Constant

by Lexi Ander

  Shaneva was aware that soon the last of the People of the Longing would enter the portal and she would have to leave. But she would not go until she said her piece, the consequences could suck slugs. She was no longer fifteen and with the changes Canry warned were coming, she would brave the deep-water path her words and actions would take her on. She would be the princess her people needed and not the broken creature Nethus tried to craft her into. For Canry’s safety, she had played by the rules Nethus had set all those summers ago. Now was the time for her to break those chains before Zeus was dragged into this damnation with them.

  She moved as close to Arion as she dared, a tremble working up her spine as she held Arion’s blue gaze. “Do not think you can hold my welfare over Prince Canry’s head to make him do what you wish.” She bared and snapped her teeth at him. “I will see him reunited with the People of the Shore, with our family, and break the bindings Nethus wrapped around him when he was only a youngling. We will be prisoners no more.”

  Arion’s eyes grew rounded, the thin line of white showing in the otherwise blue iris. “Father said Nethus denied the youngling visits with the shore, but—”

  Shaneva turned and swam to the portal before she could attack the clueless male. Denied, indeed. As if anyone, even Poseidon, cared about them. She did not sense him following her and thought she was alone as the last three People of the Longing disappeared into the swirling darkness of the Ways.

  “Princess.”

  She glanced over her shoulder, her heart in her throat as she expected to be attacked. The large male rushed to her and fear turned her veins to ice. The number one disadvantage of the water was that you never heard someone sneaking up on you. Her life depended on her sensing the movement of energies the Numina carried and staying away from them. She did not dare let him catch up to her and darted into the eye of the portal. In her hurry, she was unprepared for how the cold of the Ways encased her, her body feeling stretched like a rubber band. But with only a swish of her tail, she was thrown into the warm waters of Valespia’s ocean. Her stretched bond with Canry was suddenly not so thin, and it wrapped around her, letting her know he was close. He softly touched her mind, there and gone just as quickly, before the portal snapped shut behind her. Relief filled her when she threw out her senses, searching for the ancient Numina and found only Nethus and Canry along with the People of the Longing.

  Canry was strong, stronger than the old Numina who used to come see him. Perhaps ‘see’ was too generous. Their visit was more of an inspection, as if Canry was livestock to be assessed and judged. Nethus preened when he was congratulated on his find. Shaneva always raged at how the Numina looked upon Mar’Sani. She constantly searched for a way to free the People of the Longing from their stranglehold. She had tried and failed, reaping the dire consequences when she uncovered Nethus’s subterfuge when she was fifteen. She had spent the last few summers biding her time, waiting for an opportunity that would free Canry and her people. She did not have farsight, but she sensed that once Zeus got Canry ashore, he would not let Canry go easily. At least she hoped so.

  The People of the Longing swam close together in pod formation for safety; none but her had ever left the Waters of Poseidon before. She had been travelling since Canry taught her how to open a door to the Ways, though hers were much smaller than the one she just used. In the secrecy of her home, she had explored other water worlds, searching for a solution to her people’s predicament.

  She swam around the outer edge of the pod until she reached her brother. She tried to pretend Nethus was not there, though she always trembled as if she were a newborn faun when he came too close. For the most part, Nethus ignored her as much as she did him, but she was still a coward and kept Canry between them.

  The thin line of the shore could be seen in the distance. The storm was going nowhere, only sitting in place as it built overhead. The storm clouds overhead told her that Zeus was agitated. She would be as well if she faced the number of Terrens and V’Saar Canry said he would. Those under Canry’s care would not be handling the V’Saar, this time at least. He had been practicing with the volunteers on how to manage the Terrens. They would be docile and vulnerable, and the People of the Longing were responsible for getting each person to a place of safety. Transporting Terrens through the Ways excited those of the Longing. Many needed to be useful, and all were proud they could come to their prince’s aid. They were beginning to call her youngest brother Striker, which was Canry’s fault. He’d struggled to build ties to the Mar’Sani since Nethus forbid him from returning to land. Canry worked through the People of the Longing’s fear of him by telling them about what was going on in the galaxy, and through storytelling he gave them glimpses of places they would never see while regaling them with Zeus’s meeting with the Qrxzl.

