Fireblood

by Wolfe, Trisha

  Sebastian races from the room, and before I can think, I follow after him.

  He halts suddenly, and I jerk to a stop once I see what he’s staring at.

  Two knights of the Force lie bleeding in the corridor.

  Dead.

  Sebastian marches to the end of the hallway and there he stops, staring at the open door to the lift. I come up behind him, then, without acknowledging each other, we both step inside. He presses the button to take us to Hart’s secret chamber.

  A sharp pang seizes my chest when the doors part. I cover my mouth.

  King Hart sits on his throne. One arm draped over the side, a dagger protruding from his chest.

  The Rebel crest on the hilt stares back at me.

  THIRTY-TWO

  I grip the bodice of my wedding dress as I pant sharp, aching breaths. Everything around me happens as if in slow motion, but too quickly at the same time.

  Sebastian runs to Hart. He extracts the Rebel dagger. Wires emanate from the open wound, sparking as wisps of smoke coil up from Hart’s chest. Sebastian kneels before his father and cradles his thin, limp body, blood soaking his tunic.

  A giant metallic and glass machine beside the throne blares out a loud, steady beep. Sebastian rocks forward and backward, and yet, Hart is still dead—murdered—and not by my hand.

  I hear the lift behind me, but I don’t recognize what’s happening until three knights of the Force enter. They run past me toward the other end of the huge, open room. This whole time, my eyes have been trained on Sebastian curling his father to him. As my eyes trail after the knights, I finally look around and gasp.

  There are no walls.

  I’m standing on top of the castle—in the sky. I glance down at the lake, the court, royal village, the town. I can see all of Karm. Electric-blue grid lines streak the dark sky all around me. Then I look down as fear spikes my blood. There is a floor beneath me. I sink to it, trying to get my bearings.

  How long have the Rebels speculated Hart’s secret chamber to be far from the castle? How much time have they wasted searching? All this time it’s been right here. I’ve spent these past weeks with Hart in my very presence, right above me, in his secret chamber in the sky.

  I become brave and stand, then walk to the edge of the room. I keep my hands out, fanning the air, and when I reach the edge, my hands hit something solid. A wall. The walls are made of something so clear, so pure it’s as if nothing surrounds us at all.

  My mind blanks at the impossibility. My head jerks toward the court grounds. How is it that no one can see this room? Then I think of the birds, lying around the castle, no one able to explain why they simply drop out of the sky. I imagine them smashing into an invisible room.

  I take in Hart’s dead body again, registering that part of it is machine. Before I’m able to catalog my own ponderings, a knight approaches Sebastian.

  “Your Highness,” the knight says in a low but forceful voice. “Excalibur has been attacked.”

  Sebastian’s head whips up, and he stares vacantly at the knight.

  The mainframe.

  It’s here also. I try to spy the control room as the knight continues. “A disk has been lodged in the computer, and it’s decoding the system.” When Sebastian still looks at him as if he’s speaking a foreign language, the knight points outward. “The barrier is coming down.”

  I stare out past our glass encasement, but I don’t see… The air shimmers. Panicked, I look above my head. The sky starts to open up. A splinter of black at first, then the bright blue lines mix with the darkness and begin to melt, peeling down all around me. I spin in slow circles as blackness replaces the once-illuminated sky.

  I look to Sebastian, a solid lump fixed in my throat like a stone. It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. I was meant to have time. He was meant to have a grieving period before the barrier was taken down. And the antidote?

  Where is it?

  Carrying out the mission seems pointless. How can I convince Sebastian to command an army when he’s wracked with grief? His eyes are on his father, empty. The Rebels are unaware of everything.

  And Outside is opening up all around us.

  I have to get to Devlan.

  The barrier is coming down. Soon, the monsters that roam the wasteland will be coming for us. I dash toward the lift. There’s no time to waste.

  “Guards!” Sebastian shouts. “Take her.”

