by John Corwin
I threw up my hands. "We've got to do something."
The sad look in her eyes told me there really wasn't anything we could do. Without a sky ship, we couldn't investigate Voltis or launch a rescue mission. But that wasn't the worst part. What really drove a knife into my guts was that my best friends might be dead.
Chapter 9
We spent the night huddled behind the shelter of a boulder. Despite the hard ground and the gut-wrenching anxiety, we somehow fell asleep.
An insect tickled my ear, dragging me from slumber just enough to scratch myself. It landed on my nose. Irritated, I rubbed the spot. Next, it landed on my forehead. I slapped at it and smacked myself in the face.
The sound of two grown men giggling jerked me the rest of the way to wakefulness. I looked up and saw Shelton and Adam hovering over me, a feather in Shelton's hand and big grins on their face.
"You dirty bums." I jumped up and squeezed Shelton in a hug. "I thought you were dead!"
Shelton clapped me on the back. "We had a close call or two."
Adam's grin faded. "Gems aren't the only things inside the vortexes."
Elyssa stood near the rock, a smile on her face, and I realized she'd been awake while Shelton tickled my face with the feather. "You traitor."
She laughed and held up her hands in surrender. "Guilty as charged."
"Yeah, she wanted to wake you up, but we convinced her that our way was better." Shelton tucked the feather into the band on his wide-brimmed hat. "What the heck are you doing way out here, anyway? I thought we were gonna meet you back in Kohvalla."
"Turns out Kohval has his own plans," Elyssa said, and explained our wonderful experience with the Legiaros.
Adam's forehead pinched with confusion. "He tried to kill you?"
I kicked a stone off the ledge. "I don't think the Daskar were chasing us down to give us goodbye hugs."
Shelton snorted. "Sounds like it's story time."
I looked around but saw no sign of the Falcheen. "Where's the ship?"
Adam walked to the edge of the cliff and pointed down.
I looked over the edge and spotted the Falcheen hovering in the canyon. Its shape resembled a sword with a hand guard that curved forward into points. The ship's crystal hull shone like polished pearl with black crystal decking in between.
Large round aether gems called foils protruded from the lower hull in six places. Nearly six feet in circumference, each foil kept the ship afloat in the sky. Rubies the size of my head studded the upper hull. Each one was capable of firing magical death rays, provided someone channeled magic through them.
A long gash ran down the side of the outer hull, and the deck was splashed with dried blackened fluid.
"What happened to her?" I asked.
Adam opened his mouth to reply, but Shelton interrupted. "Man, this huge crystal"—he spread his arms wide like a kid trying to describe something big—"came outta nowhere and smacked into the side of the ship, knocking us off course and out of the vortex."
Adam jumped in. "Then this monster reptile dove in before we knew what had happened and started tearing into the Mzodi."
"I got my staff and blinded the dragon—" Shelton started.
"Then I used one of my disorientation spells," Adam said.
Shelton elbowed him aside. "Then the Mzodi came in and cleaned its clock."
"You two are great story tellers," Elyssa said dryly. "Maybe you could get lyres and lutes and become modern day bards."
"The stories would be better if Adam didn't interrupt all the time," Shelton grumbled.
Adam snickered. "Can you imagine Shelton singing?"
Elyssa cringed. "Maybe he should play the lute."
I steered the conversation wagon back on track. "They're still encountering dragons?"
"From what the crew said, they don't see nearly as many off the east coast anymore." Adam gazed down at the ship. "The north seems to be the hot spot now."
Shelton scratched his head. "Where's Commander Borathen?"
"Yeah, how'd the peace talks go?" Adam asked.
"Not so hot." Elyssa rubbed her stomach. "How about we discuss it over breakfast?"
Shelton's eyes lit up but his shoulders deflated. "Breakfast here is miserable." His eyes misted over. "I miss bacon so much."
"They have really good bacon and pizza in Kohvalla," I said.
His mouth fell open. "Are you for real, man? What are we waiting for? I want bacon pizza right now!"
Adam dared look hopeful for a moment but saw my grin and groaned. "Don't play with our emotions like that, Justin."
