The Rise of Isaac, Books 1-3, page 82
Ely frowned. "It is dangerous times to be an Arclite. Are you aware that Rimori is posing as the Arc embodied?"
"I am," Hamish hissed angrily. "The deceit is believed by many, but not all. Arclites are not of Rimori's creation, though he has associated himself with us and blackened our names to those who oppose him."
Ely nodded. "Indeed. But what can I possibly offer to your plight? What can your rebellion hope to achieve?"
"I speak freely now before you. Can I trust that these words won't leave this cabin?"
Ely nodded. "You have my word."
Hamish gulped and shuffled to the edge of his seat. "Assassination is our goal. We must kill Dead Xen. We must kill the King of Glacio and return the royal family to its throne."
"Who is the rightful heir?" Ely asked.
"Xen has the remainder of the royal family imprisoned in the palace dungeon, a cold and harsh environment. The heir, the eldest Princess, is just seventeen and the youngest is only eight."
"Prince Kile?" Ely enquired.
Hamish nodded.
"They're in the Freezer?" Ely asked, a chill spreading through him at the memory of the place.
"Yes, and Xen wishes to execute them. I'm sure of it. He has only to find a reasonable excuse to do so," Hamish whispered.
"Is he being held in check by someone then?"
Hamish nodded. "Barely. The High Preacher consults with him. The people would riot if he was removed from his position. Xen must give reasonable accusations if he wishes to have the remaining royal family killed. The Preacher must give his blessing on any executions that come to pass in Glacio."
Ely breathed a deep sigh. "I must go to Aleva. It is a personal matter."
"No," Hamish hissed. "We need your help. Please. You're at an advantage. No one would know you're here. Besides, if you try to pass through to Aleva the Keeper there will send you to Xen anyway."
"So, what you're saying is, I have no choice," Ely said, frustration itching at him.
"I don't wish to trap you. And if you'd rather return to Brinatin I will let you do so freely. But I pray that you will reconsider. I implore you to stay."
Hamish's eyes burned into Ely's so hard that he shifted in his seat. He sat thoughtfully, turning to gaze into the fire to free himself from Hamish's desperate eyes. "Can you get a message out of Glacio, to Aleva?" He turned back to Hamish.
Hamish nodded eagerly. "Yes, I could manage that for you."
Ely let out a heavy breath then nodded. "Then I'll do what I can for you. I can't deny that Xen's reign disturbs me and I fear what role he will play when Rimori starts his war."
"As do I," Hamish said then drooped into his seat, looking exhausted. "Thank you my friend."
27
Crimson
May walked with Rogan down to the centre of the city. The sun had dipped behind the towering walls of the valley and coral-coloured light flared into the sky, tinting the world in golden tones.
The evening brought a welcome breeze with it that made May's hair swirl around her as they walked. She wore a light, colourful caftan over her shoulders with a vest top and shorts beneath it.
The streets were busy with people, sitting outside restaurants and chatting merrily with one another. Water trickled into the moat around the Cerulean Court, making a tinkling sound. May wondered how there could be so much evil in the world when everything seemed at harmony.
Rogan took her wrist and tugged her across the busy street as they moved towards the water. A band started up further along the road, playing jazzy music with the addition of wind instruments.
They removed their shoes and sat on the wall, dangling their feet down into the water.
"Why can't every moment be like this?" May asked, kicking her feet back and forth in the pool.
"Life's not so simple," Rogan said quietly.
May turned to look at him and her chest constricted. Her heart fluttered and words betrayed her as she tried to think of something to say.
He answered before she had to, gazing at her sadly. "So much has happened to you. It isn't fair."
May looked down at her feet again. "Things happen." She shrugged. "There doesn't have to be a reason for it. Fair or not, it is what it is."
Rogan reached out and took her hand so they rested on the smooth stone, clutched together. May's heart did backflips.
Hesitantly, she clasped his hand back, afraid that he would take it away at any second. A sharp and familiar stabbing sensation went through her heart. She gritted her teeth against it, hiding the pain as she had practised a hundred times.
"Are you okay?" Rogan asked.
May twisted her head up to look at him, wondering if he had sensed that she was in pain. She nodded.
"Are you afraid of death?" she asked, regretting the question a second after asking it.
She expected Rogan to shrink away from her but he didn't.
"I guess everyone is," he said. "You're not going to die though, you know that?"
"Is that a promise?" May asked, faking a smile and biting back tears.
"There's literally nothing I wouldn't do to prevent it."
A lightness filled her chest. "Thanks."
Rogan ran his thumb over the back of her hand and her whole body responded. Every fibre of her being drew her toward him. Even though he was engaged, a part of her wanted to tell him how she felt. It wouldn't make any difference but just saying it might help.
"Rogan..." she started then struggled for words once more. She cursed herself for being so tongue-tied around him.
"What's up?" he asked lightly.
May let go of his hand and drew her arms across her body. "Never mind."
Rogan shuffled closer to her. "You can talk to me you know."
"I know," she said, her voice constricted. She swallowed hard, fighting against the lump in her throat that threatened to choke her.
Her hair fell over her shoulders and blew forward as the wind took it. Rogan caught it and pushed it behind her ear.
