by Becky James
“A brutish oaf.” My mouth tasted sour.
Tuniel’s face, usually pale like alabaster, took a red colour high in her cheekbones. “Not my… first choice of words,” she murmured, gripping her skirts, her gaze cutting away from me.
The alts exchanged glances.
“Well then. While you’re stretching your intellect to find a new way to describe me, you.” I pointed at alt-Thorrn, who snapped his gaze to the end of my finger. “I’m done with distractions. I’m focusing all my efforts on you. You are going to open up your ears, pay attention and learn about five turns of information in one session.”
His eyes widened slightly but he looked excited by the challenge. I smiled to myself. This must be what Shard felt when he taught. “Stances. Let’s go.”
While we waited for the Palais to show, I took the slave version of me through the stances. He picked it up at a steady pace and responded well to constructive criticism. Keeping my comments focused on helping him improve rather than calling out his weaknesses, he began correcting himself.
“There you go,” I said. “A few more sessions like that, you’ll have the foundations. Now then. Why don’t you have a lighter sword?”
Alt-Thorrn put his hand over the pommel as if I were going to take it away immediately. “This one was given to me by Queen Ellesmere.”
“The sword of the king?” I could see Luc’s attention slowly focusing on us. “Never mind. Lighter blades do the job and you can run with them.”
“I can run with this. I’m strong.”
“I bet you are.” I frowned. “Wait. You have bigger shoulders than me! How is that?”
He looked away. His brow seemed heavier than mine, always furrowing low. “I don’t know, maybe because I spent the first half score and eight turns of my life as a slave hauling and carrying?”
I leant back, smiling. “Slave work does that to you? Hm. Might be worth considering including that in a training regimen.”
He grunted. “The whips they use keep you going past exhaustion. That’ll be sure to motivate you.”
I grimaced. I’d put my foot in it. “My apologies. I got carried away.”
He shrugged. “It’s alright. At least you’re treating me like I’m human.”
“But you are human; you have a soul companion.” I felt a twinge, my heart Calling for my Evyn before I could stop myself. “Come on. Let’s rest up.”
We rejoined the group. Luc politely sat off to one side and the others gathered more toward Tuniel and her heatstone. While they did not quite huddle away from Luc, it was a near thing. I sat next to him to bridge the gap, but he sat straight-backed and did not acknowledge me. After a heartbeat’s hesitation, alt-Thorrn folded to sit next to me.
“The Tuniel from this world has brought us up to speed,” alt-Aubin said to me. “You’re waiting here for the Palais to show. Tuniel – alt-Tuniel, excuse me – knows more about it and might be able to sense when and where it’s going to appear before it does. That will give you a head start, at least.”
“So, you’ll be lookout. My thanks, MasterMage.” I nodded to her. Alt-Tuniel inclined her head, but Tuniel still had a flinty look in her eyes towards me. I tried not to care about that, instead reflecting on the automatic trust I had placed in her. Tuniel had certainly proved over the last sennight that she would not seek Evyn’s blood by force. Something about how easy the alts were around each other, like close contingent members, heartened me, strengthening that trust.
I looked expectantly at alt-Evyn and alt-Aubin. Alt-Evyn said, “I don’t, ah, ping between worlds to walk through walls like your soul does. I haven’t practised doing it anywhere near that fast, and trying to do it this high up would be dangerous.”
She gave me an apologetic look that twinged my heart; she looked so much like my Evyn in the castle running from the Last Tower. My Evyn had gained so much confidence from her ability to ping us. Alt-Evyn went on, “But both of us can open ways between the worlds.” She nodded at her Aubin.
“You can?” I asked him.
Alt-Aubin picked his nails. “Yes. Although I don’t, if I can help it.”
I drew my knees up to my chest. “Mind if I ask a personal question?”
“You can ask. I might not answer, sorry,” alt-Evyn said, shifting in her seat, her eyes flicking around the group and especially at Luc.
“Are you two married?”
They glanced at each other. “I… not quite,” alt-Evyn said, flushing.
Alt-Aubin shrugged. “Evyn has a thing about marriage as a concept. The commitment is there.” His lips twitched into a small smile, and she beamed shyly back.
I nodded. “My Evyn is putting herself in danger trying to free our Aubin from Waker’s deception. Meanwhile he raided the Last Tower with me, a very dangerous undertaking.
