“This isn’t working,” Jules said, shoving the book to the middle of the desk. “There must be a way to use them, but it’s not as simple as copying the runes. I’ve read Regnig’s notations from cover to cover, and found no explanation for how to utilize the spells.”
“Even if Regnig had this knowledge, I doubt he’d share it,” Nat told her.
“I think you’re correct.” Jules could already picture Regnig’s lecture about letting real magic loose into the neighborhood, and how it was best to contain the information.
“Have you considered what Karo told us?” Nat asked.
“Regarding my dad?”
“He’s obviously trying to deal with it on his own, but he might require your help.”
Jules drank her coffee before responding. “I’ll do what I can.”
Nat stood, closing the book on the desk. “Would you like to keep this for now?”
Jules peered at the portal stone in its case, and smiled at her Auntie. “Yeah. I’ll see if there’s anything we missed.”
They hugged, and Jules held her a few extra seconds. “I love you, Auntie.”
Nat stroked Jules’ hair. “And I love you, my little Mushka.”
When the door closed, Jules felt alone. Dean was no longer her boyfriend. The rest of her family was off on an adventure together, and she hadn’t been there to help protect them against Sarlun’s strike.
She considered trying to sleep, but with the caffeine raging through her system, she knew that wouldn’t come easy. Instead, she picked up the Beykn book, and began memorizing the shapes and spells.
____________
Ebos. They had the destination, and Rumi confirmed the wormhole generator was set on course. Having Outpost changed everything for the Alliance. Now that her parents had procured the new Gatekeeper assisting drones from the Takmas for a hefty fee, they were going to have the ability to target and explore countless planets.
Jaessa stayed close to Jules’ seat on the bridge, and she wondered how the next chapter of their mission would go. First they needed to deal with the single Brack woman trying to mess with the Alliance, and then they could bring Jaessa home to see how dire her peoples’ situation was.
The bridge was oddly quiet. Everyone was in a strange mood, unsure what to expect upon arrival. Ranul was an extremely dangerous woman, and Jules was hoping to deal with her promptly. If they could convince Death’s Maiden that Outpost was hers, it might actually work.
“Is Peters ready?” Magnus asked.
Raron nodded from his position next to Rumi. “Peters is outside the doors, waiting on our word.”
“Bring him in,” Magnus said.
“Yes, sir.” Raron escorted the man onto the bridge. He wore the same fake Alliance uniform as before, but he wasn’t smiling.
Magnus rose and faced the marauder leader. “Tell me again why you tried to steal my ship.”
“We’ve been through this.”
Magnus punched him in the gut, sending him keeling over. “When you can breathe, tell me.”
It took Peters a moment to gather his wits, and he glanced at Jules as if seeking help. She wasn’t going to give him any. He would have killed thousands of innocent people by blowing up Udoon Station. When she thought about it, punching him would feel good. She started to stand, and Peters cowered.
“I already said. We were hired to bring the warship to our contact. I didn’t know the details. Go to Udoon on a specific date, steal the gemstones, and bring the vessel. They were simple instructions.” Peters regained some of his swagger when he began talking.
“Simple.” Magnus laughed. “Stealing an Alliance warship?”
“We boarded it easily enough,” Peters said.
“Did you ever think we let you? That we wanted to learn what the hell you were doing, and why?” Magnus poked the man in the chest. He was lying. Jules knew they’d had a slip-up with the executive crew on Udoon. Their uniforms had been impressive, and fooled the hangar guards. The staff was so new, this being their first real mission, and most of the faces were strangers to them.
“Was she even going to let me have the gems?” he asked Jules, avoiding Magnus’ glare.
“No. We think she planned to steal your payment as well as Obelisk,” Jules admitted.
Peters’ chin sank. “I should never have gotten involved with this.”
“Too late for that,” Magnus said. “We’re about to jump to Ebos, where your damned Maiden is waiting.”
“Did you say Maiden?” Peters asked. “As in Death’s Maiden?”
