by Ben Hale
“Lavana got a beamcast from Inary this morning.”
Siena recalled that Inary had gone back to Rebor to try and convince more of the family to sign a contract with House Bright’Lor. Lavana hadn’t had much hope. After Reklin and Siena had visited, the family had been split, with the majority choosing to follow Reklin to join the House, while the remainder had been unwilling to depart their ancestral home. But when Reklin had disappeared, many had chosen to wait before signing the Bright’Lor contract. The ensuing conflict had been bitter, with several of the older dakorians accusing Lavana of betraying their family name.
“What did Inary say?” Siena asked.
“The vid was garbled,” he said.
Siena frowned as she ducked a swing and pretended to strike back. She’d never known a beamcast to be garbled. She didn’t know as much about krey technology as Kensen, but she knew that a micro-Gate was opened and a message teleported to a destination. The only reason one would be garbled is if the transmission node had been damaged.
“What did she say?” she asked.
“Something about Mora.” He twisted and attacked her right side. “And the Burning Ghosts.”
She came to an abrupt stop, and Kevent’s blade nearly cleaved her in two. He stopped the swing before it killed her, but she was too distracted to notice. Fear for Mora held her paralyzed as her mind spun, each possibility heightening her worry.
“Quis,” she called, “keep them training. Kevent and I have an errand to run.”
She hardly noticed their confusion, but Kevent was quick to follow. The two stepped outside and hastened towards the Gate in the distance. He caught up to her, but just as he did, a thundering roar came from nearby, and the drake siren began to wail.
Chapter Eight
Cursing, Siena surged into a sprint. “I’ll deal with the drake. Get Ero to meet me there.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m going to Rebor.”
“I already made the request and it was denied,” Kevent said, keeping pace with her despite her speed augment.
“But I haven’t asked,” she said grimly.
The big dakorian grinned. “How am I supposed to get Ero to come?”
“Tell him there is a drake,” she replied. “You know he loves them.”
He laughed in agreement and veered away. Siena accelerated, her legs pumping as she raced down the street at three times her normal speed. Whipping past augments, she warped the gravity beneath her feet and jumped over an entire house to a chorus of shocked cries. As she soared over the roof, she spotted the drake in the distance.
Both of them.
The drakes were ripping through a pair of newly built houses, trying to reach those inside. Screams came from nearby, and humans fled to the larger buildings with shield generators. Siena spotted several groups of dakorians rushing towards the two winged creatures.
She landed in the street and kept going, swerving to avoid a pair of women heading in the opposite direction. Distracted by thoughts of Mora, she caught her toe on a crack in the road and nearly ate the ground. Quis caught her elbow before she hit.
“You okay?” he asked, concerned.
The boy had grown, but he was still young and small. To see him move with such speed was still disconcerting, but she was getting used to it.
“Just distracted,” she muttered.
“Well, focus,” Quis admonished. “Kevent always says, distraction kills faster than an ion bolt.”
“I’ll be fine.”
But she wasn’t. She could feel in her bones that something was wrong with Reklin’s family. Had the Burning Ghosts come to his village? Had they taken Mora? She yearned to use her time augment, to find them in the fate clouds and see if they were alive. But the time augment was the most exhausting of any, and to do it now would be suicide.
She and Quis rounded a corner and spotted the two drakes. They were on the exact same street where Siena had spoken to Jevin. The two drakes, a red and a blue, were ripping apart houses as if looking for food. Most of the augments had made it to safety, but a few were trapped, their terrified faces visible in the dark doorway of a nearby house.
One drake lowered its head and spat fire, engulfing a house in flames. Screams came from inside as the second drake ripped into the ceiling.
Siena pointed Quis to the burning house. “I’ll distract them. You get them out.”
She again surged forward. Sprinting down the street, she picked up a stray rock and hurled it at the nearest drake. It clattered off the neck of the beast, and the horned head swung in her direction.
Its multifaceted eyes whirled as it spotted Siena. It snarled and dropped from the building, the street shuddering from the heavy impact. The second, hearing the challenge, abandoned the burning structure and joined the pursuit.
Siena swerved and bolted between houses. Then she curved away from the city. The two drakes plowed through buildings, the shattered wood clattering off their scales as they hunted her to the next street.
Why do you keep coming? she mentally demanded.
This is our world, the red drake snapped, fire trickling between its teeth.
And we’re hungry, the blue said. A streak of lightning came from its jaws and shattered a wall next to Siena. She swerved away from the dust.
She caught a glimpse of a pair of dakorian horns in the next street and turned in that direction. Even with her speed augment, the drakes were gaining ground. Walls and roofs collapsed and people fled away from the charge. Dodging lightning and fire, Siena swerved between stacks of logs and spotted Kevent standing with several other dakorians, all holding hammer lances. Ero was in their midst.
“Fire,” Ero called.
The hammer lances erupted, and ion bolts passed over Siena’s head, striking the blue drake just as it rounded the corner. The bolts struck the beast in the neck and flank, scorching scales and spilling blood. It bellowed a roar and fell to the side. The red tried to charge, but bolts splattered across its face, and it too was driven back. Another group of dakorians appeared and flanked the pair of drakes, and the two teams pushed them towards the edge of the city. Her face stained with ash, Siena leaned against a wall, gasping for breath.
