Void Born

by R. J. Metcalf

  Raine had her face tilted up to the sky, her eyes closed. The tilt of her generous lips hinted at a smile. Her eyes slitted open, and she raised her eyebrows in silent question at him.

  Ben averted his gaze and hoped the warmth of the sun would hide any hint of embarrassment that surely flushed his cheeks now. What were the odds of finding a woman who’d fly around the world to save it?

  If only they came from the same place. But she had a grandfather here and was fully immersed in this world. There was no chance of anything coming from the brief thought.

  Ben’s chest tightened, and he pushed himself up to his feet. Some ideas were just too preposterous to even consider.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Ben

  Ben hefted the crate of apples off the Perennian delivery skiff and cautiously followed Roska up the ramp and onto the Phoenix. Ben waited for the burly crewman to hand his cargo off to chef Maggie, and she gestured to a corner in the galley for Ben to set his load down. She hummed as she checked each box to her clipboard, occasionally singing under her breath. It was a rare day that the galley didn’t have her singing echoing out the hall and to any within hearing range. Thankfully, her pitch was nearly perfect and the songs she picked to sing were pleasant, if not downright fun to listen to.

  The apples shifted as he maneuvered the crate onto the shelf, and he winced as he secured the straps to keep it in place. Hopefully the fruit wouldn’t bruise. Brandon hated bruised apples. And an unhappy Brandon was a terrifying Brandon.

  Ben had never witnessed someone with mood swings as extreme as the bandit prince. At the palace, it was known that Brandon had mood issues, but Ben truly felt as if his control on his emotions was gradually worsening. If Brandon felt nostalgic, he would slide into a depression within the blink of an eye, grieving, weeping, and drinking whatever alcohol he could find on the airship. Maggie now had all her cooking wines under lock and key after that first night. And when Brandon couldn’t find something to do on the airship, he became frustrated from the lack of action—and his frustration typically led to anger.

  Ben wiped his hands on his brown denim pants and turned to Maggie. “Anything else I can help with?”

  She lifted her clipboard off the counter and touched her pencil against each box as she checked off her list. She shook her head and smiled warmly, tucking a pencil behind her ear. “I think we’ve got it all. Thank you for the help.”

  “Of course,” Ben cast a hopeful glance at her cutting board and the block of cheddar cheese she’d been cubing before the early delivery of produce. “Mind if I steal a piece?”

  Maggie waved a hand as she turned to grab a pot. “Only one, the rest are for me.”

  He snagged two while her back was turned and popped one in his mouth, hiding it behind his teeth while he waved and bowed out of the room. He bounced the second cube in his hand as he walked down the covered hallway, humming along with her singing. Even if Maggie noticed, she would laugh it off and just give him extra dishes to clean next time he worked in the galley. She was too kind-hearted to let him starve.

  He checked his pocket watch. The moment they’d landed, Ezekial had all but jumped ship, stating that he wanted to meet the locals and not be associated with the Phoenix crew. Kerlee, Ash, and Roska followed as soon as Ezekial had disappeared from sight. They had their own “reconnaissance” to do. Probably more like, check out the local taverns, but it counted for something.

  An almost inhumane growl echoed through the hallway, raising the hairs on Ben’s arms. He spun toward the sound, hand dropping to his sword hilt. It had come from the mess room. Curiosity pulled him forward, and he lingered just outside the open doorway, barely able to see the occupants of the dining room.

  “I can’t do this, Finn.” Brandon stood over Finn where he sat at the large oval table. Brandon’s entire body shook. He gripped the hilt of his crimson sword, veins bulging in his hands and arm. “It has to be this, and it’s driving me crazy. You have to destroy it.”

  Finn showed no sign of being concerned by Brandon’s close proximity or the urgency in his voice. He shook his head. “I’m not doing anything to that blade until I can examine it.” He leaned back in the chair with a speculative gleam in his eyes. “Why do you think it’s the sword that’s causing your problems?”

