Queens of Wings & Storms

by Angela Sanders et al.

  She shook herself. How could she think a killer who wanted to eradicate witches from the universe even remotely handsome? He was a Hunter, nothing more.

  Movement a mistake, she froze in place, heart pounding. It would only be a matter of seconds before he—

  There, now he spotted her. Damn. How did this man even find her?

  Spice tickled her nose as wind blew over the sacks of the red and yellow dust-like substance, sending a small cloud into her face. She sneezed.

  Heading straight for her, his arm raised, Alazne was frozen. Knowing what was coming next, she tried to brace herself. But the energy lightning from the apparatus on his arm didn’t come.

  She peeked up at him, opening both eyes.

  “I see you,” the man said.

  Goddess everywhere, if she didn’t think this man was about to kill her, she’d roll her eyes. Did he think her some kind of woodland creature, frozen in the hopes a predator didn’t see it after all? They don’t see me—

  “Of course you do,” she said. But not for long. She raised her own arm, wand already in hand. “Goddess of Dimensions, open a portal for me.”

  Nothing happened. She was shaking, fear polluting her concentration.

  The hunter seemed to hesitate. He still wasn’t firing.

  Alazne took a deep breath, intent on not sticking around to ask any questions. Confidence returning, she stood and drew upon the power of the energy surrounding the planet. “Dimension Goddess, open a portal for me!”

  Zenon blinked as the scenery around them swirled into a spiraling circle of color and fog. The healer he had been looking for stepped into the center of the spiral and disappeared—

  The spiral remained. It only took a second to decide to step through it; no way was he losing the only hope his mother had, not after everything he had already been through to find this woman.

  Zenon found himself slightly sinking into white sand. He jumped on his tippy toes, afraid it was quicksand. The sound of crashing waves eased his worry; he was only on a sandy beach of some resort. Wait—

  There were three suns instead of one. They weren’t even on the same planet as before!

  The healer dashed away ahead of him, turning a corner of a white and blue painted vacation house as she looked back, making eye contact.

  Something in his heart skipped at her beautiful green eyes and fiery brownish red hair. His mother warned him that Healers were beautiful, but this one was stunning.

  Rounding the corner after her, he stopped in his tracks as he saw another swirling spiral. This time he could see her running across a street of a city on the other side.

  He ran through, adrenaline streaking through his veins as a horn blared, jumping quickly to his right to avoid getting run over by a transport vehicle.

  Stag, this healer was going to get him killed. And, stars, they were on a different planet again. How was she opening these bridges through time and space? Did she have some kind of tech?

  She said some words before waving a stick around. Something about “Dimension Goddess” and “Portal.” The stick-like tech must have been voice activated with those codes. And she was quite skilled at using it.

  He needed to get his hands on that tech. It would be most useful to get back to his sick mother quickly, if he could get back to her in time. This search had already taken way too long. But, first, he needed to stay alive.

  Using the tech his mother gave him to find a healer, he raised his arm and scanned the area.

  “No tech allowed in this district.” A quadruped in a dark blue garment with a pointy badge ambled up, no less than six eyes in its oval head focused on him.

  Zenon lowered his arm. “Sorry, officer, I didn’t know.”

  “No Tolerance, No Excuses,” the quadruped said. “The fine is ten or the tech is confiscated.” The officer held out a furry hand.

  Ten? Ten what? The quadruped wasn’t moving, stern look, hand outstretched, waiting. Zenon needed the tech—

  Rummaging through his pockets, he pulled out a handful of coins from his own world. He doubted his money would be good here, but worth a shot.

  The officer picked over his coins, grunting and whistling some tone that Zenon couldn’t hope to begin to interpret.

  “You are free to go,” the quadruped said and ambled away.

  Zenon let out a breath. That was close. His mother’s life depended on him using this tech to find a healer. He had no clue how he’d ever find one without it.

  Now that he knew what the authority figures looked like on this particular world, and that there was a rule against using tech, he continued his search more cautiously. What world was he on anyway? He didn’t recognize anything about it. The universal translation implant worked, so that was something.

  Making his way through the crowded street and avoiding all mobile transports, he found a crossroad that led to another busy avenue. Looking around to make sure there were no quadrupedal officers around, he surreptitiously held up his arm and scanned the area. Quickly lowering his arm to his side, he looked down to read the results.

  Several auras appeared on the tech viewer. That was weird, but he wasn’t interested in any aura except the blue one crouched on the other side of a strange looking wave-shaped building.

  As he approached, he heard the unmistakable voice of the quadruped officer. “No tech allowed in this district.”

  Peeking over a rounded corner, he spotted the healer. Her stick-like tech was raised, a swirling portal already opened behind her. The officer was standing in front of her with his hand extended, palm up, no doubt waiting for payment of the fine.

  Her green eyes met Zenon’s again and his heart fluttered. If he didn’t know any better, he’d think he’d just found his Lifemate.

  Ignoring the quadruped, the woman stepped backwards into the swirling circular spiral. The officer whistled an alarming noise and two more of the creatures appeared from one building over, rushing towards their distressed comrade. The officer tried to step into the portal after her, but was pushed back by some invisible force. When the others got to him, they all tried going through, but couldn’t.

