Shift

  Melanthe turned to her as they landed and said, “We walk through Hoygul’s jungle.”

  A jungle? Sophia looked more closely at the trees and foliage and nodded in recognition. Although she hadn’t ever seen a jungle, she had certainly learned about them through her mother’s teachings. If it meant getting to the map leading to the library, she was willing to trek through a jungle.

  “Ye’ll want to stay close,” Derian said, hefting the lochaber axe that he had carried with him from the encampment. “The wildlife in here will eat ye whole.”

  Sophia tilted her head in consideration as she followed the others into the thick foliage. “I think I’ll be okay,” she said. “After all, I can always eat them first.”

  Chapter 32

  Malukali learned after the third time she was dosed with whatever sedative the Mercesti were feeding her that she should give no indication she was awake when she managed to surface. This was a hard lesson learned.

  Now, as sleep slowly eased from her mind, she focused on controlling her breathing and other responses so that she still seemed asleep to anyone observing her.

  She knew she was bound to a flat surface of some kind. Her arms and legs were positioned in a spread-eagle pose and secured with tight shackles. Pain rolled through her, but she welcomed it in lieu of the numb, painless void from which she had just surfaced. She would rather hurt than be unaware…mentally nebulous.

  The moment her mind cleared enough, she reached out to her husband.

  Knorbis?

  Malukali! Oh, thank God.

  Knorbis, where are you? You aren’t still here at Kanika’s, are you?

  No. Oh, honey—I had to leave you. I’m so sorry.

  His emotion was so powerful that she feared she would ruin her plans to fool her captors by weeping. Instead, she used her own power to calm them both.

  It’s okay, my love, she thought, keeping her tone gentle. She had never sensed such misery and self-loathing in her husband. It frightened her. Are you all right?

  No, he returned.

  Her fear heightened. When she heard her own breathing alter and someone within the room with her made a sound indicating movement, she forced herself to smooth it back out. She used a form of meditation to help.

  Metis had me bring Tate and Ariana to her, telling me she would free you if I did, he thought. I’ve since discovered that Eirik is in league with her and now we’re all on the way to the library.

  She couldn’t even compose a response to that, she was so shocked.

  I’ve been a fool, and I’ve failed you.

  Please don’t say that, love. I would have done the same in your place.

  He hesitated, but she sensed a tiny portion of his guilt easing at her words. She knew he felt her sincerity through their connection.

  I should have foreseen this, he conveyed miserably. The fact that we are in this position is unforgiveable. For all of my power and abilities, I am here—miles from you as you lie alone and in terrible pain—leading the one being we didn’t want to have the scroll right to it.

  Knorbis…how were you to think clearly when half of you has been lying here with me, even if only in thought?

  There was a long pause, during which time she sensed him working hard to collect himself. She had to put herself into a deeper meditative state to keep from losing her composure and giving herself away.

  I love you so much, he thought at last.

  I love you, too.

  She felt another layer of his crippling emotion ease at the words. Regrouping, he conveyed, There is a male Mercesti here who can dampen thoughts. He isn’t strong enough to keep you out of my mind, but he’s preventing Tate from connecting with Tiege. I doubt Zachariah will be able to sense her, either. I’m too exhausted to counteract what he’s doing. Can you?

  Easing from her meditation so she could try, she realized that there was still some inhibitor in her system preventing her from truly exercising her mental powers. She had connected with Knorbis due to the depth of their connection and his equally strong mental abilities, but at the moment, she couldn’t even sense the other elders.

  No, she said. But I’ll keep trying.

  Okay. He hesitated, but his thoughts were never guarded with her. You should know that Eirik and Metis are using you as the motivation for our cooperation. Tate and Ariana know that you’ve been captured and that you’ll be hurt if they don’t comply.

  That made anger surge through her, telling her the effects of the dose she had received were wearing off. Very well, she responded. Then I’ll just have to get out of here so that you don’t have to worry about me anymore.

