A Citadel of Captives

  Amane was kneeling by Kallisto’s side. The Faulty was coming to, but still had that device in her neck, which rendered her mute. Next to me was Zeriel. The concerned look on his face warmed me up on the inside.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  I nodded slowly, then noticed Rose looking after Ben, who was as dazed as me. Douma had hit us both, hard enough to leave us unconscious. Hunter and Ridan stood by the cave opening, peeking through the waterfall and keeping watch.

  “You were out for quite a while,” Zeriel muttered.

  For a moment, I lost myself inside the aqua-blue pools of his eyes. He kept his long, sand-blond hair braided down his back, and I couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like if I ran my fingers through it. I must’ve been conked on the head pretty hard, because I was seeing Zeriel in a different light.

  No, you’ve had the hots for him from the moment you met.

  I exhaled, then looked at Douma. “I remember she knocked me and Ben out. What happened after that?” I asked.

  Kailani smiled, her eyes wide with wonder. “I think the water Hermessi intervened,” she said.

  “Whoa,” I managed. That hit me right in the chest, and I took deep breaths, remembering my dream. “That explains the weird dream I just had. Maybe, anyway.”

  “What was it?” Ben replied, watching me with keen interest.

  “Get this.” I chuckled softly, amused by the sheer ridiculousness of me ever drowning. “I was underwater. I kept swimming toward the surface, but I could never reach it. I was about to drown, when this voice told me to wake up.”

  “But you can’t—” Zeriel began, but I cut him off.

  “I know!” I said, then shrugged. “It was a weird dream, like I said.”

  “I saw and heard the same thing,” Ben said, frowning. “I was in water, deep, and was swimming upward. I could see the sun beyond the surface, but I couldn’t reach it. I knew I wouldn’t be able to drown, as a fae, but I still panicked.”

  “Then the voice told you to wake up,” I whispered. Ben nodded. “It was the Hermessi, for sure. He said, ‘I am Water,’ or something.”

  “Yes. Exactly. And that my people need me,” Ben added.

  Kailani sighed, while Elonora and Dmitri dragged Douma to the side and tied her to the larger of several slabs of stone resting against the cave wall. “This is definitely the Hermessi. They’re strong or getting stronger here,” she said.

  “But why?” I asked.

  Rose thought about it for a second, before her face lit up. “Maybe it has something to do with Ta’Zan’s work. His whole quest to be better, superior to nature.”

  “You think the Hermessi are reacting to it?” Kailani replied.

  “Could be. I wouldn’t exclude the possibility. If anything, if I were you,” Rose said, looking at Ben and me, “I’d explore this further. Maybe form a dialogue with the Hermessi. Clearly, they… or it wanted you alive. It called itself Water. It stopped Douma from escaping, too. We might be on to something here.”

  Kailani got up and prepared a cloaking spell. She drew a drop of blood from each of us, then got Hunter to draw a line with mixed powders, setting a perimeter inside the cave.

  “Okay, we can all come in and out as we please. No one else can,” Kailani said, then frowned as she looked at Douma. “Unless her Perfects break through my cloaking spell again. There isn’t much I can do about that, I’m afraid.”

  “It’s fine,” Amane replied as she carefully removed the device from Kallisto’s neck. Blood trickled from the Faulty’s small wound, making her whimper from the pain. “It will at least buy us some time,” she added, then pointed at the back of the cave. “There’s a hidden passage there that takes us to the other side of the mountain, in case we need to escape and can’t use Kailani’s teleporting ability.”

  “What’s going on with Kallisto?” I asked, watching as Amane applied a paste over the Faulty’s neck wound, then pressed a small cylindrical device against it. The lights on its side glowed green, red, and blue.

  “Well, she doesn’t have the Perfects’ vampire genes, so she can’t heal like them. I’m having to do a little bit of work to get her vocal cords to fuse back, though I cannot guarantee she’ll also regain her ability to scream the way she did. It may take some time,” Amane explained.

  “Vampire blood will help her heal faster,” Rose replied. “She’s had some before.”

