Renegade Skyfarer

by R. J. Metcalf

  “I need to get out of here,” Ben interrupted. The prince could have his meltdown of revelations later. Ben had to get back to Ellie’s.

  The Sapphire crew had a bloodstone.

  Weston pulled himself upright with a weak nod. His jaw set and he nodded again, firmly, eyes hard. “I’ll get you out.”

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Slate

  Slate peered over the railing as Victor steered the Sapphire to her assigned berth on the edge of Doldra. They were here. After years of searching, years of haunted memories, and years of regret, he finally had a chance to redeem some of his actions. He wouldn’t be able to bring back any of those who had died, but he’d be able to honor the memory of one who gave his life in defense of the barrier.

  And now that Jade knew her own past, maybe he could honor Brandon and Sapphire’s legacy by bringing his niece to the throne she deserved. Let a Doldran rule, not a sniveling governor sent by Aerugo.

  A flash of red hair caught his eye, and he turned to see Jade approaching, the set in her jaw so similar to the way his little sister—her mother—had looked when she was about to battle. The similarities ended there, however. Today Jade must have searched for her grungiest pair of mechanic pants, and she’d donned a loose Vodan blouse paired with a leather waist-cincher. She couldn’t have looked further from a proper princess if she tried.

  “Interesting outfit,” he finally commented.

  Jade shrugged with a disinterested air. “Thanks.” She joined him at the railing and gripped it, her eyes slowly welling with tears. “This land is beautiful, but it isn’t my home. My home is here, on the Sapphire with you, or on the Phoenix with my mother.”

  Her emphasis wasn’t lost on Slate, and he hugged her as his heart cracked for what had to be the third time that morning. “As much as I appreciate that sentiment, your place isn’t here, dearest.” She stiffened and pulled back, and Slate gestured over the rail, to the barely visible palace in the distance. “You deserve to be there. Leading our people, enjoying the luxuries that you were born into.” He swiped his thumb against the grease on her jaw and met her pained gaze. “Doldra needs her own strong ruler. Queen Violet will step aside when you’re ready.”

  Jade’s jaw dropped. “Sh-she knows?”

  Slate offered a small, sad smile. “She’s a very astute woman. If she doesn’t already know, she suspects it. And I know for a fact that she’s not fond of how Everett has taken over as ruler of Doldra.”

  “But I don’t want to be a queen.” Jade turned away and pointed to Victor’s back. “I want to work my way up and be a first mate, eventually a captain. I want to be free of politics, free of entitled rulers, free of impractical dresses and stupid formal events.”

  “I know.” Slate rested his hands lightly on her shoulders. “Once this is all over, and the keystone is fully restored, we’ll talk. I want to honor your desires, and I also want to honor what your parents would have wanted. I promise I’ll do my best to find a balance of some sort for you.”

  Jade lurched forward and squeezed his middle, using the palm of her hand to wipe at her eyes. “Go, do your protecting-the-world mission.”

  Slate dropped a kiss on the crown of her head. “I love you.”

  Jade stretched to her toes to kiss his cheek. “I love you, too, Father.”

  * * *

  Slate billowed his shirt and used his hat to fan his face. He stopped in the shade of a tree, and Victor sighed next to him. Summer humidity had a wonderful way of taking away the pleasure of such beautiful, lush vegetation. Slate settled his hands on his hips as he surveyed the Doldran palace. White-washed walls towered above a new wrought iron gate, and though Slate couldn’t see the garden around the side, he smelled the sweet fragrance of flowers. His nose twitched.

  “Let’s get the unpleasantries over with.” Slate nudged his first mate, and they walked abreast of each other into the main entry of the palace. Gold embroidery shimmered in the red-and-gray Doldran tapestries that hung side by side with the Aerugan black and blue, and the gleaming white tile had to be new, but the foyer itself was the same. Slate’s steps stuttered and he halted, overwhelmed with memories: digging through the dead piled in here, finding remnants of Clara, returning to Sapphire’s body upstairs.

  Victor looked over his shoulder, a black eyebrow raised. “You feeling ill, Captain?”

