The Channel (The Gifted Book 2)

by C. L. McCourt

  Daen cleared his throat. "You said the visions the Libraim sent you were always stills, but the last one, the one of the prisoners was different, live perhaps? What if the Libraim didn't give you the vision but, instead, helped you with your own vision? You have the ability to see beyond your reach. What if this is another part of the same ability?"

  Rhea felt a hand on hers, holding it. She turned to find Lanne, nodding slowly. She squeezed Rhea's hand, and Rhea could feel her warmth, her confidence. "Don't discount the possibility."

  The queen pulled Rhea's attention away from Lanne. "Do you know the location of the prison that holds my brother?"

  "We know it's on an island, off the normal shipping lanes, someplace between Port Iris and Caumden Bay." Rhea hesitate, then added, "I have a painting of the island and building in my room."

  Huntr explained how they came to have the painting and an approximation of the island location.

  "We will mount a rescue." Jauline spoke with absolute certainty. "What do you need from me?"

  Rhea shrugged, as if the answer was obvious. "We need to find the island and then devise a rescue plan."

  The queen rang her bell and her attendant entered. "Find Captain Scauldry. Wake him if you have to and bring him to me, now. Oh, and ask him to bring his charts of the southern and eastern seas." Her tone, the way she gave the order, ensured that the attendant would be quick with his task.

  "Captain Scauldry will be at your service. If he doesn't know the location of the island, he will know someone who does."

  "Is he close by?" Rhea wondered if they would be waiting long.

  "He has chambers next to the palace archives. He's responsible for maintaining and updating our maps and various other records. While we wait, retrieve your painting. Commander, please go with her again."

  Rhea grabbed her saddlebag and, once again, went to her room.

  ~~~

  The commander and Rhea had returned only a minute before a tall white-haired man with a beard carrying several rolled charts under his arm entered the dining room. "You called for me, Your Majesty?"

  "Captain, please join us." The queen glanced between the attendant who was about to step from the room and the extra chairs situated along the wall. The attendant understood the silent communication and placed another chair at the table before disappearing.

  "I would like to introduce my niece, Princess Terrwyn, Prince Kalaub's daughter." She went around the table and introduced everyone else. "We've been discussing islands." She motioned for Rhea to show the captain the painting.

  Rhea slid the artwork across the table to the captain. "This is a painting of a stone building on an island someplace between Port Iris and Caumden Bay."

  "We would like to know the island's location," the queen added.

  The captain contemplated the painting and then consulted his charts, spreading them on the table. After a few minutes, he had an answer. "I can't tell much from the painting, but there is something about the rock wall behind the building that could narrow down our search." He placed the chart in front of the queen and pointed to a chain of islands that formed a crescent. "I would hazard a guess it is part of this chain of hot islands."

  Hot? Rhea wondered if that meant the air was hot or the land was actually hot, as in lava hot. No, not lava. That didn't make sense. There were people living there.

  "Thank you, Captain. I need your services on an important rescue mission. You will be in charge of water transportation to and from the island. Commander Nauylor will be in charge of security. You and the commander will report to Princess Terrwyn, and she will report to me ... on this mission." Her gaze met Rhea's surprised look, and Rhea silently acknowledged what the queen was saying, on two fronts.

  "Rescue who?" Captain Scauldry glanced around the table but saw now was not the time to ask.

  The queen stood, and everyone else followed suit. "It's late. You have much to plan tomorrow. I want you on your way in the morning." She left them standing at the table as she gracefully walked from the room.

  Rhea wondered if she serious. Was she really putting her in charge of her father's rescue? Talk about pressure. But, then Rhea remembered she'd spent several years studying leaders and exploring the roles and systems of governance. She could do this. She hoped.

  All eyes were on Rhea, waiting for her to lead. But who was she leading? Who at the table would want to be on this mission? Obviously, the first order of business was to make sure everyone in the room was onboard.

  Rhea looked to Gaibel and Taulin, silently inquiring as to their interest to be included on the mission and received confirmation. "Commander Nauylor, can you use a couple warriors: a Taulomi commander, a Laundan warrior prince, and his guard?"

  He glanced at Gaibel and Taulin and nodded. "It would be an honor. Gaibel, I assume King Argeon will approve of you joining this mission."

  Gaibel gave Huntr a quick nod.

  He turned to Taulin. "King Craen will be comfortable with your participation?"

  Taulin painted a sly smile on his face. "There won't be time for him to agree or disagree. I'll send a message to Daulr at the southern border explaining that I will be out of touch for a while."

  Rhea bowed her head to him in thanks. "Randell, Daen, are you still in?"

  "No way am I cutting out now." Randell's face gleamed with excitement.

  Daen nodded his desire to be included.

  "Lanne, you don't know my father. As far as I know, you don't owe Sentran anything." Rhea raised one brow and waited for her response.

  "I would like to join you, but only if I can provide a valued service. I won't be a burden."

  "Let's see what's needed in the morning. Captain, can you recommend a place we can meet? Someplace where we can't be overheard as we plan?"

  "I have a workroom next to the archives that will accommodate us. May I ask who we are rescuing?"

  "My father."

  The captain gaped as he blinked, stunned by what he'd just heard. Was it possible the prince was still alive all this time? He swallowed his excitement. "I'll have breakfast waiting for you at first light."

  Rhea nodded. "Thank you, Captain. Unless anyone has any questions or would like to offer me some advice, I propose we get some sleep."

  With expressions showing a mix of determination and excitement, all agreed to meet the next morning.

