Balance (The Neumarian Chronicles) (20 page)

Understood
, complete radio silence
. That would be easy to maintain, since the same order that controlled the destination of our ships disabled the radio.

I
scanned the orphanage, taking in the children. The few young ones left in the room clutched homemade stuffed animals, beloved blankets, and wore small backpacks filled with clothing. The older ones had bulging knapsacks strapped to their backs.

When we win the war, Ryder, I want to take in as many of the orphans as possible. I’m not sure if I’ll be a good mother, but I kn
ow I could love and care for them
.

He
lifted and spun me around.
You’ll make an amazing mother
.

“Hey you two.
In case you haven’t heard, the honeymoon’s over,” Penton said, trotting up to us. The general said you needed help. Oh, and Raeth’s flying escort, so we’ll have protection. She’s refueling now.”

Seconds later,
Bendar joined us. “Heard kids transport. I help.” He shuffled ahead and, in the middle of the room, clapped his hands. “Come. We play game.” Grinning, he removed a flute from his jacket. It was the same aged walnut instrument he’d used to amuse me as a small child. “We go grand adventure to far land. No more sleep in room. Play outside. Peaceful. Smell better, too.” He pinched his nose and they giggled. “Big kids help small one. I play music. You follow me.” Playing his tune, Bendar led the children and caretakers to the large supply lift.

Seeing it was full, I scooped up Annie as Ryder and Penton each grabbed two stragglers. “Go on. We’ll meet you there,” I called out.

We bolted up two
flights of stairs and exited into the main corridor, then raced for the shuttle bay, entering at the far end. The landing bay was just under four hundred meters long and as we ran  toward the shuttles  at the opposite end, Ryder and Penton pulled ahead of me.

I’d just passed the halfway mark when Father touched my mind.
A second wave of assassins parachuting in. Ninety seconds out. Where’re you?

Shuttle bay. And you, where’re you?

Heading for
SB-06.

He’d hidden his ship
in an underground river that ran beneath us, and would use it to travel to where the river emptied in the North Sea. I prayed he made it.

As I continued to follow in Ryder and Penton’s wake,
catapults rose at the far end of the shuttle bay. Engines engaged and two shuttles filled with soldiers, blasted out of the landing bay. The force sent me to the floor and I struggled to keep hold of Annie. Rising, I spotted our shuttle and Raeth’s fifty meters ahead, the catapults raised for us.

Before I could get my feet under me to stand
, an explosion rocked the Arc. I hunched my back, protecting Annie from falling debris.

“Semara!” Ryder’s distant voice sounded through the ringing in my ears.

Go! I’m fine.

Glancing around, I realized
we were exposed. Annie and I stood in the middle of a five-meter opening to the maintenance area. Its exterior metal-incased concrete wall no longer existed.

I clutched Annie to my side, ducking behind some barrels and crates.

Shaken, I tried to remember all the abilities of assassins. Unlike Mandesa’s hunters, they couldn’t scale slick, metal walls, we should be safe fifty meters above ground.

I heard a clank and froze. Damn, a grabbling hook. Shaken, I bolted toward my ship. I still had a chance of making it before he spotted us. A slim one, but it was better than nothing.

As I cleared the opening, a red, metal-enclosed figure stepped out of the dusty, gray haze. Seeing tubing and weapons mounted to its shoulders, I shuddered. He grasped a tube, aimed, and fired, blowing out the facing wall. As he left-faced and repeated the action, I tucked Annie tight against me and I sprinted for our shuttle.

Behind me, I
heard thuds as he gave chase.

Kaboom
.

I pivoted on my heel
, spotting a figure through the haze.

Mart
marched toward us, her double-barrel, custom blaster smoking. “You gonna stand there all day?”

Stunned,
I glanced back at the assassin. She’d blown him away. Still operational, but only if it got a new body. The head alone, no matter how much it screeched, couldn’t wreak havoc.

