The Bearer's Burden (Phantom Pact Book 1)

by Chad Queen

Whisperboats weren’t illegal, but they were only ever used for smuggling operations. The sleek boat was ten feet long and painted matte black. Whisperboats were designed to be able to pack a lot in the water-tight storage just above the two long pontoons. The boats were man-powered, so there was no engine noise to contend with when stealth was required. There was only room for one to sit on the boat itself—the driver. Being used for smuggling, the design optimized for storage over passenger space.

  Cade grabbed one side as the man grabbed the other and they dragged it over to the gate.

  More screams. The scraping sound came closer.

  “Get in! No questions.” Cade ushered Jace and Ashlyn into the storage above the first pontoon, which was just big enough for them, and sealed it shut. The large man laid the tattooed man into the other one. “Hurry!”

  The large man got in the rowing seat and grabbed the oars as Cade took hold of the boat from behind.

  He encoded to diamond, power blazing through his body. He heaved the boat hard, sending the boat hurtling down into the lake at the bottom of the chasm just as the razor-sharp edge of a Skex claw sliced through his back and slammed him into the ground. The diamond encoding gave him strength, but had left his skin vulnerable. The creature yanked him from the ledge, sending him flying back toward the market. He encoded to the metal of the floor in time to feel the sharp end of its claw scrape against him. He rolled, and still holding his diamond encoding, he kicked at the creature, sending it skidding toward the chasm. It stopped short of falling off the ledge. Lucky bastard.

  He heard advancing claws behind him. Hells. Before he could turn to meet his fate, he noticed two small children, his children, run past him and jump into the chasm. Right. He took a deep breath and ran at the Skex blocking the gate, pushing lead through his entire body. He grabbed the Skex, pulling it over the edge with him. The Skex, unfazed, scraped and stabbed at him as they fell. Away from the pack, they weren’t as smart and didn’t notice details.

  It didn’t notice the blue sparks or hear the spin of the caster chamber.

  Yin Neman. Cade flared diamond and forced the Skex underneath him as they fell. Member of the Sons of the Betrayer. Over fifty confirmed Skex kills. Killed on Gigan’s Hill.

  Cade grabbed the flailing claws, locking them in place.

  Yin Neman. Husband.

  He aimed.

  Friend.

  Smoke.

  The body of the Skex disintegrated as Cade continued his rapid descent into the underground lake. He could already feel his body flush as the heat emanating from the pylons enveloped him. The water surrounding the pylons boiled and steamed. Was that how the topside stayed cool? The bottom pylons exchanged the heat generated from the topside refrigeration by having the ocean water wash it away?

  He splashed into the hot seawater below, making sure to keep distance from the pylons. The water, thick with salt, stung his eyes as he tried to orient himself. The sluice gates must be used for expelling the salt-rich water. He surfaced and tried to rub the salt from his burning eyes. Cade squinted. There. The whisperboat was headed toward one of the sluice gates.

  He could feel each of his phantoms grow faint as he swam. Cade pulled back on the strength of his encoding. The current was already helping him move through the scorching sea within the chasm.

  “Over here!”

  Cade surfaced again to see the captain pointing to the far side of the chasm. He turned to see Skex dropping into the water, one after another, attempting to give chase. One Skex, flailing its appendages, squealed as it cooked after contacting a pylon. “You’ve got to be kidding me. They just don’t give up.”

  He swam up to the captain and saw the boat was unable to fit through the thick metal beams barring the sluice gate while salt water rushed around the boat.

  “Let me help.” The bars were strong, but a final push from Cade’s exhausted phantoms allowed enough space to wedge the boat through.

  Cade grabbed the edge of the boat just as the current sent them hurtling at great speed into a darkening tunnel. The large pipe continued to fill with water as more channels fed into it. He could barely make out the captain with something in his hand, a blue light blinking off and on. The man yelled to him, “I’ve activated the beacon for the ship! Hold on!” Cade took a final breath before the pipe filled completely with water, submerging the entire boat as they were propelled through almost perfect darkness.