  Amane nodded. “Let me just patch her up first and see how it works. I’ve used vampire blood to repair damaged tissues back in Ta’Zan’s lab. It didn’t work on everything, and this is a particularly delicate injury. Oh, and by the way, you should cover Douma’s mouth. Perfects can emit specific sounds on a certain frequency to call out to each other. We don’t want them poking around here already. This is one of the few safe spots I’ve got left, and I would hate to lose it.”

  Kailani gagged Douma, leaving Dmitri to watch over her. “Can we snip her vocal cords, then?” Dmitri asked.

  “I can whip up something to keep her from snitching,” Amane replied.

  Elonora came over and sat by Kallisto’s side, while Zeriel covered me with a small blanket he’d packed in his bag. It was soft and dry, good enough to keep me warm, as the cave was quite chilly, despite the daytime heat outside.

  “How are you feeling?” Elonora asked Kallisto, while Amane bandaged her neck.

  Kallisto gave her a brief shrug. “I’ve been better,” she whispered.

  “Hey, you can talk.” Elonora chuckled, giving her an encouraging smile.

  “The device did most of the work,” Amane replied. “You can give her some of your blood now.”

  Kallisto narrowed her eyes at Amane, but chose to ignore her without so much as a thank you, shifting her focus to Elonora instead.

  “We’ll need that badass scream of yours, going forward,” Elonora said, then bit into her wrist and gently pushed it against Kallisto’s lips. “Drink. It’ll help.”

  Kallisto did as told and suckled on Elonora’s wrist for a good minute, before Elonora pulled her hand back. I found myself hoping that our nightmare was on hold, at least for a while. Maybe the universe had finally hit the pause button on our tragedy, giving us time to recover.

  My eyes were droopy. I was exhausted.

  I gave Zeriel a brief glance, and he seemed to know exactly what I needed, because he just smiled and moved closer so he could put an arm around my shoulders. I rested my head on his chest. It wasn’t much, but it was good enough to help me relax a little bit.

  Any other day, I would’ve kept my distance. I didn’t know how to deal with these emotions that he stirred in me. But this wasn’t just any other day.

  This was the day we’d survived multiple attacks from creatures that weren’t just physically superior to us, but were also hellbent on capturing us, dead or alive. We’d done quite well. I needed the break.

  Kailani

  Dmitri didn’t take his eyes off Douma. There was a mixture of fear and admiration in his greenish eyes, as he watched her slowly recover. Soon enough, Douma would take her first breath after having drowned. I had never seen such a creature, capable of coming back to life no matter how you killed it. My guess was that Dmitri was equally fascinated.

  I caught Hunter stealing a glance at me. As soon as I spotted him, he looked away. He’d been doing that a lot, lately, and I had a feeling it had something to do with our conversation back in the woods, prior to the Faulty attack. He was curious about my transition as a swamp witch, but knew I couldn’t talk about it.

  That left him with plain observation of my every move and expression, as if my body language could tell him more than my words. Hunter was very good at reading people. I had to give credit where it was due. But I doubted he’d be able to see past the barrier I’d put up. In all honesty, it would’ve been difficult to explain what was going on, anyway. Even I couldn’t make sense of how the Word was bonding with me, when it gave me words I didn’t understand—words which I was able to use
for spells but couldn’t remember the second time around.

  “Amane, we need your help,” Rose said, reiterating an earlier request. “I need to find my parents. We need to get our people back. I’m not just talking about the first group that Ta’Zan abducted. The fleet prisoners, too. We have to get them out of here. You know it’s not fair, nor is it right for them to be on this planet, with their freedom taken.”

  Amane sighed, then nodded slowly. “I understand,” she replied. “I will do whatever I can to help, but you must understand two things here. One, I cannot risk my sister’s wellbeing, no matter what. Two, even if I help you, it’s still extremely dangerous. All of you must be aware of the fact that we may fail, and that we may die.”

  We looked at each other—not questioningly, but rather reassuringly. The general vibe was pretty unanimous, from what I could tell. There was nothing we wouldn’t do to get our loved ones back. I, for one, was particularly driven by the fact that Ta’Zan had my grandparents. Grandma Corrine and Grandpa Ibrahim were forces of nature and absolute legends in the supernatural world. I worshipped and loved them to bits. They would’ve done anything to keep me safe, so the least I could do was return the favor.

