Chari jumped up, her eyes blazing as she rounded on the small noble. “No. No, we won’t even begin to entertain that. And how did you know? Are you spying on us?”
Romald grinned but did not deny it, instead, he nodded. “Of course, I spy on everyone in the castle and about half of the people in this fair city. It is my job; I make no apologies.”
Aiden looked around and noted no one seemed to be surprised except Chari, Gavin, Ashrak, and himself. Even Markam hadn’t reacted. However, when Aiden really asked himself if he was surprised, he found he wasn’t. Not after the brief but intense conversations he’d had earlier.
Aiden stood, facing the questioning looks of the others and taking a deep breath. “What he’s talking about, is that during the welcoming ceremony, I had a visit. From a Mourning Lord.”
The news struck the group like a hammer against an anvil. No one except Aiden’s friends and Romald could have even guessed and everyone showed their shock in different ways. Even Emraldi wrinkled her brows a barely detectable sign of concern.
After Aiden related the story, the Duchess turned to Chari. “May we see the bottle?”
“No,” Chari said, glaring at the regal Duchess. “He’s already stood trial once and had his life waved in front of his face. Why does it have to happen again?”
“Because life is always a trial.” The woman responded, cooly. “Because if there is the chance to save many lives for the life of one, we need to at least consider it, like adults.” She paused once more, staring Chari down with her unblinking eyes. In the end, Chari pulled the bottle out and put it on the table, all the while glaring at Emraldi.
Aiden watched as her cool eyes dropped to the bottle before looking at Aiden. Those glistening blue orbs drilling into his made him feel the cold of the grave creep up and down his spine.
“Now, do we have any other options? No matter how outrageous or unlikely?”
No one spoke for several minutes until Professor Reivus perked up suddenly. “Oh… Oh, wait! Aiden, my boy! Didn’t you ask me if I knew how to make portals?”
Aiden nodded, remembering he’d gotten so wrapped up in the thought of getting killed, he’d let himself forget. Idiot!
The Professor continued, “Well! I do know how to make portals now! Ever since Carol Reid gave me that gift! I can remember so much more! I have to say it has every likelihood of melting your brains out onto the floor, but considering what’s most likely in that bottle it may be a kindness to at least try.”
“A pot-what?” Valeran said, blinking.
“Portal,” the Professor said, a slight tone of irritation in his voice. “My word, I am going to have to make a dictionary, aren't I? A portal. A doorway, though instead of going from one room to another, it will be more like what Aiden does to travel back to Terek. Oh, my! Yes if we can do it, it could cause some people to have very bad migraines!”
Romald broke in, shaking his head. “A portal to where? Even if we brought in twenty thousand troops, what good would it do against that starship you mentioned? Or the troop ships? You said they had weapons, yes?”
“The Naiadens!” Gavin said, jumping up. “They are the only ones! Didn’t you notice all those strange things they were doing? It reminds me of some of the things you’ve described Professor. And their cloning. Do you think they might be able to help?”
Professor Reivus stroked his chin and nodded slowly. “It might! I mean, they might. They always were secretive and they never used glimmer steel. We always suspected them of something because despite being farmers and craftsmen, they always seemed to know too much. Yes! It’s a possibility, but only if they are willing? Why would they?”
Duke Valeran stood and pulled out a communicator from his pouch, handing it to Aiden. “Aiden, I think you’re the only one that can do this. Can you go to Reid and try to get this to Carol so we can speak to her?”
Aiden nodded, taking the communicator from the Duke before sitting back down. He looked around at everyone, smiling at them. “I will be back. I won’t run out on you. Even if we have to use…that,” he finished, gesturing at the bottle.
Many of the people bowed to him, but Gavin just gave him a stern look. “We know, Aiden. You’d never run out on your friends and we won’t run out on you.” With that, he quickly picked up the poison bottle and threw it against the stone walls, shattering it into a thousand pieces. Everyone was silent and Aiden expected to see a lot of angry faces, especially on the Duchess. He was surprised to see her smile faintly and then chuckle.
“Good,” she said to Gavin. “I was hoping one of you would do that. In my opinion, it was never an option but sometimes other things need to be proven instead.” She turned to Aiden and bowed to him once again, “The Mourning Lord and Duke Feldar were trying to keep you from being here for a reason. You were supposed to not be here and clearly, they were planning this little invasion anyway. I sincerely doubt they would have called it off, Aiden. It also showed me the Mourning Lord is afraid of you.”
Aiden sat, suddenly at a loss. She was right, but she’d let him think he might die too. Willingly. He finally looked up at her and nodded, but he knew he could never truly trust her. She was too clever by far. Most of the Riften people were, but for now, he had to save them.
“Okay,” he said, holding up the communicator. “I will go find Analil and then we’ll all talk.”
Valeran leaned forward and gripped his shoulder, staring into his eye. “Start at the beach and be very careful. I know they said they would be more open now, but I wouldn’t push it. Just make yourself very visible and don’t make any sudden moves when you appear.
Aiden nodded before closing his eyes. As he faded from view, all of them exchanged glances, wondering how long it would take for him to return.