His hand lingered there a moment and May looked up to find his warm, chocolate-coloured eyes boring into her own. The sky was cast in a hazy, crimson glow as the sun set behind him.
"I think I love you." The words left her mouth without thought and she couldn't take them back no matter how much she wanted to.
Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, horrified at what she'd said.
Rogan blinked as if he was unsure what he'd heard, his hand retreating from her face. His mouth opened wordlessly and May's stomach dropped with dread. "I mean, um. No ignore that. Oh god, please ignore that. The sunset and, your eyes. I mean- oh no."
She stood up, towering over him on the wall. She looked anywhere but at his face, running a hand through her long hair. Her cheeks heated up with embarrassment and tears threatened to fall. She forced them away, refusing to let him see her cry.
"May-" Rogan started, getting to his feet but she cut him off, dropping down onto the street.
"You're with Quinn. I know that. You love her. And it's a total betrayal of her trust for me to say anything, especially when she's off god knows where." May knew she was rambling but couldn't stop herself. "I just had to say it. I don't know why because it's completely stupid. I take it back."
He shook his head uselessly, gazing at her utterly shellshocked. "I'm sorry," he said bluntly.
His rejection cut deeper than May had imagined it would. It twisted her gut and pain radiated from her chest.
She turned and ran down the street back towards the hotel, forcing the tears not to flow until she could make it out of sight. She spotted Larkin in the doorway to The Merrymoon and darted down a side-alley, unable to face him. She kept moving up the hill, further and further, desperate to be somewhere far away and alone. She felt so ashamed, her blood running hot through her veins.
"Crap. Crap. Crap," she swore through gritted teeth as she sprinted up the hill, stones jabbing into her bare feet.
She panted, breathless from the tortuous climb but continued on up the stone steps that led to the cable car station. Her calves burned as she pelted along but she didn't slow, wanting to put as much space between her and Rogan as possible.
She sighed as she emerged out on the wooden platform that overlooked the city. It was quiet with only a few people milling around to admire the view. The cable car station was nearly empty, only the odd person heading in and out of the cars.
She moved to a wooden railing and dropped down behind it, putting her legs around a wooden post and shuffling forward so her bare feet hung over the precipice.
Resting her cheek on the rough wood, she gazed back toward the Cerulean Court where she'd left Rogan. Her breathing came in heavy puffs that slowed over time and returned to normal. As the sky darkened, the people on the platform made their way back down to the city where twinkling lights were beginning to appear in the windows.
She revelled in the comforting isolation of her hiding place. Her feet were sore from running. She had left her shoes on the wall, a move which she now regretted.
She buried her head in her hands and the tears finally came. She sobbed quietly, letting all the emotion leak out into the liquid as it seeped through her fingers.
"Hey, are you alright?" a male voice sounded nearby.
May stiffened in shock and embarrassment washed over her once more. She peeped up so as not to show the stranger her red, puffy face. A boy was walking towards her from the direction of the cable cars, keys jingling in one hand.
"I'm fine," May said quietly.
His hair was dark with golden streaks where the sun had kissed it. It was unkempt, matching the slight stubble on his jawline.
He walked up to the railing and rested his elbows on it, looking down at her. She became overly aware of being alone with the strange guy and considered leaving.
"Can I sit?" he asked, gesturing to the place beside her.
She hesitated then shrugged.
He dropped to the floor and held his right hand over to shake hers. She lifted her own and shook it, still keeping most of her face hidden behind her other hand.
"I'm Jak," he announced with a bright smile.
"May," she said.
"You gonna hide your face from me forever?" he asked jokingly.
"I've been crying," May said, hiding it further by swinging her hair forward.
He laughed a light chuckle and reached his hands up to the railing above him, leaning forwards over the edge.
May exhaled a forceful breath to compose herself and looked at him, pushing her hair back. She stubbornly brushed the last of the tears away.
He gave her a lop-sided smile. "Do you wanna be alone?"
"Well you've seen me now anyway," she said with a shrug.
"Lemme guess, boy trouble?"
May sniffed. "How'd you know?"
"You look like the kinda girl guys would be chasing after," he said, looking out over the city.
May frowned at him.
He laughed and his dark blue eyes twinkled. "Where are you from?"
"Earth," she said.
He laughed again.
"Why does everyone always find that so funny?" May asked, rolling her eyes.
"Just is. They've got a bit of a stereotype-"
"That we're stupid. I know. I've heard." She pulled a gormless face.
He chewed the inside of his cheek. "Guess it ain't true then."
She eyed him, unable to fight a smile. "Do you work here?"
"Yep," he said, swinging the keys on his finger. "I just help out evenings and weekends. Bit of extra cash, you know?"
She nodded.
"Are you staying to watch the challenge?" he asked.
She shrugged and sighed. "I have no idea right now. Everything's up in the air."
Jak nodded, his mouth twisting to one side. "Where you staying? I could give you a ride back?"
May raised her eyebrows. "A ride?"
"I've got a hoverbike," he said, briefly revealing a set of pearly teeth.
"Lucky you," May said. "I think I'll walk. I'm not ready to go back to my hotel."
