“You know who doesn’t have a weapon?” Lucie asked. “That big oaf sittin’ there. Lost his damned sword.”
Riley shook her head, chuckling. “That’s something we’re going to have to remedy because you’re not too good at hand-to-hand combat.”
“Anytime you want to try me, skinny, you just let me know.”
Riley looked at Brighten. “You don’t know me, but my name is Riley. I briefly met your friend Kris a few hours ago. Your name is Brighten, right?”
Brighten nodded but didn’t look up.
“I’m here to help. I’m going to fix this, I promise you that. That mage who’s taking over your city? I’ve faced him more than once, and he hasn’t been able to stop me yet.”
Brighten looked over. “You faced him?”
Riley glanced at William. “You haven’t been telling him about my triumphs, prick?”
He grinned. “I’m too busy with my own triumphs to worry about yours.”
She turned back to Brighten. “Yeah, I’ve faced him, and I’ll do it again, too. Gladly. We’re going to stop what’s happening here and we’re going to kill him, okay? But I need you to tell me what kind of weapons he has.”
“She can tell you.” Brighten nodded to Erin.
Riley saw the problem. The kid was scared. Really scared, but she’d spoken with William and Lucie about him. He was good, and valuable to this mission. He was learning magic, and he knew the kingdom. He had senses that rivaled Riley’s and William’s.
She needed him to be part of this.
“I’d like to hear it from you,” she told him.
“He’s scared right now,” Erin interjected, “but when we were at the castle, he was a fucking champion.”
Brighten’s eyes showed a little energy at her words.
“We escaped,” Erin told him. “And we couldn’t have done it without you. Scared or not, you know that.”
He nodded, eyes down.
“So, Brighten,” Riley continued. “Tell me about these weapons.”
He nodded again, seeming to gain courage, and started speaking. “They’re... I mean, everybody has heard stories about the weapons before the World’s Worst Day Ever. The weapons from long ago. They resemble those.”
“How so?” William asked, leaning forward.
“Well, to begin with, they’re using mages to control them. The first thing we saw, these mages threw these orbs with their minds. The orbs flew across the room and released metal pellets. I think the word for them used to be ‘bullets?’ I’m not sure. But those pellets shot three people in cages and killed them all.”
He looked up at Riley.
“The scary part isn’t the pellets. It’s that those mages could throw those orbs from anywhere. They don’t have to be next to you. They could sit in the castle and wield them, so we wouldn’t really be killing the enemy. We’d only be killing the enemy’s weapons.”
“It’d be like we sent our swords out to fight for us,” William mused. “The enemy might be able to destroy them, but we could just make more.”
“Exactly,” Brighten agreed. “And those were only the first weapons we saw. There’s more stuff going on down there. A lot more.”
“Let’s hear it,” Riley urged.
“They aren’t all pellets. Some exploded. We saw them detonating things in certain parts of the tunnels. Those won’t kill only a couple of people. They’ll kill thousands.”
“How were they detonating down there?” Riley asked.
“They were controlled detonations. Small things. Erin and I thought they were just getting the technology right, though. They could make the explosions much bigger,” Brighten told her.
“So, he’s creating an army that can be continually replaced?” Verith asked, speaking for the first time since entering.
Brighten nodded.
“They’re all covered with the amphoralds, and that means they’re all powered by human energy. The mages control them with their minds, but they get their energy from a magical human touching them,” Erin said.
William stood up from the table. “If that comes to New Perth, we’re in trouble. We still have magicals, even if most people think we don’t.”
“Gettin’ scared now, chubby?” Riley jested.
“I’m just scared that you’re gettin’ scared, skinny. I’ll take a million of those little orbs by myself.” William winked and then started pacing. “But we do have to find a way to stop them from makin’ more. That’s as important as anything else we can do right now.”
“It’s not more important than stopping Rendal from pulling people out of their houses and executing them,” Riley told him.
“You got the intelligence of a damned squirrel,” William retorted.
“Can you even spell ‘intelligence?’” Riley laughed.
He ignored her. “He can pull people out from their houses, torture them, and do anything else he wants. It’s not good, I’ll give you that—”
“It’s evil,” Riley corrected.
“Evil, fine. But he can’t pull everyone out of their houses. If those damned orbs, the explodin’ ones, get above New Perth, that’s it. Kaput. Everything we love is fuckin’ gone.”
“He won’t do that,” Riley said. “He wants to own New Perth.”
“He ain’t gotta do it, Riley. He’s only gotta threaten to do it. He only has to put ‘em over the kingdom and the Prefect will give in. He can hold those things above New Perth forever, and then he owns New Perth forever.” William shook his head while pacing. “No, we have to stop what he’s doing down there. That’s the most important thing.”
Riley wanted to say something, but she couldn’t think of an argument. He was right. Destroying those weapons was crucial.
William stopped and looked at her. “Cat got your tongue, skinny? Or you just realizing I’m smarter than you?”
“We have to stop both,” Riley told him. “The people from dying and those weapons from getting out. The question is how.”
