Chapter 30

Luke

It was a moonless night, and the wind whipped across Luke's face. So far things had gone according to plan. They'd left the Betts and the Chrysalis' dinghys in the small cove, and were waiting for the arrival of our contact, the agent who was going to be responsible for getting us into and out of Alexandria.

He's lateI signed to Rhu. We were all hidden along the road, our black clothes blending into the pre-dawn darkness. I spied Elex tugging at the knit hat covering his shock of white hair.

It's okay,he responded. It's still within mission parameters.

I worried at my lower lip. The sun would be coming up soon, and there would be a lot of traffic on this road. It led into the lower city serving the working-class people of Alexandria.

Rhu closed his eyes for a moment, his hand placed firmly on the ground. His eyes popped open, and he began signing excitedly.

Someone's coming.

Elex shook his head, then looked at Hel. I saw Hel cock his head sideways, listening for a moment.

I don't hear anything,he signed.

Rhu tapped the ground and continued signing.

I can feel footsteps. An animal, I think. Feels like… a horse maybe. And a wagon of some kind.

I sent my Earth power searching through the ground and nodded at my Bonded in confirmation.

I can feel it, too, I signed.

Our time in Alexandria had almost made me forget that most travel in Alexandria was by animal or wagon. Only the very wealthy and connected had access to Mageia-powered vehicles, and they really didn't have gasoline powered engines at all. Alexandria didn't have much in the way of oil reserves or refining, unlike Illyria. The power of Alexandria was definitely in its Mageians and not its technology. I'd spent hours reading on their internet. The information available was overwhelming.

In speaking with Erix, I had discovered that previous War Leaders had focused their time and money on purely defensive technology. It had kept Illyria alive, but not in the best position to attack. When Erix took over as War Leader he had pushed for money and manpower to support their offensive tech.

We crouched in the ditch along the road. In the distance I could see a wagon coming over the horizon, a figure swathed in a large cape walking alongside the wagon. The wagon was—unique. Enclosed on all sides, it's paneled walls were painted a deep scarlet, a stylized letter B emblazoned on the side in gold leaf. The shrouded figure walking alongside led the horse along the road, sometimes leading it around a particularly rutted area of highway. The smooth surfaces in Illyria had spoiled me.

He stopped at the crossroad and guided the horse to the side, pausing to pull up a hoof as if looking for a stone. He hummed and sang part of a song, and while the tune sounded oddly familiar, the deep baritone voice I absolutely recognized.

"Release the truth, all shalt be freed…" he sang.

"By the sons of Hecate," I supplied from my hiding place.

The large man turned to look at me, his dark brown eyes wide in surprise.

"Master Tarek!" I exclaimed, rushing forward to hug my old mentor.

"Your Highness!" he exclaimed in surprise, his beloved face alight with joy and surprise as I hugged him.

"You're our contact?" I demanded.

"You're the Illyrian strike force?" he asked in response, his deep laugh booming.

"Well, me and my friends," I admitted, gesturing to where the others now stood.

"We should get off the road," Elex interrupted, his sharp eyes glancing around.

Master Tarek nodded, his chocolate brown eyes suspiciously bright, then his gaze swung back to Elex.

"Erix! You scoundrel! It's been too long!" he exclaimed, moving forward to wrap his arms around my brother. Elex jumped back, power creating elemental rings around his forearms. I could sense the shield he had created.

"I am not Erix," he growled.

Master Tarek froze, then slowly lowered his arms.

"So I see. Peace, my friend. I mean you and yours no harm," he said quietly.

"He's a friend, Elex," I said, placing myself between my brother and my mentor.

Elex nodded slowly and lowered his own arms, the rings of power fading away.

"So you are the infamous twin," Master Tarek said, looking Elex up and down.

Elex just growled and turned on his heel heading into the trees. We led the wagon off the highway to a secluded area so we could talk.

"I can't believe you're our contact," I said, my heart lighter than it had been in years. "How in the world do you know Erix?"

"We met through Master Bacillus shortly after his escape from Alexandria. I became persona non grata after our little meeting with the King," he said. "Thank you for saving me, by the by, though it was a foolish thing to do. I am hurt that you felt you couldn't tell me about your powers, though."

I shrugged.

"I didn't tell anyone, Master Tarek. Only my mother knew, and that was only because she guessed."

"I understand, given how things are in Alexandria," he said, sighing. "But look at you! You've certainly come a long way from the boy I knew!"

I blushed, trying to recall what I had looked like back then: tall, skinny, gangly, with no muscles to speak of. The last several years had left me with physical strength that young boy couldn't have imagined, along with an assortment of scars.

"What's going on, Tarek? Why have we slowed?" I heard a familiar voice call from the wagon, a man's red head popping out one of the side windows of the paneled wagon. Beside him was a worried looking young woman, her eyes lined exotically in kohl.

"Master B?" I exclaimed in surprise.

"Young lord Luke!" Master B exclaimed, dropping the window closed and rushing out the door of the wagon. He knelt in front of me.

"Your Highness," he said.

