Amena got her manager to organize an appearance for her in Lyndamon, another book signing, since that was the easiest under such short notice. One of Eberet’s agents forged papers for most of us so we could join her. Deryt would fly Quilla’s Revenge but the rest of us would take a regular transport ship up to the city. We’d locate the target and signal the fleet.
Then we had a strategy meeting to decide our plan of attack.
We were in another reading room at the library, a larger space to fit the leaders of the rebel fighters along with our team and Eberet. Just getting that many of us into one place required sneaking in through back entrances and secret pass phrases. The whole thing felt like I was in an adventure novel or a penny dreadful. It was easier to get through this if I pictured myself as a character in a story. I hoped we were headed for a happy ending.
“And what’s our objective?” Amena asked the room, but looking at me. “Are we just stopping the bloodstones?”
Eberet consulted his notes. “There’s at least two locations that must be involved in turning people into bionic witches. The main temple is the site where the human sacrifices take place, according to Riwenne’s vision. I predict there’s a workshop or factory where the prosthetics are fitted and activated with the powered bloodstones. We must target both to stop production.”
One rebel, a burly man who looked twice my height and at least three times my weight, folded his massive arms. “So you want us to attack Damon Temple and the Ministry of Research and Development, two of the most powerful institutions in the entire province. If we’re going that far, why don’t we just take out all the capital’s leadership? Stop their rule once and for all.”
“Hm.” Eberet ruffled through his papers. “Stopping their leadership would mean we’d need to replace it. I’m not sure we’ve ever considered a strategy to take control of the government, even one province. There would be retaliation from the rest of the empire.”
Amena lifted her chin and tossed back her hair. “Any attack on a floating capital would mean retaliation. Everyone thinks they’re untouchable up there in the sky. If we take over, it would be a huge win—and it would show that the empire is vulnerable.”
Murmurs went around the room. It was a tempting idea, but they weren’t used to taking such big risks.
I stood up, and the conversation died as everyone turned to me.
“My objective is to take down Minister Rennu.” I clenched my fist in front of my chest. “No matter what else we do, he must be stopped. We already destroyed one of his factories and he came back with another plan to hurt even more people. This won’t end until we make sure he can’t build any machines ever again.”
Kyra touched my hand, her eyes full of concern. “Ri, you don’t mean…”
“I’ll give him the option to surrender,” I said with a shake of my head. “But if he won’t be convinced to stop, I’ll do what has to be done.”
The burly man gave me a nod of respect and brandished his rifle. “I’ll get you close enough to stop that monster.”
Vilqa jumped to their feet. “I’ll make sure the airships can get to the city without being seen. I can call up enough clouds to give you cover.”
More people volunteered their skills to take out weaknesses they knew about in the city’s defenses. And just like that, the plan started to come together. Whether we took control of the capital, we’d strike a powerful blow that the empire couldn’t ignore.
All I had to do was make sure my father never hurt anyone again.
Once we had a plan, the preparations came together quickly. Before I knew it, we were on a transport ship flying to Lyndamon with Amena, her manager, and the rest of her press team. Vilqa, acting as Amena’s bodyguard, would stick close to her during the book signing while the rest of us looked for Rennu. Janera was concealing a small portable radio that we’d use to signal the airship fleet for the attack.
The transport ship had a large wrap-around window with a two-story-high glass panel giving passengers a stunning view of the flight. Even for the short trip, servers circulated through the viewing deck with drinks and refreshments. But today, my stomach was too knotted up to even think of eating. I perched on the front edge of a plush chair and watched the sky with grim determination.
Clouds were already gathering from Vilqa’s magic. They were drawing our cover in slowly on a breeze so the change wouldn’t be dramatic. Just a few wisps, dimming the light from the sun. Even Chysa wouldn’t be able to see us coming.
The airship drifted up and ground dropped away below us, the skyscrapers of Ruraqie shrinking in the distance. The whole plateau spread out like a patchwork quilt of buildings and fields. The mountains rose on either side of us then fell away, too. Once we had enough height to cross the range, the ship turned west to the ocean.
Kyra sat in the seat next to me and held my hand. “Are you okay?”
I looked over at her and managed a small smile. She was so beautiful, I couldn’t believe she was mine. Yet I had a sinking feeling that I would lose her.
I swallowed hard against the dryness in my throat. “Whatever happens, I just want you to know I love you.” I leaned closer and touched her face. “I loved you from the moment I first saw you, and I always will.”
“I love you, too,” she said, and her words sent a thrill through me. But she frowned. “You’re scaring me. Promise me you’re not planning on doing something stupid?”
I bit my lip. “Everything I do is stupid. If I hadn’t hesitated to attack Rennu the first time, he wouldn’t have taken Nexita or done all this. I’m just trying to fix my mistake.”
She gripped my hand tighter. “I didn’t mean to say you were stupid. I don’t want you sacrificing yourself.”
I let go of her face and looked back at the sky. The bottom of the city was coming into view over the bay, a jagged rock like an upside-down mountain. “It seems like there always has to be a sacrifice.”
