“The last half-breed I saw was pretty hairy,” Sky said, huddling closer to Amanda. She felt sick, seeing Layna peel back her human skin, but the change didn’t seem to hurt the girl. Layna studied her changing body, then turned her head, trying to catch a glimpse of her wings.
“You’re talking about Galen?” Amanda whispered. “I could show her a picture.”
“I think that might scare her,” Sky said. “Layna, can you make it so Amanda can understand you, too?”
“I don’t talk to humans anymore,” Layna said, extending her wings, then pushing her elbows back to bump against them. Sky wondered how long she’d had them and how long they’d been tied.
“You’re talking to one right now,” Sky said.
“No, I’m not,” Layna said.
“You’re talking to me. I’m human,” Sky said. “Sky. Nice to meet you.”
“You’re not Sky,” Layna said, her brows furrowing.
“I’ve changed too much to go by the name my mother chose,” Sky said. “If you’re trying to talk to Spirit, I really have no advice. It never talks to me.”
Layna’s lips parted, her eyes crinkling at the sense of betrayal. “You don’t know your name?”
“I don’t know its name. Do you?” Sky asked, feeling defensive. She didn’t like that the half-breed saw her as Spirit and not herself. Maybe there was a reason Spirit wasn’t thrashing and fighting.
“Well, if they don’t trust you enough to tell you, I’m not going to,” Layna said, crossing her arms, taking on the airs of a belligerent teen. Sky wondered how old she was. Because of her height, Sky had guessed late teens, but she could have been much younger. Galen was almost ten feet tall.
“There’s not really a possibility for a trusting relationship when you’re taken against your will,” Sky said.
“Spirits are kinder than humans,” Layna stated.
“Spirit killed half my family before jumping into me. I was sixteen. I ran away so that it couldn’t kill anyone else. I want to go home, and I can’t because this thing took me. It tries to kill me all the time,” Sky argued.
“Caldori. You’re from the moon Caldori,” Layna said, looking Sky up and down. “That’s why you glow red.”
Sky glanced nervously at Amanda, but Layna wasn’t speaking in a way she could hear.
“You don’t trust her to know where you came from?” Layna asked.
Sky sucked in her cheeks. People on Aquia and Terrana didn’t know the colony on Caldori had survived the war. She wasn’t supposed to have survived the trip to Aquia. She thought she’d burn up in the atmosphere, but Spirit had other plans for her. Hellish plans. Like choking her to death and killing anyone who dared help her. Crossing her arms, Sky stalked away from the river.
“They’re giving you Caldori air to breathe. They don’t mean to choke you. They’re trying to help. If you had an Aquian spirit, they’d give you Aquian air. Which, in its natural form is still not great for humans,” Layna said, skipping beside her, ringing the water from her hair. Sky wondered if the girl could actually talk to Spirit.
“And why did that doctor drug Spirit before he would talk to me? What was he afraid of?” Sky asked.
“Do you mean Uncle Haren?” she asked. “He’s a helper. He finds Questre and helps them hide among the humans. He helps my mom. He helps me. He probably just thought you needed help.”
“Have you ever brought him to this realm?” Sky asked. “Have you brought others here?”
“I didn’t even know about this place until you told me to come,” Layna said. Sky bristled, worried she was talking to Spirit. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do here all alone. I thought there would be others.”
“Maybe you could bring all the other Questre and keep them safe from the hunters. Then they could make more people like you,” Sky suggested.
“I think my spirit family would like that. My human mom would be mortified,” Layna said. “When she saw my fingers, she cut them off. My spirit parent said not to worry. They grew back like this and then my hand changed. Of all the changes I looked forward to when I turned twelve, this was not one of them. They say I grow more beautiful every day. The spirits; not the humans.”
“Do you think they’d leave us—leave the Questre—once they had enough children like you?” Sky asked. “Is that why Spirit won’t let me go?”
“I don’t know. I don’t understand spirit politics. I guess I never will as a corporeal,” Layna said. “But maybe I could help separate you from your spirit if you hate them so much.”
“How? Are you going to kill it?” Sky asked, spinning around, hands on her hips.
