The Hidden Truth (Shadow Claw Book 7)

by Sarah J. Stone

  “What's happening?” one of the frightened servants asked. “Are we going to die?”

  “Not if my Maestros can help it,” she replied, pointing toward the front. She was keeping count, and she was pretty sure that was it.

  Turning on her heel, she moved back to the front. The doors were open, and Eliza was frantically counting, naming names and making sure all were accounted for.

  “There's 1 more,” Eliza said. “Jonah. Where is Jonah?”

  “He was below, your highness,” said one of her other bodyguards, looking around. “Watching the view.”

  “Where?” Sienna asked, feeling woozy.

  “I'll go,” said the guard but she put her hand out toward him.

  “No,” she said. “I'll go.”

  “You're bleeding,” he said and Nathaniel's head whipped around.

  “Sienna,” he said, in alarm.

  “I—” she said, and then the alarm pierced their ears.

  “There's no time,” Nathaniel said, and the doors started closing. “Everyone, find a seat or sit on the floor and hold onto something. We're going down and we're going down now.”

  “No!” Eliza cried, but the doors slammed shut, sealing them in.

  “Sienna, come here,” Desmond put his arm out as he scooted over so that she could sit. The seats were large, and the safest place.

  “Eliza,” Nathaniel cried. These were the two most precious bodies on the ship – the Queen and the future of the Order. He took his hands off the controls because there was nothing more he could do. A million miles away, Christa had locked in a landing sequence, onto snow tufts that she hoped were soft.

  Desmond strapped the belt over both of them, and put his hand over her wound.

  “What happened?” he asked, as the engines began to fail.

  “I ripped the IV when the alarm went off,” she answered, bracing herself against him. “I had to react, there was no time to remove it.”

  He said nothing to that, bending down as the lights went off. But he realized that this was her life, how she had to react in emergencies. She couldn't just spring into action. There were such limitations. It wasn't fair to her to go through this.

  There was a shriek from somewhere behind her, and then a giant crash. They hit the snow with a crack, plummeting forward and bouncing. Sienna was thrown forward, and the belt dug into her. She choked, but it was only for a moment before she was thrown backwards, her head hitting the headrest. There was another crack as the wing hit a giant ice tower. Sienna saw stars and felt Desmond's weight against her. She kept her eyes closed, trying to remain loose and move with the impact.

  Finally, they came to a stop. There was silence in the cockpit, aside from ragged breathing.

  “Everyone all right?” Nathaniel pulled off his head set with haste, spinning around as he pulled the buckle off. Eliza sat up at once, looking dazed but alive. “Speak up.”

  The bodies on the floor were alive, although some were unconscious, shifting slowly back to life. Eliza threw herself out of the seat, moving between her people with concern. She checked pulses before moving on, her blue eyes wide and frantic.

  “Maestro, you're bleeding,” Nathaniel said, stumbling over to them. “Are you all right?”

  “As typical in battle,” Desmond said. “Not my blood. Little one?”

  “I…” Sienna's arm had clotted slightly, so now she could see the damage she had done. It was a ripped vein, but not by much. It would stop bleeding in a moment, as soon as her heart rate went down. “It's all right.”

  “Let me see.” Nathaniel reached out with his hand and then winced, turning pale.

  “Maestro?” Sienna sat up in horror as his face changed. One look at his wrist told her the story. “Desmond.”

  Desmond leaned over her, reaching out for his former Tiro's wrist. Like when he used to get injured as a child, Nathaniel pulled back with a hiss.

  “Have you broken it?” Desmond asked, calmly, trying to keep a level head.

  “Yes,” Nathaniel said.

  “Wonderful.” Desmond took stock of what side he was on and saw that it was Nathaniel's dominant hand. Magic was about twists of wrists, flicks of fingers, and while Nathaniel could technically do magic with the other hand, and even pull magic to other parts of his body, this was a serious impairment. He met his former Tiro's eyes. He briefly forgot that Sienna was no longer in on their bond, and conveyed a message that was meant for the three of them – keep quiet. We're dead in the water.

