Blood Bond (The Stones of Terrene Chronicles Book 4), page 25
Actually … those in Antius weren’t exactly what he’d consider friendly, but they were supposedly allies, and there had to be someone there who could help, if Jade were bonded.
Ben straightened with a groan and leaned back against the rail. All these ideas were optimistic. For all they knew, Victor had killed and dumped Jade somewhere along the path, and they’d never find her body.
Such a depressing thought. And one best kept to himself. Surely Zak had already considered such a possibility, but it was best that they all chose to dwell on the more positive what-ifs.
At least they were making good time in their travels. Thus far they’d seen empty barracks, large trails from what had to be thousands of troops marching south, and a swath of destruction from so many traveling, but there had been surprisingly little for them to actively avoid. Whatever was happening in southern Terrene, it was distracting the Elph.
Whether that made any on board the airship feel any better or not, was a different story.
Geist pounded up the stairs from the lower deck, his eyes wide, and goggles hanging loose around his neck. The wind chill hit him in the face, and he swore, throwing his arm up in a sorry attempt at defense. He staggered and waved at Ben, pointing him toward the mess. A glowing communication stone flickered in his hand.
Ben pushed away from the rail and unclipped his safety line, switching it over with practiced ease. His muscles tightened, and he consciously relaxed them. Somehow, he didn’t expect this news to be good.
The moment Ben reached the sheltered hall for the galley and mess, he pushed his frost-limned goggles into his hair and brushed the excess ice off his beard and coat. Geist left the door open for him, and the warmth of the dining room enveloped Ben as he entered.
Zaborah and Christopher sat on the far end of the table, a game of Compatibility between them, Zak watching them intently. Raine was curled in the corner with a steaming mug in her hands. Finn had taken over the center of the table, papers and books strewn about as he continued his relentless research.
All stopped to look at Geist and Ben.
Geist held out the orange stone in a shaking hand. “Change of plans. They need us to take down the blood bond. Now.”
The sliver of surprise that ran through Ben quickly melted into acceptance. He’d been right. It wasn’t good news.
Like a magnet, his gaze strayed to Raine. She hadn’t moved to react to Geist’s words. She lifted the mug to her mouth, nodded once, sipped, lowered it. Then her eyes shifted to him, and she gave a wan smile of resignation.
Zak loomed over the table, his hands braced on either side of the colorful tile game. His tan face paled, though red rode high on his cheeks. “Did they say why?”
Geist shook his head. “The message was only, ‘Break the blood bond now. Don’t stop for anything.’” He shrugged and shot Ben a dark look over his shoulder. “I asked what changed. Still waiting for an answer.”
“How bad could it be down there?” Zaborah’s question hung unanswered, and she scuffed the palm of her hand over her forehead. “No, I can imagine how bad it is.” She dropped her hand to cover her mouth, and her eyelashes fluttered. “I can imagine.”
Zak reached out and gripped his sister’s shoulder. “Our family will be fine. They’re strong and stubborn and”—his voice grew husky—“they stick together. They’ll be fine.”
Fine seemed like a very small word in light of ongoing tragedy.
Focus on the now.
Ben settled his hands on the back of a seat, grounding himself. A trip down memory lane could be reserved for later. “OK. So, our mission has changed. Our destination hasn’t, though. So, what does this change for us? What do we need to do differently before going in?”
A host of emotions flashed across Finn’s face before he smoothed it to a semblance of stoicism. “I took bloodstones from Lucio’s safe house. We’ll need those.” He lifted his hands in a wordless gesture. “All we need are those stones, three activation stones –– which I already have, thanks to the research center in Tastow –– three Void Born, and the three daises.”
Left unsaid, and we think we know what would happen, but we really don’t.
“We still need to sneak in, still need to get past the butler and the gates.” Ben worked his fingers over the chair’s wooden frame, thinking. “We’ll continue as we were. Go to the city, gather intel, figure out our way in, and”—his breath hitched—“then we’ll go through and break the bond.”