“The one and only.” Magnus looked amused. “You really didn’t know?”
Peters shook his head. “Not a clue. How could she escape Traro?”
“Magic.” Jules moved her hands quickly, and he laughed, thinking she was kidding around.
“What do you need me to do?” Peters glanced at Raron, who’d already dealt with him once.
“You’re going to contact her. Tell her you’ve brought the prize. Show her this crate.” Magnus pointed to a box full of fake crystals behind them.
“Then what?”
“We throw you back in your cell and detain the Maiden.” Magnus clapped his palms together. “Think you can handle that?”
“Sure.” Peters shifted on his feet nervously. “What’s in it for me?”
“In it for you? How about I let you live, and you can go to one of those island prisons with sun and sand, instead of being buried alive in a level six prison cell on Traro? We have a new friend there, the captain of the Guardians, and she loves a good challenge. I think you fit the bill.”
Peters spread his fingers in front of him. “I’ll do it!”
“Rumi, are we prepared?” Magnus sat again, and Raron pushed Peters from their line of sight.
“Sir, we are ready and able.”
Outpost flew quickly in hyper, blue lights flashing in the viewscreen as the wormhole formed. Jules stared at it in wonder. No matter how many times they travelled this way, Jules was impressed with the technology.
The maw of the beast formed a few hundred kilometers out, and they sped toward it, entering the opening a few seconds later.
And they were at Ebos.
This was supposed to be a great candidate for a new Alliance colony planet. Jules couldn’t be sure how many of Ovalax’s promises were true, but seeing the world from a distance gave her goosebumps. It was almost a spitting image of Earth. White clouds, dark blue oceans against green landmasses. It felt like home.
She released her powers, letting them past her barrier. Jules tried to search for any signs of danger, any anomalies to her gifts, but sensed nothing beyond the Outpost crew and lifeforms on the planet. She was unable to tell how advanced they were, but there were living creatures down there.
Jules wondered if Ranul was waiting on the surface, watching for Outpost’s arrival. If she was, Jules had to risk it. She sealed the flow again, and noticed Peters staring at her. He didn’t comment on the fact that her eyes had been bright green.
“Sensors picking up no signs of spaceships. No thruster emittance from the last two weeks,” Rumi advised them.
“It’s all quiet,” Magnus whispered. “I was expecting…”
“Fireworks?” Natalia asked.
Suma sat across the bridge, her husband in the seat next to her. They hunched over a computer screen, and Jules saw how excited Elex was. He was preparing to be part of the colonization planning committee for Ebos if it proved to be a good location, and now he had the pleasure of being one of the first Alliance members to view the world.
“Perhaps a fleet or a swarm of enemies. This is anticlimactic.” Magnus gazed at Peters. “Back to his cell, please, Raron. We’ll summon him when we need him.”
“I’m going to send Papa… the Cyclone team the update.” Jules typed the message carefully, trying not to let her emotions get in the way of relaying the information.
“More waiting.”
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d
say you’re anxious for a fight,” Nat told him.
“Maybe. We’ve been training for so long, and I have this warship…” Magnus smirked at her. Jules tried to ignore them, and she hit send.
Raron returned, confirming Peters was in his cell, and they continued flying to Ebos. Jules stared at the beautiful world with a knot in the pit of her stomach.
Nineteen
Our Cyclone was exactly where we’d left it, uninterrupted by the locals on the portal-bearing planet. We lifted from the surface quickly, not wanting to delay the flight. Ebos was only a few days away, and even that felt too slow.
Hugo and Malir had finally repaired our ship’s communication network, and I hadn’t had any more visions or influences from the being trapped inside my mind. I was grateful for Ovalax’s silence. I hoped he was gone for good, but didn’t think so. He was in hibernation mode, and that worried me.
“Dad, Jules sent a message,” Hugo said, startling me from my reverie. Mary was in bed, and I could hear Malir bumping around in the kitchen. Just knowing that Jules was okay instantly put me in a better mood.
