Chapter 19

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Logue Riztrin stood in the door of the Palace delivery office, located on the subfloor underneath the main hall, watching while a third rank tech glanced over his papers, noting his destination and the package he carried into the log meant for such minute details. No one ever looked at the records until after the fact. There were guards everywhere, but they didn’t pay him more attention than a passing glance. He was doing what was expected and therefore, didn’t pose a threat.

“Sign here.”

He grunted at that. “I broke my fingers when the grav unit failed on a crate I was delivering yesterday. I’m not sure what good a signature will do. Sorry.” He waved his mangled hand for proof. His fingers were blackened and bruised from where the hammer had struck.

“Sign anyway. Have you had a doctor look at that?”

“No time, but I’m going after this delivery. It’s not going to go through.”

The tech agreed when the scan came back as unidentifiable. He followed his procedures though, and brought out a pad for the palm scan. Logue complied easily, knowing at that particular moment, because of the re-sequencing of the system, that a palm scan couldn’t be read quickly. He waited expectantly, and was handed the proper badge that would allow him access all the way to the Royal quarters.

“Go ahead up. This will probably clear by the time you get back down here. Check in on your way out.”

“I’ll do that. Thank you.”

Logue left the office, steering the crate down the main hall to the stairs. At that point, he took most of the weight because anti-grav units didn’t work extremely well on stairs. He couldn’t risk the contents spilling out if the unit failed. There weren’t many other servants out this time of day, either serving luncheon or dining themselves. Even the guard complement was slightly lower than he expected.

He was admitted without pause, glanced at by a guard who leaned out the station door then went back to his conversation. The door to Dain’s rooms couldn’t be seen from inside the guard station. Logue was stopped there and prepared to hand the crate over. As he did, he touched a keypad; its sound purposely muted, and reversed the polarity on the anti-grav unit, making the box suddenly heavy. Logue hauled the crate back as the guard stumbled.

“I’ve got it. Sorry. These damn anti-grav units need maintenance.” He swore under his breath. “This thing is heavy.”

“What’s in it?” the guard asked.

“I don’t know. But it’s from Ames Lithford, one of his old buddies, so it could be anything. I’ve got to set it down though. I know you’re not supposed to, but can you give me a hand?”

“Yes. Sure.” The guard opened the door after entering an access code that Logue memorized, then turned to take the corner of the crate, grunting as he did. “This is really heavy. In here. Let’s take it to the study. That’s where he likes deliveries.”

“He’s been getting a few of those.”

“A few? Down, okay. That’s it.” The guard laughed as he straightened. Another man came in from the other door, questioning, and decided to have it opened. The guard easily concurred. “For security.”

“You just want to see what he’s getting,” the attendant said.

“It’s too heavy to be food.”

Logue stepped back, covering his movements under the noise the two men made unlocking the lid. His left hand moved to his right wrist, and amidst the first series of chirps emitting from the crate released the lock mechanism of the dagger he had strapped to his arm. The guard paused, his expression quizzical. He noticed Logue, remembering that he was still there. “You can go now.”

He looked at him, nodding in chagrin. “Right. Maybe next time I’m in, I’ll hear what he’s got in there.”

“Maybe,” the guard smiled as he turned, while the servant lifted the lid. Both men gasped.

“But then, I already know.”

Allie glanced over at Ralion while Arlon kept chuckling. They pushed him roughly, and Ralion smacked him across the back of his head, making him stop. “You won’t think it’s so funny when we strap your worthless ass to the table,” Ralion snarled at him, pushing him again. “Now shut up and move.”

“I’m all right,” Dain whispered when Dynan moved to his side.

“Oh, but he’s never going to be all right. He firmly believes that this is his only path to redemption. Don’t you, Dain? He thinks he’ll be free of me, free of his cowardice. Free from the murders he committed. You’re wrong, Dain. You’ll never be free. Ever. Not from the horrific things you’ve done. You can’t hide from it. You can’t escape. Not from me. My death will only serve to speed your descent.”

Dain straightened finally, and pushed Arlon back to Ralion and Allie. “We’ll just have to see, won’t we Arlon? Or, wait. You won’t be around, will you?”

“Wrong again, Your Highness,” Arlon said, and his voice changed. “I’m not so easy to get rid of.”

Maralt emerged, taking Arlon’s soul into him at the same time as reaching for Dain. Arlon collapsed, dead at their feet. In the next instant, he took Dain, ripping his soul from him, gloating as he turned to consume the orb of light in his hand.

Dynan reached for Dain to pull him back. An invisible garrote twined around his throat. He couldn’t breathe and he couldn’t speak to warn the others. No one else knew what was happening. They couldn’t see Maralt.

Ralion caught Dain as he fell. Geneal’s face swam into Dynan’s field of vision. All he had to do was say one word. One name would warn them, and he couldn’t. He could only watch as Maralt took his brother’s life, and then took his body.

Ralion jumped when Dain sat up. “It’s Marc, Geneal. He’s lost control again. Tell them Dynan.” Dynan shrank away. He could speak again, and didn’t want to. Maralt moved to his side. “I said tell them.”

Maralt’s hand sank inside of him. Excruciating pain tore through him and malignant hatred held his soul. What everyone else saw was Dain resting his hand on his chest.

“Geneal, you have to tell the guard to give Marc anethinol. Just enough to stop him. He’s killing Dynan. Hurry up.”

Marc was suddenly there, his image appearing beside them. He grabbed Maralt’s wrist, and Geneal recoiled sharply as she was able to see. “Let him go.”

Dynan felt pressure increasing until he thought he would be torn in half. Marc bore down on the hand that held him, forcing his will against Maralt and his hand was pulled out.

Maralt wrenched away from him, and disappeared, leaving Dain’s body an empty shell that folded in on itself, still and lifeless. He’d taken Dain with him.

“Dain!”

“I’ll get him back,” Marc said and straightened.

Dynan stared at him. “How?”

“Maralt will try to reach Logue. I have to go. Keep him alive.”

Marc pointed at Dain, and disappeared.

The lights shut off when he did and their receivers went dead. They couldn’t see to move. Dynan forced himself over to Dain, crawling blindly to reach his side, trying to think through fear. His fingers searched his body for any sign of movement and there was none. Dain wasn’t breathing and his heart wasn’t beating. Dynan leaned over him. His fingers found his face, pulling his mouth open, and he breathed into him.

“Geneal.”

“I’m right here. You’re doing that right. Two breaths, then I work his heart. Two breaths. That’s right. We’re not going to let him die. Marc will get him back.”

Ralion leaned down beside them, and Dynan could hear him fumbling in the complete black that surrounded them. He heard him mumbling about finding the keys.

“Breathe,” Geneal said, pressing down hard on Dain’s chest to keep his heart beating. “Breathe.”