Van Laven Chronicles (32 page)

CHAPTER 60

When grief finally gave way to exhaustion, Vaush slept and dreamed of life prior to Patheis. It was a fulfilling life, traveling the system with her trusted guard, using her time and talents to help establish medical centers for communities in need and setting up programs to improve the economic plight of struggling communities. Her muted passion was to know at the end of it all, the world was a better place for her having existed.

Though she’d kept herself far too busy and productive to give it much consideration, she imagined that at some point she would meet a man who shared her passion and they would build a life together. Dr. Grantham had come closest to fulfilling that dream, but in the end, she discovered she desired more than simply the male version of herself; she wanted someone who was different, who would set her world on fire, inspiring and challenging her in ways that would push her boundaries and make her soar to heights unimagined. In a word – Comron.

Her eyes fluttered open, and it took her a moment to focus in the dark cabin. Disoriented, she pushed herself up from the cot she’d slept upon. Like a flash flood, the memories came rushing back and the agony hit her anew.
Comron is dead!
But this time, no new tears would flow. She was drained, emptied of everything with nothing left to give.

She rubbed at her eyes, knowing they must be red and swollen. Again, she gazed around the dark cabin and wondered where the soldiers had gone. The vehicle was motionless and silent. Had they reached their destination? If so, why was she still on board? She checked her wrist chronometer. Not nearly enough time had passed for them to have reached Novoxos. Not that it mattered, not that anything mattered. Comron was gone.

And that’s when she realized that the true tragedy of flying so high was the inevitable fall. Was the pain worth it? Was the brief time she’d spend with him worth the agony she’d carry with her for the rest of her life?

What life? The Murkudahl Karukii were on their way with nothing but utter destruction on their minds and she was at the top of their list.
Only I won’t be the one wearing the crown when they arrive. Let them have Thalonius.
Still her sense of moral obligation compelled her to give a word of warning to any who would listen. She would do this one last thing for humanity even though the thing that meant everything to her had been cruelly ripped from her, leaving nothing but a gaping black void.

She pulled the blanket off her legs and sat up. Despite her mental condition, she felt vibrant and full of energy. Rubbing her legs, she thought, if only I’d given him the Essence sooner, he might still be alive. She swallowed a lump in her throat.

She stood before the bitterness started gnawing at her again. The cabin began to feel too small. Cautiously, she walked toward the doorway to the cockpit. With senses heightened, she heard voices as she approached the closed door.

“…him myself.”

“We’re all too familiar with the sight of death. There’s no doubt in my mind the man was dead.” She recognized Captain Sheldon Yaeger’s voice.

“There’s no medical science I know of that brings stiffs back from the dead.”

Vaush scowled, surmising they referred to Comron.

“I don’t know what to do with this information.”

“Cap’n, you’re not going to tell her. That’ll only jeopardize our mission.”

Vaush’s curiosity was piqued.

“She’s eventually going to find out.”

“Not necessarily. He may be alive now, but when Recaban gets through with him, he’s as good as dead.”

Both men nearly jumped out of their skin when Vaush burst into the room.

“What are you talking about?” she asked with eyes full of desperate hope.

They both rose to their feet. “My lady, I didn’t realize you’d awakened.”

“Obviously,” she replied. “Now answer my question.”

Lepkin stared daggers at Sheldon and shook his head once. Sheldon hesitated. There was such pleading in her expression, and she had certainly heard enough to know the answer to her question.

“You need to understand that nothing can alter our mission,” Yaeger said. “We must deliver you to Novoxos, and nothing’s going to stop that.”

She nodded anxiously.

“We’ve received word that Lord Comron Van Laven is alive.”

She clasped her hands over her mouth, stifling a cry. She wanted to ask how that could be but she knew the answer. The Essence had saved him. It had needed time to infiltrate his system, but it worked. Comron was alive!

“We’ve got to go back for him,” she blurted excitedly.

“The only place we’re going is Novoxos, just as soon as our transport arrives,” Lepkin sternly replied.

Vaush turned to Sheldon. “I heard him say that Recaban has him. He’s going to kill him unless we do something.”

“He’s not our mission, Cap’n.”

“But you left him for dead when there was still hope, didn’t you?” she fired at Lepkin.

“We didn’t leave him for dead; he was dead. I don’t know what the hell’s going on, but it’s not our problem.”

“You believe I’m your future Empress, well I’m giving you an order—

“You’re not the Empress yet, your highness,” Lepkin shot back. “Until then, we only take orders from our commander.”

