Sapphire Ambition (Runics Book 2) Read online

  He approaches carefully, anticipating a somber conversation, but when she hears him she barks, “How in the world do you sleep in so late, anyway? You’re good for absolutely nothing, I swear.”

  Her partner is taken aback by the sudden harshness. “Hey, you let me sleep in, and now you’re complaining? Apparently you wanted more time to sulk!”

  “Sulk? Me?” She stands to meet him and slaps his shoulder. “I’m ready to ditch this dirty nation and get back to the land of my ancestors!”

  Era’s jaw drops. “But yesterday you-”

  “Yesterday is ancient history,” she interrupts. “I just… needed time. It all happened so fast, but Fire is right. Alleria is probably our safest destination right now, and you… you were going to leave me, right?” she asks with a forced chuckle. “Plus that backstabber took all the money she made off my rune. I’m getting my share of that.”

  Era smiles in relief, but, as Jem gathers her belongings with a smug grin, his demeanor shifts. “Jem, I’m asking you to return home, and I know you have pain that I can’t understand. Maybe I could help if you’d fill me in.”

  Jem shrugs. “I already told you the details. What more do you want to know?”

  “You’ve only told me you were taken in by Valvoren troops,” he says. “I know they brought you over during the war, but that doesn’t explain your hesitation with returning.”

  “Maybe I’m just bitter my people abandoned me,” she says. “Leaving behind a poor orphan like me with a looming Valvoran invasion on the horizon. Give me a break!”

  Era grimaces. “Who did the general say he knew? His name sounded like yours. Wasn’t it Jemson?”

  “He was just… he was…” she replies, flustered. “He was just someone in the military who looked after me. I guess they knew each other.”

  “If you’d just let me-”

  “You should know when to butt out,” she barks. When he shrinks back, she rubs the bridge of her nose and says, “I’m sorry, Era. Just… not now.”

  He sits in surrender, allowing Jem to pack in silence, and he absent-mindedly runs his hand over what remains of his left shoulder.

  Jem notices the motion and asks, “How are you doing?”

  Era realizes his mindless action and stops. “O-Oh, I’m fine. I’m just…” He scratches the back of his head and admits, “Actually, I’m really not doing so well. I have a lot of bothersome questions swimming around in my head.”

  “I can only imagine,” she admits. “What question is bothering you the most?”

  “I mean… what am I? Besides a rune, apparently.” He leans forward and says, “None of it makes any sense! Fake memories, real memories… I’m trying to sort them all out while dealing with the fact that I don’t know who I am. That’s starting to get to me.”

  “You are who you are,” she insists. “Don’t worry about the details.”

  “Easy for you to say. I’m not a human being, Jem! I was made from a rock. You may have cultural issues, but I have being issues.”

  “Hey now, my situation isn’t any more resolved,” she argues in defense. “You’re neither human nor rune, and I’m neither Valvoran nor Allerian.”

  He sighs. “I don’t know, Jem. I feel like I need to understand why I was made. I’ve always believed I was destined to be a master thief, born to follow in my fake father’s footsteps. I had a purpose, and that was ripped away from me. What else of ‘Era’ is no longer true?”

  Jem knows she cannot offer advice. Her partner’s struggles parallel her own, sure, yet they are also far beyond a simple identity crisis. She clears her throat and offers a smile. “That fake father of yours had to have given you some advice about this, right?”

  A false memory strikes Era, and he perks up. “Yeah, he used to say, ‘You are who you need to be in the moment.’ But I’m pretty sure he was referring to fake identities when you’re wanted for a crime.”

  Jem cracks a smile. “For once, I like his advice. In this moment, beyond anything else, you and I need to be partners. So let’s go to Alleria and get your answers. Together.”

  Her partner is grateful for her support. “Let me gather my things.”

  Chapter 4

  Arriving at Canterin stirs a mix of emotions within the two travelers, as the sights and seaside aroma elicit memories from their original journey with Di. They remain silent as they casually stroll under the archway at the town’s entrance, blending with the crowds while keeping a close eye on the guards. Jem in particular keeps her head down and hides her tan hands under her clothes. To their relief, they make it through the gate without drawing attention to themselves.

