Haladras (25 page)

Fearful that his chance of escape would vanish once they
reached the dark building ahead, Skylar taxed his brain for a plan.
Instinctively, his right hand reached for his jetwing, which still hung at it
side beneath the cloak he wore. Flying was his only chance of getting away. But
how could he divert the guards long enough to get off the ground?

He had little time to think before a shout, followed by a
crash from behind, made him jump in alarm. Skylar swirled around just in time
to see the two guards crumple to the ground with a groan.

“Knocking my own guards senseless to rescue a prisoner,” said
Denovyn, as he tossed a steel cudgel to the ground and looked down at the
guards. “What is the empire coming to?”

Endrick stood beside the distressed lord, likewise wielding
a cudgel.

“They’ll thank you one day,” said Endrick wryly. “That is,
if they ever forgive you. Perhaps it’s better you never tell them.”

“Where did—” began Skylar, but the roar of a transport
coming to life cut him off. He turned to find one of the armored transports
coming to a stop just in front of them, the cloaked figure of Lasseter at the
controls. The rear hatch of the transport swung open, and Endrick urged Skylar
inside. Denovyn came behind and stood at the hatch.

“Good luck, Prince Korbyn,” he said, “I shall keep your
escape secret from the king’s demon as long as possible. But, by all means,
make with haste to the port. You shall have my own ship, the Star Hawk at your
disposal. Now go! I pray I shall have a chance to serve you as my king one
day.”

With that, Lord Denovyn closed the hatch and Skylar felt the
transport lurch forward, accelerating rapidly as it crashed through the
courtyard gates and careened into the streets of Arsolon.

Skylar sat back, and rested his head against the transport’s
interior, his heart beating fast with the excitement of their escape.

“Well, well, we meet again, Skylar. Thanks to Morvath, you
were almost rid of me.”

Skylar jerked his head, startled by the familiar voice that
undoubtedly did not belong to Endrick.

TWENTY-FOUR

S
ITTING IN A
dim corner at the
opposite end of the transport’s rear compartment was Krom. Instant relief and
unexpected joy filled Skylar at the sight of his lost companion.

“Krom!” he cried, “where did you come from? How did you get
here? What happened to you?”

The questions spilled out of Skylar’s mouth like water from
a fountain. Krom held up his hand for Skylar to pause. A trace of a smile
touched his lips. Evidently he was amused—if not pleased—by Skylar’s concern.

“I am glad to see you, too, Skylar,” he said. “As to what
happened to me, suffice it to say that when I met with Lord Denovyn and learned
of Morvath’s presence in the capital house, I didn’t dare return to you for
fear that Morvath’s spies would follow me. With Denovyn’s aid I managed to stay
hidden. But I simply couldn’t risk rejoining you while Morvath remained in
Arsolon.”

“It is well, then, that we were caught,” said Skylar.
“Otherwise, we would have certainly left you. Lasseter fully intended to.”

“As he should have. Would that Morvath had never set eyes on
you and that the whole of you were safely journeying to Allega at this very
moment. We’ll have no cause for celebration until we’re off this planet.”

They reached the port within a few short minutes. Lasseter
scouted out the area before deeming it safe for the companions to exit the
transport. Attempting to appear inconspicuous, the companions casually filed
out of the transport. Endrick took the lead, guiding the companions across a
plaza busy with incoming and outgoing traffic, under a short covered walkway,
and into the port’s hangar.

By no means an expansive hangar, it housed but a dozen
planet hoppers and just a few larger crafts.

They strode past the ranks of smaller ships, making their
way toward the opposite side of the hangar. They soon came to the crafts built
for speed and longer journeys through space. The first of those was a craft as
black as a moonless night, with cockpit windows shaped like the slit eyes of a
snake. Skylar had no doubt as to what master this ship served. Beside it, in stark
contrast, sat the sleek, silver form of a ship that could only have been the
Star Hawk. It bore majestic wings and a short hooked nose, just like a hawk’s.
It exuded confidence and prowess of flight. Skylar felt a thrill at having a
chance to ride in such a craft.

But Endrick did not stop at the Star Hawk.

Puzzled, Skylar turned to Krom. “Is that not Lord Denovyn’s
ship?”

“I believe it is.”

“Are we not boarding it, then?”

“Denovyn’s offer was very generous. Endrick knows, however,
that accepting will only bring more trouble for Denovyn. Lord Denovyn has
already risked much for our sake—for your sake.”

Disappointed, Skylar merely nodded. Flying in the Star Hawk
might be grand, but he accepted the wisdom of this decision. Too many had
already suffered for his sake.

They soon came to the ship Endrick had hired the night
before. At the sight of it, Skylar’s confidence fell. The Luna, as it was
called, looked about as clunky and awkward as a flying moon. In size it was
sufficient to carry a sizable load, but it looked less likely to reach its
destination than the smallest planet hopper.