Vaush looked to Sheldon, who listened in silence. She sensed that he had the authority to override the orders. “Please, you’ve got to help him.”

Sheldon shook his head. “I am sorry, but our orders are to deliver you to Novoxos, nothing more.”

Vaush felt rage building within her. Her hands trembled at her side. They were going to stand by idly and let him die—again.

She used the only bargaining chip she had. “I’m not going anywhere with you unless Lord Comron comes with us.”

Lepkin smirked, but Vaush sent him such a look, it chased his expression away.

“If you’re too big a coward to go get him, I’ll do it myself,” she said, turning on her heel. She took one step before Lepkin was upon her, grasping her arm. Without thinking, Vaush grabbed his wrist and gave it a fierce twist. They all heard it snap.

“Ahhh!” Lepkin cried out as he held his injured wrist.

Vaush was already at the door. Temporarily distracted with Lepkin, Sheldon turned his attention to Vaush as she struggled with the locked hatch. Just then two more soldiers emerged into the cabin from the stern.

“Get her!” Lepkin yelled, motioning with his good hand.

“Hold!” Sheldon ordered.

“She broke my wrist!”

“Serves you right.” He glared at Lepkin but spoke to the room. “Touch her again and I’ll break your other wrist.”

Vaush stopped struggling with the door and looked at him. “Release the hatch.”

“Vaush,” Sheldon said, approaching slowly, “I cannot permit you to leave.”

She gazed about the room, sizing up the men. She felt the adrenaline coursing through her body, but she didn’t know if her newfound power would be enough to overcome them. Furthermore, if she was to storm Recaban’s fortress, she was going to need a small army to accompany her. It would not serve her purpose to make enemies of these men.

Again she appealed to Sheldon. “Please help me. Don’t leave him to die.”

Sheldon’s jaw clenched as he looked from Vaush to his men.

“He gave his life to save mine. That’s why he was lying there. So how can I abandon him now?” she exclaimed passionately. Not one of them would meet her eyes. “What if it were one of your men back there who had sacrificed himself for you? Would you just leave him in the hands of the enemy to be brutally tortured and killed?” she asked scornfully.

Sheldon’s eyes remained lowered. “We can’t jeopardize our mission.” He looked directly at her. “I’m sorry.”

Her hazel eyes blazed as she trembled with fury. “Don’t be sorry, just open the fucking door!” she screamed and kicked the door so hard the entire vessel shook. Seizing the opportunity, they leaped upon her, knocking her to the floor. She fought madly and it took their combined strength to subdue her.

Angry tears streamed down her face. She caught sight of Sheldon poised over her with a syringe. “You’ve no honor, you’d leave a great warrior behind to die needlessly at the hands of maggots,” she accused. “May your towering cowardice haunt you every waking day of your life!” she declared as if calling down a dreadful curse upon them all.

Sheldon froze in position.

Do it,” insisted Lepkin. “Sedate her.”

But Vaush held Sheldon’s gaze, hoping to appeal to his soldier’s sense of honor.

Sheldon finally spoke. “Will you promise me, that if I stay behind to retrieve Lord Comron, you will go with my men to Novoxos, no matter what the outcome?”

“What?” exclaimed Lepkin, joined by the astonished stares of the other men.

Vaush nodded eagerly.

“I have your word?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

He sighed, then pulled back. “Let her up.”

“This is not part of the mission,” Lepkin argued. The other men held their position.

“Our mission is to deliver her to Novoxos. If I’m not back by rendezvous time, you leave without me.”

“This is crazy, just sedate her and we leave!”

“Yeah, captain,” the others echoed, not wishing to see their commander put himself in peril.

“My decision is final. Now let her up!” he barked, causing the men to instantly release her and withdraw.

He held out his hand to her. She took it and climbed to her feet. “Thank you,” she said, trying to avoid the angry stares of the men. “I know what it is I am asking of you,” she said, for everyone’s benefit. “But it is nothing that I wouldn’t gladly do myself if permitted.”

He nodded then. “I know.” He walked off to get suited up in body armor. She watched helplessly as his men helped him, weighing him down with weaponry. One of the other soldiers began suiting up as well.

Sheldon glanced at him. “What do you think you’re doing, DeOrchis?”

“This isn’t a one man job and you know it, sir,” the young man replied.

“I’m not willing to risk anyone else on this,” he said, hiding the pride in his voice.

