Regius (25 page)

Galax didn't even remember
what it was he and the Keeper had wanted to kill one another over.
It took but one wrong word or badly timed gesture and his Regius
strength could surface and take control, much like Datura could be
overthrown by the voices in his mind, pushing him towards that edge
that would toss him into the black and out of the white.

"How much longer are they
going to give us the silent treatment?"

Datura shrugged. "You
disobeyed your father and I broke numerous Altor laws. They put us
in here and instead of complying to them as they thought we would,
we go on and break some more and purposely put the life of an Altor
soldier at risk. We may believe in Cali and see that he is her only
hope, but they certainly will not agree."

"So that means long." Galax
deduced, looking around the cell that would be his to view for a
long time ahead.

Galax awoke sometime during
the night, disturbed by the voice of the Keeper. Opening his eyes
slowly, he frowned when he could see Datura pacing, the normally
neat braid swaying behind the man's back in complete disarray,
pulled and tugged on it in what looked to be
frustration.

"Datura." He spoke firmly,
sitting up so he could give the man his full attention. "Don't
listen to them." Although he couldn't see the ghosts, he knew they
must be the cause. If you didn't know of his powers, you'd mistake
him for an insane person.

"They won't let me be."
Datura growled and when he pinned his eyes on Galax, the Prince
couldn't help but jump in fright at the sight. The Keeper paused in
his movements when he realized he'd startled Galax, but the Prince
didn't allow the fear to settle in, instead, he pushed it away and
quickly made his way to the bars, reaching in with his
hands.

"You need to calm yourself.
Your eyes have turned completely red." When the Keeper came in
reach, Galax grasped the man's hand, squeezing it. "It won't take
long before they begin to bleed." Galax didn't need him to explain
what that meant, he knew it linked back to the black and
white.

The Keeper held onto the
Galax's hand, letting his forehead press against the cold bars, his
breathing off.

"I cannot get away from
them here." Datura muttered. "I cannot distract myself."

"Then I will distract you.
Let me help you," Galax sighed, patting the guy on the shoulder
awkwardly. "In turn, it will help me."

It didn't take the Prince
long to find something to talk about. It was a story that often
came to him when he had nothing else to think about, or needed to
forcefully think of something different.

"Do you know the story of
the Beast's Lair?"

Datura's pulled back,
nodding in surprise. "An ancient soul told me the tale when I
entered the Valley for the very first time. It isn't a known
legend, not among the Altors at least." The Prince acknowledged
that before sitting down on the floor, the Keeper quickly mimicking
him. Once they were both seated with their legs crossed, bars
separating them, Galax continued.

"Xania used to tell me that
story before I was taken by the Palliums. He didn't tuck me in very
often, after all the Regius aren't much for that sort of thing."
The Prince smiled when Datura grinned at that. "You know what was
so strange about him telling me that tale?"

"Besides the fact that he
told that terrifying story to a kid under ten years as a bed time
story?"

"Yes, besides that." Galax
rolled his eyes. "Well, maybe this won't come as a surprise to you,
but he didn't have the skill to tell a story the right way. He
didn't make it sound intriguing or spooky. He laid it out as facts,
as though he was describing a blue print or a map out to
me."

Datura's eyebrows rose.
"What makes you believe he wasn't?"

"The Beast's Lair isn't
real."

"But it is."

"What?" Galax was
confused.

"Souls do not lie," The
Keeper said easily. "How did Xania talk about the Lair?"

"He always started out by
telling me about the Beast, and while that always sounded like a
story, his description of the castle was always far too descriptive
for it to sound like a tale." Galax paused. "Do you... Do you
think-" The Prince shook his head.

"What is it?"

"Flux always believed that
I knew where the Regius base was, that Xen or Xania must have told
me about it before the Palliums took me. He's been trying to have
me remember anything that could hint to a location."

"I am ashamed at the way
they and the Altors treat you, sire." Datura whispered, his eyes
cast down to the ground. "You are not a tool or a puppet they can
use and control. It's what they fight for, they want to rid Zinc of
the Regius
because
the Blue Bloods make it their mission to control each and
every one, yet they contradict that in the way they handle your
case."

"We're all to blame,
Datura." Galax murmured. "Each one of us are approaching the war
the wrong way. Instead of fighting their opinion, I let them
believe I was dangerous because I myself believed I was
dangerous."

The Keeper sighed and after
a minute of silence, he continued. "You think Xania's story was him
giving you directions to the Regius' hidden base?"

"I do." The Prince gulped.
"And although this information won't help us get out of the cells,
unfortunately I now do have an idea what Solenum is going
through."

"You're not
suggesting-"

"We are talking of the
Regius, Datura. Of course I am suggesting she is trapped in the
dungeons."

Datura spoke before he
could feel his control slipping. "That means they are keeping her
alive." The Prince wasn't sure if he could share the Keeper's
cheer. "It means that Xania believes she has answers to questions
he finds important. If she is as stubborn as any Altor, believe me,
she won't give him those. The chance of her being alive just
marginally improved, Galax."

Although he knew the Keeper
to be right, the worry still didn't fade. "Promise me that when you
can return to the Valley, you will look for her."

"She won't be
there."

"But if she is, I will need
you to tell me."

* * * *

I narrowly missed Ilex and
Vervaine upon my arrival in Copper Town and had been surprised it
was so easy to get onto the boat that would go to Iodin City. When
it docked on Iron Island to drop off passengers and pick up new
ones, the island become a small dot in my line of vision as I
stared at it from the back of the boat. I was starting to believe
it be far too easy and thus, suspicious. But I was also feeling sea
sick, so that was keeping me distracted. Unfortunately, not in the
best way.

