by Lexi Ander
Captain Hesperos saluted. “My apologies for not arriving sooner.”
He was not going to chastise them for not having a Valuzial’s speed. “My Father?”
“He and Kaldor were with Hok and his Monticore, the last I saw,” the captain replied, taking Zeus’s place at the door, rechecking the hallway.
Zeus reached out to Alpha. “I am almost to the grand family room. Have you reached the escape tunnel yet?”
“No,” Alpha growled. “I sent Dargon with the Valuzials, Hadon, and the majority of our house. A few stayed behind to help us find Matsya since we lost her during the game. I think she can really camouflage herself. But when the Numina started coming out of the pools in the family room, they went back to fight and buy us time to find the youngling. I am searching for Matsya with Kryp and he is murderous.”
Zeus scrubbed his face and took several deep breaths, searching for his center, for calm waters. Knowing that Dargon and the kits were safe with the other guardians helped greatly. The Numina would not be after them. They wanted him and Canry, and probably Matsya since they had already tried to snatch her.
Air swirled around him like a passing breeze, and he closed his eyes as it flirted with the ends of his short hair in a soothing fashion. He walked through the steps of a ritual he had completed time and again when he trained with Kaldor and Rheax, looking for that pocket where the quickening had hidden all these summers. He was not like Sohm’lan or the rest of his family, who could hone this energy into a weapon. His lightning, the element that was a part of him, was a weapon, and his psi part was defensive. All the times storms rolled overhead; he had been shielding people. It was something he did instinctually on the battlefield on Valespia, protecting the soldiers from the effects of the lightning strikes that should have deafened and blinded them, despite the lenses Sohm’lan had issued them. But there was another way he could protect people, and he carefully shaped his psi energy into shields around Rheax, Canry, and the Monticore.
A long-fingered hand gripped his shoulder. Over the last few days, he had come to recognize Rheax’s gentle but firm touch. Something about her made a small part of him awaken, not sexually but in recognition. Her voice and scent tickled at his memory, as if something momentous had happened between them but he was sure he had never met her before visiting Haven. There had not been time to unravel the mystery of the Chi-Lin councilmember Rheax Omphalox.
He allowed her to guide him through weaving the shields. The protection would only last for half an hour, or less depending on how many times someone struck at them. The energy he attached to them could repel only so much before collapsing.
When he went to give Rheax a shield, she stopped him. “I am more than capable of protecting myself. There is a reason we Chi-Lin females have many, many mates.” She gave him a toothy grin and swept her long, white braid over her shoulder. When her hand came back, she held a short sword with white runic symbols down the black blade. She shrugged off her over robe to reveal a clinging bodysuit that reminded Zeus of the uniforms Mar’Sani wore when practicing martial arts.
Captain Hesperos insisted on clearing the hall first, but Zeus followed close on his heels, ready for anything. Sohm’lan and Mestor had warned them that some Numina looked like Mar’Sani—as evidenced by the group who attempted to snatch Matsya at the market—and some were wholly different like Arion and Pegasus. If he did not recognize a person who was in the royal wing, he was taking no chances and would incapacitate them, at the very least.
The energy that he could now sense sitting behind his belly button intensified with the heightened state of danger. Everything was eerily quiet as they moved as fast as they dared. Protocol dictated they do not leave any room unsecured, where the enemy could be hiding and lying in wait to sneak up behind them, or leave servants hiding from the Numina. Zeus, Rheax, and Canry remained with half the Monticore as a team cleared each area and then entered the emergency code that initiated the security doors.
While waiting, he touched Alpha’s bond, not wanting to interrupt or startle him, only searching for reassurance. He was surprised to feel Alpha’s intense glee, getting the sense that Alpha was hunting, stalking. If Alpha got hurt… Zeus could not think about it or he would lose his mind.
The main corridor to the royal wing was cleared, and he activated the gate that closed off the wing from the main palace. People would be able to see the other side but not go through. They continued to methodically clear and secure rooms, and though it was necessary, Zeus’s impatience grew, especially since the vibrations he felt were accompanied by noises of fighting. Rounding the last corner to the grand family room, he halted everyone and insisted that Rheax and Canry moved to the rear.
