by TR Cameron
Her mentor sat on one of the boulders in the grassy field, her eyes closed and her head tilted up to enjoy the breeze. Nonetheless, Ruby hadn’t gotten any closer than thirty feet before her teacher said, “Welcome, minari.”
She didn’t reply until she was seated on the nearest boulder, about six feet away from the other woman. “Greetings, shenai.”
“What vexes you?” Keshalla always seemed to know what Ruby felt. Eventually, she’d quit trying to figure out how and decided it was probably magic and she shouldn’t worry about it.
“Two mysteries. First, I returned from my venamisha with a companion. A shapeshifter. I don’t know why.” She was relieved that most of the words she wanted to say came out, as they’d utterly failed to do with her parents, but also frustrated that the remainder, specifically the information about Idryll, didn’t. “I also don’t know why I can talk about it with you, but not with others.”
The other woman grinned. “The relationship between minari and shenai is itself a magical one. This does not surprise me. However, you gaining a partner does.” She looked thoughtful and slowly nodded. “I have never heard of such a thing, although perhaps it is because you are my first student to undergo the trial, at least that I’m aware of. I can only say that if you’ve been paired, your other half will play a pivotal role in your future.”
Ruby groaned. “Wow. That’s really clear. I feel so much more understanding than I did a couple of minutes ago.” She hoped her sarcasm was thick enough to convey her true feelings. “Second mystery, then. Two acts of violence in my city without a clear reason.”
“Indeed. You have a role in this why?”
She shrugged. “Because I was there for the first, and now feel a responsibility to those who died to make it right.”
Keshalla opened her eyes and trained them on her. “The dead do not care.”
“The living they left behind do. Someone needs to speak for them.”
“Is that not why you have law officers?”
Ruby sighed. “In this case, they don’t seem to be particularly effective. There’s a sheriff who I think cares a lot, but I can’t be seen nosing around in this. Some feel I might be involved in these acts.”
Her teacher’s lips twisted into a frown, and her voice dropped a notch. “Why would they believe such a thing?” The evident threat in her tone would scare anyone smart enough to understand it.
“Because of my family. Some think negative events at other casinos can be considered positive ones for us.”
“Nonsense. You would never act with such a lack of honor.”
Ruby laughed. “Not everyone holds me in as high a regard as you do.”
Keshalla snorted. “Well, they should. Now, why did you wish to see me?”
“Advice.” The other woman nodded, an invitation for her to continue. “I face an unknown number of enemies, and cannot afford to reveal myself. I have a disguise, but it’s less than optimal. I don’t dare wear anything that identifies me as a Mist Elf, either. I hoped you might have suggestions for how I should arm myself for the fight ahead.”
She smiled, the sort of expression that promised danger—danger for Ruby’s enemies. “Indeed, in this I can assist. Come.” They made their way to Keshalla’s home, where the older woman gave her suggestions and advice on how she might best act with subtlety in the current situation. Ruby had expected to enter the armory as usual, but instead, her teacher opened the basement door and led her below to a chamber she’d never seen.
Thick stone blocks made up the house’s foundation, and to judge by the lack of dampness in the underground space, were probably spelled to keep moisture out and maintain a comfortable, if slightly chilly, temperature. The room was a sizeable rectangle, empty of anything other than weapon racks and a trio of large concentric circles in the center of the space. The outermost was silver, the one right next to it, gold, and the small one in the middle, only wide enough to accommodate two or three people standing close together, was made of diamond. Ruby gasped, and Keshalla laughed. “You act as though you’ve never seen a diamond before.”
“A diamond, yes. An unbroken ring of solid diamond… I never imagined such a thing could exist.”
“Despite all you have learned already, there is a great deal more of the world than you have seen. Remember that, and tread lightly as you go.” It sounded more like prophecy than advice, the way she said it. “Now, let’s see to solving your immediate problem. Fatal, or nonfatal?”
