by Ciara Knight
Bendar released me and sat back. “Really?”
“Yes.” I clutched his stubby fingers and we sat staring at each other. All those years I’d longed for a father, he’d been beside me the entire time.
“Bad timing, but we gotta go. Pipe’s gonna get flushed,” Penton said.
Not a term that comforted me, but unfortunately, it was accurate.
Penton pulled a brushed silver boot over Raeth’s metal leg and sealed it against her human skin.
“Guess it’s time to s-sink or swim. Literally,” Raeth muttered as Penton rechecked the fit.
“Not fashionable, but it’ll do,” I said, grinning.
Raeth followed Penton to the water-tight hatch and watched the large green and gold buttons blink. “Th-think I’ll set a trend. Ladies in Acadia East will f-fight over it.”
Giggling, I said, “How can you doubt it?” Then I looked up at Ryder as he finished securing both his and my gear. “You ready for this?”
Ryder quirked his head. “Wish Raeth and I would’ve lived somewhere with water. Help if we could swim.”
“Neither of you swim?” I hissed.
“Don’t worry. We s-studied how once we boarded th-the sh-ship. Just never t-tried in actual water.” Raeth winked.
Penton’s eyes widened as he caught my gaze. He inhaled sharply then placed a hand on Raeth’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, I know how and I’ll keep you safe.”
As reassuring as that was, I hoped she wouldn’t panic. Flashes of my first time slipping below the water’s surface in the Resort Territory still haunted me. I barely made it to the shore before upheaving half the lake. “Good. Bendar and I’ll make sure Ryder’s okay. Just remember, panic is a killer, not just in water but in all things.”
With a sigh, I helped Ryder finish slipping the belt around my waist that secured my rations. As he stepped back, I shoved the air tight bag with my clothes in the side pouch.
A gold warning light flashed and Penton rotated the wheel. “We’ve got two minutes to get in the tube and lock it again before the water hits us.”
I gulped, lifted the air breather to my mouth, and secured the leather goggle strap over my head. Everything I saw appeared fuzzy, as if the lenses were foggy. But I did spot Penton, along with the others, shoving the breather into his own mouth. Flicking the switch on the side of the mask, I inhaled metallic air.
We all nodded to each other. Then holding onto Raeth’s hand, Penton flung first one long leg into the hole, then the other. A moment later, he disappeared into the dark hole, followed by Raeth.
Chapter Fifteen
Flanked by Ryder and Bender, I settled on a ledge in the interior of the tube. A mad rush of water roared below in the corrugated pipe. With my nod, Ryder reached overhead and pulled the hatch closed. Darkness engulfed me. Then I remembered the small luminary on the mask and switched it on as did Ryder and Bender. Since I could see only a few meters, we had to jump and trust the rope linking the three of us held.
I launched from the ledge. Frigid water rushed over, under, and around me. My stomach lurched. I clenched my teeth around the breather, hoping it would stay in my mouth. I spotted the first turn and struggled to keep from rolling as we surged through it.
Swish, bang, clank.
My shoulder smashed against the wall at a turn. My backside then my head hit another ledge.
I fought the rising panic I’d warned the others about. It wasn’t the water I feared. It was the cold dark and being alone. When I felt the sudden heating of the water around me, I reached for the rope and felt its tautness. Only then did my terror subside.
A short time later, I almost smiled and lost my breather at a glimpse of Raeth’s dark hair flowing behind her.
Then my light caught something ahead.
Raeth disappeared.
I heard a scream before I shot from the tube and skidded across a large pool and plummeted into the deep water of the port. My breather tore free of my mouth. Twisting and turning, I fought to find the surface, confused for a moment which way was up.
I spotted light above me and attempted to swim toward it but my limbs refused to propel me. My left arm arched high then stalled. My brain didn’t seem to remember how to swim or float. I kicked and kicked, but only sank further into the depths. My feet brushed the bottom. Arching my knees, I shoved off the slick bottom and shot to the surface, only to slap at the water.