  The marketplace is as alive as it was the last time Era was here. Shoppers of all ages scurry to and fro while perusing the latest fashions, and the rune shops are packed with hobbyists pining for the newest programming advances. Era rests his hand on the stolen rune in his pocket, wondering what price the air blade would fetch with this crowd.

  “Good thing Fire wasn’t with us,” Jem says. “She would have made me sneak in.”

  “I think we’re lucky Canterin can afford their own guards,” Era says. “If the military were here, surely they’d be stopping every Allerian to look for you, right?”

  “There are more of us here than you’d think,” Jem says. “A nationwide search of every city for every Allerian would take far more manpower than what the military currently has. Trust me.”

  Era smiles to himself. Jem’s propensity for ‘knowing’ things she knows nothing about always amuses him. Still, he can’t deny that their entrance was easy, and his partner’s reasoning would certainly explain why there are dozens of Allerians intermingled with the crowds.

  Without receiving any clear directions on how to meet up with Fire, they wander to the docks and wait, forced to speculate what kind of rendezvous their market friend had in mind. Finally, a hand reaches out, grabs Era’s shoulder, and yanks him around.

  “Hey, get off-!” Era starts.

  “Shut up!” Fire hushes. “What in the world made you two risk a casual stroll into town? Are you really still this ignorant after all we’ve been through?”

  “You never gave us a meeting place.”

  “Outside the wall would be a great first place to look.”

  Era looks past his short ally to find her hostage-turned-servant in tow. “Hey Ospif! Still traveling with Fire, I see?”

  “Not by choice,” he laments. “I fail to understand why I’m still of value to any of you.”

  “What exactly is his worth?” Jem asks.

  “Very little,” Fire complains. “I did some digging, and the royal pain, here, is the king’s cousin alright. Problem is that the king has an abundance of other relatives, so he’s something like twenty-third in line to ascend the throne. Not special.”

  “Hey, just because I’m seventh in line doesn’t mean-”

  “Just shut up,” Fire interrupts, using her tiptoes to get in his face. “You’re still staying with us until I say otherwise. Got it?” Turning to Era, she says, “You two stay here with the royal pain. I started negotiations with a local smuggler yesterday, and we’ve nearly reached an agreement.”

  Era glances around. “Where’s the bag of bank?”

  “Hidden, naturally,” Fire says. “These cutthroats have shady connections. If word gets out I’m carrying enough money to smuggle three people into Alleria, the military will be the least of my worries. That’s also why I’ve been positioning this as a solo venture until the price has been locked.”

  Jem rolls her eyes. “Yes, yes, we get it. You know what you’re doing. We’re indebted to you for your expertise! Go finish making the deal, already.”

  “Just don’t let him get away,” she warns as she heads to the dock.

  “As if I’m going anywhere while bandit-boy here has my research,” he quips.

  “You don’t sound too scared of us,” Era notes, disappointed. “Why aren’t you scared of us?”

  “Frankly, I don’t
buy your laughable bluffs,” he says. “Only someone with jellyfish for brains would mess with royalty.”

  “No offense, Ospif, but you’re barely royalty,” he retorts. “Even Jem might be ahead of you for the throne.”

  “Har, har,” he replies in sarcasm. “I’ll have you know that my father was first in line for the throne. Had he not died in the war, my uncle would never have assumed the crown when grandfather died.”

  “Whoa,” Era comments. “So your dad was the older brother?”

  “By quite a number of years,” Ospif answers with lamentation. “Still, though it would be the next generation, it’s possible the throne will return to my father’s line, what with the queen’s sterility.” Met with two blank expressions, he asks, “Are neither of you aware of this?”

  “We’re not the types to follow royal gossip,” Jem admits.

  “Gossip!? This is urgent business for the entire nation! If the king has no offspring, the Haran family lineage will be at risk of losing the monarchy!”

