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  The others all exchanged looks. Seeing this, Eirik found himself wondering about the status of his two most loyal followers, Bertram and Tycho. He had sent them on a mission to bring the Kynzesti and Lekwuesti to him, but the two males hadn’t been seen since. For their sakes, he thought now, they had better be dead.

  Friedrich once again looked at him. “May I speak with you privately, my lord?”

  Not bothering to respond, Eirik turned and stalked back into the forest where he had emerged. He reminded himself that once he had the powers of an elder, his class would cower before him and beg to be given orders to fulfill.

  “What is it?” he snapped once he was alone with Friedrich.

  Raising an eyebrow, Friedrich crossed his arms over his chest and said, “I request more details about this assignment, my lord. I mean no disrespect, but so far on this journey we have engaged in two bloody battles and suffered significant losses. None of us really has any idea what we are fighting for. While I know you would only ever put forth this kind of effort for something important, we must convince the others or all will be for naught.”

  Clamping down on his fury and impatience, Eirik considered the other male’s words. While he wanted the ability to command the world to do his bidding, he was intelligent enough to know that he had to work on maintaining control among his followers…for now.

  “We are in search of one last element to an artifact that offers unique promise,” he said at last. At least, we had better be, he silently added, thinking of Metis’ comment that Ariana could have lied yet again. “Once I obtain it, I intend to lead our class to greatness.” Seeing the other male’s continued hesitation, he continued, “I will need a solid core of commanders by my side.”

  “What you state sounds rather like something Grolkinei would have attempted,” Friedrich pointed out. “His efforts never did our class any good.”

  He referred to the male who had killed the original Mercesti elder, Volarius, and forever changed the nature of their class. The Mercesti had once been equals with the other classes, sought after for their skills in strategy and innovation. After Grolkinei murdered Volarius with his own sword out of blind rage, he dramatically altered that fact. He forced the Mercesti to either follow him or be killed. Many members of the class turned against each other, resulting in a dark period in Estilorian history.

  Following Grolkinei’s rash and deadly act, the only way a Mercesti could be created was by converting members of other classes. Any being who killed or intended to kill another being based on a reason other than protection converted immediately to a Dark One. There hadn’t been a Mercesti created through the Corgloresti Embrace in over two thousand years.

  “Grolkinei was a fanatic,” Eirik responded. “He lost sight of the larger picture. There are more Mercesti on the mainland than any other class residing at Central. Estilorians retained more knowledge of negative human emotions than positive ones after the planes were separated. Fueling anger and jealousy to turn beings against each other has never been much of a challenge. With all of us united, we will be an unstoppable force.”

  “Again, I do not question your goals, my lord,” Friedrich said. “I have known you for centuries, and we both stopped following Grolkinei for similar reasons. But if we are going to convince other Mercesti that our efforts are different than anything undertaken by Grolkinei, you will have to be more forthcoming with the details.”

  His nostrils flaring, Eirik snapped, “Since when have you known me to be so foolish as to trust just anyone with essential information, Friedrich? You know as well as I do that if word gets out about the artifact I seek, every Mercesti will want it.”

  Nodding, Friedrich said, “Your point is well taken. I do not need all of the details. Just tell me how this effort will differ from Grolkinei’s and I will convince the others.”

  After a moment of consideration, Eirik decided he had no choice but to offer enough information to capture Friedrich’s interest. His gaze steady, he intoned, “The answer is simple. Grolkinei never ascended to any level of greatness because he could not combat the powers of the elders. When I acquire what I seek, I will not only be able to compete against the elders…I will become one.”

  Chapter 6

  Zachariah was glad to be back in the air. Knowing they were on the way to rescue Tate gave him a sense of purpose. He gauged by Tiege’s expression that the younger male felt the same way, even if his feelings also extended to Ariana.

  They flew at a remarkable pace thanks to the elixir. There had been enough potion to enhance the flight of twenty-five beings. Beside him flew a group of Waresti warriors along with Tiege, Sophia, Quincy, Clara Kate, Ini-herit, Uriel and Alexius. Their numbers would be enough to rescue Tate. Zachariah wouldn’t allow otherwise.

