The Channel (The Gifted Book 2)

by C. L. McCourt

  The commander bent to look the man in the face. "Who sent you?"

  The man tried to say something but drifted in and out of consciousness. Only the contemptuous sneer on his face confirmed he would not be a cooperating witness.

  Rhea observed his wound. "He's losing a lot of blood. He'll be gone before we can get any answers from him." She reached for the arrow's shaft but felt Daen's hand on her shoulder.

  "If you plan on pulling it, you'll need a way to stop the bleeding."

  Rhea nodded. "Help me get his shirt off."

  Daen knelt by Rhea and cut open the shirt around the arrow. It was in deep. She looked at Daen, and he nodded as he held the man down. She reached for the heat of the fire, creating a tiny hot energy ball in her hand, as she prepared to cauterize the wound.

  She took a deep breath. "Don't let him move." In seconds, the arrow was out.

  The man released a horrible scream as his skin was ripped open even more.

  Rhea quickly cauterized the opening and leaned over the man. "Better?"

  The pain had gotten the man's attention. He was seething, his breaths ragged and short. "Screw you."

  Rhea's head jerked back in surprise as she raised a brow. "Seriously? We just saved your life, and that's the first thing you can think of to say?"

  The corners of the man's mouth started to turn upwards slowly, forming a nasty grin. "Why don't you come here and I'll show you how I thank a woman like you?"

  Rhea forced a smile and used her best care-free tone. "No, thanks."

  The man attempted to lunge at her throat, but Daen grabbed him and pushed him back to the ground.

  Randell knelt by his old friend, ready to lend assistance if the man on the ground tried to get up again.

  Rhea shook her finger and gave him a sweet smile. "Now, now. You're going to open your wound."

  He spat at her. "Bitch!"

  She pretended to pout. "Ah, I see. You're scared. That's it, isn't it? You're afraid, so you're trying to act all tough." She tipped her head coyly to the side and smiled at him. "There's no need to be afraid. Haven't I just demonstrated that?"

  He twisted against Daen and Randell. "Let me up, and I'll show you scared."

  Rhea studied the man for a moment. She knew she was in the midst of battle-trained warriors who didn't hesitate to inflict harm on the enemy, and that was exactly what would happen if she couldn't get him to talk. She needed to try.

  She leaned over the man. "Who sent you? And skip the part where you whine about him killing you if you tell. I already know that. Answer me, anyway."

  He spit at her again.

  The direct approach didn't work so she tried another angle. "All right. How about why? Why do it? Why try to kill someone you don't know?"

  When he laughed, there was an evilness about him that was almost chilling. "For the money. Why else?" He laughed again. "But now that I've met you, I'd do you for free."

  She rolled her eyes thinking, how cliché. This was getting old. He wasn't threatened by her. He wasn't weak like the spy Gaibel interrogated. "Commander, what do you do with people who won't answer your questions?"

  The commander considered her inquiry, debating how truthful he should be. "Let's just say they usually don't live long after we try to convince them otherwise."

  Rhea turned back to the man on the ground. "The way I see it, you don't talk, and they try to make you talk. I doubt that will be pleasant."

  "What's the matter? Can't you fight your own battles?"

  Now, it was her turn to laugh, and it wasn't a happy laugh. "Oh, you don't want what I can do to you."

  She knew she had the power to crush this man, to burn him, to suck the life from his body. None of that gave her any comfort. But those tortures were far beyond what was needed here ... or at least she hoped.

  He licked his lips and ran his eyes down her body. "I doubt that." He looked Rhea in the eyes. "Free me. Show me what you have and when I'm done with you, I'll be sure to kill you slowly."

  Rhea rolled her eyes again. "I'm really getting tired of your attitude. I'm trying to save you from what I can only guess will be a very painful attempt to forcibly extract the information we need."

  He jerked up against Daen's and Randell's grip and snarled. "Go to hell."

