Solyrian Conspiracy - C M Raymond & L E Barbant

by Michael Anderle

  Instead, she spread her arms to the sides and tilted her head toward the heavens. A smile twisted her lips as the force of the energy struck her square in the chest. Glowing blue splashed all around her, engulfing her.

  She took one step back, receiving all the fury the Blue Scarf could muster.

  Hannah tilted her head back down and gazed at Aliz.

  Her eyes glowed a deeper, darker red than they ever had before.

  “You should have yielded,” she said as she shoved her hands at the girl.

  The power of Aliz’s attack multiplied by the power of the heavens traveled the distance between the women in the blink of an eye. It was just enough time for Hannah to see the look on the girl’s face.

  Aliz realized she had made a terrible mistake.

  And then she was gone.

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Pirates. Magic. People with power pulsing through their limbs.

  Chaos surrounded them, threatening to tear the city apart.

  Parker could see it all, see the forces of evil at work, but he knew the anger in this city wouldn’t win. Not if Team BBB had anything to say about it.

  Sal swooped overhead, chasing down the flyers. Parker could hear Aysa’s laughter over the noise and figured Karl was nearby cursing each and every one of the pirates to some version of remnant hell. Parker turned to see Vitali fighting back to back with a truly terrifying-looking Mylek woman.

  Hannah was nowhere to be seen, which meant she must be kicking ass somewhere. But even with all their efforts, the anger still grew around them. They just needed to uproot its source.

  And Parker could see that source, at least in part.

  Kirill stood on the stage screaming bloody murder, encouraging his people to turn against their neighbors, fanning the flames of hatred.

  Parker figured punching that asshole’s lights out would be a good first step on the road to Justice.

  He ducked a spear as he pushed through the crowd, sidestepping the violence around him. He had always been good at navigating in tight places.

  The stage rested high off the ground, but Parker scaled the wooden frame like it was built for him. A small group of guards held the high ground, bashing the skulls of anyone trying to make it to the top. Parker found a gap near the back and slipped up.

  What he saw when his feet got purchase on the oak boards made his knees shake.

  Ky was on the ground. Kirill stood over her. Parker had seen her trying to stop the fighting, but stopping the fighting wasn’t on Kirill’s mind. His foot was planted on the woman’s chest. Her body twitched.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Parker shouted.

  Kirill glanced at him. “I’m taking what’s mine.” His eyes flashed black, and Parker saw the power flowing from his fingers. Ky screamed in pain.

  Parker turned his spear toward him, but the guards attacked before he could get off the shot.

  So much for his celebrity status.

  Four men with clubs turned on him. Parker barely felt their blows. All he cared about was getting to Ky. Protect the people, that was what Hannah had told them to do. And by the gods, he was going to do it.

  He swung his spear wide, knocking one of the guards off the stage and into the murderous mob below. He ducked a club, then fired, blasting two of the guards at close range. They wouldn’t get up for a long time, if at all.

  The last guard was just a kid. Parker aimed his spear at the young man’s face and ordered, “Stand down.”

  The kid’s club shook in his hand, but he wouldn’t let go.

  “The prince…” he squeaked.

  “Screw the prince,” Parker shouted. “Your job is to protect this city. Look around you.”

  The kid did. He saw the angry faces below him as if for the first time, and he turned when he heard Ky scream. Parker took his chance and raced past him.

  But he was too slow. Kirill pulled Ky’s body up in front of him like a shield, his hands burning with fire. “This city is mine. It’s my right, and I’m not going to let you or this Mylek piece of shit take it from me.”

  He raised his hand to kill the Mylek councilwoman. A scream filled Parker’s ears, but it didn’t come from Ky. It came from Kirill.

  The two members of the council fell to the ground, Ky exhausted from pain of torture, Kirill with a knife in his back.

  Standing behind them was Irmand, covered in dirt, debris tangled in his beard.

  Parker ran over, but Irmand was faster. The captain checked to make sure Kirill was dead, then pulled Ky to her feet.

  “Are you okay?”

  “You killed your prince,” she exclaimed.

  Irmand smiled. “My allegiance is to Solyr and to her future.”

  They turned to look at Parker, who must have looked more than a little surprised.

  “What do we do now?” he asked.

  Ky shrugged. “We stop this fight.”

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  Hannah walked to the edge of the turret and looked down at the chaos beneath. From her vantage point, it was impossible to make out who was who among the melee of Myrna, Mylek, and the asshole pirates, but it made no difference. She knew that with Aliz out of the game, she could twist fate and screw with destiny.

  With a turn of her hand, she sent a massive bolt of lightning over the combat below. A shuddering crash of thunder followed. All eyes turned toward her, to see her blazing red eyes and hair whipping in the wind.

  Focusing, she sent a message to all in the square. Her head was clear. There was no block from Aliz or murmured words from Kirill.

  People of Solyr, hear me now. You need to know the truth. The citizens of your good city have been pitted against each other. Neighbor against neighbor. But this is not the way forward into the light. Your path only leads to a darkness that, left to its own power, might spiral into a chaos worse than the Madness.

  A murmur grew below her.

