Rex Aftermath (Elei's Chronicles) (10 page)

But Kalaes stopped, turned as if in a trance and headed toward one of the K-bloom stalls. What was he doing?

Elei blinked.

Then he knew.
Oh shit.

“Kal, no!” He ran and, grabbed Kalaes around the waist before he snatched the K-blooms from the top of the stall. He dragged him away. “No sweet. Can’t feed Rex. Come on.”

“Let me go, fe.” Sweat ran down Kalaes face as he tried to tear himself free. “I just want some K-blooms.”

“No,” he said. “You can’t. No way.”

Alendra caught Kalaes’ arm and helped Elei pull him away.

Zoe hurried after them, Dain in tow. “What’s going on?” she hissed. “What in the five hells are you doing, Kalaes?”

Elei hauled Kalaes across the avenue, dodging aircars and vendors pushing carts. “Which way, Zoe?”

“It’s that parasite, isn’t it?” Dain’s voice was strangely devoid of emotion. “Rex. The dots around his neck, the blue eye... It all matches. You infected him.”

“Here, follow me,” Zoe panted, rushing ahead of them. “What in the hells was that?”

“What Dain said,” Elei pushed the words through gritted teeth, trying to ignore the craving, to ignore everything but getting Kalaes off the avenue. “It’s Rex. And it’s rising.”

***

“So Rex wants you to eat sugar?” Zoe led them through quiet streets while the fishy stench of the port grew stronger. “Why not have some, then?”

“You don’t want to see Rex at full strength,” Alendra said, shivering a little, and Elei forced his gaze ahead.

It would be okay. They’d organize the attack and they’d get more medicine.

Or they’d be dead, so who cared?

“They don’t know you’re infected, too, do they? The Gultur.” Zoe glanced at Kalaes over her shoulder, brows knitting. “They want Elei, you know.”

Elei missed a step, recovering before he dumped Kalaes and Alendra to the ground. “Our faces are plastered all over. Of course they want us.”

“No, that’s not what I’m saying.” She led them into an alley and then into another narrow street, Dain by her side. “Rumors say they want you to get the original strain of Rex, find a way to kill it. You should be careful.”

Careful.
Elei snorted.

Then a whistle sounded, sending his heart thumping harder, but nobody appeared to intercept them and they hurried on. The sea had to be right around the corner, the air humid and seagulls squawking from their perches on rooftops and fences. Squat storehouses cut dark shapes against the overcast sky.

Zoe raised a hand and they slowed. A whistle sounded right behind them, and Kalaes tugged his arm free, whirling, drawing his gun from its back holster.

Elei’s pulse ricocheted inside his skull. Zoe was shouting. The way she was waving her hands probably meant they shouldn’t shoot anyone, so he laid a hand on Kalaes’ shoulder — and was promptly shoved so hard he lost his footing and fell on his back.

Dammit.

“Don’t shoot!” Zoe was yelling, and suddenly they were surrounded by armed kids and Elei found a machine gun muzzle in his face. Rex snarled inside his head, jerking his body, and his hand curled around the grip of his Rasmus.

“Elei, don’t!” Alendra shouted. He recognized her scent, her small hand on his shoulder shaking him. “Snap out of it. We’re safe, it’s okay.”

He drew a shaky breath, told Rex to piss off, and forced his fingers to unclench, releasing the gun. As the colors dimmed and the skin of things emerged once more, he found out things weren’t looking so good.

The gang had their guns pointed at them — Zoe who held her empty hands up, her mouth pinched, Dain with his hands at his sides, clenched into fists, Alendra and himself on the ground.

Pissing great.

But worst of all, Kalaes held his gun in both hands, sighting down the barrel at a young woman with spiky ginger hair and an eye-patch. She held a machine gun, and it was pointed at Kalaes — as were three more guns held by younger boys.

“Drop the gun,” the young woman said, “or I’ll shoot.”

But Kalaes made no move to comply. He drew a long breath and his finger pressed on the trigger.

