by Becky James
I rubbed the back of my head. “Can we discuss categorising me later? When we’re not being attacked, perhaps?”
Her pale cheeks flushed a delicious shade. “Of course. Do you need armour?”
“Well, yes, my abs are great but they don’t bounce swords off yet. Why, do you have some?”
She blushed again, and I determined that if I lived through this, I would delight in seeing that phenomenon many times over.
She reached out to me, saying, “I worked on something this morning.” She ran her hands up and down my chest, stomach, back, arms and upper thighs. I had to take a breath and started to feel very warm indeed when I realised a trickle of warm silvrine metal was sliding out from her sleeves and coating my clothes. It was probably my turn to blush, my face so heated I was sure she’d pushed fire into me like a heatstone.
“Where are you storing all that?” alt-Aubin asked. He glanced at my face and smirked.
“These skirts have a lot of pockets in them,” Tuniel murmured. She ran her hands over alt-Aubin and lastly alt-Thorrn in the same way. “Your shoulders are huge,” she said to the latter.
“Don’t rub it in. Thank you, Journey Mage.” I saluted her. The metal moved like a second skin.
I focused on Special Forces, not yet in an attack line. My stomach twisted.
By now they had fanned out, a semi-circle defending the door, which boomed shut. They bunched up into rows and the wave approached, swords drawn.
I drew my father’s sword, reading the signals between the contingent. “As expected, they are going to target Tuniel, so we need to stay close to her but keep her out of projectile range. Don’t let anything past you.” I kept alt-Thorrn to my right. “Remember your stances are the foundation. With a strong foundation you can put those shoulders to use and swing hard. No one will be able to block you.” I smiled as he sank into a perfect Guard Two. “Good choice.”
Alt-Aubin stood on my left. “What have you got in your pockets?” I asked him.
“A one-time only trick.” He let fly a series of knives rapidly, one after the other. A surprising amount hit the front; men and women staggered to their knees and then hit the ground. “Don’t worry, that’s—”
“Somnus root applied directly into the bloodstream. Well, congratulations. You are now the target.”
Special Forces changed configuration, their shields coming out and up.
“Me?” Alt-Aubin’s eyes widened.
“Yes. You just took out a quarter of their numbers and you looked very casual while doing it. They are going after you first.”
He smirked. “At last, people who finally appreciate my talents.”
Alt-Tuniel and alt-Evyn jogged up to Tuniel, and the women conferred briefly. Alt-Evyn held both their hands and stood between them, and alt-Thorrn made a noise in the back of his throat. “You can’t focus on her. You have to focus on them,” I told him.
“They’re using her blood. I can feel it.”
Nausea rocked my stomach. “I’m sorry.”
He shook his head. “It cannot be helped. My Tuniel can handle it. Can yours?”
“I don’t want to find out, and we can’t talk about this now. We can’t afford to wait for Special Forces to come to us; they’ll cut us down.” I pointed. “Focus on the line. Do you see any weaknesses?”
He squinted. “That one there doesn’t have his shield up as high as the others.”
“Okay, good eyes. They’re assessing our weaknesses too. Who do you think they would have identified?”
“Me,” he said grimly.
“Shall we disabuse them of that notion?”
His eyebrows bunched. “What do you suggest?”
“Start barking out orders. I’ll follow them. They will hesitate, trying to work out which one the commander is. Alt-Aubin, get ready.”
“I’m always ready,” he said.
Alt-Thorrn took a deep breath. “Ready!” he yelled. I sank into an advanced stance. Aubin put his guard up, holding his blades.
The line halted, men glancing at one another, the contingent conferring within itself. Then the side Gavain led pushed forward, while the other side stood still, exposing red uniforms between the shield wall before they halted and regrouped.
“Good, another delay. We need something else. Got any more somnus root?” I asked alt-Aubin hopefully.
“Not a drop.”
I adjusted my grip on my father’s sword, my hands slippery. “I don’t want to use lethal force. Just wound if it comes to it.”
“It will come to it, and a bit more. Three against a score doesn’t work well in favour of the three,” alt-Aubin pressed.