  Slate took in a shallow sip of air and shook his head, willing away the bloody images haunting him. I’m here to right my wrongs. “I’ll be fine. Let’s see how quickly they can announce us.”

  More Aerugan tapestries hung in the narrow hallway leading to the throne, and Slate’s lip curled in distaste. Aerugan governor or not, the Doldran palace should have only the Doldran colors—not some other kingdom’s. They met Bentley’s right-hand man, Nevin, outside the main chamber’s doors and waited to be announced.

  Slate had to fight the urge to pace. Nervous energy bled off him. The memories, the mission, the changes—it was proving to be too much. He distracted himself as best he could with watching Victor talk to Nevin. The two chatted briefly, and Victor pulled something from his coat and handed it to the overseer. Nevin peered at it through his monocle and tapped it against his hand before nodding to Victor, then he slipped into the throne room.

  Just as Victor returned within speaking distance of Slate, a guard pushed open the double doors, and Slate swallowed his question. He opted instead to give Victor a quizzical glance as they strode through the long, spacious room. Time hadn’t dimmed the luminary crystals embedded in the floor, and the gleaming white marble pillars appeared just as majestic as Slate remembered. It wasn’t until his gaze fell on the black-and-blue tapestry hanging over the solo throne that his mind snapped back to the current time.

  Governor Ethan Bentley perched in the burnished chair like a dactyl sensing fresh prey. His cobalt blue suit made his shining blue eyes appear even more piercing. He drummed his fingers against the arm of the throne as he cocked his head at Slate. “It’s been a long time, Captain Stohner.” He looked to Victor. “And you are?”

  Slate dipped his chin in a deferential nod. “This is my first mate, Victor Kalende. We bring tidings from Lord Everett in regards to the keystone and barrier.”

  “Oh?” Bentley stilled his hand, and his shoulders raised. “Tell me.”

  “First, I have this letter from Lord Everett.” Slate waited until Bentley gestured, and then Slate handed the letter to Victor, who ascended the three steps to the dais to hand the missive over. “Then I need to discuss the details and logistics of such news.”

  A guard handed Bentley a small blade to break the blue wax seal on the letter. He skimmed the contents quickly and hummed lightly at the end. He set the letter on a small table next to him and leaned back, steepling his fingers. “Fascinating. So you believe this stone will answer our problems, do you?”

  “Our mani-med studied all that we found, and Lord Everett’s mani-meds agree, so yes. Yes, I do believe this stone will solve our problems.” Slate pressed his lips together as he studied Bentley’s impassive face. Why doesn’t he seem surprised, or excited at the prospect of strengthening the barrier?

  Bentley settled his ankle over his knee and returned to tapping the arm rest. “Well then, you’ll want to go when the keystone is most stable.” He waited for Slate and Victor to nod before continuing. “We’ve discovered that the time flux at the citadel worsens at night. Theoretically, because of the time that the initial damage occurred. If you were to just waltz over, you may just lose an hour or more in a bubble of time.” He raised his eyebrows. “Thus, tomorrow morning will be your soonest opportunity to go. I’ll look into the guards’ schedules and arrange an escort for your team.” He tapped his fingers against the arm of his chair, while waving a hand at the letter from Lord Everett. “I assume that you’ll have your own team going in?”

  “Yes, sir.” Fierce hope rose in Slate’s chest. Bentley was being even more cooperative than he’d dared to dream. “What time shoul
d we be back in the morning?”

  Bentley quirked his lips and stroked his thin moustache. “The keystone is at its most peaceful state and time flows most normally around seven in the morning. Come to the palace here by five-thirty, and you’ll be escorted to the citadel.”

  Slate and Victor both offered shallow bows. “Thank you, sir,” Slate said.

  They spent the walk back to the Sapphire in silence. Slate remained absorbed in his own thoughts and memories: playing with Garnet and Sapphire in the City Circle, long before it had grown into a bustling location for shops and markets. Staggering to the Crimson Hawk, covered in blood after the fall of the Doldras family. Strolling through the streets with Samantha and Jade, caught up in the lie of being a real family. And tomorrow he would return to the citadel and keystone, and repair the damage he’d done.

