Diana called to Hank across the room and he came over immediately. She looked up at his towering form. “Is the mobile armory ready?”
He grinned. “One hundred percent, boss, as soon as we have Sloan’s preferred kit on board.”
“Pack extras. We might find ourselves in a run and gun situation with these Remembrance bastards. If we do take them on, we need to make sure it’s a clean sweep.” She looked at Bryant, and he nodded. Plus, if it becomes necessary to invoke Project Adonis, the truck might be our primary HQ for a while. “Get backups of the AIs and any other vital computer equipment and devices on board, too.” The large man frowned for an instant but gave her a nod and headed to the other side of the table, tapped Deacon on the shoulder, and drew him aside for a private conversation.
She looked at Kayleigh. “Be ready to go mobile as well. Just in case. We’re not the most secret organization these days, and if they somehow get in here, we need to be able to continue to function.” The tech nodded.
Sloan frowned. “I take it you’ve seen things that make you think something big is on the way, too?”
Diana chuckled in frustration. “Oh yes. So very many things. If there’s a single thing that’s clear, it’s that a showdown is coming. One we can’t afford to lose or our city will be in deep trouble.”
“All our cities, “Bryant added. “You have to remember this is merely the tip of the iceberg.”
She sighed. “True. All our cities.” She stood and raised her voice. “Everyone, drink up and enjoy an extra dessert tonight. Tomorrow, the hard work begins and there’s no end in sight. We have cities to protect and an incredibly annoying enemy organization we intend to smash into smithereens. Everyone will need to bring their best selves to the fight.” And that means I have to discover what the hell is up with Fury, and fast.
She tapped Bryant on the shoulder. “Hey, G-Man, do you fancy a drink at the hotel across the street?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Only if it’s room service.”
She grinned and echoed his comment from the last time they’d been together. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Lechnas stared into the flames as he mused on the challenges his subordinates faced on Earth. It had seemed a simple plan to bring the kemanas into line and he had accomplished a few early successes. But first Dreven, and now Iressa, found their efforts thwarted by the human authorities. Plus, the information source he’d had on the inside of their organization had suddenly ceased communication, which suggested that those same authorities had eliminated the leak. He shook his head. It is frustrating, to be sure. I see no clear opportunities to be had from these challenges so I’ll need to identify new ones. Fortunately, the flow of news from Earth’s other forces continued unabated.
He stood and set his goblet of brandy on the table and walked deeper into the castle. The sparseness of his refuge soothed him, everything perfectly orderly and each item exactly where it was meant to be. Those he hired to clean were under strict orders not to change a thing—ever. He’d explained his wishes to each of them personally so they’d know the gravity of the situation, and he was confident the fear he’d instilled would achieve the desired result. And now, it was time to talk to other subordinates and possibly use that same fear to encourage their actions as well.
When he reached his dressing room, he carefully removed the comfortable velvet smoking jacket he wore when alone at home and hung it as he always did. He donned his armor—an impressive array of black leather and chainmail—and belted his swords on. The likelihood of him using them rather than his magic was minimal, but they added an implicit threat to all his dealings that gave him a subtle advantage. He carried three wands, a primary and two backups. The main one was in his sleeve, accessible with a practiced flick of the wrist. The others were cleverly hidden and would probably pass inspection if he were to be searched. As if such a thing could ever happen. I would die fighting before I allowed myself to be captured.
The corners of his mouth tilted into a scowl as he considered the situation again. It came down to the enemy leadership, as it always did. The body was nothing without a head, and in the case of Earth’s authorities, they had identified two. Diana Sheen and Cara Binot. A less intelligent person might underestimate the danger posed by the two because they were women, but Lechnas had never been one to judge by such characteristics. Actions were what counted, and they had foiled a substantial number of operations attempted by his people. It was past time for them to be permanently removed from the board.
At his orders, Dreven had tagged each of the members of the circle with a magical tracer of his own invention. It had enabled him to keep track of their locations and was what had permitted him to leave the invitation for Iressa to visit. With the others, however, he was less inclined to allow them into his home. They hadn’t yet shown enough value for such an honor. Instead, he’d arranged for the two of them to receive invitations to gather at a neutral location, where they should be arriving at any moment. He opened a portal to a hidden clearing in the forest, stepped through, and summoned another that would connect him to the small room at the rear of the tavern where they should be waiting. There is no sense in letting anyone identify a potential path to my domain, after all. He entered his destination and nodded at the two beings seated near the roaring fireplace. They were already eating and drinking, indicating that his orders to the owners of the establishment had been followed, which earned the serving girl a nod as well.
He sat between them, his chair a little more removed from the fire than theirs. He was far enough back that they each had to twist to look at him, a petty insult that he nonetheless enjoyed.
The Kilomea, Pesharn, was the first to speak. “Who are you and why did you call us here?”
Jarkko the dwarf added, “Not that we don’t appreciate a free meal now and again, of course.”
