by Lexi Ander
Mestor hissed-clicked, throwing his free arm over Kryp. He would have a word with those doctors. “You have done nothing wrong. I will bite a chunk out of the skink who said such things to you. If it is anyone’s fault, it is mine and Sohm’lan’s. We knew the Numina are telepathic, but we clamped down on our own abilities to stay below the notice of Numina spies.”
“We did not think,” Sohm’lan added. “She physically resembles us so closely that we treat her like other Mar’Sani young.”
“How am I supposed to talk to her? Dire D’Noss are not telepathic nor do we have psi abilities that would assist in this situation.”
“The Orion can help,” Dargon said, his hoverpallet closing in. “Alpha overheard your concerns.” The Orion with markings Sohm’lan associated with Zeus’s friend, Rhee, followed Dargon. “They are telepathic but are able to communicate with others using a device.”
Rhee extended one of his tentacles, the diamond-shaped pad held a small, square device that dangled from the tooth-like claw.
“Kryp will need a doctor to attach it to him, but once done, he should be able to speak with all telepathic beings.” Dargon panted, and he squirmed on the pallet until his head was in Amlyn’s lap. She rolled her eyes but dutifully rubbed behind his ears. Golden fingers were wrapped around the edge of Dargon’s pouch but that was as much as the kits were allowing to be seen this morning.
Kryp took the device from Rhee with a soft thank you before throwing his arms around the Orion. Rhee’s tentacles flailed.
Sohm’lan looked back down at Matsya, smiling at her tiny glare. “I will return by tonight,” he sent, and she did not look convinced.
“I can go and spit on them,” her expression turned hopeful. “Meme said I had acid like her before… before they hurt her.” New fat tears overflowed and ran down the scales of her cheeks.
“No, sweet one, you need to stay here,” Sohm’lan said firmly, the idea of her among the Numina caused his spines to shoot through the special material along the spine of his armor.
Her eyes narrowed. “Are you going to hurt them?”
“I will hurt one of them. When I am done, they all will be brought to justice.” Sohm’lan hoped that he was not lying to her.
“Then I will spit on them when you are done, Lanlan.” Her chin tilted up and her little eyes narrowed.
Sohm’lan only smiled down at her. His daughter would be a fine warrior one day.
Chapter Forty-Five
Zeus
* * *
Zeus accompanied his father to see Sohm’lan off. He wanted to go and watch his waterfather wipe the sea floor with Nethus’s arrogant face. But he could not leave Dargon or the rest of the people in his care. Though he was sure they would have a long boring day, the Ancients were confident there would be an attack. If they were correct, then he would be needed here.
Ahead, Sohm’lan walked with Mestor, the red armor making him look more imposing than normal. Everyone else only wore utility belts and harnesses, except the Monticore and soldiers. They clinked from the overabundance of weapons they carried. Only fools would look at the Elite Honor Guard and scoff.
Behind Zeus trailed some of those who were staying, along with the three who had made a habit of following him everywhere. Hok, the Valuzial, was never far from him. He was getting used to the hulking quadruped. Hok was adorable, if dangerous, and knew how to whine his way into staying at Zeus’s side regardless of where they went.
Rheax and Kaldor were also there with their pouches of M’Cathian crystals ready to soak up any psi or elemental energies he leaked. He was tired of arguing that he would not cause anything to explode, at least he did not think so. It was that uncertainty that lent weight to Rheax and Kaldor’s argument. The two agreed he was entering his second maturity—Poseidon’s balls, his first one was hard enough—and his energy would be more uncontrollable until he learned to harness it. Kaldor droned on and on about how kits were taught from the womb, so that when they went through second and third maturity, they were only slightly dangerous. Slightly.
Zeus did not like thinking of himself as anything other than Mar’Sani. Talk of his possible parentage these last few days really irritated him. He had three biological parents, and none had wanted him, nor had fought for him. No, they had allowed the Chtichlians to blind him, then gave him to Terren scientists who were possibly allied with the V’Saar. Now his changing—maturing—biology required that he learn something one or more of them could do, and it left a bad taste in his mouth. He wanted nothing to do with those parents, but in order to protect those he loved from himself he had to learn control, which also meant learning something about the people who had abandoned him.