Pivoting, I
raced with her for our shuttle before another assassin appeared. “I want one of those.”

“Sorry, don’t make me gun in princess sizes.”

I spotted Ryder standing in the open door of our ship. With Annie tucked safely in my arms, Mart and I bulldozed through anything in our path. I’d never covered a hundred meters so fast.

I reached out for Father.
Assassins are inside, tearing apart the Arc.

Good. T
hat means they’re not focused on you. Now, get the hell outta there.

I’m trying. It’d help if they hadn’t penetrated this level
.

Suddenly, Captain Paulson brushed my mind.
Tell my girl to get out of there, or I’m gonna drag her out
.

Mart huffed by my side.
, no doubt part of the mental link as well. “You tell him, I’m not his girl.”

Sweetheart, you resisting me
makes me want you all the more. Now, get your sorry ass on your ship before you’re killed
.

“Tell him not to worry about me. I’m not the one who needed his ass saved during a bo
rder conflict.” She shot me a grin as we ran. “That arrogant son-of-a-gun is piloting my ship right now so I can save you.”

Glancing up,
I spotted Raeth’s ship, along with and then a second, flanking ours, Penton waving to me before slipping inside.

“By the way, congrats on the wedding
,” she yelled. “Thanks for the invite!” How she could run full out and make it look like a swagger defeated me.

Ryder jerked
Annie onto the ship as I yelled back, “Thanks for the assist.”

I caught
her wave as she hopped into her fighter.

Seeing
Annie buckled in beside Bendar, I slid into the pilot chair, Ryder seated at my side as co-pilot.

E
ngines roared to life. Our ship and its fighter escorts roared out of the Arc as heavy gunfire filled the air. There was nothing I hated more than flak. It was bad enough when flying over anti-aircraft fire, but when it was ours turned against us that really frosted me.

I kept the flaps down a little longer than normal for additional lift
, then I banked left twice, increased thrust, and climbed out of range.

Raeth signaled we had company and peeled away to get him off our tail.

Clear
? Father asked.

Yes
. Heavy flak, though. How many did we lose?

None. Everyone got out.

I breathed a sigh of relief.
See you soon.

Brace yourselves
, Father warned then the blue sky turned a blinding white.

Chapter Twenty-
Four

A concussive wave hit us. The shuttle bucked. It lost altitude. Tightening my fingers around the command control, I fought to keep the shuttle in the sky.

I didn’t have to look back to know the Arc no longer existed. Losing what had been my home for almost two years saddened me, but we were safe.

I stabilized the craft and continued our de
scent until we were below radar then headed southeast. Our destination, a country surrounded by the mountain range once known as the Alps. It seemed throughout history wars had bypassed this country, and the Great War of 2185 had been no exception. Even today, communities lived there in peace. To ensure their security, at the beginning of the war, they had blown up all tunnels and highways leading into their country. Their high, treacherous mountains provided protection and made attempting to overtake it too costly. Determined to remain free, their military blew everything out of the air that didn’t have a beacon tuned to a specific frequency—one that changed daily.

We had that frequency.

There isn’t much time before you’re out of range,
Father said, his voice faint and hollow.

Did Raeth and Mart make it out
?

Yes. She’s following Mart. They’ll shadow me to the RP. G
et those kids to safety.

Worried about repercussions?

Absolutely.

Will I have enough fuel to drop the children and make the RP
?

As a favor to your mother, they hid an experimental
plane I worked on before the war. It’ll carry all of you.

Experimental?

It’s nuclear-powered and silent, truly stealth. Its configuration is unusual, making it almost invisible. But first, ensure our peoples safety then get to the RP, ASAP. Be safe, my little princess
.

My mouth went dry at
the word princess. Yet, when he said it, I loved it. Because he meant I was only
his
princess.

I love you
, Daddy.

L
ove you, too
, his voice chocking as it faded to nothing.

My hands tightened on the controls as my eyes misted.

