia was inclined to agree, though they had to decide which problem to deal with first: a stolen child or the madness of Naos.
It was time for a council of war.
Chapter Two
Simon sat among the branches of Pool’s large tree, communing with Pakesh, the only plains dweller known to have yafanai powers after his people had stolen some of the drug that made those powers possible.
Only he’d eaten the drug instead of injecting it, and it made his telepathy and macro-psychokinesis fluctuate wildly, enough for him to need a babysitter for his power.
“Relax,” Simon said, sensing Pakesh’s tension.
Pakesh sighed and drew his legs up. He ran his hands through his dark hair, then rested his face in
his palms. The drushka had left them alone for this practice, and nothing but the wind sighing through the leaves surrounded them.
Despite the comforting surroundings, Simon could relate to Pakesh’s discomfort. He’d had many problems to frustrate him lately: people trying to kill him, caring for Dillon’s children and their mothers. And he still hadn’t shaken the guilt for Gale being sacked by the boggins, never mind that he’d only augmented their intelligence under Dillon’s orders.
Still, Simon had helped. He’d loved Dillon. He couldn’t help carrying a little blame for everything Dillon did because he hadn’t stopped Dillon.
He’d made up for it since then by healing Gale’s population after they’d been poisoned by the drushka and bolstering their crops so no one would go hungry. He couldn’t blame Pakesh for letting something weigh on his mind.
But Pakesh wasn’t even trying.
“Pakesh—”
“I don’t want this anymore,” Pakesh said, voice muffled by his hands. “I couldn’t stop the people who tried to kill you, who took Miriam’s baby.”
A series of images flashed across Simon’s mind’s eye: going through the warehouse, something being dropped on his head, the sight of Miriam falling under an attack, the screams as Pakesh’s power broke loose. If Simon hadn’t recovered, Pakesh would have torn the building down around their ears, maybe even the whole of Gale.
“That wasn’t your fault.”
Pakesh gave him a look that was far too astute for a fifteen-year-old. “That doesn’t matter.”
“You can learn to control—”
“I don’t want to learn!” The anger in his voice was enough to rattle the windows. “I want to go home.” His voice broke on the last word. Before he’d gotten his power, he’d been part of a large family, comfortable with children, beloved by everyone. With the power had become unpredictability and ostracization. His journey with Simon had started out a grand adventure, but after all that had happened…
“You can’t go home yet,” Simon said softly, soothing the boy with power. “Not until you learn—”
“Take it away,” Pakesh said, not looking at him, cheeks burning in shame. “Take the power away as you once took Horace’s and your own.”
Simon took a deep breath, trying to hide his shock and think of something to say. He’d stripped away his own power and that of Horace so no one could use them to gain immortality, but their powers had come back.
Because they were micro-psychokinetics. Healers. With Pakesh, the power might stay gone.
“You should think about this. I don’t know if I could ever bring it back for you.”
“I have thought. I don’t want it back.”
Simon sensed his pain, his regret. He’d been so proud when he could use his powers to help people, but he was also right in that he’d ended up hurting someone more often than not. And Simon didn’t sense any doubt.
“All right,” Simon said.
“Now?”
“So soon?” Even after what Pakesh had said, Simon still expected him to think about it, to use his powers one last time, to dwell on what might have been, but his face held nothing but anguish, and from what Simon could sense, he seemed to be straining to stay away from his powers, if such a thing could be said about part of one’s own brain.
Pakesh nodded, and Simon nodded back. Without ceremony, he fell into his own power, closing his eyes to concentrate. When he’d done this to himself and Horace, he’d been in a hurry, hurting both of them. Now he went carefully, cell by cell, rearranging Pakesh’s brain until the power centers had been eliminated. Horace had always been afraid of doing this, afraid of causing Pakesh brain damage, but Simon couldn’t deny him.
Simon checked him one last time, making sure everything was in place before he withdrew his power. When he opened his eyes, Pakesh was beaming. Well, Simon hadn’t accidently wiped out his ability to be happy.
“I can’t feel it,” Pakesh said. Then he frowned. “I can’t quite remember what happened at the warehouse, but…” He shook his head, and his smile was back.
Well, a little damage had been inevitable. “No other gaps?” When Pakesh shook his head, Simon nodded, happy for him.
Pakesh stood. “Will you tell Horace I said thank you?”
“You’re going now?” Simon asked, gawking.
“I meant it when I said I want to go home.” He stood and reached for Simon’s hand. “I’ll go to Wuran’s clan just east. I’m sure they can tell me where my people are.”
