Halcyon Rising

by Diana Bold

  He sat back, putting the precious object carefully on the bed beside him. “You know me well,” he admitted, angry all over again at her underhanded tactics. “There is nothing I would like more than to remain in this room with you for the rest of my life, pouring over all the history and technology this thing contains. But I cannot. In fact, I do not even want to start, for fear I will not be able to stop when your father comes for me in the morning.”

  She reached out and threaded her fingers through his, squeezing tightly. “You’re such a good man,” she whispered. “Not one man in a thousand would put the needs of others above his own heart’s desire. That’s why I can’t bear to see you walk away without me.”

  “You cannot go with me, Rhoswen,” he whispered, disentangling himself from her silken hold. “You will be a distraction I cannot afford.”

  “The tunnels I told you about are real,” she promised, turning to face him with her heart in her eyes. “What if I led you to the tower, then promised to remain locked safely inside while you do whatever you need to do?”

  He wished she would stop. The temptation to take her with him grew by the moment. He was not ready to say good-bye. Not yet. “It is still far too much of a risk.”

  “I can’t stand the thought of sitting here, waiting for news, when you’re out there risking your life for me, for the people of Halcyon. I want to be close enough to know what happens to you, to Trevelan, and have the chance to say good-bye properly.”

  “We can say good-bye here, Rhoswen. In a far more comfortable, safe, manner. And does it really matter? It is still an ending. I cannot see that drawing it out will make any difference.”

  “I’ll be fine in your tower,” she assured him. “And who knows what difference a few days could make? We may find a solution to all the things that stand between us. If you leave in the morning at my father’s behest, I’ll never see you again, and I don’t think I can bear that.”

  Her words promised hope, something he had nearly given up on since he had spoken to her father. She stared up at him, her blue eyes sad and entreating.

  Did she love him? Or was all this for Trevelan’s sake? He was not sure, but he no longer had the strength to resist her.

  “All right,” he whispered, holding out his arms. “I will take you.”

  She leaned into him, burying her face against his chest, a shudder wracking her slim body. “You won’t regret this. I promise I’ll be careful. And the two of us are better off together, haven’t you figured that out yet?”

  “I am starting to,” he admitted. “God knows you certainly make everything sound easy.”

  She made a strange noise, somewhere between a laugh and a sob. “What? Did you think it would be hard to sneak back into Hawkesmere, steal your brother’s prize prisoner, and administer medicine to a group of people who think you’re a sorcerer or worse?”

  He hugged her tight, hoping he was not making the biggest mistake of his life. “Well, I doubt your father will be happy about my change in plans, so I am afraid we will have to sneak away before morning. Do you think Kaylee will give us the medicines we need?”

  “I’m certain of it.” Rhoswen stood up, giving him a brilliant smile. “I’ll contact her right away and make sure. Then all we have to worry about is how to steal one of the submersibles and disable its tracking device.”

  “Oh,” he murmured with a shake of his head. “Is that all?”

  * * *

  Rhoswen gave Kaylee a quick hug as they completed their covert transaction of antibiotics. “Thank you so much, Kaylee. I’ll never forget this.”

  “It’s my pleasure to help,” Kaylee assured her. “I never get the chance to do anything worthwhile with my skills. Sebastian’s visit has been the most exciting thing to happen to me in years.”

  Rhoswen grinned wryly. “Yeah, me too. That’s why I’m doing this.”

  Kaylee bit her lip. “Are you sure you realize the consequences of your actions? Your mother will be screaming for your head and even your father will have a hard time getting you out of trouble this time.”

  “I know. But it may be a moot point. I won’t return if Sebastian can’t come back with me. I just want to be where he is, Kay. Is that so hard to understand?”

  Kaylee smiled, though her eyes filled with tears. “Having never experienced anything even close to the love you obviously feel for this man, it is hard for me to understand. But I’ll take your word that he’s worth it. Just promise me you’ll be careful.”

  “I will be.” She gave her friend one last tremulous smile. “I’ll miss you, Kaylee.”

  “I’ll miss you, too.” With a sad little wave, Kaylee backed away and disappeared through the sick bay doors.

  Clutching the little bag of medicine, Rhoswen hurried to make her next stop, the storeroom where she and Trevelan had always kept their Surface supplies. She’d left Sebastian in her apartment with a map of the docking bay, so he could decide on the best way to steal one of the submersibles.

  At this time of night, there would only be one technician on duty, so she didn’t anticipate too much trouble, but they would need to incapacitate the technician in some way. Otherwise, an alert would be sounded, and no doubt her father would soon be hot on their tail.

  If she had her way, they would be long gone by the time anyone even noticed they had left.

  She opened the storeroom and slipped inside, grabbing lightsticks and a few lightweight but warm blankets, a couple of watertight packs, two wetsuits and a change of Surface-appropriate clothing for both of them.

  For a moment or two, she stared longingly at the array of weapons, from both the Surface and Halcyon’s ancient past, but finally decided against them. Kaylee had returned Sebastian’s sword, so they wouldn’t be completely helpless, and she didn’t want him to get caught with a weapon he couldn’t explain.