  I know, Nathaniel's mind responded. But we'll figure it out, we always do.

  Chapter 6

  When they unsealed the doors, Eliza jumped.

  There, on the other side, was an incredibly angry looking Jonah, his arms crossed.

  “What?” Eliza asked. “How?”

  “We entered atmosphere in time for me to breathe, your highness.” Her captain of the guards raised an eyebrow. “All is well.”

  “Well, thank Creator for that,” Eliza said. “It looks like you fared better than the rest of it.”

  “I was thinking that all the food was out here, actually,” Jonah said. “And if you couldn't get the doors unsealed, I was going to eat all of it and make you listen.”

  “You prefer your guards as comedians now?” Nathaniel asked with a smile. He had met Jonah years ago and he liked him well enough, although he did have a bit of a mouth on him. But then, Nathaniel supposed, he did, as well.

  “I prefer them alive,” Eliza said. “If nothing else.”

  “Let's take stock of the damage,” Desmond said. “If we can't repair enough to get power, it's going to get mighty cold in here eventually.”

  Nathaniel had his arm cradled to his chest, and Sienna watched him as they walked. She had stopped bleeding, and while her own arm throbbed, it was nothing compared to what he was feeling.

  “You can hold a wrench?” he asked her, trying to smile as they headed into the engine room.

  “Aye,” she replied. “But I won't be sure of what to do with it.”

  “That I can tell you,” he replied. “Or maybe we can get Christa back on the line.”

  The doors to the engine room were sealed. Nathaniel put his good hand over them, feeling for heat.

  “It's going to be hot,” he said. “But I think we'll be all right. However, the power's gone. Desmond?”

  “Honestly, making your elders do everything is not polite,” Desmond flicked his wrists. “Everyone stand back.”

  Sienna always loved to watch her Maestros do magic. They were so smooth, so practiced. It came as naturally to them as breathing – a level she always dreamed of reaching.

  Desmond moved a simple spell through his veins and then opened his palms. The doors shifted open, and steam escaped, making Sienna duck. He pushed the doors open further, and they stepped back, waiting for the air to clear. She could feel the heat, but Nathaniel was right, it wasn't unbearable.

  Inside, it smelled like burning rubber and scorched pipes. She knew enough about the inner workings of a ship to look for the damage, mark in her mind what could be bypassed, and what could be replaced from other parts of the ship. There were a few things, she noted, that were irreplaceable from their supplies on board. Some of the coils were completely destroyed, and the wires had caught fire, severing some of them.

  “This could have been a lot worse if the system didn't override when it did,” Nathaniel tried to look on the bright side. “But we're not going anywhere for a while.”

  “We have to,” Eliza said, and he turned to her.

  “My love, I would delight in saying yes. But unless we can teleport, which we can't, even at short distances, we are stuck until we get new parts.”

  “What do you need?” Desmond asked.

  “I can probably bypass a few things to get the heat and the basic power back up and running,” Nathaniel said. “Do you see, Sienna?”

  “Yes,” she replied. “But without the coils, we won't fly.”

  “It's whether they
have them here that is the question,” Nathaniel answered. “They might. Planets like this have a lot of black markets and scrap yards. Ships…like us end up crashed here and they scrap them.”

  “So some of us have to go,” Desmond said.

  “I know what I'm looking for,” Nathaniel said, but Desmond shook his head.

  “No,” he replied. “You're injured, and my bet is our med bay is not on the list of things to get back up to speed. How much power does the X-ray need, let alone the connectors?”

  “I—” Nathaniel shook his head. “They aren't top of my list. We need to conserve power.”

  “Right, so until then, your hand is broken and to be bound the old fashion way,” Desmond said. “It'll be easier for you to defend a sealed ship with guards around then it will be for you to keep yourself safe out in the open.”

  “I can make you a list,” Nathaniel said. “Send you with images, so there will be no confusion.”

