by Drew Wagar
Zoella gasped, feeling weak and giddy. Someone caught her, pulling her from the bow, preventing her from toppling into the sea. She saw Ira’s face, then Daf and Creg. Then everything went black.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Daine, Capital of Drayden
Round 2307, Eighth pass
Merrin watched as the flight of dachs banked in the air and descended towards the temple. They swept in, wings outstretched, back-flapping to slow their approach before their claws stretched out to absorb the impact of landing. Dust billowed across the piazza.
Obedient servants marched forward to take the beasts under control as the priestesses disembarked, Nerina in the lead.
‘With me,’ she barked to Merrin.
Merrin bowed and turned on her heel, stepping into line. Nerina was marching towards the temple. Merrin had to hurry to keep up with her.
‘News from the borders?’
‘Amrit has just messaged from Scallia, she reports unrest …’
‘Has she subdued it?’ Nerina demanded.
‘She seeks advice on what to do next,’ Merrin said. ‘The population is unruly, rumours of our defeat …’
Nerina stopped and turned. ‘What part of “subdue” do you all fail to understand? I have placed Rihanna in Taloon, Amrit in Scallia. You are here, Merrin. You all know your duties …’
Nerina caught the look on Merrin’s face.
‘What is it?’
‘Nerina, there have been riots, unrest, even here in Daine,’ Merrin began. ‘The commoners …’
Nerina held up a hand.
‘Inside, now.’
They moved within the temple buildings, the light of Lacaille filtered throughout the interior by cunningly wrought and adjusted mirrors. The hallways were quiet, few priestesses were in evidence.
Merrin caught Nerina’s questioning look.
‘They are out, patrolling the city,’ Merrin explained. ‘I have had to call on the administrators and the healers to look after things here.’
‘What precisely has taken place?’ Nerina demanded.
‘Rumours of the defeat in Amar have spread like wildfire,’ Merrin said. ‘We have tried to find the source, but once the story was out … it could not be stopped. Farmers, workers, the citizens of lands we claim, they began to rise, to resist. We made an example out of many, but still the insolence continues, work all but stopped for a time. It is worse in the other lands we have taken …’
‘Rihanna has kept control of Taloon,’ Nerina said. ‘Amrit will be told to take a firmer hand.’
‘I already have,’ Merrin complained. ‘Did you not hear? People have been killed.’
‘It is not enough, plainly.’
‘Nerina …’
‘Do not object to my directives,’ Nerina said. ‘I have had enough of these insignificant peasants defying the will of their betters.’
‘We cannot rule them by fear alone,’ Merrin said.
‘Really?’ Nerina said. ‘Fear will motivate them well enough. Fear for their families, for their livelihoods, their income, their own lives. Fear will serve us well.’
‘There are not as many of us,’ Merrin said. ‘Keeping order is not easy. Stop a riot here and another one is breaking out across the city …’
Nerina fixed her with a glare.
It seems I must take back control of my own city,’ she said. ‘I will summon some of our priestesses …’
‘We have already been brutal,’ Merrin said. ‘If we kill more, we risk an uprising such that …’
‘We will be more brutal still,’ Nerina interrupted her. ‘Let it be known that any acts of sabotage or insolence against us will be dealt with by me. Bring any so accused to the temple piazza. There I will decide their fate. In the meantime I have more important concerns.’
‘More important?’ Merrin echoed.
Nerina nodded. ‘The maid, the one we encountered in Amar, she was present when we attacked Viresia. It was she who frustrated Kiri in that battle and escaped us at Amar.’
‘Stronger than Kiri?’
‘So it seems,’ Nerina said. ‘Her gift must be taken, she must be found and taken alive.’
‘Where is she?’
Nerina smiled. ‘I can see her thoughts and her visions. She is aboard a ship, they head sunwards towards the Obelisk.’
‘Why?’
‘That vision of the Obelisk requiring assistance,’ Nerina said. ‘The Amarans, the exiles, are going to answer it. Whatever it was that Kiri received, it seems they also believe it to be real. That’s where they are going.’
