“What slave?” one of the raiders asked.
“Out with it,” another demanded.
Hands on his hips, Joe shook his head and stared at the floor.
“Is this about Cole?” Adam guessed. “He’s our newest acquisition.”
All eyes turned to Cole, who shrank down in his seat. Joe followed their gazes to him and gave a little huff. “I’m not telling. I don’t want to be mysterious or difficult. It would just be safer for everyone if we settle this quietly.”
Adam put his boots up on a footstool. “You’re failing at mysterious, but you’re overskilled at difficult. We all know one another here, Joe. If someone vanishes, everybody in this room will realize who departed.”
“Not immediately,” Joe said. “And they won’t know why. We need all the time and secrecy we can get.”
Adam scowled. “Who would the High Shaper care about? Is it Durny? Our lead shaper? If so, you’re too late. He’s beyond all reach.”
“Not him,” Joe affirmed.
Cole avoided looking at Mira. He felt sick with worry. They had to be talking about her.
Adam raised his voice. “Any sign of legionnaires?”
“We’ve seen hints of a big group approaching,” a voice answered near the door. “Really big. Thought it might be a herd of buffalo. Could be riders. If so, it’s lots of them.”
“Hundreds of them,” Joe added.
Adam stood up. He was taller than Joe, with a thicker build. “I’m not sure whether you’re trying to solve our problem, cause it, or just profit by it.”
“I can make it all clear in private,” Joe insisted.
“I’ll tell the others, soon as we’re done.”
“I’m willing to take that chance.”
Adam considered him shrewdly.
“Incoming riders” came a shout from outside. “Three legionnaires.”
“We’re out of time,” Joe said urgently.
“Advance party,” Adam said. “Might be wise to hear both sides of this.”
“They’ll lie,” Joe said. “They’ll pressure you. Lend an ear, and you’ll end by handing over the slave.”
Pounding hoofbeats approached outside. Everyone turned their attention to the door.
“You skipped your chance to state your side,” Adam said.
Joe stepped close to Adam and whispered something. The men escorting Joe moved to intervene. Eyes widening, Adam lifted a hand to stop his men from interfering. Adam whispered something back. The stranger whispered something else.
“You want to hide?” Adam asked.
“Only if you give me the slave.”
Adam furrowed his brow.
The hoofbeats stopped near the door. Joe stepped away, taking a seat at a table. Adam returned to his throne. A man in a dark-blue uniform with gold trim came through the door, followed by two others, all three striding confidently. They each wore swords at their hips and held helmets under their arms.
“Captain Scott Pickett looking for Adam Jones,” the legionnaire in front announced. He had a small neatly trimmed mustache. His sweaty hair was plastered to his head from wearing the helmet.
“You found me, Pickett,” Adam said. “I don’t know your face. What brings you to the edge of the world?”
“An errand of small weight to you but of great import to our leaders,” Pickett said. “Might we confer in private?”
“We conduct our business publicly around here,” Adam said. “Most of those present share ownership in the operation.”
“As you will,” Pickett said efficiently. He seemed slightly unsettled, but he kept his gaze on Adam. “A slave was stolen some time ago from the High King. His Majesty would like her returned. We have traced her to this location. At present, we do not hold you at fault in the matter—you would not have known she was stolen property.”
Cole refused to let himself look at Mira. She had told him she wasn’t a slave before she left the High Shaper. The soldier must be lying to get what he wanted.
Shooting a quick glance at Joe, Adam shifted in his seat. “All the slaves here are bought and paid for.”
Pickett nodded briskly. “Understood. Considering the inconvenience, we will offer you five times her value.”
Adam whistled softly. “Slaves don’t come cheap. If she’s already the High Shaper’s property, why offer so much?”
“She is dear to the High King, and he wants the matter resolved.”
“You have her papers?”
“The matter is . . . delicate,” Pickett hedged.
“Surely you have proof of ownership.”
“You have the word of the legion and of the High King.”
Adam rubbed his mouth. “If you can spare five times her value, surely you could offer ten.”
