Elly started, but J’ael grinned and eased a step away from his amanti. “Good morning,” he returned, moving around the counter and drawing Kyr into a hug. “Glad to see you’re both looking well rested.”
It surprised her to discover that she didn’t feel embarrassed around Ty’s parents, after all. If they could stand in the kitchen necking over a plate of frying breakfast meat, they were surely not offended by the ritual Elly had performed.
“We are, thanks,” she said as she pulled out of the hug. “The cushions were a nice touch.”
Behind her, Ty sighed.
“That was my idea,” J’ael said, taking Kyr’s arm and leading her over to the dining table. “When Elly and I were joined, we had to settle for a highly uncomfortable straight-backed chair.”
“Good Lord,” Ty mumbled as he took a seat beside Kyr.
Kyr laughed loud and long.
When Elly had flipped the meat, she walked over and gave Kyr a hug. “Welcome to our family, Kyr,” she said. “Officially.”
“Thank you,” Kyr replied.
She thought about how kind Elly had been the day before when she helped prepare her for the ritual. Ty’s mother had expressed so much excitement over the fact that she was about to gain a new daughter. The truth was, she’d felt like a part of Ty’s family from the moment Elly referred to her as her daughter while confronting Owyn.
This sense of family filled a void she hadn’t even been aware was there. Her love for Elly and J’ael settled right alongside the love she held for Wyk and Ullah. Between the two sets of surrogate parents, perhaps one day she’d no longer feel the pain over the lack of love from those who had given her life.
Ty leaned over and kissed her. That was all.
But it was enough.
“So, what’s with the eyeshades?” Kyr asked Elly in an effort to change the subject.
“Didn’t Tae tell you? Even before the Proce-Amanti, the two of you were radiating so much energy that I couldn’t look directly at you without these. It’ll take a while before you can get that energy under control so it doesn’t hurt the eyes of female Mynders.”
“Especially talented ones,” J’ael tacked on, earning a smile from his amanti.
Elly added, “It’ll also take a while for you two to fight the physical draw caused by the Proce-Amanti.”
“Especially based off the reaction last night,” J’ael thought to add. This time, he earned a warning look from Elly as she moved back to the cooking fire. “What? You saw how quickly they reacted. It’s just stronger than anything I’ve heard of, is all.”
Kyr decided that she harbored some embarrassment, after all. Fortunately, Ty read her feelings and turned the topic.
“We’ve heard from Gren,” he began, and shared everything they had learned. “He wants us to get to the palace as soon as possible, and I don’t blame him. Whatever’s been happening out in the Dark Lands has pushed him to his limit. He’s working with a questionably trained group with even more questionable loyalties. It’s going to be extremely difficult for him to stop whatever’s happening out there with his limited resources.”
J’ael was all seriousness now. “If you and Kyr intend to influence your way into the palace and then get through it undetected, that’s going to expend a great deal of energy. And you’ve said yourself that you don’t know how many Mynders are now under Vycor’s influence. You won’t be able to control or influence all of them, from what you’ve said.”
“That’s true,” Ty allowed, pausing to thank his mother as she set a plate of food in front of him. “We haven’t figured out why we can’t get around the influencing in everyone. And there’s still the matter of finding someone to disable the tracking system on an intergalactic ship. I’ve thought about seeking out EyraRowe, since he helped me when Vycor sent me out to the Dark Lands. But his mental state is a little shaky, at best.”
Kyr’s stomach rolled over when her plate was set in front of her. Before she could so much as blink, Ty had removed her breakfast meat and put it on his own plate. She let out a sigh of relief and gratitude.
“He’s under a close watch by Vycor,” she said as she lifted a biscuit and broke it in two. “He helped me and Gren escape the palace. Even though I protected his mind, Ty’s right that it couldn’t handle much more meddling. Besides, I plan on saving Sem and Caelys before we go anywhere outside the palace.”
“What a coincidence,” boomed a voice from the back of the house. “I plan on rescuing Sem, too.”
