by Becky James
I nearly reached out to grasp her shoulder, but she saw me move. Her scowl convinced me of the inadvisable nature of that human contact, so, pretending it was my original intent, I put my hands back around my mug of tea.
“Can you use small amounts of power to make, say, handholds?” Evyn asked.
“Like a slave ladder? Yes,” Tuniel said. “I suppose that might go undetected. We would have to bring Aubin on someone’s shoulders.”
I put my hand in the air. “That would be me then. And after that we just…walk and hope we can see the Palais because we have something of an invitation?” I asked the women.
“Let’s just get up there and see the lie of the land,” Evyn said. “One step at a time.”
She took us through, Aubin’s slack body on my back. Tuniel rested to recuperate, touching the stone with her eyes half-lidded. I laid Aubin along the path, hopeful that soon he would be restored to life and then returned to us. Evyn ran through some hand signals to practise as she wet his lips with water. I flashed her a few to test her, smiling when she got them all correct. Rolling my shoulders, I prepared myself mentally for whatever we might face ahead, when a loud crack sounded partway down the path.
Taking a guard position, I watched dumbfounded as several large rocks fell out of the side of the wall a good four lengths from our position, tumbling to smash on the ground. This path wavered its way up the side of the mesa, which rose ten lengths high. Tuniel sat breathing quietly all the while. By the time she had finished, it was dark.
“The perfect time to climb a sheer cliff,” I said, my mouth dry. I strapped Aubin to my back along with my pack and sword; he felt heavy already.
I frowned at Evyn and Tuniel. Evyn looked determined, but a ten-length climb would test the fittest person. Tuniel looked half-dead and nauseous. My stomach twisted.
“This is rather foolhardy,” a woman said. I whirled around, but I had never had to compensate for a weight like Aubin’s before so I nearly pulled my leg muscles in doing so.
Behind us stood Waker. She had a half-smile on her face, her arms unencumbered by weapons and crossed on her narrow frame, and a phalanx of Palais guards fanned out behind her. They must have transported here by magic. I drew my sword.
“You were doing so well up until now.” Waker shook her head, tutting, that smile still in place. “Do you think I can send you dreams and not know where you are?
“Well met, Tuniel. The Earthian. And the Earthian’s soul companion.” She looked me up and down. I lifted my sword in response.
Waker went on, “I really commend the speed at which you managed to meet me. And all your preparations! Simply darling. I was rather looking forward to an entertaining game of trying to contain you in my Palais, but then I find you stalled here and likely to kill yourselves in an attempt to scale a cliff. Most disappointing. I’m utterly underwhelmed.”
“Waker MasterMage. Well met,” Tuniel said tiredly. She made a hand gesture and Waker returned one, still with a motherly smile on her face.
“Some refreshments first, my Journey Mage of Stone? You look overwrought from your journey.”
“I thank you, but I would prefer to restore my soul companion at the earliest opportunity.”
Waker’s eyes flicked to Aubin tied on my back. I took a step back on the dusty ground, marking how the Palais Guard spread out on the sparse desert path. “Ah yes. Thank you for bringing my new Thrall to me with all haste, as decreed. A trifling thing, really. I would have much preferred a king’s man trained in the secrets of Special Forces.” She licked her lips at me. I lowered my stance. “You can lay him at my feet, swordsman. You aren’t going to want him anywhere near you.”
I shared a quick glance with Evyn and Tuniel. We had to trust Aubin’s contract break would come into play somehow. Laying Aubin down on the ground, I was careful not to let his head fall and jolt against the rock.
Waker watched me lower him. “Unless, of course, he set conditions on his release.”
Evyn gasped.
Waker sneered. “Oh yes. Did you think I didn’t know? Did you think you would come here, and I would be shocked and amazed when his contract ended unexpectedly?
“Shall we place a wager on what the conditions are? He constructed quite a few, fancying himself immensely clever. Given the events that unfolded around me, I expect many to be around the safety and liberty of the Earthian, but there are bound to be a few around his soul companion, wouldn’t you think?
