by John Corwin
Adam tore his eyes from Eor's cavorting form. "What convinced Xalara?" Adam asked us.
I repeated the conversation, including my ultimate theory that a massive bloodstone capable of mind-controlling the entire world was at the core.
Adam's forehead wrinkled. "Man, I don't know what to think of all this. Why force this crew to fish for bloodstones if they're plentiful in Voltis? Something tells me Kaelissa is after something else."
I couldn't disagree.
"What's the plan?" Shelton said. "Are we plowing straight into the storm or checking out Kaelissa's troops in Cabala first? Maybe they know something we don't."
"I'll have to ask Illaena." It might make sense to look around before plunging headfirst into danger.
The captain emerged from her cabin after an extended period of time, her face a bit paler than normal. "Once we finish repairs and awaken the crew, we are ready for launch."
I decided to voice my concerns to her right away. "We should sweep the ocean between Voltis and Azoris to see how Kaelissa plans to get inside Voltis."
"That will not be necessary," Illaena said. "Xalara spoke with the captains of the Xanda, Ptarn, Akata, and Dtirn, all of which have recently passed through Brightling territory. They will be our eyes and ears."
I dared feel optimistic about our chances. "That's great."
Illaena scowled. "I do not like taking sides."
"Yeah, did you like it when Racha and her buddies took hostages on your own ship?" I gave her a hard stare. "The Brightlings broke neutrality first, Illaena. You have nothing to feel bad about."
Her eyes got a faraway look in them. "I nearly lost another crew to Brightling land dwellers. Now I fear to lose them to Voltis."
I didn't know what to say to that, but I sure hoped she was wrong about Voltis killing us all. "Where's the secret entrance to the maelstrom?"
Illaena swallowed hard. "The Voltis Maelstrom is a convergence of violent elements—volcanic eruptions, wind storms, lightning, ice, and massive water spouts, all made even more deadly by the aether vortexes. We will have to spiral inside the maelstrom to reach the end of the trail left by the Znosh."
"Spiral inside it?" I asked.
"There is no path straight through," she said. "We must enter on the southeastern side and weave our way through danger."
"Holy farting fairies," Shelton muttered. "I don't like the sound of that."
"It doesn't matter," Adam said. "This is a race."
I nodded. "And we have to win it."
"We will fish the five elements," Eor said excitedly. "The greatest gems in the realm will be ours!"
Illaena glared at him. "At least some of us are looking forward to the journey." She turned to her first mate. "Tahlee, set us down for repairs, and check on the well-being of our soldiers."
I gave a knowing look to Shelton and Adam who hurriedly excused themselves so they could unlock the room with the slumbering fighters inside.
Tahlee cried out orders to the deck crew and the ship shifted toward a bare stretch of valley.
"Justin, once we make land, you will make sure our unwelcome guests are off the ship before we leave tomorrow morning." Illaena patted a dagger at her hip. "I would gladly execute them, but we have no time for trials or tribulations."
"I'll start their interrogations right away," I said.
"Eor." Illaena snapped her fingers to summon the seraph back from fantasy land. "Continue the sorting. Bring any bloodstones you find directly to me."
His eyes went wide. "To you? But we are instructed to discard them in deep ocean water at once!"
"Xalara wishes to set aside that rule for now," she said.
"I will have to hear it from her mouth," Eor said.
"Then contact her directly." Illaena thumped his chest with the back of her hand. "Do it now before I throw you off the ship for insubordination."
"Well, I never," Eor grumbled. "Just because you're captain doesn't mean you can toss me overboard like so much rubbish."
Illaena bared her teeth in a feral grin. "Actually, it does, gem sorter." She held his stubborn gaze for a long moment before he frowned and turned away.
Illaena stared at his back and said to me, "I will be in my cabin." With that, she vanished back inside.
Eor tapped his gem and waited for the chime. "This is Eor. I would speak with the Muhala Kajeen about an urgent matter."
"At once," the cheery voice replied.
Xalara's weary voice sounded from the gem. "I assume you have contacted me about the bloodstones, Eor."
