The Ghost, The Dragon, and The Lost King (Fated Chronicles Book 4)

by Humphrey Quinn

  “No, of course not. But I’m not blind. Or stupid. Fazendiin doesn’t share power with anyone. And he has no problem going back on his word.”

  “I’m well aware,” growled out the Striper leader, his tone indicating this talk was over.

  “Very well. I’ll go find your daughter.” She turned to do just that.

  “Ardon.” She stopped. “Do I have you?”

  She spun around. “Of course.” To show any hesitation would be a bad idea. He nodded, then dematerialized into the background. Going in what direction, she did not know.

  Ardon headed to where she had last spotted KarNavan’s daughter, her mind abuzz with plans. Her fearless leader might have fallen for Fazendiin’s promises, but they needed a backup plan for when that failed. Because she was certain, it would.

  Unless he was holding back information. Also a possibility, but not like him. Perhaps he sensed her discontent with this job. She had not been happy about it since day one. And had always prided herself in being open with her feelings with the leader. Which is why he liked having her around. Maybe this time, she had it wrong.

  Regardless, there needed to be a backup plan, just in case.

  Ardon reached the cold, windswept beach. What a bleak place they were in. This island was a haven for gloom and it was wearing on them all. Stripers preferred to live a little wilder. Loved the outdoors. This lack of sun, or color, was dampening all their spirits at this point. But they never quit a job. They didn’t get reputations for being cutthroat and thorough, for no reason.

  Ardon found who she was looking for. The young woman with a new job to get to. Hiding in plain sight down on a gloomy beach. Ardon plunked down next to her, and the young woman rolled her eyes.

  “What’s he want, now?” she asked, annoyed.

  Ardon chuckled. The kid was a pain in the butt, but not so unlike herself at that age.

  “Your father has a job for you.”

  “Great. Just what I always didn’t want.”

  “Katana Jade,” Ardon started in that voice that meant, just do it and don’t argue.

  “Like I have a choice,” she retorted. “God forbid, anyone defy my father, the great and mighty leader of the Stripers. Or my aunt.” She slid a dark eye to Ardon.

  “Hush now. People might hear you say that. You know I don’t want people to know I’m your father’s half-sister. And you’re almost seventeen, Katana.”

  “Which means I’m automatically doomed to follow in my precious father’s footsteps,” the young woman spoke as if she’d been reminded of the fact daily. “Whatever. What’s my job? Something so fun, my father couldn’t even tell me to my face?”

  “He’s a busy man these days,” Ardon excused. “Besides, I actually think you’ll like this job.”

  Katana got to her feet and dusted the damp sand off her pants. “I’ve never liked any of the jobs my father set aside for me.”

  Ardon joined her on her feet and grinned, a little sideways, and knowingly.

  “Huh,” Katana pushed out. “You really do believe yourself. Okay. Keeps me from watching the not-sun go down. This place is dreary. I don’t like it here.”

  “C’mon. Let me show you where you’ll be working.” Katana followed, pushing her cropped brown locks out of her eyes. She ignored the stares of other Stripers carrying out various duties; they always stared. She’d always thought the newness of her would wear off after a while. Apparently not. Boy, had her father been shocked when she showed up on his doorstep three years ago. Just lost her mother, nowhere else to go, in disbelief he was her father. It had been her mother’s final words to her. And there was no denying it. To see Katana and her father, KarNavan, standing side by side… the similarities were striking. Even down to the stubbornness.

  Ardon stopped and pointed to a wooden cart, covered in a thick canvas.

  “What’s in there?” It was obviously a cage of some sort.

  “Prisoner. One we need information from,” Ardon said pointedly. “And without using magic.”

  “I get to interrogate someone?” Katana’s eyes lit up. “I don’t need magic for that.”

  “Which is why your father is assigning this to you. C’mon, I’ll explain on the way.” They followed to catch up with the cart. Ardon stopped abruptly when another cart rolled by, the one from the kitchen crew making their food delivery.

