The Traitor

by A D Lombardo

  Diu is now a dangerous place for the next would-be king. Stay away until I send for you.

  “Saying everything out loud makes it real.” He looked at her knowing he was not ready to face fate. “I cannot accept that my father will die, or that I can do nothing to save him. Then there is Nola; Riome was meant to discover her secrets and bring back proof of her duplicity, but Riome is missing. I know Nola and Landon are related, but I have no proof. I know she is drugging my father, but I have no proof. Riome was meant to find proof. I know Nola needs to be removed from power, but queens are difficult to dethrone, and she has a power I do not understand.”

  Her eyes pleaded with him to trust her. “There must be a way I can help you. Do you want to go back to Diu together?”

  Fear rotted his mind and broke his spirit. “I don’t know what I want,” he lied more to himself than to Rayna. “I must solve this on my own.” He hated being short with her, but he was tired of everyone questioning him.

  “You want to search for Riome,” Rayna stated, and Kai knew she was right. “I imagine you rack your mind on how to save your father, all while trying to avoid being crowned the next king of Diu. You fear your friends, Dresnor and Drew, have lost faith in you. Not to mention that you worry Dresnor will march into the Zabranen Forest to find you. How am I doing?” she asked but did not wait for Kai’s response. “The burdens of being a prince pull you back to Diu, but your life in Katori demands unyielding loyalty.” Rayna stopped them on the path. “You train nightly with the Guardians, hoping they will grant us freedoms to come and go on the other side of the Katori Mountains.”

  “I must train with them,” Kai interrupted. “They have such control, and I need to understand more than Basil will show me right now. They shift in and out of their beastly forms on a whim while they push and pull magic between them. And yes, as a Guardian, I would have freedoms.”

  Rayna went on as if he had said nothing. “After everyone is asleep, you travel to Matoku to sleep on the floor of the ancient Agora in hopes of receiving a new vision about Iver. You want to return to Diu, but what if your mother wakes? Before dawn, you travel up the mountain to practice your transformations without Basil.”

  He felt bewildered by her knowledge of his coming and goings. He was always so careful to go quietly and return before anyone noticed. “How do you know all of this?”

  Again, she ignored his interruption. “Then there are everyone’s doubts about your loyalty. I heard your argument with Liam and another with Lucca. Have I missed anything?”

  Every word was accurate. Rayna knew him as well as he knew himself. He sighed deeply. “I don’t know what else to do.”

  “Do you doubt your calling?” Rayna’s tone was less a question than a statement of fact. “Is Alenga’s messages unclear? She wants you to bring home Davi’s people. Start there—and stay here in Katori.” She took a breath and waited.

  The silence was deafening. Rayna’s truth struck him hard. “You know I do not doubt Alenga’s intentions,” he said. “I only wish to be released from my fate.” Then he felt his back stiffen. “But who controls my fate? Do I even have a say? My visions are gaining in clarity.” It felt like a hand had been thrust into his chest, wrenching his heart and straining his breathing. “I don’t want to kill my father, but my dream is clear. Why am I there; why is Nola there? Maybe I could stop her if I knew what Riome learned. If only I knew how . . .”

  The pleading words fell from his lips like dew on a water-laden leaf. Rayna remained steadfast, and her eyes were without pity. He knew she was trying to help, and he felt shame for burdening her with his troubles.

  “We should speak with Benmar. He will know what you should do,” Rayna insisted, and Kai agreed.

  Chapter 3

  Battle Pains

  The morning was ice cold. New snow danced in the air, refusing to fall. Kai stood at the entrance of his grandfather Benmar’s cave with Smoke by his side. The sounds of a steaming teapot pulled him into the warmer living space of the cave. “I wish Benmar were here, but nobody has seen him in days,” Kai said as he took a seat close to the fire.

  Rayna nodded. “I had hoped grandfather Benmar could help you balance your desire to save Diu and the probability you should let them go.”

  He had a feeling she hoped Benmar could talk him out of going to Diu, but avoiding fate was not the answer. “Riome is the key to everything. There must be a way to search for her. Wherever she is.” Thoughts of Riome drew Kai into contemplation. Had she taken one too many risks? Would he ever see her again?

