BlackWing: First Ordinance, Book 3 (18 page)

"What is your mission?" Shim asked, his eyes narrowing in speculation.

"We're from the Reth Alliance," Kaldill explained. "We're trying to keep Vic'Law out of the hands of Vardil Cayetes. If you don't know who that is, then you are fortunate. As bad as the crime families are on Vic'Law, Cayetes is worse. Five years ago, he destroyed an entire planet with a ranos cannon because he was angry with one man."

If we hadn't captured our guests' full attention before, we had it now. They'd heard about Siriaa's destruction through bootlegged interceptions of Alliance news.

"You're from the Reth Alliance?" Shim whispered, as if one of Vic'Law's crime families might be listening to our conversation.

"Yes," Kaldill replied.

"Why are you here? Nobody ever helps Vic'Law."

"Because we hunt Cayetes, who is not only a danger to you, but to all people. Normally we wouldn't interfere with any non-Alliance world, but as you can guess, this is a special case."

"What about the crime families?" Our disgruntled guest spoke again. "Will you leave us to them when you go?"

"They're doing their best to kill each other," Caylon snorted. "Once the Juffa family was destroyed, they're fighting to take Drood's place. Juffa killed most of the Cardino family when he learned they were plotting against him; much of Birtes Churg's family is now dead by Nardes Churg's command. At this time, Barstle Cardino and Nardes Churg have allied and appear to have the upper hand."

"They'll come here," several whispered. "We're as good as dead."

"Don't be frightened; there is more here to defend you than you know," Sal said. "We are arranging for food and supplies to be brought in to keep the city going, while we work at making it self-sufficient."

"Puntia is less than one hundred clicks away," Shim pointed out. "Nardes Churg is in charge there. It may serve as a base for him to attack us."

"We're anticipating that," Caylon shrugged. "He won't get far, I assure you."

"You expect us to believe that you, here," the skeptic swept out a hand, "will be able to fight off the army that Cardino and Churg can send against Mundia?"

That's when the realization hit me. Shim and his skeptical friend were right to be worried. I could see in the gleam of Caylon's eyes that he wanted to draw Cayetes attention—not just to us, but to the city we defended. He wanted Cayetes to attack us here. He wanted to destroy whatever Cayetes could send against us.

Is this what Director Griff wants, too, Sursee?
I sent to him.

Kooper is prepared if we can draw out much of Cayetes' forces, yes
.

What about these people?
My mental voice conveyed my worry for them.

It is my hope that all will survive unscathed.

We will have to defend them against what is here, first,
I pointed out
. They have no reason to trust us. They may find no reason to trust us.

All the vermin in one trap,
Caylon responded.

I didn't reply. Clamping my wings tighter to my back, I stared at the food on my plate. Mell and Jeslin had made pasta for me; it would be tasteless past this point. Was this the reason they'd chosen Mundia from all the cities we could have picked after our exit from the Juffa estate?

Were the efforts being made to feed the people and keep them warm merely a way to placate me? Yes, I'd read people all my life, but I'd never been surrounded by so many who held so much power before. Were my readings of them faulty as a result?

I couldn't tell.

Other worries crowded my mind. My fear was growing and I had no explanation for it; I merely had a foggy notion that I should be afraid.

I feel sick
, I sent to Kaldill.

"Please excuse me," Kaldill rose from the table. "I shall return shortly." He walked to my chair, helped me up and together we left the dining room.

Jayna stayed with me when Kaldill left my suite to return to the meeting. Still, I couldn't shake the fear that had come over me, although I had no explanation for it.

"Is it the cramping?" Jayna asked softly as I hugged myself and paced by the window. Outside, snow continued to fall, silent and uncaring that people were huddled in their homes against its chill.

"No—I don't have that," I mumbled. I'd never had that. I hadn't been born—as she had. Shoving those thoughts aside, I searched for the reasons behind my fear. I found nothing and the longer I paced, the worse my fears became.

When the Orb appeared, I was terrified.

* * *

Bel Erland

I listened without comment while Caylon talked of arming the people of Mundia—those who were capable of handling weapons—in case Cardino and Churg led forces against the city.

