The Daath Chronicles- The Complete Series

by Eliza Tilton

  She glanced at me, biting her bottom lip, desperation in her eyes. “What are we going to do without the supplies?”

  “We’ll figure it out.”

  She didn’t want to let it go and I understood why. We were stuck in the most dangerous place in Tarrtainya, and we needed every supply to survive.

  “Are we ready?” Cael asked.

  “Ready.” I planted my feet and tightened my grip.

  She placed one hand on the rope, and with the other, unhooked the pack. I yanked on the rope, pulling her out. Raven, being as light as she was, made pulling her free easier than expected. If Cael or I had fallen, would Raven have had the strength to haul one of us out? We needed to be more careful.

  As soon as she crested the ledge, I grabbed her. “You okay?”

  She nodded. “Anyway we can get it?”

  The pack was too far below to reach and we couldn’t chance lowering her.

  I rubbed her side. “We’ll be fine.”

  The second sun lowered in the sky, and we were still on the glacier.

  Cael unfurled a map in his hands. “This way.” He pointed west. “We won’t make it to the hut. We’ll have to find shelter out here.”

  Just past the glacier, a cluster of boulders formed an overhang, and as long as the rocks didn’t fall and crush us, we’d be out of the wind. It wasn’t the most ideal place to sleep, but the coverage would keep us alive for the night.

  With Raven’s bag gone, we were down one fur, and we’d need all three to stay warm. There was no chance of a fire. No kindling or trees, just rock and ice. The temperature had already dropped, and the wind bit through my clothes. The air even smelled of frost.

  Every few moments, I squeezed my muscles to help circulate the blood.

  I rubbed Raven’s arms, keeping her warm while Cael laid one of the furs on the ground below the boulder. “Raven can sleep in between us,” he said. “Our body heat will keep us from getting frostbite.”

  What he said made logical sense, but knowing he’d be hugging my girl all night long . . . .

  Raven nudged me.

  Had I made a face? I didn’t think so.

  “We’ll need to stitch that.” Cael knelt by his pack, digging through it.

  Great.

  I sat on the cold ground and folded my arms, waiting for Blond Boy to get on with it. The cut throbbed and the wind had dried the blood to my face. I could only imagine what I looked like.

  Raven took a vial Cael handed her and dumped it on my face. It stung and I dug my fingers into my fur.

  “Sorry,” she said. She carefully wiped a piece of cloth across my face, frowning and scrunching her forehead. I must have looked really bad.

  “Ready?” Cael knelt in front of me with a needle and thread in his hands.

  I nodded.

  The needle punctured my skin.

  Holy bearded mother!

  Nope, I wasn’t ready.

  Cael slept inside near the boulder, Raven in the middle, and me with my back to the wind. The fur stretched across us, and my body slowly went from numbing cold to just cold. I kept Raven huddled in my arms, warming her and making sure she didn’t mistakenly grab the wrong guy in the night.

  The wind created strained tones as it crossed over the mountains. Raven’s breathing relaxed me until I forgot about everything but the scent of her hair. She had this way of easing me without saying or doing anything. I hugged her tighter, nuzzling against her warm body. With the wind beating my back, and the constant thought of Cael sleeping against Raven, I found it hard to sleep, but somehow the wind’s strange notes lulled me somewhere in between.

  Raven rustled beside me and I opened my eyes to sunlight. She had managed to stay in my arms, and we all survived the night. Every muscle had a crick, and I needed to crack my neck. I slid away from Raven and out from under the boulder.

  She must have sensed me leaving because she rolled over and yawned, her eyes slowly opening.

  “Morning,” I said, stretching.

  “Morning.” She looked over to Cael who still snored and lightly shoved his chest. “Wake up.”

  When she stood, stretching her arms above her head, I grabbed her waist and hugged her. “Did you sleep okay?”

  She nodded.

  “Good.” Holding her waist, I led her away from the boulder. “Eat something. We’ll need to be moving soon.”

  I kept my eyes on Cael while Raven pulled out a few pieces of fanna and salted pork. “I’m going to scout.”

  Raven handed me my share of food. “Be careful.”

  “Always.” I took the meat and bread and grabbed a poker.

  If Lucy was following us, she would’ve had to find shelter and there was nothing in our current visible radius. Watching my steps, I headed back to where Raven had fallen, searching the area for footprints or signs of anyone passing. Like the rest of this chunk of ice, nothing but rock. I checked the crevice wondering if I could somehow get Raven’s pack free.

  Leaning over the edge, I looked into the narrow passage, searching for the pack.

  It’s gone! The pack had been wedged good. It shouldn’t have slipped

  If Lucy found us, there had to be signs of her passing. With slow steps, I walked around the glacier, testing the ground with the pole. The wind blew my bangs into my face and caused my stitches to sting. Sunlight blinded me whenever I looked toward the horizon.

  No scuffs, or disturbed snow. Nothing.

  Taking a breath, I checked the crevice where the bag had been. Kneeling, I examined the sides, and there it was—an indent in the snow where the bag had been dragged up.

