by Shea Berkley
The man starts swinging his sling. I call fire to my hand and shoot it toward the tower. The man stops swinging and grabs his bird before he tries to run. Big mistake. Flames burst before he takes two steps, and he falls to the floor, his bird a mess of melted color in his hand, his howls of pain coloring the air.
I circle Blaze around and chase after the tri-top. We dart in, and I blast it with fire while Blaze slashes the tri-top’s wing. The beast screams and lashes out at us. We whirl away and come around for another attack. I pull out my sword, and when we fly beneath the animal, I slice its belly open. With a cry, it tumbles away.
Kera looks my way and I point to the ground near a spot at the foot of one of the towers. Though three streets lead to it, the tower is well protected by a walled courtyard. We land in front of the wall, and before Kera can jump down, I dismount and stop her. “I want you out of here.”
“You keep trying to protect me, but I’m a better fighter than you.”
“She is right,” Baun says from his perch. “I’ve seen her.”
“You’re blind,” I snap. “Stay out of this.”
He jumps down and I hear him mumble, “Now who is the one discriminating against others?”
Kera tries to dismount and I push her back onto the dragon. “It’s not about skill. I don’t think I could handle it if you got hurt.”
“What about you? Do you think I am happy knowing you are risking your life while I sit in safety?”
“This argument is moot,” Baun says.
Moot. Who uses words like that? Oh yeah, my crazy dad. I glare at him, but he can’t see how annoyed I am. “How so?” I ask in my most sarcastic, disrespectful tone.
“None of us can defeat your friend alone. It will take all of us together.”
Kera blinks, surprised by his announcement. “But I thought you said you could save Teag if you were set free.”
Baun waves his hand in front of him as if he’s waving away her doubts. “It was my thought, until I realized we’ve split my power into too many parts. Remember you each hold a piece of my power that Navar stole from me. Only when all the power works together is it whole. Only then can your friend be defeated.”
Kera pales. “You want your power back?” She slips off the dragon and looks up at me in a panic. “He wants his power back. What have I done?”
She helped release the one guy who could make her fully human again. I have no doubt it’s a shock to her.
I tuck her under my arm and hold her close. “It’s okay. He can’t take it from you. He can only ask you to borrow it, but you’re not going to give it to him.” I direct my words at Baun. “You’re not going to ask her for it.”
“Of course not.”
I breathe a sigh of relief, but it’s short-lived. He can get his power back if he kills Kera.
I push her behind me, draw my sword, and hold him back with the tip. “If you come near her again, father or not, I will kill you.”
An arrow whizzes by. Blaze and the bigger dragon spring into the air and set to defending us from above as I drag Kera with me behind the short wall surrounding the base of the tower. Two men lie dead and I push them out of the way.
Another arrow flies inches from Baun. I may not like him, but I can’t stand by and see a blind man get used for target practice. I dart back out and shove him behind the wall with us. He presses his back to the stones and sweeps a shaking hand through his hair.
Squatting between him and Kera, I say to him, “I think you should stay here, out of trouble, and let us handle this.”
He shakes his head. “Dylan, you need me. I am not as helpless as you think. We’ve landed smack in the middle of a full-blown war for Teag. One of your friends is tearing it apart, and Kera told me one of Navar’s commanders is preparing to break out of the Unknown, and with him every unspeakable evil created. At the moment, I have no interest in doing anything but saving my kingdom and its people. That I promise you.”
Kera places her hand on my arm. “He cannot lie.”
A grenade lands against the base of the tower in front of us. I warn Baun and then cover Kera with my body. Baun slams his hand on my back and an invisible shield surrounds the three of us just before the grenade explodes. When the dust settles, more than a few stones shake loose from the wall.
My dad lifts his hand, and I straighten. We hear the enemy demand that we show ourselves. Not likely.
Baun retreats to his huddled position and I try to read his face, but it’s blank. He’s saying all the right things, but I don’t trust him. “I want your word you won’t harm Kera.”