  “The Perfects’ numbers are growing,” Amane continued, seeming pleased with our firm expressions. “They’re also fast learners. In weeks, there will be millions of them, stronger and far more intelligent than the creatures we’ve met so far. Ta’Zan will figure out the technology you used for space travel, too. He’ll reproduce it, seamlessly, and put it to the test. And, once he sends the Perfect armies out, it’ll be over.”

  “Okay, so is this your way of putting us off or…?” Ben replied, raising an eyebrow.

  “I’m being honest. You all need to fully understand what you’re getting yourselves into,” Amane said. “You have to come to terms with the fact that this enemy will only get smarter and more resourceful as time goes by. No matter what we do, no matter what little victories we achieve along the way, the Perfects will always be one step ahead of us. If you all understand that, then maybe we might actually accomplish something, after all. One of the reasons I’ve decided to help you is because I want to get my sister out of there.”

  Kallisto cleared her throat for the first time, looking a lot better than she did half an hour ago. The wound on her neck had closed up, and her eyes seemed a lot more focused. She raised herself up into a sitting position, with both Nevis and Elonora by her side—each watching her with concern and reserve.

  “We could definitely get the Faulties on our side,” Kallisto said, her voice shaky and raspy. She swallowed, grimacing from mild discomfort. Her vocal cords were still healing. “If I was able to see what a sham our lives have been, up to this point, then surely we can make the others realize it, too. There are plenty of my siblings out there, wandering aimlessly and desperate to go back to the only kind of ‘home’ they’ve ever known. They’ll be angry. They’ll be feeling rejected and lonely. We need to work with those emotions to get them on our side.”

  Amane nodded. “A rebellion, or, for that matter, any kind of violence will not work with Ta’Zan and the Perfects. An alliance with the other Faulties, however… That could be done. Emphasis on could.”

  “Sorry, I’m having a hard time taking this new you seriously,” Kallisto retorted, frowning as she looked at Amane. “You’ve been running around like a coward, and now, all of a sudden, you’re the pack master?”

  “What’s your problem, exactly?” Amane said, while the rest of us watched the exchange, visibly befuddled. “You sold them out to Araquiel, in the first place, and now look at you, slumming it with the gang.”

  “Um, ladies—” Elonora tried to speak up, but Kallisto wouldn’t have it. She was getting more aggravated with every minute that went by.

  “You were always pro-Ta’Zan!” Kallisto replied to Amane. “You didn’t want to get involved before, even though it was the right thing to do, but since your sister’s life will be in peril after word gets out you helped these strangers… well, you’re all for sabotaging Ta’Zan, huh? At least be honest with yourself, if you can’t bring yourself to admit it to them! You, Amane… You walked out like a coward. You ran off and left your sister behind. Had it not been for your change of heart in helping these people, you’d still be out there, cowering in one of your safe spots!”

  Amane exhaled. “Really? You’re one to talk. At least I walked out of my own accord; I didn’t get myself kicked out. Oh, and by the way, you’re welcome!” she said, pointing at Kallisto’s neck.

  There was definitely some history between these two, and it went well past the few days we’d been here, on Strava. This relationship between Amane and Kallisto dated back many years, without including the century they spent in stasis.

  And judging by their reddened cheeks and angry glares, both Faulties were ready to air some dirty laundry, with the rest of us present. On one hand, I thought this was going to get incredibly awkward. On the other, however, people often tell hidden truths at their angriest. And some of those were most likely to concern us, too.

  Elonora

  Tension was mounting between Amane and Kallisto. My instincts made me sit up straight, ready to push out a barrier, in case it got physical. They clearly had a bone to pick with each other.

  “So, you two go way back, I suppose,” I said, trying to get to the bottom of this.

  Amane crossed her arms, a muscle ticking nervously in her jaw. “Do you know why Kallisto was kicked out, in the first place?”

  “Well, at least I didn’t run off like a coward!” Kallisto grumbled.