Lechnas nodded. “You do not know me, but I know of you both quite well. I am Lechnas, and until his recent demise, Dreven worked for me.” To their credit, neither revealed the surprise they likely felt. Even if they’d known the recently dead wizard wasn’t the top person in the chain, it was extremely unlikely they would have made the connection before he did it for them. “While the circle itself is no more, its work must continue. Thus my request for you to join me. It is time for all of us to take a more direct role in the happenings on Earth.”
Pesharn shook her head. “I will not be a pawn again. Your underling had no comprehension of how to properly utilize my skills—or anyone else’s.”
The dwarf nodded and pointed at the Kilomea. “What she said. You’ll have to make this well worth our while in order to convince either of us to help you. Your man was pathetic and selecting him does not reflect positively on your competence.”
The wizard shrugged. “One does the best with what one has. For a time, Dreven was useful. Unfortunately, he proved too emotional and was compromised by the evolving situation. It was impossible to predict. It’s impossible to know the strength of a new blade until it is quenched and tempered.”
The two before him exchanged a glance and an unspoken communication appeared to pass between them. They turned to him, and the dwarf asked, “What did you have in mind?”
He smiled. “It’s a task I believe you will enjoy immensely. It involves killing the people who have derailed your plans again and again.”
The Kilomea showed her teeth in a wide grin. “Tell us more.”
“Our enemies have acquired the pieces of Rhazdon’s Vengeance, despite our efforts to retrieve them first. The second in command has the daggers, and the leader has recently retrieved the sword. The longer they possess the items, the more powerful they will become. We must strike now—and strike hard—to eliminate this threat.” He nodded at them. “You two are the most skilled and the most bloodthirsty of the circle.”
They looked at one another and laughed. Jarkko drawled, “Surely you have us mistaken with Iressa.” All three
of them chuckled at that, and Lechnas shook his head.
“Iressa has her own tasks but, like you, has accepted the invitation to work with me. Not as pawns, as you’ve said, but as partners. Although, make no mistake, I am in charge.” They nodded, apparently content with the arrangement, and he continued. “We’ve created a distraction for these women by putting a bounty on them and offered money to Earth’s criminal element to kill them. However, no one—except perhaps the figurehead witch we use in their city—actually believes this will succeed. Instead, it’s simply an effort to soften them up and prepare the ground for the real experts.”
Again, they nodded but did not speak. He asked, “Are you willing, then, to undertake the killing of these women? You can work together on both or each choose one, it matters not to me. The only thing that does matter is that, within the week, at least one of them is dead and the other follows soon after. Plans are coming to a head in the city, and they must not be allowed to interfere.”
Pesharn folded her arms. “And our reward for accomplishing this for you?”
He grinned. “Name your price.”
She paused and considered her response carefully. “The daggers.” Her companion scowled and the wizard laughed inside.
“Done.” That was indeed a clever move, choosing the artifact that would be more appropriate for Jarkko, given his size. A dwarf with daggers is much more of a threat than one trying to wield an improperly sized sword. Although, if the rumors about the blade are true, she might discover her plan has backfired.
“Then the sword for me,” the dwarf grumbled. “I take it that means I will kill the leader?”
Lechnas held his hands out to his sides. “That would seem logical unless you wish to trust one another to deliver the artifacts you’ve chosen.” They both shook their heads simultaneously and he nodded. “Well, then. Jarkko, Diana Sheen is your target. Pesharn, you will eliminate Cara Binot.” He rose and stared at each of them in turn. “In the past, when members of the circle failed Dreven, punishment was lacking. Do not make the error of believing that I am as lenient. Return in victory or do not come back at all. Remember, no more than one week for the first and the other soon after.”
He strode to the edge of the room, cast a portal, and stepped through it.
The wizard was in his chair by the fire again when Iressa joined him that evening. She was resplendent, as always, in her tight black dress, and the broach he’d given her was fastened at her shoulder. He remarked upon it, and she smiled. Ah, the game. If I had any interest in romance, you would be tempting, witch. However, my only desire is power. There will be time for all the rest after. He gestured for her to sit and she took her seat with demure elegance. “Thank you for coming to visit me once again.”
“Thank you for inviting me.”
He nodded. “Matters come to a head. I have set your former colleagues from the circle new tasks. They will eliminate the leadership of the human authorities above Stonesreach.”
She shook her head dubiously. “That promise has been made more than once, I’m afraid. They have proven stronger than any sent against them.”
“That’s why this time, Jarkko and Pesharn will do the deed themselves.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Really? How did you persuade them to do that? And why did you choose them after their former failures?”
Lechnas smiled. “Who among us has not failed?” He saw her flinch as the reference to her own near-death at the hands of the humans hit home. “I have offered them two things. First—and perhaps most importantly—the chance at redemption, in their eyes and in mine. But also, the material reward of the daggers and the sword.”
