“You’ve seen that, have you?” Navan snapped bitterly.
“I couldn’t tell you even if I had.”
I put my arm around Navan’s waist. “I know you want to look after me, but I can take care of myself. I promise I’ll come back to you in one piece. I promise. Nova is here, and you are here—I wouldn’t put myself in danger if I didn’t think I could make it out again.” Not for the first time, I had the uncomfortable feeling that I was somehow at the center of the Stargazer’s “bigger picture.” I hadn’t been given any kind of vision into this mission, and none of it had anything to do with what I’d been told. With a shudder of understanding, I knew I had to be part of what the others had been gifted.
“You can’t make that kind of promise,” he said sadly. “I’d like to believe it, but you’ve got no way of knowing. Unless… unless you do have a way of knowing?” His expression was so hopeful. I hated having to disappoint him.
“I know as much as anyone else,” I replied, after a pause.
He looked crestfallen. “Who is going to lead you to the ingredients, then? You’ll have nobody with you who knows a detailed layout.”
“It’s like you said, an eye in the sky is probably our best bet. Ronad knows what he’s doing,” I comforted him.
“Plus, I think you’re forgetting something,” Bashrik said coolly.
Navan frowned. “What?”
“I designed the place.”
An hour later, we had a plan. Stone, Bashrik, Lauren, and I were going to be the ones to sneak into the palace under Ronad’s careful instruction. He had already gone to the ship and brought back earpieces for us all, fitting them neatly in our ears and testing the microphone to make sure we could hear him. In the meantime, Ronad would stay on the ship and help navigate, while Seraphina, Kaido, Angie, and Sarrask remained behind at the house. Navan and Jareth were also going to be staying at the house, listening to the feed coming from Ronad’s ship and helping wherever they could. They had preparations for the anti-elixir to worry about, but they also knew the alchemy labs better than anyone—it would be worthwhile to have them where they could hear us.
I could see that Navan was struggling with the dynamic as we prepared to leave. We’d decided to wear the flight suits again, just in case we needed to vibrate anything into submission, though I made a mental note not to let anyone use the laser cutter in case they ended up with singed hands. Lauren looked like a badass ninja in hers, and I could tell Stone approved, his eyes bugging out as he gazed at her.
“Hope ye weren’t plannin’ on any bairns, Bash,” Stone teased, drawing his attention away. “These suits’ll squish yer knackers into mush.”
Bashrik writhed in discomfort, tugging at the neck of the rubber suit. “We couldn’t have stolen a bunch of invisibility suits? It had to be these ones?”
“Aye, well, yer plums wouldn’t have fared much better in them invisibility ones neither.” Stone chuckled, making the rest of us smile. It was nice to be able to laugh through the tension of what was to come. The only face that wasn’t laughing, however, was Navan’s.
I walked over to him, taking his hand and leading him into the lounge, away from the others. With all the plants vying for space, a strange, earthy scent filled the room. Ignoring it, I slid my arms around my husband’s waist and looked up into his eyes, forcing him to look back.
“I know you don’t like this, but we have to follow Orfaio’s advice,” I said softly. “If this leads to the best possible outcome, then it will all be worth it. I know it doesn’t seem like that now, and I know you’re worried about me, but I’m a tough cookie. I’ll be okay. I just need to know that you’re going to be okay. Otherwise, I can’t set foot out that door.”
He gazed into my eyes, lifting my chin up with his fingertips. “I love you, Riley Idrax. I can’t bear the thought of anything happening to you.”
“And I love you, more than anything in the world. You and Nova are everything to me. You’re going to have to trust me on this one.”
He gave a resigned sigh. “I know I have to stay behind. It’s just eating me up inside.”
“Distract yourself with the anti-elixir,” I urged. “That might be the key to fixing this whole mess. Imagine it—a world free of constant warfare, where Nova can come and not be terrified that she’s going to get shot at or blown up. If you can’t see a bigger picture, that’s okay—I know how difficult it is to sift through Orfaio’s cryptic nonsense—but focus on her instead. Focus on her future.”
