by C B Samet
“Worried about sea sickness, are you?” I walked along the deck toward the captain’s chambers.
Snake Eyes crossed his arms as he floated beside me. “No.” He stuck out his bottom lip. “I suppose this is better than watching you pine over your blue-eyed lady.”
“I don’t pine.”
“Tell that to the expression on your face whenever you see her when she can’t see you.”
“That’s called concern.”
He grunted.
I walked through a wall and into the King’s quarters. King Artemis Stout sat at a desk, pouring over maps of Crithos. They held details of key locations—silver in Taxco, ore in Karnelik, healing springs in Ntajid, monk sanctuary in Aithos with the Aqua Santos.
I sighed. “Well, I can’t tell in what order they plan to attack and conquer, but it appears they know the highlights.”
“Did they torture all of this out of the monk?” Snake Eyes asked.
I thought of poor Baird’s suffering. “Yes, though I imagine they already had some knowledge prior to his capture. The King has been plotting this invasion for years. He’s no doubt had spies like Boyo—or perhaps Boyo himself—roaming Crithos long before Porter Stout stepped foot on my island.”
Boyo sat in one chair off to the side of the room.
The King was asking him information about Crithos. “So, in terms of allies, they have the Dubik Gypsies, the Caballus Clans, and the Hunjus?”
“The Dubik Gypsies are pacifists and no threat to us. The Caballus have been disorganized for several years, though I suppose they could rally a few dozen inexperienced fighters. The Hunjus would pose a real threat, but they’re too far south. By the time they learn of our invasion, we’ll have already conquered Waterton to Marrington, and possibly all the way to Meredith. Besides, the giants have no vested interest in helping humans. Their preference historically has always been to let us fight our own wars.”
“Meredith.” King Artemis tapped the map. “We need to ensure Kovians don’t come to their aid.”
“The Omega plague decimated that continent. They’re too busy rebuilding their own cities and economy. They have few people and scarce resources to send.”
“Whoa! Look at the castle!” Snake Eye’s pointed to a schematic drawing.
Marrington castle was partly obscured by the continental map, but I could see King Artemis had frightening details—guards’ quarters, servant quarters, stables, a hidden escape route—the one Abigail used to flee with the Queen long ago—and all of the meeting rooms, the Queen’s vault, and the many passageways.
“He must’ve told them everything.”
“I wouldn’t blame Baird. Their army’s large enough they’d have captured the castle with or without this information. Maybe with it, the hostile take-over will be swifter and with less bloodshed.”
“Are we going to warn everyone?”
Before I could answer, a knock sounded at the King’s door.
“Enter.”
A tall man with meaty forearms and a frayed, black beard entered.
“Captain Alron,” Artemis Stout greeted the man, “what news?”
“Land ho, my King.”
“And any word from my son’s ship?”
“No, m’lord. The birds we sent returned without script.”
“Script?” Snake Eyes asked.
“It means no one left a note on the bird from another ship, indicating there were survivors.”
“So, he knows his son is dead.”
“He has no proof to the contrary,” I said.
Snake Eyes crossed his arms. “Well, he must know Porter was a terrible human being who deserved what he got.”
“Would any man think that of his own son? Besides, they’re cut from the same cloth. They both give little regard to Crithians. They think of Abigail’s culture as less civilized, so they don’t think of their actions against them as being as atrocious as they are.”
“But, they’re wrong. Right?”
“Indeed, they are. I was merely explaining why they think their actions are justified.”
“But Abigail will stop them.”
“Indeed, she shall.”
We shall, I thought.
I returned to the island and found Rebekah and Trad playing in shallow beach water.
“Mal!” she cried.
I smiled and waved as I approached. When I was close, she flung both hands up in the air, sprays of water flying at me. I watched the droplets sail through me.
She laughed.
“What are you doing, Rebekah?” Trad asked, bemused, as he scanned the beach.
“Mal is here.”
“You’ve an imaginary friend?”
“He’s Mama’s imaginary friend, but Orrick did magic, and now I can see him. Natalie and Paul can see him, too.”
“Ah. This is the guardian your mother mentioned?”
“Yup.”
“And he’s here now?” Trad looked around again.
“Yup.”
“What’s he look like?”
“A man.”
I changed into a black stallion and reared onto my back legs.
“A horse,” she gasped.
Then, I shrunk into a small white puppy.
“Puppy!”
Trad scratched his head. “He’s part man, part horse, part dog?”
Rebekah giggled. “No. He’s changing into different animals. I guess he can look like whatever he wants to look like.”
I turned back into my natural, human form, spread my fingers wide, and drew a rainbow in the sky.
Rebekah squealed and clapped.
“Now what’s he look like?” Trad asked.
“He made a rainbow!”
Snake Eyes sat in the sand and watched me with an amused expression. “Can you make gold?”
I stepped out from under the rainbow, touched a finger to the edge of it, and transformed the vibrant colors into falling, glittering gold sprinkles that disappeared into the sand.
Rebekah ran out of the water and under the flecks of gold falling like a waterfall. She spread her fingers wide, watching the particles go through her.
