Arcanius (5 page)

“We could all use some rest,” Lexi said.

“We’ve been through a lot,” Rafe agreed. “I think I’ll turn in until supper time.”

“Mother,” Olyva said. “You should rest, too. We’re all tense, but things will look better in the morning. Isn’t that what Father always said?”

“Perhaps you’re right,” the countess said. “Come along, girls. A little rest wouldn’t hurt any of us.”

Olyva watched them go. She turned to Tiberius, who looked even more drained than before. Lexi took his hand and led him to the cabin they had claimed for their own, and Rafe stepped up behind Olyva.

“I don’t know what just happened,” Rafe said, “but that wasn’t fun.”

“Tiberius cast a spell on everyone,” Olyva said.

“He did?”

“Yes, and it calmed them all down.”

“I don’t feel calm, just relieved,” Rafe said.

“That’s because he didn’t cast it on you or me. Just my family and the crew. Look at them, working away as if we weren’t almost killed just a few moments ago. They had been so suspicious, but now they seem calm.”

“Well, I’m not calm,” Rafe said. “And I’m not tired. But if you could stand to be inside for a while, I would welcome the company.”

Olyva smiled at Rafe. Then he took her in his arms and kissed her. The butterflies were back, and she followed him into their cabin happily.

Chapter 5

Leonosis

The king of Valana felt like he was in a raging inferno. Draggah, the demon that possessed his body, raged, and Leonosis suffered the spirit’s fury. He had no control of his body, which carried out the business of the kingdom with no outward sign of the tortuous soul within. Draggah, furious over the death of Earl Marcus in Hamill Keep and Tiberius’ escape with the Balestone, still managed to control Leonosis as if nothing had happened.

The army was mobilized, and war ships were raised into the skies once more. Each ship was manned with a crew of twelve warriors and armed with small catapults that could hurl pumpkin-sized fire bombs. Draggah sent ships to every city, and more were sent out to search below the vast sea of mist. The blighted lands would no longer be a mystery to the citizens of the nine cities, but the demon didn’t care. His plan to collect the three stones of power was all that mattered anymore.

Leonosis thought he would go mad, but there seemed no escape from the mental agony he suffered. Not even unconsciousness was possible while Draggah tormented him. He was disconnected from his body, yet he felt as if every inch of his flesh were on fire.

“You sent for me, Brother?” asked Brutas, who was careful to keep his distance since Draggah had attacked him on the day of Leonosis’ wedding.

Leonosis could see and hear what was happening, but all his tortured mind could do was scream in silent agony.

“I have a task for you,” Draggah said. “Take the sky ship and return to Avondale. My warriors will be there ahead of you. Two war ships—they are to remain there until I send for them.”

“For what purpose?” Brutas asked.

“Our brother has broken the most sacred of laws and slain Earl Marcus of Hamill Keep.”

“Tiberius? You banished him. Surely he’s dead.”

“He is not dead. He is a wizard, and I want him brought to me alive.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I grow weary of your insolence, Brutas!” Draggah screamed.

The outburst was so unexpected that Brutas stumbled backward, covering his head in fear of being struck.

“I have coddled you long enough, Brother. You will do exactly as I tell you or suffer as you have never thought possible.”

“You can’t treat me like this,” Brutas said angrily.

“I can do whatever I like.”

Leonosis felt his torment lessen slightly, and for a moment his mind cleared. Then he felt the magical power sweeping toward his brother.

Brutas!
he shouted, trying to warn his brother, but no one heard him except the demon.
Watch out! Run!

Brutas was oblivious to the warning and suddenly found himself rising up in the air. His arms were stretched to either side, and his legs were pulled down and away from his body. He screamed, but Draggah just laughed. Brutas’ limbs were pulled until they were on the verge of being popped from their sockets. His face was pinched in a cry of agony, and then suddenly he fell onto the floor. Instinctively he curled into a ball, sobbing.

“Now that we’ve established what I can and can’t do,” Draggah said. “You will stop that bawling and listen.”

Brutas struggled to pull himself together, sitting up and taking deep shuddering breaths.

“You will return to Avondale and take control of the city.”

“What about Father?”

“I don’t care what you do about him,” Draggah said. “Ignore him, kill him, slice him into little pieces—I couldn’t care less. What I do care about is making sure that Avondale is ready in case Tiberius returns.”

“Why would he return?” Brutas asked.

“He knows about my ascension to the throne. He will have fled Hamill Keep by now. My warships may find him, or they may not. In any case, I want the war band on watch day and night. I want him captured, alive, and brought to me, along with all his belongings. Is that absolutely clear?”

“Yes,” Brutas said.

“Good. I will come to you in Avondale eventually. Until then, see that our home is well cared for.”

“I will.”

“And give my warships whatever they need. Nothing must stand in the way of capturing Tiberius.”

Brutas bowed and backed toward the door. Leonosis screamed for him to run, but Draggah was in total control. He smiled and waved his hand. The bones in Brutas’ left hand shattered as if he had been struck by a hammer.

The scream that erupted from Brutas was blood-chilling, but Draggah just laughed. Leonosis, in his own private agony, was helpless. He could only watch as Brutas hurried from the room, moaning and cradling his hand.

“You didn’t have to be so cruel,” Ariel said, stepping out from the shadows.

“He must understand the importance of my every wish.”

“He’ll hate you.”

“He already hated me,” Draggah said. “Or at least this shell I wear. It’s of little importance to us now. All that matters is the stone.”

“And once you have it?”

“That is my concern alone. All you need to know is that it is necessary for our plans.”

“You never tell me anything anymore,” Ariel said. “Am I not Queen of Valana?”

