Unraveling Legends - Chapter 11

<-Chapter 10

 

“Stumbling, falling, always tripping over what I can and cannot do.”

 

With Theo and Mayo heading off to take care of the shark, the party was on their own as they headed through the dock area and into the castle proper. It wasn't really in as bad of condition as they had all feared. It was filthy, to be sure, but structurally it looked to be in prime condition. "Guess that's why you build with stone and mortar," Naomi decided.

Directly under the castle, the first area off the docks, was what looked like stalls for merchants. It certainly made sense; when the lake had been passable, it would have been much faster for trade than the land route.

A broad set of stairs led up to ground level and right into the immense courtyard. The castle rose up around the courtyard with walkways, turrets, and immense towers in each of the four corners. The garden had started to overgrow everything, but a little elbow grease would take care of the problem.

Inside the castle itself, Rihou was reluctantly resigned to the fact that he would, indeed, be getting lost a lot. There were dozens of halls, multiple wings on multiple floors, and there didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to their order. The only place he was sure he would get to easily was the throne room; it sat at the top of the stairs right up from the courtyard. Not that he would use it as a throne room; it would be a large sized meeting room instead.

"Maybe we can hang signs," Kyle offered dryly.

"With arrows," Skyla added helpfully.

Rihou just grinned. "We probably should."

They made their way through the assorted wings, and all felt pleased to note that there were plenty of rooms for any and all Destined Stars that Rihou would find, even if they didn't come in pairs as some might. They moved on to the towers next and found that three of them had once been used as lookout points. The fourth one had been the royal chambers.

The instant Rihou walked in, he felt as if he was home. The room had been long stripped of all furniture, but there was just something so right about the space that the tension left his shoulders. The large space had been sectioned off into three areas, one of which was a sitting area, another for sleeping, and the third for bathing. The bathing room, unfortunately, didn't have running water; not surprising considering the age of the castle. It had only been in the last two years that it had become more commonplace.

Elissa had been writing down their thoughts and comments, and she thusly added a note to have running water installed throughout the castle. Really, it wasn't that hard. It just took a lot of Water Relics. She also added a note to personally oversee the décor in the tower. It wasn't just because she would be living there too; it was because of Rihou. He needed a sanctuary.

There was a balcony through a set of broken glass doors, and it allowed for a perfect view of not only the castle but also the city beyond the walls. It also allowed Rihou to see the plants overgrowing the outer walls. "I say we leave them," he decided. "I'll pacify them, but I say we leave them up."

Ewan grinned. "Got to admit, I'd think twice about storming a castle that would try to eat me."

Since there was no time like the present, and the others couldn't get in until it was done, Rihou led everyone down to the courtyard again and then out of the castle and into the city. It was surprisingly big, possibly the size of Riverbaynk if not slightly bigger. It didn't feel necessarily big, though, because buildings had been grouped and clustered tightly together to save space. If Rihou remembered his reading well enough, the city had been able to house up to four thousand people. That was a decent number, especially since the underground catacombs of the city had been converted into barracks for soldiers. The current capacity stood at roughly fifteen units. When he got that far, he would think about expanding.

The carnivorous plants that had overtaken the walls didn't look overly aggressive to begin with. They appeared rather fat and happy, but since there seemed to be a very small population of rats in the castle, it wasn't hard to guess why. Rihou drew his tonfa and began to spin them rapidly through the air until they emitted a soft humming noise.

Slowly, one by one, the bulbs of the plants turned to look at him. They were surprisingly lovely, yet that just lent itself to their effectiveness. That very prettiness lured in their prey. More and more turned to look at Rihou, and vines pulled back to reveal broken ladders to climb the walls and even the hidden gates to the exterior road.

He stopped spinning the tonfa after a few minutes. He started to step forward, and Elissa grabbed his arm. "Don't you dare," she told him. "I'll check."

He scowled. He didn't like it, but he knew he really had no right to argue. Her entire reason for existence was to protect him, and that meant physically as much as emotionally. If he had screwed up and those plants went after her, though, he would start pruning, and there wouldn't be any plants left!

She walked closer to the wall yet the plants didn't attack. They turned toward her curiously, but no teeth bared. She slowly reached up and touched one of the smaller flowers; it was a surefire method of getting attacked under normal circumstances. Instead of attacking, however, the flower curled vines around her hand and held on happily. She smiled. "I think we've made friends!"

Kyle let out the breath he had been holding and Ewan lowered his hand from the hilt of his sword. Both had been prepared to leap forward if something went wrong. With a grin, Naomi threw her arms around Rihou's waist. "You have a castle!" she told him excitedly. "You'll have to name it!"

"Let me think about that one," he said dryly. "I'm still trying to process the 'having a castle' part!" He blew out a breath. "Let's head back down to the dock and see if Theo is back. We need to ship in our workers and start beating the neglect off this place!"

Not only was Theo at the dock waiting for them, he was also standing very triumphantly over one very dead monster shark. His hat, which had a small bite missing, perched once more on his head. "Anyone know how to cook seafood?" he asked with a grin.

"I do," Naomi said.

"No!" Rihou blurted hastily. "She doesn't! Don't let her cook anything! She burns water!" When she punched his arm, he glowered at her. "You can't get mad at me if it's the truth, sis! The fact that Nick and I are still alive after eating your attempts to cook is a miracle. Just stay away from the kitchen, please."

"It's okay," Skyla said in sympathy to Naomi, "I can't cook either. I usually live off the land when I'm out hunting. I've been spoiled by Lady Elissa and Sir Kyle cooking for us on the road." She grinned. "But there are worse ways to be spoiled."

The castle crawled with people by evening. As many able-bodied people as possible had come across from Tercon, and everyone worked around the clock. There was a lot to be done, and Rihou took charge calmly. Things got even busier when, two days later, the entirety of the Fortress arrived. Soldiers took over work in the barracks, and others as yet took over the city. Gertie and Laura picked out their shop spaces, and Charity grabbed one of the stalls down below near the docks. Temerity took charge of the vast garden space and coordinated the cleanup. She would tend to the whole thing until they found people who actually grew fruits and veggies. Flowers were her specialty. She also took over care of the carnivorous plants. Much to the amusement of all, they developed a taste for shark, and the monster got put into storage to be food for a long time.

Elissa was busy too. She worked on getting the tower into shape, and she and Rihou slept in a normal room while it was under construction. As much as they might have wanted to do more than sleep—particularly since Nature had ceased tormenting them—they really didn't have the time for it. They fell asleep as soon as they got into bed, and first thing in the morning they were hard at work again.

The pattern continued for another two days, and once the meeting room was done, Rihou turned over command of the efforts to R.K. and C.J. and put his mind back into alliance mode. He couldn't wait until the work finished entirely, not when there was no telling where Sarcon might strike next.

So, first thing in the morning on the fifth day in the castle, he gathered his primary officers: Elissa, Kyle, Ewan, Thalia, and Lena. Nick and Naomi went along as well, though Nick had put himself on call to the innkeepers if they needed any help. Kalliope also went along. She clung close to Nick most of the time, but she seemed to be slowly coming out of her grief as she watched the city bloom around her.

