Bladesorrow (The Agarsfar Saga Book 1)

by D. T. Kane

  “What?”

  “Valdin. When did he become Grand Father?”

  Oceanshade lowered his single eyebrow until the eye all but vanished. He scratched at the melted flap of skin on the other side of his face.

  “Don’t be silly, Grand Master. He was risen just after... Well, right when... That is to say...” The man grasped his head as if it ached. His eye slowly widened until it seemed too big for his face.

  “Precisely, Frankard. You were one of the leaders of this nation and even you can’t recall. It’s because he never was raised to the position. He’s played his tricks and fooled us all into believing his authority. You know as well as I none other than an Angel could accomplish such.”

  The man looked so shaken Jenzara placed a supportive hand on his shoulder. He traced a hand from his forehead, down to his waist, then back up.

  “That’s impossible,” Oceanshade stuttered. “The Aldur are myths. Well, perhaps not myths. I went to chapel now and again. But they haven’t intervened in the affairs of men since...” His voice trailed off. Ferrin felt a flash of anger at seeing Oceanshade’s reaction, though it wasn’t directed at the deformed man. Frankard clearly understood the implications of Valdin’s being an Angel. He wouldn’t have put Jenzara in such danger.

  “If that’s true,” Jenzara murmured, her face nearly as concerned as Oceanshade’s, “then how can we hope to defeat him? Tragnè help me, I just sent a whole group of men to stand against him, create a diversion, up on the Quadrangle. They’ll be crushed.”

  “Not necessarily,” Bladesorrow said. “We’ve an Angel on our side too.”

  “We do?” Oceanshade spluttered.

  “The lawyer? Devan?” Jenzara said at the same time. Ferrin was surprised at how unsurprised she seemed. He’d seen what Devan could do and he still only just believed it.

  “Aye,” Bladesorrow said.

  “So the rumors of you were true?” Oceanshade asked.

  “Rumors?”

  “You’re a friend of the Aldur?”

  “Where did you hear that?” Bladesorrow said, brow creasing.

  “Never mind.” Oceanshade gave a shake of his head, though his stout neck was so thick the motion was little more than a twitch from side to side. “Where is this Angel of yours?”

  “Well, I’m not exactly sure. He’s not particularly punctual considering he’s a time traveler. But he’s always showed when I needed him in the past.”

  Oceanshade looked into space for a minute, as if trying to decide whether to believe or if Bladesorrow had simply gone mad. Finally, he looked back to the Grand Master Keeper.

  “Then there’s no time to waste. We need to get you out of here, but we can’t very well ascend through the Temple. We’ll have to go the long way, back through the tunnels to the Symposium. Here, let me see those chains.”

  “Where do you plan to take us?” Ferrin asked, pulling his shackled hands away from Oceanshade when he reached for them. He’d seen enough of this City to realize blind trust wasn’t a good idea.

  “Ferrin.” Jenzara laid a hand on his shoulder. “We can trust him. He used to be a Keeper, after all.”

  “It’s alright, Lady Jenzara.” Oceanshade said, turning to Ferrin. “There’s several vaults below the Symposium library, where old relics and books are kept. I figure we can hide there, organize a rescue of the other shadow attuneds from the prisons Valdin has them in.”

  “What then?” Ferrin pressed. “Take back the City from the Temple by force?”

  “No.” Both Bladesorrow and Jenzara spoke in unison. They looked to one another, then Bladesorrow actually nodded to Jenzara, deferring to her for explanation.

  “There’s been enough killing. This has all been Valdin’s doing, abusing his power for personal gain. And his treachery was finally revealed to the City at the trial today. The people will be behind the Grand Master Keeper now. We won’t need to fight.”

  Ferrin suppressed a scoff. Jenzara undoubtedly had good intentions, but peace wasn’t the answer here.

  “Didn’t you just send a bunch of men to the Quadrangle? Do you think they’re just exchanging pleasantries with the Parents?”

  Jenzara’s expression wavered, but only slightly.

  “I didn’t say no one would be hurt. But I instructed them only to create a distraction, not attack the Temple outright. Oceanshade will go tell them to fall back once we’re all to safety.”

