Crystal Caged (Air Awakens: Vortex Chronicles Book 5)

by Elise Kova

  The other soldier snapped into action, running from the tent and shouting, “Horses! Get Baston and five more mounts!”

  As they emerged, six horses were trotting over, already saddled and ready to ride. War made people prepared to move at all times.

  The soldiers helped Vi and Taavin hoist Aldrik into his saddle. They tied him to the saddle and packed healing herbs into his wound, bandaging it. Deneya was one of the women quickly stocking their mounts.

  “I’ll sneak off and head west,” she whispered hastily. “I’ll grab the crown from our place and meet you south.”

  “Thank you.” Vi squeezed her hand.

  “I’m ready to be out of here.” Deneya followed Vi over to one of the other mounts. “You need to go. The prince doesn’t look good,” she said, louder.

  “The Minister of Sorcery will be able to extract the poison from his blood,” Vi declared to those assembled as she mounted one of the horses without permission.

  “Who in the Mother’s name do you think you are?” Some major Vi didn’t recognize balked at her and Taavin as they saddled up. “Those are my—”

  “There’s no time!” Vi shouted and snapped her reins. As she passed the large, familiar black horse Aldrik was riding, she gave it a light smack on its rear.

  The mount’s dark eyes met hers and Vi could’ve sworn she saw recognition there. He might be called by another name now, but Vi would know Prism anywhere. The beast followed closely behind her.

  Four soldiers, Taavin included, took up the rear as they began to race across the continent.

  The North was a blur. The Waste even more so. The party stopped at the Crossroads, briefly, demanding fresh horses for the non-warstriders among them, food, and clean bandages for the prince. Two soldiers threw around the idea of staying and sending for Western healers, but Vi overruled that decision. Just when the debate grew heated, Aldrik gained enough clarity to side with her. She wasn’t sure if it was Yargen helping her in that moment, but Vi said a quiet thank you to the goddess anyway as they set out once more.

  Hooves thundering on the Great Imperial Way filled her ears. The noise was monotonous and deafening, and the only sound any of them could hear. When they left Shaldan, they had all been too panicked for small talk. Now, they were all too exhausted.

  Sweat rolled down her neck, plastering her clothing to her skin underneath her armor. The heat of the desert made the appearance of the Southern treeline in the distance a welcome sight. She was even grateful for the storm clouds on the horizon. The idea of rain was a balm to her sun-beaten cheeks.

  She was such a fool.

  Rain pounded down around them nearly non-stop after they entered the forests. Tiny rivers ran around the horses’ hooves and down the road. She went from constantly wiping sweat out of her eyes to blinking away rainwater.

  A yell distracted her from her riding trance. Vi looked over her shoulder in a panic. A horse was down, its rider shouting curse words as his leg was pinned under it.

  “You’re not far.” One of the other soldiers riding a standard mount pulled on his reins, rounding back to the other man. “You three go on ahead. Get the prince there. It’s a miracle he’s held on for this long,” the woman shouted over the rain.

  “You heard her, let’s go!” Vi kicked her horse’s heaving sides to force it up the steep incline toward the Capital.

  Horns trumpeted off every wall. The sound echoed around them all the way to the palace. Vi followed the calls to a side wall where two large doors were opening.

  Palace servants rushed to meet them. They went immediately for Aldrik, who nearly fell into their waiting arms the second he was untied. Vi dismounted and her knees bit into the stone of the Imperial Palace as she slipped and lost her footing.

  “Soldiers, report!” A man rushed out to meet them. Vi blinked up at him and then, with the help of her horse, stood.

  “The crown prince has been poisoned. Fetch the Minister of Sorcery. Have every cleric help him.” It was more of a command than a report.

  “We couldn’t identify the poison, but the Imperial library will have the answer,” Taavin interjected from her side. He looked as wobbly as she was. But his head was clear enough not to forget the most important part. “Have the library staff summoned to look up information on Northern poisons—poisons in general. Anything will help, just get every library apprentice on the task.”

