Chapter Seven

Invier

 

“Stop him!”

 

Tucking my chin in, I focus on getting to the alley as quickly as I can.

 

“Leave him be.” Ray’s voice rings.

 

A short man steps out of the alley ahead. He notices the excitement and stares with a befuddled expression.

 

“Catch him, Higgs!”

 

He spreads his arms wide and squats as if about to welcome a small child. Wearing a slick yellow raincoat, he looks thick enough to stop me in my tracks. With little time to spare, I swing to my right and run alongside a building in hope of finding another alley I can use to double back to the airship.

 

“Why … are we chasing ... him?”

 

“Sell … to Minim,” Big Tom replies as he gasps for air.

 

“Or ransom to his family …” Maxen’s voice fades into nothing behind me.

 

Neither of those options work. I wipe the rain off my face and splash through puddles. Minim already attempted to kill me and the other participants at Fenix. I’m not eager to give them another chance. Trying to get ransom money from my family is also problematic. They would be forced to inform the Council as required by the Pact. When that happens, Adela and Titan Reffour could easily find me and kill me.

 

Wait a moment.

 

Didn’t the newscaster say Adela was dead? I was so focused on the news of my death I ignored mention of Adela’s. What could have happened? She was very much alive right before Mehrdad was captured by Reffour soldiers.

 

If she’s dead, then Neith’s father must be responsible. Like me, she probably knew too much. My feet hit the ground faster than before. I cannot be captured. Regardless who these men plan to hand me off to, capture will mean one thing only—death.

 

I survey my surroundings, searching for a way to escape. There are no openings between the buildings on this side of the square. However, up ahead on the western side, there’s a slim gap. If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to cut through the alley and hurry to the ship.

 

My pursuers don’t sound too close anymore and I chance a glimpse behind me. In addition to Big Tom and Maxen, there are at least seven more men on my tail. When my head whips forward, my heart jumps in my chest and I run head first into none other than Ray. I bounce off him, landing on my hindquarters.

 

How did he get here? I scamper backward on my hands and legs.

 

“Get up. I’m going to get you out of here. Just play along,” he murmurs.

 

Rising to my feet, I wipe more water from my eyes. “Why should I trust you?”

 

He grumbles and the sound highlights his impatience. “Don’t waste time, there’s more at work here than you understand.”

 

“Ray’s got him!” Big Tom says in relief. Ray grabs me, clamping one sinewy arm around my neck when I stand.

 

“Got him, yeah,” he says. He adds a conspiratorial whisper, “Act like you’re trying to escape.”

 

The group arrives and each of them is panting. Air wheezes in and out of their mouths.

 

“I’ll comm my cousin.” Big Tom drags in a long breath. “He’s Minim … he’ll come get—”

 

“Bah, I don’t trust Minim.” Maxen wiggles his head. “Let his fancy family pay for him.”

 

“I caught him, so I make the choice,” Ray says.

 

“No way!” Big Tom steps forward, his face a mask of anger. “I’m the one who figured out he was valuable.” He pokes his chest with a finger.

 

Ray’s arm squeezes tighter and tears sting my eyes. I try my best to free my neck but his arm is a vice that won’t give.

 

“You’ll choke him dead,” Maxen says, worry creasing his forehead.

 

He can’t be as worried as I am as I struggle to get air down to my lungs. My attempt to swallow some air results in me swallowing rain instead.

 

“Come on Ray, we can share whatever we make,” Big Tom says.

 

I’m clawing at Ray’s arms when a cold voice says, “Unhand him right now.”

 

With my head down, I can’t make out who owns this newest voice. However, I sense Big Tom, Maxen and his group look at someone to my right. Their feet fidget and they murmur among themselves.

 

“Unhand the scion or you will be shot.”

 

And with that, Ray’s arm leaves my neck. I kneel, sucking in air.

 

“We found him. We keep him.” Maxen says.

 

“You have no right to Scion Floran or any other human being.”