"You staying there with your boyfriend?" he asked.
May laughed a short, sarcastic laugh. "He's not my boyfriend. He's...this guy I know."
"And?" he prompted. She could sense the smile in his voice.
"And I'm a complete idiot. He has a girlfriend. No sorry, a fiancé." She shook her head at herself for being so foolish.
"Ouch," Jak said.
"Yeah and I had the brilliant idea of telling him how I feel," she said, turning so she was looking at him.
His brow furrowed as he gazed at her, breathing out slowly through his nose. "I get it."
"You do?"
"Yeah, see there's this really pretty blonde girl sitting in front of me who's rejecting me right now," Jak said, cocking an eyebrow. "Come on, you know you want to."
May eyed him suspiciously but part of her did want to do something rebellious. She needed to make a decision that wasn't influenced by someone else for once, something reckless.
"No funny business, I promise. I can see you've had your fair share of men today," Jak said, looking at her hopefully.
She shook her head and laughed. "Oh, go on then."
"Cool," Jak said, getting to his feet. "Come on." He held out his hand and May took it. He tugged her up and steadied her by placing a hand on her waist.
Her eyes flickered up to meet his deep blue gaze and a rush of heat fled to her cheeks.
He led her down the stone steps to the first street and hurried over to his bike. It resembled a jet ski, sitting on the ground, wheelless with a long, thin seat that had room enough for three people sitting one behind the other.
"How does it work?" she asked, approaching the vehicle warily.
"I'll show you." He tapped a panel on the front of it and activated an inbuilt Flash Screen. "I've only got one helmet." Jak held it out for her to take.
May took the black helmet that looked like a hardhat and put it on. Jak gripped a buckle on one side of it and extended a cord under her chin. His finger grazed her skin as he buckled it in and her stomach swooped. Rogan flashed into her mind and she angrily pushed the image away.
Jak climbed onto the front of the bike and gazed at the screen. Jak Cage Authorised flashed up on it then the engine started and the bike lifted a few inches off of the ground. He held out a hand to her.
She grinned and took it, climbing up behind him. She gripped his thighs with her knees and wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Hold on tight," he said.
She nodded and the bike reversed away from the wall it was facing and sped off down the road.
The feeling was exhilarating. She laughed as they rounded a corner, leaning to one side over the road. They sped down the hill and she clung tighter as the ground dropped away in front of her. Jak turned left, circling the bike around the edge of the city.
They wound their way through the streets and May revelled in the feeling of whizzing through Cerulea, the warm air blowing softly against her face.
Jak kept to the quiet backstreets so they could speed smoothly along, barely having to slow down as they turned corners. The bike was almost silent apart from a gentle whirring. The wind whipping past her ears was the loudest noise she could hear, occasionally broken by the chatter and laughter of people as they flew past them. She felt completely free, her embarrassment finally forgotten.
"Do you wanna have a go at driving?" Jak called back to her.
Her eyebrows lifted. "Can I?"
"Sure, it's easy," he said, slowing the bike down and pulling over to the side of a narrow alley. An underground stream ran beneath a grate along one side.
May jumped off and Jak slid back, making room for her on the front.
She grinned excitedly and hopped into the space in front of him. He leant forward and the warmth of his body pressed up against her back. He reached around her and took hold of the handles.
"This is the brake," he squeezed a button on the left handle. "And this is the accelerator." He turned the right handle backwards so that it spun towards them, making the engine whir loudly. "Ready?" he asked.
May nodded and placed her hands next to his. He let go and put his palms on her waist.
She released the brake and twisted the accelerator, making the bike whiz forward.
"Lean as you turn corners," Jak said close to her ear.
May turned right down a hill, leaning into it. She grinned as the bike complied and dropped down the street. She took the corner too fast and almost hurtled into a wall.
"Woah," Jak said, gripping the bars over her hands and pulling the brake.
"Sorry," she said through a laugh.
He returned his hands to her waist and squeezed. "I better hold on tight with you driving."
Her heart fluttered and she was glad he was behind her so he couldn't witness her blushing.
"Take the corners a bit slower," he instructed.
She nodded as he guided the bike away from the wall and turned back down the street. She pulled the accelerator and they whizzed down the hill.
The road ran directly to the heart of the city and May glimpsed the Cerulean Court in the far distance. She turned left down another lane and continued in a wide circle around the edge of the city.
A cat darted into the road and May pressed the brake.
"Don't worry the bike's got an inbuilt sensor, you can't run over anything," Jak said.
May still slowed the bike, unsure if she could trust it. The cat sat down and began washing its paws as if they weren't there. May stopped and they hovered in front of it.
"I promise you," Jak said, putting his hand over hers on the accelerator. "I'm no cat murderer."
She decided to trust him as he twisted the handle back and the bike sped towards the animal. It flew up two feet into the air then returned to the road on the other side of the cat. May laughed, glancing back to see the animal rolling over and rubbing its face on the road as if they were no more than a passing summer breeze.
They whizzed around the streets for a while until May knew she couldn't put off going back any longer. She sighed. "Can you take me to my hotel?"
She stopped the bike and jumped off it.
"Sure, where are you staying?"
