Close Contact (21 page)

Lowering the blanket an inch, I opened one eye and peered out at Marcus. He was holding up the black trousers I’d left on the floor.

Well, schite. He’d caught me. “I can explain.”

“Uh-huh. While you’re at it, you can explain to the commander. He just arrived.”

Double schite. I started to sit up and then remembered I wasn’t wearing anything. “If you’ll give me some privacy, I’ll get dressed and be right out.”

He eyed me for a second like he was trying to decide whether to trust me or not, then nodded and left, pulling the door closed behind him. The low sound of voices came from the front of the house as I jumped up and dressed hurriedly.

When I was done, I did a mental check on Peri. She was outside, visiting the flowers, and showed no inclination to come protect me. I took that as a good sign. Marcus probably wasn’t going to kill me, just yell at me a bit.

Blowing a persistent lock of hair from my eyes, I gathered my courage, pasted a smile on my face, and opened the bedroom door.

Both Marcus and Reynard were holding cups and frowning at me, but I ignored them and strolled to the table as if I hadn’t a care in the world. There was a light lunch spread on the table, along with a pot of hot coffee.

“Gentlemen.” I nodded a greeting as I sat and poured a cup of coffee, inhaling deeply of the wonderful aroma before taking that first marvelous sip.

“Where did you go last night?” Marcus asked.

Okay, guess the social part of the day was over. “I went to search Strand’s ship,” I answered.

“Alone?” Marcus roared, almost dropping his cup. Reynard’s frown merely deepened.

“No.” I snagged some bread and speared a slice of meat to go with it. “Bim went with me.”

“Well, at least you’re not a complete idiot,” Marcus said. He put his cup down and rubbed his eyes. I decided I’d better not mention that Bim only went because he’d caught me sneaking out.

“I was perfectly safe,” I told the men. “Strand never knew I was there. And at least we know now that the Sumantti isn’t on his ship. Plus, Lillith got some vid of Strand and his men loading sunstones onto the ship.”

“Lillith knew about this little trip?”

“Yes, it was her idea, actually. She wanted to find out what kind of ship Strand had so she could be prepared, and I wanted to look for the Sumantti.”

“And what kind does he have?” Reynard asked the question this time.

I shrugged. “Not one worth worrying about. Lillith can take it easily if it comes to a fight.”

“Echo, I don’t think you understand how important you are.” Marcus’s tone was so serious that I stopped eating to stare at him.

“I’m not important. Getting that crystal back before she can destroy this solar system is what’s important.”

“And how do you think we’re going to do that if anything happens to you?” Reynard asked. “You are our only hope. If you’re incapacitated in any way, we’re doomed.”

“Well, when you put it like that…” I trailed off, and then sighed. “Fine. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. From now on, I swear I’ll tell you both before I do anything drastic. So, did you warn the king?” I asked in an attempt to change the subject.

“Yes, for all the good it did.”

“He didn’t believe you?”

“He doesn’t take the threat seriously, says his guards are loyal and would allow no one, especially not a stranger, close enough to harm him. I’ve assigned extra men to stay with him, but I’m not sure it will help.”

I reached over and covered his hand with mine. “Maybe we should tell him the whole truth, Reynard. I know it’s a risk, but it might save his life.”

He ran his free hand over his face and shook his head.

“Well, at least think about it,” I commented. “By the way, did I mention Zeller has been captured?”

Suddenly both of them were staring at me again and I couldn’t stop the smug grin that crossed my face.

“What makes you think Zeller was captured?” Marcus asked ominously.

“Because I saw it. Lowden’s men captured him near the castle last night. The crazy man was screaming his head off. Something about spirits trying to kill him,” I added innocently.

They were both silent a second before Marcus shook his head. “I’m not going to ask,” he muttered.

“This ghosting thing I’ve got really comes in handy,” I told him, reaching for my cup of coffee. It was halfway to my lips when suddenly the Imadei twitched, and then gave off a frantic burst of heat. The cup crashed to the table as I grabbed the stone, wrapped my hand around it over the material of my top. Involuntarily, my eyes closed as I tried to figure out what was happening.

For a moment I was distracted as Peri launched into the room, screaming in fear as she hovered in front of me. Then I knew, and terror nearly stopped my heart.

“What’s wrong?!” Marcus and Reynard had both leaped to their feet, and I heard the sound of metal sliding from leather.

“It’s the Daughter Stone,” I gasped. “She’s trying to break free from the stasis box.”

