Henri motioned her back and with the careful use of telekinesis slid the window open. Crisp autumn air wafted through the room, removing the stale smell of smoke and decay left behind by Vygel. “Bibeed, you shouldn’t be here. If the Mocendi discovers you, I cannot guarantee your safety.”
“We needed to know you’re alright. If I hadn’t come, R… Henri would have.”
Henri shared what had occurred since her departure from the boathome. “You must warn Torgin and his friends.”
“What about you?”
“I can take care of myself.”
Bibeed hesitated. “Come with me.”
Henri held up her wrist. “I’m being monitored. My presence would endanger all of you. Go, Bibeed. Do not come back to the cottage until this is over.”
With stooped shoulders and a heavy step, Bibeed made her way through the field of erika. Henri watched until she disappeared down the cliff trail. She closed the window and explored the cottage. Small and cozy, it would at least be a comfortable prison. She built a fire in the fieldstone fireplace and sank into an over-stuffed chair. Staring at the flickering flames, she ordered her thoughts and sighed.
Unexpected fatigue weighted her lids. An alarm sounded in the part of her brain that was deeply hidden. Her eyes flew open. Relevart stared down at her.
Swallowing her desire to give the VarTerel a welcoming smile, she let a touch of panic creep into her voice. “Who are you? Another Mocendi?”
The man continued to watch her.
“If you’re looking for Vygel Vintrusie, he’s not here.”
Relevart faded. “Oh, but he is, Renn Whalend.” Vygel, too, faded.
Henri released her grip on the arms of the chair and ran her hands over silky blonde hair and along the sides of her neck until the palms touched and the fingers intertwined.
I did say I wanted adventure, didn’t I.
Melback raced through the water. Not far behind, engulfed in the black vapor known as The MasTer’s Reach, the Astican steadily closed the gap between them. Esán knew the sailboat could not outdistance her pursuer. Gregos had said there was nowhere close to hide. The Compass of Ostradio had shown the same thing. They were trapped in a vast stretch of open ocean. He chose not to speculate as to the outcome if Abarax overtook Melback .
He shaded his eyes and watched Yaro’s vulture form circling above.
“Help us!” Brie’s panicked cry exploded from below deck.
Esán rushed to the cabin. Desirol, his face contorted into a hideous mask, straddled Ira’s sprawled body. His fist slammed into his friend’s nose. Ira yelped. Blood spurted. Desirol pulled his arm back.
“Desirol, stop.” Brie knelt above them on a berth, a bruise blooming on her cheek.
He looked up, lowered his fist, and sagged. Ira pushed him off and rolled aside. “By the Fathers, Des. Did ya have to hit me?”
Corvus flashing into sight brought Desirol to his feet, eyes wild and hands working to remove the drango tunic. “Esán, get Yaro.”
Esán shifted to kestrel, streaked through the hatch, and into the sky. Pressing his wings against cool sea air, he soared ahead of the vulture, hovered, and dove. The huge bird dropped like a stone. The moment its talons touched the deck, Yaro appeared, took one look in the cabin, and vanished. By the time Esán arrived back on Melback , Desirol lay unconscious.
“Tie him up and lock him in the V-berth.” Gregos was adamant. “Can’t fight him and the Astican at the same time. And that beast is closing fast.” He brushed past Esán and returned to the helm.
No one spoke. Corvus tied Desirol hand and foot. Yaro carried him to the V-berth and locked the door. As a safeguard, Corvus sealed it with a strong ward.
Ira, cloth to nose, mumbled, “Will Efillaeh help Des?”
Corvus sighed. “I wish. At this point, it will only make matter’s worse. Use it on your broken nose and join us on deck.” He motioned Esán ahead of him.
A glance aft made Esán cringed. Even at a distance, jubilation shone from the Astican’s eyes. Its scaled wings pressed harder. The gap decreased rapidly. Above on the watch perch, Elf used his talent to fill the sails. Melback shot forward.
Brie scrambled on deck and went straight to Corvus. “If water could penetrate the vapor, would it stop him?”
“I believe it might.”