  “Do you mean how you searched the world for your mother?” Rayna pulled the teapot off the fire and poured water into two cups with tea leaves. “Riome is not Katori. Are you sure this is possible?”

  The smell of vanilla bean pulled Kai’s nose into the air. “I am not sure if it is possible,” he began, then paused to consider if her bloodline mattered. “Riome is a Half-Light. The only times I used my magic to call out was with you and Kendra, and we were close together. When I searched for my mother and Keegan, and they were oceans away, and it took more power.” He saw Rayna shutter at the mention of his father.

  Her physical wounds had healed, but her emotional scars were still raw. Not wanting to linger on the topic, Kai continued. “Being full-blooded Katori might make a difference, but I had help the first time—Kendra talked me through it. My second solo attempt at reaching out with my sight across long distances left me drained and incapacitated for hours.”

  Hot steam swirled around the spoon in Rayna’s hand. “Is there something I could do to help you?” she asked, pouring honey into her tea.

  The answer seemed simple enough. Rayna was Katori, and she could help collect the extra energy Kai needed, but would it be enough to allow him to search for a Half-Light? Kendra had once said that he could search for anyone—now he was older, more powerful. And he had his crystal. He took a sip of tea and looked around at the stone dwelling.

  There was magic in everything, but sunlight and growing plants would provide a stronger connection to the world. “I think you can help. I know in theory what to do, but I need more power. Plus, your Kodama healing abilities could keep me from passing out as my mind travels the world on the light.”

  He took another sip of tea and continued to tell Rayna the process. She agreed they needed to be outside, and she knew just the place. She told him that she would take them to the eternal summer garden the Kodama created to explore their powers. Empowered by other Kodama magic and nature itself, Rayna would be stronger—and so too would Kai.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  Kai’s silver dragon cast a dark shadow over the Kodama sanctuary, a plot of land encircled by Stoneking magic. Even in his Beastmaster form, he could sense their power vibrating within the structure, a constant hum. One thing he had never noticed before was a ring of yellow crystals, set aglow, presumably by Lumens, embedded into the tall rock formations. As he neared the ground, his scaly dragon body felt the warm air move in a delicate but steady breeze. Had even the Weathervanes contributed to the creation of this special place?

  His wings fluttered the trees surrounding the glade as he landed. Smoke and Rayna hopped to the ground and he transformed back into his natural form. The change in weather wrapped him in warmth and he removed his coat and placed it on a nearby rock with Rayna’s cloak. The magic-infused air surrounded them, and he saw it pour into Rayna. The Kodama sanctuary cradled her in her arms bonding with her as the animals of the forest did to him.

  “Not sure why, but I never noticed how this sanctuary connects with you.”

  “It was not always so. My openness to the land, and the growth of my magic creates a stronger connection. Each plant I nurture makes me stronger, connects me to the world. But this place,” she waved her hand around the clearing, “is special to the Kodama. Many of the older trees are living people, the Kodama who loved nature and chose to be a tree. If I listen, I can hear them whisper. But we did not come here for me; we came to help y
ou find Riome. What do I need to do?”

  “You are right, please sit with me.” He motioned to a sunny spot and sat on a grassy knoll, Kai closed his eyes. With a deep breath, he recalled Kendra’s instructions. Sunlight melted into his head and shoulders. He infused the energy with memories of Riome. Images of her flooded his mind. Years of hand-to-hand combat training and the various accents and disguises she used on missions flashed before him. Kendra’s words echoed in his ears: Memories possess a power all their own. He focused on the energy her memories created and pulled it inward.

  Speaking to Rayna, he instructed, “Collect the energy from the air and the earth and blend it with your own. Push your energy to me. See the power I pull from the sunlight in the meadow. Allow our surroundings to strengthen you. Share what you can with me, and I will mix it with my own.”

  Connected to his sight, Kai gleaned Rayna’s movements. Like Kendra, her cupped hands swirled through the air as she folded magic and pushed it at Kai. Around them, he noticed the flow of power. His gleaning revealed particles of light swirling through the air. The green crystal around Rayna’s neck glowed, as did his white stone.

