by Ciara Knight
Ryder smiled and nodded his approval. He shook his head and towel dried the ends before glancing in the mirror. “Black and silver streaks?”
I looked at him with apologetic eyes. “We didn’t leave it on long enough and your hair is so dark.”
“You’ll still p-pass for a p-priest.”
Ryder grimaced. “Best be putting our robes on and hurry.”
I pulled the thick grey cloth over my arms and lifted the hood over my head. Glancing in the small mirror on the desk, I discovered my silver hair and grey robe made my eyes shine bright. In spite of Ryder’s protests of his own hair, I preferred the silver over the bleached curls Mother forced me to wear.
Fallon opened the door and peeked through a crack at us then slipped inside. “This is your chance. The guards are still concentrating their search below ground. You best hurry. I’ll stall them as long as I can.”
“N-no, you’ll be hurt or k-killed,” Raeth pleaded. “C-come with us.”
“Can’t and you know it. Anyone disappears, it’s a lead to finding you. But look forward to the day you return with an army on your back to fight the queen.”
We all smiled, yet knew the words he spoke were an impossible task. If we did make it to the shore and across the ocean, would there even be a rebellion? If so, would three more make any difference? Still, it was the only chance to keep Raeth and me from suffering further mutilation.
Raeth and I gathered the dye and put it in a satchel. “Guess we can’t cover the smell.”
“Hold up.” Ryder grabbed a bottle of liquor from the cabinet and dumped it over the bed and floor. Then he placed the bottle on its side against the head of the bed making it appear as if it had been dropped during an intoxicated blur.
Fallon rolled his eyes. “Great, I guess I have some cleaning up to do.”
I opened the window and searched the dusty road below and spotted Bendar. My heart soared. “Look.” I couldn’t believe my eyes. He was safe and well.
A smile danced across Raeth’s face, the kind that made me think everything would be better. Bendar jumped up and down then scurried down the road. The guards scattered after him.
“Now.” Ryder crawled out of the window onto the angled roof. I followed close behind with Raeth in tow.
Options for a clean escape were few with the guards below us. Ryder leaned back and whispered. “Don’t fall or Queen’s army will be on us faster than a spiderat on prey.”
We slid down the shingles and crawled on our hands and knees to the edge of the building, all the time watching the guards. Ryder’s robe caught on a nail and he tumbled down the shingles, and off the ledge.
Snaps of heat jumped along my skin. I grabbed his arm, his cool skin soothing the fire. Concentrating on not allowing the fear to ravage my senses, I held tight to his forearm. His feet dangled a couple meters over a guard. A wind whipped down the street and the guards looked back. Just then, a red head popped out of a hole and scurried to the other side of the road.
I would have laughed if Ryder weren’t about to kick the head of one of the queen’s soldiers. The man raced after Bendar, his red coat a blur in my peripheral vision.
Ryder’s hand slipped from mine and he jumped to the ground with a thud. He lifted his arms up and I jumped into them. The contact sent a soothing calm down my back and arms before I pulled away and Raeth followed.
Without a word we all ran to the back of the building. Even with the disguise we couldn’t afford to be near the hotel. Someone would recognize us. We made our way behind three more buildings then exited to the street.
The queen’s ship rested on three braces on the landing field, but the engines hummed indicating take-off time was near. Mother was due back in Acadia East for my birthday celebrations with the council, where she’d be forced to report my death, or suffer my return.
Stopping, I bent over, palms to my thighs, to catch my breath.
Ryder stood over me. “Listen, Semara. You need to alter the engine. That way it’ll cut off when the scout leaves. But don’t damage it.”
My pulse quickened. “I can’t. I don’t have that kind of control, and I wouldn’t know what metal to alter. Even if I did, I’ve never taken down something that moved.”
“Sh-she’s right. That takes training and her p-powers are too juvenile to handle that kind of c-control. I’ll t-take out the scouts’ vision with a s-sand storm. It’ll l-look like an accident.” Raeth started down the walkway to the edge of town.