  But it isn’t too late to change your course. One of your people tried to create a revolution for the sake of her own power. But I tell you now, you do not need to cast off all that you are. Instead, you need to become all you were meant to be. You are strong. You are mighty.

  A voice shouted from the ground, praising Hannah’s words.

  It is time to come together as Solyrians. To restore your former glory, and then march into a future of possibilities that none of us yet know. With united hearts, you can defeat those who would pillage and steal all that you are.

  Hannah pointed at a group of pirates who were standing with their knives out. Take them. Take them now, and tell the world that Solyr will not be so easily destroyed. Tell them that you are one people. One voice. One heart!

  A cry rang out from the town square. Moments later, the sound of steel on steel filled the night sky.

  The people of Solyr fought as one.

  Chapter Fifty-Three

  “Um, you’re going to have to run that by me again.”

  Vitali glanced at Aysa, confusion plain on her face. He turned to see the same confusion on most of the faces staring at him. The throne room was full. Members of the council, along with prominent Myrna and Mylek citizens, surrounded the BBB. They all stared at him, seeking answers to the confusion that threatened to swallow their city.

  Vitali cleared his throat and began again.

  “You all know of Aurel’s virtues, and now you’re beginning to learn of his vices. But his character was formed through and through by his power—his secret power. His ability to read and possibly shape minds.”

  A murmur filled the room, and whispers turned to groans. Clearly, the citizens of Solyr were less than pleased with Vitali’s revelation.

  “I find this hard to accept,” Ky stated from her seat on the throne. “I have never seen a power quite like that.”

  She had recovered from whatever wounds she had received during the fight and sat tall, with as much composure as a queen who belonged where she was. Vitali assumed that was fitting. She had won the election by a
landslide.

  “Well, maybe if ye left yer walls every once in a while,” Karl grumbled.

  “It’s not common,” Vitali said, trying for a bit more tact. “But—”

  A gasp interrupted his explanation. He followed the council’s wide eyes to Karl, who had turned purple. Then green. Then yellow.

  “What the bloody hell?” the rearick shouted.

  Aysa burst out into laughter as Hannah rose to her feet, her eyes blazing red.

  “It’s real,” Hannah said. “I can make you see things far stranger than a purple rearick. It’s a gift of mine, and it’s a gift Aurel’s kids seemed to inherit. They used it to block my attempts to root out the truth about how the king died.”

  “Aliz murdered him,” Vitali confirmed. “She blamed him for her cursed life, trapped away from the world. She blamed him for his lies, and she hated that the city worshipped him. In the end, she decided to exploit that love to shake up the city.”

  “But why did our city guard not know?” a Mylek man asked. “How could this have been kept from the council?”

  Vitali turned to look at Irmand, who was looking at the floor.

  Hannah stepped in. “That was her half-brother’s doing. Kirill wanted his father’s throne, but he couldn’t tarnish Aurel’s memory in the process. He covered everything up, choosing instead to exploit the situation for his own benefit.”

  Aysa scoffed. “Some kids.”

  “A monstrous hybrid.” An older Myrna man sighed.

  “Not a monster, at least not at first,” Vitali responded. “Aliz was part Myrna, part Mylek, and without a doubt, her father’s daughter. It’s no surprise she could rally disaffected Mylek around her. It’s no surprise she could plan an insurrection with little political power. In fact, she and her brother seemed to follow the same playbook. Aliz disguised her Blue Scarves as guards to convince reticent Mylek to fight. Kirill had brokered a secret alliance with the pirates to inspire the Myrna. They both sought to sow division. Inspire chaos. Take power.”

  “She was evil,” a Myrna woman said.

  “And Kirill was a tyrant,” a Mylek man responded.

  “Yes,” Hannah said, her tone a clear command to shut up. “Kirill was corrupt and Aliz was cruel, but their plans were only possible because of the hatred in this city. A hatred echoed and amplified by the people in this room. There were villains here, but they found a willing city. Every single one of you needs to ask yourselves why that is and what you are prepared to do about it.”

  Ky spoke once again, breaking the silence. “You are right. Aurel might have been a kind man, but calls for unity without a corresponding course of action will solve nothing. I have earned the votes of this city, but I hold no illusion that I have earned this city’s trust. That will take time, but the work starts now.” She rose to her feet. “Irmand, step forward.”

  Irmand rose from the back of the room. He moved slowly, whatever damage he took during the fight seemed to stick with him, despite Hannah’s healing. His composure was unwavering, but the whispers filling the room hinted at only one question.

  What punishment would the new queen mete out?

  “Irmand, you have served this city as the captain of the guard for many years. You have perpetrated harm on your fellow citizens. You followed a corrupt leader’s commands. I would ask that you follow mine.”

  He looked up, his composure shattered. “You’re giving me my job back?”

  She smiled. “I can think of no one better to help me heal this city.”

  He grunted and stood a little straighter. “I won’t fail you.”

  “I know you won’t because I will be watching you like a hawk. I do have one command, however.”

  “Anything, my queen,” Irmand said with a bow.

  “You will begin to hire Mylek as well as Myrna for the Guard.”

  Irmand opened his mouth in shock before closing it again. “That...can be arranged.”

