by Gia Tsiknas
“Did you know?” Machi snapped.
Eri nodded. “Knew the guild had turned a blind eye. Just didn’t know why.”
“And you led me to chase a slave train that just happened to be waiting for me? Saying nothing?”
“No!” Eri’s eyes blazed as she faced Machi’s own. “I got you out of town as fast as I could. What would you have done if I told you of the guild’s actions? Marched right up to the hall itself, I tell you. Demanding answers and your friend back. I got you out as safely as I could on such short notice! How was I to know they had me watched?”
So Eri blamed herself for the Guild turning on her. Machi sat back hard in her chair. All this time, all this searching and her answers were right where she started. She rubbed her forehead, if only she had been rational, if only she had held herself in check.
“Um, who are you talking about?” Lua’s look of confusion pulled at Machi’s heart, if she had waited would she have hurt her?
Eri raised an eyebrow, and Machi sighed. “When you helped me out of the Gamekeeper camp, I was searching for someone, a very good friend of mine, that had been taken.”
“But why did you leave me? The Poachers were gone, so why?” Lua’s voice hitched and Machi refused to look at her. Eri filled the silence with a dramatic sigh.
“You need to understand something.” Eri’s tone demanded Lua’s attention, and she gave it. “Brizna rescued Machi from a life of slavery, and so she gave him her life to pay him back. Machi is, or was, a Hunter. Best in the business, in fact, and because of that she views strangers as useful or useless. Nothing personal.”
Lua sniffed, but fell silent, staring at the floor.
Machi growled a few curses and spat on the ground.
“Hey!” Erilia smiled. “You learned those from me.”
“Get on with it, Eri. Or I might not be so forgetful.”
Eri rolled her eyes but continued. “Did some digging after you left. Wanted to know for sure who pulled the guild’s strings. But what I found…”
Machi waited but Eri was lost in thought. “Eri!”
“Her name is Zafirah, the current ruler of the northern mountains, your homeland.”
Machi winced.
“Come, sweetie, you didn’t think I’d ferret that out soon as you came? I am a Broker of the Guild.” Eri waved her hand as if to clear the air. “Zafirah is… a collector of sorts.”
Machi glared. “What do you mean of sorts? For Shadow’s sake, spit it out!”
“She… well…” Erilia shook her head. “Heard rumors for years, but never tied them to a face. Now it’s different… Where to start…”
Machi clenched her fists. Her anger filling her veins with fire, but before she could snap Eri continued.
“Zafirah. Not much information about her. She’s a mystery. Her pet, Aidrian, called the Gray Demon outside the upper circles, was some refugee’s chit. The crazy drunkard was the laughingstock of Den until him and his kid disappeared overnight.”
Machi couldn’t move. The Gray Demon was a kept killer? He had a name?
Erilia caught Machi’s eye and scowled. “Now, before you go crowing that I never told you, I only found out after you left. You weren’t the only one desperate for answers. Was a foolish thing to stick my head in those circles without a backer.
“Caught the eye of some Bag and next thing I know I’m in a place I wasn’t prepared for. ‘Stop digging and take the silver or have body parts strewn into the streets as a warning.’” Eri shrugged. “Took the silver, so sue me. Better alive than dead for my stubbornness.”
Eri’s pointed glance dried Machi’s throat. Machi was reaping what she had sown for so long. She wanted people to fear her, to see her as a mysterious, unpredictable entity. She had never thought her allies would look at her in the same light.
Eri continued.
“Demon and his father lived in Den. Hired by Zafirah here, too. Once they were both locked into her service, her infamy grew by leaps and bounds. Fetches whatever Zafirah fancies, he does. He’s so good at his job Zafirah’s collection grew until even the Shadow would tremble at the mention of it.”
“What collection could do that?”
Eri hesitated, fear etched on her face. “Souls.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
BETRAYAL
“Excuse me?” Machi snarled.
“Once someone gets in her clutches, they disappear. The privileged few that enter the castle? Have a sudden bout of amnesia just for their stay.” Eri shivered and took a long slow breath. “He’s gone, Machi.”
