“We aren’t going to make it!” Ruckus said.
“Yes,” the Zane growled stubbornly, “we are!”
“Can Fawna meet us?” Delaney suggested, gripping the headrest tightly as the Zane took another sharp turn.
Ruckus cocked his head, clearly sending a message, and then clenched his jaw a second later. “The others are boarding right now. She can’t move until they’re safely inside.”
As if in reply, another zee smacked the back of their car, breaking through the force field. The zee connected with the metal bumper, tearing chunks away in the process. The glass of the back window cracked.
Bits and shards rained down, and Ruckus hissed as a few cut through his bare arms.
“Are you okay?” Delaney was about to hoist herself into the back seat, but he lifted a hand to stave her off.
“Don’t come back here; there’s too much glass.”
“Update, Ander!” the Zane demanded, his eyes still scanning ahead. “Brace!”
No sooner had the warning been delivered, another zee shot straight through the opening where the window had been. It sailed between the front seats, and ended up slamming directly into the side control panel. Sparks flew and there was a burst of bright light.
When Delaney opened her eyes, the Zane was putting out a small fire with his bare hand, hissing upon contact with the flames. Eventually he extinguished it, so that the only remainder was a smoky tendril twisting out of the now destroyed controls.
Fortunately, it hadn’t fried the entire system—they were still driving—but the rest of the force field that had somehow held up around the front and sides of their vehicle was gone.
“Incoming!” Trystan yelled.
Ruckus shifted and pulled his left arm free, twisting so he could take aim out the back. He planted his finger on the trigger of his fritz and began firing randomly.
“Not what I meant!” the Zane said, causing Ruckus to frown.
A high-pitched whistle sounded above them a second before a large object dropped from the sky, plummeting downward over the enemy car. They swerved in a desperate attempt to avoid getting hit, but there was no escaping one of those.
The missile hit the side of the car and exploded, the whole thing going up in a burst of white and yellow bright enough to blind someone. Delaney ducked and squeezed her eyes shut a second time, the residual blast rushing through the window, practically shoving her off the seat and out onto the ground.
When everything settled again, she risked a look back: She saw billowing smoke and the charred remains of the enemy car.
Trystan brought them to a stop, jerking them a second time with how quickly he slammed on the brakes. He was out and yanking open the passenger door without explanation, though the sight of the ship currently hovering nearby was answer enough.
Ruckus was only a step behind as the Zane tugged Delaney out of the vehicle and raced across the road, to the field where Fawna was lowering the ship for them.
The stairs dropped right as they reached the ship, and they rushed on, greeted by Sanzie in the cargo hold.
“We need to broadcast the video footage from that”—Delaney waved at the gorud while the doors sealed shut behind them—“now. Preferably everywhere.”
“The Ander and I can access Vakar and Kint media,” Trystan said, already moving toward the door.
“Tell Fawna to go as fast as she can,” Ruckus ordered Sanzie as he went to follow the Zane, touching the side of her arm gently as he passed. Without waiting for a response, the two men disappeared around the corner, leaving the Sworn and Delaney alone in the loading bay.
Sanzie stared off after the guys, an odd expression on her face.
They’d gone off together without hesitation, a far cry from how they usually were.
“Thank you for finding us earlier, Lissa,” Sanzie said. She waited until she had her attention before adding, “And for getting the Zane.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I wouldn’t have just left him behind.” Delaney wasn’t sure why she felt the need to clarify that, especially since the Sworn knew that well enough already. Maybe Sanzie had noticed how badly Delaney had wanted to stay with Ruckus when she’d found them earlier.
She’d also seen them kiss after.…
Just because they managed to get proof of the Rex’s crimes against Xenith didn’t mean they were in the clear. Delaney didn’t have time to dwell on that kiss with Ruckus, what it could mean or how she felt about it.
“Come on,” she said, motioning to the opposite hallway, which would lead them to the cockpit. “Hopefully we can still make it before the Rex reaches the Basilissa.”
