He pressed the button at the same time that Algie pushed up a sleeve and touched the armband all Trolleks wore. In the next instant, she vanished in a shimmer of air.
A huge boom sounded followed by a concussive blast that tossed him into oblivion.
****
Horror blossomed in Jen’s chest when General Morar pulled out a disruptor and shot Paz point-blank in the chest.
“No!” She charged forward, but her beloved warrior had already tumbled over the roof’s edge.
Vaguely aware of the others on his team following at her heels, she raced ahead. But when she reached the tower’s base, Paz wasn’t there. She scurried all the way around. Had she imagined him being shot?
Nira and the Drift Lords caught up to her just as a massive explosion cracked the air. A hot blast knocked her over. Tremors shook the ground. She covered her head with her arms as debris rained down.
When silence returned, she glanced up at a field of smoking rubble. All was gone: the rectangular building, the tower, the amphitheater, and the array of solar panels. Only the village remained standing.
Omigod, she spotted Paz lying motionless on the ground.
She scooted over, soot floating in the air. He had a scorch mark on his chest and blood on his face. She felt for a pulse and got a faint beat in his neck. He was still alive!
Morar lay a few feet away, a knife in his back. One glance at his vacant eyes told her their nemesis would bother them no more.
Yaron rushed to Paz’s side, knelt, and panned his PIP up and down the fallen warrior’s body. A grim expression washed over his bearded face.
“It’s not good.” He shook his head. “His injuries go deep. I do not know if I can heal him.”
“Paz.” Zohar sank to his knees and gripped his comrade’s limp hand. “You fool. Why did you do this on your own?”
Jen bit her lower lip. “It’s my fault. I-I think he meant to prove himself to me.” A tear leaked down her cheek. She gazed at Nira’s sympathetic face. “I criticized his lack of ambition. If he’s so skilled, why didn’t he get a better job than fixing space relays?”
Zohar raised a dark eyebrow. “He didn’t tell you about his research project?”
Too choked up to speak, she shook her head. What project? Was that the secret he’d been keeping from her?
“We need to get him to the shuttle,” Zohar ordered.
Yaron glanced at his commander. “He may not survive the trip. I need to stabilize him first.”
Nira’s eyes scrunched. “He’s still critically injured. Even if he makes it to the safe house, that might not be enough. You should take him to the Norns.”
“What’s that?” Jen asked, despair dampening her spirits.
“They’re the three goddesses of Fate. They guard the Urd Well, which we know as the Fountain of Youth. It’s in St. Augustine.”
Jen snorted. “That’s just a fable.”
Yaron glanced between them. “You’re mad. His wound is severe. Myths and magic won’t help him.”
“If there is any truth to the legends, a drink from the fountain might heal him.” Nira shoved wisps of hair from her forehead. “Do you really think your treatment will work?”
Yaron’s lips firmed as he studied Paz’s pallid complexion. “There’s only so much I can do. His pulse is weak and erratic. He may have internal bleeding.” His voice deepened with sorrow. “I can’t repair him without a full surgical suite, and we’ve lost our ship.”
Jen gripped Nira’s arm. “If you think there’s any chance—”
“I wouldn’t have mentioned the Norns otherwise. They can read the past, present, and future. Ask for their help.”
“Then tell me how to get him there. I could use my watch. The vector device will take us to their location.”
“That won’t work. You’ll need a car. I don’t know exactly where the Norns are located in St. Augustine.” Nira shrugged.
“Listen, here’s the plan.” Zohar jabbed his finger in the air. “While Yaron stabilizes Paz’s vitals, we’ll search for the car he drove here. When ready, you and Paz will get into the vehicle. We’ll use a towing beam from the shuttle to transport you under cloak. Once you’re in St. Augustine, you’re on your own. We must return to help Dal complete our primary mission.”
An hour or so later, Jen drove through the streets of Florida’s oldest city while Paz lay unconscious on the rear seat of Ted’s Acura. Tears clogged her throat and nearly obstructed her vision, but she followed the signs down King Street into the center of town.
