Aporia (Young Adult Paranormal Romance) (Wisteria Series)

by Leyton, Bisi

  Radala got up. “I am bored.”

  “Stay up here with me.” He realized he had been ignoring her.

  “I want to talk to Wisteria. I may not get another chance to ever see a free Terran in the wild. Nero’s almost killed every one.”

  After finding no one alive in Manchester, he knew she was right. According to the empiric report, most of the survivor communities had died out.

  “I think I can teach her to call you Eminent every time we ring a bell, without renewing her.” She clapped. “I wondered why Enric did not renew her.”

  “Has he told you why?” Bach had not told Radala anything about his relationship with Wisteria. If Enric even attempted renewal with Wisteria he would go mad. Only a handful of people from his Pillar knew he had bonded with a human, and he aimed to keep it that way. If Radala ever found out, he would deal with it then.

  “Enric told me if either of you renewed her it would limit her ability to control the wahr-chart.”

  “They are not animals.”

  “Well, not animals like my nighthawk, but very smart animals,” Radala commented. “Like a monkey.”

  Despite his hatred of Wisteria, he had to hide the flinch he felt over Radala’s use of the word monkey. “You have never been around free Terrans before?”

  “No, my parents do not even keep Thayns.”

  Right, the Second Pillar was funny that way. “So, how come you speak English?”

  “I studied the First Pillar and Red Phoenix as I grew up. English was one of their languages.” Radala smiled. “You remember my grandmother is interested in anything First Pillar.”

  “The First Pillar did not use the human language.”

  “My grandmother thinks they worked closely with the humans.”

  Bach tried to smile at Radala’s joke, but he did not have it in him. Sure it was funny, but he just needed to get Wisteria away from him and find Lluc.

  “Beloved, we will find him.” Wrapping an arm around him, she kissed his temple. “And the Terrans have not hurt him--he is a smart man.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Do not thank me until we have found him.” She rubbed his back. “Whatever you need me to do, just ask.”

  Radala was amazing. His guilt about what he had done with Wisteria compounded his anxiety over his missing brother. “I am sorry I kissed that girl.”

  “No, you should not have.” She smiled as the wind blew her long hair into her face. “And you should have told me before we left. I would have still come. I am not a pity person. I have known Lluc since I was little. I care about you, so getting your brother back is important to me as well. Never worry about me abandoning you.” She punched him in the chest twice.

  “Ahh?” he cried in shock.

  “Okay, that is it for your punishment.” She leaned back into him. “Let us find your brother.”

  *****

  Half a day later, they were within two miles of the Valhalla oil rig. It looked to be a construction monstrosity of makeshift structures and tankers connected to a massive oil platform.

  “It looks disgusting,” Enric remarked when he joined them on deck. “I can smell their filth from here.”

  The Family had very little interest in conquering Earth, and with places like these, it was easy for Bach to remember why.

  “I cannot imagine Terrans living here, not to speak of a Famila?” Radala tried to keep a calm face, but even she tensed as they neared the rig.

  “You would be surprised at some of the places the humans live.” Bach thought back to the Dungeon Dwellers in London. That place was the worst. He deactivated the piron net so the people on the rig would be able to see them coming. Otherwise, they would look like they were disembarking from an invisible vessel, and he was certain the humans would not understand that.

  Within an hour, they docked by the tanker. Climbing up the metal ladder that led to the main deck, Bach was greeted by several of the residents of Valhalla.

  “Survivors--wonderful!” a very fat man yelled happily as the cohorts boarded. “You’ve won the lottery, dude.” He hugged Bach.

  “Stop.” Bach broke free of his hands.

  The man stank.

  “I guess you’re not used to letting your guard down and relaxing, but you’ve nothing to worry about here. There ain’t no biters on Valhalla.” The man chuckled. “I’m Barry Teague. I’m kind of the head of the welcome committee here.”

  They were not waiting around long enough to get the official welcome. He wanted to grab his brother and go, but looking around the platform, he counted over eight hundred people. This was going to be tricky.