“They don’t know each other. Not really. They’ve spent a bit of time with one another, a few conversations. Mostly about books, or plants, or books with plants in them.” Arms tight around my knees I asked, “Is that love between them there across all the alt-histories you’ve visited?”
“Most of them, yes,” alt-Aubin said. Alt-Evyn raised her eyebrows at him but didn’t interrupt as she usually did.
I looked directly into alt-Aubin’s face. “And has he ever failed her? Is there a version of him that has hurt her? Even killed her?”
Alt-Aubin went slightly pale. “No. Not that we’ve seen.” He tapped his blades, the low light flashing off them. “He always starts off a little… lacking, let’s call it that. Generally, when he crosses paths with Evyn, something in him changes.”
I cocked my head. “Changes how?”
Alt-Aubin’s lips twitched. “Makes him different.”
“Softer,” alt-Evyn said.
“Stronger,” alt-Aubin insisted.
I looked between them. “And is it her that does that, or him?”
Alt-Aubin shrugged, tipping his head up at the sky. “Why does anyone change? I know for me, I saw something unexpected. I explored it, waiting for it to be revealed as some sort of front or facade, a trick, the way I knew everything else in the world worked. Instead, something else opened up to me.” He reached out to touch alt-Evyn’s hand, and I did not think he realised he had done it. She smiled at his profile. He noticed and winked at her. “I’m characterised as the Lonely Man across alt-histories. I stand apart. I like standing apart and I’m good at it. But I don’t have to do it all the time.”
I nodded. “If you had to choose between, say, life under a Thrall contract or death, which would you want?”
The question threw him. He scowled.
Alt-Evyn snapped, “Life. There is always something that can be done for someone if they are alive.”
Our Tuniel gave me a deadly look. “That’s right, Shardsson.”
I raised my hands in defeat.
But what did they know? Alt-Aubin’s lips thinned; he knew he would be a dangerous weapon in the enemy’s hands.
“Just so we’re clear, I’d pick death,” I said loudly. “I could murder you all with ease.”
Alt-Thorrn grunted. “Thanks for that. I’m definitely sleeping with one eye open tonight,” he said. The evening was headed that way, the sun setting and the warm night drawing in around us, arrayed around a heatstone with trail rations to tide us over.
And no Evyn or Aubin yet.
I prepared to stay up with alt-Tuniel and alt-Aubin. Tuniel, Alt-Evyn and alt-Thorrn would take the second shift. No one wanted Luc to take a shift or be on shift with him. “Fine by me. I get a good night’s sleep,” he said, lying down three arm’s lengths away.
“You don’t have to treat Luc like a convicted criminal,” I said to alt-Tuniel and alt-Aubin once I was sure he was out of earshot.
Alt-Aubin put his hands on his hips. “He is very, very dangerous. And mad. All of Dolobere’s lineage have a madness running in their veins. You’re a berserker, on our world at least.”
“Here as well, but I very rarely do it.” I w
atched alt-Evyn and alt-Thorrn douse the fire, hand in hand. “Do we always make it together?”
They exchanged a glance. “Most of the time. There are a few alt-histories where the roll of the dice was different. Mostly, once you meet Evyn, you turn out okay.”
“And the ones where we don’t?” I asked curiously.
“We probably shouldn’t say.” Alt-Aubin glanced at his Evyn.
“That bad, eh?” I thought back to Luc’s ‘men with ambition’ comment. “Well. I just want my soul by my side. I’d be happy with that. And I’d die to make sure she lives. I went out unarmed against seven men to ensure she made it away safely. I won’t hesitate to do that again.
“If worst comes to worst, and all hope is lost, and Waker offers me one of those contracts to make it all better, I’m taking it. Then I want you to kill me before I hurt any of you.” I stretched. “I know my Aubin and Tuniel would be able to, so you’re likely to be the more practical of the group.”
Alt-Aubin snorted. “Yes. We aren’t thanked for killing allies, though. Evyn tends to get bent out of shape about stuff like that.”
I shrugged. “I’d rather her angry than dead. I mean it. I’m dangerous.”
“We’re not exactly helpless, Thorrn,” alt-Tuniel murmured. “But if it makes you happy, I promise I’ll do my level best to kill you.”