A broad-shouldered man with a large round gut sat on a stool
near the shuttle’s open hatch. Evidently he was the pilot. He recognized
Endrick.

“I expected you an hour ago,” he grumbled.

“Our apologies, Captain,” said Endrick, sounding far from
apologetic, “but some friends of ours threw us an unexpected farewell party.”

All the more irritated, the captain of the Luna only grunted
in reply.

“We appreciate your patience,” added Krom with greater
sincerity. “We were unavoidably detained. Time presses us greatly. May we
embark at once?”

The captain crammed an old leather cap onto his bald head
and laboriously stood up.

“A’ right masters, we embark.”

The interior of the Luna was in as poor disrepair as the
outside, if not worse.

“Do you honestly believe this ship can make it to Allega?”
whispered Skylar to Endrick.

“No, but Grüny Sykes, our cranky captain, does.”

Within minutes the Luna was taxiing out of the hangar and
onto a launch pad. Every bolt and piece of metal rattled as the captain ignited
the ship’s main thrusters. Skylar gripped his seat. The entire ship shook as if
it would fall to pieces at any moment. Skylar clenched his teeth to prevent
them from rattling as the Luna convulsed into the air and rocketed toward
Fenorra’s stratosphere.

After what felt like hours, Skylar released his grip on his
seat and massaged his hands. His jaw and neck muscles relaxed. The Luna had escaped
Fenorra’s atmosphere and now glided smoothly through space, away from Morvath.

Endrick slapped Skylar on the back.

“And you doubted she could do it...”

“Yes, I still do,” replied Skylar, breathing normally again.
“We still have to get there and descend through the planet’s atmosphere.”

“Descending? I’ve no doubt the Luna can descend through
anything. Staying in one piece...now that’s another matter.”

“That’s enough, you two,” said Krom. “The ship will hold. In
the meantime, let’s not be too lighthearted. Until we’re on Allega, under Lord
Rowvan’s protection, we still have need of vigilance.”

The pair nodded and grew quiet.

Skylar’s thoughts turned to another matter, one that had
been swirling in the back of his mind since his interview with Morvath. A
tightness clenched his stomach. He must speak now. If he waited any longer it
would likely be too late. He took a deep breath, then opened his mouth to
speak.

“I don’t want to go to Allega,” he said softly. “I want to
go to Haladras.”

A slight groan of impatience escaped Krom’s mouth.

“I thought we settled this matter. You can’t go back to
Haladras. You have no protection there. Did you not learn anything from
Fenorra? You’re fortunate to be alive and out of Morvath’s clutches.”

Skylar did not allow himself to grow angry, but continued
emphatically, “Morvath told me he’s planning to go to Haladras.”

“All the more reason for us to stay our current course.”

“He said he’d heard of civil unrest among the people. He
mentioned military intervention. There was menace in his eyes when he said it.
I fear...I fear he’ll harm my people, perhaps those I care about most.”

Krom looked at him with something akin to compassion.

“But don’t you see, my boy, it’s a trap? A way to get to
you? He’ll do whatever he can to have you.”

“I thought of that. But I can’t let him hurt anyone else for
my sake. Especially not Haladrians.”

“He’ll do it too,” added Lasseter. “You know he will, old
friend. Morvath failed to break Skylar’s will during that interview. Now he’ll
try to do it by breaking Haladras.”

“We can’t stop it, though,” cried Krom, “Not unless Skylar
gives himself up. And that cannot be. Give him the whole empire forever if
that. Besides, Morvath is too cunning to do something as reckless as blatantly
attacking Haladras. That would incite true rebellion.”

“All I know,” replied Skylar, “is that I felt a cold fear
when he spoke of Haladras. He means to do them harm—I know it.”

“He was only trying to weaken your will. The further away
from Haladras and Morvath you are, the safer you and everyone will be.”

“You don’t know that,” insisted Skylar, “You weren’t there.
You didn’t hear the casualness in his voice while seeing his eyes flame with
hatred. He means to work evil.”

Krom did not immediately respond, but stared back at Skylar,
contemplating.

“You are both correct,” said Lasseter after a time. “Morvath
will go to Haladras—of that I feel confident. That he intends evil, there can
be no question. But in what form? Skylar may have ignited Morvath’s interest in
Haladras. He cannot have failed to recognize its strategic importance. The
empire’s dependence on Haladrian-exported teryleum has grown exponentially in
the past five years. Lord Rowvan is the only force standing between Tarus and a
complete iron-fisted regime. If Tarus seizes Haladras and cuts off exportation
of teryleum to Allega, Rowvan will be hard pressed to sustain a lengthy
campaign, should war break out.”

There was that word again: war. The very sound of it knotted
Skylar’s stomach. War and death were all the same in his mind. He had seen
enough of death.

“What are you suggesting, then?” said Krom.