  Ariana had never before reached this level of exhaustion. She was so tired that she began wobbling in the sky. She felt her ability to keep her wings extended fading.

  “Can’t go on,” she managed to say. Her eyelids drooped. She shook her head to clear it.

  “You will keep flying,” Eirik demanded.

  “Can’t sense the scroll anymore,” she said, putting more firmness into her voice. Her words sounded garbled.

  “You will kill them if you don’t take any time to rest,” Knorbis insisted.

  “We could all stand a brief rest,” Metis said. “Even some of your followers are weakening.”

  Eirik gave Metis a long look. Ariana noticed Metis glance at the male in the black toga who was apparently containing their outward thoughts. He did appear very tired. Apparently agreeing, Eirik signaled with his hand and they all started descending. Ariana wanted to weep with relief.

  They landed on a white sand beach beside a calm, clear blue sea. Palm trees and other tropical foliage provided shade about a hundred feet from the water, though that was hardly needed since the sun was setting. Ariana staggered blearily after the others as they walked under the cover of the trees. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Tate’s step was equally unsteady.

  Any patch of ground would do for her to get some rest, she decided. But before she could even think about settling down, Eirik walked up to her.

  “First, you and the Kynzesti will see to our needs,” he said.

  “Needs?” she slurred. There was two of him now. Her vision blurred. “‘Fraid not.”

  The world went dark.

  TellSparkytogotosleep.

  Frowning, Tiege wondered if he heard his sister’s thought correctly. It had been issued in the span of a second, all of the words blending together. The dampening clamped down again almost immediately.

  Glancing over at Zachariah as they flew, he said, “I’m not sure, but I think Tate just told me to tell you to go to sleep.”

  The Mercesti didn’t respond. Instead, he immediately slowed with the clear intent to land. As they were over a vast field of grain, their cover was nonexistent. That didn’t deter him.

  They ended up standing with wheat shafts waving around their bodies as the sun set. Tiege could admit to being bone-weary, so he couldn’t really complain about the stop. But it was odd, and they really needed to press on.

  Zachariah evidently didn’t agree with that last thought, as he sank down to the ground and settled onto his back with his hands stacked on his waist. He closed his eyes.

  Looking up at commander Harold, who studied Zachariah with a puzzled expression as he and the rest of their armed escort gathered around, Tiege shrugged.

  “Guess he’s having a nap,” he said.

  Quincy recognized some of the landscape and knew they were finally nearing Hoygul’s jungle. They flew longer than he normally would have recommended for an Estilorian’s well-being. It felt like the trip took an obscenely long time.

  He glanced at Ini-herit, who flew beside him.

  “No word yet,” the elder said.

  Normally, Quincy would have been embarrassed that his class elder knew he was about to ask again for news about Sophia, but now he just didn’t care. He felt mildly guilty for asking every ten minutes like a child begging for a new toy, but he couldn’t help his concern. Sophia was
all that mattered to him.

  “I’m sure she’s fine, Quincy,” Clara Kate said from the other side of Ini-herit. “Sophia can take care of herself. Have faith.”

  Oh, there was some irony: telling the Corgloresti who hadn’t ever failed in an Embrace and who had brought every Kynzesti into the world to have faith. He understood what C.K. meant, though. She meant that he needed to direct his particular strength toward this undertaking to help ensure its success. That, in part, meant believing that Sophia could protect herself.

  He nodded at her, turning his gaze back to the path ahead. While he knew his worry for Sophia wouldn’t diminish, he could acknowledge that she knew how to protect herself. Zachariah had been right…Sophia was the strongest of all her kin. On top of that, she was extremely intelligent and stubborn as the day was long. If any being could manage on her own when circumstances called for it, it was Sophia.

  That acknowledgement finally eased the tight grip of fear that had settled over him the moment he learned that no one had any idea where she was. Although he wanted to see her again more than anything, he knew he had to focus on the larger goal.

