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ALL MORNING, Zan had chewed up her insides, aware that Pellus and Remiel were due back from the Covalent Realm at any time. She counted it fortunate that Kurt and Malcolm were in high spirits. The Fourth of July barbeque had been great fun. After they’d set off a bunch of highly illegal fireworks, she and Rainer had played music for hours around the campfire. She almost managed to forget about Jeduthan and the Covalent Realm.
Maybe that’s a reason for them to forgive Rainer. He’s one hell of a fiddle player.
Now, as they all sat reading on the front deck in the sunshine, Zan kept glancing nervously down the driveway, half expecting two aliens to come sauntering into view. She needn’t have worried. She looked up to find Rainer motioning toward the road with his eyes. Pellus must have concealed himself and announced his presence somehow.
“Hey, remember those friends of ours we told you were due this afternoon?” she asked Kurt and Malcolm. “Rainer and I need to go pick them up. We’ll probably go out to dinner before we drop them off at the motel. Maybe park the RV there overnight. Get out of your hair for a little while. Need anything?”
“Um, yeah. Bring us a case of beer,” Kurt said. “Nothing like a bunch of combat veterans over for a party to deplete your beer reserves.”
“It’ll give us a chance to clean, too,” Malcolm added. “Nothing like a bunch of combat veterans drinking beer to make a damn mess.”
As she and Rainer made to leave, Malcolm touched her arm. “We told you, Zan, your friends don’t have to stay at a motel. We have plenty of room, especially with you and Rainer in the RV. It would be rude to not invite them to stay.”
“You did invite them! It’s okay, Malcolm. Some people feel awkward staying in the home of someone they’ve never met. It would be especially strange for them with me and Rainer out in the RV.”
“Then we insist they come for dinner,” Kurt said.
“That’s not— ”
“We insist!”
Zan glanced at Rainer, who gave her a reassuring nod. “I’m sure they would like that,” she said, “but I think tomorrow night would be better. They’ll probably just want to chill tonight after riding on a bus all day.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Kurt said.
They headed to the RV then rumbled down the pothole-and-puddle-filled driveway. As soon as they turned out onto the road they saw Pellus and Remiel standing about twenty feet into the woods. Zan pulled over. She’d barely come to a stop when Rainer burst out the door.
“Pellus, my friend, you must be in so much pain. I am sorry. I am sorry.” Pellus submitted to his vigorous hug, though from the look on his face, he knew it wasn’t as vigorous as it should have been. “And Remiel,” Rainer continued. “Your fine warriors deserved to be celebrated throughout the Realm, yet they are hunted and killed. Abraxos. If only I could— ” He sputtered out.
Remiel frowned at Zan, patted her crestfallen warrior’s back, and told him she was beyond happy that he was finally awake.
“Commander,” Rainer blurted as he clutched her. “My squad. Tariel and the others. Has there been any word?”
“I am sorry, Barakiel. We do not think they returned from the Destructive Realm.”
“They gave their lives. They knew from the beginning they were unlikely to return, yet they helped me anyway.” Rainer squeezed his eyes shut, which forced tears down his face. He kept his eyes closed for his next question. “And Adonael, who risked life and limb to inform us of the Council’s craven intention to fight Lucifer to the status quo?”
“He died early in the battle, but if it eases your heart at all, I was told he died with great joy to know the Covalent were finally taking the fight to Lucifer. Perhaps he felt he was avenging his mate.”
“Yes, yes,” Rainer mumbled. He wiped his eyes and they piled into the RV. The look on Remiel’s face as she stooped so her head wouldn’t hit the ceiling made Zan smile, thankful for a bit of levity.
“What an odd machine,” Remiel said.
A trail seemed like the best place to have a discussion, so they drove to the Wildcat trailhead and marched in silence, Rainer in the lead. Zan noticed Pellus and Remiel exchanging looks.
His weak hug. His limp. They know he’s not right.
They stopped to talk in a clearing near a stream surrounded by the soothing sound of water over rocks and the soft rush of wind through the trees. Rainer kept his eyes on the ground while Pellus and Remiel delivered their report on the force assembled at the Wasteland Dungeons, the number and state of their warriors, and their thoughts on the plan of attack. When Rainer looked up, Zan’s heart lurched to see his face.
So much for my pep talks. He’s ashamed of his weakness even though I’ve told him it’s ridiculous.
“As you can see, I will not be much use in the raid to rescue Jeduthan, but I will give everything I have.”