  “She was too violent,” Amane continued, undisturbed. “She was too temperamental, and, most importantly, she was too obsessed with Ta’Zan.”

  “How would you know? You ran off before me and my siblings were left behind!” Kallisto said.

  Amane sneered at her. “It didn’t take a scientist to figure that one out. It was only a matter of time! Ta’Zan had been thinking about it before we even went into stasis. All of the Faulties that were ejected after the awakening had already racked up quite a reputation. Violent. Volatile. Impossible to tame!”

  Kallisto didn’t respond. Instead, she looked down, as if she were ashamed. Amane was telling the truth, but, still, given the circumstances, I couldn’t exactly think less of either of the two Faulties.

  “Listen, that’s in the past,” Rose interjected, slightly irritated. “What matters is what happens next. You, Amane, want to get your sister out of Ta’Zan’s reach,” she said, then looked at Kallisto. “And you… Well, you’re angry and you want to get back at your creator. Clearly, you both share a common goal, and it’s in line with what we want, as well. We can start with that.”

  “I doubt it. You should kill Kallisto before she betrays you again. It’s only a matter of time, anyway,” Amane retorted.

  It prompted Kallisto to try to get up, eager for a fight. My arm shot to the side to stop her. My fingers dug into her shoulder, wordlessly suggesting that she sit back down. Surprisingly, Kallisto obeyed, and settled for a string of curses under her breath, instead.

  “We’re not in the business of killing people willy-nilly,” Rose snapped. “Kallisto betrayed us, yes. But she’s come a long way since, and, more noticeably, she helped us earlier. We’re all going in the same direction here.”

  “They’re right,” Kallisto replied. “I want to make Ta’Zan suffer. He thinks we’re not good enough, Amane. That alone makes my blood boil. You, on the other hand,” she added, pointing a finger at Amane, “you’re more likely to betray them. As long as Amal is still in Ta’Zan’s reach, you cannot be trusted.”

  Amane opened her mouth to say something, but ended up pressing her lips into a thin line. Her nostrils flared angrily, and she scowled at Kallisto.

  “The Perfects already know you’re helping them,” Kallisto said to her. “That’s enough to put Amal at risk. You know that, right?”

  Just then, Douma tried to speak, despite th
e gag. Dmitri almost jumped out of his skin.

  “Jeez,” he breathed, staring at her.

  “She’s awake,” Amane murmured, then picked up another small device from her trunk. She fiddled with its controls, then pressed a small button on the bottom. A long, thin needle popped out. She walked over to Douma and pushed the needle deep into the side of her neck. Once the small device was pressed against her skin, Amane pressed a second button, prompting two lights to flicker red and blue, intermittently.

  She then removed Douma’s gag.

  “I suppose that’ll stop her from calling out to the others?” I asked.

  Amane gave me a brief nod, then stepped back. Douma took several deep breaths, her lips still faded purple from the drowning. It would be a while before she regained her fresh, iridescent glow.

  “The Perfects most definitely know Amane is helping you,” Douma croaked. “They also know you have me. Oh, and by the way, don’t think these restraints will keep me down for too long.”

  Kailani grinned. “I doubt you know enough swamp witch magic to break free.”

  “Well, we were able to get to your little shuttle pods, weren’t we?” Douma said with a cold smirk. “Besides, there’s a little snag with Amal, in case her wayward sister here didn’t tell you. Amal is happy with Father. She won’t be going anywhere. Chances are she’ll shove Amane’s ass in a glass box, along with the rest of you, as soon as you set foot inside Father’s compound.”

  Choosing to ignore Douma’s attempt to tease and demoralize us, I smiled at Amane. “Then it’s settled. We’re going in, and we’re getting your sister out of there, too, whether she wants to come or not. I’m inclined to assume that our new friend here knows where the compound is.”

  Amane’s lips stretched into a devilish grin. “That’s a good assumption to make,” she said. “We’ll find a way in. Of that I’m sure.”

  Douma chuckled, though the bitterness in her low voice was impossible to ignore. “I like how you all think I’m actually going to tell you anything. I’d rather die a thousand deaths than betray my father.”