by Alyssa Breck
Alayah was still buttoning her shirt as she ran on Silver’s heels. He was fast, but she was able to keep up. More gunfire and screams came from the direction of the camp. Most people would run away from such sounds, but Silver and Alayah ran faster toward the melee.
She hoped her sirens weren’t hurt. In the time they’d been on the mission to find the Legacy Stone, they’d formed an undeniable bond. Losing one of them would devastate her.
Silver stopped at the tree line and held his arm out to stop her, too. He held his finger to his mouth in a shhh motion.
Two wolves paced outside the campsite. Upon closer inspection, they were no ordinary wolves. They were huge, with glistening fur of varying shades of gray. They hulked past each other, standing guard. Alayah and Silver would have to get past the wolves to help their comrades.
Alayah pulled the pin from her hair, and the magic trident materialized in her grasp. Silver nodded to her.
She held up the magic relic and looked up at the trees. She pulled the water from the leaves and moisture from the fog that floated above the ground. A coil of water rose up from the center point of the trident and swirled faster and faster as it pulled more water into its power.
The trident vibrated in her grasp, and she pointed it toward the two wolves. The twirling tornado of water shot out and grabbed the two creatures and pulled them into its velocity. The pair growled and snarled at the foreign enemy. They swung their giant claws, trying to fight whatever had lifted them from the ground. Alas, they were no match for the mighty trident’s power. Then, they were thrown way over the treetops to a certain death.
With the guards out of the way, Alayah and Silver rushed into the camp. Alayah still had the water cyclone harnessed by the trident. She aimed it at the wolves inside the camp. One of the beasts had a samurai caught in its jaws. It shook the man like a doll, but the man didn’t react. His eyes were open, and his body was lifeless. One of Silver’s had been killed.
Alayah took stock, searching out her sirens. Rose had a gun aimed at a wolf that charged toward her. The tall, bald man from the range was by her side. He was shirtless and aiming two pistols in the same direction. They began firing simultaneously.
The beast slowed down but didn’t stop until after he’d been hit by more than ten bullets. The animal face planted into the dirt, kicking up a cloud of dust as he came to rest mere feet in front of Rose and her trainer.
Alayah had dispatched only a couple of wolves while trying to find her girls. Silver and his men were firing weapons at the wolves, but they couldn’t seem to kill enough of them. There were too many and the threat was intensifying.
Silver raised one hand toward the moon, and Alayah had an instinctual feeling to use the trident to push the wolves away. She spun in a circle sending water out to flood the wolves.
Once they were outside the perimeter, a ring of fire erupted, enclosing the camp. The sirens and the samurais were trapped inside, but it was okay because the wolves were relegated outside of it.
Alayah looked at Silver.
The prince breathed deeply as she said, “We are safe for now.”
The sound of snarling reached their ears.
“The flames are high enough to keep them out,” Silver assured.
“Those creatures were …”
“Huge and deadly,” Marina finished Alayah’s sentence.
“Is everybody okay?” Alayah asked.
“I’m alive,” Kiera said, coming from behind one of the tents with two men behind her.
Rose waved from afar, and Lyra walked in their direction.
“Good,” Alayah said.
“I’m going to check on my men.” Silver left before Alayah could tell him how sorry she was about the dead samurais.
Chapter 27
Alayah looked around the illuminated streets of Scythe as she walked beside Silver. “How come this place has electricity?”
“It’s a complicated network of old energy.”
“I don't understand.”
“Nuclear plants were built in the past to produce energy. It was dangerous, and it still is, but the humans who survived the Big Crash kept this running, so they have unlimited electrical energy as long as they keep the power station going. I’m just surprised that this town hasn’t been blown to pieces and destroyed everything around it. But, energy is a commodity, and they have a lot of industries here and a big junkyard market to find the spare pieces needed to maintain the nuclear plant.”
Alayah blinked at him several times. “I have no idea what you just said, but I’m going to pretend I did, okay?”
