The Elder Blood Chronicles Book 2 Blood Honor and Dreams

by Melissa Myers

  “She knew and she couldn’t warn me,” Shade whispered to himself and stood from his chair. He stripped his old leathers off and began buckling on his mother’s gift quickly. The leathers fit like a glove, much tighter than what he was used to. He raised his arms over his head and flexed his shoulders testing the give. Despite the obvious thickness of the leather it felt like nothing more than heavy wool. Lowering his arms slowly he examined the leather once again and wondered exactly what manner of creature he was wearing. This wasn’t cow leather he was sure of it, and it wasn’t serpent skin as he had seen others wear.

  Shaking his head slightly he gave up guessing and moved to the mirror. The dark blue leather suited him, he decided as he admired his reflection. He ran a hand through his hair, tousling the auburn locks and smiled. “Well, if they do catch me, at least I’ll be the best looking prisoner they have,” he muttered.

  I’m on the ship and it’s taking off, Charm’s voice broke into his thoughts once again and he grabbed the bottle of wine as he made his way quickly back to the front of the ship.

  I’ll intercept over the water, Shade told him and pulled his sunglasses from the jacket draped over his pilot seat. The world turned a pale blue as he put them on and dropped into his chair. While sunlight wouldn’t bother him through the view screen, that wasn’t why he wore the glasses. The runes carved into the round lenses would show hidden objects and protection wards, and today that might be the difference between success and failure.

  What do you mean intercept? There are six Avanti fighters flying escort as well as two Rivasan ships, Charm said, sounding rather concerned.

  Eight escort? Really? They must really want to keep him, Shade replied and took another long pull from the bottle. He had guessed three, and then six shown up, and now there were eight. If he didn’t act soon there would be a bloody armada. He swallowed the gulp of wine and took another quickly. No problem, he assured Charm and grinned to himself. Leaning over to a compartment on the passenger side he pulled a small crystal from inside. With a hushed word he activated its magic and smiled as the fast drum beats of Firym music filled the ship.

  “We got the music sweetheart, now let’s teach these bastards to dance,” he said with a grin and ran a hand affectionately along his ship’s panel. Placing his hands firmly on the controls he sent magic coursing through the ship. A soft vibration echoed through his fingers and into the ship as he connected fully with The Shade. His eyes rose to the view screen as it flickered to life showing him a full span of the rocky ravine he was hiding in.

  “You thought I disappointed you before Daddy, you ain’t seen nothing yet.” He grinned wider as he spoke the words and pulled back on the controls bringing his ship from hiding. There was no doubt in his mind that any survivors from today would know his ship. The Shade was the only one of her kind. The structure of the ship was sleeker than the typical spell hawk and it was the only ship in the air without elaborate paint. Word would most certainly get back to Myth about this. His only regret was that he wouldn’t be there to flip him off as he heard it.

  * * *

  His adrenaline rose as the first of the enemy ships came into view. He was flying well above them using the cloud cover to mask his approach. If they had been watching closely, they likely would have spotted him, but with eight in the escort they could hardly expect to be ambushed.

  “Maybe Charm is right, maybe I am insane,” he mused as he eyed the fighters below him. He had never actually been in an aerial combat before and he was getting ready to take on eight seasoned fighters. Well, at least he assumed they were seasoned. There was a possibility they were as green as he was, a slim possibility. “This must be what comes from years of oppression,” he muttered and flicked his gaze down below the ships to the sparkling waters of the Midland Sea. It was now or never. If he delayed the ambush much longer they would be over land and that would eliminate his chance of escape if he needed one.

  He flexed his fingers on the controls and took a deep breath. “Hold on gobbies,” he called back to the cargo bay and dropped into a steep dive aimed at the last two fighters in the escort. He actually felt a bit sorry for the goblins trapped in the cage, even though he hated the creatures. They were in for a rather rough ride.

