Chapter 501: Crash
The transport, magical support gone, fell like a very bulky and badly shaped stone, the bubble overhead flickering as the last of the power running through the vehicle finally ran out. Freezing wind tackled me as the shield collapsed, sending me backward into what had been a bench seat, now just an empty space, to impact the low lip of the edge of the transport. I was very lucky the side wasn't flat, and that I'd been crouching at the time. Had I been standing, there was no way I would have managed to stay on board. The knee-high ridge barely caught me as it was. Stiff material I could only compare to plastic bruising my ribs, all the air rushing out of me as the non-existent nose of the craft turned down toward the ground.
The two demons slid at me, the boy from the market diving headfirst, hands outstretched to save his head from impacting the edge of the vehicle while his companion grabbed for the only thing he could reach on the way by.
Me.
Hands off, jerktard. Get yourself killed on your own time.
He grasped at my legs as he half-fell over the edge, pulling me sideways. I grunted with the effort it took to hold my place, driving wedges of power through the hull of the ship, anchoring myself with earth and air magic. The clinging demon refused to let go, pulling against my leg, using me as a rope, until he slid in next to me, panting, still clinging to my thigh. His struggle knocked the transport into a slow spin, my stomach protesting as the air changed from bitterly cold to something more temperate.
Oh, goody. I wouldn't be an icicle when I died.
Humor only delayed my panic and the surfacing memory of the last time I'd plummeted to my near death. The endless nightmares about my fall from the elevator, the terror trying to take over even as I fought my mind for control.
-falling, falling, the city below rushing toward me as my mind screamed in terror-
The veil, my vampire said, so calm it broke me loose from my memory. I almost laughed, fear turned to insane humor, while the world came closer and closer.
Right. The veil. I snatched at it, my demon eagerly slicing through. Only to be blocked.
No good, I sent back with as much calm as I could muster. The tapestry of the ground below changing from a distant vista to a detailed, 3D panorama I wouldn't be enjoying much longer.
-falling, falling, screaming, dying-
Sydlynn, she sent. I know you're scared. But you must act.
Yup, yup. Had to act. Okay then. A triple jab from vampire, Sidhe and demon, jerked me out of my stunned terror state.
Okay, this was worse. Much worse, but at least panic was familiar enough. Mouth gaping open, screaming out loud now because I couldn't help myself, the pair of demon kidnappers clinging to me as we plummeted to the ground, I called up every ounce of air magic I could muster. My power cocooned us in a bubble, the tip sealing over the shattered nose of the transport the split second before we hit the ground.
I was suddenly weightless, flying up toward the shield, bouncing back from it to hit the bed of the ship so hard I lost my ability to breathe for the second time. Someone's foot hit my knee while my hip crushed a foreign hand, but there was nothing to be done, not while we bounced one more time before sliding, red dust flying around us, blocking the view of outside, for what seemed like forever.
I ground my teeth together, prepared for the worst, body stiff, waiting for a final impact. When it came, the hissing sizzle of ground passing under our shield fading to a soft hum, the hull barely bumped whatever brought us to a halt at last.
Each breath panted from my aching lungs, my heart pounding so fast it thrummed from the strain at any moment I let the air magic collapse. And instantly regretted it. A cloud of dust and debris rained down on us, drawing cries of protest from my kidnappers while I coughed and waved at the filthy air.
I know I should have leaped to my feet and challenged the pair of them immediately, calling for Dad or some other reinforcement to take the two traitors away. But I couldn't bring myself to move, lying there with a leg draped over mine and someone's chest under my head.
I had a very hard head. I hoped the impact hurt.
Market Boy was the first to stir, half-sitting before falling back again. It was his leg pinning me down and as he rolled on his side and met my gaze, amber eyes glowing with amusement, I wanted to rip that leg off and feed it to him.
"Nice landing," he said. "Fly much?"
He was so lucky I didn't punch him in the nose. "Get off me," I snarled, my demon shoving him aside with her power even as he backed off, hands up, coughing himself as the dust settled. I pushed myself up, not caring the kidnapper trapped under me cried out in pain.
Let him. Served him right.
"I can't believe we're alive." The one named Ahmoselurem stared up at me as I turned to look down, his weak chin wobbling as tears filled his eyes. "You saved us."
"You forget, my friend," Market Boy said with a wink, "she's the one who almost got us killed in the first place."
And I thought Quaid was a jerkasaurus.
"That's it." I scrambled to my feet, hands on hips, ignoring the twinge in my knee from the blow I'd taken, glaring at the pair of them. "You two are in deep doo-doo and there's no way I'm saving your asses again. Not after you had the nerve to kidnap me."
Market Boy shrugged. "So turn us in, Princess," he said.
Argh. Men. Boys, more like it. Screw this. I was going home.