  Zenon brushed past them from behind, running into the spiraling swirling mass before they knew he was there. He could still hear their alarming whistles as he ran across a grassy knoll on yet another world on the other side of the space bridge.

  He turned and waved at the quadrupeds as it collapsed into nothingness, a rolling hill covered with green trees appearing in its place.

  How was this Hunter following her? Only a person of magic should be able to enter a portal and he had entered every portal she’d opened.

  Alazne kept running, but he just kept following, jumping through time and space and other worlds.

  She was running out of options. Soon, she wouldn’t be able to open another portal. Eventually, the magic would run out, at least for the day. She was wielding too much power and was getting tired. When exhaustion set in, there wouldn’t be enough focus to continue.

  Alazne appealed to every Goddess and Mother of the Universe she knew. So far, they were granting her the power to continue. But she could tell she was getting close to the end state. Running solely on wishes wasn’t going to get her where she needed to be.

  As she jumped from the quadruped police world to the green world of Landela, an idea popped into her mind. It was risky, but it was the best shot she had at getting away, or, in the very least, getting answers. With any luck, both.

  Raising her wand, Alazne drew on the strength of the surrounding forest and made one last appeal, “My Lady of Inter Dimensional Time, please let me pass.”

  The smell of oil and gunpowder filled her nostrils as she entered the storage facility on Danar. The room was filled with guns of all shapes and sizes. This was the weapons storage of the Hunters, killers whose sole vow was to eradicate the universe of all witches and magic-wielders.

  Her lip curled. This place disgusted her. If she could find someone brave enough to come to thi
s world to help, she’d destroy it.

  Picking out a handgun small enough for her to hold, she couldn’t help the sardonic grin. She’d give this hunter a taste of his own medicine. Settling behind a shelf full of ammunition, she waited.

  She didn’t have to wait long. Her pursuer ran through the portal into the confines of the room, stopping to look around as he realized he had nowhere to run, surely also realizing where he was.

  With his back to her, Alazne had no trouble sneaking up behind and placing the barrel of the gun right against the back of his head.

  Chapter 2

  Zenon realized his mistake a split second before he felt the gun barrel press against the back of his head, unyielding cold steel that made him stand deadly still.

  Risking a glance behind, he caught a glimpse of her tech. It appeared to be made of wood. That was weird. Tech was usually metal and circuitry. Intrigue won out over the worry that she might shoot him. Besides, wouldn’t she have done it already?

  “How are you doing this?” they both asked at the same time.

  Okay, that was even weirder. How could she have the exact same question as him?

  “Doing what?” they said at the same time again.

  “I ask the questions,” she said, voice sharp. “How are you following me?”

  “I am simply walking through the hole you open with your advanced tech.”

  He heard her feet scuffle, the pressure of the gun against his head getting light enough that he thought she might remove it. The pressure was suddenly razor-edged.

  “Tech?” she said.

  “Well, it’s not magic.” Zenon grunted. He’d likely feel a bruise tomorrow. “Healer, I need your help.”

  The pressure of the gun went away entirely and Zenon risked another backwards glance. She had dropped her hands to her side, still holding the gun, but at least it wasn’t an immediate threat anymore. Rubbing the back of his head, turning slowly, he avoided her eyes in case she might take eye contact as a challenge.

  “You are a Witch Hunter,” she said, voice tight. “Magic is what you have a problem with. And I’m not a healer.”

  “A Witch Hunter? No, I’m looking for a healer. And I don’t have a problem with magic,” he shrugged. “I just don’t believe it exists. I need a healer and, uh, here you are.”

  Her gaze traveled from the top of his head to his feet and then back up his body, meeting his eyes. Unable to avoid eye contact any longer, his heart jolted. There was something about his reaction to her he couldn’t quite place. There was no doubt he was attracted to her, but there was something else too. Could she be his Lifemate? No, that wasn’t possible—

  “I’m not a healer,” Alazne said again, scarcely believing what she was hearing. How did this Hunter not believe in magic? The sole reason of his existence was to eradicate magic.

  “Of course, you are. I’m on a quest to find a Healer of Adamar. You are from that world, aren’t you?”

  “I’m not a healer.” She put an emphasis on each word. How was this guy not hearing her?

  “But you are from that world.”

  “We aren’t a planet of healers. We’re a planet of witches. I am a Witch of Adamar. Only a handful of us have the healing powers.”

  “There are no such things as witches,” he said.

  This was a game. Had to be. She decided to play along. “Oh, but there are such things as Healers?”

  “Well, yea, something like that,” he said.

  “Something like that?”

  “Hunters hunt you for your healing powers,” he said.

  This Hunter was playing her, possibly stalling. Alarm filled her as she realized that’s exactly what he had to be doing.

  Raising her wand, she called upon, “Goddess of Adamar, hear me. Let me walk from this world to the next.”

  The magic wouldn’t come. She would need to get some rest if she were going to open another portal. Damn, now what?

  As if on cue, a Hunter walked into the storage facility. She was really screwed now. He really was stalling, just waiting for some backup.

