Destiny's Blood (31 page)

“My hero,” Josmere whispered. She leaned her head against Ardin’s shoulder, too tired to hold herself up. “I like this one, Layela.” She ended with a slight grin, eyes closed tightly.

“I’m not leaving her side,” Layela heard Zortan say. She squeezed Josmere’s hand and left her in Ardin’s care.

“There’s only enough air for three in each shuttle, and only three shuttles are left,” Cailan said, turning to Jaru. “And why are you still here? Go now, or I will blow you out an airlock!”

Jaru nodded and began turning before taking a pause and facing him, his hand coming up to his forehead in salute. “It’s been an honour, Captain.”

He turned and dragged the other two crewmen to the shuttle before Cailan could respond, but he whispered loud enough for them to hear, “The honour was all mine.”

Layela thought they stood straighter as the shuttle doors closed, and then the small ship was rolled to the exit bay. They were gone.

“Avienne and Ardin are the only two who can fly these shuttles,” Cailan turned back to Zortan. “Unless you’re qualified in Tri-Pak shuttle flight manoeuvres. Considering these were the only ones ever created, I somehow doubt you are.”

Zortan tensed and was about to protest when a crack broke through the silence.
Destiny
moaned as a piece of her gave out.

Layela’s whisper carried over the moan. “I’m not leaving Josmere.”

Cailan looked at Layela and spoke gently to her. “No one would expect you to leave your friend.” He shot Zortan a pointed look.

“I can take them down to Mirial,” Ardin said as he joined them. All that Layela could see were the green flecks clinging to his shirt.

“We can join up on Mirial,” Avienne said, holding the last word captive a moment longer than necessary.

“If Mirial still exists,” Lang muttered.

“I’ll take care of her,” Ardin spoke up in the silence that followed. Zortan slowly turned to face him as Ardin continued. “I’ll take care of Layela and Josmere until we meet with you again on the planet.”

Zortan examined Ardin closely. Ardin met his gaze and straightened his spine. The two summed each other up. Layela wondered what it would take to impress Zortan, remembering his speed and inhuman ability to avoid bullets. And the sword that had cleaved the Kilita like bread.

After a time, Zortan nodded, his eyes still fixed on Ardin’s. “We must also remember that Yoma lives and she’s only safe as long as they believe her to be Layela, the only heir.”

“My sister can take care of herself,” Layela said, flushing. Her own words implied that she could not.

“Nevertheless, let us be careful.”

“See you on the planet, and…thank you for saving Josmere and me back there.”

Zortan nodded slightly. “It’s my duty.” His eyes softened. “I’m only sorry I couldn’t always be there when you needed rescuing.”

Destiny
shuddered and her lights flickered. Ardin cast a look at Cailan. “You’re sure she’ll hold all the way to Mirial?”

“She’ll hold. Her hull is reinforced by ether now that we’re nearing Mirial.” Ardin hesitated, and Cailan repeated, “She’ll hold.”

Ardin nodded and turned to his sister. “Would you please at least try to stay out of trouble until we meet again?”

Avienne grinned. “I will. It’s no fun making trouble when you’re not there to witness it!”

Ardin closed the gap quickly and bear-hugged his sister, lifting her off the ground. She swore as the air was squeezed out of her. He dropped her just as suddenly.

“I’ll throw the emergency locator as soon as we land. Come find us.” He cast one more glance at Cailan and headed for the shuttle.

“Keep him out of trouble,” Avienne asked of Layela, who nodded in response.

Layela turned to go, but Zortan held her arm fast. He leaned in and whispered in her ear. “There will be dangers there that even I can’t predict, but your powers will grow stronger. Believe in yourself, and you’ll be fine.”

He released her arm and walked toward the other shuttle, picking up supplies and stacking them inside.

Destiny
shuddered with a strained groan. “We have to go, Layela,” Ardin shouted from the shuttle. Layela hesitated, her eyes trained on Zortan. She shook her head, then turned around and headed toward the small ship. Cailan whispered, and his words managed to reach her ears even as the shuttle door slid closed.

“Mirial depends on you, Lady.”

i

Avienne watched her brother’s shuttle leave. He had departed with a girl who might very well be dying, and another whom he looked at in a way that she had never seen him look at anyone else before.