Clearly, their attention was directed elsewhere for now; they had to wrest Vic'Law from the grasp of their rivals first. Then Mundia would become their target.

In their estimation, we'd be starving and willing to allow them to walk in unchallenged when that time came. Caylon knew differently. For years uncounted, he'd been General to the Crane Warlord on Falchan. His aim in this was to allow the enemy to weaken itself in battles against other enemies, while he reinforced his army and waited for the eventual attack.

The plan was solid.

I worried that there could be something we weren't expecting in all this. A knife to the back, while we were busy protecting the front. My fears were realized when Jayna ran into the dining hall, weeping.

"Quin is gone," she wailed. "A shining light came and she disappeared."

I was standing before I realized it.

The connection we had to Quin had failed to take us with her.

Chapter 11

Le-Ath Veronis

Lissa

It took three Larentii to calm Kaldill down. Bel Erland, who'd brought Terrett with him, had followed Kaldill straight to my palace. Bel was pale as a ghost and barely speaking, while Kaldill continued to mutter curses.

Terrett appeared lost.

If the others hadn't been meeting with twenty residents of Mundia, they'd likely be here, too. All asking the same question.

Why had the bond failed?

To make matters worse, Erland's carefully placed chip wasn't working either. We had no way to track Quin—wherever or whenever—she was.

* * *

Killshot

Bleek

We'd parked Killshot just outside sensor range of Harifa Edus, waiting for several ships to join us. With our laser cannons charged and aimed at strategic points outside the city and smaller towns we intended to take, we settled in to watch the planet, eat and make plans.

With my boots resting on the helm as I watched the planet far below us, the winged girl appeared from nowhere and slammed onto the rub-metal mat beside my chair.

* * *

Quin

I was so terrified I almost lost consciousness. Although I'd never seen him before, I knew I stared into the eyes of Bleek, Cayetes' general. Two right arms wheeled his captain's chair around while booted feet hit the floor beside my head.

When he stood, he towered far above me, while I could only cringe at his feet. He could crush my head with a well-placed kick; we both understood that.

Black hair swept about his face; black eyes studied me while I lowered my own. I didn't wish to see my death coming.

"You're the girl from LaFranza's shop. What in the bloody god's name are you doing here?"

Reaching down, he grabbed one of my wings and jerked me to my feet, causing me to cry out. For a moment, I could only work my jaw while nothing came from my mouth. "I'm so sorry, Master Bleek. Please, don't kill me."

He laughed.

* * *

Where are you?
Queen Lissa answered my call.

In the brig aboard one of Cayetes' ships
. I couldn't keep the quaver from my mental voice.

Do you know where?

Outside Harifa Edus. I saw it in Bleek's face—Cayetes wants to take back what he lost from Vogeffa II, and he also wants to take New Fyris. He's waiting on more of Cayetes' ships to come and help.

Do you know when they'll arrive?

I think tomorrow.

Are you in immediate danger?

No—he laughed and tossed me in the brig. I don't present a danger to him—in his estimation.

Then stay there for now—let him think we don't know. I'll arrange for our forces to meet him and the other ships when they arrive.

All right
.

Clamping my feathers about me—it was cold in my small prison—I resolved to wait for rescue. I should have known better. Really.

Whip, Bleek's second-in-command, came for me. He demanded that I serve dinner to him and the crew, while they laughed and made fun of me. He'd informed Cayetes, too, of the apparent stowaway aboard the ship.

He could think of no other way I might have gotten there.

What he didn't realize was this—I knew where Cayetes was, now.

Zephili
.

I informed Queen Lissa of that fact while Whip pulled me by a wing toward the ship's galley. At least my wings didn't hurt so much when someone pulled them. I reminded myself of that every time Whip jerked on it while we walked.

* * *

Le-Ath Veronis

Terrett

If I'd been with her, I would have killed anyone who touched her. Then I'd probably have been killed in return.

It made me sigh—and hope she stayed in the brig. I knew what kind of torture Cayetes' crew was capable of. I'd seen Bleek's handiwork too many times to count. Bel Erland had gone back to Vic'Law for Berel after the meeting was over with the Mundians. All three of us now sat in morose silence in Queen Lissa's arboretum, contemplating Quin's danger.