Layna’s fists clenched and her wings extended threateningly. “I wouldn’t kill them! I’d just ask them to go back to wherever they came from.”
“Can it get back there without a spaceship?” Sky asked.
Layna seemed to look through Sky as she listened to Spirit’s answer. She didn’t like what she heard.
“When it gets back, is there anything stopping it from taking another human hostage?” Sky added.
Layna wrapped her wings across her chest like she was hugging herself.
“That’s not good enough,” Sky said. “Send us back to our realm, Layna. Now.”
Danny licked the gravy from his fingers and gnawed at the lamb bone, trying to get off the last of the meat. What they’d been able to grab from the kitchen wasn’t finished cooking, but it was damn tasty, and he hadn’t taken nearly enough to satisfy his appetite. With the aftereffects of the Nolan wine plaguing his system, every step felt like a knife to the gut, and the pain was exhausting.
“She found a half-breed?” Chase asked, tossing his lamb bone aside. Considering all the litter on the street, Danny was sure no one would notice. Chase still had his pillow tucked under one arm. “And you’re sure it wasn’t some kind of drug trip?”
“Pretty sure,” Danny said. “We found her tied up. Sky’s doctor friend said he needed help saving a half-breed, and either this is her or there are dozens around town. Remember how worried the Prince of Law was about something swooping out of the sky?”
“You and your refugee-saving crusades,” Chase sighed. When they’d met, Danny had been knee-deep in his efforts to rescue Terranan refugees while hunting for Amanda. “What’s your plan?”
“My plan is to get the crew back to the ship and skip town. Amanda’s plan is to bring this half-breed with us,” Danny said. “Hawk’s Virp has been blinking on and off, but it looks like he’s near the gate. I wish he’d talk back.”
“Maybe he can’t. There was this drug going around last night. They called it Chochote. I don’t know what the appeal was, but when people took it, they couldn’t talk. A few couldn’t even move,” Chase said. “It’s weird what passes for fun around here.”
“That’s probably why Hawk hasn’t moved,” Danny said, worried he’d have to carry Hawk back to the ship. The pain in Danny’s legs flared and he stumbled, dropping his lamb chop on the ground. Danny swore, and put his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath without succumbing to dizziness. “Oh, Zive. Are we there yet? I need Detox now.”
“You should’ve stuck with me,” Chase teased, running a finger up Danny’s spine.
“And pulled my favorite muscle?” Danny snickered. “You know, I put that ring on you yesterday to keep you from sleeping around.”
“The last ring someone gave me was a lie. Don’t see why this one should be any different,” he said, trying to make a joke, but getting wistful and depressed about it.
“It’ll be real one day. Even if I have to marry you myself,” Danny promised. He leaned in for a kiss, but Chase veered out of the way.
“Uh oh,” Chase said, leaning on one of the buildings and pointing to a clump of green-and-silver clad officers. “We knew the gate would be blocked.”
“There you are, Captain. I knew if I waited, you would come this way eventually,” the Prince of Law crooned, coming to the front of the cluster. He had a
Virp in his hand, and the glove looked like Hawk’s. They’d just walked into a trap.
Chase started to hobble away, but Danny drew his pulse rifle. “They have projectiles,” he warned Chase.
“I am the Prince of Law,” the man continued. “And you have broken ours.”
His presence drew the attention of passersby, and a small crowd gathered. Many looked like they’d been up all night. People peered out of the windows of the restaurants.
“We walked. Under the influence of some very powerful spirits. Wine,” Danny said, his eyes on Hawk’s Virp. “Is Hawk on the ship already?”
The Prince raised his eyebrows, then realized Danny was asking about the glove. With a smirk, he shook his head. “Come with me.”
“We’re going back to our ship,” Danny said. “This wine is having bad side effects and we have medicine that will help. You can send Hawk there.”
“Do you think we don’t have antidotes to our own recreational drugs?” the Prince sneered. He pulled a small pouch from his belt and tossed it at Chase. The bag hit Chase’s injured hand and as he fumbled, he cried out and grabbed his aching leg as well.