  Sophia would be fine. He wouldn’t accept any other outcome.

  “The jungle is just ahead,” Alexius said.

  Quincy saw it in the fading sunlight. The vast expanse of green was hard to miss. He thought back to the time he made this approach with Saraqael.

  “Are you sure the map leads us here?” Saraqael asked as they flew.

  “Yes,” Quincy replied. “The Scultresti’s cottage is located in that expanse of greenery.”

  After studying the area for a long moment, Saraqael said, “We will have to walk, I suppose.”

  “Walk? Through that jungle?” Quincy remembered feeling as though his friend had lost his mind. “You do know that there are wild animals and insects and even plants that can kill us in there, right?”

  “Sure,” Saraqael said easily. “But Kate is worth any risk.”

  Now, as he landed once again in front of the jungle leading to the home of the eccentric Scultresti, Quincy found himself smiling. It was the first time in almost forty years that a memory of his best friend had left him with something other than the ache of guilt and loss.

  I know now what you meant, my friend, he thought. Thank you for helping me learn it.

  Chapter 33

  Uriel and his Waresti landed on the outskirts of the property surrounding Kanika’s home as night fell. The elder had only to conduct a comprehensive scan using his innate power to know exactly what they faced. It took him just a few minutes longer to develop a strategy to fulfill their mission.

  He gathered his warriors around him, hidden from the eyes of the Mercesti by the thick forest. The Dark Ones weren’t bothering to monitor this section, an oversight that Uriel found remarkably foolish.

  On his right stood his second lieutenant, Enyo. She watched him with an expression that told him she was more than ready to hear what he had to say. Looking around at those selected to complete this mission, he nodded.

  “The perimeter is patrolled by twenty-four Mercesti in six groups of four. They are adhering to a standard Macedonian watch system. There are ten possible entrances to the structure, accounting for doors and large windows. Each entrance has two guards. Our fallen are contained in a single room on the lowest level of the east wing,” he conveyed. “It appears they have been incapacitated. My assumption is that they were given the same or similar drug as what was used to subdue Knorbis and Malukali. They are guarded by thirty Mercesti armed with cursed weapons, including crossbows and other projectiles.”

  “No problem, sir,” Enyo said.

  Not expecting anything less, Uriel continued, “I will head to the room housed below Kanika’s bedroom. That is where Malukali is being held. She has ten guards.”

  “Yes, sir,” came the reply.

  One of the warriors who had conducted a sweep of the area approached. “Sir, I found these on the ground forty yards west of here.”

  Glancing down, Uriel saw Tate’s nunchucks in the male’s hand. Frowning, he reached out and said, “I will hold onto these.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Thank you, Sean. All of you, please give me a moment.”

  Uriel walked a brief distance away. Behind him, he heard Enyo making the most of their time by instructing the warriors around her. Drawing on his elder power, he reached out to Malukali’s mind. Much to his surprise, since he had attempted this numerous times in the past few days without success, he connected.

  Uriel?

  Yes, it’s me. Are you all right?

  She hesitated. Not really.

  I understand. We’re outside. We’re coming to get you.

  They have some Waresti in their keeping. They were trying to protect me.

  I know. Kanika—

  Isn’t Kanika.

  What?

  The creature that assumed Kanika’s form killed her. That isn’t Kanika.

  Uriel blinked in surprise. What manner of being were they dealing with here?

  He took a moment to send out the news to the other elders. Then he thought toward Malukali, Okay. Are your abilities returning to you?

  A bit. I can’t influence the Mercesti in this room with me, though. So far, I’ve only been able to connect with Knorbis, and now you. They keep dosing me.

  Very well. Do what you can to exercise your power. We’re coming in after you.

  Tiege sat apart from the others in the field of wheat, trying to rest as Harold spoke with his Waresti warriors and Zachariah lay on the ground a good distance away with his eyes closed. The wheat stalks kept Tiege from seeing much of anything but the darkening sky above them. He found his mind drifting again and again to Ariana.

