Ash Princess Read online

  “You wish,” Titan snorted. “It’s kingdom business. The king has called a meeting that starts in a few minutes. He wants us all there.”

  Us being those he considered his advisors. Cam was pretty sure the only reason he sat with them was because Casey insisted.

  Cam had no strategy to impart and freely admitted he wasn’t a leader but a doer. The guy who went in and handled the bad shit to save the day.

  The so-called council chambers was a converted dining room. It held a table big enough to seat eight. For this meeting, it could have used more chairs. All the seats were filled, and a few of the people attending were left standing. Cam leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and took stock of the situation.

  He noted most of the gang was here. Riella, the lady who could do magic with mechanical things, her belly round with Titan’s child. Titan, the Tin Man who acted as captain of the king’s guard. Axel was missing, probably busy with stuff at the new Haven Outpost. Gunner, his second, who happened to be in the city, was attending in his place. By Gunner’s side, his promised, Sofia, a woman who could heal with just a thought. And there was Anita, promoted from king’s personal guard to protector of the realm.

  Against a wall leaned Wendall, a cartographer Roark had bribed away from Sapphire, and Pelof, the archivist. Cam didn’t recognize the scruffy man sitting at the end of the table.

  Roark of course stood at the head of the table, Casey to his left, drumming her fingers impatiently, her gaze constantly roving over every inch of the room. Even in supposed safety, she remained on guard. Cam had taught her well.

  Her eyes met his for a moment, and she gave a slight nod. A hello. He wanted to run over and squish her in a hug until her bones cracked and she screamed she was going to kill him.

  The fact he couldn’t made his jaw tighten, but he still managed to return the smile. Mustn’t let her see how he mourned the change in their relationship. It was pathetic.

  I have to get away.

  As Roark held up his hand for silence, the murmurs in the room ceased. All eyes were on the king.

  “I know you’re wondering why I’ve had you all called in. I’ve received some troubling reports from the Northern Marshlands.”

  “Are they eating visitors again?” Pelof asked, taking notes.

  “For the last fucking time, we didn’t know pig face was related to you. He was on all fours snuffling and rooting at our vegetables,” exclaimed the scruffy fellow at the table.

  Pelof glared over his notebook. “He was wearing clothes.”

  “And?”

  Roark cleared his throat. “If we could move on to the reason why we’re here.” The men quieted. “It appears the issues plaguing the Diamond Kingdom might soon be affecting our own.”

  “Which is his fancy way of saying the poison in the north is spreading,” mumbled the rough-looking fellow whose braided beard appeared to hold hints of green moss. A Marshlander, obviously from an affected area.

  “As Gorin has indicated, the tainted air that was previously confined to the Diamond Kingdom appears to be expanding its reach, and the blight of its passing is sucking the life from the land.”

  Sofia jumped in. “In small doses, the affected air causes plant life to wither and people to sicken. In higher concentrations, everything dies.”

  That caused a murmur.

  It turned Roark’s expression serious. “We have to stop the poison from spreading.”

  “And how do you propose to do that?” Gunner asked.

  “Build some giant fans to blow it back in,” Cam muttered, his sarcasm not staying inside his head like he intended.

  “That is one of the proposals we’re looking at,” Riella declared.

  To which Casey snorted. “And not a feasible one. It’s a mile-long border. Not to mention, what if the cloud decides to rise and drift over your fans?”

  “Indications are that the weight of the gas forces it to plateau, meaning once it reaches a certain height, it does not rise any higher.” This came from Pelof who’d obviously been cataloguing reports.

  “You’ve sent in drones to verify this?” Cam asked.

  “More like tried,” Titan admitted. “Every machine sent in ends up losing contact.”

  Not unheard of since the apocalypse. Signals got scrambled or lost entirely in some areas.

  “But before they failed, they managed to show us that the ash fog ends about twelve feet above the ground.” Pelof again with the finer details.

  “How quickly is the tainted air moving?” Riella asked.