“Yes indeed, but that is of little importance. Merely a means to an end.”

“And what is that end?”

“Power, dear one. It is the only thing that matters. Power.”

Chapter 6

Lexi

Mount Avondale came into view the next day. From the sky ship, sailing just beneath the barrier of mist, the mountain seemed huge. Tiberius had remained in his cabin, avoiding the ship’s crew and resting. Lexi had gone out and found Olyva looking down at the Hosscum groves that stood at the bottom of the mountain.

The captain finally brought the ship to a halt, and Tiberius was summoned. Olyva and Rafe joined the ship’s captain and Olyva’s mother on the command deck. Lexi brought Tiberius out, and they met to discuss what they should do next.

“I believe that is Mount Avondale,” the captain said to Tiberius. “Should we sail up above the mists to dock with the earl’s palace?”

“Not yet,” Tiberius said. “We need to make sure it’s safe.”

“And how do you intend to do that?” the countess asked.

“Dancer can fly up,” Lexi said, taking the small animal from her shoulder.

The wind glider trilled softly as Lexi held it up and looked into the animal’s large eyes.

“Just get above the mists,” she said, “and take a look around the mountain. Don’t take any chances.”

Lexi didn’t like sending Dancer into potential danger, but she really had no choice. She flung the wind glider high into the air, and the little animal spread its limbs, letting the skin between stretch and catch on the updrafts. Dancer disappeared into the mists, and the group waited.

“I don’t think climbing the mountain is a suitable option for me,” the countess said.

“I agree,” Tiberius said. “If there are enemy ships around Avondale, then Rafe, Lexi, and I will go into the city and find out if there’s any way to get you safely inside.”

“And if you can’t?”

“Then we’ll have to find another place where you will be safe,” Tiberius said.

“How many war ships does the king have?” Lexi asked.

“There is no telling,” Rafe said. “They haven’t been used in decades. He could have hundreds if they continued building them over the years.”

Lexi felt a familiar buzz inside her head, and a wave of dizziness swept over her. She held onto Tiberius’ arm and closed her eyes. Suddenly she could see Avondale again. It was like a jeweled crown on the head of an ancient monarch. Dancer was doing just as she had been instructed. The little wind glider was barely above the mist and well away from the city. Lexi doubted that anyone could see Dancer, even if they were looking for her.

Two war ships were hovering above the city. One to the north, and one to the south. Dancer’s sharp eyesight could make out movement on the city walls, and Lexi guessed that the earl’s war band was on heightened alert.

“There are two ships,” Lexi said, opening her eyes. “One to the north, one to the south.”

“Reinforcing the city gates,” Rafe said.

“Can we defeat two ships?” Olyva’s mother asked.

“We could,” Tiberius said confidently. “But I would rather not risk this ship or Your Highness by engaging in battle.”

“So what do you propose?” the countess said.

“I’ve been giving a lot of thought to that. If my father still lives, he is Earl of Avondale,” Tiberius said. “If I can get inside the city, I might be able to heal him.”

“How does that help us?” the countess demanded.

“It’s possible that he could send the ships away and take you in.”

“Possible? You would gamble our lives on a possibility?”

“For now you are safe,” Tiberius said. “As long as you stay under the mists, no one will bother you. You have enough food and water?”

“Enough for five more days,” the captain said.

“Five days is enough,” Tiberius said. “Let us go to the city. If we can’t garner the support we need, we’ll come back and help you resupply the ship.”

“It is hardly a plan,” the countess said with disdain.

“Would you prefer that we fight?” Tiberius asked.

“My lady,” the captain said. “A single spark could mean devastation on a ship like this.”

“I know that,” the countess snapped. “I’m no fool just because I’m a woman.”

“I never meant—”

“I know what you meant,” she said angrily. Then to Tiberius, “Go! Do what you can. If you do not return by the third night, we will sail for Hamill Keep.”

“Yes, Highness,” Tiberius said.

“I have everything ready,” Lexi said.

“Get us as close to the mountainside as you can,” Tiberius told the captain.

“It will feel good to be on solid ground again,” Olyva said.

“No,” the countess replied. “Olyva stays with us.”

“Mother!” Olyva said in shock.

“You will return for her or never see her again,” the countess warned.

Lexi saw a smoldering anger in Rafe’s eyes, but he didn’t speak.

“We will return,” Tiberius said. “If that is the way you want things, then Olyva will stay. But see that no harm comes to her, or you will answer to me.”

The captain and the countess both stepped back from Tiberius.

“I will return for you,” Rafe told Olyva. “I swear it.”

“Be safe,” Olyva said.

The captain called out orders, and the ship began to move toward the mountain. Lexi, Rafe, and Tiberius all went down to the hold, where they opened the stairs that hung down from the bottom of the sky ship.

“She better not be lying,” Rafe said. “If they flee, I’ll kill her.”

“You’d kill a countess?” Lexi asked.

“If she hurt Olyva.”

“No one is going to hurt Olyva,” Tiberius said. “Dancer can keep an eye on the ship for us—right, Lexi?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Now, we’ve got a long night ahead of us. Let’s stay focused on the task at hand.”

The sky ship hovered next to the mountain just below the mists. The bottom of the wooden staircase was nearly ten feet from the ground, but the captain refused to get any closer to the mountain. Rafe went first. At the bottom of the stairs, he sat down, then turned and hung from the bottom step for a moment before dropping to the ground, which was only a few feet below him. He landed and slipped onto his backside.

Tiberius was slower, his movements not as certain, but he repeated Rafe’s descent. Lexi went down and made the drop easily. Unlike Rafe and Tiberius, Lexi landed lightly on her feet with perfect balance.