  “Why not just have offspring, then?” Era asks.

  “Because the queen can’t have babies,” Jem replies.

  “Oh, the queen is sterile?”

  “Yes, I literally just said that,” Ospif gripes.

  Era frowns. “I still don’t see how this affects us.”

  “I suppose I should expect nothing less from uneducated ruffians,” Ospif says. He clears his throat and explains, “The beautiful Queen Saleen was married to our king a year following the war’s end… to much fanfare, I might add. She was a commoner he met during his travels in the war’s aftermath and thus became the symbol of hope our rebuilding nation desperately needed. However, she was soon found to be a rather sickly matron, and now we’re nine years into a marriage with no child.”

  “What’s the big deal?” Era asks. “So the crown passes to his nephew or whatever. It still stays with you Harans, right?”

  “Era, even I know how important it is for a monarchy to maintain its line,” Jem explains. “If the king dies without an heir, which nephew is first in line? At best it will be chaos, and, at worst, civil war. Either way, it’s a perfect opportunity for an Allerian invasion.”

  Ospif is aghast. “Just what is your people planning, Allerian!?”

  Jem burrows her face into her hand, but Era just shrugs. “Sounds like the king needs a new queen if his is broken. I guess that makes-OW!” he cries as Jem smacks him in the arm for his insensitivity.

  “He’s not off-base,” Ospif says. “The king will likely take a new wife soon. Obtaining an heir is mandatory, after all.”

  “And just how do they know it isn’t the king’s fault?” Jem challenges.

  “Given Her Majesty’s health issues, it seems unlikely,” he asserts. “Regardless, it is most proper to afford the king another opportunity to reproduce.”

  “And what happens to the current queen?”

  “She will be relegated to that of a concubine or confidant to the king. It’s unlikely she’ll retain her title,” he says matter-of-factly.

  “That figures,” Jem sneers. “A girl’s only good for producing offspring, after all.”

  “That is highly unfair,” Ospif contests. “There are many ranking females in the military, not the least of which is Commander Marmela. But a queen, on the other hand… It could be argued that this is her principal duty.”

  “So why has he waited so long?” Era asks. “Eight years seems generous.”

  “Because the king loves his bride,” Ospif says in a playful tone. “He is a stubborn romantic who continues to extend seemingly boundless grace, but even true love will inevitably fall to the law of the land. It shan’t be long.”

  Fire approaches, and Era notices her demeanor is unsettled. “That was fast. Didn’t go well?”

  “It went fine. Almost too fine,” she says. “His attitude was different today. Much more agreeable. Call it a hunch, but I think someone got to him.”

  “Got to him?” he repeats. “What does that mean?”

  “It means someone encouraged him to strike a bargain with us to keep us in town. We’re being watched.”

  Era grimaces. “Seems paranoid.”

  “Besides, the people who are after us wouldn’t be watching us,” Jem contends. “They’d be attacking us.”

  “I wonder about that,” Fire mumbles, deep in thought.

  The group is quiet until Ospif boldly asks, “So can I have my rune and be on my way now?”

  “You’re not getting it back,” Era says in annoyance.

  “What is this rune thing he keeps bringing up?” Jem wants to know.

  “Oh, I haven’t shown you yet?” he asks as he fumbles around in his bag for it.

  “All of you shut up,” Fire scowls, interrupting Era’s search. She points at Ospif and says, “You’ll leave when I say you can leave.” To the others, she says, “No change in plans. The ship is scheduled to leave this evening, so the only way troops could arrive in time would be on the train. You three will hide in the woods to the south, and I’ll scout the station.” Glaring at Jem, she says, “Don’t take the main entrance this time. Be inconspicuous. Do you know what that word means, or should I explain it to you?”

  “We’ll get out of town unnoticed,” she replies confidently.

  “You’d better,” Fire grumbles as she looks to the sky. “Even if a platoon fails to show up, there’s still one soldier we need to worry about.”

  “Yeah, but she wouldn’t be able to run here, right?” Jem asks, her confidence lacking.