  As he flew, he intercepted her thoughts about her situation. Things weren’t looking good. When she communicated the details about their prison, he frowned and looked at Uriel.

  “They’re trying to get out of the cage,” he said. “All they have at their disposal is a thick wooden rod and a towel.”

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Clara Kate tilt her head in interest as she listened to the conversation. He glanced at her when she wobbled in the air. She blinked as if to clear her vision, making his brows draw together.

  She looks so pale, Tate thought. He silently agreed.

  “I can think of no way to use those items to escape a cage such as the one you described,” Uriel said, recapturing his attention. “Maybe the Lekwuesti can create a serrated blade they can use to saw through the bars.”

  “She can only create kitchen utensils,” Zachariah said. “Nothing strong enough to cut solid metal. It would take them a long time to cut the bars, anyway. They need a faster way out.”

  Uriel frowned. “They can’t access anything aside from those items?”

  “Not outside of the cage. The Lekwuesti can create hospitality items, but no tools or weapons and nothing hot enough to melt the metal.”

  Clara Kate flew closer. Zachariah and Uriel looked over at her.

  “Have Tate get the towel wet,” she suggested. “Then have her wrap the towel around two of the bars as well as the pole. If they use the pole as a handle and twist the towel hard enough, it should bend the bars.”

  Zachariah considered this, then exchanged a look with Uriel. They both nodded.

  “Thank you,” Zachariah said to Clara Kate even as Tate acknowledged the thought about the wet towel and explained it to Ariana.

  “That was awesome, C.K.,” Tiege said from Clara Kate’s other side. He grinned. “Where’d you come up with that?”

  “Something I picked up over the past few months,” she said with a shrug.

  “While you were on the human plane?”

  “Yeah. Mrs. B wanted us to watch educational shows whenever possible. I remembered a show testing theories about escaping prison, and this was one way that worked.”

  Zachariah sensed that she didn’t really want to talk about it. When her gaze moved to Ini-herit and then lowered to the ground, he understood why. Tiege must have realized the same thing, as he just nodded and returned his focus to flying.

  Ask C.K. if she’s okay, Tate thought.

  Sorry, Beautiful. If it doesn’t involve you, that kind of thing isn’t in my repertoire.

  She issued a mental sigh but didn’t push him. He shook his head. She was forever imbuing his character with more nobility than he actually possessed.

  Despite that thought, he glanced again at Clara Kate. She’d been flying without much rest for several days. The strain showed itself in her waxy complexion and bleary eyes. Maybe they should have left her back with Harold and Derian, he mused.

  After a few more minutes of observing Tate’s progress in his mind, he told Clara Kate, “Your idea appears to be working.”

  She smiled. “Great.”

  “Way to go, C.K.,” Sophia declared from slightly behind her.

  When Clara Kate turned in her cousin’s
direction, her eyes rolled back in her head and she briefly lost altitude. Zachariah reached out and grabbed her. Her eyelids fluttered as she regained her senses.

  Looks like I don’t have to ask her how she’s doing, after all, he thought toward Tate. I’d say it’s pretty damn clear.

  “Are you all right, C.K.?” Tiege asked with a frown.

  “Sure,” she said a little breathlessly. She swallowed the fear that still stuck in her throat. “I’m just tired. Let’s get to Tate and Ariana so I can get a real night’s sleep, okay?”

  Her joke fell flat, probably because her voice sounded so thin. Quincy flew up beside her. She clenched her jaw, but caught his gaze and worked on offering him the most normal expression she could. He studied her for a long moment.

  “You’re pale, C.K. I think it would be a good idea for you and me to stop for a couple of minutes so I can make sure everything is okay.”