  “We simply need some water,” Bach told the man as Radala climbed on deck, followed by Wisteria. “And a little food and we will be gone.”

  “Where are going to go?” Barry asked.

  “Not your concern.” Bach was not going to start explaining himself to anyone.

  “Loch Peadrus,” Wisteria interjected. “We’re a little lost.”

  “You’re a lot lost. Isn’t that in Scotland?” Barry stared at her, then at Bach. “There’s no way you’re going to make it in that tiny boat.”

  “Please, can we just rest here for a while first? Then we can talk about what's going to happen?” Wisteria pleaded. “I’m exhausted.”

  Barry smiled at her and nodded. “Of course, little lady.” No longer asking questions about where they’d come from and where they were going, he led them away from the dock. He seemed more concerned now about helping the little lady.

  Bach wondered if Wisteria was this manipulative with him and he just never realized it when he was with her.

  They were set up in a small cabin with one bunk bed.

  “Can you get Wisteria to make the wahr-chart tell us exactly where he is?” Bach paced the tiny room after Radala had taken Wisteria to find water.

  “I do not know what else to do make her learn faster,” Enric admitted. “We were lucky before, but she is a Terran, after all.”

  “Enric, sit down with her and make her figure it out.” Bach continued pacing. “Then we can find him and leave.”

  “I have tried with her. She is not very bright. The only thing I have not done is to break her bones, strangle her, or drown her. I suppose I could try some of those choices.”

  Bach glared furiously at his friend. “Why do you talk like that?”

  “Why do you care?”

  “Enric?”

  “Why do you not ask her nicely?” Enric suggested. “It is obvious she is still attracted to you.”

  There was no way he was going to talk to her. “If I ever talk to that human it will not be nice.”

  “Perhaps tell her how pretty her hair is?”

  “Are you out of your mind?” Bach froze and gaped at his massive friend.

  “I am doing my best with the Terran, so either you pitch in and get her talking, or leave me to my methods.”

  *****

  The first chance Wisteria found, she slipped away from Radala and disappeared into Valhalla. She doubted this was a Red Phoenix stronghold, it seemed too disorganized. No, this would be a good location, if someone wanted to hide. It was surrounded by water, very few people would stumble across it, and it was filled with dirty people of varied hygiene levels. No Famila would consider stopping here. If Lluc was anything like Bach, he’d find the most secluded spot on the rig as his base.

  She didn’t know why, but she thought the maintenance workshops below deck would be a good place to start. For a moment, she considered telling the others, but she was fed up at being talked down to by Enric, who’d just demand she get the damn wahr-chart working. Radala was extremely patronizing. As for Bach, that was just awkward. She’d make her investigations; if she found anything, she’d tell him.

  She wandered around until nightfall, learning three things: firstly, Valhalla had seven workshops; secondly, Lluc didn’t work in any of them; and lastly, the men onboard called her Ducky, for some strange reason. Heading back through a
dingy corridor, littered with broken tools and parts, she became acutely aware of the eyes peering out at her from the darkness.

  “Ducky.” A guy stepped up behind her. “Damn, you smell nice.”

  “Hi.” Feeling for her sword, she kept on walking. She didn’t intend to use it, but it was good to know it was there.

  Another short, but very muscular man staggered up to her from the opposite direction. “I’m Rich, what’s your name?”

  She could smell alcohol on his breath. “Ducky suits me fine.” She pushed past him.

  “You want to party?” Rich reached out an arm and blocked her path. “My pal Sandy is celebrating his birthday.” He pointed to the first man.

  “Happy birthday.” She kept going.

  “No come on, we don’t bite.” Grabbing her arm, Rich pulled her toward a completely dark room.

  “I’m not going to your party!” She jerked her hand free.

  Some of the bystanders erupted into laughter. “Careful Richie, you might hurt yourself.”

  “Yeah, looks like she’s prepared to kick your butt.” Laughing, another guy appeared in the corridor, dressed in a greasy uniform.