Chapter 26
The beach was bathed in moonlight and there were few lights around, but Aiden could tell the Naiadens had been busy. There were more buildings up already, and a second dock jutted out into the bay with a small ship with Terek colors already moored against it.
Aiden sighed, looking around. He wanted to leave the Anderealm somewhere open so no one would think he was sneaking but didn’t want to appear where someone might be standing. It was late, so it was a slim chance but he didn’t want to push his luck. Finally, he shrugged, striding out on the sand and looking to see if there were any deep footprints that might indicate someone actually standing there. Finding nothing, he decided it would be safe enough.
Holding his hands up and out, he closed his eyes and slowly slid back to the normal world. The sound of the night air with chirping insects and other life noises rushed towards him, and in the distance towards the growing town, he could hear low voices conversing.
“Hello?” he called out, his voice sounding strained and foreign in the night air. The voices he heard talking quieted, and he saw two figures detach from the village and come jogging towards him. He waved again and called to them, hoping they could see him in the double moons’ light.
“Hello! Over here. I’m not here to cause problems but I need to speak to Carol Reid.”
The two women, not Exemplars thank goodness, stopped a few meters away from him. They didn’t carry any weapons but Aiden knew how strong they were and could likely break him in half if they so chose.
“Who are you?” one of the women asked warily. “You are not one of the passengers on the Piper. Speak quickly.”
“I’m Aiden, Aiden Finn-Wilthorn. I was one of the ones traveling with Duke Valeran when he visited several weeks ago.” Aiden paused, looking between the two women, “I need to speak to Carol Reid immediately. Please, can you take me to her?”
The two women exchanged glances, then gestured for him to follow. Aiden complied and in a few moments, they were standing near a large, steel street lamp that had already been installed on one of the streets. Its flame flickered, but between it and the moonlight Aiden could make out the two Naiaden’s faces and vice versa.
The first woman that had spo
ken peered at him before nodding. “So it is. I remember seeing pictures of you on the concourse when the decision was made.” She stopped, turning to her companion. A taller, slim woman. They didn’t speak, but a few moments later the woman ran off, heading towards what looked like residential buildings further up the shallow hillside.
“Where is she going? Is she going to get Analil?” Aiden paused, biting his lip as he watched the other woman speed off into the night. He didn’t want to upset these people, but they didn’t have a lot of time. He turned back to the first woman and looked at her with pleading eyes, “Please, I don’t mean be rude, but we’re short on time.”
“Do not worry, Aiden. You are fortunate in that Carol is here this evening. She arrived to meet with one of your ships carrying a Headmaster Bing. For coordination to set up the university, as I understand it. She will be here shortly.” The tall woman paused, then looked seriously at Aiden. “But before she does, can you tell me how you arrived? I was responsible for patrolling the beach and…nothing picked you up. That is quite odd.”
Aiden sighed softly. He didn’t honestly know how to describe it in a way someone would understand. He wasn’t even sure he understood it. “Well, I guess I came here by moving through where glimmer steel comes from? I don’t know how it works, if you’re asking.”
She watched him carefully, but finally nodded, “We remember you took the Ulcoreth out of the fight when you were here earlier. Is this the same place you moved through?”
Aiden didn’t like to be reminded of when he’d killed five spider beings, but nodded, “Yes. Yes, that’s the same place.”
The woman’s mouth wrinkled up and she seemed displeased, but not overly angry at Aiden. Instead, she took him over to the large patio overlooking the beach and began to light several of the lanterns spaced throughout the area. The warm, golden glow was welcome and Aiden was happy to take a seat. It had already been a long night, and his nerves were on edge.
“I am Nadiya Orensa, currently a town guard and soon to be carving teacher for the University. You are Aiden Finn-Wilthorn. Is there anything I can get you before Carol Reid arrives? She should be here within ten minutes.”
Aiden was just about to say no, but he suddenly felt dehydrated and dry. “Do you have anything to drink? Water or juice?”
The woman nodded and stood, getting a large pitcher from an enclosed ceramic case and two glasses which she set on the table, pouring for each of them. “It is good for you, to stay hydrated. I thought I detected a rasp as you spoke. Most unbecoming of a great wizard.” She put the glass in front of Aiden with a twinkle in her eye.
Aiden started at the word but was too busy drinking to respond. Wizard? Was that what he was? That was only in fairy tales and stories for children. What he was doing had been done by the ancients thousands of years before and even now it was not uncommon to see basic glimmer steel made by men. Finally, he came up for air.
“Wizard? I’m not a wizard.”
“Aren’t you?” Nadiya said, offering to pour more water into his glass. “Is what you do engineering? Or something else? Truthfully Aiden, you should come up with some name for yourself before others do it for you. It can be amazing how unkind people are about things they don’t understand. I assure you before this is all over, they will have opinions.”
Aiden took his cup and drank some more, half to assuage his thirst and half to stall for time. It was a strange concept. Why couldn’t he just be called an engineer? Was it really so bad? Honestly, he just really didn’t have time to think of things like that with his friends about to be attacked by an army.