  Alarm set my senses on high alert, adrenaline pumping through my body, and I ran, following our footsteps from the day before and praying I didn’t fall in.

  Chapter Twelve

  Lucino

  “Prince Lucino, your presence is required in the war room.”

  Krischa must have filed her report with The Council—my father hadn’t called for me in weeks. War would be his only excuse to send for me.

  I followed the stiff guard out of my chambers and through the halls until we reached my father’s war room. The guard opened the large black doors and I stepped inside. My father, his two advisors, and the general stood around the rectangular table in an already heated discussion.

  “If the Kuuni plan to attack, we should attack first. Take our ships to them.” General Odawa pointed to the grid hologram on the table outlining the continents of Mirth. “Flank them on both shores.”

  The Kuuni lived across the sea and were a constant threat. They were large, intelligent shapeshifter beasts that multiplied faster than our species, a fifty to one ratio. If it weren’t for our superior knowledge and magical arts, we would have been extinct centuries ago.

  “Scouts have been sent to the borders to see if the Kuuni approach,” Father said.

  “Why not use the time bomb?”

  Everyone regarded Lord Delosh.

  My father shook his head. “The time bomb is still unstable. We fight as we always have.”

  If we planned to attack soon, I wouldn’t have enough time to find Jeslyn, perform the ritual, and return before my father or The Council noticed my absence. I needed a diversion.

  General Odawa and Lord Delosh argued three different strategies, a useless argument since the two tended to disagree all the time.

  “If I may?” I pointed to the stretch of water in between both lands. “We can use a decoy fleet here. While the decoy fleet engages the enemy, our real fleet will attack the island.”

  Lord Delosh frowned. “It would take weeks for our fleet to reach there, and to what purpose? Attack the women and children?”

  “Yes.” My father nodded and stepped closer to the hologram. “It is cruel, but when they discover the attack, they’ll return home.”

 
; “Where they’ll be trapped in between us,” the general finished.

  I nodded, grinning.

  “It will take all of our forces and leave us vulnerable, but if the plan works . . . .” The general examined the grid.

  “One final assault—” I met each of their gazes slowly, “—and we end the war for good.”

  My father would expect me to accompany the general and oversee the main fleet. An attack this size would take weeks to prepare, enough time for me to return to Tarrtainya and finish my plan. Once the war with the Kuuni was finished, all efforts would focus on the transition to leave Mirth.

  “If I am no longer needed—”

  With a quick flick of his wrist, my father dismissed me before I could concoct an excuse.

  War distracted the Reptilian officials . . . slipping away unnoticed might be easier than I expected.

  Sleep had never been an issue for me, even with various objectives rattling around in my consciousness, but tonight I couldn’t find rest.

  Going after Jeslyn was dangerous, even ludicrous, and if the truth discovered—worthy of execution.

  Jeslyn’s golden aura was like no other I had seen. Fusing hers with mine would improve my strength, agility, and my captivation spell. Romulus believed all of my powers would increase, and he was never wrong.

  I needed to sort my thoughts in a place of silence.

  I hit the button on the panel next to the door, opening it. I walked out of my chambers. Two royal guards followed.

  In Daath, I had free rein to walk without an escort, a privilege non-existent in Mirth.

  The guards followed me into the teleporter. The metal cylinders could port to any of the castle levels. A red column surrounded us, and I pressed the light panel for the baths. The transporter beeped, then beamed us to the corridor on the bottom level.

  Two female servants with matching olive skin and short lavender hair stood by the entrance. Their heads bowed as I approached, and they opened the wooden door.

  Inside were four salt pools, each sized for one, created out of smooth white stone and steaming with hot water. Black rock mixed with iridescent crystals patched the surrounding floor. I stepped into the pool and closed my eyes. The water, dense from the salt, kept me floating. It covered my ears and I lay in silence.

  Concentrating on my breathing, I thought of Daath, my green pasture of salvation and the key to our survival. Daath’s mystical essence had called to our high sorcerers when they were searching for other planets. That same essence created the gate between our worlds. Once our people had entered Tarrtainya through the gate, all the magic our planet possessed trickled into theirs, entering Daath and spreading through the lands. Magic distorted both beast and human, changing aspects of both.

  Over three hundred years, and the humans still did not understand magic or its origin. It would take them centuries to acquire the knowledge our race had, and by then they would be our slaves or dead, both would suit me well.

  Silence calmed me, and I found myself drifting into sleep and the dark plans of my mind.

  “Prince Lucino.”

  I tried to ignore the squeaky voice hovering nearby, but Romulus wouldn’t bother me if his news weren’t urgent. Not in here.

  I opened my eyes to a blue sphere bobbing in the air above me with a warped picture of Romulus floating inside.

  “What is it?”

  “You must meet me.”

  Sighing, I pulled myself out of the pool. “Where?”

  “The lab.”

  “Very well.”

  The sphere disappeared and I walked across the stone floor to grab a towel to dry myself. When I pulled the towel out of its holder, the side door opened and the two servants walked out. Their eyes did not linger and they made no signs of interest, much different from the human girls I encountered. I didn’t need the assistance, and my time in Daath had made me accustomed to dressing on my own, but I allowed them their duties.