“But not you.” She grabbed my shoulders and pulled me to face her again. “You’re all I have, Ri. I can’t lose you.”
“Better me than you, or anyone else,” I whispered. In my heart, I knew it was true. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if a single person gave up their life for mine. “Promise me you won’t get in the way. I may not have a choice about my fate, but I want you to be safe.”
Tears sparkled in her eyes, but Kyra nodded. She drew me into a deep kiss and I melted into her. Her touch gave me energy like nothing else, and I felt stronger than ever for the fight to come. If I had a chance to live, I would take it for her sake.
Then we both sat back and looked around to make sure no one was staring at our public display of affection. I glanced at our friends sitting nearby, but they were looking away. We’d never officially told them about our new relationship, but I guess it was obvious when we all shared a set of rooms. I hoped they didn’t say anything just out of respect for our privacy, but I didn’t get the feeling there was any disapproval from them.
I checked Vilqa’s reaction whenever I reached for Kyra’s hand, but I never saw them get upset. When Kyra had claimed Vilqa was jealously harboring a crush on me, she really meant herself.
I looked back at Lyndamon rising before us. The base was plain rock with birds nesting in the crevices. But to my eyes, I could see the shifting colors of magic deep within the mechanics that kept it aloft. Everyone knew about the Synthetic Ethereal Apparatus but no one said how it worked. For such an impossible feat, an entire city defying gravity, the magic was simple.
The rock itself had been transformed so it was lighter than the smog. It truly was floating, not flying, by supporting itself on the polluted air that blanketed the land. I did not understand how that worked with all the heavy buildings on top, but it took a crazy amount of energy. The underground of the capital sparkled with hundreds of sunstones like a night sky full of stars.
If I had longer to study it, I might figure out how the priestesses had created such a powerful spell. But we didn’t
have time. The airship was crossing over the walls and preparing to land. I had to focus on my mission.
From our view, I could see the whole city below us. It seemed smaller now. It couldn’t compete with the suburban sprawl of Ruraqie and the other towns around Lake Totdo. Easy to pick out Damon Temple, its tallest spire rising in the heart of Lyndamon, and the Ministry of R&D with its brass roofs gleaming in the sunlight.
Almost there.
27
Attack the Capital
Turn the Page Bookshop & Sundries was filled with eager fans as Amena read aloud a new excerpt from her memoir. The crowd made it easy for Kyra, Janera, and I to slip out the back of the bookstore unnoticed.
Damon Temple was only a short ride on the cable car. We had to keep our heads down and watch from the far side of the street. This was the place where the most people could recognize us.
A glance inside showed the priestesses were going about their normal routine. I saw a few faces I knew, including girls who had become novices with Kyra and me. There was Ytta, Salki, and Vynala, laughing together as they mopped the main sanctuary floor. They looked so young and carefree. Had we ever been like them?
There was no sign of anything sinister in the temple, no stains on the floor or screams of victims. But to my second sight, the taint of the blood magic hung in the air like a dark miasma. One of our targets was confirmed.
Vilqa and Amena would run to this spot when the attack happened. I didn’t know if they trained any of the priestesses in combat, but just in case, those two would be here to counter their magic.
We watched long enough until we glimpsed long red hair and multicolored robes. I turned away before I saw Mother Lyda. Superstitiously, I was afraid she would feel my gaze and know I was there for all the wrong reasons.
“One down,” I muttered as we walked away. “Now on to R&D.”
The Ministry of Technological Research and Development was close enough to walk there, a large complex of buildings spread across two blocks. My gaze took in the main building, the rows of workshops and classrooms, and the factories rising behind them. I tried to guess which one was where we broke Rennu’s mechanical beast manufacturing, but I hadn’t paid attention that night.
Janera knew where it was, though. She led us around the corner, sneaking through the back ways between the other buildings, and pointed at one smaller factory tucked in the middle. “That was his secret spot last time. I remember the way the roof opened up and let the machines come in.”
Kyra crept up to a window and craned her neck to look inside. “Do you think he’s using it again?”
I joined her, standing on tiptoe to see. Janera was the only one tall enough to look in the high windows.
At first glance, it looked abandoned. The large machines lay in ruins, rusted over by my salt water spell. But when I stepped back and looked at the roof again, I saw there was steam coming out of a vent in one corner. Something was still running.
Janera pointed to a spot in the back. “Someone’s in there.”
Kyra found an empty crate on the ground and pushed it under the window to give us both a boost. With a better view, I could see who Janera was pointing at. Two engineers were bent over a work table with several mechanical prosthetics and a whole array of tools laid out in front of them. I didn’t recognize either face, but their uniforms marked them as journeymen in the ministry. Must be more of Rennu’s lackeys.
“This is the spot,” I confirmed with a nod. “It makes sense, since we know there’s a tunnel connecting to the temple from here. Call in the fleet and tell them to aim for this building.”
The sky had been darkening since we landed, and by now the cloud coverage was complete. The airships could fly right up without being seen.
Janera pulled the portable radio transmitter out of her bag. “But I don’t see any sign of Minister Rennu. Do you think he’s back in the main hall? Does he have an office?”