“Can you locate the stone?” Marcus asked urgently.

“No.” Sweat coated my forehead as I focused all my attention on the Imadei. If the Daughter Stone broke free, I had to be prepared.

“How can I help?” Reynard asked, his voice low and worried.

I shook my head and took a deep breath. Then, as quickly as it had started, the Imadei settled, the heat gradually fading from the small crystal under my hand. Relief flowed through me as I opened my eyes, leaving me weak and shaky.

Peri landed watchfully on the table, still peering at me in concern. “It’s over.” I let my breath out in a sigh. “She didn’t get out this time.”

Violently, Marcus grabbed a cloth and swabbed at the coffee I’d spilt. “We have to find that crystal, damn it!”

“I’m open to suggestions,” I told him as Reynard sheathed his sword and sat down beside me. “Maybe this is even more reason to come clean with the king. Doesn’t he have a right to know what kind of danger his world is in?” I glanced at Reynard. “You said he was a fair man. I’m sure when he knows there’s a good reason for me to be here in spite of the ban, he’ll understand. After all, it’s not like I’m planning to set up a shop to sell advanced technology. As soon as I complete my mission I’ll be gone.”

Reynard and I looked at each other, and I knew we were thinking the same thing. I didn’t want to leave him. The idea of never seeing him again, never touching him or talking to him, was almost more than I could stand.

But we had no choice.

As hard as it would be to resist, I couldn’t use my psi ability to pop in for a visit. That would only prolong the agony for both of us when we knew nothing more was possible, that we had no future together.

Reynard dropped his gaze first. “As much as I’d like to tell Politaus the truth, we can’t. It’s not merely that you’ve violated the ban, although he wouldn’t approve, even under these dire circumstances. But how would I tell him that his brother is involved in this scheme, how would I convince him it’s the truth? Even honest men have their blind spots, and he’d rather cut off his own limb than believe Braxus would plot against him. Knowing Politaus the way I do, he’d probably put himself in danger simply to prove his brother’s loyalty.”

“I’m afraid he’s right,” Marcus agreed in disgust. “Telling the king would do more damage than good now.”

“Then what are we supposed to do?” I asked the two men. “Just sit here and wait for Strand to act or for the Daughter Stone to succeed in getting away from them?”

“Unless you want to break into the castle and start searching room to room.” Marcus tossed the cloth onto a counter and hesitated, glancing from me to Reynard. “I’m going to talk to Lowden, see exactly what happened to Zeller and if he got any information out of him. I’ll stop at Cammi’s on the way and tell her you need another top. It will probably take me a couple of hours, at the least. Don’t worry about your act. I’ve already sent word to Treya that you won’t be dancing.”

“Where’s Bim?” I asked.

“I sent him to get some sleep. Commander, would you mind staying until I return?”

“It will be my pleasure.”

Neither of them said anything until Marcus went out and closed the door behind him, then Reynard took my hand and tugged me around the table to sit on his lap.

“He’s getting better about this guardian thing, but I’m surprised he left us alone,” I said, snuggling into his chest.

“I asked him to give us some time,” Reynard said.

“And he agreed? You’ll have to tell me what you threatened him with so I can use it.”

He rested his chin on top of my head, his arm holding me close, and I felt him smile. “I didn’t threaten him, only told him we needed to talk.”

“About what?”

“This.” He pulled out a small, deep blue velvet pouch and handed it to me.

I held it in my palm for a moment. “What is it?”

“Open it and see.”

Gingerly, I opened the pouch and upended it into my hand. And then gaped in shock. It was a gold ring, intricately made from what looked, to all appearances, to be two dragon birds, talons and tails entwined to form the band. In the center of their talons was set a sunstone, the size of the nail on my pinkie finger, which glowed softly in the bright light of day.

“It’s beautiful, Reynard,” I breathed. “The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

“The jeweler told me the creatures are mythological beasts called dragons. They’re supposed to be good luck. Now I know they are much more.”

“Where did you get it?”

“I bought it for you at a Bashalde gathering five cycles ago when I was on my way to meet with Jancen and Lowden. The jeweler’s tent was next to theirs. I was almost past it when I stopped and went back. The ring was sitting there as if it were waiting for me, and I knew the instant I saw it that it was yours.”

“You didn’t know me five cycles ago,” I whispered, afraid if I took my gaze off the ring it would vanish.

