by Delia Roan
However, he did not spot the eighth Sykorian beside the door. The Sykorian stepped forward, and jabbed a shock pole into Kovos’s side. The jolt raced up Kovos’s body, setting his muscles spasming. He collapsed to his knees, gritting his teeth against the pain. Before he could rise, he was swarmed. Another jolt. More pain. He glanced up in time to see a Sykorian swing a cudgel at his head, and then his world went dark.
***
“Wake up!” The voice was soft and urgent. “Wake up, now!”
Kovos groaned as small hands shook his shoulder. He opened his eyes, and for a moment, the world blurred. Within a few blinks, his vision cleared, and he spotted the speaker.
An Ennoi girl knelt beside him, clad in blue and green. Her dark braid hung over her shoulder, and while her breath raced, her face remained calm.
“Wh-who are you?” Kovos sat up with the girl’s help. “Where am I?”
The girl sat back on her heels. “The Sykorians brought you here. I’ve never seen a Sykorian before!”
“Did they hurt you?”
The girl shook her head. “They are gone now.” She wrinkled her nose. “I did not know they stink so.”
“They smell worse when they’re nervous.” Kovos peered around the room. The rows of shelves along the far wall indicated this was an unused storage room. In the far corner lay a nest of blankets, with a doll tucked under the sheets. A bucket in the opposite corner filled the room with the reek of urine.
How long had she been here?
Kovos stood. The world spun for a moment, but the sensation passed. The nausea turned to anger. He had to get out of here and warn the Ennoi about the Sykorians before they attacked again.
“What’s your name?” he said, walking to the door.
The girl dipped into a sitting bow. Someone had taught her manners.
“Thedityra. Mama calls me Thedi.” She watched Kovos with bright eyes, her hands neatly folded in her lap. “You should be lying down. My mama says that’s best when you’re sick.”
Kovos smiled at the girl. “I’m okay. My own mama says I have a hard head.”
He eyed out the door. It was held by a standard lock designed to keep out all but the most determined thief. It wasn’t designed to keep in someone of Kovos’s strength. Yet, he would have to be cautious. Who knew what lay on the other side?
“How long have you been here?” he asked, pressing his ear to the door, trying to hear any noise from beyond.
“A long time. A long, long time,” she said. “I think I’m missing the festival.”
Kovos strained his ears, but heard nothing. Was the door too thick, or was luck on his side?
“Don’t worry,” he replied, slightly distracted. “I’m missing it too.”
And Jenna.
Another child might have babbled, but Thedi kept her mouth closed as she watched Kovos study the door.
“Listen, Thedi,” Kovos said. “We have to get out of here. I’m going to try and break down the door. I want you to stay in here until I tell you it is safe, okay?”
Thedi’s eyes grew wide, but she nodded.
Kovos smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. “Don’t worry, when we get out, we will go see Lady Lithyon, and she will-”
“No!” Thedi scrambled to her feet. Her quite reserve fled, replaced by panic. “Lady Lithyon is not nice!”
A chill ran down Kovos’s spine. “What do you mean?”
Thedi traced the tiles on the floor with one bare toe. “Mama says I shouldn’t talk ill of people.”
The dread in his gut grew. “I want to help you, Thedi. Please?”
Thedi took a deep breath. Her hands played over each other. “Lady Lithyon is making Mama do terrible things, or else she says she will hurt me.” She scowled. “Are the Sykorians helping Lady Lithyon?”
Kovos leaned against the door. His hands trembled. Could it be true? Lithyon?
No.
It couldn’t possibly be true. Lithyon wanted peace as much as he did. She hated the Sykorians for what they did to her family. For what they did at Braddrak. They were working together to ensure the Sykorians never got another chance to hurt the Ennoi.
What could the child gain by lying?
Nothing.
“Who is your mother, Thedi?”
“Cyndrae Il'Paihel. She is Lady Lithyon’s maid.”
The trembling in Kovos’s hands spread to his arms, and up his shoulders and back. His muscles tensed, and his skin prickled as his scales began to move.