All of us had relied on a bond that so obviously hadn't worked. I still couldn't puzzle that out in my mind.

"I just heard from Bree," Queen Lissa arrived and took a seat next to her grandson.

"What did she say, Gran?" Bel asked.

"She said she nullified the bond temporarily—so you wouldn't be tossed onto Bleek's ship while in the middle of a meeting with the people from Mundia. It was a hard choice and a delicate situation."

"So Quin is there by herself, because Mundia might be offended?" Bel rose and stalked toward the tall windows. Outside, Lissia and Casino City glittered in the constant twilight covering this half of Le-Ath Veronis.

"Honey, I don't think it's that simple," Lissa rose to follow him. She placed an arm around him when she reached his side and leaned her head against his shoulder.

For a moment, I felt the old desire for loving parents. I knew who my mother was; she'd sold me when I was five and watched as my tongue was cut out. I never knew who my father was. When I'd passed my first fifty years, I understood that loving parents would remain a dream for me.

I was Sirenali, though, so my father had to be Sirenali as well. I cursed him and my mother—thoroughly and silently as I watched grandmother and grandson share their fears and their affection atop a high palace.

* * *

Bel Erland

Yanzi brought Justis and Lafe to Gran's palace late that evening; if Quin's information was correct, then we could be needed on board BlackWing ships. I wanted nothing more than to thwart Cayetes' bid to take the refugees from Vogeffa II as well as those from New Fyris. Getting Quin to safety was foremost in my mind, however.

Cayetes felt he was entitled to the refugees from Vogeffa II. They weren't people to him—only fodder to feed his addiction to life. Dad and I had already had a conversation about warlocks talented and powerful enough to perform Cayetes' transferences—there were many. Of those, some hadn't been seen for years. If we could find the site of one transfer that hadn't been cleaned or disturbed, we might be able to perform a reverse spell to discover who'd cast it.

There'd been nothing left behind on Vogeffa I; we'd already checked. This warlock was smart enough to remove any evidence so he couldn't be tracked, besides having at least one Sirenali at his elbow to hide him from those who held power.

Dad and Grampa already warned me about calling them if we found the warlock—in case their help was needed to contain him. As much as I wanted to take care of him myself, I understood the necessity and the logic behind their request.

"Would you like to visit Avii Castle?" Justis interrupted my thoughts. "Jurris wants to see me, so you may as well go with me if you'd like to see it. I imagine Gurnil would be happy to show the Crown Prince of Karathia through the place."

"Yes," I answered immediately. I'd take anything to relieve my worry for Quin and the thought that she could be at the mercy of terrible people.

"Good. Yanzi, Berel, Lafe and Terrett are coming, too; you'll be welcomed by my brother, as befits your station. I hear he's granted an interview with a journalist this morning, but we can see him immediately afterward."

"How is everything in Mundia?" I asked as I followed Justis toward the door. He'd found me moping in Gran's library; a hovercar would be waiting for us at the side door near the palace kitchen.

"Sal and Caylon have everything under control. They're providing body armor and extra weapons to the ASD agents there. I suggested bringing Jayna here, but Sal says not yet."

Nodding at Justis' statement, we walked down two flights of steps at a fast clip; Justis was military, after all, and used to commanding an army of winged troops. He wouldn't accept anything but my best effort—much like Sal and Caylon.

I admired him for that—that he could effortlessly take charge and set our pace. Dad and Grampa could do the same thing—just by walking into a room.

It took nearly an hour to reach the glass castle at a reasonable speed; we landed inside the bowl, where few outsiders were allowed to land. Terrett was amazed at the sheer size of the bowl, where orchards grew and sheep grazed.

"It amazing," Yanzi confirmed as we stepped out of the hovercar and looked about us. The walls of the outer castle rose high above us, and I couldn't help staring as we made our way toward a nearby door.

Just like the outside of the castle, the inside walls were lined with terraces where grass, trees and flower gardens grew.