“See, that is why I love you,” he said, and my body melted into his. “You always know how to talk me down, even when I’m being a stubborn ass.”
I chuckled. “That’s because you’re always a stubborn ass.”
“Cheeky.”
I held on to him tightly, relishing the feel of his body so close to mine. I knew there wasn’t time for us to do what I had in mind, but being wrapped in his arms was almost as comforting. It was enough for now, at least.
“I’ll dive deeper into the anti-elixir research while you’re gone,” he promised, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “I’ll have to go through every memory of my apprenticeship and write down what I can recall, to see if anything jumps out at me, but there might be something I can use, buried away in this head of mine.”
I grimaced, squeezing him tighter. “I’m sorry you have to remember it all.”
“Everything we’re doing here is for a better future, right? Sometimes, that means delving into the past, to fix what is to come.” He took a faltering breath. “Besides, it’s about time I put those ghosts to rest, once and for all. They deserve to be remembered. If I can, I will spend a moment recalling each one, and seek their forgiveness in the hopes of bringing peace to Vysanthe.”
“I think that would be good, not just for you, but for them,” I said, tears pricking my eyes. He had been through so much, and done so much, in his relatively short years. The regret and the guilt weighed heavy on his strong shoulders, no matter how much he tried to convince me otherwise. Now, he might finally have a chance to start again, to make amends for all the wrongdoings in his life. Jareth was likely too far gone, but it was not too late for Navan.
“I want to create that future for our daughter,” he whispered, his hands cupping my face. I gazed up into his eyes, losing myself in the slate pools.
“You are the bravest man I know for doing this,” I murmured. “I love you so much.”
“I will always love you more.” He smiled as he dipped his head, his lips grazing mine. A ripple of explosive energy bristled through every nerve and cell as they touched, setting my body alight. I looped my arms around his neck and held on tight, our mouths moving in perfect sync, hungry and sensual. His hands slid across my spine, pulling me closer. I lost all sense of space and time, surrendering to his embrace.
In that moment, I truly believed in both of us wiping the slate of our pasts clean. This was a vision of another kind. In his arms, I got the sense that we were standing at the beginning of something incredible, he and I, our kiss feeling exactly like the first time.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“Okay, you should be at the edge of the palace walls. Nisha’s guard post isn’t far. You need to climb the walls and get down into the inner courtyard. It’s just ahead of you, on the other side of the battlements,” Ronad said, his tinny voice chiming in my ear. Bashrik, Lauren, and Stone stood beside me, Lauren’s staff strapped across her back. Bashrik was armed with a gun on each hip, while I had my bandolier across my body.
“Did you set our suits to cling to stone?” I asked.
“Affirmative.”
“Grand to feel so popular,” Stone joked.
“Okay then, looks like we’re going over this thing,” I said, steeling myself. Cautiously, the four of us approached the wall and held our palms up. With a tug, our bodies flattened to the stone façade. I had visions of us falling from the top, the suits somehow failing, but there was no time for hesitation.
Slowly,
we climbed like lizards up the side of the wall, reaching the top within a few minutes. We paused there, glancing along the battlements for any guards that might come along. Ronad hadn’t mentioned any, which I hoped meant we were safe. Scurrying along the walkway, we paused at the opposite edge. A large, shaded courtyard sat below us, just as Ronad had said. To reach it, we’d have to shimmy down the inside wall until we hit the ground.
“We can see the courtyard,” Bashrik whispered.
“Okay, just hold tight for a moment,” Ronad replied, the transmission crackling. “There’s a guard coming through the doorway to the left, below you. Let them pass, then you can climb down.”
“Are there any guards up here, on the wall?” Lauren asked.
“There are some on the walls around you, but if you keep low they won’t be able to see you.”
We crouched down, peering into the space below us. Sure enough, a figure emerged from the shadows of the cloistered courtyard, making his way across the smooth flagstones at a leisurely pace. He was dressed in the red and black of Gianne’s flag, though I couldn’t make out his badge to figure out what kind of guard he was.
Bashrik stiffened beside me, a look of panic taking hold of his face. “No way… not now.”