Snake Eyes clapped his hands. “She likes gold, too! Too bad you can’t make the real kind.”
“I have my limits, friend.”
“You’re fun around the children,” he said.
“They’re fun to be around.”
“How come you never play like this around Abigail?”
Since Abigail wasn’t a five-year-old, my playfulness with Abigail took the form of flirting and jokes—but I wasn’t going to explain that to Snake Eyes in front of Abigail’s daughter. “You think I should woo the Champion with rainbows and glitter?”
“She wouldn’t be able to resist you then,” he said.
I gave a hearty laugh, partly at Snake Eyes’ words and partly at the absolute earnestness in his tone.
I spent the next hour entertaining Rebekah and Snake Eyes, while a bemused Trad watched the little girl laugh and play with a figure he couldn’t see.
28
ABIGAIL
I found my way into Paul’s dreams. When I arrived, he was standing next to a pot, carefully adding seasonings for a stew.
“Paul?”
He looked up at me and blinked. “Mama?”
I walked closer as I extended a hand.
He grasped it. “You’re here?”
I raised my hand with the glowing moon tattoo. “I can travel into other people’s dreams.”
He scowled. “You never told me that.”
“I know.” I was never sure how to tell any of my children about my dream-walking abilities. “I feared that if I told you and something happened to me, you’d sleep your life away, waiting for me to visit.” The conclusion might be wrong, but I had derived it from my own experiences. My parents had been lost at sea when I was a child, and their death wasn’t certain—at least until months had passed with no return. If my parents had possessed moon magic, and I’d known
about it, I would’ve wanted to dream away my grief, thinking they were alive and would visit me at any moment.
Paul stepped back. “But why would you visit me in a dream and not come yourself during the day?”
Clever Paul.
“Because I can’t come home. My star was damaged, and I can no longer transport.”
“At all?”
“No travel.”
“Orrick said your trip would take longer than expected when he left to join Natalie at the castle.”
“He was right.”
“Where are you now?”
“I sailed to Misty Isle.”
His face went pale. “Then you’re never coming home.”
“I can’t transport, but I can sail.”
Paul’s brow furrowed. “But Bellok said boats that try to leave just end up back on Mulan.”
I winked at him. “Well, no other ship had a swimmer with the Stone of Strength.”
His eyes lit up. “Of course! When will you be home?”
“Still not for a while. I want to be honest with you Paul—young man that you are. Bellosian forces will reach Crithos before me. Logically, they’ll make their way to the castle. I have to stop them—and I have to do that before I can come home.”
“Natalie,” he gasped.
“Yes. She knows, and she’s already made plans to hide somewhere safe with Orrick.”
“When will you reach Marrington?”
“The boat should be finished in twelve days. Then, we’ll have five days of sea travel. Then, three days from Marrin Beach to Marrington.”
He stretched himself to his full height. “I’ll meet you there.”
“What? No.” The purpose of my visit wasn’t to spurn him into action.
“You need us—all of us.”
“I need you safe at home.”
“You need your horse in battle—Phobus. You need Carrot. You need Raven, and you need Fury.”
“I’ll be fine without any of those. I don’t need more people and creatures to worry about.”
He cocked his head to one side. “You can’t travel here, so you can’t stop me.”
My mouth gaped open. “You wouldn’t disobey.” Who was I kidding? I was more likely able to recount the times he’d obeyed than the numerable times he hadn’t. When he didn’t say anything, I added: “I’ll worry about you.”
“You will. And when it’s over, you’ll be glad I came.”
“No! Absolutely not.” I tried my sternest mom voice. The idea was ludicrous—he was only seven years old.
“I’m going. Raven will help me get there safe. Fury will protect us.”
I pulled him into a fierce hug. “I could threaten to haunt your dreams every night.”
“You could—or you could spend your nights dreaming about winning the battle so we can go home together.”
I kissed his forehead. Home together again. Yes, that was my ultimate goal.
When I visited Orrick in a dream, I found him initially as a youth in a castle courtyard, engaging in swordplay with a young Malakai. How different they looked even in youth. Orrick had broad shoulders with straight, blond hair; Malakai had a mop of dark hair, a thin body, and graceful agility.
Orrick turned to see me watching them. “Abigail!” As he waved, he aged into the man I knew, and his younger brother vanished.
We stood alone in the courtyard.
He fiddled with the handle of the wooden sword still in his hand. “I was beginning to worry you didn’t want to see me.”
The wizard was the very last person on my list of those I had to visit. “There were moments I was angry at you—like when Baird was being tortured, when I fought for my life in a gladiator arena. I wondered how much you’d seen, how much you didn’t reveal, and how much you could’ve changed.”
“I see pieces of the future, but never have I been arrogant enough to assume I could change it for the better.”
Of course, he’d have a rational explanation.
“If I’d told you, ‘you will suffer miserably in Bellos but live through it and discover a deeper magical connection with Malakai,’ would you have altered your course?”
I fidgeted with the lace on my collar. “I might have had Baird remain safely on Crithos.”