Considering I looked Altor
through and through, my ability to breathe would be taken from me
before I even set foot in Iodin’s harbor. I didn't have permission
to enter that territory and because of that, I wouldn't be smuggled
in by Reed, the District Leader of Iodin City. How I was going to
get through security, I had no idea. But allowing it to defeat me
wasn't something I wanted either. I had a destination. I was going
to be one of the few to make it through
Immortalis Silva
without getting
lost so I could get my best friend. My best friend who could be
dead right now. I had to hold onto the slim chance that she may
still be alive.

Looking around, I could
only see Civilians. I couldn't spot any Altors or Regius on the
boat. It was strange to see them live so normally, even if I had
been part of the clueless illusion the Altors, Palliums and Regius
had created. There was a slight part of me that wished I could go
back to knowing nothing, but then I’d have to give up all the
friends I’d made, and all the knowledge that had been given to me
when it came to my family. Yet, if me or Sol had not needed the
trigger, she wouldn’t be with the Regius right now, and I wouldn’t
be trying to get her back.

I was startled when a
woman came to stand beside me, smiling as my eyes widened when I
saw the color of her hair.
Altor
.

"Mister Calycanthus
Esquivel." Her voice was soft. "What a coincidence. I just had
Elder Aram Hurt on the port, informing me that you've been very
naughty indeed." The woman of about fifty years of age laughed
lightly, clearly amused with my current fright. She was dressed
like a Civilian, a pair of jeans with a dark red woolen sweater.
Her hair was tied in a loose knot on top of her head and she had
small wrinkles crinkling around her mouth and blue eyes.

"Elder Saxton." I
gulped.

"Please, call me Rose." She
patted my hand before tucking me into her side, sighing in
contentment as she gave me a hug. "I am not your Elder today."
Releasing me, she pointed her gaze out to the sea, staring as we
flowed over the water. "In fact, I am going to need your help." I
saw a small smirk playing on her lips. "I hear Vervaine has rubbed
off on you."

I shouldn't be surprised
that
everything
had been reported back to her. "When I-" I swallowed
nervously. "When my emotions run high, I can create small bursts of
barriers. But it has only happened once and I don't think I can do
it again." I added the last quickly.

"Would you calm your
nerves, boy? I'm not going to rat you out."

"Why?"

"Just because I'm an Elder,
doesn't mean I always play by the rules. My husband has denied me
my right to search for a friend. I decided that the only way to
achieve what it is I want, is to bend the rules." She took my hand
in hers, holding onto it. She was very touchy, but I didn't have it
in me to tell her to give me my personal space back. "You remember
Jan, do you not?" She said this all the while placing a pill in my
palm. "Kalmia, your dear father, was sea sick too. I had an
inkling. Take it and you'll find yourself less sick in a matter of
minutes."

She had said dear... I
swallowed the pill and then nodded at her question. "I do remember
Jan." But I wanted to know something else first. "You didn't hate
Kalmia?"

She sighed, giving me a sad
smile. "He was a prankster, but I loved him very much. One of my
best students." She said proudly. "He accompanied me on many a
mission before he-" She looked uncomfortable. "Well, you know about
that. I will not let Jan be abandoned as Kalmia was. I won't give
up like I did with your father."

"I'm sure they both
appreciate your determination," I said gently.

"As Solenum appreciates
yours." Rose returned. "Did Vervaine tell you how she found out
about the barriers?" I shook my head. "I taught her several things
behind her father's back. Aram is... Well, quite radical. He
doesn't see that some of her powers are in fact, handy."

I realized what she wanted
then. "You want to use me to get past security?" She smiled,
letting me know that was exactly what she wanted. "But you are
Reed's superior. Can't you make him cooperate?"

"Have you forgotten that
Reed and Cypress are my sons?" I had, actually. She grinned at my
dumbfounded expression. "Those silly boys forget sometimes I am
their Elder and believe me to be frail. If I were to order Reed to
help me track down the most feared assassin, he'd lock me up and
scream for his father." I could just imagine the District Leader
going, 'Daddy!'.

"How are you going to force
the invisibility barrier out of me?"

"You did say it was a
matter of heightened emotions, didn't you?" I grimaced as she
solemnly nodded. "Let’s practice somewhere more
private."

* * * *

I had never broken out a
sweat quite as heavy as the one I was sporting now.

"Hold it, Calycanthus!"
Rose demanded, her sweet voice when I'd first spoken with her no
longer present.

She was standing in front
of me, looking just as tense as I was even though she wasn't trying
to produce a barrier. We were in the boat's parking level where all
the cars were kept. Passengers weren't allowed down here, but we'd
managed to slip through the cracks. If I was able to hold an
invisibility barrier for longer than five minutes, Rose had every
intention of testing the ability on the security
within
the boat itself
first, before risking it on actual Blue Bloods in Iodin's harbor.
So far, I'd only managed to create one big enough to hide the top
of my hands and it had held for about ten seconds at the most. That
had been two hours ago. I'd expected to spend the two day long boat
trip worrying about being sea sick and possibly dying by cause of
dry heaving, but here I was, far too busy to be sick.

"You have immense power,
now use it before you
let
Solenum die!" Rose shouted.

That was taking it too far!
Screaming out in anger, but also in frustration because of the
situation and how much energy she was sucking out of me, I clapped
my hands together and felt a wind break free when my palms
connected. It was like a surge of power pushed through me and
catapulted its way out, knocking Rose backwards.