But the Emperor had not thought through his actions.
By giving his daughter to the monastic order, she also became a Keeper of Araki’s words. For in their family, there was no difference between the religious order following the great dragon and those designated and chosen at birth to be keepers of the dragon’s words.
Without realizing it, the Emperor had made her almost as powerful as she would have been as a Princess.
She was still known by a few as the Princess of the Wind Family and was sought out even by the Emperor himself at times because of her extreme intelligence and cunning. But she was never given the official status or afforded the lifestyle of extravagance and leisure to which her siblings were accustomed.
Despite her de facto position of power, she seemed alone in this world—her only true family now the Abbess.
Yes, the Abbess.
That woman had far too much control and power for one not of royal lineage, but there was nothing anyone could do about it. She was chosen by Araki and served at the dragon’s pleasure, and the people both respected and feared her almost as much as they did the Emperor.
And Tamami was her clear second-in-command—her adopted daughter.
As the Prince stood on the edge of a cloud, his arms behind his back, he let the moist vapor run through his hair.
He was so grateful to have been born a member of the Fuugoshujin. How could those other Drayoom survive without the freedom and majesty that could only be experienced up here, in the clouds?
Turning away from the edge of the cloud, Prince Takehiko wondered how much longer the Emperor was going to make him pretend to stand watch, waiting for Merrick to use the divinium flute to signal that he wanted to journey with them back to the Cloud City.
Merrick would be a fool to come with the Emperor back to his home city, and the Prince believed strongly that just standing around waiting for him to show up was wasted time. The Prince believed that they should take one of two actions.
They could either leave this country and return for Merrick after they had learned all they could from the cube they now possessed, or they could send down an overwhelming force and simply take Merrick and his technology with them.
Even as the Prince resigned himself to more senseless waiting, he heard a shrill tone floating in the air, weaving itself between the normal noises of the sky—the screeching of birds, the rushing of wind, and even the fluttering of butterfly wings.
He turned around, stepped to the edge of the cloud again, and looked down. The fool on the ground below, blowing into the divinium flute, was accepting the Emperor’s invitation.
The Prince could not decide whether Merrick was dumber than he had initially thought or whether Merrick was the bravest Drayoom he had ever met.
CHAPTER 22
MERRICK, CARA, MONA, and all twenty of the Alphas stood in the heavily shaded area just behind Rune Corp.
In the half hour they had to prepare, Merrick, Jonathan, and Master Banzo had donned their battle suits and were ready to go.
Gus looked at Merrick, perturbed that he was being left out.
“I know this is killing you,” Merrick said, “but we need someone to stay and keep the company running while we’re gone. I’d like you to make sure the analysts keep on point, and I want a steady influx of new words and definitions being uploaded into the main data cube daily. And make sure the special weapons section keeps moving as best as it can without Bradley and Mona. I know it’s a lot to ask, but I know you can do it.”
“I don’t know anything about running a company,” Gus said while inadvertently flexing and relaxing his pecs. “I’m good at fighting, not pushing digits.”
“You’ll do fine,” Merrick said. “Just pretend that lack of progress is the enemy and you need to crush it.”
Merrick turned to Jonathan and Master Banzo and couldn’t help but laugh when he saw them fidgeting with their battle suits.
The ultra-thin material of the suits was made from a combination of carbon fiber and an anti-ballistic fabric laced with divinium. Their suits pulsed with dim flashes of green and made them look more like superheroes than warriors. Jonathan looked mildly uncomfortable, but Master Banzo seemed as annoyed as a dog forced by its master to wear a ridiculous costume on Halloween.
“This outfit is not necessary,” Master Banzo said as he picked at the tight fabric around one of his thighs. “I assure you that I am quite capable of helping you without it.”
“I kind of like it,” Jonathan said with a wry grin. “Makes me feel like I’m in a sci-fi movie.”
Merrick slapped Master Banzo on his shoulder.
“Trust me, Sensei,” Merrick said. “I know how capable you are, but we’re probably going to be dealing with threats that are both magical and physical, and you might end up needing the suit.”
“Then, why bring me at all?” Master Banzo said. “There are other members of the team who are more experienced with magic.”
“If we do run into a physical threat,” Merrick said, “there’s no one else I’d rather have in my corner.”
Master Banzo scratched his chin.
“I cannot fault your reasoning on that point. I will also do my best to continue teaching you while we are gone. You have come far on your journey, but you have a long way to go still before you are the master of your self.”
Merrick humbly bowed to Master Banzo, then raised his head back up and turned to face the small crowd.
“Here’s the plan one last time. The three of us will go up with the Emperor and...hold on.”
Merrick spoke a word that sounded like dry leaves crackling, then tossed the divinium flute the Emperor had given him at a nearby tree. The trunk of the tree opened up like a wooden flower welcoming the morning sun, and the flute went right inside. The tree quickly closed back up to encase the flute.
