by B. T. Narro
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Go with them where?” Leida asked.
“Reela, wait,” Cleve interjected before she could answer. “Are you sure this is the best idea?”
“Leida’s in pain. I’m sure.”
Cleve glanced at Leida as if it was the first time he’d seen her since entering the house. He still didn’t appear convinced, but he wasn’t known for his intuition except when sword fighting.
“I have to know,” she told him.
He nodded. “All right.”
Leida was too tired to feel excitement as she waited for Reela. Adriya’s mother looked to be having trouble finding the right words as she continued to open and close her mouth without uttering anything. Eventually she let out a sigh.
“I suppose there’s no good way of saying it. I think your mother and father are going to Kanoan.”
The room was silent. Not much was known about Kanoan, so Leida had no idea what her parents hoped to accomplish there. It was a large island where criminals had been exiled during the Takary War twenty-five years earlier. The imposter king at the time found it easier to get rid of them than to imprison them, often without trial.
Kanoan was dangerous, and not just because of the criminals. Only the edges of the large island had been mapped. Cartographers who’d tried to explore more of Kanoan were never heard from again. Most people assumed that all the criminals sent there had been killed by whatever else dwelled on the island.
“Do you have any idea how they plan to get there?” Leida asked. She was beginning to feel revitalized. Perhaps after a meal she could set out again and find her family. “They don’t own a ship, and neither of them knows how to sail. And they’ve never been to Kanoan before, to my knowledge, so my father can’t make a portal there.”
“I’m not sure if that’s their destination anymore,” Reela replied. “Their plans might’ve changed in the weeks since Basen last spoke to me. But if not, and your parents are as desperate as I think they are, they might use Captain Mmzaza.”
“He was sent to Kanoan,” Cleve informed Reela.
“Yes, but he made it back.”
“How? He’s probably in his seventies by now.”
“Yes, and he was already bordering on insane the last time we met. I can’t imagine what he’s like now. Like I said, Basen and Alabell would have to be desperate to use him, but it’s not as if they could hire someone else. The king must have men watching the docks.”
“Mmzaza is his name?” Leida asked.
“Probably not,” Reela said. “But it’s how he introduces himself. Your father spoke with him about Kanoan and discovered something Basen thinks he can use to stop the war. I don’t know what it is, but I assume your parents have set out to get it. The king probably knows whatever Annah, his psychic, told him. And Annah knows whatever Basen told her.”
“Annah?” Cleve growled.
“Yes, her. She’s the reason Basen came to me in the first place. He needed a psychic he could trust to get information from the king. He’d been working with Annah, but he’d become worried he couldn’t trust her anymore.” Reela glanced at Leida apologetically. “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t get involved.”
“I don’t blame you.” Leida was glad Reela could confirm the statement with psyche.
Cleve leaned over to put his hands on the table. “So that’s why Annah wasn’t the one to question us. She didn’t want to face us after her betrayal. She’s still a coward after all this time.”
Leida felt a pang of anger toward this woman she’d never met but ignored it for the moment. She had to ask something, even if she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer.
“What would the king do if he caught my parents?”
“It wouldn’t be good,” Cleve said with a grim look. Everyone waited, but he offered no more.
Reela added, “The king wants Basen to coordinate the Academy’s army during the war. There’s no one better than he is at leading troops. But Fernan knows through all of their discussions that Basen is opposed to war. They’ve argued for years about the contracts everyone must sign before attending the Academy. Basen has been negotiating in hopes of getting rid of them. With Fernan’s refusal, it has become clear the king plans to go to war. So Basen began searching for a way to stop the fighting before it starts. He must’ve stumbled upon something recently regarding Kanoan.”
Leida had heard her father discussing the contracts with her mother many times, usually in a frustrated tone. She’d known he hated them, but she’d never raised the subject with him. To her, the Academy had always been her only option. She wasn’t going to stay with her parents without training there when she reached sixteen, and she wasn’t about to leave to find work in one of the cities, either. She had a natural talent with bastial energy and loved impressing her parents with her spells. It only became more enriching when she was finally able to watch memories planted by her father.
Basen, too, had honed his skills during the years. While his ability to make portals never became easier, he switched his focus toward other things. He’d never stopped impressing her, and yet he never seemed to stop being impressed by her either, even though her feats were nothing like his. Leida revered him as much as she loved him, but it was her mother who she missed most. Besides Adriya, Alabell had been her closest friend. Even after Leida was accepted to the Academy and moved into her own campus house with Adriya, who had already been there for a year, Leida still ate meals with her mother whenever she found her in the dining hall.
Leida realized she’d lost herself to cherished memories for a moment. Reela was telling Cleve, “He’ll replace Basen with one of us.”
“Who will?” Leida asked.
“The king,” Reela said. “He needs a new headmaster. In fact, he was probably planning to replace Basen anyway given his rebellion.” She looked at Cleve. “He’ll tempt one of us with the headmaster title in hopes of us convincing the Wind Knights to fight.”
“He knows they’ll vote no matter what,” Cleve said in a flat tone.
