Baleful Betrayal by John Corwin Page A

"Destroyer, I think your rocket stick is broken."
    "Broken?" The odor of fried electronics stung my nostrils.
    "It turned off during my descent, but thankfully, I was only a few feet from the ground." He looked down. "I am sorry."
    I tested the switch, but the rocket stick didn't respond. "It's okay." I didn't like being grounded, but there wasn't much I could do about it.
    Another seraph pushed past the first. "Did you see Jova below?"
    I stood up and shook my head. "I'm sorry, no."
    "He landed only a hundred yards from you," he replied, voice rising with agitation.
    "He fell near the river," Flava said. "I am sorry, Axo, but he's gone."
    "I wish to look for him."
    Flava's lips tightened into a line. "Do you think your brother would want you to abandon the mission and look for him?"
    "I do not care what he would want!" Axo said. "I will not abandon family!"
    "We are your family," Flava said. "Your brothers and sisters who have fought by your side. Do you remember what Jova said before our attack on the crystoid?"
    Axo squeezed his eyes and looked down. "Yes," he whimpered.
    "If I die, I pray you fight on. Victory brings honor to the living and dead. If Cephus wins, the dead will be poured into mass graves and forgotten." Flava gripped Axo's arm. "Brother, I do not wish to be forgotten."
    Nailan raised a fist overhead. "Remember the dead!"
    The others roared the mantra.
    Axo wiped tears from his eyes. "My only regret is that the Destroyer could not save him as he saved Eoriss."
    His words stung, the venom making my heart so heavy I couldn't breathe. There were so many I hadn't been able to save—Vallaena, Nightliss, all those who fought in the wars. I knew it wasn't my fault, but every loss added another weight and this asshole wasn't helping matters.
    Eoriss stared at him with open-mouthed horror. "How cruel to say such a thing, Axo! Jova was too far away for the Destroyer to reach."
    I took a deep breath as anger burned through the regret and let it harden my heart. "We've all lost loved ones and seen more than our fair share of death and destruction." Turning my gaze on Axo, I held back the sharp rebuke I wanted to deliver and settled for something softer. "I'm sorry for the loss of your brother, but we have a mission to save thousands in Tarissa and perhaps the entire realm of Seraphina."
    Demon flames ignited in my eyes and I held Axo's hard look until he shrank away. "If you care nothing for honor, leave us."
    The seraph looked down and shivered. "I am sorry, Destroyer. I will not forsake my duty."
    I nodded and turned to Flava. "Let's move out."
    She nodded. "As you command, Destroyer." Flava pointed to the southern side of the arch. "The Mzodi often dock their ships at the town of Ooskai."
    "What exactly are these sky fishers?" I asked.
    Flava touched the gem on her uniform. "They harvest the gems from the depths of the vortexes where the extreme forces cause the aether to crystallize."
    I examined the faceted green stone. "Oh, I thought the Darklings made the gems themselves."
    "Life as we know it would be impossible without gems," she said. "Though gems can be safely harvested from the land around a vortex, the Mzodi brave the deeps where the most powerful crystals are formed."
    I had visions of pirates flying galleons into tornados, tossing nets, and hauling in a bounty of booty. "What do their ships look like?"
    A smile creased her lips. "They really must be seen to be appreciated."
    I was stoked. "We're going to see angel pirates on flying ships!"
    Elyssa's face scrunched. "I don't know how you went from sky fishers to sky pirates."
    "Just a logical progression," I assured her. I hooked my arm in hers and started hustling over the stone bridge. "I hope their captain has a peg-leg and an eye patch. Shelton's gonna be so jealous."
    Elyssa tossed a bucket of cold water on my enthusiasm. "I'm picturing a bunch of old men with fishing poles."
    "Stop it!" I gave her a hurt look. "You're destroying my fantasy