The Zero Curse

by Christopher G. Nuttall

  I jumped back as blinding white light filled the room. It ... it felt badly wrong, as if it was burning through my skin and gnawing at my bones. I thought I saw my flesh turn translucent, just for a second; I turned away, taking what cover I could. The potion hadn't exploded yet, but ... but I didn't know what was about to happen. There was a lot of magic wrapped up in that cauldron, slowly going critical.

  And there’s quite a bit of the activator left, I thought. I’d planned as much, making twice as much of the first potion than I needed. I’d had a number of ideas about how it could be used in our bid to escape. All I have to do is bottle it up.

  The light slowly faded. I turned my head, half-covering my eyes. Light seemed to be hovering over the cauldron, blazing so brightly that I couldn't make out anything on the far side. I hoped Akin and Rose were cowering in the backroom, keeping their magic well away from the unstable potion. I crept to the supply cupboards, picked out a handful of bottles and then recovered two of the spellcasters. I’d only get one shot at using them. Akin was remarkably quick to cast spells and Rose wasn't a slouch ...

  And if they cast a spell in here, they’ll blow us all up, I thought, as I slipped one of the protective bracelets onto my wrist. I’d told them that the danger zone grew exponentially as more and more cauldrons were added, although I didn't think that was true. My calculations suggested that there were actually a number of danger zones, one per cauldron. But it didn't really matter. They’ll still be able to overpower me physically.

  The light was dimming rapidly now, leaving spots dancing behind my eyes. I concealed the spellcasters in my sleeves as I walked to the door and peered inside. Akin was leaning against the far wall, reading a book; Rose was sitting on the bed, drawing runes on a sheet of paper. Akin had started to teach her some of the more complex runes, the ones that had been drilled into my head when I was younger. I rather thought he was a better teacher than some of the tutors Dad had hired.

  I pulled the first spellcaster from my sleeve and jabbed it at Akin. His eyes went wide, a moment before he shrank rapidly and turned into a tiny statuette. Rose let out a gasp and threw a hex at me, which sparkled out of existence as the bracelet worked its magic. I jabbed the spellcaster at her a second later, transfiguring her too. They were going to hate me when they returned to normal, I knew. I wasn't sure if the spell would leave them conscious in those inanimate forms or if their thoughts were frozen. If the former, they were about to have a very unpleasant time of it. Alana had turned me into something inanimate far too often.

  “I’m sorry,” I said, as I picked them up. They seemed to stare at me, accusingly. “I can't see any other way to get you out of here.”

  I put them into my pocket, then walked back into the workroom. I was careful to keep my distance from the cauldrons as strode around to the supply cupboards and opened them. I’d planned what to do carefully, very carefully. It only took me a moment to fill a bag with everything I thought I might need. I slung it over my shoulder, stuck the remaining spellcasters into my belt, then strode over to the door. Fairuza shouldn't be able to see what I was doing - the surge of magic from the potion would have damaged any spying spells she was using - but I knew better than to count on it. I dropped the bag by the wall, then walked back to the potions and matched the activator with one of my private brews. It shimmered to life, then waited. I poured some of the liquid into the bottles and added them to my bag, then splashed the rest of the liquid on the floor. It would make life interesting for anyone who wanted to recover the brew.

  Here we go, I thought, as if I hadn't been committed the moment I’d shown Akin and Rose the spellcasters. I poured a third potion by the door, then reached for the bell and took cover behind a table. Let’s see what happens ...

  I rang the bell. There was a long pause, long enough for me to wonder if Fairuza wasn’t waiting for me to ring. She wouldn't want to be anywhere near the brewing, for fear that her mere presence would trigger an explosion. Or in the danger zone, if I accidentally messed up the recipe and caused an explosion myself. I told myself, grimly, that I could break down the door if I had to, but ... my one shot at Fairuza would be lost. And yet ... I hesitated, unsure what to do. What if ...?

  Someone started unlocking the bolts on the far side. My blood ran cold. If this went wrong ... I’d kill myself and my friends. A single mistake would be disastrous.

  Dad wouldn't approve of me trying to escape, normally, I thought. I had to smile at the thought, even though time was fast running out. It would be dangerous.

  But now ... I shook my head. I didn't have a choice. Fairuza wasn't a common kidnapper. She and her cronies - and her superior - hadn't taken me for ransom, but for what I could do for them. There was no hope of freedom if I stayed with them, no matter what I did. They wanted me to work, not to sit and wait to be free. They were irrecoverably committed the moment they’d taken Akin as well as me.

  And if they can’t have me, I reminded myself, they’ll make sure that no one else can have me either.

  The door opened. A second later, an explosion shook the room.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  I jumped up, spellcaster at the ready. Fairuza stood in the doorway, flickers of light blazing around her. She'd taken the brunt of the blasts on her wards - she'd clearly had more protections than I’d realised, even though I’d managed to take a look at her with my spectacles - but she’d been shocked. I jabbed the spellcaster at her, blasting her back through the door and down the corridor. There was no way to fine-tune the spell, but it shouldn't matter. The force should have knocked her out.