“What’s wrong?” I hissed.
He gestured to the man. “That’s Harko.”
The name sounded familiar.
“My brother, Harko,” he went on. “The one in weapons manufacturing. That’s him!”
I turned to look at the guy walking across the wide courtyard. There was definitely a family resemblance, now that it had been pointed out. He had the same strong features and the same imposing build as the other Idrax brothers, though there was a relaxed quality to his demeanor that made him stand out. He didn’t look much older than Navan, with a quirky mop of curly dark hair, shaved into a mohawk. I couldn’t see the color of his eyes, but the genetics were definitely there.
“Is he particularly loyal to Gianne?”
Bashrik shrugged. “He’s not the kind of person who cares much for that kind of thing. Out of all of us, he’s definitely the most easygoing. He likes weapons, women, and anything dangerous. That’s about it—the rest depends on what he feels like at any given moment. He’s always been that way.”
“Do you think he’d make a good addition to our citizen task force?”
“I might be able to convince him to join,” Bashrik replied. “We were always close as kids. When Navan was out with Ronad, Harko and I used to get up to mischief. Like I say, he loves anything dangerous. He was always divebombing off mountains and swimming in snapjaw-infested lakes. Usually to try and impress some girl, but also for his own amusement.”
“Snapjaws?” Lauren chimed in.
“Massive, prehistoric water beasts with teeth the size of saber blades,” he explained. “They swim in icy mountain lakes and sneak up on their prey. It takes a skilled swimmer to evade one. Naturally, Harko liked to push the limits. Almost lost a leg once, though he punched the beast in the eye to make it let go.”
“Sounds like a rare kind o’ lad,” Stone said, sounding impressed.
“Did you say Harko is there?” Ronad rattled in our ears.
“He’s the one in the courtyard,” Bashrik replied.
A grumble echoed through. “I’m not sure he’d be the most reliable ally.”
“Why not?” I asked.
“His attention span isn’t great,” Ronad explained. “I don’t know him as well as Navan and Bashrik, but I know enough. The guy is a total adrenaline junkie. He’d be more likely to get us in trouble, trying to do something wild, than help us out.”
Bashrik seemed unconvinced. “I don’t know… I think it might be worth a try. He might see this as the right kind of challenge, something to test his limits, if I can word it right.”
“Hey, you know him better than I do. If you think he might be good for us, go ahead.”
Harko had paused in the middle of the courtyard, sitting down on a stone bench to stretch his legs. There was a small pond in the center, those eerie skeleton fish swimming around beneath the glinting surface. He watched them closely, sliding down off the bench to shuffle up to the water’s edge. Pulling up his sleeve, he trailed his hand in the water, creating a splash to attract the fish.
“You see what I mean?” Bashrik sighed. “Those things will bite his finger off, but he doesn’t care.”
I frowned. “How can we get his attention?”
“There’s a storage room at the side of the courtyard. If you can pull him in there, you can speak in private, without anyone spotting you from the battlements,” Ronad said. “You’ll have to create a diversion or something, so you can climb down the wall and get into the cloisters before he sees you. Then, when his back is turned, you can grab him. He might not know who you are from afar, Bashrik, and the last thing we want is him calling for the guards.”
“Ye want me to freeze him?” Stone asked.
Bashrik shook his head. “We need to get him into the cloisters if we can, so nobody sees us.”
“I have an idea,” I whispered, edging closer to the wall.
Removing a knife from my bandolier, I reached back and flung it forward with all the strength in my arm. It hit the farthest side of the courtyard with a loud twang, the blade lodging in the stone. Harko whirled around at the sound, scrambling to his feet. Reaching for the pistol on his hip, he stalked toward the spot where the knife had hit home.
“Now!” I hissed. The four of us vaulted over the battlement and hurried down the interior wall. Reaching the ground, each of us blended into the shadows of the cloisters just as Harko reached the knife. Leading the way, Bashrik stalked toward his brother, keeping to the darkness. I had hit the wall closest to the cloistered walkway, giving us the right kind of cover to jump out and grab him. There were pillars we could hide behind, the very last one barely a foot from where Harko stood, studying the blade. Behind me, Lauren stayed by the storage room door, holding it open.