  “Because I just know, that’s why!” Brandon shouted, his forehead reddening. He leaned closer, his face inches from Finn’s. “Jaxton did something to me, right after the Fall, and it involved this—” He yanked the blade half out of its sheath, the pommel by Finn’s chin. Brandon’s chest heaved, his eyes wild. “And ever since I’ve been free of that Void-cursed control bracelet, I’ve been in even less control of myself than before. And it’s getting worse. Not better.” Tears spilled down Brandon’s cheeks, and he staggered, the sword slipping into its sheath as he fell back into the wall. He slid down and buried his face in his hands. “How can I be what my daughter needs when I can’t even control my own emotions?”

  Finn caught Ben’s eye and held his hand out in a gesture for Ben to stay where he was. “Brandon, I have an experiment I want to try before I do anything to the sword itself.”

  Brandon raised his head, revealing puffy eyes. He lifted his arm as if he was about to wipe his nose on his sleeve, then caught himself and pulled out a crimson handkerchief instead. “What do you want to do? I’ll do it.”

  “Good.” Finn turned his attention to Ben. “I want your help. Go find two others who are free to help right now, please.” He braced his hands against the table and stood, letting the backs of his knees push the chair away. “I need to get a few things for this. We’ll meet off ship.”

  ***

  Ben stood with Geist and Raine, watching as Finn carefully ran his hand over Brandon’s sheath, then over the crimson blade itself. Finn frowned and hovered his fingers over the red gem set in the hilt. His eyes narrowed, and he spun his heel on the grass to face Brandon.

  “This is what we’re going to do.” Finn held the sheathed weapon out to Raine. She took it, and Finn dug two jasper gems from his pocket, handing one to Geist. “Raine and Geist are going to take the sword away.” He pointed to the field of endless green to the south of them and spoke to Brandon. “You’re staying with Ben and me, where we can observe your reactions. If you show any problematic signs from being separated from your sword”—he lifted the burnt orange stone in his hand—“we’ll glow them to immediately stop and come back.”

  Brandon nodded, his hand dropping to where his sword usually hung. He grimaced and crossed his arms. “And what will this tell you?”

  “Go ahead and start,” Finn told Raine.

  She pressed her lips together and nodded tightly. She glanced at Ben, her gaze lingering before she turned away. Geist matched her pace.

  Ben watched the two of them go. Raine chuckled at something Geist must’ve said, and a small flare of envy spiked through Ben’s heart like a red-hot iron. Ben tamped down on the emotion. This wasn’t the time to be distracted—and even if he wasn’t helping with whatever Finn was trying, Ben shouldn’t be jealous over something that had no chance of happening. He moved from the shadow of the Phoenix to stand closer to Brandon, keeping him, as well as Raine and Geist, within sight.

  “How are you feeling, Brandon?” Finn asked, circling around him.

  Brandon’s only movement was his eyes following the older man. “You didn’t answer my question.”

  “Apologies.” Finn paused behind Brandon’s back to watch Raine and Geist as they passed a tree that Ben estimated to be twenty meters away. “I’m guessing that your self-control issues are stemming from this sword, as you also suspect. But I’m also guessing it’s more than just that. Jaxton’s notes included bonding heart and mind to objects imbued with Void magic.” He shot Brandon a significant look. “A pseudo blood-bond, if you will.”

  Brandon’s head lolled back. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

  “Nor should you.” Finn glanced at Raine and Geist. “Ho
w do you feel right now?”

  Brandon lifted his hand as if it were heavy and touched it to his forehead as he swayed. “Dizzy.”

  Ben moved closer, hand out to steady the man. Raine and Geist had to be about forty meters out now.

  “I—” Brandon’s eyes rolled up, and he collapsed. Ben barely caught Brandon before he would have hit his head on the ground, and Ben’s back muscles spasmed in sharp protest at the sudden yank of weight.

  The stone flared yellow in Finn’s hand. He knelt beside Brandon and pressed his fingers to the prince’s neck, nodding to himself after a moment. “He’s still alive,” Finn murmured just loudly enough for Ben to hear him.

  “What happened?”

  Ben lowered Brandon’s head to the grass and looked up at Roska. The crew member stood at the edge of the loading ramp, hands held out as if he was going to stop them. His dark eyes widened. “We just got back from the town, and Maggie sent me to tell you guys that lunch was ready. What did you do to him?”