CHAPTER 26
The palace was already under heavy fire by the time they arrived, and Fawna struggled to get the ship close enough to the back hangar of the palace. She’d already told them she wouldn’t be able to actually land, so they were getting ready to rush out of the loading bay as fast as possible.
“Are you sure he can do it?” Sanzie asked Ruckus, using her hand to support herself against the wall as the ship lurched for the tenth time in the past few minutes.
“The Zane got the proper Kint channels open, and Gibus understands Vakar systems better than I do. He’ll transfer the files from the gorud; it’s really just a matter of how long it’ll take him to do so.”
Apparently, the data was fairly hefty, and needed to be carefully copied from the gorud, since acting as an actual video camera hadn’t really been its intended purpose. The record button had only been added so users could take clips of blueprints and security feeds and transfer them onto their shings for shared access.
Not film a ten-minute confession.
The sooner they could get it out there, the better, but they had no way of knowing exactly how long it would take.
“Fawna says she’s lowering us into the hangar now,” Ruckus told them, reaching forward to hit the control panel for the doors. A gust of wind shot through the slowly opening gap, making it hard to hear his next comment. “Get ready to jump!”
The four of them moved closer together, and Delaney ended up between Ruckus and Trystan, her arms bumping against their sides as the ship descended. Since this wasn’t a frequently used section of the palace, and Fawna had been able to give the proper code to the Tellers who controlled the hangar’s access, it didn’t look like they’d be met with any hostility.
“Now!” Ruckus ordered once the ground was only ten or so feet beneath them. He grabbed Delaney’s hand and jumped with her. A second later the other two followed.
It was hard not to notice the Zane staring at their clasped hands, his gaze lingering even when Ruckus let go to ready his fritz. When Trystan glanced up and found her watching, she quickly looked away.
As soon as Delaney, Trystan, Ruckus, and Sanzie were on the ground, Fawna lifted back into the air with Gibus and Verus still in tow. The plan was that the Sutter would work on getting out the broadcast while they went to find the Basilissa and the Rex.
“Come on.” Ruckus gripped his fritz and took the lead, exiting into the hall and moving left without hesitation. Since his fitting was connected to the royal family, he was able to contact Tilda, and knowing that was the plan, the others followed silently.
“Seems like they haven’t broken in yet,” Trystan noted, sticking close to Delaney while Ruckus and Sanzie slipped ahead.
Delaney watched the Sworn lean toward the Ander; she could tell Sanzie was speaking, but she couldn’t make out the words, though they were only a few paces behind. It was good that she’d gotten a chance to clear the air with Sanzie before all of this, no matter how brief their talk had been, but she still needed to figure things out with Ruckus.
“Delaney?”
She glanced at the Zane, recalling what he’d just said. Outside, they could hear crashes and shouts, coupled with the occasional explosion. It was obvious the Tars were trying hard to get into the palace, but he was right: It didn’t seem like they’d succeeded yet.
; “Hopefully we get to Tilda before they do,” she said. Then he called ahead to ask, “Tilda is still secure, right?”
“Yes,” Ruckus confirmed a moment later, probably having contacted the Basilissa to be sure. “She’s waiting for us in a safe location. We just need to keep moving.”
Their group slipped into silence the rest of the way. Right now getting to Tilda was the main goal. Just because they’d yet to see the enemy didn’t mean there wasn’t the chance the Rex was already inside, looking for her himself.
Finally they turned into what appeared to be a dead end and then came to a stop. There was a window overlooking the back of the palace, and a single small table pressed against the right wall.
Ruckus reached for the drawer there, twisting the golden knob to the right twice, and then once to the left, before his fingers dipped beneath it. There was a soft click, and he stepped back.
A section of the wall shifted free from the rest, retreating half an inch inward before sliding off to the left. As it disappeared, it exposed a fairly empty room within. There was a single chair in the corner and a monitor attached to the center of the wall. What appeared to be a news feed was playing across the screen, showing the attack still taking place in the city.