  “With haste.” Luckily, the guard on duty didn’t seem to mind their barked orders, or at the very least he understood where they came from. “Marcus, help them inside. I’ll go to the clerics.”

  “Sir!” Another soldier saluted and then guided them into the palace. The four of them entered through a side receiving room, shivering and soaked to the bone. Vi looked over her shoulder, staring at the door Aldrik was taken through. “I’ll take your full report later. For now, let me find you food and some warm clothes.”

  “That’d be much appreciated,” their companion said through chattering teeth.

  “I’m going off to the toilet,” Vi declared.

  “Me too,” Taavin said eagerly. Perhaps a little too eagerly. It had been a long ride, so Vi hoped his enthusiasm wasn’t conspicuous.

  As they left, their companion told Marcus about the soldiers they left behind on the road. Vi closed the door firmly behind her and started through a tunnel that connected to another large hallway. Voices could be heard behind several doors and Vi paused, looking to Taavin.

  “What now?”

  “We’ve done all we need to.”

  Vi leaned against the wall, scrutinizing him. “We went to war. We raced across the continent, keeping him alive—not healing him, to get back here and do… nothing.”

  “The magical Bond your parents form is a stone in the river.”

  “A Bond…” Vi murmured. Bonds were legendary things—two sorcerers whose lives were wholly intertwined in such a profound way that they could never do harm to one another. A Bond could even keep one sorcerer alive while the other was mortally wounded. “I suppose something that powerful would be a stone in the river.”

  “Even knowing it was a stone—or, believing it is—I was worried there. Things are changing and I admit to wondering if Aldrik could actually die.”

  “I don’t like that thought.” Vi pushed her soaking hair away from her face, slicking it back. “I’d always assumed Aldrik and Vhalla’s lives were stones in the river.”

  “As have I,” Taavin said hastily. “But uncharted territory has my nerves aflame.”

  Vi nodded, looking in the direction where commotion echoed in the hall. “Should we go oversee things?”

  “I don’t think we should risk it. He’s here and the library staff has been summoned. It’s best not to muddle fate further with our presence.”

  “Then our focus becomes finding and replacing the crown.” Vi pushed off the wall and began to wander aimlessly away from the voices and commotion as she focused on their new task. Taavin followed her into narrow and narrower corridors. Her mind was leading her in a specific direction, some map or blueprint in the far recesses telling her where to go. Vi trusted her subconscious self.

  “That will be work for the morning,” Taavin said eventually.

  “What do we do tonight?”

  “Whatever we want.” Taavin took a step closer to her, wrapping an arm around her waist. “You’re a hard woman to get alone these days.”

  Laughter sprang forth, tired and airy. “All this was a long ploy to get me alone, Taavin?”

  “I’ll say it was worth it.” Two strong arms closed around her. In one deft motion, Taavin hoisted her upward. Vi immediately sank into the cradle of his arms, resting her head against his shoulder limply.

  “You seem happy,” she murmured.

  “No. Just relieved.” He pressed his lips against her forehead. “Where are we headed?”

  “I don’t know,” she murmured. “Somewhere quiet.” Sure enough, they’d ended up in the bowels of the palace, deep enough tha
t no sorcerers even maintained the candles or torches on the walls.

  “I think you’ve achieved that.” Taavin paused at an open doorway. A dust-covered bed stood stubbornly against time. “Does this look good to you?”

  She hummed as she assessed their option. Vi murmured “Kot sorre” and pushed the dust from the bed with a glyph that also bunched the threadbare blanket. “Better.”

  “Good.” Taavin carried her to the bed and laid her down. Vi caught his shirt as he pulled away. She used what strength she still had left in her to yank him forward. Taavin stumbled, catching himself with a hand on the pillow by her head. Dust filled her nose, nearly making her cough, but Vi suppressed it as his lips met hers.

  She would not allow anything to break this kiss.

  His fingertips smoothed over her cheek and, despite the exhaustion he must be feeling too, he kissed her hungrily. His tongue probed hers gently, eliciting a soft sigh from her. When he finally pulled away, he stayed close enough for their noses to touch.