"Yes, Muhala—"
"They are not to be discarded," she said. "Do I make myself clear?"
"Of course," Eor said uncertainly. "But—"
"There are no buts, Eor. Do as you're told." The gem chimed as Xalara cut the connection.
He harrumphed and planted his hands on his hips. "Rude!"
I led Elyssa away toward the aft ramp below decks as the Falcheen glided in for a landing. "We need to find out more about these bloodstones. I don't like the idea of someone being able to control my mind."
"It's terrifying," Elyssa said. "What do you think Kaelissa wants with them?"
"I don't know." We reached the bottom deck and headed for the main hold. "We need to check in with your father and make sure he's okay."
"I've been trying," Elyssa said. "I can't get through to him or Tarissa."
"I hope he made it." I went inside the hold and heard Racha shouting curses at the top of her lungs.
Elyssa grimaced. "This is going to be so much fun."
"Tell me about it." I steeled my nerves and headed for the five Brightling prisoners.
The sorters had wrapped each soldier in an individual net, binding their limbs tight and rendering them completely immobile from the neck down.
"You!" Racha's dark eyes locked onto me like homing missiles. "You will release me and my people at once, or I promise there will be blood."
I sat down on a stool and put on an easy smile. "You know, I almost regret not letting you cut off Eor's hand."
"It appears our Empress was right about the scum they allow on these ships." Racha sunk her teeth into the last word. "You are the boy who cheated our beloved Daelissa from her true destiny."
It seemed I wouldn't have to press her too hard for answers since she'd already confirmed who gave her the orders to seize the gem sorters on the ship. "Tell me, Racha, were you in Eden for the war?"
Her lips trembled with anger. "No, but my beloved husband was in the Zburan Legion. Your cowardly troops lured them into an ambush and murdered them."
I almost countered her accusation with logic, but saw the rabid loyalty burning in her eyes. Racha was the sort of person who didn't need a bloodstone used on them. Kaelissa owned this sera, lock, stock, and barrel.
Using a technique I'd learned from Elyssa's brother, Michael, I disrupted her thoughts with a sudden change in subject. "What's in Voltis?"
Racha flinched. "How do—" she clamped her mouth shut and shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about, boy."
I shifted again. "Why does Kaelissa need three bloodstones?"
The soldier frowned and blinked as if confused, then stiffened and glared at me. "That is the business of the Empress."
I channeled a ball of Murk in my left hand and was immediately punished with stabbing sensations in my head. I repressed a wince and slapped an opaque barrier over Racha's face and ears, covering everything but her nose so she couldn't speak or listen. A scream grated in her throat and she flailed against the netting holding her in place.
"I'm going to give the rest of you a chance to answer." I offered the other soldiers a reassuring smile.
"Never," growled a short, beefy seraph with more hair than a big brown bear.
I encased his head with Murk and repeated myself to the others: "Why does Kaelissa need three bloodstones?"
The tall nerdy one who'd gotten on Racha's case earlier cleared his throat. "We were only told what to do, not w
hy. We weren't even told that the gems we seek are called bloodstones."
"It's true," said the next soldier when I turned my gaze on her.
I stifled a groan. I'd hoped to learn something about Kaelissa's mind-control plans, but it appeared our prisoners were as ignorant as the rest of us.
Chapter 14
"What's your name?" I asked the nerdy seraph.
"Lazan," he replied.
I stepped closer to him. "Lazan, why are Brightling troops gathering in Cabala?"
"Most of the legions on or near Pjurna were recalled to Azoris," he said. "We don't know why."
"Is there something to fight in the Voltis Maelstrom?"
The three soldiers looked at each other with wrinkled foreheads. Lazan turned his head back to me. "I haven't heard any rumors about Voltis."
One of the others growled. "Don't answer their questions."
Lazan looked back at him. "What do you suggest we do, Tator?"
I slapped another opaque barrier around Tator's face so he wouldn't interfere and Elyssa continued the questioning. "How many troops remain in Pjurna?"