When Lena arrived at the meeting room, she was the last to get there. "Sorry I'm late," she apologized. She carried a pot of coffee in her hand. "I was stopping for this since I figured we'd all need a refill before long." She made her way around the table to pour out fresh coffee into cups, and when she reached Ewan, she leaned down a bit further than normal to give him a distinct and unfiltered view down her strapless bodice.

He glared at her hotly as she continued around the table. She had been, not very subtly, flirting with him for the last few days. Constantly brushing against him, constantly waving her beauty in front of him, watching him with those damnably deep and perfect eyes. He had no idea if she was after a relationship or out for revenge, but if she didn't cut it out, he would toss her onto the closest flat surface and show her why teasing hungry bears was a bad idea.

Rihou covered a smile as he drank his coffee. Kyle wasn't that nice. He outright grinned. If Ewan would have bought it, he would have even flirted with Lena just to help things along. You couldn't tell Ewan what to do. He had to think it was his idea. Lena's mastery of moving him where she wanted while making him think it was what he wanted was, if subconsciously, one of the reasons he had gotten spooked.

"Well, then." Thalia kept her own grin hidden. "I'm thinking that before we go to Grace, we may want to have a full strategist on hand. Lena has a specialization. We need someone to fully call the shots, to help Lord Rihou plan events. We've been winging it, so to speak, and we need to be more deliberate."

"Funny you should say that," Ewan noted. He hooked an arm over the back of his chair and tried, rather desperately, to ignore the fact that Lena was rubbing her foot against the back of his leg. "I just got a letter from an old friend. Her name is Cherry, and she's one of the two best strategists in the world. She's only sixteen, but she served as a Destined Star for Tyrian. Her mentor, Matthias Goldwind, was also one of us."

"Goldwind." Nick cocked his head. "I know that name."

"You should." Kyle let out a little breath. It no longer hurt to remember. It was a welcome change. "Matthias used to be the best strategist in the world. His sister, Ophelia, was the one who started the rebellion that Tyrian ended. Matthias was . . . sick. He lived to the end of the war, but not beyond."

As the name 'Ophelia' was not exactly common, Rihou knew instantly that she had to be Kyle's lost fiancée. "Who is the other strategist besides Cherry?"

"He was a former student of Matthias'. He was expelled because Matt felt there was nothing more he could teach him." Kyle sighed. "I doubt he's changed. He should be . . . hmm. Nineteen? I think he's nineteen. He was only a few years older than Cherry. I guess we could look for him in a pinch, but I say we contact Cherry first. She's damned smart, and she's not far away. She's in Windance Point. It's about three days away to the south."

"Better yet," Ewan offered, "her legal guardians are two damned fine Magicians named Kris and Klint who used to be lieutenants in the Taron Army, but retired after the war for independence. And, yep, former Stars as well. Even if they're not fixed Stars, I am sure they'll want to help you, Rihou."

"Some actual Magicians would be very useful," Rihou decided. "And I definitely think we can combine two trips. We might as well make contact with Windance while getting Cherry as well. Does she already know what's going on?"

"Most likely."

"Good." He thought swiftly. "I'll bring you and Nick as well as Jared and Raine." He smiled at Elissa. "She can show how much she's like her sister and stab anything that looks at us cross-eyed. We'll set out this afternoon. No need to wait. The reconstruction can continue while we're gone."

"I'll get the supplies ready." Lena got to her feet and walked out with a sultry grace that impressed even the resident bard.

Ewan shot to his feet and stormed out after her. He caught up with her in the hall and grabbed her arm. "Lena!" he snarled. He swung her around so she was forced to look at him, but she just lifted one of her brows in that maddening way she had. "If you're trying to piss me off, you're doing a spectacular job of it!"

"Ewan," she said reasonably, "you lose your temper at the drop of a hat. Why would I put effort into it?"

"Then what's your game?" he demanded. He gave her a little shake. "And don't tell me there isn't a game! I know you far too well for that! You're not even trying to be subtle!"

"Of course I'm not. Subtlety is lost on you." She went on her toes and pressed her lips to a small scar on his chin. The gesture was deliberate, a reminder of two weeks of intimacy that could have been a lifetime. Whenever she had headed for work, she had kissed him goodbye in such a way.

Something painful wrenched inside his heart. She had always teasingly told him that she kissed him that way because a real kiss always led to bed, and her boss hated her to be late. If he could accept the small peck, he could have any kiss he wanted when she was off work. It was a blatant offer, and he knew it. And the gods help him, he had no strength to turn her away. "Damn you," he said roughly.

She slipped free from his grip and turned to walk away. "You know where I live," she said huskily. "And, Ewan?" She looked over her shoulder. "I don't hate you. I wanted to. Oh, how I wanted to hate you! But I couldn't. And I knew, someday, you'd come back to me. I'm patient. I'll wait for you to be ready to settle down. Just don't shut me out of your life. It's your decision. You make the choices."

He stayed where he was standing long after she had walked away. When Rihou clapped him lightly on the shoulder, he let out a hard breath. "Damned scary shit."

Rihou grinned. "I won't argue with that."

The party hit the road an hour later. They took horses again, particularly since Raine was young enough that walking the entire distance might be too much for her. She was certainly used to long trips, but she usually rode in the wagon or up front with whoever drove. This time she rode in front of Jared. If trouble came, she could direct the horse so his hands were free to use his bow.

"How did you two join the caravan?" Nick asked Elissa curiously when they were halfway through the trip.

"We didn't join the caravan, per se," Elissa explained dryly, "as I formed the caravan to save Tyce and Orpheus from being arrested. They were pickpockets, and they finally got nabbed. I thought on my feet and claimed that they were merely practicing sleight of hand skills and didn't really intend to steal anything. I batted my lashes, acted charming and innocent, and they were freed."

Raine grinned. "Turned out that they actually were good with sleight of hand and other assorted skills. Elissa and I wanted to travel, so we all joined up to form the caravan! Elissa taught Ty and Orphie how to not get caught, and we set out on the road. That was a year ago. We've been most everywhere in the time since."

"And you said I was always bringing home strays," Rihou told Nick.

Nick grinned. "You still are."

"That's what you get for feeding us," Ewan chided.

One day later, they rode into Windance Point. It was twice the size of Morville, boasted a population of close to fifty thousand, and had five militia units to defend it. Located where it was, it sat close to the mountains separating the City-States from the Moors but also not far from the southern shoreline of the landmass. The combination lent itself to making Windance Point look like a hybrid of forest, mountain, and port town styles.

The first thing Rihou saw when they entered was a cute little house overgrown with cherry trees. Standing at the gate was a surprisingly lovely young woman of not more than sixteen. Her vibrant red hair matched the color of the fruit hanging over her head, and her eyes shimmered a haunting shade of blue behind the glasses she wore perched on her nose.

Ewan was already grinning as he dismounted and walked toward her. "Look at you!" He scooped her up and swung her around. "Damn it, kid, you're not supposed to grow up!"

Cherry smiled and hugged him tightly. "Yes, I am," she countered. "All kids do. You can't stop it from happening, Ewan!" She held on tightly for a moment. She had missed her friends terribly over the last few years. "And I'm only sixteen, so you can pretend I'm still a kid for another two years."

"I'll take you up on that." He put her down gently with the casual care of a man who knew his strength and controlled it well. Most temperamental sorts learned their strength early so they never risked hurting someone smaller, no matter their temper. He tapped her nose. "Have your siblings been forced to break noses? You're getting lovelier by the day."