  Roark eyed Gorin. “Has it been measured?”

  “Aye. Currently about a foot or two a day.”

  “Slow for now, but it could start moving faster. We need to prepare.” Titan was all about the defense.

  And so was Gunner. “Twelve feet high isn’t too bad. We can start with airtight walls and then move on to a full dome.”

  “There’s not enough time,” Casey remarked.

  “Maybe not for the outer villages but it’s a possible option for those far enough that they have a reasonable chance of sealing themselves,” Gunner argued.

  “Might as well shoot me now,” Gorin snapped. “We aren’t meant to live in bubbles.”

  “And what about food?” Riella added.

  Gunner wasn’t daunted. “We set aside plots inside for crops.”

  “Ahem,” Pelof said, clearing his throat. “I should mention we don’t have the materials needed to construct that kind of protection. We’d have to order from Port City, and even then, it might take time before we get a delivery. Not to mention cost.”

  Roark volunteered to aid the effort by throwing money at it, but they also needed to warn the citizens, especially those in the remote hamlets, which then involved a discussion on how to safeguard the water supplies, preserve the wild crops, and keep the meat they relied on untainted.

  Cam had mostly tuned out the boring details until they finally returned to the biggest problem after survival.

  “Is there a way to stop it?” Cam was kind of surprised to realize he was the one who blurted the question. But really, all this preparation would be unnecessary if they found the source of the poison and shut it down.

  Predictably, his sister had a sarcastic remark. “Because it’s probably got a faucet we can turn on and off.”

  “How do you know it doesn’t?” he hotly retorted. “It’s coming from somewhere, obviously.”

  “Your brother has a point,” Roark stated, taking his side. “Up until twenty years ago, the Diamond Kingdom was a thriving place, if rather cold. What happened to change it?”

  “Has anyone gone in to look?” Gunner asked. Being a newcomer like Cam, they were still catching up on some of the history.

  “Plenty have gone in. None returned,” the archivist declared. “Although we’re not aware of any attempts recently.”

  “Because it’s suicide. You said it yourself. The air is poison, which means just breathing kills.” Casey remained blunt.

  “So we don’t breathe it. What about using masks and those rebreather units the divers use?” Cam asked, not sure why he kept pressing the point.

  “Those are meant for water,” Casey reminded.

  “It’s actually not a bad idea. Could they be adapted for air?” Roark posed the question to Riella.

  A thoughtful expression appeared on her face. “It’s certainly doable but would require intense filtration.”

  “Even with a device to breathe, if the air is that poisonous, then any exposure to skin might be harmful,” Sofia their medical expert interjected. “It could have a corrosive effect.”

  “Meaning along with the breathing apparatus there would be a need for a sealed suit.” Riella took notes.

  Casey shook her head. “A suit and mask might work for a few hours, but eventually that person is going to have to pee. And eat. Soon as they break the seal…” In the pause after her ominous words hovered a silence. She made it sound impossible.

  There had
to be a way.

  “A suit would only be needed if the people investigating had to move on foot. But why would they walk when they can take a sealed vehicle in?” Cam pointed out the obvious.

  “A great idea if we had any.” Roark shifted. “Our fleet consists mostly of the two- and four-wheel all-terrain vehicles.”

  “We have some trucks,” Gunner reminded.

  “With small cabs and large open cargo areas. They would require extensive modifications.” Roark rolled his shoulders.

  “Do we have that kind of time?” Casey queried.

  Cam wasn’t about to let this go. “Can’t you buy something from Port City?” Since Roark’s brother, Darius, was engaged to the new Queen of Sapphire, the trade between the kingdoms flourished.

  “I’ll make the request to see if they have any, but I’m afraid trucks of the type you’re talking about are more common in other kingdoms than here,” Roark stated.

  “Actually”—Riella lifted her attention from her notes—“I might have something that will work. I had Burton salvaged.”

  Everyone looked puzzled until she explained. “Burton is my old tank. Titan sank it on the way here, but we managed to dredge it, and I’ve been working on restoring it.”