  “Thank you,” Vi whispered. She wanted to get the words out before sleep claimed her. “Thank you for being here no matter what.”

  “There’s nowhere else, no time else, I would ever want to be.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Taavin’s arms were tucked around her, enveloping her in a cocoon of warmth. Vi shifted in an attempt to nestle farther back into him. His body curled around her back and his breath tickled her ear lightly.

  The halls were quiet. It was as if there wasn’t another soul in the entire palace—as if this space they had found was out of time itself. She trailed her fingers along his forearm to his hand. Even in sleep, he laced his fingers with hers.

  “Good morning,” Taavin whispered in her ear, his voice husky and low. She closed her eyes to savor the sound.

  “Good morning.”

  “How did you sleep?”

  “Like the dead.”

  “I’m glad you came back to life for me, then.” He chuckled and it reverberated through her own ribcage.

  She twisted to face him. “I’d never not come back for you.”

  He leaned forward, nuzzling her nose with his, before planting a sweet kiss on her lips. It was too brief, and an embarrassing whimper escaped her as he pulled away. He let out another chuckle and leaned forward again to claim her mouth. His arms tightened, and they remained locked in this embrace as the minutes—it could’ve been hours, even—slipped away.

  Taavin kissed her fiercely. He twisted, bringing his weight atop her. Vi sank further into the mattress.

  Her world was him—his exploring hands, his hungry kisses, and his ragged breaths. He didn’t have to say anything else. She knew. She could taste it on his mouth. She could feel it in the way his fingers caressed her.

  The day slipped away from them. Dusk settled on their sweat-glistened skin as it winked through the narrow window that ran along the wall above the bed. A beam of gold elongated along their feet as they lay, entwined and breathless.

  “It had been too long since we had a moment alone,” Taavin murmured, kissing her forehead.

  “Yes, well, we’ve been busy. War will do that,” Vi said with a smile.

  “I never thought I’d say this, but I miss the Twilight Kingdom.”

  Vi laughed. “It was peaceful there.”

  “When you weren’t studying the shift in secret.” His tone had a disapproving edge, but it was just playful enough to let her know the affront had long since been forgiven.

  “Admit it, you’re glad I did.”

  “It makes things convenient,” he grumbled, and kissed her anyway.

  “Speaking of the shift… Deneya will be here soon. We have to start looking for the crown.”

  “That’s tomorrow’s problem.” He shifted atop her again. “Tonight, you’re mine.”

  Tomorrow’s problems promptly became today’s.

  Taavin went to hunt through the records in the Tower of Sorcerers for any mention of the crown being discovered. Vi navigated the depths of the castle and back up into the servants’ quarters. There, she lifted three sets of uniforms from a supply closet while no one was looking, and took them back to the hideaway she and Taavin were using.

  He was still gone, so Vi changed alone and returned through the hidden passageways and servants’ halls to get to the royal quarters. Neither of the guards positioned on either side of the golden gate stopped her as she made her way quietly past them. Pitcher in hand and pale blue tabard over her shoulders, she looked like any of the other servants coming and going to attend the needs of royals.

  A short hall after the gates opened up into a large atrium. Vi’s feet slowed as she crossed the tiled floor. She came to a full stop, staring in awe. The fact that she was supposed to be a servant who had traversed these rooms countless times was lost for a long moment and she shamelessly gawked, taking in the sight.

  A stained-glass dome with the sun at its apex washed the mosaic of the palace set into the floor in a myriad of colors. The dome contained the Dark Isle, Barrier Islands, and Meru off to the side.

  Her eyes followed a golden staircase back down to the main floor. Two hallways stretched out on either side. Vi imagined Romulin running up and down these halls to let out energy. No… that was what she would’ve done, had she grown up here. Romulin no doubt spent a good portion of his time in his room, or a sitting area, quietly studying like the golden child he was.