Princess Athena walked close enough that her shoulder brushed his and he let go of his anger. He was not the only one wronged and abandoned. He did not know if he would ever consider Athena his sister. He could acknowledge that they shared genetic material through the person who birthed them, but to count her as a relative? He would hold off making a decision about that. For now, he called her friend.
Accompanying Athena were two Aetherians from Hellion. Why did she have assassins as escorts? There had not been time to ask. At least they did not say much or care if they were ignored.
They exited the tunnel and the landing pad came into view. The Ancients—they preferred to be called Ryo’Pardeep, but Zeus was not pleased with them, especially his friend, Whirlwind, and ignored what they wanted—climbed the ramp onto the ship. Sohm’lan’s parents were followed by Pegasus the Explorer. Meme’s brother, Josan, walked with Pegasus, talking animatedly. He was an anthropologist who had spent summers studying the pegasi, the raptor species. Zeus disguised his own awe around the progenitor of the Mar’Sani people, but not his uncle who practically tripped over his tail every time he spoke to Pegasus. His life’s work was conversing with him. For decades he had argued the species were sentient beings. After summers of enduring ridicule from his peers, discovering he was correct had energized Josan. Zeus was amused at how his uncle gloated over how the colleagues who had disparaged his studies would react to the news.
Ariafella was also remaining behind and was in the family room with Rathmar, who had arrived late to first-meal. But her father, Ambassador Tymon, was accompanying Sohm’lan. Valdor’s parents and siblings boarded, except for Zeus’s Aunt Davina. She walked next to Valdor, staying away from the rest of the family. She was Zeus’s height, but she could turn on the menace in the blink of an eye, then she suddenly seemed Echo’s size. He suspected that she preferred space over everything else. Not once had she stepped a foot into any water, pools included, that he had seen.
Canry came up on Zeus’s left and took his hand. Together they approached Sohm’lan. His waterfather remained so calm and stoic, not that Zeus was surprised. As a youngling, he had always believed nothing ruffled Sohm’lan’s composure. He met those blue eyes that had been watching over him all his life. He remembered waking from cryosleep, hearing Dr. Solon and Sohm’lan discuss how they had found him. That was one of his earliest memories. He had a few earlier ones that were not as clear. In those, a young male sang to him, a youngling himself and not quite adolescent by the sound of his voice. Zeus still remembered the smell of the young male who had held him tenderly and fed him. Then there were the memories of fear and pain. Not physical injury, but Zeus thought it was more to do with the agony of being forcefully separated from someone he loved, the youngling possibly… probably. He recalled the humans and their odd language and clinical, uncaring handling. He had cried until they put him in cryosleep the first time.
Like it was yesterday, he remembered waking to the smells of Atlainticia’s muggy tropical air, hearing the sibilant hisses, chirps, and clicks of Dr. Solon and Sohm’lan as they discussed him. Unlike his time with the Terrens, Zeus understood these people. He soaked up the reassuring pats and gentle rubs. He had wanted to ask if he was staying, if they would keep him. Though he was aware with a cognitive maturity summers ahead of his physical age, he c
ould not vocalize his thoughts since his body was still growing and developing. Hunger had gnawed at his belly, but he concentrated on new voices that spoke of family and belonging. Then his Meme had picked him up and exclaimed over him. His hunger overwhelmed him, and he cried. Instead of putting him back in cryosleep as the humans had done, she fed him, took him home, and introduced him as her son. That was the day he knew he was Mar’Sani. Sohm’lan’s scent was the second one he had memorized. His midnight visits meant Zeus was cuddled and talked to. His desire to become a warlord was inspired by his waterfather. Every time Sohm’lan shared his day’s experiences with Zeus in the nursery, he fed that budding desire in Zeus. And the nights his father and Sohm’lan visited the nursery together, Zeus hoped he would one day have a friendship like theirs.
Now his waterfather would face Nethus in a fighting ring. The outcome would change the face of Atlainticia. He just wanted Sohm’lan to return whole. “Be safe. Be sure. May the blood of those who oppose you decorate your sword… and your trident,” he added after glancing at the dark pole gripped in Sohm’lan’s fist.