"So cruel!" Elyssa giggled. "Unfortunately, they have the same crap in Kohvalla as anywhere else."
Shelton glared at me. "Just the thought of bacon almost made me feel human again."
I threw up my hands. "Payback's a bitch."
"For the feather tickling?" Shelton rolled his eyes. "You toyed with a man's emotions—his soul."
"I think you mean his stomach," Elyssa said. She pointed at the ship. "Breakfast please? I don't want to have to eat one of you."
Shelton took out his wand and launched a flare into the canyon. A moment later, the ship rose on glowing levitation foils and extended a gangway to shore. I strode onboard and snapped a smart salute to the tall broad-shouldered captain, Illaena. She'd served as first mate on the Evadora, but Captain Cora had rammed her ship into Cephus's crimson arch to destroy it before the Beast escaped the Void.
Illaena stared back at me. Mzodi didn't salute their captains, they simply obeyed them. Even the head honcho of the sky fishers, the Muhala Kajeen, didn't get any bows or major signs of deference, which was kind of strange. I wondered if it was like that back in their homeland, wherever that was.
"Are you ready to return to Tarissa?" Illaena said.
"Actually, we have other plans." I took out my arcphone and displayed the Castigean Ocean on the screen instead of projecting it. "Can you take us here?" I touched Voltis.
Illaena's eyes flashed wide. "The Voltis Maelstrom? Have you lost your mind?" Her eyes narrowed. "Why would you want to go there at all?"
"Can we discuss over breakfast?" Elyssa said.
"Of course." Illaena led us below to the galley where a long table bore crystal dishes filled with a variety of food—all of it fruits and veggies since Seraphim didn't believe in killing for meat.
Elyssa grabbed some panari, a bread-like substance, and I helped myself to a bowl of nuts and grains since I was sick of glurk. Then we sat around a table.
I set my phone in the center and projected the map again. "The Brightling Empire is massing soldiers in Cabala."
"Yes, I know that," Illaena said. "Our ships visit nearly every coast in the realm."
"The Brightlings want a peace treaty, but refused our conditions for uniting or granting equal rights to Darklings." I ate a spoonful of muesli and let that sink in.
"The land dwellers have always been backward in their beliefs," Illaena said. "Why should they change now?"
Her point was hard to argue against, so I plowed forward. "I met Primarion Arturo for the first meeting."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Shelton slapped a palm on the table. "That bastard is still alive?"
"Alive and kicking," Elyssa said grimly. "You're never going to believe who showed up the next day."
Before I got into that, I told them about our espionage in the Brightling camp, but didn't get into the story of Issana yet since that was another can of worms. "From what we can tell, Arturo believes there's some sort of powerful weapon in Voltis."
"Man, sounds like whatever it is would put them on Easy Street," Shelton said. "So who's the new emperor?"
Elyssa let the tension simmer a moment before answering. "Kaelissa is the new empress."
"What?" Shelton nearly choked on a quinto. "Who put that crazy bitch in charge?"
"Arturo, apparently." Elyssa shook her head slowly. "Since Daelissa was her daughter, she apparently didn't have any problems taking over."
> "The politics of the land dwellers are of no concern to us," Illaena said. "What does this have to do with Voltis?"
"The intel we stole proves the Brightlings are moving on Voltis to secure a powerful weapon that'll allow them to take over the world." I went for a touch of the melodramatic just for emphasis.
Illaena didn't buy it. "Impossible. Voltis is an uninhabitable region with volcanoes, aether storms, and nothing resembling a weapon."
"What if Cephus's crimson arch made a new ally or enemy available?" I said. "What if there are dragons inside Voltis?"
Illaena looked at me blankly for a moment. "The dragons have proven themselves capable of surviving the vortexes. It is possible they could survive Voltis as well." She shook her head. "Even so, they are unintelligent beasts, incapable of allying themselves with any faction."
"There are ancient, incredibly intelligent dragons in Eden," Elyssa said. "Thankfully, they prefer to remain hidden deep in the earth."
"What sort of dragon lives beneath the ground?" Illaena said.
"Earth dragons." I displayed an image of Altash, his massive red form coiled up in the caves beneath El Dorado, Colombia.
