Blood in the Fire (Timelaws Trilogy) Read online

  “You’re going to die,” I said. “Get out of here while you can.” He didn’t respond. I wanted to bend over and lean on the chair, but I resisted. I didn’t want Merador to know I was monitoring his discomfort. Merador fell to the ground but he was still conscious. He looked up at me with fearful eyes. We continued to wait. “Is killing a few of us really worth dying for?” I asked.

  “I’m not trying to kill you,” was all he replied. I was too dizzy to remain standing. With my gaze fixed on Merador, I took two measured steps forward and took a seat in the chair. It seemed my heart was racing. Merador’s hands were turning blue. More time floated by. I was getting drowsy and my thoughts were slow and muddled.

  “Run!” I yelled. It was the only word I could get out as I fought the urge to gasp for air. He shook his head no. The cold air slashed my throat; it hurt to breathe. I lost any sense of how much time had passed. Merador’s body fell forward, nearly succumbing to sleep. I jerked awake and said the word to bring the environment in the room back to normal conditions.

  In a moment, the fog in my mind lifted. My skin felt like it was burning as warmth and oxygen returned to my body. I disconnected the link between Merador and myself. “That was unpleasant wasn’t it?” I asked, as I stood up. My head was spinning, but I didn’t let him see it. “As soon as I walk out of this room, I’m going to reactivate the spells you felt a moment ago. Only this time, the temperature change and drop in oxygen levels will be extremely slow and you will be trapped behind the force field. When I come back from rescuing your son, I’ll deactivate the spell. If I don’t come back…” I paused for emphasis, “this is how you’re going to die.”

  Merador stood up himself and stepped closer to me. He met my eyes and said, “I understand.”

  “Your last chance to escape,” I reminded him. He shook his head again. I brought the force field back up, deactivated environmental controls, set the temperature to drop at 1.75 degrees Celsius per hour, and the oxygen to deplete at 1.5% per hour. Then I walked out of the room.

  “Anton, get someone down here to…” I ordered as I stepped out. Anton wasn’t there anymore. Mark was missing too. Shoot.

  “Which way did they go?” I asked Tamer.

  “Would you like me to bring someone else to—”

  “In a minute. Which way did they go?” I asked again.

  “Okay, I can give it another try with Merador until —”

  “Tamer!” I interrupted. I didn’t have time for his games.

  “Anton asked me where the interrogation team was being quartered,” he replied matter-of-factly.

  “Tell me where,” I said. If I had to ask again, so help me, Tamer was going to grow a black eye.

  “Liz, cool it,” Luke said, using his parental tone. “They went for a walk.”

  For a second, I thought I might punch him too.

  “Anton didn’t go for a walk,” I wasn’t yelling, but it was close. “He went to get the information Merador gave the interrogation team. Information he needs to go to the prison caves without us. If we don’t stop him… Tamer, for heaven’s sake, please tell me where...” I trailed off when I spotted Mark at the end of the hall, walking toward us. The blood drained from my face. He’s gone.

  I ran down the hall to meet Mark. Luke and Tamer followed me. “Please tell me he didn’t go,” I begged Mark. He stared at me and then glanced to Luke and Tamer.

  “He said to give him two hours,” Mark said. His voice was firm but sympathetic.

  “Like hell I will. Do you have the coordinates?” I demanded.

  “He said that…” Mark trailed off.

  I took a deep breath, rested my hand on Mark’s right shoulder, and answered for him. “He said to remind me that if it was a trap, storming in now would just guarantee our capture and do nothing to help him.” I could feel my stomach twist itself into knots. We would have to hold back, despite the risk that Anton was being tortured.

  Mark took a step closer to me and squeezed my right arm for comfort. “If something goes wrong, he’s going to try to relay the message to us. Otherwise, he’ll send us the all clear in two hours.”

  He could be dead by then.

  “We won’t wait that long,” I answered. “We take half an hour to prepare. Then we go in.”

