by John Corwin
I gauged the expressions on the unhidden faces in the chamber and saw confusion and doubt. "Have you ever heard of a bloodstone?"
"I've heard the ancient tale of King Thussor," Uro said, "but I had always thought it a myth."
"I can assure you bloodstones are real," I said. "Using my contacts with the Mzodi, I am very close to procuring a bloodstone and the secrets to using it."
Bliss's eyes flashed. "You wish to find Kaelissa so you can take the throne for yourself! I knew he was hiding something!"
I threw up my hands. "Yes, of course, I hid my intentions to usurp the throne from Kaelissa." I looked around incredulously. "What sane person would openly admit treason?"
"But here it is not treason." Uro grinned stupidly and clasped his hands together like a child who'd just seen the presents under a Christmas tree. "Our plan to undermine a city at a time would take decades, but if this bloodstone exists, we could have the throne in months!"
"Indeed." Ontidam stroked his beard. "It would seem we have a lot to talk about, Justias."
Bliss scowled. "I will not let this seraph steal the throne from our master."
I managed a look of shocked outrage. "You think I would dare steal the throne from someone as powerful as Victus?" I folded my arms across my chest and looked down my nose at her. "I do want the throne, but will gladly hand it over when Victus is ready."
Yeah, right. I wished Victus would show his smug little face because I'd punch him into Earth orbit.
Bliss's forehead scrunched with a mix of anger and disbelief. "Why should we believe him? Let us take the bloodstone for ourselves."
Uro nodded fervently. "Regardless of his intentions, it would be best for us to undertake this mission."
A chorus of agreement echoed in the chamber.
It felt like someone had just slammed a door in my face and locked it. I waited for a quick response from Elyssa, but she looked just as unsettled as me. Instead of talking us out of a corner, we'd just backed ourselves into one. Ontidam was far too perceptive for my good.
I took another shot at getting ourselves out of this mess and hoped it worked. "I am the only one with the Mzodi contact who can get the bloodstone. I am the only one powerful enough to wield it." The murmuring around me ceased and the chamber went silent. "I will gladly take one of you with me to meet my contact, but I will not relinquish the bloodstone."
Bliss grabbed Elyssa's arm and bared her teeth in a fierce grin. "You will do as we say, or your servant will su—" She didn't have a chance to finish before Elyssa flipped her so hard onto the floor, I heard her skull smack it.
Elyssa bent over her. "Don't touch me without permission, bitch."
Uro's eyes went wide as spinner rims on a pimped out pickup truck. "I did not realize Edenites were so strong."
"The girl is more than she seems." Ontidam's lips curled up slightly. "I saw you holding hands with her, Justias. I know there is more to your relationship than servant and master."
I didn't like where this was going. "Are you threatening to use her if I don't cooperate?"
He held up his hands to ward off more accusations. "Let us just say that your plans should include us every step of the way."
It was obvious they wouldn't let us mosey out of here alone, but that was okay. All I needed to do was whittle the crowd down to three or fewer and then we could get free on our own.
Bliss groaned, eyelids fluttering. She sat up, leaving a spot of blood where her head had hit the floor. "What happened?"
Uro giggled like a kid and put his hands over his mouth.
I motioned to the ring of robed people in the room. "So, Ontidam, what's the deal with all the other spooks in here?"
"Converts," he replied. "Perhaps if you prove yourself, you'll earn a robe and a place among the Allied Seraphina Soldiers."
It took everything I had not to clap my hands together and say, "Oh, boy! Really?" in the most sarcastic tone possible. I also wanted to point out that their acronym spelled ASS, but that joke was only funny in English. Instead, I simply nodded. "For now, I will settle for food and wine."
"Agreed." Ontidam raised a fist into the air. "Listen, brethren."
The room once again fell silent.
"Today, we may have found the answer to ending Kaelissa's rule. I will not call a vote on Justias because he has yet to prove himself worthy of the cause." Ontidam turned around the room as if trying to look everyone in the eyes. "We will keep him in the city as our guest and judge him on his actions. Should he decide to help us of his own volition, we will accept him as our own. Should we have to force his hand, then we will do as we must."