Choking, I slipped back under.
A hand grabbed my breather and shoved it in my mouth. Bendar waved wildly in front of my face. He and Ryder each grabbed my hand.
I needed to cough, but Bendar held his palm over my breather. Between both of them, they calmed my fright and finally, I cleared the water from my lungs with my last remaining breath.
With both of them at my side, they kicked, dragging me along as humiliation flooded me. After several tiring minutes, we were able to stand and I lifted my head out of the water.
It was as if the water had parted for us. Never before had I been so happy to see shore. Slipping and sliding onto rocky sand, with Bendar and Ryder crawling ashore beside me, the water parting for them, too.
Spitting out my breather, I saw Penton and Raeth sitting ten meters further inland. She sat staring at the water, concentrating. In that moment, I realized the push and shoves I’d received, the forced rising from the sea floor had all been due to Raeth’s gift. She had used the water currents just as she did the air when creating wind storms and had sailed us to safety.
Penton leapt over rocks and helped Bendar retrieve me. His long legs wobbled, but he maneuvered the rugged terrain better than I did.
Penton pulled me toward the trees. “Come on, we need to get moving.”
Moving? My weak knees shook from cold and exhaustion. One glance told me Ryder wasn’t in any better shape. Then I understood Penton’s harried moves.
Hypothermia!
He opened a second pack and tugged free several silver blankets.
So that’s why he had an extra pack.
With rapid movements, he wrapped one around Raeth first, then Bendar and me before tossing another to Ryder who had collapsed at my side. Together we managed to open the thin shinny material, wrapping it around us.
Shaking so hard our teeth chattered, we all clung to each other on the damp ground, attempting to regain our strength.
“Thanks,” I managed between coughs.
Raeth beamed. “It f-felt good to use m-my gift again. It’s been m-months. I’ve been practicing with cups of water on the ship. Still, th-that tube—” She stopped talking and shuddered.
I snuggled against Ryder. The numbness in my arms and legs was being replaced by bone aches. Knowing the others felt just as miserable, I managed a controlled release of heat, warming us and drying our clothing without melting the blankets.
“How long was the pipe?” I asked.
“Not sure, but I suspect it had to run along the sea floor for a bit before dumping here,” Ryder said, muttering each word between harsh inhales and coughing.
I scanned the large grey walls that protected us, thankful the cave’s opening was our only exposure. Once we’d recovered enough to sit or stand without our chattering teeth breaking, we could plot our route to ME.
Removing my belt, I tugged on the pouch tucked into the front pocket. “Check your ration bags. Make sure our food and clothing are dry.”
Everyone sighed with relief at the sight of dry clothes and food. Ryder stood and offered a hand. “If you and Raeth want to change out of those salt-encrusted clothing and into clean ones, try over there behind that wall. We’ll change here.”
Clutching one another for support, Raeth and I stumbled to the other side of the wall. Behind it was an opening. Not sure where it led and not ready to find out, we kept our distance as we changed.
Raeth unzipped her jumpsuit. “When we w-win the w-war, I-I’m never wearing orange again.”
I giggled. “No kidding. What would you like to wear if you had your choice
of anything?”
I peeled my stiffened jumpsuit down my legs, followed by my tank top and boy shorts and dressed in clean undergarments and a black jumpsuit, one denoting bridge command. It hadn’t taken long for us to learn orange was meant for guests, or in our case, prisoners.
Raeth shoved her left leg in, then the right. Her altered black jumpsuit allowed her to easily slide her silver-covered, metal leg through. Ryder and Bendar were supposed to have blue jumpsuits showing they worked in Engineering. While Penton was supposed to wear the red of weaponry.
After tightly rolling my orange suit, I stored it in a waterproof bag and shoved it to the bottom of my pack.
“I’d love to wear boots like Mart.”
“Really?” Mart’s style? Okay, I’ll admit it, they were a wonderful, soft leather that wouldn’t impede her movement during a fight as I’d learned to my grief.