Owyn marched in as though the house was his own. He wore light armor, a de’llum, and a satchel that bulged at the seams. Kyr was impressed that he had entered without any of them realizing it. She hadn’t picked up on his thoughts, and judging by everyone else’s surprised reactions, they hadn’t, either.
She glanced at Ty, who was holding his uncle’s gaze. They didn’t say anything for one long moment. Then Ty nodded once.
Kyr didn’t argue with the decision to have Owyn along. If he was skilled enough to sneak past them undetected, she’d be glad for his help.
“Grab a plate and sit down, Owyn,” J’ael said before returning his focus to Ty and Kyr. “You should get other Mynders to go with you.”
Ty shook his head. “We don’t want to put them at risk. A smaller group will have a better chance of getting into the castle without drawing attention. We’d rather see trustworthy Mynders sent to other megais to help.”
Kyr ate her biscuit as Ty explained the circumstances in the Wrym and Luja megais. He explained the plight of families near the border, like Xander and Lore, as well as their promise to Avana to help the Divyners. He expressed how important it was that help was sent wherever it could go.
Everything he said sent love flowing through her.
“We’ll see that help is recruited and sent to the other megais,” Elly vowed, turning Kyr’s thoughts. “You can gather everything you need today and then head out tomorrow.”
Kyr picked up the sense of urgency from Ty and Owyn and knew they were about to argue that they should leave immediately. Considering the dark circumstances they faced, she couldn’t blame them. But she also felt the maternal desperation in Elly’s thoughts.
“Yes,” Kyr agreed. “That sounds like an excellent plan.”
She saw Elly’s shoulders slump in relief. Kyr knew she was trying to be strong and allow her children and future grandchild to leave just after they came back into her life, but she feared for their safety and would until she saw them again.
After everything Elly had done for them, the least Kyr could do was give her these last hours together.
Chapter 31
Saying goodbye to his parents was harder than Ty had imagined.
It had seemed straightforward when they firmed up their plans over dinner. He, Kyr, and Owyn would head to the palace, and the rest of his family would take charge of getting help to the other megais. Ty and Kyr had spent the evening before implementing protections in the minds of everyone they could sneak into his parents’ house, so he wasn’t worried about that. But plenty of other risks awaited all of them. He had just reunited with his family after far too long apart, and there was all too much probability that he wouldn’t ever see them again.
He was sure that heavy thought weighed in his parents’ minds as they embraced him and Kyr and issued farewells. Both Elly and Kyr wept, making the process even more difficult. Ty felt hollow before they had even started.
Fortunately, the stoic Owyn helped center him. “Let’s get this over with, for Yen-Ki’s sake,” he grumbled as Kyr gave Elly one last hug. “Sem’s waiting on us.”
Ty took Kyr’s arm and led her through the familiar hallways of his childhood home until they reached the courtyard. They approached the paved area around the fountain until they reached a large square rock just a shade darker than the ones around it. Ty used the edge of his dagger to lift one edge of the rock and pulled it aside. Beneath it was a grate, which Owyn bent and opened.
Kyr peered down
into the darkness beyond and gave Ty a dubious look.
“I’m going before you,” he assured her. He wasn’t about to risk her missing a rung on the ladder and falling without him there to catch her.
“Yippee,” she said as Owyn lowered himself in and started down.
“You’ll be fine,” Elly said, rubbing Kyr’s shoulder.
Ty tried to pretend he didn’t see the moisture in either of their gazes as he followed his uncle onto the ladder leading into the underground tunnels. He started down and waited until Kyr followed suit. The flare of a chemical torch lit by Owyn illuminated the way, and they were soon all on the ground.
The next part of their plan was dependent on Owyn, so Ty and Kyr followed him through the tunnels, taking care in the sections that were clearly in danger of collapse. Ty wasn’t sure how long it took to get to their destination, but Owyn went through three chemical torches along the way. Finally, they reached another ladder, which Owyn ascended first. Kyr followed and Ty started up after her. The sky was notably darker than it had been when they started their journey, but it was nice to have fresh air on their faces as they resurfaced.