“No!” Machi screamed, lunging to her feet. The table shook as her anger grew, her focus pulling the air itself inward as a wall. “I would know! I would have felt something.”
“Be reasonable.” Eri snapped and slammed her glass on the desk. “Nothing good comes from the North, and nothing comes back from it either.”
“You’re just scared!” Machi goaded. Lua’s eyes widened as the wind grew, pulling papers from stacks and flinging them about.
“Shadow take me, of course I’m scared. Even if the rumors are wrong, the truth is, nothing escapes. What she wants, she gets, and Raboni help anyone who gets in her way.”
“Machi?” Lua’s eyes spoke of fear and uncertainty. Her world was turned on end again, and all Machi could think of was how to help Brizna. Machi choked down her rage and her concentration broke. The wind halted, and the papers settled. “We can’t know for sure.”
“He’s gone, girl.” Eri hissed. “If not dead, as good as. You would risk yourself to save a deadman?”
Machi bit her tongue, glaring her answer into Eri’s eyes. They stood in the office, papers strewn everywhere, drinks spilled and useless.
“Please don’t fight.” Lua’s hesitant voice broke the silence.
Machi’s eyes whirled to her. Her shock not quite hidden as she met Lua’s eyes.
“Would you condemn us both with your foolishness?” Eri demanded in a hot whisper. “You tear out of here and get caught or killed and we get Crusaders or worse, Poachers, come down on us. Bad enough I’m helping you with the Black Guild pulling its support. Stir the pot anymore, hun, and we all get burned.”
Machi bit her lip, hard. A Silver Tongue caught snitching would be found dead come sunrise, tongue burned from their mouths. Whether Crusaders, the private enforcers of the Don, or Castors, did the deed Eri would be dead. And Lua? Would she strand Lua again in a world with no one for a hunch that Brizna wasn’t dead? Or worse, send her back to the Poachers as payment of collusion?
Eri was shaking, she saw that now, and Lua looked panicked. Should she endanger them?
Saiya’s voice swam through her mind, her final words as she headed to Den. Remember your limits.
“Fine.” She growled. “I’ll give you one night to gather intel, proof that he’s dead. If you can’t find it, we plan his escape.”
Eri sat into her chair. “Cots are by the east wall.”
Machi nodded and marched further into the house. One last glance at Lua told her the girl was watching Eri, taking her cues from the odd woman. That hurt more than it should have.
It didn’t take long to find the cots in Eri’s workroom. A stack was in a small closet along with spare linens. Machi set one up tucked away in a corner between a canvas covered lump head height and a wall. Sleeping in so open an area made her jumpy.
Should she leave? Had she made the right decision? Could she endanger them? There were no right answers. She was penned in, so tense that she wouldn’t believe anyone if they had told her she would rest that night.
Sleep. Raboni whispered to her anxious mind. And she calmed, the weight of her journey pulled her to slumber.
***
Machi sank deeper in a sea of black until she came to an old wooden doorway. It was wide open. Machi hesitated for a moment but pressed on. The interior was spacious and drab gray. Machi looked around but everything seemed to be wiped clean.
A flicker of blue caught her eye, and
she turned to look at it. The flicker came again, and she floated closer. She gasped as she caught sight of Brizna, flickering blue. He held a rapier and was fighting what looked like a formless gray blob. She wanted to call out but knew that a moment’s distraction would give the blob victory.
Tears spilled out of her eyes as she yearned to help.
She clenched her fists and jumped as her hand grasp a hilt. She looked down and saw she held a crimson short sword, deadly sharp. As she admired the intricacy and strength that emanated from the weapon a whisper in her mind echoed. I want to protect him. I need to protect him.
Brizna faltered, and the blob tossed his rapier off into the distance. It landed with a clank in front of Machi. Without thinking she scooped up Brizna’s sword as well and charged.
The gray blob descended on Brizna. He held his arm up to shield himself from the attack but Machi leapt between them, forcing the grotesque thing back.
Brizna looked up at Machi, his eyes wide in shock.