  She caught the eye of the three youngsters whose lives were hanging from a thin line, and they didn’t have any idea. Daveena, Joseph, and Mireya. As if she sensed it, Mireya’s gaze fell on the cart with the covered cage. It didn’t take much to put together what prisoner they were transporting.

  “Don’t do anything stupid, kid,” Ardon mumbled under her breath.

  The girl was smart. She forced herself to look away and get on with her business. Which was done for the day. They were pulling into the kitchen and finishing up.

  Jae’s cage was rolled along the street. To where? No idea. His new prison, he assumed. Wherever Juliska wanted him kept. Her prize. Her weapon.

  The gathering had been every bit the nightmare he imagined it would be.

  Juliska had been crazed after some insane vision she’d had and ordered all the Svoda gathered, at once. Which meant his family and the rest of the Svoda were about to find out he was still alive. And witness, first hand, the monster he had become.

  He wasn’t prepared for it.

  He’d thought he was.

  But he had not expected his father’s condition. A shell of the man he was just some months ago. His mother, barely aware, and present herself. Mireya, shocked. Stunned. And amazingly, not a single doubt cast about his guilt or innocence. The only thing he saw was a raw desire to save him. Free him. Get him out of Juliska’s grasp.

  There had been no preparing for it. Seeing her all grown up like that. The innocent twinkle in her eye now a darkened reality she’d clearly accepted, but still fought anyway. How had this change happened so fast? What had happened to her? And his family? Had they been punished because he’d tried to kill himself? And free himself from what he’d become?

  Juliska had ordered him to transform inside his cage as a reminder to everyone, just what she was capable of. Something was off though. Her speech to the Svoda, not filled with the vitriol he expected. Like somehow, by the time she’d given the order, and actually went to make her show of force, she wasn’t quite so sure in her actions. There was a force behind them, some invisible hand of sorts, pushing her, it seemed. She was living out the motions, speaking the words, but something was… off.

  The ex-Banon, now Queen of all, had given the Svoda twenty-four hours to come forth and turn over the escaped prisoners. Unbeknownst to him, something his sister, Mireya, had been involved with. Along with her friends, Joseph and Daveena. If the Svoda refused to reveal the fugitives secret hideout, the Queen was going to start picking people off, one by one. With Jae’s help, of course. He’d known this is what she’d do. That, he’d prepared to hear.

  He wasn’t sure why he felt so blasé about the whole ordeal.

  Maybe it was just easier than feeling anything. He’d known it was coming, sooner or later.

  His prison cart squeaked to a stop. The cage was moved around a bit and then settled into its spot. He half-expected it would be in the middle of the town square where everyone could see him, and watch him. Where he could be made an example of.

  Someone started tugging at the canvas. A moment later it was torn swiftly off his cage. And he was not outside at all. But in the old barn where they kept the horses. The ones who pulled carts around the Isle. The person who pulled off the canvas though, this was not who he expected. He figured he’d have a Striper guard, that were big burly reminders that he was not only a prisoner, but tall and lanky, and not very physically, tough. At least, not in his human form.

  But this guard was the exact opposite.

  A young woman, he’d guess around his age. Sixteen, seventeen, maybe. But a Striper, no doubt. And she was grinning, smugly. Had
a sharp gaze and he’d wager, a quick wit. Which meant he didn’t have to question why she was here. It was a trick, to get him to talk.

  And what did Juliska want from him? He’d already told her Amelia Cobb was dead, and that had sent her into a frenzy. What else could she want to know that only he could tell her? And did they actually believe for a minute, he’d fall for the, send in a pretty girl, routine. And I’ll just talk talk talk.

  The young woman approached. “My aunt does know me well.” She might actually enjoy this job.

  Jae held his ground, refusing to back away as she got closer. Like it would make any difference, he was still locked in a cage. She reached him, standing just out of arm’s length.

  “Just how I like them. Tall, handsome, and broody.”

  Jae frowned. “What are you talking about?”

  “Oh yeah, so very broody.”

  “You’re talking about me?”

  She glanced around. “You see anyone else?”

