Shadows of Uprising (Guardian of the Vale Book 2)

by Tamara Shoemaker

  The silence that followed was pregnant with a mixture of apprehension and a fission of relief. Alayne laughed nervously. “So they'll stop at nothing until I'm taken to the Capital and tortured into helping the Alliance. At least I can stop worrying that they'll kill me some night in my sleep, right?”

  “Be thankful for small favors,” Daymon muttered grimly. He released his hold on her shoulder and started through the couches to where they had left Marysa and Rachyl. “Have a good night, Layne.” He stopped short just before they reached them.

  “Aren't you going to stay and hang out with us for a bit?” Alayne smashed the tiny nudge of disappointment in her voice.

  Daymon shook his head. “Not tonight. Stay with the others.” He briefly touched her shoulder again, gently this time, and veered toward the men's dormitories. Alayne sighed as she headed toward the couch.

  Rachyl had risen to her feet when Alayne drew close. “I'm going to grab a snack. Want anything, Alayne?”

  “No, thanks.” She sank down beside Marysa, her gaze following Rachyl across the room. “You said we should make friends with Rachyl because with her connections as the niece of the Leader, she could feed us information.”

  Marysa glanced up from her book with a grin. “That sounds quite nefarious and underhanded of us.”

  Alayne chuckled before she sobered. “But what if—Marysa, should we trust her so much? Yeah, she's the Leader's niece, but Marysa, she's the Leader's niece. What if she feeds him information on the Vale? On me?”

  Marysa sobered, too, closed her book and turned to face Alayne. “Layne, it's a natural thing to think with everything that's happened. But I've gotten closer to Rachyl than you have, and I know her well by now. She—she would never give you up to the EA; I know she wouldn't.”

  “How do you know?”

  “She and Eryc...” Marysa trailed off, one of the first times Alayne had ever seen her friend at a loss for words.

  Perception filtered through Alayne's mind. “She likes Eryc?”

  “More than that. They're a couple, but they keep it secret, because of their connections. Her uncle is hand-in-glove with the EA, and Eryc's father was LO.” Marysa bunched her hair behind her head into a ponytail. When she released it, it bushed back out. “She's in love with him, Alayne.”

  Relief flooded Alayne. Marysa's reassurance eased her distrust. Rachyl was friendly, organized, a natural leader, but she rarely talked freely of her uncle or his role in the High Court. Rachyl's loyalty had already been on display as she and Marysa had worked tirelessly to keep the speed-dating club secret. Now, that loyalty was solidified as Alayne learned of Rachyl's heartfelt connections with Eryc Connel, whose father had given his life in service of the Last Order.

  Marysa settled farther into the couch. “What did Sprynge want?”

  Rachyl returned with her hands wrapped around a mug of hot chocolate and sank easily into the cushions on the other side of Alayne. She'd heard Marysa's question and faced Alayne with interest.

  Alayne blew out her breath. She told the girls everything that had happened, including how she'd been unable to control the rush of fire to her hands. “Sometimes I have these uncontrollable elemental urges. They've gotten stronger,” she admitted. “The Vale is in me,” she whispered as she glanced around, “and for the most part, it seems like I've used it. But sometimes, it seems like the Vale uses me.”

  She glanced up into the concerned faces of her friends. It didn't take a brain to figure out that her words worried them more than they wanted to admit.

  * * *

  Alayne lined up behind the rest of her teammates for the last ice-hockey practice of the year. Their team had done well this year, and their last game was to take place on Saturday. Today, Kyle had ordered a simple scrimmage.

  “You know all the plays like the backs of your hands. No point in rehashing it. Today, first team to three wins.” He had carefully scrutinized each of their faces as he gave his annual end-of-the-year pep-talk, but of course, when he came to Alayne, his gaze had leveled somewhere above her head. “Let's play.”

  Alayne skated to her position, crouching forward as she waited for Cole to face-off with Kyle. The puck slid into motion, and Alayne started off down the ice, catching the pass immediately from Cole. She sent it off down the ice to Candace, and switched places with Cole to accept a pass from the opposite side of the rink. She saw Kyle coming out of the corner of her eye; she set her blades in motion and flew toward Alex as he crouched in the goal. Three strokes toward glove-side, almost past him, then a quick backhand into the goal.