Stay safe, brother.
She held the quiet prayer in her heart as she checked the last of the shuttle’s supplies. Zortan had expertly chosen, stacked and secured them.

At least I won’t be flying with a rookie.

“We’re ready to head off, Captain,” Avienne said. She lost her footing as the
Destiny
jerked and an explosion sounded deep in her hull. The ship’s exhalation was familiar, becoming violent as air was sucked from deep within her. Her lights flickered and the shuttle bay doors went into automatic lockdown to avoid additional loss of life support.

The great lady jerked again and Avienne supported Lang so the navigator wouldn’t fall. Metal creaked on metal and slammed against itself, sending tremors through the entire hull.
Destiny
was done exhaling. The main section of the ship had no more air to give.

“I don’t think she’ll make it,” Avienne said after a few seconds of silence. “I don’t think the patch jobs done by those Mirialers will hold.”

Cailan didn’t meet her eyes. “She’ll make it, Avienne. She’ll make it home.” She narrowed her eyes and studied him. He looked at her then, with grey eyes that had always comforted her.

“Come with us,” she said quietly, and again as she took a step towards him. “Come with us.”

The
Destiny
jerked again. Its gravity engines failed for an instant and they floated up, only to be tossed to the floor a moment later when they kicked back in. Only Zortan managed to remain standing.

Cailan kneeled before Avienne and he helped her up. He held her eyes. “Go. Go and help your brother.”

Avienne jumped to her feet. “Not without you. We’re all going.” She braced herself for his anger, and was disappointed and frightened when none came.

“There is only one shuttle left, Avienne, and barely enough air for three in it.” Avienne opened her mouth to protest, but Cailan held up his hand. She pushed on anyways.

“We’ll find a way. We can bring air tanks from the space suits. That’ll keep us all going longer. And…”

“Avienne,” Cailan’s tone grew stern and stopped her. “We never refilled the air tanks on Collar. All we have left is on those shuttles already. There isn’t enough.”

Never refilled
…
on Collar
…Avienne felt her blood grow cold. She had not had enough time to refill the oxygen after rescuing Ardin from
Sunrise Flowers
. She had not had enough. And one shuttle was gone, thanks to Layela and Josmere.

“We take our chances then, but we all go.” She moved forward and grabbed Cailan’s upper arm, intent on dragging him to the shuttle. His arm moved up faster than she thought possible, his hand rising to the side of her neck. She felt a prick.

“Blood and…” she mumbled as she crumpled in Cailan’s arms, the paralyzing agent rushing through her fast-moving blood.

She felt his warm breath on her ear. “Who do you think taught you everything you know?”

Cailan, no, please!
She wanted to scream, to hit him, to break his teeth if necessary, but she could not move. Wrapped in his comforting arms, she was carried to the shuttle. She remembered being carried before when she was very young, after having been hurt during a fall. Her father was gone and she barely remembered him, but when Cailan had carried her to the infirmary and whispered consoling words in her ear, she had understood what having a father felt like.

This man had been more of a father to her than the great Captain Malavant. This man, the man who was staying behind on a dying ship, was her father.

“You’ll be fine for take off, just let the shuttle do her work. She’ll head automatically for Mirial,” she heard him say once he had placed her on one of the two front seats. “The landing will be tricky, but Avienne will be able to handle that one.”

A pause stretched into eternity as Avienne, trapped in her own body, fought to move a finger. Just one little finger would be the beginning.

Cailan spoke again, hesitantly, and she knew that he spoke to Zortan. “Your actions cost their father his life. Now, I have no choice but to ask you to take care of her. Please.”

She heard no response, but she felt Cailan lean in toward her, then kiss her cheek. “Take care of your brother. Take care of each other,” he whispered into her ear. He paused but stayed close. She could feel his warmth, and she wanted him to hold her again and never let her go.

Then, he pierced her with his final words. “Good bye, my daughter.”

And he was gone.

i

Cailan did not feel smothered by fear as he had years ago when Captain Malavant had died in battle. Back then, he had not known whether he would live or die, but his fear of death had been so great that it had clouded his every action.

