“No. Stupid Riley.” Worth grinned. “That magic. You change battlefield by showing up. Nothing else. You magic.”
“But not like you. Not like William. Not like Lucie.”
“Not yet, but we not change battlefield. We piece of battlefield. You beyond it.” Worth extended his chalice to Riley. “Drink.”
Riley had never seen him offer a drink to anyone.
Riley grinned. “Did you take me out here to try and get fresh, Worth?”
“No. You no Worth type. Too skinny. Now drink.”
Riley laughed and took the chalice from the strange mage. She looked down and saw the purple liquid.
She nodded at Worth. “Thank you.”
Riley took a deep drink. The wine was good, but one swig was enough. She tried to pull away, but Worth’s hand forced the chalice up.
“More.”
Riley listened, his hand helping to guide the rest of the liquid down.
Finally, when all the wine was gone, Worth let her lower the chalice.
Riley’s head was already buzzing. She hardly ever drank. The alcohol had hit her immediately.
“Now. No more worry tonight. You bad student, but even bad student need rest.”
Worth smiled, and Riley smiled right back.
“You see them?”
Riley nodded. She held the telescope to her eye.
The sun was falling but wasn’t quite gone.
Four ships had just crossed the horizon. Each had a different flag flying high, but only one mattered: the green circular ring over a black background.
Rendal’s ship.
“Quit hoggin’ it, skinny.” William stood next to Riley.
She handed over the telescope.
William put it to his eye. “Aye, there they are. Rendal has some balls on ‘im, that’s for sure.”
“Why do you say that?” Verith asked.
William took the telescope from his face, grinning. “Because he’s goin’ up against me. I bet he’s literally pissin’ his pants right now. Has a team of people followin’ him around to clean it all up.”
Riley laughed.
“Aye, landlubbers.”
She turned around and saw Twocuts walking across the deck. They were on his ship again; it was the largest docked at the island, and the one with the clearest view of Rendal’s oncoming armada.
“Captain,” Riley responded.
“Ya see ‘em out there on the horizon?” Twocuts asked.
“We see them.” Riley stepped forward and shook the pirate’s offered hand. It wasn’t a move she thought she’d ever make, but the man had a certain honor.
The ocean held a different code, one that ‘landlubbers’ didn’t recognize but most pirates adhered to. Right now their way of life was being threatened, so regardless of the flag that flew over their ship, the pirates were pitching in.
“We’re about to move muh ship,” Twocuts commented as he walked to the rail. “This thing is far too precious to be at the front when he arrives.”
“Where ya puttin’ it?” William grumbled. “Thinkin’ about just sailin’ off?”
Twocuts chuckled. “Ye landlubbers got less trust than pirates. I’m movin’ the ship to the opposite side of the island. We’ll dock before he gets here.”
“Ya know the plan?” William asked gruffly.
“Aye, William, Right Hand of Such and Such, I know the plan.”
“You don’t seem nervous.” William stepped forward, his aggression coming out. He really didn’t trust these pirates.
The captain turned around, his smile gone.
“You see my throat, doncha? I don’t put makeup on each morning to make it look like this. No, each mornin’ I wake up, and I’m reminded that I should be twice dead already. But I’m not—I’m alive. This magician or mage or whatever ya wanna call him may be strong, but he ain’t no match for Twocuts or the banner I fly.”
“William, he sounds exactly like you.” Riley spoke up, grinning. “You two should be friends.”
“Sounds like me, but don’t look like me. I’m more handsome.” William turned around, apparently satisfied with the pirate’s answers. “We got our own stuff to worry ‘bout now. Verith, walk me through the plan.”
Riley, Verith, and William started toward the gangplank so Twocuts could prepare to move the ship.
“The core group is going to remain in the island’s center.” Verith walked behind Riley and William. “You two, Worth, Lucie, and Erin. I’m taking Eric with me.”
“Why?” Riley asked. She didn’t like the idea of the young pirate leaving, although she didn’t quite know why. Perhaps because he was so young, or perhaps because he’d only known death his whole life?
“You got a thing for the lad?” William grinned from ear to ear.
“Zip it, William. Why is he going out there with you, Verith?” Riley was serious. She wanted to know.
“We need every able-bodied man we can get, Riley,” Verith answered. “Eric is young, but he’s dangerous. Extremely so. His swordwork alone puts him in the top ten percent of my men, and with his magic abilities, he might be the best. We need him on the frontlines.”
“Have you talked to Erin?”
Verith nodded. “She agrees. She wants him to help.”
“Hey, Riley. Think about it. You could marry him, and I could marry Erin at the same ceremony.” William was barely holding in his laughter.
“It’s going to be hard to find anyone to marry you after I cut your dick off.” Riley let her anger go. She wasn’t in love with Eric, just protective. Still, Verith was right. He was an excellent fighter, and they would need to hold off Rendal’s assault for as long as possible.
Until Rendal arrived at the island’s center.
“Finish the plan, Verith. Maybe this woman will quit interruptin’ ya for a second,” William said.
