by Elana Brooks
The Seraph cowered behind a shield. Adrian summoned a great globe of energy and hurled it. It burned through the shield as if it didn’t exist and obliterated Fereel’s tether along with a good chunk of his body. Fereel lunged after the loose end as it withdrew toward the colony ship. Adrian interposed his astral body and gathered another bright sphere.
The Seraph hissed at him. “Your world is ours, alien!” He lunged past Adrian, but Adrian smashed the energy ball into his head, taking off the top half of the Seraph’s face. Fereel’s words continued in his mind as his body blundered around sightlessly. My people will feed on the bloated bodies of your dead!
Adrian hurled more balls of energy. Fereel made no further attacks, just threw himself in random directions. Every time his head started to regenerate, Adrian blasted it away again. It seemed an age until the last of the Seraph’s astral form disintegrated under his assault.
Adrian panted. He let his final ball dissipate and hovered, limp, once again alone in empty space save for the looming colony ship with its vast crew. If Fereel’s warning had gotten past his block, more guards would be arriving any second.
No one came. Adrian dropped the block and opened his mind as wide as it would go, but heard nothing.
How long before Fereel’s death was noticed? If the sleep tanks had some sort of alarm, it might already be known. If not, it would certainly be discovered during the next shift change at the latest. The whole ship would be alerted to the presence of an enemy. Adrian doubted he could remain hidden long if a full-scale search was instituted. And if he had to focus on hiding, he’d have no chance to locate and approach Miheel.
But if his acting skills were up to the task, a ruse would buy him precious time.
He shifted his astral form into a copy of Fereel’s. Dark red body with pink blotches, fins a pale coral. He worked on each detail while his memory was fresh until he was certain the imitation was as close as he could make it. He burned the shape into his mind so that he could assume it in an instant with only minimal thought.
When he was satisfied with his efforts, he again took the appearance of stars sprinkled in blackness and waited, thinking about how he could use his assumption of Fereel’s identity to his advantage. According to Fereel, Miheel would be standing guard next shift. Somehow Adrian would have to contrive an excuse to interact with Gabeel’s friend. At least enough to feel him out and see if Miheel shared Gabeel’s sympathies, or could be persuaded to. After that, he’d have to contact the other two Gabeel had named as well. The prospect was daunting, but in the exhilaration of his victory Adrian felt for the first time that he had a good chance of completing his mission. Even surviving it.
As the hours slid slowly by, however, his elation faded and his mood darkened. Fereel wasn’t the first Seraphim he’d killed. That had been the guard three days ago. But that time he’d been in a desperate battle for his life. It had truly been kill or be killed.
Fereel had never had a chance. The combination of surprise and isolation had made him Adrian’s victim as surely as if he’d slipped up behind the Seraph and slit his throat.
Adrian knew his cause was just. He was sure Fereel would have done much the same thing in Adrian’s place. The Seraph’s words left no doubt Fereel believed wholeheartedly in the Seraphim cause. Misplaced sympathy could have doomed Earth as surely as sloppy fighting or a slip in Adrian’s concealment.
And yet… he still felt the death as a weight on his soul. The image of the Seraph’s blundering, headless body blazed in his mind’s eye like a lingering nightmare. He’d slaughtered another living, thinking, feeling being, for no reason other than that he was one of the enemy. The stars felt like millions of eyes, staring at him accusingly, judging him. We saw what you did, they told him. You will not escape responsibility.
He shuddered, but forced himself to face them. He was responsible for Fereel’s death. He accepted that. He accepted the responsibility for all the other Seraphim deaths he would surely cause before he was done. If that was the price to save Earth, he would pay it. He stared back at the unblinking stars.
Neither he nor they looked away.
Chapter 27
Beverly pulled up in front of her hotel. In the off-season, hotels in Breckenridge weren’t too expensive, although come winter and snowy weather the skiers would push the prices sky-high. It didn’t matter, though. As long as she didn’t max out her credit card she was all right. People were going to have a lot more on their minds than missed payments once the ocean started to rise. It would be the ultimate Chapter 7—all debts wiped out, a new beginning for everyone.
