“I know Koda,” she said, holding him with an arm that barely had the strength to defy gravity. “I love you too. What we got is special. All the pain I felt and even this, this end— I wouldn’t do nothing different. This was my time, I knew it was coming, just didn’t know how. We found Rosh and we found a way to beat it. That means we won Koda. We won!”
He nodded, no longer able to speak. Rosh reached out and gently pulled him away from Willa. “I didn’t get no chance to say goodbye last time.”
She smiled. “Why you think I dragged you into my room earlier?”
Rosh smirked in spite of the moment. Willa’s smile matched his. “You saved me every time Rosh. Now you’re doing it again. I don’t know what bad things you done but you got no right to hurt yourself over nothing. You done right every time I known you to have a choice. Me, Bailynn, I bet you even done the right thing with Volera. You’re a damned hero, and I’ll not hear a word saying anything else.”
Rosh blinked and looked away, then even went so far as to rub his cheek with his hand. “This ain’t goodbye, I’ll be with you in here. And whether I know it or not, I expect you to show her the good times we had and I know you’ll be thinking of me when it’s happening.”
Rosh ignored the suggestions. He squeezed Willa’s hand again then leaned in and kissed her. He felt the urgent strength in her lips and the trembling behind them. The heat was fading from her and he knew the time was nearly upon them. Their lips parted and she gasped a shallow breath, then let her head fall back to the deck. Rosh rose up quickly. He turned to Volera and nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
Volera slipped in and dropped to her knees. She lowered her head until their faces were inches apart. Willa stared into the dark pools of Volera’s until she closed her eyes and gave a short and final nod. She took in a deep breath, shuddering as she did so. Volera placed a hand on Willa’s chest and the other on her forehead. Volera pressed her lips to Willa’s, then gently began to draw in Willa’s breath. Willa struggled briefly, then moaned and relaxed. Her breath flowed out and into the former Fury’s mouth.
Rosh watched, fascinated and alarmed. The hair stood up on his arms at the surreal sight. In the daylight he could not be certain but if ever told the tale he would swear Willa was glowing as she breathed her last breath into Volera’s mouth. At long last Willa relaxed completely and Rosh knew she was gone. Still Volera pulled from her, drawing in more air than the woman could possibly hold. Before his very eyes Willa rapidly dissolved, falling apart until only ashes remained in her clothing on the decking.
Koda let out a sob, drawing Rosh’s burning eyes to him. The boy staggered to his feet until he bumped into the railing. He stared at the remains of his mother and then looked down at himself. Wiping away the blood he saw that the wound in his belly was gone, leaving untouched skin behind. He sank to his knees, staring open mouthed at it.
Rosh turned away and saw Doya laying on the deck. He snarled and stomped over to him. Looming over the fallen man Doya must have sensed something for he groaned and tried to move. His eyelids fluttered open just as a voice called up from the dock below.
“Hoy there! Stand to and explain this body!”
Rosh ignored the voice, glaring instead at Doya. The younger man glanced around the deck and saw the chaotic situation. Having missed out on important events, he tried to pull himself away from Rosh with his elbows and hands. Rosh stomped on his leg, turning the foot and causing an audible snap to sound from Doya’s ankle. Doya cried out loudly. The cry was matched by an oath from below the ship.
Rosh reached down and picked the struggling man up. He held him a few inches from his face and sneered at him. “Rosh! Please, I didn’t mean to hurt anyone, honest! I was just surprised by the boy! It was an accident.”
Rosh’s arms trembled, shaking Doya. “It wasn’t no accident,” Rosh spat at him.
“Ho there! What’s going on? Put that man down! Who’s the captain of this ship?”
“Get off my boat!”
“Ah, that makes you the Captain then,” the city guardsmen said. He was past his prime but still looked to be a man who took pride in himself and his position. “Your boat or not, while you’re in my city you got no leave to be threatening and killing people.”
Rosh picked Doya up further and straightened his arms explosively. Doya squawked as he was thrown not only away from Rosh, but into the constable. They both fell off the edge of the scout ship, crashing over two dozen feet to the floating planks below. More cries echoed up from below, new voices and more of them.