  “Fine,” Desmond said. “Your highness, it's our best bet. We know there is danger just staying here. You are safest here, but our first priority is to get us into the air again.”

  Eliza sighed. “I know,” she said. “Any delay is putting lives at risk, so please hurry.”

  “We will,” Desmond said. “Take your personnel back to the main area, and stay together, it will be easier for Nathaniel to defend if anything happens. Sienna, I want your wound cleaned and bound, now. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, Maestro,” she said, not wanting to cause any more trouble than they were already in.

  It was only once they were alone in the engine room that Desmond spoke up, “I'm going to take her with me.”

  “What?” Nathaniel turned away from the engine console, trying to see if he could regain any function. He had assumed that it went without saying that Sienna would stay with him. Whenever they separated, that was usually the case. The land outside was unknown, but certainly dangerous. To put her in that situation at all, regardless of who was with her, was not wise.

  “It has been awhile since she and I went out on a quest alone,” Desmond said.

  “But not now,” Nathaniel said. Desmond met his eyes.

  “Nathaniel, I need to…explore a few things, with regard to our future within the magic. I need to be with my Tiro and see…if I'm right.”

  Nathaniel felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. “You're going to leave her,” he said. He just knew, from the way Desmond looked, from the thoughts he was guarding. “You can't.”

  “I didn't say that,” Desmond said, but Nathaniel's eyes widened.

  “You don't have to.”

  Desmond sighed. “I need to see, Nathaniel. I need to think. You are so close to her, it's hard to form a decision, when you take care of everything. And I have a feeling, subconsciously, that you have started to hide things from me.”

  “Like what?” Nathaniel asked. “What would I hide from you?”

  “You don't do it intentionally,” he said. “But I sometimes feel I have no idea what my Tiro is capable of, what her potential has grown to. It is good that you are close to her, Nathaniel, that you know what's happening. But I need to see myself.”

  “And with those thoughts swirling in your head, will you keep her safe?”

  Desmond's brow furrowed in anger. “How could you think otherwise? Regardless of whether or not I am going to move forward with her, I would never put anyone intentionally in danger.”

  Nathaniel sighed. “I know,” he said. “I know, I'm sorry. I just…please don't do this.”

  “I haven't made any choices yet,” Desmond said. “But I will take her with me. I am aware of the nightly routine, but perhaps you have some advice?”

  “Nights are worse than days,” Nathaniel spoke after a quiet moment. “I know it's better with blocking her magic, but…sometimes they are sleepless.”

  “You see, you don't tell me,” Desmond said. “Neither of you. I see it in your tired eyes in the morning, I hear it through our bond. But neither of you tell me of a night, unless it's particularly harsh.”

  “Aye, well…” Nathaniel sighed. “You're right. It's cold on Arborath. Bundle up.”

  “I'm sure we can handle that,” Desmond said. Before he turned to go, he met his former Tiro's eyes. “This is not to hurt you or her. This is for the good of the Order, whatever happens.”

  “I know,” Nathaniel said. “I know that you say that. But I can't help but feel otherwise.”

  “Look inside yourself,” Desmond asked. “Reach out to the magic, and you will find the correct answer. Even if it does not feel correct at that time.”

  Nathaniel managed to give him a brief smile. “That's what you used to say to me when I took exams in class. It was particularly helpful during the multiple-choice ones.”

  “Better than circling a random answer,” Desmond replied. “We'll leave as soon as we are able. Bring me that list.”

  “Aye,” Nathaniel said, going back to the console. He wanted to tell Sienna, to console and prepare her. But he knew that he had to keep it from her, for it was not his choice to tell. He just hoped that Desmond could find a way through this difficult situation and see the light on the other side

  “Go with you?” Sienna said, equally surprised when Desmond approached her. “Are you sure?”

  “Why wouldn't I be sure, little one?” he asked.

  “And Nathaniel won't come?”

  “It'll just be you and I,” he said. “Find the warmest clothes you can.”

  “How long should I pack for? Should I bring meds?”