  Every second felt too long. How long could he hold on to a single breath?

  The darkness gave way to a dark blue. They shot out into the open sea, and the pontoons, still in one piece, did their job as they began to rise.

  But instead of the ocean surface, they were greeted by the sleek contours of a metal ship that pulled them in through a small bay door. The water around them was jettisoned by a gust of air from a duct near the bay door, leaving them inside the belly of an Ancient ship. The interior was made of dark brushed metal, with thin lines of blue light running across the sides. Other than the familiar scent of seawater, the air smelled fresh, unlike the strong damp scent most large wooden ships had.

  Cade gasped for air, lungs protesting every breath. Ashlyn. Jace. He ran to the storage compartment and threw the latches. Jace shot up, breathing hard, eyes wild. The pontoons were air-tight; they must have been low on air inside. Chest heaving, he pointed to Ashlyn, who lay immobile.

  Cade scrambled to pull her free of the compartment and began compressions on her chest. One. Two. Three. One. Two. Three. “Come on.”

  One. Two. Three.

  He looked at her and hesitated when instead of Ashlyn, he saw the face of his wife. “I will not lose you again.”

  One. Two. Three.

  We will solve your uncle’s murder. One. Two. Three. Just come back. One. Two. Three. One. Two. Three. I shouldn’t have left you and the kids. One. Two. Three. His thoughts were chaotic, tripping over one another.

  “What do you want from me?” he yelled, but not at her.

  “Cade…” Jace set his hand gently on Cade’s shoulder.

  He hung his head low as his heart continued to race. He could even feel his heartbeat in his hands.

  Heartbeat. Hands. He looked down, his hands still pressed upon Ashlyn’s chest. She opened her eyes. “Cade?”

  His eyes grew wide, and he felt as if his heart would burst. He sat her up and held her close. She put her arms around him as well, and he felt the warmth of her cheek against his.

  “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. This is my fault,” he whispered.

  Ashlyn pulled herself away and looked into his eyes. “It’s okay, Cade. I’m okay.” She placed her hand on his cheek and smiled.

  “Um, guys?” Jace broke in, pointing at the growing group of crewmen who had now entered the room.

  Cade flushed and nodded, regaining his composure. He stood up and helped Ashlyn to her feet.

  The large captain had taken out the tattooed drunk and laid him on the floor. “Ice bucket.” A sailor dumped the bucket over the unconscious man, who just groaned.

  Jace walked over to the captain. “Captain. We owe you a debt of gratitude for what you have done.”

  He held up his hands. “You’re mistaken. I’m not the captain.”

  The groaning drunk stood, wiping his face. “I suppose someone has to be. Welcome aboard the Manta.”

  Cade looked at Jace, who shrugged.

  The tattooed man faced them. “Now get off my boat.”

  18

  Staying Afloat

  While rare, the Ancients built a handful of ships that have been discovered throughout Chalice. All of them, despite their age, are known to be seaworthy. Most of them appear to run by somehow harvesting energy from the ocean itself, possibly for extended deep-sea mining operations.

  —From Chalician Archaeologist’s Quarterly, Vol. 3

  “Sir…”

  “Don’t want to hear it,” said the captain as he climbed the ladder to the top deck.

  “We haven’t had a job in ove
r a month.”

  “You are awful at following orders. I must see to getting a new XO.”

  Cade, Ashlyn, and Jace followed them through the ship and to a room that appeared to be the captain’s office. The room, much like the man, was a mess. Bottles littered the floor, and numerous scraps of paper were scattered across every surface. They hovered just outside the door, as there was no part of the floor not covered with trash. Even the furniture itself was in disarray, with a couple of overturned chairs lying across from a small wooden desk, and the bunk in the corner had been flipped upside down.

  The man, unconcerned with the state of the room, walked in and righted one of the fallen chairs. He sat down and began rummaging through the bottles on the floor.

  “This isn’t difficult. Just send them on their way.”

  A knocking sounded from outside the ship. Ashlyn looked at Cade, who could only shrug.

  “Half of our crew have left already, sir. If we stay docked any longer, the other half will soon follow.”