I pushed upright and we continued on along the backside of the buildings, but at a slower pace. Something didn’t feel right. “Even if you could cause the scout to go down, it would damage the ship, and he’d have an opportunity to report mechanical failure which wouldn’t prevent the queen’s ship from going in that direction after the storm clears.”
“If only I didn’t have to steal life from people to help someone.” Ryder grumbled. A twinge of pain echoed in his voice. He pressed his lips together and shook his head.
I caught up to him. “You have to take him out Ryder. It’s the only chance we have.”
We’d reached the edge of town. Ryder shook his head, his pupils dilated. “Don’t know what you ask. You’ve never been haunted by the life of a person that you’ve stolen. You’re asking me to do the one thing you were raised to hate.”
I was no expert, but he’d given me advice on how to subdue my power, it should be the same for him. “We don’t have a choice. You have control I don’t. Can’t you incapacitate him for a while without killing him? When the ship is discovered as missing they’ll assume a sermechtapede got it.”
“She’s r-right,” Raeth agreed.
“Mighty tall order. What if I can’t control it?”
“Remember, Uncle t-taught you how. You c-can do it.”
“I’m not like you, Raeth. You are so good and pure. We both know something dark’s inside me. You know what happened.”
Three small crafts shot from the underbelly of the ship and raced toward the never-ending sea of sand.
Ryder’s jaw twitched and he shook his head.
My stomach rolled waiting for him to take action. It was our only chance.
Two airships zoomed by, and our robes blew in the wake. Another airship shot in the direction we hoped to travel.
Perfect.
I followed the object with my eyes until it receded into a bronze dot. Too much further and it’d look like another grain of sand.
Ryder altered his stance and lifted his arms.
I held my breath.
A chill radiated from his body. His fingers shook as if he was trying to pull the two-winged pod back with his bare hands. Silver current shot from his fingers and raced across the rolling hills. The light snapped back like a sling shot, sending him flying into the side of the general store. His head cracked against the wood planks. “Too much, too fast.”
Raeth moved to his side.
A plume of dust burst from the sand in the distance. He’d done it.
Raeth tugged his robe tight around his face, but I caught a glimpse of his diamond eyes.
I moved to Ryder’s side, knelt down and slipped my palm around to the back of his head. No blood. Warm waves brushed over my skin, up my fingertips, and through my body.
Darkness lingered for a moment. Cries echoed in my head, strangling my mind before the vice grip released, then peace.
Was that Ryder?
“You felt my power, didn’t you?” Ryder lifted his head and met my gaze. “Now you know what I’m capable of. I see how repulsed you are. Go ahead and hate me. It’s what you were born to do.”
Opening my mouth to protest, I searched for the words to explain why I didn’t see him that way. He’d done what I asked of him, despite the obvious side-effects. “I don’t—”
“Hey, you need something over there?” A guard marched toward us.
“No, sir. Our p-priest is fasting in the n-name of the queen and became ill.” Raeth let her leg glisten in the light just for e
xtra cover. Who’d ever believe a Neumarian had an implant.
“O k-kay,” the guard mocked.
I wanted to shoot fire at the man’s heart for his cruelty.
Engine fumes came in clear ripples from under the ship. The guards scurried to the open door. A hunter struggled against his restraints as soldiers led him out of the hotel. The beast snorted in the air. His long fangs stained with blood. Black eyes narrowed in our direction.
The men restraining the savage beast paused at the edge of the gangway and looked straight at us. Ryder held tight to my hand. One guard stared as if he recognized me.
Ryder grasped my upper arms and captured my lips with his. Not the way the general had, but in a gentle, yet passionate embrace. Strums of energy raced through my body. Hot, cold, and a mixture of both blanketed my skin. What’s he doing? My mind blurred.
Strong lips urged me closer. This wasn’t right. My heart quickened, hair rose on the nape of my neck, my palms turned sweaty. My body yearned for more, but my hands, resting on his chest, pushed, kind of.
He rose to his knees and pulled me tight against him. Earthy scents stoked the fire and when his tongue parted my lips, I only tasted juice and paradise.
