Sky Warriors: Poleuthan's Thief (Sky Warriors Saga Book 1) (42 page)

“How do you feel? Dizzy? Feverish?” she queried, her bright eyes looking her over in concern.

“I feel fine,” Ange assured.

Grace’s lip puckered contemplating as she opened a small jar that smelled like herbs and burned her nose like cold air.

“It would seem my energy had no diverse effects, but I did use very little,” he rubbed a fair amount of the light lime colored cream into her fingers and stated. “Let’s rub this in and join the others in the Council Chamber.”

She generously rubbed the cream on every one of Ange’s bruises, her long fingers were gentle and didn’t aggravate her sore flesh which Ange was undoubtedly grateful for. Afterward Ange pulled back on her blouse and quickly followed Grace out of the lab after she washed her hands.

They entered the Council Chamber to see the others already assembled around the giant table and the vessel of metallic liquid. Chrysaetos and Adam where nowhere to be seen.

Grace and Ange quickly walked past the two giant basin like seats that flacked their path. Ange paused surprised to see Showl, Corvus, Amaris, and Ileana dressed in expensive clothing.

The two male dragons looked like noble high-class gentlemen. Corvus and Showl wore dashing black suites and slacks with white silk undershirts. Corvus’s hair was combed back into a neat pony tail, a midnight blue cummerbund around his waist. Showl’s hair was neatly combed back from its usual disarrayed appearance, a silvery blue cummerbund around his waist. They both also sported simple silver band ear cuffs which Ange found amusing as it added to their devilish ‘bad boys’ appearance.

Amaris wore a petit close fit black dress with a v-shaped open back. The front of the dress had a silvery
onyx sash that started from the center of the low-cut dress and wrapped around her neck with a dark blue stone broach. A crusted chain of black and midnight blue gems wrapped around her waist. Teardrop black gems hung from her ears with a small blue diamond the same shade as the rest and behind her left ear were three silky black feathers only a few inches long which Ange suspected were from Corvus.

Ileana wore a
peerless long white dress, dramatically opposite in color from Amaris’s dress but the same design except for its length. She wore a golden sash around her waist, she was adorned by a golden bracelet and pearl earrings while her hair was half in a bun with brown curls falling down her neck with a net of pearls and a circlet of delicate gold.

Both girls wore light makeup and Ange realized the dresses were specifically designed to look beautiful but also conceal their marks and strangely enough it suited them.

Ange glanced over at Grace as she pulled of her lab coat and a long silvery white dress tumbled down her legs. The dress stretched up and cupped her neck as translucent veils cut over her shoulders.

Grace quickly pulled her hair back with a long gold broach and chain with small diamonds before clipping on diamond earrings and bracelet.

Ange noticed that all the girls wore similar gaudy shoes the pampered noblewoman often wore in Cyridell, just like the ones Vera loved to collect. High heels with silky lace, flowers and other small ornaments. Ange found them overly excessive and they looked horribly uncomfortable.

These three
wore simple laced shoes that matched their dresses and jewels.

“We left a dress for you in the room,” Amaris stated excitedly, running up to her and taking her hand to tug her along.

“Wait, Amaris,” Ileana voice stopped her in her tracks just as he tried to tug Ange along. “We need to discuss the plan.”

“That can wait for the ride,” Amaris insisted. “We don’t have time to waste,” she turned to Ange, “Don’t you have something to do before we attend the party?” she asked.

Ange grew serious, her body going cold as she nodded with determination. “I have to find Daren,” she stated with a quiet snarl. “And the sewers…I need to know if…” she trailed off, choking as she imagined the place in ruins, blast scorches across the walls and everything gone.

“No,” Ileana interrupted. “You can only do one thing or the other. Preferably something that won’t permeate your clothes with a foul stench.”

Ange glowered but nodded, it was true she couldn’t risk smelling likes sewage and if she found Daren, she would find her answers. She wished she could also look for Vera, perhaps she could. She didn’t know what she would do when she found Daren…

“This is yours,”
Eirian said quietly as she walked forth and presented Ange something that caught her by surprise.

She stared down shocked at her Black Owl’s armor. The shoulder damage was completely repaired and it didn’t look misshapen, it had been returned to its previous state before it had been ruined.

Something was different about it, it was slightly heavier than she remembered and something was folded at the top. She plucked it up and realized it was a hood with clips, even her boots were there.

“I made that to replace your old cape, I didn’t have enough time to add a cape to it…but it will hide your face. Also, I’ve replaced the padding inside it with Showl’s lightest scales so it will protect you better, I did not have time to enchant the armor beyond curing it to prevent
wear and damage.”

Ange picked up one of the boots and pushed the button at the back of the heel. With a sharp twang a long black blade shot out and she recognized one of Showl’s long fangs carved to fit the socket.

“When did you ask her to fix this?”
Ange asked softly, her mental voice emotional as she knew only Showl would have requested
for a thief’s armor to be fixed by a Sky Warrior smith.

“Before we left for
Ingled. I knew how much it meant to you so I asked Eirian if she could fix it,”
he replied gently, happy that she liked the results.

Ange felt tears swell up in her eyes as she quickly spun around and rushed for Showl.

He grunted in surprise as she hugged him, her free hand barely reached his back as she hugged her armor to her chest with the other.

“Thank you,” she murmured, repeating the thanks in her mind to him, it echoed.

She could feel joy radiate back from Showl as he hugged her back.

“I am not the one who fixed it,”
he reminded.

“But you are the one that asked,”
Ange responded as she let him go, smiling as she turned to Eirian with bright eyes.

“Thank you so much,” she stated with swelled emotion and appreciation.

Eirian smiled slightly and nodded as Falco side hugged her proudly, his face was beaming.