Basilisc guards were fighting Numina outside the family room. A few Orion were clinging to the ceiling. Their long tentacles snapped out and caught the enemy with the deadly pads of claws that stripped armor and hide so quickly the opponents could not put up a defense or retaliate. Numina fell dead or unconscious to the floor and still more spilled from the room. A small, feline body flew from the opened doors, turning in midair to hit the wall with their feet, then flipped to land nimbly on the floor. In a blur of blade and movement, Amlyn tore into the Numina fighting against the guards. She was small but deadly as she darted in between and around, gutting and hamstringing the enemy on her way through the crowd. In a matter of seconds, the situation went from strained to calm as the last Numina fell.
“Captain Hesperos, Canry is to be protected at all times. The Monticore are not to leave him, no matter what.” He did not have to the give that order, knowing the Elite Honor Guard as he did, but for his own peace of mind he needed to impress upon them that Canry’s safety was more important than his own.
Zeus hurried to Amlyn. She wiped blood from a cut above her eye, but other than that she looked whole. “I wondered if you had been ambushed,” she said in greeting.
“No, we were at the landing pads. There is fighting throughout the palace as far as I can tell. How they got this far in—”
Amlyn growled, her russet gaze snapping with anger. “They are coming out of the pools. Your cousins, Kappa and Noelani, had everyone evacuate to the escape tunnel. Those of us still here stayed to help Kryp find the kit, Matsya, but got bogged down by these idiots who are coming out of the water.”
The Basilisc greeted Zeus with murmurs of ‘Warlord Striker’. He was uncomfortable with the name but hid it. The palace guards looked exhausted but seemed to recharge at the sight of him. He peeked into the poolroom and hiss-clicked, his anger building. Noelani and Kappa were fighting inside along with more Orion. What he did not expect were the GyrFalconi, Axis de la Rynch and his Chimera triplets. Not far away were Ariafella and Rathmar, fighting tail to tail like they used to in practice as young. The sight made his heart squeeze. He thought he would never see them together again. The Monticore assigned to Ariafella were doing their best to help her, but there were too many Numina.
Tentatively, he reached out to Ariafella and his cousins with mind speech, trying to keep from broadcasting to the Numina as well. “Everyone move to the doors as fast as you can. I think I can take care of the room.”
Ariafella used her tail to signal to Rathmar, and he glanced to where Zeus half hid at the nearest doorway. An expression of malicious delight spread over Rathmar’s scarred face. Zeus swallowed hard, stomach clenching as he stomped down on his rising tumultuous emotions. Rathmar had always gotten that look when he knew Zeus was going to trounce the opposition. That Rath still had that kind of faith in him was unexpected, especially after Zeus had left him behind to be tortured. He stowed away his thoughts, though a kernel of anger with himself remained.
Ariafella moved like a graceful dancer, no weapon in hand, but she did not need one. She had learned many foreign fighting styles while abroad, which she used expertly as she blinded her opponents, snapped necks, and crushed windpipes. Her movements spun a beautiful but deadly dance that caused more than one Numina to stop a
nd stare to their detriment.
Rathmar fought well next to her, knowing her moves, and matching them with his own sharper ones. Where Ariafella was fluid grace, Rathmar was power. Taller than Zeus’s father, and as broad as Sohm’lan, his strength snapped bones like dry, brittle twigs. He had broken the legs off a table and used the makeshift clubs to deliver blows that left the enemy unconscious.
The Chimera brothers were grouped with Axis, who fought with two belt knives. His yellow-ringed black eyes held a hint of fear. Axis had, at one time, been a slave of the Terrens, his wings removed so he could work the M’Cathian crystal mines. Did the Terrens’ hostile takeover of Axis’s homeworld look something like this? The triplets fought like bulls who had lost their minds—or like bulls whose mate was in danger. They hefted Axis between them and retreated through the nearest double doors. The Numina, thinking the four were running away, gave pursuit. Zeus hastily threw up a shield over the exit. The Numina hit the invisible barrier at a full run and bounced off like rubber balls, landing in a dazed heap. If Zeus had not been holding onto the door frame, he would have fallen when his knees buckled. He had felt the jarring hit to the shield along his spine. Not good, but there was nothing he could do about it. A Basilisc triggered the security door and it slammed down with a finality that distracted the other Numina in the room. The doorway nearest Ariafella and Rathmar also slammed shut, leaving Zeus standing in the only exit.