The group stepped off the ship as Verith continued, “The mages are going to work to create a mental shield over much of the island. Now, I don’t know how that all works—not really, but Worth says they can do it. It’ll keep Rendal from possessing all of us immediately or whatever the hell he’s doing. We’re anticipating that he’ll send foot soldiers in, and we’re going to attack them.”
“’We’re?’ Just us?” William asked.
“No. The pirates are throwing in too. Four captains are agreeing to help, but there’s no one leader. Basically, they refuse to follow anyone else, which will work out. We’re using a four-pronged approach to the northern half of the island, trying to kill as many as we can before Rendal actually exits the ship.”
Verith grew quiet for a second, then looked at Riley.
“All of this is assuming Lucie is right. We’re assuming that Rendal is coming to get you. There are a few options that could happen. We could beat them back and actually go aboard his ship ourselves. If that happens, it will probably all end. I imagine that we have the men to do it. We’ll outnumber him.
“The other possibility is that we can’t hold them and they slowly beat us back. We’ll take heavy casualties, and eventually break completely. It’s important to remember that one side is going to break, and if they’re stronger, getting Rendal out of that ship quickly is what we want.”
“And if he doesn’t come out?” Riley asked.
“Then we’ll all die, and he’ll sail off into the sunset with a larger army,” Verith answered.
“So you’re sayin’ that Lucie better fuckin’ be right?” William grumbled.
“That’s what I’m saying.”
“Aye,” William muttered. “Hate to admit it, but I think the old woman prolly is. That Rendal has a hankerin’ for ya, Riley. He’ll come. Verith and his crew just need to hold his troops until he does.”
“I just wanted to tell you the possibilities.” Verith’s eyes, hard like steel, were focused ahead. “We’ll hold them. We’ll make sure he gets to you.”
Runners came and went.
Riley and her core group remained at the island’
s center, but runners brought them information from the outside.
Verith sent the largest number, men coming and going almost constantly, but the pirates sent emissaries too.
Riley remained seated, her eyes closed much of the time.
She didn’t open them when the runners entered the room. She was no general. She was a Right Hand and hadn’t been extensively trained in strategy.
“You’re sure?”
She heard William’s gruff voice from the other side of the room.
“Aye, I’m sure, landlubber,” the pirate runner answered. He was out of breath, and Riley opened her eyes to look at him.
He had a large gash on his right arm; something had ripped through both his leather guard and his flesh. He was bleeding and his skin pale, but he didn’t appear to be near fainting.
“What is it?” she asked.
“They’re breaking through.” William didn’t turn around. “Fucking Rendal’s people are breaking through.”
“I’m going up top.” Riley stood from her chair.
“It’s too dangerous.” William whipped around to face her.
Atop the building was a pirate’s lookout, just like the kind they used on their ships. Whether it was decor or actually of use, Riley didn’t know. Either way, she would be able to see the entire island from that vantage point.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” She raised an eyebrow at William. “We’re Right Hands, man. Not princesses.”
William smiled. “Father and Mother, what is happening to me? I been listenin’ to Lucie for too long.”
“Ya ain’t been listenin’ to me enough,” Lucie called from the other side of the room. She hadn’t interfered with anything, although her eyes had been blazing red the entire time. They still were, and Riley knew why—she was supporting the other mages in keeping up a mental shield against Rendal. “It is too dangerous for her up there. She needs to be inside, especially if they’re breaking through now. It means Rendal will come soon.”
Riley looked at her. “I’m sorry, Lucie, but I can’t just sit in here anymore. If Rendal is breaking through, people are dying, at least partially because I’m in here. I’m going upstairs to see for myself what is happening.”
Lucie only stared at her with those red eyes, saying nothing.
“About time you grew a pair. Let’s go.” William headed toward the circular stairs in the middle of the room. They wrapped around a pole that led up.
“If I had a pair, chubby, you know they’d be bigger than yours.” She looked at Erin and Worth, neither of whom had said anything. “Either of you want to come?”
Erin shook her head. “Someone has to be here for the runners.”
Worth’s eyes were red, and sweat lay on his brow. “He strong. Grow stronger, too. Worth stay.”
William started to climb, and Riley followed. Up and up they went, twisting around the pole. Riley saw fire blazing across the island, trees burning brightly against the night sky. A cannonball streaked through the air; whether it was Rendal’s ship or her allies’, who could tell?
It took a few minutes but they reached the lookout perch, a round cup-like structure.
Riley’s breath caught in her throat.
“No...”
“Maybe it looks worse than it is?” Even William was finding it hard to keep any optimism in his voice.
Riley’s sharp eyes showed her everything she needed to see. She saw Rendal’s ship at the north end of the island, and burnt buildings, trees, and every other obstacle from the docks onward.
She could see his troops—if they could be called that. Red necklaces adorned them all, and their eyes were as red as Lucie’s. Fire and electricity ripped from their hands, even their eyes.
Worth’s mages had spread out and were fighting back, but there were so few of them.
The pirates’ and Verith’s men were harder to see, yet she heard the clangs of their steel.
“We have to do something.” Riley’s face grew calm, everything except her eyes. They raged. “Lucie is wrong. We can’t sit here and let these people be slaughtered, even if Rendal does come for me.”