“Any for the king’s man, though? Wouldn’t that be nice, eh, if they fight and Aubin nicks him and suddenly the contract breaks… meanwhile the swordsman is still moving and takes his head off. Delightful.”
“You’re sick,” Evyn whispered.
Waker laughed. “As soon as his contract is broken, he will come to me for another. No conditions attached this time and no break clauses. He will beg for one.” Her glare bored into Evyn’s teary eyes.
Tuniel paled. “What have you done to him?”
“This is what I’ve been waiting for, so I’m not going to spoil it. Step one, restore spirit to body.” Holding out her hand, a golden glow suffused it. She blew on it, and we watched as it floated down to touch Aubin’s chest. His ribs expanded in a deep breath, and I dropped my pack and sword to clatter at my feet.
“Step two, see how long it takes you to break his oh-so-clever contract clauses.” Producing a timer, she turned it over. “In the meantime, he’ll be trying to kill you all.” She clicked her fingers, and Aubin’s eyes snapped awake.
He threw his legs up to launch himself upwards and twisted in mid-air, landing on his feet in a cloud of desert dust. His attention snapped to each of us, and then he launched himself at Evyn.
“Oh no, you don’t.” I grabbed him by the back of his shirt. He turned, heedless of rending it, stabbing at my face with his fingers, his thumbs gouging at my eye sockets. I kicked him to fold him over. “Sorry, Aubin,” I grunted, pushing him solidly into the rocky ground and putting my foot on his chest. Scratching and scraping, he scrabbled like a mad thing, drawing blood on my leg.
I snarled at Waker. “Why would you do this?”
Waker’s lips twitched. “No one is master of the dreamlands but me. Oh, look, you’re hurt and he’s still under. You’re not a favoured party, sorry.”
I bent down to secure his wrists, but he was ten times stronger than I ever expected him to be. All of his resources were bent on tearing me apart and he fought like a wild animal, struggling for life and death. Moving my knee onto his chest, I held on gamely, trying to slow his movements. He would pull his own muscles apart, flinging them around like this.
“Oh my. The apothecarist can give the king’s man a good fight, it seems,” Waker said. “How delightful.”
“MasterMage. Stop this,” Tuniel said between gritted teeth.
“Journey Mage of Stone.” Waker made another hand signal. “My apologies, it seems that your soul companion has been caught in this little show of power I am having with this Earthian. However, I do think it’s time that you shed the shackles of childhood and move on from having a soul.”
“Like he’s some doll I’m clinging onto from my youth?” Tuniel’s watery grey eyes sparked. “I’ll take that under advisement. I will not easily forget this, MasterMage.”
“Oh, Tuniel, don’t make any hasty decisions. That would be very disappointing. I would hate to lose you over something so insignificant as this.”
Aubin suddenly slipped from my grasp. To keep him immobilised, I held his shoulder, keeping his arm straight out behind him and digging my fingers into his shoulder muscles, worried about the strain on his arm and elbow joint. Even so, he bucked and fought with his other hand, desperately trying to reach me or claw the ground for purchase.
I glared at Waker. “You call this insignificant?”
“Indeed. The Earthian annoyed me, and twisting him amused me. Although Aubin has some interesting fate, it is of no concern to me.” Genuine annoyance flashed across her face. �
�No, this is far more entertaining, and now that I have secured Rose, I have some time on my hands.”
Her strange emphasis on the word struck me. Time?
“What are you doing with my mother?” Evyn asked, fists balled to her sides.
“Evyn. Earthian blood?” Grunting, I leant down, pinning Aubin’s flailing body to the rocks below.
“What is power if it is not directed?” Tuniel murmured.
Waker’s eyes flashed. “Indeed, my Journey Mage of Stone. Cast off your soul, join me, and I’ll let you have that little Earthian all to yourself.” She smirked. “We will soon have so much more than mere blood, no matter its potency.”
“You could have started a war,” Tuniel accused. “Instability and death. What could be worth risking that?”