‘So …’
‘We let them,’ Nerina said. ‘If there is a threat let them deal with it, put themselves at risk in so doing. Once they return, that is when we will strike.’
‘But it’s hundreds of marks away, far to the sunward,’ Merrin said. ‘How will we … ah … Rihanna.’
Nerina nodded.
‘They will have to pass by Taloon. Rihanna will be waiting.’
* * *
Meru had no idea how long he’d slept, but he awoke to a faint smell of smoke. He sat up, stretching out his muscles. He was sore and stiff, his arms and legs covered with bruises and minor scrapes. His head was still throbbing and the cut on his forehead was tender. His leg, where it had been crushed by the console, was tender to the touch, but a quick trial of standing up showed him that he’d be able to walk on it.
And Kiri saved me.
He looked around. There was no sign of her, but she had been busy. A fire had been made up, circled with a ring of stones. Over it hung a set of shade branches, lashed together to form a spit.
Next to him was a cup, filled to the brim with water. He recognised the cup as one from the flying machine. Kiri must have found the wreckage and brought it back. Alongside it were a couple of the knives that had been in the kitchen unit, next to a pair of flasks. She had also found one of the rifles, and a belt full of cartridges.
She’s so resourceful …
He drank the water gratefully, hearing his stomach rumbling.
‘Hey sleepy head.’
He turned to see Kiri walking out of the gloom of the shadeforest. She was carrying a huge dead marsip slung over her shoulder and had a pair of wooden staffs in the other hand. She sat down beside him, dropping the dead creature on to the ground.
‘How are you?’ she asked, with a smile.
‘Much better,’ he said. ‘Thanks to you.’
She shrugged and went to pick up one of the knives.
Meru took her hand.
‘What?’ she asked, looking around at him.
He touched her chin and turned her head towards him, giving her a gentle kiss.
‘Thank you for saving my life,’ he whispered. ‘I’d be dead if you hadn’t …’
‘You saved me,’ she said, her voice low. They kissed again, but Meru could feel she was trembling.
‘What is it?’ he asked.
She sighed, looking away into the distance for a long moment.
‘I’ve tried not to care too much,’ she said. ‘When I lost Charis I swore I wasn’t going to feel like this ever again.’ She gave him a glare. ‘You messed that up good and proper. I didn’t want this, I didn’t ask for it, that time I forced my way into your mind I didn’t care about you, I was just after information …’
‘I remember,’ Meru said.
‘Then there was this … desire,’ she said. ‘It was driving me mad, burning me up whenever it wanted. I had no control of it, hated it and wanted it at the same time. It’s part of what the priestesses do … securing a bond with their mate, I’d done it accidentally, it shouldn’t have happened …’
‘The obsession we had with each other?’ Meru asked. ‘I remember not being able to think of anything else …’
Kiri nodded.
‘But none of that was really me,’ she said, looking at him. ‘Don’t misunderstand … what we did in Taloon …’ She smiled demurely. ‘That was fun … but what I feel now is …’
She swallowed.
‘I thought I was going to lose you,’ she said, tears springing into her eyes. ‘Everyone I’ve ever had any feelings for has been taken from me. That scares me, because … I do love you.’
Meru pulled her into an embrace, feeling her hold him tightly. They stayed that way for long moments before she pulled back, wiping at her eyes.
‘See what you’ve done?’ she scolded. ‘I was strong once, fearless and brave. I was a warrior … now look at me.’
‘You’re still all of those things,’ Meru said. ‘You’re the strongest, bravest, toughest …’ He ran out of words, shaking his head for a moment before trying again. ‘You’re amazing, beautiful, clever …’
She gave him a look. ‘Really? I’m streaked in mud and grime.’
‘I don’t see that,’ Meru replied. ‘Just the girl I love.’
Kiri swallowed. She rested her forehead against his.