  Ferrin released a long breath, staring into Jenzara’s eyes. “It’s a pleasant dream, the City all coming together. But Valdin won’t go quietly. He still has at least part of the Temple under his enchantments.”

  “The Angel will stop Valdin from doing further harm,” Bladesorrow said.

  “Maybe.” Ferrin wasn’t so certain. From what he’d seen, Devan had his own agenda, and saving the people of this City wasn’t necessarily included in it. “But even if the City knows Valdin for a fraud, that doesn’t mean they’re going to support Bladesorrow.”

  Oceanshade scowled at him and Jenzara glared, as if he’d just uttered some great insult.

  “What?” Ferrin insisted. “Maybe he’s not the traitor we all thought, but it’s not as if he was universally loved even before Riverdale.”

  It was Bladesorrow who held up a hand to forestall any retorts.

  “The boy speaks sense. I may have been wrongly accused of much, but I won’t have you treating me as if I’m Agar.”

  Jenzara looked as if she wished to protest further, but a look from Bladesorrow stilled her tongue.

  “But I think we can all agree that at least getting to temporary safety is a good plan for now.”

  Bladesorrow looked to Ferrin as he said this. After regarding him for several moments, Ferrin gave a curt nod. They did need to get out of these dungeons, after all.

  Oceanshade made quick work of their bonds. He gripped Bladesorrow’s manacles in one hand and bent to touch a pool of water that had formed on the cell’s floor. Ferrin felt him draw power from the liquid, channeling it into a narrow jet that sliced through the chains like a knife through twine. Oceanshade then did the same to Ferrin’s bonds. Ferrin let out a sharp breath as the shackles fell away from his chafed flesh. The cold air of the dungeon was both painful and an intense relief.

  “The collars will have to wait. The channel to cut through those will need to be far more complex. No time now. Follow me.”

  Oceanshade turned and walked from the cell, Bladesorrow following. Ferrin took an uneasy step forward and was grateful when Jenzara offered him support without him having to ask. His muscles were still afire from the forced march to the trial. She put her shoulder under his left arm and grasped his hand. He squeezed it and she squeezed back, offering him a smile.

  “I was worried about you,” he said as they started after Bladesorrow and Oceanshade, all thought of their disagreement over the proper course of action temporarily escaping him.

  A soft laugh escaped her lips. Such a pleasant sound after what he’d been through. They didn’t say anything for a time as she helped him along behind the two former Keepers. And he was fine with that, just enjoying the closeness of her. He found himself wishing they were alone.

  “It looks like you were the one who needed worrying after,” she said after a time. They shared a quiet laugh, though Jenzara’s expression quickly turned serious.

  “That attorney?” she asked. “Devan? He’s really an Angel? Like the manipulating time and place kind?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Wow,” she murmured. “How did the two of you get involved with him?”

  Ferrin shrugged, then regretted it. His shoulder had begun to throb once more.

  “After we escaped the Crossing, we ran into a Lesser Terror and—”

  “A Lesser Terror?”

  He nodded. “Just like that thing in Bladesorrow’s testimony.”

  “I know what it is,” she said into the darkness of the tunnel before them. “You actually ran into one of those things? Seeing it in the Grand
Master’s memory was frightening enough. I can’t imagine actually meeting one.”

  “It wasn’t pleasant, that’s for sure. But we don’t need to talk about that now.” Or ever, he added to himself. He wasn’t going to admit it, but just talking about it scared him.

  “The Angel, Devan, showed up and defeated the Terror. Beat it like he was performing an early morning exercise routine. Then the three of us had a talk. Turns out Devan thinks Valdin has designs on destroying time itself. I’m still not entirely clear on how or why, but whatever his plan is, it involves Bladesorrow, and Devan can’t stop it without him. The Angel’s been following him around for years, lobbying for his help.”

  Jenzara was silent for a time. “It all seems too incredible to believe,” she finally said. “But after what I’ve seen since we left Ral Mok? Maybe I shouldn’t be so narrow minded. You’re sure he’s an Angel?”

  He resisted the urge to shrug again. “Sure as I can be. There’s no way an ordinary man could have defeated a Lesser Terror. You saw it at the trial. What that thing did at the Dales.”