  Spotting them, the newcomer called out, “Witches! Witches have infiltrated!” Running out the door, no doubt he’d be back with all his friends soon enough.

  Witches? Plural. Didn’t this guy know his fellow Hunter was already there, quite possibly even already effectively having captured a witch?

  “Open a portal,” her captor said.

  She stared at him a second, unsure what exactly this game was.

  “Open a portal,” he said again, voice more insistent.

  “I can’t. I need to renew.”

  His face bunched in obvious confusion. Alazne felt as confused as he looked.

  “Gimme your tech,” he said, hand outstretched.

  “What?”

  “Your tech! Hurry, before more of these guys show up. I can fix it.”

  “I don’t have any tech,” Alazne’s confusion was turning to panic as booted footsteps sounded outside the door.

  The Hunter swooped in and grabbed her wand from her hand. Lightning struck her heart. A witch’s wand was to be touched by no one else.

  “Give that back!”

  The Hunter turned it around and around in his hands and Alazne didn’t know he could look more confused than before.

  “This is just wood,” he said.

  Alazne managed to snatch it back, relief flooding her that he didn’t do anything but inspect it. “It’s my wand, you idiot.”

  Looking around the room, the Hunter grabbed a handgun similar to hers. Taking up a defensive stance, she pointed hers at him.

  He jumped. “Whoah, hold on there, Healer.”

  “You’re trying to take me prisoner. All you hunters are alike.”

  Holding his hands in the air, he let the blaster he’d just procured dangle from his thumb. “I swear I’m not trying to capture you. There has to be a back door out of this place.”

  Alazne wasn’t sure about that, but the sound of voices on the other side of the door inspired her to lower her weapon. If this Hunter was trying to find a back door, that was better than the alternative.

  He stuffed the blaster in his jacket and grabbed several battery packs. “Come on!”

  Grabbing her hand, he ran and pulled her along with him. Her fingers tingled where they touched. What the? Snatching it back, she continued running.

  Whatever game this guy was playing, it didn’t seem to involve holding her prisoner until more Hunters arrived. As long as she wasn’t restrained, she could figure out how to get away from him later.

  Zenon’s fingers tingled where he touched her hand. When she pulled away, disappointment surprised him. They were running from hostiles and he was worried about rejection? He shook himself to snap out of it. How could this woman distract him so thoroughly?

  “The witches went this way,” someone yelled behind them.

  From what he could tell, these were true Hunters. He wasn’t sure why they were chasing them and was even more puzzled at why they kept calling he and this Healer ‘witches.’ Weren’t Hunters finders of Healers?

  Rounding a corner, he pulled the Healer through the nearest door—

  A broom closet. Great. They weren’t escaping through this room.

  Footsteps rushed down the hall beyond. At least the temporary set-back was good for something.

  He wanted to ask her why she was running from the Hunters to begin with, but he dared not so much as whisper. None of this made any sense. Hunters were not supposed to be hostile to healers. And shouldn’t she be offering her healing abilities?

  As soon as it seemed like the coast was clear, he cracked the door open just enough to peek out. She followed him as they left the closest and headed back the way they’d come.

  Zenon didn’t know how big this facility was, but walking out the front door was fine with him, assuming the door the first Hunter came through was the front one. It was probably too good to be true, but worth a shot.

  As they rushed t
hrough the door, Zenon stopped dead in his tracks. The healer ran into his back.

  “Slag it all,” she cursed before also falling silent and still.

  No less than a dozen of the hostile Hunters stood before them, weapons at the ready—

  Zenon raised his hands.

  “Why the hostility?” he said, genuinely interested to know even though he was feeling sarcastic. “I’m like you.”

  “You are nothing like us, witch,” one of the men said.

  Huh, there they go with calling him a witch again. Where were they getting that idea? He shrugged; his disguise hadn’t exactly fooled this healer either. She kept running from him. Though she was running from these guys too, so maybe he hadn’t fooled her—

  The healer walked around him, slowly, steps deliberate, a look of fear mixed with determination set upon her features. Zenon blinked when she lowered herself to the ground.

  On her knees, Alazne steepled her fingers, bringing her hands to her chest. Bowing her head, she whispered, “Mother of all the Universe, hear me.”

  Searching for every living thing in the room to draw strength from, she concentrated. There wasn’t much. The weapons facility was all metal, on a world mostly devoid of life. Done deliberately; they knew witches drew their strength from the living.

  Alazne’s heart jumped in surprise as power from something very small but very strong wound its way around her aura, filling her. Drawing it in with each breath, she let the energy course through her. There were shouts and demands from the men, but she shut it all out. All that was there was her and the energy she drew upon.

  It was harder to conjure a portal without her wand to focus the energies, but she’d done it before. Knowing that pulling her wand would make the Hunters fire without hesitation, she kept it tucked away. Though, it was puzzling that they hadn’t fired upon them yet. There had been plenty of time and opportunity—

  Clearing her mind, the fleeting thought vanished. More power from the small being filled her, sealing her resolve, infusing confidence that she could do this even in her exhausted state. Their lives depended on it.