The Zero Curse

by Christopher G. Nuttall

  Akin slipped back down the stairs. “It’s dawn,” he said. “There’s no one outside, as far as I can tell.”

  I nodded. If we were lucky, some of the hunters had been caught when the villa collapsed into rubble. If we were really lucky, Fairuza and her comrades would assume we’d been crushed under falling debris and killed. But I knew I didn't dare count on it. Fairuza had every reason to go digging through the wreckage to recover our bodies, just to make sure we actually were dead. I looked at the tunnel entrance and shivered. Tyros had done a fantastic job, for someone who’d had to work in secret and alone, but I had no illusions about what would happen if Fairuza started digging through the rubble. She’d uncover the tunnel sooner rather than later.

  And our missing bodies will tell her that we made it out, I added, silently.

  “We need more food,” Akin said, as he opened the bag and passed out the sandwiches. I took one and munched it, savouring every bite. “Perhaps we should go back to their base.”

  Rose blinked. “Are you mad?”

  “They have to be searching the ruins for us,” Akin pointed out. “We sneak in, steal what we need, then sneak out again.”

  It was insane, but I found myself considering it anyway. Fairuza would be searching for us, wouldn't she? Of course she would! And she’d need dozens, perhaps hundreds, of people to search a place where tracking spells were unreliable. She’d have to deploy everyone under her command to search for us, leaving only a handful of people at the base. We’d have the spellcasters and the element of surprise. It was tempting ...

  We can’t count on any of this, I reminded myself, sharply. I wanted to believe it. That was the danger. If she thinks the base is the only source of food, she may have it guarded anyway.

  “Or we get caught,” I countered, grimly. “What if she’s anticipated us sneaking back to the base?”

  Another thought struck me and I frowned. “Where is the base, anyway?”

  Akin and Rose exchanged glances. “Don’t you know?”

  I shook my head. “It was dark and I was trying to get away,” I said. In hindsight, it was clear I’d come far too close to running right into the most dangerous part of the city. “I don’t know precisely where I was when I stopped.”

  “Oh,” Akin said.

  Rose cleared her throat. “There is another possibility,” she said. “But ... but we’d have to be careful.”

  I frowned. I’d racked my brains, yet ... the only idea I’d had that seemed remotely plausible was walking north, following the ocean, until we crossed the border. The maps made it look easy, but I knew it would take weeks. And we simply didn't have the food to keep going.

  “What other possibility?”

  “There’s a farm nearby,” Rose said. “We can find it and buy food.”

  “A farm?” Akin looked disbelieving. His voice was challenging. “How do you know there’s a farm nearby?”

  Rose smirked. “The food they fed us came from a farm,” she said, mischievously. “I told you it came from a farm. And if there is one farm fairly nearby, there will be others. We find one and trade for food.”

  I had to giggle. “Good point,” I said. And hopefully one Fairuza would miss. Neither I nor Akin had realised where the food had come from. “But what do we have to trade?”

  “It depends,” Rose said. She nodded to the bag. “That gold chain might be worth something, perhaps. But ...”

  She paused, just for a second. “You may have to swear to keep their location a secret.”

  Akin raised his eyebrows. “Why?”

  Rose looked reluctant to answer, just for a second. “Because if they’re here, they’re probably trying to keep out of sight,” she said. “The last thing they want is someone trying to tax them.”

  I blinked. “I don’t understand.”

  “Farmers are taxed in kind, rather than money.” Rose sounded calm, but there was an angry undertone that worried me. “My father has to give a certain amount of crop and livestock to the local nobility, every year. One bad harvest will ruin us. It ... it isn't uncommon for farmers to hide their crops or simply flee the land. They just can't keep up with the demands.”

  “And if they came here, they could live their lives in peace,” Akin said. He jabbed a finger at the walls. “They’re dangerously close to the Eternal City.”

  “They may think the city is less dangerous than the taxman,” Rose countered. “And they might be right.”

  I nodded, slowly. It had never occurred to me that anyone would willingly live within a hundred miles of the Eternal City. The entire region was dangerous. And yet, if the danger was limited to the city and suburbs itself ... perhaps an entire community could live in the shadow of the ruins, safe from interference. But Fairuza had clearly known about them. I wondered ...

  It had to be said. “Can we count on them not to betray us?”

  “No,” Rose said, flatly. “But do you have a better idea?”

  I looked at Akin. He looked back and shrugged.

  “No,” I said. “Shall we go?”

  My body ached as I sat up, reminding me that I’d slept on hard stone. My skin didn't show bruises easily, but the aches and pains wouldn't go away. I staggered forward, walking around until my legs started to work properly. I was uneasily aware that I was in no state for running, if Fairuza and her friends caught up with us. Akin was moving gingerly, in a manner that suggested he was aching too. Rose was the only one of us who didn't seem to be suffering any ill effects.

  She’s probably used to sleeping on hard surfaces, I thought, ungraciously. Mum had insisted that my sisters and I learn to make our own beds before we went to school, but she hadn't made us sleep on the floor. And if Rose wasn't here, we’d have to find the enemy base and sneak inside.

