Aiden watched as Austin's eyes readjusted and the silver faded from his normally blue eyes. His face was a slab of stone as he tried to control his temper. Electricity crackled around him, holding it closely to his body so it didn't electrocute anyone.
"Well?" Deuce asked. He was strapped in his gear and anger was radiating off him. He held his hands in the Kevlar to contain his buzzing.
"He's been captured but I got the information I need. There are four of them but he incapacitated one at the café. The other three are a Thunder Bearer, a Pyro, and a Windler. They've taken him to the mill district. It's easy to get to and easy to scope out," he replied.
Aiden frowned at him. "What aren't you saying?"
Everyone looked at the Queen but Austin knew what she was talking about. "He's going to be heavily guarded by bonded. We're going to need Wyatt."
The Queen's face contorted. "He's not fully recovered and there's no way he can take on all those bonds without ramifications."
"He can if you boost his power." He held his hands up in surrender when her eyes narrowed on him. "It means he'll have excess energy to tap into. We can always give you extra protection because you can only do two things at once."
"You're forgetting. I have to have skin on skin contact with him because his energy resonates deep in his person. It's not like his teleportation ability."
Austin gave her a dry look. "That man has had his hands covered in your blood before. I think he's seen you intimately enough. He's your brother for crying out loud."
Abby put her hand on his arm. "Let me try." She canted her head to the side to keep from looking at her Queen directly in the eye. "Your Majesty, we need your brother's help. If you can help him break the bonds tying all them together, we can save the boy faster. They'll be in too much pain to stop us. And it will keep Keldin here so he doesn't go ape shit and kill them all."
Aiden crossed her arms and chewed on her bottom lip as she thought it through. In this world if they lost too much time, things would get worse. This meant if they spent too much time looking for another Opulent they would lose Skander. She promised Keldin she'd get him back. If she called her brother, she would have to help him break all those bonds. In doing so, the downside of being a Spirit Wielder would emerge and the world would be too bright with color for her to see. She would be so sensitive she might hurt someone.
Giving in to the voice of the masses, she nodded. Austin sighed as she gave in and called her brother rather quickly before she could change her mind. He motioned them all to split up and take a section of the warehouse district.
***
Skander awakened to dim lighting. He was tied to a chair and flipped upside down on a chain. No doubt this was a warehouse. That had been the last place he had been when he was taken. He had also told the team coming to rescue him where he was. Whether or not they got there before he was beaten even further was another story.
He watched two of the men help their friend he had laid out back at the café while the other watched the road below. They were taking every precaution to make sure the Queen and her Court didn't find them and give them time to figure out how to kill him. Too bad they already knew where he was.
He remembered what Cole had told him in one of their lectures. Aiden could see in color when she allowed it and that everyone had an aura that showed what they could use. His would be merged with Keldin's since they were bonded and another Spirit Wielder who could see it. If he didn't survive, they'd go after Keldin because of that bond. He had to get free if he wanted to survive.
Trying to make as little movement as possible, he reached for the knife they had failed to notice he'd been carrying. It had been a gift from Wyatt after Skander had flipped him the first time on the mat. He had been carrying it in the waistband of his jeans since then. How the others had failed to notice it was beyond him but he knew it was sharp enough to cut through the ropes holding him.
Finally, after working painstakingly slow, he reached his knife and slid it out of its case. Once he was certain they hadn't heard anything, he began to saw away at the rope. After a few minutes, his hands were free and he began to free his feet. Once that was done he held on to the chain to steady his fall then dropped to the floor below, rolling to take the sting out of his feet.
"Once this all said and done and we get paid, I'm never going against the Crown again. The Queen isn't someone to be trifled with," one said.
"You do realize she is just a child, right? There's nothing she can do," another said.
The first one scoffed. "She wields the strongest army in the world. They are all highly trained assassins but she's the best. That's why she's the Queen." He shook his head. "Once we kill the kid, I'm going into hiding and never coming out because she will kill me. And if she doesn't, that little bastard will."
"I'm just glad we didn't do what the last minister asked us. You see where that got him."
"You do know who killed him right?" The other three looked at the first man and shook their heads. "The Queen killed him. I heard he was her best friend but he broke the law and she had to uphold it. If she can kill her best friend, she can kill us. I don't want to take that risk."
