Regali (A Walker Saga)

by Jaymin Eve

  Lucas paused in the middle of his thank-you speech when a bright light burst around the throne chairs. My laluna had joined with the red royal stone. Their combined purple light shimmered and mesmerized.

  “Emperor Lucas has been blessed by the stones,” a male voice boomed from the crowd.

  “First time in a half a millennium that both stones have been joined,” said another, female this time.

  Lucas looked shocked at first as the purple light surrounded him. Then his head snapped up and he caught my eye. He knew the blue laluna was mine, and now he was thinking all sorts of impossible things. I could tell.

  Dammit, what was that stone up to? Was it the one giving me the weird dreams of First World and its people?

  “I will take this as a sign of great things to come for First World.” Lucas finally spoke. “And on that note it’s time to prepare for the ball.”

  Noise erupted as everyone began to shift, stand and chat. There was an hour free now for people to get ready for the inauguration dance. Thank the gods I wasn’t staying, especially after Lucas’ little stunt. Although Lucy was annoyed she couldn’t wear the shoes I’d given her for her birthday. But I would rather be venturing to the next world, even with all its possible dangers.

  “Are you sure we can’t stay for one dance?” Lucy pleaded with me.

  I laughed at her woebegone expression. “Uh, count me out, but I’ll wait for you back at the house if you want.”

  She sighed, her shoulders shifting. “Nah, it’s okay.” Her eyes flicked to Colton. “No one worth dancing with anyways.”

  I could be wrong but it looked as if Colton’s features hardened.

  Brace and I exchanged a glance.

  Do I need to have a word with Colt?

  Brace’s words held concern. He loved his friend but Lucy was important to me, so she was important to him.

  No, leave it for now. They’re managing.

  Lucy and I needed to have a serious chat, though. I had no idea how she was really feeling about all of these events. Including her emergence as a soothsayer. We just never had any time for a girl talk. In fact Talina and Fury might also benefit from a big gossip session when we all had five minutes. Therapy for girls. When I got back from the next planet, I was locking it in.

  Josian and Lallielle stepped up to us. “So you’re heading out to Regali?” Lallielle said, smiling.

  “Yeah.” I nodded. “No point waiting around. We have to get the fourth girl before the next Seventine is released. Or at least with enough time for the ritual.”

  “Alright, do you remember where you’re supposed to go?” Josian’s bronze eyes were flat; something was bothering him. “And who’s going with you?”

  I reached out and took his hand, sure that he needed comfort. I was learning how Walkers worked, and touch was something that eased their worries. They were very tactile people.

  “I remember where to go: the jungle of Artwon. And Lucy, Colt and Brace are coming.”

  A shadow fell over us. “Greetings, Frayre family and friends. We need to speak of the dark mountains.”

  We all spun around. Quarn stood there, dressed in the same finery as the royal guards. But maybe decorated with a few more medals and decals. Quarn was a very special and revered man on First World. He had a rare gift – he was a guardian – and his skills were unsurpassed.

  “I would like to head across the mountains straight after this dance.”

  Quarn said the word ‘dance’ in the same tone as I would say ‘bikini wax’. It was clear that he didn’t want to be at the ball, but since the castle security was under his control right then, he would never leave during the event.

  “Yes, we’re ready to go as soon as you are,” Lallielle said to her old friend. “Jos will transport everyone across.”

  “I guess that means we have to go to this dance,” Fury said with a sigh, but I could see gleams of hidden excitement in her eyes.

  I doubted this was something she’d had a chance to do before. Her planet, Crais, was burning hot, and she had mostly lived underground in the rocks. That harsh life was mainly about survival. Dances fell pretty low on their list of priorities.

  Talina took her hand. “Come on, let’s go find some dresses. Lalli has outfitted our rooms upstairs with like a million choices.”

  They moved closer to me and Lucy.

  “You two stay safe.” Talina hugged us.

  “And remember to get us if you need help. We’re a team,” Fury added.