  As the guys continued to jeer at Rich, Wisteria slipped past and marched as quickly as she could toward the steps that led to her cabin.

  “Don’t go.” Sandy sprang up in front of her. “It’s my birthday today.” He leered, displaying teeth caked with something black and foul. “You’ll have fun.” He rubbed her arm.

  “Well, happy birthday to you.” She tugged her arms away from his. “You can save me some cake.”

  “You are the cake, Ducky.” Sandy grabbed at her.

  Wisteria ducked back and unclipped her sword. “Stay away from me, Sandy. You don’t want to spend your birthday in the hospital,” she warned, waving the blade.

  “Very funny,” Sandy snorted.

  “Whoa, be careful old man, you don’t want her to hurt you too,” one of the other guys mocked.

  “Get over here, you little—” Sandy lunged at her.

  Wisteria smashed the sheathed sword against his head, sending the man reeling back and crashing into a metal pillar. Spinning round, she hit Rich on the shoulder and his side as hard as she could. Jumping over the unconscious Sandy, she ran down the corridor.

  One of the men yelled profanities after her.

  Arriving where the stairs were supposed to be, she saw a wall. Crud. She’d taken a wrong turn.

  “Well princess, looks like you’ve got nowhere else to go.” Rich stood a few feet away from her.

  She was trapped. “Listen, I don’t want to hurt you.” She unsheathed her sword and the metal of the blade gleamed even in the low light.

  “You hurt me? No, Ducky, you’re going to pay for Sandy.”

  Hoping she’d catch him by surprise, she charged at him, knocking him down and slashing his arm in the process. Leaping over him, she sprinted down the corridor. She stopped when she came face to face with Sandy, who was holding his bloody head. A few of his friends were with him, armed with tools she assumed they all intended to make her pay.

  “Big mistake, Ducky,” Sandy slurred. “You better put that toy down, or it’s going to get ugly.”

  Ugly was the exact word Wisteria thought of for these filthy men and she took a stance to slice the first one who came near.

  “You guys need to calm down.” A girl, slightly older than Wisteria, weaved through the crowd. “Geez, at least buy the lady some flowers first.”

  Immediately, Wisteria recognized her as a Thayn she’d met in Jarthan, but she couldn’t remember her name.

  The Thayn appeared rougher, more haggard, and plumper than the last time they’d met. “You okay, new girl?” Her mouth dropped. “—Wisteria? What are you doing here?”

  “Frieda, this doesn’t concern you.” Rich approached the Thayn, clutching his upper arm where Wisteria had cut him. “We were getting ready for a little party and she went crazy.”

  “She’s my sister, so this does concern me, and you don’t want Barry knowing you’ve messed up my sister,” Frieda replied.

  “Your sister?” Sandy scoffed. “And Dad’s the Sultan of Brunei.”

  “She’s my adopted sister.” Walking up to the injured man, she examined his wound. “I’ll to take a look at that later. I’ll stop by and bring you fresh bread.”

  The man muttered something to her.

  Wisteria clearly noted that she was heavily pregnant.

  “They love children,” Frieda said, rubbing her stomach. “There aren’t very many anymore, so they won’t hurt me. Plus, I seem to have the most medical experience here.”

  “What are you doing here? Is your Liege with you?”

  “We can’t talk here.” Taking her hand, she led Wisteria through the crowd of men to what looked like an old store room that been converted into a living space of sorts. She shut the heavy metal door behind them and then took out a bowie knife. “How did you find me?” The blade shook in her hand from a mixture of fear and inexperience.

  “You saved me—to kill me?” Wisteria drew out her samurai sword. “I’m not here to hurt you. Please, don’t make me.”

  Frieda looked at her knife, and then at Wisteria’s sword. She put her weapon away. “Why are you here?”

  “Bach’s looking for your Liege, Lluc.”

  “No.” Frieda shook her head. “He promised The Family wouldn’t come after me.”

  “We aren’t after you. The others don’t know you’re here.”

