Broken (34 page)

Nathaneal is too powerful. When he revealed his powers are strong enough to annihilate a king, he became too great a threat.

So Luca is luring him here to . . . to . . .

Destroy him.

How do you know Nathaneal will come?

Zavier tilts his head and a small, coy smile forms.
For you, Nathaneal would walk through fire and ice. Luca is counting on it.

But, Zavier, I don’t know where Nathaneal is. You said no one could survive rescuing my parents from Mi’Ocra.

That was before I knew it was Nathaneal who led the rescue.

Why are you telling me this?

He shrugs.
I don’t know, Ebony. Perhaps finally I am developing a conscience.

‘Zavier! Time is up!’ Prince Luca yells. My three bodyguards approach with a purposeful stride.

Ebony
, Zavier says in my head again,
now is the time to have faith, to believe unconditionally in what you are.

You don’t know what you’re asking of me.

Yes, I do. I’m the one who created the environment that ensured your distrust would germinate and blossom.

But I’ve only ever heard Prince Luca’s thoughts in my head clearly enough to have a conversation. Once or twice I saw Jacob’s thoughts, but in images.

And now you’re communicating with
me.

I nod.
Is it because we’re blood relatives that I can hear you?

Ebony, it’s because you
can!
You must believe in yourself for your powers to believe in
you.
Why do you think Lord Luca goes to such lengths to ensure you are the one he weds, that your blood will run in the veins of his heirs? He is desperate for you.

The three soldiers close in.
Zavier, what should I do?

You must convince Nathaneal to abort his plan to rescue you. His destiny is to be a king, and once crowned he won’t need permission to extinguish the existence of another crowned king. He is the hope of –

The soldiers grab Zavier from behind and start dragging him back towards the blue light. ‘Leave me be, I’m going!’ He shoves them away all at once, lifting into the air with the solid beating of his wings.

I call out to him with my thoughts,
What if I can’t convince him to stay away?

He glances over his shoulder.
You must! The world cannot lose its one hope for everlasting peace!

42

Nathaneal

We find a perch on a high mountain ledge with a north-easterly view of the shimmering Gates of Skade. Below, an impenetrable fog blankets the capital. The sun, rising in the distant east, lightens the dark sky with streaks of indigo and crimson, staining the fog below with splotches of purple. It’s a dull morning in the capital, which is starting to awaken from its long slumberous night. One of its moons, the smaller Thoran, on the last day of its elliptical cycle before it swings out into space, appears low and intimidating on the horizon.

Solomon assures me there’s been no sight of Prince Luca or his Prodigies at the palace yet. No sight of Ebony. So for now I’ve ordered my team to take a much-needed rest.

How are John and Heather faring?
I ask Jez in a mind-link.

Heather’s heart is strong
, she says.
She’s doing well. The deep sleep we put her into, in that cave on Mount Mi’Ocra, is helping her body to repair itself.

And John?

He’s holding on. The deep sleep is helping him too, but he’s still critical and needs more healing before I can be sure he’s going to live.

Do what you can for him, Jez. His traumatic journey is nearing its end, and when we wake him he will see that he has many reasons to live.

Isaac hunkers down beside me and peers between one of several rocky outcrops providing cover.
How long do we wait?

Until a gate opens.

Why don’t you get some rest while I keep watch?

I glance at my exhausted team. How many days and nights have we flown with so little to sustain us? Since finding Ebony’s parents we haven’t stopped until now, and without a whisper of complaint. I couldn’t be prouder of my team, who have become close as family to me. That Tashiel had a vision that one of them could betray me is as improbable as the sun falling from the sky.
Thanks, Isaac, but there will be time for all of us to rest soon.

Solomon approaches with his eyes cast downwards.

What news, Sol?

Reports of extensive troop movement are filtering into the palace. My informant is trying to find their location. The official word is that soldiers are preparing the streets for the return of their king and his new, ah . . . future queen.

But?

So far, my informant can’t see them. They’re not anywhere near the palace.
He shrugs.
I’ve asked for a wider search.

Good idea. And, Sol, when your source says ‘extensive’, how many soldiers does this mean?

Solomon rakes his fingers through his wildly knotted hair.
A legion, my prince.

A legion!

Hearing Solomon’s disturbing report, Michael crawls over.
That’s a lot of ‘missing’ soldiers. Could your informant be exaggerating?

No
,
Solomon says.
Not about this.

If they’re not ground soldiers, and they’re not airborne, where are they?
Michael asks the question on all our minds.

Keeping low, the four of us spread out along the ledge to look for signs. Skade’s capital is rather unique in that volcanoes, dormant for millions of years, surround it on three sides, making a defensive barrier like no other city I know.

It’s a trap!

I look across to Michael, Sol and then Isaac.
Did any of you hear that?

They each reply in the negative. My pulse jumps, and a frisson of anticipation courses through my heart.

So no one heard that warning?

They look at me with blank expressions, and my hopeful hunch that this voice belongs to Ebony has my heart yearning to break free and shout it from the mountaintop.

Michael returns to where I’m crouching with a smile and a golden eyebrow arched high.
So what did the little one have to say?