  I spin toward him, my shock complete. Before I can process anything, two knights come at me, their V-Batons raised. I back into the lift and smack the buttons. One of the knights lodges his wand between the metal doors as they clamp shut. Lifting the hem of my wedding dress, I unsheathe my dagger and then slam the hilt against the shaft of the prod.

  The doors shut.

  Slumping against the wall, I nearly collapse. Focus. I right myself and straighten my dress. Thinking better, I sheath the dagger before the doors open.

  Glancing around, I step into the corridor. Empty. I stoop and grab an arming sword from one of the fallen knights, then strike the control panel of the lift. It sparks, and the lift’s gears grind. The doors open and close, open and close.

  I’m not sure how long that will stall them, so I take out my communicator and press the button. “Devlan.” My voice trembles.

  Static.

  “Devlan—” I nearly shout.

  Only crackling. Shaking, I tune to Xander’s frequency and try him. The same static, as if all the knights have disappeared. Regaining my confidence, I start toward the stairs.

  I look back once, then take off toward the main hall. Walking swiftly and stealthily—the sword held by my side, pressed into the skirt of my dress—I pray I can reach the front before the knights make it to the bottom level. As I enter the inner ward, I notice there’re no panicked citizens racing around and no knights of the Force. It’s too quiet.

  The alarm must have cleared out the castle. I push the large doors open and run to the front grounds. All around me people are staring, their forms stiff and locked in place, all looking in different directions.

  My heart bangs against my chest as I spin and take in the sight. The once-blue sky has melted away. The dark, foreign sky of Outside replaces it. Lightning as I’ve never witnessed flashes in mud-colored clouds, making the sky look more like a dirt field, layered with patches of gray and brown clay. A small ball of light peeks through the murky clouds as they travel quickly across it. The sun, I realize. And in the distance, beyond the bright green grass, past the stone wall and the pines reaching upward, black mountains roll along a dusky skyline.

  I back away slowly, leaving the bewildered citizens, and head toward the side of the castle. Pressing my back to the rough wall, I try my communicator again, this time successfully.

  “Fallon,” she answers my page.

  “What happened?” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

  Silence, then, “We’re trying to figure that out.” Her voice is calm and steady, and that scares me more than if she was panicking.

  I suck in a breath. “Where’s Devlan? Have you spoken with him?”

  More static. “The alarm triggered their emergency frequency. Their transmission is shut down to us. They can only communicate with each other at this point.” She pauses. “Zara. We tracked your movement, but we waited as you instructed. Who else did you take to Hart’s chamber?”

  My forehead creases. “Only Sebastian. But, we didn’t go in at first. We left—” I don’t finish. We don’t have time to go over this right now. “Fallon, I have to find Devlan.”

  “I know.” Crackling. “And tell Xander…tell him to contact me when you find him.” I now hear the worry in her voice. “We’re grouped and on our way.”

  I nod to myself, bolstering the assurance of her words. “I’ll contact you when I find them.” I stuff the device back into my bodice.

  The Rebels are on their way here. I understand why immediately. Court has a wall.

  I peek around the corner. All of K
arm has gathered in Court for the wedding. There’s a chance some are still in town and the country, but most are here.

  I pray Hadley and her family are here, too, and that they are safe.

  My eyes trail over the stone wall. I’m not sure what type of monsters will cross into Karm now that the barrier’s down, but whatever they are, they might not be able to climb.

  I need to shut the gate.

  The Rebels will come through the opening near the meadow, but the gate needs to be closed to keep Outside from finding its way into Court.

  Bringing my communicator out once more, I page Fallon. When she responds, I say, “Block the opening at the meadow once you’re through.” Then I take off toward the back of the castle. I need to make my way around, along the edge, so I’m not spotted by the Force.

  I stop short when I see rows of knights lined up on the tournament field. Has Sebastian come to his senses? He’s seen Outside with his own eyes now. Maybe he’s taken command and is already gearing up for battle. It won’t be enough, though. The Rebels will be needed.

  Only, Sebastian ordered my arrest. He thinks I had something to do with killing his father—which I’m not sure I didn’t. I saw the Rebel crest on the dagger, and Sebastian saw it, too. How can I sway him to join the Rebels now?