Iressa frowned. “If those were on offer, I should have been given the opportunity to take on the task.”
He waved a hand dismissively. “You are the queen on the board, Iressa. They are but lesser pieces. After they have proven their worth, we will find a way to sacrifice them and ensure the weapons reach their proper homes in our hands.”
She nodded and seemed to accept the answer. It was true, as far as it went. He had no interest in the daggers, only in Fury, so he would be happy to turn them over to her. As long as she minds her place.
“Use the distraction of the first leader’s death to have the witch’s group launch their attack on the city. Burn it, sow chaos, create anarchy. We will swoop in on the kemana when there is no one left above to defend it, and the denizens will submit, flee, or die. I do not care which but they shall no longer stand in defiance of me. As our final act, we will destroy Stonesreach and send a message to all who dare oppose us.”
She laughed. “It is a wonderful vision of the future. I’ll do all I can to make it come true. Do you wish to remove the bounties on the humans to keep the field clear for Pesharn and Jarkko?”
“No. Let’s leave things as they are. If there’s another attack to soften them up, all the better. If not, I am sure our people will be adequate to the task.”
She nodded and rose. “I should go and give Sarah her orders.”
“Do so. And, Iressa, remind her of the penalties for failure. For her, it won’t be death but a return to the World in Between. That should motivate her properly.”
The dark witch smiled. “As you wish, Lechnas.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Sarah flung the statuette with all her strength and it put a dent in the drywall but simply bounced off. Further enraged by its refusal to shatter, she drew her wand and fired thin beams into it, again and again, to first break it to fragments and then to make the separate parts even smaller. Eventually, it was gone, but her rage was not expended. She snatched up an end table, hurled it at a window, and cringed when it bounced off the reinforced glass. The enormity of what she’d almost done swept over her, and she sank onto her couch and shook in frustration and anger.
The insistent pressure that signaled Iressa’s desire to speak to her pressed against her mind and for a moment, she considered ignoring the woman. But when she considered the ramifications of that choice, she realized it wasn’t to her short- or long-term benefit to alienate the witch. No, I have to play my role, leading a band of damned incompetents! She paused to breathe, the mental shouting doing nothing to abate the tension she felt. Finally, she pushed the table away with her feet instead of her magic, then lay down and crossed her hands over her chest, closed her eyes, and accepted her superior’s summons.
The world rippled and she appeared in a facsimile of the room in which they’d killed Dreven. Bloodstains were still visible where he’d died, and the knife rested nearby. The walls and floors were carved stone and flickering lanterns provided the illumination. Iressa stood in the center, her hands clasped behind her back and her head down as if she was meditating. Sarah stepped into the room an arm’s length away and waited to be acknowledged. She took the time to stare at the bloodstains and remember her former superior’s last moments, and it relaxed something inside her. I bet if I could kill him again, I’d feel much better.
The other witch raised her head and gazed into her eyes without speaking for several moments. It grew uncomfortable, and Sarah straightened her spine and returned the stare. Iressa broke into a grin and chuckled. “There’s the woman I was waiting for. What is vexing you?”
She snarled, “The discovery of the damned traitor among the damned humans. Not that there was one, obviously, I knew that. But the fact that he escaped before I could flay the skin from his flesh and tissues from his bones? That vexes me.”
Her superior laughed outright. “You have excellent fire in you. That is a proper response. I’m sorry you missed your revenge, but perhaps we can make it happen in the future. For now, we need to focus only on actions that advance our goals.”
“I believe that killing all the humans, right now, would absolutely advance our goals. We are stronger without them and safer without them.”
The other woman frowned. “How did the human leader react?”
Sarah snorted. “He apologized profusely for no
t seeing the traitor in our midst, even though the man was his friend and his own recruit.”
“That simply means our enemy played a very good and very deep game. No, we cannot do away with the humans. They will be needed when we attack the city.”
She folded her arms. “I disagree. I think we can accomplish it with only the witches and wizards under my command.”
Iressa folded her arms in imitation the stance. “And who will absorb the bullets while your people are busy destroying things?”
She thought about that for a second and sighed. “Okay, you’re right. They do make excellent cannon fodder.”
“And that’s exactly how we will use them, have no fear. Now, I have good news for you on several levels. First, additional help is coming to assist in the elimination of your primary foes.”
“The two women?”
“Yes.”
“Excellent. What kind of additional help?”
“The extremely lethal kind.”
She smiled. “You don’t mean that you, personally, will accomplish it, do you?”
Iressa chuckled. “No, I already have more than enough on my plate. A couple of my…former colleagues, I guess you’d call them, have been tasked with killing them. The timing is uncertain but it should be soon. No more than a week for the first one.”
“That is good news. To be rid of our enemies in such a short time will be a huge boost to our operations.”
“Second, when the moment to attack the city comes, I will be there to assist you and I will bring several powerful beings with me.”
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