  Jenzara nodded slowly. “The Grand Master Keeper stood up to it.”

  Ferrin opened his mouth, shut it. A fair point, even if he doubted the man’s judgment.

  “Maybe some of the old tales of Taul Bladesorrow are more than just legend,” she said.

  Ferrin gave a shaky chuckle. “Perhaps. But even more incredible than the Terror, Devan peregrinated us here to the City. I wasn’t totally conscious for that, but it must be true. There’s no other way we could have gotten here so quickly. Remember when you laughed at me for suggesting such a thing was real?”

  She gave him a smile, but it was full of sadness. That had been only a few weeks ago, and yet seemed a different lifetime. Back then the worst he’d had to worry about was someone taunting Jenzara about Raldon’s past. Now he lived in almost constant fear for her safety. He looked into her eyes just to reassure himself she was still there. He wouldn’t let anyone take her ever again.

  Jenzara was chewing on her lip in thought. “Well, if he’s an Angel, and Valdin’s one too, then I guess it’s not that much more of a leap to believe there’s some plot to destroy time. The Path?” she asked with uncertainty. “It’s happened before, right? With the ones Erem... Taul, called the Seven? And you’ve seen Valdin. He’s ruthless. We have to help the Grand Master and this Angel stop him.”

  “Now wait a minute!” Ferrin pulled her to a halt. “I’m not sure we want to do that. We already know we can’t trust Bladesorrow. And I’m still not convinced about the Angel either.”

  “What?” she turned a hard expression on him, jaw set. Not unlike the sternness he’d seen Bladesorrow portray. “I can understand some hesitance about Devan. I can’t explain it, but somehow he seems just as dangerous as Valdin. But what do you mean we can’t trust the Grand Master? We’d both be dead if he hadn’t helped us.” She glanced ahead to Bladesorrow and Oceanshade. They were far enough away not to hear.

  “He nearly got you killed, Jenzara,” Ferrin said, trying to keep anger out of his tone. “He knew what Valdin was. Knew chances were good he’d be at the Crossing. And still he insisted we go that way. And he didn’t even tell us. How can I trust someone who’s so negligent?”

  She continued to stare at Bladesorrow’s back. Her eyes did not share the anger he felt.

  “He was just making the best of a bad situation, Ferrin. Sometimes that’s all leaders can do.”

  Bladesorrow had said that too, though hearing it from Jenzara forced him to think on it. She was no fool, and she’d had Raldon Everbright as a teacher. But he still thought it was just an excuse for Bladesorrow’s mistakes. Leaders had to either know the right course or cede the role to someone who could find it. Bladesorrow had not only known of Valdin, he’d known of Devan, too. Slithering shades! The man could have just gotten the Angel to send them all straight to the North. None of this would’ve had to happen.

  Something hit him then.

  “Maybe we can get something out of this.”

  She let go of his hand. “Don’t be ridiculous. If what you’ve said is true, it’s no different than that story the Grand Master told us back in the woods. Existence itself is at stake. What we get out of this is saving both our lives and the lives of every other person now living. Maybe who’s ever lived. That’s not a responsibility you bargain over.”

  Ferrin shook his head. “Don’t you see? Devan’s a time traveler. He can change things. He could get your mother back. And your father. I say we tell him we’ll help in exchange for that.”

  She was silent for a long while and began walking after the two men again. Ferrin followed.

  “Even if he could do that, I’m not entirely sure I’d want it. Just because you have the power to do something doesn’t mean you should. What makes me any different from the countless others who have lost a loved one?”

  “They never had an opportunity like this,” Ferrin replied almost before she’d finished. He couldn’t believe she was hesitating. “If my parents were dead I’d do it in an instant.”

  “I don’t know.”

  He let out an exasperated breath. “Jenzara, come on. It’s almost negligent not to. We have the power. If you don’t use it, how is it any different than if you’d been at the Dales and not done anything to stop your mother’s death?”

  Jenzara’s face darkened, and he immediately realized why. She had been present for her father’s death and hadn’t been able to stop it. Ferrin looked away from the sorrow in her eyes. You idiot. He had to be more careful. Blades and hexes weren’t the only things that could hurt someone you cared about.