  Ahead, a large ship sat precariously close to the cliff’s edge, the mountains it brushed against scraping the sky with thin, white-capped peaks. The cutoff between land and water was abrupt, the face of the cliff was all the eye could see if one looked to the horizon on the right. The top edge could not be seen from where she floated. To the other side of the spaceship sat a flat plain with tall grass, the abundance of foliage proclaiming it loved the sandy soil. The vibrant green of the jungle circled the area.

  Nethus swam ahead, but Canry turned to her, his green eyes held a hint of fear and nervousness. After weeks of practice, they were headed into a real battle. Canry worried, and not needlessly so. His power was lopsided for what he was called to do. He was strong, but Nethus had also weakened the part Canry would need today. His ties to the land were not what they should be and Nethus brushed off Canry’s concern, believing that Canry only needed to push more power into his action to make up for the lack. Slug-sucking fool. Canry was the strongest farseer born in centuries, possibly longer. Nethus should have paid attention to Canry’s warnings but he suffered from overconfidence.

  “I will stay nearby should you need me,” she promised. Shaneva has not been among the land dwellers for many summers, but she had to believe that her experience, her connection to their family, could help him. With Zeus right there, perhaps he would sense Canry’s need and lend aid, too.

  Canry’s smile was strained as he glanced to the shore. He could not be nervous about meeting Zeus; they had already spoken. Canry even got to see the twins. He had come to her filled with so much joy she had celebrated with him. She constantly reminded him that their family remembered him and wanted him, but he had learned for himself how they worried for him, had fought for him. What caused his unease?

  “Do you think Waterfather is with Zeus?” he asked.

  “If one of the twins could not be with him then they would send Sohm’lan,” she replied, her eyes burning with her understanding. Since Canry was brought to her when she was fifteen and he twelve, she’d told him stories about their family so he would know them as she did.

  “Canry,” Nethus called impatiently.

  She wanted to give him a rude gesture despite her fear. “Waterfather loves you, and once he knows where you are…” She left the rest unsaid. Canry needed action, not words. He would soon see for himself. Excitement rolled through her. If Warlord Sohm’lan was with Zeus, Canry would not be returning to the sea anytime soon. Instead of saying such, she pressed her forehead to his. “Siren of the wild deep, raise your voice and put our enemies to sleep. None will dare to raise a sword, surrendering to your enchanted word.”

  The nervousness fled his expression as he discarded the fear of failure that clung to him like a tenacious kraken threatening to bear him down to the sea floor.

  She stayed at the head of the pod as they followed Canry and Nethus toward the shore. When Canry whispered in her mind that there were enemy watchers among the trees, she used the language of the hands to command her people to keep low until Canry readied to sing. She sensed Zeus before she saw him. For as long as she remembered, he carried power close to him, restrained and controlled. Somehow, he had come to them as a y
oungling with the knowledge of how to contain his psi-energy, only revealing his affinity for ions and air when deeply upset. His aptitude was in many ways like the Vondorian affinity for water, which gifted some of them with farsight and the ability to open a door to the Ways. The Ways were very much like wormholes, pathways from one point to another, except those pathways connected all bodies of water together. But unlike her father and brothers, who had some semblance of control over their abilities, Zeus did not, at least not consciously. He seemed able to unconsciously suppress it, but when he was distraught his power flowed out of him on an electric wave, promising devastating pop-up storms.

  Zeus rounded the ship and his face lit up at the sight of Canry, just as she had predicted. Her youngest brother had come to them after Canry was taken away, but his love of Canry was learned through their family, something that had astonished Canry. What was unexpected was the strong, uncontrolled wave of immense power that followed behind Zeus. She perked up, scenting the wind even though it was going the wrong direction.

