Constant

by Lexi Ander

  The standing stones reminded Sohm’lan of the modest monolith in the middle of the Qrxzl’s Pool of Truth. The closer they swam to the outer ring, the more he sensed a hum rippling through the water. The bases of the stones were carved and when he touched the grooves, he was surprised by the warmth emanating from the stone.

  “These outer rings form viewing areas when activated,” his father said telepathically, answering Sohm’lan speculations. “After the grid was put in place and the Ryo’Pardeep… the Ancients were free to pursue other activities, there was some upheaval with the loss of a common purpose. The gyre circles were used often to solve disputes and the spectators needed to be corralled to keep them from joining the fight. There was much unrest in those days, arguments about what should be our purpose cropped up often. Everyone carried hot emotions over such debates. The sections between the columns will form boxes that will keep the spectators in. Opposing points of view will not be allowed to sit together to keep them from fighting while penned together.”

  Made sense, Sohm’lan thought. The gyre circle’s purpose was to resolve disputes, not to be an area for free-for-all fighting.

  He was aware of his father watching him as he swam to the nearest circle. A soft warm pulse beckoned him forward. That definitely felt like the Pool of Truth. In total, there were four rings of stones. He could barely make out the clear quartz railing stretching between the tops of the monoliths, making three spectator rings.

  As he swam closer to the center, the area went from dim light to bright illumination. If the citiplex patrols had missed the Mar’Sani pod, they would not miss the glow from the gyre circle. He was surprised that no one had come to see what they were about.

  The monoliths of the inner circle were carved with glyphs lined with red gemstones. The base of each stone was curiously surrounded by a turquoise substance that was not dispersed by the sea water. Sohm’lan was tempted to stick a finger in the gel but remembered what Alpha had said about the Waters of the Pool of Truth were a primordial being. Those Waters were aware and sentient, not like the Mar’Sani but enough that it was probably very rude for him to prod the substance out of curiosity.

  ::We cannot enter with you:: His father signed for the Monticore. Captain Kaduna frowned, clearly not happy with the directive. ::One opponent to challenge another:: Then only to Sohm’lan he said, “The circle will not activate if we enter with you.”

  He took the trident from his father, his nerves jingling as if he were an untried youth at his first formal match.

  “We practiced this. You know what to do,” Echo encouraged.

  He nodded to indicate he heard, but he was not mollified. The stories said the gyre circle saw into the heart of the individuals, could “see” the crux of the matter, and the circle’s judgement would determine the outcome of the match. Not that their determination was evident. Both opponents fought hard and always came away seriously injured, a price to be paid since this was supposed to be a last resort when communication broke down. It was not meant to be easy, and the person’s resolve must be unwavering, but the circle would not allow the wronged party to lose. His father said the circle announced the winner so there were no mistakes. The wounds though, the wounds could kill the person afterward. Sohm’lan had no intention of dying, but he had to acknowledge the possibility.

  Was the price worth the outcome?

  Even if he could keep Mestor from challenging Nethus, he would not be as successful with Valdor, Ashari, or Azaes. He did not have to think about it. He would not have been there if he were unwilling to pay the price.

  Movement caught his eye, and he looked to the columns halfway around the circle. The area had been full of dim shadows until the circle lit up. Peeking around the monoliths were outcasts whose forms were different from the Mar’Sani. They watched him, curious but not afraid.

  He inhaled, pulling water through the gills at the back of his mouth and out the slits along his spine, then he crossed into the innermost circle. Waves of energy rippled over his scales, making him shiver. He swam until he was almost dead center and stopped. His father’s black trident warmed in his palm, the faint whorls along the shaft shifting in a mesmerizing fashion. When he firmed his grip and concentrated on what he needed to, the shaft buzzed, and electricity arced up his arm. The heat in his core, that part connected to the quickening, gave an answering pulse.

  He struck the butt of the trident against the white, silty sand and he thought his opponent’s full name. “Nethus Qalupalik.”