"Oh please. You've seen me naked. I think that means we're on a first name basis," I said, laughing and pulling him to his feet.

When my parents had determined that I needed to be educated in the sexual arts they had hired Master Bacillus and his courtesans to instruct me. Part of that instruction had been a rather humiliating naked inspection in front of Master Aurelius.

He shook my hand and smiled. Master Bacillus was shorter than Master Tarek, and nowhere near as physically imposing as the former Head Librarian, but I had found in him a kindred spirit when it came to learning. His curiosity knew no bounds.

"It is good to see you alive, Luke," he said. He clapped one hand on Master Tarek's back, smiling at his partner. "And thank you for saving this one. He is a pain in my ass, but I would have missed him if he had lost his head."

"And here I thought I was the light of your life," Master Tarek said. "And as for your ass—"

"Enough!" I said, laughing.

"This is Sylvi, one of my familia," Master B said. The young woman was short and slim, her dark hair coiled around her head in intricate braids. She nodded at us in acknowledgement, her dark brown eyes wary.

"How did this happen?" I asked. "The last I saw of you, Master Tarek, was that day in the throne room, and the last I heard from you, Master B, you had just returned from your travels to the Western lands."

"Ah! Many stories to share, but first, will you introduce us to your friends?"

"Elex you have already met," I nodded at my prickly brother. "This is his Bonded, Helios Asimenios."

"Asimenios? You're Kyris' son?" Master T asked. "You have his eyes."

I studied Hel for a minute and nodded. He was right. Their eyes were very similar. I hadn't realized how much he looked like his father until he mentioned it.

"Have you seen him recently?" Hel asked.

"I saw him a few weeks ago in one of the houses," Master Bacillus said. "He was doing okay then. But we really need to get him and Stergiou out of Alexandria. I fear your father's wrath every day."

I felt more than heard my Bonded come up behind me. Rhuyin had been keeping an eye on the road to make sure we hadn't been followed.

"And who is this young man?" Master Tarek asked with a raised eyebrow.

"My name is Rhuyin Katastrofis," Rhu answered. "Luke's Bonded."

I didn't think Master Tarek's smile could have gotten wider, but I was wrong.

"Congratulations, my boys!" he said, wrapping us both in a hug. I felt Rhu stiffen, then slowly relax into the warm embrace. I sank into the embrace of the man who had been more of a father to me than my own had.

When he finally released us we gathered together to talk.

"How did you two get involved with the Illyrian network?" I asked.

"Well…" Master Tarek began.

"We may have been the ones who started this little network," Master Bacillus interrupted.

"Really?" Hel asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

"After what that bastard did to Tarek, did you really think I would stand by and do nothing?" Master B spat out, the venom in his voice apparent. "Cyrius tortured him and would have killed him. What use is all the money in the world if it can't save the man you love?"

Master Tarek placed a hand over Master B's and squeezed it reassuringly.

"I survived, my heart, thanks to this one," he said, nodding at me. "Together, we will free Alexandria from the King's rule."

"So let me get this straight," Elex said. "You and your family of courtesans are the Illyrian network?"

They nodded.

"People share their secrets in the throes of passion. They ignore courtesans and treat them like furniture. Many a plan has been foiled because one of my pretty boys or girls were there to hear it," Master B said.

A slow grin spread over Elex's face. "Sneaky. I like it."

"So how are we going to rescue Hel's father?" Rhu asked, automatically signing as he spoke.

Master B's eyes grew wide.

"You know the Scribe's tongue?" he asked.

Rhu shrugged.

"We call it sign language in Illyria," he said.

"You really must teach me!" Master B exclaimed. "That would be incredibly useful for my family to learn!"

I saw my Bonded smile as Master B began peppering him with questions, his constant surprise at the respect we had for his skills flooded our bond and I sighed. The way Illyrians treated him and Hel was one of the few bones I had to pick with our new country.

"Baby steps," Hel whispered as he sat next to me. I glanced at him and he shrugged. "Illyria isn't perfect. We have a lot of work ahead of us, even without taking the war into consideration."

I nodded in agreement.

"So what is the plan?" I asked Master B.

"Your father is still being held at the House of Eros," he answered. "Master Hestus is a remarkably sadistic bastard. He runs the House."

"I—remember him," I said quietly. I tried to avoid thinking about the time that Elex and I found ourselves trapped in the House of Eros and at the mercy of our half-brother, Maalik. Rhu looked at me questioningly, no doubt feeling the shudder of revulsion that went through me at the thought.

Are you okay?he signed.

I nodded.

Ghosts,I responded.

He nodded at me in acknowledgement.

I took a deep breath and turned back to my conversation. Maalik was dead, and I'd helped kill him. That thought helped me get through a lot of moments like this. I took a sip of water from my canteen.

"I've been hired to—train—some new staff at the House," Master B said, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "So I'm bringing some of my most talented and experienced courtesans to assist me."

"Who—" I almost choked as I realized who he was referring to.

"Us?" I exclaimed.

He nodded.

Goddess help us.