Unable to remove the grin from my face, I lift my hand as another mind-link enters my head.
You must leave! Nathaneal, if, by the grace of our High King you’re hearing this, please . . .
please
do not come for me.

Is this really you, sweetheart?

Nathaneal, you’re alive! You can hear me! Are you all right? Are you anywhere nearby? No! Don’t answer that. I have a message you must abide by – do
NOT
come through the gates. You need to find another way home, or wait until he’s gone. Please, Nathaneal, you have to stay away from the entrance.

She bears grave news, and she’s worried and scared, but . . . I’m hearing her voice! She is so close! We made it back in time! Moisture rushes my eyes, overflows, and the salty tears of relief are sweet on my lips, so,
so
sweet.

Michael squeezes my shoulder, while Isaac and Solomon inform Uriel, Jez and Tash.

Ebony, are you injured?

No. But, Nathaneal, don’t worry about me. I’ll be all right.

Where are you?

Just inside the locked gates with twelve Prodigies and twelve Gatekeepers, but you can’t set one foot on this bridge, Nathaneal, do you hear me? I can’t stress this enough. Prince Luca wants to destroy you. I don’t know his exact plan, but he’ll probably hurl you into space from the Crossing, or some other way angels can be destroyed.

There are a few other techniques.

Are you taking me seriously?

I hear the fear from her heart, woven into the fabric of her words.
I’m sorry, Ebony, hearing you is such a relief after so long without you.

She’s goes quiet and I ask,
Are you all right?

For now I am. Nathaneal, promise me you will NOT enter this tunnel.

The only promise I’m willing to make, my love, is that tonight you will sleep safely in my arms.

I want that
so
much, Nathaneal. I even dreamed of you three nights back. You were drowning in an ocean and you told me that I’d forgotten you.

Ebony, I don’t know how it happened, but it was not a dream. You saved my life that night.

Really?

You told me to be strong, and now I’m telling you the same thing. Be strong, my love, it will all be over soon. Where I have failed you in the past, know that this is one promise I will not break.

Nathaneal, you have never failed me. It is
I
who let
you
down. I let Jordan get captured and now I don’t know where he is.

We will go and look for him as soon as this is over.

She remains silent for a beat and my heart burns for her. Finally she links,
Nathaneal, I need you to stay alive. Just to know that you’re breathing gives me strength. Nothing else matters.

What are you saying?

If you love me, and I know you do, you m-must leave.

Ebony, don’t ask me to abandon you. It would be easier to hurl myself into space.

Don’t say that! I know this is hard. It’s hard for me too. I’ll never see Mum and Dad again! But you and I, we have no choice. You cannot die, because if you do then there is no hope for the future of this world.

Without you, I don’t have a future. And about your –

Nathaneal, listen to me. If you can’t do this for my sake, or for your own, then you must do it for Avena, and the world where you will be king one day.

Ebbie, no, please . . .

How can I live with
him
if
you
don’t exist? I would have no reason to believe that one day – somehow – I’ll escape and see you again. And, Nathaneal, I want you to . . . go on and live the life you’re meant to. Even if that means finding –

Don’t say it.

. . . someone else to share your life. A king needs heirs.

Ebony, let me give you something to think about that might change your mind.

She remains silent.

I have your parents.

There is a pause before she links again, and her thoughts are splintered and thick with emotion.
I didn’t know . . . I’d heard things. I . . . I imagined terrible things. Oh, Nathaneal, are they all right?

They’ve been through more than any mortal being could normally bear.

She gasps.

But I’m confident that once they see you they will recover with astounding speed. Ebony, your parents need you now more than ever before.

I don’t know how you did it, or why you would risk so much for me. I’ve heard terrible stories about the prison they were in, but . . . but you made it happen and I’ll never be able to thank you enough.

Ebony, you must know by now that I would do
anything
for you, face any threat that keeps us apart.

I know that.

Now I need
you
to listen to me. When you see us, as soon as it’s safe, run to Isaac. He will be watching for you, and will take you home with your parents –

I’ll be with Mum and Dad again?

That’s right, Ebony, with your mum and dad.

But . . . you can’t ignore this threat. It’s real.

I’ve had worse in my past and will face worse in my future.

Nathaneal, I want to go home with Mum and Dad, but I want to be with you too. Prince Luca has almost completely recovered, especially his mind.

Thank you for the warning, my love.

Nathaneal, take me seriously, do
NOT
enter this tunnel until he has left. I’m telling
him
you’re not coming. Wait, he’s . . .

Ebony, what’s happening?

I have to go. I won’t be able to link when he’s right next to me in case he hears us, but, Nathaneal, whatever happens today, promise me you will go on –

Ebony, wait.

Nathaneal, I love you.

Ebony. Ebony?

Too stunned to move, it takes Michael, pointing at the gates.
They’re
all
open.

All twelve?

He frowns.
He could fit a thousand soldiers in that entrance.

Why would he open all twelve gates if not to fit a thousand soldiers?

I gather my team together to brief them. Not long after, horns start blowing their warning of war across the city, alerting the populace of an imminent battle.

I crouch near the edge to survey our surroundings one last time. While peering into the fog, I catch a flash of silver, a reflection of something glistening. I spot another, and then another. And now that I’ve noticed those I see hundreds of glittering reflections hidden beneath the fog.