The stench of burned flesh washed over the boat. Abarax swooped, snatched Elf from his high perch and tossed him in the sea. Yaro shifted to vulture, picked the flailing boy up by the shoulders, and deposited him on deck. Again Abarax swooped, clawed feet ready to claim another prize. Gregos spun the wheel. The booms swept over the deck. Sails snapped in the wind. Melback shuddered with the sudden course change.
Esán reached for Brielle. His hand found only empty space. Shading his eyes, he gazed after her shifted form. Soaring upward, the Water ConDria intersected the path of their enemy. Vapor sizzled against her shimmering body. The Astican shrieked and hurtled higher, the cloud reforming around it. She circled, whipped her wings though the darkness, and hovered, gleaming in the Trinugian sun. The creature howled and dove toward her. She held steady. An instant prior impact, she plunged into the sea.
Abarax fought to stop its plummeting decent. Black vapor billowed around it. Like a balloon, it lifted him—carried him high above the churning water.
Oblivious to the Astican, Esán ran to the rail. Searching the sea, he yelled, “Brielle. Brielle, come back to me. ConDria free yourself from the sea!”
Corvus joined in. Ira, Yaro and Torgin, Gregos and Tamosh picked up the call. Shyllee added her bark. Elf closed his eyes and held his arms open and pleading.
Again they called, and then again.
Water surged and roiled beyond the bow. Melback rocked and rolled. The ConDria broke the surface, her song filling the air. Watery wings carried her skyward. She peaked, hovered, and plunged, an arrow of shimmering silver, straight toward the sea. Inches above the surface, she swept up and over Melback , turning the sails to catch the wind.
The Astican shot toward them, cherubic blue eyes fastened on the ConDria.
Esán’s frantic gaze darted from one to the other. The ConDria shrilled a trail of notes.
“Look.” Elf’s excited message drowned Esán’s fear in a pool of wonder. Off the bow, where the ConDria had risen from the sea, a portal’s translucent spin caught the light. Melback careened through. The ConDria streaked overhead. The portal vanished, leaving the Astican trapped on the far side.
Melback floated, suspended in an expanse of white. Silence enshrouded boat and crew. The ConDria had vanished. Esán peered ahead into blinding light. Ira and Torgin crept to his side. Icy cold crept over their skin. Freezing wind tugged at their hair. The light hummed, flared, and vanished.
Torgin caught his breath and grabbed Esán’s arm. Ira breathed, “What the… Wow.”
Melback sailed between the walls of a deep fiord, ice sculpted walls rising high on both sides. Crystallized flakes of snow fell from a gray sky to melt on the surface of a pewter sea.
“Where are we?” Torgin whispered.
Ira shivered. “More important where’s Brie?”
Esán scanned the sky, caught his breath, and pointed.
High overhead, a glistening silver-blue bird, caught an updraft and soared, looping and arcing and swooping in the cold light. Its gradual decent held the group in a state of rapt amazement.
Ira hugged himself against the chill. “That’s our Brie. Isn’t she beautiful.”
Torgin exhaled a frosty cloud and smiled.
Esán could only stare, mesmerized by the exquisite grace of his best friend. Love burst from his heart. Brielle AsTar, I love you!
The ConDria swooped over Melback , spread her magnificent wings wide, and floated in a flurry of falling snow.
Esán reached into her mind. “Come home, Brielle.”
She circled a final time, materialized beside them at the bow, and, eyes shining with happiness, reached for Esán’s hand.
Gregos’ command ended the moment. “Crew One, man your posts. We have a boat to sail. Torgin, bring that compass. Crew Two, better get some rest.”
“Back to business.” Ira grinned and made his way to his post.
Esán hugged Brie. “Go rest. Later, I want to know what it’s like to be one with the sea.”
Watching her walk away, left him feeling bereft and alone. Staring over the cold, gray sea, he contemplated what had just occurred. Neither the compass nor the charts Tamosh had drawn indicated the presence of a portal. Gregos certainly had no idea one existed. Until Brie emerged from the Sea of Trinuge, there had only been a wide expanse of water. Does she have the power to create one, or does some unknown source of power exist beneath the sea?
33
Master’s Reach
Myrrh
A lmiralyn and Sparrow gripped the fountain’s rim. Brie’s battle with the Astican left them breathless. When the portal opened and closed, leaving the Astican behind, they both cheered.