“Thedi,” he said, through clenched teeth. “We are getting out of here, okay? I will take you to your mother.”
Thedi nodded, her eyes wide.
“But first, I need you to stand back.”
She scrambled for her doll, clutching her close as she pressed her back to the far wall.
For the first time since discovering Jenna was his true mate, Kovos unleashed his Virtue of the Avowed. Deep inside, he felt his power, and when he drew upon it, his body responded. He’d read so many firsthand accounts of the transformation, but he never realized that calling upon his Virtue would be like stepping into his own home after a long battle: comfortable and joyous.
As he threw back his head, his body tore apart. His scales rippled across his buckling body, sprouting from his skin and then lying flush into interlocking armor. His spine twisted and lengthened as his muscles tore and reformed. He dropped to his paws, clicking his new talons against the floor. He stretched his neck and snarled, revealing his fangs.
His blood boiled, heated by his Virtuous form, but also by the anger that coursed through his body. There were traitors in his lands. The Sykorians could not have entered Ennoi space without accessing the Relay Chains. Lithyon had turned her smiling face to him, extended her hand to him in friendship. She had promised to help him build up the Ennoi. Meanwhile, she brought Sykorians into his home.
Sykorians who threatened the safety of my people.
Of my moonsong!
With a roar, Kovos reared up on his hind legs. With his new form, his head nearly touched the ceiling of the storage room. His clawed paw swept down, crashing into the door, which blew off its hinges. He pressed his bulk through the door, encountering a group of armed Sykorians rushing his way. When they spotted him, they skidded to a halt, chattering to each other.
They would all pay.
Kovos strode into battle.
Every last one.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
JENNA
Jenna expected resistance as their small shuttle approached the Cadam Relay. She took in the quiet readiness of Yaldir, Cyndrae and the two guards who had joined them, Treylen and Stronn. Yaldir expected the mission to be quick and silent: board the ship, grab Kovos, Dovena and Cyndrae’s daughter, and back out before Lithyon even knew they were there.
Cyndrae broadcast her entry code, and Jenna exhaled her held breath as the cargo bay doors opened.
“Does that mean they know we are coming?” one of the guards asked. Stronn was stocky, horned, and usually wore a pleasant expression when Jenna saw him in the palace. He wasn’t smiling now.
“Will we have to fight?” asked the other guard, Treylen. He scratched the back of his leg with his foot, but his smooth face was serious and unafraid.
“It’s all automated,” Cyndrae explained. “The crew will be off for the Alignment.”
True to her word, the bay remained empty. They disembarked, weapons in hand. Jenna shivered, jumping at every sound, but they encountered no personnel.
“Do you know where your daughter is located?” Yaldir asked.
Cyndrae pointed down to the right. “That way. In an unused storage room.”
“We should split up,” Yaldir said. He indicated a guard with his chin. “Treylen and I will go find Kovos and Lady Dovena. The three of you should find the child.”
“No,” hissed Jenna. “I want to go with you!”
Yaldir shook his head. “
I am meant to be here as Kovos’s honor guard. I will not attract suspicion. The sight of you, however, will cause all sorts of trouble.”
Jenna bit her lip. Kovos wouldn’t be happy to see her. Better not cause a scene.
Yaldir touched her elbow. “Go. I will protect him. He will return to you without a scale out of place. Upon my honor.”
Jenna looked at Cyndrae’s pale face. “Okay, let’s meet back here,” she said, reluctantly.
Cyndrae needs me more right now than Kovos does.
They parted ways, with Yaldir and Treylen marching away in the open, while Jenna, Cyndrae and Stronn stuck to the shadows. Cyndrae hurried them forward, trying to maintain haste while staying quiet. At a junction, she got lost for a moment. She growled in frustration, and her scales rippled as if disturbed by a breeze.
“Easy now,” Stronn said. “You lose yourself, and we’ll draw attention.” He patted Cyndrae’s shoulder.
For a second, Cyndrae wavered, then the resolve return to her face. “This way,” she said, pointing.
Jenna grinned at Stronn, and he dipped his head to her, returning her smile.
