Forged in Fire, page 29
Following Alanar’s directions, Owyn got to his feet and let Treesi chain his wrists behind him. As the second manacle clicked closed, he shivered.
“Are you all right?” she asked, resting her hand on the small of his back.
“I... maybe?” Owyn answered. He forced a laugh. “I... it’s not the first time. For sex, I mean. But the last one... that was Fandor.”
“Oh, fuck, Owyn!” Alanar gasped. “And you didn’t tell me that why?” He reached out, resting his hand on Owyn’s waist. “Is this something you still want to try?”
Owyn closed his eyes for a moment, rolling his shoulders as much as he could. Treesi’s hand was warm, and Alanar’s hand was scorching. He wanted that heat, needed it.
“I want this,” he said. “I want to see the difference. With both of you.”
Alanar smiled, and reached out with his other hand to tug Owyn to him, giving him gentle instructions and steadying him until Owyn was kneeling astride his legs on the chair. He reached behind Owyn and took the chain in one hand.
“There now,” Alanar said, his voice suddenly deeper. “Now what are you going to do, hm?”
Owyn shivered and pressed closer to Alanar. “I... not much, I don’t think,” he answered.
Alanar’s deep laugh washed over Owyn like warm velvet. “Oh, I can think of one thing,” he murmured. “You’re going to scream for me.”
AVEN WOKE SLOWLY, WITH Aria’s scent in his nose and her weight on his chest. It was dark in the room, the tiny flame in the oil lamp trimmed sleeping-low, casting barely enough light to see. What had awakened him? Aria mumbled something in her sleep and cuddled closer, and Aven closed his eyes to try and go back to sleep when he heard it again.
Someone was moving around in the corridor.
Aven blinked and started to shift out from beneath Aria. She gasped, and grabbed for him.
“Aven?” she whispered. “I... what is it?”
“I heard something,” he answered. “I think Owyn might be back.”
“Oh? Oh, dear,” Aria murmured. She let him go and sat up. “Go and see?”
“I was going to. I didn’t mean to wake you up.” He sat up and reached for her, kissing her gently. “Let me go see if he’s all right. If he’s back here, he might not be.” He slipped out of the bed and turned up the flame in the lamp so that he could better see. Aria was sitting up in the bed, the sheets puddled around her hips, her hair wild around her face. He leaned in and kissed her again, then headed for the door.
“Owyn?” he called as he opened the door. “Is that you? Is something wrong?”
There was a figure in the corridor outside the door, and Aven had just enough time to see that it was a man, that he was too tall to be Owyn, and that he was wearing a mask over his mouth and nose. Then he raised something and sprayed a fine mist into Aven’s face. Aven gasped, stepping backward, tasting the liquid on his tongue, smelling it. It was familiar...
Dreamflower!
He spat and blew out hard through his nose, trying to clear the dreamflower from his head, but he could already feel the effects. Everything seemed to be slowing down, seemed to be blurring. The figure came into the room, the container raised, doing something with his hands. Pumping, Aven realized. He was using one of the aerosol bottles that they used in the healing complex, to spray medication on wounds. He was building pressure to spray the mist again. He had to stop them, before they used it on Aria. He lurched forward; the attacker stepped back and raised the container again, then swore as something crashed into the wall next to him. Shards of glass flew everywhere, and the attacker staggered to the side. He didn’t drop the container, though — he raised it, spraying wildly, catching Aven in the face as Aven attacked.
Aven fell, hearing Aria shouting as the world spun and darkened around him. He had to get up. He had to protect her.
“Time for a nap, Fish.”
Warm, stinking mist splattered into his face, and he realized as the world faded away that he knew that voice.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
THE WATER SMELLED WRONG.
It was the first thing that Aven noticed as he woke up — he was wet, but the water smelled wrong. No, not wrong. Sick. The water smelled sick. He blinked, blinked again, groaning at the pain in his head. It was from the dreamflower, more than likely. Between the pain and the stench, he felt his gorge rising. He swallowed, pushing himself up on his hands. It was then he noticed the manacles around his wrists, the weight on his ankles. He stared at his hands for a moment, then looked around.
