Elei's Chronicles (Books 1-3)

by Chrystalla Thoma

  “What the hells?” Hera muttered.

  “Sacmis,” said the voice through the speaker, “remember the plan. Nine awaits your report. Good luck, soldier.”

  Elei jerked on the steering level, correcting their course; they’d been heading west instead of south. He turned to look at Sacmis. She stood frozen, sweat trickling down her face and throat in silvery lines.

  Hera turned the radio off. “You’ve been reporting to Nine?”

  “I did not—” Sacmis pressed a hand to her middle. Pain flashed in her gray eyes, and her nostrils flared. “I have not. I’d never betray you. I know this looks bad, but... It’s a trick to incriminate me and find out where we’re heading. How about some confidence in me?”

  Hera groaned softly. “Can this get any more complicated?”

  “You searched her for bugs,” Elei pointed out. “She was clean.”

  “That was many days ago,” Hera muttered.

  “Then search me again,” Sacmis said, a stubborn set to her mouth. “Now.” She sighed. “Or trust me and have more distrust for those who are trying to kill us.”

  “Why have they not tried to sink us?” Hera asked, “only following us, talking to you. To you, Sacmis.”

  “They want to sow discord.” She took a step back. “They hope we’ll lead them to the resistance, to Mantis.”

  “I should not trust you at all,” Hera said, voice like ice as she checked the map. “You appear out of nowhere with some vague explanation about defecting, dire warnings about the Undercurrent, and secrets. By all rights, I should tie you up and gag you, or eject you into the sea.”

  Elei tore his gaze from the path cut by the headlights and gave Hera a sharp glance. Did she mean it? Would she do it?

  Well, she was Gultur.

  Sacmis stood, head bowed, a vein ticking in her jaw. “So what are you waiting for, hatha?” Resigned, and yet angry. Soft and yet sharp. Disappointed.

  He shouldn’t be feeling for her; for all he knew, she was just good at acting. But she’d been good to Kalaes.

  Dammit, one of the other watercars came in from their left, trying to push them into the wall. Maybe they hadn’t shot them yet, but they didn’t seem to have any qualms about squashing them like bugs. He veered right, then pressed forward. They had to go faster. Where were the boosters?

  “Sacmis,” Hera whispered, “I need you away from the cockpit. Go back with the others.”

  Sacmis huffed, then turned around and left the cockpit.

  “Do you trust her, Elei?” Hera asked softly when the door closed.

  “Sacmis?” He turned to her. “Maybe. Do you?”

  Hera sighed, a small, distressed sound. “You cannot tell with someone you care about,” she said, “can you?”

  It was the closest Hera had ever come to admitting to her feelings. Elei shook his head. What good did it do and what did it matter if he trusted Sacmis or not? He should be the one at Kalaes’ side. He had to end this race and return to the cabin.

  Elei jabbed at one of the ballast buttons, and the vehicle lurched, slamming him back into the seat.

  “What did you do? We’re going up.” Brow furrowing, Hera leaned over, then pressed a button, stabilizing and straightening them. “A warning would be nice.”

  But they’d managed to gain some distance and buy themselves some time. Elei sat back, breathing hard, a wisp of satisfaction curling around the burning rage. “Well, I bet it surprised them, too.”

  Hera stared at him, then her mouth twitched up. “Fine. Full speed now.”

  Acceleration lever pushed to full throttle, they hurtled through schools of fish. They sailed through the dark water like a bullet, the watercars following, pulsing blips on the radar screen. They were fast approaching Torq and the pillar formation Hera had mentioned and all Elei could think about was whether Kalaes was still alive.

  “There,” Hera said with awe, and Elei looked up from the radar to see what looked like an agaric grove in the sea. In the depths of sea, for all the gods’ sakes, where the fish glowed and the jellyfish were big as boats. Huge, black pillars, some round and some square, with lights flickering on their surface.

  “Hells.” He stared. “This is amazing.”

  Their pursuers were closing in. He swerved and dipped, trying to shake them off, at least long enough to slip into the maze of pillars. He could see why Hera had thought it a good choice.