  The pilots of the two spell hawks spotted him too late and his opening fire ripped through their ships sending both plummeting toward the water. “Six,” he mumbled as the next two in line broke away from the transport ship and turned back to meet him. He pulled out of the dive and circled his own ship. Screams and howls erupted from the cargo bay as the ship tilted with the turn and Shade nodded in response.

  “I know, I know,” he muttered, pulling back on the controls and forcing the nose of his ship almost vertical. “And it’s only going to get worse,” he added as he dodged the first shots from the Rivasan ship behind him and pulled out of the climb to return fire. He had gained distance on the Avanti ship with the maneuver but the Rivasan pilot was obviously more skilled.

  His fingers traced a path over the gun controls and he selected two at random as he turned The Shade directly at the Rivasan ship. More gunfire erupted from the enemy as he approached. Cranking the controls he barely managed to dodge the worst of it and heard the screech of metal as one of the rounds grazed the side of his ship.

  “Oh you are going to fucking die for that,” he growled and poured on more speed. The Rivasan ship faltered as he continued his headlong rush straight at it and at the last moment it tried to turn away. “Sucker,” Shade chuckled and activated the runes on the selected guns. The shots hit the Rivasan ship broad side punching holes through the thin metal from the view screen back to the wing. He pulled his ship off the headlong course and began another climb. The cloud cover would be an asset as long as he was still outnumbered.

  “Five,” he said quietly. He didn’t bother watching to make sure the ship went down. He didn’t need to. Those shots had been acid and gas rounds, the pilot would be choking up his own lungs as the acid spilled out of its casing and began eating through the ship. The casings for those rounds had been experimental and he felt himself relax at the sight of them working. He hadn’t been sure they would be solid enough to actually break through a spell hawk hull.

  A red light began to flash on his view screen and he flicked the control for the rear view screen. The Avanti ship had managed to gain ground on him and looked to be preparing to fire. “Alright then,” he said eyes locked on the view screen. Pulling back hard on the controls he brought the ship into a vertical roll. More goblin screams rose in the back as well as the clangor of items that hadn’t been properly secured. He blocked out the noise as well as the seat harness that was biting painfully into his chest. A mild flash of vertigo struck him as he brought his ship in behind the slower Avanti vessel and opened fire. The bullets tore through the back panels and one wing broke loose.

  “Shit,” Shade gasped as the torn metal flew straight back toward his ship. He cranked hard to the right and barely dodged the wing. Ahead of him the Avanti ship was dropping like a stone toward the unforgiving sea. It was doubtful the pilot would be able to escape. It was standard protocol to have wards against teleportation on spell hawks. Supposedly it was to prevent them from being hijacked. All it really did was guarantee the pilot died with his ship. “Four,” Shade said and turned his attention back to the remaining fighters.

  They were sticking close with the transport now and seemed to be gaining speed. Apparently they thought they could outrun him. He chuckled at the thought and selected his next target. “Bye bye, Rivasa,” he mumbled.

  What the hell are you doing? Charm demanded sounding a bit frantic.

  Glad you contacted me. Which side of the ship are you on right now and is Remedy with you. This is very important, Charm, Shade replied.

  The right side near the center and yes, I’m right beside him. Why? Charm replied, sounding even more frantic.

  Just needed to know where to put the door. You are going to have to jump, by t
he way. So what I really need to know now is, can you teleport? Shade answered calmly as he dove once again toward the enemy ships and opened fire on the Rivasan vessel. Plumes of smoke rose from the ship as it began to spiral away from the transport.

  Yes I have a ring that will allow me to. Is this really your plan, Shade? Blow a hole in the side of the ship and I jump!

  Got a better one? Shade asked with a chuckle.

  I think I might hate you, Charm replied and cut the mental link off between them.

  He was about to begin another climb when the cargo hatch of the falling ship opened. “What the hell,” he mumbled as he watched a figure brace itself on the door frame. Golden blond hair whipped around her as she threw herself out of the ship and into open air. Long dark skirts tore at the wind as the ship fell away from the woman. “What are you doing lady?” he muttered shaking his head in confusion.