The room fell silent, everyone thinking through the issues.
Brighten finally spoke up. “We can destroy the weapons.”
“How?” William asked.
Brighten shrugged. “Blow up the castle. You do that, all those tunnels and rooms are going down with it.”
The room went silent again. They all stared at Brighten as if he had two heads.
Finally, it was Lucie who spoke. “Son, do you know what you’re talkin’ about doin’? I’ve never seen a building that size in my whole life, and you’re talking about leveling it.”
“You are asking how we can stop the weapons.” Brighten looked around. “There are other ways, of course, but people are going to get hurt. Us, most likely. Because we’ll have to go down there and start killin’ folks. She and I made it out because there were only two of us. Everybody down there was runnin’ around like their asses were on fire, and I used a little Psychic magic to help. You go down there lookin’ to hurt folks, they’re gonna hurt you back.”
Riley saw it clearly. He wasn’t wrong.
“And you’re willing to bring down your kingdom’s castle?” William asked.
Brighten shrugged again. “I’m willing to do what it takes to keep from letting those things out.”
Riley looked at Verith. “Is it possible? Could we demolish something like that?”
Verith nodded. “Sure, it’s possible. It’ll be real tough, but you can blow up anything with the right materials. It’s finding the materials and then getting them into the right spot that’s the hard part.”
“William,” Riley started, “we’re the highest ranking members of New Perth here besides Mason. If we bring the castle down, that is an act of war. We will basically be going to war with Sidnie.”
William sighed. “I know.”
“And there’s Mason to consider,” Riley continued. “I’m not doing anything to that castle if he’s still in it, which from what it sounds like, he is.”
“This is fuckin’ ridicu
lous. Rendal’s got our balls in a damn vice and there ain’t no way to get ‘em out.” William huffed.
“As small as your balls are, you could put a little oil on ‘em and slide ‘em right out.” Lucie chuckled.
“So now it’s a twofold thing.” Riley brought the conversation back on track. “We’d have to rescue Mason and then blow up the place.”
“Do one right after the other,” Verith interjected. “Set it up so that the explosives are in place, then right after the rescue, detonate.”
“You make it sound pretty simple,” Riley said.
“Well, it’s a simple concept,” Verith explained. “It’s a much tougher implementation.”
“We can’t make this decision right now,” Riley finally decided. “We need more time. There might be more options we’re not seeing.”
“There isn’t much time,” Brighten told her. “What we saw down there... They aren’t in the beginning stages. They’re moving along fast.”
“Thomas!” It was Bruce’s voice. The owner of the house. “Thomas, where the hell are you?”
Thomas was still in the kitchen, having kept his mouth shut the entire time, trusting Riley’s decisions completely.
He opened the kitchen’s door. “We’re in here!”
The owner’s feet could be heard pounding down the hallway. He opened the door without any ceremony. He was out of breath, his face flushed. “You need to see this. I think every single one of you needs to see this.”
Chapter Seven
The crowd was thick, people standing shoulder to shoulder, and Riley knew that was exactly what the men with weapons had wanted.
The deeds were already done, the guards already left.
Despite what Bruce had said, Riley had decided that only a small group would go see what he was talking about: her and William, with Kris leading them.
Now the three of them stood on top of a building about a quarter mile away.
No way could William get down to the crowd of people.
They could see perfectly from that distance, although Riley half wished she couldn’t.
“Do you see any more guards?” William asked.
Riley shook her head. “No, none. They’re all gone.”
“Good thing, too, because I wouldn’t be able to stand here any longer if so. I’d have to go down and kill them.”
A family lay dead on the street. Two children, two adults. They had been tossed from the top of the house, which was a tall one. These people weren’t poor. They were wealthy.
“Rendal doesn’t give one fuck,” William said. “Not a single one.”
Riley nodded. She didn’t have any words.
Kris did, though. “That motherfucking piece-of-shit asshole. I’m no fan of rich kids or their asshole parents, but they didn’t deserve this. I’m gonna take Rendal’s nutsack, cut it open, and pour acid in it.”
“The mouth on this one!” Riley cocked her head and looked at William.
“No manners, her, but she’s right. Rendal deserves all of that and more.”
Riley looked back at the massacre. “If they weren’t scared before, they are now.”
“But of who?” Kris asked. “First they tried to convince us there were spies, and now they’re fucking killing their own citizens.”
“Citizens who are hiding spies,” Riley corrected. “Those people down there are scared of three separate things: first, the spies. Second, each other. They don’t want to be ratted out, and they don’t want to aid anyone ‘helping’ the spies. Third, they’re scared of the guards, and in that order.”
“They believe it? They believe those people had something to do with fuckin’ spies?” Kris asked.
“Those down there? Yeah, they do. Because they’re staring at dead people. Other people might not yet, but they will as this continues. As it gets worse.” Riley’s mind was going back to what Rendal had told her.
He’d take everything.
Everything she loved. Everyone she cared for. He’d make everyone suffer until she came to his side.
