Mystic Militia

by Cyndi Friberg

  “Cooperation is your only option.” Lor moved closer to the barrier, partially blocking Tori with his body. “And the human is not your concern.”

  “Why am I in this cage? I demand to see Director dar Aune or better yet Varrik. I won’t be treated like a criminal.”

  “You are a criminal. And Varrik is the last person you want to see. If I summon Varrik, it will be to strip the information from your mind. I know he’s skilled, but I doubt he can extract everything I need without causing some sort of damage.”

  “Why are you threatening me? I saved your worthless life.” Allenton’s indignation was almost believable. He made a helpless gesture with his hands as emotion trembled through his voice. “If I hadn’t convinced Nazerel I switched sides, you would both be dead. Say thank you and let me out of here!”

  He’s lying.

  Allenton’s gaze snapped toward her, narrowed with accusation. “How did you…” Then back to Lor. “Did you bond with her? Does Director dar Aune know you’re fucking the human you’re supposed to be protecting?”

  This was getting them nowhere. Allenton would simply deny every charge and claim he’d been doing his job. Tori moved beside Lor and drew Allenton’s gaze back to her. “I’m only half human and I can sense the truthfulness of each word you utter. So stop lying to us. Where are the other hunters? Have any females been captured yet?”

  Allenton raised his chin and smirked at her. “Like your precious sister?”

  “This is a waste of time.” Lor lightly clasped her upper arm. “Let’s see what Lotan has to say.”

  “I was playing a role, working my way into their confidence. Surely you understand that I—”

  The rest of his impassioned speech was cut off by the door as Lor pulled her into the corridor outside the observation booth.

  “He’s full of shit and we both know it. All that was doing was pissing me off.”

  Tori chuckled. “You’re starting to sound like a human. Maybe you should teach me Ontarian.”

  “I’d be glad to, but not tonight.”

  She stopped walking and gave him a hug. “Allenton has the most to lose. Of course he’s going to fight the hardest.”

  “He betrayed us. He betrayed me. I want to beat the truth out of him.”

  Even with their empathic link closed, she could sense his agitation. “That comes later, after we turn off the surveillance cameras.”

  He finally returned her smile. “Let’s see if Lotan is any more reasonable.”

  The second cell was identical to the first, three bare walls and a transparent barrier. It was hard to believe it was part of the Conservatory. A metal bunk protruded from one wall and two of the walls contained nondescript doors. One door led to the corridor and Tori presumed the other led to some sort of bathroom as no utilities of any kind were visible in the main room.

  Lotan glared at them as they entered the observation booth. He sat cross-legged on the bunk, facing the barrier. “We had no choice. Allenton joined the rebels and you went back to Ontariese. What were we supposed to do? We’d been abandoned on Earth.”

  “That’s a very sad story,” Lor said. “Unfortunately, the facts don’t support it. I tried to contact each of you before I headed home. You were intentionally blocking my signal.”

  “I was following the orders of my alpha. You might not understand what that means, but any good soldier understands the chain of command.”

  “I can work with that.” Lor’s lips curved into a faint smile. “If you want to blame it on your leader, where’s Allenton?”

  Tori forced herself not to react to the unexpected question. If Lotan had lost consciousness first, it was possible he didn’t know Allenton was in a cell just like this.

  “Where he always is,” Lotan snarled.

  The response had been visceral, an angry knee jerk. She looked at Lor, but he was focused entirely on the hunter.

  “Could you be a bit more specific?”

  Lotan stilled and narrowed his gaze. Had the ploy really worked? Surely it wouldn’t be that easy.

  “I can be a lot more specific,” Lotan bragged, “but what’s in it for me?”

  Suddenly Lor looked at her and asked, “Does this work better if you ask the questions?”

  Understanding the subtle cue, she shrugged. “I can read him either way.”

  “A human is going to ‘read’ me? Ooh, I’m scared.” Lotan seemed almost relaxed within his cage.

  “Nazerel targeted her sister,” Lor reminded him. “Why do you think that is?”