It wasn’t a far walk to where the Uri usually camped, but Pakesh would still need some supplies. He waited just long enough for Simon to get a few things together for him from the drushka, and then they had Pool hand them down to the ground where they walked to Gale’s eastern gate. Simon watched the boy walk into the distance with hardly a backward look.
And he’d barely had time to feel any loss from the boy’s absence before he heard Cordelia and Horace were back through the northern gate and wanted to meet with him in the Paladin Keep. They’d heard about Miriam and her baby, and he had no doubt they wanted to talk about Naos going overhead in the Atlas, too.
Even after Simon had healed Miriam, he hadn’t been able to face her. When he got to the meeting room in the keep, he couldn’t look at her because he hadn’t been able to prevent her child being taken. He distracted himself by hugging Horace hello and holding his hand, wishing they could be alone for their reunion. He greeted Reach and Nettle as well, who explained they were only waiting for Cordelia.
Simon led Horace to a corner where a pitcher of water waited. After pouring a drink, he told Horace about Pakesh while Miriam sat at the table alone, and Nettle and Reach spoke quietly in drushkan.
“You did the right thing,” Horace said quietly. “We should have seen it coming that he’d want his power gone.” His power flowed over Simon, not just soothing but reassuring, loving. “Maybe we should have offered it from the first.”
When Simon nodded, Horace glanced at Miriam before his voice spoke in Simon’s mind. “How is Evan?”
Simon sighed, wishing there wasn’t a need for Horace to ask about the baby telepathically, but he clearly didn’t want to mention another child in front of Miriam. Of course, she was a telepath, too, but Simon trusted that Horace’s shields were tight enough to block his signal from going anywhere but between the two of them.
“Fine,” he whispered. “We’re all living in the tree.”
Besides Miriam, the other mothers of Dillon’s children had been moved to Pool’s tree for their protection. It was safe enough.
Unless Naos killed them all.
“I heard that,” Horace said, adding a glower.
“I hoped we were done with Naos,” Simon said.
“We wounded her. We didn’t kill her.”
“She can’t possess people. I’m certain we hurt her telepathy in other ways.”
Horace shrugged. “It’s hard to predict what someone with brain damage will do. And we’ve already seen what such massive power can do to a human mind.” He shuddered, no doubt remembering his friend Natalya. But Naos had helped her even though she had a fragmented personality. Now she was split in two, with Patricia Dué taking over Gale’s mine and Naos coming from heaven to screw with them all.
“I felt something,” Simon said. “When we struck at Naos that last time, I felt part of her…leave. I thought it was just her power dimming, but I guess that was Patricia.”
Horace winced. “I helped treat a mind fracture years ago. It’s rare, but it happens. Abuse caused that one, not an influx of power.” He tilted his head. “I wonder if one of my patient’s personalities would have taken a new body if there’d been one available.”
Simon shuddered. “Maybe the woman calling herself Patricia is all that’s left of Naos, and the Atlas just fell out of the sky.”
“Is that possible?”
“No. Its manual systems were designed to prevent orbital decay.” He sighed. “But we can dream.”
> Cordelia strode through the door at last with Pool behind her. “Sorry we’re late. There was some problem with the wells, and Pool—”
Miriam stood, her black eyes hard as obsidian. “I’m going after the bastards who kidnapped my son. Are you coming or not?”
Cordelia lifted an eyebrow as she sat, but she was smart enough not to snap back. “Pool talked me into it, yes.”
“We will take the tree and the children and mothers,” Pool said. “All children are welcome in my branches.” Her bright green eyes were kind. Taller than other drushka, she loomed even when seated. Her skin was nearly the same color as the wooden table, with more lines and whorls. Dark as tattoos, all drushka had them. But unlike most drushka, Pool’s hair was a peculiar green tint shared only with other queens.
“But won’t you be taking the children to them?” Simon asked.
Pool wrinkled her nose. “Only if they can find them, which they will not.”
Simon shook his head. “I don’t know if I can leave Gale right now.”
“You will be safe in the branches, too, shawness,” Reach said.
No doubt the paladins agreed. And Gale might even be safer without him. The remaining Storm Lord worshipers had burned down the Yafanai Temple to get to him, after all.
“And Naos?” he asked, hating to throw a wrench in the works, but a kidnapped child wasn’t the only problem they had to consider.
Cordelia sighed loudly and leaned back in her chair. Tall and muscular, she was imposing, but she seemed world weary now, different from the firebrand who’d once punched him for lying to her. “We can plan as we go,” she said. “We’ll need all the info you can remember.”
He nodded and knew that had to be good enough. If they acted fast, they could catch the kidnappers before Naos had a chance to do anything. And if she made it to Gale while they were gone, maybe she’d follow them rather than flatten the city.
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