Shit, no.
Elei climbed to his feet and rushed to Kalaes’ side, making a grab for the gun —
too late, too pissing late
— while someone else shoved Kalaes aside and turned the gun muzzle away.

Dain.

“Give me that,” Dain said when Kalaes didn’t relinquish control, glaring at Dain as if he didn’t recognize him. Maybe he didn’t. “Kal?”

It gave Elei the window he needed to reach Kalaes and put a restraining hand on his shoulder. “It’s just Rex, Kal. Give Dain the gun.”

Kalaes blinked, a confused frown on his face that made Elei wonder just how hard Rex was hitting him. Kalaes looked at the gun Dain was trying to wrestle away from him and let go of it so suddenly Dain lurched back.

Dammit, Kalaes still seemed dazed.

“You threatened us,” the young woman accused, lifting a hand to adjust her eye-patch. Elei wondered what was hiding underneath — a missing eye or a parasite-infected one.

“A mistake.” Alendra stood in front of Kalaes. “We’re sorry.”

“We’ve been on the run and we’re somewhat trigger-happy, pooskers,” Zoe added with a shrug. “You surprised us, that’s all.”

“This is Seagull territory. You shouldn’t be surprised we patrol it,” the woman bit out.

“We were told we’d have safe crossing.”

“You will as long as you don’t pull guns on us.” The woman gave Kalaes who was breathing hard, hands fisted at his sides, a pointed glare.

“We’re looking for Top Gull. Need some hot stuff.”

The woman eyed Zoe suspiciously. “You know Top Gull?”

A younger girl elbowed her in the hip. “She’s the Queen of the Hounds.”

“I know who she is,” the woman scoffed. “Well, come on, then. Put the guns away and keep quiet.”

Zoe licked her lips and nodded. Dain stuffed his hands in his pockets, a dark scowl on his face, but he followed Zoe. Alendra grabbed Kalaes’ hand and pulled him along, while Elei fell in step behind them, sparing a wary glance at the street kids who brought up the rear, guns aimed right at him.

Pulse still hammering madly behind his eyes, adrenaline pumping, he did his best to stumble along and ignore the colors and the whispers swirling in his head.

Stuff it, Rex. No danger, okay?

After twists and turns, they were ushered into a building with broken windows and led down a narrow staircase. Rex was determined to drive Elei mad, humming and muttering in his mind, sending shivers down his spine and making his hands twitch. Trying to take over.

He clamped down on the thought and the fear it brought. Because it wasn’t just him, or Kalaes who depended on his relative sanity, but much more. The war, for instance, and the fate of the Seven Islands.

“Everything’s okay; everything’s fine.” He chanted the old mantra under his breath, getting odd looks from the kids and Dain, until he made it a silent thought, a looping prayer, blanking out the world.

They descended to a dank cellar with a long
nepheline
table. A young man sat at its head, a dark cap on his head, pulled low over his eyes. Alone. A king, of sorts. A king and a queen meeting in the stinking places under the earth, surrounded by grimy children with guns.

Elei snorted and barely caught himself before laughing out loud. Oh gods, now was not the time for a headlong plunge into madness. He clenched his hands, focusing on the bright flicker of pain as his nails bit into his palms, and closed his eyes, taking deep breaths.

He was vaguely aware of voices. They talked about guns and aircars, the discussion peppered with words he didn’t know and names of people he’d probably never meet. Zoe sounded self-assured. She was calling on a favor Top Gull owed her. It had to do with a certain unwritten gang law that couldn’t be ignored, and Top Gull reluctantly agreed that was so. He’d give them handguns and one small glidecraft, and that was all he could afford to spare. Take it or leave it.

Didn’t they have other contacts?

Of course they did, Zoe said, but he owed her a favor.

As the haggling began, Elei stepped back, where Dain and Kalaes stood arguing over something. He sank to the floor and leaned his pounding head on the wall.

“Seriously?” Dain was muttering. “You tell people he’s your brother?”