Her blue eyes twinkled. "Kris claims she has, but Klint won't admit it if he is." She turned to look at the others, and bright intelligence moved in her eyes as she calculated those present. When she looked at Rihou, she felt an unexpected and wholly familiar kick inside. She had to protect him, had to keep him smiling. He needed her. "I see," she said softly. "Caede told me my star was fixed. I hadn't fully understood what that meant until now." She smiled. "Well! It's an honor to meet you, Lord Rihou! I'm Cherry."

Rihou grinned at her. "I had a feeling you were." He liked her instantly for more than just her being a Star. There was something both calming and yet playful about her personality, giving her a maturity beyond her years and yet a willingness to still be young. "I hope you'll help me out, Cherry. I need a strategist to keep me from getting turned around out there."

"You can count me in," she said immediately. "I'll do whatever I can to help." She studied the others present and knew immediately that the elder bard had to be the Kentei Star. There was just something in the way she stood closest to Rihou. "So who is everyone? There are new faces here."

"This is my brother Nick," he offered. "He holds the Sword half of the whole Pure Relic of Security while I have the Shield. The younger bard is Raine. The archer is Jared. The elder bard is Elissa, my Kentei." He tugged her closer, and their fingers automatically laced together. "She has her work cut out for her."

"Tell me about it," she grumbled.

Cherry hid a smile as she turned toward the house. "Kris!" she called. "Klint!"

Two Magicians came out of the house, both looking puzzled but smiling. They were obvious brother and sister since they had matching brown eyes and auburn hair, and both had a heavy-duty wand solely designed for magic attacks equipped on their hip. The female had a Fire Relic on one hand and a Light Relic on the other. The male wore a Water Relic and a Dark Relic. "Where's the fire?" Klint asked curiously as he rested a hand on Cherry's shoulder. He spotted the group and grinned when he recognized Ewan. "Ah. That's where."

"Don't make me hurt you," Ewan warned, but he smiled. "Well met, Klint."

Raine looked at Ewan curiously. "You and Kyle are the only ones I hear using that greeting," she noted. "Is it from Taron?"

"Actually, it's from the Commune of Soldiers." Ewan smiled at her. "Anyone who grew up in one of the Communes uses it as a standard greeting. I've heard maybe one or two others pick it up without being from the Commune, but it's very rare. So if someone says 'well met' you can be sure they're from a Commune."

Elissa glanced at him and then at his sword. Unlike Kyle, his sword did not have a name though it clearly had a space where one could go. "You're from the Commune and use a sword, and said to be the best ever, yet you haven't named your sword?"

"It can take some a long while to name their sword," he admitted. "I think the record was a swordswoman from a few generations ago. It took her almost thirty years. I'm only at eight years now; I'm nowhere near being overdue."

"You were sixteen when you got the right to name your sword?" Raine's eyes widened.

"Yeah. That's my record. Youngest ever." He shrugged it off visibly. "Anyway, long time no see, Klint."

Klint's eyes twinkled in response. "Indeed. Sir Ewan."

"Shut up," the reluctant knight muttered.

Kris hid a grin as she looked at Rihou. Truthfully, she was not at all surprised by these events. She and Klint had already decided that if Cherry was still a Star and they weren't, that they would still go with her to help—even if she protested. That turned out to be unnecessary, however. Looking at Rihou felt like looking at Tyrian, and the well of love was impossible to resist. "Lord Rihou," she said, "please accept Klint and me as Destined Stars. Leave it to us to provide the magic you need in battle!"

Jared looked between the similar siblings and then to Cherry who looked nothing like them. "Adopted?" he asked her curiously.

"After a fashion." Her smile turned sad. "Professor Matthias was my legal guardian. When he died, he gave my care to Kris and Klint. They were like a big brother and sister to me from the moment we met. I have trouble remembering we're not actually related."

"I never remember." Klint wrapped his arms around her shoulders and tugged her close. She was his baby sister, and he wouldn't hear anyone say otherwise. "We'll start packing up. Cherry can go with you in convoy to talk to the mayor. Oh! And you want to stop and find Caede, wherever she's hiding. She's a Star too."

"Caede is the one who taught me to read the stars," Jared offered to Rihou.

"Gotcha."

Cherry joined as convoy, and they set off through the city. To be in the convoy was to be part of the party but not actually capable of joining forces for battle. Usually those in convoy were non-combatant, and being in convoy served as a signal that the person was protected by the laws of engagement. Elissa and Raine, while traveling on the road, had been the formal party while Tyce and Orpheus were considered convoy.

"Do you have any idea how the mayor of Windance Point feels?" Rihou asked Cherry. "The people seem relatively open-minded to our presence, and it's not like I blend in with the surroundings, so they have to know who I am."

"I'm not honestly sure," she admitted. "I would like to believe that the mayor is willing to put his people before his ego, but I can't be sure. There is some fear among people that perhaps Prince Sarcon is after you and therefore allying with you is suicide."

"Rihou's the only thing that can stop him," Nick said quietly.

"Indeed."

Much to the surprise of Rihou and Nick, the mayor of this town resided in quarters attached to the city hall. As Cherry explained, the bigger the city, the more likely the mayor was to live at city hall so he or she was available at all times to their people. "Wait until you see the city hall in Grace," Jared noted dryly. "It's huge! It has a ballroom, guestrooms . . . it's like someone took a mansion and crossbred it with a city hall."

The mayor of Windance Point was a man not that much older than Ewan. He greeted the party with a genuinely friendly smile and said, "My name is Gorven, and I'm the mayor of Windance Point. Welcome to my city, Lord Rihou. I admit, I had a feeling you would be here in not long of a time, especially since Lady Cherry resides here."

"Well, I need her help," Rihou said, "and I want to unify the City-States. Both can be accomplished with one trip, and with time of the essence, I'm multi-tasking as best I can. Will Windance ally with me, and therefore with the other City-States?"

"I want to say yes," Gorven said slowly, "but the truth is that my people are wary. I'm sure you've heard the rumors. I would not be much of a mayor if I did not abide by their wishes."

"But you would also be remiss as a leader if you did not put their safety before their fears," Cherry countered immediately. "You owe them your wisdom as much as you owe them your loyalty. Do you believe it is dangerous to ally with Lord Rihou, or do you see as we all see that he is the only one who can protect us?"

He looked at Rihou for long moments and then said softly, "I don't think there's anyone else that could do what he is doing. Destiny chose him. Who are we to say she does not know what she is doing? If he is blessed to be her hero, then there is a need for him. My people will simply have to accept my counsel. Yes, Lord Rihou, you may count on our alliance, and our military might. I will give you three of my units to join your army while the other two remain to protect my people."

Rihou opened his mouth but never voiced what he thought. Instead, he went very still. Chills raced over his skin. "What is it?" Elissa asked. She caught his arms and forced him to look at her. "What do you sense?"

"Death."

A sudden shout rose outside. "We're under attack from Foresalia!" a soldier called. "Everyone to arms! They are not abiding by the laws of engagement! Drive them from our borders!"

As voices began to rise and others began to scream, Gorven turned to Rihou and Cherry. "I leave command of my militia to you," he said instantly. "Protect my people. I believe you arrived only in the nick of time!"

