by AC Cobble
Rew saw a flash of light in the corner of his eye, and he spun, chopping down a hand and whipping his cloak up.
The spymaster smashed into him, her weight and the momentum of her charge sending him sprawling backward, over the edge and into the hole to fall down toward the portal room.
Rew arched his back and flipped the woman over him. She gulped in surprise. One of her wrists was caught in his grip, her enchanted poignard held safely to the side. The other blade had stabbed into his cloak, and as they spun in the air, he twisted the cloak, cushioning the gleaming steel as she tried to turn it toward him. They fell, weightless, and then slammed hard against the stone floor of the room below. Rew had flipped her, so she landed first. He landed on top of her.
He felt her ribs flex and then crack beneath his weight, and wrenching pain lanced into him as his shoulder was jarred out of its joint. Gritting his teeth, Rew braced his arm and threw his weight down, slamming the bone back into its socket. Agony froze him, and tears watered his eyes, blinding him momentarily. Beside him, the woman lay flat on her back, pathetic whimpers escaping her lips. She was too injured to move.
Rising slowly, Rew turned to face Valchon and Alsayer. “Allies, then?”
Valchon chortled. “I was suspicious as well, Rew, but he played you right into my hands.”
Alsayer shrugged. “I’ve been telling you the truth, Rew. I told him the same. We do not have to be enemies in this.”
“I disagree,” said Rew, and he raised his longsword in his trembling hand. His shoulder throbbed in pain, and he knew half the rest of him would be covered in bruises and small cuts, but he could fight, he was pretty sure. He had to fight.
“The portal stones are all sealed now,” said Valchon. “Carff is cut off from the rest of Vaeldon.”
Rew frowned, and behind the two spellcasters, a blaze of purple and gold spun into view. One of them had opened a portal.
Valchon swung his hand up and then jerked it back. Anne, Cinda, Raif, and Zaine came tumbling off the edge of the floor above like they were being hauled on a rope. Valchon flicked his wrist, and the group of them slammed together then went flying through the air toward the portal. It flickered, and they passed through it.
Rew stared, jaw hanging open.
“They’re in Jabaan,” explained Alsayer, “in Calb’s palace. In the same room he’s holding Kallie Fedgley, in fact. He’ll be distracted for a time attacking Valchon, but as soon as he realizes his plan has failed, his mind will turn to defense, and your friends will be in grave danger.”
“What have you—“
Alsayer, speaking over him, continued, “Kallie agreed to serve Calb, to perform the act Heindaw tried to force her father to do.” The spellcaster’s eyes flicked toward Valchon and then back to Rew. “The children wanted to see their sister again, no? They’re seeing her now, Rew, but they only have until Calb returns or until Kallie uses her powers against them. Rew, she is a necromancer, and she is in the service of Prince Calb. When he returns to Jabaan, the necromancer will be in his thrall. Do you understand?”
Rew, stunned, stood stock still. But Kallie—Cinda. Alsayer was telling Valchon that Kallie had the necromantic powers, but to Rew, the bastard was talking about Cinda. Alsayer had served the girl up to Prince Calb!
“On a game board, Rew, you must make use of every piece available,” drawled Prince Valchon. “Even when they do not want to be involved. I know you’ll never forgive me for this, but I need you to kill my brother. Go through that portal and finish Calb, Rew. It’s the only way to save your friends. He’s weakened. He would have thrown every conjuring he could get his hands on against us. It’s your opportunity, but the chance we are giving you cost a great deal. It won’t come again. You have the element of surprise now. Calb will not suspect you lurking in his palace. Do not waste this on some foolish heroics.”
Shaking his head slowly, Rew could not find the words to respond.
“We all knew it would come to this,” said Valchon quietly, his voice barely audible above the chaos on the floor above. “Even Father knew. He wanted it, I think. The king hungered for you to compete, but all you wanted to do was run. It’s too late now, Brother. You’re involved, and there’s no running from this. Vaisius Morden always gets his way.”
“Not always,” growled Rew, raising his blade.
Valchon threw back his head and laughed. “He’d love that, Rew. He can’t wait to see us kill each other. Don’t you get it?”
A low rumble and a cascade of screams echoed down the hallway, and they heard the sound of men being torn apart. The imps were coming.
“Rew,” bellowed Alsayer, commanding the ranger’s attention. “One of us is holding the portal open. If you kill either of us, there’s a coin flip on whether or not you’ll see your friends again. How long do you think they’ll last, with Kallie Fedgley, in Calb’s palace?”
Rew glared at the spellcaster, and the walls of the room shook as something giant crashed in the hallway that led to the portal room.
“Whatever is out there,” said Valchon, pointing at the entrance to the room, “is going to take every scrap of magic Alsayer and I have to stop it. When it comes through the door, Rew, the portal will close, and your friends will be alone.”
The building thundered again, and dust spilled down from above them. Rew could hear the hungry wails of the imps and the panicked shouts of men.
“How do I even know they’re in Jabaan?”
“You don’t,” said Alsayer, “but you know they went through that portal, and you know that if you kill us you won’t be joining them.”
“You’re a bastard, you know.”
“Aren’t we all?” crowed Valchon.
Rew walked by the two spellcasters, a pace away from them, his longsword clutched tight in his hand. He ached to reach out, to swing that blade into them, to ram his steel through their flesh. Calb would be weakened, but Valchon was as well. This was Rew’s chance. Valchon had paid a heavy price to draw out his brother Calb. There might never be another opportunity to take on the prince so weakened, but Alsayer was right. They’d outmaneuvered him. It didn’t even matter if Rew guessed right and killed the one who wasn’t holding the portal open. Whichever one he killed, the survivor would turn their magic on the ranger. No matter what, if he didn’t go through the portal, they would close it, and there was no other way to reach Jabaan in time to save Anne and the children. Stranded in Calb’s palace, facing a sister who’d delight in betraying them, they’d be dead in minutes without Rew.
“Good luck, Rew,” said Alsayer. “Do what you need to do to stop Calb from controlling the necromancer, and remember, we do not have to be enemies.”
Not looking back at his cousin, Rew stepped into the shimmering field of the portal, and it felt like he was walking through a curtain of broken ice. As his heel cleared, he felt the sensation vanish, and without looking, he knew the portal was closed.
He blinked and saw Kallie Fedgley standing at the far side of a room, a dagger in her hand. Cinda and Raif were facing her. Blood dripped from Raif’s wrist where Rew guessed his sister had slashed him.
“Blessed Mother,” groaned Rew.
“Anne’s been praying to her since Stanton,” quipped Zaine. “It’s not working.”
Thanks for reading!
My biggest thanks to the readers! If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be doing this. Those of you who enjoyed the book, I can always use a good review—or even better—tell a friend.
My eternal gratitude to: Felix Ortiz for the breath-taking cover and social media illustrations. Shawn T King for his incredible graphic design. Kellerica for inking this world into reality. Nicole Zoltack coming back yet again as my long-suffering proofreader, joined by Anthony Holabird for the final polish. And of course, I’m honored to continue working with living legend Simon Vance on the audio. When you read my words, I hope it’s in his voice.
Terrible 10… Always stay Terrible.
Thanks again, and hope t
o hear from you!
AC
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