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by Sarah Hawke

  “Now I’m really nervous. Those knights are probably orcs in disguise.”

  I snorted softly, but when I glanced over to Kaseya she was frowning and shielding her eyes from the sun. “I thought the Knights of the Silver Fist were considered elite mounted cavalry.”

  “They are,” I said.

  “Then why don’t their horses have any barding?”

  I frowned and shielded my own eyes. Even from this distance, I could still tell she was right. The knight’s horses were saddled, but that was about it.

  “That’s…odd,” I muttered. Even the horses we’d seen in town usually had some form of protection, cosmetic or otherwise. Pageantry was as synonymous with knighthood as a lance and sword in this part of the world.

  Valuri immediately drew her crossbow and peered through her scope for a better view. I lifted my spyglass and did the same.

  “That’s not Silver Fist armor, either,” she said. “No inscriptions, no emblazoned insignia anywhere…a few of them aren’t even wearing helmets or plate.”

  “They could be Duskwatch,” I said. “Maybe they’re—”

  The words died on my tongue when I finally caught a glimpse beneath the hood of one of the riders. The long blonde ponytail, the piercing blue eyes, a nearly perfect copy of Kaseya’s features…

  The truth hit me like a brick to the face. This wasn’t a “test run” organized by Telanya; it was a trap set by Ayrael and the Senosi. They had already bought off the Falcon Guard and stolen the original cargo—that was why the carriage’s aura was so weak. The crystals were probably halfway to Vorsalos by now…

  “Oh, shit,” I hissed.

  “Something wrong?” Koth asked, glancing back over the edge of the carriage. “Don’t tell me the knights have a bounty out for you or something.”

  “Not exactly,” I rasped. I could feel the eyes of the other mercenaries upon us. The moment they started shouting, Ayrael and her warriors would charge straight for us. We’d only have a few minutes before we were completely swarmed…

  “So what’s the matter, then?” Koth asked. “You look…upset.”

  “Nothing,” I said, forcing a smile. “I just think it’s time we part ways.”

  Reaching out to the Aether, I thrust out my hand and unleashed a bolt of crackling Aetheric energy directly into the carriage’s wheel. The horses shrieked, the wooden frame collapsed, and Koth was violently hurled out of the saddle.

  “Get down!” I screamed, dropping to a knee and sheathing myself in a mantle of spell armor. The mercenaries had already drawn their weapons, and they were just about to pounce when I blasted the man directly behind me. The greenish-white beam of energy vaporized half his torso, killing him before he even hit the ground.

  The other mercs wouldn’t be dispatched so easily. I would have been completely overwhelmed in another second or two, but thankfully the girls were already moving. Kaseya dashed in front of me, bashing her shield into the skull of one mercenary and slashing open the throat of a second. Valuri drew her second crossbow and fired, dropping two more of the men just as I unleashed another blast. In the span of five seconds, we had already taken out half of Koth’s men…but unfortunately, they were about to get backup.

  The mercenary captain dragged himself to his feet and blew into a small horn. The baritone cry rang across the grasslands as clearly as a trumpet, and the unmistakable pounding of hooves rolled in the distance like approaching thunder. The hourglass had officially tipped over.

  “Get the horses!” I shouted at Kaseya after she had smashed another mercenary to the ground. “We can’t escape without them!”

  I unleashed another spell before she could respond. Placing my hand against the ground, I ignited the grass in front of us and then wildly spun around, conjuring a wide ring of fire around the caravan to keep our horses from fleeing and to give us some cover. While Kaseya scrambled to steady the panicked beasts, Valuri sprayed bolt after bolt over my shoulder. A few of the mercenaries closed into melee range, their shields held high, at which point she holstered her weapons and unsheathed her hidden claws. She whirled between the heavily-armored men like a dervish, and I was yet again reminded of both the beauty and the horror of Senosi martial arts. Her claws and body were soon covered in a mist of gore.

  Just as she scythed down the last mercenary, Koth vaulted over the toppled carriage and slammed into her flank like a battering ram. He probably had at least a hundred pounds on her, and she tumbled end over end and nearly rolled into my wall of fire. The mercenary captain then drew his blade, an elaborate silver sabre, and prepared to slice her in half.

