"Not long. Controllers move fast." Da'rehl didn't even appear cold.
Neither did Madhi.
"You guys do this a lot?" Talia asked.
Madhi shrugged. "There are worse things than the cold."
By the time Landry thought it safe for them to crawl out, Talia had stopped shivering. Getting out was harder than getting in. The mud sucked at arms and legs. The silt that coated their clothing and skin weighed them down, making it hard to even sit up. Luckily, the two Orekians were pros. They climbed out before anyone could see how they did it.
"Same as before, don't stand. You'll sink." Madhi held out a branch. "Hold this and crawl as flat as you can."
They were all encrusted with mud. It brought back memories of the labyrinth. Talia shivered and wished she could wash it away. At least she could warm everyone. She borrowed energy from the trees. It remained the fastest and most easily available source.
It warmed her from the inside. When her fingers stopped tingling she reached out for Landry's hand. "Help me share it."
Landry held out a hand to Da'rehl. "Take it and then take Madhi's hand. Craig, you come finish the circuit."
Craig reluctantly joined them. "What are we doing?"
No one answered him, but the warmth moved through them one by one before returning to the trees.
"That's handy. Wonder if I can do that one?" Madhi looked at her hands.
"We'll have months to find out."
It took two days to reach the Vis Vires, hiding from Controller search parties two other times. Once they hid in a cave beneath a waterfall, and the last time in a fast flowing river. That one almost did Talia in. She had a new respect for the two young people traveling with them. They never complained. Their knowledge of the area and places to hide became invaluable.
They found the cloaked ship safe where they'd left it. Landry didn't waste time getting cleaned up, but headed straight to the flight deck. He started the engines and took off. The cloak failed again as they passed one of the moons.
"They must have a device that shorts out cloaking technology." Craig fiddled with the control panel.
"Good thing we're heading out." Talia reveled in the hum of the engines beneath her feet.
"We need to find a place for these guys to bunk down." Landry pointed to Da'rehl and Madhi.
"They can have our room," Talia spoke up.
"What about us?"
"We can set up a room below deck in the storage area."
Landry rubbed a hand across the stubble on his face. "Okay. I'll get started on that."
He left with the two Orekians close behind. Talia's heart went with him. She swallowed and turned to Craig.
"You got this? I'm going to get cleaned up and help move the rooms around."
"Yep." Craig grabbed her arm. "Hey, are you sure you want to move to the lower level? I can set up down there as easy as you can."
"I spend more time in the engine room than the bridge. It'll be fine. Enjoy having that whole room all to yourself."
The ship remained silent, except for the hum of the engines and the hiss of the air filters. Craig sat on the bridge watching the star field through the opaque view screen. With Cooley gone, he volunteered for the night shift. He enjoyed the time on the bridge alone.
He pressed the record button.
"We're heading home. Unfortunately, Sutton is still with us. Talia has grown more confident with her powers. Her nightmares have stopped as far as I know. I'll contact you for instructions when we are within weeks of Sendek. Craig out."
Two weeks later the Vis Vires entered the first warp conduit. Talia had prepared Da'rehl and Madhi for the loss of magic. They weren't as weak as she'd been, but it was disconcerting all the same. She assured them it would get easier each time. Landry set an exercise schedule for everyone on board.
That first night without magic, Talia dreamed.
She stood on the ledge by Jewel's waterfall on Sendek. The thundering water sounded muffled, but a voice reached her on the breeze.
"It's not what you think. Let me explain."
Talia looked all around but couldn't find the dragon in either of her forms. "Leave us alone. Let us be happy while we can. I escaped the Dragumon and he will escape you."
"It's not the dragons you need to fear. Sendek has changed, you need to know--"
"How can I trust you? You will take him from me."
Jewel materialized in front of her. The giant dragon eyes appeared sad, her green scales dull in the shadow of the mountain. "You don't understand what you saw."