  Understanding flickered within Lotan’s gaze, but he said nothing.

  “She can sense any hint of deception. So don’t bother lying to us.”

  “I’m not going to bother talking to you unless you promise me amnesty and an honorable discharge from the military effective immediately. I’m finished taking orders from anyone!”

  “You’ll have to take that up with the Overlord.”

  “Then I have nothing more to say.” Lotan pressed his lips into a mutinous line.

  “Then I’ll go get Varrik. He can easily strip the information from your mind. I was hoping to avoid such unpleasantness, but you’re leaving me no other choice.”

  Lotan closed his eyes for a long, tense moment then shook his head. “You’ll have to relocate me if I talk. Shadow Assassins don’t tolerate traitors.”

  “Again, that’s something you’ll have to discuss with the Overlord.”

  Why don’t you just agree to whatever he wants? Tori kept her gaze on the hunter and didn’t change her expression.

  You’re not the only one with a good bullshit detector. I don’t want to risk setting off his instincts.

  No one said anything for a long time and the tension mounted. Suddenly Lotan’s façade slipped and he released his pent-up breath. “What do you want to know?”

  “Where is Allenton?”

  “In bed with that Rodyte bitch, as he has been since he dragged us into this rebellion.”

  “Does ‘that Rodyte bitch’ have a name?” Lor matched the hunter’s casual tone.

  “There are lots of rumors, but I’m not sure she’s who they say.”

  “Most gossip contains kernels of truth,” Lor pointed out. “What’s the most likely rumor?”

  “That she’s Rodyte royalty. The current Stirate’s niece or cousin. I don’t know.”

  “You’ve never seen her?”

  The hunter snorted. “You’ve got me confused with someone important. Only the alphas are allowed to speak with the mistress. If we need something, we communicate through our alpha. We are not worthy to be in her presence, much less between her thighs.”

  Lor shook his head, unable to completely disguise his disgust. “Sounds a little like the set up you had with the elders.”

  “You think?” Sarcasm dripped from each word. “The location doesn’t seem to matter. The game is always the same.”

  “How many hunters share your house?”

  “Five, if you count Allenton. But he’s never there, can’t be bothered with us underlings.”

  No wonder he’d accepted Lor’s lie so easily. He hadn’t even realized Allenton was at home when the raid occurred.

  “How many houses are there?” Lor kept the questions coming in the same calm, slightly expectant tone.

  “Four. Each team has its own house. I belong to Team North.”

  Is he telling the truth? Lor sent the question across their private link.

  So far. Everything he’s said has felt true. Oh, ask him about Angie.

  Without reacting visibly to the exchange, Lor asked, “Have any of the teams taken captives?”

  Lotan looked at Tori and laughed. Lor took an automatic step toward the barrier. “Did you really fall for that? Allenton found the picture in your sister’s apartment and we added the date stamp. It wouldn’t have worked if you’d seen the picture before, but it was worth a try.”

  “Then Nazerel doesn’t have her?” Hope surged with staggering intensity, b
ut she carefully guarded her expression.

  “No one has had time to hunt. Everyone is still getting things set up at the team houses.”

  “Where are the other three houses?” Lor asked.

  The hunter shrugged. “Don’t know. Don’t care. I’m part of Team North, so I only concern myself with Team North business.”

  “So much for this being about freedom. You could be describing life in the Shadow Maze.” Lotan just glared, so Lor asked, “You never see the other teams, never communicate with them?”

  “It’s forbidden. Those who ignore the rules are punished. Allenton claims that things will be better once our ‘communities’ are established, but for now, we must obey.”

  “Tell me about the communities.”

  “Tell me why I should volunteer all this information? It makes more sense to wait until I can broker a deal with the Overlord.”

  Lor looked pale and fatigued. He had to be feeling all the energy he’d expended in the past few hours. Give it a rest, love. If the hunters have no access to leadership, it’s unlikely Lotan knows more than he’s told us already.