  He pulled his ship into a climb, but kept the falling woman in the rear view screen. Her form rippled in the air as she fell and the fabric of the dress shredded as massive red wings unfurled. Her back arched and her arms drew out from her sides as her skin tore away revealing red scales. Her wings beat frantically as her form grew. A loud scream of triumph sounded sending the metal of his ship shivering as the dragon shed the last of its human guise. With powerful beats of its wings it began to climb toward his ship quickly. The speed it was gaining on him was unreal. He had never realized before how rapidly the creatures could fly.

  “And a dragon, of course,” he grumbled and poured more magic into his ship to increase her speed. The scream of the dragon split the air again and he felt his controls quiver under his hand. His gaze flicked back to the rear view screen once more and his heart stopped for a breath. There was no sign of the sky behind him, only enormous ivory teeth and the very large gaping mouth they were contained in. A flicker of light at the back of the creature’s throat drew his attention and he watched in horror as the billowing flames grew. Dragon fire could melt anything. He knew that well enough from his lessons. The Shade had no chance of surviving that attack if he allowed it to succeed. Cursing loudly he hit the panel for the cargo hatch and cast a quick spell. The loud snap of the chains securing the cage rang through the ship accompanied by the frenzied screams of the goblins. He watched the view screen long enough to ensure the cage was indeed falling toward the dragon and then veered hard to the left. The explosion behind him rocked the ship hard and he fought to regain control.

  That wasn’t a trump card he had wanted to play, but at least now he knew the alchemical mixture he had fed the goblins worked. Fighting hard to slow his heart he brought the ship back around for another sweep at the transport. He had to make a door for Charm now. He knew he was running out of time and luck.

  “Fortune I do love you,” he whispered as he watched the headless corpse of the dragon plummet past the ships. Its tail tore through one of the fighters as it fell sending the ship spiraling into another Avanti ship. Both spell hawks careened toward the water below still hopelessly tangled together at the wings. “One,” he added and prepared to fire on the transport itself.

  Moving his fingers along the controls slightly he selected the two guns he had prepared for this purpose. If everything went as planned the ammunition would do most of the damage to the ship and not the occupants inside. With a quick prayer for luck he opened fire and watched the rounds splatter against the side of the ship. “Hmm not what I had planned,” he grumbled pulling his ship back to the right for another sweep at the transport. The flash of flames in the rear view caught his attention and his eyes widened with alarm as he saw the side of the transport ignite fully into blazing flames. “Shit,” he gasped and leaned forward to look at the gun controls he had used. “Oh shit,” he gasped again, he had selected the wrong guns.

  Charm take cover behind something solid now. Don’t question. Don’t argue. Just do it, now!” He tried to keep the panic out of his voice as he sent the mental command to the rogue. “Twenty, nineteen, eighteen …” His voice trailed off as he dove away from the transport. He had to get clear before the second part of that ammo hit.

  We are protected, what did you do? Charm’s question came right as the explosion did.

  Shade’s ship rocked once again and he looked up to see debris flying in all directions from the transport ship. The last unfortunate fighter hadn’t realized what the flames had meant and had suffered the brunt of the blast. Making a really big door. Umm. Are you still alive? he answered as he watched flaming pieces of metal fall from the sky.

  If I wasn’t, you couldn’t make a mental link with me, idiot, Charm snapped, the panic completely gone from his voice, replaced with what sounded like fury. Get out of there. I’ve teleported us to last camp site before Rivana. Meet us here.

  I didn’t see you jump, Shade protested.

  We didn’t have to Shade, your damn explosion destroyed the wards preventing us from leaving, Charm explained in a tone that suggested it would be a long while before he forgot this particular adventure.

  Shade nodded slowly and watched the Avanti transport as it too crashed into the sea below. “Eight fighters, one transport, and a dragon,” he muttered and pulled a cigarette from his coat pocket. Placing it in his mouth numbly he stared down at the wreckage strewn water below. With a slightly trembling hand he lit the cigarette and shook his head slowly. “And to think, I used to be a pacifist,” he whispered.