  “Aww, come on, Alayne,” Alex complained as he picked himself up from where he'd collapsed on his knees.

  Alayne grinned back at him as she skated backward toward center court. “What, you need me to slow down a little? Make it easier on you?” she teased.

  “Layne.” Kyle's voice cut her off. He stood next to her. “On the bench, please.”

  Alayne frowned. Kyle turned and yelled for the scrimmage to continue. He skated next to her across the ice, and they climbed over the wall.

  “Seriously, Kyle? A penalty for some good-natured teasing?” Alayne glared at him.

  “Are you in the penalty box, Layne?”

  She stared at him, confused.

  “Locker room. Now.”

  Alayne blinked as she realized something was wrong. She quickly unlaced her skates and turned for the door. Kyle followed her down the hallway. “What's going on?”

  He shrugged. “Daymon just pulled me off the ice to tell me he needed to talk to you—that it was important.”

  Alayne detected the tension in his voice when he said Daymon's name. She sighed. He'd never believe there wasn't anything between them after he'd seen them holding hands in the chute.

  The locker room spilled its light into the hallway. Alayne entered just before Kyle. Daymon leaned against one wall, his arms folded over his chest. Professor Manders leaned against the opposite wall, his stance mirroring his nephew's. On a bench across the room, a strange man sat, his hands steepled beneath his chin. When Alayne stopped short, the man stood and held out his hand. “Alayne, I'm glad to finally meet you in person.”

  His deep voice had a touch of a rasp to it. When the man glanced at Manders, his profile could have been Manders's twin. “You... you're—”

  “Luke Manders.” He didn't smile, but a twinkle peeped at her from his gray eyes. “I'm Manderly's brother.”

  Alayne swiveled her head to Daymon. “The one you told me lived—”

  “In Skyden, yes.” Luke's voice pulled her attention back to him. “I've spent many years watching out for your parents, Alayne.” He smoothed his fingers through the dark curls at the back of his neck.

  “I've never seen you.”

  “I don't usually let myself be seen.”

  Alayne flushed. “I'm sorry, I wasn't saying you weren't there. I just—”

  “I knew what you meant.” A brief smile covered Luke's face again.

  An awkward pause ensued. Alayne cleared her throat. “My parents haven't been in Skyden for some time, though. Have you had any news about them?”

  The air in the locker room became, if possible, even more still and heavy. Dread spiraled in Alayne's stomach as she looked at all their faces. Each one except Kyle's was deadly serious. Kyle looked as confused as Alayne felt. “What's going on?” she asked.

  Manders roused himself with an effort. “Kyle, please return to the game.”

  Kyle blue eyes flared. “If Alayne's in danger, I—”

  “Alayne is in the presence of her Guardians. She will be fine. Please do as I've instructed.”

  Anger tightened Kyle's face. He moved his gaze to Alayne. “Layne, do you want me to stay?”

  Alayne was confused. She glanced at Manders, who hadn't taken his eyes from Kyle. “It's okay, Kyle. Go finish the game. Our team is two people down without you there.”

  Kyle's jaw tensed. A silent moment, laden with tension, ensued before Kyle exited
the locker room, his skates thumping back down the hallway toward the arena.

  Manders's quiet voice pulled Alayne's attention back to him. “Alayne, come here.” He stretched out a hand, and Alayne moved toward him, reaching tentatively to put her own hand in his. It felt strange. She had never touched him before.

  He led her to a bench and sat, pulling her down gently next to him. “Alayne, I don't know how to say this, but I won't drag out the details. Your parents are missing, have been since last night. We were unable to find them at their new location where Justice Connel had moved them, and they left no word of where they were going. We don't know if they left of their own accord or if they were captured. Also, the Last Order headquarters are compromised, and several of the higher ups in the LO. have been captured and imprisoned. The EA knows I'm involved, and my hours here are numbered. Beckyr plans to visit Clayborne, and he's issued a statement saying that he has no wish to disrupt school procedure, but an informant tells me that I will be his first prisoner.”

