by TR Cameron
“I’d wondered about that. Can anyone really breathe in water?”
“Draksa can, I think. Some other animals have magical replacements for gills and of course, there are native water creatures. I’ve never met anyone humanoid who is able to do it but it’s a big world and I’ve only seen a small part.”
“Okay, that makes sense. So, how do I do it?”
“In the same way as with the speed and the strength. You picture your body working differently. Essentially, your goal is to wring every trace out of each molecule of oxygen. That, combined with a shield that keeps additional air around you available as you swim, should get you where you need to go.”
“What if I lose focus?”
Emalia shook her head. “Don’t. Or take SCUBA gear. Because if you fail to maintain the spell, there won’t be any oxygen left to make it work.”
“Great, thanks.” She took a deep breath, then imagined a cocoon of air surrounding her, wrapping her on all sides from head to toe. I bet this would work better if I wasn’t already in the water. She opened it at the top and pictured air flowing in and the liquid around her pushed back just a little. Okay, I got that part down.
She quit trying to stay up and let her waterlogged clothes pull her to the bottom and turned her senses inward. Summoning an image of her lungs was easy but making the mental leap to have them work better was less so. She shoved magic into them until they were deeply gold, then slowed them and imagined that she was getting the same amount of air from them.
It worked after a fashion and she spent another fifteen minutes refining it before she broke the surface. Emalia sat with her feet in the pool and grinned at her appearance. “Did you work it out?”
“I think so. I should have time to practice on the boat. Tanyith can tell people I’m a magician or something and working on my act.”
Her mentor laughed. “What a tough life you lead, having to spend your day on a cruise ship.”
Cali nodded. “I know, but aside from one big dinner, we’ll miss the whole thing. I’m glad I didn’t have to pay for it myself.” She climbed out of the pool and sat close enough to her great aunt to ensure she’d drip on her. “So, thank you. For everything.”
The older woman nodded. “Thank me by coming home safe, Cali. Try not to get in too much trouble in New Atlantis.”
She grinned. “You know me. It’ll be fine.”
Emalia shook her head. “I do know you. That’s why I’m worried.”
“If I told you I’ll be as careful as I can be, would that help?” The other woman nodded. “Then I promise I will be as careful as I possibly can be.” But she knew her mentor wasn’t fooled. Like always, Cali would do what she needed to do, regardless of the risk. And the best part was, she had no doubt that Emalia would do the same in her situation.
She reached an arm around and pulled her great aunt close and laughed when she whined about getting wet and backhanded her in response. Yep, we’re so much alike and I couldn’t be more glad about that.
Chapter Sixteen
The interrogation chamber in the basement of the Zatora mansion was spotless as it was always scrubbed meticulously after use. The linoleum floor and stainless-steel cabinets filled with instruments of persuasion were easily cleaned, and the entirely metal chair with its cruel restraints could be hosed off and steamed to kill germs. Of course, for those visiting the room involuntarily, catching a cold was the least of their problems.
Ozahl was cocooned in a sight and sound veil and had slipped in with the gang members when they’d delivered the captive now attached to the chair. At first, the man had struggled and shouted but after a couple of minutes, he had subsided and began to mutter inaudibly to himself. The mage had conducted a sufficient number of these to know the prisoner would be giving himself a pep talk, promising himself that if he held out long enough, a miracle would surely occur to save him.
There are no miracles, my friend. Not here.
Interrogation was something he was skilled at but not something he enjoyed. He pretended he did to instill confidence in Grisham and his people, but like most things he did for the Zatoras, it was merely a means to an end. His only concern was progress or the lack thereof toward his goals, with rare exceptions. There had been a glimmer of satisfaction in the number of mechanics they’d wounded instead of killed at the Fort, but that momentary positive feeling was fleeting, lost in his focus on the future.
He let the concealing illusion fall and waited for the bound prisoner to notice him. The captive screeched in alarm, and the mage closed the distance between them one slow step at a time. The man babbled something defiant that failed to register.
Those aren’t the words I need to hear. He remained quiet and simply let the prisoner’s rants swell and fall away unacknowledged.
When the silence had lasted for thirty seconds in a row, he gave the chair’s occupant a small smile. “So. You know where you are and you know what this is. You decided to attack my boss, Rion Grisham. That was not a smart decision.” He raised a hand to forestall any response. “Yes, I understand, it wasn’t your idea and you were following orders, he’s a bad man, or whatever. None of that matters now. Your reasons are irrelevant. Whether you were the king or the first pawn to be sacrificed is equally irrelevant. What matters is that you have information to share—information I need.”
He began to walk slowly as he spoke and paced a wide circle around the chair, knowing that being out of the prisoner’s sight would increase the strain on his mind. “You’ll want to keep that information secret because you’re a good soldier, or a good follower, or a good leader, or for some other arguably noble reason.” The man’s head twisted to try to locate him, and he continued his slow march. “But that would be foolish. Shall I tell you why?”
