The Realms of Ethair (26 page)

“
And me.” He neither agreed nor denied it.
“Then, I’m your only chance of finding him.”
My soul is bound to
his.

He would never compromise your
situation.

He didn’t. We did. We formed the bond in the
past.

Where’s your proof?

My memories will have to be
enough. You won’t find it in your records. The first Liyanna had
asked the few people who knew to keep it secret. She would’ve
survived the Shift if her bonded mate didn’t die.
“Nevertheless, you can’t stop
me from going.”

“She’s a big girl now, Commander.” Pellinor
interjected. “Besides, you have your dogs, me to lead the best
fighters of my kingdom, and Kelor-dan’s resources. We’ll make a
formidable force against your sworn enemies.”

“
They’re your enemies, too.” Pellinor
studied the map intently seeming not to have heard Reno. “Alright.
I want her protected at all times.” To Liyanna, he said: “Stay with
your group.”

“
My people will protect her,” Pellinor
said.

“My men won’t like it.” Reno shook his head.
“How many of the Sentries will guard her?”

“Eight.”

“I suggest half of it come from my
Order.”

Pellinor didn’t look pleased with the idea.
“Very well, my second-in command will lead them.”

The Captain and the Commander discussed
contingency plans with S7. From Mindy’s thoughts, Liyanna learned
that S7 offered his full cooperation in exchange for asylum in
Merleina. But what surprised the Guards most of all was the man’s
ability to adapt quickly to the energies in the fourth dimensional
plane. He was considered the first in his line of work to enter
their world and still move normally after a week.

“
Assembly is in twelve hours. I suggest
everyone retire and prepare before then,” Reno declared.

“
Uncle, I’m going with you,” Mindy
said.

“You are staying here.”

“I won’t be a liability. I can help.”

“Child, be reasonable.”

“I am not a child. I’m twenty-five.”

“
In this world, you still are. And you are
acting like one. You’re staying here. That is an order. Or, should
I have you confined to your room with a Guard posted at the
door?”

Uncle and niece stared down each other.
Eventually, Mindy stormed out of Reno’s office.

“
Fiery, that one
,” S7 murmured in amusement.

Reno and Liyanna glared at the
ex-spy.

The room held minimal furnishings, a small table
and chair, a bunk bed, and a cabinet. Its sole luxury was the
private bathroom and it belonged to the Liyanna. The perks of her
position included having Mindy as her roommate once the girl
stopped moping in the dorms. There were five hours left before they
traveled to the third dimension
.

The smells of the forest seeped through the
doorway. Pellinor slipped inside and left the door ajar. He
examined her from head to toe and commented, “You look very
human.”

She wore a black shirt, jeans and sneakers.
The outfit would allow her to blend in crowded areas and disappear
in the dark.

“How much did you tell him?”

“
Enough to change his mind.” She pulled her
hair into a loose bun. It would have been the best disguise if its
color didn’t stand out too much. There was also the chance that
those who had been after her would link her to the person she
looked like.

“What did you tell the Commander?”

“
I told him about my bond with Arturion.”
From her mirror, she could see Pellinor shake his head. “Can you
think of another way to have him agree to your plans?”

“Yes, if you didn’t interrupt our
discussion.”

“You were taking so long to convince him I
had to step in.”

“I was trying to—” He closed the door. “His
office is designed to compel people to speak truths. There is a way
to bend it without its caster knowing, which is what I was trying
to do when you decided to “step in.” Your bond with that Halfling
must not become common knowledge to my people and theirs.”

She turned from the mirror as realization
hit her.
“You
knew.”

“
The Prince knows, too. He has always been
a strong supporter of the first Liyanna and a key player in her
rise to power.” He paused. “I, on the other hand, was a less eager
pawn in the Prince’s plans for her. Thus, I was left much in
ignorance until it was too late.” Liyanna felt real emotion
emitting from Pellinor before he snatched it back behind the cold
exterior he persisted to show toward her.

