by H M Angues
“Where is everyone?” I ask, not expecting an answer.
She chuckles. “I’m the emperor’s daughter and hold the highest rank in the Armed Forces. People tend to do what I ask.”
I follow her to a door that leads up to one of the towers, but instead we go down several flights of stairs to the kitchens where the palace staff cooks meals for formal events. They’re modern and lavish, despite their location underground. A small door opens to another set of stairs. These carry us up to what is essentially the backyard of the palace, an area I’ve yet to see.
Standing barefoot on the grass next to Calla, I take in the breathtaking view. A few hundred meters from us is a cliff’s edge, plunging downward to a rocky ravine: I can hear the rapids of the Harbinger River rushing below. Across the canyon, Capital City shines under the light of the Twin Moons, glass and metal structures glinting and twinkling, bright enough to rival the stars. Blade is standing closer to the edge, beckoning us toward him.
“What’s going on?” I ask as we jog lightly through the swaying grass.
“We’re finding Kainan, with or without the emperor’s blessing,” Calla says. “Now stop asking questions.”
Calla stops beside Blade, next to what appears to be a sewage grate that one would find on the streets of a large city, not right on the palace’s backdoor. Two symbols—a black hand with a green eye in the center, and sword topped with a flaming crown—are engraved on the metal. From the palace, it would have been invisible, hidden by the tall grass brushing mine and Blade’s thighs, and Calla’s waist. She bends down and pulls it to the side with a surprising amount of strength.
A rickety ladder is revealed, plunging into the darkness below. She waves her hand, a small burst of fire escaping her palm and entering the manhole. I lean over, watching the flame light a brazier at the bottom, which is a few meters below.
Calla begins to climb down; Blade looks to me, waiting for me to follow her. He begins to descend after I do. We climb for just a few moments, the ladder creaking under our weight. When we reach the bottom, I realize it is still not our final destination. Stairs carved from Eterra’s stony crust meet us and we make our way down. Calla lights the sconces mounted on the wall to illuminate our path as we climb lower, lower, deep into the rock.
This descent is significantly longer, the stairs turning downward for what feels like an eternity. Finally, they end at a carved stone door with no handle. I glance at Calla, puzzled, but she just smiles, a secret I’m unaware of lurking behind that grin. She places a small hand on the stone and moves it effortlessly to the right. I step up, glancing through the opening.
An underground hangar. It’s a natural cavern that must be several stories high, lit by bright lights hanging from the tall ceiling. Only the floor has been carved, smoothed out and polished. And on that floor, are hoverjets—Nighthawks, the sleek and heavily-armored military stealth jets; a couple Condors, the largest hoverjets which are used for heavy shipments; and in the far corner sits a white hoverjet bearing the same sword-and-flaming-crown symbol I had seen on the grate. A Golden Eagle, the hoverjets used by the imperial family, politicians and military officials throughout the empire, known for their safety and maneuverability. The jets line either side of the cavern, the black Nighthawks and their heavy artillery especially menacing.
“What the...” I trail off, awestruck by the sight. “Does the emperor know this is here?”
“Yes and no,” Calla replies, making her way to one of the Nighthawks. “I think he has an idea that this is here, but he chooses to ignore it. It’s always been that way—its existence is implied, but there is never anything done about it.”
“And what about that symbol?” I gesture to the one emblazoned on the white jet.
“That is Calla’s symbol, given to her by the Overseer himself,” Blade answers.
“The Overseer?” I exclaim, not believing my ears. The Overseer is the leader of the Underground, the most powerful secret organization of agents and spies in Namari, who, according to rumor, work for the emperor and politicians. They’re hardly a secret anymore, since everyone knows to some extent that they exist, but it’s impossible to contact them, let alone find them. They hold so much influence and power throughout Namari that none of the provincial kings and queens dare make a move against them. And they can only exist with the imperial family’s blessing.
