Crystal Caged (Air Awakens: Vortex Chronicles Book 5)

by Elise Kova

  “Know I won’t hesitate to gut you and tip you over the railing should you betray us.”

  “Noted. Now tell me what we’re doing.”

  “We need to make some special deliveries into the South. Henrietta—you met her last night—is going to help us with that.” The Southerner with the scar over her eye.

  “What kind of deliveries?”

  “You don’t need to know that.”

  “Are we still docking in Oparium?”

  “Yes.”

  “Will Henrietta be part of our crew?”

  “In a matter of speaking. We’ll pick up some new crew members that are specially trained for this work.” Vi opened her mouth for another inquiry but Cole interrupted her. “That’s all you need to know for now. Do as you’re told. Keep your head down and your mouth shut.” Vi physically shut her mouth on the recommendation. “Good. We set sail with our new crew tomorrow.”

  Vi watched Cole descend to the main deck amid the steady flow of departing sailors. Twintle was clearly up to something. The question was… what? And, more importantly, was Henrietta working for Adela?

  Every time Vi laid eyes on Oparium, her heart fluttered to the point of breathlessness. She’d made five runs now with the Lady Black, working with Henrietta and her crew.

  Henrietta turned out to be the captain of a small smuggling operation that was now under Twintle’s employ. A day before the Lady Black reached Oparium, they’d drop anchor in the sheltered cliffs of the southern mountains and meet up with Henrietta and her crew. Vi and the rest would connect the two vessels by a few precarious planks and carefully offload heavy crates of Western rubies onto Henrietta’s boat.

  Henrietta would then sneak the crates of rubies into the South through some secret dock to avoid taxes and questions raised about where they were going. Judging from the rumors Taavin and Deneya had heard, Henrietta was using Waterrunners to illusion her ship to look like the Stormfrost. No one in town wanted to investigate a ghostly-looking vessel that might belong to the infamous Adela.

  But where the rubies came from, what the money from their sales was going toward, who was buying them, and whether Henrietta was actually in league with Adela were all things Vi had yet to find out. Despite having so many unanswered questions, every time she returned to Oparium, she did so with optimism… and excitement.

  Taavin, Taavin, Taavin, every pulse whispered. Vi paused at the deck rail, watching the city come into focus through the early morning fog. She knew he’d be waiting at the docks for her. Sometimes Deneya was there, sometimes not.

  But as the ship neared port, Vi knew immediately that something was wrong. A host of city soldiers were lined up, waiting where the Lady Black usually tied off her ropes. Vi, along with the rest of the crew, regarded each other skeptically. No one said anything until Cole was on deck, staring down at the portmaster and the head of the city guard.

  “What’s the meaning of this?” Cole asked.

  “Your ship is temporarily embargoed,” the head of the guard announced.

  “Under what cause?”

  “We have reason to believe you’re not accurately representing your goods,” the portmaster said meekly.

  Cole scoffed. “Your men inspect our goods every time.”

  “This time the city guard will do it,” the head guard said, taking control of the situation once more. “No one on or off the ship until my men have time to go through every box and bag in your hull.”

  “Be my guest. I’ll lower the gangplank now.”

  “Unfortunately, I can’t spare you the men now.” The head guard smirked.

  He couldn’t spare the men? But he had a whole score of them lined up for their arrival. Typical power play.

  “When do you think you can spare them?” Cole ground out.

  “We’ll see.” Yes, the city guard was toying with them, no doubt ensuring that they would be punished regardless of whether or not they were found guilty.

  She swept her eyes over the docks, looking for Taavin, as the head guard appointed someone to watch their ship day and night. Taavin and Deneya likely knew what was going on, and the real meaning behind this holdup. She just had to get to them.

  Vi waited until nightfall. There wasn’t much to do on the ship, and it was hard to slip away from the crew unnoticed. She made the excuse of a trip to the latrine. When she was there, she uttered “durroe watt radia,” then slipped out the next time a sailor opened the latrine door.