  She didn’t hug; that wasn’t her style. But I knew she had my back. She was big on the half-Walker girl-power.

  “We’ll be back before you know it. And you have to be careful in the mountains,” Lucy said, her eyes glazing over a bit. “I can’t see it. Somehow it’s staying just out of sight, but there’s something really bad under there.”

  “And on that uplifting note, we’re off.” Talina winked at me. “I keep hoping Lucy is just being overdramatic.”

  We all laughed, and I waved as my friends moved away to take those curving stairs up to the next level where they had a room. Not many people had been able to stay in the castle for this ceremony. Mostly they were set up in the castle grounds. An exception had been made for us.

  “Look after my girl,” Josian said to Brace. “And get back here soon.”

  Josian was still acting strange, his tone gruffer than usual.

  “I don’t need anyone to look after me, Dad. I’m kick-ass all on my own.”

  He usually laughed at my false arrogance. I had nothing on most Walkers. But this time he just smiled before pulling me in for a hard yet brief hug.

  “I love you,” he said simply as he pulled away.

  My mother’s arms replaced his, and then they were gone.

  It was the same every time I moved to another planet. Worry, concern and finally resignation from my parents. There was nothing they could do to stop this: it was my quest. This time felt a little worse, though, and it was something to do with Josian. I didn’t have time right now, but I would figure it out when I got back.

  “Is Josian alright?” Lucy asked. She must have noticed it as well.

  I shook my head. “I don’t know. Something’s bothering him, but he didn’t seem ready to share it.”

  “He’s worried,” Brace said, his warm hand finding mine.

  I felt myself relax.

  “The countdown is on, and we aren’t getting any closer to stopping the Seventine. He knows that if we don’t succeed you’ll be facing them in the final battle.” His voice hardened. “It’s something that has us all a little concerned.”

  I sucked in a breath and exchanged a glance with Lucy. Imagine if they knew about the vision.

  “Alright, let’s head to Artwon. I want to check out this jungle. For some reasons Mags says I’ll love it there.” Colton stretched to his full height. He was about an inch shorter than Brace, which was still giant.

  “Has she been many places?” I asked.

  “She’s been everywhere,” he replied.

  Lucy opened her mouth.

  I shook my head. “No, Lucy.”

  Her lips started doing that pouting thing she’d perfected. “Come on, he left that so wide open.”

  Colton narrowed his eyes at her, but I was pretty sure the Walkers had missed the angle Lucy had taken on those words.

  We moved out of the main entrance to a small unused alcove. Brace opened a doorway back to the white meeting room at the Angelisian house. It was still a mess from my collision with it earlier, although the window was now covered with a temporary board.

  We split up to grab our bags. I don’t know why we bothered. We seemed to lose the packs as soon as we got to the planet, and we could open a doorway if things ever got serious. But it was a silly comfort to know you had spare clothes and food.

  I was dressed in dark tight fitted jeans. They were a light, stretchy material, and I had them tucked into sturdy, flat black boots. I had on a trim shirt, and a jacket was in my bag.
I figured a jungle was going to be hot, but who knew on these planets? It could be anything.

  My hair hung loose down my back so I quickly braided it. Time to go.

  “You look stunning.”

  My eyes found him immediately. He was leaning against the wall, his intensity drowning every sense I possessed. I couldn’t stop myself from crossing to him.

  “I love you,” I said, staring up at him.

  The liquid chocolate of his eyes softened as he drew me into his arms. His lips came down gently. I fell greedily into the kiss. I needed every single one of these. As always, the heat between us had the kiss deepening, the need exploding and –

  “You have to stop or we won’t be making it to the jungle,” Brace groaned against my mouth. “Which is fine by me.”

  I laughed, pulling back gently. “You have to stop with this screw-the-world-let’s-run-away business. I’m starting to consider it.”

  “I’m ready when you are.”