  I looked at my watch and allowed my eyes to linger on its face as I composed myself. A tear began to blur my vision, but I blinked it away and looked up to meet Luke’s gaze. “We’ll use that time to get some spells ready and familiarize ourselves with the site,” I explained. Luke’s scrutiny traveled from me to Mark’s face. He frowned at his brother as though Mark still held the key to making sense of everything.

  “Tamer, have someone monitor Merador’s vital signs. They can deactivate my spells as soon as we leave for the caves,” I commanded. He could hear the lump in my throat, but I ignored it. “My threat to Merador won’t do us any good after we’re gone.”

  Chapter Nine

  In The Dark

  Prison Caves – November 2184

  Elizabeth

  I called them the prison caves because this detention center was built inside an underground maze of hollowed out chambers and tunnels. The wizards had only a very basic defense system around the planet. Captives and guards were the only inhabitants. However, the detention was virtually impossible to break into or out of because the layout was in constant flux. The caves and the passages that connected them shifted their location at random.

  Furthermore, a force field prevented teleports that lacked the proper authorization. Merador claimed he knew a member of The Omniscients who’d been working as a prison guard at the facility. He gave us the access protocols we needed. Convenient. Anyone who tried to enter or exit without them would set off a security alarm.

  My stomach jumped as I materialized in the prison. Gravity on this planet was heavy. I ignored the uncomfortable pull as I searched the darkness for my boyfriend. Finally, my ill-adjusted eyes fell upon Anton kneeling on the cave floor, with his back against a wall. Is he hurt? He wasn’t much more than a shadow. In his left hand, he held a small monitor. My heart pounded as I closed the distance between us and tried to search his outline for injuries.

  I’m fine, he said telepathically while looking in my general direction. I didn’t know if his eyes were adjusted enough to see my face. I couldn’t see his, but hearing his voice in my mind was like having a wave of calm energy flow over me. It had the opposite effect on Luke. I had warned him that we would be communicating through telepathy down here. That didn’t stop him from letting an expletive slip when Anton’s voice filled his head. I put my forefinger to my lips to remind him that we needed to be silent.

  I wanted to embrace my pig-headed counterpart. Instead, I ducked close to the wall where I would be less visible, and I motioned for Mark and Luke to do the same. My sense of anxiety subsided. I noticed, for the first time, the damp, rotting smell inside the caves. We would have to be careful not to hyperventilate while on this oxygen-rich planet. Honestly, that was the least of my concerns. Wizard guards and built-in weapons, sensors, and security features were bigger threats.

  Now that we were inside, telepathic communication and teleportation were limited to a radius of three miles. From the outside, Tamer could monitor the wizard security, relay messages, and serve to expedite evacuation if need be. As an extra precaution, I’d decided to carry a small laser weapon. It looked like Anton had clipped one to his belt as well.

  Anton took my free hand in his and squeezed. I still couldn’t see his face, but I heard the soft smile in his voice when he whispered, “those were nasty spells you pulled with Merador.”

  I shrugged and moved around him to peer down the hall. I could have done worse. You know where we’re going? I asked telepathically. I didn’t feel comfortable making any noise down here, even if Anton thought it was safe.

  This way, he replied while studying his monitor. It was programmed to project sonar-like signals to determine the current cave configuratio
n and display it on his device. Infrared sensors were used to detect nearby wizards.

  We had no idea where Eln was being held, but Anton had built-in some search optimization parameters. Realistically, with the caves shifting the way they were, finding Eln would be a matter of luck.

  As planned, Anton took the lead, followed by Luke and Mark, while I brought up the rear. Dim lights spaced along the cave wall at fifteen-foot intervals were our only source of illumination. The lamps only covered a radius of about five feet, leaving gaps of ominous darkness in between.

  I didn’t think my brothers understood the danger we faced, but they were tense. Their rapid advances and stiff posture confirmed they were watching their backs. We’d only walked a few meters before we made it to the next bend. The four of us piled up against the wall and waited for Anton to finish scanning around the corner. No wizards, two sensors, two anti-intrusion measures: one gas, one laser fire, he told us telepathically. Then, he set to work disabling the sensors and anti-intrusion weapons. I moved back to a better position for guarding our rear. With the caves shifting, a wizard could sneak up on us or we might find ourselves within a sensor’s line of sight. I squeezed the palm-sized laser gun in my hand.