Tucking himself behind that last pillar, Bashrik waited a second before lunging at his brother. The two men wrestled, and Bashrik clamped his hand down on Harko’s mouth, stopping him from calling out. Sprinting to Bashrik’s aid, I turned Harko’s wrist using an Aksavdo move and yanked the gun from his hand, shoving it into the belt of my bandolier. With Stone’s help, the three of us hauled the feisty coldblood toward the storage room and bundled him inside. He definitely had the Idrax strength, and all of us were panting heavily by the time we got him into the room. Before the door could close, I darted back out and took the knife from the wall, not wanting to leave any evidence behind.
Automatic lights blinked on, illuminating the storage room with a sickly yellow glow. Stone removed his bandana, freezing Harko in place as Bashrik released him. The coldblood looked surprised, his eyes glinting with recognition once Bashrik was standing in front of him.
“Sorry to have to do this to you, Brother,” he said, “but if you make a sound or call for any guards, I’m going to have to get my friend here to freeze you again. Blink twice if you understand.”
Harko blinked twice.
Bashrik nodded to Stone. “You can let him go.”
“Bash, you renegade!” Harko whooped happily, when Stone released him.
“Not so loud!” Bashrik hissed.
Harko grinned. “Sorry, bro, I’m just majorly hyped to see you again. Rask, it’s been forever! Where’ve you been hiding, you rogue? I never expected you to be the one sticking it to the man. Always thought that’d fall to me, y’know? But here I am, bro, paying my dues and all that.” He chuckled to himself. “Ah, blood, do you remember that trip we took to the Ferazon Mountains, hunting for that red frostfang? I’m convinced Jalon Everal fed me some bare lies there, man. Doubt it’s even a real thing.”
“Yes, I remember that trip. I was sick for weeks after getting bitten. Anyway, Harko, there is way too much to tell you right now, but I’ll explain the whole thing once we have more time,” Bash
rik promised.
“Where’d you pick up these weirdos?” Harko took a closer look at us. “Not even sure what you all are. You Tiburonians? I met a Tiburonian once. Blood, they’ve been through some nasty stuff. Poor guys. You’ve got to feel sorry for them. Is that what you are? Or are you something else? I don’t know that much about races and all that. Blood, that red frostfang, though! Wish I could’ve found it—would’ve been something to tell the guys. Would definitely have wiped the smirk off Jalon Everal’s face, anyway.” He talked a mile a minute, flipping from one subject to another in quick succession.
“Harko, I need you to focus,” Bashrik chided him.
“Wait, I know you!” He pointed at me. “You’re the sad one from my brother’s wedding… well, the one that didn’t happen. Rask, that was a mess. Not the worst wedding I’ve ever been to, though. At least the bride showed up! Might not have married the right guy, but hey, these things happen. Feel sorry for ‘Phina though. She got the raw end of the deal, right?”
Bashrik sighed. “Harko!”
“Of course, not sure my brother would’ve been much better. Sour as widgety-berries is that one, and just as toxic,” Harko muttered. “Bet she wishes she’d picked a different family, right, Bash? Nothing good can ever come of marrying an Idrax. Everyone knows that. It’s why I keep myself free and easy, single as the day is long. Not that I don’t get my head turned. I mean, I still don’t know what the hell you are, but the two of you are gorgeous!” He winked at Lauren and me, and the two of us exchanged an amused look.
Stone moved closer to Lauren and slipped his hand around her waist, making Harko smirk.
“I see how it is. Apologies, my blood,” he said, turning to me. “How about you? You attached?”
“I am.” I could almost feel my husband seething at the feed, back at the house. Every part of me wanted to say I was married to Navan, but something held me back—there didn’t seem to be much fondness between Harko and Navan. If we wanted to win him over to our side, it seemed to be in our best interests not to say anything about it. Suddenly, I felt glad that Navan wasn’t with us. This might have gone very differently if he were, though I had no idea what kind of bad blood separated them.
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