  The stones, working like giant speakers announced his thought like a tolling bell. His father mentioned that telepathic conversation in the center would be heard by everyone within the arena’s circle, but it was still a shock to witness.

  Time seemed to halt, and a quiet descended like a smothering blanket. He waited, and it was not long before a hole tore open, a widening black void causing him to move away. A figure flew backward out of the darkness and bounced off the floor, causing a billowing cloud of silt to rise. The void disappeared just as soundlessly as it had opened.

  Sohm’lan had spent a great deal of time studying Nethus as Zeus and Canry sang the Siren’s Song on Valespia. He did not need to see his face to recognize him. His thick, blue leathery skin fluctuated from light to dark as he looked around. The tentacles on Nethus’s head lay flat and lifeless. When he finally turned, his gaze was trained on the tops of the monoliths as if he expected to be attacked from overhead. When their gazes clashed, Sohm’lan was not surprised when Nethus’s eyes narrowed with menace.

  The power rolling off the Numina plowed into Sohm’lan, filling the water around him with a painful electrical zip. He remembered the sensation when he first encountered the leech. Sohm’lan’s own power writhed in response but he kept a firm grip on that part of himself. He was sure that if Nethus had noticed he had quickened, then he would have said something before. Now that he knew Nethus was his father’s brother, Sohm’lan could see some resemblance. When Nethus was not agitated, the blue hide was the same color as Echo’s scales, but his eyes were a golden color that swirled the longer he stared.

  Nethus said nothing, only regarded him with open disdain.

  “Nethus Qalupalik, son of Poseidon,” Sohm’lan’s voice rang around the arena. “I challenge you to a battle of judgement within this gyre circle in three days’ time.”

  “What is the charge?” Nethus sneered, his steady gaze promising that Sohm’lan would regret his actions.

  “For the malicious and unlawful abduction of the Mar’Sani Prince from the direct line of Pegasus the Explorer, Canry Vondorian. You forbid him from returning to the shore and neglected to let his family know he had not perished in the Waters of Poseidon. You also forced a geas chip on Princess Shaneva Vondorian without parental consent when she was still a youngling of fifteen summers. You administered the torture of scale removal on Princess Shaneva, followed by abandoning her in deep waters. She was chained to a rock where her blood drew predators. She only survived because Prince Canry, who was thirteen summers, defied you and stayed to protect his sister. Your actions were wrong and self-centered, causing harm to the young. You, and the people who enabled you, continue to hold those two under emotional and physical entrapment and you need to be held accountable. For not only are those two enslaved but it has been discovered that tens of thousands more have been forcibly held hostage to the Numina’s will. Silently, covertly because the Numina know that what they have done is wrong.”

  The color of the stones changed to a ghostly yellow, and a wave of power rolled over Sohm’lan like a beacon that rushed out across the water. “Challenge authorized.” Nethus’s sneer of disbelief turned to shock. “People of the Water are now summoned to attend three days hence.” A stronger pulse boomed out of the monoliths, causing the ocean to shiver against Sohm’lan’s scales.

  Behind Sohm’lan, Echo intoned, “It has begun.”

  Snarling, Nethus slashed his hand in front of him and a void opened. He dived through and the
hole closed behind him.

  Chapter Forty-One

  Sohm’lan

  * * *

  The trip back to the surface was uneventful, though he felt watched the entire way. Echo said the energy wave was a summons that would reach all people who were in the water and they would be compelled to attend the challenge. The arena was large, but Sohm’lan doubted it would be large enough to hold everyone who would come, if he correctly guessed the number of people Atlainticia’s oceans held.

  With the challenge issued, his worries turned to his family and to the Vondorians. He needed to make them safe. If the Numina were determined to keep their existence a secret, they could very well attack, and use Mestor, Matsya or Kryp to lure him away to kill him.

  He ignored his father’s urging to stop brooding. He plotted, making plans within plans on the return trip to the palace. Once on land, he pulled in every warlord and they set about fortifying the palace, making them aware that if danger came it would come from the sea. The warlords set to work with grim faces and sharply-issued orders, knowing that Sohm’lan had not told them everything, but for the moment it would be enough to allow them to do their jobs.