  Jamming my spectacles into place, I grabbed my bag and ran forward. The suite opened into a network of corridors, leading in all directions. The only light came from a series of lanterns, hanging from the walls. I threw another blasting spell after Fairuza, then picked another corridor at random. The walls were cold stone, but there was a style about them that was oddly familiar. It nagged at my mind as I ran, keeping one hand on my spectacles. Wards and protective spells would be invisible to me, without the spectacles, until I actually ran into them. Flickers of magic danced along the walls - very odd flickers of magic - but there were no actual wards.

  That makes no sense, I thought. I reached an intersection, listened carefully, then picked a direction at random. If I could find a window, or a map, or something else that showed me the layout of the building, escape would be a great deal easier. They have to be hiding us behind heavy wards.

  I puzzled over it as I ran, listening carefully for signs of life. How big was the building? The family hall was big and Jude’s was bigger, but ... this building felt immense. There were dozens, perhaps hundreds, of empty rooms, all coated with layers of dust. A thought struck me and refused to go away, even though I knew it was nonsense. Were we in Jude’s? That couldn't be true, could it? Rolf and his friends wouldn't have had to lure me out of the school if they’d meant to conceal me inside the school ... right?

  Don’t be stupid, I told myself, sharply. We’re nowhere near the school.

  A ward flared to life in front of me, an instant before I would have run straight into it and gotten trapped - or worse. I didn't think kidnappers would have bothered to make their wards gentle. I yanked the dispeller out of my pocket and pushed it against the ward, holding my breath as the ward glowed with light. It shattered, snapping out of existence with a loud BANG. I wasn’t reassured. I’d taken down the ward, but anyone monitoring them would know precisely where to find me.

  And they might be able to track me too, I thought, as I darted past the broken ward and hurried down the corridor. I may not be magic, but I’m carrying magic ...

  I heard ... something ... behind me and threw myself against the wall, an instant before a hex flashed past me. I spun around, spellcaster raised; two men were running towards me, their hands casting spells. I jabbed the spellcaster at the nearest and blasted him, throwing him back into his companion. Their wards took the brunt of the blast, part of my mind noted
dispassionately, but they were still stunned. I jabbed the second spellcaster at them, then turned and ran. They’d have problems breaking the spell before it wore off.

  But I don’t know how long it will last, I reminded myself. The spell could be cancelled, if someone found them before the spell wore off on its own. I’d read stories about Objects of Power that transfigured or controlled people, Objects of Power that had been lost long ago ... if the stories were true. Their spells could be cancelled by someone else, but not broken by the victim. I wondered, as I glanced at the spellcaster, if I’d just reinvented them. It’s just a pity they really can't be fine-tuned.

  The air grew fresher as I ran up a flight of stairs. I felt as though I was underground, although I wasn't sure. The walls still felt oddly familiar, even though I couldn't place them. Where was I? Where were we? I ran around a corner and nearly crashed into a young man wearing brown robes. I shoved the spellcaster into his chest before he could react. He froze, held in place by fear rather than magic.

  “I can see magic on you,” I said. It was true, thanks to the spectacles. I’d see a spell if he started to cast it. “You start to cast a spell and I blast your chest. Understand?”

  He nodded, frantically. He didn't seem that much older than me. I wished, suddenly, that I had time to ask him more questions, starting with whoever was behind the whole plot. But I rather suspected he wouldn't know. Dad had taught us about setting up patronage networks and satellite patronage networks. The people who were part of the secondary network might not know that their boss had a boss of his own.

  And their ultimate superior wouldn't want them to be able to betray him, I reminded myself, grimly. Even Fairuza might not know who she worked for. Or she might be under a geas of her own to keep her mouth shut. I’d heard horror stories - mainly from spying on some of Dad’s meetings - about spells that ensured that criminal masterminds could never be betrayed. He won’t know that much.

  I glared at him, trying to make it clear that I would hurt him if necessary. “I will know if you lie,” I told him. “Where are we?”

  “Aragon,” he said. “Let me go!”

  “Stay still,” I growled. Aragon? It meant nothing to me. But I hadn't heard of everywhere within the kingdom, let alone outside it. “Which way to the exit?”

  His body started to shake. I swallowed a savage word. A geas, then. He couldn't tell me anything useful, not even to save his life. And yet, he had given me a name ... hadn't he? Or was it false? I didn't know. Dad had interests in a place called Celadon, but that was right on the edge of the kingdom. I didn't know anywhere else that sounded remotely close to Aragon.

  “Tell me where the nearest window is,” I said, instead. Perhaps I could give him enough leeway to fool the geas. Or maybe ... “Show me ...”

  He inclined his head down the corridor, an instant before his entire body collapsed. The geas had knocked him out, rendering him comatose until his comrades found him. I felt a flicker of pity, combined with disgust. Who was he? What was he doing here? I studied his robes for a long moment, but nothing came to mind. He looked like some kind of priest. There was nothing about his face to suggest a specific origin.