  She’d been practicing her Lightspinning. Vi couldn’t shake the feeling since making a body for Taavin that she had been given permission to challenge the conventions of how the magic worked. Nothing seemed impossible anymore—not even moving while invisible, without any kind of distortion. It still wasn’t perfect. But with more power, perhaps it could be.

  Perhaps with the scythe…

  Padding lightly on the main deck, Vi headed for a spot she’d identified earlier, where the crates stacked on the docks were high enough for her to jump. She listened to the creaking of the ship, memorizing the patterns the waves made. During one loud groan of the vessel, when no one was looking, Vi jumped off. She left a rope right at the deck’s edge that she could push down with kot sorre later to get back aboard.

  “Durroe watt ivin,” she whispered quickly, replacing one glyph for another. Vi slipped into the second skin of a Southerner, and made her way through the city to the one-room abode Deneya and Taavin still occupied.

  Vi didn’t even bother knocking.

  “What the—”

  “It’s me.” Vi closed the door, relaxing her illusion.

  “See, told you she’d make it.” Deneya gave Taavin a look of triumph. “And you were worried.”

  “We were just discussing how we’d break you out,” Taavin said, standing. He crossed over to her and, without hesitation, enveloped her in his arms. “I was worried I wouldn’t get to see you this time.”

  “If the world itself being rebuilt couldn’t keep me from you, nothing will.” Vi held him tightly and sneaked in a kiss before they broke apart. “But what’s going on in the city? They’ve finally decided to investigate all the pirate talk?”

  “The rumors of Adela have gotten worse,” Deneya said. “Henrietta is getting bold or sloppy, but sightings of her vessel have increased and it’s roused all kinds of suspicion.”

  “Too bad it’s not actually Adela,” Vi muttered.

  “First time I’ve ever heard someone say that.” Deneya snorted with amusement. “Any confirmation if Henrietta is actually working for Adela?”

  Vi shook her head. “Though I’m beginning to wonder if her ability to masquerade her ship as the Stormfrost without Adela coming to put an end to it is proof enough.”

  “Adela could be on the other side of the world. She might not even know.”

  “There have been some other developments since you were last here,” Taavin said. “Notably, the prince has come to town and things seem to be escalating swiftly with his presence.”

  “Again? He came last summer and nothing changed.” Vi didn’t need to ask which prince. According to all rumors, Aldrik had grown to be a harsh man, shaped by the cards Vi had dealt him with her own hands. Only Baldair left the capital with any regularity.

  “There’s been a murder on the royal estate during one of his infamous parties,” Deneya picked up the explanation. “He’s now looking into the Adela rumors as a result.”

  “What made him link the murder to Adela? Or Henrietta?”

  “According to talk on the town, the murdered woman had the mark of Adela carved into her dead body,” Deneya said grimly.

  “Henrietta’s getting greedy,” Vi muttered. All good things had to come to an end, especially when those good things involved smugglers teaming up with traitors. Despite what was claimed, there was never honor among thieves. “Do you think Henrietta has a lead on Adela’s treasure?”

  “I don’t see how she couldn’t. She’s been docking in the Caverns and using their tunnels for ov
er a year.”

  Vi folded her arms, a scowl on her lips. She’d hated the feeling of stagnancy for years. It was becoming harder and harder not to just rush in and smoke out the smuggling rats with her own flames.

  “I take it you still haven’t made much progress investigating the tunnels with them there?”

  “We’ve had to be cautious,” Taavin said grimly. “We don’t want to disrupt fate too much.”

  Vi barely resisted screaming.

  “But we did find something,” Deneya said hastily, as if sensing her agitation.

  “What?” Vi asked eagerly.

  “It’ll likely be easier if we showed you.”

  They each donned an illusion, stepping into the skin of a Southerner so as not to stand out. The three traveled down the winding staircases that descended to a rocky beach not far from the port. From there, they went north, until the beach was nothing more than a narrow line of rocks where the waves ended. Soon, there wasn’t a path anymore, and large boulders blocked their progression. The stone was slick with sea spray and it made the going slow.

