Vortex Visions: Air Awakens: Vortex Chronicles

by Kova, Elise

  No… if she’d been astride Gormon when the saddle straps broke, her only hope would have been for Ellene to have made a shell to protect her.

  But Vi had seen what had happened with the other noru bounding above the stone with such ferocity that the ground itself rumbled. And she knew Ellene’s control of her magic was not mature enough to be relied on beyond the instinct of her own self-preservation.

  “We’ll see if it’s brilliant luck… if Ellene is all right,” Vi muttered, picking up the saddle. “Now, to bring this back and have a word with the leather master… let him know there’s something faulty in his design.” Jayme’s expression darkened as she stared at the saddle. “What?”

  Jayme crossed over, holding up the girth. Right where the leather curved into the buckle was a straight line—impossible to see once the saddle was in place, but now undeniably sinister. Vi stared at it, knowing what she was seeing. But she couldn’t process it. It didn’t make any sense. It couldn’t make sense.

  “Someone, I think was hoping you were on that saddle…” Jayme said. “Because this has been cut nearly all the way through.”

  “What?” Vi whispered. But what she really meant was why?

  “Someone wants you dead, princess.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  On some level, Vi had always known she’d lived a sheltered life.

  When she was less than a year old, she’d been transported to the North and placed under the care of Sehra’s mother. When that Chieftain died, Vi’s protection fell to Sehra herself, the same woman who had struck the deal for her life. While both relationships had never been particularly warm and the people’s opinion overall reflected their leader’s, Vi had always felt safe.

  Now, staring at the tampered saddle leather, she wasn’t so sure. Yet another time in a terribly short period, her world felt different, inexorably shifted. Vi swallowed hard. Staring at the saddle would do her no good. There were no more answers to be had here, for now, and staring at them would only rouse suspicion from the others.

  “We’ll bring it up with Jax when we get back. Tell no one else.”

  “Understood.” Jayme slung the saddle over her shoulder. The cut pieces swung harmlessly, no doubt unassuming to anyone who didn’t know to look for the betrayal. Her eyes drifted over to Andru, who was still staring at the tree line. “Not even him?”

  “Not even him.”

  “Is the Chieftain’s daughter all right?” The man who had gone over the rules finally ran over. The racers still perched on their noru were finally becoming brave enough to venture forward as well.

  “Ellene was dazed, but she seems all right, thank the Mother. I sent her to be looked over by Chieftain Sehra and my personal cleric,” Vi reported, putting on an air of authority.

  Suddenly, everyone looked suspicious through Vi’s eyes. Every eye trained on her was one looking for her death. She forced herself to quell the feeling; these were the men and women she’d grown up alongside. She couldn’t see them as lurking enemies now… But she also couldn’t stop herself from wondering how many had access to the castle, to her noru?

  The old wars had left deep scars, even on the children of those who had fought, How many of them would want her dead for the crimes her parents committed against theirs? How many knew she was supposed to be the one in the race?

  Vi glanced back to Andru. He had known she was intended to ride… and he had pressed for it.

  “Praise Yargen.” The man gave a small bow. “And thanks to her that it wasn’t you on that saddle.”

  “Yes, well… If you’ll excuse us, I’m going to return and check on your future Chieftain.”

  “Take care, your highness.”

  Vi gave a small nod, and began to lead the way back toward the main road. She gave a shrill whistle and Gormon trotted over, falling into step behind them. Lumbering along, getting distracted by the birds flitting in the trees, he seemed a gentle giant; Vi felt silly for ever being nervous around him. Especially when she had something far more tangible to worry about.

  “Who do you think it could be?” Jayme asked only when they were far out of earshot of anyone else.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Truly?”

  “Why does that surprise you?”

  Jayme paused, thinking to herself. “You’re in the North, the granddaughter of the man who conquered this land and put it under the heel of the Empire. There are many, I’m sure, who remember seeing their loved ones die at the hands of a man bearing your name. I would have thought someone might have been exceptionally cruel, enough to be a suspect, at some point.”