Ryder continued to check the surrounding area for activity. “Why hasn’t Raeth rejoined us?”

“
No need. She’s following Mart. They’ll provide cover for the
SB-06
to the rally point. We’ll join them as soon as we secure our precious cargo.”

“
Thank God, the general evacuated the elderly, wounded, and most of the children last night. If he hadn’t, I doubt most of them would’ve made it. Did he tell you how many we lost?”

“Yeah, none.”

Ryder whistled. “Mighty close call.” He unstrapped his harness and eased out of his seat. “Going to check on our young friends.”

I glanced back
. All it took was one look at Annie’s rigid back and her bravest face painted in place, for an early childhood memory to surface—I was on the queen’s ship, being flown to the capital to face the council. Eyeing the snowcapped mountains in the distance, I prayed the tribal members were more inviting then the Kantian monarchy had been.

Somewhere in those peaks was our destination, a hidden
enclave. Would that be where the last of the humans and Neumarians lived in splendid isolation? Or would Mandesa learn of their existence and attack?

The proximity sensor blinked and
beeped. Ryder scooted back into his seat and scanned the grid. A blip on screen blinked. He raised his head and scanned the mountains in the front of us then pointed. “There. Magnify.”

“I did.”
Damn obsolete viewfinder. If I were in the
SB-06
, we could’ve identified the approaching craft in seconds.

Spotting a gap
in the peaks up ahead, I pulled on the controls aiming for it. “Buckle up!” I yelled.

“It’s too narrow,” Ryder hissed.

“We die either way.” I rolled the shuttle onto its side, preparing for entry into the gorge.

“
Don’t,” Ryder called out. “It’s one of ours.”

Sighing,
I pulled the yoke to the side and continued on our original course, hoping they knew about the order for radio silence.

“
Little jumpy?”

My lip curled, stopping just short of a sneer. “And you aren’t?”

“Maybe a little. Hate those Assassins. I’ll take the zombies over them any day. At least, we can run from ’em.”

The plane
pulled up alongside us and wagged its wings, then banked and disappeared into the clouds.

“Wonder what it’s doing out here?” he murmured.

I swallowed hard. “Think it’s one of Mandesa’s?” In that moment, fear trailed its icy fingers up my spine. “Time for evasive action. Make sure nothing’s in the area.”

“We’re clear.”

Our destination was a secluded village tucked in between two cliffs. The valley was easily overlooked if one didn’t know where it was. Determined it would remain hidden, I decided against taking the direct route and, once again, aimed the defile. Nearing it, I rolled the shuttle onto its side and flew through the crevasse. One twitch on the yoke and we’d scrape the shuttle’s bottom against the rocky protrusions, sending us to the valley below.

I
weaved through mountain passes and over glaciers for the next few hours, continually scanning for the other craft. Finally, I spotted our destination. Sandwiched between two peaks, the valley below was hidden from view until you were right on top of it. Toward its entrance, a waterfall, formed by the melting glacier, fed into a small river.

“
I’m to be no higher than fifty meters when entering the valley.” Circling, I started my descent.

Ryder scanned the valley floor. “No sign of life.”

Was that good or bad?
“Father sent us here because our people will be safe.” While I professed trust in these strangers, I was uneasy with leaving Annie and the others behind. Father guaranteed they’d be welcomed, but I still feared they’d experience the same loneliness I had.

Even at forty meters
high, mountain crosscurrents buffed the shuttle. With the wind shear threatening to slam us into solid rock, I dropped my altitude to fifteen meters and leveled out. As I skimmed over the valley floor, I spotted a few cottages tucked amongst the trees. Near the end of the valley, a large, wooden building abutted the side of a sheer mountain wall.

Biting my lower lip, I
eased the shuttle down, landing in a grassy meadow. Slowly rolling forward, I turned and steered the shuttle through giant, open doors. Seeing the seven shuttles that had left last night, I pulled to a stop beside one, cut the engine and rested my head on the shuttle’s yoke.