  They reached the first, an enormous trunk jutting up from murky depths, smooth and shimmering, marred in places with stains and growths.

  “What are they protecting?” he heard Hera whisper as he piloted the vehicle around the pillar and between two others, checking they were still being followed.

  “Right now, us.” He grinned, a grimace that made his cheeks hurt.

  He threw the watercar to the left, barely avoiding a head-on collision with a circular pillar that broke the symmetry, constructed too close to another. A symbol caught his eye as they sped past — a circle containing something like a hand.

  “Did you see that?” He careened between two square pillars, glimpsing one of the watercars hot on their heels. “That symbol.”

  “Make sure we do not touch the pillars, they can produce electric shocks.” Hera shifted to a lower speed. “That’s what got Sacmis almost killed. What symbol?”

  Another round pillar was coming up, and he could make out the red circle branded on its surface. “That one.”

  They zipped by so fast it was a blur, but Hera muttered something that sounded an awful lot like a curse.

  “It’s a warning sign,” she said. “Danger.” She was silent while they cruised near a pillar. “The Gultur symbol for high tension is almost the same.” She put her hand on top of his, on the steering lever, and jerked them away from the pillar. “Careful, you’re coming too close.”

  “I know, Hera. Let go.”

  She did, her eyes wide. He kept an eye on the watercar following them, wondering where the other two were, and approached the pillar once more. If they touched its surface, they’d be fried.

  Well, risks paid off. Sometimes.

  The other two watercars appeared from the other side. Damn. He accelerated and took a sharp turn right, heading for the pillar.

  “The others probably do not know about the electricity,” Hera said.

  “Exactly.” He drove straight for it, seeing the three others converge behind them. He kept their course, letting the pursuing vehicles get so close they breathed down their back.

  “This is suicide.”

  He didn’t look at her, not to see how Rex was distorting her face. “Let me do this or we won’t make it out of here alive and it won’t matter that I infected Kalaes with Rex or that you can’t make up your mind if you want to kill Sacmis or love her. We need to get rid of them right now.”

  “Okay,” she finally said.

  He gripped the lever tight and focused on the speed, the resistance of the water, the direction the others were taking —closer and closer to the pillar.

  “Hera, be ready.” He led them to the point of no return. The pillar loomed over them, widening, towering — and then he spun ninety degrees. “Thrusters on the right, turn off those on the left.” He pushed the lever to the side with all his strength. “Now!”

  The thrusters on the right kicked in, giving them the boost to turn without tumbling head over heels. He straightened the lever and the watercar shot out, weaving between square black pillars like a moth among tall grasses.

  Behind them, an explosion lit up the water for a single breath-taking moment. A ripple hit them, then another. The watercar began to spin.

  Hera adjusted the thrusters and they slowed, lazily twirling one more time before drifting what seemed like inches from the next pillar. She let out a breath. “I think we lost them for good this time.”

  He grunted; tried not to think about the fact he’d killed them.

  “New coordinates.”

  Elei entered the numbers, hands shaking. “Set.”<
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  He maneuvered the watercar through the pillar grove, to its end where the open sea began once more, and headed east toward Dakru. The deep blue stretched ahead.

  She turned to him, smiling. “That was clever. But do not let it go to your head.”

  He wished he could celebrate, but there was Kalaes, back in the cabin, hovering between life and death.

  “Hey.” Sacmis stood at the cockpit door, looking worried. “Elei, come in here. You need to see this.”

  ***

  The cabin reeked of sweat and blood. Kalaes was sprawled over the double seat across the small cabin.

  “Elei.” Alendra shifted from her kneeling position next to Kalaes. Her expression was somber. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  He nodded, not trusting his voice. His feet wouldn’t move. Something cold and heavy was coiling in his stomach, twisting in his insides. He wanted to ask if Kalaes was still alive, but the words wouldn’t come.

  Kalaes had promised they’d go home. He’d promised.

  “Come,” Sacmis said kindly, and took his hand.

  He snatched it back. She acted as if he might break, as if she was preparing him for something terrible. “Help Hera with the driving,” he said. “I’ll be fine.”

