Eliot asked, “The vampire queen?”
Visor said, “It’s fine. It’s just a communication—she can’t control me. Okay, you’re in charge until we return to the Virtuosa.”
Oh, the Catalyst is going to boost your predictions, well, whenever it works, like inside the tower and whatever and it’ll do weird things to your body if you’re not careful. And you have to let me know if it ever starts working where I can use it to fix vardal women, like if you can make cyb7orgs or whatever, and also you have to talk to Sorana for me whenever I request it, and I gave you some jewelry in your pouch.
Okay. Are you done for now?
Yeah, whatever, like take a chill pill.
“Anyway, I probably did agree to it. I think we’re fine, and safe, relatively.”
Visor let Rapture help him stand. “Let’s get back to the Virtuosa.”
Chapter 67
Touch of Evil
“He just died?” Finnur stroked his beard.
Visor said, “It looked like he was in some kind of pain—the way his body was positioned … curled up against a hickory stump … the expression on his face. There were no wounds or bruising. It didn’t look like he was attacked. Maybe it was a heart attack?”
“Athian seemed generally healthy.”
“Yeah, but he had that recurring illness the past couple of months, with the diarrhea. Maybe he just got dehydrated.”
“Vampiric attack?”
“We checked for puncture wounds.”
“Athian was on watch? Out alone?”
“It was the last watch of the night.”
“So if he were killed by someone, then the rest of you would have been sitting ducks.”
“Not really. I mean, we were down to a single watch, but Sorana is basically always on watch. She lucid dreams and wakes up if someone with hostile intent gets too close.”
“Why am I not surprised by that?”
“And Burke is pretty good about sensing threats. Anyway, it looked like Athian died of natural causes. Maybe he had a bad reaction to some medicine the vampires gave him.”
“Do you think the queen killed him?”
“No, I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t hurt him on purpose. There’s no need. And the queen wouldn’t set up the link with me then kill my friend.” Visor watched the Blade of Mercy and the beach camp load into rowboats. “How has the Virtuosa been?”
“She’s doing fine. A fishing vessel drifted into range three days ago. I think the beach camp scared them away. Ursula is recovered. She’s planning to visit the Sanctuary when we get back. I gave commander Morgan full command of the Virtuosa. Running a ship isn’t my cup of tea. I could tell the crew was uncomfortable. We’re better off with my being a doctor and just advising when needed.”
“Kostigan Morgan? How is that working out?”
“Better. The crew seems more orderly. He’s harder on them, but at least they know what to expect. They seem to respond better to him. He speaks their language. The pirates are back in line. He released one of them. He felt the boy wasn’t really a part of their crew and didn’t pose a threat. Ranie confirmed it.”
“We should probably should just make him captain permanently, then.”
Finnur’s expression turned serious. He clamped a hand supportively on Visor’s shoulder. “Evan has been struggling. We took her to shore for a couple of days, suspecting sea-sickness. That didn’t seem to provide relief so we moved her back. Her head pain is more acute. She has more waking periods of confusion, and is having night terrors. This certainly isn’t sea-sickness. We need to get her back to Raykez.”
***************
Nine days into the return voyage, the wind picked up. Pixie sat tucked into a lantern recess above the captain’s balcony, protected from the chilly sea winds. He watched the wake of the Virtuosa spread and dissipate.
Visor came out on the balcony and sat, unaware of Pixie.
Sorana soon followed and sat next to him. A rolling wave crashed on an atoll they were passing, forming a long, white stretch of foam. Sorana looked in its direction. “What would that be like?”
Visor asked, “What’s would what be like?”
She leaned back against Visor. “To be like the island.”
“It could be peaceful. It could be lonely.” He leaned his cheek on her head of stringy, matted hair and casually stroked her chest.
“Mother’s a liar, isn’t she?”
He took a long time to answer. “I think she’s told us some things that aren’t true.”
“Does that make her a bad person?”
“I don’t know how aware she is of the facts, at least at times. I suppose if she believes what she’s saying, calling it a lie is a matter of opinion. I do believe she has good intentions, for you, at least.”
“Does she love me?”
“I think Mercy wants the best for you. I don’t think she has the capacity for connection with people, at least for what others might call love.”
“Is that what’s wrong with me?”
“Why do you think something is wrong with you?”
“I don’t act normal—normally. I don’t speak normally.”
“You act differently than other people, yes. I wouldn’t say it isn’t normal, though. You have a different background, so it comes across differently. But the thing is, when I interact with you, you behave in a predictable, rational manner, given what I know about you. I would call that normal, even if it’s uncommon.” He kissed her head.
“It’s not my fault. I am sick. I’ve been sick forever. I could so easily be Europhette, if only things were a little different.”
“Sick how?”
“The madness, from my father. I hear voices. I shut them out when I can.”
“I think there’s a little more difference than that. She’s grown up in a whole different situation. And even with that, she seems fake to me, at least according to the memories you unblocked. I certainly don’t trust her the way I do you.”
“After we destroy Maciate, when we get back home, what are you going to do?”
“What do you mean? With the war?”
“Are you going to keep me with you?”