  Xander might be one of our only plants Sebastian will trust. Maybe Larkin, as he’s a member of his Round Table, but I don’t trust him. If I locate Devlan, I can find Xander. They still have communication between themselves. They might even be together out on the field.

  My heart and mind conflict with each other, one telling me to shut the gate and chance being caught by the Force, the other demanding I seek Devlan.

  Duty first. It’s what Devlan would choose. I have to trust my instincts.

  After I shut the gate, I’ll find Devlan, and we’ll regroup with the Rebels. Once Sebastian sees the monsters invading Karm, he’ll have no choice. He’ll have to band with us.

  I search the field one last time for any of the Rebel plants, then back away and move silently toward the front of the castle. The sky overhead crackles with thunder. Flashes of lightning spark, spiderwebbing the dense clouds.

  The two guards from Hart’s chamber are searching for me, and probably every member of the Force has been given the order to capture me by now. I run for the shelter of the treeline, hoping to make my way to the gatehouse undetected. After I get this one thing accomplished, I can slow down long enough to think.

  After I enter the thick brush, I make quick work of slicing off the train of my dress and discarding the excess. Then I take determined steps. My thoughts plague me, and I stumble a couple of times, nearly forgetting my destination.

  The barrier is gone. I have clear access to my father. I could ride Sterlyn right out into the open and find Morgana—the compound—but I know how reckless that would be. I need to stop and center myself. We need a convoy to go after them all at once. Because when the cannibals discover we’re taking away their food supply, King Hart’s treaty is through. I can’t face Outside on my own, no matter how badly I want to go after my father.

  I’ll do him no good if I do.

  As I round the wooded area near the gatehouse, a snap sends my senses into high alert. I freeze.

  Something in the bushes rustles, and I whip around.

  A knight in crimson and black approaches me. “Larkin?”

  THIRTY-THREE

  Larkin steps from behind a tree. “Sneaking away?” He takes another, calculated step closer to me. “I always figured you for a coward when it came down to it.”

  I shake my head, tightening my grip on my sword. “I haven’t been able to contact anyone. What happened? Where’s Devlan—” I rest my line of questioning as he continues to approach me, his sword outstretched.

  He shrugs, his eyes cold and hard. “I’m not concerned about any of them.” He halts when he’s right before me. “If I’d have waited for the Rebel’s plan to take effect, it would’ve been too late.” He sighs dramatically. “I’ve been in this position before. And it never plays out in my favor.”

  “You,” I breathe, realization dawning. “You killed King Hart. And you attacked the mainframe and took down the barrier.”

  His eyebrows shoot up. “I see you’re not as slow as I suspected. Way to put it together so quickly, princess.” I take a step backward, and he raises the point of his sword toward me. “Stop.”

  My chest rises as I take in a sharp breath. “What is your plan now, Larkin?”

  His free hand fumbles at his uniform vest, and I glimpse what he’s trying to stuff inside his pocket—vials.

  The antidote.

  His eyes follow mine, and he quickly shoves the vials into his vest. “Step aside, princess. I don’t have time to deal with you.”

  “We would’ve gotten the antidote soon enough,” I say. “You didn’t have to do this. Now everything has been compromised.”

  He chokes out a hollow laugh. “No. I watched you. I knew from the start you wouldn’t kill Hart.”

  “Larkin.” I say his name calmly, trying to reason with him. “I was getting through to Sebastian. There was another way we—”

  “Shut up,” he snaps. “You failed to complete the mission, so I took it over. It’s done. Hart is dead, and now I have the antidote, and I’m going to get my sister back.” He glares at me. “I’m tired of waiting around. Years, princess. I’ve spent years waiting to see this moment realized. I wasn’t about to let you botch it up because your precious heart is torn over the noble Devlan and the sweet but tormented prince.” He scoffs. “Honestly, I’m sick to death of woman leaders. Now, move the fuck aside.” He coughs and places his hand over his mouth, the fit nearly causing him to convulse. When his hand comes away, it’s coated in red. Blood.