  Raine and Geist jogged up to them, and Raine skidded on her knees on the soft earth as she handed Finn the sword. Finn set it on Brandon’s chest and Brandon gasped, eyes flying open. He clutched it with the same fervor of a drowning man holding a life preserver.

  Finn placed his hand on Brandon’s shoulder, keeping him pinned to the ground. “What happened is that we learned we will not be destroying this sword or leaving it behind.” He tapped the red gem. “I’ll look into it some more, but we’ve seen the proof. There is some sort of a pseudo blood-bond, as I suspected, and it has a failsafe: you cannot be parted from this for too far a distance. It will kill you.”

  Roska took a step back, grasping at the small whale necklace he wore. “Balnic protect us,” he whispered.

  Raine scoffed and rolled her eyes. “It’s not like it’s contagious.”

  Roska shot her an affronted look. “It’s Void magic.” He looked back at Brandon, his brows lowered. “He’s contaminated.” Roska grabbed a small white pouch hanging on his belt and opened it, taking out a pinch of salt and throwing it over his shoulder.

  Ben schooled his expression to just show his concern for Brandon, hiding his flare of concern at the prejudice ringing in Roska’s voice. If this is what the crew member felt over someone who’d had Void magic used on them, unwillingly, what would he think of a real Void Born on the same airship as him? Goosebumps erupted over Ben’s skin.

  “Can’t have that now, can we?” Raine’s tone had a slight bitter edge to it. “Take your superstitions elsewhere if you’re too scared to be with us.”

  Roska pointed at Brandon with a shaking finger. “This is the first child of trouble. You mark my words.” He stared at Brandon a moment longer, then fled up the Phoenix’s ramp.

  “Consider them marked,” Finn muttered dryly. He pressed his fingers against Brandon’s neck again, then offered his hand to help him up. “The control bracelet that Jaxton used against you suppressed your emotions for so long that you’ve lost the ability for self-regulation, and now everything you feel comes to the surface at the maximum level.”

  Geist folded his arms and cocked his head, genuine concern in his face. “What can we do for him?”

  Finn rubbed his beard, staring at the ground as he thought. “There’s a wise woman I knew in these parts. She may have some advice on this, and she’s one who tends to know rumors. She’s on our way down to Antius. I’ll have Rebecca stop there next, and we can ask Ann if she has anything we can work with for either Brandon, or for our search for Victor and Lucio.”

  Hope kindled and chased out the cold ache of concern in Ben’s chest. He wouldn’t get a chance to explore the town here and look around, but maybe he’d be able to find some clues for himself and the Void Born during this next stop.

  Finn stared out over the green fields, his eyes distant. “Last time I was there, the city was having some upheaval in regards to Void Born. That was what?” He glanced at Raine. “Six, seven years ago?”

  Raine stopped her side-to-side rocking, stilling to the point of mimicking a statue. She sucked in her cheeks and nodded slowly. “About that.”

  Ben grimaced and forced a cough to cover it. That may make things more difficult.

  Finn pushed his hand through his hair and sighed. “We’ll see how friendly the town is to strangers when we get there. At least Ann is on the outskirts.”

  “Trouble travels wherever it will, Papa.” Raine turned to board the Phoenix and paused, her face downturned. “We should be prepared for anything.”

  ***

  Ben shook out his clean shirt before folding it in half, rolling it tightly and setting it in his chest at the end of his bunk. He leaned an arm against his bed and watched Geist carve a strip of wood from the block in his hands. “I didn’t know you carved.”

  Geist shrugged without looking up from his bed across the room. “It was a hobby, until I was distracted by other things. It’s time for me to get back into it.”

  Ben grabbed his other clean shirt off his mattress. “Why now?”

  Geist sighed and set the project down, shifting to shoot Ben a small glare. “Why are you so talkative? Usually it’s Kerlee with all the chatter.” Geist rolled onto his back and shoved his hand under his head as a pillow. “I quit gambling, and now I need a new hobby.”