Flagler College stretched on her left while the Lightner Museum stood on her right. At the corner of King and Menendez, she turned left onto A1A. A bridge stretched over the water to the east, boats at anchor on the Bay. She followed the signs, passing the Old Jail until she reached the parking lot for the Fountain of Youth tourist attraction. That seemed the likeliest place to start her search.
Instead of turning into the main entrance, she drove around the perimeter searching for another means of entry. Between a pair of cedar trees, she found her spot. She parked, hoping the property didn’t have security cameras in this remote corner.
It was too hot to leave Paz in the vehicle. Using a beach towel she’d discovered in the trunk, she spread it on the ground and tugged Paz onto it. She used the towel to drag him into the shade.
Aware that every minute ticking away was another minute he couldn’t afford to lose, she propped him against a leafy oak, kissed him on the mouth, and then bounded across the grass.
Pines, magnolia trees, and sabal palms dotted the grounds. A sea-scented breeze plied the air, reminding Jen of her first visit here as a tourist.
This time, she avoided the stone buildings, statues, and Indian exhibits that drew visitors and aimed for something else she remembered from the past.
Wary of observers, she approached a stone ring on the ground in the middle of an open field. Concrete filled the interior of the circle, out of which stuck an open pipe. She’d seen the thing on her last visit and wondered if it might be an air vent.
Crouching, she traced the circle with her finger, while the afternoon sun beat down on her head.
Her stomach churned with acid. The heat and the stress were taking their toll. She sucked in a breath of warm, humid air. Her own discomforts didn’t matter. Saving Paz was all that counted.
She pressed along the stones, considering what she would do if this turned out to be a dead end. She’d have no option except to drive Paz back to Orlando, and by then, she would be driving to his funeral.
Nira had to be right. Down below lay the Urd Well, the true Fountain of Youth. A drink from this magic fountain would restore Paz’s vitality.
She heard a latching sound and something moved beneath her fingertips. Her pulse accelerated.
The concrete disk swung aside, and a gaping hole met her hopeful gaze.
A flight of stone steps led down into the depths.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Jen reached the bottom of the stairs and peered around. A tunnel led away in a westerly direction. She’d had the foresight to bring a flashlight but didn’t need one. Rocks imbedded in the walls glowed with enough light to illuminate the way.
Moisture beaded on the stones and water dripped in the background as she proceeded along the dirt path. A few feet ahead, the trail aimed downward. Descending deeper into the earth, she sniffed a damp, musty aroma. The passage narrowed and she squeezed herself between two protrusions.
Did the Norns really live here? Was this the site of the legendary Fountain of Youth, aka the Urd Well of Norse fame?
Or was it merely a forgotten limestone cave system? North Florida was riddled with them.
As though to confirm the latter theory, gnarled calcite columns, stalactites, and stalagmites came into view as the tunnel widened into a cavern. Jen watched her footing as she climbed over a ridge, scrambled across a pile of rocks, and curved around a boulder. At the far end, another narrow passage with a low ceiling
made her crouch to proceed. The dripping noise turned into a steady flow the deeper she went until it drowned the echo of her footsteps.
Her knees quaked, and she breathed in rapid, short bursts. She didn’t want to be trapped here.
She couldn’t think of that now. Paz’s life hung in the balance. He could be dead by the time she returned.
Her hair hung in damp clumps as she skittered over a flowstone floor and scooted into a knobby passage. Her limbs trembled from fatigue. What would she find at the end?
More importantly, how would she find her way back?
She could swear she’d been in this cavern before. Like Hansel and Gretel, she should have left a trail of string or pebbles to follow back to the surface.
Her heart thumping, she prayed her faith would be justified. She kept on, her love for Paz propelling her forward.
Love? Oh God, yes! She hadn’t realized it until now.
The thought of losing him brought tears to her eyes. Regardless of what he did in real life, the man was her hero. He appreciated her for who she was, not for who he wanted her to be. She was guilty of that sin. If he revived, she’d tell him how she felt. She had to save him, no matter the cost.