  “Fair enough.” Lor motioned her toward the door. “See if you have better luck with Overlord Lyrik.”

  They left the detention area without a backward glance and Tori rushed Lor out onto the covered gallery. The air was cool and sweet with a hint of the nearby flowers beds. She moved in front of him and pressed his face between her hands. She smiled sweetly then rocked to the balls of her feet and covered his mouth with hers. Feed, my love. You’re white as a sheet.

  I need more than a liplink. He groaned. I need to be inside you.

  This will have to do for now.

  Their mouths fused and he carefully drew energy from deep inside her. She slid her arms up and circled his neck, pressing her entire body into the warmth of his.

  Someone cleared their throat and Tori reluctantly pulled back so she could look at the intruder. Dressed in a purple column dress and matching heels, the woman was stunning and stylish. Her golden-brown hair had been swept up into a simple twist, accenting her delicate face. Her features were dominated by subtly swirling eyes that combined shades of purple and gray.

  “Echo.” Lor smiled and gave her a friendly hug. “I’d like you to meet my mate, Tori.”

  So this was Echo. Lor insisted he no longer had romantic feelings for Echo and Tori believed him, but standing toe to toe with the competition left Tori feeling a little uncertain. This was the High Queen’s daughter. Should she bow or curtsy or something?

  Echo held out her hand with a warm smile. “It’s wonderful to meet you.”

  Tori shook her hand and tried to relax. Echo was happily bound with Varrik and she had no reason to doubt Lor’s devotion. “It’s great to meet you too. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  “Nothing too damning, I hope.” Echo’s friendly smile dispelled the rest of Tori’s hesitation.

  “Were you looking for us, or did you just wander by?” Lor slipped his arm around Tori’s waist and affection flowed into her mind.

  “Father asked me to scan one of the hunters. The alpha hunter actually.”

  “Allenton?” Lor was obviously confused by the suggestion. “Scan him for what?”

  Echo moved closer to the couple and offered them a conspirator’s smile. “I remember everything I see or hear. So if I scan someone’s memory, their memories become mine. I can examine them at length, analyze every image.”

  “And the person doesn’t have to be willing?” Tori couldn’t help but think of all the ways such a power could be abused.

  “They don’t, but I end up with all those images permanently imprinted on my mind. Trust me, it’s not something I do indiscriminately.”

  “I had no idea you had formal training.” Lor still looked rather shocked.

  Echo laughed. “It works to my advantage if people see me as a helpless princess.” She smiled at Tori again. “Take good care of him. You caught a good one.” Then she walked off along the gallery.

  “She seems really nice,” Tori concluded. “I can see why you were attracted to her.”

  He pulled her back into his arms and kissed her. “I love only you,” he whispered the words against her parted lips then kissed her again.

  “And I love only you.”

  Lor eased her back and ran his hand through his hair. “I could probably Summon the Storm if there was no other choice, but I’m not willing to risk something going wrong. Let’s find someone who can open the portal for us.”

  “Do we need to tell someone what we learned from Lotan before we take off?”

  He shook his head. “Tal was observing. That’s how he knew to send for Echo.” Lor requested an escort telepathically and two robed Mystics were waiting when they reached the outdoor departure areas. “Thank you for your assistance.”

  “Always happy to help, Master Lor.”

  Tori couldn’t help but smile. Being called master had to feed his ego.

  One of the Mystics touched Lor’s temple then nodded to the other Mystic. She wasn’t sure exactly what the exchange meant. Were they locking in a destination? And why were there two of them? Lor could do this by himself with a passenger in his arms.

  “Ready?” He held out his hand.

  “Yeah, I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to this part.” She moved into his arms as the Mystics Summoned the Storm. The light show wasn’t quite as dramatic beneath the midday sun, but the thunder still made her start and close her eyes.

  Lor wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into the vortex. She cringed as forceful acceleration rearranged her internal organs. Even having experienced it all before, she was shocked by the sensations. Lights flashed, penetrating her eyelids. Lor stroked her back of her hair, but the affectionate gesture meant he was only holding her with one arm. She clung to him, frantically willing the ride to end.