Illaena's jaw dropped. "Monstrous."
"They ain't so bad," Shelton said. "They helped us revive Seraphim that were husked when the Grand Nexus exploded."
Illaena turned to me. "They are your allies?"
"Not exactly." Her question sparked an old memory of mine back to life. "Altash and Lulu refused to help in the war against Daelissa because they claimed it would bring an ancient nemesis into the fray."
"The problem is, they never explained any of that crap." Shelton leaned back in his chair. "Are you sure there's something in Voltis? Maybe the Brightlings are massing for an attack on Pjurna."
Elyssa shrugged. "Whatever the case, I think their peace offering is meant to lower our defenses. We need to go to Voltis and see what's there. If the dragons are really a threat, they'll affect everyone in Seraphina."
"I will not risk my new ship in the maelstrom." Illaena stood. "Unless you discover proof a threat exists in Voltis, I will not venture inside."
"Can you at least take us near it?" I asked.
She pursed her lips. "No. I will return you to Tarissa. If the Muhala Kajeen sees fit to grant you another ship and crew, that is her decision. I have already lost one captain and the finest ship our fleet has ever known. I will not lose the Falcheen."
"Cora made a decision that saved the entire realm," Elyssa said. "You didn't lose her. Please, Illaena, taking us to Voltis will help everyone."
"You have no proof." Illaena stood. "You merely wish to involve the Mzodi in a conflict between kingdoms. We take no sides with the land dwellers."
"How are we supposed to get proof if you don't take us?" I asked.
She shook her head and headed for the door. "We have business to attend to tomorrow. After that, I will return you to Tarissa."
"Illaena, please." Elyssa clasped her hands together imploringly. "This weapon could threaten the entire realm."
Shelton piled on. "What would Cora do?"
"I am not Cora," Illaena said. "I knew it was a mistake to continue such an intimate association with land dwellers. I will ask the Muhala Kajeen to discontinue this relationship at once." She stormed away before anyone could say another word.
"She has a point," Adam said. "All we have is some video of Arturo acting cocky."
"My father agreed with our assessment," Elyssa shot back. "Do you really think he'd send us out to check if he thought there was nothing to it?"
"We need a contingency plan." I racked my brain for alternatives, but came up empty.
"The problem is the Mzodi are the only ones with sky ships." Shelton exchanged a look with Adam. "Maybe we could build our own."
"That might take months," Elyssa said. "And where would we get a seasoned crew?"
"I've been studying this ship inside out ever since we boarded it." Adam tapped his phone. "I've made schematics and studied the propulsion gems. We could probably recreate this ship, but training a crew is the show-stopper."
"We have two weeks to do something," I said. "That's how long it'll take Arturo and Kaelissa to get back to Cabala and leave for Voltis."
"Unless they have faster transportation," Elyssa said. "How do they plan to get to Voltis without a sky ship?"
"I'm sure Kaelissa has a way," I said. "She has the Brightling Empire behind her now."
"Well, ain't that peachy?" Shelton rolled a quinto between his fingers, a grimace on his face. "Maybe it's time to call the Muhala Kajeen direct. If anyone can get you a ship, she can."
"Thomas already asked her." I shook my head slowly. "Apparently, she hasn't acted on his request."
"Then we're up the creek without a paddle." Shelton tossed the uneaten quinto back on his plate. "From what you've said, it sounds like Kohval wants to start his own little kingdom, and Kaelissa wants to pick up where her insane daughter left off."
Adam slapped a hand on the table. "I'm about ready to just find a nice quiet place to settle down and let the idiots kill each other."
Shelton pointed a finger at him. "I'm with you."
"Tempting," I said. "Maybe we could join the Mzodi and get the hell out of Dodge."
"What about all our other people?" Elyssa said. "Lycans, felycans, Arcanes—"
"Vampires," Shelton finished with a scowl.
"Hey, they fought too," she said in a pointed tone. "We can't just abandon our ideals because some rotten apples want to spoil it."