  Vitali felt the tension in the room ease. Maybe they can pull this off, he thought.

  Ky looked at Team BBB. “I and all of Solyr will be forever in your debt. How can we thank you?”

  Sal’s head perked up. He sensed the chance of a treat.

  “We need nothing,” Hannah responded. The dragon’s head dropped. “Except for you to rule well. When I come back here, I expect to see Solyr thriving and not a smoldering heap of ashes.”

  “Deal,” Ky replied. “So, you are leaving, then? Where will you go?”

  Hannah looked at her team. “Wherever we’re needed.”

  Chapter Fifty-Four

  Hannah kicked her feet up on the worn wooden rail as the sun set off the starboard side of the Unlawful. Solyr was only a few hours behind them, but she expected that Aysa would keep the ship pushing forward through the night. The Baseeki girl loved the craft, and Hannah knew she had missed wayfinding in the captain’s chair.

  “Aye, two ice-cold brews, lass,” Karl said, as his weight steadied with the shift of the ship. “That freak is at it again!”

  Hannah laughed as she grabbed the mug from Karl, watching her friend land in the chair next to her with a huff.

  “Would’ve gotten them arseholes a drink, but who knows how long them wankbags will be at each other.” Karl watched Parker and Vitali spar on the bow.

  Hannah grinned. “Some things go back to normal pretty easily, don’t they?” She shifted a leg off the rail to give her snoring dragon a little kick in the ribs. “Especially this guy.”

  “That’s right, lass. Like any other humans out there, we fall right back into our ways.” Karl’s eyes stared beyond Parker and Vitali over the bowsprit. “Where we goin’ now? Ye even know?”

  Ky’s last question in the throne room rang in her ears, as did her answer. “Wherever we’re needed.”

  “Bullshite, ye damn magician. We both know better than anybody that we’re needed damned near everywhere. We find injustice under the seat of every outhouse we stumble into. But this boat is goin’ someplace, and I kinda, for once in me lifetime, want to know where.”

  Hannah glanced over her shoulder, hoping to catch one last view of Solyr, but it was gone. Like all the other cities they had wandered into and out of, it would be a memory. Vivid, but soon to fade.

  Karl landed a meaty hand on her forearm, and a wave of warmth ran through her. The rearick was more of a father to her than her own, who had abused her until the day he met his untimely death. No one, maybe not even Parker, could cut her to the quick as efficiently as Karl.

  “Where we goin’, lass?” His eyes were filled with compassion, his care not for himself, but for her. And while Hannah thought it might have been the effects of the wind and the setting sun, she swore his eyes were glassing over with tears.

  She gave him a slight nod. “Yeah. You’re right. I’m wayfinding myself.”

  “Good. I thought as much.”

  “We’ve been on the move for a shit-ton of years, Karl. We have brought Justice to every end of Irth. We’ve defeated every kind of enemy, and closed doors on world-ending realms. It’s time we find a place.” She smiled and waited for his response, but there was none. “It is time for us to do what Zeke tried to do so many years ago. It’s time to build a home.”

  Forgotten Gods

  Available now at Amazon and through Kindle Unlimited

  The gods are real...and they want their world back.

  Thousands of years ago, ancient deities fought a civil war that nearly destroyed the earth. They were defeated by a great warrior—and banished to spend eternity beyond the reach of the humans who once served them.

  Their war is raging once again.

  And once again, it will require a great hero to save humanity.

  Unfortunately for humanity, I’m that hero.

  My name is Vic Stratton. I’m no saint, but I’m the best chance we’ve got at surviving the chaos about to be unleashed. But hey, at least I have my good looks, a quick tongue, and the sword of the gods on my side.

  And I’m
going to need it. Because when the gods return, all hell will break loose.

  Read now and discover The Forgotten Gods

  The Forgotten Gods Boxed Set includes the entire eight book series: Forgotten Gods, Goddess Scorned, Hounded By The Gods, God In The Darkness, Gods Of New York, God Country, Haunted By The Gods, and Gods Remembered.

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  Author Notes - CM Raymond & LE Barbant

  December 15, 2019

  Welcome back, friends!

  Exactly three years ago to the month, Lee and I hosted THE Michael Anderle on our (now defunct) Part-Time Writers Podcast. It was a show in which we were trying to see if we could go full time as authors in 52 weeks.

  We were clever and charming (and sometimes half in the bag). At least that’s the way I remember it through the haze of time and bourbon.

  At that time, we had released our Steel City Heroes trilogy and the Jack Carson series was underway. Man, we were working really, really hard.

  During that first year of our very serious production is when the renegade creator of the Kurtherian Gambit Universe, THE Michael Anderle, had totally blown up. Being the all-around compassionate badass that he was, he agreed to come on the show so we could interview him about how in the world his little indie story blew up into a phenomenon… and how we might be able to do the same!

  Well, to keep the long story not so short, Michael told us all the things he thought we did wrong, and everything — from major themes to tiny details — that he thought his fans had fallen in love with in the tales of Bethany Anne. Sure… we wanted to defend Lee’s five page description of the steel union strikes in our Superhero book. Who wouldn’t?