  But I was ready. Whirling around again, I unleashed another beam of crackling energy. The blast was easily powerful enough to disintegrate half his body….and yet the instant it struck him, a patch of glowing green tattoos appeared beneath his skin.

  “Uh oh,” I rasped.

  I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a male Senosi, but apparently Koth was more than just another of the Inquisitrix’s hired goons. The energy of my spell rippled through his body, bolstering his strength and speed to superhuman levels. Fortunately, he didn’t turn and finish off Valuri.

  Unfortunately, he turned and charged at me.

  My spell armor cracked and shattered when his sabre thrust towards my chest, and I managed to dive away just far enough to avoid being decapitated. I couldn’t avoid the backswing of his off-hand, however, which smacked me so hard I flew at least ten feet through the air before I crashed into the toppled carriage.

  The fact that none of my bones shattered on impact was incredibly lucky; the fact I remained conscious was nothing short of a minor miracle. My vision darkened and my head pounded, and I was reasonably sure a piece of broken wood had speared into my side. The battle around me became an indecipherable haze of screams and movement. I was vaguely aware of Koth charging towards me, and just before he skewered me on his sword a red blur leapt to my defense. Blinking frantically, I managed to clear my vision just in time to watch Kaseya fencing the empowered captain. A memory of our fight in the north seared into my head—back then, Kaseya had been completely overpowered by another Senosi until I had bolstered her with my own magic. Sadly, I didn’t have any strength left to help her again…

  A moment before Koth hacked through the amazon’s defenses, a trio of wicked-sharp claws erupted through his back. Valuri appeared behind him, her eyes glowing green.

  “Now, Red!”

  While Koth was stunned, Kaseya shifted to a two-handed grip, swept her sword across his body, and sliced his head clean off his shoulders. It was simultaneously the most disgusting and relieving thing I had ever seen.

  “Jorem!” Kaseya called out, grabbing my hand and pulling me to my feet. A fresh spike of pain stabbed into my gut, and I belatedly confirmed that a chunk of wood had indeed buried itself inside me. My tunic was already stained with blood.

  “We’re out of time,” Valuri hissed. “Get the horses!”

  My vision began to cut in and out, and my consciousness waned along with it. In one second I was lying there bleeding to death, and in the next Kaseya had somehow gotten me up onto one of the draft horses. She wrapped my arms around her waist in the saddle as we surged forward. Arrows whistled past us one after another, and when I peered back over my shoulder I saw Ayrael and her men charging around the walls of smoke from my firewall. We had a lead on them, but it wasn’t going to last. Here in the open grasslands two dozen miles from the city, we had nowhere to run.

  Gritting my teeth, I summoned all the energy I could muster into one final spell. I knew I couldn’t hurt Ayrael herself, but I didn’t need to. Thrusting out a hand, I unleashed a jagged blast of energy directly at the ground in front of their horses. Mounds of dirt erupted all around them, tripping their horses outright or causing them to buck wildly and throw off their riders. The whinnying shrieks were audible even over the thundering clomps of our mount’s hooves.

  I didn’t have time to celebrate. The Aether seared
in my veins as the backlash from ovechanneling threatened to set my very blood on fire. I clutched Kaseya’s waist more tightly, holding on for dear life as we vaulted over a narrow crevasse. My vision was so clouded by pain and loss of blood that I could barely see anything at this point, but through the clouds of dirt I caught a glimpse of a single unharmed rider, her blonde ponytail fluttering in the wind as she watched us escape. She did not pursue.

  A thin smile touched my lips just before the darkness claimed me.

  6

  The pain when I awoke was less intense than I feared, but still bad enough to make me groan and grimace. “What…?”

  “There you are,” Valuri’s voice called from somewhere. “You better wake the fuck the up, Jorem. You need to heal yourself!”