  The guards would follow me to the lab, though I didn’t want them to. My father didn’t need to know of all my activities. I had time before the guards would expect me to leave.

  One of the servants placed my scabbard on my waist. I cupped her chin with my fingers, raising it. “I can’t tell who is more beautiful, you or your sister.” It wasn’t often the servants were spoken to without a command. “Your eyes are a lighter hue, very striking.”

  “Thank you, my prince.”

  “What’s your name?”

  She looked to her sister, who grabbed the towel I had dropped. “Alena.”

  “Alena . . . .” I drawled out her name and caressed her cheek. “May I?” I waved to the side, and again she glanced to her sister who nodded before disappearing through the side door.

  Placing a hand on her back, I walked us to the wall with a carving of a crescent blade, the favored weapon of the royal line.

  “I need a few moments alone, but I need you to make sure those troublesome guards of mine don’t disturb me.” I traced my hand up her bare back, letting my fingers graze over her skin.

  “Yes, my prince.”

  I didn’t need to overdo the theatrics, but I needed her to have an interest in what I said. “A servant like you would be better suited for court. May I call on you?”

  She nodded, and a smile played on her pretty lips.

  “I need someone I can trust.” I slid my hand to her neck.

  Her eyes smiled, and I knew she would do whatever I needed. The prospect of serving on the upper levels would change her rank among the other servants.

  “Bar the entrance, and if the guards ask . . . make it sound as if I’m engaged in other things.”

  “As you wish.”

  “Do well, and I will reward you personally.”

  She smiled.

  I pressed the center of the carving and the side entrance slid open, a secret transporter that would take me anywhere in the castle, even to Romulus. The door closed behind me, and the cylinder glowed red.

  “Romulus.”

  At the sound of my voice, the transport teleported me to just outside of Romulus’s lab. Only the royal family could use these hidden transporters. They were aura and voice activated, and our bloodlines had distinct patterns in our auras.

  No guards roamed Romulus’ floor, which wasn’t a surprise. He tended to let some of his experiments wander the lower corridors, nothing dangerous, of course, but a nuisance nonetheless. I waited for a moment, searching the empty corridor, and when a creature didn’t race toward me, I headed out.

  When I entered the cluttered lab, Romulus was babbling to himself. He noticed my presence and stopped. “Here.” He handed me a scroll, which I unraveled. “Your human is there.”

  “Luna Harbor?”

  “We leave tonight.”

  “Tonight?”

  Romulus tapped his chin. “There is a storm coming. If you want to use the gate, tonight is the best option.”

  Could I leave tonight?

  “Is the prince changing his mind, hmm?”

  “No. Come to me when you’re ready.”

  I left Romulus and returned to the salt pools. Alena sat by one, dipping her fingers into the water. She saw me enter and immediately stood, bowing her head.

  “I guess a performance wasn’t needed?”

  “No, my prince.”

  “Good. I’ll need you to come with me.”

  I rapped on the doors and the guards opened them, stepping aside to clear a path for me. “She will be accompanying me to my chambers.”

  They nodded, lowered their heads as we passed, and remained silent as we entered the transporter that would take us back to my quarters.

  Alena stood still beside me, head tilted down. I would need to captivate her. Just telling her to guard my quarters would only work for so long, and my father had the guards pr
otected from spells.

  I placed my hand on Alena’s lower back as we walked to my chambers. “I do not want to be disturbed. Who knows when I will have time to enjoy myself again? No one is to enter; only this servant may come and go. Understood?”

  The guards nodded and I escorted Alena into my chambers.

  “I need some time away for a bit. War is coming, and I must prepare for it.” I rubbed her bare arm, gently squeezing until she looked me in the eyes. “My guards will want to come in after some times passes. You must say and do whatever is needed to keep them out.”

  Her eyes glassed over as my spell took hold.

  “My absence must be kept secret.”

  “It will, my prince.”

  Almost every room in the castle had a secret entrance or hidden stairwell. Mine had two: one the guards knew of, and one the royal family and Romulus knew of. As an advisor, and our top scientist, he had access to many of our secrets. Sometimes too much.

  The air smelled of rot, tinged with electricity. An acid storm festered in the distance. Travelling when a storm approached was dangerous, but it also meant there’d be little resistance on the way to the gate.

  The left wall panel opened, and Romulus stepped out.

  We took the stairwell to the first level, behind the servant’s quarters, near the carrier hold. The hold was empty and locked. With the storm approaching, all the vehicles were kept inside. No one dared to venture out. Rows of silver crafts filled the room. Romulus headed to the control board, entering the code to open the main door.

  “This one.” I pointed to a two-seater in the back. A small cargo speeder used to transport minor materials, and one commonly used by the servants. “This one will get us there the fastest and won’t be missed for a while.”

  Romulus finished the code, and we jumped into the speeder. The belts locked around us and I grabbed the shifter, throwing the craft into drive. Each speeder had a navigation system, but I enjoyed controlling the vehicles myself.

  We zipped outside, flying through a deserted city. The air crackled and brown clouds brewed to our left, though far in the distance.