“Rosh!”
Rosh turned to see Volera standing with knives in her hands again. He did a double take at the momentary flash of disapproval he saw on her face. It was a look he had seen before, many years past. “Koda, we got supplies in the hold?”
Koda looked up, still speechless from the events that transpired. He nodded dumbly.
“Make ready to sail. Any more of them asses come up here, the deck’s going to be stained red forever.” Rosh turned and walked to the edge. Another soldier was reaching the top of the ladder as Rosh reached it. The man held a pistol in one hand. Rosh reached towards him, frightening him into firing the pistol. Rosh jerked slightly as the bullet hit him in the thigh, but gave no other sign of injury.
The man yelped as he was forcibly yanked from the ladder. He crashed down a moment later, dropped onto Rosh’s knee with force enough to shatter his back and more than a few ribs. Rosh let the broken guard fall, knocking another soldier off the ladder on the way down. A growing crowd at the bottom backed away.
“Anyone else comes up dies too. We’re leaving, don’t be trying to stop us!” Rosh called out to them, challenging anyone to stop him.
Volera had slipped below while Koda had risen and was woodenly untying ropes to release the magically treated cloth that served as sails about the voidship. Rosh stared again down the ladder, expecting no one to listen to him. He was even hoping for it, he had a powerful rage built up that he really wanted to share. No one challenged the ladder but several guardsmen had arrived with crossbows and a few others possessed pistols.
“They tied us up,” Koda called out to him, drawing him back from thoughts of leaping amongst the crowd and laying into them. Rosh grunted and peered over the edge again. Sure enough, a chain as thick as Koda’s wrist was looped through one of the landing struts.
“Get ‘er ready,” Rosh called over his shoulder. “I’ll be up in a minute.”
Rosh vaulted over the railing of the deck. Nearing four hundred pounds, he plummeted to the planking and hit it hard, sending wooden groans throughout and bending the timbers. A few of the onlookers stumbled or fell from the sudden movement of the floating decking. Rosh rose up to his full height from the crouched position he had ended up in, the deformed bullet from the constable popping out of his thigh and falling with a dull thud to the wood.
“Stay outta my way,” He growled. The chained strut was a dozen feet from him but each step seemed destined to end in a rushing mob. Contrary to his concerns, no one moved. He was disappointed to reach it unmolested.
Rosh drew his sword and hewed through one side of a link with a single stroke. He eyed his blade casually, noting it remained unmarred even after the strike against the hardened iron. In a show of arrogance, he sheathed the sword then stopped on the portion of the chain looped through the landing strut, then grabbed up the other portion and pulled on it. It bent slowly, the half severed link widening visibly until it was opened enough for the connecting links to slip free of it.
Rosh dropped his portion of the chain to the deck, then pulled the broken length free of the ship. When he turned back to the others he saw their jaws had dropped further. Two guardsmen had stepped forward at some point, one holding a sword and the other a crossbow. Now both of their weapons were half-lowered to the ground and their eyes were wide with disbelief.
Rosh started towards them, jerking forward as though he was going to spring upon them. One fell back, tripping over himself t
o get away. The other cringed and raised his crossbow as if it could shield him from the blow Rosh might heave unto him. Rosh spat out a bitter laugh and stormed past them to the ladder. He climbed it without incident, then kicked it free once at the top.
“Best be minding your own business next time,” he yelled down at the gathered crowd. “I see any ship following us and I’ll come back feeling a lot less merciful.”
He turned to see the mainsail in place and second of the two smaller sails used to aid in maneuvering being tied into place. “Volera on the helm?”
Koda glanced over at him and shrugged, then looked back to his task quickly. Rosh sighed and started down the staircase below when he heard Volera’s voice rise up. “We’re ready.”
Rosh stopped. “We?” He muttered, then shook his head. He knew that sitting in a helm was an amazing experience, especially the first few times. It merged the mind with the ship, giving the helmsman extra senses to see and hear about the ship, as well as to feel when the ship was damaged.