“Yes, Ryse, the Overseer. Welcome to the Underground. Well, a small part of it.” Calla flashes me a grin as she climbs into the pilot’s seat of a Nighthawk. It’s an M13, one of the larger models made to fit more than a single pilot. It’s right beside a Nighthawk V2 Destroyer; a single-pilot killing machine. Calla brushes her hand over the V2 Destroyer, her symbol on its nose. It has definitely seen battle, the emperor's daughter likely its war pilot.
The rear ramp of the M13 lowers, allowing Blade and me to climb inside. It raises once we’re in, sealing us inside. The electromagnetic engines of the jet roar to life, vibrating through the vessel. Through the cockpit glass, if I crane my neck, I can see the bluish purple glow of the high-tech engines on the hoverjet's wings.
“You ever flown before?” Blade asks.
“Only in a Pelican,” I say, gulping down the bit of apprehension rising in my throat. Pelicans are commercial hoverjets, gentle-moving and slow compared to all others. Nighthawks are armored with weapons that could level a city and can travel as fast as Mach Fifteen hypersonic speed. This being an M13 means max speed is Mach Thirteen.
“You’ll want to sit up there, then.” Blade grins and shoves me forward to the cockpit. I climb into the seat next to Calla, watching intently as she flips switches and turns nobs to ready the hoverjet.
“Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it seems,” she says, squeezing my shoulder before returning to her task.
As the jet rolls forward and turns on the stone runway, I cast a nervous glance in Calla’s direction. We’re rolling straight toward a solid wall of rock, at least a few meters thick.
Smiling, Calla turns her focus on the solid stone before us. I notice that this wall, unlike the surrounding rock, is smooth. She hardly glances at the wall when silently, magically, the stone begins to move aside, creating an opening just large enough for the hoverjet to slip through. When I look at Calla again, that sly smile is back.
“I thought you were Fireblood?” I gasp, mouth agape at the wondrous and impossible sight before me. Occasionally, Primori will be born with more than one ability, like Emperor Remus who could manipulate metal and lightning. But elementals, which are Firebloods, Oceanus, Terras, and Aeros, are the most powerful, and that’s because all their energy goes into the strength of their single ability. Never in history has Fireblooded, or any other elemental Primori, had more than one ability.
But here it is, right before my very eyes, the Fireblood woman peeling apart solid rock as if it were mere paper. She smiles even wider at me, a laugh escaping her throat. It’s a beautiful sound, soft and musical. “As did I, until one day when it just... happened. And I realized I was more than just fireblood.”
“Does the emperor know?”
“No. And I’d prefer that it stayed that way. There are many things I hide from my father, and for good reason. This one... My mother had advised me to keep it quiet. Blade and Talon never said a word, either.”
I simply nod, not knowing what else to say as the hoverjet takes off toward the opening in the stone. It lifts off as we enter open air, the stars and moonlight highlighting the clouds all around us.
Chapter 5
Calla
The look on Rysen’s face, his knuckles white on his hands tightly wrapped around the seat, as I fly the jet at top speed is enough to erase my problems for the time being. I laugh as I slow down, switch the hoverjet into autopilot, and turn on stealth mode.
He takes a deep breath, and it's probably the first he's taken since take-off. “So, where are we going?”
I open my mouth to answer, but the feel of Blade’s eyes on my back
silences me. I already know the question he wants to ask: Can we trust him?
I turn slightly in my seat and nod to him, indicating that yes, we can trust Rysen. Every part of me is saying that we need to. “Drakonis. It’s the Underground’s largest city, deep under Roran’s northeastern mountains. We’ll find the help we need there.”
“And the emperor? Won’t he come looking for us?”
“No. Her little escapades are not uncommon, and he won’t want to bring Kainan’s attention to the matter by starting a search. Making it public that his daughter is missing will mean he’s not the only one searching for her. Augustus will keep quiet, if we’re not gone too long,” Blade explains. “Besides, with everything going on, it’s very common that Calla and her father don’t run into each other for days at a time, even if they never leave Stonefire Palace.”
