The Zero Curse

by Christopher G. Nuttall

  “There’s a well over there,” Akin said. He pointed at something on the far side of the inn. “If we can get water ...”

  I followed him, somehow, as he walked over to the well. It was ancient and decayed, but there was water at the bottom. Akin muttered words, his voice too tired to be loud; water floated up, there for the taking. I hesitated - the water might be tainted - then reached for it anyway. I was too desperate to care.

  The water tasted funny, but I drank it anyway. Akin summoned more water for himself, then leaned against the well, gasping for breath. I collapsed next to him, feeling worse. It was midday. I’d been awake for nearly two days, again. It had taken a toll.

  “We can't stay here,” Akin said. It seemed as though we'd been sitting for hours, yet I didn't feel rested at all. “They’ll be coming after us.”

  “I know,” I managed. I didn't want to move. My body was so tired that I just wanted to stay where I was. Fairuza could do what she liked, when she caught up with us. I knew that was wrong, I knew that was dangerous, yet ... it was hard to care. “Akin ...”

  Something moved, on the road. I tensed, a second before a hex flew at us. I rolled to one side, forcing my aching body to move. Akin went in the other direction, hurling a spell of his own. The effort tired him. I could hear him gasping for breath as I took cover behind the well.

  “Take a spellcaster,” I said, pulling one of them from my bag and passing it to him. “Just jab it at the target.”

  “Got it,” Akin said. “And ...”

  Another hex flashed over our heads and struck a nearby building. There was a flash of light, but no visible effect. A stunner, then. Something to keep us from escaping until we could be recaptured. I held one of the other spellcasters in my hand as I peered around the well, searching for the enemy. Two men appeared, their hands moving in a manner that suggested they were casting a protective ward. I jabbed the spellcaster at them, hitting the ward hard enough to crack it. They jumped back, hastily taking cover before it shattered. Akin stunned one of them before he could escape.

  “Take one of the bracelets,” I said. I fumbled through my bag with one hand while trying to keep an eye on the enemy. “Just use the spellcaster!”

  “No, I need more magic,” Akin said. “The spellcaster isn’t enough!”

  I swallowed a number of angry responses, a second before a hex slammed into the well. The explosion smashed the stonework, sending pieces of debris falling into the water. I rolled away as the ground threatened to collapse, throwing us into the water too. It would make good cover, part of my mind noted, but we’d also be trapped. Whoever had caught us clearly no longer cared if we were dead or alive.

  A man in dark armour appeared, running towards us. I jabbed the spellcaster at him and watched the hex explode harmlessly against his wards. He waved his hand in my direction; the bracelet grew warm, just for a second. I jabbed the spellcaster towards the ground in front of his feet and had the pleasure of watching the explosion blasting him into the air. I hit him again before he fell back to the ground, blowing him back to the road. I hoped he hit the ground hard enough to put him out of the fight. But there were more coming ...

  I searched for Fairuza. But there was no sign of her. Was she on her way? Or had we merely run into a picket? How many people did she have anyway? I tried to calculate the answer, but couldn't come up with any solid answer. More than twenty, at least. If nothing else, it was another piece of confirmation that whoever was behind the whole plot had real power. And probably someone from one of the Great Houses ...

  “This way,” Akin said.

  I nodded as he cast a spell of his own, then started crawling towards the nearest house. I followed, knowing we had to keep moving. As soon as they caught up with us, we were dead. Or at least on our way back to the cell. I shivered to think what Fairuza would do when we were back in her hands. She needed me, but ... there were plenty of ways she could hurt me without doing permanent damage. And she could just kill both of my friends, if she wished.

  Dust billowed as Akin’s spell went to work, making it harder for them to see us. I hoped it would force them to stay back, but ... but there was no way to be sure. Akin might be able to sense magic through the haze; I couldn't, not without the spectacles. And I just didn't have time to put them on. I leaned against the house as we reached it, then followed him around the side. Another man in a dark robe blinked at us, then lifted his hand. Akin stunned him repeatedly with the spellcaster before he could cast a spell.

  He laughed. “Cat, these things could be dangerous.”

  I shrugged. I’d never been able to cast spells. Anyone else ... they didn't need a spellcaster to be dangerous. A commoner could learn magic, if he or she worked at it. Rose had a talent, but the rest of her family could learn too.

  Someone was moving behind us. I jabbed the spellcaster into the dust storm, firing off spells at random. There was no way to know if I’d actually hit anyone, but at least it would force them to keep their distance. Akin hesitated as we rounded the house, then led the way towards the forest. I didn’t blame him. Given time, Fairuza could bring the house down on our heads.

  Move, I thought.

  Spells flashed over our heads as we ran. Two struck me, flickering out of existence. The bracelet heated again and again, burning my other arm. I gritted my teeth, knowing I couldn't take the bracelet off. The risk was just too great. And yet ...