  Darkness greeted my eyes when they finally fluttered back open, and until I spotted the moon hanging in the sky I genuinely feared I might have been blind. My right side burned like I was on fire, though when I clutched at the wound I felt the warm stickiness of fresh blood.

  “We’re safe for the moment. My sister gave up the chase.”

  I heard Kaseya before I saw her leaning over me. I had no idea where we were, though the scent of grass still flooded my nostrils. When I eventually mustered the strength to lean up, I saw the lights and towers of Highwind far in the distance.

  “Well, shit,” I muttered.

  “You’re lucky to be alive,” Valuri said. “If not for Red here, you never would have made it this far.”

  “Healing salve,” Kaseya explained, touching my forehead. “It stanched the bleeding, but it’s not strong enough to mend the wound.”

  Nodding, I took a deep breath and reached back out to the Aether. It flowed through me almost tepidly, as if it were afraid of triggering another backlash. But I still mustered up enough energy for a healing spell, and when I touched my wound the pain diminished almost instantly.

  “You were right about Koth being a con artist,” I muttered. “I guess he was even better than you thought.”

  Valuri grimaced as she squeezed my arm. “He wasn’t a real Senosi, but he had obviously undergone a similar ritual. I can’t believe the Inquisitrix would give that kind of power to a man.”

  “I can’t believe a lot of things right now. How the hell we’re still alive, for one.”

  Kaseya touched my cheek. “I am sorry I could not protect you. This is my fault.”

  “You didn’t do anything wrong, believe me,” I assured her. “You were amazing. You both were.”

  “Not amazing enough,” Valuri said, scowling in frustration. “I should have seen through Koth’s bullshit right away.”

  “It doesn’t matter now. We’re alive—that’s what counts.”

  She sighed and pursed her lips. “We’re about twenty miles out from the city. I know you need some rest, but if you’re up to it I think it would be safer to get inside the walls if at all possible.”

  “At least until the Headmistress realizes we do not have her cargo,” Kaseya said. “She does not strike me as the forgiving type.”

  “This is all her fault,” Valuri said. “The Senosi obviously stole the cargo at the source, which means those mercs had already been compromised. Telanya was a fool to trust them. How the hell has she built an underworld empire making that kind of novice mistake?”

  I wasn’t sure if it was the blood loss, the head wound, or just a random, well-timed epiphany, but the moment the words left Valuri’s mouth the last piece of the puzzle finally clicked into place.

  “We should get back to the city,” I said, leaning up. “Telanya still needs to know what happened.”

  Kaseya frowned at me. “You are certain?”

  “Val is right—this fuckup was mostly her fault, and the bottom line is that we’re still going to need her help if we want to take down your sister and the Inquisitrix.”

  Valuri nodded. “I imagine the crystals swung west through Ostvara. The Archmage has connections all over the region—maybe he can contact his allies there and try to intercept the shipment before it ends up on a boat.”

  “Maybe,” I murmured. The fate of the vatari crystals was suddenly the last thing on my mind. “The healing magic is working. I just need some help getting up onto the horse.”

  Kaseya frowned at me, clearly sensing my revelation. “There’s something else on your mind.”

  “It’s just an idea I had,” I said, smiling. “It’s not fully-formed yet, but it will be soon.”

  “I know that look,” Valuri said. “And I don’t like it one bit.”

  I touched her shoulder. “We’re going to skip Lord Martel and go straight to the source.”

  “You want to walk up to the Archmage’s estate at this hour? I doubt his guards would even let us inside.”

  “We don’t need the Archmage,” I said. “It’s time to cut through all the bullshit. I guarantee Silhouette will still be awake at this hour, and I’ll demand our long overdue meeting with the Black Mistress.”

  Valuri’s eyes flicked back and forth across my face as she studied me. She knew me well enough to recognize when I was plotting something even without the aid of a magical collar. “You think Telanya’s more likely to be in her secret den at this hour?”

  “Something like that,” I said. “Now come on—let’s get moving. We have some bad news to deliver.”