His captive cursed at him, and Ozahl nodded as if he’d been paid a compliment. “It would be foolish because it will extend your suffering. There is no out for you. I won’t lie, even if you tell me everything I want to know right now, only death awaits you after a brief interval to verify that you’ve told the truth.” That was a small untruth as his magic would let him detect the physical tells of an attempt to lie with ease.
“So you see, there’s nothing to gain by resisting other than pain. Should you choose to cooperate instead…well, I can provide an easy passage to the next life. It’s a one-time offer. Is there anything you’d like to say?” In truth, he was indifferent to the man’s choice. He’d have to torture him either way to ensure he obtained everything the man had to give. Fortunately—or unfortunately—the prisoner only offered a series of vulgar suggestions as a response.
The mage looked at the prisoner when his path brought him to his starting point. “Very well. I hope your noble choice brings you comfort.” He extended a hand and a scalpel flew from its place on a tray across the room to land in his palm. A whispered spell put a thin barrier of force all around him to protect him from the blood that would soon flow. “Let’s get started.”
He accepted the tumbler of whiskey, which was filled three-quarters of the way to the top, and sipped it as he leaned into the couch in Grisham’s office. The man himself sat across from him and seemed to believe that Ozahl had been affected by the torture session he’d completed. It was a strangely caring gesture from his boss, who generally focused on emotions at the more violent end of the spectrum.
It was also an unnecessary one. The experience stuck with him no more than the bloodstains his magic had prevented. It was a point in time that had no purpose except to move him closer to his goal. The best part of it was knowing he’d get to share what he’d learned with Danna, the only person who could appreciate what he’d done and why he’d done it. He realized the other man was speaking, however, and brought his mind back to the moment to catch him in mid-sentence.
“…much appreciated. So, what did our reluctant guest have to say?” Grisham leaned forward, clearly of the opinion that their prisoner’s revelations would be important.
And so
they are, I guess. Merely not to me. “The Malniet family is one of the nine in New Atlantis. Think of them as royal families who are in a constant but secret battle to put one of their own on the throne.” His boss nodded. “The captive was a soldier for them, as are the other two we captured as well as all those who invaded and attacked us. The Kraken came from them too. He confirmed as much.”
The gang leader’s face scrunched into a frown. “So it’s not only us they’re after but they want the whole city?”
Ozahl suppressed a sigh and wished the man would remain silent until he had finished telling the story. “It’s both and neither. We’re not their objective but simply a means to the end of gaining control of New Orleans. The Empress would be weakened if the Malniets were to rise to prominence here.”
“Why? What’s special about New Orleans?”
He gave the man a thin smile. Certainly not you. “The Empress has claimed this city as her own. She is the ultimate authority behind the Atlantean gang. She likely plans to use this location as a staging ground to expand her influence into the United States.”
Grisham blinked as he processed the information. What had doubtless seemed to him like a simple territorial squabble had been revealed as much more. Before he could ask another irritating question, the mage continued. “Their goal is to wipe out everyone who might oppose their rise to power here, which will, in turn, weaken the Empress and strengthen their position in New Atlantis.”
His boss scowled. “I’m not sure I like being a piece on someone else’s game board.”
The mage kept his amusement hidden as the man and his entire organization had been exactly that ever since he’d joined them. “Which is understandable. Fortunately, our choice of response is the same in any scenario. We need to tip the table they’re playing on.” Other options existed, but he needed to direct Grisham away from them. Weakening the Empress served his and Danna’s objective, and so much the better if someone else did the work.
“And how do you propose we accomplish that?” The other man leaned back into the chair, looking troubled, and swallowed a substantial sip of his whiskey.
Ozahl took another sip from his glass and enjoyed the flavors and the burn in equal measure. “For a start, we need to get a solid picture of how far they’ve infiltrated the city. It’s highly unlikely that they’re without people on the ground here.” Like all his best plans, it was true at face value but an intense search would also meet his own needs. “Second, we have to step up our game against the Atlantean gang we know about. That situation has lingered long enough and demands a resolution if we’re to be free to focus on the newcomers.”
“I like the sound of that.” Grisham’s smile was predatory. “Anything else?”
He nodded. This is the best part. “He suggested there might be traitors in our midst—someone on the payroll who’s working for the Malniets or the Atlantean gang.” That was completely untrue but his alleged superior wouldn’t know that. His report contained two truths and one lie, but like all the most effective lies, it held a grain of truth. There was someone on the inside who wasn’t working for the benefit of the gang—him. “I suggest bringing in people from outside who have no conflicting loyalties here. You could put Lila and Dalton in charge of the investigation since they’re not local either or use someone else you import. But if there is a mole among our own, we need to root them out fast.”
The man responded exactly as he’d expected him to. His face turned dark as he considered the implications, then he nodded, having done his own calculations and arrived at the same conclusion.
“It’s a good plan. We’ll do all three parts simultaneously. I won’t rob you of your people since you’ll have to take the lead on our actions against the other gang.” Ozahl took a long sip to cover the momentary distress the order gave him.
It’s fine. Danna and I can find a way around it.
