Valley of Fires: A Conquered Earth Novel (The Conquered Earth Series) by J. Barton Mitchell Page B
Authors: J. Barton Mitchell
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They, at least, will not be yours.”
Where before his voice had seemed cold, now it was almost warm, affectionate. “Not taking that ship would be denying your people their share of profit and power.”
Avril dug the knife in again, feeling the anger build. “They aren’t my people.”
“Then why react so violently to the suggestion?”
Avril paused, staring at the man hatefully. “What would your men do? If I slit your throat right here? Even knowing who I am?”
“They would kill you, girl,” Tiberius said.
“Exactly. I will fight and die unless you tell your mindless thugs to leave that ship and its crew alone. I swear it. What happens to your legacy then?”
The two stared at one another. Tiberius smiled again, and this time, there was warmth in it. The sight only made Avril angrier. “I’m proud of you. For taking what you want, not asking for it like a Wind Trader. Perhaps your time with the White Helix was worth it. Perhaps Gideon and I had more in common than I assumed.”
“Say his name again, and I will kill you,” Avril whispered dangerously. “Gideon was more a father to me than you ever were, and you are nothing alike.”
If Tiberius was hurt, he made no indication. He just studied Avril, as if for the first time, long and intensely, and there grew a satisfaction in his face. He liked what he saw, and it made Avril nervous.
“We will grant my daughter’s wish, as a gift for her return,” he announced out loud. “This ship and its crew are hers, no harm is to come to them. You see her strength. You see she is worthy of us. With her here, more power will follow.”
The crowd stared back a moment, unsure … then it erupted into cheers again. More gunfire lit up the air.
Avril slowly released Tiberius, letting him stand, and she studied the pirates, perplexed. They were even more roused up than before, more excited, and Avril wondered if this hadn’t been Tiberius’s plan all along.
Her father turned and stared above them, far above, to the Pinnacle that flew the strange, reversed Menagerie flag. The boy at the top, the one with the blond hair, stared back a moment, then did something interesting. He saluted Tiberius, as if acknowledging a grand performance.
Who was that boy, Avril wondered. And what was going on in this place?
Tiberius looked away and this time his gaze settled on someone else, someone at the edge of the dock, behind everyone else, someone who had remained unseen until now.
“Hello, Holt,” Tiberius said.
Holt didn’t reply, but neither did he lower his gaze. The stare that passed between the two was intense, and Avril wondered again just what the history was between them.
9. WIND SHEAR
“MAX!” MIRA YELLED as the dog darted down into the lower decks of the ship and disappeared, in hot pursuit of the orange cat that had taunted him one time too many. She moved to follow, then felt the shock wave rip through the ship. Her balance faltered, she felt shaky, but it had very little to do with the explosion itself.
Maybe a hundred feet away, the Wind Star, the vessel she was supposed to be on, incinerated in a fireball.
“Keep your stupid dog out of the way!” Dresden yelled as he dashed toward the helm, dodging through his crew running everywhere like ants.
“It’s not my dog!” she said defensively, but her feelings on the subject were conflicted now. If it hadn’t been for Max, she wouldn’t be on the Wind Shear right now, she’d be dead, and all because of his obsession with a cat.
“Then why is it on my ship?” Dresden was, admittedly, a little flustered. “For that matter, why are you on my ship?”
Mira pushed through the chaos after him. “He was looking for your cat! It keeps baiting him and—”
“Nemo doesn’t bait anybody. ” He cut her off.
Another explosion shook the ship, and Mira felt its wheels come off the ground and then slam back down. The impact sent her tumbling to the deck, and everyone else reeling.
Giant,
Where before his voice had seemed cold, now it was almost warm, affectionate. “Not taking that ship would be denying your people their share of profit and power.”
Avril dug the knife in again, feeling the anger build. “They aren’t my people.”
“Then why react so violently to the suggestion?”
Avril paused, staring at the man hatefully. “What would your men do? If I slit your throat right here? Even knowing who I am?”
“They would kill you, girl,” Tiberius said.
“Exactly. I will fight and die unless you tell your mindless thugs to leave that ship and its crew alone. I swear it. What happens to your legacy then?”
The two stared at one another. Tiberius smiled again, and this time, there was warmth in it. The sight only made Avril angrier. “I’m proud of you. For taking what you want, not asking for it like a Wind Trader. Perhaps your time with the White Helix was worth it. Perhaps Gideon and I had more in common than I assumed.”
“Say his name again, and I will kill you,” Avril whispered dangerously. “Gideon was more a father to me than you ever were, and you are nothing alike.”
If Tiberius was hurt, he made no indication. He just studied Avril, as if for the first time, long and intensely, and there grew a satisfaction in his face. He liked what he saw, and it made Avril nervous.
“We will grant my daughter’s wish, as a gift for her return,” he announced out loud. “This ship and its crew are hers, no harm is to come to them. You see her strength. You see she is worthy of us. With her here, more power will follow.”
The crowd stared back a moment, unsure … then it erupted into cheers again. More gunfire lit up the air.
Avril slowly released Tiberius, letting him stand, and she studied the pirates, perplexed. They were even more roused up than before, more excited, and Avril wondered if this hadn’t been Tiberius’s plan all along.
Her father turned and stared above them, far above, to the Pinnacle that flew the strange, reversed Menagerie flag. The boy at the top, the one with the blond hair, stared back a moment, then did something interesting. He saluted Tiberius, as if acknowledging a grand performance.
Who was that boy, Avril wondered. And what was going on in this place?
Tiberius looked away and this time his gaze settled on someone else, someone at the edge of the dock, behind everyone else, someone who had remained unseen until now.
“Hello, Holt,” Tiberius said.
Holt didn’t reply, but neither did he lower his gaze. The stare that passed between the two was intense, and Avril wondered again just what the history was between them.
9. WIND SHEAR
“MAX!” MIRA YELLED as the dog darted down into the lower decks of the ship and disappeared, in hot pursuit of the orange cat that had taunted him one time too many. She moved to follow, then felt the shock wave rip through the ship. Her balance faltered, she felt shaky, but it had very little to do with the explosion itself.
Maybe a hundred feet away, the Wind Star, the vessel she was supposed to be on, incinerated in a fireball.
“Keep your stupid dog out of the way!” Dresden yelled as he dashed toward the helm, dodging through his crew running everywhere like ants.
“It’s not my dog!” she said defensively, but her feelings on the subject were conflicted now. If it hadn’t been for Max, she wouldn’t be on the Wind Shear right now, she’d be dead, and all because of his obsession with a cat.
“Then why is it on my ship?” Dresden was, admittedly, a little flustered. “For that matter, why are you on my ship?”
Mira pushed through the chaos after him. “He was looking for your cat! It keeps baiting him and—”
“Nemo doesn’t bait anybody. ” He cut her off.
Another explosion shook the ship, and Mira felt its wheels come off the ground and then slam back down. The impact sent her tumbling to the deck, and everyone else reeling.
Giant,
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