  ***

  Midnight had long since come and gone by the time we entered the gates, and the city’s streets were quieter than I’d ever seen. We handed off our horses to Telanya’s people at the stable then promptly veered towards Moonshadow Plaza. My side still ached like hell, and even with magic I knew it would take days to fully heal. But I could walk just fine on my own now, and at the moment that was all that really mattered.

  Thanks to all the brothels and taverns, the plaza was busier than almost anywhere else we crossed through. We maneuvered through the loose crowds to the Skittering Spider , and I searched in vain for an “old woman” reading people’s fortunes. I was a few seconds from giving up and busting in the door when I heard a voice behind me.

  “You’ve certainly looked better. Trouble on the roads, sweetheart?”

  I glanced back over my shoulder and spotted a slender woman in Duskwatch Ranger garb lurking beneath the overhang of a boarded-up building. I could barely see anything beneath the thick cowl of her hood, but when I reached out to the Aether and concentrated the illusion slowly began to fade away.

  “Impersonating rangers now?” Valuri asked. “That seems dangerous. And pointless.”

  “Dangerous things are fun, and fun things are never pointless.” Silhouette pulled back her hood and the illusion crumbled entirely. Other than her silver hair and supernaturally seductive smile, she suddenly looked like any other half-elven woman in the city. “Is there something I can do for you lovelies?”

  “I think it’s finally time we meet your boss,” I said. “The situation with the Senosi is even worse than we thought. There’s a war coming, and if our people want to survive we need to stick together.”

  Silhouette glanced between us for a second before she smiled again. “The Mistress has been eager to meet you for a while. I suppose now is as good a time as any.”

  She beckoned for us to follow. I fully expected her to lead us to a sewer grate or concealed cistern or somewhere else that was perfectly functional but almost laughably cliché. Instead she led us into the dark alley behind the Skittering Spider and brought us to an abrupt halt.

  Valuri’s hands reflexively dropped to her crossbows as she studied the nearby rooftops. “Hell of a spot for an ambush.”

  Silhouette turned and cocked a silver eyebrow. “If the Black Mistress wanted you dead, you never would have escaped the Grey Citadel. You just need to be patient.”

  “Patient for what? I can see right through your illusions, you know—there’s nothing here.”

  “Not all illusions are magic.”

  As if on cue, the ground beneath our feet unexpectedly trembled. I
threw out my arms to keep my balance, and Silhouette chuckled softly at our discomfort as the small, square-shaped piece of stone we were standing on began to sink underground. Vorsalos had plenty of lifts—they were necessary without the magical infrastructure of a proper Mage’s Guild—but I had never ridden one this fast, quiet, or perfectly concealed.

  We descended into total darkness. Even without actively stretching out my senses, I could feel powerful Aetheric currents swirling around us. But when I tried to conjure flame into my palm, it extinguished almost immediately.

  “The undercity is protected by numerous powerful enchantments,” Silhouette said when the lift abruptly came to a halt. “Even the Silver Fist cannot find us. Every time they send a search party, their knights become lost in an illusory labyrinth.”

  “Good thing we’re not paladins,” Valuri said.

  I heard her draw in a deep breath, and an instant later her eyes and tattoos began to glow brightly enough to pierce through the shadows. I could actually feel her feeding; she sucked in the magical currents like a living tornado sucking up water. For a few moments my eyes could see just fine—we were standing inside a cavernous stone chamber with three distinct exits—but then the shadows promptly returned and swallowed everything.

  “A dozen Senosi might be able to shatter our wards,” Silhouette said. “But a lone one will only earn herself a quick meal.”

  A small luminous orb appeared in her palm, almost like she had plucked a mote of moonlight from the heavens. It only banished the shadows in a small area around us, but at least it was enough to see where we were going.

  “Come,” she said, smiling again. “We are almost there.”

  I glanced back and forth at my companions. Kaseya looked as vigilant as ever, though somewhat surprisingly she seemed more intrigued than anything. Valuri, for her part, wasn’t amused at all. Here in the dim light, her glowing eyes and tattoos made her look more like a succubus than ever. But unlike in the Archmage’s estate where her hunger had taken over, something about these particular magical currents must have been unappetizing. I made a mental note to ask her about it later.