  She hesitated, then nodded, casting one last look at Kalaes before she left.

  Elei sucked in a deep, long breath, held it. Let it out. He took the last two steps to Kalaes’ side where Alendra sat. “Show me.”

  The rise and fall of Kalaes’ chest was reassuring. It calmed him enough to kneel and prop his elbow on the armrest.

  “His fever has dropped,” Alendra said. “He hasn’t woken up, though, despite the way you threw us all about. And look. What are these marks?”

  Her thin fingers pulled down the ripped neckline of Kalaes’ t-shirt, baring his throat, and there, in a dark necklace, stood the black dots. Rex’s badge and legacy.

  Elei touched his own throat and shivered.

  “They appeared a short while ago,” Alendra went on, “faint at first, but then they grew darker. Oh.”

  Shaking himself, Elei leaned closer. “What?”

  “They’re spreading down his shoulder.” She let go of the t-shirt, her hand shaking. “Is that...?”

  “Yeah, that’s Rex.” He thought of the black dots on his spine and shoulders. She’d never seen it. Hadn’t seen all the snakeskin covering the back of his body, only the marks on his cheek and neck showing above his t-shirt.

  If she ever saw... He clenched his fists.

  “So it’s working?” She fixed him with those golden eyes.

  “I guess it is.” He rubbed his chest. “Damn.”

  “But that’s good... isn’t it?” She reached for his hand and squeezed it. “Isn’t it?”

  “I didn’t... expect it to work.” The realization made him bow his head. No faith, huh?

  “So he’ll be fine.”

  He looked up from under his dark fringe. Fine? He’d be under Rex’s thumb, craving things, violent at times, depressed at others, striving for balance. Never free. And yet... And yet...

  “He’ll live.” She pulled him around the chair, drew him in, and her embrace was sweet. “He’s going to live, thanks to you,” she breathed against his neck, pressed her warm body close. “You did it.”

  Her hold, her words, undid the knots inside his chest, and he felt like he’d fall to pieces. But she held him tighter, held him together, and he loved her for it.

  Loved her though he didn’t know when or how that had happened and what to do about it.

  Chapter Twenty

  “You did it.” Alendra swirled him round and round, floating in the blue water of his sleep. Stars and fish and eyes turned with him, with her, and her hair, clouds of gold, made a ring around them. “You did it.”

  But Elei couldn’t remember what he’d done, and he didn’t care, because she was drifting away. “Alendra, wait.” Bubbles left his lips instead of sounds.

  She glided, wisps of light trailing her. Explosions lit up the dark blue, sent him tumbling, and he struggled to follow her. The silence was eerie. “Wait for me!” But his words burst into stardust.

  Alendra shook her head, disappointed, and vanished in the deep.

  He blinked and the dark around him paled to white. The quiet hum of the engines seeped through. He’d fallen asleep where he sat, his head propped on the wall. Something warm weighed on his shoulder, and he smelled a fresh, familiar scent. Alendra. Soft hair tickled his cheek. She slumped against him, sleeping. His bandaged hand rested on her head.

  A glance in Kalaes’ direction showed him breathing evenly, his eyes moving rapidly behind his lids. Dreaming. But his face was relaxed. Not a nightmare.

  Elei sighed, relieved.

  Then he remembered Hera and Sacmis together in the cockpit. Not reassured by the silence behind the closed door, he gently moved Alendra aside and arranged her against the seat. She mumbled something, wrinkled her nose, and returned to sleep.

  Fighting the pull on his lips that kept twitching into a smile, he stepped up to Kalaes, checked his brow, found it cool, and this time couldn’t stop the smile from widening.

  Cautiously, he entered the cockpit.

  No screams, drawn weapons or pools of blood. Hera turned, giving him a questioning look. Sacmis flashed him a grin before returning to the map.

  Both still alive and unhurt. Good.

  “Sacmis told me Kalaes is...” Hera cast about for a word. “... is okay.”

  “He’s alive. And his fever is down.” And damn if that stupid grin didn’t threaten to split his face in two. “I guess that would make him okay.”

  Hera reached out as if to grab him and haul him closer. “The fever’s gone? Is he awake?”