Ruby blinked, then realized what she was asking. “Unfortunately, some of each, I would say. I would hope they don’t force me into killing, but I can’t speak for those on the other side.”
Keshalla nodded. “Then you will have sticks with retractable blades and your sword, plus knives.” Ruby thought to complain that she didn’t need that many but reconsidered. I’ll wind up with more if I do that. As if she’d heard the thought, her teacher added, “This is only due to the short notice, of course. When the current crisis is over, we will re-evaluate these choices.”
Ruby crossed the circles to stand beside the other woman as she opened a cabinet to reveal weapons that were familiar but not identical to the ones she’d trained with. “Drow weapons,” Keshalla explained. “Very similar in most ways but visually different. Should hide both your human and Mist Elf heritage from anyone who would recognize them. Plus, our arts are enough alike that it would take someone deeply experienced with one or the other to tell them apart.”
She handed over the sticks. They were made of a black wood that seemed heavier than it should be and set with small gemstones along the length that, while certainly decorative, would also hurt a lot if they hit someone. Ruby flicked them in a way that should have brought out the blades, but none appeared. She tried again, then growled, “Little help here?”
Her teacher laughed. “You have to thread some magic into them to release or retract the blade.”
Ruby frowned and did so, and a sharp-edged piece of metal clicked into place on each of the four “sides” of the cylindrical weapon. She whipped it around, pleased with the continued balance. Another push of magic and the blades retracted. Keshalla handed over a pair of black sheaths that would strap onto her thighs to hold the weapons and turned back to the cabinet. “One day we will have to talk about the exquisite skill of Drow dagger work. For now, these will serve you well.”
Her teacher offered a knife next, the blade about as long as the space between Ruby’s elbow and wrist. The pommel was simple leather-wrapped metal, and the balance was again exquisite. The killing part of the weapon was straight with a strange raised channel down the middle that she’d never seen before. She pointed at it. “This?”
Keshalla shrugged. “For poison. I can provide some if you like, but without additional training, it could pose a risk to you as well.”
“Uh, no, thanks, I’m good.” The other woman laughed and handed over the blade’s twin and a pair of sheaths that would fit the daggers at each hip, held by a black leather belt with curls and whorls tooled into it. Then she provided a pair of thin throwing knives and boot sheaths for them. Finally, she withdrew a sword and gave it to her.
Ruby took a step back not to endanger the other woman and drew the blade from its holder. It was thinner than the ones she’d trained with and had a slight upward curve to it. It was engraved from tip to hilt in symbols she didn’t recognize. She sliced it gently through the air and admired its balance. “This is a little different than ours.”
Keshalla nodded. “The Drow are more finesse-focused than we are. While our style would be described by many as indirect, compared to those folks, we’re straight-punchers.” She laughed. “These weapons will serve you well, and more importantly, will confuse your enemies.”
Ruby accepted the sheath that would position the sword on her back with a smile. “A wise woman once told me, confusing our enemies is much to be desired. Then told me again. About a thousand times.”
Her teacher laughed. “Well, if my student h
ad any sort of memory, perhaps such repetition wouldn’t be necessary.” She affectionately tapped Ruby on the head.
“If you hit your student in the head less often, perhaps her memory would be better.”
Keshalla lifted an eyebrow. “If you guarded better, perhaps not so many strikes would land on such a vulnerable area.”
Ruby raised her hands in defeat. “All right. You win. I surrender.”
“Fight well, minari. Bring honor on yourself, and thus on me.”
The corollary, not to embarrass her teacher, was unstated but clear. “Count on it.”
That night found Ruby and Idryll outside the security company again, but this time high up on the hill that overlooked it. The gadget she’d borrowed from Margrave was based on a high-quality long-distance microphone. He’d added magic to it that amplified the volume considerably and allowed it to detect through solid objects that would normally muffle the sound waves. The magic sensed the sounds and replicated them again and again, capturing even the softest. In the hands of a human, it would work well. In hers, she’d be able to use her magic to improve the results substantially.