A chorus of agreement echoed his sentiment.
Ontidam turned to me. "Justias, you are free to move about the city, but you will not leave. There are many of us, and you will be watched at all times. Should you try to leave without permission, then we will do what we must. Understood?"
"Sounds fair," I replied. Suckers! "Now, can we go eat?"
Ontidam smiled and flourished a hand toward a doorway. "Be our guest."
I couldn't have been happier if an animated candle and clock started singing to me, but I kept my expression serious and nodded. "We will talk about the bloodstone later. Perhaps we can reach an agreement."
"I am certain of it," he replied.
His tone sent a chill of apprehension down my spine, but I pretended it didn't bother me and marched toward the doorway, shoulders stiff, chest puffed out. Elyssa apparently didn't see the need to continue the subservient servant charade and walked by my side. We emerged back in the outdoor marketplace, now bustling with people.
The sun had set, but shimmering spheres of white light orbited low over the buildings, trailing stardust like miniature comets and illuminating the way. The odor of cooked food tickled my nose and tantalized my tongue. I followed the scent to a patio with chairs set around small round tables. A waiter set a platter of steaming meat and veggies on the table.
I nudged Elyssa. "I guess Brightlings really do eat meat."
Elyssa peered at the meal. "Looks like chicken to me." She glanced back toward Uro's emporium. "I wonder if that's always been the case, or if their visit to Eden changed eating habits."
"I could use some food."
"How are we supposed to pay for it?" Elyssa looked around. "I don't see anyone paying."
"Maybe they deal in gems like Pjurna," I suggested.
"Maybe." Elyssa glanced over her shoulder. "I say we keep acting casual, until we're close enough to the gates to make a run for it."
The gates waited with open arms about fifty yards beyond the end of the market. As we strolled closer, a large group of people stepped onto the roadway and stopped, eyes narrowed with suspicion. I stepped into the nearest restaurant and pulled Elyssa with me.
"Table for two?" a host seraph asked with a smile.
I shrugged off my apprehension. "Yes, please."
The inside looked an awful lot like a restaurant in Eden—booths with padded seats, hardwood floors, and even wait staff bustling from table to table. The host seated us in a booth for two. "What would you like to drink? Beer? Wine?"
"Um, water?" I said weakly.
"Of course." The moment he stepped away, I leaned over the table and started talking.
"Did you see all those people blocking our path?"
Mouth set in a grim line, Elyssa nodded. "They've got us hemmed in."
I looked out the window and tried to see if our greeting committee was still there, but couldn't get a good angle. "How high do the walls look to you?"
"A hundred feet at least." She shook her head. "We can't climb or jump them if that's what you're thinking."
"Just dandy." I ran a hand down my face and tried to summon a good plan to get us out of this mess. "Someone will come looking for us soon, and I don't want them getting stuck here too."
A waiter approached with our water and set them on the table. He bowed slightly to me. "The alliance is excited to have you, Justias
."
I groaned. "Can't I get some food without being hassled?"
"Of course." The seraph didn't so much as glance at Elyssa. "We have many Eden delicacies available."
"On a menu?" I held out my hand suggestively.
"We have not copied their menu system, but I can recite them to you," he replied. "First up is a meatloaf with a side of moist mashed potatoes. Or perhaps you'd prefer the vivacious saucy taste of a gourmet food called a sloppy Joe."
Elyssa's mouth dropped open a little and her nose wrinkled. "You consider that gourmet?"
The waiter looked a bit irritated by her interruption, but continued listing foods that sounded like the menu from a street vendor instead of a fancy restaurant.
"I'll take the meatloaf." I smiled sheepishly. "Um, how much is it?"
"No charge for you, Justias." The waiter bowed again. "The alliance sends its regards."
"Wonderful."
"What would you like for your servant?" he asked without even looking back at Elyssa.