  ~~~

  Rhea was just about to crawl into bed when there was a knock on her bedroom door. She slipped from between the covers and opened the door to find Daen and Lanne.

  "Can we talk to you?" Daen asked. "It'll only take a minute."

  Rhea stepped back to let them in. "Sure, come in."

  Daen closed the door. "The vision you had with the Libraim, have you tried to do it on your own?"

  "No. The Libraim showed me the prisoners."

  Lanne stepped forward. "What if you can spirit walk? As a channel, you are an extension of the Libraim. You have the potential to access any gift it grants. Please try. We need to know everything we can before we attempt a rescue."

  Rhea sat on the edge of her bed and shrugged. "I wouldn't know where to begin."

  "Try asking," Daen suggested. "Not calling to the Libraim, and then asking, but just ask. You're its channel. If the Libraim has the ability to do something, so should you, presumably."

  Rhea closed her eyes and mentally asked to be shown the stone building. Nothing happened, so she changed the question and asked to be shown the man with the dark hair. Still nothing happened. Rhea had one more question to try. ISilently, she said, "Show me the prisoners being held by the man who is sending the false warriors."

  Rhea was about to give up when she saw light from a torch dancing on a wall. The vision became clearer, larger. "It's working. I'm in a small room. I think it's a prison cell. I can't see ... Wait, he's here. I'm in Kalaub's cell."

  "What's he doing?" Lanne asked.

  "He's on his cot, leaning against t
he wall. His head is down." Rhea bent forward, trying to see the man's face, trying to confirm that he was really her father.

  "Well?" Lanne asked.

  "I'm pretty sure it's Kalaub. Now what do you suggest?"

  "Can you see anything else that might help us?" Lanne asked.

  Rhea glanced around the small space and found the barred door that kept him contained. She pushed her mind in that direction, willing herself through the bars. She gasped.

  Daen drew close. "Rhea! What is it?"

  Rhea fought to breathe through the shock of what she was seeing: the hall, the cells, and the door at the far end. As if they walked right through her, two guards dragged a woman, her feet fighting to stop the forward movement.

  Lanne touched Rhea's shaking body. "Rhea."

  "It's one of my dreams. It's actually happening." Rhea turned her vision away from the terrified woman whom she couldn't help, only to come face to face with Kalaub. "Lanne! Quick! Get my journal. Write the word 'rescue' on it."