Pickett paused. “I expect that could be arranged.”
Cole squeezed the edge of the table where he sat. Was Adam going to bargain with him? If so, Mira needed to run for it immediately.
“I see,” Adam said. “And if ten, why not a hundred?”
“Now let’s not—”
Adam held up a finger in protest. “The High Shaper has deep pockets, the matter is sensitive, and I’m a broker of rare valuables. Why not a thousand?”
Pickett straightened, his expression hardening. “Do not imagine you can abuse the legion, sir. The High King would prefer this to be handled with civility. He appreciates the value of your operation. But he will not hesitate to take what belongs to him. Commander Rainier is coming with a number of men.”
“Four hundred?”
“At least.”
Adam narrowed his eyes. “Why send so many men for a single slave you can’t prove you own?”
“We’re not just here for the slave,” Pickett said. “We’re also on our way to deal with Carnag.”
“Carnag?” Adam repeated. “The High King is finally getting involved?”
Pickett ran a hand through his hair. “The reports about the monster are most disturbing. We’ve seen some oddities across the five kingdoms, but never anything quite like this. It’s emptying towns quicker than a plague. Local militia and small groups of legionnaires haven’t even been able to get reliable information.”
Frowning, Adam stared at Pickett. “Who is the slave?”
“She presently goes by Mira.”
Unlike the rest of the room, Cole didn’t swivel to stare at his friend. The revelation came as no shock. At least now he knew for sure.
Jace sprang to his feet. “Mira? What do you want with Mira?”
Pickett looked from Mira to Jace. “I want nothing. I’m under orders. None of you know this slave. Not really. She is here under false pretenses. The High King will have his property returned.”
In the distance, Cole heard the drumming of many hooves. Others in the room seemed to notice the rumble as well. All else was quiet for a moment as they listened.
Pickett cleared his throat into his gloved fist. “Please believe me that this business will conclude much more pleasantly if we resolve the matter before Commander Rainier arrives.”
Cole risked a glance at Mira. Her eyes were wide. She looked panicked and uncertain. The situation was unraveling. They had to get away. What could he do?
“The girl has some shaping skills,” Adam said. “It makes her natural value at least five times more than a talentless slave.”
“Understood.”
“And you’ll give us ten times her value?”
“Fifty times the value of a common slave? I suspect that could be arranged.”
“You suspect or you’re sure? Are you empowered to negotiate or not?”
Picket rubbed his mustache. “Very well. If it will settle the matter without a disturbance, done.”
Cole got up and started toward the hall to the back door. If he skirted the walls, keeping away from the center of the room, he might be able to slip away unnoticed. Twitch looked at him questioningly, but Cole subtly waved away the attention. A few other men glanced his way, but most
kept their eyes on the negotiation.
Adam rubbed his hands together. “That’s a generous offer. Seems almost too good to be true. Deals seldom are. Makes me wonder what I’m missing.”
“The High King wants the girl and would prefer to have the matter settled quietly,” Pickett replied. “Even so, you have my best offer. I won’t agree to more.”
Cole reached the hall to the back door. He turned his back to the negotiation and started down the corridor. Just a few more steps and he would pass out of view from the common area.
“Where do you think you’re going, boy?” Pickett asked sharply.
Cole froze. Trying to stay composed, he turned to find the legionnaire staring at him, along with everyone else in the room.
“I have to pee,” Cole apologized. “I was trying to hold it. When you have to, you have to.” Forcing a small smile, he crossed his legs.
Pickett waved a dismissive hand. “Fine. Be quick about it.”
Cole hurried down the hall and broke into a sprint once he knew he was out of sight. He raced out the back door and heard the thunder of approaching horses much more clearly. The legion wasn’t at their doorstep yet, but judging from the sound, it would only be a minute or two before the first soldiers arrived.
He found the bow and the shawl under the deck right where he had left them. Would he really shoot those soldiers? For Mira, if he had to, yeah, maybe. There might be a big army coming, but Cole doubted their horses could fly. Mira had to get aboard a skycraft.