  I pushed the thought out of my mind as I followed Akin up the stairs and down the corridor, spellcaster at the ready. A faint mist hung in the early morning air, but it felt reassuringly normal ... more like the sea mists that drifted over Shallot than something created by wild magic. Sounds echoed through the trees and I lifted the spellcaster, a second before realising that they were birds. Oddly, I found that reassuring. There had been no animals nearer the city itself.

  “We might be able to catch a rabbit,” Rose said. “I can cook one, if necessary.”

  I shuddered. I’d watched Dad slaughtering a cow for Solar Day and it had been utterly gruesome. It had taken all of my willpower to eat the beef, after it had been ritually prepared and cooked. I didn't want to think about catching a sweet little rabbit and eating it ... and yet, I knew I had eaten rabbit. I just hadn't made the connection, not emotionally, between the animal and the meat.

  My stomach growled. If we didn't find a farm soon, we might have no choice.

  We stepped out of the building, watching for anything that wasn't a bird. A cool breeze blew down the street, sending shivers down my spine. I could feel the sun on my back, even though it was lost in the haze. I looked up and down, silently inspecting the rows of buildings. They looked surprisingly intact, given their age, but they were deserted.

  “Someone must have built these to house newcomers,” Akin said. “And then they were abandoned after the empire fell.”

  I nodded in agreement. The buildings were sturdy, but they were also identical, as if someone had stamped them out one by one. I’d seen similar buildings in South Shallot, where immigrants to the city rented housing while trying to earn the right to remain. Dad had told me that they either moved upwards within a couple of years or went back home. Either way, no one was investing money in their first homes.

  And the builders didn’t use magic to put them together, I thought. There was a diagram - a crude drawing of a bull - on the nearest house. They survived the fall because magic wasn’t holding them together.

  “So,” Akin said. “Which way?”

  I looked down the road. The mist was stronger there, but I could still feel the ... wrongness ... of the Eternal City. “That way,” I said
, pointing in the other direction. “Let's go.”

  My legs kept aching as we made our way through the buildings. Akin swore blind we were heading north, but I wasn't so sure. I told myself it didn't matter, anyway. As long as we kept the Eternal City behind us, we were heading away from the danger zone. And yet ... the suburbs seemed endless. It felt as if we’d been walking for hours by the time we finally crossed a ruined road and entered the countryside. I wanted to sit down and rest, but ... I kept thinking that if I did stop, I’d never be able to move again.

  If I make it back home, I promised myself silently, I’m going to exercise every day.

  “Strange road,” Akin commented. “What do you think they were driving on it?”

  I shrugged. The road had been astonishingly wide. The King’s Roads were in better condition - I’d driven on them when we’d gone to the country estates for summer holidays - but they were thinner, designed for horses and carts rather than anything else. I wondered if I could put together a self-propelled cart, using the Objects of Power I’d seen in the ancient books. It wouldn't be too hard, as long as I was careful. If I built the core Object of Power, Akin or another forger should be able to build the rest.

  The thought kept me going as we steadily forced our way through the undergrowth. There were no paths, as far as I could see, although Rose was very good at picking ways through the foliage. Insects buzzed around us, flying through my hair and landing on my skin; I slapped at them when they started to bite, but there were always more. Akin didn't know any insect repelling spells. Rose didn't seem bothered by their attention.

  It grew warmer, steadily. The mist had faded out of existence, allowing the sun to beat down on us unrelentingly. We did our best to stay in the shade as much as possible, hiding under the trees. Akin started to redden, despite a handful of protective spells. I silently thanked my parents for the colour of my skin as we walked onwards. At least I wasn't going to burn in a hurry.

  Akin coughed. “How far are we from your farm?”

  “I have no idea.” Rose sounded pained. “I couldn’t even locate it on a map.”

  I winced in sympathy. It was hard to remember, at times, just how uneducated Rose truly was. And yet, she had survival skills Akin and I lacked. I wouldn't even know where to begin if I had to catch and slaughter a rabbit. I promised myself that I’d learn that too, even if I had to beg Rose or Sir Griffons for lessons. Fairuza and Rolf might not be the last people to try to kidnap me ...

  Dad won’t let me go back to school, I told myself, sourly. A year ago, it would have been a welcome thought. Now ... now I knew I’d miss Jude’s. After this, I’ll be lucky if he even lets me walk the grounds.

  “It could be close,” Akin pressed. “Right?”

  “We’re well within the borders,” Rose told him, crossly. She sounded irked. It dawned on me that she felt tired too, even though she hid it better. “Wherever my farm is, it’s a long way from here.”

  We reached a clearing and paused, catching our breath. A pool sat on the far side, surrounded by churned-up mud. I could see footprints - animal footprints - in the mud, but there were no animals in sight save for the omnipresent insects. Rose tensed, glancing from side to side. I felt a shiver run down my spine at her obvious concern. The clearing looked tranquil, but that didn't make it safe.

