Wicked Path (The Daath Chronicles Book 2) (13 page)

Sleep had never been an issue for me, even with various objectives rattling around in my consciousness, but tonight I couldn’t find rest.

Going after Jeslyn was dangerous, even ludicrous, and if the truth discovered—worthy of execution.

Jeslyn’s golden aura was like no other I had seen. Fusing hers with mine would improve my strength, agility, and my captivation spell. Romulus believed all of my powers would increase, and he was never wrong.

I needed to sort my thoughts in a place of silence.

I hit the button on the panel next to the door, opening it. I walked out of my chambers. Two royal guards followed.

In Daath, I had free rein to walk without an escort, a privilege non-existent in Mirth.

The guards followed me into the teleporter. The metal cylinders could port to any of the castle levels. A red column surrounded us, and I pressed the light panel for the baths. The transporter beeped, then beamed us to the corridor on the bottom level.

Two female servants with matching olive skin and short lavender hair stood by the entrance. Their heads bowed as I approached, and they opened the wooden door.

Inside were four salt pools, each sized for one, created out of smooth white stone and steaming with hot water. Black rock mixed with iridescent crystals patched the surrounding floor. I stepped into the pool and closed my eyes. The water, dense from the salt, kept me floating. It covered my ears and I lay in silence.

Concentrating on my breathing, I thought of Daath, my green pasture of salvation and the key to our survival. Daath’s mystical essence had called to our high sorcerers when they were searching for other planets. That same essence created the gate between our worlds. Once our people had entered Tarrtainya through the gate, all the magic our planet possessed trickled into theirs, entering Daath and spreading through the lands. Magic distorted both beast and human, changing aspects of both.

Over three hundred years, and the humans still did not understand magic or its origin. It would take them centuries to acquire the knowledge our race had, and by then they would be our slaves or dead, both would suit me well.

Silence calmed me, and I found myself drifting into sleep and the dark plans of my mind.

“Prince Lucino.”

I tried to ignore the squeaky voice hovering nearby, but Romulus wouldn’t bother me if his news weren’t urgent. Not in here.

I opened my eyes to a blue sphere bobbing in the air above me with a warped picture of Romulus floating inside.

“What is it?”

“You must meet me.”

Sighing, I pulled myself out of the pool. “Where?”

“The lab.”

“Very well.”

The sphere disappeared and I walked across the stone floor to grab a towel to dry myself. When I pulled the towel out of its holder, the side door opened and the two servants walked out. Their eyes did not linger and they made no signs of interest, much different from the human girls I encountered. I didn’t need the assistance, and my time in Daath had made me accustomed to dressing on my own, but I allowed them their duties.

The guards would follow me to the lab, though I didn’t want them to. My father didn’t need to know of all my activities. I had time before the guards would expect me to leave.

One of the servants placed my scabbard on my waist. I cupped her chin with my fingers, raising it. “I can’t tell who is more beautiful, you or your sister.” It wasn’t often the servants were spoken to without a command. “Your eyes are a lighter hue, very striking.”

“Thank you, my prince.”

“What’s your name?”

She looked to her sister, who grabbed the towel I had dropped. “Alena.”

“Alena…” I drawled out her name and caressed her cheek. “May I?” I waved to the side, and again she glanced to her sister who nodded before disappearing through the side door.

Placing a hand on her back, I walked us to the wall with a carving of a crescent blade, the favored weapon of the royal line.

“I need a few moments alone, but I need you to make sure those troublesome guards of mine don’t disturb me.” I traced my hand up her bare back, letting my fingers graze over her skin.

“Yes, my prince.”

I didn’t need to overdo the theatrics, but I needed her to have an interest in what I said. “A servant like you would be better suited for court. May I call on you?”

She nodded, and a smile played on her pretty lips.

“I need someone I can trust.” I slid my hand to her neck.

Her eyes smiled, and I knew she would do whatever I needed. The prospect of serving on the upper levels would change her rank among the other servants.

“Bar the entrance, and if the guards ask… make it sound as if I’m engaged in other things.”

“As you wish.”

“Do well, and I will reward you personally.”

She smiled.

I pressed the center of the carving and the side entrance slid open, a secret transporter that would take me anywhere in the castle, even to Romulus. The door closed behind me, and the cylinder glowed red.

“Romulus.”

At the sound of my voice, the transport teleported me to just outside of Romulus’s lab. Only the royal family could use these hidden transporters. They were aura and voice activated, and our bloodlines had distinct patterns in our auras.

No guards roamed Romulus’ floor, which wasn’t a surprise. He tended to let some of his experiments wander the lower corridors, nothing dangerous, of course, but a nuisance nonetheless. I waited for a moment, searching the empty corridor, and when a creature didn’t race toward me, I headed out.