“Dylan,” Kera’s tone makes it sound like I’m being unreasonable. But this is the man who tried to exterminate humans and almost succeeded. How can she trust him?
He sighs. “I vow never to harm you or Kera. Now can we find your friend and end this?”
“Fine.” I peek around the corner. A zap of energy has me ducking out of sight, but not before I’ve counted two guys on the left and four on the right. The dead soldiers have a few weapons, some kind of explosive device, three knives, and a dented shield. I quickly form a plan and relate it to Baun and Kera. They want us to show ourselves? Then let’s do it. I move to a position opposite the two guys and wait for Baun’s signal.
Baun suddenly pops up, drawing everyone’s attention to him. Hiding behind the shield we borrowed from the dead guys, he throws the explosive and pops back down. By pure luck, the explosion hits the enemy. I vault over the wall and take out the two soldiers nearest me. Kera quickly throws each knife. The first pierces an enemy soldier’s throat, the next embeds between another soldier’s eyes, and the last sinks into a nearby soldier’s heart. The last soldier standing lets go of a long strip of leather. A big cat that looks like it belongs in the museum of things-that-became-extinct-a-long-time-ago leaps out and heads straight for Kera. She jumps over the wall, slides neatly beside the animal, and uses her incordium dagger to gut the cat in one swipe.
The lone standing soldier turns and runs. Neither Kera nor I bother to chase him.
I go to Kera and look her up and down for any injuries. “Are you okay?”
She wipes her blade on her pants as if she’s doing nothing more than polishing it. “Yes. You?”
“I’m cool.” I follow the damage she did, and for the first time, I see her with clear eyes. My girlfriend is seriously badass. I had no idea.
While Baun stands there, a suit of armor replaces the rags he’s wearing. It’s futuristic and medieval at the same time. “Can we go now?” He adjusts his helmet. “Your friends are near the Weeping Gate. I trust you know the way?”
“How do you know that?”
“It’s a gift I acquired years ago. One of my favorites.”
Acquired as in killed for it?
I notice he doesn’t tell me how that particular all-seeing gift works. He’s not stupid.
He holds out his hand and a long metal staff appears. He runs a finger along the dusty surface, presses a button, and spikes appear at the ends. He presses the button again and they disappear.
A weapon within a weapon. That sums up Baun. When you think you understand him, he shows you something you don’t expect. The faster we get this over with, the faster I can hand him over to Hadrain. Let Kera’s dad deal with the crazy—and now free—Lost King, since it’s his fault he’s out.
I hear Blaze call and look up to see him and his friend circling the area. If he can read my mind, which I think he can, he’ll know where we’re going and follow us. Kera goes to Baun and guides him around the mess we made.
“Nice armor,” I say. I’m actually a little jealous my powers don’t extend to dressing myself with just my thoughts.
“It’s something I created long ago and never had the chance to wear. A leader should look the part.”
Baun’s what I call a suit-and-tie guy. I’ve never liked them much. “More importantly,” I say, “a leader should act the part.”
“By all means,” he sweeps his arm
out, “lead the way, Dylan.”
Just like in the game, the streets move, causing a whole block to change direction and the player to get turned around if he’s not careful. It’s why I hate that particular game. It makes no sense. Thankfully, the Weeping Gate isn’t far, but when we get there, the fighting is brutal.
Pushing Baun into a sheltered area, I tell him to stay until it’s safe. I then turn to ask Kera to protect him, but she’s gone. I’m slowly getting used to that aspect of her personality, but I still don’t like it. I dive into the action, searching for her as I fight off the enemy. They’re pretty easy to spot. While Hadrain’s men are in muted greens and browns and golds, Jason has outfitted his men in armor more elaborate than Baun’s. As I move through the street, I use everything I have. My sword, fire, and speed, and magically using the things around me to beat back the enemy.
I bump into Wyatt when I dive behind a cart for protection. In the game, there aren’t many places to take cover, and it’s tempting to stay too long, thinking you’re safe. But you never truly are.