"Newsflash, Gordon, you messed with her Court, she wants your head. You took the risk. Now once we get rid of the kid, we can all get paid and then disappear." The one who Skander had taken out motioned to the others. "Go check on the kid."
Skander slid deeper into the shadows as the man came looking for him. He let out a noise of annoyance then growled as he looked closer for him.
"Niles, he's gone!" he heard the man yell at the door.
"He can't be gone! We tied him triple time!" The door flew open. "Damn it! Marco, I told you to make sure it was tight!"
The man who had come in the room groaned. "I did! Someone cut the bonds!'
"I didn't feel anyone come in," the third guy said.
"Of course not, Pax. You're only a Level 1. Spread out! Find him!"
As Skander was getting ready to bolt for the side door, someone grabbed his mouth from behind. He was going to scream but the feelings coming off the person holding him was friendly so he didn't struggle after the initial shock. Once given the chance to look back, he found it was Deuce holding him. He didn't realize how much he'd come to like the guy until now.
'The rest of the team is setting up around Her Majesty and His Highness. Austin's team is getting ready to run interference while the Royals work. Her Majesty and His Highness are right above us, so whatever you do, don't look up. You'll give them away,' the healer whispered in his mind.
Skander could feel him probing his body lightly for any wounds that needed to be treated right then. All he was going to find was the marks made by the ropes he'd cut. 'What about Keldin?'
'Her Majesty asked him to remain at home. And before you have a conniption, it was to make sure he didn't lose his temper and screw this up. If something had happened to you, she didn't want to have to do anything drastic to him. She isn't Queen for nothing.'
"Niles! I found them!"
Deuce was on his feet in an instant taking out Marco even before the words left his mouth. He clapped his hands around the man's ears then jerked him into a sleeper hold. Once he was out, he laid him in the corner then stepped over him with Skander in tow.
The rest of the team was in motion as the other three burst into the room. It really wasn't a fair fight since they were three on one with Marco out like a light.
Austin and Paycen were a burst of adrenaline as they took on Niles. The other two, cousins Petey and Carter, were taking turns punching the daylights out of Gordan. The weakest, Pax as he was called, was taking a beating from Emery and Deuce. Well, Deuce was leaning against the wall watching as stone-faced Emery used his power.
Skander watched as everyone moved but something felt off. It was like this was simply the first of something. That telltale shiver went up his spine. This time it was coming from the floor above his head.
Catching the pole to his left, he shimmied up it just as the circle containing Aiden and Wyatt. The Queen was all over her brother's naked torso but as he looked closer, the two glowed. There was a hum coming from them but he didn't know what was going on.
Abby kicked one of the new attackers and made eye contact with him. Hers widened slightly but enough that everyone around them knew he was there. They turned their attention to him.
"Austin!" That was Aiden's voice that was raised over the roar of battle. "Electricity! Now!"
Austin turned and sent a bolt of lightning her way. She in turn used that to blast his attackers in their backs seconds before they got to him. Losing precious seconds, she turned and placed her hands on her brother once again. His slouched shoulders lifted with renewed power.
There was a sickening crack as the other attackers began to scream. Skander finally understood what was going on. Wyatt was breaking the bonds. There was another shriek. This time it was more high-pitched than masculine.
Skander turned just as Max came charging at him. She looked deranged, and he realized the bonds had been connected to her as well as the others. With them now broken, she had lost everything in the span of several minutes, but she was still willing to put her life at risk to take him out.
There was no time for him to get out of the way. He jerked to the side and tumbled over the edge of the wall. He thought he was going to fall off but a hand grabbed his ankle. Craning his head to look up, he saw Aiden holding him with one hand and pouring power into her brother with the other.
"Close your eyes, kid," Landen said as he leaned over the edge.
Skander did as he was told seconds before bright light turned his eyelids red then white. He heard the screaming die down as the light receded.
"It's okay, Your Majesty. You can drop him."
He started falling then two arms wrapped around him securely. He opened his eyes to see Deuce holding him then looked up. Aiden was hanging over the edge of the loft watching him. He wasn't sure she could move.
"Go check on Aiden. I'm fine," he said.
As Deuce dropped him to his feet, he wished Keldin were there to be holding him up and then couldn't wait to get back to the palace. Abby filled the void and wrapped one of his arms around her neck. He looked at her and smiled. She mirrored his, and they turned to watch the others begin the cleanup.