“At last, she sees the fuckin’ light! I been tellin’ you that the whole time! You need to just start listenin’ to me and ignorin’ the rest of these fools.” William had turned from the carnage below and was grinning at Riley. “We can get ‘em right now. We’ll cut through his troops like a knife through butter.”
Riley looked at the war raging in front of her.
Rendal wanted her.
That was true.
And he had Mason.
Sitting here any longer was idiotic.
If Rendal wanted her, then she’d go to him.
“Let’s fuck this guy up.” Riley’s face was furious as she walked back down the staircase.
When they reached the bottom, Riley’s mind was already in warrior mode. She saw the people in the room as objects, not caring what they did as long as they stayed out of her way.
Mason was to the north, and she’d just sat in here waiting for the mage to come to her.
Nonsense.
All of it had been nonsense.
“Don’t go.” Lucie’s eyes still held magic, but her face held concern.
Riley said nothing, just went to the wall where weapons hung. She grabbed a long knife and shoved it through her belt. There was a pair of handcuffs, too; she assumed they were used when a pirate needed to be subdued. She looped them around her belt as well.
“We’re goin’, Lucie.” William grabbed a shield from the wall, testing its weight in his left hand. He looked at Riley and grinned. “Want to try somethin’ with this.”
“Just kill his people, and we should be all right.”
“That ain’t gonna be a problem, skinny. I’ll easily send twice as many to the Mother and Father as you. Don’t worry about that at all.”
“Riley, please,” Lucie pleaded. “You going to him—it’s what he wants.”
Riley turned from the wall and stared at the old woman.
“He wants you,” Lucie continued. “All this is about you. About your magic. You want to face him on your playing field, not his. If you go to him, you’ll be on his. That’s what he wants you to do. It’s why he’s still on that damned ship. He’s waiting for you.”
“Then I won’t keep him waiting any longer. You know I won’t stand here and let others die for me. I came on this voyage to get Mason back, and that’s exactly what I plan to do. I love you, and more, I respect you…but I’m going out there.” Riley’s voice was as cold as the steel at her side.
Lucie stared for a second longer. She saw the determination and knew the Right Hand would not be persuaded to do anything else. “Good luck, Riley. It was an honor.”
“Oh, hush, you old biddy.” William pulled the broadsword from his back. “We’re going to go get your old lover, cut his nuts off, and put ‘em in a jar for you. You can hold onto ‘em for the rest of your life if you like. Hell, put ‘em on the bar at your restaurant and let the rest of the world see ‘em.” He looked at Riley. “She worries too much. Let’s go.”
The two Right Hands left the safety of their building and went out into the world to do battle.
“She’s coming, sir.” Harold stood in front of Rendal. He’d been terrified for the past couple of hours. He and Belarus had created a plan to lead the woman directly to them, but then the bitch hadn’t left the damned building. She’d simply remained there.
It was going to be hard to get her on this ship if she didn’t leave that building.
Literally, Harold had been sweating. To come back to Rendal and tell him the bitch wasn’t exiting and that Harold didn’t know what to do?
Well, Harold might as well go ahead and try to join one of the pirate ships around here, because he would be as good as dead to Rendal.
And then a runner had given him word.
She’s out of the building and moving north.
You’re sure it’s her? Harold had asked
.
Yeah. She’s with the big man. He’s got fire on his sword and shield.
That was all Harold needed to hear; he went to Rendal.
“I knew you wouldn’t fail me, Harold.” The mage sat alone in his chambers. His eyes were closed when Harold entered, but he opened then now. Red blazed across them. “The mages are making it hard for me to see her. Do you know how long before she gets to us?”
“Thirty minutes.” Harold was sure about that. “We’re giving ground across her path, and she’s…well, deadly, sir.”
“Ah, yes, she is. I’ll see her in thirty minutes, Harold. You did good work.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Duck!”
Riley heard William’s yell and reacted; she dropped to a knee as fire flashed over her head. She turned around and saw a man standing with a hand-axe stuck in his head, fire blazing across it.
“That’s number one!” William called.
“One what?” Riley asked, standing.
“One time I’ve saved your life, skinny. I’m keepin’ track, and when this is over, everyone’s gonna know about it!”
He turned, catching an attacker with his shield. Fire burned brightly across the metal, and the attacker was soon in flames and shrieking.
“You ready? Tired of waitin’ for you.” William was grinning. Sweat dripped from his forehead, but he showed no signs of tiring.
Riley quickly scanned the area around them. They’d been heading north, but veered slightly east and ran into a group of Rendal’s people. They all lay dead around the Right Hands’ feet now.
“Try to keep up, chubby,” she told William and took off. She moved through the night like the wind, silent and unseen.
They came across another small group of soldiers and, Riley leading, dispatched them easily. Most of them didn’t even have time to scream.
“Save some for me!” William called from ten feet behind her.
“Run faster!”
She was grinning, having fun killing the wicked. They were making progress, and the path wasn’t that hard. War raged around her, but in this part of the jungle, they moved quickly.
Heading directly to Rendal’s ship.
Hand of Justice Boxed Set (Books 1 - 4): The Dark Mage, Chasing Magic, Magic Rising, Magic Unchained Page 28