  Something moved in the undergrowth. I raised the spellcaster, an instant before a giant ... beast ... crashed into the clearing. Rose froze, as if she’d been hit by a spell. I couldn't move either as the creature sniffed the air. It looked like a pig, but it was easily three or four times the size of the pigs I’d seen on the estate, with wild eyes and dark fur. A vile smell washed over me as the beast grunted loudly, its hooves pawing the ground. I could barely breathe ...

  “Stay very still,” Rose whispered.

  The spellcaster suddenly felt very heavy. It was all I could do to keep it pointed at the beast as it glowered around the clearing with piggy eyes. If it came at us ... I was uneasily aware of just what would happen if its massive teeth bit down on my head. I could see muscles rolling and flexing under the fur ... slowly, so slowly I was sure the beast was taunting us, it inched towards the pool and started to sup. I gritted my teeth in frustration as it drank its fill, then slowly - very slowly - turned and made its way into the undergrowth.

  Rose sagged. “A wild boar,” she said. “And a big one too.”

  Akin smiled. “My Uncle Roderick killed one of them once.”

  I gave him a sharp look. “Would this be the Uncle Roderick who got eaten by a dragon?”

  Akin flushed. “He didn't get eaten,” he said. “He just got a little barbequed.”

  Rose glowered at us. “They’re dangerous,” she said, crossly. “Do not get in their way.”

  “A spell would stop it,” Akin said.

  “It would have to be a strong spell,” Rose told him. “I’ve seen them injure or kill grown men. My father hates them - they get into the fields and start eating everything, even when they’re in a good mood. The local squire likes to take his guests hunting for boar, armed with spears and crossbows. It’s about the only thing he’s ever done for us.”

  I looked at the muddy tracks. “Can we drink some of the water?”

  “Only if you know how to purify it,” Rose said. “But we can't stay here for long.”

  I nodded and followed her as she led us onwards. The sound of wild animals grew louder, crashing their way through the undergrowth. They didn't seem to want to show themselves, although I saw ... things ... in the distance, trying to get away from us. Rose seemed to think that was a good thing. If the animals were scared of humans, she insisted, it meant we were close to a human settlement.

  Rose slowed as we reached a path. It looked ... odd, as if the users couldn't decide if they wanted to keep it or let it become overgrown and eventually fade back to nothing. A small piece of carved stone sat on the edge, a strange mark clearly visible on the top. It didn't seem magical ...

  “A boundary marker,” Rose told us. “We must be close.”

  Akin frowned. “A marker?”

  “Farmers like to know what is theirs,” Rose said. “There are a lot of disagreements over who owns what when several families are forced to live and work together.”

  She shrugged. “I’d better go on alone, while you two wait here,” she added. “I don’t want them to see you until I’ve had a chance to talk to whoever’s in charge.”

  I hesitated. “Are you sure? What if you don’t speak the language?”

  “I’ll have to make do,” Rose said. “But if they see you two, they may jump to the wrong conclusion. We don’t want them thinking we might be dangerous.”

  “Okay,” I said, reluctantly. “Be careful.”

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  I sat down as Rose vanished into the distance, feeling ... I wasn't sure what I felt. Tired, yes ... and ... and what? Too much had happened in too short a space of time for me to process it, let alone decide what to do. And I couldn't turn to anyone, even my family, for help. Dad ... I had no idea what Dad would want to do, if I told him the truth. Our family depended on magic.

  Akin sat down next to me, looking as tired as I felt. I somehow mustered the energy to smile, despite everything. His father and mine were enemies and yet ... we’d become friends, somehow. We’d gone through too much together for me to think of him as an enemy, but ... what would he do, if he learnt the truth? What would Rose do? What would ... I sighed, feeling the scroll in my pocket. It would be better, perhaps, if the truth never came out. I could take it to my grave.

  “She might not come back,” Akin said. “What do we do then?”

  I shot him a sharp look. “She won't abandon us!”

  “That’s not what I’m worried about,” Akin said. A flock of small birds flew through the trees and vanished in the distance. “They might take her prisoner - or kill her.”

  “She’s a farmer,” I pointed out.

  “She’s also a magician,” Akin
said. “And she’s a stranger. And if she’s right about these people hiding, they might not want to let her go. Or us.”

  I frowned. Akin and Rose had magic. And I had my Objects of Power. Magic didn't make someone invincible - I’d humiliated my sisters often enough to make that clear - but we could probably fight our way out if necessary. Unless the farmers had magic of their own. I didn't know why or how they’d made contact with Fairuza, but they might have a magician or two working for them. That would make matters much more dangerous.

  “We’ll wait until nightfall,” I said, looking up. It was hard to be sure, but judging by the sun it was early afternoon. “If she doesn't come back, we’ll go looking for her then.”

  Akin nodded. I felt a sudden rush of warm affection. I couldn’t imagine Alana or Bella - or Isabella - being ready to put their lives on the line for a commoner, magic or no magic. Akin was clearly made from different cloth. Perhaps his father had a point, after all, when he insisted that Akin would succeed him. Isabella would just drive House Rubén into a pointless feud that would eventually unite the entire city against the family.