“Someone’s gotta watch your back,” DeOrchis said, pulling on the last of his gear.

Vaush watched the exchange and felt a pang of guilt. He could easily have sedated her and forced her on to Novoxos. Somehow, she’d struck a chord with this man. Silently, she prayed they would all make it back safely.

“Lepkin, you’re in charge. No matter what happens, when the transport arrives, you get her out of here. Understood?”

Lepkin nodded reluctantly. “Yes, sir.”

He and DeOrchis headed for the door. The lock disengaged allowing DeOrchis to open it. “All right, men.” Sheldon spared one last glance at Vaush, then slipped out into the darkness.

CHAPTER 61

Even before the door flew open, Comron sensed Crausin’s presence and his frantic state. His awareness became particularly acute and time seemed to slow down as Crausin stormed toward him. As he approached, Comron studied Crausin in minutia – the glossy, tired red eyes, the subtle flare of his nostrils, the firm set of his mouth, his finger combed hair, and unshaven face. His usually crisp military uniform showed heavy creases and the top button at his neck was left open. By Crausin’s signature grooming standards, he was a shameful mess, which meant the inevitable descent into madness had begun.

As Crausin raised his hand in what seemed to be painstakingly slow motion, Comron attempted to defend himself, snapping two of the metal restraints on his right arm. Stunned at this development, Comron realized that he was fully capable of extricating himself from this situation. But he couldn’t tip his hand just yet, he had to time his escape perfectly.

As Crausin’s arm swung down, Comron braced himself for the impact. Time finally caught up with itself, slamming him back in the moment as his head snapped to the side under the blow. The taste of his own blood filled his mouth although the pain barely registered.

“You fucking little shite!” Crausin yelled and struck him again. “I ought to leave you to that animal to be butchered for what you’ve done. Because of you, Nethic has fallen under attack and as soon as Thalonius finishes slicing that bitch to pieces he’s coming to finish what Bastionli started. Nethic will fall all because you had a hard-on for Ti-Larosian slit!”

Despite Crausin’s blustering, Comron could suddenly see deep into his innermost being, clear to Crausin’s true motives and primordial fears. It was as if Crausin were suddenly an open book for Comron to read effortlessly. The man was genuinely terrified for Nethic, but even more so, he was terrified of losing Comron.

“That’s not going to happen, Crausin. We will save Nethic and I’m never going to abandon you.”

For a brief moment, Crausin appeared completely caught off guard and vulnerable, as if a part of him wanted to cry out and beg Comron to return home. But then his jaw clenched and he gave Comron a hard look that told him he couldn’t be so easily assuaged.

“When we return to Nethic, everything is going to be different,” Crausin said through gritted teeth. “First we will quell Thalonius’ wrath by sending a third of our fleet to help hunt down that bitch and then we’re going to convince him further with your marriage to Spira. We’ll prove to him once and for all that House Van Laven has no designs on the Imperial throne.”

Comron shuddered at the revolting prospect of exchanging vows with Spira. Thank providence he was already married to Vaush and any subsequent marriage he was forced into would be rendered void by it. Still, he had to try to prevent it at all cost.

“Vaush Hrollaugr has a powerful ally who means to see her to the throne. If they succeed, not only will Nethic survive, it will thrive.”

“Stupid, mule-headed fool,” Crausin said, his face twisting with rank hatred at the mention of Vaush’s name. “She’s flying right into a trap. Thalonius has enlisted the aid of Nostrom and Warbrenger to cut her down. It will be an unprecedented slaughter. That same armada of warships will then turn on Nethic unless you do your duty and marry Spira. Bastionlis’ attack has provided us with a plausible excuse for delaying the wedding. But Thalonius won’t be so easily deterred. Nothing short of your marriage will halt his campaign to destroy us.”

“Perhaps you understate these allies of hers. After all, with their aid, Vaush has managed to elude the establishment forces thus far.”

Time slowed once again as Crausin’s hand shot out in suspended animation, moving toward Comron’s neck. Two more of the metal fasteners snapped off his left arm and his right leg. But Crausin was too enraged to notice.

Comron felt Crausin’s hand squeeze around his throat and watched in alarm as Crausin produced an ornate, red handled dagger. Comron recognized it as the same one Crausin’s mother had used to slice her wrist open when Crausin was a mere boy.

“Mention that bitch’s name one more time and I swear, I’ll gouge your fucking eyes out!” He placed the tip of the blade at the corner of Comron’s right eye.