  Now having met Baldair, she could see what everyone had said about her brother inheriting some of his features and charm. But there was still a good deal of Aldrik and Vhalla in him as well. Romulin had been a healthy mix of the family—the best of them, in Vi’s eyes.

  Her eyes stung, watering suddenly.

  Turning away from the atrium, Vi headed left down a long corridor lined with doors. She was drowning in emotions she wasn’t expecting, and her body was trying to let them out through her eyes. Vi picked one of the doors at random and gave it a knock.

  When no one answered, she cracked it open, murmuring a soft, “Excuse me?” The room was empty, likely reserved for esteemed guests or extended family. Most of the furniture was covered in drop-cloths, dust weighting them down.

  She stepped back out of the room and moved on to the next. One by one, Vi crossed the doors in the hall, finding them all empty. Most were bedrooms, but there were handful of sitting rooms, offices, and a dining room interspersed throughout. Vi crossed back through the atrium, ignoring the staircase for the time being—as it surely led to the royal chambers—and headed down the other wing.

  There were fewer doors here and they were spread wider apart. As Vi roamed down the hall, a cleric emerged from one near the end. His eyes met hers.

  “Oh good, perfect, thank you.” He quickly made his way to her, taking the pitcher from her hands.

  “Yes, of course.” Vi passed it to him. “The prince—is he all right?” she asked hastily.

  “He is, thank the Mother.” Vi didn’t have to feign her sigh of relief. The Bond must’ve been formed. “It’s been a miraculous recovery, a true blessing. Now, excuse me.” The man immediately returned to the room from which he’d come.

  That must be Aldrik’s room. Vi turned to the door at her right. If the one to her left was Aldrik’s, then…

  Sure enough, she had found Prince Baldair’s quarters. Vi stepped inside and locked the door behind her. The younger prince was still out at the front and wasn’t due back for some time.

  The main room was clearly set up for entertaining. A dining table was situated by the window, covered in a drab cloth. Between it and the door was a gaming area, complete with a billiards table and bar. The outlines of sofas and loveseats made up a sitting area.

  Walking through the door at her right, Vi found the prince’s bedroom. The four-poster bed was bare and the air was stale. The bedroom connected through a dressing room to a bathroom that had two doors, the second leading her back into the main room.

  “Was this where you lived, Romulin?�
�� Vi murmured, running her fingers lightly along the tabletop as she walked by the window. Had he been given this room as the younger son? Or had he taken what was currently Aldrik’s room, since he’d been the royal child who was actually present?

  Vi drew her attention inward, trying to imagine herself returning home to this room. She would’ve been happy enough, she supposed. At least, she thought the girl she had been would’ve found joy in this place.

  This was not her world, and the emotions attaching her to the people and places in it became more and more like the tarp-covered furniture by the day—covered, unused, dusty.

  “To work,” Vi said, refocusing herself.

  She started in the prince’s bedroom, searching the most obvious places first. Vi crawled under the bed, feeling underneath the platform for any hidden compartments. She lifted the mattress, double-checking that there wasn’t enough room for something like the crown to be hidden underneath.

  Next, she checked behind the headboard and explored the mantel around the fireplace. She ran her fingers over the embellishments and carvings, pressing and pulling. Her fingers hooked on a small lever, hidden by a raised section of trim. She pulled, and there was a soft click to her right.

  One of the built-in bookcases sighed as Vi pulled it away from the wall, revealing a narrow passageway that ran behind the bookcases to the chimney. It was certainly a hiding place for the prince—judging by the racy literature and sentimental tokens dutifully stored within.

  But the crown wasn’t there.

  Vi placed everything back exactly as she found it and closed the hidden passage. She continued her sweep of the bedroom before moving on to the dressing room. All the while, Vi tapped the floor with the toe of her shoe, listening for fake boards.

  Most of the prince’s clothes had been packed away when he left for war, which made scouring the shelves easy. Vi found two other secret compartments built in false bottoms of the shelves. One had a lock of golden hair, a silver dagger, and a pile of notes. Vi promptly closed the compartment out of privacy, suspecting the hair to be Raylynn’s.