When I entered the cluttered lab, Romulus was babbling to himself. He noticed my presence and stopped. “Here.” He handed me a scroll, which I unraveled. “Your human is there.”

“Luna Harbor?”

“We leave tonight.”

“Tonight?”

Romulus tapped his chin. “There is a storm coming. If you want to use the gate, tonight is the best option.”

Could I leave tonight?

“Is the prince changing his mind, hmm?”

“No. Come to me when you’re ready.”

I left Romulus and returned to the salt pools. Alena sat by one, dipping her fingers into the water. She saw me enter and immediately stood, bowing her head.

“I guess a performance wasn’t needed?”

“No, my prince.”

“Good. I’ll need you to come with me.”

I rapped on the doors and the guards opened them, stepping aside to clear a path for me. “She will be accompanying me to my chambers.”

They nodded, lowered their heads as we passed, and remained silent as we entered the transporter that would take us back to my quarters.

Alena stood still beside me, head tilted down. I would need to captivate her. Just telling her to guard my quarters would only work for so long, and my father had the guards protected from spells.

I placed my hand on Alena’s lower back as we walked to my chambers. “I do not want to be disturbed. Who knows when I will have time to enjoy myself again? No one is to enter; only this servant may come and go. Understood?”

The guards nodded and I escorted Alena into my chambers.

“I need some time away for a bit. War is coming, and I must prepare for it.” I rubbed her bare arm, gently squeezing until she looked me in the eyes. “My guards will want to come in after some times passes. You must say and do whatever is needed to keep them out.”

Her eyes glassed over as my spell took hold.

“My absence must be kept secret.”

“It will, my prince.”

Almost every room in the castle had a secret entrance or hidden stairwell. Mine had two: one the guards knew of, and one the royal family and Romulus knew of. As an advisor, and our top scientist, he had access to many of our secrets. Sometimes too much.

The air smelled of rot, tinged with electricity. An acid storm festered in the distance. Travelling when a storm approached was dangerous, but it also meant there’d be little resistance on the way to the gate.

The left wall panel opened, and Romulus stepped out.

We took the stairwell to the first level, behind the servant’s quarters, near the carrier hold. The hold was empty and locked. With the storm approaching, all the vehicles were kept inside. No one dared to venture out. Rows of silver crafts filled the room. Romulus headed to the control board, entering the code to open the main door.

“This one.” I pointed to a two-seater in the back. A small cargo speeder used to transport minor materials, and one commonly used by the servants. “This one will get us there the fastest and won’t be missed for a while.”

Romulus finished the code, and we jumped into the speeder. The belts locked around us and I grabbed the shifter, throwing the craft into drive. Each speeder had a navigation system, but I enjoyed controlling the vehicles myself.

We zipped outside, flying through a deserted city. The air crackled and brown clouds brewed to our left, though far in the distance.

The speeder accelerated as we passed through the main gate of the city and out onto the dry plains. My palms sweat, a nervous reaction I wasn’t accustomed to, but then, I’d never defied The Council or my father before. Our wills had always been in alignment, until now. What they wanted and sought wasn’t what I needed to do to truly protect our people. The stronger I became, the better a ruler I would become.

Thunder echoed around the abandoned fields, shaking the ground, and heavy clouds moved closer across the horizon. Acid rain fell from the sky, singeing the area. The air hazed.

Just a little farther.

“There.” Romulus pointed to the gnarled trees growing near an acid pool. “We’ll destroy the vehicle.”

I parked the craft and we quickly exited. Using our strength, we pushed the speeder forward into the pool. Once it tipped and dove in, we ran, letting the rest sink. Romulus surprised me with his speed by keeping pace with me. He grunted, but didn’t slow, and soon the gate pyramid appeared.

“And how are we going to bypass The Council guards?”

“With these.”

Romulus handed me a silver bracelet. He snapped one around his wrist and vanished. Invisibility? The smooth metal bracelet had no defining features. I clasped it on, and my arm disappeared.

Two guards stood at the open entrance. A giant pyramid enclosed the gate, keeping the magic contained. I couldn’t see Romulus, but I assumed he walked with me. In slow steps, I walked past the guards. They stared ahead like statues, not noticing our approach. I held my breath, not wanting to risk the chance their keen ears could hear.

We entered without incident, and I grinned at the simplicity of our passage.

Inside the pyramid, runes covered the floor and ceiling, creating a labyrinth that matched the one in the temple in Daath. There were no guards in here.

“Romulus?” I reached the beginning of the descending stairs into the pit.

“Go,” he hissed.

I took one last look behind me, then stepped into the gate.