  Victor was just as quiet, his dark eyes hooded and pensive, focused on the road ahead of them. The red rays of the setting sun glinted off his shaved head as they entered the Stohner Shipping Yard.

  First things first. Slate searched the grounds until he finally found Zak, who was blending in with the shadows where he perched on the cross beams of one of Ellie’s storage sheds. A small smirk crossed Slate’s lips. Zane always preferred being on the ground, but Zak was always as high as he could be. “Zak, I need to talk to you.”

  Zak slipped away the blade he’d been idly twirling in his hands. He gripped a beam and swung to a narrow ledge, paused there a heartbeat, then jumped toward the brick wall, kicked off it, and landed before Slate. A hint of the little boy that Slate once knew shone through when Zak grinned. He dusted off his pants as he looked up at Slate. “What can I do for you, sir?”

  “I need to borrow that ring that Zane had me give you.”

  Humor faded from Zak’s green eyes, and he wiggled an inky-black ring out from under his fingerless sable gloves. He clenched it in his fist before holding his hand open for Slate to take it. “I’m sorry I can’t go with you for this.”

  “I am, too.” Slate sighed and shook his head. There were moments that talking to Zak felt eerily like talking to Zane. His stance and his words hauntingly familiar. “But your priority is to protect Jade. And she’s staying here. I’m not letting her go anywhere near the barrier.”

  “I know.” A muscle in Zak’s jaw twitched, and he looked past Slate, eyes narrowed. “And she knows now, though she’s not too thrilled about it.” He shifted his glare to Slate. “I know I said it before, but, sir, your timing on that really grinds my gears.”

  Shame warred with defensiveness, and Slate propped his hands on his hips. “She needed to know after everything that happened with Jaxton. And what’s done is done. Keep her out of trouble tomorrow, and we should be back by evening.” He paused. “Where is she, anyway?”

  Zak blew out a breath and nodded. “Yes, sir. She’s with everyone else, letting my family know we’re in town and what’s going on. I sent Geist as an escort for her. And I expect the crew will be back soon, and my family will show up whenever they show up.” He shrugged. “For all I know, they’re going to be here bright and early, wanting to go with you.”

  “Oh. Very good. I’d welcome them to come along, if Bentley wouldn’t get too steamed over that idea.” Slate nodded his thanks and flashed a quick grin. “If not, I’ll see them when I get back.”

  “Sounds reasonable.” Zak’s lips twisted as he crossed his arms. “When do you leave?”

  “Before the sun is up, unfortunately.” Slate scratched at the evening stubble on his jaw. “I’m going to get what rest I can before then. Update them when they return, please?”

  Zak tossed Slate a lazy salute. “No problem.” His eyes burned into Slate, so very reminiscent of Zane’s serious gaze. “And don’t let us down tomorrow.”

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Jade

  For once, Jade wasn’t griping about being left behind and out of an adventure. Even for a mission as important and exciting as strengthening the magic of the keystone and thus the barrier that protected all of Terrene, getting up before the sun even peeked over the horizon did not fit into her idea of excitement. She, Krista, and Briar had talked it over last night after Geist offered some half-baked excuse before leaving them to visit a friend. They’d wait for her father to return from the keystone mission before leaving. For now, though, after all the emotional turmoil from the last week, she was content to stay right where she was and sleep some more while she could. She waved goodbye to her father and his small group before slipping inside the open door with a yawn.

  Firelight danced behind a metal grate on the far wall, and a form that blended with the shadows sprawled across one of the several couches and tables scattered throughout the room. A door on either side of the hearth led to sleeping quarters that her grandmother kept for traveling crews that wanted somewhere homey and close to their airships to crash.

  Jade walked as quietly as she could, but Zak’s eyes opened before she could pass him.

  He released his crossed arms with a cat-like stretch and offered her a lopsided grin. “And just like that, they’re off and away,” he observed quietly.

  “Just like that,” she echoed. Despite Krista’s urging, they hadn’t had time to talk just the two of them since they kissed—every time they saw each other, someone was with them.

