Something deep inside Ashley began stirring—a memory?—something warm spread through her cold body for the first time since she woke in the lab under the palace.
As quickly as the fight had begun, it was over. The bodies of the three unlucky men lay broken and bleeding in the gutter. The few onlookers who had stumbled out of the bar to see the outcome of the fight, jeered and made their way back inside.
The dark-haired victor stumbled to a lamppost. For the first time, Ashley was able to see an unobstructed view of his face.
The light from the candles inside the lamppost flickered, but for the briefest moment, Ashley caught a glance of the man’s features. He was handsome, with a sorrow in his bright blue eyes that somehow she understood. Something inside of her struggling to remember told her that she, too, shared in his sadness. Just as memories were beginning to surface, a pain unlike anything she had ever experienced tore through her skull.
The intensity was stunning, like a poker heated by a roaring fire. Ashley fell to her knees, nearly tumbling from the rooftop ledge. At once, her guards escorted her back to the palace underground.
But Ashley would never be the same again. Over the next few years, something other than obedience to the queen and Leah Noble was beginning to grow. It was a sense that what she was involved in was wrong.
Every night, she went out to look for the stranger with the sad blue eyes. She never found him. What she did find were questions about the cause she was being trained to defend. Soon, questions turned into discontentment, and discontentment turned into rebellion.
Sloan
Sloan stood quiet, listening to Ashley’s tale. Envy bubbled to the surface before she could push it back down. If this was Aareth’s wife and her story was truth, then they would be reunited and there would be no chance of anything in the future for Aareth and Sloan. Sloan hated herself for even thinking the thought. She bottled her own personal feelings and buried them deep. There were more important thing to deal with now.
“And then what?” Part of Sloan couldn’t believe she was accepting the story. To the other half, it seemed to make perfect sense. “Leah Noble and the queen just let you go when you decided you didn’t want a part in what they had planned?”
“I could tell they were growing concerned about me questioning the Legion.” Ashley looked past Sloan, remembering the final act of her imprisonment. “They brought me a woman with red hair. They told me she was a spy working to undo our cause. I was ordered to kill her. And I did. The woman didn’t even try to fight back. All she asked for was her daughters be spared. I knew it was wrong. I still struck her down, because I’m a monster. I’m a monster created, not even born.
“They told me to stay the course.” Ashley paused, furrowing her brow. If it had been anyone else, Sloan would have guessed they might cry. Ashley’s expression was rage, not sadness. “They said soon our enemies, like this woman, would see the end of our blade. They said the day of the Legion was at hand.
“I’d escaped that night. Ditching the escorts following me around the city was easier than I thought. I had all the tools to do so at my disposal. The Legion had taught me everything I needed to know about survival. I wandered the streets for days, hiding from the queen and her sister. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. I only knew I needed to stop them. I understood not a single citizen was aware of the danger they were in. I knew if I did nothing, more women and men, more mothers and fathers, would be put to the blade.”
Ashley’s words infuriated Sloan for the simple fact that she believed them. In the wake of her current conversation, Sloan’s world was about to change forever. At the very least, she believed Ashley thought she was telling the truth.
“I’ll need time.” Sloan still had a hard time believing her own words. “I’ll need time to check out your story.”
“Thank you, captain, thank you.” Doctor Livingston gave an audible sigh of relief. “I know this is hard to believe—”
“Hard to believe?” Sloan stopped Doctor Livingston mid-sentence. “This is as close to impossible as one can get.”
“You can start believing and building your case against the queen and her sister now.” Ashley stepped forward, pointing to the area of her chest over her heart. “Whatever magic was used to resurrect me, it left me without a heartbeat.”
Curiosity more than anything else made Sloan tilt her head and press her ear against Ashley’s chest. Her hand was still on her sword, ready to be used in the blink of an eye if the need arose. Any sense of awkwardness was dismissed with promises of the impossible. Sloan pressed her ear against Ashley’s leather shirt. The room was completely silent.
Sloan waited with anticipation. Everything she knew about human anatomy told her she should be hearing the steady rhythmic beat of a healthy heart. She even willed herself to hear something, anything. If there was a heartbeat, she might still be able to convince herself that Ashley and the doctor were insane. But there was nothing besides silence. Ashley’s chest was as still as a tomb.
Jack
Jack woke in his own bed sometime during the late morning. He hurt from head to toe. His insides felt as though they had been smashed into jelly, scraped back up, and shoved back into his body.
A grunt escaped his lips as he rose from his bed. The Order was real, there was no doubt about that. Not only were they real, but they were also large and recruiting more to their cause.
Sloan would have her hands full. At once, memories of Aareth and his wild state resurfaced and pushed their way to the front of his mind. The man was haunted with the possibility of a wife he thought was dead, now somehow alive. Jack’s first priority that morning had to be checking on his friend.
Jack opened the door to see Private Pia’s familiar face.
“Good morning, Jack.” The private smiled. “I hope you rested well. I heard about the raid last night.”
“It was definitely an experience.” Jack winced as another ache coursed through his body. “I’m just glad Sloan and Abigail arrived with the cavalry when they did. Have you seen either of them, or Aareth?”