Raeth zipped her jumpsuit and rolled the other one into a ball. “H-how about you?”
“Nothing like what I wore when I was a princess. No, I’d love to have a pair of pants that look like a skirt and boots. It would warn everyone not to mess with me. And if they did, it would be at their peril.” I imagined a supple black leather skirt with matching boots and corset.
“You mean like Mart’s?” Raeth smiled.
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, like Mart’s. Time to get back and work out the plan.” As we rounded the wall, I saw the rush of silver water had ceased, leaving a rippled pool, lapping at the shore. “I don’t understand.”
Ryder lifted his gaze from packing our blankets and quirked a brow at me. “Understand what?”
Biting my lower lip, I eyed the water. “Why I couldn’t swim. I swam for years back in the Resort Territory.”
Bendar cleared his throat. “Sorry. No Resort Territory. Memory wrong.”
I stopped and flashed back to the sunny days of childhood. “But I remember it clearly.”
“Memory implanted to hide…extreme pain.” Bendar’s gaze stayed locked on the water. He cleared his throat again. “Never lived in Resort Territory…doesn’t exist.”
Chapter Sixteen
My vision blurred. The white and black speckled grey walls of the cave swirled. My knees buckled. Ryder’s arms wrapped around me holding me upright.
He crushed my back to his chest. “Telling her this now? It’s a little late for that, don’t you think?”
Bendar tucked his chin to his chest, refusing to meet the demand in our gazes. “No time. No choice. Resort Territory cover. Truth kill Semara, Father, Uncle, me and other.”
“You should have told us before she jumped into the water. Or at least told Semara.”
Bendar lifted his head to face me. “Have Semara’s back. Always have.”
Vivid memories from my childhood moved through my mind. “But I remember everything, all the smells, tastes, even the colors of the birds, butterflies, rain, wet dirt, fresh-picked berries from the garden. Are you saying it was all a lie?” Mopping the tears staining my cheeks, I stared at Bendar, trying to see into his soul and discover what made a block covered by lies so necessary.
Ryder cupped my cheek. “Okay?”
I shook the spinning of emotions from my head and regained control of my body. “I think so.” Blinking back tears, I glanced back at Bendar and swallowed hard. “I understand the block and implanted memories were done for what seemed like a good reason. But I no longer know who I am. Only the queen’s hate and torture are true.”
Bendar reached to take my hand, paused, then dropped his arm back to his side. “Please forgive. Only chance happiness. Father’s last gift.”
“My childhood. All of it was a lie?”
Bendar clasped his hands in front of his stomach. “No. Memories what Father and Mother wanted for you. Smells, sights, everything from before war when they children. Resort Territory parents memories. That why you can see, smell, hear.”
I raced through all my memories of the days since my arrival on the queen’s ship. “Ryder’s scent reminds me of clean, fresh earth and Arvenati leaves. They have a heavy woodsy aroma.”
“Yes. Can tell smells you never smell. Think Resort Territory.”
I did, and instantly the fragrance of fresh lilac flooded my memory. Gasping, I clapped my hands over my mouth.
Ryder brushed my arm. “What is it?”
“Bendar’s right. The scent of specific flowers is there yet there’s a difference between them and the odor of the sea or food we’ve eaten or how each of you smell.”
Hands on my shoulders, Ryder turned me and tipped my face toward his. “What do you mean?”
“Yes, the smells of the Resort Territory are wonderful, yet they don’t affect me emotionally. But whenever I smell Arvenati leaves, they remind me of you and I feel warm and safe.”
Bendar remained an arm’s length away, teetering between feet. “No happiness with Queen. Had implanted memories and lived.” Bendar remained looking at the ground, his eyes downcast. He’d spoken the truth, yet different emotions battled within me, cheated and betrayed, love and security. The last two had given me the strength during horrible times to continue on, escaping into my ideal childhood in the Resort Territory.
I knelt before him and ignored the rocks grinding into my knees. Opening his fisted fingers, I took one hand in each of mine. “The gift kept me sane. Without you and the implanted happy, peaceful memories, I wouldn’t have survived those ten years of the queen’s cruelty.”