  The knocking continued to get louder, accompanied by the sound of scraping.

  The captain, finding a bottle with a satisfactory amount of liquid still inside, popped the cork and finished it off. “Great. We’ll save a fortune.” He opened a drawer in his desk, and finding a new bottle, pulled the top off with his teeth.

  The knocking and scraping sound was now above them.

  “Captain—”

  The captain grabbed his head, wincing. “What, by the first door of the Forgotten Hells themselves, is that blasted noise?”

  “Skex, sir.”

  The captain shot a pointed look at the tall man, who Cade had decided must be the first mate.

  “Skex?”

  “Skex.”

  The man, stood up, scowling. He strode to a cabinet and pulled out a blunderbuss, larger than one Cade had ever seen, detailed with gold and ivory filigree. He loaded it with ammunition, hoisted it up on his shoulder, and teetered a bit as he fought to maintain his balance. He took his free hand and slapped himself hard across the face, sighed, and walked out the door.

  The first mate shook his head, embarrassed. “This way.”

  The captain heaved open the topside hatch and threw himself onto the deck without a care as to where the Skex might be. The rest of them, after the first mate scanned the perimeter, were ushered up. They were followed by a handful of crew members, armed with rifles and a motley assortment of weapons.

  “I want that sail up yesterday, you lazy sons of bitches.”

  “Aye, Captain!” the crew belted in unison as a team assembled and began pulling ropes that slowly ratcheted a large man-made mast into place. Though it was an Ancient-made ship, they had added their own modifications to the deck. Wooden railings were lashed to the perimeter of the deck, which was no small feat, given the smooth pointed shape of the ship’s hull. Upon the center of the deck they had affixed a man-made mast so that they could sail the ship. They watched as the large sail was unfurled by the bustling crew members while the first mate continued to bark commands.

  “And get these bug bastards off my ship.” The captain wheeled around, leveled his gun at an advancing group of Skex, and fired. The gun sent a tangle of Skex flying off the ship with fewer limbs for the trouble. The blast had also sent the captain staggering back, but he managed to stay upright. Despite the heavy rocking, the man moved with fluid ease upon the deck.

  Within moments, the deck was clear of the Skex. The captain turned to face them. “Why are they still here? Make them walk the plank.”

  “We don’t have a plank, captain.”

  “I miss my old boat,” he said, frowning. “Go swab the decks,” he barked at the idling crew.

  “But it’s a metal ship, sir, we don’t—”

  “Now.”

  “Aye, captain,” the team chanted in unison.

  The captain paced in front of them. “It would stand to reason those foul beasties are after you lot, especially considering they seem to be focused on our ship in particular.” He looked at Cade, eyes squinting. “Now why, by the Traveler, would that be?”

  Cade opened his mouth to reply, but Ashlyn stepped forward. “We humbly request your assistance in a matter of utmost important to Chalice. If you can arrange us passage to Toltaire, I can guarantee you will be rewarded handsomely by the king himself.”

  He walked up to Ashlyn, whose hood was now pulled back. He snorted. “The princess. Perfect.”

  “Captain! Skex ballista spotted!” shouted a man from atop the crow’s nest. Cade looked to see the devastating silhouette of the artillery’s massive barrel as the encroaching Skex rotated it into position from the shore.

  “Hells! Can’t be helped now.” He looked at them, shaking his head. “The curse continues. You’re lucky I hate Skex more than I hate the sea. Get below deck.” He spun around to the crew. “Why the hells are you swabbing the deck? Get the sail up!”

  The first mate grinned and quickly led them below. They passed men seated at terminals in what appeared to be the bridge of the ship, with screens scrolling alien characters. Cade noted the men were equipped with familiar sidearms. Chalician Navy. These men weren’t just crewmates—they had fought together.

  The captain strode into the room, barking orders as he made his way to the command chair on the bridge. The echoing blast of the ballista sounded in the distance. Cade gritted his teeth and braced himself, but the impact never came. A near miss. The captain, unfazed, continued his orders. “Get us out of here.”