  “Not yet. But he’s asleep and dreaming.” Hera looked alarmed. “He seems peaceful,” he added.

  Her shoulders relaxed and her hand dropped to her lap. “Good. Let him dream then. We need to set the new coordinates. Sorry, Sacmis. You’re going in the back with Kalaes.” She didn’t look at her. “Only Elei and myself will know our destination. Until I can trust you again.”

  “You’d better make up your mind, Hera.” Sacmis left the co-pilot’s seat. “Before I lose my faith in you.”

  Hera stared after her, winced when the door closed. “That went down well.”

  “What did you expect?” He took the vacated seat. “After all she’s been through with us, not only do you not trust her, you trust the enemy more.”

  “And since when have you become an expert in relations?”

  It was his turn to wince. “I’m not...” He sighed. “Forget it.” He checked the system, their depth and position, the radar for anything suspicious. Cat wandered by, gave him a disinterested look and returned to the cabin.

  A rustle caught his attention. The map was pushed over the console in his direction. Hera’s graceful hand, the bones marked with the black lines of Regina, gripped the other end. Rex was quiet in his head, his heart calm.

  “Apologies,” Hera said, a little roughly. “That was uncalled for. This is not your fault.”

  Stifling a surprised snort, Elei took the other end of the map and spread it out. “It’s okay.”

  He followed the coast of Dakru with his forefinger — the jagged cliffs, the towns he’d crossed, Artemisia, Aerica, Dakru city. Traced the curve of the island and wondered if its base was a perfect circle like Ert’s seemed to be.

  “Where are we heading?” Find a cache, she’d said, to give the Undercurrent the upper hand, to win the war.

  “I believe this”, she touched her thumb on the map, “might be the best spot.”

  He squinted at the dot. “Abydos?” The northern-most city of Dakru, west of Teos. Teos. He shuddered.

  “Yes, south of Abydos. A cache of vehicles, and one of weapons. I had hoped to go here,” and to Elei’s shock she tapped on Artemisia, the port where he’d landed when he’d first arrived in Dakru.

  “Are you mad?�
� he demanded. “That’s practically next to Dakru City.”

  “Close but not too close. Think. We’d take the capital by storm, control the heart of the Seven Islands.”

  “You’re thinking war strategy. I thought we were only going to help the resistance.”

  The map creaked as Hera gripped it hard enough to tear. “We are the resistance. If we cannot rely on the council, then we need to do all we can to end this.”

  Cold crept up his spine. “It’s on the other side of Dakru. We’d have to go around Dakru, we could be pursued again, and Kalaes—”

  “Which is precisely why we are not going there.” She sat back in the pilot’s chair, gaze thoughtful. “Too risky. Kalaes will not be in a shape to outrun danger for a while, even if Rex manages to undo most of the damage.” She tapped her fingers on the armrest. “I’ll do all I can to bring peace, but I will not risk him if I can help it.”

  He didn’t think he’d ever hear Hera admit aloud that she gave a damn about Kalaes. His lips were pulling into that ridiculous grin again and he pressed them together.

  “Do you really think what we’re doing can make such a difference?” he asked. “Turn the odds in our favor? Even if we manage to take Dakru and all the islands, what about the sea? The regime controls the ocean, the boats, and even watercars like this one. How can we defeat them?”

  Hera chewed on her lower lip. The jewel-like patterns of Regina glittered on her throat. “You are right that the sea is important,” she said, “and I think I have an idea of how to take care of that. I’ve been thinking about the pillars.”

  He tilted his head back, gave her a narrow look. “What about the pillars?”

  “I’ll tell you. But first, here are the coordinates.” Hera sat back in her chair, wearing a satisfied little smirk. “Full speed ahead, captain.”

  ***

  The sea stretched before them, dark, shot with shafts of golden light nearer the surface. Lots of fish swam there, in the azure haze, swirling like clouds of silver. Sometimes larger fish crossed their path, and Hera named them when Elei asked — a whale shark, big like their watercar, casting a long shadow overhead, a bluefin tuna, glistening like a blade of polished gunmetal.