The League of Illusion: Legacy (12 page)

“We’re almost past.” She took them down to the end of the road then turned to the right before the entrance to the docks. “We’re clear.”

Jovan dropped to his knees, lifting the spell. In an instant the golem reappeared. It was swatting at its head. Some of the termites must’ve landed on him and were now feasting on the metal gears that made up its jaw and neck. But it was still gaining.

“Our plan worked, for the most part,” Rhys said.

“But it’s not good enough. That thing will not stop.” They had only one option left. She yanked the wheel to the left, toinstaking them back the way they’d come.

“What are you doing?” Jovan asked.

“Instead of outrunning it, we’ll have to just go where it can’t.”

The docks loomed ahead, as did t
he mighty Thames River. And Skylar had no intention of slowing down.

Jovan groaned in her ear. “You are not thinking what I think you’re thinking.”

“I am indeed.” She yanked on the lever and the carriage lurched forward even faster. “Hang on to your hats, gentlemen.”

And she took the carriage up and over the edge of the dock and into the bracing cold river water.

Chapter Eighteen

Jovan was thrown from the carriage the moment it hit the river. When he went under, the cold instantly gripped him tight, squeezing his heart and his lungs. He struggled in its icy grasp, until he was able to push up and breach the water’s surface. Sputtering and gasping for air, he spun around, looking for the others.

“Skylar!” he yelled. “Rhys!”

He spied the roof of the carriage slowly being swallowed by the river. Then he saw the hand still clinging to one of the railings.

Jovan dived back down into the water and swam hard toward the sinking vehicle. He reached it before it had completely sunk. Rhys was there, his head barely above water, struggling to tear his jacket off, as the sleeve had been caught on the railing.

“Hold still,” Jovan said.

But his brother wasn’t listening. He continued to squirm and struggle, twisting the material even more under the metal.

Jovan grabbed him and wrestled off his coat, until he was free of it. None too soon, as the carriage submersed completely under the water.

“You idiot,” Rhys sputtered. “The keys are in that jacket.”

“What?”

“The keys!”

“You find Skylar, I’ll get the bloody keys.”

Without hesitation, Jovan dove back into the water. It was nearly pitch in the river, but thankfully a beam of moonlight pierced the gloom and he was able to see the jacket floating a mere two feet below him. He grabbed it, dug into the inner pocket and came away with the pouch. Lungs nearly bursting, he swam up. When he broke the surface, he gulped the night air, happy he was able to breathe again.

He turned to see Rhys treading water not far from him, but Skylar was still nowhere in sight.

“Skylar!” Frantically, he turned in circles searching for any sign of her.

Rhys pointed at the shoreline. “She’s already on shore.”

Jovan spun around to see he was right. He could just make out her dark silhouette standing there waiting for them to emerge from the water. He and Rhys swam to the shore and crawled out onto the rocky beach. Skylar helped him to his feet, but he slipped on the muddy rocks and very nearly pulled her down. Once steady, he took in their surroundings.

They were on the opposite shore from the docks. Jovan swore he could see the outline of the golem standing on the edge of the wooden platform looking out at them. Of course, that was foolish, because it really didn’t have toinn the rieyes with which to see.

He turned back to Skylar. “How did you get out so quickly?”

“I’m an expert swimmer. Or don’t you remember our days swimming in the lake?”

He did remember, and well. But the water wasn’t nearly as biting and the shoreline wasn’t littered with pieces of driftwood and plant material. The smell hadn’t been the same either. Here, the water stunk like rotting fish and garbage.

To Rhys she asked, “Do you still have the keys?”

He pointed to Jovan, who showed her the pouch. “But everything else is lost.”

She nodded. “At least we have the keys. That’s what matters.”

“Now what?” Jovan wrung water from his shirttails.

“Now we get out of the city as soon as possible, while we have the advantage.” Skylar brushed at the blond strands of hair stuck to her cheeks. She’d lost her hat in the river. With her hair uncurled, it hung down to her derriere like a silvery blanket.

Jovan reached over and plucked a piece of seaweed from the long tangles. “Well, we can’t take the carriage, as it’s on the bottom.”