And it was starting. She’d arrived, and he was making people suffer.
And those she loved? The scars forming on William’s arms were proof that he was coming for them, too.
“We’ve got to do something, Riley,” the big man whispered. “We’ve got to find a way to stop this. It’s a damned massacre.”
“We will.” Riley nodded, her determination total. “We’re gonna stop him, and he’s going to wish he was never born before we’re done.”
“You ready?” Riley whispered.
“Born ready, little girl, but you already knew that,” William answered.
The two stood outside one of the poorer houses in Sidnie. They couldn’t stop everything that was happening, but after seeing the massacre earlier, they were going to send their own message back to Rendal.
We’re here, and we’re going to kick your ass.
The guards had gone into the house about five minutes ago. People were starting to gather on the streets, knowing what was happening inside. The family had been suspected of harboring spies.
They would give up the spies or die.
Riley and William knew the family had nothing to give up, so they would die.
Or they would have until the Right Hands decided to step in.
Both wore cloaks, Riley’s sword hidden under hers.
“You going to be able to help much with that thing?” Riley grinned, not looking away from the house. She was talking about William’s new weapon.
“How many guards went inside?” William asked.
“Twelve.”
“I’ll kill more with this mace than you will with that sword and your so-called ‘new powers.’” The mace was hidden under his cloak, a massive thing with spikes on the ball at the end.
“I’ll take that bet.” Riley was glad to be with William again. She’d missed the back and forth. She’d missed him. “What’s the wager?”
“Hmmm.” William considered. “Bragging rights works for me.”
“That’s a deal,” Riley responded.
A cry rang out from inside the house. The guards were done threatening now. It was time to get to the real reasons they’d come: murder and terror.
“Shall we?” William asked.
Riley shook her head. “One more minute. They’re going to bring the family outside. These people need to see us beat their asses.”
“Once in a rare while you say somethin’ smart, skinny.”
Another scream, then the first guard tossed a woman through the front door. She hit the pavement hard, scraping her arms and legs.
The husband was tossed out next, followed by a child no more than ten years old.
“Now?” William was clearly ready to get this show on the road.
“Wait,” Riley commanded.
“Damn it, skinny.” William knew she was right, though.
The guards flowed out from the house, forming a line in front of the gathering crowd.
“These people are traitors to Sidnie!” the head guard shouted. “They know where some New Perth spies are, and they’re hiding them! We’ve given them a chance to talk, but they refuse!”
The woman shrieked, “It’s not true! We don’t know anything!”
The guard kicked her in the mouth.
“Okay, that’ll do,” Riley told William. “Let’s finish these cretins.”
“You’re always tryin’ to be proper.” William removed his cloak. “Let’s finish these fuckers.”
Riley left her cloak on but removed her sword as William took his mace out.
“Hey!” he called. “I know where the spies are! Why don’t ya come try to get it out of me?”
William’s eyes lit red and fire erupted down his mace.
The guards looked stunned, not sure who was standing in front of them.
“Oh, shit,” one of them finally whispered. “It’s him. The spy.”
William glanced at Riley. “My reputation precedes me.
Don’t seem like you got much of a reputation, skinny. Sucks to be you.”
“We’ll see who’s got the reputation when this is done.” Riley’s mind snapped into place, the killer in her taking over. She saw all of the guards at once, down to tiny muscle movements.
Four on the left came forward.
Riley and William moved at the same time, each knowing exactly what the other would do.
Riley went toward the four, William to the others.
The guards spread out, trying to trap her in a circle. Riley let them.
She twirled her sword in front of her body, taking no defensive or offensive position, just waiting on them to squeeze the circle tighter.
“Is it her?” one of them asked as they approached.
“Got to be the bitch the mage is talkin’ about,” another answered.
“I’m that bitch,” Riley assured them. “Come make yourselves famous.”
She waited, the circle they’d formed getting tighter.
Now, she thought.
Her eyes lit and she put the point of her sword on the ground.
Riley leapt into the air as the first guard jabbed his weapon. She backflipped over the circle, landing on her feet. Her sword raced outward, her body controlling it with effortless precision.
She danced around the tight circle of men who had set themselves up perfectly to die. Her sword easily cut through the group, leaving them in a heap on the ground.
Riley turned to William.
He slammed one of the guard’s heads with his mace, breaking the man’s skull and setting his hair on fire at the same time.
“You’re gonna lose the bet!” William shouted.
“To hell with that!” Riley rushed across the short distance separating the two of them.
William had dropped three already and the others were backing up, trying to figure out how to handle the giant who had fire blazing down his arm and weapon.
There were five left.
“Get outta here,” William told her. “These are mine.”
“We’ll see.”
William lunged.
Riley remained where she was, her eyes turning red. She touched her sword to the ground again. A trail of fire shot out, blitzing past William. It reached the first soldier and then split, rapidly forming a circle around the guards.
Hand of Justice Boxed Set (Books 1 - 4): The Dark Mage, Chasing Magic, Magic Rising, Magic Unchained Page 49