With the hoverjet at cruising speed, the flight will take two hours, so I turn the pilot’s chair to face Ryse beside me. “Do you plan on returning to Roran’s court at all?”
He shakes his head. “There’s nothing left for me there. Talon’s generosity was the only reason I was allowed to stay. Sybella might want me around, but since she is only queen consort and her seat as leader is temporary, she’s subject to the court’s influence. And the officials most certainly do not want me back.”
“Why wouldn’t the rest of the officials want you there?” I ask, not wanting to pry, but unable to quell my curiosity.
He raises one eyebrow. “Did you forget already, Your Highness?” he teases. “My brother is Kainan Dane, which makes me Rysen Dane, and that means…”
“Your father was Emeric Dane,” I remember.
I fall silent, not questioning him further. Emeric Dane. I had heard whisperings of his sons while growing up, but most people didn’t speak on the issue. I believe the people’s silence is what had allowed the rumored abusiveness to continue for years.
Blade isn’t so polite. “Holy shit, dude,” he mutters.
Ryse stares blankly through the glass windows. “I hated my father since I was old enough to know what hate was. The only person I hated more was my mother for letting him do what he did to us,” he continues, stumbling over the words. “Kainan worshiped him and tormented me for not doing the same. He was the oldest son, my father's pride and joy, and I was nothing. When Emeric was sentenced to be executed and our political titles stripped from us, I was relieved. My brother didn’t take it so lightly. He was furious. It was around that time he disappeared, and I never heard from him again. I didn’t even know he was still alive until a few weeks ago.”
I’m left speechless, staring at the young man beside me. My brother had bestowed upon him a kindness that no other man in Namari would. I consider Namari to be forgiving, but the Dane family... Well, their behavior had been treasonous at best, so it would have been incredibly difficult for Ryse to find a place in this country while carrying that name. He was left with nothing until Talon gave him a place in his court.
“Sometimes the bad things happen to the good people. I think it’s God’s way of teaching them to remain good, even when the world doesn’t reciprocate their kindness,” I say softly enough so that only Ryse can hear me.
“You say them and their as if you aren’t included. You’re a good person, Calla. You’ll make a great emperor one day.” Rysen smiles warmly and squeezes my fingers. I had forgotten he was still holding them where they rest on his arm.
“You hardly know me,” I reply, adding an air of mischief to my voice and giving Ryse a wink.
He chuckles quietly. “I think that’s my point. I hardly know you, but I can tell you’re a good person. Don’t let this hectic and cruel world change that about you.” He pauses. “I thought the Renalds abhorred religion?”
“Traditionally, yes. But when you live a life like mine, when you’ve seen war and bloodshed firsthand, you need something to believe in.”
∞∞∞
The time passes quickly and before I know it, the hoverjet’s navigation screen notifies me that we are nearing our destination. I spin the chair back around to flying position and switch the aircraft out of autopilot. I know the way by heart, so I turn off the Nav, the screen blinking out and taking with it the only light that illuminated the cabin.
Roran’s largest mountain range looms before us, the beauty of the grey peaks far more astonishing than that of the man-made skyscrapers and towers at the base of the mountains. The city of Wraike, one of the Province’s largest, sparkles in the starlight below us as I maneuver the hoverjet stealthily overhead.
Sitting quietly like a tall and lumbering giant is Mordue, the largest mountain in all of Namari. I bring the jet lower, lower, until we are weaving through canyons between the rocky beasts of nature.
At the foot of Mordue, nestled into the side of a canyon, is a hangar even larger than the one below the palace. The opening comes into view, the gaping mouth of the rock growing in size as we move closer, like a beast slowly opening its jaws and preparing to swallow us whole. I guide the hoverjet in as I reduce speed until it’s humming steadily over an empty hangar space. I gently set it down on the polished stone. Before we even exit the jet, uniformed men and women rush over to begin refueling it and do any maintenance it may need so it’ll be ready to fly the moment we wish to depart.