‘Will this work?’ she whispered. ‘You and me? My people and yours … enemies … everything that’s happened …’
‘Don’t think about it,’ Meru said, squeezing her hands. ‘You and me, that’s all that matters now. We’re together, we’re alive, that’s all that counts.’
‘I’m glad of it,’ Kiri answered. ‘I want nothing else now.’ She sat back and shook her head. ‘So strange … I wanted revenge, and power and control and … I just don’t any more.’
‘Let’s do what we need to do,’ Meru said. ‘After that, you and I will do whatever we want, yes?’
She nodded.
‘Now … can we have some food?’ he asked. ‘I’m starving.’
She laughed and grabbed one of the knives. Meru watched as she gutted the marsip, pulling out its insides with a familiarity borne of long practice.
‘Ew …’ he said, wrinkling his nose
‘Never eaten marsip before?’ Kiri asked, dangling an intestine before him.
‘Yes,’ he said, holding up his hand to fend her off. ‘But not like this …’
‘Fresh and raw,’ she said. ‘Still warm, the best way. Want to try it?’
‘You’re going to eat it raw?’ he asked in alarm.
Kiri laughed at him. ‘Of course not, you idiot. I meant do you want to learn how to get them ready.’
‘No,’ he replied. ‘I’ll leave all the blood and guts to you if that’s alright.’
‘Coward,’ she teased.
Within a spell she’d completed the gory task and strung the marsip up on the spit. She turned it over as it cooked. They sat watching for a while, enjoying the smell of the roasting meat.
‘I found the remains of the flying machine,’ she said. ‘The water has gone again, just a trickle in that river bed. I guess it comes and goes. There wasn’t much left. Found these …’ She pointed at the knives, flasks and the rifle.’
‘At least we can carry some water,’ Meru said. ‘Might be useful, though I think having too much water might be more of a problem than not having enough.’
‘The rest was just a mess. It’s half sunk in mud, I don’t think anything was working. Sandra wouldn’t say anything, no lights, nothing. Everything else was ruined, all the clothes, food …’
‘That’s the third one I’ve crashed. Caesar won’t be pleased. At least we can get to the Obelisk, not so sure about getting back … and there’s no radio either …’
‘I can always … send a message …’ Kiri said, her voice hesitant.
Meru nodded. ‘I don’t want to ask you to do that.’
Kiri shrugged. ‘We’re going to have to square that off at some point, Zoella and me. We should let your friends know we’re alive, they’ll be worried after what happened.’
‘If you’re sure?’
Kiri nodded, closing her eyes.
Meru watched her face as she concentrated, a frown growing on her features. He saw her scrunch up her eyes as if she were straining. This went on for long moments before she opened her eyes and took a long breath.
‘Did it work?’ Meru asked.
Kiri shook her head. ‘No … I can’t hear her.’
‘She wouldn’t answer?’
‘No,’ Kiri answered. ‘There was nothing at all. I couldn’t sense her.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘She could be asleep I suppose …’
Meru thought about that. ‘I don’t know what time it is, but we can’t be that far off the timers. It’s not the sleeping.’
Kiri shrugged. ‘I don’t know. But she’s just not there.’
‘I hope she’s alright … they’re alright,’ Meru said, thinking about the crew of the Mobilis. ‘Can you try again in a few spells?’
Kiri nodded. ‘I will.’
‘They’re going to have to find a way through the vortex too,’ Meru said, ‘Unless we can fix the Obelisk first and let them know. I wouldn’t fancy sailing through that storm.’
‘We might need them to rescue us,’ Kiri said. ‘How are we going to get back, unless there are more flying machines at the Obelisk itself?’
Meru nodded. ‘Yes, there could be. Let’s hope so.’
The marsip was ready. Kiri pulled it off the spit, cut strips and put them on smaller sticks she’d readied for the purpose. They ate hungrily, the juices from the rich meat dribbling down their chins.
‘That’s amazing,’ Meru said. ‘Tastes so good.’