He stepped aside so Canry could say farewell. Instead of speaking, Canry pressed his forehead to Sohm’lan’s.
Zeus waited, feeling… he was not sure. He looked around the landing pad. The airships had closed their bay doors, except for the one carrying Sohm’lan. Engines fired.
He raised his nose to the wind, scenting, listening. Kaldor said his element was electricity in all forms, but the storm was what he had mastered as a youngling without realizing what he was doing. Now, Kaldor was teaching him to listen and read what he heard, very much like how he read vibrations. His element not only reacted to him but to changes around him. At least that was how Zeus comprehended the lessons Kaldor gave. His body was in tune with his surroundings, but he had to train himself how to interpret what he sensed, what instinct and his body told him.
Now, unease slithered through him and he did not know why. He walked away from the landing pads and to the edge of the nearby cliff. The palace was a humongous structure to his left, sitting on the cliff’s edge. The lower levels of the building were carved into the stone beneath the structure. Looking at the palace from the sea, the lines of windows and balconies revealed the number of floors down. The bottom-most floor had sea access points that had been barred and locked days ago.
Zeus turned his gaze to the sea. Clouds were forming rapidly in the sky, and below, the choppy waves did not hide the hint of figures swimming toward the palace.
“Warlord Sohm’lan,” Zeus bellowed, turned, and ran. “You need to go now!”
Sohm’lan’s gaze sharpened, and then he looked toward the dark gray thunder clouds, his expression torn. Stay and defend the palace or go and win freedom for their people.
“Crush them!” Sohm’lan snarled before turning and running up the ramp. The twins and Meme followed, all glancing back with concern.
Father commanded the pilots to take off. Zeus reached out to Alpha, sensing no alarm in their bond. Warlords spoke into their comm-links to the soldiers stationed throughout the palace and grounds.
“Alpha?” Zeus held his breath, waiting for his amor to respond.
“Oh, Zeus! Matsya is excellent at camouflage and hunt,” Alpha answered with a laugh. “This is tremendous fun! The kits want to play with her. Soon they—”
“Get Dargon. Everyone needs to go to the escape tunnel I showed you. Now, Alpha, there is no time to explain.”
“We are—”
An explosion rocked the side of the cliff, too close to his location to be the palace, but still… it took all of Zeus’s training to keep him from running in a blind panic to find Dargon and Alpha.
“Alpha!” There was no response, but he did not sense his amor was hurt, only angry.
“Zeus!” Princess Athena called. She was bracketed by her two unreadable assassins.
“Go, Athena!” he commanded. “Your Aetherians know what to do.” To be safe, he signed to the two closest Monticore to escort them to safety.
He ignored her angry protests, hurrying to join his father and the other warlords. Family and staff were the only people in residence. His father pulled off his royal robes, letting them drop to the ground. Underneath he wore a warlord uniform. He gave orders to each group leader, covering the various entrances to the palace. “Zeus, Canry, and I will help everyone evacuate.”
Zeus was on the edge of screaming down the bond at Alpha. With each passing moment, he grew ever more impatient for reassurance that Alpha and Dargon were on their way to safety.
Another explosion under them made Zeus wobble on his feet and the edge of the cliff crumbled away. It was a good strategy. Damage the landing pad to keep reinforcements from flying in. Only, the Numina did not understand that the Mar’Sani did not need to land in order to receive backup.
Zeus followed his brother and father to the access tunnel to the palace, Monticore surrounding them. The passage closed around him; the cool darkness was not comforting. Poseidon said he was more powerful on land than in the water. The last couple of days he had begun to believe Poseidon meant his abilities and not his fighting skills. Therefore, open air would be better where he had the storm to back him up. Inside? He would only have his combat expertise.
“Zeus,” Hok rumbled. “If I carry you, we can get to our family faster.”
Zeus halted. He had forgotten Hok was with him, which was ridiculous since the Valuzial was as big as a hovercraft. And that thought only made him feel guilty for ignoring Hok. He should have sent Hok with Athena, but when he met Hok’s worried gaze, he knew any order he gave Hok to leave his side would go unheeded. Then he noticed Rheax and Kaldor. Poseidon’s balls! He was a terrible warlord. He forgot about the civilians, too.