“No sense in taking any chances,” Merrick said. “Like I was saying, Master Banzo, Jonathan, and I will go up to the Cloud City. Our first priority is to retrieve the stolen cube, and if that’s not possible, to deactivate or destroy it. After that, we meet the other half of the team at the Earth Clan for part two of our mission.”
“Should we try to snag a piece of their divinium while we’re up there, too?” Jonathan said.
Merrick slipped a throwing star from out of a hidden pocket in his battle suit. It was the same weapon he had found at the site where Officer Diggs had been killed, and it pulsed with a light white glow in his hand.
“I already have a sample,” Merrick said. “And unlike with the flute, I can’t detect the presence of any wards on it. This thing was made for killing, not for spying.”
He balanced the star in his hand for a second and peered at it closely before taking it away from his face.
“Would you mind storing this downstairs in the weapons testing facility?” Merrick said, handing the glowing star to Mona. “Or better yet, just take it with you to the Earth Clan. If we compare it to Earth Clan divinium and to the Rune Corp divinium, maybe it will help us figure out what gives each of them their different properties. Might even lead to a clue about where our divinium comes from.
“Once the three of us join Cara, Mona, Heinin, and Bradley at the Earth Clan, we’ll all continue our search for the divinium. I don’t know how, but I’m sure the secret of the stone holds the key to unifying the dragon tongues.”
Merrick turned to Gus and the rest of the Alphas, all of them ready to help however they could. Each was in top physical shape, and because they were all on call 24-7, they were also allowed to come and go from Rune Corp with their memory intact.
As such, they would normally be the ones to lead a mission like this, but because the Emperor had invited Merrick to visit him in the Cloud City, it seemed only natural for him to take point. Even though the Alphas didn’t like it, Merrick knew that his team understood that it made the most sense for the mission.
“Listen up,” Merrick said to his Alphas. “Other than Jonathan and Master Banzo, I wan
t you all to stay here and prepare for the worst. Cara and I have both discussed this, and we want you to double up the martial arts classes and include a crash course on weapons training, both traditional and magic-based. We’re running low on divinium, but do what you can, even if you have to reuse the material from one or two of the older cubes. I want every employee armed as soon as you think they’re ready. Clear?”
Gus was young, but had already served in the Special Forces and had seen his share of action in theater. There was a reason that he was next in command after Master Banzo. Merrick had full faith in his abilities to lead and to improvise.
“Clear as glass, sir,” Gus said. “We’ll have everyone mustered and ready in the next few days. Hope for the best and plan for the worst. Not a problem.”
Merrick moved so that he was facing Cara and Mona. He held out his hand and spoke another word from the Earth Dragon’s tongue that sounded like a branch snapping. The tree next to him spit the flute out, sending it flying toward Merrick, who caught it squarely in his hand.
He held the divinium to his mouth and blew on it. It was obvious that the humans couldn’t detect a thing, but he was sure that Cara could hear it as plain as the sounds of traffic from the road across the parking lot. It was a shrill whistle, with the tenor of a song from a small bird combined with the strength of a killing screech from an Eagle.
The sound was pure Wind Magic, and even though Merrick wasn’t as familiar with it as he was with Earth and Fire Magic, he could still feel the notes snaking their ways through the canopy of trees. They rose upwards into the sky and through the clouds far above, where Merrick was sure a keen ear was listening.
Merrick removed the flute from his lips and held it by his side.
Within seconds, he heard a sound from above that reminded him of an approaching jet engine.
A giant burst of wind struck the ground just outside of the area where Merrick’s group stood, sending leaves and dirt flying up in a cloud of debris. As the cloud cleared, a tall, wiry man with Asian features strolled up to them. He was clad in a white suit that was similar in style and quality to the black one the Emperor had worn.
The man bowed to Merrick, then smiled as he held out his hand in greeting.
“Ard Righ, my name is Prince Takehiko. It is an honor to finally meet you. My brother, the Emperor, has told me much about you.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” Merrick said as he first bowed and then shook the Prince’s hand.
“I bring word from the Emperor,” the Prince said. “He is pleased you have accepted his invitation to visit our wonderful Cloud City. Alas, our ruler has already left for the palace, but has sent me to be your escort. I assure you that you will enjoy your visit with us and that your journey will be a pleasant one.”
Despite the smoothness of the Prince’s words, Merrick noticed that he seemed just the slightest bit uncomfortable about what he was about to say next.
“The Emperor also sends his most sincere apologies. Yesterday, we detected what we have confirmed as being an attack on your life from dissident members of our family. Our ancestors are shamed by this incident, as are we. The Emperor assures you that every resource is being put into finding the men responsible for this transgression. The Emperor assures you also that these men acted on their own and not at the direction of the royal family, and he appreciates the trust you put in him by accepting his invitation to visit our city. Our initial findings suggest that the would-be assassins may have been members of a known conspiratorial movement set on pitting our families against each other in an all-out war—an outcome the Emperor and the royal family are dedicated to preventing.”