  Her feet touched solid ground for a split second and the roaring dissipated, then the earth disappeared again. The second leg of their journey lasted less than a second. Quiet, motionless calm encouraged her to open her eyes and she found herself in the desert a short distance from the ship.

  She was still breathless and windblown as they entered the galley a few minutes later.

  “Welcome back,” Dekker greeted. “How’d the interrogation go?”

  “Allenton lied through his teeth, but Lotan was willing to talk.” Lor activated the retractable bench across from the booth. Tori sat beside him as he explained what they’d learned from Lotan.

  “I’m thrilled that Angie is not in imminent danger, but what do you know about the Rodyte woman?” Odintar asked.

  “One of the Mystics is going to mine Allenton’s mind. As soon as I get their report we’ll have facts rather than speculation.” Few knew of Echo’s abilities and she wanted to keep it that way.

  “Which Mystic?” Odintar persisted.

  “It doesn’t matter. They’ll be able to confirm the Rodyte woman’s identity and probably a lot more.”

  “Who do you think it is?” Dekker asked.

  “My money is on Sevrin Keire. Her father had been trying to replicate Mystic abilities longer than I can remember. It makes sense that she would take up the torch.”

  “This is not good news.” Odintar shifted in his seat, obviously uncomfortable with the revelation. His discomfort compounded Tori’s anxiety. Odintar was the resident Rodyte expert. If he was freaked out, the rest of them should be too. “If the Rodyte royal family is backing the hunters, this has to be about more than a handful of belligerent mercenaries.”

  “And the Mystic will be able to tell us everything Allenton knows. He’s the Rodyte woman’s lover. I’m hoping he has all sorts of helpful information tucked away in the back of his mind.”

  “Is ‘the Mystic’ Varrik?” Odintar couldn’t seem to let it go. “We all know what he’s capable of. Why the secrecy?”

  Lor chuckled. “Sorry to torment you, but I really can’t say.”

  Odintar
crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Lor.

  “Hello,” a deep voice called down the corridor.

  “We’re in the galley, Elias. Straight ahead then to your right.”

  Tori hadn’t recognized Elias’ distorted voice, but obviously Lor had.

  Elias walked into the galley, a triumphant smile parting his lips. “I found the holy grail, people. You’re not going to believe this.” He set down a black binder in the middle of the table then flipped it open. Lor and Tori both rose and flanked him so they could see what he’d found. He slowly flipped through page after page of…Tori wasn’t sure what the pages were. Each started with a headshot of a young female, but the text was written in a language she didn’t recognize.

  “Where did you find this?” Lor asked, obviously highly interested in the pages. He looked at Odintar and asked, “Are these what I think they are?”

  “If you think they’re detailed descriptions of each woman’s background, health and habits, then they’re what you think they are.”

  The writing must be Rodyte if Lor couldn’t read it. Elias flipped the page and Tori gasped. “That’s Angie.”

  Lor slipped his arm around her waist. “We already knew she was a target.”

  Then the pieces snapped into place and Tori felt physically ill. “These women are all targets? There is no way the hunters could have compiled this in a few weeks. They had to have been planning this for moths, no more like years.”

  “This was waiting for the hunters when they arrived,” Odintar predicted. “Sevrin has been a busy little Rodyte.”

  Lor seemed to shake away his shock and focus again on action. “I need you to translate this as quickly as possible. We need to know what qualifies these women for this…”

  “Program,” Elias suggested. “This isn’t a spontaneous hunt. This is a meticulously organized program.”

  “If we can figure out the characteristics connecting each female, it should tell us what the hunters are really after.”

  Odintar nodded. “I’ll get right on it.”

  Elias handed him the binder and Odintar strode from the galley.

  “Thank you.” Lor shook the human’s hand. “I was hoping you’d stumble across something useful. This is much better than I’d expected.”