Talia took a shuddering breath and opened her eyes. "Where are we?"
"Guests of Shamaf." Landry nodded to the door.
"Oh." She rubbed the tears from her cheeks.
"The dream?" Landry helped her sit up, and the shaking started.
"What's happening now?" Shamaf stepped toward the bed.
Landry held up his hand to stop him. "Nothing. It's the aftermath of the dream. She goes through this every time."
"Well, what did you dream about?" Shamaf's curiosity couldn't be held in any longer.
Her teeth chattered so she shook her head.
"How long till sunsrise?" Landry asked.
"About an hour."
"We've got some rations we can share for breakfast. Can we talk then?" Landry looked to Craig. "Help Shamaf and we'll be out in a few minutes."
"Sure." Craig grabbed his pack. Then he asked Shamaf, "That okay with you?"
"Come on." He backed out the door.
"You called for Jewel." Landry waited for Talia to explain the dream.
"I'm not ready to talk about this one." She took a deep breath.
Landry felt her building thick walls around the memory of the dream. She'd never kept a dream from him before.
"Talia?"
"Give me some time." She squeezed his hand. "What's our plan for today?"
"Honesty is the best for Shamaf. He seems like the sort who can sense when he's being lied to."
"Okay. Landry," Talia waited until he looked her in the eye. "Remember your promise to me."
"We're not getting separated."
"I believe you. Whatever we face here, I know we can overcome it. But when we get back to Sendek--" She choked down a sob. "When we get back, you've got to be even more careful."
"Talk to me." He placed both hands around her face.
"Not now. We've got time, but I can't lose you."
"You won't."
"I'm serious. I won't survive if I lose you."
Talia ran her fingers through her hair in an effort to smooth it down. The circles under her eyes hadn't improved with the restless night, but with a little luck she would be able to glean energy from Orek's suns. They didn't pull at her the way Sendek's did, but they would rise, and she'd try to gather energy. She could purge the last of the virus as well as gain some inner comfort. Until then she would join the others for breakfast.
When she stepped out of the dark hall she could see the small main room better than the night before. The windows only let a dim glow of light through the slats of wood covering them. Shamaf stood at the fire loading bowls while Craig filled cups with water from a spigot. Other than the fireplace, the room didn't contain any other means of cooking. She saw Landry's gaze flick to the shelf where the guns had been placed last night. They were no longer there.
"Shamaf had the idea of crushing the food bars and making porridge out of them. I'm hoping it tastes better than it looks." Craig set the cups on the table.
Shamaf laughed as he set down the last bowl and moved to a drawer where he retrieved spoons. He appeared cleaner today. His beard had been trimmed by half, but it still touched his chest when he looked down. Talia noticed his eyes for the first time. What she had taken for brown the night before, now appeared deep blue. Craig on the other hand looked a bit worse for the night on the floor.
"Malik is out so perhaps we can discuss a few things before he gets back." Shamaf waved to the table and the bowls of steaming mush. "Sit."
The contents of the bowls were bland in color. Talia glanced at Landry. "This might be worth skipping."
Almost as if he had read her mind, Shamaf sprinkled a spice over her bowl, then the other three.
"This will make it more appetizing." He sat and ate.
The brown specks let off a heady aroma as it warmed in the bowl, unlike anything she'd cooked with before.
"What is this? It reminds me of the way wood smells when you release the sap." She savored the fragrance and cautiously placed a spoonful in her mouth.
The pleasant sensation spread over her tongue. Her eyes closed while she enjoyed the new flavor. This man was full of surprises. Rough and commanding, and yet he knew of a spice that would make the gluey substance bearable to eat.
"Not bad, eh?" He peered at them over the table. "Why don't you guys tell me where you're from?"
"You may not like the answer." Landry took a bite.
"Well, I know it's not Orek and I haven't been off planet, so it shouldn't matter."
"It might." Craig mumbled under his breath.
