Chymaera's Overture: a Shadowed Ways novel by A N Britton

Author:A N Britton [Britton, A N]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BW Scribes Publishing
Published: 2019-06-07T05:00:00+00:00

14 - Plainsong

Kai

Kai was engaged in a vigorous discussion (not an argument!) with Yesmin and Kels when he felt a twinge. That familiar pull let him know Chymaera was about to share some strong emotions. He let the sensation roll off him, he’d formed a peace with this new reality. Besides, Kai was trying to make a point. Last minute, Yesmin had decided that Kai’s solo trip should include Kels. Kels would accompany Kai during his introduction to Duana, a reinforcement in case she didn’t want to take her unknown baby brother seriously. Kels would also be tasked with reaching out to the Keros-Ki in the area, perhaps a hybrid could make inroads with them. Kai thought that was the wrong tack to take.

Duana was brittle and prideful, everyone knew that much. Showing up at her door, with a court guard, right after she’d just experienced what had to be a dangerous (and humiliating) failure as a leader. That could nudge her into more idiotic behavior.

Kai wanted to present himself, alone and unassuming. With no one else in tow, he could play it off as family reaching out to reestablish ties. Kels, was his buddy, but he was also a blunt instrument; Kai didn’t think his less than circumspect cousin would be much help during a covert mission. Duana had no contact with the court in hundreds of years, he wanted to handle her carefully until he had more information. The werebeasts could wait.

Kai worked better alone. Bringing anyone along meant that was someone he had to worry about and look after. He wanted to avoid having to explain that, certainly as long as Kels was in hearing range. Still, he was feeling cornered and about to go there when Yesmin’s face dropped.

To be specific, she became statue still just before her mouth fell open and elongated until her chin rested on her collarbone. Like saltwater taffy that had been worked too long, her skin just pulled and pooled around the distorted shapes. Her eyes rolled and turned black. Then she howled as if she was being consumed from within. It was the most mournful thing Kai had ever heard.

Yesmin was the second warning. Kai realized that as the swells of emotion rushed towards him. First anger, then fear, followed by a blinding terror that paralyzed him.

The panicked fear invaded his very sense of self and was just as all-encompassing as a physical assault. He collapsed to his knees and then the floor, but his perception of his surroundings was already distant. It was like a movie being played in the background while a storm raged on. He was getting crushed under the weight of his uninvited passenger and forced deeper into his own mind. Kai was nominally aware some new horror must have befallen the future Queen, but he couldn’t think, couldn’t wrap his mind around anything but his current predicament.

There were sounds of agony, but there was no way to know if the screaming was in the room or within his head.

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