I shook my head. “No, I know where he is.” I pointed inside. “Somewhere in that building, there’s an entrance to a second tunnel. We go in there and I’ll find the way to him.”
Janera and Kyra glanced at each other, but they were reluctant to question me. Janera shrugged and flipped on her radio, reciting the code phrases that would bring the fleet.
I transformed into my armor and summoned a gun—a rifle as large as the rebels had carried, big enough to take out a jaguar. I wanted to look intimidating.
My friends copied my lead and stood at the ready, Kyra with her bow and Janera with her spear and shield.
I pointed to the door closest to the engineers’ work table. “Wait until we can see the rebel fleet, then we crash their party. I’ll break the bloodstones if they have any, but I don’t want to hurt them if we don’t have to. Just scare them off.”
Janera nodded and looked up at the sky. “ETA is five minutes.”
Even though we were watching the sky, we didn’t see any sign of the ships. But a few minutes later, an explosion echoed in the distance.
“They’re taking out the wall defenses first,” Janera explained. She waited a moment longer, then the emergency sirens shrieked throughout the city. “Okay, go!”
She hoisted her shield before her face and kicked in the door with a battle yell.
The engineers looked up from the table in shock. The taller one reached for a heavy wrench, but I stepped around Janera and pointed my enormous rifle at his head.
“Your days of corrupting people with those devices are over,” I snarled. “This is your chance to surrender and leave before this whole building blows up.”
They both put their hands up in the air, looking frightened, but neither one budged from their stools.
“I don’t think you know what you’re dealing with, little missy,” the short one said. “Even if you let us go, our boss will have us killed for failing.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “I’ll handle Minister Rennu.” I gestured to the door with the gun. “Now move, slowly and carefully, or you won’t have to worry about facing him.”
They stood up and backed toward the door, while Kyra and I kept our weapons aimed at them. I looked them over a last time, but there was no trace of bloodstones on either of them. I lowered the gun with a nod, and the engineers ran off.
“They’ll warn the others,” Kyra said as they disappeared.
Janera cocked her head to one side, listening to the code phrases over the crackling radio. The sound of explosions was growing closer. “Riwenne’s right, though, this whole building is about to be demolished. We’d better get a move on or we’ll be caught in the crossfire. Any bloodstones here?”
I scanned the rest of the factory and shook my head. “Just prosthetics. Let’s find that tunnel entrance.” I slung the rifle across my back so it was out of the way.
We knew where the first door was leading back to the temple, and it turned out the second was in the same wall just a few paces away. I opened it and revealed the tunnel complex to my friends.
Kyra stared at the network of tunnels running off in different directions and the train tracks running along some of them. “Where does all this go?”
“All over the city,” I said with a shrug. “Who knows what other secret plots he had going on. But we don’t need to find the train. I’m sure Rennu’s house wasn’t far from here.”
There were no marks on the walls and I hadn’t had my magic to rely on the last time I was in the tunnels, but now it was easy to sense my way. I led them through several turns. Once, an explosion rocked the tunnels from behind us, but we were far enough from the factory to be safe.
I found the stairs that led up to the exit I’d been to before. We didn’t have Amena’s lock picks, but Janera kicked the door open again, letting us out into the street.
Kyra whistled when she saw the nice neighborhood full of large, expensive houses. “I guess a minister can afford to live well.”
Janera pointed up at the sky. Rain was falling and making it harder to see, coun
tering the smoke from a fire somewhere. There were over six airships overhead now locked in combat. “Looks like they called in reinforcements. That means it’s up to the three of us.”
I looked up, too. The only airship I could recognize was Quilla’s Revenge, and it was flying strong, so Deryt was fine. “I hope Amena and Vilqa are okay,” I said, sending up a silent prayer for our friends.
“They know what they’re doing,” Janera said, and we nodded.
I put one hand on Janera’s shoulder and the other on Kyra’s. I turned us to face the largest house across the street. “We’ve got this, too. Quilla promised to punish Rennu and I won’t let anything stand in her way this time.”
Janera raised her spear in the air. “For Quilla!”
Kyra lifted her bow. “For freedom!”
“For freedom,” I echoed her, then muttered, “and for Nexita.”
I could sense her presence the same way I could feel Lyda’s in the temple and Rennu’s here. She was standing at the front door, waiting for us, and I had to face her, too.
But not before I stopped our father. I signaled for my friends to avoid the front door and leaped into the air, landing on the roof of Rennu’s house. With a cry of rage, I punched the top of the roof with just enough magic behind it to make the whole thing crumble. I could destroy and create.
I crashed through the wreckage into a study. Rennu sat behind a desk, looking startled and defenseless, but I wasn’t going to take any chances.
“Hello, Father,” I said, pointing the rifle at him. “I’m home.”
Rennu frowned but made no move to defend himself. “This is too dramatic, even for a teenage girl,” he said in a disappointed tone of voice, looking down his nose at me. “You didn’t even greet your sister.”
The door swung open and Nexita walked into the room, pointing a revolver at my head. “Put the gun down, Wen.”
Riwenne & the Bionic Witches Page 23