  He, on the other hand, headed to Mount Rhodes, hoping to catch Zeus and Dargon before they returned to their jungle home with the birth beds. Zeus had invited everyone to his home since any day now, the kits would take those first steps out of Dargon’s pouch. Zeus had been prepping his nest for weeks, but Sohm’lan was more sure now that they should not split their resources. The Numina had tried to take Matsya in broad daylight in a crowd of witnesses. Sohm’lan took into account that every being in Zeus’s nest was dangerous. The majority of Dargon’s crew from the Oethra 7 were now a part of Zeus’s household. Would their presence deter the Numina? He knew nothing of the Numina’s capabilities. Could they bypass Zeus’s security and take Zeus’s mates and young? With Sohm’lan’s challenge in the gyre circle, the Numina now knew that Sohm’lan and some People of the Shore knew of their existence—

  He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, forcing the whirl of thoughts and worry to stop. He could not plan for every scenario. It was not like him to be so splintered in thought and mind. He had always been decisive, able to move and dodge, unperturbed and confident he could overcome anything. What was so different about this time?

  The Monticore turned down the access road. The lane would end in a paved lot where the vehicles could park. The parents who climbed to the plateau for a birth bed would return there with their prize.

  The jungle encroached upon the road, the trees overhanging the path and shielding them from the sun. The cool shadows flitting across the windows comforted Sohm’lan. He caught sight of bright blooms bursting from the dark leaf-litter. The squawk of the many birds drowned out the noise of the vehicle’s engines. The brilliantly-colored fowl flitted from branch to branch, their colors more shocking than the flowers on the ground.

  The trees gave way to a clearing and several hovercraft were parked in neat rows. Monticore usually assigned to Azaes and Tori were spread throughout the area. As Sohm’lan climbed out of the hovercraft, a resounding, high-pitched scream rent the air overhead. Sohm’lan’s heart stopped and he glanced skyward. There, circling lazily, was a pegasus raptor and rider. Valdor had confided in Sohm’lan when he returned with birth beds for Azaes and Mestor that descending the mountain had been equal parts exhilarating and terrifying. Sohm’lan squinted at the figure. It seemed Zeus stood firmly in the terrifying court. If his brothers saw and heard him, they would tease him for summers to come.

  “Should we do something to… help?” Captain Kaduna asked, her face scrunched as if she struggled with laughter.

  Sohm’lan did not hold back but chuckled and shook his head. That was the second time today he had displayed unusual behavior in front of others. He could not bring himself to care. “He is not in danger, just being foolish. His guard will be waiting for him to land. They will send word if assistance is needed.”

  Captain Kaduna grinned and issued duties to the Monticore who accompanied him. Except for Captain Kaduna, who remained at his side, half of his guard stayed behind, and those who went with him melted into the shadows under the trees. The base of the mountain had clearings in the jungle that allowed the pegasus to land. When Captain Kaduna contacted Zeus’s guard, they were given the location where Dargon and Alpha could be found. The path branched and Sohm’lan followed the signs. He heard Zeus and his brothers before he saw them. They made enough noise that a blind sniper could have taken them out.

  At the edge of the trees, the four siblings were rolling around on the ground like they were younglings of only five. Despite the view, the sounds of happiness were loud and boisterous. Sohm’lan could not help his smile. Dargon slowly slunk over to Sohm’lan, his lion’s body well-rounded in the middle where his pouch bulged with the kits. His copper-colored hair had grown out over the moons, though it was not as long as it had been before, but long enough to braid. His teardrop-shaped ears swiveled, the hoop earrings with dangling gems tinkled.

  “Have they been tussling long?” Sohm’lan asked.

  “No—”

  Azaes shrieked. The reason for his sudden distress was Zeus who was attached to the end of his tail. Sohm’lan considered wading into the fray and breaking up the play but decided against it when Zeus rolled over laughing so hard tears streaked his dirty face.

  “Ha! I am not the only one who shrieks!”