Suddenly, the door swung wide hitting the
Captain at the back. Mindy offered a quick apology and pulled
Liyanna outside.

“Mindy, where are we going?” She couldn’t
make sense of the jumbled thoughts her friend was broadcasting in
the ether.

They were two floors down when Mindy
responded, “They’re going to take Fred.” She continued to drag
Liyanna along.

You can hear us.
Liyanna stopped walking,
forcing Mindy to look at her.

“
Please don’t tell anyone.” Mindy tugged at
her hand. “You have to stop them. He said that Alfred knows. If
Fred is really part of this, Uncle might be walking into a
trap.”

“Who said—”

“
Arty. He left a message with your
necklace. Uncle Reno thinks Fred knows where Arty’s being held.
Uncle’s planning to lead you away from the action. He says he’ll
secure Arty himself. He doesn’t want the both of you getting hurt
any further than this.”

Mindy rapped at the door and pulled
Liyanna inside. S7 sat up from the bed. His shirt lay on the floor
haphazardly, giving the women full view of the bruises on his neck,
stomach and arm.

“What do you want?” he said in a bored
tone.

“
You know where Fred is,” Mindy
said.

“So what if I know where he is?” S7 lay on
his back and stared at the ceiling. “Your uncle knows. Bother
him.”

“Where is he, S7?”

“Go ahead, throw a tantrum. You can even ask
warrior princess there to thrash me. The hell I care.”

“
Just tell me.” Mindy stomped her
foot.

“Leave me alone.”

While
she fumed in frustration, Liyanna saw S7’s mental
projection of a lake and the vivid sounds of nature in morning.
“Mindy, why don’t you leave us for a few minutes, I’ll talk to
him.”

Liyanna
studied S7 as she followed Mindy’s progress
outside. When no one was within earshot and mental range, she said:
“You’ve changed.”

“Must be the fresh air.” Mindy’s face popped
in his head which he quickly replaced with the vision of the
lake.

“How long has she been coming here?”

He didn’t answer.

“She’s the first person to befriend you.
And,” she paused, “you know her secret.”

“Everybody knows her secret.”

“Not like we do.”

S7 stared at her. Finally, he said: “You
don’t know what you’re up against. Let the “adults” handle it. This
isn’t a war you can win, princess. Their leaders are older than
your lot. Much, much older.”

“If you’re so sure they’ll win, why are you
here?”

“I was taken.”

“You’re helping us.”

“
In exchange for my freedom. They can’t
take me back if they can’t enter this dimension. Besides, I never
really liked Them.” The imagery in his mind did not waver. “And I’m
not keen on giving my ex-bosses free tickets to this place by
giving you ideas.”

“
I’m not going to get caught and I have
people protecting me.”

He looked her in the eye and considered.
“Fred probably knows what happened in Arturion’s house by now. His
next move would either be to go into hiding or to act as if
nothing’s changed. If the latter, he’ll be attending the midnight
conference with Peter’s father.”

“Where do you think he’ll go?”

“
He’ll be in the conference. The event is
heavily guarded by someone’s private army. Not a soul can enter
without them knowing.”

Liyanna
barely heard him. For some reason, she couldn’t
look away from his injuries. Her feet shuffled towards him. Before,
Liyanna realized what she was doing she had leaned forward and
kissed his forehead.

“
What was that for?” S7 grabbed her wrist
when she pulled away. He didn’t trust her and anyone else who
belonged in this dimension.

The bruises that marked him
faded.

“
I healed you
,” she said, hiding her surprise. She twisted her
arm from his hold. Liyanna had not expected that his injuries would
heal instantly by such a simple act.

He examined his body and saw what she
meant. “In exchange?”

“Come with us.”

“Sorry, princess.” He shook his head to the
side. “I’ve a longstanding appointment with freedom.”

“I’ll give you a better offer. I know why you can
still cope in this dimension and what you’re starting to feel. It’s
going to get worse before it gets better. And I know just the right
person to help you.” S7 gaped at her. “We leave in thirty minutes.
I suggest you make your decision quickly.” Calmly, she exited the
room and called on Pellinor and the people assigned to protect
her.

