by Blooding, SM
The motor roar changed in pitch.
I searched the immediate area, but could find no reason for it. I couldn’t even tell if we were changing elevation. I turned to the Yusrra Samma, but she continued to bob with the current, level with us.
I didn’t like it.
And neither did our men.
I searched the deck. It was barren and clean. There were few people. Someone was mopping not far from us. Someone else sat on a metal bump whose purpose was lost to me and worked on a net in his hands. Where was everyone? They couldn’t all be below deck. Could they? And why would they choose to stay down there?
A cathedral-like structure rose above the deck about midship. It was one and a half stories high with large painted glass windows. The queen led us there.
“I wonder if you came for the survivors of the Family of Umira.”
Father tipped his head with a frown. “Umira? What are they doing out here?”
“Searching for summer ground, perhaps?”
Father’s eye twitched. “They are a land family and do not venture into the air. Our paths rarely cross.”
“I’m sure.” The queen stopped and waited for one of her guard to open the heavy door. “So you did not see us until it was too late to alter course?”
Father followed her through the door and blinked once inside. “You’ve stolen all of our technologies, our research.”
“Stolen,” she scoffed, her skirts swaying with her steps. “So harsh a word. You willingly gave them to us, as you knew you should have from the beginning.”
Father raised his chin.
A cold smile slithered across her face.
I had never met anyone so evil in my life. I felt sick and slimed just being in her presence. How could someone like that exist?
And what did I plan to do with it? What could I do?
She turned and headed toward the end of the long state room. “If you were to surrender your Family to our care and offer your life into servitude, I could give you access to your research and more.” She gestured around her, her gait so smooth, she almost appeared to float before me. “As you can see, we’ve taken what you’ve gathered and moved a bit further with it. I think you will be impressed with the advancements we’ve made.”
“How does this ship stay afloat?” I asked.
She gave my father a cunning look, but stepped aside so I could walk beside her. “Wouldn’t you like to learn?”
I narrowed my gaze, but remained a step behind. “I am mildly interested.”
Father gave a slight nod of approval.
Unsure of what to do, I followed my curiosity. “Do you use gas ballasts?”
She slowed her steps and gathered my arm in her own. “We use gas, but not as you use it. We burn it.”
A wave of revulsion pulsed through me. Burned it? If that were the case, how did they gather the gas to burn?
She peered around the empty room as we neared the far wall, a superior smile clinging to her ruby lips. “To power our propellers. Ingenious, I think.”
“But if you burn it, how do you replace it?”
“We harvest it from the jellyfish.”
A chill swept through me. The air jellies were crucial to airship maneuverability. Without them, we couldn’t fly. The way she said the word “harvest” didn’t sound promising to the air jellies.
She stepped away from me as another door opened, and we walked into sunlight again. “If you will excuse me, I have some business to take care of.”
As soon as my eyes adjusted to the brightness, the air escaped from my lungs. Before us was carnage. Two wooden pyres burned to smoking ruin to one side with the charred remains of people on top of them. The air reeked with the smell of burned flesh. Several more pyres stood, two currently burning, three more untouched, all of them in a circle surrounding a large cage.
Filled with children.
Dear Sky! I stopped. I didn’t know what to do, overcome with horror. This couldn’t be true.
Guards walked from one of the burning pyres and lit torches, then went to the next to set it ablaze.
Anger, fear, outrage and disbelief warred for control inside my chest.
The children inside whimpered. One screamed, her hand reaching through the bars.
Anger won. I stepped forward, my hand on my sword.
Father stopped me, his eyes troubled with sorrow.
Queen Nix turned and smiled. “Do you wish to declare war?”
“Let them go,” I commanded, my voice ragged. “What have they done to you?”
She walked toward me like a prowling sky cat. Her nose nearly touched mine, all semblance of beauty twisted with rage. “They refused to submit to me.”
I stared at her aghast, my hands clenched, my jaw tight. “So because you couldn’t control them, you destroy them?”
The fury turned cold across her features as she drew away, her shoulders back.
“Are you so weak?” The muscles in my cheek twitched.
Father took a step toward us. “Perhaps we can reach a mutual agreement.”
A little boy cried out, the scream turning to ravaged sobs.
I let out a growl. “You will stop this!”
The queen turned her eagle-eyed stare to me. “I do not take orders from a mere boy.”
“Queen Nix,” Father started, “let us be reasonable.”
She took a step back and assessed him.
“The Umira have always been a peaceful Family.” My father’s hands were wide and low, his expression open.
Her eyes flared as she advanced on him. “You’ve allied yourself with them.”
Father’s eyes widened as he took a half step back.
Saqr puffed out his feathers and opened his wings, showing his defiance.
I watched in alarm, unsure of what to do. My father was the strongest man I had ever known. I’d never seen him back away from anyone.
The queen grabbed his coat and pulled his face close to hers. “The Umira have always been a peaceful Family, so imagine my surprise when they assaulted us with cannons and weapons.”
“They have the right to defend themselves, Nix.”
“Not against me.” She pushed him away and turned to her gathering guard. “Take him and his heathen son. Throw them on the pyre.”