“I knew you,” he murmured, his lips brushing my hair. “I knew someday I’d find you, and you’d be all I had ever dreamed of, and more.”

Tears filled my eyes. “Reynard, you bought this for the woman you planned to spend your life with. We both know that’s not going to be me.” My fist closed around the ring in spite of my good intentions. “You should keep it. Someday you’ll wish you had it back.”

He pried my hand open, took the ring, and slid it on my left ring finger. “I bought it for the woman who would own my heart, Echo. That’s you. It will be you until the day I die no matter how far apart we are. Promise me you’ll wear it. It will give me comfort knowing that my gift will always bring light to your life.”

The tears spilled over and ran down my cheeks. “I’ll wear it, I promise. Forever. And every time I look at it, I’ll see you again, and know that my heart, too, is yours alone.”

I slid off his lap, scrubbed the tears from my face, and then held out my hand for his. “Come on. We have some time before Marcus gets back. My bed isn’t as big as yours, but I plan on showing you exactly what I can accomplish with such a limited amount of space.”

He stood, a slight smile on his rugged face. “As I told Marcus, it will be my pleasure.” With a quick tug he pulled me into his arms. “And yours as well. I’ll see to it.”

I
t was just getting dark when Marcus finally made it back, and we had taken full advantage of every moment, barely getting dressed and back in the front room before he came through the door. And our save was due mostly to Peri. I picked up an image of Marcus from her mind, strolling down the main street of Bastion City, looking very pleased with life in general. It was much the same expression Reynard was wearing as we rapidly dressed.

Bim had returned sometime that afternoon, and I’d just sent him to fetch food for the three of us when Marcus walked through the front door.

“What did you find out?” I asked him, uncovering the lamps to brighten the room.

He moved to the table where Reynard was sitting, trying to look innocent, and pulled out a chair. “Zeller is dead. Apparently it wasn’t an easy death, so I won’t go into the details. He told Lowden everything he knew before the end, but all that did was verify what we already know. He had no idea where the girls or the crystal are hidden.”

“What about Strand’s plans for me?”

He shook his head. “Strand didn’t trust him enough to go
into details. He only knew it involved stealing your knife. Nice ring,” he added, eyeing my hand.

“Thanks.” I held it out so he could admire it better. “Reynard gave it to me.”

“Good. Since you’re promised now, I don’t have to worry about my responsibilities as your guardian.”

I looked at him blankly. “Promised?” My gaze went to Reynard. He was practically whistling at the ceiling in an effort to appear nonchalant.

“Yes. Didn’t the commander explain?”

“No, he certainly did
not
.” I scowled at Reynard.

Marcus grinned gleefully at the commander. “Well, on Madrea, there’s no such thing as divorce or short-term marriages. When a man gives a woman a promise ring and she accepts it, you’re as good as married. The only thing left to do is the formal ceremony, which is mostly a celebration of the union, not a legal joining like it is in the Federation.”

“Neglected to mention that little detail to me, didn’t you?” I said.

He shrugged, a smile twitching at the corners of his lips. “You aren’t Madrean.”

“No, but you are,” I reminded him.

“Yes, I am.” His smile widened. “And you are mine now, no matter where you go.”

My fingers drummed the table. “Yeah? You can be sure we
will
talk about this later. People can’t just go around claiming other people without telling them about it in advance, pal.”

There was a scratching sound outside before the door opened and Bim came in carrying a tray loaded with food. We all unloaded it, and then filled our plates.

“Eat up,” I told the commander. “You’re going to need your strength tonight.”

“Oh?” He wiggled a brow, and I rolled my eyes.

“Not for that. We’re going to search under the castle.”

Both he and Marcus promptly choked.

“What?”

“Well, it was your idea,” I told Marcus. “And I know the girls are there somewhere. I got that much from the hall outside their room. It stands to reason that if they’re being kept under the castle, so is the Sumantti, and I have to look for them. If you’d prefer not to get involved,” I told the commander, “I can do it alone.”

“You aren’t going alone,” he practically growled. “Do you have any idea how extensive the network of rooms under the castle is? Even I don’t know my way around half of it, and I grew up exploring those passages.”

“Why are there so many of them?” I asked, puzzled. “I mean, I know you’ve had wars with the Bashalde in the past, but surely you didn’t need that many dungeons. There wouldn’t be any Bashalde left.”