“Sorry, I haven’t seen Aareth at all.” The private shrugged. “Captain Sloan left early this morning. I did see Abigail training outside, however. I can take you to her, if you’d like.”
“That would be great, thanks.” Jack decided to test a growing suspicion that had begun to nag at him, since he realized the private had been waiting for him outside of his door. “Actually, I know the way to the training grounds. I can go myself.”
“Sorry, I know it seems like you’re under guard or something, but you, along with the Ahab sisters, have been given escorts around the palace.” Private Pia grimaced, showing all of her teeth. “I even think someone’s supposed to be with Aareth, but that’s been a tough assignment.”
“It’s okay,” Jack lied. “I understand.”
As the pair made their way through the palace, it was clear Private Pia still felt like she owed him an apology.
“It’s not like the queen doesn’t trust you, but it’s better this way.” Pia walked beside Jack, talking with her hands as much as with her mouth. “If you need anything, or get lost, you’ll have someone to help you. Think of us as your personal assistants.”
“Seriously”—Jack placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder—“its okay. I know you’re just following orders. There’s a lot going on right now, both in the city and outside of it. I understand.”
The space between the magician and the private grew silent as they traversed the many halls and rooms of the palace. Jack took the opportunity to study his surroundings. There was a definite increase in security.
Pairs of soldiers dressed in dark uniforms traversed the halls. Others stood sentry by closed doors, their rifles resting against their shoulders or by their sides.
This didn’t come as too much of a shock to Jack. An attempt had been made on the queen’s life, after all.
“Have you heard, the tracks for the locomotive has nearly been compl
eted?”
“What?” Jack broke his concentration on the emblem all of the soldiers wore—the black bat with steel swords crossed behind it. “It’d only just begun before our trip to Burrow Den. How is that possible?”
“I guess the plan the queen has is working.” Pia beamed with pride. “She’s uniting the known world. Most of the cities in the Outland have begun building their own railways toward New Hope. The tracks will meet soon as the work forces build toward one other.”
How the queen managed to convince the cities in the Outland to undertake such a task was beyond him. As a magician tracking the paranormal, Jack had lived with his father, traveling from city to city. There was no great love for the queen or New Hope. He could even think of a few cities like Azra and Term that outright detested New Hope.
“What’s wrong?” Pia asked, slowing her strides. “Isn’t that good?”
“Yes, I mean uniting the cities to offer aid and support is great. I’m just surprised it’s happening so soon. I thought our goodwill mission to Burrow Den would go a long way in showing the Outland cities that New Hope was their ally. I just didn’t expect it to move this fast.”
“It’s a testament to how great our queen really is.” Pia transitioned back to her optimistic personality and wide smile. “Soon, we’ll be a united land. We’ll be able to trade with cities as far out as Burrow Den. We’ll help each other reach new heights. Who knows? One day, we might even be able to travel outside of our known lands.”
Jack and Pia reached the outside training grounds a few seconds later. The area was built like a large oval with a dirt track along the perimeter. Inside, the dirt was a grassy area full of machines and exercise equipment, as well as sparring mats.
The training ground was filled to capacity. Every way Jack looked, soldiers were running, executing drills, sparring, or just good old-fashioned weight lifting.
“There. There she is.” Pia pointed to the center of the training grounds, where a man and a woman circled one another with wooden swords.
Both combatants were heavily padded and wore mesh masks. The man dwarfed the woman, but his size did nothing to stem her courage. As Jack and Pia approached, Jack got a better look at Abigail’s progress.
She carried two wooden swords against to her opponent’s one. Both individuals had been at the practice for quite a while, judging by the sweat stains on their pads. As Abigail ran forward to engage her rival, Jack did a double take. The amount of progress Abigail had made in just a few days was astounding. Her strikes were swift, her aim accurate.
It was all her opponent could do to defend against the fury of her onslaught. Abigail pushed the man back so far, he tripped as he stumbled off the mat. The fall signaled the end of the round. Abigail was helping the man to his feet, when Jack and Pia caught up to them.
“That was amazing.” Jack shook his head in wonder.
“Jack, I didn’t know you’d be up yet.” Abigail turned, lifting the mesh mask from her face. “Are you all right? Should you be walking around after last night?”
“I’m fine.” Jack gave her a mischievous grin. “And maybe it’s a good thing I see what you’re capable of. It’ll remind me not to mess with you in the future.”
“That would be a wise choice.” Sergeant Harrison lifted himself up off of the floor. He removed his mask, revealing his familiar face. “Are you sure you’re not a decedent from some kind of warrior line?”
Abigail laughed and shrugged off the question. To anyone else, it would have seemed like an appropriate response. Jack knew better. He understood Abigail was deflecting the question of a mother she never knew and a father she had killed.
“I just thought if you were going to follow me for the day, we could do something productive.” Abigail grinned at the sergeant. “Do you mind if Jack and I have a moment?”
Sergeant Harrison and Pia both nodded. They walked a few feet away, already talking about their new assignments inside the city.
“Seriously, though.” Abigail exchanged her pair of wooden swords and her mask for a towel and a bottle of water. “How are you feeling after last night?”