Items in hand, Cole rushed through other halls to reach his room. If they were going to try to get away, he needed his gear. He strapped on the Jumping Sword as he exited and then settled the shawl over his shoulders. He returned to the common room from the hall that led to the stairs to the skycraft hanger. The drumming of hooves was slowing down right outside.
On his feet now, Adam was shaking hands with Pickett. “You’ve purchased one very expensive slave,” Adam said.
“You drive a hard bargain,” Pickett replied.
Releasing his hand, Adam shrugged. “It’s how we scrape by.”
Nobody had noticed Cole return. Was he really going to do this? Adam had sold Mira. Any second, more soldiers would enter. Cole didn’t want to see her get captured, and he couldn’t lose his one link to finding his friends. It was now or never.
Heart pounding, Cole raised his bow and pulled the string back until an arrow appeared. Keeping the feathers near his cheek, he pointed the arrow at Pickett. Nobody was looking his way.
“Not so fast!” Cole yelled.
That got their attention.
Pickett and the two other legionnaires placed their hands on the hilts of their swords. Pickett glared at Adam. “What is this?”
Adam raised both hands. “Not my doing. That boy is a slave, not an owner. He’ll wish he was never born after we disarm him. The girl is yours. If she runs, we’ll help give chase. You’ve got too many comrades out there. I don’t want the deal spoiled.”
On the far side of the room, the front door opened, revealing a sea of legionnaires. Beyond the mob pressing toward the doorway, Cole could see others on horseback, some dismounting. The first couple of legionnaires stepped through.
“Now, Mira!” Cole called. “Time to go.”
CHAPTER
17
FLIGHT
For a moment all was still. The legionnaires at the front door halted. Cole was undoubtedly the center of attention—some of it confused, much of it angry.
Then Mira lunged from her seat and the spell was broken.
Pickett and his two comrades drew their swords and rushed forward in a crouch, using the raiders at the tables as shields. The legionnaires at the door drew their weapons and burst in as well.
Joe sprang from his chair and tackled Pickett hard. Leaping up, Joe produced a silver tube and pointed it at one of the other legionnaires. When nothing happened, he slapped it, then pointed it again.
One of the legionnaires was moving quickly enough to cut off Mira’s escape. Cole pivoted and prepared to release his arrow.
Before he let it fly, a golden lash snapped forward, coiling around the legionnaire’s boots and jerking him into the air. The lash flung the soldier brutally against a wooden support beam, and he folded with a loud grunt and crumpled to the floor. Jace held the other end of the golden rope.
Mira raced past Cole, who held his position, bow bent, covering her escape. Jace whipped a second legionnaire in the face with his golden lash, and diving over a table, Joe blindsided the stunned soldier.
“Don’t spoil this, men!” Adam bellowed. “After her!”
All around the room, raiders sprang to their feet. Many shuffled toward Cole. Another large group headed for the hall to the back door. Cole noticed Pickett slip into that hall, ahead of the mass of raiders.
Outrunning the other raiders, Jace and Twitch dashed by Cole. “Let’s get her out of here,” Jace gasped without slowing.
Sidestepping so he could face backward, Cole retreated, arrow nocked and ready. The oncoming raiders collided with one another as they crammed from the wide room into the bottleneck of the hallway. Some stumbled and fell, further clogging the passage. Jostling one another, they grimaced and elbowed and made slow progress. Eli was among the foremost. Giving Cole a meaningful look, he motioned for him to run.
Suddenly Cole got it. The raiders hadn’t turned into clumsy fools. They were deliberately blocking the hallways to give him a chance.
Turning, he sprinted down the hall until he reached the stairs to the caves. Bounding down recklessly, he followed the only underground route he knew well—the way to the landing bay. He could hear people running ahead of him—probably Jace and Twitch.
Why had the raiders decided to help them? Would they keep the halls plugged for long? He had no answers, but he knew that if Mira didn’t get in the air quickly, she probably wouldn’t get the chance. It was well into the afternoon. The salvaging parties had all returned. Would the landing bay be sealed? If so, could they open it?