  “Aye, Captain. We will be clear of the port momentarily,” the first mate replied.

  A man ran into the small bridge. “Three ships spotted leaving port. One brig and two Gen 1 corvettes.”

  “How many Skex each?” asked the captain.

  “About ten each on the ’vettes, maybe forty on the brig.”

  “How fast?”

  “Chip log estimates the ’vettes at thirty-five knots.”

  The captain nodded, deep in thought.

  “The brig will match our speed soon enough at seven knots, but those corvettes will be on us quick. They are only Gen 1 ships, but there ain’t much faster,” the first mate advised.

  “And what do we have on this scrap of tin, an egg beater?”

  “Um, no sir. We have a Rynthium drive.”

  “Then I suggest you get it fired up.” The men around the bridge sat straighter in their chairs at this, stealing nervous glances at one another. The first mate hurried to a chest near the command chair and unlocked it. He reached inside and brought out a small wooden box, inlaid with gold lines. He pulled off a key that hung around his neck and turned it before handing the box to the captain. The captain pulled off his own key and inserted it into the second lock, popping the steel latch. The captain cast a glance at Cade. “You better be worth it.”

  The first mate carefully took out a vial, which looked empty. Cade could just make out the faint glint of the few grains of Rynthium that lay within. The man hurried out of the room.

  Jace couldn’t help himself. “Where did you get Rynthium from?”

  “Stole it,” the captain said without turning.

  A man near one of the terminals in the front spoke. “Sir, the ’vettes will be on us before the drive spins up.”

  The captain nodded. “Get someone topside and batten down the mast. Prepare to lower the bridles.”

  “Aye, Captain.”

  The first mate, returning, turned to their party. “I would suggest you take a seat and strap in.”

  They found seats at the unmanned terminals on the bridge. There was a large porthole that allowed them to see into the ocean as the ship cut its way across the waters. As they strapped in, Ashlyn whispered to Cade, “What’s happening?”

  Cade shook his head and looked to Jace. “I’ve read about this.” He began to flip through his codex. “Yes, here. Ships that can actually submerge.” He showed them a sketch of a sleek, flat ship that looked just like the Manta.

  Ashlyn’s
jaw fell open as she looked through the porthole. “Ashlyn, are you okay?” Cade asked. She pointed. He looked up to see a long, dark shape undulating toward the ship. Jace froze in place, eyes wide with wonder.

  “One Xansian en route to bridle one, Captain.”

  “Excellent. It would appear the sea hates us less today. Increase vibration on bridle two by three clicks.”

  A great sea snake, twice the length of the ship, wound its way toward them. Its dark purple and silver scales, which almost looked metallic, glowed as they reflected the scraps of sunlight that penetrated the surface. Its eyes glinted like multifaceted diamonds. Cade felt like he could hear an almost imperceptible groan emanate from the beast as it opened its great jaws, revealing what appeared to be row upon row of flat silver teeth. The massive jaw collapsed on the offered bridle, and the ship shuddered as the beast took hold.

  Ashlyn’s face was almost touching the glass of the porthole. “I had only ever heard of them in storybooks. I didn’t know they really existed,” she said in awe.

  “Second Xansian almost in position, Captain.”

  The ship shook again as the second beast took hold.

  “Increase vibration to maximum.”

  Cade felt the ship being pulled underwater, and he made out the ethereal outline of the Xansian as it pulled them deeper into the depths. He had heard stories of ships that could harness Xansians to propel themselves underneath the surface of the water, but he had always believed them to be fantasy. There were no ships even in the Royal Navy that had this capability.

  Awed, Cade turned to look at the captain, who had fallen silent. The man kept his head low and eyes closed. Had he fallen asleep?

  “Captain, current depth is twelve hundred fathoms. We should…”

  The captain raised a hand, silencing the officer. The index finger on his other hand swung back and forth, as if it were conducting an orchestra only he could hear.

  The hull of the ship began to creak as they continued their rapid descent. Less and less light filtered through until the porthole revealed nothing but darkness.

  “Two thousand fathoms.”