  Surprise jolted through Ben, and he whipped his head up from his trunk to stare at the crewman. “You actually quit?”

  “That’s what I said, wasn’t it?” Geist snarled. He dropped his head and heaved a heavy sigh. “The captain wanted me to stop being a loner who didn’t think of his crew. And I need to break the bad habits I have before I can be of much use on the team.”

  “Well, you’ve helped with the search in Doldra, so you’re already being useful for the team.” Ben leaned against the wall and started re-tying the laces on his boots. “And if you’re concerned about relapsing, you should tell all of us around you. We could use your instincts while hunting Victor and Lucio, and we can work together to make sure you don’t end up where you don’t want to be.” He straightened his leg and pulled his other foot in. “We need to work together to hunt down these guys.”

  “I know.” Geist rolled to his side, then sat up, ducking to avoid smacking his head on the bunk above him.

  “And we really need you while Brandon’s so out of it,” Ben stated.

  Geist snorted and scooted off the bunk. He opened his own trunk and pulled out a whetstone, then strolled over to sit against the bed by Ben. Geist pulled a knife from his boot and started sharpening it. “Think he has a chance of healing?”

  “Finn helped me, so I think Brandon has a solid chance, yes.” Ben shrugged. “I’d say he’s got better odds here than at his palace, where he walks the halls like he can see ghosts.”

  “Finn.” Geist brandished his stone at Ben. “Who is he? He seems to know a lot about many things, and he doesn’t talk about his background.”

  A raised voice in the hall interrupted Ben’s reply.

  “Look, it’s not that I don’t believe you have some skill, but I don’t think you should be the leader of this mission. What training do you have? Do you even know how to lead a hunt like this?”

  Ben and Geist exchanged glances as Ezekial’s pretentious tone. Ben slowed his breathing, straining to hear beyond the walls.

  “As a matter of fact, I do have the training required for this.” Finn’s voice was mild, and Ben guessed they’d stopped just outside their door. “And I have seniority.”

  Ezekial’s scoff echoed in the hall. “Age means nothing to a sage. It’s what skill you have.”

  “That is true. And you needn’t worry about my skill or strength. Your queen trusts us enough to send us off as we are, with me leading the group. You should, too.”

  “She has other things on her mind. I need to make sure that what she wants is done.” A small thump against the wall above their heads sounded like a shoulder hitting it. Ezekial continued, sounding arrogantly relaxed. “If you think yo
u can beat me, prove it. And I’ll follow your lead for the rest of the mission. But I’m not risking this going wrong because I’m blindly following someone untested. No offense.”

  Ben grimaced. Everything sounded rather offensive. Finn’s patience was rapidly rising to legendary status in Ben’s estimation.

  “None taken.” If anything, Finn sounded amused. “What are you thinking of? The tests of old?”

  “A challenge similar enough. Simplified, just testing three aspects.” Ezekial’s words slowed, as if he was thinking through his choices. “Raw power, precision . . .” he trailed off.

  “Adaptability,” Finn suggested.

  “Yes, that’d work well.”

  Ben dared to scoot a little closer to the wall. He’d been aware that Ezekial was chafing under the constraints of being part of a team, but he hadn’t realized how egotistical the sage was.

  “Who will come up with the challenges?” Finn asked. “Not Raine, for sake of fairness, as she knows my strengths and weaknesses.”

  “The captain can be our judge.” Ezekial’s voice turned thoughtful. “And Raine can work with her for the sole purpose of overriding anything that could be beyond our abilities.”

  “I’ll let her know. And I’ll be ready whenever you are.”

  Footsteps faded in both directions, and Geist let out a low whistle. “Like we don’t have enough going on. Ezekial just has to be the drama queen he is.”

  Ben snorted and shook his head. What was Ezekial thinking? Ben knew Ezekial was more hot-headed, but this was another level. How long would this take? They didn’t have time for crazy side quests or issues like this. Ben needed answers, and they needed to find Victor before it was too late. “Finn will put him in his place, and that’ll be that.”

  “And if he doesn’t?” Geist shot Ben a worried look. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t like the idea of following Ezekial around for this mission.”