"Come on!" Rihou led the way out of the city hall and into the city itself. The streets were a sea of battle. Foresalia had arrived with five units, and the city had five of its own. Even though the numbers matched, the tactics did not. People trained to fight by the laws were not wholly sure what to do when the laws got broken.

Into the Voice Relic he had taken to wearing, Rihou ordered, "Have no mercy! They broke the laws, and therefore have no right to them! If someone surrenders, accept it, but if they persist, then take them down in the most efficient way possible!"

Ewan sent up a signal flare, and the two units from the Rebel Army appeared in the city moments later. Cherry took the Voice Relic when Rihou offered it and said, "Rebel Army, this is your strategist. Evacuate the people to safety! Your sole task is to save innocent lives! If the other combatants want to join the fray, let them! Windance Militia, push back the Foresalia Army! If someone, anyone, can remove the Army leader, then do so immediately."

A swarm of Army soldiers spotted the party and lunged toward them with shouts. "Raine, get Cherry out of here!" Rihou ordered the young girl as he took back his Voice Relic from Cherry. "I'm counting on you to protect her! Find Kris and Klint. I know you can do this!"

Raine was pale though she nodded swiftly. If Rihou thought she could do it, then she was sure she could. She grabbed Cherry's hand and began running back through the city.

The Army had reached them, and the party scattered and drew weapons. A lack of attack magic meant they were low on crowd control, but all had been well trained in dealing with more than one enemy at a time. Being outnumbered three to one did not necessarily mean they had a disadvantage. Jared started shooting right into the Army and forced them to scatter. When they did, they either encountered Ewan or Nick, or they were dropped by the daggers that Elissa hurled with lethal accuracy.

There was something almost manic in the way the Army soldiers attacked. They didn't seem quite sane themselves as they continued to press forward despite being up against better adversaries. They were after Rihou, that much was obvious. Yet even if they got through the others, Rihou himself proved even more lethal. His tonfa spun so fast that they became little more than a blur.

More soldiers came rushing into the area and Rihou cursed softly as he knocked his enemy flat. Into his Voice Relic, he said, "I need a Magician on the double!"

Out of nowhere, the area plunged into darkness. It was so pitch black that there was no seeing anything. Rihou and Nick both felt their skin prickle in recognition of strong magic, and their relics hummed softly. Even Elissa felt it though she did not yet wear a relic. Pinpoints of light appeared centered on each of the enemy soldiers' chests, and they looked down in confusion. It was the last thing they would ever see for the light abruptly expanded and erased them from existence entirely.

The darkness receded and everyone could see again. Ewan's jaw hung open, and Nick was at a complete loss for words. Neither Elissa nor Jared had any idea what had happened, but Rihou immediately turned and looked toward the corner of a building. "Thanks," he said.

A slender young girl stepped around the corner and smiled. She was a curious looking girl, barely over thirteen, and hauntingly lovely. While possessing mostly Human features and what seemed to be a mostly Human body, peeking out the back of her Magician's coat was a fluffy amber colored tail like found on the Mongra race. Her ears, perched atop her head, were the slim, triangular, and fur covered kind found on the Grimalkin race. Her hair, rather than being hair, was actually thousands of thin and soft amber colored feathers. Matching feathers covered her lower legs and arms. If there had ever been more evidence that all species in the world could crossbreed, Rihou certainly hadn't heard of it.

"You're welcome," she said, her voice not only impish but curiously musical. A soft power of some kind lingered in her tone that ensured it would never be forgotten. "I'm Caede."

"You're Caede?!" Nick blurted. He stared at Jared. "You didn't say she was a kid!"

The archer grinned. "You didn't ask."

Caede grinned at Rihou. "Don't let my age fool you. I'm a Scholar, and I know how to read the stars. I can tell you most anything you want to know if it's ever been in a book I've read. Oh, and I can link my relics to erase dumb enemies."

Ewan eyed her. "By any chance are you related to Laia Mitakel? I'd swear you remind me of her, in many ways."

"We kind of are," she said after a moment. "Very distant cousins to be specific; we share a similar power, that's for certain. But I'm only a Thaumoturge. Unfortunately, I can't say I swing a mean wand because I really don't. It's more like a slightly disgruntled one than a mean one."

Ewan snorted. She and Laia shared more than power; they clearly shared a similar personality. He had no objections to that at all. He had always, and would always, count Laia as one of his dearest friends, and Caede was just as easy to instantly love. "I hope you're at least thirteen. They may be breaking the laws, but we're sure as hell not."

"I'll be fourteen in a few months," she reassured him. She walked over to a grinning Rihou and took his hands with hers. As she did, it became clear that she wore the two most complicated lesser relics in existence: she wore both a Light and a Dark Relic, and equipping one was difficult enough without equipping both. A third relic, a Land Relic, was even visible through the laces of her coat over her heart.

Both Rihou and Nick could sense the immense magical capacity inside her and knew it rivaled any Pure Relic user. Rihou tightened his hands around hers and the two stars appeared on her shoulder. There was no need to mention it, not when they both knew where she belonged. "Expect me to pester you with questions."

"I'll give you all the answers I can," she promised.

Over Ewan's Voice Relic, they all heard Cherry's voice say, "We have the enemy on retreat! Give one last push and get them out entirely!"

"Let's go!" Rihou ran off toward where the fighting was still going on, and his party remained close to him. Caede had taken Raine's place so there was no worry of an imbalance. They pushed right into the thick of things and got to work.

Rather than cast directly, Caede started casting on her allies and imbuing their weapons with elemental charges. No one had any idea how she did it, but no one argued. The added potency was just what they needed to force Foresalia into retreat. The soldiers still standing fled out of the city limits and were transported away, presumably back to their own lands.

Rihou let out a little breath and then turned when he heard footsteps. Cherry and Raine approached quickly, and Kris and Klint were with them. "I want to be you when I grow up," Kris told Caede. "That was amazing! I've never seen anyone who could use all the elements like that!"

"I have a full-elemental spectrum," she admitted. "It's really rare. If you have it, you can convert any raw magic into any element you want. It means that I possess potency against any enemy and I can defend myself from most any enemy too. It's tiring, to be sure, but nothing some decent sleep and munchies won't cure."

"Like Laia," Klint murmured.

Rihou looked at Cherry. "How did we fare?"

"Only a few civilian casualties," she said immediately. "We lost a few soldiers from both Rebel and militia, but we also successfully enlisted a few hundred now-former Army soldiers who were trying to abide by the laws in the middle of the madness. We came out ahead, which is fairly impressive." She blew out a breath. "And I hate to say it, but I fear I won't be able to do this alone, Lord Rihou. All my training has been focused around abiding by the laws. We need someone who knows how to use the rules and how to bend if not break them."

"Seymour," Kyle said as he approached. He had been one of the unit leaders for the Rebels. "Right?"

"Right." She laced her hands together tightly and found a shaky smile. "I haven't seen him in a long time. He might not even want to talk to me, let alone help us. But we have to try. I'm not sure where he is right now, though. He may not even be in the City-States."

"Then we'll head back to base," Rihou told her. He put an arm around her shoulders and hugged her tightly. "You did amazingly well for someone who thinks she can't handle rule-breakers."

Her shoulders relaxed but she wouldn't let her Kaiten's unquestioning belief allow her to put his life at risk on her lack of knowledge. The Kaiten Star had a way of making one of his Stars feel as if they could charge hell with a bucket of water and win. She would prefer to go in with an army equipped with Water Relics.