Landry sighed and looked to Talia. "I'm sorry if this gets us into more trouble."
"Just do it."
"We're from Sendek." Landry spoke aloud and waited for Shamaf's reaction.
Shock emanated from him, but not as strong as Landry expected it to be. Curiosity quickly replaced the little jolt of surprise.
"There were records from the attack. We've wondered about your planet for generations. Did the Dragumon find you?" Shamaf asked.
"Yes." Talia almost whispered.
Shamaf rubbed his face with both hands. "How did your world fare against them?"
Talia and Landry looked at each other for a minute, and when he nodded she pushed her bowl away. "We were lucky. We had the tools to stop them, but we couldn't have done it without the help of someone from your planet. He followed the Dragumon across the galaxy and brought the knowledge of magic with him."
"You didn't have magic before?"
"We did, but those who had the gift kept it hidden. When our military were wiped out in minutes we had to try another approach. Jaron taught us how to use magic to destroy the Dragumon." She noticed Craig scowling into his bowl.
"Our planet has been turned upside down with the introduction of magic into society. We were sent to learn how your planet combined science and magic successfully." Craig tossed his spoon into his empty bowl. "A lot of good that did. You guys are worse off than we are."
"I don't understand. Why didn't this Jaron teach you the old system?" Shamaf asked.
"He died before he could teach us anything other than how to acknowledge the power and focus it into the spell that destroyed the Dragumon," Landry said.
"Why didn't he use that spell here. To save us?"
"He had traveled off planet, and he didn't know the spell until he reached Sendek. It wouldn't have worked here anyway. Turns out the Dragumon were born on our planet, but we didn't know that." Talia sounded apologetic. "They were bound to the mages on Sendek by blood. We were the only ones who could stop them."
Shamaf looked sad. "Such waste."
"It's worse than you know. We're still not sure how many planets they annihilated in their search for Sendek." Landry reached for Talia's hand as her sadness increased.
"But magic destroyed them in the end did it? The Controllers wouldn't want that known. Working magic is punishable by death here." Shamaf gathered the bowls and headed for the sink. "Well, I'm glad you liked the woodspice."
"Woodspice? It tasted pretty sweet for wood pulp." Craig chuckled, but stopped when Talia glared at him. "Sorry, I think this stuff is having a strange effect on me."
"Well, it helps people feel happy and comfortable in their surroundings. It's the one thing keeping most of the outliers from rushing to their deaths at the hands of the Controllers. Drug of choice around here."
"What do you mean?" Talia's eyes grew large. "It's not addictive is it?"
"No, but let me put it this way. When the Controllers come through town and offer your eleven year old daughter the chance to get an education, you turn to spice."
"Why? I don't understand." She glanced back and forth between Shamaf and Landry as they shared a look.
"Is that what it means to be chosen?" Landry asked.
"Ah, did you pass Gem on the road? Yes, his daughter is eight, but she will be groomed and saved for Bargoron Kalto himself. What an honor!" He spit the words out. "We had to use half a canister on Gem before he could walk little Kyra to to
wn. I'm still not sure he'll make it out alive." He shook his head in disgust.
"Why do you take it? Surely if enough of you worked together you could change the way things are?" Talia looked confused.
"Because they have all the technology. All the food, and all the power. Right?" Craig moved to the fireplace to warm his hands.
"Yes, and because they keep us fighting among ourselves. How can we pull together when we kill each other for a crust of bread?" Shamaf looked at Landry. "We need someone to show us the way. Maybe you could make a difference here."
"I don't see how. We have nothing as you can see. No one knows us or has any reason to listen to us." Landry shook his head.
"But you both have the forbidden magic," he whispered.
Before Landry or anyone else could ask why that mattered, the door flew open.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Malik burst into the house. By habit, Landry focused on Malik's thoughts and sifted his emotions. Surprise, and a lot of smug eagerness. No, not eagerness, triumph. Landry expanded his range past the small house and touched several minds outside. The net had been cast, ready to be cinched tight.