  “The others? Wait—you didn’t come to warn me? You brought The Family here!” Frieda backed away. “You’re a Thayn now, aren’t you? Bach found a way to break the Mosroc and renewed you.”

  “No, I’m still Wisteria Kuti.” If Wisteria had been renewed she wouldn’t be able to say her own name.

  “Then why are you helping them get me? Are you punishing Lluc for what he did to you?”

  “I told you, they aren’t looking for you! They only want Lluc. Someone attacked their father and Bach believes they’re going to come after Lluc.”

  “They’re lying. They know about our baby and want to destroy it.” She clutched her stomach.

  “Wait—What? I don’t understand.”

  “Lluc and I . . .”

  “He made you get pregnant for him?” Wisteria’s jaw dropped. She couldn’t fathom how anyone could do that to a mindless Thayn. She’d believed that couldn’t happen, something she overheard once.

  “Wisteria, we fell in love. Initially, I only came with Lluc to escape Nero and live in Jarthan, but I fell for him hard. Eventually, we bonded, and because of the Mosroc, I was able to journey to The Family’s home realm.”

  “Hold on--are you even a Thayn?”Wisteria was stunned by the explanation.

  “No, and I never was. I’ve always been Frieda Hardy. I used the name Nular so they’d think I was renewed.”

  “So you willingly acted like a slave and let him turn humans into sleepwalkers?”

  “The Thayns Lluc renewed were mainly people like you, who would’ve otherwise been killed by The Family,” Frieda explained.

  “No, you are wrong. He hates humans. He stood and watched as his father tried to kill me!”

  “Lluc doesn’t hate humans and, once upon a time, neither did The Family. A lot happened when King Galahad was murdered thirteen hundred years ago. Why did you think he wanted to renew you? At least that way you wouldn’t have died in Jarthan.”

  “I think you’re confused,” Wisteria seethed. “He wanted to renew me because he likes owning slaves.”

  “He chased after me for years when I lived in Arizona, before we bonded. You know he was three years younger than me and I couldn’t stand him. I thought he was an annoying kid.”

  “You actually agreed to act like a sleepwalker?”

  Frieda grimaced. “I am a realist. Lluc and I cannot change The Family. We tried to improve the lives of those people already trapped.”

  “So he’s a hero?” Wisteria scoffed. �
�Because he trapped them again? Now that you’re gone, what happens to the others? Will his brothers take them over and enslave them properly?”

  “I got pregnant and we both got scared. If the baby is born with Lluc’s shana, the empirics will figure out very quickly that I have shana too. They’ll kill me and they’ll kill the baby. You only escaped because you opened that threshold somehow. I’d have nowhere to go.”

  Wisteria realized with her explanation that if she hadn’t somehow made Jarthan Castle tremble and journeyed out of there, she would’ve died.

  “Are you going to tell him you saw me?” Frieda asked.

  “No, you’ll be safe here.”

  “Thank you.” She burst into tears.

  “Lluc should go and see them. Bach wants to find Lluc and bring him home, and that’s not going to change.”

  “Lluc isn’t here. He journeyed away, but will be back any day now. You think he’s in danger?”

  “I don’t know what’s going on. I only know why Bach asked me to come.”

  Frieda staggered over toward the bed and sat down. “How did you find me? We set up a piron net.”

  “I used a wahr-chart.”

  “What is that?”

  “Some First Pillar artifact.” For some reason, it’d brought them to Lluc’s child. She guessed it was because the unborn baby was the closest and nearest blood relation to Bach, like Wisteria’s mother was to her.

  Tears dropped from Frieda’s eyes. “I wish I’d been like you.”

  “Me?”

  “You ended your relationship Bach. I begged Lluc to leave and return to the home realm, but he couldn’t. He wants to stay here on this dump forever because I’m here. He’s never had to work before and he now manages the waste—human waste. It’s disgusting, but he does it and never complains, because he loves me so much. You know, I’m ashamed to admit it, but I’m glad he’s throwing his life away for me. It’s selfish of me, but I love him so much.”