Savage Messiah

The area was covered in ash-evidence of Wigg's incineration of the Wiktors.

Wigg pointed to the stairs and raised an eyebrow. "Shall we?" he asked.

At an order from Tristan, the three of them started down the stairs, followed by Alrik and the warriors. For the first time, Tristan saw the numerous hallways that branched off from this lower room. The piles of dark, smoky ashes gradually trailed off toward each opening.

As Tristan walked forward, some of the ash came up over the tops of his knee boots. Occasionally a fire-bleached bone poked up to glint bleakly in the dim light. Tristan was sickened.

Dirty clouds billowed into the air as the party disturbed the remains, making it hard to see and breathe. Wigg finally ordered everyone to a halt so that the air could clear.

When they could see again, Tristan spotted a door in the far wall of the room. He and Wigg waded to it slowly so as to raise as little dust as possible. The door was made of heavy iron and painted black. Wigg stiffened, and Tristan knew that his reaction could only mean one thing.

There was living, endowed blood somewhere on the other side. Tristan glanced at Wigg, who nodded.

"The endowed blood on the other side is highly unusual," the wizard said, his brow furrowing with concentration.

"How so?" Tristan asked.

Wigg shook his head. "That's impossible to say until I confront it. I say we force the door and go in. Agreed?"

Tristan nodded and called back to Alrik to bring two warriors. The five of them shoveled the ash away from the door by hand. With each handful they removed, more caved back in again. It was filthy work, and the rising ash choked their lungs and stung their eyes.

"This is pointless," Wigg growled. "Everyone stand back!"

The First Wizard narrowed his eyes and called the craft. An azure glow began to surround the area before the door. He raised his arms and the glow formed into several thin, nearly transparent sheets of azure.

Wigg directed the sheets straight down into the knee-high ash to form a square barrier, with the door making up the fourth side. Lifting his arms again, he caused the segregated ash within the quadrant to rise into the air and deposit itself to one side, leaving a clean area before the door. Then he stepped gingerly over one of the azure panels, and motioned to Tristan and Celeste to join him.

"Are you ready?" he asked the prince.

Tristan raised his dreggan. "As ready as we'll ever be," he said grimly.

"Very well," Wigg answered.

At Wigg's gesture, twin azure bolts assaulted the door and covered it like flowing liquid. When the entire door was engulfed, Wigg raised his arms higher.

With a great creaking noise, the massive iron door began to give way.

CHAPTER XXVII

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Abbey asked nervously. "I know how useful your portal can be, but tell me truly. Have you ever tried anything like this before?"

Faegan ignored her question for a moment. It was late afternoon in Eutracia and the sun was already low in the sky, the salty sea air rising to greet his senses. As busy as he had been all day and the previous night, the time had seemed to fly by.

Truth be known, he wasn't at all sure about the risk he was about to take. There was no way he could be until it was over. By then, if it had gone wrong it would be too late. But if it was successful, it could change the world.

Faegan, Adrian, Abbey, and Duvessa were in a Minion litter together, hovering in the sky near the Cavalon Delta. Ten strong warriors bore it, their wings working diligently to keep it aloft. They had been here for hours, helping to prepare the Reprise for sea.

After much discussion, Tyra

Now the Reprise bobbed calmly at her moorings just off the coast. Faegan, uncertain of how the portal might affect the ship, had recommended that her sails be tightly furled, and her wheel tied off. Under Tyra

In addition to Tyra

"Am I sure about this?" Faegan finally said to Abbey. "No, absolutely not! But I believe my theory is valid." Looking back toward the warship, he sighed. "Would Wigg try to skin me alive if he knew? Yes. Do those brave souls aboard that ship down there think it worth the risk? Again, yes."

"But if this works, once they are through and on the other side how will they know where they are?" Adrian asked. "To have sailed there while continually marking their progress on a chart is one thing. But to be so suddenly deposited upon the Sea of Whispers so many leagues from home seems quite another."

Faegan nodded. "Tyra

"I certainly hope so," Duvessa said.

Faegan looked down at the Reprise. "So do I," he answered softly.tyra

Taking a deep draft on her cigarillo as though it were her last, she raised her face to the darkening sky and luxuriously exhaled the smoke. Then she dropped the remains of the cigarillo to the deck and ground it out with the sole of one of her scuffed knee boots.

Scars and K'jarr stood with her awaiting orders. It had been decided that while at sea, even Shailiha would come under Tyra

Tyra

"Is everything in place?" she asked.

"Yes, Captain," he answered. "All of the sails are furled and double-tied. All of the hatches are closed and locked; the ship's wheel is tied off, and the rudder secured. All of our crew members and as many of the Minion warriors as possible have gone below. We're as ready as we will ever be."

After giving Scars a nod, Tyra

"Yes, Captain," he answered. "We only await your command to begin."

"Very well," Tyra

K'jarr walked over to the foremast, followed by Scars, Tyra