  Even with most of the spells prepared, it took Anton almost ten minutes to disable everything. He was careful not to trigger alarms while he worked. We all waited in anxious silence until Anton announced All clear. I sensed uncertainty through the telepathic link. His heartbeat was racing.

  The only way to find out if he’d missed something was to turn the corner. I shifted closer to Mark as Anton proceeded—attack spells at the ready. I listened for warnings that we’d been detected. Once he was out of sight, I listened for the sound of a body hitting the ground, but heard nothing. Laser guns were silent. Luke disappeared around the corner. Silence. Mark ducked around and I followed. A relieved sigh escaped my lips when I saw them all slinking before me.

  Suddenly, a thick arm wrapped around my neck and grabbed me from behind.

  Chapter Ten

  Agents In Battle

  Prison Caves – November 2184

  Elizabeth

  The cave we were in must have shifted and been replaced by a guarded one. Before my assailant had the chance to warn more wizards, I lifted my arm and elbowed him in the ribs. He loosened his grasp and I slipped out, then turned to see him doubled over.

  Mark grabbed my shoulder and tried to pull me back, but the wizard reached for the red communicator pinned to his waist. The alarm would sound the moment he punched the button. I couldn’t let that happen. In one motion, I twisted away from Mark and landed a back-kick across the side of the guard’s head.

  Liz, we have to be quiet, Anton warned. But it was too late. The alien guard bounced against the corner with a loud thud, then landed in a heap. Three more guards rounded the corner and only paused for a moment when they saw the four of us standing there. A moment was long enough. I lunged for the first one and knocked him back into his comrade. Anton unclipped his weapon and fired it at the third, but missed as the wizard ducked.

  Guys, we can’t let them activate those red buttons on their waists, I instructed. It will sound the alarm. Luke was on it. He wrapped his hand into a fist and landed a powerful upper-cut under the wizard’s jaw. The alien would have gone flying if the wall hadn’t been there to interject his trajectory.

  Meanwhile, the wizard I had landed on jabbed his knee into my abdomen. I remained on top of him, but the guard beneath shoved us both away, and we rolled across the floor. My elbow slammed into the ground, knocking my weapon out of my grasp. Then, my head bounced off the wall. I felt dazed. Mark lunged for the free wizard. Another knee landed in my stomach, and the wizard I was fighting started whispering a spell.

  Anton couldn’t fire his gun with Mark, Luke and I so entangled in the fray. Instead, he lifted the guard away from me and hit him in the head with the hilt of his laser weapon. The wizard dropped to the ground, unconscious.

  Are you okay? Anton asked as he helped me to my feet. I nodded and surveyed the scene. Luke had pinned his wizard face-first to the floor with the guard’s arms twisted behind his back. The wizard was struggling to get free, but Luke had a strong grip. That guy wasn’t going anywhere. But then, my gaze turned to Mark and my heart sank.

  The alien was holding Mark so that they were both facing us. One hand was on Mark’s shoulder and the other was pointing my laser gun at his head. I could see the wizard’s lips moving to the tune of a spell. Mark’s expression was one of pure anguish.

  “Stand back or your friend dies,” the enemy threatened. A red burn expanded across the side of Mark’s neck. Obviously, he was the target of the wizard’s spell.

  Instinct kicked in. I said a single word to release one of the spell’s I’d prepared on the station. It identified the floor beneath the wizard’s feet and the ground began to groan. Every atom on the surface shifted to one level, and the electron clouds froze in place. The floor was transformed into a frictionless plane. Meanwhile, Anton started his own spell.

  Take a small step back, I told Mark, just one. Mark did as I said and it was enough. The guard toppled backwards and slid across the floor. He tried to slow himself with his hands, but they glided ineffectually along the smooth rock. Mark fell too, but they both skated in opposite directions.