Geist shoved his hands in his pockets, face down turned. “Just like that.”
“Yeah,” Ben echoed softly. “Just like that.”
Whatever peaceful silence had been in the room previously was long gone, shattered into a tense, brooding quiet that threatened to cut with a thousand blades of individual worry.
Finn stood, his movements jerky and distracted. “I … I need a moment to think.” He walked out, not looking back.
Geist dropped into the chair next to Ben, a scowl creasing his face. “I don’t like this.”
“None of us do,” Raine replied, the noise of her movement from the corner to Ben’s side masked by the rumble of the turbines. She ran her hand over Ben’s shoulder and down his arm and pulled out the chair on his other side to sit in. The scent of mint clung to her. “If for no other reason, than just because it bodes ill of everything down there.”
Geist shed his jacket and rolled his long sleeves up to his elbows, revealing his inked-on dragon scales. He pointed to them. “Know why I got these?”
“Because they’re an indicator of your personality,” Raine deadpanned.
Geist wrinkled his nose at her. “You should get some too, then.” He rolled his eyes at her, a hint of a grin pulling at the corner of his mouth. “No, Ms. Smartsteam, because I wanted a reminder.” He looked down at his arms and flexed his fingers, making the scales appear to ripple. “I wanted something that, in the likely event that a dragon does me in, I have scales, too. I have a different sort of armor. Before, it was just me. I protected my own back. But now,” he frowned. “Now I have you guys to watch my back. And I don’t know how best to watch yours during this.”
Ben finally succumbed to the draw of the chair and sat between Raine and Geist. “And here I thought you got those just because you thought they made you look tough.”
Geist snorted. “I say something nice, and all you can do is poke fun?”
“Naw.” Ben grinned and punched Geist’s arm. “The feeling is mutual.” He angled himself to make sure Raine was included, and she slid her hand over the table, a silent invitation. He scooped her hand into his, reveling in the closeness. “I don’t know what to tell you, man. I don’t like the idea any better than you.”
The memory of the Void––the black and purple rippling curtain that he’d crossed––flickered through his mind, and Ben firmly pushed it away. He would face his fears when it came time. Now wasn’t the time. “My concern is for you when it’s done. If we return to Earth, who is going to keep you out of trouble?”
Geist shrugged. “Kerlee. Or Serena, when we’re on the same ship.” He flicked his fingers in a show of being unaffected. “I’ll survive.”
The bravado in his voice would’ve been believable, if not for the way his gaze shifted to the side. Ben wasn’t going to call him out on it.
Geist stayed silent for several moments before drumming his fingers on the table. “Do either of you believe in fate?”
Raine made a small sound in the back of her throat. She grimaced and lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. “Not like most do. But I believe that everyone has a purpose that they were made for.”
Geist nodded at her answer and raised a black brow at Ben.
Ben rubbed the back of Raine’s hand with his thumb. “Not … really? But I knew we were going to be called to do this. I didn’t know it was going to be today. But I knew it was inevitable.”
“Yeah. I’d had the same feeling.” Geist pushed the chair back a bit and leaned back, stretching his legs out under the table. “My gambling days are over. But, if I had to bet, it’d be on you three.” He shot them a side glance. “You’ll make it. I’m certain.”
Raine huffed a slight laugh, but a single band of worry loosened its grip on Ben’s chest. “I like the sound of that.”
“No. Absolutely not!” Christopher exclaimed from the other side of the room, drawing all their attention. He sat, ramrod straight, hands splayed against the table, staring at Zaborah. “You’re not coming, too!”
“Not your call,” Zaborah shot back, leaning an arm against the table, her blonde braid brushing the table top. She pointed a black-gloved finger at Christopher. “We need to be certain each of you gets to the dais safely. We can’t risk any of you running into a contingent of guards or something when alone.”
“We won’t.” Christopher shook his head adamantly. “That’s why we’re going to the city to learn what we can. So we can avoid those entanglements. And maybe we can get a lead for you about Jade, something you can do after we’re done. You came up here to look for her. That’s your mission.”