  I jabbed the spellcaster behind me, again and again. A great rolling series of explosions shook the ground. Someone shouted in pain. Was I overpowering the spells? I wasn't sure ... I wasn't funnelling magic into the spellcaster, after all. I couldn’t gauge how much power it was using. And yet ... it was getting hot, too hot. The ground heaved again, throwing me into the dust. I coughed, trying not to breathe. Akin landed next to me, grunting. His spellcaster fell out of reach.

  “Move,” I snapped. The dust clogged my throat. I needed water, desperately. I knew I wasn’t going to get it. “I ...”

  A spell struck him. He froze. I felt the bracelet heat up as more spells struck me, the pain rapidly becoming unbearable. I rolled over, waving the spellcaster wildly. If I could just force them to back off long enough for it to cool down ...

  Another spell slammed into the ground, right next to me. The force picked me up and threw me several metres. I landed hard, dropping the spellcaster. It was blasted apart a second later, pieces flying in all directions. I looked up, watching as Fairuza and two men advanced towards me. One of them held a rope in his hands. They knew I was defenceless.

  I tensed. Maybe I could hit Fairuza, perhaps land a blow or two before her friends wrestled me to the ground and removed the bracelet. And then ... I gritted my teeth, promising myself that I wouldn't give in. They couldn't use me without giving me tools and then ... a moment of carelessness, a single moment of carelessness, would be enough to give me a chance to break free.

  “Get up,” Fairuza ordered. Her voice was hard. “Now.”

  “Won’t,” I said, in a manner that had never failed to annoy my mother. Fairuza would have to force me to stand if she wanted to tie me up. It would give me an opening. I didn't think I could cripple her, but she’d know she’d been punched. “I’m not moving.”

  “Yes, you are,” Fairuza said. She pointed her finger at me, then at Akin. All trace of pleasantness, however forced, was gone. “Get up now or your friend will spend the next hour in screaming agony.”

  I tensed. If she had been threatening me, I believe I would have stayed where I was. But Akin? He was already exhausted. A torture curse might kill him ...

  There will be a chance, I promised myself, silently. I started to stand, moving as slowly as I dared. And she will pay ...

  Fairuza’s eyes went wide. I froze, staring in confusion ... a heartbeat before a man in silver armour landed between me and her. Others followed, crashing out of the forest. The leader was holding a glowing sword ... Sir Griffons? Fairuza cast a spell, only to see him deflect it with his swor
d. He backhanded her a second later, sending her dropping to the dust. The other knights advanced through the hamlet as darker hexes and curses lashed out at them. I ducked low as fireballs and killing shadows flashed and flared, tearing at the silver armour. Buildings shattered as other spells struck them, pieces of debris hurled towards enemy magicians. Dad had told me that real duels were intense, but ... I hadn't believed him. His words were empty compared to the reality.

  A hand touched my shoulder. I looked up into a familiar face. “Caitlyn?”

  “Sir Griffons,” I said. I felt a wave of pure relief. We were safe! And yet ... how had he found us? “I ...”

  I swallowed hard. There were too many other things to worry about.

  “Take off my bracelet,” I managed. The healer wouldn't be able to work if he couldn't use magic on me. There was a roaring sound in my ears. I didn't like it at all. “I ... Rose ... find Rose ...”

  The world went dark. I was vaguely aware of him shouting for a healer ...

  ... And then nothing, nothing at all.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  I awoke, slowly. I was in my own bed.

  “Cat,” Mum said. She was sitting beside the bed, looking down at me with worried brown eyes. A warm fire crackled in the grate. “How are you feeling?”

  I wasn't sure. My body felt ... odd. I ... I itched. And yet ... I sat upright and looked at my arm. It was covered in patches of pale skin, slowly fading to black. Someone had mended my arm while I slept, I realised slowly. It would be weeks before the grafted skin was the same colour as the rest of me.

  “Oh, Cat,” Mum said. She reached out suddenly and hugged me tightly. “I’m so glad you’re alive!”

  I hugged her back, despite the growing itch. My stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten for ... I wasn't sure how long I’d been asleep. Sir Griffons and the rest of his party had clearly kept me asleep, just to ensure I healed properly. I promised myself to thank him, when I saw him next. And, perhaps, to tell him that he no longer owed me anything.

  “Rose,” I said, suddenly. “Where is she?”

  “In one of the guest rooms,” Mum said. “Your friend wasn’t quite as seriously injured as yourself.”

  She let go of me and sat back. “And your other friend is with his family. I believe you will see him again soon.”

  I nodded. “Good.”

  Mum gave me a sharp look, then rose. “Have a shower, then come down to the dining room,” she said. “Your father is waiting for you.”

  I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood, tottering over to the bathroom. My legs felt wobbly at first - it was clear that the healers had worked on them too - but steadied as I forced them to work. They’d probably fed me nutrient potions too, I decided. They might impede my ability to forge for a few days, until the magic faded completely. I made a mental note to pick up one of my spare earrings. One of them should dispel the magic in short order.

  A thought struck me. “My bag,” I said. “Where is it?”