Elyssa bristled, eyes flaring with anger, fists clenching. For a moment, I thought she'd whack him in the neck and knock him out. Instead, she forced a smile and said, "Tell our server I would like the sloppy Joe."
The server looked at me expectantly until I nodded. "Yeah, get her the sloppy Joe."
"As you wish." He whisked away.
"I'd like to pound him into a sloppy Joe," Elyssa growled. "These Brightlings think they're too cool for school."
"I just hope the meatloaf doesn't give me diarrhea." I frowned. "Do you think it's really made from beef?"
Elyssa grimaced. "I have no idea what mystery meat is going into this food. I'm sure they'll use only the best ingredients for a nobody like Justias's servant."
I was in the middle of a chuckle when an idea hit me. It wasn't a great idea, but it wasn't horrible either. The biggest problem was that Elyssa would hate it.
"Oh god." Elyssa sighed. "You just got an idea, didn't you?"
"How did you"—I waved away the question—"never mind. Yes, I did, and I think it'll work great."
Elyssa pursed her lips. "Does it involve stripping naked and setting yourself on fire as a distraction?"
I blinked a few times. "No, but that could work, I suppose."
She snorted. "Seriously, what's the idea?"
"I want you to walk out of town and go back to the ship."
Elyssa's brow pinched. "Yeah right. You heard what Ontidam said. We can't leave town."
"I can't leave town." I raised an eyebrow. "You can. Like you said, they barely acknowledge your existence and probably wouldn't care if you left."
"Let's assume that's true." Elyssa leaned forward on her elbows. "Do you really expect me to abandon you?"
I shook my head. "Nope. I expect you to come back on a flying carpet and whisk me away."
Elyssa looked stunned. "Wow, babe. That's actually a half-decent idea."
"Geez, you make it sound like I never come up with good ideas."
She reached across the table and patted my hand. "You're better at coming up with escape plans than naming living creatures, I'll give you that."
I stuck out my tongue just as the waiter returned with our food. He looked a bit confused by my expression, but set down the plates and wished us bon appetite, or at least the Cyrinthian version of it.
The meatloaf had a saucy tang to it and burned my tongue with spices. It wasn't what I'd expected, but it tasted delicious. Elyssa took a bite of her sloppy Joe and moaned. "Wow, this is really good."
We finished our meals quickly and left. The group that had blocked the street earlier was gone, but I spotted some familiar faces loitering near the market exit.
Elyssa took a deep breath. "Well, here goes."
"Smooches, babe." Kissing her the way I wanted to wasn't a good idea. Ontidam had eyes everywhere and I didn't want to confirm his suspicions that Elyssa and I were romantically linked.
Elyssa prowled forward, casual as a panther daring anyone to come near her, and walked straight toward the market exit. Several pairs of eyes watched her, but nobody made a move to stop her. I held my breath until she exited the gate and sighed with relief.
Something sharp prodded me in the back, and a familiar voice whispered in my ear. "It appears our dear Justias no longer has his protector with him. Now, tell me how to get the bloodstone, or I will gut you in the streets."
Chapter 22
Bliss, you stupid bitch!
She must have been waiting for an opportune moment to strike. After Elyssa put her down like a sack of potatoes, Bliss must have assumed Elyssa was my bodyguard.
"Is that right?" I tried to turn around, but the pointy object pushed harder into my flesh. "Do you plan to kill me in front of other alliance members?"
"I plan to let you live if you tell me how to get the bloodstone."
Bliss didn't trust me, nor should she. But why this lone wolf act instead of just keeping an eye on me? "Are you trying to be a hero, or do you just want the stone for yourself?"
"I simply do not have the same faith in you that Ontidam does." Bliss pulled me into an alley, spun me around, and shoved me against the wall.
I could have resisted, but she was awfully quick with the razor-sharp crystal dagger in her hand, pressing it against my throat before I had a chance to do anything. I might be fast, and I might have super healing, but a slashed throat would put me down like a butchered hog.