Gorven had come up, and though there were lines of strain at the corner of his eyes, he seemed relatively fit. "Lord Rihou," he said, "please take one of my militia units with you when you return to your base. I will send the other two with an emissary once I am sure my city has stabilized."

"Very well," Rihou agreed. "If you need our assistance in the time in between, you have only need to ask." He let out a long breath. "Let's start back. Ewan, you're in convoy to protect Cherry. Caede will take your place. Kris, Klint, you can transport with the unit from here."

"Understood," Kris said. She smiled wryly. "Should we have dinner waiting for you when you get there?"

Rihou thought about everything on his plate, including his need to save lives, his determination to protect the City-States, and his frustration at not yet being able to claim his lover in the way he so terribly needed in order to stay sane. In a grumble, he said, "I think I'll need ale instead."

 

©Stacy J. Garrett. Do not reprint or redistribute without permission.

Chapter 12->

Unraveling Legends - Chapter 10

<-Chapter 9

 

“Inescapable as the dawn; love can always wait.”

 

They arrived at Tercon a few days later. The city sitting on the edge of the giant lake wasn't very populous, but it seemed much bigger than even Morville. Trees had been cleared quite a ways back from the lakeshore, allowing for the city to spread out and act like a port city without actually being a port. Buildings were made of stone and brick, and streets were lined with boards rather than stone. The closer to the shoreline you got, the sandier the land turned.

People were surprisingly friendly as they saw the party entering, and several citizens immediately hurried to go talk to the mayor. Rihou let it be for the time being. His first priority was to find Theo and Mayo and try to convince them to sail him across the lake. They didn't all need to go, so he looked at Skyla and Naomi and said, "Can you two restock our supplies and see about arranging for a delivery once we grab the castle? We're going to need serious manpower, too."

"Sure!" The two females hurried off.

"Now let's see if we can find Theo," he decided.

Under his breath, Ewan muttered, "Try the local tavern."

"We can't necessarily assume that," his friend said reasonably. "Besides, it's a good excuse to explore the place and get a feel for the layout." He laced his fingers with Elissa's and smiled. "And we can act all loving and cute and make you two uncomfortable."

"Not much fazes me anymore," Kyle admitted ruefully. He tucked his hands in his pockets and smiled as he watched his Kaiten and Kentei walking together. Once, seeing happy couples had been salt in the open wound of his grief. It had only been during the last year that he had finally found himself smiling at memories of Ophelia instead of feeling those gaping wounds inside. If he hadn't had Tyrian to focus on in those days following her murder, he might never have survived.

They lucked out. The fifth person they talked to knew exactly where Theo was hiding. "Oh, him." The flower seller snorted as he sorted out his wares for the day. It was still early enough that the city was only just picking up speed. "That swindler can be found the same place, rain or shine, morning or night. Just look for Lena's tavern, and you'll find him cheating people at dice."

The color slowly left Ewan's face. "Whose tavern?" he asked, his voice slightly strangled.

"Lena Dixon." The older man arched a brow as he saw the look on Ewan's face. "Do we have a problem?"

Kyle had started to grin. "You don't. Ewan does. Thanks for the help." He grabbed one of Ewan's arms while Rihou grabbed the other and, with Elissa pushing, they hurried Ewan away from the scene before he said something he regretted. "What a small world," Kyle said dryly as they stopped around the corner of a street.

"Rihou," Ewan said with a note of pleading in his voice, "I'll stay here while you go, how's that?"

Utterly fascinated, Rihou stared at him. He had never seen Ewan so downright, well, terrified before. "Before I agree, why don't you tell me exactly why you're afraid to go meet this tavern owner? Is she an old enemy or something?"

"Worse." Kyle's grin grew more devilish by the second. "She's his old lover. As in the person that he thought he'd never have a second chance with because he was an idiot. They met when I was, hmm, seventeen?" He thought back and was fairly sure it had happened right before he had met Ophelia, so he had been barely seventeen. "Yeah, I think so. Ewan was nineteen, and Lena was eighteen."

"Annnnd . . .?" Elissa asked.

Ewan sighed deeply and raked a hand through his hair. "I was taking Kyle to visit the city of Gammine. We were intending to spend a month there. It was part of Kyle's training toward being an adult who could name his sword. While we were there, I decided he was at least old enough to get drunk for the first time. And better he be with me than anyone else, because I'd make sure he didn't do anything stupid."

Politely, Kyle said, "I didn't do anything stupid. Ewan did. And he wasn't even drunk. Lena was the bartender, working her way through her studies to become a strategist. When she and Ewan looked at each other . . ." He slowly shook his head. "It was surreal. They immediately started flirting with each other, blatantly, and in minutes they were laughing and talking as if they'd always known each other."

"Like me and Elissa," Rihou murmured.

"Or Tyrian and Cassie. Or a few others I've seen over the last few years. I felt something not too dissimilar when I met Ophelia. It wasn't instantaneous, but something was definitely there." He clapped Ewan on the shoulder. "So this moron almost literally falls over his feet in love with a beautiful, brilliant, and genuinely kind woman who thinks the moon rises and sets on him, and what does he do? Realize two weeks in that he's way over his head and probably only hours away from putting rings on their fingers and settling down."

"And you panicked," Elissa said. She tried desperately not to smile. She felt horrible for Ewan and Lena both, but it was funny. "How bad did you panic?"

"He left her in the middle of the night without saying a word."

Rihou groaned. "Ewan, you idiot."

Ewan pressed his fingers to his eyes. "Tell me about it!" he muttered. "I grabbed Kyle and hauled us out of there as if my life was in danger! Lena sent messages to the Commune of Soldiers, but I didn't answer them." He winced. "The last one wasn't very nice. Essentially, she threatened to beat me over the head with a frying pan if I ever showed her my face again."

"Well, here's your second chance," Rihou decided cheerfully after a moment of thought. He grabbed Ewan's wrist and began to drag him through the town. "I'll go inside first and see if she's inclined to attack. If she isn't, then you're going to suck it up, apologize, and be mature about things. Even if she doesn't want a relationship with you anymore, at least you two can clear the air and you can stop feeling guilty."

Neither Elissa nor Kyle believed for a minute that Rihou actually thought that would happen. They exchanged a quick grin and followed Rihou and Ewan as they made their way through the town toward the lakeside dock where Lena's tavern was located.

Even at this time of morning, it looked warm and welcoming. Ewan felt nostalgic as he stopped outside the doors. There was that feeling inside again. That same feeling he had felt five years before when he had walked into another tavern and felt as if his life would change. Lena. He could still see her in his mind, still taste her on his lips.

Rihou studied his face and knew that his friend was still in love. "Come on," he told Elissa. "Let's see what's what. Kyle can babysit Ewan."

Lively music played inside the tavern, and many tables were occupied. A lot of people looked like travelers, but others looked like they lived in town. If the scent was any clue, this was the ideal place to grab breakfast. It smelled heavenly.

Manning the bar with a casual sort of grace was a woman who rivaled Elissa for sheer beauty and sultriness. She was of average height, well built, and had nearly flawlessly put together features. Her eyes looked an interesting pale shade of brown, and her long black hair hung straight as a pin. When she laughed at something a patron said, the sound turned heads.