  He wished he had asked her to pair with him before this all began. He’d intended to for a while now, but feared that she would only accept an offer of pairing with him in a role similar to the one Tate had with Zachariah. Tiege was half-Gloresti, so there was as much likelihood that he would be able to pair with a being for her protection as not. But he knew he wouldn’t be content with the type of relationship his sister had with her Mercesti guardian.

  Not with Ariana.

  Even worse was the thought of her wanting to pair with him as his Lekwuesti, essentially bonding herself to him solely so that she could see to his hospitality needs. Although he knew that Ariana was a caregiver at her core, he wanted to be more to her than just an obligation.

  But he hadn’t wanted to pressure her by asking for something more. They’d only known each other for about two months, after all. And the things she’d been through had definitely left their mark. The last thing he wanted to do was make her uncomfortable by asking her to take steps in their relationship before she was ready, despite how much love he held for her and how eager he was to express it.

  That was why he waited so long to kiss her. His attraction to her had been on-the-spot instant. Who could resist her beautiful, raven-colored hair, magnificent lavender eyes and heart-stopping smile? But he was intuitive enough to know that she wouldn’t welcome advances by a male after what she had been through.

  So he bided his time, learning more about her first and sharing whatever she wanted to know about him. Over time, she opened up to him about Eirik…and the cruel punishments he imposed on her when she was forced to help him find the first scroll piece.

  Hearing what she had endured only convinced Tiege even more that she was the most courageous being to ever walk the plane. He didn’t think he would have ever put himself in the position of possibly ending up in that kind of situation again, yet Ariana had. And in the cruelest twist of fate, she was once again in Eirik’s clutches.

  It made Tiege want to kill someone.

  He supposed that gave him a sense of kinship to Zachariah. Although he didn’t agree with the other male’s methods—and still wanted to choke the life out of him over his lesson with Ariana—he now understood more of his do-whatever-it-takes mindset. Tiege k
new he’d do anything to get Ariana back. Although he had resisted the truth of it for weeks, he also knew that he and the Mercesti shared an equal concern for Tate.

  Violet light flashed from somewhere near Zachariah, drawing Tiege’s attention. Frowning in bewilderment, he started to get up to investigate. Before he did more than rise to one knee, however, Zachariah sat up. He glanced around and caught Tiege’s eye through the shifting stalks of wheat.

  “Thank you for conveying the message,” he said.

  Blinking in surprise, Tiege nodded. That was the first remotely nice thing the Mercesti had ever said to him.

  Zachariah got to his feet. He started walking toward Harold, then came to a stop. Tiege also rose. As he brushed debris from his pants, he watched Zachariah bring his left hand up and study it with an odd expression on his face.

  Curious, he also glanced at the Mercesti’s hand. He spotted a silver ring on his ring finger. He couldn’t make out many details in the dwindling light, but the stones in it looked like they were red and deep blue-green. Wondering if the other male had always worn the ring and he just hadn’t noticed, he shrugged it off as Zachariah dropped his hand and continued in Harold’s direction.

  “You’re awake,” Harold said when he spotted Zachariah. “Are you sure we’re not keeping you from your beauty rest?”

  Not rising to the bait, Zachariah said, “I am fine. Thank you for stopping. Now I need you to wait for Tate to fully awaken so that we can fly to her location.”

  Harold frowned. “We are heading to Hoygul’s home so that we can get the map and then get to Tate and Ariana.”

  “No,” Zachariah argued. “I will now be able to get us directly to Tate.”

  Tiege’s eyebrows shot up. The other male’s words, combined with the ring, had realization dawning.

  Walking over to Zachariah’s right side, he looked at the mark on his bicep that had been made when he paired with Tate as her guardian. Before, it had been two red arrows crossed over each other, indicative of a pairing for protection. Now, the symbol was one of Tate’s deep blue-green cinquefoils with a red arrow running diagonally through it.