Pellus blinked a few times then turned to face the trees. “I know you will, Barakiel.”
“Me, too, Pellus!” Zan said, willing her voice to brightness. “You have seen how the weapon you made for me is effective.”
“Zan, I fear you have now lost the element of surprise. They will swarm you. You will die.”
“So be it.”
All three Covalent snapped their heads her way. Rainer moved beside her.
“You would allow her to fight and die when this struggle has nothing to do with her world?” Pellus asked.
“I do not allow Zan to do anything,” Rainer said. “She is my bonded mate. If we die, we die together. I think the best use of her weapon is for her to slice through the formation with a cadre of warriors protecting her, including me. We may be able to punch through.”
“Perhaps there is no need for your sacrifice. Perhaps you have already sacrificed enough,” Pellus said.
“My faithful friend,” Rainer said. “Look what you have sacrificed. We will fight for your mate. There is no question.”
“We should stop discussing who is going to lay down their life and simply acknowledge that we are all willing,” Remiel said, waving her hand in the air as if to drive off all their sadness and shame. “I believe Barakiel’s idea to use Zan’s weapon is a good one, and I have seen that Zan is up to the task. We must devise the best plan we can, and perhaps keep our sacrifices to a minimum. You may have lost Balance, Barakiel, but remember we have your tactical skill and the Realm’s greatest adept at our disposal.”
“Remiel, you will sustain us,” Barakiel said. “I can hear Osmadiel in your voice, see her strength in your aspect.”
“She is with me, warrior. But now you must tell us in detail the state of your power so we can use you most effectively. My warriors will be heartened by your presence, even if you are not at full strength.”
As Rainer explained the contradictory feelings created by his loss of Balance, Pellus stared at him, still as a statue, his expression unreadable. Zan hid a smile with her hand.
At least Pellus got his inscrutability back. That has to be a good sign.
“Do you have any idea why I might feel this way, Pellus? I am disturbed by my weakness, but if this were like my previous loss of Balance I do not think I would be thinking as clearly as I am. My injuries are severe, yet I feel a current of power inside me. The problem seems to be that I cannot access external power, at least not enough for me to heal further.”
“Perhaps it is because you had some time with the Sylvan Three. The loss of Balance may have been mitigated, but this is merely a guess. A healer would be able to explain, but Abraxos has locked them all in the Council Keep.” Pellus rubbed his temples. “Or what used to be the Council Keep.”
“My loss of Balance could be worse. I am certainly not as useless as I was after I killed the false monks.” Rainer grabbed Pellus’ shoulders and turned him so they were facing each other. “With Zan and Remiel and her warriors, we have a chance.”
When Pellus offered a thin smile, Rainer dropped his grip and stepped away. He stared into the whispering trees for a moment then gesticulated wildly. “You mentioned the Council. Do we know where they are? Ravellen, Metatron, Thanis? They can help us. And High Commander Camael? If any of them are locked in the Wasteland Dungeons and we encounter their cells on our way to Jeduthan, we should liberate them and gain weapons for the fight. Especially Ravellen and Thanis. Three adepts of the highest caliber? Nothing would stop us from reaching Jeduthan. Ravellen and Thanis could help you eliminate the traps the other adepts have surely lain for you all around Jeduthan’s location. Zan told me how they constructed a net around the Sylvan Three’s quarters.”
Remiel raised her eyebrows. “This is an unusual loss of Balance indeed. And you are— ” She slapped her mouth shut when Pellus turned in a swirl of brown robes and ran up the trail. Rainer moved to follow him but Zan held him back.
“Let him be, Rainer. He would not have run off unless he wanted a moment alone.”
Poor Pellus. He’s trying so hard to keep it together.
“Of course.” Rainer nodded, then addressed Remiel. “You were saying, commander?”
“Uh, yes, I think you are right. We may be able to liberate Covalent who will surely join our effort. We will empty the dungeons. We believe Ravellen and Camael are there. Pellus could detect at least one section that has a higher number of guards than the others, but it is impossible to say who is imprisoned there. We will head for that section and see who we find.”
“Good, good,” Rainer said. He limped some way up the trail, looking for Pellus, who was nowhere to be found. With a worried scowl, he discussed the base in the Wasteland with Remiel. They spoke of the warriors, their relative strengths, and the best way to launch the raid. More than an hour had passed by the time Pellus returned. He looked at them eagerly.
“You went to the Covalent Realm,” Rainer said, more statement than question.