They’d packed snacks and dressed appropriately for the evening. Ruby was ready to stay there overnight, hiding under a veil, and all the next day if required. She’d wait and listen until she got a clue about what was going on, and if she could, she’d blow them up. Not literally, although that might be the easiest solution. I’m sure Idryll would approve. The duffel bag with their costumes and her weapons sat nearby. She was ready for whatever might happen. She’d had the foresight to lock down the room that connected the kemana to Spirit for the night, so if she needed to portal back she could do so in safety without risking discovery.
Ruby tuned in the microphone and heard several voices talking over one another. The rustle of clothing and equipment and the occasional overly loud laugh told her something was up. She whispered, “There’s a bunch of them in there.” She checked her watch, and it confirmed that it was ten-thirty. Her expectation had been for a quiet night with only guard patrols to listen to and a long day of trying to pick up clues, but they’d found something else.
She switched off the feed to the small earpiece and turned on the speaker low, and together they bent to listen.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Grentham paced in the locker room at Aces Security. The job was going down with too much haste, and the fact that the boss would only communicate with Trenton meant that he had no opportunity to talk anyone out of it. They’re all getting really excited about themselves. That lasts right until the first big reversal. If this goes wrong, it’s going to be ugly.
Of course, the head of Aces couldn’t possibly be involved. He was out on yet another date and being seen, making sure he had an alibi so nothing could be traced back to him. The dwarf knew he was repeatedly positioned as a fall guy if the house of cards they were building fell, and while he couldn’t do anything about that within the company, anyone coming after him would find their quarry much more difficult to catch than they’d ever anticipated.
Which doesn’t help matters now, at all. He had handpicked the ten men who would accompany him today. They’d worked under the table for Aces before, so there wouldn’t be a direct connection unless one of them talked. He was satisfied that none would. If he were wrong, the fact that they were wired into the police and correctional departments would mean he’d hear about it fast enough to make sure that the snitch never made it to a deposition. He was working on something implantable, some piece of magic or technology that would eliminate people at a whim, but it was more a pet project than anything real, and he didn’t have time for many of those. I should probably stop re-watching Escape from New York for a while.
His crew was dressed in black and armed with pistols and rifles taken from criminals by the Reno police. Someday they’d discover that the small arsenal had mysteriously vanished from their evidence lockup. The clothes had been mail-ordered to a PO box and paid for by a shell company. Then a hired infomancer made sure the transaction disappeared. Fortunately, he’d taken those precautions some time before in anticipation of the day when he’d be thrust into a situation like this.
He stopped pacing and put his hands on his hips, judging that everyone was appropriately dressed and ready to go. “Okay, people, here’s the deal. We have a rare opportunity, which is why we rolled this thing out in such a hurry. A family that owns one of the casinos hasn’t been interested in working with us although some recent events should’ve convinced them otherwise. Well, we’re going to reinforce that message tonight. They’re holding a street festival celebrating the opening of a new restaurant in their fancy business. Handing out samples to average folk like us, I suspect.”
The men in the room laughed, and he grinned at the confirmation that he knew the right buttons to push. “We’re going to take a little more than the samples. The two owners have only one child, a teenager, college boy down in Vegas. The goal is simple. We crash the party, take the kid, and hold him for ransom.”
His people showed a mixture of surprise, shock, and eager anticipation. “The best part is that the payoff isn’t the thing I’m looking for. So whatever we get, you all split evenly.” As far as you know, anyway.
That got their attention. One asked, “How much we talking?”
Grentham shrugged. “Three hundred thousand each, minus expenses. So, between two-point-five and three.” Cheers and a couple of high fives came in response. They were ready. “Rental vehicles are already in position for the escape, and we’ve prepped the safe house where we’re taking him. We’ll roll out in the company’s vans and walk the last mile or so. The big event is at midnight, so we have to get moving.”
Up on the hillside, Ruby and Idryll looked at each other in shock. The tiger-woman observed, “This is an evil plan.”