  Eventually, they came to a narrow pebble beach, and Deneya took the lead. The cliffs had completely hidden the town from view. Vi followed along to a point where the sea flowed in to a giant cavern.

  “We’ve seen a ship go in and out of here—judging from your description, and those of the other sailors in town, likely Henrietta’s.”

  “You couldn’t investigate the caves anymore, so you investigated the cliffs,” Vi said aloud as it dawned on her. “That’s brilliant.”

  “This isn’t even the most interesting bit.” Taavin stopped at the water’s edge. “We’ll get wet from here on.”

  They swam across the deep channel—definitely deep enough for Henrietta’s smuggling vessel—to the rocky beach on the other side. From there, they continued walking, climbing, and scrambling across boulders and cliff faces that had long ago fallen into the sea. There were a few other channels they had to swim across, and just when Vi was about to suggest they just tell her rather than show her whatever it was they were bringing her to, the roar of water could be heard.

  “What’s that?”

  “What we want to show you.” Deneya walked ahead this time.

  “About a month ago, we came across this.” Taavin pointed.

  They stopped at another opening in the cliffs. Water roared out of the mouth of a cave in giant splashes, foaming with white, and racing to the sea. All of the other openings had water flowing in from the ocean. But this one was like a giant spigot someone had long forgotten to turn off.

  “Some kind of spring, or waterfall created by mountain run-off?”

  “We thought that too since the water is icy and fresh,” Deneya said.

  “But look closer.” Taavin pointed to something wedged between the rocks just under the water’s surface. It was a speck of gold, shining in the moonlight.

  Vi crossed over and knelt down. Reaching into the chilly water, she retrieved a coin from where it had been stuck for what appeared to be a long time, judging by its worn surface. Vi flipped it over in her fingers, summoning a mote of flame to see by. On the side of the coin that had not been blasted by water for years, an imprint was still legible.

  “Solaris,” she murmured. But this was not a coin used by the Solaris Empire. “The Kingdom of Solaris.” Vi stood. Now that she knew what to look for, dozens more flashes of gold illuminated the night. “Then this means…” She turned her gaze back toward the sheer rocks. Vi could think of only one way ancient treasure would be collecting here—Adela’s stolen gold was somewhere close. The treasure, and the crystal crown, had never left the Dark Isle. “We should go into the caves tonight.”

  “I wanted to when we found it a month ago. He wanted to wait for you.” Deneya gave Taavin a look. Vi’s attention went to the man as well.

  “You didn’t need to do that.”

  “You are the Champion. It is your right to find and protect the crystal weapons.” The sentiment was sweet, even if it made Vi tremble with agitation.

  “Then we go now.”

  “Henrietta’s crew will be docked in the caves. It’s not safe to go through them now. We could risk altering something in the flow of fate that would result in a new Champion not being born.”

  “I am the flow of fate!” The words burst from her with a ferocity Vi didn’t know she possessed. Taavin and Deneya both gaped at her. Vi pushed slick strands of hair from her face, fighting to compose herself. “We are trying to stop the world from ending. This is it; this is our chance. We get the crown now—we know where it is. Even if we change things, we will have all we need to stop the world from ending. All of the other crystal weapons are waiting for us. A new Champion doesn’t need to be reborn.”

  “And if you fail?” Taavin stepped forward.

  “I won’t.”

  “If you do?” he repeated. “Are you ready to condemn every man and woman on this earth to death? Are you prepared to know that you alone were responsible for the end of light and life? Are you ready to usher in an age of darkness from where there is no return?”

  “Taavin, that’s enough,” Deneya said gently. But Taavin didn’t back down. He continued to lock eyes with her in an outright challenge.

  “I won’t fail,” she repeated, though her voice was weaker than it had been a moment before.

  “Guarantee me you won’t,” Taavin demanded. Vi was silent. It was a promise she couldn’t make. “Guarantee it!” His voice echoed off the cliffs, briefly overpowering the waves.

  Another shout of frustration struggled to rise from her throat. All Vi let escape was a meek, “I can’t.”