They continued on in silence for a while, then Stronn and Cyndrae both stopped short, facing a T-junction. They exchanged glances, then Stronn took point as Cyndrae tucked Jenna behind her, pressing her to the wall.
“What is it?” Jenna whispered.
“Footsteps,” Cyndrae replied, her voice low. “People running. Hush.”
Ahead of them in the gloom, several figures sprinted down the hall. Jenna jumped as they pounded past. Her mouth went dry as she recognized their stink, but the Sykorians didn’t spare a glance their way.
“They’re headed toward Thedi!”
Cyndrae broke into a run, shoving Stronn aside. Stronn cursed, then took off after her. Jenna took a deep breath, and pushed away from the cool wall. I can’t help from here. Her feet seemed to pound in rhythm with her heart as she ran.
An explosion echoed out of the darkness ahead of her. Jenna braced herself, expecting a flash of light, but instead, a feral roar echoed down the corridor. The sound sent prickles down her back. The primal nature of it should have terrified her. Only a powerful creature to rival the size of the wofeg could make such a mighty bellow.
Yet, her heart told her she needn’t be afraid.
Kovos! Hang on!
Jenna skidded around a corner and stopped. She clapped a hand over her mouth and nose, her eyes wide. Bodies lay strewn around the hallway. Sykorians. From the way they lay, she knew they wouldn’t be getting back up. The reek of their blood filled the air.
Across from the carnage lurked a powerful beast. Ridges ran from its snout, down its spine and all the way to the tip of its tail. The long neck whipped its head this way and that, as it scanned for enemies. Its scales were dyed with Sykorian blood, but glimpses of bright red and blue peeked through. It stomped a foot and huffed. In the cold air, tendrils of steam rose from its mouth, which contained fangs as long as her hand.
Dragon, Jenna thought. It’s a freaking massive dragon!
Slowly, it turned its head, meeting her eyes. Jenna’s heart leaped into her throat. She knew its eyes.
No, it’s a thing Ennoi do. Like in the murals in the gardens.
“Kovos?”
The beast snorted.
For a moment, their eyes met, and Jenna saw a flare of happiness that was soon washed away by a look of profound grief. A fist closed over her heart.
I did that.
Kovos turned his head away from her.
“Don’t you dare!” At her voice, Kovos stopped, but didn’t turn back to her.
Jenna ran through the bodies scattered around her, and flung her arms around Kovos’s neck. His scales nicked her where her bare skin touched him, and the heat he radiated made beads of sweat pool up on her forehead. These discomforts didn’t matter. All that mattered, she held in her arms.
And I’m never letting go.
“I’m sorry,” she sobbed. “Please, don’t send me away.”
Kovos shuddered, and then his body began to shift. Jenna clamped her eyes shut tight, as bones and muscle reknit themselves. Despite the strange sensation of having Kovos change form beside her, she kept her arms locked around him.
Eventually, she held the man she knew once more. The man she always knew she loved.
Hesitantly, Kovos returned her embrace.
“It’s okay,” he said, his voice thick. “It’s okay, moonsong. You can open your eyes now.” He placed little kisses on her eyelids.
Jenna looked up at his worn and exhausted face.
“Hi,” she said. “I missed you.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to rescue you,” Jenna replied with a small shrug. “It seemed like a good idea at the time, but it looks like you rescued yourself.”
“Ah. My apologies for wasting your time, but I’m afraid I had to act with great haste.”
She smacked him lightly on the chest. “Next time be more considerate.”
“I am sorry if I scared you,” Kovos said, brushing a lock of her hair aside. “The Virtuous form can be… monstrous.”
Jenna placed her face in the crook of his neck. “You did, a little,” she confessed. “Scare me, I mean.”
Kovos froze.
“But that doesn’t matter,” Jenna continued. She placed her hands on either side of his face. “I love you, Kovos. I loved you when I was a child, and I love you now, and I love you no matter what you look like. I would know you anywhere. You might look like a monster sometimes, but you’re my monster. Which means you’re a kind of wonderful I’m lucky to have.”
To her surprise, his eyes began to shimmer. The reverence in his gaze made her breath hitch. Kovos pulled her close and swept her into a deep kiss.