‘Hunger does that,’ Kiri replied. ‘Used to live off these for rounds and rounds. This one was fat and well fed. Easy to catch too.’
‘At least we won’t starve.’
Kiri wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
‘I had a look at the Obelisk when I was hunting,’ she said. ‘I think it’s at least thirty marks away from what I can see.’
‘How long do you think it will take us to get there?’
‘Not sure. Two stretches if the going is easy,’ she replied. ‘But if there’s stuff in the way and we have to take detours, could be five or more. Depends on the terrain.’
Meru considered that. ‘We had fourteen stretches when you spoke to it. We were three stretches flying … how long were we out after we crashed?’
‘Don’t know,’ Kiri answered. ‘A stretch at least I guess, no way to tell for sure.’
‘So, ten, maybe nine stretches left,’ Meru said. ‘Still enough … assuming we can find our way there and nothing else goes wrong.’
‘Yeah … our luck has been so good recently, hasn’t it?’
Meru grinned at her.
‘We’ll get there … but we’d better get going.’
‘Your leg, can you walk?’ Kiri asked.
‘It’s sore … but I’ll be fine.’
Kiri gave him a look, but didn’t argue.
Having finished the marsip Kiri doused the fire. They gathered up the knives and flasks, walking down to the river bed where they filled the flasks to the brim. They looked at the distant tower, still sparkling in the light of Lacaille. Meru buckled on the belt and slung the rifle over his shoulder.
‘Ready?’ Kiri asked.
Meru nodded.
They set off, Kiri in the lead.
* * *
Nerina had walked within the temple at the heart of the city of Daine, secreting herself within the grand hall at the centre. It was here that the attack on Viresia had been planned and before that where Kiri had been brought before her, to be judged after being accused of the murder of Choso.
The alternating sand and red-stoned tiled floor was familiar, the benches where the priestesses usually sat were empty. They were all out, carrying out her latest instructions, to quell the unrest out in the wider city. Summons for support had been sent to both Drayden and Scallia. Many priestesses were returning home
Kiri.
Nerina cursed her name. The girl’s power had been lost. Oh, she’d been able to tear a portion of it when Kiri had lain at her feet, exhausted and injured during the battle at Amar, but Kiri had eluded her, choosing death over that final humiliation
, throwing herself into the churning waters of the Strathian Sea.
I spent long rounds training her, cultivating her powers, growing her ready to be harvested, only to lose her potential. She was smart and clever, deceptive, thinking of her own plans and stratagems. She knew of this maid and the powers she had, but she hid them from me. She let her go when they met in Nireus, lied to me from that point. Why? Who is she? What is their relationship? Rihanna discovered that Kiri believed she came from Scallia … as did this maid, Zoella. Both have remarkable powers for those so young and not because they stole them from others, these are natural gifts … so how?
Nerina paced around for a moment before lowering herself into the ornately carved chair at the far end of the room. She thought for a spell, turning things over in her mind.
Nothing else matters but the capture of the maid. With Kiri lost, she is what remains of that strength.
She concentrated, closing her eyes and sending out her thoughts sunward across the plains of Drayden and then further, across the deserts of Taloon.
Rihanna!
There was a long pause, and then Rihanna answered.
High Priestess! Your bidding?
Your rule of Taloon, you have subdued it?
There has been no further unrest here. The population is controlled. I am ensuring that work on the ships is carried out. Delay will not be tolerated.
Nerina nodded.
That is as it should be. Continue that work, but I have another task for you.
Gladly, High Priestess.
The girl we seek, the maid. I have news of her.
Nerina sensed the interest from Rihanna.
You have found her?
In a way, I know where she is going. She heads sunwards in the metal vessel belonging to the Amarans. They are heading towards the Obelisk, answering its summons.
You want me to intercept them?
Nerina shook her head.
No, let them deal with whatever awaits them there. If the Obelisk is truly in danger and needs help, they can serve us by restoring it. Only once they return …
Then take them.