  No. He didn’t. And he was done talking. And he was not broody.

  She shook her head. “This is a useless job. You’re never going to talk to me. I can see it in your eyes. You’d have to be forced and even then, your will is strong.” She had to respect him for that.

  Now, maybe, he kept to himself.

  But not when he’d needed it to be.

  Not before he’d gotten himself into this mess.

  He watched the young woman pull up a stool and take a seat, looking him over as if searching for something.

  “My name is Katana Jade. You are Jae Mochrie. And like it or not, we are going to be spending a little time together, Jae.”

  He said nothing, choosing to remain silent.

  “Okay, then, I’ll talk, Mr. Broods-much. You listen.”

  Again, he remained silent at his post.

  “My father is KarNavan, leader of the Stripers. My aunt, is his number two in command, Ardon.” She smirked, his surprise at this noticeable, even if he didn’t want it to be. “You’re wondering why I’m telling you this. What kind of game I’m up to? Well, Jae Mochrie, I don’t play games. I’ve never been one much for pretend. I’m supposed to get some information out of you. Locations of people… friends of yours, I’m sure.”

  “And you think by being honest with me, I’ll just open up and tell you everything?” Jae scoffed. “Like I’d fall for that playing my friend, card.”

  “Oh, I’m not your friend. But I am your freedom.”

  Jae didn’t like this one bit. This Katana Jade was ruthless, just like her father and all the Stripers. Not to be trusted. No matter what she said, he’d be the loser. Always, the loser.

  “You don’t believe me. I don’t blame you.” She leaned forward a little, pondering.

  “It doesn’t matter what you say, or do. Or threaten me with. I know, with severe certainty, what Juliska will order me to do. Whether I tell you anything, or not. So why give up my friends, only to kill my family anyway?”

  There was a glint of sympathy that flicked in Katana’s jade-colored eyes. She’d been named after the color.

  “She might. That’s true. But there’s something she does want from you. And I’ll fill you in on a little tidbit no one else would ever tell you.” She came closer, just out of reach. “She doesn’t want to force you, or use magic in any way, to get this information.” The gleam in her eye said, you put two and two together.

  It wasn’t hard. This was personal to Juliska. Something she didn’t want someone else to know. There were few someone’s he could think of at this point. Mainly, he guessed Fazendiin. He must have a way of knowing what she was up to when it came to the Scratchers. It still didn’t give him much hope. Juliska would only give him so much time. Right now, twenty-four hours.

  “Still don’t want to talk?” Katana prodded. “That’s fine. I’ll drop some more reality on you. Because I find the truth, is far more a frightening weapon than anything else.”

  “I already know the truth. There’s nothing else you can tell me that’s any worse than what’s waiting for me tomorrow.” He let out a short push of air. “My only regret is that I didn’t succeed when I tried to kill myself. But I will be dead soon. One way or another.”

  “Juliska will never free you, even with death.”

  “No, she won’t.” His hand lifted to his chest, sliding over his heart. “But once I kill my family, there will be nothing left, of me. I will be dead, in here. My body will continue on, carrying out her sick orders. But it won’t be me. Jae Mochrie will cease to exist. All that will remain is an empty vessel, forced into a life sentence. Juliska’s puppet. Nothing more.” He’d turn into whatever shell of a human his father had. That’s what his father had reminded him of, sitting out there, pushed around in a chair by Mireya. Like his soul had been sucked out of him. Jae expected that’s exactly what he’d turn into, too. A soulless monster.

  Katana strode right up to the cage, fixing her eyes on him.

  “Do you want out of this cage?”

  Jae said nothing. He wasn’t falling for her tricks.

  “I’m your only hope, brooder-man. And you don’t have much time.”

  He turned away from her and she did something he did not expect then. She walked right into his cage!

  “How did you do that?” Stripers could disappear and blend in with their backgrounds, but not walk through them.

  “I’m gifted. But you’re missing the point, Jae.” She got right up in his face. “Whether you want to accept it or not, Juliska will track down those people she’s looking for. Is your stubbornness and pride a good enough excuse for your father, mother, and sister, to lose their lives at your hands? Are you prepared to live out the rest of your life as a murderer of your own family?”