  Warlord Sohm’lan stalked after Zeus and it dawned on her that the power belonged to him. She almost burst into tears of relief. If Nethus did not get to him, she would have a strong, capable ally. This was the opening she had been waiting for, praying for. Her waterfather had quickened and she could tell him everything without the geas chip sending a warning to the Numina. Sohm’lan was a fierce, protective bull. He could do what she could not. If the Numina received word that he had quickened, they would orchestrate a way to take him and force a chip under his scales to make him do what they wanted. She rubbed at the small lump just behind her earhole, unable to dig it out. They would know if she tried.

  She watched Nethus’s every movement, sure he would detect that Sohm’lan had quickened, but he was preoccupied. Hopefully, he would assume that Sohm’lan’s power belonged to Zeus. Her youngest brother was the only one she had come close to revealing some of her secrets to. She had brought him to the Waters in the Dream when he was thirteen, and though he had been blind, he had met and recognized Canry. That was the day her life changed forever.

  Shaneva shoved those thoughts aside. They had no place in what would happen this day. Movement off to the side drew her eye. There in the distance floated that nosy Numina, his equine head easy to discern. She glared when he caught her staring. When she decided to ignore Arion and return her attention to the shore, Canry was walking along the sand to the center of the soon-to-be battlefield. Canry had confided in her, talking over what his farseeing told him. She knew he withheld much, trying to protect her and keep her from worrying. He only said this battle was a pivotal point and many possible futures blossomed from here. He was very careful to keep from affecting any particular outcome. He warned her more than once that if he did so one too many times, he would become the monster people feared.

  Speaking with her hands, Shaneva divided the People of the Longing into rows. They did not know the exact number of Terrens they would handle but Canry had said there would be many. She prepared the ranks with that in mind. Canry’s energy brushed over her and surrounded each individual, attaching a tether between himself and each one of them so they would always return to this place instead of getting lost in the Ways. He would not only sing both the Siren’s Songs, but he would also manage individual portals that would allow the People of the Longing to take the Terrens to safety.

  She moved to the side after she gave orders to those in charge of each rank. If she needed to relay additional orders, she could use her telepathy but would be unable to receive anything back. She needed to be watchful of both the people in the sea and of Canry. If he struggled, she would do her best to crawl over the sand and join him, no matter how painful it would be.

  An eerie quiet descended over the shore, the lapping of the waves and the breathy moans of the wind were the only sounds. The Mar’Sani were settled and waiting. Thunder rolled, the cloud cover flashing before lightning streaked through the sky over the grassy field to kiss the clouds over the jungle.

  Canry tipped his chin skyward, the tines of his trident glowing a golden red. As one, the People of the Longing swam closer to the shore in anticipation of what would happen. Zeus moved to join Canry but Nethus held his hand up, keeping him away. Shaneva growled low and considered grabbing Nethus and dragging him back to the ocean. There were a few present who would chance punishment to help her, but she could not afford to leave Canry alone, even for a short time, at least until she knew he would be protected.

  The storm overhead thickened, darkening the sky to shades of purple. Zeus was angry. Far behind them, the number of lightning strikes in the waters was a warning Nethus was too ignorant to read. The scent of Terrens carried on the swirling wind. The first row of the People of the Longing was knee deep, their body language telegraphing their excitement.

  Canry began to sing, loud enough to be heard over the crashing waves. Shaneva wondered if Zeus realized his wayward wind was helping their brother by grabbing the words of the Siren’s Song and carrying them toward the jungle. People of the Longing joined in, lending their voices with what little power they possessed. The harmony told the story of love and family, beckoning the people to come home.

  In the field, the Terren soldiers stood, one by one, as the compulsion grabbed them, filling them with a longing for the one place they were the happiest. The song could not plant a desire that was not already in the heart of the being listening. The Siren’s Song enticed the longing to the forefront, reminding the individual of home.