His chin raised and a small, awkward smile broke free. “Mean that?”
“Every word of it. Before I joined Ryder and Raeth’s family, my life had only you for comfort. Now it’s grown to include trusted friends who I love.” I glanced at Raeth, Penton, and Ryder. “We’re on the run, with danger everywhere, yet I wouldn’t change a thing, not even for the safety of the queen’s ship.” I chuckled. “Okay, that wasn’t too safe either. Though, I probably should thank the queen. Her actions left me alert to the smallest things, looking for treachery.”
Glancing over my shoulder, I took in my love and friends. “Our trip from the Mining Territory to the East Acadia Beach made me stronger, less afraid, and more willing to take a risk. But best of all, I know my memories of all of you are real. Right?”
They all nodded with reassuring smiles plastered on their faces. Bendar gave me a bear hug. Ryder helped me from the ground, capturing my lips in a deep, passionate, toe-curling kiss.
When he released me, breathlessly, I asked, “What was that for?”
“Another real memory. Best not forget that one or the ones before.” Ryder’s wink sent tingles throughout me. It still amazed me that after spending months together—some not so nice—he always provoked this response from me, body and soul.
Reaching down, I retrieved my belt and settled it on my hips where over the past few months I’d grown accustomed to it resting.
Raeth snapped her belt back into place, then clasped Penton’s hand. “Th-the cave has a b-back opening. I’ll s-show you.” She leaned into him for support.
A smile tugged at my lips. When we’d changed earlier, Raeth made it without trouble. She just wanted to hold his hand and her willingness to dare Ryder’s response warmed me.
Ryder’s fingers slipped between mine and curled around my hand. “See, I’m trying.”
“I’m proud of you.” I stole a quick kiss from his cheek. “Raeth’s right. We found an exit behind the wall where we changed. I’m not sure the cave’s a defensible position.”
Once we joined them, Bendar flicked on the halo pad. “Can’t tell if safe. Map starts there, ahead.” He slid a luminary from a pouch and stepped in front of us.
Ryder’s grip tightened on mine. “Hope nothing lives down here. Wish we had some weapons. Not looking forward to meeting the Wasters unarmed.”
Penton grinned. “I worked in weaponry. Remember?” He slid a small device from his pocket and held it up for all of us to see.
I leaned forward and touched the edge of the device. �
��What is it?”
Beaming, Penton placed it in Ryder’s outstretched hand. “A laser. I invented it but haven’t fully tested it yet.”
Ryder caressed the short and squat bronze device. “It can’t have much fire power with such a small body.”
“It looks small, but has a strong kick back.”
“How’s it work?”
Penton flipped it over in Ryder’s palm and showed him a small brushed silver button. “You point and press this.”
Ryder clapped him on the shoulder and returned his weapon. “Looks like we have some protection.”
Raeth slipped her arm around Penton’s waist. “Does th-that mean he earned b-big brother’s approval?”
Penton’s face flushed as he gave Raeth a playful evil eye.
Ryder snorted. “Earns combat respect. And right now, that’s more important.”
I punched Ryder’s shoulder. “That’s it?”
His lips quirked up, revealing dimples that always melted my insides. “Hey, can’t give him too much slack.”
I rolled my eyes and nudged my elbow into his side.
Penton and Bendar took the lead, Raeth behind them. Tension fled from me, feeling like it dripped into the ground. This was right, the five of us against the world.
Sad, but true.
From the moment Ryder rescued me from the techno implant machine the day we met—my sixteenth birthday—it had been us against the queen. The Triune united, even when we didn’t know that we were the prophecy come alive. Now, less than six months later, I realized we were adults, youthful dreams long forgotten.
Bendar held his illuminator higher. “Deserted.”
“You sure there are no rabid, half-breed creatures oozing from a wall?” Anything was possible. We didn’t know what type of genetic weapons the Europeans had constructed during the Great War.