Silver laughed and nodded. “I forget that life underwater is different. I’m surprised you know what electricity is.”
“We studied old forms of energy at the academy. We have other forms of energy back home. The currents give us all the power we need.”
Wind grabbed her hand in his. “I’m glad we have a bit of free time to spend together. It’s been three days since we arrived at Scythe and there isn’t any progress to show. I’m sorry about that, Alay.”
“It’s not your fault. Let’s just enjoy the walk.” Smiling, she slipped her hand from his and continued her way. “This kind of reminds me of home. It’s never dark, and the pavement and walls are grey and white. The rock is soft, and it’s peaceful when we swim at night when the other sirens are asleep.”
Wind looked around at the bright streets and two-story houses with sand-colored walls. “I don’t come here often, but my people trade with them. It’s one of the richest citadels in North Africa. The walls around the citadel make it hard for others to conquer, not to mention that they have laser cannons to defend themselves from the attacks of the Titans. People feel safe here.”
“But there aren’t a lot of people here. Not like in the other cities we have been.”
“You either work here, or you can afford to stop here for a few days. They don’t accept refugees, and they have a strict policy against overpopulation.”
She peeked back to look at him. “I don’t think I have thanked you enough, Silver. You have been a great guide and an amazing friend. I’m not sure what I did to deserve that, though. I’ve been nothing but cold with you.”
“We are fighting for the same thing—the world’s survival. You had no reason to trust me when we first met. I’m hoping that I’ve proven to you that I’m trustworthy and … I would never let anything bad happen to you.”
“You have your heart in the right place. You care about others, even if they aren’t from your kingdom. That’s really noble of you.”
Silver’s steps slowed down. He looked at the floor. “Alay.”
Alay looked at him and matched his stride.
“Have you ever wondered where your mother came from? Who your father is?”
“When I was younger, I did. The only person who could answer that for me is dead, though.”
“True, but there might be someone else who knew your mother.”
“I wouldn’t know where to search,” she answered. Sighing, she glanced at the night sky. “It doesn’t matter where I came from. What matters is what I’m going to do with the rest of my life. I have people who love me back home. Nana, who took me in. Omin, my best friend and … Silver?”
It took her a couple of steps to realize he wasn't moving with her. When she looked back, he seemed frozen in place.
“What the hell!” Alayah looked around. “Who did this? Show yourself.”
Before she could sense the shadow behind her, someone put a cold hand over her mouth.
The person was male, she felt his solid chest on her back before she used the water in his body to push him away. The shove was enough for the mage to lose his focus and unfreeze Silver. In turn, Silver twisted his wrist in a circle and sent a wave of power against the man’s chest. The force made the mage drop to the floor with a loud thud.
The street was quiet, and nobody dared to peek through the windows when the guy shouted in pain.
Silver move
d both hands and fire formed between them.
“Wait!” Alayah shouted before he attacked the mage. “Let’s find out who he is and how he found us first.”
Stepping forward, she leaned down and removed the mask from their assaulter. “I know you!”
The guy grinned, showing his perfect white teeth. “Hi! We meet again.”
“Who is he? Friend or foe?” Wind asked, moving closer.
“I have no idea.”
Getting up and patting the dust from his black hooded cape, the guy replied, “Friend. Xavier White, son of the White Mage.”
Alayah and Wind looked at each other and then at Xavier as if they had no idea who he was.
“We bumped into each other at my father’s palace.”
“Oh! I remember now,” Alayah replied. “Still, it doesn’t explain why you froze Silver and covered my mouth.” She folded her arms.
“Or what you are doing here,” Silver added.
“I’m here to help.”
Silver arched an eyebrow. “With what?”
“Finding the Legacy Stone, what else?”
Alayah sighed. “Your father wasn’t that keen on helping. Did he have a change of heart?”