  “I’m—”

  “I know you’re fine,” he interrupted with a quick smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “but I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t take just a couple of minutes to be sure.” He paused, glancing at Ini-herit. “If you’d rather—”

  “All right, all right. I’ll stop,” she said, not wanting him to suggest that she allow Ini-herit to heal her. When Zachariah looked at her, she said, “We’ll catch up with you soon. Don’t stop on my account. It’s just been a hard few days.”

  The Mercesti nodded, then glanced at Uriel. The Waresti elder said, “Alexius will travel with you.”

  “I’m coming, too,” Sophia said.

  Embarrassed over the fuss, Clara Kate just nodded and changed her course to find somewhere to land. She purposely avoided looking at Ini-herit, not wanting to see the lack of concern on his face. When dots danced in front of her eyes, she blinked and shook her head to clear them.

  Okay, maybe landing was a good idea, after all.

  Beside her, Alexius gave her a considering look. The Waresti second commander often saw more than most. She offered him a smile that she didn’t feel to try and convey that all was well.

  She’d gotten pretty good at lying lately, she thought. It was rather depressing. But who could she talk to about what she was feeling?

  As the Orculesti elder, Malukali was the most in tune with emotion. But just like all of the elders, she shared thoughts with Clara Kate’s father and Ini-herit. Sure, Malukali was capable of containing her thoughts, but what if she felt obligated to talk to them about what had happened? The very idea mortified Clara Kate.

  A couple of times when they’d been at the homeland, she’d considered talking to her mom. She had a level head and was the most likely to listen to what Clara Kate had to say without injecting her own opinion or emotion into it. Clara Kate’s biggest concern was that her mother might decide to take up her blessed sword and run Ini-herit through.

  In the end, with everyone believing that Tate was dead and then getting involved in her rescue once they realized she wasn’t, Clara Kate hadn’t had time to talk to anyone. Once they returned home, she hoped to just bury everything and get over it.

  Yeah, right. How did you get over losing someone you loved when they were still a part of your life?

  She shook her head as they landed. One of the nice things about the Estilorian plane was how undeveloped it was. With the majority of Estilorians making their homes at Central, there was no shortage of beautiful forests on the mainland. They now stood on the outskirts of one.

  “Come on into the shade,” Quincy instructed, taking her gently by the elbow.

  Knowing he was trying to keep her steady in case she lost her balance, she could only appreciate the action. Alexius stepped away from them and patrolled the perimeter of their location to make sure it was secure. Sophia walked on Clara Kate’s other side, a faint line drawn between her eyes.

  “Thanks, you guys,” Clara Kate said, feeling her cheeks grow warm. “I’m sure there isn’t any need for all this, though.”

  As he led her to a large boulder that had a nice curve in it for her to sit on, Quincy said, “Let’s just make sure, okay?”

  “Sure.”

  “I’ll be right back,” Sophia said. “I’ll take this opportunity to enjoy a couple of minutes to myself.”

  Knowing Sophia was only doing it to give them privacy, Clara Kate offered her a smile. After her cousin walked off, she said to Quincy, “The silver accents in her markings and wings make Soph look like a beautiful, glittery fairy queen.”

  That made Quincy smile as he pulled something out of the satchel he wore. “She’s always looked that way.” He placed the ends of the Estilorian-style stethoscope into his ears and added, “But the color does suit her, doesn’t it?”

  “You suit her, Quincy. I’m so happy for you both.”

  “Thanks, C.K. That really means a lot. Take a deep breath for me.”

  She obeyed, repeating the process a few times as he placed the instrument on her chest and back.

  As he picked up her wrist and held his fingers against her pulse, he asked, “How often have you been having the dizzy spells?”

  “On and off for a few days.”

  “Not before?”

  She frowned. “Well, there may have been one or two times in the past few weeks when I was working too hard in the training paddock. But they went away after I drank some water.”

  “Okay. Sophia mentioned that you’ve been experiencing headaches.”

  Sighing, she acknowledged, “On and off for a few weeks. I’m sure it’s just stress, though. I’ve had a lot on my mind.”

  His silver gaze was steady as he pulled out a temperature gauge and inserted it under her tongue. “I’ve been your physician since I brought you into this world, C.K. You’ve never had a headache before.”