“Alright, Angeline,” Ileana cut into the moment and immediately gaining everyone’s attention. She laid a perplexing metal cube on the table and touched its side. A flash of light beamed up and a three-dimensional image was suddenly floating in the air.

It was a hologram, something Ange had only seen on sparing occasions in Cyridell. This hologram was clear and pristine, caring every possible detail compared to what she had seen in the city. It was a blueprint of a large mansion.

“This is where the compass will be,” Ileana stated as she pointed to a small room with a small vault. “There is a security system in place, lasers with a key code by the entrance.”

As if by command, red lines appeared in the room, making its already small space look more cramped.

“I don’t suppose you know the key,” Ange grumbled.

Ileana frowned and shook her head. “Afraid not, we could cut the electrical power but that would cause a scandal and the first thing to be checked would be the vault, there are two guards at the door. You’ll either have to knock them out or get in the room through the ventilation system,” Ileana stated as pointed to the large hall between the entrance room and stairs to the second floor where the vault laid.

“This is where the reception will be held, we will need to be present with the Adherent. They are not aware of your skills, nor will they suspect anything if you slip away and Showl is still present and there with a spectral clone of you.”

“Spectral clone?” Ange echoed.

“Watch,” Amaris stated excitedly. She pointed to the shadows under the table and an
apparition formed, a dark figure pulled itself out. Ileana then touched it and it gained color.

Ange stared dumbstruck at an exact copy of herself, standing and staring blankly. It turned and looked at her with false life light in its eyes. It slowly faded away, leaving Ange still staring at the spot it once stood at.

Ileana quickly explained. “It takes a lot of energy to make and it will not be convincing very long. We can make it move and make expressions but we cannot give it the ability to speak-”

“It’s only an illusion after all,” Amaris finished.

“Yes, and the Adherent will not be fooled for long,” Ileana continued. “You will only have ten minutes at the most and as soon as you have it you need to leave as fast as possible. Corvus and Amaris will be ready to take you out. Showl, Grace, and I will distract the Adherent and lead them away.”

Ange nodded with a swallow, immediately worrying
over Showl’s safety. She didn’t like the idea of only them three facing three dragons and their Silents.

“Grace, are her wounds tended to and did you confirm…”

“Yes, and my energy did not seem to have adverse effects. I believe she should be fine,” Grace confirmed.

“Fine from what?” Ange asked suspicious.

Ileana looked her straight in the eye as she picked up the box, ending the hologram. “The Compass is protected by wards, to prevent those with greedy intent from touching it. But those wards will not affect a Sky Warrior. Many such artifacts were enchanted during the Great Demise to prevent the Adherent and humans from using them for ill, then they were lost.”

Ange mused over the information for a moment, before speaking her concerns.

“Shouldn’t Corvus stay with you guys? Only three of you against six? They might go after Showl once the Compass is gone…Amaris can teleport me out by herself, can’t you?”

Ange directed to her friend who was already grimacing at her words.

“That’s the thing…it’s not teleportation, its breaking down the body into dark matter and then moving undeterred at the velocity of light…I can’t do that with anyone else that is not affiliated with the element…”

Ange didn’t know what dark matter was but hope still sparked in her. “But I’m an
elemerntal thaumaturge. Isn’t it possible?”

“So long as you are also a
Dragonbound, it is not,” Ileana stated sadly and simply.

Ange turned to look at her, confused and surprised by the note of sorrow.

“Go get dressed. Amaris will help you,” Ileana turned to look at her sister. “Hurry we don’t have a lot of time.”

Amaris nodded seriously and once again grabbed Ange’s arm, yanking her away.

Ange quickly found herself in her room, a silky icy blue dress already on the bed. Eirian was an amazing seamstress, she and Ileana usually worked on any of the clothes the others had. But Corvus, Grace, and Amaris also had a knack for it. They were a talented bunch with almost an endless stream of talents. The twins were also artists, as well as culinary artists. Ileana though loved to write while her sister explored more into painting.

Ange stared at the dress feeling inadequate and wondered if perhaps they had all worked on the dress. It was lovely, a short trim that would flaunt past her knees and the shoulders of the dress were cut with designs and fine stitchery.

Ange quickly took off her clothes as Amaris set a few objects on the desk.

Ange pulled on the dress, almost surprised at the perfect fit and the cold velvety material as it skimmed her skin. Amaris quickly tied the lace in the back and instructed her to put on her shoes, tying the powder blue lace several times around her ankles, Ange experimentally walked around on the one inch heels, quickly learning to balance on the uncomfortable shoes.

She reluctantly allowed Amaris to pull a comb through her hair and make a few trims. She watched as Amaris placed a broach in the shape of a snowflake and cut out of fine crystal into her hair. Then she grimaced as they applied makeup to her face. When she looked into the mirror, she almost didn’t recognize the girl that stared back at her with wide hazel eyes, cosmetics, and crystal teardrop jewels handing from her earlobes.

Ange let out a long breath, suddenly very nervous as she took in other features. She had grown slightly taller and her chest looked more developed, even her face seemed to be beautifying.

“Turn your daggers into a small blade you can clamp around your thigh,” Amaris instructed as she handed Ange her belt and daggers. “Also, command your Key to swallow your armor.”

Ange nodded and did as instructed, shocked as the pommel’s jewel glowed and a vortex of light swallowed her
Dragonbound Armor. She watched confused as Amaris hovered a winged metallic pendant with a glassy gem over her black armor and muttered a few words. Ange watched shocked as her uniform was sucked into the crystal in the blink of an eye.

Amaris smiled smugly as she clipped the necklace around Ange’s neck after Ange had placed the cool dagger, sheath, and band around her left thigh.