“No. He has no idea that I’m here. I just couldn’t stay still, knowing that someone has a way to fix the world.”
“What about the Dark Emperor?” Wind questioned.
Leaning closer, Xavier stared into Silver’s eyes as if he was assessing his powers. “What about him?”
Silver grunted before grabbing Alayah’s hand and circling Xavier. “Let’s go. He’s distracting us. He’s probably another bounty mage.”
Alayah looked back as Xavier turned around with a sly grin in the corner of his lips. Placing his hands behind his back, he bowed slightly to her and showed her the necklace he had stolen from around her neck.
Stopping in her tracks, Alayah touched her neck and rushed to Xavier’s side. “Give that back to me!”
He raised his arm above his head, and Alayah was unable to reach it since he was taller than her.
“I’m here to help you on your quest. You were the one who said you needed a strong mage to look for the Legacy Stone. My father might not care, but I do.”
“She already has a strong mage,” Silver said.
Xavier looked at him while Alayah jumped to try to grab her necklace.
“And do you have any idea how to find the Legacy Stone?” Xavier asked.
“We are working on that.”
“Pretty lady, I’m going to give you back your necklace,” Xavier assured Alayah. “I just wanted to grab your attention.”
“You’ve succeeded. Now give that back to me before I kick your ass,” Alayah threatened with burning cheeks.
Silver stepped forward and removed the necklace from Xavier’s hand since he was as tall as the other mage.
“Here.” Silver reached behind Alayah and secured the necklace around her neck. Once he was done, he arranged her hair and placed an arm around her waist. He looked at Xavier. “As I said, she already has a mage to help her. You better go back to where you came from. We have no need for your presence here.”
Xavier looked straight into Alayah’s eyes. “I’m pretty sure the young lady can speak for herself and has her own opinion about this matter. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to have another mage on this dangerous quest, does it? Especially if the other mage knows the whereabouts of someone you are looking for.”
“How did you know where to find us and who we are looking for?” Alayah asked.
He smirked. “You left quite a trail back in Rheyn. It was just a matter of finding Glenn’s cousin and asking him what he told you. That brought me here.”
“Why attack us if you claim you want to help us?” Alayah questioned him with narrowed eyes.
“It was a test. Your mage didn’t pass, but you passed with flying colors.” He gave her a lopsided grin. “Truce for now? Where are you staying?”
“The Red Sparrow Inn,” Alayah replied.
“Alay!” Silver reproached, pushing her closer to his side.
She looked at him. “He might help us find the stone. We should, at least, give him an opportunity to tell us what he knows.”
“No hard feelings, man. I’m a lot more powerful than you,” Xavier said, offering Silver his hand to shake.
Silver frowned. “I had my guard down, and you weren’t able to defend my attack when I was free. So, I don’t think you should brag about your abilities.”
Alayah giggled. “Let’s just go back to the inn and get out of the cold.
Grabbing Silver’s hand, she headed down the road. “Follow us, Xavier White, and maybe you can explain to us how you were able to find Glenn faster than us.”
Silver didn’t trust Xavier White. He looked too clean for someone who was on the road for days, tracking them. He also seemed too arrogant and smiled too often at Alayah.
With folded arms, Silver looked at Xavier from across the table while Alayah was filling three cups with water.
“This is nice. Cozy.” Xavier looked around the bedroom that Silver had rented for himself at the inn. “Do you know how many people you could feed with the money you spent to rent this room? How many others you could feed with the money you spent on the other rooms for your soldiers?”
Silver leaned forward. “Why don’t you sell your clothes and feed them, then? They look expensive, and, as far as I’m aware, the city of Blyst is one of the richest cities in this part of the world. Your father is well paid for his services.”
Xavier sneered. “Why is your kind meddling in other people’s business?”
“Saving the world is everybody’s business.”
“The sirens came to ask for our help first.”
“And your father refused to help and sent word to the Dark Emperor, and now they have a bounty on their heads,” Silver retorted.