Grinning,
Ryder tipped my head up and covered my lips in a gentle kiss. Then he peeled my aching fingers from the control. “You did great.”

“Are we there, M
s. Semara?” a little boy asked.

I eased from my seat and moved to him. Kneeling, I took his
hands in mine. Except for his lighter skin tone, he could have passed for the emperor’s son, but I knew he wasn’t. His parents were killed in the infirmary blast. “Yes, we’re here. But we want all of you to stay in the shuttle while we make sure it’s safe.”

R
ising, I turned to Ryder and jerked my head toward the rear. We moved to the hatch, opened it, and, inhaling frigid air, gasped.

Ryder wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Buck up, Mrs. Arteres.” At my snort, he chuckled. “Let’s check it out.”

Joining him on the ground, we shuffled outside then stopped, unsure where to go. The few houses we’d seen from the air couldn’t be the extent of the village, they couldn’t even house the people from the other shuttles.

Hearing footsteps behind us, I glanced back and saw everyone had disembarked. “Thought I said
to stay put.”

“Better we together,” Bendar said with a twinkle in his eyes.

A second later, the side of the mountain vibrated. Snow tumbled down in large chunks, splattering around our chilled feet.

“The mountain
’s opening!” a teenager shouted in a thick Eastern European accent.

“So it is,” I murmured, eyes wide as a section of the
grey mountainside moved inward and to the side.

Dressed in
thermal suits, four men and a woman stood in the opening. The tall woman moved through the snow with grace and dignity. Like a train, her luxurious fur cape glided behind her, without leaving a mark. Reaching us, any laugh lines had flattened, leaving a stern expression behind. “What brings you here?”

If Father was correct, she knew who we were and was expecting us, so why this reception, this gamesmanship? Drawing on my royal training, I lowered my head, paying deference to her. “I am Semara
Bellator Arteres, daughter of Lanena Bellator. This is my husband Ryder Arteres. My father, General Bellator, said you offered sanctuary for our children.”

She bowed her head in return.
“Welcome daughter of Lanena. I am called Helvetia.” Her gaze never leaving us, she raised a finger. Two men dressed in ice-blue thermal suits ran to us.

Ryder slid his hand down his thigh toward his weapon. I
reached over and touched his hand, stopping him, never moving my gaze from the woman in front of us.

“This is a place of peace
.” Helvetia said. “It is a secret lodging for those who seek this. Your weapons are not allowed. Leave them with your ship.” Seeing our hesitation, she added, “As with your other compatriots, you and your children may enter. But I must warn you, only the pure of heart may enter our domain. It is a place of pure peace, a refuge for all. Those who willing harm others will suffer the consequences.”

One of the men held out a container.
Ryder and I exchanged a look then removed all our weapons. When we’d placed them in the container, he sealed it then placed it beneath our shuttle, explaining the presence of similar containers I’d seen beneath the other shuttles.

When I felt a small hand
clutch my leg, I looked down into Annie’s big eyes. “She scares me, Semara.”

“
Do not fret, child. No harm will come to you.” Helvetia looked at me. “Understand, for centuries, our tribes have lived undetected by man—human, Kantian or Neumarian.”

“
Yet you know my father.”

She smiled. “
No, your mother, but only through the visions of our seer. They connected. He shares his foresight and she her prophecies. In one, she told of your arrival. In another, we were to safeguard something your father had delivered and hold it for you.”

“He told me. I’m to use it to return home with Ryder and the other pilots.”

Helvetia tilted her head in a nod. “They are well and are awaiting your arrival inside.”

“
We’ve waited a long time for your arrival.” Smiling, she looked down at Annie. “Mistress Annie, would you like to accompany me and see our garden?” She held out an elegant, long-fingered hand. On her index finger, she wore a large ring made of what appeared to be wood.

Annie
released my leg and grabbed my hand in a white-knuckled grip. “Thank you. I want to stay with my mommy. I mean Ms. Semara.”