“Warlord Zeus,” his father interrupted his self-admonishment. “You and Canry go, I will meet our reinforcements and rendezvous with you by the evacuation point in the royal wing.”
Since his father addressed him as warlord, this was not a request. He did not like leaving his father behind.
“The Monticore will be split between us. My safety is assured,” Valdor soothed, probably reading his mind since his shields were down, waiting for word from Alpha.
Kaldor clapped his red, furred hands together. Blue flames engulfed him up to the elbows. “I can go with Emperor Valdor. I have foxfire and can protect us both if combatants come close enough to touch. Remember, your father has quickened and now has the advantage of fighting from a distance.”
Hiss-clicking in frustration, he allowed Hok to lift him to his thick neck. The Monticore ran down the hallway to get a head start, knowing they could not keep pace with Hok. Canry climbed behind Zeus and was followed by Rheax, who had an excited gleam in her eyes. Then Hok ran.
If they had been in the jungle or on the open plains, Zeus would have whooped with exhilaration. The tunnel to the landing pad was long, but on the back of Hok, they covered the distance within moments, and stumbled right into chaos. Basilisc were fighting Numina in the halls and doing well, but there were more Numina than there should be. Where had they come from and how did they get this deep into the palace?
He slid off Hok, releasing the safety straps on his swords. Using the Valuzial to block the sight of Canry and Rheax, he checked a door used by servants that led to the corridor outside the royal wing. The only problem was the corridor was too small for Hok to follow them. He shoved Rheax and Canry inside before turning to his Valuzial.
“I need you to go back for my father.” Hok’s lips curled back from his snout and a low angry rumble made Zeus smile fondly. “That hallway is too small for you. Besides, I need your help to protect Father. He will find us, and you can reunite with us.”
Nearby a Basilisc fell, dazed by a blow and three Numina rushed by the guard, heading straight for Zeus and Hok. Stepping between the enemy and Hok, he drew his swords and met their challenge. He feinted the first, turned and leaped onto the second Numina’s back, hoping they did not have retra
ctable barbs. He used the hilt of one sword to bash his opponent in the head. Zeus leaped off, the sickening sound of the crunch of bone said the male would not be getting back up. Without breaking stride, he stepped, spun, and beheaded the first opponent. When he turned to the third, the male dangled from Hok’s jaws as he shook his head violently from side to side. With a toss, the dead Numina flew back into the room they had come from.
The Basilisc climbed to his feet. “Thank you for your assistance, Warlord Striker.”
The guard slapped his hand on the panel and activated security protocols. A metal door slammed down before the Basilisc moved to the next doorway, entering the same codes to secure the room. The guard saluted then jogged to help others farther down the hallway. The rooms that had just been secured had pools. Dread sat like a weight in Zeus’s gut.
“Hok, please,” he was not above begging.
Hok gave him a slurpy lick to the back of the head. “I will return to you soon.” Then he spun and loped back down the corridor to the landing pads.
Zeus slipped into the servant’s hallway and Canry tackled him, crushing him in a hug. Rheax leaned against the wall as if weak with relief.
“I am no first-time combatant,” he groused even though his heart warmed with their evident concern.
“No, you are Warlord Striker,” Rheax agreed with a wan grin. “But that does not mean we will not worry.”
Zeus only shook his head. Councilmember Rheax was becoming a friend, but there were times he did not know how to take her concern.
They did not come across anyone as he led them down the small corridors. He hoped that meant the servants and attendants had already made it to their evacuation exits. At the door that opened to the main hallway outside the royal wing, he sensed vibrations of people moving and voices, but his mind was too muddled with worry for Alpha and Dargon for him to take the time to correctly read what he picked up.
Instead of searching for his center of peace, since he knew he would not be able to find it, he cracked open the door and cautiously peered out. Though there were loud noises from a nearby fight, no one was in the immediate area. The sound of running boots came from behind them. Zeus cursed, closing the door and backing Rheax and Canry into a corner. Monticore came into view and he let out a gusty sigh.