“Ebos has no active ships in orbit. Sensors show lifeforms, but we haven’t investigated yet. We have new information about the planet Gasade, which Ranul stole spells from, but that’s for another day. What is your ETA?”
Hugo huffed. “She sounds mad.”
I read the message again. “I didn’t think so.”
Hugo rolled his eyes. “She always asks how we’re doing. Every time. Especially you.”
“Hugo, she loves all of us.”
“Sure. But this is cold.”
“Tell her we’ll arrive in three days.” I watched my son type the communication and send it.
“I told her Malir was with us.” Hugo smiled.
“You like him, don’t you?”
“He’s cool. But Dean is too. I miss him being around. It was nice having family dinners with him,” Hugo admitted.
“It was. But things change.” I peered at the viewscreen, anxious for us to arrive at our final destination. Ebos.
“I’ll go check on Malir. I’m starving.” Hugo left, and I waited for a response from Outpost.
I was alone on the bridge, and I walked to the pilot’s seat. “Ovalax, what makes you so desperate to reach Ebos? Why now? What event are you preparing me for?” It was imperative we prevent something from occurring. That was what Ovalax did. He predicted catastrophic events. The Sect had told me that he’d stopped sharing visions with them. I wondered if it was because of his plan to meet the Recaster.
I waited for you.
The thought came into my head, scratching at my brain. I saw myself striding into his lair, the naked doppelgänger staring at me. “You knew the entire time. Anticipated the events on Newei. You were aware what was about to happen.” I stood up. “That you would be transferred into a Shandra Valincin stone… Why didn’t I realize that before? It was all on purpose. Every damned thing.”
I was talking to myself, my voice raised. “What’s so important at Ebos? Why did you sacrifice yourself to inhabit me?”
You will see.
“That’s not good enough, Ovalax!”
The Recaster must protect the universe. If they succeed, all will perish.
I needed to keep him talking. “If who succeeds? The Brack?”
You will see.
“Damn it, Ovalax, we’re almost there. You’ve sent me visions before. If you won’t tell me what’s going to happen, then show me!” I glanced at the bridge’s entrance, and Hugo stared at me, with two plates of spaghetti in his hands. I must have looked like a madman.
As you wish…
Pain erupted in my skull, and I fell to the floor, unable to see.
“Dad!” I heard Hugo’s cries but couldn’t respond.
Images flooded my mind.
Runes glowing in the air. A bald woman laughing hysterically while drifting in space. Planets torn apart. Earth, whole. Then the world is gone, pieces floating away.
Jules. In shackles. Much older. Crying. I can hear her voice, her mouth moving just enough for the words to escape her lips. “Turn around. Turn around. Turn around. Turn around. Turn around.”
Frames shatter, and the vision is replaced. It’s Karo’s home planet, the hub of the portal network. It’s so familiar, yet distant, as if someone else’s memory. The mountain housing the primary Shandra Jules once repaired explodes. I feel each and every Shandra in the universe detonate. Nearly every Alliance partner is dead within seconds, along with countless more. Thousands of worlds destroyed.
The bald woman is covered in red tattoos. Only her eyes are not inked with runes. She walks on a beach, the water red like an ocean of blood. She immerses herself, and doesn’t come up for air.
I gasped for oxygen and turned on my side, spilling red liquid from my mouth.
“Dean!” Mary was there, her hand cool on my forehead. “Was it Ovalax?”
I nodded, and saw Malir and Hugo watching me from across the room. Neither of them spoke. “How long was I unconscious?”
“Five minutes,” Mary said softly. “I didn’t know what to do.”
Her hands were shaking, and I managed to sit up, staring at the red stain on the bridge’s floor.
“Is that your blood?” she asked.
“I don’t think so. It was the tattooed woman,” I croaked out.
“Guys, give me a hand.” Mary and the younger ones pulled me to my feet, and I nearly tipped over. My balance was off, and my head throbbed viciously. They assisted me to the second seat at the front dash. “What happened?”
