Twisted Metal Heart - Eve Langlais Page 0,79

to the side. He shimmered out of sight as he rose, his own hologram hiding him from watching eyes.

She glanced around. She’d only been here once before and only in passing. The ship she’d been on had paused in the bay to outwait a storm. They’d not gone ashore. The captain at the time, Tevail the Golden, had advised that this was a place for the dead. Given the lack of life in the water—and the aquatic bodies that washed ashore perfectly intact, never rotting—she didn’t disagree.

However, the queen awaited them for a trade, which meant going ashore and climbing the pitted red sandstone steps that rose the height of the cliff to the crumbling Lazuli castle. Riella had never learned what came through this place and destroyed it. Whatever it was, she didn’t want to meet it.

Darius guided the ship close to the stone outcropping where an ancient pier had mostly survived, only sections of the rock having succumbed to the sea. With the Ocean Avenger tied, he was all pirate, all business as he ordered Titan around. “Grab her and bind her good. We don’t want her getting away from us before we get our treasure.”

She wanted to roll her eyes at the exaggeration. Despite all their acting, she doubted Mother believed for a moment she was helpless, but just in case, she struggled and cursed as Titan neared. “Bastard. I wish I’d left you in the Wasteland to get eaten. What a waste of my talent.”

“Quiet, or I’ll gag you, too,” he snapped as he leaned in close and played with the ropes. He whispered, “Are you sure you want to do this? This is your mother we’re planning to kill after all.”

“She is the donator of part of my genetic strand. Nothing more.” She pretended to cower and stumbled as Titan led her by her rope-bound hands. A bit of makeup had made it seem as if a bruise blossomed on her cheek. Her hair was mussed. The shields on her mind intentionally were shaky, but no one poked them.

Darius hit the pier first and muttered, “I don’t like this. Something feels wrong.”

“Say the word and we’ll can the mission.” Titan tensed, ready to grab her and run.

“She’s watching us,” Riella said softly.

“If she is, then she should stop wasting our time and toss the bags of dust out where we can see them. This place gives me the creeps.” Darius stalked down the old stone, hopefully paying attention to the many spidering cracks.

The red water appeared much too calm and not opaque at all. She didn’t like it. It didn’t feel dead. It felt as if the water watched her and was waiting for the right moment.

It was after Darius leapt over a broken stretch that the waiting snapped. The thing shot through the watery gap with a clank of joints. It took a moment to realize the shape was familiar though the armor a strange tarnished color. The Centurion hit the pier with a thump even as Darius whirled and fired his energy gun. He hit, but the armor absorbed it.

“Ambush!” Titan leapt in front of her to shield her.

His weapon also made no impact, the bullets bouncing off the armor. More Centurions—the queen’s very own guard, the biggest and best equipped—emerged from the water, their suits keeping them from succumbing to the poison. A dozen of them appeared to take on their puny numbers. In no time, they had Darius and Titan disarmed. The former looking amused, the latter peeved.

“Hands behind your head,” ordered the biggest soldier.

Given Riella’s hand remained bound, she didn’t move, but the men laced their fingers. They’d expected an ambush. She’d just hoped the queen wouldn’t be so brash as to kill a renowned smuggler in front of his crew. She’d have a hard time moving merchandise after, and Mother was first and foremost a businesswoman.

The queen strode down the cliff steps, followed by a pair of green-armored guards, untouched by the water. Those whose armor turned a strange shade parted to allow her passage.

She paused by Darius. “Aren’t you pretty,” she murmured, eyeing him. “Pity about the eye.”

“Where’s my bounty?” he asked cockily. “I brought the princess. The deal was five bags of dust.”

“Six and you’ll keep your mouth shut about what we are doing here.” The queen inclined her head, and a Centurion clanged down the steps, lugging a crate sitting on a hover float.

“For six bags, I’d forget you called me pretty and have you screaming