Father drew his sword and faced the guard. “Go, Synn, now!”
Our men drew their weapons and stood by his side.
“I’m not leaving you.” I gripped my swords tightly. I was ready to die an honorable death by my father’s side.
He backhanded me and roared, “You will protect our people, Synn Kadar El’Asim.”
I was torn. I wanted so badly to fight beside him, to protect him.
But Father had given me an order. One I could not ignore.
I turned, sheathed my blades, and ran.
The cries of the Umira fueled me. If I could just make it to the Yusrra Samma, to my home, we could launch an attack and save those who were still alive.
Men in black and red blocked my path to the door.
I veered away. I’d go around.
With a shout, they followed. I pushed my feet harder, to move faster. There were no ropes, no rigging, nothing I could use to assist me in my haste. I had only my feet, but that had to be enough. The cabin reached nearly to the railing, but there was enough room for me to squeeze through at a full run. There was only open sky to one side with nothing to grab onto but sleek smooth metal.
A man in a black, shining leather long coat and a top hat emblazoned with a red spider barred my path.
There wasn’t enough room to maneuver my swords. I pulled out my static array pistol and let off a bolt.
The man fell out of the way.
Huh! It’d actually worked.
As soon as I was clear of the cabin, it was just me and an open deck. The gang plank had been removed and the Yusrra Samma was nowhere to be seen. My eyes scanned the skies, remembering Father’s last command, but she wasn’t above us.
/> The crack of a pistol filled the air over the noise of the engines. I didn’t have a lot of time. I knew Isra wouldn’t abandon Father. I tucked my pistol into my belt – not so easy to do when running – and leapt.
There she was, about one hectometre below us.
Something latched around my chest and yanked me upwards.
My hands automatically went to it. Oiled rope.
I landed on the deck hard and slid a few feet with the force of the throw. I struggled to get the rope off, but it continued to drag me across the deck.
The man in the long coat followed me at a sedate walk, his pistol in hand.
I couldn’t free myself, couldn’t see the knot, if there was one, and I couldn’t tell where I was being dragged. I twisted around, but could see nothing. I scrambled to my feet, both hands on the rope, scanning its length, mapping the destination.
There was a single mast, and this rope originated at its peak.
I was in trouble.
Running, I pulled out my knife and hacked at it.
It was metal.
Who made a metal rope?
The pistol cracked again.
Pain shot through my arm. I howled, but didn’t stop working at the rope. It jerked one more time.
I flew high into the air, over the pointed roof of the cathedral. The rope jerked again. The knife fell from my hands, and I was released. Air was the only thing between me and the deck. A lot of it.
I covered my face with my arms and prepared for the landing. The impact jarred my ankles, knees, hips. I immediately dropped to a roll and rose a little unsteadily to my feet.
Before I could remove my swords, men were on me, holding me down, stripping me of my weapons. There was a new pyre standing next to the larger ones, all of them aflame. I searched frantically. Where was Father? He couldn’t be dead.
Saqr screeched high above us, his lizard tail swinging wildly. He was frantic as he tucked his wings in and dove. His talons clawed at a guard, who beat at the bird.
The flames broke on the pyre next to me, showing me a body, writhing in pain. Father!
I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t believe what I saw.
His eyes met mine, his face twisted with pain, his jaw clenched.
Defeat.
Saqr screeched again, fighting to gain the air.
Sorrow.
I blinked. My head pounded as the guards tied my hands to the pole at my back and set the dried sea flax on fire.
Anger.
A fierce roar of pain rose at the same time Saqr twisted in the air. His talons clawed at nothing as his wings folded and he fell.
No!
The howl of pain died. Father’s spitfyre falcon burst into flames. Burning feathers drifted with the currents and rose with the updrafts.
Grief.
Flames leapt at me, eating their way to my feet. There wasn’t enough flax to create smoke. I knew that. The fire would get me long before the smoke did, but my lungs still burned.
Rage.
My head pounded uncontrollably. I looked to Father. His body was still.
It was so hot! Sweat broke out over my skin. Flax popped and crackled.
Anger. Grief. Rage.
I took in a deep breath and looked to the sky.
Rage. Rage. Rage. Rage. RAGE!
I let out a roar as the fire found my feet and raced up my pant legs, overtaking my coat. The whisper of its power swept through my ears. I was consumed, feeling nothing but the grief, the loss, the sorrow, the defeat, the anger…and the rage.
Then the fire was gone.
I stood unbound atop a pile of ember riddled flax, naked except for scraps of cloth that had been burned into my flesh. Fire laced through my veins, across my skin.
I stumbled, too exhausted to keep my feet under me.
The guards stepped away, sounding an alarm through their ranks.
I heard her footsteps before I saw her black boots.
Rough hands pulled me to my feet. I didn’t have the energy to resist. Shouldn’t I be in the spirit world?
Nix’s black eyes raked my face. “Synn Kadar El’Asim,” she said, her voice a velvet purr. “What a quandary you are.” She stepped away. “Take him below. He’s been Marked by the House of Wands. We take him to Sky City.”
Sky City? Marked? What wa—
Something crashed into my head and the world went gratefully blank.