"Stop!" Talia cut her off and squeezed her eyes shut. "I'm on the Vis Vires. Take me to the Vis Vires."
She concentrated on her body until she bolted awake. Her breathing came quick and ragged. The room moved and swayed, but a hand on her back steadied her.
"What's wrong?" Landry kneaded the tension in her shoulder.
"I had a dream."
"A dream or a dream dream?" He held her tight.
"I don't know." The fear broke loose and she sobbed into him.
"Tell me about it."
"I can't. Not yet."
About the Author
Charity Bradford has been a voracious reader ever since her 5th grade teacher introduced her to the world of books with Where the Red Fern Grows and Summer of the Monkeys. She soon lost herself in the worlds created by Card, Bova, Asimov, Bradbury, Nagata and Niven. That's when she knew that one day she had to become a writer.
She lives in Northwest Arkansas with her hubby and four kids that keep her on her toes.
Coming Soon!
Book 3 in the Magic Wakes series
Daemon Ryce has waited nearly thirty years for Talia to return to Sendek. He's determined nothing will stop him from harnessing her power and darkening Sendek's suns forever. Only then will he have his revenge on the dragons by unleashing the hoards of demons trapped in the planet's core.
Talia and Landry have traveled far only to learn they are on their own when it comes to combining magic and science to bring peace to their world. However, they each have new secrets to keep. Will the growing rift between them be the one thing that finally rips Sendek apart?
Excerpt Demon Rising
Talia Sutton paced the engine room while the rest of crew on the Vis Vires slept peacefully. She'd worked later than normal, using the excuse that everything needed checking before they entered the warp bubble again. Truth was, she avoided sleep. If she didn't go to bed the green dragon named Jewel couldn't speak to her in the ethereal or dream realm. However, Talia knew she couldn't avoid the dragon forever.
Jewel had not rescued Landry, Talia's husband, when he'd been a prisoner on Orek. Instead, she pulled all of Talia's worst fears out by dragging a repressed dream to the surface. It proved Talia could save Landry on Orek, but it would only be temporary. She'd fled from the dragon and the implications of the nightmare, but she expected to hear from Jewel again. They had left too many things unsaid.
Eventually, she'd seek Jewel out. The dragon was the only one who could answer the questions haunting Talia's every sleeping and waking moment. Those images of her husband--burning at the hands of the dragons--ran on instant replay.
She clenched her hands and her jaw. I'll stop it.
Talia's logical mind knew the only way to do that was to question Jewel. Even if she no longer trusted the dragon, she needed to discover what would bring the dragon lords back to Sendek. And what could make Landry's eyes swim with darkness?
Her heart beat fast at the thought of it all. Calm down or he'll know.
Talia took several deep breaths. Her husband had enough to deal with. With a sigh, she shut off the lights and walked the few feet to the makeshift compartment they'd added to the ship's cargo hold. They needed the third sleeping quarters when Talia insisted Madhi and her husband Da'rehl join them on the return trip to Sendek. She had urged them to take the cabin on the main deck, while she and Landry moved closer to the engine room.
She stood in the do
orway and watched Landry toss and turn. A thin line of perspiration had broken out across his forehead. She resisted the urge to reach over and smooth the pain etched into his face. The last time she'd given in, he had lashed out, knocking her to the floor. His nightmares had not lessened, even though it had been two months since they left Orek. The Controllers had tortured him for days, and even the immense distance of space hadn't relieved the anxiety.
Talia called up the overheads. "Lights eighty percent."
Landry moaned in his sleep, wincing at the sudden brightness.
"Landry, wake up." Talia spoke softly and inched closer, every instinct telling her to comfort her husband. "You're safe on the Vis Vires."
"No, no, no." He mumbled the words--the sound of his voice dragging him toward consciousness.
"That's it."
"Talia? Don't let them catch you." He bolted to sitting.
"I'm here." She hovered close, but didn't touch him. "It's just a dream."