  She leaned down and whispered in his ear. "You first." She was done. She'd tried. She hated the thought of what would happen next, but she wasn't in the world of shadows where the authorities have to play by a certain set of rules. She stood and faced the commander. "He's all yours."

  "Mearlin, Barty, see if you can make him want to talk," the commander ordered. "When he's ready, let me know."

  The two Sentran warriors smiled and heaved the man to his feet, dragging him into the woods and out of sight.

  Free from holding down the prisoner, Daen and Randell joined Taulin and helped him cut open the uniforms of the remaining unconscious warriors.

  "They're all impostors," Taulin announced.

  "How long before they come to?" the commander asked.

  Rhea thought back to when she knocked out Bestian in the world of shadows. "It took about thirty minutes for the last one I knocked out."

  "Mich, Aundr, stand guard over these men. When they start to come around, one of you come get me." The commander turned to Rhea and the others. "May I speak with you in private?" He didn't wait for an answer before turning to his tent.

  The foursome followed the commander. As the tent flap closed, he turned to face the four people who had just turned his world upside down.

  "I want answers." His voice was quiet, but serious.

  Rhea looked to Daen for help, but he just pushed it back on her. "I'm all all right with it, but it's your choice."

  She was beginning to wonder if he would ever say something different.

  "I'm with Daen," Taulin added.

  Rhea's voice was soft. "Randell?"

  He focused on the commander and nodded. "He seems honest."

  The commander was standing with his arms folded over his chest, watching Rhea. He wasn't going to wait all night so he prompted her with something easy. "Start with your name."

  Her name. The last time she said her name, she'd said Terrwyn Gaulette, dropping Rhea Canton all together. She felt a pang of guilt at the idea of not using the name her parents had given her. She decided she wouldn't do that again.

  "Terrwyn Canton Gaulette Baurden. You can call me Rhea."

  When she said Baurden, his eyes narrowed. "Who's your father?"

  Rhea hesitated on this question, but she didn't see she had much choice but to answer. "Kalaub Baurden."

  The commander stiffened, and his face went dark. "Impossible."

  "Why?" Rhea knew several reasons why he might think such a thing, but she wanted to hear him say it.

  "Kalaub Baurden has been missing for almost seventeen years."

  Seventeen? Daen watched Rhea's face flash confusion. Before she could do the math and explain, he stepped in. "She's about seventeen years old. She was conceived shortly before he disappeared."

  The commander didn't look like he wanted to believe them, and Rhea wasn't sure she liked being seventeen again. She was twenty-one in the world of shadows and that meant something. It gave her independence. Seventeen meant she could be ordered around, didn't it? No. She did not like this at all.

  The commander looked like he was simply humoring her. "And why have I never seen you at court?"

  Rhea glanced to Daen and Randell, but this time their encouragement wasn't there. How should she answer this question? Should she explain the court doesn't know about her, let alone her mother? No. Then the answer came to her. "I returned to Luxatra a few days ago."

  "Returned to Luxatra? From where?"

  "I'm not ready to answer that."

  The commander didn't look pleased as he glared at her. "Not ready? Just like that, you're not ready." His voice held contempt.

  Rhea took
a step closer. "Please, Commander. All in due time, I promise."

  She could tell he was fighting his anger as he took his next breath. "Why were you in Taulomi? And don't deny you were there. Your friends were caught coming over the border."

  She doubted they were coming over the border, but she didn't know. Should she explain? Would he believe her father married a Taulomi warrior? No lies. "My mother is one of the king's commanders. I was seeing her."

  The commander's expression didn't convey belief. "Assuming this is true, where do you live if not in Sentran or in Taulomi?"

  Ah, clever. He was trying another way to find out where she'd been all this time. How should she answer? The truth should work. She suppressed a smile because she knew her answer would just irk him.

  "I'm homeless at the moment." She gave him an innocent look as if she didn't know how else to answer.

  The commander glared, obviously not amused. "Do you think this is funny?"