“My father is an old fool, but I doubt that he said anything to the Dark Emperor. Someone else must have informed him of the existence of the Legacy Stone.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Alayah sat down. They looked at her. “We have no idea how to find the stone. The Dark Emperor can chase us all he wants; my king will send a new team if we don’t report in a week.”
Xavier was the first to speak. “Didn’t the thirteenth region leave any instructions on how to find the stone? How did they find theirs?”
“They sent the messengers across the world to tell us about its existence. Their stone was buried. Its contact with the sea water at the bottom of a riff created a chemical reaction, and the Titans disappeared. Once the black magic was gone, the plants began to reappear, and the animals reproduced. The ecosystem rebooted.”
“There must be a way to track such a powerful source of energy,” Xavier said, rubbing his temples. “I’m tired, and I was hoping that you had found more than you are telling me.”
Silver got up and put his hands on the table. “I’m sorry to disappoint you. We might have better news tomorrow. Now you should probably leave and look for a place to stay.”
“What’s wrong with this inn?” Alayah asked.
“It’s fully booked,” Silver said. “He’d better find somewhere to stay. I don’t trust him.”
Xavier smirked. “I don’t mind sharing a bedroom.” He looked at Alayah. “Do you have a spare couch in your room where I can crash?”
“I’m sleeping with the other sirens.”
Silver reached for her arm. “Even if she wasn’t, I wouldn’t let her stay with you in the same space. That’s also not a very gentlemanly thing to ask.”
“I am a gentleman. I was going to sleep on the couch,” Xavier said, getting up. “Besides, I was messing with you. I have a place to stay. I’ll be back in the morning, and we can brainstorm ideas.”
“I’m more interested in knowing where Glenn is. You said you knew,” Silver said.
“He’s dead. Someone cut his throat, and I doubt he knew anything about the legacy stone.”
&
nbsp; “Dead…” Alayah’s eyes turned gloomy. “What will we do now? We wasted so much time to come here.”
“I’m sure my contact will have something for us tomorrow.” Silver put his hand on her shoulder. “Go get some rest. I’ll accompany Mr. White to the exit.”
Before anyone could say anything else, a loud siren echoed across the town and pierced their ears.
“What is that?” Alayah moved closer to Silver. “What is this alarm for?”
“Titans,” Xavier replied.
Metallic sounds were heard as the windows were covered by armored steel used to protect the buildings from the fire attacks that came out from the wyverns’ mouths.
“I guess we are stuck here. The security mode was activated,” Xavier said, looking back at the windows. “I hope the owner has an underground exit because I have no intention of being roasted inside this place if they can’t kill the attacking Titans.”
“At home, we have electric fences and a dome that protects us from the attacks,” Alayah said. “But our beasts don’t breathe fire. They just eat whatever they find and have big claws to slash things.”
Silver rubbed her shoulder. “We are safe here. They have big laser canons, remember?”
She nodded, and he smiled at her.
“Alay, Alay.” Her teammates were calling for her from the corridor, probably frightened by the alarm.
“I have to tell them that everything is fine. I don’t think anyone is going to sleep while we are under attack.”
“Go to your friends. The siren will shut up once the danger is gone. Try to rest then.”
Alayah nodded before leaving his bedroom.
Silver aimed his attention at Xavier.
“I guess I’m stuck here.” The mage grinned.
“You can wait on the couch while the siren is activated. I’ll go downstairs to see if they need any help.”
Without another word, Silver left his bedroom and climbed down the stairs to talk to the owner and hear more reports about what was going on.
Chapter 28
There were many things that Alayah was doing for the first time. One of those was going to an apothecary and seeing different types of remedies to cure all sorts of maladies. Maybe they had something for her Nana’s disease that would substitute the need for the algae. Not that she had to worry about her Nana not having her medicine while she was on the quest to find the Legacy Stone. The problem would be if she didn’t find the stone.