Noelani and Kappa hurried past him, but he sensed that they did not go far. The Orion slithered over the ceiling into the hallway and dropped to the floor. The few Numina who remained standing realized they were trapped, but their momentary uncertainty turned to confidence when more Numina surfaced in the pools. They recognized him. That was evident by the whispered conversation he could easily hear.
“We only need him, then we can return,” one said, giving a significant glance at their downed brethren.
“What about the youngling?”
“Bucca said we could use the soft-skin to barter for the return of the youngling and our seer.”
Zeus curled his lip but did not release the taunting words sitting on the tip of his tongue. Rheax placed a hand on his shoulder, her touch somehow calming. “You do not need to fight them,” she murmured. “They are nothing. Once the door is closed, they will have to return the way they came. Save your energy for a true battle.”
She was correct, but he still wanted to draw blood. Instead, he gave them a rude gesture and entered the code to drop the blast doors.
“Zeus,” Ariafella called, catching him in a tight embrace, then passed him to Rathmar, whose eyes were huge with shock. They had spoken many times over the last several days but rarely touched. Zeus squeezed Rath tightly, glad he was all right before stepping back.
The Chimera had changed to their Three Form, their size tripled into a single, huge being that terrified most Mar’Sani. Their three heads sniffed and rubbed against Axis. The two outer heads had sharp, jutting horns whose pointed tips they were careful to keep from catching on Axis. Long, angular muzzles revealed double rows of sharp teeth when they opened their mouths to lick blood off Axis’s skin. Zeus was still getting to know the Chimera and could not say which horned brother appeared more reptilian than the other, while the other one seemed more amphibian. Smoke rolled out the nostrils of the two outer heads, and Zeus knew from experience they spit an acid that caught fire when it came in contact with the air.
They were attempting to urge Axis onto their back, but the GyrFalconi ignored them and met Zeus’s gaze. He hurried over and inspected Axis for injury. The three heads of the Chimera crowded Axis and carefully watched Zeus with keen black eyes that Zeus tried not to think of as soulless.
“I smell blood, Axis. Where are you bleeding? Your mates will rampage if we do not address this now.” The last thing he needed were assassins going feral to protect their amor.
Axis was molting and the wilting, drooping feathers that remained made him look harried, adding to the mauled look he’d sported since his feathers started falling out. What was left of his once beautiful red-tipped, gray plume was blood-spattered. But it was how he held a hand over this right side that drew Zeus’s attention. Axis pushed away the three noses that attempted to inspect his wound. Long thin tongues lapped at the blood around his hand.
“It is not serious,” Axis groused. “Finding Kryp and little Matsya is more important than this.”
“We will find her,” Zeus reassured. “You and your mates need to evacuate.” He pushed Axis up onto the Chimera’s back. That Axis did not argue told him his friend was more wounded that he wanted others to know.
“Rhee,” Zeus called telepathically and the Orion approached. “Please have a couple of the troop escort them. I cannot spare any Monticore or Basilisc at the moment.”
“Of course! Lothar. Pimoe. Stay with Axis and Zeus’s cousins.”
Zeus hid a grin that his household knew him so well.
“Noelani and Kappa, it is also time for you to evacuate.” Zeus braced for his cousins to argue.
Kappa cleaned her sword on a dead Numina’s clothing. “As you wish, Warlord Striker.”
Feeling hopeful, he looked to Rheax and Canry, and frowned at their shaking heads. He did not have time to argue and hoped he was not making a mistake by allowing them to stay. He pressed his forehead against Kappa’s and Noelani’s. They promised to watch over Dargon and his kits.