  Rhea straightened her face to match his seriousness. "No, Commander. It's far from funny, but I think this is working nicely. Please continue."

  Their eyes locked, neither of them flinching. Rhea had a feeling the commander wouldn't have been so tolerant if she hadn't had the mark of the royal family or the powers she'd displayed so far.

  "What are you? I've never seen such gifts."

  "You don't need to know right now, but as you saw, I mean you no harm." She could tell he was getting frustrated, and she would be too if she were in his shoes.

  He started to pace as he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "You mentioned a mission."

  "As Taulin stated," Daen interjected, "we're investigating the attacks by these so-called Laundan warriors."

  "Why come to Sentran?"

  Daen and Rhea exchanged glances. The next answer could offend the commander, and they couldn't afford that just yet.

  "Before we tell you," said Rhea, "will you answer some of my questions?"

  The commander studied each of the four people in front of him, debating whether to trust them, to accommodate them. This was his realm. He was in charge here. He couldn't afford to be seen as weak, but he also knew what he was up against if he didn't at least appear to cooperate for now.

  He motioned for them to sit while he picked up his stool and did the same. "Go ahead."

  "What is your name?" Rhea asked.

  He debated whether he should answer, but then, her knowing his name and rank shouldn't matter. "Commander Huntr Nauylor."

  "Have there been any attacks other than from the false Laundan warriors?" Daen asked.

  False Laundan warriors. He knew he shouldn't just take their word that the attackers weren't actually from Laundan, but his gut was telling him he should. Given what he'd just witnessed, he wanted to believe them. "Not that I'm aware."

  "When did they start?" Taulin asked.

  "Less than a month ago."

  "Has Queen Jauline sent any Sentran warriors into Laundan?" Taulin continued.

  Commander Nauylor hesitated for a second, curious about the intensity behind Taulin's question. "Not that I'm aware," he answered cautiously.

  Taulin looked to Randell for his confirmation. Even though he could see auras, he couldn't read them the way Randell could.

  "He's telling the truth."

  The commander gave Randell a contemptuous look. He didn't like his word being tested.

  Randell shrugged and smirked, letting the commander know it wasn't personal.

  Commander Nauylor rolled his eyes as he returned to Taulin, awaiting the next question.

  "Would it surprise you to hear that there are reports of Sentran warriors attacking travelers in Laundan?" Taulin leaned in and stared into the commander's eyes.

  The commander sprang to his feet, fists clenched at his side. "We would never attack civilians. They're lying."

  Rhea glanced in the direction of the false warriors on the other side of the closed tent flap and then back to the commander, silently reminding him of the deception that was plaguing the realms.

  The tension in his face eased before he reached for the toppled stool.

  As the commander sat, he thought aloud. "What does someone have to gain from impersonating Laundan and Sentran warriors and attacking civilians?"

  It was at this moment that clarity struck. All of Rhea's studies were finally going to pay off, or at least she hoped. "Civil unrest."

  The commander's brows knitted together. "I'm not following you."

  "One way to trigger change is to shake the confidence people have in their leaders. If the people don't have confidence in those who rule, they can become disruptive and can push for change." Rhea watched him process what she had said.

  She looked to Taulin to see if he understood, and he was nodding. "Do you understand what I'm suggesting, Commander?"

  The commander leaned on his elbows and looked her in the eye. "If we can't protect our people, they might look for someone else to protect them. But, who?"

  "That's what we're trying to find out," said Daen. "At the same time, we're trying to stop the realms from going to war."

  Rhea looked at Taulin but spoke to the commander. "Messages have been sent to King Argeon and King Craen to prevent them from retaliating against the attacks." She turned back to the commander. "Now we need to make sure Queen Jauline doesn't retaliate. May I ask what your message to the palace said?"

  The commander hesitated. He shouldn't share realm messages with people not in his command.

  Rhea watched him deliberate. She wouldn't blame him if he didn't tell them, given she had kept things from him.