  “How soon before it can be ready to roll?” Roark asked.

  Riella’s brow creased. “Not too long. I’ve already replaced all the seals that made it waterproof and rebuilt its engine. It’s lacking all of the interior comfort stuff, but that’s less important than the body of it.”

  “Will it work in the Diamond Kingdom?”

  “Maybe.” She shrugged. “Without having a sample of the air, I can’t be sure if the seals will survive any corrosive effects.”

  “What if we sent it in on auto pilot for a test run? In and out,” Gunner suggested.

  “Already been tried,” Roark remarked. “Like the drones, they don’t return. Any machine we send in will need someone at the controls.”

  “How does that make any sense? You just said machines stop working when they cross into the weird fog,” Casey pointed out.

  It was Riella who explained. “Having seen this phenomenon before, I’m fairly certain it’s the electronics components that are probably getting shorted. Which means so long as the vehicle remains perfectly mechanical, it should be fine.”

  “That’s a lot of maybes and shoulds,” Casey mumbled. “Not to mention, where are you going to find the idiots who are going to volunteer for a suicide mission like that?”

  “I will.” That time Cam expected the words that burst from his lips.

  His sister didn’t. She flashed him a look and then proceeded to emasculate him in front of a crowd. “Oh no you’re not. It’s way too dangerous. We have no idea if a modified transport will work in there.”

  “We also can’t sit around and do fuck all,” Cam retorted hotly. It occurred to him in that moment that her forbidding him was reminiscent of the times he’d done it to her. Had she felt that same heated embarrassment in front of their peers and friends? No wonder she wanted away from him.

  It was the king who helped him keep his balls. “Your brother is right. We can’t do nothing. We must find out what’s causing the poison fog.”

  “You want answers? Fine. But someone else can go.” Casey glared at Cam as she said it.

  “Who?” Cam snapped, pushing from the wall. “We all know the person who goes into that danger zone has to have experience living in the wild.”

  “Plenty of those around.”

  “Not ones that have experienced more than one kingdom. And of those, you’ll want to send the best,” Cam insisted.

  “Which would be me,” Casey retorted, her gaze on him and the room silent as the siblings hashed out their grievances.

  Rather than argue, he conceded. Kind of. “Yes, you are the toughest of the two of us, but you can’t go. You have responsibilities now. Almost everyone in this room has a role that can’t easily be filled.” He met their gazes briefly one at a time. “Except for me.”

  “You can’t be replaced,” she said, her tone harsh.

  “You seem to be assuming I’m going to die. And I’m not planning to. You, of all people, know how tough I am. I’m going, and nothing you say will stop me.” Cam glanced at Riella. “I’ll be by your workshop later so you can show me this Burton and we can discuss the necessities to stow on board.”

  With a nod to the king, whose wry expression said good luck, Cam left. He didn’t get far before a tiny body slammed into his back. Casey’s arms wrapped around his neck and squeezed, putting pressure on him.

  He waited as she gripped tighter and hissed, “Fall, you annoying bastard.”

  Instead, Cam plucked his sister from his back and set her down. He regarded her sternly with his arms crossed. “Putting me to sleep or tossing me in a cell won’t change my mind. I’m going.”

  Usually the stubborn one, Casey looked more pissed than sad. “It’s a suicide mission.”

  “Wouldn’t be the first one I’ve gone on.” He’d done many dangerous things in his life.

  Her lips flattened. “It would be the first one without me.”

  “Says the woman who left Haven to protect a king by herself.”

  “That was different,” was her mulish reply.

  “Not really. There was danger, and you wouldn’t be deterred, nor would you accept help. Besides, weren’t you the one saying we needed time apart?”

  “Apart yes, but I don’t want you dead.” Her voice broke on the end.

  “I am not dying.” He grabbed her in a hug that lifted her off her feet and cracked her spine in a ripple effect.

  “Put me down!” she squealed.