“I asked for it,” I muttered. “I demanded Ovalax show me why we were going to Ebos.”
“Why, Dean?”
“I needed to see the truth. I had to understand what would drive him to lure me to the planet, and why Sarlun was being forced to help this Ranul woman.”
“Did you get the answers?” Malir asked.
“Grab Dean some water,” Mary told him, and he rushed out of the room. “Did you?”
I recalled some of the visions, and my mind stuck on seeing an old Jules repeating the same two words. “Turn around.”
“What?” Hugo looked confused.
“Jules.” I stared at my family. “It’s bad. This Ranul is trying to destroy it all. I think she wants to decimate the portals.”
“Destroy the Shandra?” Mary took the glass of water from Malir and shoved it at me. A few drops spilled on my pants.
“I saw Karo’s home detonating. The portals followed.” My head throbbed, and I gulped all the water.
“What about Jules?” Mary was obviously disturbed by my situation, but I couldn’t tell her my vision. She’d be devastated.
“Ovalax planned all of this. He waited on Newei for the Recaster, and he knew we were going to take him with us. I also think he predicted Jules would save my life, and that this moment would come. It’s…”
“Freaky,” Hugo finished for me.
“That’s the word.”
“What about Ranul?” Mary inquired. “If she’s at Ebos, how do we stop her? We’re in a Cyclone.”
“But Jules will be in the warship,” Malir reminded us.
“That’s true, but there’s more at play. Ranul escaped Traro. I’ve been there. No one eludes that prison. She has access to an extremely powerful art, and I fear not even Jules’ Deity abilities will be enough to protect us,” I told them.
“Jules is stronger than you give her credit for,” Hugo said defiantly.
“That’s true,” Mary added.
I couldn’t look them in the eyes, or they’d see my disbelief. Because at that moment, I was sure there was no way to stop Ranul from the inevitable. She’d do all of those horrible acts, and end her own life in an ocean of blood.
“You’d better go to bed.” Mary urged me off the bridge, and even though she was right, I had no desire to rest.
I climbed into the bunk, slinked under the covers, and faced the wall. I could hear Jules�
� gravelly voice, almost like she was whispering in my ear.
Turn around.
When I did, the room held only darkness.
____________
“Where is everyone?” Suma asked.
“Still not here,” Magnus said.
“Let’s fly to the surface.” Jules wanted to scope the planet out. There was nothing worse than not knowing your setting. Maybe something on Ebos could be used to their advantage; if so, she wanted to be aware of it.
“We can’t just leave for the surface.” Nat shook her head slowly.
“Not all of us. My parents will arrive in two days.”
“I agree with Jules. I’d like to join her,” Jaessa told them.
“It’s only a couple days more. We should wait.” Magnus had the look, one she’d seen countless times at the Institute. It said he meant business, and that the discussion was complete.
Suma was the most agitated. “Where is my father? I expected he’d be here by now.”
“Maybe they caught wind. Somehow found out what happened at Udoon.” Nat made a good point.
“We locked that communication down to prevent gossip. We also told Barod she was out of a job if anyone spoke about it. I think we’re okay on that front, but there could have been another issue.” Magnus peered across the table at Jules. “I might have reacted in haste. Why don’t you take a small team to the surface?”
“Yes,” Jaessa whispered.
“Suma, Elex, would you like to pair with Jaessa and me?” Jules asked.
Elex almost fell out of his chair in excitement. “Finally. I can’t wait to see what kind of existing infrastructure there is, and whether we can utilize it into our designs. I’d love to keep the heritage of the previous inhabitants, but add the amenities of the Alliance.”
Jules stared at him, unsure why someone would be so ecstatic about this kind of thing. “Sure. We leave in an hour.”
The meeting disbanded, and Magnus kept Jules in the room with Nat. “Be careful. The sensors show it’s stable and extremely compatible. It’s eerie.”
The Colony (The Survivors Book Seventeen) Page 18