The dakorians advanced and passed her, and Ero and Kevent came to a stop. Ero’s smile was pleased as he eyed the drakes. “They’re beautiful, aren’t they?”
“You don’t get to keep them as pets,” Kevent said wryly.
“Why not?” Ero asked. “Maybe a baby one?”
“It would probably eat you,” Siena said.
The dakorians had already formed overlapping fields of fire and were forcing the drakes away. When the red tried to fly, Teridon and other dakorians on long lances fired from further up on the city, their ion bolts sizzling into the drakes’ thick bodies. With snarls of fury, they turned and fled. Their wings sent the dust into swirls as they leapt off the ground and flew south.
Siena surveyed the damage. Three blocks had been leveled, with some buildings still on fire. The ground was rent and torn from drake claws. At least the newly dug well was intact, and it looked like casualties were minor.
Lyn? She reached out with her mind augment, and the older woman answered.
I’m just north of the damage, Lyn replied, by the stock of wood we unloaded two days ago.
Siena turned and spotted the high overseer standing with other overseers, already taking charge. The group quickly began searching for wounded, with Rahnora leading the water augments to extinguish the flames.
Anyone killed? Siena asked.
I’m not sure, Lyn replied, but I wouldn’t be surprised. That’s the third drake attack in the last week. When are we getting the new shield generators to cover this part of the city?
Ero was turning away, so Siena followed. “Lyn wants to know when the new shield generators are set to arrive.”
The blue-eyed krey shrugged. “Sometime next week. I don’t really stay on top of the deliveries.”
As the augme
nts began to clean up the mess from the drake attack, Siena walked with Ero towards the World Gate, struggling with how to ask about Rebor. Ero was her friend, but this particular question would strain the limits of their friendship.
“Did Kevent tell you about the message from Rebor?”
Ero scoffed at that. “He thinks the Burning Ghosts showed up at his village.”
“I believe him.”
Ero raised an eyebrow, his expression doubtful. “A sprawling criminal organization doesn’t need anything from Reklin’s village.”
“Still,” Siena said, “I’d like to go to Rebor and find out.”
Ero burst into an incredulous laugh. “Would you like to meet the Emperor, too? Maybe have dinner and discuss the freedom of mankind?”
His tone made Siena flush. “This is important.”
He stopped and faced her. “Why?”
“Because I know Reklin’s family,” she said, “and I’m worried something happened to them.”
Ero made a face. “It’s still disturbing to hear a human worry over soldiers.”
A blast of fire came from the edge of Ilumidora and Siena flinched. “We can go and be back in a few days.”
“We?” Ero’s eyes narrowed. “Who would you take?”
“A couple of the augments,” Siena said. “The more experienced of my team.”
Ero watched the drakes jump into the air and soar back to the southern mountains. “We can’t risk it. You know Malikin is hunting us—and he’s becoming far more aggressive in his tactics.”
“What if it helps us find Reklin?” Kevent asked, joining them. “The beamcast mentioned the Burning Ghosts.”
Ero’s brow furrowed. “Skorn won’t like it.”
“Then don’t tell him,” Siena said.
Ero grinned, and she knew she had him. Ero may have been a high-ranked noble in the House, but he loved mischief, especially against his brother. And managing augments on a harvest world didn’t really satisfy his itch for adventure.
“We’d need a ship,” Ero mused.
“You’re coming?” Kevent was surprised.
“A chance to stop listening to Erlanex talk endlessly about machines? Or Skorn talk endlessly about augments and profit margins?” Ero grimaced. “Yes. I will most certainly be going.”
“So where do we get a ship?” Ero asked.
Kevent shrugged. “The Rising Dawn was destroyed with the Light of Everden, and as far as I know, House Bright’Lor only has one ship left.”
“As much as I would enjoy taking Skorn’s ship without permission,” Ero said, “I’m fairly confident that he would be angry enough to disown me. Besides, he’s not on-planet right now.”
“Where did he go?” Siena asked.
“Visiting Wylyn again.” Ero made a disgusted face. “Why is it that my brother is always attracted to the vile ones?”
Siena resisted the urge to speak the obvious answer. Even after all the krey Siena had met, Skorn was still the one that terrified her the most. His intelligence made him more dangerous than the krey that were overtly cruel.
“Could we buy a ship?” Siena asked.
Ero laughed. “Only if we sell a few augments. Which I’m guessing you don’t want to do.”
“Do I want to sell a few of my friends?” Siena asked flatly. “No, I do not.”
“I’m just saying it’s an option.”
“Not a good one,” Siena said.
She knew to argue was stupid. She and all the rest of the augmented humans were still slaves, and one day they would probably be sold. But she clung to a hope that she could defy such a fate.
“We’ll have to steal one,” Ero said. “Fortunately, I know just the one.” He pulled up his holoview, and a blinking light made him frown. Siena wasn’t at the right angle to see the holo, but recognized that he’d received a private message. He opened it—and stiffened. “That’s impossible.”
“What?” Siena asked.