“Simply that we listen to the boy.”

“To what end?”

“To raise a rebellion. To fight for Haladras.”

“You mean to die for Haladras. It’s suicide. Haladras cannot
stand against the empire.”

“It won’t be the empire. Morvath will not be expecting a
resistance. He will not bring an entire army of soldiers.”

Krom considered it for a moment, every feature in his face
disliking the idea.

“And why not go to Allega first? We could petition Rowvan’s
aid in behalf of Haladras.”

“There may not be enough time. It will take two days to
travel there from our current position, another three from Allega to Haladras.
We’ll need as much time as we can get to raise an army.”

“Yes,” agreed Skylar, “we must warn viceroy Aberforce as
soon as possible.”

Krom frowned and looked from Lasseter to Skylar.

“And this is your desire, Skylar?”

“I have no wish to fight. But I cannot bear the thought of
anything happening to Haladras. My heart tells me that this is what I should
do.”

Shaking his head, Krom stood up and turned his back on the
companions. He gazed out into space through one of the windows. After several
minutes, he spoke, with his back still turned, his voice low and subdued.

“It is a hard decision. I cannot see the answer clearly.”

He turned around, his face looked ten years older.

“The greatest safety for you lies in Allega. Yet to go there
may ultimately lead to ruin. To go to Haladras...I fear nothing good will come
of it. Indeed, all may be lost on Haladras. And yet, my heart is likewise
turned toward Haladras. It is a course I tremble to take.”

He went silent again, brooding, fighting inside for the
answer.

“The burden of choice is too great for me. Let it be as you
desire. We go to Haladras.”

“To Haladras,” echoed Lasseter.

“Well,” interjected Endrick, “seeing that no one cares about
my opinion on the matter, I’ll just go inform Grüny about the change of plans.
Maybe
he
can talk some sense into the lot of you.”

After berating Endrick severely with oaths and curses, the
captain of the Luna agreed to change their destination to Haladras. He had
little reason not to. Haladras was half the distance and Endrick had offered to
still pay the original fee for their travel to Allega.

*  
*   *

The Haladrian sun bore down on the companions the moment
they stepped off the Luna. It threatened to bake them alive as they strode
across the steel grated deck in their thick paqua-hair cloaks. After nearly a
fortnight exposed to the colder climates of Quoryn and Fenorra, Skylar felt as
though Haladras had grown hotter in his absence. Of course, the heavy cloak did
not help matters. Krom had forbidden him from letting anyone know of his
presence of Haladras until he deemed it necessary.

The Luna had docked at the far end of Cloud Harbor,
generally reserved for small, private ships. Few dock hands were working at
that end of the deck. None which Skylar recognized. Yet as they made their way
toward the port’s main terminal and offices, he saw more and more dock hands,
many whom he knew. He suddenly felt glad for the hood that hid his face. For
years he’d worked at the docks. It was as much home to him as any place. Yet
now he felt a stranger to it, that he didn’t belong. The thrill and excitement
the docks once gave him had vanished. They belonged to a different Skylar. One
whose world and hopes were as small as Haladras itself. Something inside him
yearned to be that Skylar, yet he knew it could never be so.

Still, he looked about him as much as he could and still
appear discreet. He hoped to see Kindor. If he couldn’t speak to him, at least
he could see that he was well.

They passed the main hangar. The doors were open and Skylar
saw the Supernova, Captain Arturo’s convoy ship, inside. A spark of hope flickered
at the sight of it. Captain Arturo must be on Haladras. The venerated captain
might prove a vital ally in their cause. Then a sound reached Skylar’s ears
which seemed to come from a dream and brought a smile to his lips.

Rasbus.

The iron-lunged harbor master barked out orders in
rapid-fire succession to a few unfortunate dock hands. Skylar did not look up
to see him. He feared to. What would Rasbus say to him? Rasbus had given Skylar
a second chance. And then Skylar had vanished from off the planet. No doubt
Rasbus felt Skylar had betrayed his trust.

With a degree of relief and sadness, Skylar climbed into a
transport Endrick had hired, and watched as the port disappeared in a cloud of
dust as they sped off into the desert.

To Skylar’s disappointment, the companions did not go to
Kaladra—to his home in the Gorge.

“I want you out of sight, for the time being,” Krom had
said. “If all goes well, every soul on Haladras will know you’re here before
long. And you’ll wish you could hide beneath that cloak when they do.”

They went instead to Lasseter’s hidden dwelling place in the
desert and began planning. There was still the question of how to rally the
people of Haladras against the empire that remained to be answered.

“I fear,” said Lasseter, “that we cannot take this directly
to Aberforce. For many years I’ve watched him. A just and wise leader he can
be. But he is more a coward than he shows. He’ll not stand against Tarus. We
need to find a way of calling an emergency council meeting without going
directly to Aberforce.”