Much to Rihou's delight, and un-surprise, he knew on one look that she was a Destined Star. The tug was there again, that feeling saying he needed her help. He couldn't have been happier. He walked firmly over to the bar and told her, "Don't bite. I'm unarmed."

Lena Dixon quirked a dark brow at him and then began to smile as she wiped down the counter. "Oh, don't worry, Rihou," she said easily. "I'm not the type to go after innocent bystanders. If I was the temperamental type, then I'd have chased Ewan down the day after he left me." She poured out two drinks and slid them down the counter to waiting hands. "I'm a patient woman. I knew eventually our paths would cross again.

"You obviously know who I am, so I guess I don't need to introduce myself." He smiled. "This is Elissa. And the two of you should probably never be allowed alone together." He thought about that for a moment before deciding, "No, actually, you should. Because I have nothing to lose, and Ewan has something he should lose."

"His heart?" Elissa asked.

"Ha, too late. I was thinking more about his cold feet." He hopped up onto a barstool across from the grinning bartender. "I know the story," he told her. "Obviously, I'm on your side. And, actually, I need you to join me too. Ewan said you were training to be a strategist. Even if you never finished the schooling, that still means you've got one heck of a head on your shoulders. I really need that." He grinned. "And we need a bartender too. Our Storekeeper has been filling in and he's starting to complain."

"You can count on me," she agreed briskly. "My specialty was organization of troops, so I can handle keeping your unit leaders together or issuing orders. And, no, I did not finish school." She smiled serenely. "I got bored." She leaned on the counter companionably. "I promise not to hit Ewan with any frying pans. Not too hard, anyway. His head is too thick for much damage to occur. And speaking of thick heads," she pointed toward a corner of the bar, "over there is Theo. I figure you must be looking for him if you're looking for a way to the castle."

Elissa tilted her head slightly. "How did you know? Is it common knowledge?"

"No, but your informant came through." Lena grinned. "And, yes, she knows who I am, and yes, she deliberately didn't tell Ewan."

There was bound to be another betting pool begun, except this was one that Rihou wanted in on. He probably had an unfair advantage because no one knew his Stars better than he did, but he didn't care. It was just plain fun, and the gods knew he needed that fun. "Thanks," he told her as he got to his feet.

"Anytime! I'll start packing up."

As Elissa followed Rihou toward the table at the back, she murmured, "Ewan is really doomed. I've never seen a more perfectly matched couple! Well, okay, that's a lie." She grinned. "There's us. Now we just need to find Kyle someone, and I'd say we're set." Her eyes darkened with sadness. "After what he's been through, he needs someone to love again."

He wouldn't disagree with that. He was still awed by the fact that Kyle had managed to even heal after losing Ophelia the way he had. She hadn't just been murdered; she had been murdered by Tyrian's mother, outside of combat, against the laws of engagement, and in front of children who had no doubt been traumatized for life. Something Tyrian had once written suddenly tickled Rihou's mind and he murmured, "Tyrian mentioned something about soul mates never healing if they're torn apart. It was in response to my asking about him and Cassie. Thinking about that now . . ."

She took a little breath. "Ophelia wasn't Kyle's soul mate. Whoever is must be out there somewhere. If he's healed, then she wasn't the one." She remembered something else, something Kyle had only recently said. "It wasn't instant for them," she murmured. She suddenly smiled. "I hope we get to see him meet the one for him."

"Me too!" As he passed another table where a grizzled old farmer sat, he said, "Hi, Thalia." He didn't bother to check to be sure if he was right. He knew he was even before her soft curse confirmed it. She would have to try harder than that!

In the corner of the room, he found a busy table with several people sitting around it.  Some looked like travelers. Two were identical twins, both with the weathered look that indicated a life on the water. They were both attractive, though not handsome, and while one wore his blond hair very short, the other had a small ponytail. The one with the ponytail busily whittled a swan out of a chunk of wood. The one with short hair was playing dice . . . and was very drunk.

He was also winning his game of dice, and when the three people playing walked away in disgust, Rihou smoothly sat down in one of the vacated seats. "Hello, Theo," he said calmly. "I'm Rihou Royaltine. I suspect you knew my father, but that's hardly relevant, is it?"

Mayo could only stare at Rihou in surprise. It was like that moment more than three years ago where he had looked at Tyrian and realized there was someone who needed him. That feeling was there again, urging him to fight by Rihou's side to make sure he was always safe and smiling. Divan's son. He felt no true surprise, not when Divan Royaltine and Donald Southerwind had been so much alike.

Theo was not nearly as accepting, or happy. He did not like the feeling he got when he looked at Rihou. He didn't want to endure watching another person he loved more than his own life be driven to the point of breaking but never able to break. "Whaddaya want, kid?" he demanded. "I'm busy!"

Elissa scooped up the dice and twirled one on the tip of a finger. "Doing what? Cheating with loaded dice?"

"Shh!" Theo forced his eyes to focus on her and realized she was a bard. He scowled. He had nothing against bards, but if there was anyone he would never play at dice, cards, or chesstac, it was those wandering entertainers! "Jush leave me alone!"

"I can't," Rihou said simply. He hooked an arm over the back of his chair. "For one thing, I need a captain with the nerve to sail us across to the castle. For another, your drunken ass is still a Destined Star and I apparently have need of you to be one. I need your help to fight back against Foresalia."

Theo slammed a hand onto the table and knocked over his glass of ale. "I don't want another rebellion!" he said belligerently. "I dun want to she—see!—more dest-destrucshun!" He glowered at Rihou. "Yer no Tyrian, kid! I don't think you got what it takes."

"You're right," Rihou decided. "I'm not Tyrian." He got to his feet. "I'd as soon not deal with a drunken has-been. You're a poor excuse for a man, let alone a Destined Star. What a waste of breath." He seemingly ignored Theo's sputtering and turned to smile at Mayo. "You, on the other hand, are more than welcome to join me if you like. At least you're sober."

Without further ado, he walked out. Elissa hurried after him, and she grinned to herself when Lena shot a wink at her. Theo sat at his table for several moments as unexpected pain blossomed inside his chest. It was a bitter pill to swallow that a Kaiten Star would think him so unimportant that he wasn't worth abiding by destiny.

Fury whipped up inside him and he leapt to his feet. He tried to run out of the tavern, he really did, but it ended up being more of a stumbling stagger. He got out the door, barely spared Ewan or Kyle a glance, and made his way toward where Rihou stood on the dock to study the boats. "You got no right to say that to me!" he told him vehemently.

"Why not?" Rihou didn't look at him and his voice sounded careless. "I'm no Tyrian, and you're no 'legendary' captain. You're a drunken cheat."

Without thinking of the consequences, Theo took a swing for Rihou's face with his fist. The Kaiten stepped to the side with casual grace and suddenly had one of his tonfa in hand. He twirled it rapidly and then bonked Theo right in the back of the head.

The blow was just strong enough to destroy any lingering balance, and Theo took a nosedive into the lake. By the time he surfaced, he was very sober, very cowed, and reluctantly impressed. "I stand corrected," he said on a sigh. "You're a lot like Tyrian."

"You actually swim corrected, but close enough." Rihou put up his tonfa and knelt on the edge of the dock with a grin. "Now that you're sober, you want to try again? I mean, we can continue the battle of wits, but I try not to fight unarmed people."