  Jae stared, eyes wide.

  Reality was rearing its brutally ugly head.

  “Why would you care? Your people are thieves. Hired guns to the highest bidder. And I don’t know where Colin or Catrina are. I could not tell you even if I wanted to.”

  “So give her what you do know.”

  He pushed right back into Katana’s face. “And what makes you think for a minute she won’t order me to kill my family just as soon as I tell her everything she wants. Or all I do know.” There was a hint of a snarl pushing out of his throat. The monster lurking dangerously close to the surface. “This isn’t a game. You can play nice, and pretend to be my friend. The one Striper out of all of them who cares. You can pretend to be whatever the hell you want. I’ve learned my lesson. I will never trust anyone else with my future. I only trust me. And there is no way I come out of this alive.”

  Even if Juliska made him kill his family, and kept him as a slave, he’d never live. He’d never be alive. He’d be a thing, a monster, living out someone else’s whims. Unless he killed Juliska. That was the only way to win his freedom. And if what he’d learned while imprisoned on her pavilion atop the fortress, was true, she was immortal. Fazendiin had given her immortality. Making his own prison sentence, permanent.

  “I’ll never give up my friends.” Jae backed away from her, as far back as his cage allowed. “I do not trust anyone. And least of all, will I ever trust you.”

  “Not even for your precious sister’s sake? I heard Juliska’s plans for you. She will have you kill your family. Your sister will be first, you know. Juliska will make you kill her, first, in front of your parents. And everyone else. So think about that, Jae Mochrie. Because it doesn’t need to happen. I’m not my father,” she made claim. “And I’ll be back once you’ve had a while to think about why you should trust me.” And with that, her body shimmered into the background, and she left his cage.

  Jae didn’t for a minute believe she’d gone. He remained vigilant in his stance. He wasn’t giving into these pricks. Not until Juliska forced him to do it.

  Joseph said his goodbye to Mireya and went into his house. Where he proceeded to exit straight through the back and crawl along some bushes under the cover of darkness until he reached M
ireya’s back door. She quickly opened the door and he slipped inside.

  They waited, breathlessly, to make sure no one had noticed, just as they’d done so many times before. And just like usual, even though the day had been anything but usual, they crept into the house where Mireya’s mother, Sheila, stirred a cup a tea that had gone cold hours before. Her stare went off into nothing. And her father continued his post in his wheelchair, still unmoving or speaking.

  Even after the events of that morning.

  It was difficult to understand how they could just freeze up, and give up, and get lost to this craziness happening around them. Then again, all the adults were kept weakened by the Stripers, and Juliska, when she used the Stones to steal their magic. It was messing with their minds. They were reaching a dangerous level, it seemed, where some just might not be the same in the head any longer.

  Mireya gave her mother an obligatory hug and kiss goodnight, and headed to see her father, before her new routine of sneaking up the stairs with Joseph at her heels. She got down on her knees to better see his face. Nothing had changed. She thought for sure when she came home today, something would have changed. His son was alive! That had to change things.

  “Those Stones are destroying them,” Mireya whispered. “At first, it was losing Jae. But now…” Joseph lay a comforting hand on her shoulder. They were all running out of time. Mireya kissed her dad’s cheek and gave him a hug. She’d do just about anything to get him back.

  She got up, lamenting the day. It was all about to hit, hard. The events of the day. But not yet. She could not let it yet. She went to follow Joseph but stopped when there was a tug at her arm. She spun around.

  “Dad?” She leaned back down. He wasn’t fully there. He might never be again. But there was a spark, deep in his gaze. “Dad, it’s me, Mireya. Can you hear me? Can you understand me?”

  “So long… so long…” The first words her father had said in months came out airy and coarse.

  “Dad?” Mireya didn’t know what else to say.

  “It took me so long to get here. Dark hole. Far to climb.” He gazed at his daughter as if he recognized her, and yet, did not.