Virgin (31 page)

Joss smiled. “Seers don’t always see what seekers wish to know.”

Dax studied him carefully. “But are you truly a seeker?”

“I’ve never really been sure, though my presence here on Rhylos at such a time would suggest that I am not.”

“Sometimes the greatest treasures are found by those who aren’t looking for them.” Dax glanced at Ava as the truth of his own words struck him. She was the greatest treasure he’d ever discovered in all his travels, but he certainly hadn’t been looking for her.

Or had he? If asked, he’d have said that finding a woman to love had been the very last thing on his mind, but the aimlessness of his wanderings may have been deliberate. He had cast his net wide, visiting countless worlds but never finding anything of value until now—now that he might lose her to the horrors of war.

She was smiling at him. “Now,
that
must’ve been a real Zetithian vision! What else did you see?”

“War and destruction,” he replied. “And you.”

“Interesting combination,” Waroun observed. “Was she wielding a skillet?”

“No. But I believe I heard the oracle speak.”

Joss’s tentacles stood on end. “What did it say?”

“I have absolutely no idea,” Dax replied. “It was a language I don’t understand.” Turning to Ava, he hated what he knew he must say. “I don’t want to take you there, Ava. I’m afraid of what might happen to you, but I believe we have no choice. Your destiny and mine—as well as that of Aquerei—are somehow connected. We have to go.”

She studied him for a moment, her face an inscrutable mask of concentration. When she spoke at last, she said simply, “I know.” Gazing steadily into his eyes, she continued, “I think I’ve always known. I should have stuck with my initial instincts. There was something about meeting you and Waroun…” She paused, shaking her head, as though trying to make sense of it all. “Going to Aquerei was the first thought in my head. It was only after Lars told me my father was dead that I changed my mind. But something about that decision seemed wrong—and it wasn’t just because it meant that I wouldn’t be happy with Russ or would be happier with you. I see it now. The stone must have been trying to send me home.”

Her words pierced Dax’s heart like a dagger. He saw Ava living on Aquerei and their having a life together as being mutually exclusive. “You’ll stay there.” It wasn’t a question; it was a statement of fact.

Ava was more cautious. “That remains to be seen. But you’re right; I have to go to Aquerei. Everything that’s happened since we met has been pushing me in that direction.”

Dax nodded his agreement. If he hadn’t felt the need for Threldigan’s help in wooing her, they wouldn’t have come to Rhylos. The chain of events continued, bringing them inexorably to this place and time, with this particular group of assorted beings. Ava had scoffed at the idea of the stone’s significance at first, but he could see that her attitude had changed—seemingly because of the vision he’d had.

He thought it odd that she would put more stock in a Zetithian peculiarity than in what Joss had said, but perhaps this was the result of the deepening intimacy between them. Dax understood his purpose now. He was her means of transport and, whether she acknowledged it or not, she was his mate. He would give his life to protect her. Beyond that, he could only hope that their future lives would remain entwined—that is, if they
had
a future. He was enough of a student of history to know that the instigators of change didn’t always live to enjoy the benefits of their struggles.

Waroun darted questioning glances at Dax and Ava. “So we’re going to Aquerei now? Just like that?”

“Just like that,” Dax replied.

“No need to go off half-cocked, though,” Waroun counseled. “We should think about this. Plan our strategy and such.”

“We can do that on the way.” Dax didn’t like the idea, but if they tarried, innocent lives might be lost. He didn’t want that on his conscience, even if it meant that his time with Ava might be cut short. He looked at Joss. “How soon can you be ready to leave?”

Joss seemed hesitant. “I’m not sure I’m the best one to help you… Perhaps someone else—”

Ava cut him off. “Look, the more I think about this, the odder it seems. There are an awful lot of Aquerei here on Rhylos, and something tells me it’s not a coincidence that Quinn was robbed by one and you just happened to meet us here. It’s difficult to know who to trust, but as the old saying goes, ‘Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.’”

“You believe I’m an enemy?”

“I’m saying it’s a possibility,” Ava replied. “You told us the story, but how do we know it’s true? And if there are different factions, then how do we know which side you’re on?”

“You don’t,” Joss conceded. “There are those on both land and sea who dream of the New Age and those who would fight to prevent it.”

Waroun put up a hand. “Let me get this straight. You’re saying there are
four
sides to this war?”

Joss nodded. “Centuries ago our species split. Some became primarily land dwellers, while the others remained in the sea. It is said that the division occurred because of political disagreements, which escalated into hatred over time. However, we remain the same species with nothing to distinguish one group from the other, aside from where we choose to reside.”

Waroun rolled his eyes. “Oh, for the love of Leon! Couldn’t you just
lie
and say it’s the orange hairs against the purple?”

Joss shook his head sadly. “If only it could be that simple.”

“It might be simpler than you know,” Dax said. “My friend Threld can read minds.” Threldigan began to protest, but Dax was adamant. “I know you won’t admit to it, but all evidence suggests that you can—what can you tell us about Joss?”

“I’d really like to help you on this one, Dax,” Threldigan said. “But I can only read women’s minds, and not particularly well. I can influence some objects, but most of what you’ve seen me do involves magic tricks and illusions. And my gadgets are just gadgets. As Mordrials go, my powers are fairly weak.”

“Well then, how do you get girls so easily?” Waroun demanded.

Threldigan shrugged, smiling sheepishly. “I’m also good at reading body language and other behavioral nuances. It’s a gift—but, there again, I’m better with females.”

“So you’re no help here?”

Threldigan shook his head. “’Fraid not. I mean, I don’t
think
he’s lying, but I can’t be positive.”