“I’ve already secured our transportation,” Rhys said. “It wasn’t supposed to be until morning, but I’m sure for the right price we can depart immediately.”

“When were you going to let us in on your plans?”

“Now, I suppose.” Rhys turned his left wrist back and forth. It was then that Jovan noticed the blood running down his hand.

“Are you all right?” He took a step toward Rhys.

But Rhys brushed him away. “It’s just a scratch.”

“It doesn’t look like a scratch.”

“It’s fine. I’ll heal.”

“Do you want me to…?” Skylar motioned with her hands.

Rhys shook his head. “Let’s just move on.”

“Where to then?” Jovan asked. He supposed he shouldn’t really be surprised that Rhys had made arrangements behind his back. Rhys didn’t discuss much of anything with him. It was obvious Jovan didn’t know much of anything about his brother.

“The airstrips. We have a ship waiting for us.”

“And how do you propose we get there? Walk?”

“Oi!” A voice echoed to them from a small river barge slowly moving toward the shore.

Jovan waved to the man standing on the bow, hailing them.

“Do you need some help?” the man asked.

“Could you take us downriver to the airstrips?” Jovan asked.

“You bet.”

The barge couldn’t anchor right at the shore as there were rocks in the water, so the three of them had to swim out a little ways and climb up the ladder. They were soaked through anyway, so no one complained. The barge was dry, it was faster than walking, and they wouldn’t be tracked.

Skylar was able to wash the river stink from her skin and hair thanks to a hot basin of clean water, and Jovan patched up Rhys’s arm with the first aid kit the captain had stowed in his cabin. All in all, they were damn lucky to have survived the drop into the river in one piece and wit piarrah the keys.

* * *

Two hours later, they arrived at the airship docks outside London proper. The whole area consisted of a series of wooden platforms on poles twelve feet above them in a complicated pinwheel. Below them were several buildings housing the cargo that would be transported out and shipped in from other countries. The buildings weren’t as large as those on the docks along the river, but Jovan imagined that would change in time. The wheels of industry kept on turning.

“There she is,” Rhys said.

Only one dirigible was docked, a decent-sized ship with two framed balloons painted with wings. The name on the side of the two-tiered blue craft was
The Chrysalis
.

They all got out and made their way to the docking station. When they neared, a buxom woman with long curly black hair stepped out of the shadows, blocking their path. She wore tight pants, tall boots and a big hat with lots of feathers.

She smiled. “Bonjour,
mon ami.
” She opened her thick arms and wrapped them around Rhys. Then she planted her full lips on his and kissed him eagerly.

Skylar glanced at Jovan. He just shrugged. He had no idea who this woman was, or how Rhys knew her. She didn’t seem like someone his brother would ever associate with.

After the woman disengaged from Rhys, she eyed Jovan and Skylar.
“Ton frère?”

Rhys nodded.
“Oui.”

She shook her head disapprovingly, then she smiled at Skylar and gathered her in her arms, hugging her tight. “Ah,
très joli.
”

“Skylar, Jovan, this is Captain Genevieve Le Blanc. Her ship will take us to Salisbury.”

After the woman relinquished her hold on Skylar, she beckoned them toward the ramp leading up to the floating vessel. “Come. I will find you dry clothes and warm drink.”

They followed her up. Skylar first, then Rhys. Jovan went last, not as eager to climb aboard. There was something about the captain he didn’t trust. Or it could’ve been the fact that he didn’t trust the logic of her and Rhys.

He caught up to Rhys. “Who is this woman?”

Rhys gave him a sidelong look. “A friend.”

“How long have you known her?”

“Why? What does it matter? We need transport to Salisbury and here it is.”

Genevieve helped Skylar aboard, then the two of them. “Come down to the cabins. I find clothes.” She gestured for them to follow her.

Jovan grabbed Rhys’s arm, holding him back. “I deserve an answer.”

Rhys whirled on him, fists clenched. Jovan could see the anger in his eyes. “You deserve? Ha! That’s all you ever think about. What you deserve. What you want. What you need. You are the most frivolous and selfish man I have ever known.”

“Even more so than your friend Hawthorne?” He couldn’t keep the spite from his voice.