“That will mitigate your symptoms,” the Prince said, not seeming to care that the medicine had fallen to the ground. Danny knelt to get the medicine and saw an old-fashioned hypodermic needle.
“I can’t inject myself with this,” Danny said, tying the pouch to his belt. Morrigan might want it.
“The Prince of Health would have done it for you if your ‘Ambassador’ hadn’t shot him. Not very Ambassador-like is it?” the Prince said, his eyes narrowing. He looked ready to attack, but Danny was armed, too. “Your crew has proved elusive. I caught the Fotri, but not before he corrupted the Prince of Textiles. Male coupling. It’s repulsive.”
“If you’re so offended, let us leave,” Danny said. “The gate’s right there. All you have to do is step aside.”
The Prince of Law shifted uncomfortably. He wasn’t used to being challenged, especially when he had a weapon pointed at his victim. Danny was appropriately terrified by the weapon, and by what Hawk may have suffered for offending this man.
“It’s not just Fotri you’re protecting, is it?” the Prince asked.
“I’m protecting my crew,” Danny said.
“And I’m protecting my city,” the Prince retorted. “I know you came for a twice-cursed child. I can tell by your face that you’ve seen one. You found one, but you didn’t kill it. Why?”
Danny flashed from Layna to the half-breed he’d seen on Terrana. The man kept forcing memories, and Danny couldn’t fight it. “You’re a memory reader. You’re a hybrid,” Danny gasped, his body trembling.
“You seem familiar with the feeling,” the Prince laughed, releasing Danny’s mind from the tumultuous memories. “A twice-cursed child has not been seen in this city since before I was born. It means there are still Questre. Or it is very old. Captain, where is the creature now?”
“I don’t know,” Danny panted. He tried to make his mind go blank, but he knew he couldn’t protect Amanda and Sky.
“I will not let the spirits of Nola escape into the world!” the Prince said. He motioned to his officers. “Take them back to the Palace. Find out what they know.”
Danny fumbled for his pulse rifle, but his hands were still shaking. The Prince fired a warning shot with his gun, and a bullet grazed the back of Danny’s hand. Danny froze. He couldn’t save his crew if he was dead.
Suddenly, he felt a noose around his neck. The rope was at the end of a pole.
“What’s going on?” Chase asked, tugging at the tightening noose around his own neck. He tipped off balance and his handler moved quickly to keep from choking him.
“Only a Questre would show mercy to one of those creatures. And we don’t dare touch a Questre,” the Prince of Law said. The pole jammed against Danny’s neck as his handler tried to force him to stand.
“Let me help him,” Danny said, reaching a hand toward Chase. “He can’t walk. Please. He’s injured. I’m sick. Let us help each other.”
His pleas fell on deaf hears. Danny felt the push of the bar against the back of his neck and he stumbled into the noose.
“Zive, help us,” he murmured. He couldn’t breathe.
27
The purple glow faded, and the house formed around them. Spirit wailed at their return, making Sky feel empty inside. Her damp, muddy dress felt cold against her skin.
“You brought us back here?” Amanda groaned. “We need to get to the ship.”
Layna squatted on the floor by the window, picking up the shirt Amanda had removed to get to her wings. She glanced over her shoulder, but her wings became invisible when she folded them.
“I don’t think she teleports,” Sky said.
“The how come we’re in the house and not at the river? Never mind,” Amanda said. “Did she agree to come with us?”
“Where would we take her?” Sky asked. The door opened and Sky dropped to a crouch, drawing her grav-gun. Amanda drew her knife and moved to the opposite side of the room. There was little point in crouching as there was no furniture between them and the door.
Layna hurriedly pulled her shirt on, but she twitched uncomfortably as her wings pressed against it.
Haren strode into the room, noticed Layna, and paused. Sky’s blood boiled. He’d told her that he wanted to help Layna, but he’d left the girl defenseless and tied up on the floor while he went out drinking. He still had on the same robe as last night, but his jacket was off and folded over one arm. He said something in Nolan and Layna glanced at the remnants of her bonds. He asked her a question, and she mumbled a reply. His nostrils flared and he barreled toward her. Sky couldn’t tell if he was going for a grab or a strike, but Layna stood frozen, cowering slightly, ready to take his abuse. She didn’t raise her talons to defend herself. Sky fired her grav-gun at the ground between them. She felt her lungs closing and scratches on her chest.