“Been a while.” Machi said with a nonchalant smile, refusing to show her relief. She had made it in time. “Relax, I’ll step in for a bit. You know I’m the better swordsman.”
Brizna’s weapon whispered into her mind but it was so weak she couldn’t make it out.
“But…” Brizna was gasping for air.
Machi grunted as she threw another assault off. The thing was heavier than it looked.
“Thanks.” Brizna grinned. Machi blushed and almost missed a block as the blob attacked again.
“Little busy.”
Brizna laughed and Machi’s heart soared. With a complicated flick of the rapier she chopped off a piece of the creature. With her short sword she hacked at what she guessed was the head. Brizna whistled in appreciation.
“That’s new.”
“I haven’t been sitting on my bum all while you’ve been gone.”
Brizna smiled. “Yeah, you seem different.”
“You don’t know the half of it.” She whispered and threw herself into the fight with more vigor, hacking piece after piece as Brizna hooted and cheered. The methodical cutting continued, and the blob still fought, uninjured. Brizna noticed and fell silent, staring at Machi. Curiosity permeated his gaze. Machi ignored him.
“What is this thing?” Machi huffed. Her fatal blows seemed to bounce off and all the pieces she was cutting away didn’t seem to do any good.
“It’s Zafirah’s influence. She’s been using that thing to control me, but I’ve somehow found the strength to hold it off.”
Machi dodged to the side as the blob tried to connect an uppercut.
“Then I’m…” She couldn’t finish her thought as the gray blob doubled its efforts, fighting more furious than Machi thought it could. All she could do was block. There was no room to dodge let alone counter.
Brizna leapt to his feet, grabbed Machi’s wrist, and pulled her out of the way. He now stood between her and the thing. Machi was gasping, feeling herself fade from sleep. Her consciousness dragged at her, and she cursed.
Brizna looked down. “Are you…”
“I’m fine. I guess you’ll need this, now.” She held out the rapier to him and he grasped the handle. In the instant where they both held the sword Machi heard it shout into her mind, full of energy. I will return to her.
Machi let go in surprise. Brizna didn’t notice her alarm. The rapier glowed and transformed into a magnificent glaive.
Machi recovered enough to laugh. “I’ll be visiting soon, so you better not do something stupid like lose or anything.”
“Oh, and why would I do that?” Brizna’s face split into a wide grin. He looked fierce and refreshed as he turned to the blob and renewed his attack.
Machi smiled. She was almost gone. She whispered. There was no acknowledgement, but she didn’t expect any.
She disappeared, but her weapon stayed for a moment longer. It landed on Brizna’s boot, whispering into his mind. I need him. I’ll protect him.
“That’s my line.” Brizna’s heart soared. He grinned again and squared himself against his adversary, the future no longer looking so bleak. His weapon drowned out his despair. I love her. I will return to her.
***
“Machi.” Lua whispered as she shook the sleeping woman. “Machi!”
Machi bolted up, scrambling for her daggers.
“Quiet.”
Reality and dream intermingled. Her heart felt weightless. Brizna was ok. He was fighting.
“Get it together!” Lua hissed. “They’re coming.”
Still groggy and disoriented from her dream Machi blinked. “Who’s coming? What’s going on?”
“It’s a good thing you slept in your clothes, you don’t have time to dress and get out of here.” Lua’s hands shook as she threw Machi her belt and swords and started stuffing things into her carry sack.
Machi leapt from bed, strapping on her weapons and situating her clothes to allow her wings freedom should she need to fly. All the while Lua talked.
“She doesn’t want to lose me, because I make her so much money, and she’s worried that if she tells me, I’ll go running off.”
“Calm down.” Machi snapped. “Make sense or shut up.”
Lua’s jaw clacked together as she stifled a sob. Machi took her pack from the girl and blinked.
Lua was crying.
Machi hadn’t seen the tears with Lua’s face turned to the bag but she saw them now. They streamed down her face in rivers as the girl swiped viciously at her eyes. Machi’s heart twinged, and she patted the girl on the shoulder.