“Ah, excuse me.” Raeth’s voice broke the spell and I fell back on my heels. Ryder sat across from me, his quick breaths matching my own.
I pressed three fingers to my stinging lips. “What was that for?”
“Th-that’s called a kiss, but I must s-say, my first one was nothing like th-that,” Raeth giggled.
Ryder shook his head again. “When? Who?”
“I’m s-sixteen dear brother.”
I remembered the guard at the gangway and glanced back. The man ascended into the ship, dragging his right silver and black leg up the ramp.
Clutching the coarse sand between my fingers, I tried to comprehend what just happened.
Raeth took my hand. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I—”
Ryder cleared his throat. “Priests often choose priestesses for sexual companionship.”
Raeth glared at him. “Yeah, right before th-they become s-sacrificed to the creatures of the w-wasteland.”
Tugging my robe around me, I attempted to choke down the heat rushing to my face. My insides were mushy and warm. This wasn’t right. Since he hated me, that meant he’d only used me to escape the guard and hunter. That kiss meant nothing to him, only one of a thousand. He’d obviously had a lot of practice. “Don’t worry about it. It wasn’t a big deal. We need to figure out how to retrieve the ship. But how can we make the several hundred meters in without a sermechtapede tearing us to shreds and slowly digesting us?”
The rumble of an engine drew my attention.
The ground shook beneath us.
Another small craft shot out from the ship, headed in the same direction that Ryder had taken down the other one.
“It doesn’t make sense. The pod went down. Mother should be getting out of here.”
Ryder crossed his arms over his chest. “Gluposti. So much for stealth escape.”
I pushed up and paced the boardwalk. “There has to be some other way. Maybe someone in the saloon, a trader or scavenger will help us—”
“Might be difficult for a princess to understand, but these people aren’t goin’ to bow down and do as you command.”
“It can’t end like this. I’d rather die than go back.”
“Be careful what you wish for princess. Many of those people in the saloon won’t care if they turn you over alive or dead, and Uncle can only keep their minds busy for so long. We best find some place to hide until we figure out another plan.”
Raeth stood with her gaze transfixed on the horizon. I narrowed my eyes at the Wasteland, but saw nothing.
Wait. Sand rose from the ground as if possessed by an angry god. It swirled and grew to a wall of brown, consuming everything in its wake.
I stepped to her side. “Raeth, are you doing that?”
Ryder’s mouth hung open. “Impressive.”
We stood there watching the other airship plow into the wall of sand. There was hope yet. The corners of my mouth tugged into a premature smile. The sand didn’t stop when it took down the ship.
“Raeth, pull back.” Ryder shouted.
The monster continued to roar to the edge of town, the sound of wind drowning Ryder’s words. He grabbed our arms and raced for shelter. All the shutters banged shut. It was too late. No one would open for us.
The queen’s ship fired boosters and rose to the sky, hovered a moment and shot in the opposite direction of the storm. It now seemed they weren’t worried about what took the scout down. They thought they knew. But then, we wouldn’t survive to retrieve it so the queen had no worries.
Sand blocked the sun and the sky darkened. I’d never seen a storm this close, it looked like a million desert beetles swarmed for an attack. I cringed, knowing coarse sand would buff our bones to a high shine.
“Raeth, you can stop it. Concentrate.” Ryder stooped to her eye level. “Come on.”
“C-can’t stop it. I c-created it, but now it’s out of m-my control.” Raeth’s forehead scrunched, her body trembled, and the storm continued.
Wind lashed at my face. Fierce grains of sand ripped through my robe and burned me like fire.
Raeth stood with her small hands spread wide at the sky. Ryder grabbed her arm and mine and ran toward a building. As we neared the front door, I spotted a sign through the haze. Boarding House. We stumbled up the porch steps. I pushed on the door. It wouldn’t open. The wall of sand barreled down the center of town. Ryder threw himself over us. Not that it would do any good.