Everyone left alive.
She’d spotted a “For Sale” sign or two in her random driving around, but tomorrow she’d get serious. Some topographical maps and the help of a real estate agent would narrow her search quickly. When she found a good place, she’d make an offer for the full asking price, or even more. That would get the seller hopping and push the title company to close the sale fast. She had the pay stubs from both her accounting job and her position with HBQ. The salary shown on the latter should qualify her for an ample loan.
HBQ might even keep paying her, in the hopes they could persuade her to come back. They’d probably send someone to try.
Speak of the devil. As she stepped into the lobby, Steve Miller rose from a couch and came to intercept her. “Hello, Beverly.”
“Steve,” she answered coolly. She scowled at him. “How’d you find me so quickly?” She’d hoped it would take three or four days at least, but here it was only the day after her flight had arrived.
He shrugged. “The Covenant has connections. As soon as Adrian told us you’d left, we started tracking your credit cards. For your future information, it would have been harder if you’d used cash.”
“You’d still have found me, though.” She crossed her arms. “I won’t go back willingly, and I’ll yell for the police if you try to get grabby. So I don’t know what you hope to accomplish.”
“I just want to talk.” Steve glanced around the lobby. It wasn’t crowded, but there were a few people moving around, employees and guests. “Somewhere more private?”
She refused to budge. “You’re not coming in my room.”
He rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Can I buy you supper?
He wouldn’t go away and leave her alone until she’d listened to him speak his piece. “Fine.”
The hotel restaurant was nearly empty, only a few senior citizens eating so early. With shameless charm Steve convinced the waitress to seat them in the far corner, away from anyone else. He opened the menu in front of him and pretended to study it. “I’m not going to insult your intelligence by repeating the things you already know. I may not understand how you can walk away from the fight for humanity’s survival, but that’s your choice. The Covenant isn’t the military. We don’t draft people, and going AWOL isn’t a crime.”
He lowered his menu and looked at her over it. “But there are things you don’t know. You may make a different choice once you do.”
Beverly focused her gaze on the plastic-covered sheets of paper with their enticing photos and mouth-watering descriptions. “No, I won’t. But obviously you’re going to insist on telling me anyway, so spit it out.”
She appreciated the way he got right down to business. “Adrian and Solomon left out one important fact when they told you about soul bonds. They didn’t explain that it’s possible for one to break.”
She didn’t know what she’d expected him to tell her, but it wasn’t that. She blinked. “Adrian said only death could break it. He lied to me?” Somehow she couldn’t believe he would deceive her. Not about something so important.
“Not exactly.” Steve set his menu on the table and looked at her. “How does your soul bond feel right now?”
She’d been fighting to ignore the sensation all day. “Like somebody’s got a tow cable attached to my heart and keeps winching it tighter.” Was Steve saying there was a way to end that terrible pressure
after all? If she could bring herself to let go of her end of the bond, could she set Adrian free? Not while he still needed the extra strength, but later, after the fight was over. The thought felt like lead in her gut, but she forced herself to face it. If it was possible, she owed him that much. It wasn’t fair that he be trapped forever by the bond her stubborn stupidity had compelled him to make. Even if it left her an empty shell for the rest of her life.
Steve gave a dry laugh. “What do you think will happen if it gets so tight the cable snaps?”
Beverly shrugged. “No clue.” Nothing good, she was sure.
“That’s what they didn’t tell you. Your bond breaks—and it could, with the way you’ve been treating it—you die. And so does Adrian.”
She gaped at him. “What?”
“It’s like the bond is a second tether for both of you. When it was formed, each of your lives became dependent on it. If you strain it too hard, by screwing up your relationship for good—wham. The only way to get rid of it without both of you dying is for one of you to die.”