  “The North has been good to me,” Vi defended. She didn’t know why, however. Hadn’t she followed the same line of thinking in her own mind? But she still wanted to reject the notion that she’d been sleeping alongside enemies all along.

  “Certainly… But the North is wide, and full of people. Sehra has been good to you, surprisingly so, all things considered. Ellene is like your sister. And that goes far with many. But…” Jayme paused, picking at the saddle straps. “There are many who cannot forgive the sins of the father. Some would argue that perhaps those sins shouldn’t be forgiven until justice is exacted… regardless if that justice falls to the children to bear.”

  Jayme’s voice took on a hard, protective edge—one that nearly surprised Vi. She glanced over, but decided it best to leave the woman to her thoughts for a moment.

  “It’s impossible to say for certain it’s a Northerner.” Vi remembered keenly the old, Western woman in the market. “The solstice has brought a flood of strangers to the North.”

  “But the East and West see you as their own, given your parents.”

  Vi couldn’t argue that. Her mother was born and bred Eastern. Her father was the grandson of the last great king in the West. And given how the woman in the market had claimed she’d come all this way just to lay eyes on Vi…

  She shook her head and heaved a heavy sigh. “I don’t know. Everyone seems as likely and unlikely as the next. Perhaps we’re making something from nothing and it was an accident?”

  “This—” Jayme held up the straps again. “—is not an accident. Not knowing who to suspect is one thing. But don’t be ignorant, princess. Someone is out to get you—someone with access to the fortress. I’m going to find out who.”

  As if on cue, Andru strolled over to them. He had a small frown on his face, but his overall lack of urgency made any concern he laid on seem insincere.

  “Is everything all right?”

  “Everything is fine,” Vi answered quickly.

  “Those beasts, the riders could not even get them to stop for their future chieftain.” Andru looked back at Gormon. “Wild things.” Vi wanted to argue and explain that it was a deadly combination of momentum, the shroud of a dust cloud, and the overall excitement of the race. But he continued before she could. “If you had been on that saddle, you would have been dead.”

  “Yes, I am aware.”

  The road dipped down, heading back into the city proper.

  They came up to the stables and Vi directed her noru into the pen. Gormon leapt over the fence, heading to a back corner of sun, and stretched out with a massive yawn. He rolled half on his side and promptly forgot about Vi’s existence, distracted by a low-hanging branch he batted at like a kitten with a ball of yarn.

  “Vi, thank goodness you’re all right.” Jax’s voice cut through the heavy silence that had been hanging over them like a cloud. He crossed over quickly, resting his hands on her shoulders.

  “We can agree on that.” Vi turned to Andru. “If you will excuse us now, please. I would like a word alone with Lord Jax.”

  “Yes, of course.” Andru gave a small bow of his head, starting in for the fortress. Now he takes the hint. They all watched him go. When he was far enough out of hearing range, Jax turned back to her, a frown on his face.

  “What’s wrong? What’s happened? I can see it on your faces.”

  Jayme held u
p the saddle straps. Jax walked over and, judging from his deepening scowl, saw what Jayme had before she spoke. “They were cut.”

  Jax held out his hands and Jayme passed him the saddle. He flipped it over, placing it on the ground, and knelt to get a better look. Vi wasn’t surprised when his investigation didn’t yield more than theirs had. There weren’t really clues to speak of.

  “I’ll have a word with the stable master,” he said grimly, standing. “Find out who has access to this area.”

  “Do you think there’s any way it could’ve been an accident?” Vi asked, ignoring the look from Jayme. So she was hopeful that someone wasn’t trying to kill her—that should hardly be surprising.

  “I pray it is. But I’m forced to act like it’s not. You are not to leave the fortress again, even with guards, until we get to the bottom of this.”