Her head jerked up. Was that a voice she’d heard?
Creeping ahead, she listened acutely. Her pulse thrummed in her temples. Someone laughed, and a low murmur followed. Sucking in a breath of rust-scented air, she squeezed through a tight gap toward the sound.
A bright light shone ahead where the cave widened. The rush of water thundered in her ears. Was this where the three Norns lived? She pictured a trio of hags stirring a spoon in a giant cauldron. Did they peer inside at the swirling brew to read the future?
She emerged into a massive cavern with a ceiling so high, she couldn’t see its top. A waterfall gushed from way up on a wall, dropping several stories into a pool below. From there the water tumbled onward as a river, disappearing into a crevice at the opposite end.
Three people glanced up at her arrival, their faces showing rapt interest but no surprise. She stared at them, taken aback by their unexpected appearances. Then her astonished gaze swung toward the furnishings: an upholstered seating arrangement and a fully functional entertainment system. Was this for real, or could she be hallucinating?
A young girl with blond braids bounced up from the couch where she’d been playing a video game.
“Jennifer Dyhr, come and play with me. I’m tired of these two. They’re no fun.”
The oldest woman had scraggly gray hair that reached her shoulders, a lined face, and the translucent skin of the very old. Her companion looked to be fortyish. She had brown hair cut in a short bob and pleasant features. The pair had been engaged in a discussion, interrupted by Jen’s arrival.
“Sylvia, don’t bother the young lady,” the brunette admonished. “She needs our help.”
Sylvia sighed and threw down her controller. “Don’t they all. I suppose your sister Nira sent you.”
“Um…” Jen didn’t know what to say.
The middle-aged one waved. “We should introduce ourselves. I’m Verdandi. I control the Present. This is Urd who rules over the Past.” She indicated the older lady. “And Skuld is the Future, although she prefers for you to call her Sylvia.”
While they dressed in normal street clothes, their eyes glowed with an ethereal light.
“I’m honored to meet you, although I don’t understand all this.” Jan gestured at the array of furniture.
“Well, what else are we supposed to do? We’re stuck down here. We deserve our comforts.” Verdandi advanced toward Jen. “It’s been so long since we’ve had anyone visit us. Please, sit down, dear. Can I get you some tea?” With a wriggle of her hand, she conjured a tea set on the coffee table.
“Don’t be so formal. She’s in a rush, aren’t you?” Sylvia said with a smirk.
“Yes, I am. Can you predict what will happen in the future?” Jen couldn't keep the anxiety from her tone. “Is Paz going to live? Will the Trolleks be defeated?”
Gray-haired Urd cackled. “That depends on you, missy.”
“My friend is injured. Nira said you’d be able to help. Does the river water have healing properties?”
Urd shook her head. “So impatient, you modern women. You never want to sit down and have a chat.” She sat in an armchair and picked up her knitting. Her project must have been in the making for a long time, because a huge clump of it cluttered the floor.
Sylvia bounced over to the coffee table and grabbed a cookie from a platter that hadn’t been there a moment before.
“Everything comes with a price. Ask Nira about the shoes I gave her. She had to fetch some yellow flowers for me first. Too bad she forgot about those blossoms since their sap can heal wounds.”
“So what would you have me do?” Jen asked, wishing things could be simpler.
“This water nourishes the root of the great world tree that supports all of the realms. You’ve heard of Asgard?”
Jen nodded. “In Norse mythology, Asgard is the home of the gods.”
Sylvia lifted her chin. “It is where the mighty Odin once resided. Some of his handmaidens, the Valkyries, still exist. They’re keeping the hall ready for his return.”
Verdandi strode to a bureau and examined herself in the attached mirror. She patted the fine lines beside her eyes. “We may decide man’s fate, but the Valkyries determine which soldiers die in battle and which ones shall live. If you want to save your fallen warrior, you must steal one of their feathers. Then you can command the Valkyrie to give your mortal his life. Bring this plumage to us, and we’ll supply you with a ladle of water from the Urd Well to restore his vigor.”