He was alone. Stone walls rose over his head, dark and crusted with salt. There was a ladder, and a lantern hung from a chain high above. It cast enough light for him to see the chain hanging from the ceiling. It led to the ring that connected the manacles on his wrists. And when he tried to stand, he found that the chains on his ankles were attached to rings set into the stone floor. Where was he?
And where was Aria?
He looked around again, and the last of the dreamflower haze burned off with a sudden, panicked realization.
He was underground. He had to be, in order for there to be water creeping in. He was underground, and he was trapped.
“Can anyone hear me?” he shouted. “Is anyone there?” His voice echoed off the stones, and he pushed himself up to his knees, then managed to get to his feet. The chains kept his feet shoulder-width apart, and he tugged against the rings on the floor for another futile moment before raising his voice again. “Can anyone hear me?”
Above his head, he heard a metallic screeching, and voices.
“He’s awake. That was faster than I’d expected.” Risha appeared at the top of the ladder, looking down at him. “We’ve hours yet before we can properly begin.” She shook her head. “I’d put him out again, but I can’t guarantee I’d be done with her before the tide came in.”
“Just let him stay, then.” Aven’s heart lurched as the second figure moved into view. He’d recognized his attacker’s voice, he thought. Now he knew for certain. Teva joined Risha near the ladder. “It’s not like he’s going anywhere.”
“Risha, what is this?” Aven called. He was shivering. The tide, she said. The tide was coming in. This room... he glanced up at the walls. At the salt-crusted walls. This room would flood.
“An experiment,” Risha answered. “I’ve been trying so hard over the years, to save you poor beasts. To deliver all of you from your misery and make you human. I’ve had such success with the bird-folk. But the fish... oh, you’ve given me so much trouble!”
“Deliver us... Risha, we are human!” Aven protested.
Teva snorted. “Why are you explaining it to him? He can’t understand. He’s a fish!”
“He’s half-human,” Risha said. “He’s Pirit’s grandson. He has the potential to be human. If he survives the process.”
“What process?” Aven demanded. “What are you doing to me?”
Risha smiled. “I’ve tried many things over the years, you know. Removing the gills, for example. The surgery is very intricate, but it never really worked properly.”
Aven swallowed, raising his hands and touching his throat, the ridges that marked his gills. “You... you can’t—”
“Perhaps someone with more skill might be able to do it,” Risha continued. “Then I thought, perhaps if we can break the cycle of the change? Hence, this experiment. We’ve come close, but I think perhaps my specimens weren’t the best. The closest I’ve come was the last one.”
Aven moaned softly. He knew what was going to happen now, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. This was what had happened to Virrik. This was what had destroyed Virrik’s legs.
“You murdered Virrik,” he croaked. “You’re going to murder me.” He looked around. “Where is Aria? What have you done with her?”
“Oh, don’t worry about her. She’ll be fine. I’ve perfected the techniques to save the bird-folk,” Risha answered. “She’s lovely. She’ll be perfect, once we remove those abominable wings.” She shook her head. “Now, we’ve hours left. I need to prepare her. So we’ll leave you here. I’ll come back later.” She glanced up. “Teva, darling, we need to finish setting up the experiment.”
“Yes, Risha,” Teva answered. He moved out of sight, and Aven heard more metallic screeching; the chain that dangled from the ceiling slowly started to rise.
“Risha,” Aven called, tugging against the chain as it rose higher, pulling his arms up over his head. “Risha, don’t! Please! You’ll kill us!”
Risha just laughed as the machine finally stopped, leaving Aven dangling, his feet barely on the wet stones.
“There. Now the experiment is set, even if I’m not here to see it start.” She looked up again. “You have trouble with the dark. I remember. I’ll leave you the light. Teva, come along.”