  She knew that, but hadn’t wanted to put any importance on it. Now, she realized she should have mentioned the symptom to him sooner.

  “I’m sorry, Quincy,” she said when he removed the device from her mouth. “I’ve been a little distracted.”

  “I know,” he said. The empathy in his gaze had her blinking back sudden tears. Seeing the reaction, he rubbed her shoulder. “I need you to tell me of any other physical ailments you’ve experienced that have struck you as unusual.”

  “Well…this for one,” she said, pointing at the tear that trickled down her cheek. “I spend at least half of every day wanting to cry my eyes out. But having your heart broken tends to do that to a gal, right?”

  “I’ll go with yes. Anything else?”

  She thought about it. “I’ve been more sore than usual, especially after training. Everything seems to hurt. Half the time I feel like I’m in someone else’s form.”

  He was quiet for a long moment, holding her gaze as he sorted through her list of symptoms. She wiped away another unwanted tear.

  “I have a personal question to ask you,” he began.

  Shrugging, she said, “Go for it.”

  “Did you engage in sexual intercourse while on the human plane?”

  The blood in her face drained so fast her head swam. Why would he ask—?

  Oh. Dear. God.

  “I’ve never menstruated,” she said hoarsely as her thoughts caught up with his. “I can’t get pregnant.”

  “We don’t know that, C.K.” he said levelly. “The Kynzesti is a new class. None of you has had the benefit of an internal exam conducted with more thorough human equipment. There is always the possibility that your class has made an evolutionary leap and no longer has to experience the inconvenience of a menstrual cycle to be fertile.”

  “And you’re only putting this out there now?” she exclaimed, surging to her feet. When she swayed, he reached out to grab her. “Holy light, Quincy! I wouldn’t have—we would have—holy light!”

  “C.K.” He turned her so she was looking at him. His gaze was steady. “Could you be pregnant?”

  Unable to speak, she just nodded.

  “Okay,” he said. “I’d like
to do an exam to see if…well, to see. May I touch your abdomen?”

  Once again, she nodded. When he lifted her shirt and pressed against her lower belly, she inhaled sharply over the tenderness there. He removed his hand and once again lifted the stethoscope-style instrument, this time holding it against her abdomen. Her womb.

  She couldn’t deal with this. There was no way fate could be this cruel.

  But when Quincy removed the earpieces and caught her gaze, she knew.

  “Hey, C.K., what’s the verdict?” Sophia asked in a cheerful tone as she approached. “Are you going to live?”

  Rather than answer, Clara Kate walked over to her cousin, grabbed her into a hug and burst into tears.

  Chapter 7

  It took a couple of minutes for Tate and Ariana to get the wet towel into place and wrapped around the stick so that they could try to bend the bars. Ariana produced a metal rod that they used to reinforce the stick, which helped keep them from shattering the wood. It took time for them to actually make progress.

  But it was working. They both had to use all of their strength to twist the stick once the towel got tight enough to cinch. Sweat dripped into their eyes as they worked on giving it yet another turn.

  “What’s the first thing you’re going to do when we get out of here?” Tate asked. Her breath left her in a pant as she struggled with her end of the stick.

  “Kiss the ground,” Ariana said, gritting her teeth over the strain of pushing. “The free ground where I can go anywhere I please.”

  Choking out a laugh, Tate gave another push, bracing her boots against the side of the cage for additional leverage. “I thought you might say you’re going to kiss Tiege.”

  “Tate!” Ariana gasped. Then she smiled despite herself. “I can’t kiss him looking and smelling like this.”

  “Oh, I know what you mean. But Sparky is going to get one helluva greeting from me. I don’t care if he ends up covered in blood and sweat. He’ll just have to deal.”

  Ariana grunted as they managed to get the stick around one more complete turn. She appreciated the banal chatter to keep her mind off her outrageous fear. “Well, since you and Zachariah share thoughts, he’ll now be prepared for that.”