Fortunately, he was saved from answering when several people, including a few Exemplars, came into view as they strode down the quaint roads running through the burgeoning town. In the lead, he could see the older form of Carol Reid and beside her was Headmaster Bing. Oya Dihya was also in the group and almost gave Aiden a smile when she saw him.
“So? Come to bring more disaster and dismay upon my island, Aiden?” Carol said, her dark words lightened by her smile as she took a seat at the table.
“I’m sorry, Ma’am. I don’t mean to.”
She waved her hand in the air as if to brush aside his comment. “Don’t worry, Aiden. I believe we’ve had quite enough of our peace and privacy. Life owes us a bit of excitement, I would imagine.”
Headmaster Bing settled as well, his ever present, scruffy garcat lodged in his arm and then on his lap as he sat. “Truthfully, Carol, do not tempt fate,” he said, his slow, sad voice seemed fitting in the late evening. “I suspect it has been waiting for just this moment, but I also suspect your people will be singularly able to handle it.”
Carol eyed him with an amused twinkle and half shrugged, half nodded. “We will see, Mikel. Let us hope it doesn’t delay our work on the university, though somehow I suspect whatever it is, you won’t let it interrupt your works.”
“Perhaps,” he nodded, “if I can. I have only just begun to understand the depths of your arts and sciences. I think I’ll leave the mystery of how a teenager managed to get to the island without a boat to you. Still, let us be about it then?”
Carol agreed, but when though Aiden made to pull the communicator from his pocket, Carol asked him to leave it off for a few minutes so they could first get the story from him. Amazingly, for all that had happened, it did not take long to reiterate it to the gathered Naiadens and Headmaster Bing. They interjected only a few questions here or there, but Aiden got the feeling they had almost expected something like this to happen, and were poised to take action.
In fact, when they finally did allow Aiden to turn on the communicator, with Duke Valeran and Duchess Emraldi more than ready to talk, there was no negotiation at all. Carol merely told them they were prepared to come to their aid and it was vitally important that Riften not fall into the hands of the Mourning Lords, much less any of the other Dukes or Duchesses.
“If they are old bulldogs, we have the means to deal with them,” Carol said when the question was raised. “Most likely, they don’t have any pilots and are all auto-controlled so it will be even easier. They certainly won’t be expecting any meaningful resistance. No, Valeran and Emraldi, my people can handle the landers and invasion force. The only questions I have are how are we going to get there, and if that ship of theirs is even half-capable of combat.”
“For the ship, we won’t know until we see it.” they heard the thin voice of Professor Reivus come over the comm. “There is every chance it is. Do you have anything that can deal with that?”
The Naiadens all went quiet, but instead of being in thought, Aiden had the distinct impression they were somehow talking to each other. Aiden exchanged glances with Headmaster Bing, but the man only raised his eyebrows and shrugged, continuing to pet his cat as he waited for whatever was going on to finish.
After a few moments, the Professor’s voice broke once again over the communicator. “Aiden? Everything’s quiet. Did they all just go quiet and start staring at nothing?”
“Uh…” Aiden leaned forward, giving the Naiadens enough time to stop him before answering. He really didn’t want to make them angry. When Carol focused, and actually winked at him, he took that as permission to proceed. “Yes…yes they are, Professor.”
“Ah ha! I knew it! I knew it!” His voice trailed away from the communicator as he continued to make excited noises in the background.
The Naiadens began to move again, with most of them nodding. Oya Dihya leaned forward, her smoky alto thrumming above them. “We do have the ability to damage it, or at least drive it off. Some very old technology I will have prepared. It will not make us any more of a target from driving off the bulldogs, to damaging the ship, and it may even make things easier for us if that is the only one they have.” She paused dramatically, then looked at Aiden rather pointedly, “but can we get to Riften in time?”
Aiden looked first at Oyi Dihya, then at Carol Reid and the rest of them. All of them were set in determination. He coul
dn’t conceive of living for thousands of years, hiding from most of the world, and then being willing to lay their lives down for the people they’d hidden from, but he had to help them if he could.
“Yes. I can get you there in time but I need to talk to Professor Reivus. I’ll be making a doorway so will need to know where to put both ends.”
“A gateway. We truly are in different times,” Carol Reid said quietly, in awe of what she’d just heard.
***
Simply put, Aiden needed to make an opening into the Anderealm, and then create another leading to the point of departure. Then he had to balance both of the forces so they canceled each other out. It was an extraordinarily difficult process, and despite Professor Reivus and Glowby both assisting Aiden as best they could, it still took him about eight hours of constant focus to make the portals large enough and stable enough he could set them and detach his mind.
In the end, he wasn’t sure he had even succeeded. He’d never undertaken something of this complexity and the pain was immense before he finally blacked out. Truthfully, it was a godsend, because his head felt like it was going to split into at least twenty different shards. It also allowed him to recover while the Naiaden forces gathered, and then passed through the massive portal.
The Glimmer Steel Saga, Boxed Set, Books 1 - 4 Page 60