  Azaes pounced, and they tussled some more. Tori was the first to roll away and disengage. He lay on his back, staring at the sky, panting. Sohm’lan treasured Tori’s expression of pure happiness. When Tori noticed they had witnesses, his smile turned blinding. He climbed to his feet and looked down at his once black uniform and snickered as he swiped at his clothing, producing small clouds of dust and brown leaves.

  The other three seemed to be winding down, breaths loud and gasping as they continued to laugh. Sohm’lan crossed to Tori, pressing his forehead against his amor’s. Tori’s eyes gleamed, his joy so bright Sohm’lan could bask in the warmth for days.

  “Sohm!” Zeus said from where he panted on the ground. “I am so glad you could come. Any word on when our parents will get in?”

  “Tonight, or the morning at the latest,” he replied, trying not to laugh at Zeus’s disheveled appearance. He truly looked like a youngling. All four were dirty, but it was more evident on Zeus whose alabaster skin was smudged brown and green. The leaf stain would take a couple of days to fade.

  “Wow,” Canry murmured from his place on the ground, head near Zeus’s feet. “That was fun.” He prodded his split lip with his tongue.

  Dargon chuffed and moved to Zeus’s side, his discomfort with movement evident the longer Sohm’lan watched. He did not need to be out in this jungle heat. Dargon swiped his tongue through Zeus’s hair. He never said such, but Zeus expected to face battle again, and that was the reason he kept his hair short.

  “I think you should move your household to the palace,” Sohm’lan ventured.

  Zeus’s eyes sharpened as he tilted his head to better see Sohm’lan. “What is wrong?”

  “I have much to tell you,” he replied, looking from Zeus to Azaes, who regarded him with narrowed eyes. “But I want to wait for your parents.”

  “Are we in immediate danger?” Azaes asked, getting to his feet and holding his hands out to Canry and Zeus.

  “Unknown,” he confessed. “If everyone is at the palace, then we will not be splitting our attention or forces. Plus, there are the additional security measures there that Zeus’s nest does not have.”

  Sohm’lan was sad to see the levity fade from the brothers.

  “Give me a moment to contact Mayra and let her know. She can organize moving the people to the palace if they want to come.” Zeus placed a hand on Dargon’s head, looking to the tree branches overhead. “Amlyn?”

  The Catalani assassin landed in the clearing. Sohm’lan glanced up at the boughs. He had not known she was the
re. Amlyn strode to Zeus, pulling a small data pad from her belt.

  “I can make the arrangements, Prince Zeus. Is there anything special you want brought along?”

  Zeus glanced at Dargon and a slight static Sohm’lan had come to associate with Zeus speaking to Alpha tickled his ear. He had kept the telepathic link between him and Mestor shut down, and they both shielded their minds. Could the Numina understand Zeus and Alpha’s conversation? With the challenge on the horizon and unsure how the Numina would respond, Sohm’lan felt as if he should say something.

  He cleared his throat. “Your Highness—”

  All four Vondorians stiffened at his sudden formality.

  “Sorry to intrude, but can people with telepathy hear what you and Alpha talk about?”

  Zeus took a step toward Sohm’lan, his head cocking to the side. “Why do you ask?”

  He looked around at the surrounding jungle. The Monticore were close by, hidden from sight but still able to hear their conversation. Were there others? The elite guards with him were in the know, but the others… was he overly worried about spies and secrecy?

  He did not notice that Alpha had moved to Zeus from Dargon, too preoccupied with how to convey his concerns. Zeus approached, Alpha in his outstretched palm. Sohm’lan remained still as Zeus reached up and touched his neck, Alpha sliding over Sohm’lan’s scales. The sensation was not harmful, but a shiver did grip his spine. A knock came at his shields and he let them down for Alpha.

  “You are strong of mind, Warlord Sohm’lan. I see that you have been taught to protect yourself. What has concerned you so much that you hesitate to speak your mind here, away from most people?”

  He did not sense censure from Alpha, only calm patience that helped to soothe him. “I am not sure where to start.”