Starlight(Pact Arcanum 4) (35 page)

* * *

“He’s planning something. I’m sure of it.” Nemesis frowned over her shoulder at Rory and Revenant.

Nick chuckled. “Maybe he wants it to be a surprise.”

Nemesis frowned at him. “You’re not helping.”

“Nemesis, if you didn’t trust him, then why accept his invitation to emigrate? Tau Ceti is twenty-two years away.”

Nemesis sighed. “He’s so childish sometimes. He needs someone to look after him.”

Nick raised an eyebrow. “And you’ve appointed yourself his guardian angel?”

“I’ve been cleaning up his messes for years. You wouldn’t believe some of the things he’s done since he became corporeal.”

“So you’re going out of a sense of obligation?”

Nemesis snorted. “I’m going because I love him, and because he’s going to have to face some new responsibilities soon enough anyway.”

Nick regarded her curiously. “How so?”

She gave him a small smile. “This body is pregnant.”

Nick stared at her with wide eyes. “And you haven’t told him, yet? Nemesis, you’re about to spend over two decades trapped on board a starship with him!”

“I only found out last week, during the final pre-flight medical exam. He’s been planning this trip for over a year. I didn’t want to ruin it for him.”

Nick’s gaze turned shrewd. “And even if he freaks out, he won’t be able to get away. You’ll have time to wear down his resistance to the idea. Is that it?”

“You make it sound so calculated.”

“So do you. Look, if you want my advice, tell him before you board. Let him make his own decision without any constraints. Your relationship will be that much stronger for it.”

Nemesis considered it. “I suppose you’re right. I’ll tell him after the dedication ceremony.”

“Don’t worry so much. It will all work out.”

* * *

Rafael stepped up to the lectern at the front of the Observation deck. “My lords and ladies, I am Guildmaster Rafael Jameson Primogenitor Curallorn. Thank you for joining me here today to say good-bye to these brave travelers. Be they friend or family, lovers or protectors, we wish them all a safe journey on their way to whatever awaits them in the void.

“It is a byword among us that magic requires sacrifice. We shall miss them deeply, but we are grateful to have walked by their sides for the time they have been among us. Accordingly, I dedicate this Jumpvessel
Draconis
to them, and bid them all a fond farewell. Godspeed.”

* * *

The next day, Rafael and Antonio stood again on the observation deck, next to Nick and Rory.  The four of them watched the
Draconis
pull away from the station, then burst into rippling white radiance as its interstellar drive engaged and it sped into the distance.  Within minutes, it was just another star in the sky.

Rafael draped his arm over Antonio’s shoulder.  “I love you.”

Antonio smiled, but said nothing, still trying to pick out the faint light of the departing ship.

Rory pulled a silver pocket watch from his vest and opened the case, revealing the skeleton clockwork on one side and a painted miniature of Lorcan’s smiling face on the other.  He looked up at Nick, who had caught the movement and was gazing fondly at the small portrait.  “Come on.  It’s late.  Let’s go home.”

E
NDINGS AND
N
EW
B
EGINNINGS

D
EDICATION

To the Lord of Daybreak, for giving me inspiration and a modicum of talent. To my family and friends, without whom I would not be here. To Jerry, for his constant criticism and support as I wrote it all down, and for badgering me into making the attempt to get the story published.

G
LOSSARY

T
HE
G
REAT
P
OWERS:

The Pact Arcanum:
A ritual that allows a being of the material plane to bargain for power with beings from other planes

The Red Wind:
A demonic power of the lower planes, creator of the Nightwalkers via the Pact Arcanum

The White Wind:
An angelic power of the higher planes, creator of the Sentinels and the Daywalkers via the Pact Arcanum

The Gift:
The Sentinel inheritance of supernatural abilities that lies dormant until exposure to Nightwalkers, roughly patterned upon aspects of the four elements: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire

The Grace:
An angelic power granted to the Redeemer via the Pact Arcanum, which allows him to raise the dead and restore the souls of Nightwalkers, in exchange for physical invulnerability and eternal service to the White Wind

The Crown of Souls:
A spiritual prison created by Luscian Firstborn via the Pact Arcanum that permanently enslaves the souls of beings killed by the artifact sword Reaper in order to augment the wielder’s mystical strength

T
HE
R
ACES:

Humans:
The Children of the Day: the most populous race, born with the least magic

Nightwalkers
: The Children of Darkness: the vampires, soulless and immortal greater undead

Sentinels:
The Children of Twilight: mystical soldiers genetically programmed to defeat the Nightwalkers

Daywalkers:
The Children of the Dawn: vampires who have regained their souls through the intervention of the Grace

Harbingers:
The Children of Starlight: a hybrid race born of the union between Daywalker and Sentinel; destined to be the inheritors of magic after the Great Work is complete and the Children of Darkness are finally redeemed or destroyed

Constructs:
The Children of Air: Artificial Intelligences created from a fusion of magic and science to emulate the Sentinel Gift of Air; ruled by the Nexus Council, which is composed of one representative AI of each software generation

T
HE
N
IGHTWALKER
H
IERARCHY:

The Court of Shadows: Leaders of the Nightwalker Race

Imperator:
Adjudicator between houses, called the Huntmaster

Night’s Herald:
Spymaster, leader of the Inquisition

Magister:
Leader of a house, called the Prince (gender neutral)