  Heat rose to her cheeks as she fidgeted. What to do with her hands? Setting them on her hips might make her look like she was about to lecture him—which she wouldn’t mind doing, but now wasn’t the time. Crossing her arms would make her look angry. Holding her hands in front of her would look like she was going to make a request. Holding her arms behind her back—Krista makes this look so easy!

  Zak sat up and patted the cushion next to him. The fire cast shadows across his face and highlighted his strong jaw, but did nothing to hide that he swallowed as he studied her. “We need to talk.”

  She didn’t return his gaze as she sank onto the couch. Jade plucked at her loose lounge pants and mentally thanked her lucky stones that she’d had the foresight to change out of her sleeping smallclothes and into something a bit more decent. She stared down at Zak’s scuffed charcoal boots. “I don’t know what there is to talk about.” Liar. She shrugged with one shoulder. “I meant what I said. I don’t want weird formalities that mean nothing to me to come between us. I’m a mechanic.” She lifted a hand and dropped it with a sigh. “Not someone I’ve never been.”

  The couch shifted as Zak leaned forward, his green eyes intent on her, even as she strove to not look at him. He reached forward and took the hand she’d just gestured with, his grip firm, yet gentle.

  “I disagree.” He kept his voice low, kind. “You are much more than a mechanic. And I don’t mean just about your heritage.” His lips quirked in a small smile that reached his eyes. “You’re a loyal friend. A challenge when it comes to archery competitions. You work hard to make sure everyone is comfortable.” She scoffed and he narrowed his eyes. “You did with Ben,” he reminded her. “And—”

  “And what am I seeing?” A feminine voice interrupted. “Is this a touching moment that I should walk away from?”

  Zak propelled himself farther back on the couch, dropping Jade’s hand as if it were scalding him. Jade whirled to look behind them and saw his sister Zaborah leaning against the doorframe, a single eyebrow pointedly raised at Zak. Zaborah walked around the couch and tilted the sword on her hip before deliberately sitting between them.

  She turned to face Jade. “The rest of our family will be here after breakfast. I came early with two who are joining your current guards. It seems prudent to be on the alert after everything that happened in Lasim.” Zaborah flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder with a sympathetic smile. “We’re not taking any risks today, not with part of the crew out with your father.”

  Jade had to test the waters. “You mean, my uncle, whom I still consider my father.”

  Zaborah’s smile faltered and she dipped her head in a silent nod as Zak stood
and paced to a nearby window. “So you know now.” She clapped her hands and rubbed them together briskly. “I suppose that makes some things easier. You missed Ensign Brigley when he came by late last night. Ever since Slate told Bentley the news, the garrison has been on edge, and James is concerned about some patrol changes for today.”

  Jade smiled briefly at the memory of her friend’s excitement over his promotion, then Zaborah’s words registered. “Why in Terrene would the garrison be on edge?” Jade asked, wrinkling her brow. “It’s not like they’re involved at all. They just get the benefit of a stabilized barrier.”

  Zaborah shrugged. “We don’t know. That’s part of the reason we three are here early. Something felt…off.”

  Zak stepped away from the clear glass pane, and Jade tensed at his expression. “What’s wrong?”

  He shook his head as he strode across the room, his fingers on his hilt. He looked out the window next to the door and turned to Zaborah. “Who came with you?”

  “Zabir and Joseph.” Zaborah sat up straighter.

  Jade leaned forward, catching on to Zak’s subtle anxiety. “I think Erynn and Owen were the guards that my grandmother had on duty to begin with.” She moved from the couch to touch the pane where Zak had first gone. The dark of the night was fading under the onslaught of the coming sun, and she shaded her eyes as sunshine peeked over the brick Doldran wall. “Where are they? I don’t see anyone.”

  The door banged open, and Jade slammed into the wall. Zaborah had her back to Jade, blade pointed at the door. Erynn silhouetted the doorframe. Blood gushed from his side and splattered on the hardwood floor. His eyes fixated on Zak, who stood at the ready a sword’s length away. Erynn stumbled, and Zak dropped his sword to catch him.

  “What happened to you?” Zak demanded as he flicked open a pouch on his sable pants and pulled out a large square of thick fabric. His eyes flicked toward the door. “And where are the others?”