  Without waiting to see where the wizard would stop, I started my next incantation. It created a force-field around the alien. Anton said his last word and a yellow gas exploded inside. The wizard fell unconscious. Slowly, the yellow smoke decomposed into oxygen, hydrogen, water and carbon dioxide. It left the floor a little wet but no other evidence remained.

  I returned the atoms to normal, then darted to Mark’s side. He was still crouched over in pain, and his hand gripped the side of his neck.

  Chapter Eleven

  Heal

  Prison Caves – November 2184

  Elizabeth

  Anton went to take care of the wizard under Luke’s grip while I gently pulled Mark’s shaking hand away so I could see his wound. It will be okay, I promised. I can heal you.

  But when I saw the damage to Mark’s skin, it took my breath away. I thought the wizard’s spell had simply burned him. His flesh was boiling and pieces of skin were falling off. I looked at his hand and shirt and saw that both were bloodied. Gingerly, I reached for his collar and pulled it away to find the damage was spreading under his shirt.

  I’m going to deactivate your nerve endings first, I explained. You’re going to feel numb, but it will make the pain go away. Mark nodded, but didn’t say anything. His eyes were squeezed shut.

  My lips began to whisper the words of the incantation. With my eyes closed, my mind was able to reach out and probe the texture of Mark’s wound. I tried to remember what Mom had taught me about field medicine. First, I would have to delve below the skin to find the undamaged nerves. My spell would start there and work its way to the surface.

  My eyes were closed, but I felt Luke place a hand on my shoulder. She needs time to work, Anton told him. You and I should stand guard. Luke’s thick fingers slipped away. My spell continued to wrap itself into the fiber of Mark’s neck and shoulder. With his nerves numbed, I began to scrub away the damaged cells and replace them with new ones.

  Liz, we shouldn’t waste power on full heals, Anton warned. We might need it later to survive. I shook my head.

  He’s not an agent, Anton, I objected. He didn’t sign up for this like we did. I continued my spell.

  Liz! Anton challenged. He was right. If it had been anyone save Mark or Luke, I would have stopped the heal when the danger was passed.

  Let me finish, I commanded. Anton didn’t say anything more. Instead, he contacted Tamer and asked my cousin to furnish the unconscious wizards around us with a temporary false memory: one that would explain how they had all ended up injured and knocked out. By the time Tamer had finished his spell, I had too.

  How are you feeling? I asked Mark.

  I’
m fine Sis, Mark replied. It stopped hurting a while ago. He rubbed the fresh skin where the burn had been.

  It might still be a bit tender, I warned. I’m not a medical expert like Mom was.

  It’s fine, Mark said, shaking his head. I was surprised not to hear any of his internal thoughts when he spoke. It usually took Darks months to learn to control what others heard.

  We should keep going, Anton urged. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover. I nodded and Anton took the lead. I helped Mark up, then motioned with my head for my brothers to follow my boyfriend as I headed up the rear.

  We were alert to every sound, sticking close to the wall and close to each other. There’s a large opening up ahead with two wizards stationed at each of the three entrances, Anton informed us. Two entrances at present level, one ten feet above.

  Room defenses? I asked.

  Still getting that information, he replied. He stopped and crouched down against the wall to wait for his spell to finish scanning. The rest of us followed suit.

  The room is heavily armed. Three short-range intrusion sensors that trigger room lock-down. Six laser guns, two gas vents, Anton paused for a second and frowned at the screen. Looks like it would take approximately fifteen seconds to turn that room into a vacuum chamber. Five high-voltage—

  Wizard at six o’clock, I interrupted. Anton dropped his screen and pulled Mark behind him with one hand, then fired his laser gun with the other. The beam disappeared into the wizard’s magical shield. I created the force field around the guard and nodded to Anton to release his gas.

  Luke didn’t wait for another brawl to start. He lifted his fist and slammed it into the wizard’s nose. The guard went down unconscious.

  I glanced back at Luke’s face in the dim light. His jaw was set and his green eyes were fierce. If our encounter with the wizards had scared him, I couldn’t see it in his expression. Rather, he looked like he was ready for a fight.