Zak dropped his hand on Zaborah’s shoulder, and spoke. “And now our mission is two-fold. Break the blood bond, and find my wife. For all we know, breaking the bond will make finding her easier. That could be Weston’s play. Maybe he knows something we don’t. But what we know is that it will help our countries in whatever situation they’re facing.”
“But you can’t risk it. You can’t come with us.” Christopher jammed his index finger into the tabletop as he said “risk.” “What if we fail? What then? Will the knowledge of how to break the bond die with us? Who would rescue Jade?”
Ben exchanged glances with Geist.
A muscle in Geist’s neck throbbed. He stood. “The solution is simple, Christopher. Finn will leave a detailed letter of what to do if we fail.” He waved a hand, encompassing the ship with his motion. “There’s a crew here besides us who also wants Jade safely returned. If we fall, then they’ll take our place.”
“And if Zak falls?” Christopher pointed at Zak, and something in Christopher’s voice broke. “She’d return to her nation to learn that her lover died while she was gone?”
“Then she’d return to my family, knowing that her husband gave all he could to protect our country and her.” Zak ground out. He slammed a hand against the table, rattling the tiles. “I’m not going on a suicide mission. I’m going with you to provide a chance of survival for our people.” His eyes gleamed. “And then, while I’m in that place with the chaos of a fallen blood bond, I’m going to hunt for my wife.”
Christopher seemed to deflate a bit. “This is such a thin thread, this hope, what if it doesn’t work? I don’t want any of you to die for a failed attempt.”
“I don’t want that either,” Zaborah replied, wry. “But I trust Finn to do the best he can in figuring it out. He’s a smart old man. And I’m still going with you.”
“If we’re already claiming our travel buddy, then I’m going with this guy.” Geist hitched a thumb at Ben. “Final grand adventure together and all.” He flashed a quick grin at Raine. “I’m just going to assume Finn would go with you.”
Raine’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes, but she still nodded. “Yeah, I could see that.”
Zak leaned back in his chair, a small smirk brightening his features. “We’re a team. We work together.”
Geist looked back at Christopher and his voice hardened. “And if we go down, we go down together, swinging. We’re not going to let our friends walk into this alone.”
Ben stared at his hands on the table, the little lines of chapped skin, the shiny scar tissue from his steam burns, the thin arced scar on his wrist from something he couldn’t remember. He hadn’t hesitated to rush to protect Jade and Krista. He wouldn’t hesitate for this either. “What greater love can a man have, than to lay down his life for another?” He blew out a breath and gave Christopher a resolute nod. “The sooner you accept it, the better. We’re not going in alone.”
Chapter Forty-Nine
Raine
The city of Magisarium unnerved Raine.
Why it did, exactly, she couldn’t determine. Was it the unnaturally quiet people, who hustled from one place to another—faces devoid of individual expression? Was it the knowledge that with one command from someone higher than Brandon, she and Christopher could be taken over, destroying their individuality, their mission, everything they’d worked toward? Was it the few bonded who showed signs of personality that grated on her fortitude; their right arm sleeve cut away to show bits of the tattooed skin beneath, like branded cattle?
Or was it just the uncertainty of how they’d get into Magus Heights, and the heavy awareness that once in, there would likely be no returning for her. Or Ben. Or Christopher.
Her last bit of freedom in her world was to be in an Elph-owned city, icy air biting her lungs with each breath, and snowflakes swirling on each exhale. How they’d learn anything here was beyond her.
But she feigned confidence, wearing it with the same ease as her layered coat.
Mimicking Christopher’s straightforward, easy walk, head up, eyes forward, as if she knew what she was doing. Where she was going. Ben and Geist trailed behind them out of the pub that had given them no leads and back into the snow. On to … who knew where in this city. Somehow, they had to learn what they could of Avery’s movements before they waltzed into enemy territory. And if they didn’t find someone here … hopefully Christopher would have an idea of where to try next.