Alt-Thorrn cleared his throat. “We can form something defensive around you, Au… alt-Aubin. Crouch in the middle and pretend you’re preparing something really nasty. We’re just looking to delay them, right?” he asked me.
“Fantastic.” I grinned at him. Alt-Aubin nodded and moved to a squat. Bouncing on the balls of my feet, I glanced at the mages and alt-Evyn, still concentrating. “Where the hell is Luc?” I scanned the horizon; still no Evyn or Aubin.
I swung back around to see the lines reforming into a concentrated wedge. “Oh no. They’re going to sprint at us and hack through to the women.”
“Aubin, get behind us. Thorrn, side by side,” alt-Thorrn barked.
“Just what I was going to say.” It was a shame he was going to die with all that raw talent untapped. I clapped him on the shoulder, and my arm was flung backwards with a force that nearly ripped my muscles again. “Whoa – what was that?”
“Tuniel’s armour. Huh.” Alt-Aubin dropped a pebble on his thigh. It deflected the stone so it never touched him.
“New plan. All three in a line, charge into them, watch them bounce away,” alt-Thorrn said, eyes bright.
I grinned. “Brave, risky, foolhardy. I love it.”
“Two of them. What did I do to deserve two of them?” alt-Aubin muttered.
We spread out and I faced the end of the wedge directly, pulling the calm of battle down. “Go!” alt-Thorrn yelled, and we broke into an all-out sprint.
Alt-Aubin quickly fell back as alt-Thorrn and I gained significant ground with our huge strides. “Slow down! All in a line!” I shouted to alt-Thorrn. He matched my pace, and alt-Aubin quickly caught up. I dropped my father’s sword and accelerated to hit the end of the wedge.
Shields and swords flew backwards. Men got hit with their own equipment as we blasted through them. I didn’t realise I was laughing until we were out the other side.
We had split Special Forces in two, leaving a litter of dazed men on the floor behind us.
“Thorrn! They’re going for the women!” alt-Thorrn shouted.
I whipped my head around and cursed. A small block of Special Forces still on their feet ran toward the now undefended mages and Earthian. I broke into a sprint, but I would never catch up to the front line. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
The ground rumbled, and a yawning gap opened between the elite and the women. The split in the ground ripped around Special Forces, surrounding them and trapping them on their own island. The unit backed away uncertainly, stones underneath their feet slipping into a yawning cavern below.
“Aha! I forgot you had magic!” I cheered. “Did we make it? We made it! Yes!” I whooped and put my hands on my thighs, mindful of the armour, taking a deep breath.
A snarl echoed out from the cavern. Snaking out of the opening came a huge head, blind eyes black as night. Special Forces yelled and knotted together, but the monster’s attention fell firmly on the women.
Evyn and the Tuniels let go of each other’s hands and scattered, but the monster took one swipe with its claws and snatched them up.
Wild laughter rang from the Palais walls. A woman dressed all in tight, black leathers squatted on the wall between crenelations.
“Rhona Journey Mage.” Alt-Aubin cursed. “Would have been nice to know she’s around.”
“I’ll get you a list of all the
principal potential enemies.” Picking up my father’s sword, I studied the creature as it looped itself over the walls of the Palais, disappearing inside with a flick of its tail. “We’re going to have to go in, as foolish as that—”
Turning to alt-Thorrn, I was instead confronted by Gavain. He faced alt-Thorrn, sword put up, but I knew how quickly he could swing it back into play. “You’ve given us a good show. You’re weaponless. Surrender now.”
Alt-Thorrn raised his fists.
Gavain snarled at him, “Don’t be stupid. We have your mages. You’re done.”
“Just try me,” alt-Thorrn said. Grimacing, Gavain stabbed him in the chest, but the sword blasted backwards and hit Gavain in the gut. Winded, he landed on his back with a thump.
Alt-Thorrn started laughing. “Come on, let’s get in there,” he said breathlessly, pointing to the unguarded layline door to the Palais.
“If you go in there, you’re not coming out,” I told them as we ran toward it, leaving Gavain behind to stagger to his feet.