Or did “We” mean she and Willa? Rosh shook his head. Willa was gone, he’d seen it with his own eyes. All that was left of her was behind him, standing ready to guide the ship into the void. He sighed and turned, heading to the other sail. For the first time he noted the extra poles and fittings that would allow the maneuvering sails to be controlled by a single person. It would be awkward and slow, but still possible.
“Let’s get off this damned rock,” He called out. A moment later the ship lurched beneath them. Koda stumbled and Rosh had to hold on tight to keep from taking a step. In spite of everything, he cracked a small smile at Volera’s virgin attempt to fly a voidship. Probably the only thing virginal about her, he mused.
She adjusted quickly, smoothing out the lift and correcting for the wind once they cleared the long dormant volcano’s crater. Rosh and Koda, likewise, had to acclimate themselves to one another as they guided the sails to catch the wind and send the ship higher to the sky. Talk was at a minimum, aside from clipped orders Rosh barked out.
They left the planet behind without any major incidents. The sails survived the gusts in the upper atmosphere and the ship escaped without damage. They sailed in silence, the glowing orb of the planet fading behind them faster and faster as they picked up the solar wind and escaped the gravity well of the planet. Finally Rosh locked his sail into position for a straight run and turned to Koda.
“Don’t care much for me, do you boy?”
Koda jerked in surprise, then hurried to fix his own sail into position. Finished he turned to face Rosh but would not meet his father’s eyes for more than a passing moment. “Momma talked about you all the time. She told me stories, about the time you saved her from falling off that ship you guys sailed on, about the time you saved some other girl, even about some time you wrestled a giant six legged cat.”
“Real thing ain’t what you’d thought?”
Koda shrugged at the question. “Didn’t know what to think. You was never there.”
Rosh heard the bitterness in the boy’s voice. He understood well enough, he remembered his own childhood and the anger he felt towards his old man for having run out on his ma. Rosh’s dad had been a famous — or infamous — pirate. Rosh was just…Rosh. Then again to hear Willa tell it, she thought he was something special. Rosh didn’t feel special. He felt tired and empty.
“I’m here now,” Rosh said without really knowing what he was supposed to say. “I ain’t gonna be nothing like Willa was. She was a downright feisty bitch when the mood took her, but she had a tender side that I reckon you saw lots of. I ain’t so tender, not like her anyhow. You’ll always know where you stand with me though.”
Koda nodded then glanced at the stairway to the cabins and bridge below. Rosh chuckled. “Yeah, I don’t reckon she’s so tender neither. Don’t know what part of your ma she pulled into her, but Volera came from a place that makes that world we was just on look like a sandbox full of toys. I ‘spect she never knew no better, that and I don’t want it on my head that she got let loose on the void ‘cause I let her.”
Koda nodded. Rosh watched him, surprised to see how the boy looked confused by what he said, then slowly seemed to grasp it. His facial expressions amused the massive warrior. Rosh felt like he’d been punched in the stomach by a giant when he realized he was feeling a touch of affection for the kid. His kid. Rosh shook his head and smirked.
“What?” Koda asked him, now staring openly at him.
“Nothing,” Rosh lied. “Let’s see the rest of this ship and see what supplies we got, I ‘spect we got a long trip ahead of us.”
“Where we going?”
“Got some old friends that I owe a visit to. Reckon they ought to know about your ma too. They was the only family she ever had, at least the only one that mattered.”
###
About the Author
Jason Halstead works by day as an IT Professional, developer, and database administrator. From time to time he puts on a few other hats as well.