“Are you certain he’s coming?” Pellinor
whispered. He glanced at the Sentries and Guards who were quietly
discussing the defense formations they would use in the field.

They had assembled at the border between the
Devarian territory and the Guards’ headquarters with the pretense
of waiting for additional supplies from Kelor-dan. The Guards were
more reserved in the group. They weren’t happy about leaving their
Commander in the dark, but they considered her safety as the
priority in the mission and were willing to go wherever she
went.

Pellinor had been quick to organize their
sudden departure. Although he disliked the idea of having Mindy and
S7 join them, he relented after hearing out Liyanna’s
reasons.

She fidgeted at every sound the forest
made. The timeframe she had given was almost up and there was still
no sign of S7 and the Sentry who was sent to escort him. Liyanna
still wasn’t sure about what she had done earlier. The healing was
unexpected and hoped that she was right about S7’s current
condition.

The Captain repeated his question.

“We can still track Fred through Mindy,
right?”

“With your help, yes.” Pellinor moved closer.
“Relax. You are like a horse ready to bolt at any moment.”

“
Sorry,” she said automatically.

“
No, you are not. Breathe.” She followed
his advice and felt her tension ease a little. “What has that
Rituvan been teaching you? I shall have a word with him later,” he
added lightly.

Sensing he was in a better mood, she
ventured: “You don’t like him, do you?”

“
No,” he said flatly.

“
There they are.” A low growl escaped
Pellinor’s mouth, alarming Liyanna that she grabbed his arm to stop
him from doing anything rash.

S7 and the Sentry, who had fetched him,
looked like they had come straight from a brawl. The former sported
a cut on his lip and his right eye was swelling. Soon, it would
close to a slit.

“
There’s no time. We have to leave now,” S7
spoke.

“I did not ask for your counsel, human.”
Pellinor walked past him and briefed the Sentry.

Minutes later, they were moving deep into
the forest. They stayed away from sight by leaping from tree branch
to tree branch, swiftly and quietly. The two humans with them were
carried, Mindy by a Sentry and S7 by a Guard. Liyanna kept a short
distance from Pellinor as he led them towards the
portal.

“Tired yet, princess?” he asked.

Why does everyone keep calling
me that?
She was
exasperated with the nickname. Cutting back a retort, Liyanna said:
“I’m fine.”

He cast a sidelong look towards her. “Well,
we’re testy today.”

“Can’t we teleport to where the portal
is?”

“The Sorceress doesn’t like strangers
teleporting in and out of her land.”

“You seem to know her.”

“
Everybody knows her. She’s a law unto
herself. You wouldn’t want to be on her bad side. As it is, we’ve
crossed her border an hour ago.” Liyanna realized their pace had
slowed. “The Dogs wouldn’t dare trespass here.”

“Dogs. Can’t you just call them Guards?”

“You ask too many questions. Not all of them
very important.” They dropped to the ground. Pellinor and the
Sentries scanned the area carefully.

“What are we looking for?” S7 asked.

The trees creaked ominously. Twigs snapped
and leaves rustled. A shout rang, then another. Surprise and
confusion ensued. Vines had crept beneath them and pulled at their
feet. The Guards, S7, and Mindy hung upside down. It was Pellinor
who made sure Liyanna did not suffer the same fate. However, the
glint of an object caught her attention.

Liyanna
’s eye landed on sharp, cold steel of an arrowhead. It was
aimed at her heart.

“
Captain. What brings you here, so far from your
western borders?” a woman spoke. They were surrounded by female
archers. Every one of them was beautiful and deadly. Belts were
strapped with throwing knives, a short sword hung by the waist, a
quiver of arrows at the back. Their longbows drawn taut with a bolt
trained at intruders. The Sentries looked tame compared to these
warriors, whose faces lacked emotion
.