Once outside the hoverjet, a fair and willowy woman approaches us. Her platinum blond hair is tied back, and she’s clothed in leather armor that bears the symbol of the Underground over her left breast. As she nears, she crosses her right fist over her chest and takes a knee before me, bowing her head as she mutters, “Your Highness.”
“Fayette,” I say, touching her shoulder to signal that she may stand. I pull her into an embrace, my face squished into her bony shoulder. “It’s good to see you.”
She hugs me back. “You too, Calla. I’m so sorry about your brother.”
I nod in response, never knowing what to say in situations like this. When my mother died, and people offered condolences, I’d always just smile.
“It’s not like I’m standing right here or anything,” Blade teases from behind me. Fayette’s features light up instantly as she rushes to him. He pulls her into a warm bear hug, kissing her lips before letting go. I turn away, not wanting to invade the lovers’ reunion. It’s not often that the Overseer’s daughter and Blade are in the same place at once. She’s usually off on some assignment whenever we are in Drakonis, her home. Being with her is a rare and treasured thing for him.
“We should leave them be,” I say to a gawking Ryse, tugging his arm gently in the opposite direction.
“Sorry,” he mumbles, realizing he was staring. He rubs the back of his neck. “Public displays of affection... They aren’t common in Roran's larger cities; it’s frowned upon.”
“I’m well aware of Roran’s more traditional views. The other Provinces, including the Capital, are vastly different.” I continue to pull him along to the far end of the bustling hangar. A large set of metal doors awaits, guarded by two strong men wearing uniforms similar to Fayette’s. They mimic her respectful salute and unlock the doors, revealing a concrete hallway lined with humming electric lights hanging from the ceiling. We walk for a few minutes before exiting the hall onto a stone balcony.
Drakonis truly is breathtaking. While the corridor we just stepped out of is lined with concrete, the rest of the city is carved out of the mountain’s natural grey-brown stone. Pillars dot the expansive space, and everything from shops to apartments are carved into the side of the large city center. In the very middle, a grand fountain spews water. Children play around it, splashing and screeching as their parents try to reign them in. Rysen and I stand on a balcony that is connected to the city by a bridge. Below the bridge lies an underground lake filled with crystal clear water, illuminated against the stone by natural luminescent algae beneath the water. People row small boats around the lake, using it to traverse the city by means of the canals carved from the stone, which lead the water throughou
t Drakonis.
“How is this possible?” Ryse gasps.
“Emperor Tiber, my great-great-great-grandfather. He was a Terra; he could manipulate the earth and stone the same way you saw me do back at the palace. Before he became emperor, he was like me. He befriended the Underground and made them strong by building their cities and hangars and outposts.”
Rysen continues to silently take in the surrounding city. “It’s beautiful,” he says after a while.
“I know.”
Chapter 6
Rysen
She leads me through the city of stone, weaving us through the surprisingly large crowd of people from all over the empire. I recognize accents and physical characteristics from every Province in Namari as we make our way to our destination. It's as if there is an entire nation living beneath Namari's surface world.
There’s another, smaller bridge at the other side of the city, arching over one of the canals. Across it rests the most elaborately carved structure I’ve seen in Drakonis so far. Decorative pillars and gargoyles have been carved of the stone. A set of wooden doors sits under two particularly menacing statues. Calla doesn’t bother to knock; she pushes confidently through the entry striding in while I stay close on her heels.
Able to see clearly over her head, I scan the unfamiliar territory for potential threats. Though I know she could easily handle herself if things went sour, it’s a thing of habit. I wasn’t only Talon’s advisor and friend—I was one of his best Guardsmen, trained by my wretched father as well as some of the best soldiers and generals in Roran. Staying alert, being protective—it’s all second nature to me. I find myself especially inclined to stand guard over Calla.