Tilda and two Vakar Tellers were the only occupants, and as soon as they spotted Ruckus they rushed toward them.
“Where’s Shellus?” Delaney asked, noting he wasn’t with them.
“After making sure I was secure,” Tilda explained, “he went to help defend the front entrance.”
“We need to get you to safety, Basilissa,” the Ander told her, already motioning her toward the other end of the hall.
“I’m not going to hide out while they break down my doors,” she argued, though she moved after him, same as the rest of them. “While my people are dying in the streets. I need to—”
“You’ve already called for reinforcements, I presume?” Trystan cut her off, lifting a fine brow when she turned to glare at him.
“Yes, but some of them are traveling from opposite coasts. It could take them hours to arrive. Something needs to be done in the immediate future.”
“And you have an idea for that?” he asked. “A suggestion?”
She obviously didn’t.
Delaney stepped in, not wanting to deal with a royal argument at a time like this. “Okay, I think the point’s been made. Tilda, we need to keep you safe. The Rex intends to kill you.”
“What could he possibly hope to gain from that?” she asked. “Vakar won’t follow him. He can try to take my people, will maybe even be successful where Varasow is concerned, but he’ll never get my throne. Especially if he murders me.”
“We’re pretty sure he plans on framing the Tars for that,” Delaney explained. “On the outside, he’s got his Kints fighting alongside your Tellers. As far as the populace will be concerned, he came to your rescue in your greatest time of need, but was too late to actually save you.”
“They’d hardly fall for it overnight,” Trystan added, obviously disgusted by the notion, “but you have to admit, it would be a solid plan.”
“Would be?” The Basilissa listened intently as they explained what Delaney had recorded back in Carnage. They were only halfway through the story when the sound of zee fire filled the opposite corridor.
Looked like the Tars had finally broken into the palace.
“You two,” Ruckus said, addressing the Vakar Tellers, “stay with the Basilissa.” Then to Tilda: “You and Delaney, head to the maze tunnels. Even if someone manages to follow, they’ll never be able to sort their way through that. Once there, wait for us.”
“Us?” Trystan scowled. “I’m not leaving Delaney alone.”
The sounds got closer, followed by shouts.
“We don’t have time to debate this,” Ruckus insisted. “You and I need to cut them off before they spot the Basilissa and inform the Rex of her location. That’s got to be why they’re this deep into the palace when the majority of the fighting is still going on outside. Unless you want Delaney to come do that with us?”
Trystan opened his mouth to argue, but Delaney stopped him with a hand at his elbow.
“It’s fine,” she said. “I’ll keep Tilda safe; you guys keep them off our trail. We’re a team, remember?” Logically, she agreed this was their best play: Split up to keep the Basilissa safe. But it wasn’t any easier for her to let them walk away, knowing they’d be going to fight and she wouldn’t be there to help.
“I’ll remain with the Lissa, Zane,” Sanzie put in when he didn’t respond fast enough.
“You’re injured,” he pointed out.
“Just some bruising. It’s nothing that will stop me from doing my job.”
Obviously, he still didn’t like this plan, but he nodded anyway. As soon as he’d turned, he seemed to think better of it, spinning back on his heel to reach for Delaney and draw her in. His lips pressed lightly to her forehead, lingered just a little too long.
“Zane.” Ruckus sounded angry, but he didn’t try to pull them apart.
“Be careful,” Trystan told her.
“You too.” She glanced up at him, and then over to Ruckus, who was watching their exchange with an enigmatic expression.
“Don’t do anything stupid, right?” she asked through their fittings. After a brief pause, Ruckus gave a single curt nod to her and then flicked a wrist at the Zane. “Let’s go.”
For a moment Delaney watched them head away, wrestling with the sinking feeling it caused. She didn’t like the idea of being separated from them any more than they did. Didn’t like the added worry it caused.