Yanzi is correct—I'm amazed. I've never seen anything like this
, Terrett marveled.

"The legend says that Liron built it from the sand of the seabed beneath it in a day," Justis shrugged. "I wasn't there, so I can't say for sure."

"Has it always been this color—of the sea, with other colors mixed in?" I asked.

"It tends to reflect much of what is around it—appearing more gray on stormy days," Justis said. "I like to fly about it on clear days, when the blue-green shines best."

"I fly around too—if possible," Yanzi agreed.

* * *

Killshot

Quin

Three of my feathers littered the floor—pulled from my wings by cruel men who thought it funny.

I set plates before them; roasted fowl with root vegetables in a rich sauce. I was elbowed away as often as not after setting a plate down—it reminded me greatly of my time in the guard's dining hall of Avii Castle.

A Sirenali of perhaps twenty years sat silent in a corner—on the floor, which wasn't comfortable. Thin he was, and sickly, with knees drawn to his chin and his arms wrapped about himself in a struggle to warm a frail body.

The moment I served the last plate of food and received an elbow in my ribs for my efforts, I made my way toward the Sirenali's corner.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Bleek had arrived and held me back with one of his four hands.

"He's sick—I can help him," I breathed. "Please allow me to help him, Master Bleek."

"See, she knows what to call me," Bleek chuckled and let me go. "He's dying, but sure, if you think you can help, go ahead. It'll save me having to put a bullet through his brain."

I was already glowing when I knelt beside the Sirenali; something in his genetic makeup was skewed and causing his body to die. Glowing brighter and bringing all my talent to bear, I set about fixing what had gone wrong with the poor soul.

* * *

"What in the bloody god's name did you do?" Bleek demanded, thumping two fists on his desk. I'd been dragged straight to the captain's quarters after helping the Sirenali to his feet. Yes, his body was still wasted, but he rose, smiling and hungry for the first time in several eight-days.

After a brief examination by the ship's doctor, he was pronounced healthy.

He couldn't speak, just as Terrett couldn't, but he eagerly nodded his thanks to me before Bleek hauled me away.

"I can heal the sick," I mumbled, staring at my shoes. One was covered in gravy, when one of Bleek's men shoved me while I carried plates of food. My body was beginning to ache—none of the punches, pinches or blows had been gentle.

"What happened to LaFranza? Is he dead?"

"No. I healed him," I admitted. "The last I saw him, he was having dinner with friends in Mundia."

"Mundia? On Vic'Law?" Bleek's voice had gone quiet. Deadly.

"Yes, Master Bleek."

"We'll come back to that. Come with me," he grabbed my wing again and dragged me out of his quarters toward the freight-vator. The ride down to the freight deck seemed to take forever, with my wing held in Bleek's hard grip. I worried that he'd snap bones if he didn't let me go soon.

I was pulled relentlessly across the deck toward a door on the far side. Bleek opened it with a handscan and shoved me inside.

I'd seen it in his face already; here was the reality. His son lay in a glass-topped coffin with a heavy, jeweled base. A large, formidable lock on the outside prevented anyone from opening it to interrupt the spell on the boy.

Bleek's son had been placed in stasis by a warlock who couldn't care less about either. It was merely a gesture to keep Bleek in line and in service to Vardil Cayetes. The coffin, though—the same warlock hadn't spelled the lock sealing the coffin.

Someone else had done that
.

"Can you heal him?" Bleek's voice was rough as he pointed toward his son.

"I have to bring him out of the coffin and place my hands on him—like I did the other one upstairs," I said. "I think the spell on the lock prevents that."

"You can see the spell?" Bleek demanded, roughly swinging me around to face him. This time, I heard one of my wing bones snap and I cried out from the pain of it. At least he let me go when I dropped to the floor, shuddering in agony.

"How the bloody fuck do we get him out of there, then?" Bleek shouted. He was only beginning to understand that the boy was never meant to come out of the coffin. He was trapped in there forever, unless the one who spoke the proper words removed the spell on the lock. There was one other possibility, but I didn't want to impose on Queen Lissa for a criminal's child, as much as I wanted to save him.