Lazan looked uneasy. "I'm no traitor. I can't give you that information."
I covered his head in Murk, leaving holes for his nose, and did the same for the other soldier. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I gave myself a moment to recover from the knife stabs in my skull.
Elyssa wrapped an arm around my shoulder. "Are you okay?"
I nodded. "Yeah. I really need to feed off a human. My magic side is recovering more slowly than I thought."
"You can feed off me," she said.
I squeezed her hand and kissed her cheek. "I know, but I'm worried if I feed too much it could have adverse side effects."
"Just take a little." She held a finger slightly apart from her thumb. "I'm sure that'll be okay."
Seraphim didn't need to feed as they naturally drew on the aether in the air around them, but Daelissa had discovered that sucking human soul essence supercharged her powers. I could probably get by without leeching from Elyssa, but it might delay my recovery. I also needed her so I could refuel my demon powers and feeding both sides of my dual nature from her might be too much for her to handle.
"It might be better to feed on Adam on Shelton since"—I shrugged—"I kinda need you to keep my incubus happy."
She pursed her lips. "Can't you feed on Seraphim?"
I noticed the gem sorters looking at us curiously as we spoke in English and wondered if any would volunteer to feed my inner demon. Humans didn't usually notice if I latched onto them, but Seraphim had a sixth sense about it, even if they'd never seen a Daemos in their life.
"Possibly." My head felt a little better, so I dissolved the Murk around Lazan's head.
He blinked and sucked in a deep breath through his mouth.
"None of your companions can see or hear our conversation," I said. "Tell me how many troops are left in Pjurna."
"As I said, I'm no traitor." Lazan's chin tilted up defiantly.
It was obvious we weren't going to get much else from him, so I let him be. Adam and Shelton walked in moments later, faces flush.
"We unlocked the door to the room holding the soldiers," Shelton told me. "Hopefully, Illaena bought your story about the spiked wine."
Adam looked at the covered faces of the prisoners. "New interrogation technique?"
I shrugged. "Racha and her buddy"—I pointed to the individuals in question—"won't answer any questions." I nodded toward Lazan. "He's been moderately helpful."
"I have a couple of spells that might loosen tongues," Adam said. "Want me to give them a try?"
I shrugged. "As long as they don't violate the Geneva Conventions or anything."
"Hell, we don't even know if they'll work on Seraphim," Shelton said. He stared at the prisoners. "But we'll give it a shot."
Lazan's worried eyes flicked back and forth among us. Even though he didn't understand English, he knew we were talking about him. I hoped he had something useful to tell us.
We finished the interrogations three hours later, not much more informed than before. Adam's spell didn't work quite as planned, making the prisoners behave like drunks. None of them knew how many troops were left on Pjurnan soil, but believed most of the skeleton force remaining had relocated to a fortress on Guinesea.
If I'd learned anything, it was that Racha was a depressed drunk. Much to the surprise of her underlings, she spent most of her interrogation raging about her dead mate and crying.
Elyssa, Shelton, Adam, and I gladly left the main hold and went upstairs for food and more importantly, wine.
Elyssa held up her crystal glass and looked at the blue liquid inside. "Now I understand why my mother always had a glass of wine in her hand when my brothers and I were rug rats."
"Smart lady," Shelton said with a grin. "Kids are hell."
Adam grinned. "You'll get to find out firsthand, buddy."
Shelton paled and gulped. "Shut your mouth before I faint."
We burst into laughter and I held up my glass for a toast. "To a bunch of little Sheltons."
"To little Sheltons," Adam and Elyssa said.
"Not anytime soon." Shelton gulped half his glass and glared at us. "You're a bunch of jackasses."
Adam winked. "Pot, meet kettle."
The gem on Elyssa's Templar armor chimed. Her eyes flashed wide with hope as she touched it. "Hello?"
"I'm in Tarissa," Thomas said calmly, as if he'd just taken a walk around the block. "Did you make it to the Falcheen?"
Elyssa wiped a tear from her eye and nodded. "Yes. Why can't I see you?"