“Look, Dain, I understand why you’re angry.” Kalaes sounded tired. “I didn’t mean to—”

“Angry? I’m way past angry, dammit. That’s not your brother. How do I know? Your brother’s dead. I know you, your history, your dreams and nightmares. You sent me away, never came to visit, said you’d never take in any more strays. And yet you took him in.”

Elei blinked, saw the finger pointing in his direction. Thought about saying something but got a glimpse of Alendra shaking her head.

Right.
He’d only make things worse.

“It’s complicated,” Kalaes said.

“Complicated? It’s simple to me. I thought we were brothers once, too.”

“Dammit, Dain.” Kalaes sighed and slid down the wall. “I said it’s complicated. I’m sorry, for all it’s worth.”

“And that makes it all right, I suppose.”

“Look. Maera met you. She told me you were okay. I thought it was true.”

“You’re lying. I told Maera about our problems and she swore she’d report to you.”

“She never did. Dain, listen, Maera...” Kalaes tugged on his spiky hair. “She wasn’t who she seemed and it all went to the hells.”

Dain frowned and leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets, pale hair hanging in his face. “That’s convenient.”

“No, it’s...” Kalaes shook his head. “I said I’m sorry and I mean it. I should’ve checked on you myself. I was too much of a coward, so I sent Maera. I needed...” He drew a shaky breath. “Needed time, after all that happened, and I convinced myself you were better off without me.”

“Dammit, Kal,” Dain whispered. “You were my whole family. How could I be better off without you?”

Kalaes clenched his jaw and bowed his head. “I made a promise, the same one Elei did, back at Teos. I’ll make sure street children have a better life. Once this is over. I’m not running away again.”

Dain scowled at his boots, then nodded. “Fine. I’ll accept your apology. But only if you explain why you took this kid in and made him your brother. I mean, he even infected you with this parasite that makes you act crazy. Well, crazier.”

“I’m surprised you notice a difference,” Kalaes said drily.

“Not funny.” Dain glanced sideways at Elei, and his gaze was as warm as the frigid depths of the ocean. “And you haven’t answered.”

“I didn’t take Elei in,” Kalaes muttered. “
He
did. He reminded me that fearing for those you love is okay. Reminded me of who I used to be. As for the parasite...” He traced a finger over the white scars of
palantin
on his neck, shot Elei a quick look and his mouth curved in a crooked grin. “He infected me to save my life. And I’m grateful.”

***

Hera leaned her head against the aircar window, staring out at the fungi fields and hamlets. Sleep had been an elusive thing and her head felt heavy.

Sacmis was driving, her lean hands assured and confident on the levers of the control panel. They skirted the small town of Fyra with its blockades and strong police presence — it nestled on the heavenway to Dakru City, the only reason for the sudden vigilance.

The regime feared an attack on their capital.

If the distraction in Artemisia did not succeed... It did not bear thinking about. Mantis’ plan would fail and with it the hope everyone in the resistance had harbored for so long.

Death.
Hera had never had the stomach for it. She’d dealt death without regrets when her friends were in danger, but a world where life had more value would be welcome.

“So what’s your plan?” Hera turned to Mantis who had the map spread on his knees and was frowning at it.

“We could try the Kissian Road, bypassing Thassia and Lyssos.”

“And get caught, sacrificing everyone, or detour into the mountains and thereby sacrifice those in Artemisia working to give us a chance to succeed. Are you out of your damn mind?” Red misted Hera’s eyes. Stupid mortal, jeopardizing everyone’s lives. How had she ever thought he could pull this off?

“Hera.” Sacmis was giving her a narrow-eyed look. “Breathe.”

Hera blinked and drew a long breath. Looked like the drugs were leaving her system. “Shit.”

“Why should it take so long?” Mantis straightened the map as if he had not noticed anything, a pretense for which Hera was grateful.

“There’s no direct road from Lyssos,” Hera muttered, her hands clenching in her lap. Relax. “A vein of
surin
was discovered there a year ago, and the area was declared red zone. The mine is well protected and the road closed.”

“It’s not on the map.”