  At first, the magic flowed slowly and easily into him. Waves of Rayna’s magic merged with his; he grasped at the raw energy and began to shake. His soul felt momentarily overwhelmed, but he knew what he needed to do. Rayna's magic and the power within their surroundings needed to be shaped by his desire to find Riome.

  Drawn inward, he summoned his magic. To his surprise, the depth of his power seemed limitless. Rayna’s magic compounded on itself. Sweat dripped down his brow. His body shook with more intensity.

  “Hold on as long as you can!” he heard Rayna call. She sounded very far away even though she sat close.

  Mentally, he grabbed onto the raw power he’d created and thought of Riome. In an explosion of magic, he felt his mind punch through the air and a focused white light darted over the Katori Mountains. A blur of white, green, and brown landscapes rushed below Kai. His eyes watered as if stung by the wind pressing against his face, yet he physically remained seated in the green meadow.

  Before him, a city of black metal rippled across the landscape, and Kai’s mind flew toward the sprawling city of Milnos. Its massive size dwarfed anything he had ever seen. He knew Diu was around five miles wide, but Milnos was fifteen miles, with three rings of massive walls. His mind raced past the black iron gates toward the towering ironclad fortress. Then his mind neared the coast and darted out over the ocean. Clouds blew past him, and he felt a special connection tug him downward.

  Thud.

  A decisive blow to the ribs knocked the air from Kai’s lungs, and he felt pressure squeeze his midsection. The wooden decking struck his side, adding to the intense pain he felt. Disoriented and in agony, he wiped the sweat from his eyes and rose to his feet. The salty ocean air filled the billowing sails above his head. He was on a ship in the middle of the ocean.

  Someone in the crowd shoved him forward. A sharp pain raced up Kai’s leg, but there was no time to look down. Instinctively, he raised his hands to protect his face. He danced on his toes around the behemoth of a man in front of him. Sweat and blood dripped from his opponent. “Nobody calls me a cheat and lives to tell the tale. Least of all, someone like you,” the man snarled.

  Encircled by shouting bystanders, they continued to exchange blows. With lightning-quick reflexes, he dodged to avoid several strikes before landing a few of his own. With every bone-crushing hit from the man’s boulder-like fist, Kai experienced shockwaves of pain. After the last blow stuck Kai’s brow, he felt warm blood trickle down his face. He wiped the blood from his temple and caught a glimpse of his hand—not his hand. Too small. Feminine.

  A man shouted, “Gut her, Harker. Worthless woman. She probably cheated you.”

  The man handed Harker a blade. A glint of steel flickered in the sunlight, and Harker snickered. “Your time is up, little girl. It seems your mouth got the better of you. I told you there was no way you could best me. I promise to cast your dead body into the sea,” he boasted.

  The crowd laughed and cheered him on. Kai heard a feminine laugh below their chatter; a chuckle he recognized spilled from his lips. “Now we’re getting somewhere,” he mocked in Riome’s Port Anahita accent. “I told you I don’t cheat at cards, but at fighting, well, you’ve met your match. I am smarter and faster, and I promise to be quick.”

  The man’s nostrils flared at her mockery; all sweat and fury he charged, blade at the ready. Riome shortened the gap with her swift feet, dodged the outstretched weapon, and slid beneath Harken. Her first kick knocked out his knee, dropping him to the deck, and her second sweeping motion sent the man’s outstretched hand around into his own skull—blade first.

  The crowd hushed as Harken took his last breath.

  “Anyone else?” Riome asked calmly. “No? Drinks all around.”

  The crowd cheered as the whiskey and rum flowed freely. Riome entered the captain’s quarters and collapsed into a chair. “Where were we, boys? My turn to deal?” She scooped up the cards and started to shuffle.

  Everything went black, and Kai felt two hands shake his shoulders. He opened his eyes, and the sun bloomed behind Rayna’s head as she leaned over to him and caught him in an embrace. “Blessed be Alenga!”

  His heart pounded in his chest. Everything around him felt electric, causing him to breathe heavily. Calming his nerves with a few deep breaths, he tried to sit up.