“Yes, even more. At least he has values. They may be warped but he follows them.”

Jovan flinched as if struck in the side of the face. To be compared to their enemy and found lacking—it hurt to know that Rhys thought of him that way.

p wd as if
“You give no value to anything. Not to your family, to those who should mean something.” He glanced at Skylar.

“I value those around me.”

Rhys chortled. “Ha! You tossed those people aside when you acted as if you were above everything and everyone and used your magic whenever and for whatever reason. Because you wanted to.”

“If you’re speaking of the council…”

“I’m speaking of those you betrayed.”

“Who have I betrayed?”

“You betrayed me, Jovan!” he yelled. “You used me to steal from Patricia. Right there under my nose. And Father never did anything about it. It was brushed under the rug, like all your other transgressions.”

His face was red, and tears welled in the corner of his eyes. It was then Jovan realized how much he’d hurt his brother. His brother, whom he always thought cold and unfeeling, an unflinching rock. But a rock could bleed if cut deep enough. He finally understood that now. It was obvious that Rhys had been bleeding a long time.

His first instinct was to argue, to fight, but looking at his brother now made him accept the truth. He sighed. “You’re right.” He rubbed a shaky hand over his face. “I’ve been all that and worse. I’ve been ignorant about many issues.” He risked a glanced at Skylar, wanting her to know he spoke to her as well. “I can change, Rhys, and I have, I think. And I will even more for my family, for those I love.” He looked his brother straight in the eyes. “Can
you
forgive? Because I would ask it of you. I am sorry, my brother. More sorry than you could ever know. For that and for abandoning you after Sebastian left. I know you would never say it out loud but I knew you needed me.”

Rhys’s eyes widened, likely not realizing Jovan had known. Had always known that Rhys had suffered deeply when their elder brother vanished. It weighed on his shoulders. He had to deal with everything that went with being the eldest, without having anyone to turn to, to help carry the load.

Not waiting for a response from Rhys, maybe fearing it, Jovan shuffled wearily to where the two women stood, watching and waiting. “I would welcome that cabin and clothes, Captain, if you should still want to provide it.”

Before he could leave, Rhys said, “Jovan, I’m not sure…”

Jovan shook his head. “It’s all right. You don’t need to say anything.”

As he passed Skylar to follow the captain, she touched his arm. But he didn’t stop or meet her gaze. He was too cowardly, afraid he’d see judgment or resentment in her eyes. Two things he couldn’t handle coming from her. He’d just finished wrestling with one of the most important people in his life; he didn’t want to do it with another one.

Once they reached the cabin, Jovan thanked the captain and shut the door behind him. He sank down onto the berth, too exhausted to stay on his feet. Events from the past few days were quickly catching up to him. If his mind wasn’t still troubled, he’d probably be able to sleep the entire eight-hour trip. But troubled it was.

The stink of river water filled his nose. He stripped off his sodden overcoat and tossed it aside, then pulled off his boots. He hoped the captain would return with warm dry clothes soon. The chill of the night was starting to finally sink into his body.

There came a soft knock at the door.

Expecting the captain with his clothes, he opened it, but it was Skylar who stood in the doorway. She handed him a new shirt and trousers and waistcoat. “Not the highest of quality but it will do.”

He stood back to allow her entry. She stepped into the cabin and shut the door, leaning her back against it.

He unfastened the buttons on his shirt and stripped it off. Before he slid on the new one, he watched Skylar’s face. She didn’t avert her gaze but raked him with those intense eyes of hers. A shiver raced over him and it wasn’t from the chill in the air.

“How are you?” she asked.

He shrugged. “I apologize for my earlier outburst. Rhys and I should’ve done that in private.”

She ran her fingers through her hair, while still watching him. “No apologies needed. I’m quite certain that all had to come out. For Rhys’s sake and for yours. You’ve both been harboring it for too long.”

She pushed away from the door and gently placed her hand on his bare chest. Her touch sent a flare of heat shooting through him, like fireworks. His pants were quickly becoming uncomfortably snug.

“Skylar,” he breathed, covering her hand with his own. “I’ve waited so long to have your touch again. I feared I’d never earn it.”