  I heard the sound of running footsteps, hurrying towards me. I yanked one of the potion bottles out of my bag as I moved, splashing the liquid on the floor as soon as I was several metres from the comatose man. Someone shouted behind me as I straightened up; I fled, running as hard as I could. A second later, another explosion shook the building. I heard the sound of pieces of falling masonry hitting the ground. Wherever we were, it clearly hadn't been designed for magicians. Or perhaps whoever had lived in the building, once upon a time, had known better than to brew unstable potions ...

  The air grew colder as I made my way along the corridor, spellcasters at the ready. More flickers of magic darted through the air, but they didn't seem to be doing anything. They weren't wards, as far as I could tell, nor were they seeking spells. I studied one of them, trying to parse out the spellform, but it was so warped as to be beyond recognition. It didn't seem to have any purpose, as far as I could tell.

  I felt a brush of wind against my face and grinned, my legs starting to ache as I pushed myself onwards. If - when - I got home, I promised myself that I’d go for a run every day until I was fitter. I’d never been as pudgy as Bella, but I clearly wasn't a fast runner. But wind ... I turned the corner and ran into a large room. A giant window dominated the scene, revealing utter darkness. I stared, trying to see something - anything - in the gloom. If the cold air hadn't smelt of the outside world, I would have wondered if I’d found something else instead. A balcony, perhaps.

  The darkness was near-absolute, yet ... I looked up and saw the stars. The constellations were largely familiar - Dad had taught me to watch the skies - but out of place. I tried to parse it out, slowly ... we'd moved east, I thought. And that meant ... my blood ran cold as I digested the implications. I might be on the edge of the kingdom or I might be outside it altogether.

  I peered down as my eyes slowly adapted to the darkness. The walls were crumbly, with plenty of handholds, but I had no idea how far it was to the ground. I kicked myself, mentally. There were Objects of Power that would let me see in the dark, like my namesake, but I hadn't thought to make one. If I started to climb down, what then? If I fell ...

  A hex struck my back. The bracelet grew warm, just for a second, as it absorbed the spell. I spun around and jabbed the spellcaster towards the oncoming men, forcing them to take cover. Panic gibbered at the back of my mind as I tried to think of a plan, but there was nothing. There was only two ways out of the room - the corridor or the window - and both of them were dangerous. Or I could just stay where I was ...

  I looked from side to side. The room was bare, completely empty. There was nothing I could turn into a weapon, nothing I could forge to save myself. If I’d stayed in the suite ... I gritted my teeth, unsure what to do. The longer I waited, the greater the chance that my captors would find a way to get to me that didn't involve magic. Or simply cast spells that got around my defences. Or ...

  “You can't escape,” a male voice called. “You don’t even know where you are. Drop the focus and give up.”

  My bracelet heated. I blinked in surprise, then smiled. A compelling voice ... Alana had been fond of that spell, at least until I’d developed the willpower to overcome it. But it wasn't normal for twelve-year-olds to be able to do that, was it? I made a mental note to ask Akin if he could resist the spell. Not that it mattered, not right now. My bracelet protected me from direct mind manipulation.

  A head poked up. I jabbed the spellcaster at him. It vanished, abruptly.

  Got him, I thought. It wasn't much of a victory, but I clung to it. They should have made their wards stronger, although I wasn't sure if they could make them strong enough to stand off an Object of Power. My makeshift spells weren't precise and they were somewhat inflexible, but they were strong. What will they think of next?

  I worked the problem in my mind as I tried to divide my attention between the corridor and the window. If I was considering climbing down, someone else could consider climbing up. Or ... I kept trying to look into the darkness, but it was too dark to make out much beyond faint glimmers of magic. I couldn't help finding the sight disturbing. Where were we?

  “Cat,” a quiet voice said.

  I tensed. Fairuza was standing at the bottom of the corridor, holding a large scutum shield in one hand. I gritted my teeth as I parsed out the runes on the shield. It wouldn’t be hard to blast the shield - or shields, once the others picked up their own - but the runes would give them some protection. They’d just keep advancing until they caught me or I jumped out the window.

  “You don’t understand what is at stake,” Fairuza said. She sounded as though she was trying to be reasonable, although the nasty bruises on her face made her look angry. I wasn't too concerned. A few minutes with a healer would patch up the scars, if there was a healer nearby. One of the magicians
might have some healing training, even if they didn’t. “You need to work with us.”

  I pointed the spellcaster at her with one hand, while pressing the bracelet into my bare skin with the other. If it got hotter ...

  “You took me and my friends from school, then cast forbidden spells on us,” I charged, angrily. “Where are we?”

  Fairuza rested her shield against the wall, exposing herself. “You are quite some distance from civilisation,” she said, coolly. “I know we haven’t kept you in the best of conditions, Caitlyn, but you don’t want to go out there.”

  “Why?” I challenged. “What is out there?”

  “Dangers,” Fairuza said. She sounded tired. “I can return your friends to their loving parents, Cat, if you come back and stay with us.”

  I was tempted, just for a second. Akin and Rose had seen enough to help Dad track down Fairuza and her superior, hadn't they? But I didn't trust Fairuza to keep her word. She could offer to swear all the oaths she wished, yet it would be easy for her to trick me. I wouldn’t have trusted her to do anything. Akin and Rose would probably have their throats slit, as soon as they were outside the building. The geas wouldn't let them resist.