“Yes. I have an idea. I needed to return to Covalent City to make sure my desperate need for hope had not clouded my judgment.”
“And?” Remiel asked.
“We should rescue the Sylvan Three, have them heal Barakiel, and then stage the raid on the Wasteland Dungeons.” Pellus’ normally serene voice wobbled, but his bright green eyes spoke of conviction. “I believe Barakiel at full strength is our only chance.”
Zan felt a surge of hope, but not the kind Pellus intended. Though she never would have said it to Rainer, and had not admitted it to herself until that moment, she wanted her mate back shining with power, fluid of movement, brimming with libido.
Stop it, O’Gara. This is about Jeduthan, not your goddamn sex life.
Remiel glanced from Pellus to Rainer and seemed content to wait for her warrior to speak.
“But Pellus, do you not want to rescue your mate as soon possible? Every moment of delay must be torture.”
“It will be nothing compared to my misery if we do not succeed.” Pellus straightened his robes and took a deep breath before he continued. “I observed the dungeons for four turns. They are prepared for an attack. Even if we manage to penetrate the structure, I am afraid they will kill Jeduthan if we get near her. I would be so grief-stricken I would no longer be a threat to them, and I am sure Abraxos would love nothing more than to snuff out the life of my mate to avenge Domist.”
Remiel gasped. “You killed Domist? How in all the realms did that transpire?”
“Please, commander, let us leave that complex tale for another time.” He grimaced, then went on in a tightly controlled voice. “If we attack and try to make our way methodically through the dungeons until we find Jeduthan, she will be killed. But if you are healed, Barakiel, you can cut your way through and secure her life while Remiel and her warriors deal with the security forces. I will handle the adepts, at least as best I can. We must be fast. It is the only way to save her. The only way.” He turned toward the trees. Zan assumed it was to get himself under control. Rainer went to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Remember, Pellus. More likely than not, Abraxos is counting on your desire to rescue Jeduthan. He seeks to lure you to the dungeons. He will not kill her if she is the bait for his trap.”
“I am sure he seeks to lure you as well. Another reason the completion of your healing should be our first step.”
“But Pellus,” Remiel said gently. “Do you think it will be so easy to rescue the Sylvan Three? I know it seems that way because they are imprisoned in their chambers by relatively few guards, but we cannot bring a squad of any size into the city without detection. Warriors loyal to Abraxos will be everywhere.”
“What has always been my tactic of choice?” Pellus asked, facing them again. “How did we release Zan from Lucifer’s clutches?”
“Stealth,” Rainer said.
“Yes.”
Remiel paced and looked up at the sky, darkening now as sunset approached. “Yes, yes. I see the wisdom of this idea. A restored Barakiel will help our raid on the dungeons in more ways than one.” She stopped in front of Rainer. “With you beside them, my warriors fought as they never had before. They are depleted and need that fire. They need your fire, and you do not have enough to give in your present state.”
“No, I do not.”
“If we succeed, where will we go for the healing?” Zan asked. “Back to the Turning?”
“That would be too dangerous,” Pellus said. “Abraxos is no doubt patrolling there, and we must not forget the demons. Rudderless though they are now, they have always been drawn to the power of the Turning.”
“The Wasteland then?” Remiel asked. “The healers could access great power at the summit of Streamcatcher.”
“Perhaps,” Pellus replied, “but who is to say if the Three could even enter the healing trance in those harsh conditions?”
“Why not here?” Rainer asked.
“Here?” Pellus squinted at him. “We have no idea if the Three could enter the healing trance here. The Wasteland is more likely.”
“Do you remember our discussion last winter, before the Three healed Zan in the Covalent Realm? They thought at first I meant for them to come here. They did not say it was impossible for them to heal here.”
“If I recall, they did not know.”
“They did not know if they could heal a human, either,” Zan said. “And they did it easily. They brought me back after Lucifer almost killed me. I think they can do it.”
Pellus rubbed his chin. “You are in tune with the rhythms of his place, Barakiel, having lived here for so long, especially now that you have bonded with Zan. But do you think the Three will be able to access enough power here to heal you?”
“I do. I have faith in them.”
“Well, then,” Remiel said with a clap of her hands. “We have our first goal, and I see another benefit to this plan. The longer the warriors have to rest, the better our chances of success when we assault the dungeons.”
“Yes,” Rainer said. “And a liberated Three will help them as well. And now, I need to eat. I am ravenous.”