Startled, I looked up into her amused eyes. I nodded to her. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”
She rested her chin on her fist. “I can crush you with some falling stones. Easy.”
“I don’t really need the details.”
“I can open up the ground, swallow you up and close it again.”
“Yes, my thanks. Sounds like it would be quick…” I frowned at the floor. “Hm. Our Tuniel dumped a contingent under Spiritshere. Spiritshere is where the Labyrinth is, correct? Where else does it connect? Am I right in thinking there’s parts of the Labyrinth under the Palais?”
Alt-Tuniel nodded gracefully. “You are correct. There are tunnels under the Palais. They behave like the Palais, half in and half out of the world.”
“Can you find them? You’re a stone mage. Can you find the Labyrinth, and that will lead us to the Palais?”
Alt-Tuniel’s eyes narrowed. “Yes. Yes, I can.” She pointed.
Decamping quickly, we moved. When we got close enough that alt-Tuniel and Tuniel agreed that there were caves beneath us, we camped in those. “That saved us travelling all that distance at a dead run in the morning,” I said, delighted.
Luc muttered something and went to sleep, Alt-Tuniel and alt-Aubin following suit but well away from Luc. The second watch took over, and I lay close by, listening to them talking and chuckling, enjoying each other’s company…
I ran across a blank vista, featureless apart from the clear line at the horizon, the earth and sky the same white colour. A small shape slowly appeared as I got closer. Grinning, I ran towards it, my lungs clear, my legs pumping. I felt truly free.
I pulled up to Evyn as she levered herself up to standing. “Where are you? I’ve missed you!” I beamed at her.
Evyn chuckled. “Hang on. I’d like a cuddle first. Arms wide.” Smiling, I showed her my tattoo. She flashed her own, and we embraced.
She said, “I’ve had a think. I decided not to go through with it.”
My stomach eased. “Thank all the gods for that. We are prepared, mind you.”
“Oh?”
“Indeed. We pinged through at the MasterMage’s Palais. I climbed up the mesa, Luc and Tuniel found an easier way up—”
“Luc?” She startled.
“Yes. Didn’t I mention him yesterday?”
“Oh, yes. Of course. Sorry.” She settled herself, rubbing her eyes as if tired.
I patted her back. “They found the canal way up. The Palais is still hidden, but I figured out that there’s an entrance to the Labyrinth underneath it. The Tuniels could sense it.”
“Tuniels? Plural?” She looked up at me again, wide-eyed.
“You recall those alt-versions of us that joined us in that dream? They have come to find us in the waking world. They are alt-versions of us from the world where Luc was the MasterMancer.”
She gaped. “Luc was the MasterMancer? How?”
I shrugged. “Overthrowing Waker, I don’t know. I especially wanted him along. He did it in their world, and I’d wager he can do it on ours.”
“But how? How did he do it?” Evyn pressed her hands together, then curled her hands into fists.
“I don’t know. Like I said, it was their version of Luc that managed it in their world, and they… well, he’s not around to consult, let’s put it that way. But I’d wager our Luc would have a decent chance, and he’s motivated to do it.
“Ellesmere pointed out that Waker has Rose and therefore the secret for how to get to Earth. If that happens, Luc’s comfortable Earthian life and his Earthian soul are put in danger by a mass invasion of mages and mancers. As a result, he’s up for the challenge.” I grinned at her. Evyn’s face had gone white. “What’s the matter?”
“Oh, nothing, you… So where did you say you were? The Labyrinth under the Palais?”
I frowned. “We’ll head to where you are now.”
“Oh, there’s really no need. I’m fine.”
Despite this being a dream, I could still feel a trickle of fear, cold and creeping, down my back. “How’s Aubin?”
“Really starting to come around, yes. We’re just… moving around, here, on Earth.”
I nodded slowly, making an effort to open my fists. “How’s your car beast doing? Does it need feeding?”
“I fed it this morning. It’s fine,” she said. I nodded. Then I caught her by the throat. “What are you—!”
The cold had been replaced with a hot flash of anger and shame. “Well met, Waker. You don’t feed car beasts, and Evyn doesn’t have one. How did you know about the tattoos?” I groaned. “Aubin told you via the lodestone.”