  The moment he did, she slugged him in the gut. It only hurt a little. Damned tiny fist.

  “Promise you won’t go.” The words emerged thick with emotion.

  “I have to do this,” he said softly. “I can’t stay here.” He didn’t mention the crone and her strange words.

  “If you don’t want to live in Eden, then return to Haven. You know Axel would welcome you.”

  He shook his head. “I can’t explain why it has to be me.” How to describe the feeling he had, the certainty in his soul, that this was something he had to do? She’d laugh if he mentioned the prophecy. “Trust me when I say I have to do this.”

  “I should go with you,” she insisted.

  “You know you can’t.”

  “But I wish I could.” Her voice cracked, and her eyes glistened with tears. Shocking from his tough sister. She threw herself at him. “If you die, I’ll never forgive you.”

  He hugged her gently. “If I die, I promise I’ll come back to haunt you and make sure you never have sex again.”

  “Asshole!”

  He was ready for the love jab this time, but she couldn’t escape the extra-long hug. He held his sister tight and wondered if it would be the last time. Was this a suicide mission?

  That same day, he met Riella in the expansion shop that was more like a garage with various vehicles in states of disrepair. The two-story structure had recently been built outside the city, which had begun to outgrow the walls. It and a few others had sprung up on the drier spots. With Eden thriving, it wouldn’t long be before more joined them.

  Riella rolled back a pair of doors on a pulley system and revealed the tank. It was bigger than expected.

  Cam whistled. “Damn, that’s a sweet machine.”

  “This is Burton,” she said with a proud grin. “Once a relic of the underground tunnels, now revamped to adapt to the outside world.”

  She showed him some of the exterior features from the bulletproof shielding and windshield to the heavy-duty tracks that couldn’t be cut or punctured. Inside the tank, it was as sparse as she’d claimed.

  “Since it spent a bit of time in water, I had to strip everything out of it. Burton’s got a new engine made to run on combustibles, or you can flip it to water fuel. I plan to give it solar panels, too, once I get my hands on som
e.”

  “Won’t need those where I’m going,” he said with a wry chuckle. “I like that you’ve made it a hybrid machine. Is water plentiful in the Diamond Kingdom?”

  Riella frowned. “You know what? That’s a good question. Better make sure we pack some shit to burn.” And she meant that quite literally. Animal poop when dried into pucks made a good, if smoky, fuel source.

  “Steering, acceleration, brakes.” He checked out the controls, making sure he recognized them.

  “I wonder if I’ll be given enough time to equip it with guns?” Riella muttered.

  “The faster I get going, the better. How much work is still left to do?”

  “Since electronics probably won’t work, I can skip those and outfit the tank with other things.”

  “Such as?” To him, it seemed ready to go. A few packs of food, gallons of water, and his own arsenal would make it perfect.

  “I was planning to add a drop-down bed over here.” She patted the wall in the open area behind the driver seat. “Evacuation unit for waste. Oh, and a heater. I hear it used to get really cold in Diamond.”

  As Riella made notes and discussed some of the things he might encounter, Cam had to wonder at his sanity. How could he be so calm about going into a place none had returned from?

  If you don’t cede, then all of Ozz will die.

  Chapter 2

  Rather than get caught up in any fanfare over his departure, two days—and a few heated arguments with his sister—later, when Riella told Cam to take Burton for a spin and see how it felt, he did more than that. He drove it to the stash of supplies he’d been gathering, loaded the tank, and headed northwest via a trail through the marsh that took him to the cliffs. Over a hundred feet high, the bluffs overlooked an expanse of water that astonished.

  When he lived in Emerald, the concept of a body of liquid as far as the eye could see seemed ludicrous. But oceans did exist, along with their dangerous denizens. He stared a tad too long, delaying the next step of his journey, wondering if he’d see one splashing the surface.

  It was one thing to be brave in the safety of Eden. Quite another out in the open on his own. But Cam wasn’t a coward, and he’d not left Eden to sightsee.