“Back away. Unless you want to feel your spirit kill you,” Sky ordered, the words coming out strained. She couldn’t move, but thankfully Amanda stepped up to defend Layna. Haren saw the knife and backed off. Spirit moved again, its talons circling Sky’s legs, plucking away the pain.
“Layna, make your guests some tea,” Haren said, speaking Trade. “Add a quelling leaf from the green jar for the spirits.”
Layna muttered in Nolan and shuffled obediently to the kitchen.
“Tea? Danny’s going to be jealous. Sweetened, I hope,” Sky said, exchanging a look with Amanda. Amanda touched her ear to confirm her Virp was translating.
“How did you find this place?” Haren asked, keeping his distance from her. Last night, he’d looked tall, dark, and handsome. Now he looked ruddy, gangly, and sinister. “Did you find her outside? Did she bring you here?”
“I heard her crying. I felt her pain,” Amanda said, speaking Lanvarian and letting her Virp translate to Trade.
“You’re an empath,” Haren guessed.
“I have a thing against captivity,” Sky said. “I thought you wanted to help her. She was tied up on the floor.”
“Only her wings,” Haren said.
“And her hands and feet,” Amanda said.
“Her mother must have done that after I left,” Haren said, his lips quirking, letting Sky know it was a lie. “Her mother, Anna, was at the Parade yesterday. She’s the one your spirit attacked. Layna sensed it and rushed to her defense. And now a well-meaning service officer is in the hospital.”
“He would have seen my hand,” Layna said, speaking in Trade so they all could understand. Amanda shot her a look, angry that Layna had the ability to use the language but had chosen not to talk to her before now. “I didn’t steal his voice.”
“I did,” Haren said. “Because the woman in the park kept saying a spirit attacked her and flew away. What did she do to offend you?”
“She touched my face,” Layna said. She set a cup in front of Sky and dropped a dried leaf in the water.
Then she backed away and sank to the floor by the window. “You said they’d cut me into pieces. They don’t think I can’t die, so they’ll cut me into little pieces.”
“I won’t let anyone harm you, Layna,” Haren said.
“You harmed her!” Sky exclaimed. “She does not deserve to live in captivity! No one does!”
“If she goes out there, she will be killed!” Haren said. “Are you going to take her from this city? Are you going to keep her safe?”
“I can’t help going to the river. I was so hungry, and I didn’t understand before, but now I do. The river glows and my wings absorb the light. Like photosynthesis. I don’t feel hungry anymore,” Layna said, running her hands over her shoulders. “I can’t leave, Uncle Haren. What I need is at the river.”
“Drink the tea,” Haren said to Sky. “I can’t explain myself if our spirits start fighting.”
Sky sipped. The tea was bitter and in desperate need of sugar. “Don’t you need some, too?”
“I won’t leave my spirit defenseless against yours,” he said, taking a bag from his pocket. He pulled a leaf for himself then held out the bag for Amanda. It had a few pills in it. “The pink one is the antidote I told you about. Your eyes are bloodshot. You’re clearly suffering ill effects from the wine.”
“Will the tea leaf last longer than the marshmallow?” Sky asked.
“If Layna made it right,” Haren said, giving the girl a side-eye.
“They say I’m not going to look human forever. It’s not just wings. My face will keep changing. The rest of my skin will peel away, whether Mom cuts me or not,” Layna said. She buried her face in her arms, reaching back to stroke the tops of her wings. “But it was so lonely on the other side. It’s just another prison.”
“Sky, the Prince of Law is hunting for your people. There are broadcasts every few minutes,” Haren said, taking a step into the room. He took a deep breath but seemed to trust that his spirit-quelling drugs were working.
Premonition: A Space Opera Adventure Series (The New Dawn Book 7) Page 19