  She felt as though the remark should upset her, but Vi was too focused on the notion that someone was trying to kill her. She’d never had that much freedom to begin with, and she was leaving the North soon enough. The idea of further confinement was more palatable than Vi thought it should be. If anything, it felt normal.

  “Are you going to raise an alarm?”

  “Not yet. Whoever did this, I want them to think they got away with something. Perhaps that way, we can catch them in the act.”

  Vi gave a small nod, ignoring the feeling that she was so much bait on a hook.

  “How is Ellene?” Jayme asked, unintentionally making Vi feel terrible for not asking sooner.

  “She’s fine, up and about. It was just a small bump, a bit of daze, a potion to help clear her head and a salve to mend the spot. But you did right sending her back.”

  They both gave a small nod.

  “Now, try to put this from your mind and allow me and Sehra to worry about it. Focus on your studies and stay in the fortress. You’ll be safe so long as you stay here and take no unnecessary risks.”

  Vi felt odd about the notion that someone was lurking in the shadows, searching for a chance to kill her, and she was doing nothing about it. But for now, Jax was right. With no leads, it was all she could do. She had to wait until they made their next move… And hope it wasn’t the move that killed her.

  “I’m going to return to my quarters.”

  “Jayme, would you stay and help me investigate?” Jax asked her friend.

  “Yes, sir. It’s my duty as guard.”

  Vi gave them a wave goodbye and headed in.

  She had just started up the stairs when she realized she wasn’t alone. Slowly, Vi turned, seeing Andru standing two steps behind her where he previously hadn’t been. There were no alcoves he could’ve hidden in, or doorways to emerge from. That meant he had to have come up from the first landing area. But she hadn’t seen him there either.

  It was like the man appeared in mid-air.

  “What is it now?” Vi asked, ignoring the tingling feeling creeping up her spine.

  “I wanted to stress caution to you, princess.”

  “I think I have had that stressed to me enough.” It was all she’d heard for the majority of her life. Be careful. Stay in line. Don’t venture too far.

  “I know Prince Romulin has stressed it to you, but I am not convinced his warnings were heeded.”

  “And why is that?” There was something about his whole demeanor that had her hair standing on end. Vi shifted her feet on the step, trying not to let her discomfort show.

  “Someone who fully understands the danger they could be in would not go wandering at night.”

  Her blood ran cold. Vi suppressed a shiver. He’d known she’d been out.

  “Was it you?” Vi whispered, remembering the feeling of someone following her. Darrus mentioning possibly seeing someone on her tail. Andru had a knack for fading away even when he was in plain sight. What could he accomplish if he tried to sneak?

  Andru started up the stairs and Vi took a step back. He paused, one foot on the step she was on, the other below. Vi leaned away, trying to put as much space between them as possible.

  “Be careful. You never know who might take advantage of your carelessness.”

  “Is that a threat?” Her racing heart nearly drowned out her words.

  “Merely fact.” He studied her face. “Remember why I am here—because people do not have faith in you.” There was the dagger again, the one only he could twist in her stomach. Had those words ever been said so directly? Vi was grateful for the cool wood of the wall at her back supporting her. “As far as many are concerned, there is another heir, nearly equal in birthright, only minutes behind you. Some would argue your brother was meant to sit the throne.”

  “Are you sure this is not a threat?” Vi’s hand balled into a fist. She allowed her spark to crackle around her knuckles. If he made a motion, she would be faster. He wouldn’t know what hit him.

  “Again, merely stating facts.” Andru straightened away, starting upward. “Watch yourself, your highness.”

  Vi watched him leave, letting any possible argument go with him. This was one conversation she didn’t want to pursue. Not right now. Not when she had so recently stared her own mortality in the face.

  Andru had said he was loyal to the Empire above the Senate or crown.