“They’re highly trained,” Tilda said, and Delaney was embarrassed to find her and the others all looking at her. Watching her stare after Trystan and Ruckus. “They can take care of themselves.”
“Of course,” she agreed, once she’d processed the Basilissa’s words. Clearing her throat, she deliberately turned to face the other direction.
“We’re heading to the same location we stayed in the last time the palace was under attack,” Tilda told her the second they’d started back into motion. “Do you remember?”
“Kind of hard to forget.” The halls even seemed familiar as they moved through them. Once they made it to the entrance, they’d enter a square room with a door on each of the four walls. Every side would appear identical, with no indication as to which one led to the center where the safe room actually was. Only the most highly stationed Tellers knew how to navigate through it, along with the Ander and the royal family.
If Delaney wasn’t mistaken, they had just entered the hallway where Trystan had stopped Ruckus and her the first time. The group moved swiftly, focused on making it to the door at the other end.
Maybe that was why none of them noticed the open door to their right until a string of zees shot out.
Delaney sucked in a breath as the two Vakar Tellers dropped, and quickly drew her own weapon up toward the opening, shooting without hesitation as three Kint Tellers emerged. She moved to step in front of the Basilissa at the same time Sanzie was repositioning herself in front of Delaney.
The Sworn took out two of the Tellers before a zee hit her in the side and she jolted, dropping to one knee from the force of it.
Delaney aimed and fired as she rushed forward, shooting the remaining Teller before he could get another shot in at the Sworn. She glanced down at Sanzie, sure to keep her fritz up and aimed at the open room in case anyone else was in there.
“Crap.” Her eyes widened when she noticed all the blood seeping through the material of Sanzie’s uniform. “That looks—”
“Worse than it is,” Sanzie cut her off, pressing her palms against the wound.
“You aren’t fooling anyone.” The Basilissa eased down next to the Sworn, gently moving her hands aside to check.
Delaney hesitated, knowing they weren’t yet safe but wanting to see for herself that Sanzie was going to be all right. Realizing she couldn’t waste more time, s
he forced her attention back to the open room, moving toward the doorway to check inside.
It was just a small space, maybe a storage closest or something, and from her view in the hall, it didn’t seem like there was anyone else within. Tentatively, Delaney took a step closer, eyes scanning the far corners, where stacks of boxes took up space. Just as she was about to call it all clear, a hand shot out from the side, latched onto the wrist with her fritz, and yanked.
Delaney stumbled, off-balance, and slammed forward into a solid body. She was pulled into the room and shoved around so she could face the hall. A second later she felt the cold press of metal against her forehead, and froze.
“I knew you couldn’t stay away, Miss Grace.” The words were hissed directly over her head, and though she knew who she’d find there, she still felt her heart plummet when she risked glancing up.
Directly at the Rex.
“And you brought me the Basilissa.” He leered at Tilda, who was standing just outside the door now, her eyes wide. “How very helpful of you.”
“Go,” Delaney said. At least if Tilda got to the end of the hall, she’d stand a chance of disappearing into the maze.
“Take a single step,” the Rex growled, tightening an arm around Delaney’s waist and pressing the end of his fritz more firmly against her forehead pointedly, “and I shoot her. You’ve already got me to contend with; I doubt you also want to make an enemy of my son.”
“Don’t listen to him. Trystan will understand.” Delaney wasn’t really sure she believed that herself, to be honest, but she wasn’t stupid. “He’ll shoot me anyway,” she added, changing tactics, but he slammed the end of his fritz against her skull, affectively shutting her up.
“You’re wasting your time, Rex,” Tilda said, holding up both hands. “Soon everyone is going to know you’re behind this attack; killing us won’t stop that.”
“What are you talking about?” He grunted. “The rest of my Kint reinforcements will arrive long before your Vakar do. They’ll fight the Tars, and the world will see me as a just ruler, more than an appropriate candidate for taking your late husband’s place.”
Within Ash and Stardust Page 27