His body shook, icy energy scratched at my skin. He placed a glowing hand on each of our backs. I looked up at him. I knew what he planned. His gift would end our suffering. For once I wouldn’t have to face torture, just a quick end.
I gave a discreet nod ready to accept my fate.
His eyebrows rose. “You know what I plan?”
I nodded my head again.
“You’re not scared?”
I shook my head and looked over at Raeth, at least she’d be spared any more pain.
Raeth caught on and shook her head. “No.” She shoved us back and stood in front of the sand. Daring it to take her. It rolled over her like the ocean waves I’d seen as a child.
Before the murder of my father.
Before Raeth’s torture.
Before my own mother tried to turn me into a slave.
Funny the things one thinks of in the face of death.
Chapter Seven
A tidal wave blotted out the last of the orange sunlight. My legs shook as we huddled around Raeth, waiting for death. The pounding of sharp particles never hit.
Ryder loosened his arm and we both looked to see the large mass hovering overhead.
“D-did it, but not for l-long.” Raeth remained focused, hands stretched out as if praying in a temple to the queen.
“That a girl.” Ryder’s eyes shined with pride.
How could power to save a life be a curse as Mother had said?
A head popped out from below the porch.
“Bendar here, save day. You come, or pummeled by sand.”
My heart raced, overjoyed to hear that raspy, funny voice. I looked over at his scruffy head protruding from under the porch by my feet.
He pointed above his head. “Meet at door.”
The frizzy red hair disappeared.
“Know you’re a mite tired. Think you can walk and maintain the sand?” Ryder asked.
“I d-don’t know.” Raeth tried to take a step but wavered. “No, I c-can’t w-walk. S-sand’s in my leg. It’s frozen s-stiff.”
My insides twisted at the sight of the metal leg frozen in an awkward angle. That hunk of metal was a forever reminder of her horrific cries that still haunted my dreams after four long years. I had to make it up to her. Somehow, someway. I scanned the metal levers and thought about blasting the sand from the cre
vices? Impossible, that was Raeth’s gift. If I tried to get the joints moving, I’d probably melt the entire leg.
Raeth crouched down and tried to move one hand to her leg but the sand began piling around us and she stood again.
Gritty particles flew up my nose. I sneezed them out only to have new grains take their place.
A second later, Raeth joined me in sneezing. A piercing, high-pitched sound echoed across the Wasteland. A golden light burst from her hands, sending the wall of sand back.
My throat raw, I sputtered and coughed, “Grab her!”
Ryder scooped Raeth into his arms and charged for the open door. The sand fell from the sky like a brown apocalypse. I stumbled on the porch and collapsed. The dirt pummeled my back like Mother’s metal fist.
Someone grabbed my hand and yanked me inside before slamming the door shut.
Bendar fell to his knees in front of me. “You almost desert scraps.”
I spit the gritty sand and wiped my lips. Each inhale stung with the fierceness of a laser blast.
Bendar stood, thumbs stuck in the top of his belt. His mouth curled up in a reassuring smile.
I brushed my fingertips across my itchy eyelids.
“No, must not. Sand blind if don’t stop. Here, let me. I free sand.” He pulled a small round bottle from his belt. “Open eyes, I spray.”
Forcing my lids open I stifled a cry as the bits of dust, more like boulders, scratched the inside of my eyes. A small hand pushed my chin up. The swishing sound of a spray brought a soothing cool to my eyes. After a moment, the burning subsided and Bendar capped the top and plunged the small round object back into his belt.
For some reason, he always appeared when I most needed someone. The one person to watch over me since my father died. In a strange way, he felt more like family than Mother did.
I chuckled. A princess close to an engine rat. Wow, Mother would throw a gasket.
Yet here stood this little man by my side after saving my life, again. Shame filled me. How had I ever believed Mother’s praises of my superiority to Bendar, a kind-hearted soul, full of spunk? Guilt plagued me. Now his life was upside down because he’d saved me. He’d never fit in with the Neumarians, no work for his kind here. No way he’d fit in the scout ship with us either, not that we’d ever find it now.