  Alayne's mind had frozen as soon as he had told her that her parents were missing. All the other things he'd said had been mostly mouth movements and meaningless sounds.

  “Uncle?” Daymon interrupted. He nodded at Alayne. “I think you've lost her.”

  Manders turned his gaze to Alayne's face. She stared at him, confused. “What's happening?” she whispered.

  “It's the start of everything we were talking about, Alayne. Listen to me. Are you listening?”

  Slowly, Alayne nodded.

  “I have to leave, Alayne. I can pull some strings that may or may not be able to reseat some Last Order-sympathetic Justices on the High Court bench. I have to try anyway, or all our security measures to protect you and the Vale here are for nothing. It will take a little time, and I don't know when I'll be able to come back, but don't ever think that I have simply disappeared. We will find your parents, and we will continue to watch out for you.”

  “But—you're the Vale's Guardian. If you leave—”

  “I'm one of the Vale's Guardians. Daymon is your primary Guardian, and there are others still here on campus. You will be protected and under Daymon's care.” His gray eyes smiled into hers. “I will still be working to protect the Vale, just from another angle, if you will. If you need anything, anything at all, send a message through him to me. And Alayne.” He tilted her chin up so she looked him directly in the face.

  “Y—yes?”

  “Keep up that speed-dating club, okay? You're going to need it before the end. Keep your sense of normalcy as best you can.”

  He pulled her into a brief hug, and his whiskers brushed her ear. “For now, don't trust anyone except Daymon,” he whispered, softer than quiet. “He knows who is trustworthy.”

  Alayne pulled back, startled.

  He stood. “I have to go. Keep your senses razor keen, Alayne, like we've practiced.” He turned his attention to Daymon, and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Until next time.” He and Luke headed for the exit. At the door, he turned. “Final exams, Alayne, will be water.” The shadow of a smile crossed his lips. “Show them what you've got, Water-Wielder.”

  He exited. Luke's gray gaze held Alayne's for a long moment before he nodded. “I'll keep him safe,” he promised. He glanced at Daymon. “You do the same for her, Nephew.” Then he, too, was gone.

  Alayne stared numbly at the empty doorway where they had stood only a moment before. She hadn't realized that Manders was her safety net. Against all the threats and shadows that lined her horizons, he had been the one she felt she could fall back on for security. And now she was all alone.

  “You're not alone, Layne.” Daymon's fingers tangled briefly with hers, and his thumb brushed lightly over the skin on back of her hand. Shivers spiked at the base of Alayne's spine. She glanced up at him. His blue eyes darkened to navy. “Never as long as I'm alive.”

  Chapter 20

  Ever since Manders had mentioned the possibility that Jayme might be alive somewhere, Alayne hadn't been able to rest. She'd slept poorly before, haunted by dreams of his death, but now her dreams reached a new level of intensity where Jayme's voice floated on the elusive winds around her, echoes crashing off of canyon walls, muted beneath the roar of waterfalls, and everywhere she looked, she could see nothing but blackness. He was constant, but constantly out of reach.

  One evening, she entered the library, striding back to the tables that held the student MIUs. She opened all the media assemblies on the first one, searching through lists and more lists. Jayme's hometown of Daylen, the roster of the ice-hockey team on which he'd played. His uncle, and the boat accident. His parents, before their horrific death, victims of Shadow-Casting.

  Her fingers trembled, and her eyelids blinked back exhaustion as she pulled every last resource she could from the MIU, searching for some clue as to where he might have gone after... if he'd survived.

  The inevitable question hammered her brain, without relenting: Why didn't he come back to me?

  Nothing stood out, nothing, nothing, nothing. Frustrated, she hit the power button on the MIU and cradled her head into the crook of her elbow.

  “Exams getting to you?” Kyle's voice pulled Alayne around.

  She sighed. “I'm—just worried, that's all. I can't keep everyone safe, Kyle. No matter what I do, someone is going to get left unprotected.”