“Tell me where to find these creatures.” Jen had no choice but to accept their terms.
Sylvia regarded Jen with a sly grin. “You have the power. Use your watch and go there yourself.”
“But I don’t—” Even as she spoke, her vision receded and she dropped into endless space.
Jen blinked as her sight returned. She stood in a forest with tall leafy trees and a lake sparkling through the branches. Birds twittered and leaves rustled in a warm breeze scented with honeysuckle. A yellow butterfly took flight while a lizard scampered under a rock.
Now what? She heard laughter amid the splash of water. Advancing toward the sounds, Jen noticed a group of swans floating on the lake, their regal necks extended. In the shallower water, a young woman swam laps. She dived under and resurfaced with water streaming down her lovely face. Her straight hair was so light golden as to be almost white.
Jen envied her skin, creamy without a single blemish, and her perfect form. Embarrassed by the woman’s nudity, Jen swung her gaze away. Her eyes widened as another wonder unfolded. On the shore lay the feathery plumage of a swan.
She crept closer, wondering what they would do to an interloper. She’d barely closed her fist around a long cluster of plumes when the young woman shrieked from the lake.
“How dare you steal from a virgin maiden of the Lord, Odin.” She emerged from the water, eyes flashing with rage.
“I command you, Valkyrie. Do as I say.” Jen held up her fistful of feathers.
The Valkrie sank to her knees. “State your wishes, mistress,” she said in a sullen tone.
“You will allow Paz Hadar, Drift Lord, to survive this battle and all others yet to come.”
The Valkyrie bared her teeth. “He shall live, but I cannot promise that he will thrive. That is beyond my power.”
“I’ll take what I can get.” Jen clutched the feathery plumes in her hand.
“You cannot leave with my coat!”
“Fine.” Jen plucked a few feathers from the bunch and tossed the rest back. The Norns had instructed her to bring them one plume, not all. “Remember my command. I still hold sway over you with these.” She waved her hand.
Then she touched her watch, and in a swirling shimmer, she transported back to the cave with the Norns.
Jen didn’t
understand how the device operated despite Nira’s instructions, but it seemed to work with focused determination rather than emotion.
“Here, I have done as you ordered.” She held out the cluster of feathers. “Paz will live but he is weak. I need your water to give him strength.”
Verdandi snatched a ladle, procured some water from the flowing river, and funneled it into a vial. “This will restore his health,” the goddess of Present said, offering Jen the sealed container. “But if you drink it instead, you will forever maintain your youth and beauty.”
Jen sucked in a sharp intake of air. “What do you mean?” She tucked the vial inside her pocket.
Verdandi’s eyes twinkled, the first sign of a sense of humor Jen had seen thus far. “Contrary to legend, the Fountain of Youth does not provide immortality. But as it nourishes the great tree, it will feed you with vigor and allow you to bloom with your full potential. You will journey thus to the afterlife when your time comes, maintaining your youthful beauty.”
Jen touched her face. She could look like a model forever? Never get wrinkles like Urd and never get old and feeble?
She shook her head. “It’s not for me. I must get back to Paz. What will this do for him?”
“It will restore him to a state of optimum health.”
“Thank you. Now how do I get out of here? Should I just go back the way I came?”
The trio turned away as though she wasn’t there. Sylvia plopped on the couch and picked up her video game controller. Verdandi poured herself a cup of tea, and Urd returned to her knitting. Jen couldn’t see what they’d done with the plumage.
She glanced at the walls of the cavern and the multiple passages leading into the gloom. Having lost all sense of direction, she’d no idea which one led to the surface.
She’d have to use her watch for transport again.
Before she touched her wrist, her gaze caught on a cluster of stalagmites jutting from the cave floor. The pattern looked familiar. She spun around.
“I’ve seen something similar in my dreams, except the spires are gravestones.” Her voice shook with excitement. “In the dream, I’m with Aunt Alba in a graveyard. She always indicates one of the stones. There’s lettering on it that I can’t make out.”
Warrior Rogue (The Drift Lords Series) Page 30