Landry rubbed his hands over his stubbled face. "Did I wake you?"
Talia shook her head, but didn't look him in the eye. She wasn't ready to tell him she was afraid to sleep. "I was running diagnostics."
"You work too hard. We have months before we reach Sendek."
"True, but it's easier to make connections between the engine and magic when I actually have magic at my disposal."
"Come here." He beckoned.
Talia crawled onto the bed, snuggling up beside him. "Was the dream as bad as last time?"
"Yeah. Will it ever stop?"
"Hopefully. The Controllers are far away. They can't hurt you. When that feels real, maybe the dreams will fade." She finally gave in to the longing to smooth the hair from his forehead. "But they may never go away. Talk to me. Let's see if we can get over it together."
"I don't want you to see that, and I never want you to feel what it was like."
"You shouldn't keep it locked inside." She cupped his face in her hands and looked into his eyes, loving how blue and clear they were. "And you forget. I did feel it. Every time I healed you, I felt your pain."
"Physical pain. Not the fear and helplessness."
"I think I know a bit about those things. Remember, my entire life before you circled around my nightmares. Talking this through could help. We don't have to link minds. I won't feel your emotions, but you'll know you're not alone in those memories."
"I wasn't alone then, and I'm not alone now. Thinking about you helped me get through it. Time will eventually do its job." He pulled her closer. "How about for now you kiss me until I forget."
"You have to promise to talk about it with Craig. Or Da'rehl."
"You better make it a really good kiss then." His smile eased the worry lines across his forehead.
Talia leaned forward, allowing herself to get lost in him. Her fingers trailed over his bare chest. The muscles defined and smooth, healed from the scars inflicted by his torturers. Landry's strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. He always made her feel safe. A brief flash of fear threatened to taint the moment, but she quickly locked it away.
The Vis Vires shuddered.
"What's that?" Landry released her.
"I don't know." She scooted toward the end of the bed.
Landry pulled on his clothes and boots. "Check the engines, I'm going to the flight deck."
"Okay." Talia returned to the engine room. A faint ozone smell rose with smoke near a panel. "Not good."
She ripped the panel open and relaxed when she wasn't met by flames. At least whatever happened had been contained. Talia pulled up the schematics report and spotted the problem right away. The system that linked the fusion propulsions with the warp box had overheated. It shouldn't have. The only time those circuits activated was during the cross over while switching to the warp conduit.
She punched her COM. "Landry, Craig, are you on the flight deck?"
"I'm here, Craig must have stepped out." Landry's voice answered.
"Did he try to initiate the warp conduit?"
"I don't know."
Talia heard beeps and clicks. She waited patiently while her husband checked the navigation logs.
"What was that?" Craig's voice came over the open channel.
"Did we hit something?" Da'rehl joined the conversation over the COM at the same time Madhi entered the engine room.
The girl was young, possibly still in her teens, but she married Da'rehl so her parents would allow her to leave the planet with him. She had jade green eyes and bright ginger hair. Her calm demeanor appeared at odds with her fiery appearance.
"Talia, what's going on?" The young woman joined her by the console.
"That's what we're trying to figure out. Craig, did you initiate the warp conduit?" Talia asked again.
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence. "I thought enough time had passed for a successful jump. I hoped we could get home faster."
Talia sunk into a chair. "You overheated the circuits. It's going to take a while to repair them."
"I'm sorry. I didn't think--"
"No you didn't, Craig. Just get out." Landry's harsh voice cut him off. "Talia, are we okay drifting until the morning or do you need to work on it now?"
"We're not drifting. The fusion propulsions are still online. We just can't transition to the warp engine." Talia typed in some commands. "We'll be fine. There are no other thermal pockets. The system is cooling now."
"Okay, everyone go back to bed. We can regroup tomorrow." Landry clicked off the COM.
Madhi didn't leave immediately. She stood with her head to the side, studying Talia.