  As he stepped away I noticed his clothes for the first time. He was dressed in his usual army-style cargo pants, dark gray, and a fitted white shirt. The white was the perfect frame for his olive skin tone and dark features. No wonder I couldn’t stop kissing this man. He was just far too delicious and perfect, and I was turning into one of those sappy girls.

  I shook it off. I needed to focus. Time to get the fourth girl.

  Chapter 6

  I was trying very hard to breathe, but I was pretty sure there was no air on Regali. Where there should be oxygen it seemed there was water, that’s how dense the air was. We’d just stepped free of Colton’s doorway into a reasonably clear place in the jungle. This spot was courtesy of Magenta’s memory of Regali. I did wonder if she could be trusted not to send us straight into whatever natural dangers existed here. But so far the only thing that looked to be killing us was the moisture in the air.

  “If I knew we were going to a sauna, I’d have worn a bikini,” Lucy huffed out. “And I’ll be the first to say holy eff.”

  I looked around. “Word. So any ideas how we’re going to move through this jungle?”

  I felt extremely small and insignificant at that moment. The trees surrounding us were massive, spanning high into the sky. And the canopy was so thick that I couldn’t even see the color above. There were smaller plants as well. In fact the entire area looked impenetrable from the round clearing we were standing in. Blue streams of light filtered through the leaves, but it was dim under the canopy.

  “Have you ever seen such a beautiful color?” Lucy had moved a little away from us and she was crouched down.

  I stepped over behind her to peer over her shoulder. And that’s when I saw the sight that had Lucy enthralled.

  They were purple open-budded flowers, growing in small, tight bunches around the edge of a tree. The purple was not any old ordinary color. It was light lilac with a pearly sheen streaking the petals.

  I had to move closer also. There was something fascinating about the beauty of this plant. I reached out a hand to touch them.

  I heard the shouted warning from behind, but it was too late.

  Lucy, who was closer, reached them first. Her hand had only just brushed along the stem when the thorns emerged from their hiding place.

  “Ouch!” she cried out, withdrawing her hand.

  Her cry had been enough for me to halt halfway to the flower. I managed to avoid the large spikes.

  “Are you okay?” Colton was beside us. He reached out to take Lucy’s limp hand.

  “I’m not sure.” Her voice wavered. “It doesn’t hurt too much, but I feel a little strange.”

  “We need to move now.” Brace’s voice was low. “Someone’s coming.”

  “We need to make sure Lucy’s okay first,” Colton shot back.

  And then she fainted. I caught her head before it hit the ground.

  “What happened to her?” I bit out.

  This couldn’t be from shock. The thorns had only left two small punctures.

  Brace reached out and, managing to avoid the hidden thorns, snatched one of the flowers from the bunch. He brought it close to his nose.

  “It has a scent; it’s bitter,” he said. “I’m guessing there’s poison laced in these thorns.”

  I couldn’t help the gasp which escaped. “What do we do then? We have no idea what the poison is and how to counter it.”

  Colton reached down and pulled Lucy up into his arms. “We have to find a local. They’ll be the only ones with knowledge about what we’re dealing with.”

  Brace placed both hands on my friend’s chest, above her heart. He muttered a few words, despite the glare Colton leveled on him.

  “I’ve slowed her heart down, just a little, which will give us more time before the poison spreads.”

  I stood on tiptoes to give him a hard kiss. “Thank you. Now let’s find a Regali native.”

  “No need to go anywhere,” Brace said, “someone’s above us right now.”

  I remembered him saying that before. I glanced up into the canopy. The trees were a multitude of colors, from the standard green to burnt reds, olives, browns and even some black. They looked diverse and dangerous. As if time had not touched this world. But they also looked like they would be great camouflage for anyone hiding.

  “Hello,” I screamed up. “Please, we need some help; my friend has been hurt.”

  There was a slight rustling but no one moved into my view.

  “Can you see them?” I asked Brace, who was also peering up.

  His brow furrowed. “I think I’m seeing something, but I’m not sure it’s right.”