Orrick’s blue eyes saddened. “Baird is the reason you surrendered when you did. If he hadn’t been there, you would have fought to the death.”
I shook my head. “Does it ever annoy you? Always being right?”
Orrick grinned. “Not at all.”
He opened his arms wide, and I stepped into his hug.
“It does distress me when my friends are hurting though.”
After the hug, I stepped back. “How’s Natalie?”
“As beautiful as a flower, as clever as a fox, and as tough as an ox.” Orrick placed one hand against my cheek. “Just like her mother.”
“Any sage advice before I go to war?”
“Use all of your assets.”
“We’re going to steal the scepter and see if together Mal and I can wield the magical stones.”
“I think it’s a wonderful idea.”
I chuckled. “Of course you do, since it was your idea.”
“I’m sure you and Mal would have come to the same conclusion I did.”
I nodded. “I have another ask.”
“Ask.”
“I visited Paul in a dream to let him know I’m okay. He’s taken it upon himself to bring Raven, Fury, and Carrot to Marrington to meet up with us. He won’t be dissuaded, and I’ve no way of stopping him. Can you tell me if he arrives safely? Can you tell me if I’ll see him again?”
He placed both hands on my shoulders and closed his eyes. “Yes. You will see him and his traveling party.”
I exhaled. “Thank you.”
I joined Bellok for breakfast. We sat at the table eating eggs together. Rebekah played outside with my mom.
“So, I’ll be taking on your father soon,” I said.
“Good morning to you, too.” He sipped his tea, probably some concoction of Trad’s.
“I need you to share anything you can about your father, your brothers, Bellos, fighting strategies. All of it.”
He chewed and swallowed a bite of egg. “It’s been thirty years, Abbey. I’m not sure how helpful it will be.”
“Anything will help.”
“Artemis’ father died of a heart attack and Artemis was next in line for the throne. The transition was seamless as far as anyone knew. At the time, Victoria was the hub of Eastern Bellos, much like Marrington is the hub of Crithos. The rule was much like what Nadine has told me of Crithos—the kingdom loosely ruled, where travel stayed unrestricted, and taxes were collected for roads and government funds. Just as Crithos has different cultural pockets—the Dubik gypsies, the Ntajid, the Aithos clans—so does Bellos. Also, there are other species.”
He leaned back in his chair, his great barrel chest rising and falling. “About twelve years ago, a Bellosian cargo ship wrecked on Mulan. The survivors that came here shared news of the continent. At that time, Artemis was trying to gain a tighter hold over the continents’ factions—nothing violent, mind you, but perhaps a little devious. I’m sure it’s only escalated over time if what you say about evil is true.”
“It’s true. The scepter is cracked, and the first intercontinental war has begun after seven-thousand-years of peace. Fixing the scepter will be my next undertaking.”
He leaned back in his chair. “Do you ever wonder if the concept of taking people’s evil tendencies is a bit unnatural? Do you think magic is the solution to our darker sides?”
“It’s absolutely unnatural, but I’ve seen enough death—caused enough death—to not want a ‘natural’ world for my children. And why would the Unideit give us magic if not to maximize the good we can do?”
He nodded but seemed unconvinced.
I leaned forward, keeping my voice low and delicate. “If you had the power to make the world a better place for
your children—your grandchildren—would you use that power, or watch the world burn?”
29
MALAKAI
I returned to the castle to find Orrick packing his belongings. “I came to tell you that the King’s ships arrived in Waterton, but it seems you are already aware.”
He blinked at me. “Wizard.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re taking Natalie into hiding then?”
“I did offer for us to leave together and head back to Abigail’s estate.”
“She turned you down, it seems.”
Orrick gave a sigh. “I got an eye roll, some sass about not running away, and a lecture about how she’d already had this discussion with her mother. So, we stay. We’ll huddle in a secret chamber, and we’ll wait for rescue.”
“You could use magic on her. Force her to leave. After all, you are a wizard. Abigail would thank you for it.”
Orrick snorted. “I’m not about to incur the wrath of a nine-year-old going on sixteen. If she wants to be stubborn about staying then she’ll see what days of confinement feel like. It might very well be a maturing experience for a future Queen.”
He snapped his suitcase shut. “How goes the boat building.”
“Slow—but it’s given me some quality time with Rebekah. She’s incredibly fun. It’s amazing to watch how her mind works as she breaks into the age of reason.
“Abigail and I have had a chance to talk about the scepter. We’re going to steal it and test our ability to activate it together.” A thought occurred to me. “I don’t suppose you could steal it for us and maybe stash it somewhere accessible—somewhere not in a vault in the belly of the castle?”
“I regret to tell you, I cannot. Coco DeFay is neck deep in a political feud, and I’m not sure who else has key access. I heard some of the servants discussing opening the vault and relocating valuables so that the King couldn’t get them, but they said it couldn’t be forced open.”
“Why not?”
“Apparently, it’s engineered to cave in if it’s forced open. As I have no key, and use of magic would be forceful entry, I can’t break into the vault for you.”