“Hey now, all this time and no tears. Why the show now?”
“She sold you.” Lua sniffed and flung her arms around Machi’s neck. “She was so nice, but she sold you out to keep her status.”
Machi’s gut ran cold. “Why would you say that?”
Lua flinched, but kept on talking. “I heard her call the Platinum man, the one she claims is her Bag. He said to keep you here till morning when he can get his men here, but-”
Machi untangled Lua from her neck and stood, her stomach clenching. She felt sick. How hadn’t she seen it?
“I don’t want you to go again.” Lua sniffled, her tears slowing and the hitch in her voice relaxing as Machi continued to pat her head.
“I need to find my friend. I dreamed—I know he’s alive and I need to find him. I can’t take you with me.” Guilt pierced Machi, but she kept her voice smooth.
Raboni, please… Machi’s desperate call echoed in the silence.
Lua sobbed again and clutched Machi’s tunic.
Eri had claimed Zafirah was ruler of the North. Machi’s breath caught. The north? Could she really go north, when everything she had been raised on, everything her mother had told her forbade her from traveling north?
Lua paused then spoke in a hushed tone.
“Eri says that she creates monsters. That she has demons. I don’t want you to disappear again, to die like Eri says.”
Machi let the information sink in. With what she had experienced with the Gray Demon, could she deal with another? She had enough trouble dealing with the Gray Demon alone. What if they found her first?
This revelation was too sobering for Machi to comfort Lua’s fears.
A cool breeze circled Machi and Lua. The younger girl turned her face into the wind and sighed, her shaking and bowed figure easing. Lua’s lips moved, but Machi couldn’t hear her. When Lua re-opened her eyes, there was a peace there that unsettled the older girl.
“That’s not your fate.” Lua’s voice was strong, so sure that Machi had to stop and stare. Lua looked up into Machi’s uncertain gaze and smiled. “I should have known he was with you too.”
“He says you can use that to get out.” She pointed to a skylight.
Machi didn’t reply, and Lua left her to her thoughts, walking back into the shadows.
Machi made her way to the center of the room. Once there, she spread her wings wide and took off, heading for the skylight. Sw
inging it open, she leapt into the night sky. Machi frowned as she flapped her wings hard, aiming for the moon. Her heart stinging with guilt.
Fate? I just survive.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
OBSESS
Aidrian sprung awake and groaned. He lay in his cot in a small, dreary room packed with books, trinkets and pieces of debris. They were all mementoes of his previous obsessions. The room was the only quarters he could keep in the castle, although it was originally a servant’s quarter. Zafirah refused to allow him to mingle with the castle’s inhabitants, and he didn’t mind. He was her dark shadow, and shadows can’t reveal themselves to others.
Aidrian recalled his odd dream. He was free, free of his obsessions and of Zafirah. Someone called his name. Someone wanted him. Bright, faceless giants surrounded him, but he was safe and loved. He sat, reflecting on the odd dream. His heart ached.
“I want these people…” His voice trailed off. “No… it’s not the same… I have no obsession, no envy, I just want to be with them… why…”
He stood up, too excited to sleep. Aidrian paced his room, brooding over his new dream, obsessing over it. Yearning to know who those people were and what connection they had to him.
A whisper of a thought entered his mind.
“Machi,” He growled.
He knew Machi would hold the answers. He was sure it was truth. She would give him the thing he lacked. The thing he was obsessing over.
He grabbed his pack and started stuffing it with anything he could get his hands on, determined to find Machi and wring the answers from her delicate throat. Just as he grabbed his cloak a messenger arrived.
“Zafirah requests your presence in the throne room.” He saluted to Aidrian and exclaimed.
Grinding his teeth he watched the messenger leave. “Ulokhu!”
The demon hound materialized behind him. When Ulokhu caught Aidrian’s eye he growled.
“Shut up!” Aidrian growled back. “Zafirah’s calling us.”
Together they rushed to the audience chamber. Frustration surged through him, drowning out his crippling fear. As Aidrian entered, he saw that Zafirah was in her nightclothes. He frowned as she paced back and forth.