  Thankfully, their line of conversation was brought to an abrupt halt by Oceanshade. He and Bladesorrow had reached a door, likely the one separating the tunnels beneath the Temple from those under the Senate. The tunnels arced around the Quad, such that to get from Temple to Symposium, you first had to cross under the Senate. The door was a plain, wooden affair adorned only with a dull brass handle. The tunnels had been designed solely for the practicality of getting about the Quadrangle during the winter; little expense had been spared for appearances.

  “Just through here,” Oceanshade was saying to Bladesorrow as he and Jenzara caught up to the two men. “Coming up through the Symposium will be safest, particularly if the others are distracting the Parents on the Quadrangle.”

  He pulled on the handle and grunted with surprise when it didn’t budge.

  “Heh. Not as strong as I used to be,” Oceanshade quipped, though there didn’t seem to be any mirth in his face. He pulled at the handle again, this time straining with effort.

  Nothing.

  “More traitors than I expected.”

  Jenzara stiffened beside Ferrin, a jolt of icy surprise surging through his own chest. Oceanshade ceased his efforts and turned, looking over their shoulders, back down the tunnel in the direction from which they’d come. Ferrin turned to follow his gaze.

  “Shinzar,” Oceanshade said, voice like bones dragging on gravel. “I didn’t think you went anywhere except at Valdin’s heel.”

  The Priest’s lip curled in a silent snarl. There were at least a dozen Parents behind him, several holding torches that cast a sinister glow upon their faces.

  “The Grand Father has more important matters to attend than fifths like you, Oceanshade. As soon as he saw those wretches from the camp marching towards the Temple, he knew it must be a diversion. He ordered me to execute whoever it was trying to free the Betrayer.” His voice took on a modicum of satisfaction. “I’ll admit, I’m surprised to see you, after all the aid you gave us with the Disbanding. The supporting votes you garnered for the Grand Father.”

  Oceanshade’s face went pale.

  “I was young, an arrogant fool.”

  Shinzar laughed, a sound like a flayer’s knife committing its torture.

  “No, no, Frankard. You played the winning side. One of the few Keepers who wasn’t a fool. Until now, that is. Crossing the Gra
nd Father like this after he trusted you.”

  Oceanshade’s jaw cracked as he ground his teeth. Ferrin felt him reach out to the water in the skin he carried, readying a hex. But before he channeled, Bladesorrow placed a hand on his shoulder and stepped forward.

  “You’ll not divide us with you taunts, Shinzar.”

  For several moments, Shinzar seemed uncertain, and Ferrin was almost glad to have Bladesorrow on their side. Now that his identity was known, no one was eager to cross him. But Shinzar’s eyes quickly danced over the collar that still hung about Bladesorrow’s neck and the arrogant turn of his mouth returned.

  “Don’t think for a moment that you scare me, Bladesorrow. The Temple sees through your deception, the perjury you passed off during trial. We won’t stand for it. The Grand Father’s issued the writ for your execution. You won’t escape the Lady’s justice this time.

  “You can’t,” Jenzara said, moving away from Ferrin to stand beside Bladesorrow. “Surely you don’t believe what you witnessed today was a lie. It was Valdin all along. He didn’t even deny it when the Grand Master Keeper was finished. Don’t you see? There’s a reason he sent you down here. He’s hiding from the truth he knows was exposed today.”

  Shinzar regarded Jenzara with cold hubris for a few moments. Muscles in his arm flexed, as if preparing to strike her, and Ferrin prepared to leap at the man. But then his face dropped, eyes bulging, and he grasped at his head.

  “No, no. Lies.” He drew out this last word in a long hiss.

  “Think man,” Bladesorrow said. “When did Valdin become Grand Father?”

  Shinzar stared at the Grand Master Keeper wide eyed, clutching his hair in great clumps, as if something deep within him had snapped. The Parents behind him exchanged confused glances.

  “What’s happening to him?” Jenzara asked, taking a step away from the Priest.

  “His free mind is fighting Valdin’s enchantment,” Bladesorrow replied. “Think man. Think!”

  “He was,” Shinzar stuttered. “Well first Valdin was... Then...” He let out a shriek, blood beginning to drip from his nose.