THE THUNDERCLAP THAT woke Owyn was so loud, and went on for so long, that it felt as if it was shaking the bed. He jerked, tugging against the chains that still bound his wrists. The evening had been educational in many ways. Alanar had indeed made him scream, and more than once. Then Treesi had joined in, and they’d passed Owyn back and forth between them like a favorite toy, teaching him things about sex and pleasure and his body that he’d never learned on the streets. They’d fallen asleep curled around each other like a nest of fire-mice. And, apparently, they’d all fallen asleep at roughly the same time, and no one had been awake long enough to remember to let him loose. Alanar was sprawled face-down on his wide bed, with Owyn half on top of him, half underneath Treesi.
Owyn blinked in the gloom, looking at the dark window. It looked like it was still hours until dawn, so he settled back down, repositioning his head on Alanar’s shoulder, and closed his eyes, relaxing against the other man’s warmth, feeling under his cheek the top of the ridge of scar that was all that was left of Alanar’s left wing. The long scars ran from Alanar’s shoulder blades to the small of his back, perfectly straight converging lines that were horrifying in their significance. Owyn rubbed his cheek against it, feeling Treesi shift where she was curled up against his back. Until the thunder rolled again; another deep, booming rumble that Owyn felt in his chest. He heard Treesi gasp behind him, and her nails dug into his thigh; he hissed in protest, which woke Alanar.
“Was that thunder?” Alanar mumbled. He scrubbed one hand over his face. “Is it morning?”
“I don’t know,” Treesi answered. “It’s dark out.” Alanar’s bed shifted as she untangled herself from them and got up, leaving the room. Alanar shifted out from underneath Owyn and rolled onto his side, pulling Owyn closer and running his hand down Owyn’s arm. His brows rose.
“We never unlocked you?” he asked. “Are you uncomfortable?”
“I’m fine,” Owyn answered. He was very aware of Alanar’s body pressed against his, the warm length of him comforting and arousing all at once. Then Alanar moved closer still and kissed Owyn, reaching behind him and grabbing the chain in one hand. Owyn whimpered, but Alanar broke the kiss as Treesi came back into the bedroom.
“Allie, is the water clock broken?” she asked.
“I don’t think so,” Alanar answered. “Why?”
“Rounds started half an hour ago.”
Alanar let go of Owyn and sat up. “What?” he gasped. “It can’t be that late!”
“It’s so dark out, I thought it was wrong.” Treesi came into the room, grabbing the keys off the desk. “We need to wash up and get going. I don’t know why there’s not someone pounding on our door!” She hurried around the bed, sitting down and reaching over to unlock the manacles. “I’ll put these in your basket, Owyn.”
“You two should hurry up and get where you need to go,” Owyn said, sitting up and stretching. “I can find my own way out.” He frowned. “Shouldn’t Aven be here by now, if rounds have started? Wouldn’t he be the one banging the door down?”
Treesi stopped and stared at him. “He’s late, too? Oh, and after yesterday... Risha will have his head on a plate!”
“Right,” Alanar grumbled. “New plan. Trees, you and Owyn go find him. He’s probably still asleep. I’ll get out to rounds and stall Risha. If one of us gets started, then she won’t be as mad.”
“You hope?” Treesi asked.
“I hope.” Alanar scrubbed his hand over his face and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. “Hurry.”
They rushed through washing up and dressing, and headed out into the healing complex. The corridors were quiet, but it didn’t feel like the usual quiet. Owyn stopped as they came out of the wheel.
“Something’s wrong,” he murmured.
“You feel it, too?” Alanar asked. “Something is off. I don’t know—”
“Healer Alanar!” A young woman in healer whites appeared at the end of the corridor and rushed toward them. “There you are. We’ve been looking for you. Do you know where the Senior Healer is?”
Alanar blanched. “She’s not here? Malani, what’s going on?”
“I don’t know,” Malani answered. “There’s a terrible storm coming in off the ocean, and Rhexa’s ordered us to prepare for the worst, but I can’t find the Senior Healer.”
“That’s why it’s so dark,” Treesi murmured. Alanar nodded, dragging his fingers through his hair.
“Right. All right. All right. Malani, you know the procedures for storm preparedness. Get Beryn and bring the patients to the lower levels and see them comfortable.” He continued giving orders, and sent Malani off at a run. “We’ll join you as soon as we can!” he shouted after her. Then he turned toward Treesi and Owyn. “Owyn, did anyone tell you what to do in a storm?”