Now, as he stood before the shuttle that would leave him on a doomed ship, he felt strangely at peace. The Malavant children would live, and that would be his repayment to Captain Malavant for his kindness. And it would be a testimony to his own life.

Zortan stood near, still a mystery to Cailan except for the fact that Radin Malavant had died believing in his closest friend. Cailan knew he would have trusted him with the life of his children, as well. He looked into the shuttle, Avienne’s eyes closed and her cheeks glistening in the fake light. He wished he could hold her again, wished he had done so more frequently when she and her brother were growing up.

He forced his gaze away. What was done was done.

He turned to face his officer. “Board up, Lang.” He handed him a small pouch of coins. “Your payment for the next month.” He met the navigator’s eyes, which were surprisingly vivid and sober. “I’m sorry I dragged you into this, but you were good for this crew.”

“I always thought the old adage about a captain going down with his ship was a bit tired, myself,” Lang replied, pocketing the coins.

Cailan gave him a half smile. “Get on board and try to stay out of trouble.”

Lang looked at the shuttle, took out the small pouch of money and jiggled it a few moments before pocketing it again. He met Cailan’s eyes. “I’m not going.”

Cailan could not keep the surprise from his features.

“I’ve always wanted to die rich, and this is my best shot!” Lang joked, and Cailan’s features darkened. The navigator put up his hands.

“Seriously, I think we might be able to get her through. The bridge still has oxygen, and I looked at all the navigation data. We might be able to pull her to Mirial and lay her to rest there.”

Cailan felt his features soften. “She’s a doomed ship, Lang.”

“And you’re very negative today, Captain.” Lang smiled widely, for the first time since Cailan had hired him. “I believe you’ve been around me too long!”

Cailan shook his head. He didn’t know much about his navigator, really. Only that he was one of the best, and had been in jail when they found him. They had rescued him and hired him, and not once had he wanted to contact family or anyone else off-ship. Once, Cailan had caught Lang drunk and crying, staring at the picture of a beautiful blonde girl in a wedding dress, hope flashing in her eyes. The half with the groom had been burnt black.

Cailan had never asked. Lang had never offered.

The ship jostled, cracked, and an engine sputtered and died.

“With just half our engines, we’re going to spin out unless we compensate,” Lang said, heading towards the ladder to the bridge. “I think I’ve watched that young hotshot enough to know how it’s done!”

And he was gone, climbing the ladder, not waiting for another argument.

“I will,” Zortan voiced and Cailan turned to face him. “I will take care of her.”

Cailan nodded, and thanked him, the words tasting less bitter as he said them. He still couldn’t help but think of the man as responsible for Captain Malavant’s death, and the wounding of Mirial.

He was surprised when Zortan held out his hand. “Thank you for raising them so finely.” He paused, swallowed hard, and then whispered, “Radin would be proud.”

Cailan looked at the offered hand and felt a great weight lift from his shoulders. He took it, strength flowing from the hand of the captain of the Royal Guards to his own. Cailan suddenly understood why Radin had liked Zortan so much. He wondered what price exile had demanded of Zortan, and if the man had tried as hard to forget Mirial as Cailan had.

As he looked into Zortan’s dark eyes, he knew that the green fields, blue skies and white architecture of Mirial haunted him still. He imagined that the stories and laughter of those left behind still visited him in his dreams, as well. He remembered the day the queen had died. Zortan had vanished with the heirs, pursued by the fleet with their divided loyalties and goals, only to head into exile. Far from their families, they had followed orders issued a lifetime ago by a Council that probably no longer existed. If anything of their home still existed.

They broke contact and Zortan walked away without looking back. He closed the shuttle door and Avienne vanished from Cailan’s view. The shuttle was gone before Cailan’s heart finished its long, heavy sigh. He watched a moment longer and turned to take the long ladder.

He paused at the bottom, hearing
Destiny’s
soft moan, feeling her shudder as he placed his hand on her cold metal.
It’s not a tired old saying, and I won’t leave you, Lady Destiny.

He removed his hand and took the rungs quickly, skipping some as he headed to his grave. He felt strangely at peace and was glad that he would not be alone with the great ship. It was past time to find out who the blonde woman was, or had been, and what strength she had left in Lang’s heart.