“He’ll still have hope it changes something. You should realize it’ll probably be you. Psychics are hardly ever put in charge, and women are even more rarely chosen to lead.”
“We both know you would be better at the role. It was you who organized the Wind Knights. I only came up with the idea.”
This was the most Leida had heard them speaking about the secretive organization. Previously they wouldn’t even tell her whether or not someone was part of the group. According to Adriya, her parents had kept her in the dark too, and Leida believed her. But now Cleve and Reela spoke hastily as if one of them would be summoned to the king and deemed headmaster at any moment.
If that was the case, Leida couldn’t be here any longer. She stood up but then grabbed the table for balance as dizziness struck her. Cleve caught her as she fell. He helped her back into the chair.
“Thank you. I’m fine.”
“What is it?” Adriya asked.
“We don’t know when they might come here. We need to go.”
“Leida—” Cleve began.
“She’s made her decision,” Reela interrupted. “We can either help her or not.”
Cleve looked as if he’d tasted something sour. “I will not help her get to Kanoan, even if that’s where Basen and Alabell are. We know next to nothing about the island except that it’s dangerous.”
“I agree,” Reela said, giving Leida a fierce glare. “You must not chase them to Kanoan if it comes to that. You don’t have your father’s experience dealing with the unknown or his ability to create portals. You could get to Kanoan but fail to catch up to him. Then he could return to Kyrro in a portal, stranding you there by accident. You’ll be surrounded by murderers and rapists if they haven’t been killed by whatever else is on the island. Do you understand?”
“I do. I just want to find them before they leave.”
Reela frowned. “You’re lying.”
Leida hadn’t realized
it until then. She sighed. “My parents will be surrounded by the same people, and my father can’t make a portal from just anywhere, as you know. They need help. He asked specifically for you and Cleve through one of his memories, but I can see you aren’t going to help, so that gives me even more reason to do everything I can.”
Reela leaned back and put on a sad smile.
“It’s all right,” Leida added. “I don’t blame you, and I apologize for getting Adriya involved.”
Cleve made a fist to gesture with. “You must not go to Kanoan. Your parents wouldn’t want—”
Leida was glad when Reela interrupted again, “Your best chance at finding them before they leave is by first finding Captain Mmzaza. Cleve, you know him better than I do. Where might he be?”
Cleve’s gaze lingered on Leida for a while, twisting her stomach in a knot. Finally he looked at his wife. “He drinks and he sails. I don’t know if he’s still doing either. I suppose Leida and Adriya could try the taverns in each city.”
Except there are thousands of taverns. “Do you have any idea which city he would be in?” Leida asked.
“He’s loud and annoying, so I imagine he’s been removed from many taverns.” Cleve stopped to think. “I don’t know. I’m sorry, Leida.”
“Basen and Alabell might not even use him after all.” Reela sighed. “He is very old.”
“But no one can manage a ship better,” Cleve countered. “He must’ve built his own to get back from Kanoan. Or he sailed in a raft. He is crazy enough to try.”
“Where would my parents embark from?” Leida asked. “You said the king is watching Gendock.”
“It still has to be Gendock,” Reela said. “Basen isn’t welcome in Tenred, and that’s the only other place with ships…” Reela seemed to realize something. Leida did as well.
“The Elves,” they said together.
“True,” Cleve agreed. “He could teleport himself and Alabell to Merejic, and Reela your brother could convince the Elven leader to give Basen a ship and a crew to get him to the island. Then he wouldn’t have to use Captain Mmzaza or find a way out from Gendock.”
“Yes,” Reela agreed. “And I do think my brother would help.”
Leida’s heart stirred. “That sounds like what my father would do. But he wants to see me first, I’m sure. He could’ve taken my mother there already and they are waiting for me to arrive. He can make a portal for me to go back before they leave. Yes, I think it’s that.”
Adriya grabbed her hand. “We can get there.”
“Adriya…” Cleve began.
“There is a problem, though,” Leida interrupted. “We don’t know how to ride horses. Even if we did, we couldn’t get permission from the Academy to take out two of the animals. We would need someone to get the horses for us, and then a psychic to help guide them during the trip. I realize I’m asking for a lot, Reela, but I don’t know what else to do.”
Cleve and Reela shared a look. It was clear by their expressions that Leida really had asked for too much.
“Besides Merejic being on the other end of the continent, the trip there is also extremely dangerous,” Reela told Leida. “I don’t recommend you go after them, and you certainly shouldn’t go, Adriya.”
“You’re telling me to give up on my family,” Leida countered.
“I’m telling you to face the reality that they will be weeks ahead of you if they are already with the Elves as you assume. It’s best you look for them here, and if you don’t find them, you wait for them to return. I’m sure they will find a way to do so eventually.”
A tense silence followed. Dizzy from exhaustion and hunger, Leida’s focus was torn away by her extreme discomfort. She wouldn’t be figuring out anything until she ate and slept.
Reela must’ve sensed her emotions. “Why don’t the two of you get some sleep and then you can decide with a fresh mind what the best decision is. I think you’ll see that I’m right.”