  Mum pointed to the desk. My bag stood there, seemingly unopened. I nodded, hoping Sir Griffons hadn't taken the time to search my possessions. The scroll was inside, waiting for me. I groaned as I stepped into the bathroom, realising that I would never know. Unless someone else started talking about the magic field ...

  I showered hastily, then pulled on a dressing gown. Mum said nothing when I came out of the bathroom, even though I wasn’t dressed for dinner. She had to have been worried, more worried than she cared to admit. I felt a stab of guilt, mingled with bitter helplessness. I was a tool, as far as Fairuza and her ilk were concerned. And controlling me wasn't difficult as long as my captors were careful.

  My curse, I thought, mournfully.

  I followed Mum down to the dining room. Rose sat in a chair, looking massively out of place; Alana and Bella sat next to her, their faces suggesting they didn't know what to say or do. Dad rose as I entered and gave me a hug, holding me tightly. I held him for a long moment, feeling tears prickle at the corner of my eyes. There had been times, when I’d been a prisoner, when I’d despaired of seeing my parents ever again.

  “Welcome back,” Dad whispered.

  We sat. Lucy entered, carrying a tray of food. I ate quickly, feeling ravenous. Rose looked as though she didn't know which piece of silverware to use first. Bella whispered instructions in her ear, while my parents pointedly ignored her table manners. I’d have to make sure she learned better manners too, I told myself. The next people she dined with might not be so forgiving. Perhaps Akin would help.

  “There are a number of points that need to be discussed,” Dad said, when we’d satisfied our hunger. “For starters, I need you to tell me everything.”

  I swallowed. I couldn't tell him about the magic field. I didn’t dare tell him about the magic field. And yet ... he might have searched my bag too. It was against etiquette, but that wouldn't stand in Dad’s way if he thought there was something in the bag that shouldn't be brought into the house. I’d overheard some of the other girls complaining that their parents regularly searched and warded their rooms. Dad wasn't like that, but ... he had good cause to search my room now.

  Hope for the best, I told myself.

  “I was tricked,” I said. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but it had to be faced. “Rolf and his friends lured me off the grounds.”

  Dad looked grim as I went through the entire story, starting from the moment Rolf had talked me into doing a private commission for him and ending with the rescue. He asked a handful of questions, mainly clarifying points, but didn't seem inclined to push me any harder. I’d faced tougher interrogations when someone - Alana, I was sure - had committed some awful crime and tried to blame it on her sisters. I hoped that meant he hadn't seen the scroll. Any magician worth his salt would try to determine if the scroll was actually genuine, if he knew it existed.

  “And I assume we were brought home,” I finished. I’d been careful not to mention the ancient scroll. He hadn't shown any reaction to its absence. “How did they find us?”

  “We’ll get to that in a moment,” Dad promised. He leaned forward. “A roll call was taken, as soon as it became clear that you were missing. Rolf and his fellow students were found to have vanished too. They haven’t been seen since.”

  “Not unless they were among the people chasing us,” I said. The nasty part of my mind hoped they’d been trapped when the building collapsed. “Didn't Sir Griffons manage to capture Fairuza?”

  Dad looked pained. “In a manner of speaking,” he said. “Fairuza’s memories were completely wiped. When she awoke, in a prison cell, she was utterly unable to tell us anything.”

  Alana snorted. “She’s faking.”

  “You misunderstand,” Dad said. “Everything was wiped. She doesn't know how to look after herself, let alone how to speak ... we have to feed her because she doesn't even know how to put food in her mouth. There’s no way she can be interrogated. It’s possible that her memories are buried, just awaiting a trigger phrase to bring them back to the surface, but the mind healers are doubtful. Her body may live, Alana. Her soul has gone.”

  I swallowed, hard. There were spells of forgetfulness, charms that could make people forget hours or days of their lives, but ... I’d never heard of anything that could wipe out a person’s entire life. The geas binding Fairuza had to have been very strong. I couldn't think of anything I could forge that would help. If her memories had been wiped clean, cancelling the spell would be pointless. The spell would already be gone.

  “We are trying some therapy,” Mum put in. “But I’m not hopeful.”

  I looked at Dad. “So who was she working for?”

  Dad looked back at me. “We don’t know.”

  He rubbed his forehead. “Carioca Rubén swore a mighty oath that he wasn't responsible for kidnapping the three of you,” he added. “Not that I suspected him of kidnapping his own son, of course. Other than that ... we don’t know. Rolf’s family were unaware of his ... cont
act ... with Fairuza, while Fairuza herself remains unidentified.”

  I frowned. “Surely someone would remember her if she went through Jude’s.”

  “There have only been five half-Hangchowese girls at Jude’s in the past thirty years,” Dad said. “All five of them have been accounted for. It’s possible she changed her face at some point, yet we found no traces of cosmetic magic on her body. We are trying to follow this up with the other kingdoms, on the assumption she attended a different school, but I’m not hopeful. It’s far more likely that she was trained privately.”

  “As if her family were ashamed of her,” Alana said.