While making his way toward the hangar, Cole heard footfalls behind him. Glancing back, he saw Mira. He slowed to let her catch up.
“Why are you behind me?” he asked.
“I had to swing by my room,” she said breathlessly, reaching him and then passing him. “We need an operator’s stone to fly a lifeboat.” He saw that she had grabbed her Jumping Sword as well.
Cole ran hard. Keeping up with Mira was a challenge. Her full sprint was a little faster than his.
They burst through the entrance to the landing bay to find all the cliffside exits closed. The hangar was sealed up tight, the three big skycraft looming in the lamplight.
Jace was yelling at an older guy named Martin.
“Adam will have your head if you don’t open it now!” Jace cried. “It’s a Situation Spoiled. He said it twice.”
“And if you’re lying?” Martin replied.
“Then we’ll be the ones in hot water!” Jace shouted.
“He’s not lying,” Twitch said.
“I have a stone,” Mira called, drawing her Jumping Sword and leaping aboard the Vulture.
Keeping hold of one end, Jace threw his golden rope toward the Vulture. Uncoiling, it stretched out longer than Cole had seen it reach before, and the far end snaked around the mast. The rope then abruptly shortened, lifting Jace off his feet and pulling him aboard. After he landed on the deck, the rope unraveled from the mast.
Cole didn’t hear footsteps until just before Captain Pickett burst into the landing bay, sword in hand. Whirling, Cole pulled the arrow back and aimed low, at the legionnaire’s legs. Less than ten feet separated Cole from the officer. As Cole released, Pickett dodged sideways, and the arrow streaked past him.
Pickett lunged forward and Cole skipped away, yanking the bowstring back until another arrow appeared. Pickett charged straight, Cole released the arrow, and it pierced the officer’s thigh. Cole scurried aside as Pickett went to the ground with an an
guished growl. Nobody came racing into the room behind him. For now, the legionnaire was alone.
Drawing his Jumping Sword, Cole pointed it at the deck of the Vulture and shouted, “Away!” As usual, the leap made his insides flutter. He held tightly to the sword as it hauled him up, over the railing, and onto the deck where he landed in a stumble. Twitch ran aboard the Vulture using the gangplank.
Mira and Jace were climbing into a lifeboat called the Fair-Weather Friend. Turning a wheel set against the wall, Martin began opening one of the smaller cliffside exits, not much bigger than a typical garage door. Late-afternoon daylight streamed into the hangar, outshining the lamps.
Cole hurried to the lifeboat. Jace sat in the rear by the tiller. A smooth, dark stone hung from a chain around his neck. He gave Cole a flat stare. “You coming?”
Twitch reached the lifeboat and jumped in as Cole hopped inside.
“You sure, Twitch?” Jace asked.
“I’m with you,” he responded.
“Hurry!” Pickett cried out. “They’re aboard the Vulture!”
Jace grabbed the tiller and tugged one of the levers. The lifeboat lurched forward, rocking Cole back. He clung desperately to the gunwale as the boat tilted enough to almost dump him over the side. After rearing up too steeply, the Fair-Weather Friend leveled out and dipped its nose toward the cliffside opening.
Legionnaires streamed into the room, swords drawn, some bearing bows. From his position on the floor, Pickett gestured manically at the fleeing lifeboat.
“Stop them!” Pickett cried. “Close the hatch!”
Several of the other legionnaires forcefully repeated the command as they raced toward the widening exit. Cole slouched down as arrows hissed into the air, some striking the stern of the lifeboat near Jace.
“You out of arrows?” Jace asked Cole, the skycraft wobbling as he tried to crouch and steer at the same time.
Cole wasn’t anxious to raise his head, but some shots at the legionnaires would force them to take cover and slow their attack. He sat up, pulled back his bowstring, and sent an arrow toward the soldiers, then repeated the action again and again, a new arrow appearing every time. Keeping low, Cole took little aim, focusing instead on speed and on not getting shot. An arrow whistled past, almost close enough to scratch him, and he ducked down again. More arrows thumped against the hull.