  Chapter 22

  Sanctuary

  Morning light filtered through the pale green curtains. Jala shifted on the couch and brushed a strand of hair from her face as she stared at the window. Her head rested on Neph’s leg while her feet were draped across Jail. Marrow and Wisp were curled on the floor near the couch sleeping soundly. Of all of them, she was the only one that hadn’t drifted off while they waited on Finn and Valor. Emily hadn’t returned yet either. No matter how many times she tried, Jala couldn’t form a mental link with any of her missing friends.

  There had been riots in the city last night. They had seen the flames from the warehouse. Twice, Jail and Neph had gone out to calm the crowds and put out fires. She chewed on her lower lip and continued to stare at the window praying she would hear the sound of horses soon.

  The faint scuffle of movement from the hall drew her attention and she turned her head just enough to see Sovann emerge from his room. He padded barefoot to the window and pulled the curtains back just enough to peak out. She watched his shoulders slump as he realized his brother still hadn’t returned.

  As he turned, she caught a full glimpse of how young the mage truly was. He looked so much like Finn normally, that they could pass as twins aside from Sovann’s slighter build and longer hair. Today, however, he had the look of a scared child about him that made him seem years younger. He noticed her watching him and he did his best to erase the worry from his face and dark green eyes.

  “He will be back soon, I’m sure,” he whispered and offered her a faint smile. To everyone else in the world, the brothers maintained an act of hating each other, but Jala knew the truth. Sovann loved Finn as much as she did and she doubted he had slept much last night either.

  “I wish I could contact him,” she whispered back glancing up at Neph’s face to make sure she he was not awake.

  “I’m not asleep, Jala, and neither is Jail,” Neph said quietly, his pale blue eyes cracking open. “It’s meditation, resting, but not sleeping. You know that thing Sovann tried to teach you?” he added.

  “It seems like I spend all of my time worried sick, waiting for him to return,” she whispered, ignoring Neph’s taunt completely.

  “Did you think he would be calm and boring when you married him?” Neph asked with a snort of amusement.

  She shook her head slightly and sat up. “No, but I thought I would be with him, not waiting for him,” she replied and rose slowly from the couch. She lifted her arms and stretched and then crossed to the window to stand beside Sovann. He offered her another faint smile and draped an a
rm across her shoulder.

  “Welcome to the family. I’ve been waiting and worrying since I was old enough to walk,” he said quietly. “First it was his slipping out at night through the window for whatever mischief he could find, and then it was him slipping off with Havoc. Then he left home and the worry didn’t end until he started at the Academy,” he said with a sigh and then chuckled. “Well, I suppose it didn’t end. There were just a few pauses in between,” he added ruefully.

  “He has Valor with him,” Neph said, as if that should cease her worry completely.

  “And I can’t contact Valor either,” Jala replied leaning her head against Sovann’s shoulder. She was tired but she knew she couldn’t sleep without knowing what had happened to them.

  A loud bang sounded from the front of the warehouse, causing both Sovann and her to jump. Neph stood casually and his fingers flexed as he readied a spell. Jail’s eyes had snapped open at the sound and Wisp was sitting up now as well.

  “Finn, Val, if that is you, better speak up now,” Neph called.

  “It’s us,” Valor called back and Jala felt her body go limp with relief. There was a sound of scuffling from the hall and then a figure came stumbling through the door to fall on the ground before them. Finn stood just behind and from the way he was lowering his arms he must have propelled the man into the room.

  She stared mutely at her husband for a moment, taking in the soot covering his bronzed skin and his torn and bloody clothes. He nodded to her and offered a grim smile before looking back down at the man. Her gaze followed his and she realized with a start that it was Madren crawling away from him toward the wall.

  “I didn’t think you would want me to let him die,” Finn muttered and stepped out of the way so Valor could enter the room. If anything, the knight looked to be in worse condition than Finn. His long silver hair was tangled and matted with blood and his normally pristine armor was battered and filthy.