  Kyle frowned. Though Alayne now kept him at arms' length, they had regained some of their old closeness after Manders's flight from Clayborne. He pulled out the chair next to Alayne, sat down, and leaned his arms on his knees. “You worry too much, Layne. You can't save the world, so stop trying. We can take care of ourselves.”

  Alayne smiled. “I know I worry too much. I wish I didn't. I wish I could just go home at the end of the school year and forget about all of it.” Her smile sagged, and she rubbed her upper arms, suddenly cold.

  She couldn't go home because she had no home to return to. Her parents were gone, hidden and, she hoped, protected. She planned to spend the summer with Marysa and her family, but still, it wasn't home.

  Kyle leaned back and ran his fingers through his hair. “What if you came home with me?”

  Alayne snorted.

  “Seriously, Layne. It gets boring without anyone else there.”

  “Don't you have any friends at your home?”

  Kyle winced. “My parents hate kids; no one's ever allowed to come.”

  Alayne raised an eyebrow, staring at him pointedly. “So you think your parents would be overjoyed at my presence? Think your mom would let me in her kitchen? Throw together an occasional family meal? Come on, Kyle, she hates me.”

  He didn't deny it as he laughed ruefully. “I'd still like you to come, even if it's just for a visit.”

  Alayne stayed silent. Kyle hadn't reopened the idea of continuing their relationship, and she was glad. During the summer with Marysa's family, she wanted to put her own ghosts to rest. She intended to follow every last loose end to its conclusion. If Jayme were alive, she would find him. And if he weren't, at least she would gain a sense of closure from his death—something she needed for her peace of mind if for nothing else.

  Alayne caught a glimpse of the clock over Kyle's shoulder. “Oh, we need to get to speed-dating.” Her stomach dropped. She still hated standing in front of people and speaking. Only the awareness of how important the material she taught was to the students kept her doing it.

  Kyle stood and waited for Alayne to push in her chair. “It's grown, Layne, nearly a hundred and fifty people coming each meeting now.” He glanced at her as they approached the chute. “What are you going to teach tonight?”

  Alayne hit the button for the gymnasium. “Focusing tonight on our senses of the elements.”

  “Where do you learn this stuff?” Kyle asked, a note of interest in his voice that sounded slightly false.

  Alayne frowned. “Here and there. Why?”

  Kyle shrugged. “No reason. I was just interested to hear your experiences.”
>
  The car dropped at that moment, and Alayne refocused on gathering her thoughts before she had to teach.

  When the chute reopened, Alayne motioned Kyle toward the room. “Go ahead,” she murmured. “I’ll wait for Marysa.”

  Kyle reluctantly strode down the track toward the side exit where some of the other students were heading. Alayne glanced around, keeping a careful eye out for professors. Thus far, there hadn't been any issue with them, but she wanted to be safe.

  The chute doors opened a moment later, and Marysa and Rachyl emerged, followed by Daymon.

  “Oh good, Layne, I'm glad you're here,” Marysa said. “I was running late this evening and wanted to make sure one of us was on time, and I meant to check the chart before everyone came; I added a few new keywords to it that I thought of.”

  She breezed by with Rachyl, and Daymon stopped next to Alayne. He rolled his eyes. “If she keeps thinking of keywords, we're not going to be able to talk at all next.”

  Alayne grinned and turned for the utility hallway, but stopped when Daymon caught her arm.

  “Layne, Sprynge explained my uncle's absence on the MIUs in the common room. He said it had to do with health, family situations, and some other factors, and then he said he'd be taking the rest of my uncle's classes for the year.”

  Alayne's mouth stiffened into a thin line. Sprynge had made it pretty clear where he stood, and Daymon had left not even a smidgen of a doubt about his attitude toward Sprynge. She wondered if the animosity would affect their grades. She mentioned this idea to Daymon, but he shrugged. “I don't think you need to worry too much, not at this point anyway.”

  “Why not?”

  “'Cause, as we've discussed, you're too valuable. The Elemental Alliance isn't going to do anything to you until and unless they absolutely have to. They're sitting behind their closed doors beating their brains out wondering how they can get you to cross over to their side so they can make use of your powers.”