  Satisfied with what she’d accomplished, she made the trek back to her apartment, keeping in the shadows, though she ran into no one. The people of Halcyon usually kept regular hours that did not include prowling the corridors after midnight.

  When she reached her apartment, she realized she was holding her breath. Would Sebastian still be there? Perhaps his complicity had merely been a way of getting rid of her, so he could escape on his own. Maybe he had changed his mind and realized he did not want to take her with him.

  She was still stunned that she’d managed to sway him, and could only hope that meant he was as reluctant to part from her as she was from him. He cared for her, she had no doubt about that, though she thought he had somewhat less confidence in her own feelings for him.

  Her relationship with Trevelan bothered him, and she wished there was some other way to ensure Trevelan’s escape. She hated to ask Sebastian to risk his life once again for something she had done, but could see no other way; she couldn’t bear to leave Trevelan to his captivity even one more day.

  Sometimes she feared they wouldn’t make it in time, but whenever the thought crossed her mind, she did her best to ignore it. She refused to believe her actions had brought about Trevelan’s death.

  By the time she reached her apartment, she’d worked herself into a frenzy of new worry. To her relief she found Sebastian bent over her small dining table, pouring over the maps of Halcyon.

  When she entered, he glanced up and smiled. “This city is an amazing feat of engineering. You were right. I never would have believed such a thing possible if I had not seen it with my own eyes.”

  She was so glad to see him, she could only nod weakly and deposit her supplies on the sofa. “Have you come up with a plan?”

  He shrugged. “With only one technician, I do not think it will be too difficult. I will simply bind the unlucky fellow to a chair in the control room until his replacement comes in the morning. Hopefully, by then we will be back on the Surface.”

  “That’s what I was thinking, too.”

  He gestured at the pile of supplies. “Were you able to get everything you needed?”


  “Yes, I think we’re nearly ready. Kaylee gave me plenty of antibiotics and also some written instructions on how to use them.”

  “Good. I gathered some food from your kitchen for our trip. I hope that is all right.”

  “Of course,” she assured him. “I hadn’t even thought that far ahead.”

  “Then let us get started.” He cast one last, regretful glance around her apartment, his eyes lingering on her data unit. “Best to be far away before your father wakes.”

  She nodded, trying to ignore the fact that she might never see her apartment again.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  After gathering up all their supplies and packing them securely in the waterproof packs, Sebastian and Rhoswen stole out into the corridor and made their way to the docking bay. Thankfully, no one challenged them. Though he had no doubt he could best anyone they sent against him, he did not want to use violence to make his escape.

  The people of Halcyon already wanted him gone. If he absconded in a stolen submersible with the leader’s daughter, after Oberon had already agreed to grant him safe passage, he would never be welcomed back. Still, he wanted to make things as easy as possible for Rhoswen when she returned with Trevelan.

  When they reached the control room, they found that the technician who had been left in charge for the night was a female. He recognized her as the same one who had been there when they arrived.

  “Hello, Loralei.” Rhoswen gave the girl a cheery wave, which Loralei returned, motioning them forward through the security gate.

  “Hello, Rhoswen.” Loralei turned her attention to Sebastian. She gave him an appraising glance, but seemed unsurprised to see them. “You’re looking much better than the last time I saw you. I’m glad Kaylee was able to help you.”

  “Thank you,” Sebastian told her, surprised by her friendly demeanor. He dreaded the thought of having to subdue her by force and tie her to the chair. He had never even considered that the guard might be a woman. “She is a miracle worker.”

  “Yes, she is.” Loralei gestured toward the docking bay. “Oberon told me he’d given you permission to leave, but I didn’t expect you until morning. I was also under the impression that he’d be escorting you himself.”

  Sebastian and Rhoswen exchanged a quick, elated glance, and then Rhoswen hurried to capitalize on her friend’s mistake. “There’s been a change of plans. I’ll be taking Sebastian back to the Surface myself. That’s not a problem, is it? You can call my father and clear it with him, if you’d like.”

  Loralei shook her head. “Of course not. I wouldn’t want to wake him up in the middle of the night.”

  “Did he say we were to take The Dolphin or The Whale?” Rhoswen edged toward the door that led to the docking bay, keeping her tone light and conversational.

  “He had us ready The Whale,” Loralei replied. “You should find it fueled and ready to go.”

  “Thank you so much, Loralei. We’ll be on our way, then.”

  “Have a good trip,” Loralei replied. “It was nice to meet you, Sebastian. I wish you could have stayed longer.”

  “So do I,” he replied, amazed that they were having such a stroke of luck. “My dearest thanks for having everything ready.”

  She waved again and pushed the button on the control panel that opened the door to the docking bay.

  “That was easy,” Rhoswen murmured as they pushed through the doors. Over a dozen submersible crafts were lined up in neat rows, but they headed for the largest vessel of all.

  “Too easy,” he told her, and hoped their luck held.