A small cough interrupted them. Kovos broke the kiss, but kept his arms wrapped around her.
“Err,” he whispered to her. “I am afraid the transformation, and subsequent kissing, has left me…” His eyes flicked downward.
With a puzzled glance, Jenna peered between their bodies. Her face flushed.
“Ah. No clothes.”
“Amongst other things,” Kovos murmured into her ear. “But we can save that for later.”
“And our long talk. I’ve got a lot to tell you, Kovos. I’m afraid I’ve made some dumb choices.”
He kissed her forehead. “And together, we will deal with the consequences.”
Jenna peered around his arm. Cyndrae and Stronn stood in the remains of what was once a doorway. She held the hand of a little Ennoi girl, clutching a doll. Both Cyndrae and the child had streaks running down their cheeks.
“I’m sorry, my lady,” Cyndrae said. “But we must go. All that noise will attract attention.”
Stronn stepped forward and reported the recent developments to his lord. He stripped a Sykorian of his pants and handed them to Kovos, who pulled them on while Jenna, Cyndrae and her daughter turned their backs.
“Hi,” the girl said, staring at Jenna with curious eyes. “Are you human?”
“Thedi!” Cyndrae chided. “That is inappropriate!”
“No, that’s okay. Yes, I am human.”
“You look like the others.”
“Others?” Jenna blinked. “What others?”
“There were humans in the prison cells, when Lady Lithyon kept me there. Some of them were nice and talked to me, tried to cheer me up. But they didn’t understand me. Lady Lithyon moved them somewhere else, and moved me to the storage room.”
“There are Sykorians on this Relay, where they should not be,” Kovos said, pulling on a shirt as he approached. “We cannot linger.”
“There were other humans on this ship,” Jenna replied. “We can linger a little. Thedi, tell him what you said to me.”
After the girl had explained, Kovos’s mouth made a grim line. “So, they’ve opened up the trafficking again, and Lithyon’s f
acilitating it.”
“We have to help them!” Jenna said. She shuddered. “We have to do it for Rebecca. I won’t let more women suffer!”
“We will help them,” Kovos said. “But first, we have to ensure there are no other Sykorians lurking here. If they take the Relay, Cadam is in danger. Stronn and I will find Yaldir, and ready the other Ennoi for battle.” He gestured to Cyndrae. “The Sykorians will head to the shuttle bay to make their escape. Can you take Jenna somewhere safe?”
Cyndrae nodded. “I will take them to my rooms. I can hide Lady Jenna there if necessary.”
“What about Lithyon?” Jenna said.
Kovos scowled. “I’ll pretend she’s our ally. We can deal with her later. Go now.”
With a hurried kiss goodbye, Jenna left Kovos, and with Cyndrae and Thedi, she made her way to the other side of the Relay. Along the way, Cyndrae peered out of a porthole. Outside, the three moons of Cadam sat in a straight line, with the smallest one nestled between the two larger.
“The Alignment is at its apex. It’ll be quiet for an hour or two more, then staff will begin returning to their posts. Provided Lord Kovos didn’t attract someone’s attention with all his noise.”
Cyndrae’s room turned out to be a nook in the corner of the ship, with two narrow beds and a closet. A child-sized troeben sat in the corner. Thedi crowed in triumph as she rushed to the pile of toys on the smaller bed. Cyndrae sat beside her daughter, stroking her hair as the girl examined her playthings. The two murmured to each other.
The sight left a lump in Jenna’s throat. When all this was over, when she and Kovos got a chance to talk, maybe they would discuss children. First however, they would discuss Mel and how to get her back.
Jenna paced, chewing on her nail.
“Cyndrae,” she said after a few moments of thought. “She’s going to get away with it, isn’t she?”
Cyndrae bowed her head, and straightened a dress on a doll. “Possibly, my lady.”
Jenna growled in frustration. “She will. She’ll get away with trying to kill Kovos. She’ll get away with kidnapping Thedi. She’ll get away with turning my people into slaves. She’ll get away with bringing Sykorians here.”