"How, pray tell, are we supposed to reach Voltis and take a peek?" Shelton said. "How are we supposed to fight Kaelissa's big-ass army if Kohval doesn't want to?" His forehead creased. "Did it ever occur to you that Kohval might strike a deal with her so he can keep his little fiefdom?"
Elyssa quirked a disdainful eyebrow. "Yes, as a matter of fact, it has."
"Seems there's only one way to solve our current problem," Adam said in a quiet voice.
Shelton shifted toward him. "We swim?"
Adam shook his head. "Mutiny."
The word summoned images of sword fights and wooden decks covered in blood. I'd seen plenty of pirate movies. I knew what mutiny meant, but the thought of actually committing it made me feel dirty and evil. On the other hand, how else were we to reach Voltis? We needed a ship and crew.
Shelton laughed uneasily. Elyssa frowned and looked at me.
I shook my head. "We couldn't pull it off."
"Sure we could," Adam said. "All it requires is a bit of trickery and deception."
"Hang on a minute." Shelton bolted upright in his chair. "You're serious about this."
Adam waggled a hand in a so-so motion. "Partially. If Thomas Borathen thinks Arturo might get his hands on a super weapon, then we should find a way to check it out. Seems like we can't do it without a sky ship."
"Mutiny is too much," Elyssa said. "There must be an alternative."
The ship lurched upward as it began to get underway. "I gotta go up top for a minute," Shelton said. "The takeoffs get me airsick if I don't get some air."
Adam chuckled. "You need air for airsickness."
"Shut it, Nosti." Shelton got up and the rest of us followed him up to the top deck.
Illaena stood near the bow giving orders in a conversational tone while her first mate shouted them to the rest of the crew. The Falcheen rose higher and higher until it reached cruising altitude of a few thousand feet. Even at that height, it was still far below the peaks of the barrier mountains to the south.
The ship rotated east and sailed toward the ocean and presumably the rendezvous with the Xanda. Illaena left her post and approached us, eyes hard as stones. "The Muhala Kajeen agrees with me that it is time to end our association with you and your people. We will continue to trade, but we will not take sides in your conflict."
Anxiety knotted my intestines tight as a trampoline and anger hopped up and down on it. "What if we just ask for rides?"
"
We assisted you against Cephus because he posed a risk to the realm," Illaena replied. "War is never good, but it will not disrupt trade."
"What do you even trade for?" Shelton blurted. "Nobody uses money here."
"Goods, services, food," she said. "Not that it is any of your concern."
"Can you at least put us on a ship headed to Azoris?" I asked.
"So you can spy on their army?" Illaena's eyes flared. "Granting you passage would be assistance."
"Technically, we're not citizens of Pjurna," Elyssa said. "We're a third party."
"No matter your allegiance, you are not Mzodi." Illaena crossed her arms. "There will be no more rides after I return you to Tarissa." She snapped her fingers and a group of soldiers marched up behind us. "Confine them to quarters."
My knuckles cracked and my inner demon rammed against my consciousness. Fight! Destroy! He was a jackass, but in this instance, I felt the same way. Unfortunately, my magical side still felt puny and a direct confrontation might get us killed. There were only four of us versus ten soldiers and the rest of the crew. I also didn't want to hurt any of them, because then we could forget ever getting their help again.
Elyssa's hand tightened on my arm. "Let's do as she says."
The soldiers marched us down to the lowest deck and put us in a large room with several bunk beds. Using the gem outside the room, they phased the wall back into place, leaving us trapped inside.
Shelton used his wand to charge the gem on a bed, and a cloud mattress billowed into place. He pushed down on it with his hand. "Well, at least we get to sleep in style."
"I'm not tired," I said.
Shelton vanished into a small room in the back and hollered, "Thank god the bathroom works!"
Adam groaned. "Is that really at the top of your priorities right now?"
Shelton stuck his head out the door. "Hey, all this conflict upsets my stomach." He patted his belly. "Plus, I ain't gonna lie, these magical angel bathrooms make my man bits tingle."
Elyssa gagged. "Christ, Shelton, why don't you just lock yourself inside the bathroom and shut up then?"
Adam burst into laughter but quickly clamped his mouth shut when he saw the rest of us weren't as amused.