  Vi had written it off at the time as hyperbole. But what if he’d been speaking the Mother’s honest truth? And if he had been… What did that mean he’d do if he suddenly thought she wasn’t good for the Empire? What if the Senate had already made up their mind that she wasn’t the best heir for the throne?

  Would he go so far as to remove her himself?

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Jayme and Vi joined Ellene in her room in the evening.

  Vi shared with them her interaction with Andru, effectively moving him up to “suspicious person number one” on their list. Even Jayme, who didn’t want to jump to conclusions, admitted his actions were questionable. She was already working with Jax to seek out any suspicious persons and volunteered to keep a close eye on Andru without raising any undue alarm.

  During her lessons, Vi tried to do the same as well. But it was as if the incident in the staircase had never happened. Andru said less and less each day, focusing mostly on scribbling away during her lessons and leaving promptly at their conclusion. He wasn’t even trying to linger anymore when Jayme and Ellene lounged in Vi’s room after.

  A week passed.

  Seven days of relative calm. A deceptive normalcy Vi tried to lose herself in by day, because by night her dreams were torturous, filled with men who had white glass orbs in place of their eyes, or horrors rising from sacrifices and red lightning. It was as if the sight had been imprinted on her soul, so much that she was even incapable of losing herself in her lessons.

  As a result, she refrained from contacting Taavin. She didn’t want to think about her visions and he would, no doubt, force the subject. He’d given her enough of a starting point, and there were plenty of words for her to pour over in Sehra’s book. Vi dedicated hours on hours trying to get lost in mindless memorization at night, avoiding sleep, avoiding thinking of anything at all.

  “You’re distracted today,” Sehra appraised. “Your magic looks like it did the first week we began this process… not the progress you’ve made so far.”

  “I am distracted, I’m sorry.” Vi shook her head and rubbed her eyes. The faint orb of light that had been hovering in her palm vanished. Durroe was undoubtedly becoming easier, even if she couldn’t seem to keep the magic steady for long periods of time. “I’ve been having trouble falling asleep lately. And if I do, I have strange nightmares.”

  “Nightmares?” Sehra repeated.

  “Why do you sound surprised?”

  “I’d heard word from your tutors that you had been distracted lately, more tired than usual. The winter solstice tends to be a special time for men and women your age… I thought perhaps a suitor had finally caught your eye.”

  Vi blurted out laughter. “Excuse me,” she said hastily, r
ealizing how rude she’d been. “I’m just a little too busy and too confined to find a suitor right now.”

  She barely had enough time to spend with her friends, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d sat down with Jax for dinner. Guilt collected in a haze around her. She had to be better for the ones she loved… but with what time? How did she even begin to prioritize with all that was going on? Her mind wandered down a brief tangent, wondering if this was how her parents felt between caring for her and Romulin, and their Empire.

  “Very true.” Vi appreciated that Sehra took her words at face value, rather than pressing further. “The dreams… are they of any specific variety?” Sehra asked, likely an innocent question. But it put Vi on edge.

  “Not particularly. Just run-of-the-mill nightmares,” she lied. The smothering cloud of guilt grew thicker. Vi didn’t appreciate lying outright; at the worst she much preferred a half-truth or deflection. Not that those were any better in practice, and she knew it, but they felt better. A blatant lie had her sitting so uneasily that she crossed and uncrossed her legs.

  “I can’t say I’m surprised.” Sehra sighed heavily, leaning back in her chair as well. Her shoulders sagged slightly, and there was a bit of a slouch to her. Vi had never seen the sturdy woman look so worn. It seemed as if all at once the weight of the Chieftain’s position had come down on her shoulders. “Given everything that’s going on, I’m having a hard time sleeping myself. The White Death is coming, I can feel it in my bones. I merely hope we can last out the winter solstice and give the people one more celebration.”

  Vi remembered Darrus’s talk of the infirmary. It seemed forever ago now. Had it truly only been a week since that night?

  “I’m sorry. Taking time out for lessons with me must not be helping.”