“I feel a lot like I’d imagine Sergeant Harrison will after sparring with you.” Jack eyed the notches in the wooden training swords. “I’ll be fine.”
“Good.” Abigail glanced at the place the sun had chosen in the sky.
Jack was reminded for the hundredth time of how beautiful he found her. As he got to know her on a deeper level, it wasn’t just how her smile captivated him, or the way her eyes captured the light and sparkled. Attraction had evolved past any outward desire. One of the main reasons he was falling in love with her was because of how strong Abigail was inside. It was her determination and strength that made her so much more than just “pretty” to him now.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Abigail used the towel to make a second pass around her cheeks and forehead. “Do I have blood on my face or something?”
“No.” Jack searched in vain for a lie he couldn’t find. “It’s just, the more I get to know you … the more I—”
Jack couldn’t get the words out before the white noise of physical exertion around them silenced. Jack and Abigail looked up to see the harbinger of quiet. Doctor Leah Noble glided toward them, nodding to soldiers who gave her salutes.
“There you are.” Leah smiled at Abigail. “I was just about to begin the next series of examinations on your sister. I thought you would like to be present.”
“Yes, thank you.” Abigail began rapidly removing training pads from her body.
Jack found himself staring into the dark eyes of Leah Noble as they waited for Abigail. The woman was tall and slender. Her suit was black, with silver buttons that reminded Jack of half moons.
“You are, of course, welcome to accompany us, Jack.” Leah let a tongue glide across her lips as she looked him up and down. “I know how close you have become to both Abigail and Elizabeth during your time in Burrow Den.”
“Uh—thank you.” Jack looked to Abigail to see if she had caught the awkward exchange. It was obvious she hadn’t, too busy removing her gear. “I think I will come, if it’s okay with you, Abigail.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Abigail took one last long gulp of water. “Let’s go.”
“Good.” Leah looked over to where Sergeant Harrison and Private Pia stood. Her voice transformed from pleasant to commanding. “You’ll no longer be needed to escort our two visitors. They’ll be safe with me.”
Jack
Jack and Abigail followed Leah Noble back into the palace, weaving their way through the gigantic building. Jack had no idea the palace had a lower level, but when Leah came to a door that swung open to reveal a spiral staircase leading down, there wasn’t a chance to ask questions.
“Wow, how big is the palace?” Abigail’s eyes roved around the interior of the lower level. “Why is my sister down here?”
“The palace has a long history of being the oldest structure in New Hope.” Leah looked back from her lead position. “It was built long ago by those who came before us. You can imagine lower levels in any structure come in handy for storage and extra space. Elizabeth is being entertained here because the equipment needed in her sessions is located down here. You can imagine we don’t use these tools every day. Your sister is quite special, Abigail.”
Jack listened to Abigail and Leah’s conversation as he studied his new surroundings. The halls were brightly lit, decorated with the grey and black colors of New Hope. It was ornate and designed to be warm and inviting. Visually, everything looked in place. Despite this, Jack couldn’t help feeling they were being led into some kind of dungeon.
“Have you been able to find anything else out about her condition?” Abigail asked in a rush of words. “Will it get better or worse? Is this just something she’ll have to live with for the rest of her life?”
“Have to?” Leah repeated her words with a raised eyebrow. “Your sister is extremely special, Abigai
l. Elizabeth is destined to play a great role in the history of New Hope.”
Just as Jack made to ask for further explanation, Leah stopped in front of a door. It was already ajar, the noise of someone talking emanating from within.
Jack and Abigail were ushered inside. The room was expansive in every sense of the word. Instead of torches or candles, mage lights were strung up on the inside of the room, giving it the appearance of day.
For the hundredth time, Jack marveled at the tiny, glass bulbs that were able to produce so much illumination. Two pale guards Jack didn’t recognize were standing near the door. They snapped to attention at the sight of Leah Noble.
Elizabeth sat on the floor on a large, brown rug. She hummed quietly to herself as she colored on the inside of a book.
“Please make yourselves at home, while I ready the machine.” Leah left them with Elizabeth as she crossed the room to a large contraption connected to a padded reclining seat.
Jack and Abigail obeyed Leah’s request. They knelt next to Elizabeth on the stone floor. The younger Ahab sister smiled at them as she continued to color.
“Don’t give anything away, but I think something’s wrong,” Elizabeth whispered. Her eyes remained pointed down.
Immediately, Jack began searching the room for danger.
“I just told you not to look,” Elizabeth growled through a wide smile. She pushed a lock of red hair from her face. “You’re a horrible listener, Jack.”
“What’s wrong, Elizabeth?” Abigail failed to hide the concern in her voice. “Did they hurt you?”
“No, nothing like that.” Elizabeth scraped a red crayon over and over the page she was coloring. “But something’s off. I just can’t explain it. It’s like someone farted in a room packed with people. You know, it smells bad, but you can’t tell who did it.”
“Nothing specific, just something off?” Jack’s eyes wandered to Leah. “I can’t argue with you there.”
House of Blood: (A Paranormal Urban Fantasy) (The Vampire Project Book 2) Page 12