  “Then we do as I say.” Taavin put his back to her and stalked away.

  Vi glared at his back, her eyes burning with frustrated tears. What was the point? She wanted to ask. What was the point of any of it if they weren’t willing to take risks?

  Clearly, she didn’t have an answer. She fell into step behind him, and didn’t speak another word about the crown.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Vi should be exhausted. After being up half the night and sneaking back onto the Lady Black, she’d only managed a few hours of shuteye. But she was up and tending to her duties, more alert than ever.

  Her spat with Taavin was still mostly unresolved. At least, it felt unresolved. They hadn’t spoken for the rest of the night.

  Vi finished swabbing the deck and looked out to the cliffs. The crown was there. It had to be. She took a deep breath. One more week, and the Lady Black would leave without her. She would go get the crown, and then… What?

  Her path forward seemed murky and uncertain. Taavin was the only person in the world who could shake her like this.

  “Drop the rope ladder!” the guard on the deck called up, distracting her from her thoughts.

  Another of her shipmates looked at her and Vi gave him a nod, a non-verbal, I got this. Hopefully this would be the head of the city guard here to make his check. He would find out that everything matched up, since the Lady Black’s illegal cargo had been offloaded days ago.

  She crossed over to the railing, adjusting her braids to look over at who was coming to call. All the air in the world vanished.

  Three men stared up at her: the young prince Baldair, Erion Le’Dan, and a familiar set of dark eyes that Vi would have known anywhere. She knew them as well as her father’s because another version of this man, in a lost world, had been like her father. Tears stung her eyes as emotions bubbled up that Vi couldn’t contain.

  Jax.

  “Don’t just gawk, girl. This is an Imperial prince who’s waiting on you,” the guard scolded, jostling Vi from her shock. She knelt down and tossed the rope ladder over the side of the ship.

  Vi rushed over to Cole’s cabin. “Prince Baldair is here,” she said hastily.

  “What the—oh, by the Mother’s love,” he grumbled. “All right you lot, all hands on deck,” Cole commanded. The crew lined up in their usual places for greeti
ng Twintle.

  Vi fidgeted as the three men tipped over the railing, landing on the deck with small bounces. She forced herself to stay still, pushing her emotions away.

  “They sent a prince to inspect my goods?” Cole tilted his head to the side.

  “It should be an honor to have the attention of an Imperial prince,” Erion retorted. Even though Vi had only met his father briefly in Norin, she could see so much of Richard Le’Dan in him. But his blue eyes were that of a Southerner. She’d told Richard he’d learn to love the South. It looked like she’d been right.

  “Oh, I’m honored. I just don’t want to waste your time.” Cole chuckled and spread out his arms. “I’m Captain Dower, and it’s a pleasure to meet you, Prince Baldair. Let’s settle this matter behind us. My cabin is this way. I’ll let you review my logs and written inventory, complete with signatures all the way from Norin.”

  “My prince,” Erion started as Cole was leading them to the cabin. “May I propose we go with the good captain while Jax goes directly to the hold? We can check at the same time.”

  “Good suggestion,” Cole said, knowing he had nothing to hide.

  “I leave it to you.” Baldair passed the papers he was holding to Jax.

  “Jax?” Cole stroked his scruff thoughtfully. “Unique name, that. I heard of a man named Jax a few years back. Did something monstrous, somehow didn’t lose his head, and became a dog of the crown instead.”

  Vi bit the inside of her cheek. She saw the flash of hurt in Jax’s eyes at the horrible brand he couldn’t escape, not even in the South. Yet he grinned, pushing the pain away and pulling a mask in place.

  This was certainly the start of the man she’d known as her uncle. But he was rougher, less polished and confident.

  “You caught me! Though you’re a little late, as the crown got me first.”

  “This matter has long been decided and need not to be discussed further,” Baldair said with a firm tone.

  “I don’t know if I want such a man—”

  “If Jax isn’t endeared to you, you only have yourself to blame,” the prince said sharply. Vi barely resisted cheering. “I trust Jax to do the right thing more than any other guard in this city.”