"I wish I could take offense at that." Theo hauled himself out of the water, which did indeed look much thicker than normal water as it dripped off his clothes. "Alright, Rihou, let's start this from the top. What the hell's happening in the City-States?"

Rihou told him what he knew, and Theo's stomach churned. It felt . . . worse, somehow, than what had happened in Taron. Fighting greed and tyranny seemed much simpler than fighting madness, and he had seen what had happened to Tyrian. And Rihou was a Healer. Theo couldn't think of anything much worse, except for maybe a temperamental Thaumoturge.

With a deep sigh, he said, "If you'll have me, I'm onboard. I'm not going to stand by and let you handle this without me." He looked at Rihou intensely. "And never doubt that I love you as much as I love Tyrian. I'm honored to be a Destined Star for you as well."

Rihou smiled. "I know." He looked up and grinned as Elissa approached with Kyle and Ewan. "You're late."

"You had it well handled," she told him dryly. She smiled at Theo. "I'm Elissa."

Theo eyed her with more appreciation now that he had sobered up. "Kentei."

"Good guess," Ewan noted dryly. "And, hi, Theo."

"Hi yourself." Theo got to his feet and then helped Rihou up. "Hi, Kyle. You two just can't stay out of trouble, can you?"

Neither swordsman commented on the hypocrisy of the statement, though they did exchange a wry smile. The simple fact was . . . he was right. Suddenly remembering, Kyle asked Rihou, "I forgot to ask. Is Lena going to kill Ewan?"

"Nope!" Rihou grinned. "And it's a good thing since she's a Destined Star as well. She'll handle some strategy stuff and take over bartending so that Xander can go back to handling our supplies." He didn't bother to mention that Lena fully intended to land Ewan for good this time. They would figure it out.

"Whelp," Theo rubbed his hands together, "I'll grab Mayo and we'll go over that boat of mine. She should be seaworthy in an hour, and we'll make our way to that eyesore of a castle."

Rihou glanced across the lake. He could just barely make out the shape of the castle in the distance. It looked suitably impressive in stature, but it was indeed an eyesore. It didn't appear to be anything that a decent cleaning wouldn't take care of.

"You seem curiously at ease for a guy about to claim a castle," Ewan noted.

"It hasn't sunk in quite yet," Rihou decided. "When it does, I'll probably stand gaping in the courtyard until someone snaps me out of it. Until then, onward we go! Let's catch up with Skyla and Naomi and then head to talk to the mayor. If we can at least get Tercon on our side, then we'll have a way of getting supplies in and out."

Leaving a surprisingly more chipper Theo behind, the party moved back into town and caught up with their missing members. Skyla and Naomi had been very busy. They had secured the assistance of many people to clean and repair the castle, and they also had several orders of supplies on hold. Skyla had sent a messenger pigeon to Xander, and he would be making his way to Tercon sooner rather than later to finish coordinating things.

That done, they started to follow the signs toward where the mayor lived. Partway there, a flutter of wings announced someone approaching via air, and they turned to see a lovely female Flier angling down to land beside them. Unlike Quill, this Flier had more avian features, with feathers covering more of her face. The feathers continued down her neck to her shoulders where they tapered into skin until her wrists. Her nails were much more like talons, but she wore shoes, so it was likely she had more standard feet.

Rihou found himself smiling for two reasons. One, she was a Destined Star. Two, if the Medicine and Resurrection Relics she wore were any clue, she was a Healer. "Hi," he said.

"Hi," she said back with a grin. She propped her hands on her hips and folded her wings back. "I'm Wyvern," she told him. "I'm a Healer, but I swing a pretty mean mace."

He grinned back. "I'm Rihou. I'm more of a Healer/Warrior hybrid, and I hit things hard too." He offered his relic hand. "One Healer for all of us is pushing it. I could use another person to keep these troublemakers healthy. I can't do this without you, Wyvern."

She took his relic hand and the two stars glowed from her shoulder. She smiled. "I wasn't sure I was one, but I'm not really surprised. When I saw you in town, I just felt as if you needed me." She squeezed his hand and let go. "If you're saving the City-States, then I'm going to help! And on that note, follow me and I'll show you where the mayor lives. She's waiting for you."

"I hope that's as promising as it sounds," Elissa murmured.

Wyvern led them through a few more streets and then gestured to a lovely house on the corner. "There you go! Mayor Hawthorne is her name. I'll go get my things ready to go out to the castle."

She took her leave and the party headed to the house. The door stood open in the universally recognized offer to enter, and Rihou stuck his head inside to call, "Hello?"

"Hello!" Mayor Hawthorne hurried around a corner and beamed. "Lord Rihou! Please, come inside!"

He liked her on sight. She was probably old enough to be his grandmother, but she was as fit and nimble as someone a third her age. She had even added streaks of red to her white hair, something only common among teenagers who weren't yet adults. He could only assume she kept her heart young. "I'm hoping that you being happy to see me means that you're willing to ally Tercon with me, and therefore with the other City-States who have joined me."

"The lives of my people are not worth ego," she agreed instantly. "We aren't big. We don't have our own militia! If we came under attack, we would suffer worse than Riverbaynk. The fact that you were there on the day the massacre happened is the only reason anyone lived. But we have a lot of builders in town and a lot of craftspeople. We may not be able to lend military might, but we can do our share to help our fellow cities and you as well."

"Done," he promptly answered. "And, hey, you don't need a militia! You'll have an army sitting right across the lake. If Malady tried to attack you, he might as well just attack me directly." Something cool moved across the glitter in his eyes. "I don't think he's that suicidal, though."

She felt a little chill run down her back though it was not of fear. It was in recognition of the power inside him. It wasn't just the Pure Relic he wore. The Kaiten Star wielded a wholly different power, one purely based on his indomitable spirit. If anyone could save the City-States, it was this man with the eyes of a hero.

Contact made, it was time to meet up with Theo at the dock. When they got there, they discovered he had indeed been busy. The ship sitting at the side of the pier was not only the biggest in the area, it was also by far the best. It simply looked better, and while Rihou would be the first to say he knew nothing about boats, he was fairly sure this one had been custom made for durability and speed.

Kyle whistled softly. "That's a nice looking boat, Theo! Is that Paula's work?"

"It is indeed!" Theo patted the side affectionately. "She spent a year yelling at me that I was too picky, then in the end, she had to thank me because it was the best thing she'd ever made." For the benefit of the newcomers, he explained, "Paula was a Star for Tyrian. Might be yours; hell if I know. But she's the best ship builder in the damn world." Interest lit his eyes as he spotted Naomi and Skyla. He had a fondness for women of all kinds. "Hello."

"I'm too young for you," Naomi said dryly.

"Ouch!" Theo winced even as Mayo did. "We're only twenty-seven, thank you," the elder of the two said dryly. He wiggled his brows at Skyla. "What about the lovely Elf?"

She grinned. "I'm too old for you. I'm fifty-eight."

Naomi's jaw dropped hard and fast. "You're what?!"

Rihou started laughing. "I thought everyone knew that Elves were like Faeries and Dragons in their lifespan! All three can easily live several centuries. At nearly sixty, Skyla's still only the equivalent of either you or me, Naomi." He grinned at his sister. "Well, you anyway. In two weeks, you're going to be a year older than me finally."