  Weapons were dropped and people moved toward the sea. Some disrobed as they hurried. Others whooped in joy and ran. Everyone was met by one of the Longing. With arms wrapped securely around the Terren, the Mar’Sani fell back into the water and as they were submerged a portal opened, taking them to the place the Terren desired most. Somewhere safe. Shaneva watched with sadness. The expressions of joy and rapture, of such soul-wrenching longing caused her to want to soothe the people who ran by. Water splashed as if they were playing on a distant beach with loved ones and not on the edge of a battlefield. The Terrens held on to her people as if afraid that happiness would be ripped from them. She had read that the Terren worlds were weird and governed oddly and that they would soon collapse. That the people took to the Siren’s Song so quickly spoke of a deep unhappiness. She worried that the Terrens would not be safe, though Canry had reassured her they would be fine. When the Terrens awakened on their home shores, this would seem but a dream.

  The song Canry sang took on an urgent note and in response the Terrens rushed to the shore. The heart-wrenching longing came from Canry. She moved close to the sand, determined to remind him he was not alone.

  Nethus noted her attempting to leave the water and stormed toward her. She could not help but flinch at his furious expression. “He must do this on his own!”

  “You want him to fail,” she accused. If Canry did not perform well, Nethus would use that as an excuse to keep him from the shore.

  Before he could retort, explosions erupted along the jungle’s edge. Gouts of flame rose about the treetops, forming yellow and crimson blooms. The ground shook and the wind off the forest was hot, carrying the stench of something other than wood burning. A second round of incendiary explosions followed the first, the concussive wave taking everyone on land to their knees. Except for Canry, who stood tall, a beacon. She searched for Zeus and found him staggering back to his feet next to Warlord Sohm’lan.

  The Terrens were running flat-out, the bonds of the Siren’s Song broken by fear. They rushed to escape V’Saar, running toward the safety the song promised. As the humans reached her people, they asked for help, falling into welcoming arms with relieved sobs. Shaneva did not expect to be so moved by their plight. Perhaps growing up believing Zeus was biologically human helped develop the empathy she felt now.

  Near the shore, Zeus and the soldiers fired on the V’Saar, covering the Terrens’ flight. Warlord Sohm’lan lifted fallen humans being trampled and sent them
toward the waters. The Terrens seemed oblivious to the Mar’Sani who shot plasma at the V’Saar. Evidence that the Siren Song still ensnared a part of them, as it should, though Shaneva sensed the power behind the words weakening. Zeus was in the midst of the battle; she followed his energy as he moved among the soldiers.

  Glancing to Canry, she saw the strain in the taut lines of his expression and body. If the song weakened too much, the Terrens could break free of the compulsion. The more Terrens they sent to safety, the better. Canry had said as much so many times, she knew it had something to do with a farsight vision.

  Nethus still stood between her and her brother. She was contemplating how she could get around him when Zeus crossed the sand toward Nethus, his steps so light and smooth it almost seemed as if he slithered like a gerrho’sauridae, though she knew what she was seeing could not be possible. Zeus’s expression was pulled into predatory lines, his dislike of Nethus quite evident.

  She was close enough to hear Zeus say trouble was coming and they needed to get the Terrens out quicker. Curious, she raised up as much as she could, trying to see what Zeus saw. A huge bug that towered over the other V’Saar stood at the tree line. Many soldiers and a couple of the battlemechs were concentrating their artillery fire on it, trying to bring it down and failing.

  Zeus snapped angrily at Nethus and she was too preoccupied to hear what Zeus asked, but Nethus looked pained. She knew that expression. He looked like that when the truth did not suit him.

  “No. To you. To his birth family, to the People of the Shore.” Every word dripped with derision, revealing exactly what Nethus thought of those who lived on dry land. Her experience with the Numina confirmed most of them were bigots when it came to Mar’Sani and anyone else who did not reside in the Waters of Poseidon. Even the People of the Longing were looked down upon because of their Mar’Sani blood ties, relegating them to scum from the moment they were born.