“They have our soul companions and our wives. We’re going in,” alt-Thorrn said. “We just need to reach Evyn, and she’ll do the rest. You can stay out here and wait for your Evyn. I won’t begrudge you; we got into this of our own accord, and the consequences are ours.”
I shook my head. “I’m saving this Evyn too. Besides, they have my Tuniel. I wouldn’t be much of an inamarato if I don’t rush in and save her, would I?”
“She’ll be saving us,” alt-Aubin said. “Rhona made a big mistake bringing her inside the Palais, which is a stone construction on stone foundations with stone caverns underneath her.”
“Big advantage, then?”
“I’m fairly confident, yes.” Alt-Aubin scowled. “I wish I knew where Luc was.”
We rushed towards the layline door, and I wrenched it open. Behind us, Gavain followed at a dead run. “Come on!” Spilling through, we tracked the monster above us as it made its way overhead, leaping from internal wall to roof to walls again. Tiles and blocks dislodged, and we dodged masonry smashing onto the courtyard. Fortunately, the Palais Guard was absent, but I wondered how long that would last.
“It’s heading for the arena.” Alt-Aubin ducked around to lead us down a long corridor which opened out into a big sandy arena encircled with concentric seating. The monster was settling onto the sand at the far end, and dumped the women onto a raised dais, a wooden structure built on stone seating. A long staircase led up to the top, where Waker stood with her guards and…
My heart froze. “That Journey Mage there, next to Waker, that’s Shadrow. She’s a soul searcher, and she works for Waker.” I grimaced at alt-Aubin. “There goes your advantage.”
We ran across the sands toward the dais as the Palais Guard started picking the women up to hold them in place. Quiet and compliant, they watched Shadrow’s every move.
“Stop,” Waker commanded, holding up her hand.
I ground to a halt. She smiled widely, beckoning with a long finger. “Come quietly now. Walk towards me so I don’t have to shout. That’s it. Now, kneel and put your hands on your head.” We obeyed. “Very good. Sergeant, tie their hands behind their backs with cord. There are stone mages present.”
Gavain disarmed me, throwing my father’s sword to one side, and lashing my wrists together tightly behind my back. “This feels familiar,” he said. I growled at him. He knocked me on the side of the head to make me reel. “You’re the Thorrn I know from this history. And this is an alt-history version who thinks he’s clever.” He tied alt-Thorrn’s hands and then backhanded him across the face.
Alt-Thorrn reeled and spat to the side. “Mm. That’s more like my Gavain,” he grunted in a low voice.
I tried not to feel the hot sand under my knees, the fact that my heartbeat rocked my chest, or that this was probably the worst-case outcome bar Aubin delivering Evyn to Waker for her to kill in front of me. Shutting my eyes tight, I let myself feel despair for half a heartbeat before I reached out for hope again. Evyn. Evyn will do something.
“Aubin,” Waker called. “You have delivered the Earthian to me.” She smiled at alt-Evyn beside her, and alt-Thorrn gasped. “All so you can have your Thrall contract now and re-enter the dreamlands to be with your family as we agreed.”
“Yeah, about that…” Alt-Aubin drawled. He at least had not been tied up, resting his hands on his head.
“You may approach now and receive your reward,” Waker said.
“Ooh, I can, can I?” He bounded up.
Something very distracting started happening on my chest, not a trickle of sweat but as if delicate fingers stroked and smoothed across my muscles and shoulders down my arms to my wrists. Judging by the flush on alt-Thorrn’s face, something similar was happening to him as well. Looking up at Tuniel, she kept perfectly still apart from a single nod of her head.
Alt-Aubin got halfway up the dais towards Waker’s beaming face when Shadrow spoke up. “My mistress Waker, apologies for interrupting. That man is the soul companion of this version of Tuniel here.” She put her hand on alt-Tuniel’s shoulder, and alt-Tuniel went white, nostrils flaring.
Waker’s face darkened. “Ah. Not the original. I thank you for the warning. Disable him.”
“No!” Alt-Tuniel screamed as Shadrow’s eyes flickered. Alt-Aubin had no chance; he collapsed to the ground. Alt-Tuniel reeled in Shadrow’s grasp, falling to her knees. The Journey Mage merely watched her as alt-Tuniel clutched her chest.