  “Get your ass down here, or I’m coming up and things are going to get very messy.” Colton was practically growling. His voice had lowered into a register not usually accessible to humans.

  The rustling sounded again, closer than before. I spun once, but there was nothing behind me. Well, nothing I could see. My heart rate sped up. Not only were we facing these unknown Regali inhabitants, but Lucy was still unconscious. And I didn’t like the pale nature of her face. She was losing color at a rapid rate.

  “Brace, now!” Colton barked the order at him.

  And despite the fact he was the new Princeps of Abernath, he obeyed his friend without question or even a glare. I blinked once and Brace was gone. Almost immediately the noises started in earnest around us: screeches, falling debris and this odd thumping beat.

  “How is she?” I asked Colton, my words tense.

  “Pulse is weak.” He wiped at her brow. “She’s cold and her skin is leaking fluid.”

  Typical Walker, unused to the frailties of a normal human body. Cold and sweaty didn’t sound like a good combination. I caught a flash of white in the upper trees. It looked like Brace’s shirt. Suddenly a large branch was visible over our heads, falling at a rapid rate. Colton was ten times faster than me, shoving me clear and still managing to move and stay on his feet with Lucy.

  I landed on my hands and knees about three feet from where I’d stood. The leaves and thin branches had crashed onto my legs and for a moment I was trapped. I struggled and was just about to wiggle free when a thump landed in front of my downturned face. Two objects moved into my vision. I lifted my head slowly, wondering if I was seeing correctly. I was pretty sure the objects were feet, but they weren’t human.

  “Abby, you have to move now.” Colton words blasted through me.

  I managed to jag my legs free and rolled to the left as a pair of heavy hands came down near my face.

  Hands that matched the feet. They were paws, like those of a large lion, but they were clearly bipedal.

  I lifted my head to take in the entire image.

  It was furry. A short dense golden-colored fur covering its entire body. It was male – the fur partially concealed it’s very obvious male genitalia – but nothing short of pants would fully hide it. I quickly continued up to the face. He was half lion, half humanoid. Such a strange but perfect combination of human and beast. Growls dribble
d from his throat. He bared his mouth of razor-sharp teeth at me.

  “Wait!” I yelled, sensing he was ready to pounce on me. “We’re not your enemy.”

  The very bright green eyes regarded me for a moment. He was intelligent and fiercely beautiful in a very primitive way. A few more growls emerged. They almost sounded like talking.

  I held my hands up in front of me, and when he didn’t attack I slowly unfolded my legs and moved into a crouch, then up to standing. All the while my eyes remained locked on the lion-man.

  “So I’m going on the assumption that you don’t speak English.”

  With a flicker of his tail – yes, he had a tail – he was suddenly gone.

  “Are you okay, Red?” Colton, using Brace’s nickname for me, shouted from across the large branch that separated us.

  “Fine. How’s Lucy?” More importantly.

  “She’s holding on.” He shifted his head, looking around. “Do you know where Brace went?”

  I opened our bond.

  Brace, you okay, jungle man?

  Warm laughter crossed my mind.

  I’m a little tied up at the moment. Apparently their queen controls the vines, because they have me wrapped up tight.

  I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped.

  Are you telling me the big bad Princeps of Abernath is tangled in some plants and can’t get himself free?

  He growled at me.

  Gee, everyone wanted to growl at me today.

  She has energy power. I could fight her, but then we’d have every inhabitant of this jungle on our asses. That wouldn’t be helpful.

  He paused for a moment. And I’m still badass.

  I laughed again, cutting it off at the thump in front of me.

  Another lion – I looked down quickly – woman this time – was standing before me. She had a huge mane, much taller around her face than the male one.

  “Who are you?”

  I sighed in relief. Her words were low and growled, but I managed to understand the rough English.

  “We need your help. My friend was pricked by the thorns on your purple flowers.” I spoke slowly, pointing down to the many plants which lined the path.