Ero stared at the holo for several long seconds. Then he blinked and seemed to realize Siena and Kevent were still present. “Looks like you’re going without me. I’ll send you the coordinates of the ship. I’m sure you can figure out how to steal it.”
Before Siena could recover from the sudden change in his decision, Teridon and Worg approached. The two had been soldiers under Reklin’s command, and although neither were members of Reklin’s family, they’d taken on the role of trainers and leaders for the dakorians from Reklin’s family that had signed contracts with House Bright’Lor.
“The drakes are gone.” Worg stopped and examined an ugly burn on his arm. “Looks like three dead, a few dozen wounded.”
Ero stared past him as if he hadn’t heard. “That’s good. Keep us posted.”
“Do you want us to send a group to kill them?” Teridon asked.
“No,” Ero said, still looking as if he’d seen a ghost, “I think they’ll be fine.”
Teridon and Worg exchanged an uncertain look, and Teridon said, “Their attacks are getting more frequent. They’re testing our defenses. It’s only a matter of time until they launch a full-scale attack like they did at the City of Dawn.”
“It didn’t work at the City of Dawn, and it won’t work here.” Ero waved his hand in dismissal. “But tell Erlanex to prioritize the building of shield generators.”
“We can’t put shield generators over everything,” Worg protested. “They’ve burned the food crops three times already.”
“Do I have to solve everything?” Ero snapped with uncharacteristic sharpness. “I have somewhere to be, so do what you have to do and report to Skorn.”
“What about us?” Siena asked. “How are we supposed to get to the ship?”
“I’m sure you can do it on your own,” Ero said. He accessed his holoview and, with sharp taps, unlocked the augments of Siena and all of her team.” He extinguished the holo with a cutting motion and then turned and walked away.
Worg balked. “You’re going to let her go to the Empire alone?”
Kevent gave Siena an apologetic look. “I have to admit, I agree with Worg. Sending a group of unattended humans is very risky.”
“She’ll be fine,” Ero said, his eyes on his holo.
“Slaves do not have Gate access.” Teridon folded his arms as if that settled it.
Ero waved. “I’ll give her access.”
“That’s not what I meant.” Teridon was flustered now.
Siena would have enjoyed the big dakorian’s consternation if she wasn’t so surprised. She’d never been in the Empire without a krey or a dakorian present, and the prospect made her nervous.
“I’m not sure I can go alone,” Siena said.
Ero paused and looked back. “That’s like a stormcloud saying it’s afraid to rain. Go. Find out what’s going on. And bring me back a few stories and scars.” He turned away, but called over his shoulder, “And don’t tell my brother.”
“You can’t be serious about this,” Teridon called. “You’re sending a human augment—the supreme augment—into the Empire without protection.”
“If I sent her with you, she’d have one more thing to keep alive,” Ero retorted.
Teridon’s face turned red, and Kevent snorted a laugh. Worg grinned as well, drawing Teridon’s glare. But Ero was already gone, his attention on his holoview. Siena resisted the urge to use an augment to see what he’d received.
“This is madness.” Teridon released a growl of frustration and pointed a large, bony finger at Siena. “If you betray us, I’ll rip your head from your shoulders with my bare hands.”
He left as well, and Worg gave an apologetic shrug. “Don’t worry. He would probably use a weapon to remove your head.”
“Thanks, Worg,” Siena said acidly.
The dakorian grinned. He then followed Teridon back up into the city. Siena stared after, more confused than ever. Ero was still visible, his back to Siena, the tension in his shoulders suggesting the beamcast had left him unsettled. She’d never known hi
m to voluntarily miss the opportunity for a fight.
“What was that all about?” Kevent asked.
“I don’t know,” Siena said, “but I don’t care. Looks like I have a new ship to steal.”
Chapter Nine
Ero left Siena and the others. Too preoccupied with the cryptic message, he didn’t notice Teridon’s anger or Worg’s amusement. He finished giving Siena access to the Gate from his holoview and then flicked the holo aside so he could reread the mysterious beamcast.
Remember the broken necklace.
Ero hurried up the city and passed through groups of augments still terrified of the departing drakes. They blurred in his vision, easily dismissed and just as quickly forgotten. Ero ascended towards the Gate, but in his mind he saw a necklace falling to the floor. The chain, a special flexible glass, shattered on impact, and the simple diamond skittered across the floor and bounced off the wall where Ero had been hiding…
“Why can’t we go to Elttium?” Ero whined. “I want a new ship.”
“You’re just sixteen years old and you want a ship?” Skorn’s expression was annoyed as he sipped drey and surveyed their new planet. “You can’t even pilot yet.”
“I’ll figure it out,” Ero said confidently.
“Like you figured out how to steal those cortex crystals on Mylttium?” Skorn retorted.
“That was just a misunderstanding,” Ero said, grinning as he pictured the two Ranger officers chasing him down the streets.
Skorn stepped off the balcony and poked him in the chest. “Dragorn just became Head of House Bright’Lor, but there are hundreds of our uncles and cousins that think he’s too young. They’re looking for excuses to undermine his authority, yet you won’t stop making us look stupid.”
“You don’t need help to look stupid.”