[LEGACY VERSION] The Enemy of Time (Book 2 - The Kaireyeh Chronicles)

Chapter 31 - Milla

Milla moved the curtain aside just enough to look out the dirt-streaked apartment window. High walkways stretched between skyscrapers, and in this part of Aijas City, people hunched and walked quickly, yellowed in the afternoon sky. She'd never been to Aijas City before. Being here now made her skin crawl. This was the heart of the Miravec Justice.

She let the curtain fall.

The Countess, who was sitting on the second bed in the narrow apartment, looked up from a holopad. "I have word about Damon--his ship turned up near Kalec. Kalec has them in hand."

Milla jumped. "What? When? What word?" She reached for the holopad, but the Countess only arched a dark eyebrow. Milla stopped and drew a breath. She'd become familiar enough with the Countess and the four guards she'd brought with her in their journey here, but the Countess was still dangerous. The Countess would never be someone to take for granted.

"What about Damon?" Milla asked, trying to force patience. "He's safe? And what does that mean, Kalec 'has them in hand?' Who told you that, Kalec?" That sent another jolt running through her. Kalec Chevani was Sayri Resistance. He wanted the Kingdom of Sayron back, not the Empire of Caelia. So what would he do with Damon, an heir of Caelia? What would he do with Campa and the rest of their ship?

"This came through my own channels, relayed from Kalec's fleet. I've sent for further clarification, but my people won't send more than is prudent, not while I'm here." She rubbed her hands together, a nervous gesture. "Kalec is smart, he knows he needs what allies he can get right now. I don't think Damon and your ship will be in danger from him. Not while Zivali is the focus."

That wasn't exactly reassuring. "And the pale attackers? Did they follow the ship?"

"My source said nothing of them. I'll take that as a 'no.'" The Countess sighed and rose, rolling her shoulders. She went to the other window to look out herself.

They'd been here in Aijas City, in this dingy apartment, a day. All but one of the Countess' guards had gone out, the remaining guard on watch in the outer room. Coda had left an hour ago on some mission no one had seen fit to inform Milla of.

Milla set her jaw. "Why am I here? You said you needed my help, but you haven't told me hardly anything. You haven't even told me how we're going to break into the prison--what's your plan? What are we going to do?" The Countess had trusted her with her identity--how could that be more of a secret than plans they were going to act on and risk their lives over?

The Countess drew the curtain back a few inches, more than Milla had dared, and clasped her hands behind her back as she looked out. It was a keen-eyed survey, no casual perusal of their surroundings. What was she looking for?

Or what was she seeing that wasn't there anymore? Milla had to remind herself that this woman had once lived in this city, which had been the capital of Sayron, as its queen. Hated by her people though she had been.

Milla was suddenly at a loss of arguments, her thoughts derailed as she tried not to look at the Countess' increasingly tight-lipped study of Aijas City.

Then the Countess pulled a small black box from her jacket pocket. It looked like the sort of thing that would hold jewelry. She turned to Milla and opened it.

Milla bent to look at what was inside. A tiny black cylinder floated near the top of a bed of amber gel.

"A halo bead?" she asked. What did this have to do with anything?

The Countess shut the box. "No, of course not, it's too small for that."

Milla tried to look again, but the Countess was slipping the box back inside her jacket. "Then what it is?"