The Rifts of Psyche by Kyle West (popular e readers txt) 📗

he were the one to give the rest moral guidance. Surely that couldn’t be the case. Surely, things were not already this desperate.

“Cleon,” Lucian said. “I’m sorry you’re a part of this.”

Cleon didn’t respond. The words sounded hollow, even if Lucian hadn’t meant them that way.

Lucian turned to Fergus. “I know we don’t see eye to eye on things. But we’ll have to work together from here on out. I’m willing to listen to you, and even to let you lead, but only if you are willing to not discount me for my age or call me Off-Worlder.”

Fergus ground his teeth, as if this were too much to ask. In the end, however, he let out a sigh. “Done.”

“It should be said that none of us are doing this because we have a choice,” Lucian said. “I think we’re all aware of the stakes, so I won’t go over that again.” He looked at the others. From their long faces, his speech wasn’t doing much to inspire. “We have a wild card, though. We have the Orb of Binding. With that, we might make it farther than we ever thought possible.”

“How?” Cleon asked.

Lucian shook his head. “I don’t know. If I had any choice, I wouldn’t be here right now. And since you guys are roped in with me, we have to try. Focus on the small goals first. Finding Serah should be easy enough, right? She’s not a day’s walk up the rift from here, just beyond the Snake Pass. If we walk fast, I bet we can be at her cave by tomorrow.”

Her companion, Ramore, was another problem entirely, but Lucian wouldn’t mention that yet. He wanted to make this seem easy. He’d warn them about Ramore once they were on the trail.

“Simple enough, I guess,” Cleon said. “So, when do we begin this mad, rotting quest?”

“Tomorrow morning,” Lucian said. “Before the break of dawn.”

Cleon whistled. “You’re a cruel bastard, aren’t you?”

“He’s right,” Fergus said. “Even now, that Mage-Lord, his Mage-Knights, and those hoplites are marching up the Greenrift for the Deepfork. If the Zephyr is giving them a lift, then they’ll be here even sooner. If it were me, we’d leave tonight. But I understand if you both need to recuperate from this morning.”

Lucian shook his head. As if Fergus didn’t need the rest as well. If Fergus were going to be this insufferable the whole journey, finding the Orb of Psionics would be the easy part.

“I can arrange for your supplies,” Elder Gia said. “Food, water, cookware, packs, tools. You must travel light, but you will need sufficient provisions to see you to Dara and beyond.”

“Assuming we make it that far,” Cleon grumbled.

“We will,” Fergus said. “We will, because I said so.”

“That’s nice.” Cleon stood. “Well, I have to take a leak. And make love to my girlfriend one last time before I head off on a suicide mission.” He looked at Fergus, to Lucian. “I’ll see you gents tomorrow, bright and early.”

This time when Cleon left, no one stopped him.

“I should begin preparations,” Fergus said.

Things were happening so fast. As soon as Lucian had found safety, it was being snatched from him. He would have to head back out into the wilds of this hostile moon, and not only that, survive the Sorceress-Queen, who was many times more powerful than him, who had hundreds if not thousands of mages and hoplites at her command.

Lucian doubted even the Orb of Binding could stand up to all that, but he had no choice, as he saw it.

It was his fate to find the Orb of Psionics or die trying.

16

All Lucian wanted to do was head back to his hut and sleep. But it seemed he wouldn’t get his wish. Both Elder Erymmo and Fergus approached him before he could make his escape.

“One thing, and I’ll leave you be,” Fergus said. “You shouldn’t be staying on your own by the lake anymore. I don’t doubt the loyalty of every man and woman in Kiro, but the Sorceress-Queen is a dangerous foe whom we shouldn’t underestimate. As unlikely as it is, there may be a spy in the village. We shouldn’t take the chance.”

“Where do I stay, then?”

“Kieron is an honorable man, and his house is one of the largest in the village. I’m on my way there now to let him and Julia know. Go straight there after Elder Erymmo is done speaking with you.”

“Are you sure, Fergus?”

“You’re a hero, Off-Worlder.” He cleared his throat awkwardly. “I mean, Lucian. It’ll be fine. Julia sets the finest table in the village. It’ll be the perfect place for you to rest tonight.”

“What if they ask questions?”

“I’ll tell them we’re going wyvern hunting. You’ve already killed two, so they won’t think anything is amiss. We already have a custom of having each family host a newcomer, so that they can get to know everyone.”

If that was the case, then Lucian had to wonder why Fergus had made him stay by himself at the lake. Pure dislike, probably.

“Be on your best behavior,” Fergus added. “They must not sense anything wrong. By the time they realize the truth, we should be long gone. Try to eat a lot and get a long night’s rest. You’ll most certainly need it.”

With that, Fergus left Lucian behind with Elder Erymmo.

“And now, I must say my piece,” the Elder said, solemnly. “And I’m afraid it will be more than a piece. There is something you must be careful of going forward, Lucian.”

“What’s that, Elder?”

“The Sorceress-Queen will not only be looking for you physically, but mentally. She is the most powerful Psionic in all the Worlds. Or at least, if there is one more powerful, I haven’t heard of it.”

“There’s Vera. The mage I met on the Burung.”

“Yes, there is her,” Elder Erymmo said. “But it’s hard to imagine there being a Psionic more powerful than the Sorceress-Queen. She has been a constant presence here on Psyche since the end of the Mage War.”

“The war ended