“I don’t have any reason to think we would or wouldn’t. I suppose if we get involved with the war, it depends on whether you want to be part of that. I don’t know if we’d stay at the Tower or move around, looking for an army to join. We’d want to do whatever we can to help liberate WaterCrescent. I’m sure a Sorana-type would be useful and welcome, if you want to help.”
“That’s so nice.”
“What is?”
“When you say my name.”
“When I say ‘Sorana’?”
“It is like warm bath.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I’m a bath?”
She reached up over her head and touched his face.
His demeanor changed. “Sorana SaSade.”
“A sound so beautiful it hurts.”
Sorana mouthed the words as Visor said, “The island … alone and small in the sea … veiled in white by the crashing tideline.”
She said, “Shall I bear this loneliness another night? Shall I surrender and become one with the waves? Struggle until the sea rolls over me?”
“I search the open waters for you.”
“My existence isn’t worth your toil.”
“I call your name.”
“The melody fills me with such longing that my heart constricts. I return your call.”
“It is the song of sirens.”
“You rescue me.”
“I hold you—make you warm.”
“And I know that you won’t abandon me.”
Pixie waited for a moment to escape. The conversation had drifted to things they probably didn’t want him to hear and now he was afraid to reveal himself.
The couple rearranged so that Visor's head lay in Sorana’s lap.
She stroked his temples, eventually cradling his head with both hands. “Because you belong to me.”
Pixie never claimed to be a philosopher, and really didn’t care to analyze the behavior of others, but he knew the touch of evil when he saw it. His heart beat faster as fight or flight took over. It was the worst reaction to have, hiding from an insane killer that could sense your vital fluctuations. Knowing that just increased his stress levels.
The assassin looked directly at him, her eyes calm and calculating.
He flew away.
Chapter 68
Running Home
A woman screamed. Visor awoke and scrambled to his feet.
Sorana was already alert.
“Donnie! Donnie!” That was Ranie’s voice.
Visor ran through the captain’s cabin, across the deck, and down to the promenade. Men formed a circle, gawking and gesturing. He crashed between two of them, shoving his way into the center.
Evan was on the floor, seizing.
Ranie was on her knees next to her, hesitantly trying to calm Evan.
A crewman named Will was trying to do something with Evan’s head.
Visor pushed Will aside.
Someone said, “We have to get her something to bite on.”
Visor said, “Why!”
Someone else said, “She’ll swallow her tongue.”
“No!” Idiots! Visor pointed to Will. “Get Finnur. Go!” He pinned down one of Evan’s arms. “Ranie, cradle her head. Don’t let her bang it. Thor, get her other arm.”
They held her, and Evan eventually wore herself out.
They moved her to sickbay.
Ursula healed her, but soon tired, having recently fixed a broken hand.
“Why don’t we give Rap a chance?” Visor nudged Rapture’s waist gently. There was a strange sensation on his fingers. He jerked his hand back. That was weird.
Rapture said, “What was that?”
“I don’t know. It just sort of tingled. It was kind of like a tickle—kind of like it fell asleep.”
Rapture said, “It felt warm to me.”
Finnur escorted Ursula out. “Why don’t we take you for a rest?”
Evan watched Finnur leave. “He thinks I’m dying.”
Visor said, “What did he say?”
“He didn’t say. Am I dying, Donnie?”
Visor felt his sister’s forehead. “I don’t know. I hope not.”
“Not if I can help it.” Rapture positioned herself infused healing into Evan’s body.
Evan was visibly relieved.
Rapture sighed. “Hmmm.”
Quenton asked, “Well?”
Rapture said, “I don’t know. She seems fine. The inflammation and infections are almost gone, but there is still something wrong. I can’t quite …” She moved her hands and concentrated.
Visor felt a tingling on the parts of his body near Rapture—almost like a buildup of static electricity, or a cold breeze. He pressed his palm against the small of her back. He shifted them to line up along her spine. He could feel her body actually drawing energy from his.
Quenton said, “Whoa. What’s that?”
Visor looked. Rapture’s hands were glowing a soft blue in the darkened lower level of the ship.
Evan said, “Holy shit, Rap!”
After a minute, Rapture broke the channeling and breathed heavily. “I can’t anymore. I need to rest.”
“I feel better.” Evan sat up. “Well, I’m still tired, but I feel better.”
Quenton said, “What happened?”
Rapture looked at Visor.
Visor said, “The Catalyst, I would guess. It has reconfigured my body to act as a conduit—a power cell. I don’t really understand it, though.”
Rapture said, “It felt like more power—like it made my healing stronger. But I don’t think Evan is fixed. She feels better because we eliminated all the aches and pains we normally feel.”
“Ambient pains.”
“Yeah, whatever. What’s really wrong with her is not the kind of wound that sirens heal. I can keep down the inflammation and bruising, but there is something else wrong with her body. It’s killing itself. It’s not a virus or a cut.”
Quenton took a breath, as if to speak, but didn’t say anything.
Finnur returned. He shooed off the others so that he could run some tests.
It was two days later that he called the Blade of Mercy back to the sickbay. “I’m sorry. I can’t identify the disease other to say that is it is progressing and that it is a physical problem. The progress has accelerated, and Evangeline is effectively bedridden.”