“Yes,” she hissed.
“And now I’ve just told you our plan.”
“That’s not all. I fed her misinformation as well.” The Waker-Evyn in my arms laughed. “It’s much easier to pretend to be an Oberrotian after all.”
I shook her. “What did you tell her?”
“That you had a cure. That it involved her giving herself up to me, offering herself up under a Thrall contract.”
“No, she wouldn’t.” I threw her away from me.
The dreamworld tipped, and Waker’s laughter rang around me. “She trusts you, Thorrn, and you asked her to trust you. It won’t work if she knows the details. ‘Please just trust me,’ you said. She agreed.” Waker’s laugh took on a deeper tone, a man’s voice. My laughter. “And the best part is, you told her you had to pretend to be fighting it. No matter how many times I say no, or beg, or give you reasons to doubt it, do it. Do it!” Waker said in my voice.
Snarling, I fled, starting to run back. But back to where? The endless featureless landscape gave me no clues how to get out or wake up. A roar rippled from behind me; I looked back as a terrific beast swallowed the Waker-Evyn up and headed for me–
“Evyn!” I startled awake.
“It’s okay.” It was Evyn’s voice, her touch on my hand.
Grabbing hold of her, I pulled her to my chest. “I’m so glad I have you back. I missed you so much, Evyn,” I sobbed into her hair.
“Ahem.” I looked up. Alt-Thorrn’s mouth was downturned and his eyes understanding, but he also pulled my hands off possessively.
“Oh. Yes.” I collected myself, wiping my eyes on the back of my forearm. “My apologies, Lady alt-Evyn.”
“It’s okay.” She gave me a kiss on the cheek. “We’ll get her back.”
I scrubbed at my hair, pulling at it. “And Waker made it that much more difficult.” I told them what the dream thing had told me.
Alt-Thorrn did not seem disturbed. “Evyn isn’t stupid. She won’t fall for that,” he said.
“I real
ly hope you’re right.”
Suddenly Tuniel – my Tuniel, I nearly thought, with a shock of surprise – sat upright. “Aubin. He’s near.”
Chapter 30
We made our way out of the caves in a rush. Above us a huge wall of stone had materialised, glittering with a rainbow of colours in the harsh dawn light.
“Perfect placement, Tuniels!” I grinned. The Tuniel from my timeline smiled back.
Those of us who could ran around to find the entrance; Luc said he would walk and alt-Tuniel and alt-Evyn elected for a jog ahead of him. I broke into an all-out sprint, making it there as the front-runner to stare up at the huge, imposing door. Next to it stood a layline door, in a much more sensible size. The magical doors sat on a layline and displayed Oberrot’s current ruler. Gough’s symbol was a huge rose in a dark carmine, but Torgund’s was some kind of barge or boat, and the clash of the two together resulted in a twist of metal.
Alt-Thorrn, alt-Aubin and my Tuniel joined me, the latter pointing off to where her heart led her towards her soul companion. I stared into the desert, willing their shapes to materialise, jogging out to spot anything moving.
Behind me, the doors cracked open. Men in Special Forces red spilled out of the split in the gates and turned in formation, moving toward where my companions waited. Seeing a tall blonde among them felt like a solid punch to my ribs; Gavain.
“Damn and blast.” I sprinted back to Tuniel, alt-Thorrn and alt-Aubin to report. “Waker has at least a contingent of Special Forces in there. They are probably going to clear us out for Evyn and Aubin to get through.” I grimaced. “Protect the mages, and the mancer, when he turns up,” I told alt-Thorrn and alt-Aubin. “Tuniel, I’m going to need you to do some large magic, but if you can, I ask that you not kill them.”
Tuniel’s eyes were grey in the bright light. “I will form a focus with the other Tuniel, and we can work together. For now I can create a sandstorm to obscure us—”
“Then we won’t see Evyn and Aubin. We only need to hold here until we see them and can get them away from the Palais.”
She nodded, blurting, “I was unfair before. I needed to say that before anything else.” Raising her chin, she met my eyes unflinchingly, the ice in her gaze somewhat melted. “Aubin and I understand more than most that the surest solution is elimination. To have a swordsman profess to avoid that was a lie, I thought. Special Forces eliminate; they do not hesitate. I do not know quite what to make of you.”