Wyatt smiles, and says between breaths, “Nice of you to join us.”
We’re both blood-spattered and panting. I dig the tip of my sword into the ground, fire sparking off the cobblestones, and rest my head against the side of the cart. “What’s the plan?”
“Surviving. If you can do that and push the enemy back past that waterwheel,” he says, pointing to a large mill in the middle of the square, “I’ll see you then.”
We both stand, and out of nowhere, an amazingly beautiful woman with long blond hair shoves me away and nearly takes off my head before Wyatt stops her. “He’s with us, sweetheart. Pass it on to your sisters.”
She kisses Wyatt full on the mouth and runs off. I point after her. “Who’s that?”
“One of the seven sisters. They’re Lucinda’s friends. You can’t miss them. Gorgeous, every last one of them.” He then dives back into the fight.
Something rolls under the cart. I sprint away, but I’m not fast enough and it explodes. I catch air and land in the dust a few feet away. I shake my head, trying to clear my ears. Someone shiny stands over me, and I shield my eyes as the helmet is yanked off and tossed to the ground.
Square jaw. Thick neck. Jason.
“Damn. When will people learn? Everyone gets killed when they hide behind the cart.”
His sword rises. I roll to the side, but the blow never comes. When I roll back, I see Baun wielding his metal staff, whirling it around his head and body, keeping Jason at a distance from me.
Jason grabs hold of his side and winces in pain. Baun’s weapon must have connected with Jason’s ribs. My former friend points at me and laughs. “You’re a lucky bastard.” He backs away, holding his arms wide. “Like what I’ve done with the place? Meet you at the hall.”
A loud whistle blows and Jason’s men retreat. I roll to my feet and rub my head. I’ve got to pay more attention to my surroundings. Baun leans against a stone pillar that appears to have no use other than to get in the way of a gamer’s hand-to-hand combat skills. I search the area, but I still don’t see Kera.
When the dust settles, Wyatt comes up to me and slams his sword into its sheath. “Figures the little shit is into this and not Call of Duty.”
“Did you see Kera?”
He takes out a bandanna and wipes his face. “She’s over by Reece. He got himself hurt again. I think he head-butted a guy wearing a helmet.”
“What about Leo?”
He squints over at me. “He’s not here.”
That doesn’t sound like Leo, and I frown. “When I left, he was waiting for you. Where is he?”
“I don’t know. He wasn’t around when we got there.”
I suddenly feel sick. “What about Bodog?”
“Haven’t seen him, either.”
“Lucinda?”
He snaps his fingers and points at me. “That I know. She took two of the sisters and left right after she talked to Bodog. I guess I did see him. But I haven’t since then.”
“Where’d they go?”
His lips curl in a wry smile. “You’re seriously asking me that? Like she’s going to tell me.”
An unbelievably beautiful brunette strolls up to Wyatt, all hips and jiggle. I can smell her sweat. It’s like strawberries and cream. She flings her arms around his neck and kisses him on the cheek. “Did I do well?”
He grabs her around the waist and gives her a squeeze. “You did fine, sweetheart.”
She squeals and gives him a huge kiss on the lips, wrapping one leg around his waist. PDA is not her problem.
I clear my throat, breaking them apart. She blinks her long, dark lashes at me, and I get the feeling she isn’t impressed with what she sees. I don’t care. I’ve got Kera. “Do you know where your sisters and Lucinda went?”
She looks askance at Wyatt and he nods. “If you know, I’d be grateful if you told him.”
“How grateful?”
He nuzzles her neck. “Very.”
She turns to me, all smiles and giggles. “She said she had to go collect a man.”
“Leo?”
“Yes. I believe that was his name.”
“Where?”
She shrugs her glossy shoulders and turns to Wyatt. “I await your promise over there,” she says, nodding toward the mill, then walks away.
We both stare after her. The way she walks. It really is impressive.