"He turned us in to the Controllers." Landry stated it calmly and waited for Shamaf's reaction. Whose side would he be on?
"You did what?" Shamaf turned on Malik.
"Do you know how much they gave me? We can leave this dump and live high in the city off the reward."
Shamaf punched him hard in the face. Malik stumbled back against the doorjamb. He wiped the blood that bloomed on his lip, his brow raised in confusion.
"You idiot. When they storm the house they'll kill us, retrieve your credits and take our guests as prisoners. The Controllers never reward for information. They take it any way they can." Shamaf turned to his guests. "There's a back door, maybe you can get out that way."
"No! We have to turn them over. If they come in and they're gone, they'll kill us." Malik looked desperate.
"We're already dead." Shamaf opened a drawer and pulled out two guns. He tried to give one to Landry.
"Thanks, but I'm covered." Landry produced his gun. "You might need both of yours."
Shamaf chuckled. "I knew you were trustworthy. Had that all along did you?"
"Yeah, but I had a feeling you could help us. Figured we might need a few friends on this new world. Wait..." Landry paused to assess the situation outside. It felt like five, maybe six minds at work out there. Two walking around to the back of the house. "Talia, can you confirm four up front and two in the back?"
She closed her eyes for a moment before answering. "Yes. The four up front are close to the tree we stood by last night."
Landry nodded. "We can all make it out."
Craig took a step toward Shamaf. "Can I have the extra gun?"
Malik jumped, grabbing at the guns. "You can't let them go!"
The men grappled for the weapons. Landry tried to get a clear shot at Malik. "Craig, get out of the way so I can help Shamaf!"
"I think I've got--" Craig grunted as a shot rang out. He spun and fell against the table.
Landry squeezed the trigger and Malik slumped to the ground. Talia ran to Craig.
"Craig? Talk to me." She probed his shoulder where the blood leaked out. "Looks like a through and through."
"He shot me!" Craig tried to get up and promptly fell down. "Whoa."
A loud voice echoed through the room, magnified in some way from the outside. "Come out slowly and no one has to die."
Landry put an arm under Craig's good side and lifted. "We've got to get out of here."
Shamaf waved him away. "Leave him. You won't be able to drag him and shoot. I'll make sure he's taken care of and we'll meet up with you when we can."
"I don't think that's a good idea." Talia hovered close. "We've already lost one of our crew."
"Put him under the table. You take care of the guys in the back and I can handle the others. I promise he'll be safe and I'll get him back to you." Shamaf shoved Craig toward the floor.
The voice echoed again. "You've got a minute and we're coming in."
"Landry?" Talia looked to him for support.
"There's no time. He'll be fine. It's a clean wound." Landry pushed her toward the hallway. "Shamaf, we're going to the Wizard's Mountain. Craig can get you there. Be careful, and thanks."
"Hey," Shamaf called to Landry, "Think about what I said. We need someone to get this revolution rolling."
Landry grabbed one of their packs and hurried to the back door. He hoped Craig and Shamaf would make it out of this alive. If not for Talia, he would have stayed to fight, but her safety came first. He opened the door slowly.
The first sun had risen, but the cloud cover left the morning in a state of perpetual gloom. He located the emotional hotspots in the line of trees behind the house. The soldiers were well hidden, waiting to pick them off.
Landry fired in their general direction. Gunfire sounded from the front of the house at the same time. The enemy returned fire, giving Landry a better idea where to shoot. He took out one of the men and clipped the other.
Both bodies hit the ground. After a quick scan, he pulled Talia through the door and ran for the cover of the trees. They didn't slow down until the sound of gunfire faded away.
"I should have tried to heal Craig."
"There wasn't time. Don't worry. I've seen men survive much worse than that."
"When? I thought Algodova had enjoyed peace for a long time."