The Zatora leader continued. “I’ll reach out to our contacts in Chicago. We don’t have anyone from there at the moment so we should be able to bring in smart operators to look for traitors and to identify any other Malniet spies in the city.”
The mage finished his drink and rose to his feet. Grisham remained seated but gave him a nod and said, “Good work. Let me know what you find out from the next scumbag.”
Ozahl stifled a sigh as he turned and headed to the door. One interrogation down, two to go. When he reached the “interview” chamber, he instructed the guards to bring another prisoner. He slipped into the room and stepped to the corner, where he summoned his veil again.
The guards returned and threw a struggling man into the chair, then bound him in place. The captive gazed with a horrified look at the blood puddled on the floor and screamed at them as they departed.
I wonder what secrets you have to share, my unfortunate friend. Let’s find out.
Chapter Seventeen
Cali wasn’t all that excited to find herself at the docks again, given the events of the last couple of times she’d been there. The damage done by the Kraken had been cleared but not repaired, and the signs of that battle were everywhere. The ship, however, was exactly where it was supposed to be, and the flood of people moving toward it seemed unconcerned with the all but demolished building behind them and the copious blemishes left by the giant octopus. In the fading afternoon light, it was probably possible for most to imagine the fight had never happened.
Tanyith nudged her. “It feels like it’ll come out of the water and snatch the ship, doesn’t it?”
She nodded. “Definitely.” Fyre barked his agreement. Service animals were the only kind allowed aboard, so the Draksa would veil himself and find his own way onto the vessel after departure. For now, though, it was good to have him around in case they saw—or were seen by—trouble. She didn’t particularly like the arrangement, but at least her mental connection with her scaly life partner would provide some solace.
The ship itself was enormous, one of the largest that picked passengers up in New Orleans. She’d never been inside anything like it before, although she’d spent some time watching them and imagining what it would be like. The Internet had described the boats as floating cities and it was easy to believe it as they neared the gangway to the entrance and the sheer scale of the vessel came into perspective.
She didn’t notice when Fyre left her side. One minute, he was there and the next, a young boy stood where he’d been. She grinned at him, and he held a flag up with the cruise line’s logo on it, which made her laugh. Tanyith moved close so they were touching arm to arm.
I wonder if he feels as nervous as I do with all these people around. Even years of dealing with Bourbon Street crowds hadn’t prepared her for the current press of humanity.
The teammates shuffled inside and were directed to their cabin. They’d worn their backpacks, much to the annoyance of other passengers and crew. Surrendering the items in them to a porter was out of the question, however. Cali would only be comfortable to let the bags out of her sight when they were stored in a magically secured room.
After an hour, things had settled and after two, they were at the rail, the ship ready to depart. It had been loaded, the safety briefings had been delivered, and for most of those on board, it was the start of a dream vacation filled with endless food, drink, and fun. For a moment, Cali wished that was true for her as well, then pushed the thought away.
Someday, maybe. Right now, I have bigger fish to find, catch, and fry. And eat. Okay, that’s a stupid metaphor.
The docks fell away as the giant ship left its berth. It was a sight to behold as the city receded while they moved out into the open water. She’d never been outside New Orleans as far as she could remember. To see it become smaller and smaller was disconcerting as if her world was shrinking instead of growing larger with the discovery of new things like it was supposed to.
Tanyith must have sensed her unease. “It’s always weird venturing into the unknown. But don’t worry, all the same idiots who were at the Tavern
yesterday will still be waiting there for you when we get back.”
The comment broke her tension, and she shook her head and laughed. “Oh, I’m sure we’ll meet new and interesting idiots where we’re going.” They’d agreed not to speak in direct terms unless they were in their cabin with magical defenses in place since it was impossible to tell who among the thousands of people around them might be listening.
“There’s no doubt about that.”
For a time, they were both quiet and simply watched the ocean swells as the land grew farther and farther distant. She tapped him on the arm and led him to the nearest bar, where he selected a beer whose name she didn’t recognize and she ordered a pina colada minus the rum. People were already stretched in the sun along the deck they were on, and all the other stools and tables nearby were full. She felt a hint of amusement and looked around. A shimmer above the elevated bridge of the ship caught her eye and she shook her head. She sent, “Leave it to you to choose the most ostentatious spot.” Amusement flowed from the Draksa, who she pictured sunning himself on the topmost deck.
She covered her mouth and whispered, “Our friend is safely on board.”
Tanyith nodded. “Excellent. Not that I had any doubt.”
“Nope. Speaking of doubts, how are things with Barton? Did you two have a wonderful goodbye date? Tons of smooching and stuff?” She laughed at his groan.
“We’re fine. It was fine.”
“Uh oh. Trouble in paradise? But you seem so compatible.” In fact, they actually did but she would never admit that to either of them.
He shook his head. “You’re such a twit. But it’s all good. We’ve discovered that we’re of different opinions on some things. Nothing that’ll be a deal-breaker, merely some areas where we need to decide on a middle ground.”