“Seven.” Wyatt holds up seven fingers. “And they all want me. I have my own variety pack.”
“They’re sisters.”
“Yeah. Cool, huh?”
Not my fantasy. All I want is one girl who loves me unconditionally, and that girl is Kera. I spot her talking to Baun. I don’t like the way he’s leaning toward her, like he’s sharing a secret or talking her into doing something she shouldn’t. Like letting him borrow her powers. I pat Wyatt on the back and start toward Kera, but not without one last warning. “Be careful. Any friend of Lucinda’s is probably not all human.”
“Hey, I checked. None of them are cats…or any other animal form.”
That may be, but there is something different about them. “Do what you want, dude, but be careful.”
When I get to Baun and Kera, I pull her close. “Leo’s gone.”
“Another friend of yours?” Baun asks. “I must admit, I’m impressed with the collection you have. Kera and I were just discussing your rise in popularity.”
I scowl, which is totally useless when it comes to his non-seeing self, and pull Kera into a patch of shade. “This game. Jason picked it for a reason. I’ve never been much of a gamer, but Leo said he and Jason would play it for hours. Leo’s my best bet for dealing with all the traps, but he’s nowhere in sight. I think Jason took him to keep him from helping me.”
“But Jason and Leo are friends. Jason wouldn’t hurt him. He wouldn’t,” she repeats when she sees my doubt.
Jason and I used to be friends, too. I squeeze her hand. “Let’s hope so.”
A commotion rises as a soldier races up to Wyatt and hands him a message. After he reads it, he curses and joins us in the shade. “Something is happening in the Unknown. There’s been a surge of magic.”
“What does that mean?”
“They can’t tell, but it doesn’t sound good.”
“A surge could mean anything,” Kera says.
A sharp laugh follows a wry curve of Baun’s lips. “Or it could mean they’ve found the transference method.”
“What’s that?
“It’s where they combine their magic and teleport themselves from one point to another. But nothing in the Unknown has that kind of power.”
“How are they doing it, then?”
Baun rubs the tip of his staff against the cobblestones, scarring lines on their surface. “Granel is giving them the knowledge. Someone else is giving them the power.”
Wyatt and I say at the same time, “Jason.”
“It can’t be him,” Kera reminds us. “
He’s not a first.”
“There are secrets in the dark ways that even I don’t know, but Granel does. He’s spent his whole life digging into them. If there is a way to harvest power, he’s found it, and it’s looking like he’s given that ability to Jason.”
“Why give it to Jason?” Wyatt asks sounding as confused as I feel. “Why not use it himself?”
“Have you met Granel?” Baun asks, a slight sneer in his voice. “He’s smart. He’s tenacious, and he loves the dark arts. But all the power in the world cannot make you brave. I give him credit for knowing his own limits.”
“So he gives it to Jason,” I say, and look at Wyatt, “someone who has more balls than brains.”
Wyatt cusses. “I’m really beginning to not like that kid.”
I don’t want to admit it, but I have no idea how to stop the inevitable. Baun has more power, and more experience using it, than anyone here. But without his sight, he’s at a serious disadvantage. I don’t want to ask him, but I’d be a fool not to. “Do you have any suggestions on how to stop this?”
Baun, his eyes a sightless blue, stops rubbing the tip of his staff on the ground, and says in one word what I want to do, but have no chance at doing. “Win.”
Heartless
I’ve got to hand it to Jason. He wants me at the Hall of Whispers and he’s making sure I can get there without any trouble. The streets are behaving themselves and hold steady, but once we’re through they move in a chaotic jumble, effectively stopping us from going back. We’re at the doors to the great hall in no time.
Wyatt sent a few of his girlfriends with Reece to oversee the Unknown. Though each of those girls is better than ten men, they’re still not enough…but then nothing would be.
According to Baun, the only way to stop all this is for me to do a major beat-down on Jason, one I can’t do alone. I’m not at all happy, because that means I have to bring Baun and Kera along.