“But—but—” Beverly had to break off, because the waitress was approaching. Numbly she ordered a chicken caesar salad. Steve cheerfully asked for a rib eye and baked potato.
As soon as the waitress moved away, his affable manner dropped, and he fixed Beverly with a cold stare. “So Adrian’s decided to martyr himself in order to save your sorry ass. This morning he left for the colony ship, bound and determined to get himself killed. Oh, he hopes to pull off a Hail Mary pass in the process, but don’t kid yourself. If by some miracle he lives through this mission, he’ll just take on another equally stupid one until he succeeds in offing himself.”
“No,” Beverly whispered. “That’s not—” She fought against the tears that threatened to form. “He can’t—”
“Well, he is.” Steve sipped his water, staring at her. “Personally, I think it’s a crime your cowardice is going to cost the Covenant one of its best people, but short of arranging a fatal accident for you, there’s not much I can do about it.”
Beverly had no trouble hearing the deep anger underlying his calm manner. Probably he really would engineer her death if he thought it would do any good. Maybe—maybe she should ask him to. Then Adrian would be safe.
But he wouldn’t be. Steve had said he’d already left for the colony ship. Right this minute he might be—
No. The soul bond was still there, painfully taut. If that aching drag ever ceased, she’d know.
If Adrian felt the bond evaporate with her death, would he give up whatever crazy mission he was attempting and retreat to safety? No, of course he wouldn’t. If he’d committed himself to accomplish it, he’d keep trying no matter what.
Oh, god, he was going to die. And everything he’d given her, all the love he’d woken in her heart, all the strength she’d discovered in her mind and body since he brought her into the Covenant—all that would die with him. Half her soul would be amputated. What remained might be enough to continue to animate her body, but she’d be little more than a walking corpse. What good would it do to survive the flood if that was the price?
“No.” Beverly wasn’t even aware she’d spoken aloud until she saw Steve’s eyes narrow in shrewd speculation. She focused on him. “I can’t let that happen. How do I stop him?”
“You can’t.” Steve’s voice was blunt. “He’s already there. But if you’re really serious, maybe you can help him come through it alive.”
Beverly took a deep breath. She felt dizzy and weak, and she hated capitulating to Steve’s manipulation this way. But none of that mattered. She’d been able to bear the idea of Adrian going on without her, fulfilling his commitment to the Covenant, a little sad that things hadn’t worked out, but essentially whole and happy. But she couldn’t stand the thought of him dead, of him throwing his life away for her sake. She would do anything in her power to prevent that. “Yeah.”
“It will mean facing Commander Sarthex again. Can you?”
No, please! Anything but that! Beverly put her hands over her face, trying to shut out the memory of the Seraphim leader probing the sewers of her soul, unearthing the foulness at her core. Surely if he so much as brushed her mind again she would scream and cower and whimper and curl up in a miserable little ball and die. He was so strong, and so terrible, and she was so weak. She was nothing. How could she willingly risk that horror again? Even to save Adrian’s life?
She clenched her fists and raised her eyes to meet Steve’s. The worst nightmare Commander Sarthex could throw at her was no worse than the prospect of a universe without Adrian in it. “I don’t know. But I have to try.”
A slow smile spread across Steve’s face. “You know, I think I might have misjudged you. Adrian told me you had spirit, but I didn’t believe him. Now—” He shook his head. “Maybe I’ll end up sorry I didn’t stick to what he asked and come sweeping in to protect you from the flood. Maybe we could’ve hit it off after all.”
“What?”
“Never mind.” He leaned toward her. “We need to leave for New York as soon as we can get a flight. We’ll be gone from our bodies much too long to be safe anywhere outside Headquarters. I figure we head out to the neighborhood of the colony ship and find a way to get in touch with Adrian. We can’t risk breaking his cover, that’s the best insurance he’s got, but at least we can hang out nearby in case he needs to yell for help.”