“And then if you still must go to the Elves,” Cleve said, “I will take you there on foot.”
“What?” Leida couldn’t believe her ears.
“Cleve—” Reela began.
He continued, “But only to see if Basen is there or has left from there. We will not be asking the Elves for a ship. I will bring you back if Basen is not there to make a portal for us.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
When Leida awoke, she realized that her plan to go to Merejic might be too brash. She should take at least a day or two to look for this captain. If her mother and father hadn’t left yet, the old man might be able to lead her to them.
She lay in bed fading in and out of sleep as she tried to gather the energy to get up. After visiting Adriya’s parents, she and Adriya had gone to the dining hall, where they’d proceeded to finish two or three plates filled with food that Leida couldn’t recall now. She barely remembered the walk back and certainly didn’t recall actually getting into bed.
It was early into the afternoon when she finally was able to rise. She shuffled over to Adriya’s room to see that her friend was still asleep. Leida’s cloudy thoughts had given her no leads on this captain. Desil should be awake by now. She would get him to help her and Adriya look for the man.
Leida shook her friend’s shoulder. “Adriya.”
“I need more sleep,” she grumbled.
“So do I, but I have to search.”
“Give me one more hour and I’ll help.”
“It’s all right.” Leida felt guilty for pushing her friend past her limit. “I’ll come back for you.”
Adriya let out a soft snore in response.
Leida couldn’t seem to fully wake up as she went back to her room to figure out what to bring. Eventually she convinced herself a shower was worth the time. The Academy was one of the few places to have working showers, although by now the water would be cold. Mages heated the tanks twice a day, morning and evening.
Leida left her house and headed down the short path toward the nearest shared bathhouse. There was one for every five student houses, each with a section for men and another for women. The hot afternoon sun warmed her skin.
She already found herself missing the days when her parents were still here. She’d explored every inch of this campus with them when she was younger.
She was pleasantly surprised by the warmth of the water. The sun must’ve kept the tank hot enough after the mages had finished heating it. She was halfway through washing when she was suddenly struck with an idea.
“My bastial stars, why didn’t I think of it sooner!”
She dried off and dressed in fresh clothing faster than if the bathhouse had caught fire. Adriya could sleep through this; she wasn’t needed yet. Leida left her towel and her soiled garments in the bathhouse as she exited and ran west. Adriya would probably find her clothes later and worry, but Leida couldn’t take even a moment to go back to her house first. She might miss her only opportunity to meet her parents.
She tried to sprint all the way to the small forest just west of the Academy, where she had recently been with Desil and Adriya. But she didn’t have the same endurance that either of them did and was forced to jog half the way.
Leida was gasping when she made it to the tree that reminded her of her grandfather. She was shocked to find not her parents there but Desil instead. He rushed over as soon as he saw her.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” she huffed out. “Is there another memory?”
“Yes.”
“Thank the stars. Is it helpful?”
Desil nodded, though without a smile.
Leida felt that she needed to catch her breath before she could watch it. “When did you get here?”
“Just a few moments ago. I’m sorry, Leida. If I had been slower getting to the Krepps and back, we might’ve come here at the same time as your parents.”
“I know, but I don’t blame you.”
Leida and Desil had figured out the same thing, apparently. Her parent
s hadn’t anticipated someone like Desil going to the Krepp encampment and back in less than a day. They were going to meet Leida here today, not last night. The memory her father left down in the Slugari colony was not his only message. In fact, he probably never cared whether Leida saw it. She assumed he’d only made that memory in a quick decision, unsure if it would ever be useful. His real message for her was waiting just ahead, a good twenty feet from the secret door that didn’t matter anymore.
Her father must’ve been disappointed that she wasn’t here at the same time as he was. She braced herself to face his saddened expression as she walked toward the memory. To watch it was like entering a dream, with no awareness of the actual transition. Suddenly she was in the same place, only earlier. She couldn’t look up at the sky, or anywhere else for that matter, so she was unable to tell the time. But it seemed earlier than noon, with long shadows draping over her father as he faced her. She wasn’t actually there, as this was only the spot he’d chosen as the perspective point. He had still been teaching her how to do that before he left.
She wanted to step forward and hug her father but couldn’t. She wondered where her mother was. Given Basen’s worried look as he glanced around the small forest, Leida began to worry something had happened.
“I don’t have much time to speak,” her father told her. “I was hoping to find you here, but it must’ve taken longer than I figured to get to the Krepps and back. I hope they didn’t give you or Cleve any trouble. Your mother is fine. She has a friend in Kyrro City who’s been helping us with supplies and knows to meet her in Raywhite Forest. Alabell should be back here any moment, and I don’t want her to hear everything that I have to tell you.
“Your mother and I have been meeting with Annah Varra here for years. She’s a psychic of the king and used to be a close friend, but she must’ve changed her mind about believing that I have the best interest of Kyrro at heart because she told Fernan what we were planning. There is the possibility that she was caught by another psychic, but I don’t think that’s the case. Either way, I think she mentioned my idea to bring a team with me to Kanoan.”