“They aren’t dungeons, for the most part,” Marcus told me. “The theory is that the first settlers lived there until they could get crops well established and the planet supporting life on an individual basis. It was a commonsense way to keep supplies and medical care in a central location. The castle was later built on top of the quarters, but they extend outside the castle’s foundations.”

Suddenly, I sat up straighter, an idea occurring to me. “Are there outside entrances to this place, so a person could get in and out without having to go through the castle?”

“Probably,” Reynard said. “It would make sense to have multiple exits, although I’ve never seen one.”

“Lillith, do you have access to scans of the area around the castle from five cycles ago?”

“Yes, of course. The original teams were very thorough.”

“Great. I want you to compare them with the most recent scans you’ve taken of the same area. Look for anomalies like
paths that seem to end in the middle of nowhere, and weren’t there before. Or maybe a place where the ground has been disturbed recently. Or a big boulder has vanished. Anything that’s noticeably different.”

“Checking.”

We continued eating and were almost finished when she spoke again. “I think I’ve found what you’re looking for. There’s a faint path leading from the direction of Strand’s ship. It ends in a grassy area to the rear left of the castle several kilometers from the gathering field, and there’s a patch of ground that looks yellow and dead.”

“She found it.” I told Reynard what the ship had discovered. “That’s where we’ll start. I’m betting the girls won’t be far from the entrance, and they’ll keep the crystal close to the girls.”

“Echo,” Lillith spoke again. “I’m not sure this is a good idea. That path is entirely too clear from above when you’re looking for it. Why didn’t they hide it better?”

“Probably because they didn’t think it would occur to me to check. After all, this
is
my first mission. Strand would know that.”

“I still don’t like it.”

“We’ll be extra careful,” I promised the ship as I scooted my chair back. “Marcus, sorry about your clothes, but I need to borrow them again. I’ll be right back.”

Peri was on the window ledge grooming her feathers when I went into my room and closed the door. She’d left as soon as Marcus had earlier and stayed out later than usual, but then she’d been tired last night, too, and had slept most of the morning away just as I had.

“Don’t go to sleep,” I told her as I changed. “We’re leaving again.”

She gave her feathers one last fluff, and then looked up
with interest, giving an excited chirp as she picked up my thoughts.

I finished changing into the dark shirt and trousers, then attached my sheath to the belt, filling it with the knife I’d gotten from Lowden. It wasn’t as well balanced as mine, but it was sharp and well cared for. If I had to use it, it would get the job done, and that was what counted.

“Let’s go,” I told her, waiting until she was on my shoulder before going back to the front room. At once, both men stood.

“Marcus, I think you should stay here,” I told him. “If I’m not mistaken, my chip won’t work underground, so I won’t be able to communicate with Lillith. And since she doesn’t have human DNA, I can’t pop in on her. If it is a trap, I may need you on the outside more than I need you with us.”

He scowled and then sighed. “Fine, but I don’t like it. What am I supposed to do, sit here and twiddle my thumbs?”

“Go to work,” I said. “You’ve got a tavern to run. And it’ll make the time go faster. If I need you, it won’t matter where you are, anyway. But truthfully, I figure this will take a while. You’ll probably be in bed, fast asleep, when we get back.”

The look he gave me was wry. “Don’t count on it. I won’t sleep a wink until I know you’re both safe.”

Reynard slid the cylindrical covers over two of the lamps and handed one to me. “We’ll need these. It’s dark in those passages.”

I took it, and then gave Marcus a quick kiss on the cheek. “Don’t worry. We’ll be back before you know it.”

He grumbled as we went by him, then stood with his hands on his hips as we went out the door. And ran headlong into Bim.

The big man took one look at the way I was dressed, spread his feet, crossed his arms over his chest, and stared at me. He’d trapped me again, and there was obviously no way out of taking him with us.

Making the best of the situation, I pasted on a smile. “There you are, Bim. We want to know if you’d mind coming with us on a little adventure.”

Reynard arched a brow at me, but I concentrated on Bim. He looked downright suspicious, his gaze going from me to Reynard and back again. But really, what could he do? There was no chance he’d let me go off without him. Not when he felt semi-responsible for Zeller’s arrow piercing my shoulder, and not when he knew we were trying to help his people.

Finally, he nodded, and we started in the direction Lillith indicated. From the main street came the sounds of shopkeepers closing up and hurrying home for the night, and the laughter of children, stretching their playtime for as long as possible before their mothers called them in to supper.

It should have felt serene, normal, calming. Instead, an uneasy feeling of dread washed over me, causing my skin to pebble.