Ava cocked her head to one side, peering thoughtfully at Joss. “The reason you can’t tell whether or not he’s lying is because he hasn’t ever said which side he’s on.”

Dax nodded. “Good point. We probably shouldn’t take his word for any of this without corroborating evidence. I’d like to be able to say it was all true, but unfortunately Aquerei history isn’t my strong suit.” He glanced at Threldigan. “What about you? You’d at least heard of the stones.”

“It matches what little I know, but the rest is easy enough to verify.”

“True.” Dax reached automatically for his pocket, only then remembering that he was naked. Motioning for the others to follow, he went back to where they’d left their things on the beach and rummaged through the pile of clothing. Pulling out the link to the
Valorcry,
he accessed the ship’s computer. What he found supported Joss’s story and his own vision, as well as the need for speed. “Looks like things are getting pretty bad there.”

“Every faction suspects that the others have the keystone and are keeping it a secret,” Joss said. “When the time of the alignment was in the future, we got along much better. Now that it is imminent…” He stopped there, throwing his hands up in a gesture of futility.

“The shit has hit the fan,” Waroun finished for him.

Joss nodded, but Ava wasn’t letting him off the hook yet. “You still haven’t said which side you’re on.”

“I’d like to think I was neutral,” Joss replied, “but I’m probably not. I
would
like to see an end to the fighting, however.”

“You’re slicker than your slimy tentacles, aren’t you?” Waroun said. “You
still
haven’t answered the question!”

Joss smiled, but was completely unapologetic. “Let’s just say I’m keeping my options open.”

“Does that mean you’ll help us get the stone to the right place or not?” Ava snapped. Her own hair was starting to get a bit unruly, reflecting her growing exasperation with the man.

This was obviously the very last thing Joss wanted to do. “It was my intention to remain safely on Rhylos until the time of the alignment had passed.”

“Then you should have kept your big, fat mouth shut, shouldn’t you?” Waroun observed.

“But you do have a stake in the outcome,” Dax said, “so you’re coming with us.”

Waroun chuckled wickedly. “You tell him, Captain!”

Joss’s round eyes darted beseechingly from one determined face to another. “Surely you can find someone else.”

“We probably could,” Waroun agreed. “But I’m thinking that a big wuss like you would know all the best ways to keep out of the line of fire—oh, and don’t call the captain Shirley. He prefers to be called Super Kitten.”

Dax grinned. “I couldn’t have put it better myself.”

Lavender tentacles and shoulders drooping, Joss gave in at last. “I can tell I’m going to be very sorry I ever met up with you people, much less spotted that stone.”

“Are you kidding?” Teke said. “We’ve had more adventures since we booked passage on Dax’s ship than we’ve had in our entire lives put together!”

Joss winced. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“Cheer up,” Waroun advised. “When this is all over, you can claim responsibility for ushering in the New Age. You’ll be a superstar!”

Joss appeared to consider this for a moment, but if the idea cheered him any, it wasn’t obvious.

***

Junosk stared blankly at the group assembled on the beach, still not quite believing what he’d just seen. Joss. How could he have forgotten Joss? But what were the odds that Joss would have gotten himself involved? He knew quite well that Joss didn’t claim allegiance to any faction. He was simply biding his time until the storm on Aquerei blew over. Then he would return to pick up where he left off. But if that were true, why would he even talk to that girl?

Junosk was beginning to believe that the power of the stones was such that they would bring about the New Age no matter what any of them did. Getting the Cylopean to try stealing it again was pointless if Ava and her companions understood the stone’s purpose. With Joss’s contacts, short of blasting them all to oblivion, there would be no stopping them now. There was only one viable alternative left…

***

Joss’s assurance that there were Aquerei factions searching everywhere for the Aquina keystone—people who wouldn’t hesitate to kill for it—made them more cautious. Ava now kept the stone hidden from sight. Strolling through the streets as carefree tourists was no longer an option. Dax and Waroun kept their hands near their pistols, and Threldigan wrapped Ava in his cape as they hurried back to the ship as quickly and unobtrusively as possible.

Despite the fact that Dax didn’t intend to charge him for the ride, Joss hadn’t shown much enthusiasm until he boarded the
Valorcry.
“Very impressive,” he commented, his estimation of Dax obviously rising a notch or two.

Ava marveled at the way Dax managed to get Joss to go quietly—though he did have a little help from Waroun. They were quite a pair. She wasn’t at all certain that Joss could be trusted but didn’t see that they had much choice. They could have accessed any number of maps to direct them to the temple but, as Waroun had so succinctly pointed out, finding it without anyone getting killed was the tough part.

Dax had been quick to initiate a plan of action, though he had the strength of his own vision to push him toward that decision. He’d seen her in that vision too. What part could she possibly have to play beyond handing the stone over to the high priestess? She wasn’t the type to do anything remarkable or heroic. Granted, she was pretty handy with a pulse pistol, but she was a barmaid, not a commando.

Still, if she could survive the backstreets of Luxaria—which had few equals as a training ground for the streetwise—war-torn Aquerei should pose no significant challenges. Of course, on Luxaria, she’d done her best to avoid trouble. Now they were heading right toward it with Joss as their guide.

Ava didn’t like Joss very much. His lack of honesty irked her, and as she saw it, he was nothing more than a rich man taking a vacation while his people were at war. He might have been concerned with the outcome, but he obviously intended to lay low until the shooting stopped. The fact that he’d spoken to her at all was surprising—he seemed surprised himself. He must have been shocked out of his mind to see the stone.

Her hand moved to touch her pendant in wonder. Whatever the future would bring, at this moment, she had a sense of the inevitable. She was going to Aquerei at last, and she was going there with Dax. Leaving Dax—or losing him—was becoming less of an option all the time.