Landry shrugged and kept walking. "Peace isn't as easy as everyone thinks it is."
"Landry." Talia stopped. "What does that mean?"
He took several steps to reach her side, cupped her face and kissed her. When she softened he released her.
"I still want to know," she whispered.
"Sometimes you do what you have to in order to protect what you love."
"But--"
"Like we did with the Dragumon." He cringed when she gasped, but she let the subject drop.
"How far to the mountain?" Talia asked. They'd kept up a grueling pace avoiding any house or sign of civilization.
"Not sure. Can you glean anything from the suns or trees?"
She concentrated on her surroundings while keeping up with her husband. The energy threads were present but weak. "Not with the cloud cover. Good thing we spent all that time training on the ship."
They jogged a while in silence, both taking mental stock of the situation.
"How much food is in the pack?" Talia brought up her main concern.
"A couple of days with rationing. From what Shamaf said, hunting is out of the question. Asking for food won't be possible with Controllers in the area. Everyone will be looking for us now."
"Then we have to be extra careful with what we have and get to the mountain fast. If we can get in and get out we can return to the ship another way. Maybe scavenge for food where the Controllers aren't looking for us?"
"Or I can approach houses alone. They'll be looking for a man and a woman, so if I go in alone they might not be as suspicious."
"Remember your promise. We don't separate because of the dream." She picked up her pace. "Get me to the mountain."
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
They paused at the edge of the forest, their breath hovering in a cloud before them. The Wizard's Mountain loomed in the distance. Landry recognized the snow-capped peak from Jaron's memories. If they headed straight toward it, placing the sun at its pinnacle, they would find the secret doorway. However, open fields with no cover stretched in front of them.
The land may have been farmed at one time, but waist high grasses now covered the bumpy ground. It remained eerily quiet. No sound of small birds or other animals. The crisp air smelled of dirt but Talia's concern flowed off of her. Earth and nature, her elements didn't bring her peace.
He tore his eyes away from her and swept the area. There were no signs of pursuers. Hadn't been all day. Most likely they'd lost them after leaving Shamaf's, but he wasn't read
y to drop his guard yet.
"It's clear, but proceed with caution." He nodded toward the mountain.
They traveled briskly, cutting the distance in half quickly. And then their luck turned. The distance to the mountain remained unchanged no matter how long they walked.
"The wizards must have left a protective spell around the mountain like Jaron used to protect our camp. I can't find the threads of magic around the field though." Landry stopped the useless forward motion. Talia stumbled into him.
"Sorry, what did you say?" she asked.
"There must be some spell at work here."
"Yeah, look behind us." She turned and pointed.
They had clearly traveled farther than they believed.
"I wonder." She stepped backward, shivered, took another step, and disappeared.
"Talia!" He heard her gasp in surprise, but when he ran forward she remained lost to him.
She reappeared before him. "Landry, I'm here. There's magic, even if we can't feel it."
"How did you do that?" He hugged her to make sure she was real.
"Close your eyes," she whispered. When he did she pulled him forward.
The first step sent a chill through his body until his bones ached. The second step set him on fire. He needed to open his eyes.
"Don't." She spoke to his mind.
The third step returned him to the temperature he'd grown accustomed to. Cold and windy, but bearable with the layers he wore.
"Now you can open your eyes." She loosened her grip on his arms.
They stood in the mountain's shadow, mere feet from its rocky slope.
"We could never reach the mountain by coming at it straight on. The best part is anyone outside the barrier has no way of knowing we're here." Her eyes sparkled with the excitement. "I think I know how they did it."
"Really?" Landry reached out and touched the mountainside. It was solid. Real.
"Hologram and perception filter."
"What? We could have stepped through a hologram."
"That's where the perception filter comes in. That's the magic link that made us think we were traveling when we really weren't. It's huge, but they've used technology to hide or distract people from the mountain, mixed with magic."
Dawn of the Mages (The Magic Wakes Book 2) Page 16