Sparrow studied the ice-sculpted mountains. “Do you know where they are? They’re safe, aren’t they?”
Almiralyn smiled. “I believe they may be in the TheDa Mountains. We shall see. At least for the moment, their enemies don’t know where they are. I’m so glad Corvus and Yaro found them in time.”
“What of Desirol? Can you remove the Mindeco without killing him?”
“I believe there are ways, but Relevart is the only one who knows the answer to that question.” She dipped a finger in the water. The surface rippled into calmness. “Would you mind checking on Zugo while I do a bit more work?”
Sparrow slipped from the sanctuary.
Almiralyn made a circuit of the room. The invasion of Elcaro’s Eye had left Veersuni feeling unfamiliar and unclean. Standing with her back to the stained glass window, she envisioned the sanctuary’s return to its former peaceful, nurturing environment. When at last it embraced her with gentle tranquility, she waved her hand above the fountain. Appearing from left to right, an image gradually solidified. The interior of Nemttachenn came into focus.
At the tower’s center, a Mocendi DiMensioner, his low rank marked by the absence of a purple lining in his cape, made a slow rotation. Restless eyes scanned every inch of the rounded space, took in the stone staircase spiraling up and out of sight, and stopped at the spot where Evolsefil rested in its cloak of invisibility. He reached out, ran his hand over cool stone, and frowned. Flipping one side of his cape behind his shoulder, he mounted the stairs and began the long climb. At the top, he gazed over the forest canopy in all directions, his expression puzzled. Shifting to a bright orange bird, he flew over the trees toward the land where Almiralyn’s cottage sat hidden by the powers of DiMensionery, the acreage where the RewFaaran camp now stood.
The image cleared and another formed. A large cage hung outside a tent. An older, more senior member of the Mocendi League attempted to catch a caged Nyti.
Like a frenzied hummingbird, Reana zipped away from the large hand, tiny wings blurring as she dodged from side to side, top to bottom. The man attempted to freeze her frantic motion with a rhyme of immobility and failed. A muttered list of profane expletives accompanied the slamming of the small door. As he fumbled with the lock, the orange bird landed atop the cage and set it in motion. A sharp bump to the older man’s elbow sent the lock flying. Before either Mocendi had time to react, Reana threw the catch on the door and whizzed out of reach, her dragonfly by her side.
The older Mocendi snatched the bird from the top of the cage and held it at eye level. “You just cost me a hostage and a source of information. If you are back to report nothing, you’d better take yourself elsewhere. And if I ever see you shaping a bright orange bird again while you are here to spy, I will strip you of your rank and dump you in the death pits of TreBlaya.” He pitched the bird into the air and marched into the tent.
The image vanished; a new one took its place
Kieel sat in the TreeOm of Tibin, the leader of the Wood Tiffs, reporting to Tinpaca Mondago. Worry creased his brow. Periodically, his gaze flicked to the round window behind the Tinpaca. He gave himself a mental shake. Still he could not dispel the image of Reana in the cage. My granddaughter’s safety depends on my ability to do my job.
“Is that all?” Mondago nudged.
“Almost, sir.” Precise and to the point, he completed his report. “Jordett has control of the Five Towers and the city. He expects the Mocendi to try something soon. He has the five KcernFensians to help him counteract whatever they attempt.”
Mondago rolled a cigar between his finger and thumb, inhaled its scent, and returned it to his shirt pocket. “I am impressed, Kieel. You have a head for detail. It’s a pleasure to have you on our side.”
A dragonfly buzzed into view and hovered.
Kieel fluttered into the air. “Thank you, sir. Could I have a moment?”
“Of course.”
Kieel shot through the open window. Reana flew into his arms and rested her head on his shoulder. He hugged her close. When she stepped back, she wore a serious smile.
“Grandy, I’ll tell you everything, but first I have news for the Tinpaca.”
Kieel led the way inside.
Mondago held up a palm. She landed. “I owe you a thank you, Reana. Had you not created such a good diversion, my men and I would have been trapped by the Mocendi.”
Kieel flew to her side. “A diversion?”
Reana shrugged. “Me and some friends made a bunch of noise and led the Mocendi away from the camp so the soldiers could get away.”