“Anyone else want to try something?” Waker snapped.
I stared at alt-Aubin’s body, trying to think of anything.
“I think they are out of ideas, MasterMage,” Gavain remarked.
“Think again,” I muttered. Glancing at alt-Thorrn’s back, I saw he wore bracers with a wickedly sharp blade along the forearms; similar must be around my wrists. I met my Tuniel’s eyes and nodded once slowly. She looked impassively past me towards the entrance to the arena. My heart seized. Had our Aubin gotten closer?
Waker spoke again. “Two king’s men. Which one is the one from this world? Stay your hand, Shadrow, I have a better way of discerning.” Drawing a short knife, Waker flourished it toward alt-Evyn. Alt-Thorrn and I both growled at her.
The MasterMage smiled. “I’m offering what I usually offer in these situations. A Thrall contract, of course, in return for this Evyn’s life. She’s not from this world; I could use her blood and wait for the original.”
Alt-Evyn’s eyes locked with alt-Thorrn’s.
“I’ll do it,” both me and alt-Thorrn said.
Waker’s eyes narrowed. “Only one of you is her true soul companion.”
“I’m her soul across all worlds.”
“Across time and history.”
“All Evyns are dear to me.”
“Dear to us.”
Waker sneered. “This is very touching, but distracting from the main event.” Waker beckoned to someone at the other end of the arena. “At last, they are here.”
I turned to look over my shoulder. Walking hesitantly across the sands of the arena came Evyn and Aubin. I suppose we made an arresting tableau – a monster looming in the background; myself and alt-Thorrn mirrored kneeling on the sand, defeated but not completely downed; Shadrow and the Tuniels on the dais; Waker front and centre holding a knife; alt-Evyn being held by a guardsman; alt-Aubin sprawled lifelessly on the stairs.
“Aubin, run!” my Tuniel screamed.
I bellowed, “Evyn, get out of here!”
They approached together, arm in arm, but as they neared, I saw the knife he pressed against her back. Grinding my teeth, I regretted every opportunity I had ever had to snap his neck, for in that moment that man was going to cost me everything.
Waker clapped her hands. “Now I have both sets. Aubin, at last. You may approach.”
Gavain moved aside for him. I called out “Evyn!” before Gavain slapped me.
She gave me the briefest of glances, and her determined face sent ice into my heart.
Mounting the foot of the stairs, Aubin tugged Evyn past alt-Aubin’s body. Evyn held his hand tight, her lips quivering.
When they got to the top, Waker smiled, looking from one to the other. “So. Who is going to want a Thrall contract?”
My stomach twisted. “Evyn, no, that wasn’t me, that was Waker. She knows about the tattoos, she—”
“Well,” Evyn was saying. “Hopefully neither of us.”
“… No?” Waker’s smile dropped.
“No.” Evyn squared up to the MasterMage, still holding Aubin’s hand. “I could see through you even with the tattoos. What did it for me was the blithe way you fobbed me off at the end, ‘Off to go punch someone now’. Who does that?”
I laughed, and Gavain smacked me in the mouth. My face throbbed, my neck aching from the sudden snap to the side. Gavain shook his hand as he blew on his knuckles.
Waker rallied. “What about you, Aubin? Your reward for bringing me the Earthian.”
Aubin clutched Evyn’s hand with white knuckles. “What are you going to do to her?”
“She’ll get her comeuppance, don’t worry, and you’ll be in the dreamland with your family. If you’ll enter it freely, with no conditions?” Waker needled sweetly.
“No conditions. Except…”
Annoyance crossed Waker’s face. “Except?”
“Someone very wise once told me to check the merchandise before signing.”
Waker smirked. “You can trust me, we are allies. You’ll be back with your family soon. They are waiting for you.”
Aubin flinched “Where are they?”
“In the dreamlands, of course. You left when your contract broke. You put easily broken clauses in. Silly you.”
“But… Evyn and Thorrn took them. Did they enter the dreamlands to take them?”
“Yes, they must have, mustn’t they? They are here, so why don’t you ask them?”