Lifelight: Calypso Returns

20.

The bidding started at 1,000,000 Kailors or 18 gold bars. When bidding was opened and the opening bids placed, Lam started pacing again.Thur sat at the desk and bid as well, by order of the king.

Hera had been missing for two days. The witches were tracking her in a different part of the palace. The guard had been split in two. Mika, Kairu, and Yuli led a group working in the city gathering intelligence and reporting back. Thur and Jeb had stayed back to track her and bid. They were also interrogating everyone at the cottage when she disappeared. The auction had come online within a day of her disappearance.

"Where is she?" Lam asked.

"We know she's in the city. The witches would know if she left." Jeb said.

"They'll kill her. She dies, the goddess dies too." Lam said.

"There she is Lam. She's still alive." Jeb said.

Zaad was part of the force in the city. The usually busy streets were quiet and the people that were out avoided the guard as best as they could. Kairu and Mika were using the soft approach, knocking on doors and asking if any suspicious activity had been seen.

"Thanks again for the cake Miss Tuli." Mika said.

"You are welcome. I get the berries from the old trees in the forest just on the border. The climb is hell on my knees but nothing beats those trees." Miss Tuli said.

"And did you see anything suspicious on those trips?" Kairu asked.

"The Sithera is here, many odd things are happening." Miss Tuli, "I met a Thairn the other day on my hike. He was praying. A sliver of a man, he watched me for a very long time."

Kairu and Mika called Jeb as soon as they left Miss Tuli. At least they knew why the witches could not find Hera.

Zaad and Yuli went with a different approach. Instead of knocking doors,they knocked heads. They found every thief, con, and criminal in the city. It was only a few hours later that they had matching accounts of a suspicious pair. A man and a woman, an engineer and a bounty hunter, had been asking about the cottage and the goddess. A pickpocket had even seen a Thairn with them.

The woman, Bebe, had a short temper. Her scent clung to a bar where she had bashed in the bar keep's face. Zaad caught her scent in the market. She saw him first and broke into a run. She was fast but never stood a chance. There was no time for a proper interrogation.

Bebe had a coat on and a satchel full of gold. She was on her way out. She squirmed against Zaad's hold. Yuli tapped his shoulder and he loosened his grip.

"I smell her blood. Where is she?" Zaad said.

"It does not matter, you are too late guardian. She is as good as dead." Bebe said.

"Where?" Zaad said.

"Why would I tell you?" Bebe said.

Zaad leaned very close and whispered in her ear. Bebe struggled against his hold, suddenly mad with panic. The hunter's arrogance was gone.

"She is under the cobblestone in the old fish market. But the auction is just a ruse, I already made a deal." Bebe said.

Zaad was already gone leaving her to explain the rest to the other members of the guard. They tore through the city. The old fish market was right along the river. They descended into catacomb-like abandoned stalls. Only the oldest parts of the market had cobblestone floors and walls. A dark tunnel led them to newly installed double doors.

Yuli blasted through with Zaad, Kairu and Mika right behind him. Once they breached it, the Thairn's cloak lifted. All of them zeroed in on Hera's scent but there was no need. Her screams echoed through the tombs.

Hera was still sitting bound on the stool when all the screens flickered on and off. The bidding was up to twelve million kalors and the bidders down to six. Ardan and Thur were among them. The floor under them began to shake and then the floor between her and her kidnappers caved in. She fell of her seat and scooted back as far as she could.Three hooded men emerged from the hole. One walked to her and forced her to stand. The other two pointed weapons at the Thairn and the Saire man.

She was guided forward towards the hole they had made. The man still sitting in front of the screen reached for a radio and his hand just melted. Hera screamed. She jerked against the vice grip on her elbow but it only clamped down tighter. The door burst open and she saw Zaad before she was pushed into the hole.

For an endless moment Hera was falling into nothingness. Her hands were tied behind her back, she was helpless to do anything. She landed hard on a wooden floor that bobbed. There were three thuds, an engine purred and they were moving. Hera registered that they were on a boat.

Hope surged within her, "Wake up. Come back and this nightmare can end. Calypso please, I need you."

Her right shoulder was dislocated, she knew for sure when one of the masked men grabbed her by the right arm and forced her up. Stars danced in her vision and she screamed so loud for so long that she was grateful as she became limp and passed out.