  “The Virus,” I say. “You’re sick, and you don’t have much time.”

  He raises his brows again. “She gets another point for being observant!” He laughs, then steps around me.

  I spin toward him and raise my sword. “I’m not letting you leave here with the antidote. We all need it.” I meet his menacing glare. “We can analyze the serum and make enough for you and your sister and everyone, Larkin. You just have to trust me.”

  He runs his blade along mine as he steps into a fighting stance. The shrill sound and vibration send chills along my back. “Oh, princess,” he says low, tense. “I was so hoping you’d say that. I only wish I could see poor Devlan’s face when he views what’s left of you when I’m finished.”

  He’s mad. He has to be. I pull back into a defensive position, and block his blade as he slashes toward my face. He’s not performing. This isn’t a training exercise. Larkin is going for blood. I drive his blade upward, then take the clear shot at his exposed side, slicing him along the ribs.

  “Bitch.” He grabs his rib cage.

  Larkin’s injury should make this a more even fight, but I have to focus my attacks where they’ll count the most. Not giving him a second to recover, I feint and lunge, my blade straight as I aim for his stomach.

  Favoring his right side, he taps my sword to the side. “I see Devlan trained you well,” he says. “But who do you think trained him?” He flicks his sword quickly, wounding my shoulder.

  My arm spasms with pain and I cry out. Gripping my arm to hold it steady, I shakily extend my sword. The sleeve of my now-tarnished wedding dress hangs loosely, my bare shoulder dripping blood. The muscle has been spared—only a flesh wound—but the searing pain is distracting.

  Larkin laughs. “It may be fun to remove your dress bit by bit.” He cocks his head. “Both boys would get a rise out of finding you in such a scandalous way.” His sword takes another swipe and I retreat, the tip just missing my other shoulder.

  Lifting my chin, I counter, “Is that the only way you can get a maiden to disrobe before you, Larkin?” I advance, striking his blade and knocking it downward. “Or do you just hate strong women because you’re weak?” I raise my sword and twist sideways, bl
ocking his attack as he cleaves the air before me. “I’ll be sure to leave you with a shred of dignity.”

  His face pinches in anger, and he grinds his teeth. He moves forward, slashing at the foliage to clear his path to me, and then repeatedly beats my sword downward. I move backward, keeping out of his range, his injury limiting his reach. Angered, he shouts and lunges. I attempt to turn and cover my body, but he slashes my midsection.

  I drop my sword and wrap an arm around my stomach as I fall to my knees.

  He stands above me, his sword aimed at my throat. “Goodbye, Princess Zara.” He bends over, leaning in close to my ear. “I’ll give my condolences to your father.”

  Anger wells in my chest, overtaking the pain in my stomach, and I stare up his blade. My fingers find the hem of my dress. Before he straightens, I grasp my dagger and lunge.

  He falls to the ground, bringing me with him. I hear his ragged, gurgling breath as he gasps, and I lift myself off his body. His eyes look from me to the dagger and back. His lung is punctured, and he’s going to die a slow and painful death.

  I close my eyes and twist the dagger, digging the blade deeper into his chest.

  He releases one last, labored breath.

  Shaking, I open my eyes and extract my dagger. Blood runs down the blade and onto my hand. I lean over and wipe it off on his vest.

  Before I sheath it and pick up my sword, I look down at him. “I will save your sister.” I give him one last look of regard before I dig out the two vials and head toward the gatehouse.

  THIRTY-FOUR

  Two guards stand watch in each of the gatehouse towers. Ducking behind a tree, I press my back against the bark and take shallow breaths. After carefully examining my stomach wound, I found it wasn’t as deep as the pain first led me to believe, though it bleeds steadily now. I use my sword to cut a strip of material from the bottom of my dress and bandage the cut. I bite down on my lip so I don’t cry out as I pull the knot tight.

  I quickly inspect my shoulder. It’s already started to clot. Sliding my sword into my sash, I hold my stomach with one arm and move out of the brush.