CHAPTER 4
A REMINDER FOR THE PEOPLE
I woke freezing, my teeth chattering.
I tried to sit up, but my head was throbbing so hard, it made me nauseous.
“Lay back,” a soft voice murmured. Gentle hands pressed down on my bare shoulders. “Be at ease. You are safe now, Synn Primus.”
I shook my head, falling back onto the soft pillows. My back felt like fire where the pillows touched it. “Not—” It was so hard to speak. My tongue felt thick. “Not my name.”
“Yes it is, you goose.” Something was draped over me.
I let out a startled yell and threw it off. Everywhere it touched burned.
It was draped over me again. This time the hands pressed it down on my shoulders, keeping it in place. “You have been Marked by the House of Wands, so you now bear our name. You are a Primus, Synn. Welcome.”
My whole world stopped as my mind caught up.
I’d lost my father. He was—
I closed my eyes.
Dead.
I’d watched so many others burn to death, their children made to look on as those they loved were lost.
And now? I’d lost my life to the Hands?
No. I shook my head and rose. No. “No. This can’t be.”
She pushed me back. “How else do you explain it?” A warm thumb ran over my brow. “You survived the fire, Synn.” She pulled the blanket away, a cool finger tracing where I burned. “And how do you explain this? This is your Mark, Synn, the thing you have been waiting for your entire life.”
I remained quiet, concentrating on breathing.
“What I witnessed was a Marking. Aren’t you the least bit excited?”
My father’s strong, rigid face swam before my eyes. Fierce and powerful as the fire rose to claim him, writhing in pain. A sob seeped from my chest. “Not like this.”
I was gathered in her arms. She held me close, cupping my head to her breast as she rocked me. She crooned a song I’d never heard. I wasn’t paying attention. I was overwhelmed with what I had lost; my family, my home, my self.
The pounding in my head lessened as the woman held me close. As the pain eased, visuals started registering. The red silk of the cover. The black leather of her bodice. Her long, dark hair.
“Nix.” My voice was a bare croak.
She pulled away slightly, staring into my face. She’d removed the odd crown with the spinning birds.
I didn’t have the energy to fight her. My eyes fell closed in a long blink. I opened them, even though I didn’t want to, my gaze falling to the ruby spider resting on her chest.
“Do not fear, young Primus,” she said, her full lips curved in a careful smile. “I am your family now. You will want for nothing.”
I rocked where I sat, my legs sprawled. “Why?” I barely had the energy to whisper. “Why?”
“Why what, Primus?”
“Why did you attack us?”
“You attacked first.”
“I went for a sword to save—” I paused, breathing, blinking back the tears. “—innocent lives. You killed them for no reason.”
“They would not submit.”
I stared at her in exhausted incredulity. “Did you give them the chance?”
She cupped my face and peered at me sincerely. “I do not want empty devotion. I want only to be loved and cherished.”
“And so you scare children into fearing you.”
“Fear can turn to love.” Her smile was sweet. “You will see.”
“No.”
She flinched and pulled back. “Do you want to see?” S
he didn’t give me a chance to say no or yes. She pulled away the cover, her eyes dropping to my chest. “Your Mark, Primus.” She reached out with her diamond claw.
I stared in wonder. Rivers of fire coursed in a fine web of lines and runes under my skin. I twisted to see my back, but failed.
“It’s the same there. Have you ever seen so powerful a Mark as this?”
I shook my head. No. I hadn’t. I touched the lines with a ginger hand. They were sensitive and hot to the touch, leaving the rest of me chilled to the core.
Her fingertips joined mine, her long nails gleaming red in the soft yellow light. “But what can one expect from the Families of El’Asim and Ino?”
I jerked, staring at her in surprise.
She threw her head back and laughed. “But of course. Why didn’t I see this before?” She crawled closer to me, leaning on her hands, her legs draped behind her on the thickly carpeted floor. “The two most power Families allying themselves through marriage. Oh yes.” Her eyes were filled with greed, her teeth bared in a smile that was more of a sneer.
She looked ready to eat me.
“Do you have brothers? Sisters? Any who are younger than you, unmarked?”
I stared at her in disgust and wonder. “No.”
Her pink tongue ran along her teeth as she dropped her chin and peered at me through her long, thick lashes. “It doesn’t matter.” Her breath feathered over my chest, rising against my neck until her lips nearly brushed my own, her eyes black in the dim light. “You are mine.”
I straightened my back and stared at her, gritting my teeth with all the will I had left. “Never.”
She whispered along my lips, “We shall see.” She pulled away and gestured, sashaying to a door I hadn’t noticed before.
Something heavy slammed against my head.
I fought to remain conscious.
But lost.
* * *
I woke to being dragged. My eyes were glued shut. I tried to move my feet, but failed to do much more than flail.
“Don’t try, lad,” someone said, probably one of the men holding my arms. “Won’t do ye any good anyways. You jus’ let us do the work, all righ’?”
My throat was parched. It felt like I hadn’t had anything to drink in days.
My toe was dragged over a rock. It hurt, but in a distant kind of way. I felt almost separated from my body.