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
“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
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