“Okay.” Beverly was going to say more, but stopped because the waitress arrived with their food. She nodded her thanks absently.
She’d thought she’d left the Covenant behind forever, but it was sucking her back in. To her surprise, she wasn’t sorry. She was scared out her mind about what she would have to do, but even so, the thought of regaining what she thought she’d lost made her heart race. She would fly through space again. She would be reunited with Rabbi Sensei and Keiko. She would, despite everything, get to be a part of fulfilling the promise made at the dawn of civilization and faithfully kept for eight millennia.
And maybe, just maybe, she and Adrian…
Beverly crushed that breathless hope. Even if she succeeded in saving his life, he’d never forgive her for running out on him. They’d be stuck with the same dilemma—their soul bond strained to the breaking point because she was incapable of loving him the way he deserved.
Whatever. Beverly focused on listening to Steve outline his plans between bites of steak while she munched on her salad. They’d deal with that when and if it became necessary.
If she had to, she’d quietly take care of things. It was only fair that she be the one to pay the price of ending the soul bond. Adrian would have no choice but to accept it once the deed was done.
Chapter 28
How the hell did Seraphim keep track of time? Adrian moved his astral form jerkily around the sides of a square, the closest he could come to pacing out here. They seemed to wear no clothing and carry no accessories, so some sort of watch was out of the question. If there was a psychic clock somewhere, he had no clue how to access it. If he failed to report in when Fereel’s shift was supposed to be over, the other Seraphim would surely get suspicious.
Just as he was getting really agitated, the problem was solved. A telepathic voice, not Commander Sarthex’s though nearly as powerful, blasted into his mind. Guards! Third shift, prepare for duty. Second shift, make your reports and prepare to be relieved.
A rapid-fire chant filled his head. Areel reporting. All clear. A different voice, quick on the heels of the first. Tesser reporting. All clear. Yet another. Daress reporting. All clear.
The reports continued one after another without pause. Adrian braced himself, forcing his mind into composure.
Besseel reporting. All clear.
Silence.
Adrian waited an agonizing instant until he was sure no one else would speak. Finally, he held his breath and sent the thought. Fereel reporting. All clear.
Even more swiftly, as if to make up for the break in the rhythm, the next
voice came. Daller reporting. All clear.
Adrian swallowed as the chant continued without further stutters. He was crazy to think he was going to be able to pull this off long enough to do any good. He should have left Fereel’s spot empty, his death unexplained. Now he had no choice but to blunder along until some slip revealed his deception.
As suddenly as they had started, the reports ended. The powerful voice spoke again. Third shift, take your stations.
A long pause. Adrian spotted a bright dot zooming toward him. It halted before him, a smaller Seraph than Fereel, with dull purple streaks on a brown background.
Adrian gambled on the proper response and popped into Fereel’s form. His guess must have been right, because the other Seraph made no reaction.
A new chant began, as swift as the first. Hinner, relieving Areel. Then the voice Adrian recognized from before. Areel, stepping down.
This time he was ready. He listened carefully until he heard Dineel, relieving Besseel. Besseel, stepping down.
The Seraph in front of him made a formal gesture with its fins, a ripple that traveled from the top set down, passing through all three pairs. Lammess, relieving Fereel.
Adrian jumped in precisely as he finished. Fereel, stepping down. He imitated the gesture.
Lammess didn’t move as the chant continued, so Adrian remained frozen also, listening as all the other guards took their turns. Finally he heard what he was listening for. Miheel, relieving Finner.
He fixed the direction of the voice. Pretty much the opposite side of the sphere, a bit toward the sun. He couldn’t pinpoint it closer than that. Damn. He’d thought he might try to seek out Miheel while he stood duty, but he didn’t dare risk blundering upon the wrong guard by mistake.
The chant ended. The powerful voice spoke once more. Second shift, return to base.
Lammess stared at Adrian. Gambling again, Adrian ducked around him and headed directly toward the colony ship.