Waker looked up at the clear sky. “Could have. Did not. The mundanes have a king in place, do they not? Therefore, they are happy and they want for nothing more. The magical world exists under the yoke of the Accords, and they are happy, wanting for nothing more. The stability you prize is intact, barely a ripple from my actions. As she said,” Waker murmured.
“Who said?” Tuniel’s eyes narrowed.
Waker looked at the timer in her hand, the sand racing through it. “All in good time. In the grand scheme of things, what’s his mind worth? Now you, however…” She turned her head toward me, smiling that calm cruel smile. “You would be worth doing something with.”
“Get away from my soul,” Evyn growled.
“I can remedy the apothecarist,” Waker offered to me. “All I want in return is a sennight of your life. A Thrall contract for a sennight is nothing.”
“No way,” Evyn said before I could open my mouth. “I don’t trust your fixes. You’ll probably just kill Aubin, and you can do a lot of damage in a week.” She grimaced at Aubin, who snarled, spittle pooling on the ground.
Holding a knife pressed to her thumb, Tuniel said, “Aubin, wake up!” A small droplet of blood dropped to the floor and Aubin went limp in my hands. I did not trust it entirely and kept his wrists in my firm grasp, holding them against the rock beneath us.
He panted, his clothes damp, his eyes focusing on Tuniel first, his world, his soul companion. When they snapped to awareness, I suddenly saw him. Aubin. He was back in his body. I smiled.
His eyes flicked to me sitting on top of him. “Thorrn.”
“Well met.” I stood up slowly. “Need a hand?”
“No.” Levering himself up, wincing, he declined my outstretched arm.
I rubbed the back of my head. “My apologies, I had to knock you down somewhat.” Staying close to him to make sure he could stand, I began assessing the still and silent Palais guards for weaknesses. They would be non-magic users, well-trained but nothing like my level. However, as I had once told Evyn, numbers counted for much in a fight.
Fortunate then that it was not just myself, but Aubin by my side as well. I stole a sidelong glance at him. He held a steady stance, looking at me rather than Waker.
“Something is wrong.” Tuniel spoke quietly, words carrying clearly in the still hot air.
“Wrong? Yeah. Waker’s evil,” Evyn muttered.
“No, wrong with Aubin.” She flashed a hand signal at Aubin. He responded stiffly. I recognised it as High Dinahen, but not what they were saying. Tuniel took a breath. “My benefit? How?”
“Later,” Aubin murmured. He looked sideways at me.
“Uh. Are you really okay?” Evyn asked.
“I’ve been better.” He looked back at Waker. “Shall we deal with her?”
Waker took a step back; the Palais Guard drew their swords.
“Oh, don’t worry, MasterMage,” Aubin said mockingly. “I’m in full control of myself now.” He opened his empty hands. “Who’s got my blades?”
“Here.” Ducking to my pack, I slung his holsters across, picking up my father’s sword on the way. “Now then.” Assessing the line, I picked my spot to attack.
“Tuniel Journey Mage!” Waker barked. “I order you to stop what you are doing and return to me.”
Tuniel flexed her hands, baring her teeth. “No, Waker. Not after this.”
Waker smirked, as if she had expected as much. “Well. You know where to find me, king’s man. Gods’ luck,” she spat.
I raced toward her as Waker raised her hands, and she and her guard vanished in the winds of travel. Swinging my sword, I rushed toward the tornado anyway, Evyn crying out after me. In vain, as there was nothing at the centre but the sting of sand. I spat grit to the side, sheathing my father’s blade.
“Well. That’s that.” Aubin dusted off his shirt.
“Are you hale and well? What happened to you?” Tuniel touched his shoulder, but Aubin shrugged her off.
While they got reacquainted, Evyn ran to my side and hugged me, breathless with success. “We got him. It worked! He outsmarted Waker.”
“Indeed. Well done,” I told him. “She was crowing over us as if she had won, she even guessed you had put conditions on the contract! I’m… glad you’re back with us.” I ran my hand through my hair. “I… thank you. For doing that. For—”
“Shall we go?” Aubin interrupted, not meeting my eyes.
I cleared my throat. “Of course.” Not a demonstrative feelings man, I reminded myself.