  Rhea could hear Lanne rummaging through her saddlebag for the pen as she watched Kalaub watch her. Rhea couldn't move, couldn't believe that he could see her. He started to shake his head and turn away. Reflexively, Rhea brought her hands up and waved. "Wait!" She willed herself forward, following him back into his cell, waving her arms.

  He froze. His eyes grew wide in disbelief. Something caught his attention, his head jerked towards the cell door, before returning to face her.

  Lanne handed Rhea the journal.

  "I hope this works." Rhea held up the page with the word 'rescue' written on it.

  Kalaub gasped and stumbled back, catching his leg on his cot and collapsing. Again, he quickly looked towards the cell door and back to her.

  She handed Lanne the journal. "Quick. Write 'hopefully within a few days'."

  Lanne did as she asked and handed the journal back to her.

  Rhea lifted the message to show Kalaub.

  His jaw trembled as he pressed his lips together and nodded. The intensity of his stare told Rhea he was counting on her. A rush of excitement and panic coursed through her. A moment later the vision faded, and Rhea was back in her room. She met the anxious faces of Lanne and Daen.

  "Well?" Lanne leaned close. "It worked, didn't it?"

  Rhea nodded as the reality of what had just happened sank in. She started to laugh, a punch-drunk giggle of someone who was on the verge of exhaustion and fear. "Oh, my gosh! I can't let him down." Fear of failure started to overwhelm her.

  Lanne noticed the color start to drain from Rhea's face and gripped her shoulders, forcing Rhea to look into her eyes. "We won't let that happen."

  Rhea wiped away the tears that had welled up and started to fall. She scooted off her bed and went to her gear, pulling out the last snack bar she'd brought with her from the other world, shoving it into her mouth with shaking hands.

  "How did you end up getting through?" Daen asked.

  She told them the questions she'd tried. "And when I asked to see the prisoners, I was taken to my father. There seems to be some restrictions to this gift." Rhea took another bite of the bar. "At least he got the message. He won't be surprised when we get there."

  Lanne wrapped her arms around Rhea. "You did well. Now get some sleep."

  Lanne and Daen left as Rhea slipped under the covers and, from sheer exhaustion, fell asleep.

  40

  Voyage

  Knock. Knock. Knock. Rhea was in her kitchen at home, her mom was cooking dinner, and her dad was reading the paper at the kitchen table. Why didn't they hear the knocking? Where was it coming from? Slowly the image of her parents faded, and Rhea woke to yet another knock. She opened her eyes, at first not knowing where she was.

  "Rhea!" Her name seeped through her bedroom door.

  Everything came back to her in an instant. She rolled out of bed and stumbled forward. "Yes?" she mumbled as she opened the door.

  "It's time to wake up." Randell was smiling from the other side of the threshold. "You're usually up before the rest of us."

  Rhea stepped back to allow him in. "Yeah, well, I did a little," she switched back to English, "virtual-reality tripping last night." She didn't know the words for virtual reality in Aduraun.

  He raised one brow.

  "Lanne and Daen came by and convinced me to try a spirit walk." She slipped into the bathroom and told him the story through the door. "It took more effort than I realized, I guess. I was pretty tired when I finally fell asleep."

  "Ah. I see."

  Within minutes, Rhea was dressed in her clean travel clothes and heading out the door with Randell.

  A few minutes later, they were in the captain's workroom and had been joined by a man that Rhea could only describe as a pirate. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. It was cliché, to say the least. He wore a sash around his waist and a square of cloth tied around his head. He had long hair and whiskers trying to become a full beard. All he needed was an eye patch, and the picture would have been complete.

  "Princess Terrwyn, if it pleases you, I would like to introduce my trusted first mate, Waully."

  Waully bowed at the waist. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

  "Likewise," said Rhea. Waully didn't rise, and then it dawned on her. "You may rise. I know there are protocols you are expected to follow, but I think for this mission, we need to set them aside. The fewer who know who I am, the better. So, for this mission, I am Rhea, and no more bowing."

  The captain and Waully exchanged quizzical looks and looked around the room to see if the others found her request unusual.