Once they were out, they returned the camouflaging shrubbery to its place over the tunnel exit and followed Owyn through a shadowy forest. The trees were so thick that hardly any sunlight got through. Ty took Kyr’s hand without a thought, sensing her unease.
Since their formal pairing, any barrier that had existed between them was gone. He felt what she felt, and she felt what he did. Their thoughts blended rather than having to be consciously sent back and forth. It had gotten to the point where he didn’t bother trying to separate out what thoughts or feelings were his or hers. They were just theirs. It didn’t even seem strange. It just was.
So he knew when she was nervous, and he felt the same relief she did when their hands were joined.
They walked long enough that Ty was about to request that they rest so Kyr could have something to eat and drink. Before he could, Owyn signaled for them to stop. Ty nodded, understanding that they had reached their next destination.
He and Kyr remained out of sight, but moved closer to where Owyn left the cover of the forest so they could monitor him. They both saw the compact land skimmer hovering in a clearing on the other side of the trees. A tall, slender male stood there looking decidedly wary. Ty and Kyr opened their senses and observed.
“‘Bout damn time, OwynDane,” the male said, the distinctive knob in his throat bobbing with each word. “What the hell is this all about, anyway? You say you want to collect on a favor and ask me to go against the dictates from the palace to give you transport across the megai, but you won’t give me any explanation?”
Ty and Kyr started forward at the same time, both having drawn the same conclusion. When the male spotted them, his gaze widened until the whites were visible all around his brown irises.
“B-but,” he stuttered. “B-but—”
“Here’s your damned explanation, RewDane,” Owyn barked. “Now don’t put up a fuss.”
Ty heard Rew’s thought of, Fuss about what? before he and Kyr went straight into his mind and implemented barriers against thought intrusion. While they were in there, they shared a brief explanation of how they had come to be there and why they were inside his head.
It took less than a minute. They closed the connection when they were done. Rew blinked as his mind caught up with everything they had done. His gaze once again moved between them. Releasing a trembling breath, he fell to his knees.
“Thank Yen-Ki!” he exclaimed, clasping his hands together as though in supplication, then reaching out towards them. “It’s a true miracle! Ma’jah! Ra’jah!”
Ty didn’t feel uncomfortable by the display because Kyr didn’t. If they could offer their people hope, that’s just what they would do. He did step forward and offered Rew a hand to clasp so he could get to his feet, though.
“We need your help, Rew,” he said, holding the other male’s reverent gaze. “We have to get to the palace to stop Vycor, but we can’t get anywhere near the Vawn border without being identified. I know where the Vawn megai is most vulnerable, though, and it isn’t along the Dane border.”
Rew was nodding before Ty even finished. Ty figured he could have told Rew that they needed transport through a forest of ravenous tree devils while under rapid fire from V’larian projectile weapons and the male would have nodded in effusive glee.
“Of course, Ra’jah!” he declared, grasping Ty’s hand in a surprisingly ferocious grip. “To the sea it is! My vessel is your vessel!”
Ty gave Owyn a quelling look as Rew spun around and ran—actually sprinted—to the side of the land skimmer and leaped over its side as though he was being pursued by the snapping jaws of a briar wolf. The skimmer’s engine purred to life with a low hum. Rew bounced on his heels and let out a giggle.
A giggle.
“What?” Owyn asked with a shrug. “So he’s a little…enthusiastic.”
“He ends every statement with an exclamation point,” Ty said wryly.
“You don’t know that.”
“Let’s go!” Rew declared, waving them forward. “The fate of the planet is in the balance!”
Owyn opened his mouth, then closed it. His gaze slid sideways and met Ty’s. “All right, fine. But he’ll get us where we want to go.”
Kyr had already moved forward to start boarding, so Ty hurried after her. He half-expected Rew to get so excited that he and Kyr were on board that he’d shoot forward and leave Owyn behind. His uncle apparently thought the same thing, as he jumped onto the skimmer’s deck just as Kyr and Ty boarded and took their seats. The vessel jerked forward so fast that Owyn nearly fell overboard, making Ty and Kyr fight a bout of laughter.