Evyn reopened the way back to Earth, and it was a relief to breathe in cold air for once. She stole frequent looks over her shoulder at Aubin and Tuniel as they trailed at the rear. “I can’t believe we did it. And we didn’t even ping once!” she said.
We boarded the barge and unlocked it, waiting for them to arrive. “Come on in, make yourself at home,” Evyn welcomed Aubin, her cheeks pink.
Aubin did not meet her eyes or mine. He hesitated at the top of the hatch down into the barge between us, his hands flexing.
“It’s alright, I’ll go first, put the kettle on.” Evyn motioned him out of the way, and he stepped smartly back rather than closer to me. His placement kept Tuniel from moving onto the stern. I opened my mouth to talk to him again, but decided Tuniel and Evyn were better placed than I to offer support or reassurances. The way he looked at me, with his gaze sliding off either side to my hands before fixing on my father’s sword, made my heart hurt to imagine what he had been through.
As good as her word, Evyn furnished us with drinks, but while Tuniel sat at the table, Aubin stood near the hatch. “What happened to you, Aubin?” Tuniel cradled a hot mug of restorative.
He shrugged one shoulder. “I can’t really remember.” His attention strayed over the curlicue-covered crockery lined up behind barriers on the walls, patting his Battlemistress blades.
“We heard you. In the dreamlands,” Tuniel prompted gently.
“Oh yes?” His lips thinned. “Where to now?”
I cleared my throat and Aubin flinched. I marked it, my gaze flicking to Evyn and Tuniel, who also saw. Evyn’s eyes welled. “It is good that we have you back. I’m sure a few days of rest are in order for you,” I said. He did not react to that, keeping his arms folded tight across his chest. “We have to still defeat Waker to rescue King Gough. I don’t suppose you learnt anything useful that could help us?”
“Where all the back doors are, the limits to her power and the extent of her ambitions? Not a clue.” Aubin stared at the floor underneath the table.
I leant back in my chair and he twitched, overly sensitive to my movements. Stilling myself to help him, I said, “Queen Ellesmere is leading the effort. We’ll report back, see how we can best help.”
Aubin did not respond, head lowered.
“Let’s get on that and leave you have a moment,” Evyn said, taking her mug and marching to the back stairs. I threw my beverage down my throat and followed.
Once she started the engine, I nudged her. “Did you see him reacting to my every move? It’s obvious he’s been through a terrible ordeal.”
She hugged me. “He’s putting a brave face on things, but it’s going to be okay. We got him back.�
��
Looking down the hatch, I said, “It may play on his mind for a while. That can sometimes happen.” I turned over my own experiences in my mind. “We’ll let him come to us. Let’s not push when he’s not ready.”
“Of course! Of course.” Her cheeks flushed.
I smiled at my soul as she turned the barge around to head back to the Citadel of Sheffield and the ping-through place for Tergue Hall. After a time, Evyn went to go back inside, handing me the rudder. I assured her I had it all under control, and she went below.
And pain flashed through me.
Chapter 26
I jumped down into the hatch, the boat shuddering around me.
Aubin pressed Evyn against the side of the barge, pushing her hand back into her forearm. She reeled and went to her knees. Aubin’s cold stare pushed her further down. “As it turns out, I am stronger than you thought. Now, where are they?”
“You’re hurting me!” she gasped. Her wrist suddenly gave as it snapped, and so did I. Agony slammed the back of my head and rage filled my nose and mouth. Distantly, I realised I was losing control, but the urge to kill him for hurting my soul was strong. Grabbing his shoulders, I yelled incoherently in his face.
“Thorrn!” Evyn’s voice pulled me back, but the panic in it fired me further. Aubin held Evyn’s wrist so I couldn’t move him far and smash him into the side of the barge as I wanted to.
“Aubin Tabreksson, listen to me!” Tuniel shouted, running in from the bedroom. Aubin’s eyes locked onto her. “I can feel you Calling. Yes, it’s me. I’m coming for you. Stop moving, or the oaf will hurt you. Let Evyn go—”