As if the glazed look of delirium weren’t enough, Comron read Crausin’s emotions and knew that he fully intended to carry out that threat if provoked. Still the fundamental fear remained and Crausin was beyond desperate to rob Comron of his freedom, and to keep him forever behind the bars of his gilded cage. If leaving Comron blind and mutilated would serve that purpose, so be it.

“Your fears are unwarranted, Crausin,” Comron spoke calmly as if there weren’t a sharp blade at his eye or Crausin’s strangle hold on his throat. “I’d never abandon you. You’re my Oath brother, we’ve made an oath of allegiance to one another and I will honor it all the days of my life.”

“Liar!” Crausin pressed the blade against tender flesh. “You think I don’t know you’d go running after her the minute I turned my back. Not a fucking chance, Comron. After your wedding, you will
never
leave Castle Northridge again.”

Comron held his gaze, “So I’ll be a prisoner there, just as you were all those years. How well you follow in your father’s footsteps. Well done, Edred.”

Crausin shook him by the neck, a bit of blood trickled from the edge of Comron’s eye. “Had I been a treasonous lout I would have deserved even worse!” He released him with a shove. “Enough of this,” he said and headed toward the door to call the guards in to take Comron into custody.

They were the elite contingent of the Duke’s guard, all clad in body armor and carrying high-powered blast rifles. Each of them stood at least as tall as Comron and was highly trained in the art of lethal combat. He could have handled two or three with some effort, but he counted six of them. Obviously, Crausin didn’t want to leave the matter of their security to chance.

As they approached, Comron’s heart rate accelerated and time seemed to stretch out before him. With minimal effort he snapped the remaining metal restraints from his arms and legs. Everything would come down to this moment. The next few seconds would determine whether he’d spend the rest of his life with Vaush or imprisoned in Castle Northridge.

When the first one reached out to release the bindings, his eyes widened as he realized they’d already been broken. Before he could sound an alarm, Comron’s arm shot out. He punched the man with enough strength to send him sprawling backward into the two guards nearest him. Mayhem ensued as Comron leapt up out of the chair and fell upon another guard. Before the man could respond, Comron secured his blast rifle and fired on two other guards scrambling for their weapons. When one jumped him from behind, Comron rammed his elbow back and heard the crack of the man’s armor and his ribs. The other tried to wrestle back his rifle from Comron, but instead, Comron swung it upward catching him on the chin and snapping his head back. The last one tried to fire on Comron but he dropped to the ground with blinding speed, grabbed a knife sheathed on one of the fallen guard’s legs and stabbed the shooter in the thigh. When the man collapsed next to him, Comron drew the blade across his throat.

Crausin stood with mouth gaping, unable to form a word regarding the astounding spectacle he had just beheld.

Comron approached him and spoke calmly. “I’m not going back to Nethic…not yet.” In that moment, he felt the power shift from father to son. Never again would Crausin command him or use his authority to bend Comron to his will. Still, Comron wouldn’t abandon him, there was the matter of the Oath, but more importantly was the matter of Crausin’s sanity. If Comron left him now, Crausin’s descent into madness would be complete and Nethic’s great shame would be exposed for the whole world to see. This left him with only two choices and since the notion of patricide didn’t sit well with him, he made his decision.

“I’m going after Vaush and you’re coming with me,” he said in a tone that brokered no discussion.

“W-what has happened to you?” Crausin said still in shock. “The way you moved…so fast. And your skin, the poisoned lesions? Only a highly skilled specialist could have repaired the damage so perfectly.”

Ignoring him, Comron walked toward the door and listened. “How many of Recaban’s men are out there?”

Crausin was at his side staring at him. Comron could feel him trying to probe his mind. He slammed the mental door in his face and Crausin staggered back. “What the hell is going on?”

Instinctively he knew better than to share the truth about the Murkudahl Essence with Crausin. It was his and Vaush’s secret alone and he intended to keep it that way.

“Now is not the time,” he replied. “Now how many are out there?”

“I don’t know. Fifteen, maybe twenty.”

“Damn it.” Dispensing with the six Duke’s guard had been easy enough, but twenty armed men. How could he take them all while dragging Crausin along with him? He raked his hands through his hair as he tried to formulate a plan.

They both turned at the sudden commotion going on outside. All the yelling and shooting made Comron wonder if Thalonius had sent his men after him for interrogation. His body tensed as he prepared himself for the imminent attack. Endeavoring to size up the enemy, he eased the door open to peer outside and was stunned by what he saw.