  She was about to ask another question when he answered, "I suggested that the attacks might not be from Laundan."

  Rhea tipped her head to the side. "May I ask if you mentioned me?"

  The commander hesitated. "I report all details to the queen, and given it's your presence here," he looked at each of them, "that brought this information to light, I had no choice."

  Rhea tried to remain casual as it sunk in that the queen would be learning that someone claiming to be part of the royal family was fighting false warriors at the realm border. "And the message to the guard station commander?"

  "I asked if he could send a man to the palace with the same message. I don't trust the birds."

  "Well, assuming all leaders get the message and believe it, war should be averted," said Daen, "and we can focus on finding our troublemaker, which brings me to the other reason we're in Sentran."

  Commander Nauylor's face started to darken. "Are you about to suggest that Sentran is harboring this ... What did you call him? Troublemaker?"

  "We know that two sets of spies have been hired from two towns in Sentran, Cauhill and Drunsaur." Daen continued. "We know that a bird was sent from Eantan to Cauhill, reporting our location. And I suspect tonight's would-be assassins were the result of that message."

  Before Commander Nauylor could respond, there was a voice at the tent flap. "Commander, we have a lone rider approaching."

  Everyone came to their feet and exited the tent in time to see Bandon dismounting, escorted at sword point by two Sentran warriors.

  Bandon stood at attention in front of Taulin. "Sir, I'm sorry to report that the spies you were expecting in Eantan didn't show."

  Taulin stepped forward. "Good to know. You look tired. Do you have food, drink?"

  Bandon shook his head. "Not much."

  The commander turned to Aundr, one of his men. "Get this man something to eat and drink. And while you're at it, ask the cook to bring us something as well."

  Taulin thanked the commander and they returned to the tent while Bandon joined the Sentran warriors for a meal. Within minutes, they were served stew, bread, cheese, and wine.

  27

  Prisoners

  Commander Nauylor took a bite of his stew before asking, "Where were we? Ah, yes, you were accusing Sentran of playing host to this ... tr
oublemaker." His words may have sounded casual, but his demeanor was anything but.

  "Daen was merely stating facts," Rhea responded. "For all we know, towns in Taulomi and Laundan are also being used to facilitate the disruption in the realms. Remember sir, I'm from Taulomi and Sentran. I have nothing to gain by accusing either. We just need to find the person responsible and put a stop to this insanity."

  The commander started to calm. What they were saying seemed to make sense.

  "Rhea, something has been bothering me," said Randell. "If the spies didn't show, then how did the assassins with the bows and arrows find us?"

  The tent was quiet for a moment, and an image flashed in Rhea's mind. "The man who was with the assassins, I've seen him before. He was in one of the images I was shown in the coffee shop."

  "Where was he? I didn't see him." Daen's face was tight with concern.

  "He was with the archers. He was there one minute and gone the next."

  Rhea's mind was suddenly filled with questions. How does someone know what's going on? Spies. How does someone disappear? She considered everything she knew about Luxatra and the Libraim.

  Daen's face came into Rhea's focus, their eyes locked. In that instant, it seemed they both had answers. Before Daen could say anything, Rhea raised her finger to her lips and closed her eyes. She needed to find an invisible spy.

  Instead of searching for the spy, she searched for the veil that would be hiding him. Rhea knew it was possible, because Maudra and Lanne could sense the veil. She thought to herself, "Show me the veil." When she opened her eyes, she looked around the tent, not really sure what to look for but didn't see anything unusual.

  She stepped out of the tent and slowly scanned the camp, then looked further into the trees around them. That's when she saw it, an anomaly: a shimmering slice of air, barely discernible. It was an opening to the other world, near where she saw the long-haired mad disappear.

  Now that she knew what to look for, other spots seemed to appear out of nowhere. There weren't many, and most were quite small. They'd been here all along; she just had to open her eyes to them. She stepped close to a large opening that was located within the camp boundaries and saw an alley with a dumpster.