 

“But your masters hold our lives in their hands, yeah!” someone says.

 

Although I’m struggling to breathe, I manage a glimpse of the newest visitors. Four soldiers in white stand, large guns in hand. Each wears a helmet with visors covering their faces, I know immediately who sent them. As my eyes stray from their helmets to their uniforms, I note the fan insignia emblazoned on the chests of their reptilian-like armor. Nome Reffour soldiers.

 

Can this day get any worse?

 

The presence of these soldiers means one thing—Neith’s father knows where I am and he’s going to kill me.

 

What if Neith sent them?

 

She abandoned me on that airship and sent me out into a world I barely know. Besides, it’s not her style to be so heavy handed. She’d try a less direct approach, after all, you never quite see what she’s doing until it’s done. The way she did with me.

 

The two groups are at a standoff with me in the middle. Ray is gone and I didn’t notice him slip away but I need to do the same. Big Tom and his friends step in the direction of the soldiers.

 

“Stop in your tracks or—”

 

“What?” Maxen takes another step.

 

These men are no match for Nome Reffour’s soldiers. Last night, they wiped out Mehrdad’s team in seconds.

 

Desperate to get away from the potential brawl, I edge away from the coming confrontation. More men approach from the square. Their feet slap the ground sending spent water flying in their wake.

 

Nothing good will come of this situation. I continue to move as discreetly as possible.

 

“This is your last warning.”

 

“I’m tired of you narls thinking you can do whatever you like. You’re going to have to kill me today or else, I’m going to kill—”

 

When the first shot rings, I’m pivoting toward the alley and sprinting for my life, leaving the barrage of bullets behind me. I burst out of the alley and freezing fingers claw onto my arm. It’s Ray.

 

“Let go of me. I need to get away from here.”

 

“You have no idea, Paladin.” Ray tugs me along as he jogs deeper into the ever-darkening forest. The shooting lulls but soon picks up again.

 

“Why are you calling me that?”

 

“You had the highest number of points at the end of the Pursual. It’s what everyone’s calling you.”

 

I struggle to heave myself free from his grip to no avail. “Where are you taking me?”

 

He doesn’t respond and I dig my heels into the earth beneath me.

 

“Stop!”

 

Ray lets go of my arm and faces me. A faint, white scar runs from his temple down the bridge of his nose and ends in his upper lip. “I need to get you somewhere safe and—”

 

“Why help me?”

 

“We have a friend in common who is interested in your safety.”

 

The forest is suddenly filled with the sounds of gunfire and each sharp crack seems closer than the last. Glancing over my shoulder, I see no movement but that doesn’t stop tension from building in my muscles.

 

“We’ve got to go. I’ve got someone who can get you out of here.”

 

“I have my own transport.” I run to the airship.

 

“Our friend in common said to tell you you’re not the only loose end,” he shouts and I come to a halt.

 

Loose end …

 

Adela called me a loose end right before she threatened to kill me. There were only two other people who heard her use those words. Neith and Bel. Could Ray’s friend be one of them?

 

Of course.

 

Without warning, understanding slams into my consciousness.

 

“Bel.”

 

The cloak was familiar because I saw a flash of the lining when walking on the streets of Ghitu. Bel was in Ghitu that night. Why?

 

The gunshots stop and the forest turns silent.

 

At least now I know why one of her ship’s last destinations was Ghitu. And given my introduction to Hesperia’s men, I know why Bel needed weapons the last time she was here. There’s enough disgruntlement in the air to need protection from people who hate narls.

 

“Will you come willingly or will I have to knock you out?”

 

I jump at the burst of bullets.

 

Ray takes off and although he’s heading away from Bel’s ship, I follow as closely as I can.

 

***

 

We arrive at a rocky riverside and a sleek, inky black airship sits waiting.

 

“How did you know who I was?” I ask, still running behind Ray.

 

“You’re wearing her favorite cloak.” I hear the smile in his voice. “I’d recognize that buttercup lining anywhere.”