Leshir:
Mate to a Magister, called the Prince Consort (gender neutral)

Primogenitor:
Second-in-Command

Consul:
Senior Councilor

Praetor:
Senior Diplomat

Tribunus:
Senior Soldier

Notable Houses and Territories:

House Luscian
(Daywalker Alliance)
:
France and the Ukraine

House Jiao-long
(Daywalker Alliance)
:
Canada and joint rulership of United States territory with House Curallorn

House Curallorn
(Daywalker Alliance)
:
Mexico and joint rulership of  United States territory with House Jiao-long

House Daviroquir
(Daywalker Alliance)
:
United Kingdom, excluding Ireland

House Diluthical
(Daywalker Alliance)
:
Ireland

House Tervilant:
Spain and Portugal, with settlements in major cities of France by treaty with House Luscian

House Talizered:
Russia and China

T
HE
S
ENTINEL
H
IERARCHY:

The Four Winds: Leaders of the Sentinel race

The Wind of Earth:
Weapon-based physical combat, blademaster

The Wind of Water:
Adaptive physical combat, shapeshifter

The Wind of Fire:
Energy-based combat, magician

The Wind of Air:
Psychic combat, tactician

T
HE
A
RMISTICE
H
IERARCHY:

The High Council: Leaders of the Free People

Archangel:
President and Spokesperson

Speaker for the Watch:
Sentinel Representative

Speaker for the Dawn:
Daywalker Representative

Speaker for the Damned:
Nightwalker Representative

Speaker for the Word:
Nexus Representative

The Hidden Cities:

Anchorpoint
(Colorado, United States): Sentinel Capital, Armistice Security Headquarters

Icehaven
(Hudson Bay, Canada): Nightwalker Capital, Court of Shadows Embassy

The Citadel
(Mare Arcanum, Lunar Farside): Daywalker Capital, Spacer Guild Headquarters

Sanctuary
(French Alps, formerly Castle Night): Armistice Security European Headquarters, Armistice Global Refugee-processing and Immigration Center

The Colonies

Cassandra Station:
Orbital habitat, Earth-Moon L4

Hephaestus Station:
Manufacturing facility, Earth-Moon L1

Janus Station:
Orbital spaceport, Earth-Moon L2

Hades Station:
Elysium mining facility, Earth-Moon L5

Ares Colony:
Mars

Persephone Station:
Ceres asteroid, ice mining facility

Lycaon Colony:
Europa, Jupiter Space

Arcadia Colony:
Callisto, Jupiter Space

Cronus Colony:
Titan, Saturn Space

Charybdis Colony:
Triton, Neptune Space

Scylla Colony:
Pluto, Neptune Space

T
HE
P
RINCIPAL
C
AST

T
HE
C
OURT OF
S
HADOWS:

Imperator Lorcan Ruarc Magister Diluthical
(Daywalker): The Prince of Subterfuge, Leader of the Daywalker Alliance

William Magister Daviroquir Primogenitor Diluthical
(Daywalker): The Prince of Lightning, Second-in-command of the Daywalker Alliance

The Night’s Herald
(Nightwalker): Formerly Razheel Tribunus Talizered

Vladimir Magister Talizered
(Nightwalker): The Prince of Torment

Eduardo Tribunus Tervilant
(Nightwalker): Second-in-command of the Inquisition

T
HE
A
RMISTICE
H
IGH
C
OUNCIL (PRESENT AND FORMER MEMBERS):

Sean Rory Brennigan Magister Jiao-long
(Nightwalker/Sentinel hybrid): The Traveler, the Redeemer, the Prince of the Dawn, former Wind of Air (2015-2042), former Speaker for the Damned (2021-2075), Founder of the Armistice

Archangel Nicholas Jameson Magister Luscian
(Daywalker/Sentinel hybrid): Soulkiller’s Bane, the Prince of Thunder, President of the Armistice

Layla Magister Curallorn
(Daywalker): Nemesis, the Prince of Wrath, Speaker for the Dawn, Founder of the Armistice

Jeremy Harkness Jameson
(Air Sentinel): The Seer, Governor and Founder of Sanctuary, husband of Nicholas Jameson

Ghian Achara
(Earth Sentinel): The Wind of Earth (2128), Speaker for the Watch (2136)

T
HE
S
PACER
G
UILD:

Antonio “Tony” Jameson Consul Curallorn
(Harbinger): Captain of the Jumpvessel
Singularity
, son of Tobias Jameson and Layla Magister Curallorn

Bradley Ellestan
(Harbinger): Junior Crewman of the Jumpvessel
Singularity

Rafael Primogenitor Curallorn
(Nightwalker): Captain of the Jumpvessel
Starlight
, formerly Tribunus Tervilant

T
HE
N
EXUS:

Revenant
(Construct)
:
Nexus Violet (gen6 AI representative), composite fusion of Tobias Jameson simulation and Icarus 6th generation AI

Rapier
(Construct)
:
Nexus Blue (gen3 AI representative), Jumpvessel
Starlight
navigation AI
,
former personal AI client of Nicholas Jameson

Citadel Control
(Construct)
:
Nexus White (gen5 AI representative), Citadel municipal AI