I reached for the veil without thinking and met the same wall, the same resistance. I blurted out a few words I normally didn't use to punctuate my unhappiness while Market Boy continued to smirk at me and his friend wiped filthy tear tracks from his face.
We can't leave, no matter if you were able to open the veil, my vampire said. Ahbi's power would stop you.
Damn it. DAMN IT.
Amber light flickered over my sight as I glared at the pair before looking around, expecting to see the towering heights of Ostrogotho.
Nope. No city. What the...?
"I thought we were just clearing the border?" I kicked Market Boy's foot in frustration. "Where the hell are we?"
"The border, yes," he said, climbing to his feet, not offering a hand to his companion who glared at him as he struggled to rise. "The city lies far from the edge of its own territory."
Oh, just freaking lovely. "How far?" I couldn't ride the veil and I wasn't looking forward to walking.
"Far." He dusted himself off. "Too far to walk, if that was what you had in mind."
"Okay," I said, feeling more than a little huffy about the whole disaster and ready to let my demon out just to work off some steam. "So what are you going to do about it?"
"Nothing." Market Boy grinned like it was some kind of giant joke with a punch line I hadn't heard yet. "Not until we talk."
"Oh, you want to talk now." So much sarcasm. I really had to find a way to better vent my anger. Then again, it served me well in the past and just felt so good.
"Allow me to introduce myself." He bowed at the waist, an elaborate gesture involving hand movements I barely followed before he straightened again. "I am Rameranselot. And in case you've forgotten, we've met before."
"I remember," I said. "But you weren't kidnapping me then so I had a little better opinion of you."
"Fair enough." He grinned before gesturing to the other demon who now stood next to him with a scowl on his face. "And this is Ahmoselurem, my steadfast companion in crime."
"Stuff it, won't you, Ram?" Ahmoselurem shrugged off the hand Rameranselot set on his shoulder. "We're nothing of the sort."
"One can dream, my fine friend." Ram's wink almost cracked my sullen shell.
Almost.
"How lovely for you both," I snapped. "Now, do you mind telling me what this is all about?"
"Saving your life," Ram said. "For the second time."
I snorted and shook my head. "Dad would never let them execute me for something I didn't do," I said.
"Sydlynhamitra," Ram said, serious at last, "those three Guards weren't there to give you a dancing lesson. If they failed, another attempt would have been made. And another. Until they succeeded in killing you."
That sounded distinctly demonish, so I bought it, though I wanted very badly to know who was behind the attacks. "On whose orders?"
"We don't know for certain," he said. Naturally. "But our network knew you were in danger."
Grumble, mumble. "You could have just told me."
"And you would have then walked out with us, climbed into a transport with two total strangers and left Ostrogotho on our word?" Ram's sarcasm equaled mine. Well, not quite. I was better at it. "How silly of me, Princess. I'll remember how easy you are to convince for next time."
"We can't just stand around here talking," Ahmose cut him off, eyes scanning the empty horizon. "The Guards will come after her."
"Good," I said, hopping over the edge of the transport, bare feet squishing into hot sand. It was warming up, the suns now fully risen, and I found myself fanning my face absently with one hand as I looked around.
"Did you hear a word I said?" Ram's anger finally showed up. "We have no way of knowing if the Guards who do come are planning to kill you."
"Planning to try to kill me," I said. "Big difference." I had more firepower available to me than ever before, thanks to Ahbi. "I have to go back and talk to Dad. Not to mention the fact, this little breakout idea of yours has probably made me look guilty as hell." I spun on Ahmose. "And don't for a second think I wasn't listening when you said you wanted to kill me." I jabbed an index finger at him as he flinched and stepped behind Ram. "Watch it."
Ram spun on one heel and shaded his eyes before a small smile broke over his face. "I know where we landed," he said. "There's a settlement not far from here." He turned back, smirking. "As long as Her Highness doesn't mind a little walking, we can reach shelter and hopefully another transport."
"Won't they come looking for us?" Our crash had been rather spectacular, if I did say so myself.
"Not likely," Ram said. "We were disguised until you blew out our systems. No one would think what fell was a transport."
"If they were even watching," Ahmose said, face pulled down into a glum frown.
"I could just reach for Dad right now." Why hadn't I? Because I knew, deep down, Ram was right. Dad would want to send Guards for me. And even if they were loyal to my father, there was still this damned geas of Ahbi's to deal with. Remembering the pain from the cell, how the power drove me to leave, I knew if I tried to turn around, I'd be in big trouble.
But I couldn't just wander off with the two demons who kidnapped me. Could I?
Ram kicked the hull of the transport, mostly buried in sand, before turning and walking off, leaving me behind. Ahmose scowled, but abandoned me to follow.
Oh no they did not.
Cursing again, arms crossed over my chest as I mumbled furiously to myself about boys and their arrogance, I stomped my bare-footed way after them.
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