“No,” Owyn answered. “Why?”
“Because Terraces gets hit hard with summer and fall storms, and if Rhexa is telling the healers to prepare, then this looks to be a bad one. Everyone has their storm shelter, but if you haven’t been told where to go to evacuate, Aven and Aria won’t know where to go either. And we need Aven here. All healers shelter in the healing complex.” Alanar turned. “Treesi, let’s go.”
“You’re both going with me?” Owyn said. “But rounds—”
“Rounds are suspended in an emergency,” Alanar answered. “No way you could know that, since no one told you about storms. We need to get Aven and Aria to safety. So let’s go.”
Walking out of the healing complex was like walking into a whirlwind. Owyn was blown back several steps before he recovered from the shock.
“It was never this bad in Forge!” he shouted over the screaming wind.
“This is worse than any I can remember,” Alanar shouted back. “We need to hurry!”
They pushed through the streets, passing people rushing to wherever they were supposed to shelter. Treesi kept hold of Alanar’s hand, and as they made the turn on to Southwest, Owyn took Alanar’s other hand. He could see the storm clouds seething in the distance, flickering bright with lightning.
“It smells close,” Alanar said. “Treesi, how much time do we have?”
“None,” Treesi answered without hesitation. “We have no time. Owyn, go on ahead. Run. We’ll catch you up. Or you’ll meet us.”
“Right. Be careful,” Owyn said. He squeezed Alanar’s hand and took off running, trying hard not to stare out at the storm. He’d never seen one like it, and it was fascinating and terrifying at the same time. He burst through the door into Fourteen, and immediately knew something was wrong.
“Aven!” he shouted. “Aria! We need to go!”
There was no answer. He headed down the corridor, peering into the kitchen, seeing Trinket in the middle of the floor. He darted in and scooped her up. “Hey, Trinket,” he murmured. “Not safe for you here, either. Come on. Where is everyone?” He headed back out into the corridor, going back to the bedrooms.
They were empty. Aria’s bedroom was completely wrecked, blankets and pillows on the floor, broken glass near the door. Owyn stood there for a moment, blinking. Then he turned and looked into the room he would be sharing with Aven. Nothing out of place. Nothing moved. Nothing changed.
“Owyn?” Treesi called. “Owyn, where are you?”
“They... they’re gone!” Owyn called back. He looked around the bedroom, seeing the smoke blades and swords on their hooks, and Aven’s battered carry-bag on his bed. “Treesi, they’re gone, but they’re not gone where it’s safe. Something’s happened!” He backed out of the bedroom, turning to see Treesi and Alanar in the corridor. “They’re not here. The room is all broken up, and Aven’s carrybag is here and he wouldn’t have left it. They’re gone. They’re gone and—” His entire world wobbled, and he grabbed the doorframe. “They were took. Someone took them. Marik... his birds... where the fuck were Marik’s birds?”
“Owyn, slow down,” Alanar said. He brushed past Treesi and came to stand with Owyn, resting his hands on Owyn’s shoulders. “How do you know they didn’t go willingly? Someone could have come and taken them to shelter. Marik could have come and gotten them.”
Owyn swallowed, looked back into the bedroom. “My blades. Aven’s swords. Aven’s bag. They wouldn’t have left those behind. And...” He tugged away from Alanar, went and picked up the bag. He reached in, feeling the Diadem, the unclaimed gem. Aven’s salt jar. And...
“The pearl is still here,” he said. “Aven wouldn’t have left this behind. Not today.”
Alanar gulped audibly. “All right. What now? We need to get to shelter.”
Owyn closed his eyes, trying to think. Trying not to panic. They were gone. They’d been taken.
He had to find them.
Which meant...
“We need to get out of here,” he said, opening his eyes. “We need to get away.” He went to his dresser, taking his book from on top and shoving it into his bag. He opened the map that Rhexa had given him and studied it for a moment, then nodded and put it into the bag as well. Then he slung the bag over his shoulder and started picking up other things. His whip chain. His smoke blades. “Alanar, do you mind wearing something on your back?” he asked.