He frowned. “Is that how you were caught?”
“No, Grandy, that was later. I had the watch. I got distracted and ended up in that cage.” She bit her lip. “Those are not good men, Tinpaca, and there are more coming. As soon as the Mocendi in Idronatti take over the city, they plan to prepare Thera for The MasTer and take over Myrrh. Right now, there are only two here searching for you and for the Evolsefil Crystal. They have a trap set in case you or your men decide to snoop around. The older man called it a ward net. Said if someone touches it, they’ll be hurt bad.”
Mondago’s brow furrowed. “Do you know what the net looks like?”
Reana shook her head.
He looked at Kieel. “Are you willing to take a look around and see if you can figure out what this net is? I’ll send Yuin, the Pentharian, with you.”
“I’ll go, but I don’t want Reana involved.”
Reana folded her arms and screwed her face into a stubborn mask. “If I don’t go with you, Grandy, I’ll go by myself. Ashor and Mumshoo will help me.”
Mondago cleared his throat. “Reana, I have a more important job for you. I need you and your friends to carry messages to my men and back. Can I count on you to organize this?”
The stubborn expression melted into a grin. “Yes, sir. We’ll be ready to go to work as soon as I get everyone together.”
He smiled. “I knew I could count on you. Let me know when you’re team is assembled.”
She gave Kieel a quick kiss on the cheek and flew out the window.
Mondago watched her go as a red moth fluttered to his hand. “You know Yuin, Kieel. Be careful, both of you. Don’t get caught. Don’t take chances. Get back here as fast as you can.”
The moth fluttered out the window. Kieel thanked the Tinpaca for distracting Reana and darted after it.
The song of dripping water filled Veersuni. Almiralyn heaved a sigh of relief. Reana is out of harm’s way, at least for the moment. A ward net… Hmmm.
“Elcaro, show me the ward-net.”
A blur of muted color appeared and melted away. On the surface, the RewFaaran camp formed. Barely visible to the naked eye, spiderweb-thin strands wove a fence around the perimeter. While she watched, a small bird flew into the net and dropped to the ground, immobile. Stretching her senses through the fountain, she examined the inert body. The heart pulsed with a slow, stuttering beat. It would recover. She withdrew and snapped her f
ingers. Water resumed its journey from palms to bowl.
Sparrow arrived at Ephos to find Merrilea and Owae in the hall discussing Zugo’s care. Fatigue magnified the lines in the elder’s face. Merrilea’s shoulders drooped, and her smile seemed forced. Quick to accept her offer to stay with Zugo and his mother, they hurried away to take a short rest.
She entered the healing room to find Lisseta asleep in a chair and Zugo snoring softly. Singed white fur framed the young DeoNyte’s face and continued over his shoulders. She flinched at the sight of his blistered chest and hand.
The snoring stopped. Pale blue eyes regarded her with a moment of confusion; then lit with recognition. “Sparrow.” His voice cracked. “Thirsty.”
She slid an arm under his shoulders and held a cup of water to his lips. When she eased him back, he seemed to sleep. His breathing slowed, and then quickened. His eyes fluttered open and sought her face.
“The MasTer…he got in my head. Something strange—” Pain creased his brow. He stifled a moan and clenched his teeth together. When the wave had passed, he attempted a small smile. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. Burns aren’t fun. You were saying something about The MasTer.”
“At first I experienced only anger and hatred.” His brow wrinkled. “I know this sounds silly but his attention faltered. He felt totally different.” Zugo gulped in a breath. “Vulnerable, softer, more—” He flinched and stifled a groan.
Sparrow bent closer. “Zugo, I’m going to find Owae. You need something to help with the…”
He grabbed her hand. “Almiralyn.”
“I promise to tell her.”
His grip went slack.
Owae entered as she turned to go, her bare feet silent on the stone floor. She made a quick examination of her patient and began to prepare a draught for his pain. “Thank you for the break, Sparrow. Tell Almiralyn that Merrilea has returned to her research.”
“I will.” Sparrow hurried down the hall and paused at the Reading Room door. Zugo’s information about The MasTer and Owae’s comment about research rekindled her interest in the book Wilith had found.
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