“No more evil than what they’ve been up to so far, I guess.” She shoved the stuff in the bag and pulled out their costumes. “The good news is, we can get there first.”
Idryll took her outfit and quickly climbed into it. Ruby did the same, minus the mask, and made sure her illusory face was present. She summoned a portal that would take them to an alley near the Kraken, the casino owned by the Atlantean contingent in Magic City. Their new restaurant—seafood, obviously—had been the talk of the town for weeks during its by-invitation-only soft opening. Tonight, they were figuratively throwing their arms wide to invite everyone to taste their celebrity chef’s cuisine.
She waited a few seconds to see if anyone on the other side noticed the rift and stepped through. Then she created another portal, this time into the nondescript locked room at Spirit, and threw the bag with their ordinary clothes through. Idryll asked, “What’s the plan?”
Ruby replied, “No one would believe us if we told them they were in danger, so we’ll have to wait for things to kick off and protect the Chentashe family.”
The tiger-woman nodded. “Am I free to kill the attackers?”
There it was. Ruby had walked the tightrope of that question all along and now had to pick a side to fall on. She relied on the words of her teacher and echoed them to her partner. “Where talking will do, talk; where wounding will do, wound; but if killing is necessary, do not hesitate.”
Idryll nodded. “My philosophy as well. Except for the middle part.” She grinned and drew a laugh from Ruby.
“You suck.” She sidled forward with her back against the wall toward the alley mouth while putting a veil over them both. Hidden, she donned her mask, readying to defend as many innocents as she could. I wish I had a tracking device. I should have brought the drone. A hundred other “should haves” crossed her mind at that moment, but the truth was that it had all happened too fast. When this is over, I’m going to prepare properly in case this garbage ever happens again. Better suit, more weapons, and a safe place to work from where I won’t endanger my family or friends.
They couldn’t get too far out into the crowd without risking someone bumpin
g into them. The illusion only worked against the eyes, and the laws of physics still applied. She found the best angle she could to keep them safe and focused inward, pulling her magic up. It was something she’d always naturally done that she’d learned was a good thing when she’d started training with Keshalla. Her powers would respond a little quicker if she built them in advance, and every part-second would give her an advantage in battle. She was thoroughly disgusted that the scumbags in the security company had decided to go after a kid. Sure, he’d probably be offended to be described that way, but he’s still not old enough to drink. That feels like it ought to be off-limits.
She didn’t doubt the Atlanteans’ ability to see to their defense, but if the attackers were smart, they’d occupy the parents while they snatched the child. Proper planning would go a long way toward managing their goal. Her tension rose as the owners stepped up to the podium together and announced the new restaurant, then gestured for the celebrity chef to come up and speak. She did so, and cheers and whistles sounded in the crowd, all of whom seemed to have indulged a little before the event. That’ll add to the chaos.
Idryll whispered, “I taste magic.” Ruby wrapped them each in force shields an inch from their skin, and put a conical bubble around them, one foot on each side and one foot above their heads. The opening salvo of the attack hit a moment later. A fanfare of explosions went off directly across the thoroughfare, drawing attention in that direction. Fortunately, they didn’t seem to be demolitions, only fireworks, light, and sound. The crowd cheered as the display continued, thinking it was part of the event. Then a sudden shimmering gave way to a group of black-suited men holding rifles. They pulled the triggers, sending a barrage of bullets toward the stage as the people on it screamed.
Ruby was ready. She dropped the veil and summoned a force shield across the front of the firing line to absorb the bullets. She felt each hit like it was a tiny punch, but it wasn’t enough to distract her—or to stop her from rushing at the nearest attacker. Idryll was already in the air, leaping to get into the middle of the group. The man swiveled toward her, and she called up another force shield, angling it so the rounds would deflect harmlessly up over the stage roof. He emptied his magazine. The impacts tired her and drained her power, but she was on him before he could reload. A punch to the face followed by a rising kick to the groin and a jump kick to the chest took him out and knocked the man behind him off-balance.