  “Always,” he said. “Prepare for two nights, a standard pack, and we'll…work from there. If you want to bring rations, I'll have room in my rut sack”

  “A snow-covered planet cannot grow anything,” she said. “It is likely that they eat rations, as well.”

  Desmond held her gaze.

  “Do you want to take that risk?” he asked, evenly. “Weigh your choices.”

  She paused.

  “The sacks will be lighter and easier to defend with if they do not have rations,” she said, at last. “Do you think we are in danger?”

  “Yes,” he answered.

  “And the likelihood that we will return before nightfall?” she was asking all the right questions, and he was proud of her for that, at least.

  “High,” he replied. “There's an outpost not far from here, from what I can tell.”

  “Then…” She weighed the odds in her head. “I'll pack lightly.”

  “Good girl,” he said. “Do you need help?”

  “Bound,” she replied, holding up her arm. “I only got through about half the IV bag, though. I can bring pills, of course.”

  “Uh…” He could wait for her to finish the bag, but they needed to go, for all their sakes. “That's fine. As soon as you can”

  “Ten minutes, Maestro,” she replied, and he headed to get his own things.

  It felt oddly final, packing for this outing. He tried to shake the feeling several times, but the magic was warning him of something foreboding that he couldn't ignore.

  Nathaniel met them by the back doors, which he had managed to power enough to unseal.

  “I'll have the heat on in ten minutes,” he said. “And after the doors, basic power supplies will return as soon as the battery recharges. We'll be all right for about forty-eight to seventy-two hours.”

  “Understood,” Desmond said, hoping that it wouldn't be that long. “Keep them safe, Nathaniel.”

  “I will,” Nathaniel said as he reached out for Sienna, giving her a one arm hugged. “Be careful. Call me if you need anything, all right?”

  “Yes, Maestro,” she said, a bit confused by his sudden display of affection. Nathaniel was affectionate, but usually not when there was business involved. “We'll be fine.”

  “Just come back in one piece,” Nathaniel said, glancing to Desmond. His former Maestro knew he was referring to more than just their bodily safety, and he adverted his eyes.

 
; “We'll come back,” he said, and Nathaniel tried not to wince.

  Please. Please come back.

  Chapter 7

  The snow was blowing as they got the door open. They were bundled, layer upon layer but Sienna felt the cold right away. She winced, pulling her backpack tighter as she ducked her head.

  Desmond put a hand on her shoulder, pointing ahead to what looked like a frozen wasteland.

  “Two miles,” he shouted over the wind and she nodded. They obviously wouldn't be talking much as they walked. Sienna was quite sure her mouth was going to freeze solid in the next few moments anyways.

  She stepped off the ramp and shrieked as her leg went right into a snow drift nearly taller than her.

  It was soft and fluffy, freshly fallen. She couldn't imagine how much snow had fallen in the past twenty-four hours, let alone what was underneath her, but it must be miles high.

  “Not a good way to start,” Desmond's voice came as he yanked her out. She agreed with him, testing the ground around her until she found a patch that was more solid ice than snow.

  “Are we there yet?” she asked and he tilted his head, giving her a look as they began to walk. She wanted to turn around to see if Nathaniel was by the door, but the wind was too strong.

  The wind was picking up as they walked, and she wondered whether this was a full-blown storm or just a normal day on the planet. Despite the fact that it was living greenery and other plant material that often made her sick, she couldn't imagine living on a planet so devoid of life.

  She gripped Desmond's arm as they walked across the ice, neither of them talking as they navigated the tricky terrain. Her time in training had taught her to be light on her feet, to move with grace, but it didn't always work when she couldn't see what was underneath the snow. They didn’t speak much, their mouths had frozen, and they were both relieved to see the outskirts of the town at last.

  “Be on your guard,” Desmond said, as they approached. “The type of people here…they come to get away. They will be wary of outsiders, especially witches.”

  “We could...not tell them?” Sienna suggested, and he shook his head.

  “No, it's our duty to tell the who we are, if they ask. We should never be ashamed of our identity.”