Throughout his speech, the Prince’s face remained stolid, but Merrick suspected that most of what he said was false. They might be looking for the men who tried to kill Merrick, but that would only be to punish them for failing in their mission or to pry any useful intelligence out of them before their execution. Little did the Prince know that their assassins would never be found since they were residing forever deep in the belly of Terrada.
“Are you ready for your journey, Ard Righ?” the Prince said.
“Yes, my advisors and I are ready,” Merrick said.
The Prince seemed surprised.
“Your Majesty, the Emperor’s most unique invitation was for you alone...”
“Prince Takehiko, does your Emperor ever travel alone?”
The Prince seemed unsure of how to respond.
“Neither do I,” Merrick said.
Merrick could see the Prince working through the different scenarios in his head while also studying both Jonathan and Master Banzo, who had moved over to stand next to him. The Prince was probably not empowered to make this decision on his own, but found himself in a situation where he had no other choice. After studying the men, he looked at Mona and Cara as well, and his body seemed to noticeably relax.
“I understand, Ard Righ,” the Prince said. “Of course, you are correct. I apologize for not thinking of that beforehand. Your advisors may join you. And now that I am thinking more broadly, may I also make another suggestion?”
“Of course,” Merrick said.
“Might I suggest that your wives accompany you as well?”
As soon as the Prince said this, Merrick looked at Cara and Mona. Cara appeared to be deciding on whether to laugh or to erupt in rage. Mona’s face had turned red, clearly showing her anger at the statement.
Before either of them could answer, Merrick replied.
“Prince Takehiko,” Merrick said, suppressing his laugh. “Our cultures are different, and I take no offense, but please understand that neither of these women is my wife. This is Cara, daughter of Ohman. She is the owner and leader of this company now that her father has transferred to another life. And this is Mona. She and I are engaged to be married, but she is not yet my wife.”
The Prince seemed genuinely embarrassed and quickly bowed his head. While his head was still down, he spoke.
“Please forgive me, Ard Righ, for my folly. I should not have made such an assumption. I merely thought to extend the invitation to your loved ones so that your visit could be more enjoyable and beyond that of a formal visit between two Drayoom leaders.”
“You had no way of knowing,” Merrick said.
The Prince raised his head and then bowed to both Cara and Mona.
“I think that’s a wonderful idea, Prince Takehiko,” Mona said. “I would be honored to accompany my husband-to-be on this trip. I have always wanted to visit the fabled Cloud City.”
Mona cut Merrick off before he could say anything.
“Because I have just been made aware of your invitation,” Mona said, “I will need a few moments to change and to gather a few things, if there would be any way you could delay our departure for no more than fifteen minutes?”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for Mona to come,” Merrick said.
“Why is that?” the Prince said, a tint of seriousness passing over his face.
Merrick knew immediately that he had just walked into a trap. He could not explain that he did not want Mona to join him because she would be a vulnerability that the Wind Family could exploit, and he couldn’t think of any other good reason that the Prince or Mona couldn’t easily counter. Admitting defeat to himself, Merrick bowed his head to the Prince.
“Thank you, Prince Takehiko,” Merrick said. “I would be happy for my future wife to join us. Cara, unfortunately, has other pressing company matters to attend to.”
Mona dashed to the rear security door, swiping her badge before entering the Rune Corp building.
Cara stood with her arms crossed, and Merrick could tell that she had sensed the same trap as Merrick. After all, she had taught him what he knew of diplomacy and how to interact with the Wind Family, especially. As such, he was sure that she would not have been able to avoid the Prince’s clever ambush either. Mona was going to be joining Merrick on his journey, and it was both a reality and a risk that he wo
uld just have to deal with.
Even though Merrick would do anything to ensure the group completed their mission, Mona’s safety was once again his number one priority, and he would make sure she remained out of harm’s way regardless of the cost.
CHAPTER 23
IT WAS THIRTY SECONDS before her new spot aired on the evening news. Joanna knew she was walking a fine line of legality by showing video of what she had determined to be an attack on a police officer, but she had broken no laws in putting together her theory. And since it had only been less than twenty-four hours after the event, the person in the video couldn’t even be declared officially missing yet, even if she was a police officer.
While Joanna held her breath, her segment came on and showed her behind the correspondent’s desk, reading skillfully from the teleprompter about how the recent tornado that touched down yesterday in Tysons Corner had coincidentally acted as cover for a much larger news story.
After seeing the footage of a woman being attacked by an unknown assailant on the other side of the narrow twister, Joanna had put all of her reporter’s investigative talent to use the day before.
Since she lived in the condo building where the event occurred, Joanna had gone down the hallway of her floor and checked with every one of the neighbors she knew to see if anyone recognized the blurry figure. She had spent hours looking for anyone who might recognize the woman in the video.
And then it hit her.
She showed the footage to the security guards and the receptionist at the front desk of the exclusive condominium building in which she lived.
Two of the guards were sure they knew who was in the video from the woman’s distinct shape alone.
There was no question in their minds that the figure was Police Officer Teresa Diggs.
After Joanna had the name, it had been a simple matter to call one of her sources at the police department to see if Officer Diggs had missed any shifts recently.
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