  Commander Naylor chuckled. "Don't worry, you'll get used it."

  Quickly, Rhea went through the agenda she'd formulated in her head. Get to the islands, find the right island, recon the grounds, devise a way to capture the man with the long, dark hair, and rescue the prisoners. All eyes were on her, waiting for her to lead.

  With a deep breath, she plunged in. "Captain, how long will it take to reach the islands?"

  "That depends on the ship we use. The queen's war ships are the fastest on the sea. We could be there in two days from launch."

  "I assume her ships are recognizable," Randell commented. "If we're seen coming, we might lose the element of surprise."

  "What are you suggesting, Randell?" Daen asked.

  "We use the queen's ship to get us close and then switch to a smaller boat to slip in under the cover of darkness."

  "That's a good idea," said Gaibel, "but it depends on how many will be going ashore, and how far out we need to drop anchor."

  "The first trip ashore is for recon," said Rhea, "and I was thinking it would be Lanne and me."

  Lanne's eyes popped with confusion.

  "Prin ... Rhea, I have to object," Naylor interjected. "The queen would not want you in harm's way."

  Rhea tried not to sound too confident. "Commander, I'm capable of defending myself." She raised a brow, asking if he wished to dispute her abilities. She hoped she didn't come across as arrogant, but she needed to be seen as strong.

  Everyone in the room, except the captain and his first mate, would understand her argument. The captain didn't need to know about her gift, not right now at least.

  Commander Nauylor grinned. "I see your point."

  Lanne had been waiting for Rhea's attention. "Me?"

  Rhea nodded. "Yes. Of course, it'll depend on whether you can use the veil to hide your presence."

  Daen nodded. "I see where you're going with this. If they can't see you, you can move around, get the lay of the place."

  Rhea nodded. "Exactly. Lanne, can you try?"

  "Of course."

  "Thanks. I'll tell you how I do it later. Once we know what we're up against, we can make plans accordingly. Captain, how many skiffs will the queen's ship carry?"

  "Four. Each will hold up to five if you use the oars, four if under sail."

  Rhea turned to the commander.
"Commander, since we don't know how much help we'll need, how many warriors do you recommend we bring?"

  "The war ship sails with a minimum of twenty warriors who work with the ten crew members to manage the ship, when necessary." He glanced around the room at the volunteers. "We should be enough."

  "How long until we can set sail?" Rhea asked.

  "It's less than half a day's ride to Port Iris. Once there, we can be under sail within an hour. At least one ship is at the ready at all times."

  So far, so good. Was she forgetting anything? Probably. "Good. Commander, whom do I speak with to ready our horses?"

  "I'll take care of it," the commander answered.

  Rhea nodded. "Thank you. Unless someone has something to add, I think we're as ready as we're going to be, until we find the island and determine what we are up against."

  They each agreed and set off to pack.

  Rhea's first stop before packing was to brief the queen on their plans. She wasn't in the throne room, but one of her attendants was. "Do you have a message for Her Majesty?"

  "Yes. Please let her know that I would like to give her an update as soon as possible."

  The attendant nodded and advised her to check back in thirty minutes.

  Rhea agreed. As she stepped into her room, she realized she didn't have much to pack. She pulled her backpack from the other world from her sack and stuffed it in a drawer. She grabbed a clean shirt and the garments she had hanging in the bathroom. She also included a few personal items and the journals she'd been carrying.

  She threw the strap of the sack over her shoulder and opened her bedroom door to see Queen Jauline standing on the other side. Startled, Rhea quickly found her voice. "Your Majesty, I was on my way to the throne room."

  "Yes, I heard you were looking for me."

  Rhea stepped back and invited her in. The queen's attendant closed the door, leaving them alone in Rhea's room.

  The queen turned and faced Rhea. "I take it you have made your plans?"

  "Yes, Your Majesty. We leave for port in a few minutes and will set sail right away, assuming we can use one of your war ships. I understand they are the fastest ships on the sea."