  Rayna released him and sat back on her heels. “What happened,” she asked, stunned. “I felt you pull the magic through me. Then you began to shake harder. At one point, I heard you mumble, but it was unclear what you were saying. Then you coughed up blood and doubled over in pain. I didn’t know what to do. I tried healing you; then, your head started bleeding. What happened?”

  There was no explanation. “The first time I did this, I was young, and I did not have my crystal. I had not come into my full power. Maybe the intensity of my crystal-infused magic blended with yours and . . . drew me into Riome. It’s the only way to explain it—I experienced everything she did. She was fighting with someone else. I didn’t have any control, but I felt all her pain. Every blow felt real.” Kai rubbed his ribs; the sharpness gave him a real concern for Riome’s survival.

  The warmth of Rayna’s hand pressed into his temple, and he felt her heal the cut. She then healed his ribs, but the taste of blood lingered in his mouth.

  “Wherever Riome is,” he said, “she is alive, but I fear for her. Smugglers and thieves are bad company, and her current shipmates would just as soon kill her than look at her. They just might, if she can’t keep out of trouble.”

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  Back in Hiowind, Kai sat in Lucca’s chair watching the moon cross the sky. Afraid sleep would bring visions of his father’s demise, he thought instead of Riome. Never in his life did he think his magic could pull his spirit into another person. Or that this person’s experiences could affect him physically. If only he could talk to his mother, she would know how to help. She was said to be one of the most powerful Katori in history. But still, Mariana had not stirred in her slumber.

  Night after night Kai avoided sleep, but time was catching up to him. The land of dreams demanded he slumber. The sour feeling in his gut as his head touched the pillow warned him the dream would not be good. Visions pack a mighty punch, and reality and fantasy can confuse perceptions. He was not ready to process a message from Alenga. His heavy eyelids drooped more and more until he lost his battle. Sleep took him, and the world of dreams and nightmares folded its arms around him.

  Storm clouds thundered overhead, startling Kai. The crack of lightning broke through the darkness, and the glint of armor flashed through the trees. Kai crouched. Voices on the road called out.

  “I am telling you, I saw someone!” the man shouted in the rain. “Queen Nola pays us good money to guard the road. I will not have some vagrant sneak by on my watch.”

  “Come on, enough
searching,” another man shouted. “There’s nobody out here. I am going back to the tent. The men patrolling closer to Diu will find your ghost.” He stomped off.

  The ground beneath Kai smelled of pine needles and mud. Every part of him ached as the rain trickled down his cheeks and into his eyes. The labored breathing offered little strength to his tired limbs. Poised to move, he waited for the soldier to leave. The downpour continued; the lightning flashed, and the path seemed clear. Once he was confident it was safe, Kai attempted to stand but fell hard on his knees.

  His leg hurt, and he rubbed his hand over a bandaged gash. The pain in his ribs concerned him—both sides hurt, but the left side felt like two ribs had broken. There was no denying it; he was in trouble, but he also felt an urge to keep moving. On his hands and knees, he crawled through the muck into the woods, away from the road. Each movement agonizing, each breath precious.

  Thunder cracked against the sky and a flash of light flittered through the trees. In the distance, there was the dark outline of a broken shack. Cleaved in half by a massive fallen pine and covered in vines, it was barely visible. But he needed refuge from the storm—and somewhere to hide.

  With every ounce of energy, Kai pulled himself to his feet and stumbled toward the dilapidated hovel he hoped might give him respite. It had only looked like thirty feet, but each step was small, making the distance feel insurmountable. The next two consecutive lightning strikes lit up the destroyed cabin. Splinters of tree and cottage mingled in a mass of destruction. Moss and ivy consumed the decaying wood and worked to reclaim the forgotten home.

  The crooked door hung on one hinge, which creaked when Kai pulled at the handle. The effort sent a sudden pain into his side, and he stumbled inside. The place was small even before the tree chopped it in half. Inside, the remains of a simple home sat waiting for company; a tiny table and two chairs, a smashed hutch filled with shattered dishes, and a small wooden chest that held unknown treasure under the window.