She took a swipe for him and he ducked nimbly. "Now, break it up," Elissa chided dryly as she pushed between them. She smiled wryly at Ewan and Kyle. "I think Cassie might have gotten off easy since Tyrian didn't have a sister."

"Not one like Naomi." Kyle grinned. "She's one of a kind."

"Thank god," her brother grumbled. He hastily ducked again when she tried to hit him, but she had been bluffing. Instead, her foot connected solidly with his shin and he winced. He loved Naomi like crazy, but there were times he really wished he had a younger sister too, just so he could be the older one for once.

Mayo just shook his head. He had long gotten used to temperamental types. They certainly kept things interesting! "All aboard. Let's get going before it gets later. We need to avoid that damned shark and get through the whirlpool."

Everyone hurried onboard and found places to sit. The only cabin on the ship was barely big enough to hold two people let alone six. Theo took the wheel and Mayo manned the sails. He wore a Wind Relic for just such a thing, allowing him to precisely pinpoint the speed they traveled. It was Theo's skill that controlled the ship through even the fastest speeds and choppiest waters.

"Wow!" Rihou leaned over the side of the ship as they zipped across the water. He could only imagine how fast they might go if the water had been of a normal consistency. This already felt like flying. He turned to grin at Elissa. "We'll have to go sailing to more places!"

The delight in his eyes clenched her heart. She framed his face with her hands and went on her toes to kiss him softly. He instantly pulled her closer, his hands lingering warmly on her waist and his relic hand tingling with that wonderful magic inside. "Never change," she told him huskily as she eased back. "I love you exactly as you are."

He lowered his forehead to hers and smiled. "Even if I'm directionally challenged?"

Her lips curved as she traced his lips with a finger. "Even then. As long as someone else has the map, I don't mind that much. And if you get lost in the castle, you can call for me and I'll find you."

"How about you just stay by my side? I don't seem to function well without you there, Elissa." He nipped at the tips of her fingers. "Who else but you could ever nag me into taking a break, or could safely bring me back from the edge of destruction?"

"I don't nag."

His lips slowly curved. "Yeah, you do. But you're really sexy when you do, so I don't mind."

She found herself laughing. It was hard to argue with that.

Watching them, Naomi sighed happily. She smiled at Ewan and he grinned back. To them, there was little that looked more beautiful than the sight of their Kaiten and Kentei together. They just seemed to glow softly when in close proximity. "Wait until they both have eternity," Ewan murmured. "It's amazing."

"Whirlpool ahoy!" Mayo called.

"I see it!" Theo called back.

"How can you miss it?" Skyla grumbled.

She had a valid point. The immense whirlpool was big enough at the widest point to almost reach both shores of the lake. It swirled too ridiculously fast to be made by nature. There was really no telling exactly what had caused it, but it was definitely not just opposing currents coming together.

Theo sailed right into the middle of the damn thing as if the waters were perfectly still and not spinning at eighty knots. "Hang on!" he shouted. Rather than fight the current, he went with it and sailed the ship in circles that followed the water. It took all his control to keep the ship straight, yet it still rocked violently. "Hope no one gets seasick!"

There was no room for nausea. It took everyone's concentration just to hang on and ignore the lake water that washed over them. Drenched to the skin, it wasn't until Elissa slung her hair out of her eyes that she actually noticed something unusual. "Hey!" She waited until the ship circled again and stared intently at the bottom of the vortex. "Skyla!" she shouted. "Do you see that?"

Skyla had to move her position to look, and Kyle hastily grabbed the back of her leggings to keep her from going overboard. She looked around sharply, and as they passed by the center again, she spotted what Elissa had. There was a glowing chunk of rock of some kind at the bottom of the lake, and it looked a damned lot like a Water Relic. "Keep me anchored!"

Kyle managed to slide closer and grabbed her ankles instead. He had no idea what she was doing, but he trusted that she had matters in hand. "Just hurry!" he told her.

She drew her bow and fitted an arrow. "Theo!" she called. "Aim us directly at the center!"

"Hot damn!" he crowed. "I like how you think, Skyla!" He spun the wheel and sent them careening against the tide toward the center.

There would only be one chance. Skyla waited for it, and when she saw it, she fired her arrow. It shot straight and true through the air and traveled all the way to the bottom of the vortex where it shattered the Water Relic. It released a wide pulse of power that obliterated the vortex so violently that the ship went spinning backwards across the surface.

Only when the rocking had slowed to a gentle motion did Rihou cautiously open his eyes. "Damn." He hauled himself to his feet and stared across the lake surface. It was calm and serene, if still seething slightly. The whirlpool no longer existed at all. "Okay," he said. "Who dropped the Water Relic?"

Skyla's shaking legs gave out and she sat down hard on the deck. "Oh my god."

"Nice job," Kyle told her. "And you have apologies in advance if I accidentally bruised you. I had to hold onto you tighter than I intended for fear you'd go overboard doing that."

She tugged up her leggings and found bruises rapidly forming. "It's nothing serious," she told him when she saw the look of self-disgust in his eyes. He was the type to loathe harming any friend, even in circumstances like this. "And I'd rather you have put bruises on me than let me go into the vortex! Think of it as practice for Lord Rihou."

Rihou had already been making his way over. "Okay, this I can handle," he decided. He knelt down and gently wrapped his hands around her ankle as he called on his magic. "Thank you for taking me at my word and starting small. But if you had gone over, I'd have gone in after you."

"Much appreciated," she said dryly.

The ship suddenly picked up speed and started zipping across the lake. "What gives?" Naomi demanded.

"It's just the man-eating shark chasing us," Mayo called back.

"Oh, yeah." Rihou winced. "I forgot about him." He got to his feet and moved to where Ewan and Elissa were looking behind the boat. There was indeed a shark pursuing them at high velocity, and the sheer size of the fin breaking the surface implied it was as monstrous as rumored. "He who fights and runs away . . ."

"Lives to fight another day!" Theo finished. "I'm way ahead of you!"

The same could not be said of the ship and the shark. The beast gained on them with every passing second, and the dock of the castle was not getting close fast enough. The shark abruptly lunged up out of the water and attacked. It went directly after Theo, and the captain ducked hastily. He lost his hat, but he kept his head, and he sent the ship into a tight curve that swung it around so that he had parked it backwards in the castle dock.

The shark was not very happy as it lingered just out of range. It couldn't swim into the more shallow waters of the dock area, but it also didn't want to let its lunch get away. Humorously wearing Theo's hat perched on its head, the shark slinked off toward the center of the lake again.

"All ashore!" Theo announced cheerfully.

On legs that still wobbled a bit, the party managed to disembark. Much to their immense surprise, Theo started sailing away. "Where are you going?" Ewan demanded. "Has the booze finally addled your brain?"

"That damned shark has my lucky hat!" Theo retorted. "I want it back! Don't worry. I'll be back soon! Have fun with the castle!"

"Tell me that he knows what he's doing," Naomi said to Rihou.

He smiled wryly. Knowing that Theo could swing a mean harpoon in no way meant that Rihou could be sure he would be fine handling a pissed off shark that liked eating stubborn captains. "I sure as hell hope he does!"

 

©Stacy J. Garrett. Do not reprint or redistribute without permission.

Chapter 11->