In his spare time Jason enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, writing, and lifting weights. He enjoys reading and responding to fan mail as well, so if you liked any of his other books, don't be shy! [email protected]
Other books by Jason Halstead:
Voidhawk (Voidhawk, book 1)
Voidhawk – The Elder Race (Voidhawk, book 2)
Voidhawk – Redemption (Voidhawk, book 3)
Voidhawk – The White Lady (Voidhawk, book 4)
Voidhawk – Lost Soul (Voidhawk, book 5)
Wanted (Wanted, book 1)
Ice Princess (Wanted, book 2)
Dark Earth (Dark Earth, book 1)
Devil’s Icebox (Dark Earth, book 2)
The Lost Girls (The Lost Girls, book 1, a Dark Earth novel)
Traitor (The Lost Girls, book 2, a Dark Earth novel)
Wolfgirl (The Lost Girls, book 3, a Dark Earth novel)
Voices (a Dark Earth Book)
Bound (a Dark Earth Book)
Vitalis Omnibus (Vitalis, books 1 – 7)
New Beginnings (Vitalis, book 1)
The Colony (Vitalis, book 2)
Parasites (Vitalis, book 3)
Screamer (Vitalis, book 4)
Squatter’s Rights (Vitalis, book 5)
Evolution (Vitalis, book 6)
Matriarch (Vitalis, book 7)
Human Nature
Sex Sells
Voidhawk – The White Lady
By Jason Halstead
“Tie me up.”
“What?” Bekka asked, pulling her hood back and releasing long tresses so dark they seemed to absorb the light around them. Her green eyes pierced the man who had spoken. “Why bind you, Logan? We know of your curse.”
“I can invoke it and have some control when there’s no moon,” He said. “This place has two moons! The smaller is always full. I can feel it now and it’s not even risen.”
Bekka glanced to the sky, searching for the missing satellite. A dockworker had told them it circled the northern sky and rose and fell at least once, sometimes twice a night. “We’ll take care of you.”
Beside her another woman pulled her hood back to reveal wispy blond hair that nearly floated on her head. She looked like more of a girl than a woman until her eyes were noticed. They seemed to have witnessed a thousand hardships. She nodded and smiled at the priest. “It’s our time to help you.”
Logan took in the reassuring looks upon their faces and felt some of the weight on his shoulders lift. “Thank you. Both of you. I often wonder what I’ve done to deserve such friends.”
Bekka snorted, then covered her mouth in embarrassment. “I’m sorry, but you’re both here to help me, remember? I’m the lost soul looking for guidance.”
“We’re all looking for something, that’s what brings us together.” Logan reassured her.
Bekka touched him lightly on the arm but said nothing. Logan knew how she felt and it warmed him. Bailynn, once a magically controlled ass
assin used by the elves, let a partial smile show on her face. Logan saw it and felt his own mood darken. She’d been taken from her parents too young and twisted into a weapon. She was free now, but she deserved to know more than the hard work and violence that she’d endured.
“Hurry, the sun will be down soon,” Logan urged. “We’ve enough wood for the night. If it’s as bad as I fear, I don’t expect any of us will sleep much.”
Bekka reached into Logan’s pack and pulled out a long coil of rope. Logan nodded when she looked at him. “It’s special, crafted by the Elders.”
“You had your choice of anything and you had them make you a rope to bind yourself with?” Bailynn blurted out.
He smirked at her question. She was right, it did seem ridiculous. “They offered me a magical one that would confine me on command. I was afraid I might let myself out.”
Bekka nodded. “You’re a strange and wonderful man.”
Logan felt his cheeks warm. “Thanks,” he mumbled before turning to a rigid tree he’d specially picked when he’d chosen the campsite. He stood facing it and then sat down, wrapping both arms and legs around it. “Hurry please.”
“I’m better with knots,” Bailynn offered. Bailynn had been a deckhand on the Voidhawk while Bekka was the helmsman.
Logan waited, feeling sweat break out on his brow as the shadows lengthened. Bailynn wrapped the rope around him time and again, adjusting tightness and placement at his suggestion. When he found even taking a deep breath was difficult, Logan was certain she’d bound him well. Now all that remained was for the final rays of the sun to dip below the mountains to the east and the smaller moon to rise.
He’d felt alive and full of energy since arriving on Kelios, but it was an energy he knew and feared. Now it was growing inside of him, making it hard to stay still. He focused his breathing and shut his eyes, resting his forehead against the smooth bark of the tree in front of him. Behind closed eyes he imagined a speck of light surrounded by a field of darkness. All he had to do was focus on making his way to that promising light and he’d be safe from the monsters in the darkness that sought to make him one of their own.
Voidhawk - Redemption Page 12