Visor said, “What do you think, though?”
Finnur said, “I really can’t venture a guess. I’m no more qualified than you are. I’m a head doctor. I handle mental issues. We refer any physical problems to the Sanctuary.”
Quenton said, “And when they can’t do anything?”
Finnur said, “We don’t have a medical program at the university. The symphonic knights have some field medics. I don’t know that they’ll be any more effective than sirens. Let me rephrase: I’ve never heard of a case in which the field medics were as effective as sirens.”
Rapture said, “I’ve tried—Ursula and Brigitta, too. Evan behaves like she has an internal head wound, but there isn’t one.”
Finnur said, “It’s definitely physical, though. Do we all agree on that? Maybe we can use a link in some way to figure it out. If Ranie could link me to Evan and give a better description of what’s going on, it might give us a direction.”
Visor said, “She doesn’t know what’s happening. Do you think you can get more out of her than she consciously knows?”
Ranie said, “No, it doesn’t work that way.”
Visor asked, “What if you hypnotized her? Can’t you get more information out of people sometimes?”
Finnur said, “In cases where someone witnessed an event, we can help them recall details.”
Ranie said, “It won’t make someone suddenly understand something that they otherwise don’t.”
Finnur said, “Unless recalling details helps lead to a solution.”
Ranie said, “So memory recall but not cognitive reasoning.”
Quenton said, “What about the sirens’ working together? What if Ranie linked you and the others?”
Rapture said, “We can try it, but I … yeah, we can do that.”
Quenton said, “And with Visor’s catalytic boost, maybe we can just overpower whatever it is.”
Ranie said, “Not likely.”
Finnur said, “Even if it helps a little, then we get her to the Sanctuary.”
Quenton said, “And what about the medics? Maybe this is something leaches could help. I heard once that leaches could be used for the plague. It could be what killed Athian, just affecting her differently.”
Finnur said, “Wasn’t it affecting Loring, too? I guess we don’t know because he got eaten before the plague had a chance to manifest.”
Rapture said, “No, it is different. With Athian and Loring, it was like I was able to heal them and they’d get reinfected. And it was so sudden at the end with Athian—well, with Loring too, but, you know.”
Ranie said, “This has been affecting Evan for months, growing worse—sometimes in spurts, but always getting worse.”
They were right. This was different. It was not a cold or a plague. Was it a curse? Her body was killing itself. This wasn’t something sirens could heal. There was nothing wrong. It was simply her body. Her body thought it was time to die. Why? It started a little before he returned to Raykez. Something she’d been eating or drinking? If that were the case, you’d think there would be others affected. Something she’d wished? She seemed happy enough. No, it was just a random biological mutation, like Rapture’s limp. It was something she was born with. Evan
was meant to die soon—born to die soon. How do you change that? He could have, perhaps should have, predicted it. But he didn’t. And what would he have done differently had he known? How do you change fate? How do you cheat fate? You’d have to violate the laws of physics—the laws of reality. And he knew someone who could do that.
Rapture said, “Don? What is it?”
Visor realized he’d missed a portion of conversation. “No.”
Everyone looked at him.
“Not the Sanctuary—not the knights. This is what we need to do: We have what—four days till Raykez? Okay, during that time, Quenton and Ranie, make sure that Evan is constantly tended. Take shifts. Keep her hydrated. Keep her in good spirits. It can come down to will in these cases. Feed her sweet, fatty, moist foods—little or no salt. Gentle exercise only. Don’t let her get bed sores, but make sure she gets lots of rest.”
He pointed to Finnur, “Make Ursula available. Don’t wear her out. Just keep the inflammation down. Get Brigitta to help. Pay the crew and marines whatever they want to have them help row. Work the pirates harder. Their lives are technically forfeit, anyway. The sirens can suffer through whatever discomfort that causes. Get the rhino ready for transporting an unconscious rider. Make a bed or support chair out of the saddle. Use Vinok to help grow it if you need to. I want the rhino ready to go the minute we dock at Raykez. I’ll run ahead to get horses while they unload the rhino. We’re making a dead run for the Tower of Mercy.”
Finnur said, “I don’t know if she’ll survive the run.”
“It’s what we’re doing. Everyone, if you can, try to get a little rest in the hours just before pulling into port. We’ll leave Thor and Morgan in charge of the Virtuosa. Rap, you and I are going to see what we can do to shave some time off the trip. Let’s see if my catalytic converter can boost your druid animal control. We can get some more dolphin harnesses made.”
“I will be aqua woman.” Rapture covered her mouth. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that to be funny.”
Quenton waved. “I know, Rap.”
Ranie said, “Its fine. We’re all on edge.”
Visor said, “Okay, everyone, let’s get started.”
Chapter 69
Despair
Mercy stood a respectful distance from Evan’s gurney. “It is now a matter of days or hours—perhaps weeks with the medical equipment.” Her voice was sad—sad, but still detached. She wore extended white gloves, along with a full length, shoulder-sleeved dress. “The ventilator will breathe for her after she loses autonomic functionality. It will delay ultimate death, but she will continue to physically deteriorate.”
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