 

“That’s it? The cloak?”

 

He doesn’t slow down. “Plus, I recognized the airship while out in the woods earlier. I called our … mutual friend and learned she’s nowhere close by.”

 

He jumps over a decayed log.

 

“She told me to find you and hand you off to another friend who’ll get you to safety.”

 

The ship’s door opens and a man stands there silhouetted by the light from within.

 

“Hurry!”

 

Ray lets me by and I take the steps two at a time. I’m at the door when I notice he hasn’t followed. “Aren’t you coming?”

 

“No. I’ve got to get the airship back to her. Its presence here could create issues nobody needs.” He looks the way we just came and back at me. “Lord Van Thach will take care of you from here.”

He runs off, disappearing into the trees.

 

Once both of my feet are within the ship, its onyx metal door slides shut with a click.

 

“Please take a seat, Paladin,” says a man with deep dimples seated in a chair. He wears a suit the color of midnight and I examine his unfamiliar face trying to take in every detail. His slim, almond-shaped eyes lack double eyelids, reminding me of an overheard discussion between Mom and a friend on how Loic’s mom got that surgically changed as a child.

 

I’m still studying him when he adds, “You have a long trip ahead and there’s plenty to discuss.” He fastens his seatbelt and, not feeling like I have much of a choice, I do the same.

 

Scanning my environment, the ship seems well-appointed and as luxurious as Bel’s. Gold accents shine everywhere I look—on chairs, the cabin walls, the veins in the floor’s woodgrain and even outline the rounded windows. Definitely fancier than my beat up Azic 3000, which is several years due an upgrade.

 

As the ship lifts off the ground, Lord Van Thach squeezes the arms of his seat until his knuckles whiten.

 

“Where are we going?”

 

Eyes shut, he says, “Our common friend—”

 

“Just say Bel.”

 

He opens one eye and tilts his head in my direction. “Certainly.” His eye shuts and he sinks into his seat as the front of the ship tilts upward at a sharp angle. “Dogenne Bel Mezan instructed me and several others to find her ship. She wanted us to get its passenger to safety and …”

 

His words drown with the ship’s propulsion and we jet into the dark night. When the ship levels out, he unbuttons his suit and dusts each sleeve before looking at me.

 

“As I was saying.” He gives me a strained grin. “The dogenne wanted you taken somewhere safe.”

 

“Where would that be? Titan Reffour’s soldiers already found me in Hesperia. I couldn’t even hide from Ray or yourself.”

 

“Titan Reffour can’t track my ship and he won’t find you where you’re going.”

 

“And where is that?”

 

“Koroda. You’ll meet Karax there.”

 

Koroda. Karax. How did Bel get mixed up with these characters?

 

“How do you know Bel?” I ask.

 

“I'm a merchant by day and a connector at night. Ray thought it important I meet her and it’s my job to know important people.”

 

“Important people like …?”

 

“Like Karax.”

 

“Why is Karax important?”

 

“You’ll understand when you meet him.”

 

What a non-answer. “Can’t you tell me who Karax is?”

 

He chuckles again. “You’ll learn everything you need to know when you meet him tomorrow.”

 

This newest non-answer makes me scoff in irritation. “I thought you told me we had much to discuss. You aren’t telling me anything.”

 

“My apologies, Paladin but I’m not at liberty to answer your last two questions.” He shrugs and spreads his hands as if I should understand his explanation.

 

I huff in frustration. Here I am on an airship with a man I don’t know, taking me someplace I’ve never heard of. I can’t trust him or anyone else.

 

“Right now, I don’t feel any better off than I did when I was being chased by drunkards threatening to sell me to the highest bidder, Lord Van Thach.”

 

“You have nothing to fear from me, Paladin.”

 

He looks and sounds sincere but if there’s one thing the last few days have taught me; it’s that trust is a luxury which can cost you your life. This man hasn’t given me a reason to trust him and I plan to be extra cautious with him or anyone else I meet.