  Moments later, Sebastian settled himself in one of the comfortable passenger seats of Oberon’s private submersible vessel, still awed by the amazing technology of the thing. This craft was far larger and more luxurious than the one he and Rhoswen had arrived in, boasting a comfortable sleeping chamber in addition to the spacious operating cabin.

  He gazed upon the bank of knobs and instruments with fascination, trying to fathom how the thing worked. Rhoswen sat down beside him and flicked the switch that activated the docking bay’s immersion in water. As the sea came flooding in, he found himself gripping the arms of the chair, still a bit confused by how the vessel managed to sustain the crushing weight.

  Giving him an amused look, Rhoswen guided the craft away from Halcyon. “I imagine this mode of transportation can’t be very comfortable for you. You must have many questions.”

  “And I remember how comfortable you were on the back of my destrier,” Sebastian reminded her with a wry smile.

  A small grin tilted Rhoswen’s mouth. “You’re right. It’s all a matter of one’s perspective.”

  “Our worlds are very different,” Sebastian agreed. “But I like to think you and I have a bit in common.”

  “I think we have much in common,” she replied. “And our differences provide something special to our relationship, don’t you think?”

  He gave her a quick glance, wondering what she meant by that. “I hope my backward ways are not the only reason you like me.”

  “You’re not backward,” she chided softly. “And there are a lot of reasons why I like you, so many I couldn’t begin to name them all.”

  Like. God, what he wouldn’t give to hear the word love from her lips. Just once. Desperate to change the subject, he gestured at the amazing craft. “This vessel makes me wonder if it will be possible to someday send a craft into the air, to glide high above the earth from one place to another.”

  She cast him a quick, surprised glance. “I think so. In fact, I know my father would like nothing more than to experiment with a flying craft, but he fears that is not something he could keep secret from those on the Surface for long.”

  He sank back in his chair, imagining a flying machine. Until he had met her, he never would have let his imagination soar so far, but now it seemed that his mind had become something he could not control. The mechanics of how such a thing could be accomplished whirled like a dervish inside of him.

  “Is there anything to write with in this vessel?” he asked, his excitement impossible to contain.

  She waved toward the sleeping chamber. “Try the desk beside my father’s bunk,” she advised. “Why, do you have an idea?”

  “I have a hundred ideas.” He hurried toward the back of the craft and found some thin, crisp white paper and a superior writing instrument. “Tell me everything you know about how this vessel works,” he coaxed, as he sat back down beside her.

  She smiled and shook her head. “To tell you the truth, I don’t really understand it myself. I’ve never been good at engineering. But I think this will help.”

  Sliding her chair toward him, she revealed a data unit in the desk type portion of the craft that lay in front of him. Her fingers moved swiftly over the keys, then she sat back, motioning for him to take her place. “Here are detailed blueprints of The Whale, plus a history of the technology that led up to the design.”

  He gave her a cautious grin and moved in front of the screen, feeling like a child who had just been given a fantastic sweet.

  Rhoswen watched Sebastian pour over the data unit, her emotions swinging wildly between joy, sadness and a bittersweet poignancy. Again, she was struck by the thought that he had come home, that he belonged in Halcyon, and his time upon the Surface had been a dream.

  He looked so comfortable, bent over the data unit, his brow wrinkled with concentration as he scribbled busily on the piece of paper beside him. If her father could see him now, she knew he’d be pleased. Perhaps he’d finally understand why his daughter had defied all the rules for love of him.

  They were much alike, Oberon and Sebastian. In fact, she thought that if they spent any amount of time together as equals, they could achieve remarkable things.

  Suddenly, he glanced up, his cheeks flushed with embarrassed heat. “Sorry. I am not very good company, am I?”

  She waved a dismissive hand. “It’s fine. Take all the time you like. Our trip will take several more hour
s, and I enjoy watching you work.”

  He raised a brow. “Is my ineptitude so amusing?”

  “You’re not inept,” she scolded. “You’re brilliant. And I find your total immersion in your subject incredibly attractive. I could watch you forever.”

  He held her gaze for a long moment, then reached over and squeezed her hand. “It means so much to me, to have a chance to study this amazing vessel. Thank you for giving me the opportunity.”

  She held his hand for a long moment, then let him go, turning back to the control panel and setting their course for Wales. “I plan to dock The Whale further north than I did before. Near where the River Clwyd meets the Irish Sea. That should put us closer to the entrance to the caves.” Pausing, she gave him a cheeky grin. “In the meantime, I expect you to design a flying machine.”

  * * *

  Miranda woke to find afternoon sunlight streaming through the tower windows. So late. In all her life, she could never remember sleeping so late. Sighing, she burrowed deeper into the covers, which still held such pleasant warmth. Perhaps she would stay in bed all day, dreaming of Trevelan…

  Trevelan.

  Scrambling to her knees, she made a quick circuit of the room with her gaze, but he was nowhere to be found. She could find no sign that he had ever actually been there, other than the fact that she had managed to sleep through the night without waking from the cold.

  Had she imagined the whole thing? She placed a trembling hand upon her forehead, wondering if she had come down with a fever during the night. She could think of no other plausible explanation. Fanciful imaginings, while either asleep or awake, were not in her nature.