Once they were off, Zeus reached out to Alpha to find out where he was. He could not see through Alpha’s eyes since Alpha did not “see” the way Zeus did, but he got the sense of Alpha slinking around corners, moving faster than Zeus thought he could on his own. Alpha followed Kryp and the scent of blood was almost overwhelming. He choked back a gag, but he knew where they were heading.
Looking over his small group, he was both concerned and elated. He considered Canry and Rheax noncombatants. Though Ariafella and Rathmar were citizens they had always fought well as a team, at least in practice. Zeus had battled alongside Amlyn and Rhee before and over the last several moons had become accustomed to practicing strategy with the Orion troop.
The Basilisc and Monticore formed squads of four, putting the noncombatants in the center. Zeus led with Captain Hesperos, Ariafella, and Rathmar flanking him, then came the Orion behind them and overhead on the high ceilings.
When he had left Atlainticia to work on the space station, he thought he would never again experience Ariafella and Rathmar fighting with him. With the two of them at his back, he felt as if something precious had been returned to him, and he was not quite sure he deserved it. That did not mean he would not fight to keep it this time around. He would never again take his friendships for granted.
Once more, as they passed rooms, the Monticore cleared the area and secured the exits. Zeus walked a tightrope, expecting to be overwhelmed by an attack as they rounded each corner and doorway, but they only crossed a Numina here and there. He was suspicious of every body of water. The tunnels from the sea into the palace had been shut down, blast doors and secondary measures were in place, but the pools the Numina were coming through did not have outside access. He could only surmise they could portal or had devices like Echo’s conch shell that allowed them to portal. Echo swore that the conchs were not common anymore, making Zeus hope that there were only so many who could infiltrate the palace by that method.
The Monticore made short work of any stray Numina they discovered and soon, they only found bodies cut down so mercilessly that they died before they realized they were in danger. Weapons were still clutched in firm grips, eyes widened in shock stared blankly back at Zeus. He was not surprised that the trail of bodies lay in the path he was sure Alpha and Kryp had taken.
The lighting was dim, creating deep shadows but still providing some illumination. As they slithered quietly through the gloom, Zeus constantly read the vibrations, and those with him were confident he could give them an early warning of danger. They slowly approached the T intersection, sti
ll some distance ahead. The hairs on the back of Zeus’s hands prickled in warning, and he immediately halted. He signaled and everyone dropped into a crouch. The T intersection was brightly lit and there milled several Numina. They discussed their lack of progress finding the soft-skinned monkey prince or the escaped youngling.
He gritted his teeth around the hiss-click of challenge. He should be used to ignoring the slurs. Most people were now aware he was from the Fal’Amoric bloodline and not Terren, but there would always be someone who looked at him and would not see that he was Mar’Sani.
A shadow caught his eye as it slid soundlessly across the tiled floor. It was only then that he noticed the figure the dark puddle followed. Alpha and Kryp. Kryp held something long and thin behind him. It looked like a pole or staff. The image reminded Zeus of the human vids offered on the space station. He had grown to love the classic ninja movies with dark-clad figures who practiced a human martial art. Sometimes the characters were altruistic and sometimes they were assassins, but they were always silent and deadly.
Kryp’s powder-white skin was covered by a dark bodysuit that even hid his antennae. His every movement was an ethereal glide that only gave off the tiniest of vibrations that Zeus could only sense between the pauses in the Numina conversation.
Signing quickly, he left Captain Hesperos in charge of the main group while Zeus took three Monticore and followed the stalkers. The Numina at the intersection seemed to be waiting for someone. He hoped the person was among the many lifeless bodies they had passed to get to this point.
He held his breath. The dark figure moved impossibly closer without alerting his prey. Mestor had said Kryp had been an undercover spy for the Dire D’Noss Seclord and he’d had trouble believing that when he’d watched Kryp with Matsya. Caring, gentle, and completely focused on the wellbeing and development of the youngling were all the qualities Zeus attributed to Kryp. Seeing this deadly aspect of the young Dire D’Noss only caused Zeus’s respect to grow.