The link crackled with static. "…kind of interference. The communication gems on Mzodi ships work better. We believe Kohval is trying to cut off communications to and from Tarissa."
"Why would he do that?" Elyssa asked.
"Mzodi ships spotted Gallix Legion leaving their positions in the west," Thomas replied grimly. He said something else, but static consumed it.
"Please repeat," Elyssa said.
"Scouts report Victrix Legion is moving units south toward the capital." Thomas paused as if to let that sink in. "I think they both want to take control of the city while it's weak."
"The Brightlings have withdrawn most of their Pjurnan troops to Guinesea and beyond," Elyssa said. "Kohval and Meera must realize that without the Brightling threat, they're free to move their own troops."
With no defined leaders at the helm, it appeared Meera and Kohval had set their sights on a larger prize than the territories they'd guarded for so long. It seemed they wanted the whole enchilada. "Are we looking at civil war?" I asked.
"It looks likely," Thomas said. "Flava is recruiting citizens to reform the Tarissan Legion, but the friction between them and some of the factions from Eden are causing problems."
Hints of trouble between our people and the natives had surfaced even before we left. "Let me guess—the vampires."
"Yes, but also the lycans and felycans," Thomas said. "They insist on hunting animals for food which is something the locals despise."
Elyssa grimaced. "How bad is the friction?"
"Even though the hunting has been done outside of the city, there have been protests." Thomas grunted. "If they can't get past these differences, we may have to abandon the city."
"Abandon it?" My jaw went slack. "Why?"
"I won't place our army between Meera and Kohval," he said sternly. "Our obligation to unify Seraphina hinges on Darkling unity. So far they've done the exact opposite."
"In other words," I said, "we liberated Pjurna from one dictator only to open it up to two wannabes."
"I want to go back to Eden," Elyssa said. "It wasn't supposed to be like this."
"Even if the Alabaster Arch on Kdosh worked, I think leaving Seraphina in this state would be a bad idea," Thomas said. "Kaelissa's power play is the most dangerous right now. Meanwhile, we may have to let Meera and Kohval fight over who controls Pjurna. If you don't stop Kaelissa fro
m reaching Voltis, she'll be able to march over the bodies left from the Darkling civil war and wrest control from the weakened victor."
"We'll have a unified Seraphina, but under the wrong ruler," Elyssa said. "Kaelissa will pick up where her daughter left off and, once she figures out how to repair the arches, invade Eden."
"Precisely." The static in the background grew louder, drowning out whatever Thomas said next and then the comm link went quiet.
"Dad?" Elyssa let a few beats pass and shook her head. "I guess we lost him."
"I'm here." Thomas's calm but unexpected reply made me flinch in surprise. "The Mzodi allowed me to use one of their amplification gems. Before I lose you again, debrief me on what happened after I left you."
Elyssa quickly and efficiently summed up our recent experiences.
"Bloodstones," Thomas murmured. "This doesn't bode well."
"I have a feeling if we don't stop Kaelissa, Kohval, and Meera, we'd better find a nice remote part of Seraphina to settle in." I blew out a breath. "This is not how I envisioned things at all."
"I'm scheduled to meet with Xalara tomorrow morning," Thomas said. "I suspect she'll tell me if the Yalaran was successful in its diplomatic mission with the Brightlings."
"Why do you think Kaelissa wants three bloodstones?" I asked.
Thomas remained quiet for a moment before answering. "Your guess about controlling a new Trivectus is a good theory, but it's also just as likely she has bigger fish in mind."
I struggled to think of anyone. "Like whom?"
"You, for example," he said grimly. "If she wants a weapon to help her take power, you'd be a good target. She might also consider me since I control the Eden Legion."
The thought of losing my mind like that sent spiders crawling down my spine. "I need to know more about how bloodstones work and if the effects can be reversed."
"I'll also put a contingency plan in place in case I'm compromised," Thomas said. "If you're compromised, then we're all in trouble."
Elyssa's worried eyes met mine. "Should we abort the mission to Voltis and come back to Tarissa?"