Owyn ignored them and made his way up to the pilot’s station so he could talk to Rew. Their words were obscured by the wind. Ty and Kyr could have listened in, but they saw no need. They trusted Owyn and knew Rew was completely on their side.
Kyr leaned against Ty and closed her eyes. He kept his arm around her and smiled when she dozed off. The knowledge that she was weary because she carried their child made him feel even more protective than usual. It pleased him that she was resting while she could.
The sun was just a sliver above the horizon when the vessel stopped. By then, Kyr had roused herself from her nap. She had eaten a snack and sat watching the passing landscape by Ty’s side for a number of miles. They both scented the tang on the air indicating they were near the Savyaan Sea.
Owyn had obviously told Rew to stop before they got within sight of any homes in the area. They were at the base of a hill that seemed to rise up to the sky. Ty had been paying enough attention that he knew exactly where they were. Owyn was wise to stop here.
“Thank you, Rew,” Ty said, shaking the male’s hand before disembarking. “You’ve done the planet a great service.”
“We’ll make sure you’re properly rewarded,” Kyr added, her hand on Ty’s bicep.
“It’s my pleasure!” Rew insisted, pumping Ty’s hand before reaching eagerly for Kyr’s.
Ty reacted instinctively, stopping Rew before he got within a half-foot of Kyr. Rew looked so crushed that Ty felt like he’d kicked a puppy.
“My amanti is trained to protect,” Kyr said by way of explanation, smoothly reaching out and taking Rew’s limp hand. “We’re both so grateful for your help.”
If it was possible for little stars to appear in a male’s eyes, Ty swore that would have happened with Rew as he gazed at Kyr. He was clearly smitten. Ty fought an eye roll when Rew continued to clasp Kyr’s hand past the point of propriety.
Release her, he thought.
Rew dropped her hand as though just realizing he was still holding it. “Oh, well, thank you both for—well, for being alive!”
“Sure,” Ty said. Silently, he thought, Head on home once we’re off the vessel.
Owyn had already disembarked. Ty took Kyr’s hand and led her to the side of the skimmer wher
e a ramp touched the ground. Their feet had barely cleared the ramp before it started retracting.
“Well, I’ll head on home!” Rew announced.
The skimmer shot forward. He didn’t give Owyn so much as a backward glance.
“Gee, thanks,” Owyn muttered, giving Ty a look that said he knew why Rew had departed so quickly.
Ty shrugged, causing the satchel he wore to rattle against the canister of the Gift. “We’re losing light. We need to move.”
“Why did you want to come out to this forsaken place, anyhow?” Owyn wondered, starting up the hill beside Ty and Kyr. “I know you want to avoid detection, but there are other places along the border where we could have slipped through.”
“I know where the palace is most vulnerable,” Ty responded. “And the seaside of the megai is the perfect access point.”
“No sane being would attempt to access any part of the Vawn border from the sea,” Owyn countered. “Only a few moronic souls dare to venture out at all into her deadly depths. If there wasn’t such value in seafood, even the morons would stay away. Far too many Alametrians have lost their lives to the Savyaan.”
“Which is why Vycor won’t suspect we’ll try and get in that way,” Ty reasoned. “Look, I’m sure we could sneak or strong-arm our way across the border, but then we still have to find a way into the palace. That will take days on foot.”
“So what you’re saying is we’re choosing to be morons.”
Ignoring Owyn’s comment, Ty continued, “Because I knew of this access point to the palace, I once investigated and tracked those who do travel this part of the sea.”
As they crested the hill, a weather-battered house stood, a lonely beacon bathed in the blood-red light of the dropping sun. Wind whipped up from the edge of a cliff that sheared off to greet the raging sea below. Shutters vibrated against the house’s flagging walls, rapping loud enough to be heard above the wind and surf. Upon first glance, the house looked abandoned. Ty and Kyr knew otherwise. Several thought signatures came through quite clearly.
“This is the home of KineusDane,” he told his uncle. “I’ve never met a more bold and adventurous seafarer.”