  “You didn’t see her like I did,” Fire says. “She kept up with a sky boat just fine. She can cover distance, so if she were already in the area…”

  “Of just whom are you speaking?” Ospif interjects. “This lady sounds like a super soldier! Does the military really have such a specialist?”

  Era’s face sours. “They have her, alright.”

  Fire throws a hand in the air. “Cut the chatter and take this seriously. We can’t pass on this operation, but it’s going to be risky. If something is amiss, this could be the end of our journey.”

  Jem sighs. “Not that this is unusual, but I really want you to be wrong.”

  Fire meets her eyes with sincerity. “For once, we’re in agreement.”

  * * *

  Era returns to the clearing after an hour of scouting. “All is quiet still. Do you want to make a run?”

  Jem stands and brushes herself off. “Absolutely, but mostly because our obnoxious captive keeps trying to make obnoxious conversation.” As she leaves, she waves and shouts back, “Good luck!”

  He sits against a tree with amusement. “Jem isn’t one for casual conversation. Unless she’s the one making it, naturally.”

  “I should expect nothing less from a dog,” Ospif says while pulling at the rough bindings that lock him to a tree.

  “Watch your mouth. Jem is a good friend,” Era says threateningly. “There’s nothing wrong with Allerians.”

  “Nothing wrong with Allerians?” he gasps. “Allerians are the reason for all this world’s blights! We’d have no war if not for their miserable existence. Were I made king, I’d not be trusting in a treaty like Vinall does.”

  “Vinall?” Era asks. “Who is that?”

  Ospif is beside himself. “Are you certain you’re not an Allerian spy? To legitimately know nothing of the monarchy… though a spy would surely be educated on such matters.”

  “So are you going to tell me who it is?”

  “Vinall is the king, you dolt! It was he who proposed a treaty at the war’s end. When we had a strategic military advantage, I might add.”

  “Why would Vinall sign a treaty if he was winning?”

  “That is the very question every loyal Valvoran was asking,” he says with disdain. “I’ll have you know that I was present at the treaty’s signing. You’d never have guessed we were the victors, what with the jovial demeanor of the Allerian monarch, King Trapak, and even his daughter gave a prepared
speech praising the agreement. Although…” Growing quiet, he adds, “Even as a lad of ten years, I distinctly recall the prince’s hostility. As the Allerian military’s major general, he knew he had lost the war, and he despised the entire affair.”

  “What, he didn’t want to be shown mercy?” Era laughs.

  “Oh, it goes far beyond that,” Ospif answers. “To this day, we celebrate Vinall’s miraculous reversal of the war’s momentum following his father’s demise. History would tell us a different story, however, one in which our own General Graff orchestrated one of the greatest battlefield victories of all time. Using my cousin as the figurehead for troop inspiration, he seized on the Allerians’ overextension and issued a defeat that should never have occurred.”

  Era raises his eyebrows. “And the Allerian prince was the general? Must have been a blow to his pride.”

  “Goodness, if only that was the extent of it,” he says. “Prince Trapak was in a losing position for most of the war. Then, in a poor move made by our late king, he was gifted the victory; he needed only reach out and take it. Instead, he lost again to the military mind whom he could never defeat, and then he was forced to accept the terms of his enemy.”

  “You make the treaty sound like a bad thing,” Era says. “The country has been at peace for seven years, now. Give the fighting a rest.”

  “Your ignorance is appalling,” he says in disgust. “Allow me to educate you on what the Allerians are doing at this very moment. They’re building arms. They’re amassing forces. They’re crafting war machines!” he shouts while flinging his hands in the air as much as the shackles allow. “Do you really expect this peace to last?”

  “Is the Valvoran military any different?” Era counters.

  “I should hope not! Otherwise we won’t have a means to defend ourselves.”

  Era rolls his eyes. “So the Allerians are doing the same thing as us, but they’re evil because they’re Allerians. Give me a break! The Valvoran military is just as evil. They kidnapped Di against her will, you’ll recall?”