Was it percipience, a sense that we were walking into something that would change this idyllic world forever? A shiver ran over me and Reynard glanced down.

“Cold?”

“No.” I forced a smile. “Just dire thoughts. They’re gone now,” I lied, forgetting about his ability to detect the truth.

“No, they aren’t.” He took my free hand. “But we will prevail. You need to believe that. Fear of failure is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If we accept we’re going to fail before we start, why try? You might as well sit down and wait to die. This is something all soldiers know deep inside.”

“You’re right.” I squeezed his hand. “Thank you for reminding me.”

We went the rest of the way in relative silence. Since most of Bastion City stretched out in front of the castle, there was little in the way of habitations after we got on the other side. Lillith made minor adjustments in our direction until we stood in the area she’d indicated, up to our knees in green, healthy-looking grass dotted with wildflowers that gave off a slight glow in the darkness.

Once upon a time, this must have been part of the forest. Here and there, large tree stumps poked up from the ground, their bark dark and dry looking.

“Okay, where is the dead spot?” I asked her.

“About twenty paces to your left, closer to the tree line.”

“This way,” I gestured at Reynard and Bim.

We went slowly, examining the ground until we found the place Lillith indicated. I could see why she thought it suspicious. The grass was much shorter here, stiff and so yellowed that, from her vantage point, it must have looked like a signpost that said, “Enter here.” It was also way too symmetrical, measuring three meters by three meters square, with the edges sharply delineated.

The hair stood erect on my nape as I studied it, and I paused to check our surrounds. Had I heard something, or was my imagination running on high? Peri gave no indication that she was aware of a human near our location, but I wasn’t convinced. It felt like we were being watched.

“Lillith,” I said subvocally. “Are there any heat signatures in the woods large enough to be a person?”

“No. If there were, I would have mentioned it before now. And I still don’t like this.”

“I’m not thrilled about it, either,” I told her, walking slowly around the square of ground. “I’m pretty sure you’re right. They know we’re coming, watching for us, even.”

“How would they be watching? There’s no one near.”

“A vidport on one of the trees, maybe?” I commented.

She went silent for a second. “I found it.” Her tone was grim. “It’s operating off a very low voltage battery. That’s why I didn’t pick up on it before. You should abort this operation now.”

“I can’t, Lillith.” I stooped and ran a finger under the edge of the dead grass. What I found was a two-inch-thick metal hatch, heavy from the weight of soil on top, but light enough that a Natural could lift it if they strained a bit. “They are undoubtedly using those girls and the crystal as bait. But at least we know Strand is expecting us, and if we’re careful, this could be our best chance of retrieving them.”

Sliding both hands under the trapdoor, I tugged. Reynard and Bim joined me, and together we set the metal plate aside. Below it was a set of narrow stone stairs leading downward into stygian darkness.

“I’ll go first.” After a brief hesitation, I uncovered the lamp and started down. It wasn’t like I was giving away our presence, after all.

Behind me, Reynard followed suit, and then Bim. I could tell from his gait that Bim had removed the axe from his back and now carried it at the ready. Reynard did the same with his sword.

I counted forty steps before we reached the bottom, and realized they had gradually angled back toward the castle. From somewhere ahead water trickled, and the walls I touched were damp and slick with moss.

“Anything look familiar?” I asked Reynard, pausing a few feet beyond the steps.

“No, I’ve never been here before. I think it’s below the level I explored growing up. The main passageways weren’t this deep. We didn’t even know there was another level.”

“Great.” I lowered the lamp and studied the floor. “Too damp for dust, so no footprints. Looks like we’re on our own.” I meant that literally, too. I’d had no communication with Lillith since we were about halfway down the stairs. It was odd, not having the ship to rely on for information, and a little bit lonely.

“On the other hand, the hall outside the girls’ room looked like this, too, so it’s a good bet they’re down here somewhere. Let’s keep going.”

The hall seemed to stretch forever before we ran into an intersection. Here, we stopped again and with lamps raised, looked in both directions.

“What do you think?” Reynard asked. “Right, left or keep going?”

“All of the above,” I told him. “There are doors down each side hall. We need to check them all. It will take longer, but we stay together. Left first, and hope the doors aren’t locked.”

They weren’t. Most of them weren’t even completely closed. We checked each one and discovered the dust that was missing from the hall. Dust that hadn’t been disturbed in hundreds of years, from the look of things. Otherwise, the rooms were empty.