"Okay, what?" Talia asked.
"Want to tell me why you were relieved?"
"I'm glad it wasn't worse than it is, and we know why it happened." Talia moved toward the door.
"That's not it. You've been trying to cover your emotions, but," Madhi blushed, "I can tell you don't want to get home as quickly as the other two."
"Why wouldn't I?" Talia reminded herself to breathe. "Sendek is my home."
"You're afraid of something."
"Talia?" Landry appeared in the doorway. "Hey, Madhi."
"I was just heading up." Madhi waved to him, but turned back to Talia. "Maybe we can talk later?"
"Sure. Sleep well." Talia watched the other woman walk away.
"What was that about?" Landry reached for her hand.
"Nothing. How about another kiss?"
Jewel waited for the Vis Vires to enter Sendek's binary system as patiently as a lemurile waited for her eggs to hatch. She paced back and forth on Cadums--Sendek's smallest moon. Green tail twitching, wings stretching and folding. Her steamy breath mingled with the sulfuric gases bubbling up from the volcanic mud pots around her. Every muscle quivered with the need to do something.
A bright light appeared above, and a blue dragon emerged from a portal.
"You've been gone a long time." Elvin landed nearby and studied her tenseness. "What's going on?"
"I'm not sure, but I fear the worst."
"Explain." It was an order, but his voice carried concern.
With a massive sigh, Jewel tried to calm herself. "There's a demon uprising on Sendek. It has grown in strength during our descendants absence. They don't know what they're returning to."
"I thought you had built a rapport with the woman?"
"Something happened and she's avoided me ever since. I haven't had a chance to explain."
Elvin came closer, sitting near enough that their sides touched. "Explain what?"
"Her dream." Jewel shuddered. "She will not trust me for a long time I'm afraid."
"Why?"
"She saw dragons performing the hydri sanguinem ignis." She paused. "On her husband."
Elvin sucked in a gasp, his exhale shooting sparks.
"The two problems are connected. In the dream, Landry's eye swam in darkness."
"We must tell the council. Perhaps they can help." Elvin's tail swung back and forth.
"But if she saw the sanguinem ignis, he will be saved."
"Not for her."
Talia waited until she was sure Landry slept. She didn't bother with shoes, but padded her way out to the ladder. The metal rungs were cold, the tiny bumps pricking the pads of her feet. It sent goosebumps along her bare arms. Once she climbed onto the main floor of the Vis Vires, she knocked lightly on the first door. It slid open seconds later. Madhi ushered her in with a quick glance toward the bridge. The six by six room was tight with three adults in it. Da'rehl nodded at her from the chair by the desk. His dust colored hair sat long and floppy on his forehead, almost hiding his gray eyes.
"Do you want to sit in the chair or lay on the bed?" Madhi asked.
"I'll take the chair if you don't mind." Talia waited while Da'rehl moved to the edge of the bed. "I'm not sure this will work."
"But you've done it before." Madhi sat beside her husband.
"I mean, I don't know how you can help me." Talia twisted her necklace between her fingers. The smooth stones calmed her. "I know I can dreamcast and speak with Jewel, but I can't take you with me."
"That's okay. I'll sit here and hold your hand and try to keep you calm." Madhi sat on the bed as close to the chair as she could. "But, could you explain how you do this? My magic is similar to yours and I wondered if I would be able to use the ethereal realm to dreamcast."
"Why? You want to talk to the dragons?" A shiver of fear ran through Talia. Would Madhi follow Jewel? Would she become part of the problem?
"No, yes. I mean, if I could talk to a dragon I wouldn't pass it up. There are so many questions they could answer, but that isn't why I want to dreamcast." She glanced at her husband before returning her attention to Talia. "I'd like to check on my parents. Make sure they're okay. Maybe see if the rebellion has put an end to the Bargoron's rule."
Dawn of the Mages (The Magic Wakes Book 2) Page 25