Hints of faded colors peeked out between drifts of snow, the buildings in question not entirely ramshackle, but definitely not at the peak of their life. Sun-stained red walls for the inn, once-glorious green for the pub. She didn’t want to put a name to the shade of yellow that the milliner had.
Christopher stopped next to a cigar store, the warm, earthy aroma tugging at Raine’s senses. Papa hadn’t smoked his pipe in years, and yet there was something about the scent that still evoked the memories of her childhood.
Christopher tapped the toe of his boot against the frozen ground, his expression pinched. “We need to find someone under my rank that we can ask questions of.”
“Unlike the scary lady in there?” Geist kept his voice low, but hitched his thumb over his shoulder at the pub. “Because she was a bit too similar to my mother on a bad day.”
Christopher gave Geist an odd look while Ben swallowed a laugh beside Raine.
Christopher nodded reluctantly. “Exactly.”
“Great. How do we know who’s a lower rank than you?” Geist put a hand on his hip and shaded his eyes, sarcastically taking in the quiet street that had only a handful of people hurrying through the bitter cold.
Christopher ignored the rancor in Geist’s words and shoved his sleeve up, showcasing the thick black line and red checkered pattern of his tattoo bond. He didn’t look at Raine. “Only the black.”
Geist sighed noisily through his nose. “Right.”
“And most––” Christopher cut himself off. His eyes widened. “Andrea?” He pushed past Ben, stumbling slightly. Christopher caught himself and straightened, affecting the nonchalant stride he’d had earlier. He walked straight across the street, his attention completely absorbed. His steps slowed, as if hesitant to approach the oblivious woman.
Geist and Ben exchanged looks before Geist took off after Christopher. Ben’s hand strayed close to Raine’s, their knuckles brushing. Christopher had warned them against any signs of affection while out in the city. Bonded were not permitted to have relationships unless ordered. And those relationships were rarely mutual.
Ben’s breath puffed out in a white vapor as he glanced at her, wordless, but she could read the question in his eyes. She nodded and walked a step closer beside him, scanning the storefronts for anyone watching them, watching Christopher and the woman he’d recognized.
Raine’s shoulders knotted. Whoever it was, what orders did they have? What would they tell their master when they returned home? Or was this someone they’d have to kill before returning to the Phoenix?
Or was this somehow a friendly face in a land of dangers?
Chapter Fifty
Christopher
Christopher’s heart pounded in his chest. Was it Andrea? His Andrea? The woman turned slightly, and he caught a glimpse of her face. His sister was here. It was undeniable proof that she’d been aboard the airship, which meant that Jade and Victor were here as well. He scanned the few others in the streets for any sign of Victor or Jade. What role did Andrea have in this mess?
Did he dare talk to her?
He stopped by the milliner’s storefront, uncertainty wriggling up his spine.
The memory of Pamela’s empty eyes haunted him. What if Andrea’s superior thought to ask and demand the same of her? He couldn’t risk his sister’s blood on his hands too. But a glimpse at her arm showed the single black line peeking out through the holes in her sleeve. If forced, he could order her to tell him what she knew. But that could cause problems too.
“Christopher?” The soft voice broke through his internal tumult. The lilt, the cadence … Christopher looked up, meeting Andrea’s gaze. Surprised joy brightened her expression, diffusing color in her cold-pinked cheeks.
“It is you!” she exclaimed. She shifted an unwieldy package from one arm to the other. “I thought I saw you back in—”
“Tastow. Yes.” Christopher studied her features, the straight nose like mother’s, the straw-like blonde hair that father had. She still had the dimple in one cheek that showed when she was thinking hard about something. Like right now. He floundered. “How did you get here? Wait, no. Are you under orders to report everything back to your superior?”
“Lord Avery Kalanask,” she supplied. “And no, I wasn’t expecting to be here.” She lifted the paper-wrapped parcel for inspection. “I’m here under orders to get winter clothing for myself and two other women Lord Avery wasn’t anticipating.”