Fierce green eyes glared at me, inches away. Lips peeled back, jaw set in determination, Bliss looked like someone who'd just been ordered to clean the dumpster behind a fast-food restaurant without gloves. I noticed something else lurking in her gaze—desperation.
She must be staking everything on this. If she fails, Ontidam will probably kill her.
Or was it something more?
Ontidam was completely beholden to Victus. In fact, the real Ontidam might have been replaced by Victus during the war against Daelissa. Bliss, on the other hand, was a more recent construct. What if there was an insurrection inside an insurrection inside an insurrection going on here?
Kohval's insurrection against Pjurna. Ontidam's insurrection against the Brightling Empire. Bliss was here as an envoy from the Darkling rebels, but she seemed to have an agenda of her own.
"Respond," Bliss said. She leaned her other elbow against my chest. "Tell me where it is."
"I don't have it," I hissed. "I have to reach my Mzodi contact."
She scowled. "Where are they?"
I wondered if she could sneak me out of here. "Outside of town."
"Lies." She went silent, probably going through the options.
A light bulb flickered on in my head, crackled and went out, then came back on again as I tried to latch onto Bliss's true purpose. It seemed unlikely she would strike out on her own. Instead, it was more likely that Kohval, a wholly owned subsidiary of Aerianas, had sent her here to connect with another of Victus's agents. But Aerianas didn't want to neatly wrap Seraphina for Victus. She wanted this realm for herself.
"That's it!" I almost snapped my fingers, but Bliss probably would have slashed my throat.
Bliss dug a fist into my stomach hard enough to drive the wind from me. "What are you talking about?"
I gasped and caught my breath, giving myself a moment to think. I finally came up with a way to delay Bliss from murdering me and to give Elyssa a better way home in on my position. "I have to signal the Mzodi ship from a high vantage point, but they won't be in the area for another hour."
"Once you signal them, then what?"
"I wait for their return signal and they send someone into town to meet with me." Somehow, I had to get this knife off my throat. While I could channel a shield from the pores of my skin, I didn't think I could do it fast enough to keep her from killing me first.
Bliss looked up and around, but the alley blocked her view. "Where did you plan to signal them from?"
"I hadn't decided yet." I offered a tight smile. "I'm new here as O
ntidam pointed out."
"Tell me the signal."
"Even if I give you the signal, you won't get the bloodstone." My mind worked furiously to come up with a way to keep me useful to this backstabbing bitch. I had a distinct feeling she'd kill me if she thought she had everything she needed. On the other hand, I didn't want to kill her because she might have information about Kohval's plans.
It was a conundrum, but I'd been in worse situations before. Then again, even a stupid situation could get me killed. I might slip on a banana peel and impale my head on a spike, or light a fart and explode my intestines.
In other words, Bliss could kill me and really ruin my day. Thankfully, I came up with a wonderful reason for her to keep me alive.
She asked the next logical question. "Why won't they give me the bloodstone?"
"Because you don't have the proper payment." I resisted the urge to nod in the direction Elyssa had gone, because again, didn't want my throat slit, and settled for telling her without any gestures. "My servant went to retrieve payment and bring it back. Either you can take me outside of the city to meet her, or we can both wait at the vantage point where she'll meet me."
The realization that she couldn't just kill me and be done with it finally penetrated Bliss's thick skull. The more I stared at this low-budget copy of Nightliss, the more disgusted and angry I became. It was like watching my favorite TV show only to find out they'd replaced all the actors with look-alikes who didn't know how their characters were supposed to act.
Issana had been a total jackass when we met her. She'd tied us to a tree and threatened our lives. Though she'd mellowed after we told her about Nightliss, I couldn't say the same for her other siblings. I wondered what made her different from the blindly loyal dolems.
Bliss remained quiet for a long moment, then finally nodded. "We'll go to a vantage point. You will signal the Mzodi, and your servant will pay for the bloodstone, which she will hand to me."
"Do you even know how to use a bloodstone?" I said. "There's no on-off switch."
